Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Survival Time to COVID-19 Severity and Its Predictors in South Gondar Zone, North-West Ethiopia: A Prospective Cohort Study

Background Coronavirus disease is still a global public health emergency. Due to an inadequate healthcare system in low-income nations like Ethiopia, the pandemic has had a devastating impact. Despite this, information on the severity of COVID-19 and related difficulties in Ethiopia is sparse. Therefore, we aimed to determine the survival time to severity and predictors of COVID-19 in Northwest Ethiopia. Methods A prospective follow-up study was conducted among 202 adult COVID-19 patients in the South Gondar zone treatment centers. Data were entered using EpiData version 3.1 and then exported to Stata 16 for analysis. Kaplan–Meier was used to estimate mean survival time, and Log rank tests were used to compare survival time between explanatory variable groups. A cox-proportional hazards regression model with a 95% confidence interval and a p-value of 0.05 was used to identify covariates associated with the outcome variable. Results The patients’ average age was 41.2 years. With an IQR of 4–7 days, the median time to COVID-19 severity was 5 days. The overall COVID-19 severity rate was 6.35 (95% CI: 5.17–7.86) per 100 person-days observed. Senior adult age group (51–59 years) (AHR = 3.59, 95% CI: 1.05, 12.23), elderly age group (≥60 years) (AHR = 2.11, 95% CI: 1.09, 12.67), comorbidity (AHR = 3.26, 95% CI: 1.48, 7.18), high blood pressure at admission (AHR = 4.36, 95% CI: 1.99, 9.54), and high temperature at admission (AHR = 5.60, 95% CI: 2.55, 12.46) were significantly associated with COVID-19 severity time. Conclusion and Recommendation Patients with COVID-19 had a short median severity time, and factors like older age, comorbidity, high temperature, and high blood pressure were all independent predictors of severity time. Patients with high body temperature, blood pressure, comorbidity, and advanced age should be the focus of interventions to reduce progression time and improve clinical outcomes.
Elevating English Language Learners’ Speaking Fluency and Listening Skill Through a Learning Management System

It is significant to immerse tech-savvy English language learners in interactive learning environments in order to maximize their comprehension and verbal communication. This quasi-experimental study set out to elucidate the effect of a learning management system (LMS) on speaking fluency and listening skill development among intermediate students. A total of 50 Turkish-speaking students from two intact classes were assigned into a control and an experimental group that utilized an interactive platform for learning English in 8 weeks. The study adopted a pre and posttest design. The mean listening and speaking posttest scores of both groups were compared according to effect size, analysis of covariance, paired sample t-test, and independent samples t-test. In addition, students’ perceptions regarding the impact of LMS on these two skills were investigated with a questionnaire and an interview. The results showed that there was a significant difference between the two groups as the experimental group surpassed the control group in both speaking fluency and listening posttest. Participants also reported from the questionnaire and the interviews that they held positive evaluations of LMS as a result of elevating both language skills. The contribution of the study lies in providing an innovative solution to promote learners’ speaking fluency and listening skill.
Choroidal Vascular Impairment in Intermediate Age-Related Macular Degeneration

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a multifactorial disease, whose complete pathogenesis is still unclear. Local hemodynamics may play a crucial role in its manifestation and progression. To evaluate choroidal and retinal vascular parameters, a total of 134 eyes were analyzed, 100 with intermediate AMD and 34 age matched healthy controls. 131 eyes of 104 patients were eligible for complete image assessment and 3 eyes were excluded for insufficient image quality: Group 1: intermediate AMD (n = 97) and Group 2: healthy controls (n = 34). Spectral domain optic coherence tomography (SD-OCT) with enhanced depth imaging (EDI) and optic coherence tomography angiography (OCT-A) were acquired using Spectralis (Heidelberg Engineering). Choroid and retinal capillary plexus were evaluated and image binarization was used to obtain quantitative data. Mean age was 77.67 years old (YO) and 67.2% were women. Total subfoveal choroidal area and luminal area were significantly reduced in Group 1 compared with Group 2 (0.88 mm2 and 0.40 mm2 vs. 1.24 mm2 and 0.55 mm2, respectively) (p < 0.05). Regarding choriocapillary flow density, AMD eyes recorded reduced values (34.83%) compared with controls (36.25%) (p < 0.05). Chorioretinal vasculature is impaired in intermediate AMD patients and vascular parameters could be attractive new prognostic biomarkers. Future therapeutic approaches may target this vascular dysfunction and delay disease progression.
Wombat Roadkill Was Not Reduced by a Virtual Fence. Comment on Stannard et al. Can Virtual Fences Reduce Wombat Road Mortalities? Ecol. Eng. 2021, 172, 106414

Simple Summary Wildlife roadkill is a global problem. Devices that produce bright lights and loud noises are claimed to be effective deterrents, but there is no scientific evidence that they actually prevent collisions between vehicles and wildlife. A recent trial in Australia installed a light and sound system, marketed as a ‘virtual fence’, and tested it on bare-nosed wombats (Vombatus ursinus). The study concluded that the system was minimally effective but promising. We detected a number of conceptual and procedural flaws in that study. When we re-analysed their data, we found absolutely no evidence for the effect of the virtual fence on the roadkills of wombats. Abstract The roadkill of wildlife is a global problem. Much has been written about deterring wildlife from roads, but, as of yet, there is no empirical support for deterrents based on visual and/or auditory signals. A recent paper entitled ‘Can virtual fences reduce wombat road mortalities? ’reported the results of a roadkill mitigation trial. The authors installed a ‘virtual fence’ system produced by iPTE Traffic Solutions Ltd. (Graz, Austria) and evaluated its effectiveness for reducing roadkills of bare-nosed wombats (Vombatus ursinus) in southern Australia. The authors recorded roadkills in a simple Before-After-Control-Impact design but did not conduct any formal statistical analysis. They also measured three contextual variables (vegetation, wombat burrows, and vehicle velocity) but did not link these to the occurrence of roadkills in space and time. The authors concluded that the iPTE virtual fence system was ‘minimally effective’, yet ‘appears promising’. Our analysis of their data, using standard inferential statistics, showed no effect of the virtual fence on roadkills whatsoever. We conclude that the iPTE system was not effective for mitigating the roadkills of bare-nosed wombats.
“I Was Losing That Sense of Her Being Happy”—Trans Children and Delaying Social Transition

Within transgender children’s healthcare there are two competing paradigms on appropriate support for pre-pubertal trans children, ‘affirmation’ and ‘delayed transition’. Parents of trans children accordingly face conflicting advice on the appropriate timing of ‘social transition’, where social transition connotes external acceptance and affirmation of a child’s identity. This innovative research brings experience-based insights from 30 UK-based parents (93% female), who supported 30 trans children to socially transition at an average age of seven years old (range 3–10 years old). Data were analyzed through inductive reflexive thematic analysis to understand interviewee experiences and perceptions related to the timing of social transi- tion. Analysis highlights two broad themes; firstly, the influence of cisnormativity on delay, with parents revealing deeply embedded resistance to trans possibilities. Secondly, parental perception of delays causing distress, even in families who may be considered affirming. The study reinforces existing research on the importance of affirmation and family support. The study also highlights the support parents may need to overcome cisnor- mative barriers to supportiveness, and the distress, frustration and trauma that trans children may experience, even within affirming families.
New sonochemical reactions of the C60 fullerene with amino alcohols yielding morpholine–C60 adducts

Abstract A selective and efficient method for the synthesis of previously unknown mono-adducts of the C60 fullerene with fused morpholine moieties has been developed based on the reaction of C60 with amino alcohols, including biogenic amines (2-aminoethanol, 2-amino-1-phenylethanol, noradrenaline, and adrenaline), in a mixed solvent (toluene/DMF) at room temperature under air and ultrasonication. The radical anion C60 •‒ (g = 2.0004 and ΔH 1/2 = 3.4 G) was detected as a key intermediate by the EPR method upon the synthesis of the C60–morpholine adduct. This intermediate results due to the one-electron transfer from 2-aminoethanol onto the C60 core.
Infertility curative plants as plant growth inhibitory agents

Long Term use of infertility curative plants is common in Sindh Pakistan. Continues intake of these plants may lead to cellular destruction based on toxic compounds in addition to fertility boosters. Assessment of non-cytotoxic dose to human can initially be tested in plant based assay. Therefore, three fertility enhancing plant parts viz. Sweet Flag Rhizome (S.F.R.), Peppermint Leaves (P.L.) and Red Cabbage Flower (R.C.F.) were compared for germination inhibition and mitotic index (M.I) inhibition as main parameters of phytotoxicity. Chickpea seeds were incubated for 15, 30, 45 and 60 minutes in filtered aqueous extracts (1, 3 and 5%). Un-treated seeds were used as negative control and 0.2% Ethyl methane sulphonate treated seeds as positive control. Chickpea seed germination exhibited highly significant variations at p <0.01 (LSD) for all the doses of R.C. F. among tested plant parts. Highest germination inhibition was observed in S.F. R and lowest in R.C. F. Incubation time dependent decrease in germination was only observed for all the concentration of sweet flag and 5% of Peppermint. In case of M.I. highly significant variations were recorded by applying LSD analysis ( p ≤0.01) for all tested plant extracts except 1% S.F. R. Incubation time and concentration dependent M.I (%) was only observed in peppermint. Overall P.M. was least phytotoxic among tested plant extracts as compare to +ve control.
Mathematical analysis of the meshing performance of planetary roller screws applying different roller thread shapes

This article investigates the meshing performance of planetary roller screws applying rollers with circular, elliptical, and parabolic threads. A mathematical model is established for the thread surface, and a method for analytically calculating the meshing points was developed. The meshing point distributions and interference risk area are calculated to analyze the meshing characteristics of the thread shapes considered. The possibility of applying elliptical thread and parabolic thread to the rollers of planetary roller screws in place of the commonly employed circular thread was explored, and elliptical threads were determined to provide better meshing positions, achieve higher transmission speeds, and obtain longer working lifetimes.
Aphid DNA detection by molecular gut content analysis in a natural enemy consuming honeydew

In agroecosystems, understanding of predator–prey interactions are a prerequisite for the use of natural enemies of pest arthropods. Molecular gut content analyses using prey‐specific primers for polymerase chain reaction (PCR) have been widely developed to identify the essential natural enemies of pests. However, these techniques may include uncertainties: interactions other than predation between the studied organisms and pests could result in the detection of the pest DNA in the gut of a supposed predator. Here, we tested whether the DNA of aphids was detectable in their honeydew and in gut content samples of a natural enemy that had consumed honeydew but had never contacted the aphids. We used the cotton aphid, Aphis gossypii (Hemiptera: Aphididae), and larvae of the green lacewing Mallada desjardinsi (Neuroptera: Chrysopidae) that prey on aphids and suck honeydew. By using specific primers for the aphid, we detected that 79.2% of honeydew samples tested positive for the aphid DNA. Aphid DNA was detected in 36.7% of lacewing larvae that had consumed honeydew, in the absence of direct contact between lacewing larvae and aphids. Evaluation of aphid predation by DNA‐based gut content analysis, therefore, carries the risk of determining that an arthropod has preyed on aphids when, in fact, it has not. We believe that PCR results should be interpreted with caution when estimating predation.
Effects of Resistant Dextrin from Potato Starch on the Growth Dynamics of Selected Co-Cultured Strains of Gastrointestinal Bacteria and the Activity of Fecal Enzymes

Preparations of resistant dextrins have become an interesting topic of research due to their properties, which bear resemblance those of prebiotics, e.g., the improvement of metabolic parameters, increased efficiency of the immune system and induction of vitamin production. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of the resistant dextrin produced from potato starch on the growth dynamics of typical gastrointestinal microbiota and the activity of fecal enzymes in order to assess a possible exhibition of prebiotic properties. In the study, in vitro cultivation of co-cultures of Lactobacillus, Bifidobacterium, E. coli, Enterococcus, Clostridium and Bacteroides spp. was conducted on media enriched with the resistant dextrin. The CFU/mL for each strain was measured in time periods of 24, 48, 72, 96 and 168 h. Furthermore, the activities of α-glucosidase, α-galactosidase, β-glucosidase, β-galactosidase and β-glucuronidase were determined using spectrophotometric methods at a wavelength of 400 nm. The results show that the resistant dextrin can be utilized as a source of carbon for the growth of intestinal bacteria. Moreover, the results revealed that, after 168 h of cultivation, it enhances the viability of probiotic strains of Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium spp. and decreases the growth of other intestinal strains (Clostridium, Escherichia coli, Enterococcus and Bacteroides), which is demonstrated by a high Prebiotic Index (p < 0.05). Furthermore, there was no significant change in the pH of the cultures; however, the pace of the pH decrease during the cultivation was slower in the case of culture with resistant dextrin. Furthermore, it was revealed that usage of the resistant dextrin as a medium additive noticeably lowered the activities of β-glucosidase and β-glucuronidase compared to the control (p < 0.05), whereas the activities of the other fecal enzymes were affected to a lesser degree. The resistant dextrins derived from potato starch are a suitable prebiotic candidate as they promote the growth of beneficial strains of gut bacteria and improve health markers, such as the activity of fecal enzymes. Nevertheless, additional in vivo research is necessary to further assess the suspected health-promoting properties.
Neural Tracking in Infancy Predicts Language Development in Children With and Without Family History of Autism

Abstract During speech processing, neural activity in non-autistic adults and infants tracks the speech envelope. Recent research in adults indicates that this neural tracking relates to linguistic knowledge and may be reduced in autism. Such reduced tracking, if present already in infancy, could impede language development. In the current study, we focused on children with a family history of autism, who often show a delay in first language acquisition. We investigated whether differences in tracking of sung nursery rhymes during infancy relate to language development and autism symptoms in childhood. We assessed speech-brain coherence at either 10 or 14 months of age in a total of 22 infants with high likelihood of autism due to family history and 19 infants without family history of autism. We analyzed the relationship between speech-brain coherence in these infants and their vocabulary at 24 months as well as autism symptoms at 36 months. Our results showed significant speech-brain coherence in the 10- and 14-month-old infants. We found no evidence for a relationship between speech-brain coherence and later autism symptoms. Importantly, speech-brain coherence in the stressed syllable rate (1–3 Hz) predicted later vocabulary. Follow-up analyses showed evidence for a relationship between tracking and vocabulary only in 10-month-olds but not in 14-month-olds and indicated possible differences between the likelihood groups. Thus, early tracking of sung nursery rhymes is related to language development in childhood.
University lecturers’ preparedness to use technology in teacher training of mathematics during COVID-19: The case of Ethiopia

The study aimed to investigate Ethiopian university lecturers’ readiness to use technology for teaching mathematics at the tertiary level during the COVID-19 pandemic when they were compelled to adapt to distant education. Using Google Forms, online questionnaires were distributed to 41 lecturers in three Ethiopian universities, of whom eighteen participated. Before the research, the questionnaire was piloted with eight lecturer participants to categorise questions and validate the instrument using the Rasch measurement model. The questionnaire was locally developed based on guidelines from the literature. It purposed to investigate university lecturers’ individual preparedness for technological instruction in terms of their knowledge, beliefs and current, and historical exposure to this mode of instruction. As a counterbalance, some circumstantial factors influencing their readiness were investigated too. Lecturers’ optimistic beliefs about using educational technologies have been found to contrast with some disabling circumstantial factors. This study revealed that the lecturers were generally able and interested in integrating technology into the teaching process but that barriers, primarily at the institutional level, hindered them from doing so. In addition to the technologies suggested in the questionnaire, participants enriched the research findings by adding more possible technologies that lecturers may use for educational purposes. The data was analysed using WINSTEPS (Student Version of WINSTEPS 4.7.0.0) and SPSS version 20. The results showed the reliability of using the instrument was 0.77 based on Cronbach’s alpha. The PT-measure correlation value determined the construct validity (PMC), ranging from 0.23 to 0.71 except item PUT15’s infit and outfit MNSQ between 0.1 to 1.86 and ZSTD range -1.05 to 1.61, which was acceptable. The fit statistics showed that the person separation index, 1.97, was considered good and that the item separation index, 0.63 was within an acceptable range. Person and item reliability were at 0.8 and 0.28, respectively. The result indicated that the new instrument with five items after eliminating unfit items (such as items FAT19, PTT10, KDT1, PTT8 and PTT 12) was reliable and valid to measure the use of technology in the teaching and learning process of the university lecturers.
Alliance management and innovation under uncertainty

Drawing on the configuration argument of strategic fit – i.e., an effective alignment of a firm's strategy with its environment, internal structures, and processes – and the resource-based view, this paper clarifies the impact of alliance strategy, alliance management resources, and alliance management capabilities on innovation performance in collaborative ventures. This study of 441 collaborative ventures in the electronics industry offers empirical support for the configuration argument. First, greater alliance strategy formalization influences innovation performance directly and indirectly. Alliance management capabilities – that reflect organizational routines to implement an alliance strategy – partially mediate this effect. Second, alliance management capabilities leverage alliance management resources in that the effect of the former on innovation performance is moderated by the latter. Furthermore, greater innovation strategy formalization affects innovation performance and moderates the direct effect of alliance strategy formalization on innovation performance; an effect that increases with technological uncertainty.
THE IMPACT OF COVID-19 PANDEMIC ON ABSORPTION OF LABOR AND INCOME OF THE COFFEE SHOP IN MALANG CITY

The purpose of this study was to determine the real impact of the covid-19 pandemic on employment and income as well as the strategies taken by coffee shop owners in the Sudimoro coffee center, Malang City. The source of the data in this study was obtained from the owner of a coffee shop in the Sudimoro coffee center, Malang City. The population in this study were 57 coffee shops. The research sample was taken by census. The data analysis technique in this research is paired sample t-test and descriptive analysis The results showed that, based on the results of the different paired sample t-test, the following results were obtained: (1) there was a significant difference between quantity of labor absorbtion before the COVID-19 pandemic and during the COVID-19 pandemic, (2) there is a significant difference between income before the covid-19 pandemic and during the covid-19 pandemic, (3) the strategy taken by coffee shop owners to maintain their business is to promote through social media, serve online orders, innovate by changing the concept of the outlet from a coffee shop to a place for discussion and learning, so they must provide printers and storage for bags and books. Several coffee shops have changed the concept into a gathering place for various communities such as the Vespa community, the antique car community and other automotive communities.
Experimental and Numerical Studies of Supercritical Water Flooding for Offshore Heavy Oil Recovery

Supercritical water (SCW) is a novel thermal agent that has been recently utilized for the production of heavy oil. However, a lack of knowledge about its recovery mechanisms limits the application of SCW. In this study, pyrolysis and sandpack flooding experiments were performed to investigate the mechanisms and viability of SCW flooding. Then an innovative simulation model was developed for SCW flooding. Finally, sensitivity studies on SCW flooding were conducted by the developed model. The results showed that SCW flooding yielded a 13.99% increase in oil recovery in comparison to steam flooding, indicating that SCW flooding is technically applicable to offshore heavy oil reservoirs. Heavy oil upgrading in SCW can suppress coke formation and plays an important role in oil recovery. A novel numerical model for SCW flooding was established based on a history match of experiments. The simulation results suggested that during SCW flooding, SCW could induce heavy oil upgrading to increase oil mobility, and long-term injection of SCW may cause the formation of coke deposits. Higher injection temperatures and pressures would benefit the production performance of SCW flooding. However, an unlimited increase in temperature would damage formations by significant coke deposits.