Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Association between Incidence of Prescriptions for Alzheimer’s Disease and Beta-Adrenoceptor Antagonists: A Prescription Sequence Symmetry Analysis

Background: Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is the most common cause of dementia, with a growing number of patients worldwide. The association between AD and treatment with drugs targeting the beta-adrenergic receptor is controversial. The aim of this study is to assess the association between the initiation of AD medication and beta-adrenoceptor antagonists (beta-blockers) in adults. Materials and Methods: We conducted a prescription sequence symmetry analysis using the University of Groningen IADB.nl prescription database. We determined the order of the first prescription for treating AD and the first prescription for beta-blockers, with the dispensing date of the first prescription for AD defined as the index date. Participants were adults over 45 years old starting any AD medication and beta-blockers within two years. We calculated adjusted sequence ratios with corresponding 95% confidence intervals. Results: We identified 510 users of both AD and beta-blockers, and 145 participants were eligible. The results were compatible with either a significant decrease in the incidence of AD after using beta-blockers (adjusted sequence ratio (aSR) = 0.52; 95% CI: 0.35–0.72) or, conversely, an increase in beta-blockers after AD medication (aSR = 1.96; 95% CI: 1.61–2.30). Conclusions: There is a relationship between the use of beta-blockers and AD medications. Further research is needed with larger populations to determine whether drug therapy for AD increases the risk of hypertension or whether beta-blockers have potential protective properties against AD development.
A new method for amino acid geochronology of the bivalve shell Arctica 1 islandica 2

8 The bivalve mollusc Arctica islandica can live for hundreds of years, and its shell has provided a valuable resource for 9 sclerochronological studies and geochemical analyses for understanding palaeoenvironmental change. Shell specimens 10 recovered from the seabed need to be dated in order to aid sample selection, but existing methods using radiocarbon 11 dating or crossdating are both costly and time-consuming. We have investigated amino acid geochronology (AAG) as 12 a potential alternative means of providing a less costly and more efficient rangefinding method. In order to do this, we 13 have investigated the complex microstructure of the shells, as this may influence the application of AAG. Each of the 14 three microstructural layers of A. islandica have been isolated and their protein degradation examined (amino acid 15 concentration, composition, racemisation and peptide bond hydrolysis). The intra-crystalline protein fraction was 16 successfully extracted following oxidation treatment for 48 h, and high temperature experiments at 140℃ established 17 coherent breakdown patterns in all three layers, but the inner portion of the outer shell layer (iOSL) was the most 18 appropriate component due to practicalities. Sampling of the iOSL layer in Holocene shells from early and late 19 ontogeny (over 100-400 years) showed that the resolution of AAG is too low in A. islandica for within-shell age 20 resolution. However, analysis of 19 subfossil samples confirmed that this approach could be used to establish a relative 21 geochronology for this biomineral throughout the whole of the Quaternary. In the Late Holocene the temporal 22 resolution is ~1500-2000 years. Relative dating of 160 dredged shells of unknown age were narrowed down using
Electronic Management Systems and their Effective Role in Supporting Employee Performance in King Fahd Medical City in Riyadh: An Empirical Study

This study aimed at examining and analyzing the impact of the application of the electronic management system on the performance of employees in King Fahd Medical City in Riyadh. It sought to identify the reality of the application of the electronic management system in King Fahd Medical City in Riyadh from the point of view of the working employees, and the role of this application in the development of administrative performance in King Fahd Medical City in Riyadh. As well, it tried to depict the most influential electronic management system on the performance of the working employees, the viewpoint of the employees working in King Fahd Medical City in Riyadh, and finally, the existence of a statistically significant correlation between the electronic management system used and the performance of the employees working in King Fahd City in Riyadh. To achieve the objectives of the study, the researcher opted for the descriptive approach. In this study, the researcher targeted the employees working in King Fahd Medical City, using an electronically distributed questionnaire. The number of this questionnaire respondents was (150) responses. The researcher designed the study questionnaire consisting of four main axes, including (54) phrases. The answers were subject to the Five-point Likert scale. The study reached many results, the most important of which are that the employees of King Fahd Medical City strongly agreed that the medical city has electronic systems programs in order to save and retrieve data with a mean of (4.740) and a standard deviation of (0.469). The results also indicated that the electronic management systems used in the medical city contribute to the speed of work completion with a mean of (4.413) and a standard deviation of (0.667), and that electronic management systems contribute to facilitating the process of control and follow-up with a mean of (4,393). Moreover, among the results of applying electronic management systems to employees’ development in King Fahd Medical City was that paper transactions were dispensed with and the focus became on the electronic system with a mean of (4,620) and a standard deviation of (0.526). As well, electronic management systems contributed to making contact among the administrative departments with a mean of (4,440) and a standard deviation of (0.629). The study also found that there is an effectiveness of the electronic systems used, through the presence of statistical significance at the level of (0.000). The results showed that the most effective electronic management systems on the performance of employees were the electronic transactions system, followed by the performance management system (PMS). Finally, the study recommended the need to adopt the use of Electronic systems in medical institutions, abandoning paper systems and replacing them with an electronic system.
UvA-DARE (Digital Academic Repository) Priming Issues, Party Visibility, and Party Evaluations: The Impact on Vote Switching

Voter volatility has become a hallmark of Western democracies in the past three decades. At the same time short-term factors — such as the media ’ s coverage of issues, parties, and candidates during an election campaign — have become more important for voters ’ decisions. While previous research did look at how campaign news in general affects electoral volatility in general, it has omitted to explicitly test the mechanisms underlying these effects. Building on theories of agenda setting, (affective) priming, and issue ownership, the current study aims to explain why certain news aspects lead voters to switch their vote choice. We theorize it is the visibility of a party, the evaluation of a party, and the attention for issues owned by a party that primes voters to switch to a certain party. We use national panel survey data ( N = 765) and link this to an extensive content analysis of campaign news on television and in newspapers in the run up to the 2012 Dutch national elections. The results show that issue news leads to vote change in the direction of the party that owns the issue. Even stronger is the effect of party visibility on vote switching. Our results, however, find the strongest support for the effect of party evaluations on vote change: More favorable news about a party increases switching to that party.
Edinburgh Research Explorer Macronutrient biogeochemistry in Antarctic land-fast sea ice: Insights from a circumpolar data compilation

Antarctic sea ice plays an important role in Southern Ocean biogeochemistry and mediating Earth ’ s climate system. Yet our understanding of biogeochemical cycling in sea ice is limited by the availability of relevant data over sufficient temporal and spatial scales. Here we present a new publicly available compilation of macronutrient concentration data from Antarctic land-fast sea ice, covering the full seasonal cycle using datasets from around Antarctica, as well as a smaller dataset of macronutrient concentrations in adjacent seawater. We show a strong seasonal cycle whereby nutrient concentrations are high during autumn and winter, due to supply from underlying surface waters, and then are utilised in spring and summer by mixed ice algal communities consisting of diatoms and non-siliceous species. Our data indicate some degree of nutrient limitation of ice algal primary production, with silicon limitation likely being most prevalent, although uncertainties remain around the affinities of sea-ice algae for each nutrient. Remineralisation of organic matter and nutrient recycling drive substantial accumulations of inorganic nitrogen, phosphate and to a lesser extent silicic acid in some ice cores to concentrations far in excess of those in surface waters. Nutrient supply to fast ice is enhanced by brine convection, platelet ice accumulation and incorporation into the ice matrix, and under-ice tidal currents, whilst nutrient adsorption to sea-ice surfaces, formation of biofilms, and abiotic mineral precipitation and dissolution can also influence fast-ice nutrient cycling. Concentrations of nitrate, ammonium and silicic acid were generally higher in fast ice than reported for Antarctic pack ice, and this may support the typically observed higher algal biomass in fast-ice environments.
Understanding the Determinants of FinTech Adoption: Integrating UTAUT2 with Trust Theoretic Model

Financial technology (FinTech) is transforming the financial services industry by offering innovative, convenient solutions for businesses and individuals. This study examines the factors influencing FinTech adoption, with a special focus on trust. By integrating insights from both the unified theory of acceptance and use of technology (UTAUT2), and the trust theoretic model (TTM), this research uncovers critical determinants of FinTech adoption. Utilizing survey responses obtained from 399 participants, this research employs the partial least squares structural equation modelling method. The findings reveal that performance expectancy, effort expectancy, social influence, habit, price value, and facilitating conditions significantly influence users’ intentions to use FinTech services. In addition, the study shows that trust plays a crucial role in FinTech use, as it influences both the intentions to use and the actual use of FinTech. Surprisingly, hedonic motivation was found not to affect users’ intentions, implying that people see FinTech as a practical, rather than enjoyable, endeavor. These insights provide valuable guidance for service providers and policymakers seeking to enhance FinTech adoption and utilization while ensuring the security and trustworthiness of these digital platforms.
Natural Controls of Fluvial Denudation Rates in Major Drainage Basins of China

The chemical weathering and mechanical denudation play an important role in studying the sea-land matter balance and global climatic change. The rock weathering and erosion products, including the dissolved and solid yields which amount to 15Gt and 5Gt annually, are mainly transported through the rivers into the ocean. The dissolved and particulate loads of the river are used to estimate the physical erosion and chemical weathering rates over the world drainage basins, respectively. The total weathering rate is obviously higher than that of major world watersheds. It is found that the lower erosion rates are distributed in the northern and southern China, while the higher values are observed in the middle of China. The average physical denudationrate rate in Huangfuchuan (the Yellow River's tributary) is the highest value known in the world. The chemical weathering rate is always far less than the mechanical denudation rate in the same watershed, furthermore, the proportion of total denudation contributed by chemical weathering decreases as total denudation rate increases. Data demonstrates chemical weathering rate constitutes only a small proportion of the total denudation rate, while mechanical denudation rate is the most important denudation rate in most drainage basins in China. Moreover the chemical weathering rate is to a less extent controlled by the mechanical denudation rate in the same drainage basin. The environmental and basin property data are quantified and indicated by the annual mean precipitation and temperature, runoff, aridity index, relief ratio, highest altitude, vegetative ratio, river length and basin area in the past decades. Variables expressing basin relief characteristics and aridity indexes are found to be most strongly associated with mechanical and total denudation rates, with approximately 72% of the variance in the total denudation rates being accounted for by the basin relief ratios and aridity indexes. The annual mean precipitation and temperature are responsible for the 39% of the variance of the chemical weathering rates in the Chinese drainage basins. However, basin property, runoff, highest altitude and vegetative ratio are only weakly associated with the physical denudation and chemical weathering rates. The effect of vegetative ratio on increasing the chemical weathering rates and decreasing the physical denudation rates possibly shows clear on the small scale and usually faint on the large scale. The key factors identified as controlling denudation rates here are also applicable to the interaction between tectonic and denudation processes in the Chinese watersheds, although chemical weathering rates are more weakly associated with these topographic variables than mechanical denudation rates. In particular, compared to the world other watersheds, the aridity indexes play a major role in controlling the denudation rates of Chinese drainage basins.
Bio-based materials from sun ﬂ ower co-products, a way to generate economical value with low environmental footprint ☆

– Sun ﬂ ower co-products ( i.e. , stalks and heads) were recently used to create a value chain of sun ﬂ ower biomass. On the one hand, bioactive ingredients extracted through twin-screw extrusion can be valorized as ecologically friendly agricultural products. On the other hand, in this study, the remaining solid, i.e. , the extrudate, was used for obtaining bio-based materials, generating economical value with low environmental footprint. It is processable into cohesive boards through hot pressing. According to NF EN 312, optimal board (37 MPa ﬂ exural strength, and 33% thickness swelling) containing 9.1% (w/w) sun ﬂ ower proteins as binder can be used as a type P2 board, i.e. , for interior ﬁ ttings (including furniture) in dry environments. For P3 and P4 types, a thickness swelling lower than 20% and 21%, respectively, will be required. The extrudate can be also separated into long ﬁ bers and ﬁ nes. Long ﬁ bers can be compression molded into low-density insulation blocks (49 mW/m K thermal conductivity). Fines can be used as a ﬁ ller for reinforcing (bio)plastics, e.g. , polypropylene and poly (lactic acid). These bio composites could be injected into pots or tutors for plants, or even extruded into window openings or exterior decking.
Risk Factors Contributing to Reinfection by SARS-CoV-2: A Systematic Review

Highlights What are the main findings? This comprehensive analysis meticulously examined 51 studies, pinpointing 27 that rigorously adhered to stringent criteria. The incorporation of diverse studies afforded a panoramic perspective on COVID-19 reinfection. Emphasis was placed on the effectiveness of vaccination, showcasing a remarkable risk reduction of up to 66% with the administration of two vaccine doses. What is the implication of the main finding? In spite of an overall low reinfection rate, the findings unveiled noteworthy patterns. Factors such as non-vaccination, advanced age, and the presence of comorbidities emerged as significant contributors to the likelihood of reinfection. While the review furnished valuable insights, it underscored the persistent necessity for more nuanced observational studies. Special attention was urged, particularly regarding emerging variants and the duration of immunity post-infection or post-vaccination. Abstract This article aims to systematize the evidence regarding risk factors associated with COVID-19 reinfection. We conducted a systematic review of all the scientific publications available until August 2022. To ensure the inclusion of the most recent and relevant information, we searched the PubMed and Scopus databases. Thirty studies were reviewed, with a significant proportion being analytical observational case-control and cohort studies. Upon qualitative analysis of the available evidence, it appears that the probability of reinfection is higher for individuals who are not fully immunized when exposed to a new variant, females, those with pre-existing chronic diseases, individuals aged over 60, and those who have previously experienced severe symptoms of the disease or are immunocompromised. In conclusion, further analytical observational case-control studies are necessary to gain a better understanding of the risk factors associated with SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) reinfection.
Some aspects of helicity in atmospheric flows

On montre que l'helicite, definie comme le produit scalaire de la vitesse et de la vorticite, peut etre trouvee dans certains types d'ecoulements atmospheriques. Sous certaines conditions restrictives, l'helicite est un invariant cinematique, ce qui a certaines consequences pour la dynamique des courants rotationnels, en particulier en ce qui concerne les interactions non lineaires. On discute la signification de l'helicite pour des courants atmospheriques
Heavy metals in water and sediment of the lower Ikpoba river, Benin City, Nigeria

Heavy metals concentrations in the water and sediment at four zones on the lower Ikpoba river in Benin City, Nigeria were investigated by using the flame atomic absorption spectrophotometry technique. Mean concentrations (μg/l) were as Cd (0.73), Cr (0.40), Cu (1.30), Fe (4.00), Pb (0.90), Mn (3.10), Ni (2.05) and Zn (1.20). Mean metal concentrations (μg/g dry wt.) in the sediment samples were as follows: Cd (1.50), Cr (0.90), Cu (1.90), Fe (7.90), Pb (3.30), Mn (4.60), Ni (3 95) and Zn (4.70). Concentrations were of Cd and Pb water exceeded the limits recommended by WHO for portable drinking water. The metal concentrations in the river water were higher during the dry seasons in all the zones when water was used in greater demand by the urban population, there was no significant difference (P>0.05) between the concentrations of metals in the river water during the dry and rainy season in the months of sampling.
Rendering Covid-19 Related Terms from English into Asante Twi in Press Releases from The Ghana Ministries of Health and Information

trois Abstract: At the time of the COVID-19 pandemic, there was the pressing need to communicate the COVID-19 situation in the Ghanaian public space and to ensure the dissemination of accurate information and measures to curb the spread of the virus. This study thus identified, described and explained the translation of COVID-19-related terms from English into Asante Twi, determined the strategies used to render the terms into Asante Twi and brought out constraints faced by translators to communicate the terms into Asante Twi. The study adopted a quantitative and qualitative research design that hinged on the Descriptive Translation Studies (DTS) approach by Toury (1995). The research was underpinned by the Communication, Skopos and Sociolinguistic theories of translation. A corpus of 15 COVID19-related terms in English and their corresponding Asante Twi translations were compiled. The English COVID-19-related terms were extracted from press releases of the Ghana ministries of health and information and their Asante Twi translations in three broadcast stations namely: Adom FM, Adom TV and Peace FM. The findings of the study revealed that the techniques that were frequently used to render the COVID-19-related terms from English into Asante Twi were explicitation, expansion and equivalence which were all target-text oriented. These techniques all fell under the domestication strategy (oblique or free translation) accounting for 93% of the overall strategy used. The study also revealed the most common constraints were at the level of structure at a percentage of 53%, and that the strategy of domestication can be used in overcoming most of these constraints. This study is a significant contribution to the field of translation studies and to the growing body of research on language access in public health emergencies.
Association Between the Site of Infection and Mortality Analysis in Critically Ill Surgical Patients

Background Sepsis remains a critical global health concern, leading to a high mortality rate. Existing literature suggests a potential correlation between infection site and mortality. Mortality data from Pakistan, especially in the context of the infection site, is notably scarce. Purpose The study aimed to explore the relationship between the site of infection and clinical features in deceased septic patients in the surgical intensive care unit. Methods In this retrospective study conducted at the Aga Khan University Hospital, data from patients admitted to the surgical intensive care unit and meeting Sepsis 3 criteria over a five-year period (2016-2020) were analyzed. We analyzed the relation between the infection site and clinical characteristics using analysis of variance (ANOVA), chi-square, or Fisher's exact tests. Multivariable logistic regression models were applied using stepwise forward selection. A p-value of ≤ 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results A total of 2472 ICU admissions were screened, out of which 170 patients were included in this study. Demographic analysis showed a predominantly male population with a mean age of 47 years. The most prevalent site of infection was the abdomen. Logistic regression analysis identified on-admission septic shock and high Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation (APACHE) II scores as significant risk factors for 48-hour mortality while colistimethate sodium usage and admission through the operating room were protective. Conclusion Our study provides a comprehensive analysis, outlining infection sites and identifying early mortality-influencing factors within our region. The distinct demographic profile, characterized by younger age, and the prevalence of abdominal infections in the Pakistani cohort contradict established medical literature. Early initiation of broad-spectrum antibiotics, coupled with prompt source control, confers a protective effect upon individuals afflicted with sepsis.