Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Factors Influencing Infant Immunization Uptake in the Yoruba Community of Southwestern Nigeria

Background: The recurrent incidence of immunizable diseases is an indication that the current immunization campaign is failing. This paper, therefore, examined the factors affecting the use of immunization and how Yoruba parents perceive immunization in the relation to beliefs and practices about child protection. Methods: A variety of qualitative methods of data collection were used to obtain information in two Yoruba communities (Moniya and Onidudu). Eight (8) Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) and 10 Key Informants Interviews (KIIs) were conducted, while special cases were observed during the study using unstructured observation technique. Content analytical approach was adopted to explain the data. Results: Data showed that though there was high patronage of immunization services, some mothers still defaulted because of delay in vaccine supply, clashes of immunization days with the economic activities of mothers, especially the market days, and the negative attitude of some clinic staff members. Perceived side effect of vaccine did not have strong negative influence on the patronage of immunization. Mothers reported that delay occurred as a result of time it takes to receive immunization supplies from the central store in Ibadan and lack of assurance of getting supply at all. Conclusion: It is, therefore, concluded that attitude towards immunization uptake has improved tremendously with high demand for it over the years when data were compared with the earlier findings in the same study location a decade ago. However, this enthusiasm was still being discouraged by supply-related factors. Hence, it is recommended that sustainable cold chain system should be maintained in the local communities, using freezers powered by solar energy. Also, public engagement is necessary to address the need of the mothers. Finally, there is need to train the clinic staff in clinical ethics to be able to relate well with patients.
Comparison of Automatic and Expert Teachers’ Rating of Computerized English Listening-Speaking Test

Through Many-Facet Rasch analysis, this study explores the rating differences between 1 computer automatic rater and 5 expert teacher raters on scoring 119 students in a computerized English listening-speaking test. Results indicate that both automatic and the teacher raters demonstrate good inter-rater reliability, though the automatic rater indicates less intra-rater reliability than college teacher and high school teacher raters under the stringent infit limits. There’s no central tendency and random effect for both automatic and human raters. This research provides evidence for the automatic rating reform of the computerized English listening-speaking test (CELST) in Guangdong NMET and encourages the application of MFRM in actual score monitoring.
Investigating the Relationship Between Religious Attitudes With Some Sexual Characteristics and Marital Satisfaction Among Women of Reproductive Age

Background: Religious values and attitudes can be considered as a guideline for sexual relationship and gender related roles. Objectives: The current study aimed at investigating the relationship between religious attitudes, and some sexual characteristics with marital satisfaction among females of reproductive age in 2014 2015. Methods: The current descriptive-analytical study investigated the relationship between religious attitudes and some sexual characteristics, and marital satisfaction on 210 females of reproductive age. Firstly, cluster sampling was conducted. The sexual trait questionnaire and religious attitude scale, which contains 25 questions in 6 areas related to the religious attitudes, were distributed. Sexual trait questionnaire includes questions on pre-sex motivations, premature ejaculation, young couple’s education, couples’ intimate relationships, and finally couples’ satisfaction. Chi-square test was applied to analyze the data, using SPSS software. Results: The mean age of the study population was 30.35 ± 7.52 years. According to the Chi-square result, there was a significant relationship between religious attitudes and pre-sex motivations (P = 0.001), young couples‘ education (P = 0.005), couples’ intimate relationships (P = 0.002), and couples’ satisfaction (P ≤ 0.001). However, there was no significant association between early ejaculation and religious attitude (P = 0.11). Conclusions: The results revealed a significant relationship between religious attitudes and pre-sex motivation, sexuality, and sexual arousal. Therefore, education on sex-based issues and couples’ intimate relationships, which leads to decreased premature ejaculation and more sexual satisfaction, seem to be necessary. The results of the current study showed a significant relationship between religious attitudes, sexuality and sexual arousal. Also, the need for sex education and emotional intimacy between male and female are necessary to reduce premature ejaculation and enhance sexual satisfaction.
Sequential Phase II Studies of Flavopiridol by 72-Hour Continuous Infusion and 1-Hour Intravenous Bolus for the Treatment of Relapsed B-Cell Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia: Results from CALGB Study 19805.

Flavopiridol has in vitro activity in CLL and promotes apoptosis independent of p53 function or prior fludarabine exposure. We sought to determine if flavopiridol administered using two different schedules has activity in CLL. Patients with previously treated CLL were enrolled on two sequentially performed phase II studies. Patients in the first trial received flavopiridol (50 mg/m 2 daily) as a continuous infusion (CI) over 72-hours every 2 weeks. Patients in the second trial received flavopiridol 50 mg/m 2 as a 1-hour intravenous bolus (IVB) daily for three days repeated every 3 weeks. Patients received up to 6 (CI cohort) or 8 (IVB cohort) cycles of therapy. Fifteen patients enrolled in the 72-hour CI phase II trial; 6 (40%) had intermediate (Rai stage I or II) and 9 (60%) high (Rai stage III and IV) risk stages. No responses were noted in this group with 27% having stable disease (SD) and 73% progressive disease (PD). Thirty-six patients enrolled in the IVB study, with 13 (36%) having intermediate and 23 (64%) having high-risk disease. Four patients (11%) had partial responses, 19 (53%) SD, and 13 (36%) PD. The progression-free survivals for responders in the IVB study were 2.9, 3.2, 8.7, and 19.3 months. The median progression-free survival was 2.1 months (95% confidence interval [CI] 1.8 – 3.8) for patients in the CI study and 3.2 months (95% CI [2.5 – 7.4]) for the IVB study. The median overall survival was 27 months (95% CI [20–42]) for the CI study and 24 months (95% CI [18–31]) for the IVB study. Toxicity was manageable and included mainly myelosuppression (granulocytopenia and thrombocytopenia), infections, diarrhea and fatigue. Grade 3 and 4 toxicities were 20% and 27%, respectively, on the CI study and 39% and 33% on the IVB study. One patient on the IVB study had tumor lysis syndrome that was managed medically and did not require dialysis. There was one on-study death following a myocardial infarction on the IVB study. We conclude that flavopiridol has modest, schedule-dependent clinical activity in relapsed CLL and warrants future investigation utilizing alternative schedules of administration.
Stability of microgrids and weak grids with high penetration of variable renewable energy

Autonomous microgrids and weak grids with high penetrations of variable renewable energy (VRE) generation tend to share several common characteristics: i) low synchronous inertia, ii) sensitivity to active power imbalances, and iii) low system strength (as defined by the nodal short circuit ratio). As a result of these characteristics, there is a greater risk of system instability relative to larger grids, especially as the share of VRE is increased. This thesis focuses on the development of techniques and strategies to assess and improve the stability of microgrids and weak grids. In the first part of this thesis, the small-signal stability of inertia-less converter dominated microgrids is analysed, wherein a load flow based method for small-signal model initialisation is proposed and used to examine the effects of topology and network parameters on the stability of the microgrid. The use of a back-to-back dc link to interconnect neighbouring microgrids and provide dynamic frequency support is then proposed to improve frequency stability by helping to alleviate active power imbalances. In the third part of this thesis, a new technique to determine the optimal sizing of smoothing batteries in microgrids is proposed. The technique is based on the temporal variability of the solar irradiance at the specific site location in order to maximise PV penetration without causing grid instability. A technical framework for integrating solar PV plants into weak grids is then proposed, addressing the weaknesses in conventional Grid Codes that fail to consider the unique characteristics of weak grids. Finally, a new technique is proposed for estimating system load relief factors that are used in aggregate single frequency stability models.
SRC a critical signaling mediator in FLT 3 ITD positive AML

Mutations of the Fms-like tyrosine kinase 3 (FLT3) are frequent molecular abnormalities in AML patients. Patients carrying the FLT3 ITD but not FLT3-TKD mutation have a significantly worse prognosis. This study investigates the mechanisms leading to differential STAT5 activation and shows that FLT3 ITD but not FLT3 TKD utilizes SRC to activate STAT5. Co-immunoprecipitation and pull down experiments revealed an exclusive interaction between SRC but not other Src family kinases and FLT3 ITD, which is mediated by the SRC-SH2 domain. SRC inhibition and knock-down blocked STAT5 activation and proliferation induced by FLT3 ITD but not by FLT3 TKD. Further more the work shows that inhibition of SRC leads to the redued proliferation and activation of STAT5 in FLT3 ITD but not FLT3 TKD expressing primary AML cells. Therefore, SRC might be a therapeutic target in FLT3 ITD positive AML.
Posters for public health: WPA posters and national dialogues about health care in the United States

Abstract During the same years they were designing the now-famous American travel posters, Work Projects Administration (WPA) designers produced an extensive body of public health posters to communicate a variety of health-related messages to the American public. This article explores the role of the WPA’s public health posters in Depression-era health care dialogues in the US. Explicitly, this visual dialogue centered around the need for data-driven personal health choices; expert information about health and disease; and the role of government agencies as representatives of reliable data. Implicitly, the posters also re-enforced existing norms associated with race, gender, and class, framing dialogues that had as much to do with social norms as they did with health care messaging. Drawing on the Library of Congress collection of WPA posters as its sample, this article provides both quantitative and qualitative analysis of the visual messaging strategies employed by WPA poster artists when discussing public health.
Identification and expression analysis of cytochrome P450 genes in Plecoptera oculata (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae)

Cytochrome P450 monooxygenases (CYPs) play an important role in the decomposition of insecticides. Plecoptera oculata Moore is a lepidopteran forestry pest that severely affects Dalbergia odorifera T. Chen. In this study, 27 putative CYP genes were identified in the transcriptome of larval P. oculata. Phylogenetic analysis showed that these genes are grouped into four clans, 15 families, and 22 subfamilies. The tissue‐specific expression profile for each gene was determined using real‐time reverse transcription‐quantitative PCR (RT‐qPCR), and the 27 genes were found to be ubiquitously expressed, mainly in the midgut, Malpighian tubules, and fat body. The expression profiles of all 27 PoCYP genes exposed to half the lethal concentration (LC50) of sendebao and lambda‐cyhalothrin were determined using RT‐qPCR. The results showed that six and twelve PoCYP genes were significantly down‐ and up‐regulated, respectively, by exposure to sendebao, and three and twelve PoCYP genes were significantly down‐ and up‐regulated, respectively, by exposure to lambda‐cyhalothrin. To the best of our knowledge, this study is the first to show the expression of CYP genes in P. oculata. Our results provide a basis for further investigation of the roles of PoCYP genes in insecticide detoxification and as potential targets for novel pesticides.
Structural, Thermodiffusive and Thermoelectric Properties of Maghemite Nanoparticles Dispersed in Ethylammonium Nitrate

Ethylammonium nitrate (ionic liquid) based ferrofluids with citrate-coated nanoparticles and Na + counterions were synthesized for a wide range of nanoparticle (NP) volume fractions ( Φ ) of up to 16%. Detailed structural analyses on these fluids were performed using magneto-optical birefringence and small angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) methods. Furthermore, the thermophoretic and thermodiffusive properties (Soret coefficient S T and diffusion coefficient D m ) were explored by forced Rayleigh scattering experiments as a function of T and Φ . They were compared to the thermoelectric potential (Seebeck coefficient, Se) properties induced in these fluids. The results were analyzed using a modified theoretical model on S T and Se adapted from an existing model developed for dispersions in more standard polar media which allows the determination of the Eastman entropy of transfer ( S ^ NP ) and the effective charge ( Z 0 e f f ) of the nanoparticles.
DEVELOPMENT OF COCAINE HYDROLASE FOR THERAPEUTIC TREATMENT OF COCAINE ABUSE

OF DISSERTATION DEVELOPMENT OF COCAINE HYDROLASE FOR THERAPEUTIC TREATMENT OF COCAINE ABUSE Cocaine abuse is a world-wide public health and social problem without a U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved medication. An ideal anti-cocaine medication would accelerate cocaine metabolism producing biologically inactive metabolites by administration of an efficient cocaine-specific exogenous enzyme. Recent studies in our lab have led to discovery of the desirable, highly efficient human cocaine hydrolases (hCocHs) that can efficiently detoxify and inactivate cocaine without affecting normal functions of central nervous system (CNS). Preclinical and clinical data have demonstrated that these hCocHs are safe for use in humans and effective for accelerating cocaine metabolism. However, the actual therapeutic use of a hCocH in cocaine addiction treatment is limited by the short biological half-life (e.g. 8 hours or shorter in rats) of the hCocH. In the investigation described in this thesis, we have demonstrated that mCocH and hCocH have improved the catalytic efficiency of mBChE and hBChE against cocaine by ~8and ~2000-fold, respectively, although the catalytic efficiencies of mCocH and hCocH against other substrates, including acetylcholine (ACh) and butyrylthiocholine (BTC), are close to those of the corresponding wild-type enzymes mBChE and hBChE. In addition, we have identified the first benzoylecgonine-metabolizing enzymes that can hydrolyze benzoylecgonine and accelerate its clearance in rats. The developed LC-MS/MS method has enabled us to simultaneously determine cocaine and nine cocaine-related metabolites in whole blood samples. In development of the long-acting hCocHs, we have designed and discovered a novel hCocH form, catalytic antibody analog, which is an Fc-fused hCocH dimer (hCocH-Fc). The hCocH-Fc has not only a high catalytic efficiency against cocaine, but also a considerably longer biological half-life. A single dose of hCocH-Fc was able to accelerate cocaine metabolism in rats even after 20 days and, thus, block cocaine-induced hyperactivity for a long period of time. In consideration of the general observation that the biological half-life of a protein drug in humans is significantly longer than that in rodents, the hCocH-Fc could allow dosing once every 2-4 weeks, or longer for cocaine addiction treatment in humans.
The Spectrum of Muscle Disorders Diagnosed at King Hussein Medical Center : An 8 Year Experience

Objective: To report on the prevalence of various muscle disorders encountered at King Hussein Medical Center in terms of diagnosis, age and gender distribution. Method: This is a retrospective study of 636 cases of suspected muscle diseases that were biopsied over a period of eight years at King Hussein Medical Center between January 2006 and December 2013. The biopsies were examined by several methods including Haematoxylin and Eosin stained frozen tissue sections, muscle enzyme histochemistry, immunohistochemistry, and electron microscopic examination. The different disease diagnoses that were encountered were classified and analyzed. Results: A positive biopsy with significant changes was encountered in 437(68.7%) of the patients. There were 168 (26.4%) normal biopsies and 31 (4.8%) inadequate specimens. Of specimens with positive findings there were 169 (38.7%) cases of dystrophy, 72 (16.4%) cases of inflammatory myositis, 70 (16%) cases of neurogenic atrophy, 36 (8.2%) cases of congenital myopathy, 19 (4.3%) cases of mitochondrial myopathy, and 71 (16.2%) cases that were grouped together as having various other myopathic changes. A total of 272 positive biopsies belonged to male patients, and 165 belonged to female patients. The age range of patients varied from 1 month to 75 year old. Conclusion: Muscle biopsies are frequently encountered at King Hussein Medical Center practice. Accurate histopathologic diagnosis and classification of myopathies requires several advanced techniques which can only be carried out at a fully equipped laboratory center. In this study the largest groups of patients were diagnosed to with dystrophy, followed by inflammatory myositis and neurogenic muscular atrophy.
Changes in income inequality in Lithuania: the role of policy, labour market structure, returns and demographics

We model the household disposable income distribution in Lithuania and explore the drivers of the increase in income inequality between 2007 and 2015. We quantify the contributions of four factors to changes in the disposable income distribution: (i) demographics; (ii) labour market structure; (ii) returns and prices; and (iv) tax-benefit system. Results show that the effects of the factors were substantial and reflected heterogeneous developments over two sub-periods: changes in the tax and benefit system successfully accommodated a rapid rise in market income inequality due to the global financial crisis during 2007-2011, but failed to do so during the subsequent years of economic expansion, when rising returns in the labour and capital markets significantly increased disposable income inequality. We also find that declining marriage rates contributed to the increase of income inequality in Lithuania.
Differential robustness to specific potassium channel deletions in midbrain dopaminergic neurons

Quantifying the level of robustness of neurons in ion channel knock-out (KO) mice depends on how exhaustively electrical phenotype is assessed. We characterized the variations in behavior and electrical phenotype of substantia nigra pars compacta (SNc) dopaminergic neurons in SK3 and Kv4.3 potassium channel KOs. SK3 and Kv4.3 KO mice exhibited a slight increase in exploratory behavior and impaired motor learning, respectively. Combining current-clamp characterization of 16 electrophysiological parameters and multivariate analysis, we found that the electrical phenotype of SK3 KO neurons was not different from wild-type neurons, while that of Kv4.3 KO neurons was significantly altered. Consistently, voltage-clamp recordings of the underlying currents demonstrated that the SK current charge was unchanged in SK3 KO neurons while the Kv4-mediated A-type current was virtually abolished in Kv4.3 KO neurons. We conclude that the robustness of SNc dopaminergic neurons to potassium channel deletions is highly variable, due to channel-specific compensatory mechanisms.
Species richness influences the spatial distribution of trees in European forests

The functioning of plant communities is strongly influenced by the number of species in the community and their spatial arrangement. This is because plants interact with their nearest neighbors and this interaction is expected to be stronger when the interacting individuals are ecologically similar in terms of resource use. Recent evidence shows that species richness alters the balance of intra‐ versus interspecific competition, but the effect of species richness, and phylogenetic and functional diversity on the spatial pattern of the plant communities remain less studied. Even far, how forest stand structure derived from past management practices can influence the relationship between species richness and spatial pattern is still unknown. Here, we evaluate the spatial distribution of woody individuals (DBH >7.5 cm) in 209 forest stands (i.e. plots) with an increasing level of species richness (from 1 up to 10 species) in six forest types along a latitudinal gradient in Europe. We used completely mapped plots to investigate the spatial pattern in each forest stand with point pattern techniques. We fitted linear models to analyze the effect of species richness (positively correlated with phylogenetic diversity) and functional diversity on tree spatial arrangements. We also controled this relationship by forest type and stand structure as a proxy of the management legacy. Our results showed a generalized positive effect of species richness and functional diversity on the degree of spatial clustering of trees, and on the spatial independence of tree sizes regardless of the forest type. Moreover, current tree spatial arrangements were still conditioned by its history of management; however its effect was independent of the number of species in the community. Our study showed that species richness and functional diversity are relevant attributes of forests influencing the spatial pattern of plant communities, and consequently forest functioning.
Prevalence of behavioral changes in senile dogs

Owing to improvements in animal welfare, such as in nutrition, preventive medicine, and diagnostic tools, older dogs have become increasingly more prevalent than before. Unfortunately, there is an increasing number of dogs presenting behavioral changes correlated with this growth in the geriatric population. However, many of these owners consider these signs as normal for old age. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of clinical signs related with behavioral changes in the canine geriatric population admitted to the Veterinary Hospital of the Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science College of Universidade Estadual Paulista. The owners of 800 old dogs completed a questionnaire about disorientation, changes in social interaction, loss of training (house soiling), changes in the wake-sleep cycle, physical activity, memory, learning, consciousness, and perception. The results showed that the prevalence of behavioral changes in the canine geriatric population was 90.7% of dogs that presented at least one of these behavioral changes, and 22.3% with at least six changes, and with changes in physical activity (58.5%) and loss of acquired training (30.2%) being the highest percentage groups that were reported by the owners. We concluded that the prevalence of behavioral changes related with aging in the canine geriatric population was high, and that it was important to include questions about behavioral changes during regular veterinary clinical appointments to identify these clinical signs earlier and investigate the possible causes of the cognitive impairment, including neurological diseases, such as Canine Cognitive Dysfunction Syndrome.