Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Detection of patients with chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension by volumetric iodine quantification in the lung-a case control study.

Background To evaluate whether volumetric iodine quantification of the lung allows for the automatic identification of patients with chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH) and whether the extent of pulmonary malperfusion correlates with invasive hemodynamic parameters. Methods Retrospective data base search identified 30 consecutive patients with CTEPH who underwent CT pulmonary angiography (CTPA) on a spectral-detector CT scanner. Thirty consecutive patients who underwent an identical CT examination for evaluation of suspected acute pulmonary embolism and had no signs of pulmonary embolism or PH, served as control cohort. Lungs were automatically segmented for all patients and normal and malperfused volumes were segmented based on iodine density thresholds. Results were compared between groups. For correlation analysis between the extent of malperfused volume and mean pulmonary artery pressure (mPAP) and pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR) 3 patients were excluded because of a time span of more than 30 days between CTPA and right heart catheterization. Results Patients with CTEPH had a higher percentage of malperfused lung compared to controls (43.25%±24.72% vs. 21.82%±20.72%; P=0.001) and showed reduced mean iodine density in malperfused and normal-perfused lung areas, as well as in the vessel volume. Controls showed a left-tailed distribution of iodine density in malperfused lung areas while patients with CTEPH had a more symmetrical distribution (Skew: -0.382±0.435 vs. -0.010±0.396; P=0.004). Patients with CTEPH showed a significant correlation between the percentage of malperfused lung volume and the PVR (r=0.57, P=0.001). Conclusions Volumetric iodine quantification helps to identify patients with CTEPH by showing increased areas of malperfusion. The extent of malperfusion might provide a measurement for disease severity in patients with CTEPH.
Antimycotic Effects of 11 Essential Oil Components and Their Combinations on 13 Food Spoilage Yeasts and Molds

Food safety is important to reduce food spoilage microorganisms and foodborne pathogens. However, food safety is challenging, as customers’ demand for natural preservatives is increasing. Essential oils (EOs) and their components (EOCs) are alternative antibacterial and antimycotic food additives. In this study, the minimal inhibitory concentrations (MIC) of 11 different EOCs against 13 food spoilage molds and yeasts were investigated via the microdilution method. Cinnamaldehyde (CA) revealed the lowest MIC for all tested strains and all EOCs (32.81–328.1 µg ml−1). However, CA is organoleptic and was therefore combined with other EOCs via the checkerboard method. Overall, 27 out of 91 combinations showed a synergistic effect, and both respective EOC concentrations could be reduced by maintaining MIC. Thereby, the combination with citral or citronellal showed promising results. The concentration-dependent effect of CA was studied in further detail on Saccharomyces cerevisiae, with CA causing delayed growth-kinetics and reduced total cell numbers. In addition, flow cytometric measurements combined with live–dead staining indicate the fungicidal effect of CA, due to decreasing total cell numbers and increasing relative amount of propidium iodide-positive cells. In this study, we demonstrated that CA is a potent candidate for the use as a natural preservative against food-relevant mold and yeasts showing fungistatic and fungicidal effects. Therefore, CA and EOC combinations with respective lower EOC concentrations reduce organoleptic reservations, which ease their application in the food industry.
Investigation on a Bangladeshi isolate Bacillus aryabhattai for promising biotechnological applications

A new isolate was investigated from soil sample collected from Shahrasti upazilla of Chandpur district of Bangladesh. Based on the physico-chemical studies the strain was identified as gram positive Bacilli. Moleculer characterization of the strain was identified as Bacillus aryabhattai which is the first report in Bangladesh. The strain can survive in extreme conditions of salt, temperature and pH. This strain was further characterized and screened for the ability to produce useful enzymes. The optimum temperature for growth and production of these enzymes was within the temperature range 35oC to 40oC. The pH was found to be 7 for its growth and production of different enzymes when investigated over 48 h of incubation. The isolate produced various extracellular enzymes such as α-amylases, cellulases, β-glucosidases, lipases and proteases. The findings of this study provide useful information of the new strain that has potential biotechnological applications. Jahangirnagar University J. Biol. Sci. 7(2): 33-45, 2018 (December)
Instructional Strategies

having severe to profound cognitive impairments or intellectual disabilities. Now, there’s a growing understanding that disabilities can affect individuals along a scale of minimal or mild to severe. It is possible to have a mild learning disability or a severe one, just as it’s possible to have mild or severe autism, without a clear-cut diagnosis of intellectual disability. An individual with multiple disabilities usually has more than one significant disability, such as movement difficulties, sensory loss, and/or a behavior or emotional disorder. short circuited by may occur multitude of problems. These severe visual impairment, speech disorder, loss of bowel and bladder control, and Symptoms may regress remission occurs.
Palmatine, a Bioactive Protoberberine Alkaloid Isolated from Berberis cretica, Inhibits the Growth of Human Estrogen Receptor-Positive Breast Cancer Cells and Acts Synergistically and Additively with Doxorubicin

Palmatine (PLT) is a natural isoquinoline alkaloid that belongs to the class of protoberberines and exhibits a wide spectrum of pharmacological and biological properties, including anti-cancer activity. The aim of our study was to isolate PLT from the roots of Berberis cretica and investigate its cytotoxic and anti-proliferative effects in vitro alone and in combination with doxorubicine (DOX) using human ER+/HER2− breast cancer cell lines. The alkaloid was purified by column chromatography filled with silica gel NP and Sephadex LH-20 resin developed in the mixture of methanol: water (50:50 v/v) that provided high-purity alkaloid for bioactivity studies. The purity of the alkaloid was confirmed by high resolution mass measurement and MS/MS fragmentation analysis in the HPLC-ESI-QTOF-MS/MS-based analysis. It was found that PLT treatment inhibited the viability and proliferation of breast cancer cells in a dose-dependent manner as demonstrated by MTT and BrdU assays. PLT showed a quite similar growth inhibition on breast cancer cells with IC50 values ranging from 5.126 to 5.805 µg/mL. In contrast, growth of normal human breast epithelial cells was not affected by PLT. The growth inhibitory activity of PLT was related to the induction of apoptosis, as determined by Annexin V/PI staining. Moreover, PLT sensitized breast cancer cells to DOX. Isobolographic analysis revealed synergistic and additive interactions between studied agents. Our studies suggest that PLT can be a potential candidate agent for preventing and treating breast cancer.
Novel Surgical Technique for Acoustic Transmitter Insertion in Rainbow Trout Reduces the Need for Surgical Training

The implantation of acoustic transmitters into the peritoneal cavity of fish is typically performed by experienced surgeons. This study compared the effectiveness of an experienced and inexperienced surgeon performing two different types of transmitter insertion techniques on rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss). The methods used were either a traditional sutured ventral incision or a novel unsutured lateral incision. There was no significant difference in surgical duration, tag retention, or fish survival between the experienced and naïve surgeon. The time to complete surgical wound closure was not significantly different between the fish operated on by an experienced or naïve surgeon, and surgeon experience had no significant effect on the duration of inflammation. However, there were significant differences between the two surgical techniques, regardless of surgeon experience. The ventral incision with sutures method took approximately three times longer to complete than the lateral incision-only method. However, complete wound closure was significantly faster in the sutured ventral incision treatment compared to the unsutured lateral treatment. Post-surgery inflammation was over seven times longer in the fish with sutures compared to those only receiving a lateral incision. Tag retention was not significantly different between the two surgical methods. The results of this study indicate that the unsutured lateral surgical technique used in this experiment can be completed with minimal training and surgical experience in contrast to the standard technique requiring sutures. These results also provide additional support to the use of sutureless surgical techniques for acoustic transmitter implantation.
Assessment of Carbon Stock in Forest Biomass and Emission Reduction Potential in Malaysia

Malaysia has a large extent of forest cover that plays a crucial role in storing biomass carbon and enhancing carbon sink (carbon sequestration) and reducing atmospheric greenhouse gas emissions, which helps to reduce the negative impacts of global climate change. This article estimates the economic value of forest carbon stock and carbon value per hectare of forested area based on the price of removing per ton CO2eq in USD from 1990 to 2050. The economic value of biomass carbon stored in the forests is estimated at nearly USD 51 billion in 2020 and approximately USD 41 billion in 2050, whereas carbon value per hectare forest area is estimated at USD 2885 in 2020 and USD 2388 in 2050. If the BAU scenario of forest loss (converting forests to other land use) continues, the projected estimation of carbon stock and its economic value might fall until 2050 unless further initiatives on proper planning of forest management and ambitious policy implementation are taken. Instead, Malaysia’s CO2 emission growth started to fall after 2010 due to rising forest carbon sink of 282 million tons between 2011 and 2016, indicating a huge potential of Malaysian forests for future climate change mitigation. The estimated and projected value of carbon stock in Malaysian forest biomass, annual growth of forest carbon, forest carbon density and carbon sink would be useful for the better understanding of enhancing carbon sink by avoiding deforestation, sustainable forest management, forest conservation and protection, accurate reporting of national carbon inventories and policy-making decisions. The findings of this study could also be useful in meeting emission reduction targets and policy implementation related to climate change mitigation in Malaysia.
On the causes of electoral volatility in Asia since 1948

Electoral stability has been viewed as an essential condition for the healthy functioning of representative democracy. However, there is little agreement in the literature about what shapes the stability of the electorate in general nor much attention paid to that of the Asian electorates in particular. We propose historical legacies, uniquely testable in Asia, as central determinants, but also test for conventional factors examined in other regions. By analyzing more than 150 elections in 19 post-WWII Asian democracies, we find that certain types of authoritarian (military or personalist) and colonial (non-British) legacies have a detrimental impact on the stabilization of the electorate, while some of the findings from other regions apply also to Asia. Our additional finding that such effects of historical legacies, particularly authoritarian interludes, are attenuated and cease to be significant with sufficient maturation of democracy, has important implications for the way party systems develop and democracies consolidate.
Investigating Maternal Mortality of the Year 2019 at Bay Regional Hospital in Baidoa

Background: Maternal mortality (MM) has been described as a critical problem of global dimension. In 2017 alone, according to a report by the World Health Organization in collaboration with its partners (WHO et al. 2019), MM is estimated to have claimed the lives of 295,000 women worldwide. Considering this concern, the University of Southern Somalia’s faculty and students from the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences and a faculty member from the Department of Public Administration, Faculty of Social Sciences & Humanities of the USS, in association with Hakaba Institute for Research & Training, Baidoa, SWSS, carried out this study to highlight the causes of MM in Baidoa City. The purpose of the study is to shed light on the extent at which cases of MM occur and the causes inherent to it by focusing on incidents at Bay Regional Hospital (BRH) in Baidoa city, SWSS, in the year 2019. Methods: The study benefits from quantitative case study method by utilizing observation of data available in the archives of Bay Regional Hospital. Analyzing frequencies of occurrences of MM and their causes, the study uses 4 tables to demonstrate the comparisons of the incidents and causes of death from January to December 2019. Results: A total number of 1950 pregnant women visited the hospital; 883 were consulted, treated and returned home; 1049 underwent safe delivery; while 18 women died in the process of childbirth. Conclusion: MM poses a great threat to expecting mothers in Baidoa as they are exposed to the risk of dying from obstetric complications linked to numerous direct and indirect causes. Eclampsia, PPH/APH and numerous types of infections have been identified to be among the direct and indirect causes, although many of them are classified as preventable, treatable, or manageable in nature. Keywords: Baidoa, childbirth, healthcare, maternal mortality, research, South-West State of Somalia
A Fractal Epistemology for Transpersonal Psychology

The role of science has been controversial within the nascent field of transpersonal psychology. Traditional linear and reductionist models are insufficient to address rare and unreproducible states of mind, fringe rather than normative experiences, and highly personal or culturally specific aspects of awareness. Through a fractal epistemology this paper introduces novel metaphors, models, and methods within a more holistic, organic, and synthetic branch of science. Principles of the epistemology illuminate observer dependence, fuzzy boundaries, recursive patterns, and higher dimensional phenomena that emerge within the infinite expanses between ordinary, finite (Euclidean) dimensions.
A New Case of Scientific Dishonesty in the Field of Parapsychology

The present article informs about a case of prolonged scientific dishonesty in the field of parapsychology. It emerged that Alejandro Parra, an active member of the parapsychological community since about three decades, has published substantially plagiarized books and articles since at least 2007. Currently, I am aware of 20 publications that contain plagiarized sections or consist almost entirely of plagiarism. In the following, I present striking examples of such plagiarized texts and provide background information about the development of this case. Parra even presented research results obtained by others as his own research results, which amounts to data fabrication. Therefore, I conclude one cannot trust any of his books and articles. Even Parra’s publications that contain data obtained in surveys or experimental studies must be disregarded by the scientific community unless the validity of their raw data has been very carefully established by examinations performed by others.
Study on detection and identification of some Mycobacterium species by using some bacteriological and immunological techniques

This study aimed to compare and analyze the results of microbiological and immunological laboratory investigations of pulmonary tuberculosis and non-tuberculosis patients from Hospitals at Saudi Arabia, and also to evaluate the serodiagnosis detection of tuberculosis promptly using immunological assays in comparison with the traditional Ziehl Neelsen microbiological techniques. This is to develop reliable, effective assay, shorter duration and more specific diagnosis of active tuberculosis. The sensitivity, specificity and efficiency of Ziehl-Neelsen stain were 48 %, 100 % and 64 %, respectively. An identified antigen in serum samples of infected persons with pulmonary tuberculosis was detected using TB-Spot ELISA technique. The sensitivity, specificity and efficiency of TB-Spot ELISA for the detection of antigen were 97 %, 95 % and 98 %, respectively. The serum levels of TNF-α reach statistical difference (P< 0.0001) in patients positive for TB antigen in comparison with the levels in negative individuals for TB.
Inside Trending Topic Algorithm: How Do Human Interactions Drive Public Opinion in an Artificial Environment

The object of this research is to exploit the algorithm of Twitter’s trending topic (TT) and identify the elements capable of guiding public opinion in the Italian panorama. The underlying hypotheses that guide the whole article, confirmed by the research results, concern the existence of (a) a limited number of elements at the base of each popular hashtag with very high viral power and (b) hashtags transversal to the themes detected by the Twitter algorithm that define specific opinion polls. Through computational techniques, it was possible to extract and process data sets from six specific hashtags highlighted by TT. In a first step through social network analysis, we analyzed the hashtag semantic network to identify the hashtags transversal to the six TTs. Subsequently, we selected for each data set the contents with high sharing power and created a “potential opinion leader” index to identify users with influencer characteristics. Finally, a cross section of social actors able to guide public opinion in the Twittersphere emerged from the intersection between potentially influential users and the viral contents.
Impact of Public Consumption on Economic Growth

Faced with the financial crisis and global economic recessions, Africa governments have rediscovered the importance of economic policy instruments. They use it to rescue the bankrupt banks, and to make more economic activity to carry back recession. But now there's a backlash demanding that the deficits used to create the stimulus must be reduced by cutting public consumption spending on a grand scale. Hence the target of this study is to explore the role of public consumption expenditure on economic process in East African geographic region. The study will use panel ordinary least square estimation technique to attain the study objective. The study has identified consumption expenditure to be negatively associated with growth. This study recommends few funds should be channeled to public consumption programmes and sectors.
Risk Factors for Catheter-Related Thrombosis in Multiple Myeloma Patients Undergoing Autologous Stem Cell Transplantation

Background and Objectives: Cancer associated thrombosis (CAT) is a common complication of neoplasms. Multiple myeloma (MM) carries one of the highest risks of CAT, especially in the early phases of treatment. Autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT) as the standard of care in transplant-eligible patients with MM carries a risk of catheter-related thrombosis (CRT). The aim of this study was identification of the risk factors of CRT in MM patients undergoing ASCT in 2009–2019. Materials and Methods: We retrospectively analyzed patients with MM undergoing ASCT. Each patient had central venous catheter (CVC) insertion before the procedure. The clinical symptoms of CRT (edema, redness, pain in the CVC insertion area) were confirmed with Doppler ultrasound examination. We examined the impacts of four groups of factors on CRT development: (1) patient-related: age, gender, Body Mass Index (BMI), obesity, Charlson comorbidity index, hematopoietic stem cell transplantation comorbidity index, renal insufficiency, and previous thrombotic history; (2) disease-related: monoclonal protein type, stage of the disease according to Salmon–Durie and International Staging System, number of prior therapy lines, and MM response before ASCT; (3) treatment-related: melphalan dose, transplant-related complications, and duration of post-ASCT neutropenia; (4) CVC-related: location, time from placement to removal. Results: Symptomatic CRT was present in 2.5% (7/276) of patients. Univariate analysis showed an increased risk of CRT in patients with a catheter-related infection (OR 2.4, 95% CI; 1.109–5.19, p = 0.026), previous thrombotic episode (OR 2.49, 95% CI; 1.15–5.39, p = 0.021), previous thrombotic episode on initial myeloma treatment (OR 2.75, 95% CI; 1.15–6.53, p = 0.022), and gastrointestinal complications of ASCT such as vomiting and diarrhea (OR 3.87, 95% CI; 1.57–9.53, p = 0.003). In multivariate analysis, noninfectious complications were associated with higher CRT incidence (OR 2.75, 95% CI; 1.10–6.19, p = 0.031). Conclusions: The incidence of symptomatic CRT in ASCT in MM was relatively low. Previous thrombotic events, especially during the induction of myeloma treatment, increased CRT risk during ASCT. Dehydration following gastrointestinal complications may predispose to higher CRT incidence.
Using a coupled-oscillator model of speech rhythm to estimate rhythmic variability in two Brazilian Portuguese varieties (CE and SP)

This paper presents preliminary results of a semi-automatic methodology to extract three parameters of a dynamic model of speech rhythm. The model attempts to analyze the production of rhythm as a system of coupled oscillators which represent syllabicity and phrase stress as levels of temporal organization. The estimated parameters are the syllabic oscillator entrainment rate (alpha), the syllabic oscillator decay rate (beta), and the coupling strength between the oscillators (w0). The methodology involves finding the combination that minimizes the distance between natural duration contours and simulated contours generated using several combinations of the parameters. The distance between natural and model-generated contours was measured in two ways by comparing: (1) plain or overt syllable to syllable duration and (2) relative change along both contours.We applied this methodology to read speech produced by five speakers of the state of Ceará (CE) and eight speakers of the state of São Paulo (SP). Mean w0 and alpha values are compatible with the view that Brazilian Portuguese is a mixed-rhythm language. Results from two bayesian hierarchical regression models do not suggest a difference between SP and CE speakers, but indicate a difference between the two methods, with the relative change method generating lower alpha values and higher w0 values, and the reverse for the plain duration method.