Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
End-game : why American interventions become quagmires

Why have the major post 9/11 U.S. military interventions turned into quagmires? Despite huge power imbalances, major capacity-building efforts, and repeated tactical victories, the wars in Afghanistan (2001-present) and Iraq (2003-2011; 2014-present) turned bloody and intractable. The inability to design and manage war termination is an important part of the explanation why successful military operations to overthrow two third-world regimes failed to achieve favorable and durable outcomes. This thesis uses the abductive research method to develop three hypotheses to investigate these problems. Hypothesis #1: The failure to consider war termination heightens the risk of selecting a myopic strategy that has a low probability of success. Hypothesis #2: Cognitive obstacles, political frictions, and patron-client problems can impede the ability to recognize and abandon an ineffective or losing strategy. Hypothesis #3. When the United States tires of the war and decides to withdraw, bargaining asymmetries can undermine the prospects of a favorable outcome. These hypotheses are examined in the case studies and used to draw conclusions. Three main findings emerge. First, the United States government has no organized way to consider war termination and thus selected strategies that overestimated the prospects of decisive military victory. Second, the United States was slow to recognize and modify or abandon losing strategies. In both cases, U.S. officials believed their strategies were working even as the situations deteriorated. Third, once the United States decided to withdraw, bargaining asymmetries and disconnects in strategy undermined the prospects for a successful transition or negotiated outcome.
The Role of Personality Traits in the Choice and Use of Language Learning Strategies

The paper aims to investigate the relationships between foreign language learning strategies (FLLS) and personality traits among students of education and engineering sciences. Quantitative survey of self-report questionnaire was used to evaluate learning strategies and individual personality traits. Pearson's correlation coefficients were calculated and six linear regressions were conducted to test the predictive role of personality dimensions when language learning strategies were used as a criterion. The findings propose that students with different personality traits have different preferences when it comes to learning strategies. Two out of five personality traits from this study seem to have an important role in the prediction of the FLLS type used. While low Conscientiousness was predictive of more frequent usage of Cognitive and Compensation strategies, high Intellect was predictive of more frequent usage of Cognitive and Metacognitive strategies. The study points out the significance of managing students by meeting their personal differences in choosing learning strategies, and not by relying on the personality stereotypes that are predominant. The obtained results can help teachers to select appropriate learning strategies that match students' different personality types.
Distribution of Clinically Relevant Blood Group Antigens among Nigerians and the Management of Rhesus D Negative Pregnancies: Implications for Haemolytic Disease of the Foetus and Newborn and Haemolytic Transfusion Reactions

The ABO and Rhesus blood group systems are the most clinically relevant blood group systems from haemolytic disease of the foetus and newborn (HDFN) and haemolytic transfusion reaction (HTR) perspectives. Other clinically relevant blood group systems include the Kell, Duffy, Kidd and MNSs blood group systems. The clinical relevance of a blood group system depends on the ability of antibodies of the system to cause HDFN and HTR. This chapter discusses the distribution of ABO, Rhesus and other clinically relevant red cell antigens among Nigerians and implications for HDFN and HTR. There are several challenges associated with the management of Rhesus negative pregnancies, pregnancies associated with clinically significant alloantibodies, implementation of policy on routine antenatal anti-D prophylaxis (RAADP), management of Rhesus negative women that require termination of pregnancy (TOP), provision of antigen negative blood for certain patient groups and the management of pregnant and non-pregnant patients with clinically significant alloantibodies. This chapter highlights the need for Nigeria and other African countries to implement best practices to optimize the care offered to pregnant women as well as patients in whom red cell transfusion is indicated.
Determining the Training Needs of Personal Excellence among Undergraduate Tourism Students

ABSTRACT Taiwan’s government has recently begun making efforts to develop a more diverse travel environment and attract more inbound tourists and domestic travellers. As a result, tourism colleges and institutes have grown rapidly to meet the significantly mounting job demands. In response to these developments, many academic authorities in Taiwan have recently made efforts to promote students’ personal excellence. Given the scarcity of literature concerning issues related to personal excellence, this study aims to empirically detect areas of personal excellence that can be improved upon in further trainings of undergraduate tourism students. The method of fuzzy entropy based VIKOR, a multi-criteria decision analysis method, is performed to prioritize training needs for enhancing levels of personal excellence among tourism students. The results are used to develop personal excellence training programs aimed at improving students’ weaknesses in personal excellence, which can benefit them in their professional lives as well as their personal lives.
Commercial Micro-Credit, Neo-Liberal Agriculture and Smallholder Indebtedness: Three Bangladesh Villages

ABSTRACT Evidence suggests that smallholders are fast becoming one of the largest micro-credit recipient groups in Bangladesh. However, the literature on the effects of micro-credit use among smallholders is surprisingly deficient. This article seeks to rectify this gap by highlighting the ramifications of micro-credit’s foray into the subsistence agriculture sector. It analyses the ostensibly disparate processes of mounting smallholder indebtedness and the phenomenal rise of micro-finance institutions in Bangladesh in light of the country’s broader context of agricultural commoditisation, input subsidy reduction and a systematic lessening of the subsidised agricultural credit system. The article uses the concept of “accumulation by dispossession/encroachment” to argue that persistent borrowing from micro-finance institutions (MFIs) exposes smallholders to the risks and volatilities of the market. Using qualitative insights from a case study of three villages, it demonstrates how the capital accumulation model of Bangladeshi MFIs marginalises smallholders and ensnares them in a perpetual cycle of debts.
Mitochondrial fission factor (MFF) is a critical regulator of peroxisome maturation

Peroxisomes are highly dynamic subcellular compartments with important functions in lipid and ROS metabolism. Impaired peroxisomal function can lead to severe metabolic disorders with developmental defects and neurological abnormalities. Recently, a new group of disorders has been identified, characterised by defects in the membrane dynamics and division of peroxisomes rather than by loss of metabolic functions. However, the contribution of impaired peroxisome plasticity to the pathophysiology of those disorders is not well understood. Mitochondrial fission factor (MFF) is a key component of both the peroxisomal and mitochondrial division machinery. Patients with MFF deficiency present with developmental and neurological abnormalities. Peroxisomes (and mitochondria) in patient fibroblasts are highly elongated as a result of impaired organelle division. The majority of studies into MFF-deficiency have focused on mitochondrial dysfunction, but the contribution of peroxisomal alterations to the pathophysiology is largely unknown. Here, we show that MFF deficiency does not cause alterations to overall peroxisomal biochemical function. However, loss of MFF results in reduced import-competency of the peroxisomal compartment and leads to the accumulation of pre-peroxisomal membrane structures. We show that peroxisomes in MFF-deficient cells display alterations in peroxisomal redox state and intra-peroxisomal pH. Removal of elongated peroxisomes through induction of autophagic processes is not impaired. A mathematical model describing key processes involved in peroxisome dynamics sheds further light into the physical processes disturbed in MFF-deficient cells. The consequences of our findings for the pathophysiology of MFF-deficiency and related disorders with impaired peroxisome plasticity are discussed.
WISHE‐Moisture Mode in a Vertically Resolved Model

The Madden‐Julian oscillation is a global phenomenon, a wave with the wavelength of the circumference of the Earth. A theoretical model presented by Fuchs and Raymond (2007, https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1600-0870.2007.00230.x) obtained a mode called the eastward propagating wind‐induced surface heat exchange (WISHE)‐moisture mode that had its largest instability for the longest wavelengths. That model imposed the first baroclinic mode vertical structure. This paper expands the Fuchs and Raymond model by developing a vertically resolved model, a model in which all the variables except the heating vertical profile are calculated. The heating profile is assumed to have a vertical structure of the first baroclinic mode. The model uses the upper boundary radiation condition and thus includes the effects of the stratosphere. The convective parametrization includes wind‐induced surface heat exchange, cloud‐radiation interactions, and moisture closure. The vertically resolved model produces one unstable mode whose dispersion relation characteristics closely resemble the eastward propagating WISHE‐moisture mode. For the longest wavelengths it is more unstable and its phase speed is slightly larger than in the Fuchs and Raymond model. The calculated vertical structure reveals a similar vertical structure to the first baroclinic mode with small differences that to some extent agree with observations.
RELEASE OF CREATINE KINASE IN VITRO FROM EXTENSOR DIGITORUM LONGUS MUSCLE OF THE DYSTROPHIC HAMSTER

Creatine kinase (CK) activity was 14 times higher in sera of dystrophic hamsters than in controls. The rate of release of CK from the extensor digitorum longus (EDL) muscle was estimated in vitro. In oxygenated medium, the rate of release was attenuated within an hour and remained constant at least for the subsequent 4 h. The rate of CK release in vitro did not differ between dystrophic and control muscles at rest. When the muscle was electrically stimulated to produce a continuous twitch response, the rate of CK release was markedly increased only in dystrophic muscles. Since the extent ofdeterioration during experiments in virro did not seem to differ between dystrophic and control muscles, the increase in CK release was not attributable to gross disruption of the dystrophic muscle. The mechanism and significance of the present observations were discussed. Increase in serum creatine kinase (CK) activity is a hallmark of muscular dystrophy. This provides a basis for the membrane hypothesis regarding its pathogenesis (7). However, the mechanism of release of CK from dystrophic muscles is still undecided. In the present study, we have studied CK release in vitro from the extensor digitorum longus muscle (EDL) of dystrophic hamsters, which exhibit a marked increase in serum CK. Morphological and contractile features of the muscle were also studied, and results were discussed in relation to the ‘leaky’ membrane theory (7). MATERIALS AND METHODS Dystrophic (BIO 14.1) and control (BIO FIB) hamsters were supplied from the Central Institute for Experimental Animals (Kawasaki, Japan). Male hamsters, 3 to 6 months old, were sacrificed by exsanguination under anesthesia with pentobarbital. The body weight was 119113 g (meani SD) for controls (n=10), and 97115 g for dystrophics (n=10). Arterial blood was collected and the EDL muscle was excised. Routine histological and histochemical stainings were performed on frozen sections of the EDL muscle. For experiments of CK release, the EDL muscle was excised from tendon to tendon under a dissecting microscope. Special care was taken not to injure the tissue. The muscle was mounted and stretched to give about 0.5 g resting tension in a small bath containing 2 ml Krebs-Ringer solution bubbled with 95% O2-5% CO2. The bathing solution was replaced with a fresh one every 30 min. The CK activity of the bathing solution was measured at 25°C by using CPK activated-UV—test (Boehringer Mannheim GmbH, FRG). One unit of CK activity is defined as 1 micromole ATP formed per minute. Muscle or serum samples were diluted with homogenization solution when necessary. Protein was measured by Buiret method, with bovine serum albumin as standard. Krebs-Ringer solution consisted of 118 mM NaCl, 3.4 mM KCl, 0.8 mM MgSO4, 1.2 mM KHZPO4, 25 mM NaHCO3, 2.5 mM CaCl2, 11 mM glucose, 1 mg/ dl D-tubocurarine and 10 mM reduced glutathione. Reduced glutathione was needed to pro-
Pb(Er1/2Nb1/2)O3–Pb(Zn1/3Nb2/3)O3–PbTiO3 Single Crystals with High Curie Temperature

In this work, 0.15Pb(Er1/2Nb1/2)O3–0.63Pb(Zn1/3Nb2/3)O3–0.22PbTiO3 (15PEN–63PZN–22PT) single crystals with a pure perovskite structure are obtained through the flux method. The phase structure, dielectric, ferroelectric properties and upconversion photoluminescence of the crystals are studied. The ternary crystals along the [110] orientation have a high Curie temperature (Tc = 250 °C) and large coercive field (Ec = 11.0597 kV/cm) which are higher than those of crystals reported previously. Furthermore, the PEN–PZN–PT crystals are produced with a strong green light excited by a 980 nm laser. Being in the range 298–478 K, the emission intensity of all peaks decreases with increase in temperature. The absolute quantum yield (QY) for the crystals is 0.00059%. These excellent properties provide new possibilities for multifunctional materials of optoelectronic devices.
An Empirical Study on Distance Education and Job Match

Job match has always been the focus of educational research. However, current empirical studies are limited to the analysis of face-to-face education, and there’s no empirical study focusing on the job match of distance education. To fill the gap in this research field, this study analyzes the distance learners in China to demonstrate the relationship between distance education and job match by using the data from a nationwide household survey. The empirical results involve two significant findings. Firstly, distance learners and face-to-face learners have no significant difference in job match. This study attempts to explain this with the human capital theory, that is, distance learners and face-to-face learners have no difference in obtaining their specific human capital, so they both prefer to work on a position characterized by job match. Secondly, job mismatch has no significant negative effect on the income of distance learners. This study attempts to explain this with the screening theory, that is, though distance education would improve the learners’ specific human capital, it still acts as a diploma signal, to some extent, in China, thus making it impossible for the specific human capital obtained by distance learners to transform into a superiority in income.
Absorbent Food PADS from Meat Packages-Potential Source of Contamination

The purpose of this study was to quantify the microbial load and to detect potentially pathogenic germs on the surface of absorbent food pads in the packaging of fresh chicken and minced meat marketed in the retail units in Romania. The load in E. coli, as an indicator of faecal contamination, was significantly lower than that of Enterobacteriacea and coliform germs. Congo red-binding E. coli strains have been identified. The affinity for the Congo red dye is considered a phenotypic marker for the presence of curli fibers. These surface formations give the bacterial strains the ability to form biofilm on various surfaces. Their presence also correlates with the property of these bacterial strains to trigger severe infections in humans. These strains showed 100% resistance to fourth-generation cephalosporins, 87.5% to third-generation cephalosporins and 75% to quinolones. A single strain was resistant to meropenem. All the tested strains were susceptible to gentamicin. Coagulase-positive staphylococci were identified in 40% of the analyzed samples. Of the 30 strains of Staphylococcus spp. tested (coagulase-positive and negative), 63.3% proved to be methicillin-resistant and 43.3% had resistance to sulfamethoxazole-trimethoprim. In one sample, it was detected Salmonella infantis. Thus, it can be appreciated that these absorbent food pads may be a source of direct contamination with potentially pathogenic and / or antibiotic-resistant germs for the persons who manipulates them in their domestic environment, as well as a source of cross-contamination of food and other surfaces in the kitchen.
Inclusion in community services and PTSD symptoms among adolescents with attention-deficit disorders (ADHD) and learning disabilities (LD)

ABSTRACT The inclusion challenge of students with special educational needs does not end in the classroom. Mandatory community services in Israel may present unique challenges and supportive demands from their teachers. The goals of this study were to examine the risks experienced by youth with ADHD who joined rescue workers such as ambulance teams. The predicting role of ADHD as risk factors for developing Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) symptoms was investigated as well as the mediating factors of learning difficulties, self-efficacy and social support. The study consisted of 451 high-school students (ages 16–18) who joined ambulance teams as part of their mandatory high-school community services. Their levels of PTSD symptoms, ADHD, LD, Self-efficacy and social support were examined. Following preliminary analysis, a serial mediation model was examined. Initially, the predicting effect of ADHD symptoms on the PTSD symptoms was significant. However, the model demonstrated that the LD, self-efficacy and social support fully mediated the relationship between ADHD and PTSD symptoms. The inclusion of students in these community services requests awareness to risks and their needs. ADHD and LD symptoms may present additional risk factors. But self-efficacy and social support can reduce this risk, emphasising the importance of school climate, teachers’ training and educational planning to promote successful inclusion.
Early Metazoan Origin and Multiple Losses of a Novel Clade of RIM Presynaptic Calcium Channel Scaffolding Protein Homologs

The precise localization of CaV2 voltage-gated calcium channels at the synapse active zone requires various interacting proteins, of which, Rab3 interacting molecule or RIM is considered particularly important. In vertebrates, RIM interacts with CaV2 channels in vitro via a PDZ domain that binds to the extreme C-termini of the channels at acidic ligand motifs of D/E-D/E/H-WC-COOH, and knockout of RIM in vertebrates and invertebrates disrupts CaV2 channel synaptic localization and synapse function. Here, we describe a previously uncharacterized clade of RIM proteins bearing homologous domain architectures as known RIM homologues, but some notable differences including key amino acids associated with PDZ domain ligand specificity. This novel RIM emerged near the stem lineage of metazoans and underwent extensive losses, but is retained in select animals including the early-diverging placozoan Trichoplax adhaerens, and molluscs. RNA expression and localization studies in Trichoplax and the mollusc snail Lymnaea stagnalis indicate differential regional/tissue type expression, but overlapping expression in single isolated neurons from Lymnaea. Ctenophores, the most early-diverging animals with synapses, are unique among animals with nervous systems in that they lack the canonical RIM, bearing only the newly identified homologue. Through phylogenetic analysis, we find that CaV2 channel D/E-D/E/H-WC-COOH like PDZ ligand motifs were present in the common ancestor of cnidarians and bilaterians, and delineate some deeply conserved C-terminal structures that distinguish CaV1 from CaV2 channels, and CaV1/CaV2 from CaV3 channels.
Diagnosis and management of acute appendicitis by Alvarado scoring with ultrasonography as supportive tool

Acute appendicitis is one of the most common surgical emergencies with a life time prevalence of 1 in 7, with an incidence of 1.5-1.9/1000 in male and female population. Despite advances in surgical techniques the diagnosis is still a major challenge, a misdiagnosis or delay in intervention leads to perforation with more morbidity and associated mortality. Deciding based on surgical signs and symptoms alone results in negative appendectomy where the incidence is still 15 -30% in all the countries. ABSTRACT
Factors Affecting Academic Performance of Medical Students

Objective: To determine the perception of medical students about factors affecting academic performance and to associate them with academic performance. Study Design: Cross sectional.Place and Duration of Study: The study was carried out in the Department of Community Medicine at Wah Medical College, Wah Cantt from January 2018 to August 2018.Materials and Methods: After explaining purpose of the study and taking informed consent, questionnaires were distributed to students and collected after two days. Data was analyzed by SPSS version 19. Frequency tables and charts were constructed for qualitative and quantitative variables accordingly. Association of academic performance with factors affecting academic performance were determined by chi-square.Results: The factors that affect the academic performance most were parental concern (87.2%), time spent on social media (78.4%), influence of friends (74.4%), silence during study (88.8%) and style of teaching (80.8%). Significant association was found between academic performance and place of residence, daily breakfast, peer academic performance, night study and joining medical profession on own will.Conclusion: Supervision by parents, academically competent peers, apposite institutional environment, pertinent use of media and good teaching strategies mostly affect the academic performance.How to cite this: Khan KW, Ramzan M, Zia Y, Zafar Y, Khan M, Saeed H. Factors Affecting Academic Performance of Medical Students. Life and Science. 2020; 1(1): 8-11. doi: https://doi.org/10.37185/L&S.1. 1.45