Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Case-control study on risk factors of low birth weight in a tertiary care hospital, Kerala

Background & Objectives: World Health Organization defines low birth weight as birth weight of less than 2500 grams irrespective of gestational age. Low birth weight is the single most important risk factor of infant mortality in developing countries such as India. As Kerala enjoys a unique position among other state of India because of its distinct demographic and health indicators, it is necessary to identify the risk factors of low birth weight operating in this state. Hence this study was undertaken to identify medical and social risk factors of low birth weight among infants delivered at a tertiary care hospital of Kannur, Kerala. Materials and Methods: It was a case-control study carried out at Kannur Medical College and Hospital, Kannur District, Kerala. The study period was from October 2015 to March 2016. The study involved 110 cases (mothers who delivered a child with birth weight of <2500 grams) and 220 controls (mothers who delivered a child with birth weight of ≥2500 grams). Using medical records, all the deliveries that have taken place in the Hospital in the past 3 years (1st Jan 2013 to 31st Dec 2015) were line listed separately as cases and controls. Simple random sampling method was used to select the required number of cases and controls. Data was collected using a pre-tested, structured questionnaire and data analysis was done on SPSS version 17. Results: The study found that ante-natal visits in a private hospital and complete intake of iron and folic acid tablets were protective against low birth weight. Diseases such as anaemia during pregnancy, gestational hypertension and pre-term delivery were identified as risk factors of low birth weight in the study population. Regarding anthropometric measurements, it was ob-served that lower pre-pregnancy weight (<55 kgs) and height (<155 cm) of the mother resulted in low birth weight of newborn. Interpretation & Conclusion: As anaemia during pregnancy and gestational hypertension are important risk factors of low birth weight, all pregnant women must be screened preferably on a monthly basis for their early detection and treatment. Pregnant women must be educated by the health staff regarding the benefits of completing the course of iron and folic acid tablets. High risk approach should be adopted when dealing with mothers who are of shorter height (<155 cm), so as to closely monitor and treat them, thus pre-venting low birth weight in the newborns. Key Words: Low birth weight; risk factors; Kerala; anaemia; gestational hypertension.
Coaches' Influence: Addressing Male Athletes' Behaviours and Attitudes About "Being a Man"

COACHES’ INFLUENCE: ADDRESSING MALE ATHLETES’ BEHAVIOURS AND ATTITUDES ABOUT “BEING A MAN” Curtis Holmes Advisory Committee: University of Guelph, 2019 Dr. Lynda Ashbourne Dr. Robin Milhausen Dr. Joseph Tindale This study is a qualitative exploration of coaches’ influence on their male athletes to promote inclusive masculinity and to eliminate harmful effects of traditional masculinity. Ten University of Guelph Athletic coaches participated in semi-structured interviews which centred around the definition and manliness and their influence on their athletes. Thematic analysis indicated the challenge to the definition of manliness, the preference for an athlete to be a good person rather than gender, identifiable qualities of being a man, that coaches have a major influence on the behaviour of their athletes and that there are aspirational attributes that coaches would like to see from their athletes. These findings extend the limited research that does focuses on coaches and their perspectives on inclusive masculinity of their male athletes and provides new research coaches desire for their athletes to be a good person and to be more inclusive and positive. Future research should investigate direct actions of athetes and the measurable outcomes of coaches influence.
Multi-kernel-based random vector functional link network with decomposed features for epileptic EEG signal classification

This study proposes an improved hybrid model built with empirical mode decomposition (EMD) features combined with weighted multi-kernel random vector functional link network (WMKRVFLN) where the kernel parameters are optimised with an efficient optimisation algorithm known as water cycle algorithm (WCA) for diagnosis and classification of epileptic electroencephalogram (EEG) signals. The proposed model with optimisation is known as WCA–EMD–WMKRVFLN. The tanh and wavelet kernel functions are contributing together to the effectiveness of the proposed model. The features generated from EMD in terms of intrinsic mode functions (IMFs) are modulated to find important statistical and entropy based features and these features in a reduced form are employed as inputs to the model to classify epileptic EEG signals. The presented approach is evaluated in terms of percentage correct classification accuracy (ACC), specificity and sensitivity using two datasets and is compared with different classifiers and state-of-the-art techniques. The highest accuracies of 99.69% (five-class) and 100% (three-class) achieved using the Bonn-University dataset and 99.0% ACC (two-class) achieved using the Bern-Barcelona dataset. The achieved results report that the presented approach is a promising approach for EEG signal classification and is superior to several state-of-the-art techniques and is highly comparable to many such techniques.
Greening through schooling: understanding the link between education and pro-environmental behavior in the Philippines

In recent years, changing lifestyle, consumption and mobility patterns have contributed to a global rise in greenhouse gases responsible for the warming of the planet. Despite its increasing relevance, there is a lack of understanding of factors influencing the environmental behavior of people from emerging economies. In this study, we focus on the role of formal education for pro-environmental behavior in the Philippines and study three potentially underlying mechanisms explaining the education effects: differential knowledge about climate change, risk perceptions, and awareness. Whilst there is some evidence showing that education is associated with pro-environmental behavior, little is known about the actual mechanisms through which it influences decision-making. Using propensity score methods, we find that an additional year of schooling significantly increases the probability of pro-environmental actions, e.g. planting trees, recycling, and proper waste management, by 3.3%. Further decomposing the education effects, it is found that education influences behavior mainly by increasing awareness about the anthropogenic causes of climate change, which may consequently affect the perception of self-efficacy in reducing human impacts on the environment. Knowledge and perceptions about climate risks also explain the education effect on pro-environmental behavior, but to a lesser extent.
Trade Policy Uncertainty, Firm Heterogeneity and Export Mode

ABSTRACT This paper develops a Melitz-style trade model to consider how trade policy uncertainty (TPU) affects the export mode of heterogeneous firms. With the reduction of TPU, firms are more likely to engage in ordinary exports, and the proportion of ordinary exports relative to processing exports increases. This effect is more pronounced for firms with medium productivity. Based on highly disaggregated product-level trade data and firm-level production data, this paper adopts econometric methods to empirically identify the impact of TPU on heterogeneous firms’ choice of export mode, which provides robust evidence for the prediction of the theoretical model. This paper also puts forward some policy implications.
Inheritance of seed yield and yield-related traits in sunflower

ABSTRACT To determine the genetic control of seed yield and yield-related traits by using Hayman’s approach, and to estimate the proportion of dominant and recessive genes controlling traits in each parent, five genetically divergent genotypes of sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) were crossed using a half-diallel mating design (excluding reciprocal crosses). The parents along with their half-diallel crosses were evaluated using a randomized complete block design with three replicates at Kafr El-Hamam/Sharkia and Al-Arish/North Sinai Agricultural Research Stations, Agricultural Research Center, Egypt. Significant differences were observed among genotypes for all studied traits at individual locations and across locations. Magnitude of additive gene effects was larger than that for dominance effects for all studied traits (except for seed weight plant−1) when the ratio [(a/b) & (H1/D) 0.5] was greater than unity at both locations, as also confirmed by high narrow-sense heritability. Hence, selection in early generations would be effective at both locations for these traits. Parents L1031, L1033, and Miak were desirable for early flowering and maturity as well as for short stature and increased proportion of seed oil, whereas Giza 102 and L24 were promising parents for improving number of green leaves plant−1, head diameter, 100-seed weight, and hence seed weight plant−1.
Study of plasma fibrinogen level and its relation to glycemic control in type-2 diabetes mellitus patients attending diabetes clinic at a tertiary care teaching hospital in Madhya Pradesh, India

Background: Diabetes mellitus comprises a group of common metabolic disorders where increased fibrinogen levels can act as a thrombogenic factor. Diabetic patients have higher cardiovascular morbidity than non-diabetic subjects. Several studies have shown that haemostatic factor especially hyperfibrinogenemia is implicated as a source of atherosclerosis and its complications. Methods: A comparative observational study was conducted to compare fibrinogen levels between type 2 diabetes patients and healthy controls. Their fibrinogen levels were compared and co-related with glycemic status and other risk factors and parameters like glycosylated haemoglobin, age, sex, smoking, body mass index (kg/m 2 ), hypertension and ischemic heart disease. Results: It was seen that in the diabetic subset, the plasma fibrinogen levels are significantly higher than the non-diabetic subset (386.04±132.87 vs. 314.38±97.42; p<0.001). Our study re-established correlation between HbA1c and fibrinogen levels of the diabetic patient is positive i.e., poorer the glycemic status, higher the fibrinogen levels (r=0.24). Conclusions: It can be concluded from the study that fibrinogen levels are in­creased in type 2 diabetic subjects with and without CHD. Plasma fibrinogen levels usually increased in type 2 diabetes, thus suggesting that hyperfibrinogenemia could contribute to the excess cardiovascular morbidity and mortality in this disease.
Genetic diversity and relationship of Dulong chickens using mitochondrial DNA control region

Abstract The genetic structure and evolutionary relationship of Dulong chicken with other native Chinese species remained unclear. In this study, the mitochondrial control region was analyzed in total of 343 samples comprising 59 from Dulong chicken and 284 from 8 other Chinese local breeds revealed 51 mutation sites that defined 42 haplotypes. The maximum genetic variation was observed between the Shimian caoke and Pengxian yellow chickens. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that these local chickens mainly scatter in two southwestern clades. Dulong chickens have close relationship with other native chicken. Finding of this study suggests a single matrilineal lineage of indigenous Dulong chickens.
PENGETAHUAN IBU BERHUBUNGAN DENGAN STUNTING PADA BALITA DI WILAYAH KERJA PUSKESMAS KARANGAYU KOTA SEMARANG

According to toddler weigh operations in the city of Semarang, Karangayu is one of the health center with the highest number of stunting cases in Cemarang City, which is 16,7% in 2017. Stunted toddlers are at risk for growth failure, lowering children's IQ and worse, increasing the risk of infants suffering from non-communicable diseases. The purpose of this study was to analyze the factors associated with stunting in children under five years old in the working area of Karangayu Health Center, Semarang City. This study was an observational analytic study using a cross-sectional study design. The study was conducted in the working area of Karangayu Health Center in Semarang City from July - August 2019. The sample of the study was 115 mothers who have children under five years old in the working area of Karangayu Health Center. Statistical tests was using chi square with the results of factors related to stunting were history of chronic energy deficiency and level of nutritional knowledge. Meanwhile, unrelated factors are gender. Therefore, it can be concluded that the factors related to stunting in children under five years old in the working area of Karangayu Health Center in Semarang City were history of chronic energy and level of nutrition knowledge.
Does Democracy Die in Recessions? A Descriptive Analysis of Aggregate Demand Shortfalls and Regime Transition

Can a central bank accidentally provoke changes to a country's political regime? Sumner (2015) proposes that macroeconomic mismanagement on the part of central bank authorities, leading to declines in nominal output, can cause voters to respond with populism at the ballot box. Murphy and Smith (2018) have found evidence for this hypothesis, with populism interpreted as movements away from liberal market institutions. This article extends the hypothesis to macroeconomic mismanagement and its relationship with democratic political institutions. It finds both that recessions foreshadow a lower probability of a dictatorship becoming a democracy, and that a democracy is more likely to become a dictatorship. The relationship with autocratisation is most visible after 15 years, while the negative relationship with democratisation is far more persistent over time. These findings, it must be stressed, are historical and descriptive, not necessarily causal.
Bi-plane correlation imaging for improved detection of lung nodules

Bi-plane correlation imaging (BCI) is a new imaging approach that utilizes angular information from a bi-plane digital acquisition in conjunction with computer assisted detection (CAD) to reduce the degrading influence of anatomical noise in the detection of subtle lesions in planar images. An anthropomorphic chest phantom, supplemented with added nodule phantoms (5-13 mm at the image plane), was imaged from different posterior projections within a ±12° range by moving the x-ray tube vertically and horizontally with respect to the detector. Each image was analyzed using a basic front-end single-view CAD algorithm. The correlation of the suspect lesions from the PA view with those from each of the oblique views was examined using a priori knowledge of the acquisition geometry. The correlated suspect lesions were registered as positive. Using an optimum --3° vertical geometry and processing parameters, BCI resulted in 62.5% sensitivity, 1.5 FP/image, and 0.885 PPV. The corresponding values from the observer experiment were 56% sensitivity, 10.8 FP/image, and 0.45 PPV, respectively. Compared to single-view CAD results, the BCI reduced sensitivity by 20%. However, the corresponding reduction in FPs was notably higher (94%) leading to 140% improvement in the PPV. Changes in processing parameters could result in higher PPV and lower FP/image at the expense of lower sensitivity. Similar findings were indicated for small (5-9 mm) and large (9-13 mm) nodules, but the relative improvement was significantly higher for smaller nodules. (The research was supported by a grant from the NIH, R21CA91806.)
Pathways Into and Out of the Professoriate: A Study of STEM Doctoral Students' Career Decision-Making at an Elite Research University

Trends in the academic labor-market indicate that faculty research positions in STEM are on the decline. In 2017, over half the graduating cohort of STEM doctoral students entered careers outside of the academy (NSF, 2017). Yet American doctoral programs continue to train scientists very narrowly. Using the apprenticeship model, faculty train students to follow them into the professoriate, despite the fact that many will not assume these positions. Meanwhile, wide gender gaps favoring men persist at all levels of the tenure-track ladder. With few exceptions, the majority of research on the career pathways of STEM doctorate holders has focused on documenting the supply and demand mismatch quantitatively. There is less research explaining how students end up in their postgraduate careers, both within and outside of academia. In particular, we lack in-depth examinations of how STEM Ph.D. students navigate the career planning process during doctoral study and why, at the point of Ph.D. completion, the academic career pipeline is so “leaky” for women. Through interviews with 40 STEM doctoral students at one elite research university, this study investigated the doctoral student socialization experiences associated with different career pathways. I find that the Ph.D. adviser is, for STEM graduate students, one of the most important factors affecting students’ post-graduate career plans, and in particular, their adherence to the academic track. In an elite university context, students who engaged in non-academic career searches often felt disapproval from their advisers, in spite of the aforementioned labor market trends. Those students who successfully identified non-academic positions by graduation engaged in strategic career exploration processes, including participation in internships and extra-curricular activities. Unfortunately, those who pursued more haphazard nonacademic job searches typically wound up in fall-back postdoctoral fellowships, remaining in academia by default. The findings from this study suggest that more attention should be paid to advising in STEM doctoral education, with a focus on improving the adviser selection process and subsequently, communication between adviser-advisee pairs. Additionally, this study points to the important role graduate internships and extracurricular activities play in enabling STEM doctoral students to make informed decisions about their post-graduate careers.
Flora, Life-forms and Biological Spectrum of Muscat Governorate

The present study evaluated the floristic diversity and biological spectrum of Muscat Governorate, Sultanate of Oman. Heterogeneity of geology, topography and climatic conditions create a diverse array of habitats across the 3,500 km 2 study area, supporting a range of vegetation types. Floristic studies were conducted across 42 sites spread across various habitats such as sand dunes, alluvial plains, gravel plains, wadis, saline dunes, coastal areas, farms and plantations. A total of 264 species belonging to 183 genera and 54 families of angiosperm were documented during sampling the vegetation from different wilayats of the Governorate. Maximum number of species belonged to family Fabaceae (14%), followed by Poaceae (12%), Asteraceae (9%), Apocyanaceae and Convolvulaceae (3.66% each), Boraginaceae, Euphorbiaceae, Zygophylaceae (3% each). The biological spectrum was represented almost equally by therophytes and chamaephytes (30% each), followed by phanerophytes (19%), hemicryptophytes (13%), geophytes (4%), liana (3%), and helophytes (1%). The dominance of therophytes and chamaephytes reveals a thero-chamaephytic phytoclimate for the area. Different habitats are characterized by specific plant assemblages, but some species such as Acacia tortilis, Prosopis cineraria, Tetraena quaterense, Dipterygium gluacum, Aerva javanica, due to their broad ecological tolerance and adaptations, inhabit more than one habitats, while some species are just confined to certain parts of a single habitat.
Consumers’ Purchase Intention of New Energy Vehicles: Do Product-Life-Cycle Policy Portfolios Matter?

New energy vehicles have been recognized as a sustainable alternative to lower gasoline consumption and emissions in the transportation sector. To alleviate environmental pressure, a spectrum of government policies has been introduced to inspire the production and penetration of new energy vehicles (NEVs). Meanwhile, some of the incentive policies are facing renewals and modifications to meet consumers’ demand of purchase and the present growth of the NEV industry. This means that the understanding of what the current and upcoming policies are, how to formulate policy portfolios, and consumers’ purchasing NEV behavior in a response to these policies and its adjustment are of practical and academic importance for the NEV sector. Different from prior research which analyzed the role of government policy as a whole, we here separately examined the impact of policy portfolios (i.e., production policy, purchase/usage policy and recycle policy) on NEV adoption from the product life cycle perspective. The hypotheses were empirically tested by analyzing data collected from 299 respondents in China. The results showed that production policy has a significantly positive impact on financial benefits, esteem needs and infrastructure, whereas it insignificantly influences NEV performance; similarly, purchase/usage policy positively affects esteem needs and infrastructure, yet its effect on financial benefits is found to be insignificant; meanwhile, recycle policy has a significantly positive effect on financial benefits, and esteem needs as well as NEV performance. Furthermore, financial benefits, esteem needs, NEV performance and infrastructure are found to significantly and positively impact on consumers’ purchase intention. Parallel to this, we observed perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use play partially mediating relations between policy portfolios and consumers’ adoption intent. Hints for decision-makers and avenues for future study are discussed in this research.
Insomnia and Neurocognitive Functioning in Adult Survivors of Childhood Cancer

Abstract Background In noncancer populations, insomnia is known to affect neurocognitive processes. Although the prevalence of insomnia appears to be elevated in survivors of childhood cancer, relatively little is known about its association with neurocognitive performance in this at-risk population. Methods A total of 911 survivors (51.9% female; mean [SD] age, 34 [9.0] years; time since diagnosis, 26 [9.1] years) completed direct assessments of attention, memory, processing speed, and executive functioning and self-reported symptoms of sleep (Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index), fatigue (Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy-Fatigue), and daytime sleepiness (Epworth Sleepiness Scale). Sex-stratified general linear models were used to examine associations between insomnia and neurocognitive performance, with adjustment for treatment exposures and chronic health conditions. All statistical tests were two-sided. Results Insomnia was reported by 22.1% of females and 12.3% of males (P < .001). After adjustment for neurotoxic treatment exposures, insomnia (vs healthy sleepers with no daytime fatigue or sleepiness) was associated with worse neurocognitive performance in the domains of verbal reasoning, memory, attention, executive function, and processing speed (verbal reasoning: males β = −0.34, P = .04, females β = −0.57, P < .001; long-term memory: males β = −0.60, P < .001, females β = −0.36, P = .02; sustained attention: males β = −0.85, P < .001, females β = −0.42, P = .006; cognitive flexibility: males β = −0.70, P = .002, females β = −0.40, P = .02). Self-reported sleep disturbance without daytime fatigue or sleepiness or daytime fatigue or sleepiness alone were not consistently associated with poorer neurocognitive performance. Conclusions Insomnia was highly prevalent and contributed to the neurocognitive burden experienced by adult survivors of childhood cancer. Treatment of insomnia may improve neurocognitive problems in survivors.