Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Evaluation of Haematological Alterations in Children Infected by Plasmodium falciparum Species in Enugu, Enugu State, Nigeria

Malaria accounts for a considerable amount of Morbidity and mortality with children bearing the greatest burden. The study aimed to investigate the haematological alterations in children infected by Plasmodium falciparum (P. falciparum) species. A case control study with a total of ninety-five microscopically confirmed P. falciparum malaria infected children and fifty apparently healthy age and gender matched controls from Enugu State University Teaching Hospital, Parklane, Wesley Specialist Hospital and Akpugo Community Health Centre, Enugu were recruited for the study. Haematologic parameters were estimated using five part differential automated analyzer (Mindray Original Research Article Ogbonna et al.; JPRI, 33(2): 38-45, 2021; Article no.JPRI. 65264 39 BC 5300) with ethylene-diamine-tetra-acetic-acid anticoagulated blood. The result of P. falciparum infected male children revealed significant decrease (p < 0.05) in haematocrit (32.76 + 4.82)%, haemoglobin (10.34 + 1.46) g/dl, white blood cell (3.65 + 2.81)x10/L, neutrophil (20.41 + 15.16)% and platelet (228.41 + 113.51) x10 9 /L, compared to the controls; haematocrit (35.60 + 2.70)%, haemoglobin (11.27 + 0.90) g/dl; white blood cell (7.97 + 2.55)x10/L, neutrophil (30.33 + 8.04)% and platelet (315.45 + 53.64) x 10 9 /L. It also showed a significant increase (p < 0.05) in monocyte (3.28 + 2.63)%, basophil (1.68 + 1.15)% compared to the controls; monocyte (1.89 + 1.10)%, basophil (0.44 + 0.46)%. The results of P. falciparum infected female children revealed significant decrease (p < 0.05) in white blood cell (4.93 + 2.95)x10 9 /L, neutrophil (19.61 + 15.14)%, mean corpuscular haemoglobin (23.58 + 2.37)pg, mean corpuscular volume (74.67 + 8.00)fl, and platelet (257.00 + 129.55) x10 9 /L compared to the controls; white blood cell (6.70 + 1.75) x10 9 /L, neutrophil (26.91 + 7.97)%, mean corpuscular haemoglobin (25.12 + 1.96)pg, mean corpuscular volume (79.13 + 5.37) fl and platelet (303.13 + 54.02) x10/L, significantly increased (p < 0.05) monocyte (3.38 + 2.78)%, basophil (2.19 + 1.36)% as compared to the controls; monocyte (1.85 + 0.82)%, basophil (0.48 + 0.45)%. However, P. falciparum infected male children showed to be more anaemic compared to the infected females. Indeed, Plasmodium falciparum malaria infection in children has great impact on the haematologic parameters, thus its investigations serves as competent measures of differential diagnosis.
Comparison of Plastic Surgeon and Spine Surgeon Closure in Revision Short Segment Thoracolumbar Spinal Fusions

Plastics surgeons are often called to close high-risk spine surgery patients include those undergoing revision spine surgery to reduce the risk of perioperative wound-related complications. This study compares surgical closures by spine surgeons versus plastic surgeons in revision 1 to 4 level thoracolumbar fusions. Study Design. Retrospective cohort analysis. Objective. To compare outcomes of plastic versus spine surgeon wound closure in revision 1 to 4 level thoracolumbar fusions. Summary of Background Data. Plastic surgeons perform layered musculocutaneous flap closures in high-risk spine patients such as revision posterior spinal fusion and complex deformity correction surgeries. Few studies have assessed outcomes of revision fusion performed with plastic surgical closures, particularly in nondeformity thoracolumbar spinal surgery. Methods. A retrospective review of 1 to 4 level revision thoracolumbar fusion performed by Orthopedic or Neurosurgical spine surgeons. Patient charts were reviewed for demographics and perioperative outcomes. Patients were divided into two cohorts: wound closures performed by spine surgeons and those closed by plastic surgeons. Outcomes were analyzed before and after propensity score match for prior levels fused, iliac fixation, and levels fused at index surgery. Significance was set at P < 0.05. Results. Three hundred fifty-seven (87.3%) spine surgeon (SS) and 52 (12.7%) plastic surgeon (PS) closures were identified. PS group had significantly higher number of levels fused at index (PS 2.7 ± 1.0 vs. SS 1.8 ± 0.9, P < 0.001) and at prior surgeries (PS 1.8 ± 1.2 vs. SS 1.0 ± 0.9, P < 0.001), and rate of iliac instrumentation (PS 17.3% vs. SS 2.8%, P < 0.001). Plastics closure was an independent risk factor for length of stay > 5 days (odds ratio 2.3) and postoperative seroma formation (odds ratio 7.8). After propensity score match, PS had higher rates of seromas (PS 36.5% vs. SS 3.8%, P < 0.001). There were no differences between PS and SS groups in surgical outcomes, perioperative complication, surgical site infection, seroma requiring aspiration, or return to operating room at all time points until follow-up (P > 0.05 for all). Conclusion. Plastic spinal closure for 1 to 4 level revision posterior thoracolumbar fusions had no advantage in reducing wound complications over spine surgeon closure but increased postoperative seroma formation. Level of Evidence: 4
Late Holocene lagoon succession and its response to environmental variations at Yongle atoll, Xisha Islands, South China Sea

Tropical coral reef lagoons that are characterized by high deposition rates are potentially useful for high‐resolution palaeoenvironmental reconstructions. We present the geochemical and accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) 14C‐dating data of a 113‐cm gravity core obtained from the Yongle atoll lagoon in the South China Sea. The core record preserves a continuous 1,500‐year depositional history of the back‐reef lagoon environment, with sedimentation rates varying from 0.55 to 1.55 mm yr−1 (mean of 0.74 mm yr−1). Calcium carbonate (CaCO3) production was calculated based on the sediment accumulation rates and sediment density to be 807 g m−2 yr−1. The geochemical records of the studied core displayed a progressively increasing trend of storms over the past 1,500 years. The stable carbon and oxygen isotopes of the lagoon sediment have the potential to record monsoon intensity. The lagoon system of the Yongle atoll appears to have been influenced by minor terrestrial input from 1,500 calendar years before present (cal yr BP) to 500 cal yr BP, and by a strong anthropogenic influence over the past 200 years.
Media Framing of President Muhammadu Buhari’s Human Rights Abuses: a Study of The Punch, Vanguard, The Nation and Daily Trust Newspapers

This study explores how four Nigerian newspapers framed President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration and its human rights campaign. Using newspaper editorials published in The Punch, The Nation, Daily Trust, and Vanguard newspapers of December 2019 as the object of analysis, the paper draws on the methodological context of such framing to investigate how the selected newspapers framed the human rights situation in Nigeria. This study asserts that those newspapers’ editorials used varieties of framing methods, namely: “unrepentant dictator frame”, “resistance frame”, “indifference frame”, “warning frame”, and “sympathetic” frame to portray the government’s disposition to human rights issues. Furthermore, the paper reveals that the Nigerian media is partisan when it comes to the struggle against human rights while their positions on national issues like the fight against human rights abuse are subject to ethnic and political influences, as evident in the Daily Trust editorial. The study also revealed that editorials can be used as essential tools to curtail the excess of government, precisely, to fight against the abuse of human rights. Finally, the paper recommends that newspaper publishers should limit their editorial influences in day-to-day administration of news outlet to engender objectivity, news balance and accuracy in order not to exacerbate the socio-political situation in a multi-ethnic society such as Nigeria.
Analysis of the Cracking Mechanism of an Elliptical Bipolar Linear-Shaped Charge Blasting

This study investigates the cracking mechanism of an elliptical bipolar linear-shaped charge blasting via theoretical analysis, experimentation, and numerical simulation. The results show that in the shaped charge blasting, due to the effect of the shaped jet in the direction of the shaped energy, a certain initial crack length is formed. In the action phase of the stress wave, the energy accumulation direction reduces the load required for crack initiation and propagation. The crack propagation length generated in the energy accumulation direction is greater than the nonenergy accumulation direction. The load value of the initial shock wave in the shaped energy direction is significantly greater, by about 1.64 times than the nonshaped energy direction, and the peak load acting time is earlier than the nonshaped energy direction. A large amount of impact explosion energy is consumed in the area close to the charged energy explosion due to the crushing area, regardless of the charged or noncharged energy direction. In the energy accumulation direction, the shock wave attenuation rate is faster in the near explosion area and the stress wave attenuation rate is slower in the mid and far areas of the explosion. The difference in the explosion load in the mid and far areas is small. In the nonconcentrated direction, owing to the reflected compression wave, the second stress peak appears in the nonconcentrated direction. However, its value is smaller than that of the initial shock wave peak.
Assessing the effect of Massive Open Online Courses as remedial courses in higher education

ABSTRACT The current study assesses the effect of using Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) with the specific goal of providing remedial education. The data refer to an Italian flagship university, Politecnico di Milano, where a MOOC platform was launched following the strategy ‘MOOCs to bridge the gaps’. Hence, the study aims at assessing the effect of students completing a MOOC taken as a foundation course in physics on their ability to pass the subsequent on-campus exam in physics (N = 2,830). The research used Propensity Score Matching (PSM), basing the propensity scores on personal and academic information about the students. The results show that completers are 7 to 16 percentage points more likely to pass the related exam than the other students enrolled in the same MOOCs. These findings support the idea that using MOOCs for remedial purposes is effective in terms of student achievement within a formal education context.
Privatization: Implications of a Shift from State to Private Ownership

Privatization—defined here as the transfer of ownership of state-owned organizations to private parties—has attracted the attention of scholars across multiple fields. Privatization programs have been based on the assumption, grounded in microeconomic theory, that a shift from public to private ownership will incentivize more efficient management of available resources. However, failure to deliver the expected outcomes in some cases and the more nuanced perspective on state-ownership offered by recent research in management seem to challenge this assumption, calling for revisiting this literature. Our comparative review of existing studies suggests that the mixed results of privatization programs could be partly explained by what was privatized, how it was privatized, and the regulatory regime under which it was privatized. By doing so, our review provides conceptual clarity and structure to a rich but fragmented body of literature, making seemingly divergent findings more legible, outlining theoretical gaps, and identifying avenues for future exploration.
The Perception of Slovak Students on Distance Online Learning in the Time of Coronavirus—A Preliminary Study

Teaching and learning at educational institutions in Slovakia has been based on traditional education, consisting of face-to-face classes until it was disrupted by the spread of the Coronavirus disease. A sudden lockdown caused massive changes, which presented challenges not only for teachers, but also for students who were forced to adapt their learning in a very short time, without any previous preparation. Since various educational institutions were forced to remain closed, they had no option but to shift from a traditional educational approach to distance learning. This form of education requires a form of online learning. The main purpose of this study was to explore what technical equipment students had at their disposal, to understand the students’ perception of distance learning, and to ensure better learning conditions in case of future lockdowns. In order to investigate student readiness for distance learning, a questionnaire survey was conducted at the Secondary Vocational School of Tourism and Gastronomy in Nitra, Slovakia. The findings of this study revealed that the majority of students from the Secondary Vocational School of Gastronomy and Tourism are ready for distance online learning. The results also indicate that a great percentage of students have Internet access and are the owners of technological devices that can be used for educational purposes. Furthermore, students are able to work individually on their own and do not require any help from other people while working on assignments. Although they prefer different teaching methods, the synchronous online courses are their priority because it enables them to have direct contact with their teachers and peers. Overall, this research shows that distance online learning is possible provided that both teachers and students are familiarised with this new learning environment and are ready to cooperate.
Physicochemical properties and sensory attributes of herbal pastilles affected by the inclusion of Clitoria ternatea (L.) leaves

Clitoria ternatea (L.) (Bunga Telang), is a well-known plant used as food colouring through its flowers. The plant’s leaves are also being used as medicinal ingredients to cure several diseases. However, the medicinal properties were not being explored extensively which could diversify the plant’s usage. The research was conducted on the inclusion of C. ternatea leaves to enhance the physicochemical properties and sensory acceptability of herbal pastille. Five different formulations of C. ternatea leaves pastille were developed with different percentages of C. ternatea leaves namely 2.5%, 5.0%, 7.5%, 10.0% and 12.5%. Physicochemical properties (antioxidant properties, colour profile, texture, moisture, sugar, fat, protein, ash, calorie and texture profile) and the sensory acceptability of C. ternatea leaves pastille was observed. The results show that the highest °Brix value was observed in sample D (74.20°) while water activity was higher in sample B (0.73). The analysis showed that the control sample exhibited a high hardness value (2641.70 N), springiness and cohesion values (0.87 N), gumminess value (2338.75 N), chewiness value (2089.71 N) and resilience value (0.44 N) to that of C. ternatea leaves herbal pastille. Sample E was found to contain a high TFA value (1.45), TPC value (23.32 GAE mg/g), and DPPH value (27.72%). Based on overall acceptance, the sensory analysis showed that the products were accepted by the panellists. Thus, the study revealed that the physicochemical properties of developed herbal pastille were being enhanced and found to be rich in antioxidants and accepted by the panellists.
Novel biogeographic patterns across latitudinal and elevational gradients: A case study with tropical montane epiphytes lends insights to conservation

While latitudinal and elevational gradients of range size have been thoroughly studied, the ways these gradients might interact with each other to shape species distributions in complex montane environments are not well understood. We examined how elevational and latitudinal gradients interact to structure individual species’ distributions and larger geographic range size patterns.
Rigour in the Management Case Study Method: A Study on Master's Dissertations

Many authors argue that the case study is a valid and advantageous research method for certain studies, having been used as a method of academic research in the field of social sciences as well as in management. This research method is an integrated system and offers the opportunity for a holistic view that combines data collection methods such as archival searches, interviews, questionnaires and observation. The data collection needed to build a case study is labour-intensive, can last months or even years, and data overload seems almost inevitable. The case study is an empirical inquiry that investigates a contemporary phenomenon within a real-life context. In this research method, qualitative data usually predominates, but quantitative data often appears in case studies. Some research studies consider the case study to be a research method for validating and constructing theory. Other research highlights that all social science studies must start with a theory based on a review of the literature relating to the subject under investigation and this theory must then be validated through the study of a specific object, phenomenon or social problem. The key point is that before a theory can be validated, it must be constructed. In other words, a theory or theoretical framework first emerges not through a deductive process but through the inductive approach of studying an empirical case or object, and finally all theories are initially based on a case or object. This type of research has traditionally been considered soft, due to the inexistence of criteria that allow to evaluate its validity as a method to study a phenomenon in its real context. The present work is part of this theme and intends to contribute to diminish the perception about the lack of rigour associated with the case study. The present research focuses on the analysis of the methodological rigour of defended master's dissertations. In this context an investigation was undertaken of master's dissertations in the management area of a higher education management institution that use the case study as the research method. In order to achieve our goals, four hundred and forty-two master's dissertations defended in management scientific master's degrees in a Portuguese higher education institution which specializes in the area of economic and business sciences were analysed. The results of the qualitative research indicate that 40.0% of the dissertations focus on case studies. The results obtained lead us to conclude that in general the dissertations analysed present a high level of methodological rigour with respect to the object of study and a moderate level with respect to data analysis and results. The most critical aspects are the way data are collected, namely the use of multiple sources of evidence in less than half of the cases, which makes triangulation of data impossible.
Examining Teachers’ Behavioral Intention to Use E-learning in Teaching of Mathematics: An Extended TAM Model

The aim of this study was to examine factors that influenced experienced teachers’ intention to use E-learning in their teaching of mathematics. Data were collected using a questionnaire from 161 secondary school mathematics teachers who completed a six-month in-service online training provided by the Indonesian Ministry of Education. The Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) was used as the framework while E-learning experience was included as an additional construct. An extended TAM model was proposed and tested in this study. It consisted of five constructs, namely: intention to use, perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, attitude toward using, and experience. Data were analyzed using Structural Equation Modelling with SMARTPLS 3.0. The findings showed that attitude toward E-learning use and E-learning experience were the two most significant constructs in predicting E-learning use. Contrary to previous studies, perceived ease of use and perceived usefulness were non-significant factors for the prediction of the behavioral intention. Implications for future research and practices are discussed.
Cultural Adaptation and Psychometric properties of Brazilian and Peruvian versions of the Behavioral Activation for Depression Scale Short Form (BADS-SF)

Background: Behavioral Activation (BA) is an evidence-based treatment that aims to help the individual to stay active and reduce avoidance behaviors, as a means to reduce depressive symptoms. This study aims to describe the adaptation process and evaluate the psychometric properties of the Behavioral Activation for Depression Scale Short Form (BADS-SF) in its Brazilian and Peruvian version.Methods: Data were collected as part of a randomized trial with 880 participants in Brazil and 432 in Peru. The content validity was assessed using the Content Validity Index (CVI). Principal Component Analysis (PCA) method was applied to evaluate the factorial distribution. Sampling adequacy was assessed by Bartlett’s test of Sphericity and Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin measure. Cronbach’s alpha coefficient was calculated to assess internal consistency.Results: CVI in Brazil was 0.92 and in Peru 0.87. The two-factor solution of the original scale is sustained (activation and avoidance), accounting for 50.6 and 54% of the total variance in Brazil and Peru, respectively. Cronbach’s alpha in Brazil was 0.55 and 0.66 in Peru for the overall scale. KMO was 0.769 and 0.790 for Brazil and Peru, respectively. Bartlett’s test of Sphericity had significance of 0.000 for both samples. Conclusion: Both studied versions of the BAD-SF showed coherent structure and internal consistency. We recommend different distribution of the items into the subscales.
Explaining Social Media Adoption for a Business Purpose: An Application of the UTAUT Model

Nowadays, the advance of the internet and mobile technologies have changed our daily life, not only in terms of consumption but in how business is done. Social media has been recognized as one of the potential online platforms for entrepreneurs especially in small and medium business establishments to cope with large corporations. This study aims to investigate elements affecting social media adoption for business purposes by adopting a well-known technology acceptance model—the unified theory of acceptance and use of technology (UTAUT). The data of 196 samples were collected via online questionnaires in Thailand using the structural equation modeling (SEM) technique employed to verify the proposed model with empirical data. The outcomes illustrate the performance and effort expectancy and social influence significantly influence behavior prospects to implement social media for business purposes. Facilitating conditions significantly contribute to affecting actual user behavior. Also, the authors investigated the moderating effect of all demographic and behavioral factors such as gender, age, daily spent time on social media, and entrepreneur status. The results of the one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) analysis show that there are immense variances in the intention of social media behavior and use behavior due to age. Younger adults tend to be more adept with user behavior and behavioral intention more than older adults.