Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Clinical Performance of the BD CTGCTV2 Assay for the BD MAX System for Detection of Chlamydia trachomatis, Neisseria gonorrhoeae, and Trichomonas vaginalis Infections

A study including female and male participants across 12 US clinics found that a triplex assay, BD CTGCTV2, performed on the benchtop BD MAX instrument, shows good performance for detection of Chlamydia trachomatis, Neisseria gonorrhoeae, and Trichomonas vaginalis. Supplemental digital content is available in the text. Background Diagnostic options to combat the increasing rates of sexually transmitted infections recorded throughout the world increasingly include multiplex assays. Here we describe the estimated sensitivity and specificity of a triplex molecular assay that simultaneously detects Chlamydia trachomatis (CT), Neisseria gonorrhoeae (or gonococci [GC]), and Trichomonas vaginalis (TV). Methods Participants (2547 women and 1159 men) were recruited from 12 clinics in the United States. BD CTGCTV2 for BD MAX System assay (CTGCTV2) results were obtained from vaginal and endocervical swabs, endocervical samples in cytology medium, and female and male urine. Results were compared with infection standards that were sample type and pathogen dependent. Results Female specimen sensitivity estimates ranged from 92.7% to 98.4%, 92.9% to 100%, and 86.6% to 100% for CT, GC and TV, respectively. Male urine sensitivity estimates were 96.7%, 99.2%, and 97.9% for CT, GC, and TV, respectively. Specificity estimates were >98.7% for all sample types. Conclusions BD CTGCTV2 performed well using a variety of sample types. As a true triplex assay, performed using a benchtop instrument, BD CTGCTV2 may be useful in settings where no testing is currently performed and in settings, such as reference laboratories, where testing turnaround time may be several days. Use of this assay at local laboratories may result in greater access to testing and a shorter time to result, which are important steps for improving our ability to combat sexually transmitted infections.
The surgical management of benign gastroduodenal perforation

Gastric perforations may be spontaneous or traumatic and most of the spontaneous perforation is due to peptic ulcer disease. Improved medical management of peptic ulceration has reduced the incidence of perforation, but still remains a common cause of peritonitis. The management of perforated peptic ulcer disease is still a subject of debate. The majority of perforated peptic ulcers are caused by Helicobacter pylori, soapart from simple closure, definitive surgery is not usually required. Perforated peptic ulcer is an indication for operation in nearly all cases except when the patient is unfit for surgery. However, with the current advances in anaesthetic approach and with the high incidence of intra-abdominal abscesses and sepsis, non-operative management has largely been abandoned.
Phenotypic variance in children with chromosomal aberrations – A cohort study

Background: Chromosomal abnormalities are the result of alterations in the number or structure of chromosomes leading to significant human morbidity and mortality. They are responsible for large proportion of miscarriages, developmental delay, disorders of sexual development, congenital malformations, and mental retardation. Objectives: The objectives of the study were to find the occurrence of chromosomal abnormalities in infants and children with various phenotypic presentations and to analyze the impact of associated risk factors for chromosomal abnormalities in children. Materials and Methods: A retrospective single-center study, based on the outcome data of chromosomal analysis of 112 children admitted to the pediatric department of our hospital over a period of 3 years, was reported. The data were collected from the electronic medical records for analysis, including maternal age, consanguinity, family history of any congenital anomalies and malformations, clinical details, and the results of chromosomal analysis. Results: A statistically significant association between the presence of dysmorphic features and chromosomal abnormalities with 3 times increased risk when compared to children with no dysmorphism (relative risk [RR] 3.06, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.71–5.50, p=0.0002). Among the congenital anomalies, the presence of congenital heart defects had strong association and was found to be 43% higher in children with chromosomal abnormalities (RR 1.43, 95% CI 1.10–1.86, p=0.0069). Our study demonstrated a strong association for maternal age >35 years and the risk for chromosomal abnormality. It was 1.75 times more than the children born to mothers ? 35 years age (RR 1.75, 95% CI 1.29–2.36, p=0.0003). Conclusion: Cytogenetics has a major role in diagnosis of chromosomal abnormalities, especially in children with dysmorphic features and congenital heart defects. The early diagnosis is important for planning and resource allocation of specialized health services directed toward the families and infants.
Bioaccumulation and distribution pattern of heavy metals in aquaculture systems found in Arusha and Morogoro regions of Tanzania

ABSTRACT The assessment of the current distribution and concentrations of As, Pb, Hg, Cd, and Cr in farmed catfish and tilapia, fish feed, and pond sediment in Tanzania is important in order to establish the potential dietary exposure to heavy metals from aquaculture sources. Thirteen fish ponds were selected from each of the 10 sites (villages) studied in Arusha and Morogoro regions. Representative samples collected were analysed using polarised energy-dispersive x-ray fluorescence (PED-XRF) spectrometer. Human health risk from fish consumption was established by calculating the estimated daily intakes (EDI), target hazard quotients (THQ), total hazard indices (HI), and carcinogenic risk (CR) of the heavy metals. Arusha had the highest concentrations (dry weight) of As (2.49–4.75 mg/kg) in the fish feed. Morogoro had the highest concentrations of Hg (1.65–2.69 mg/kg), Pb (4.59–5.64 mg/kg), and Cd (1.99–3.97 mg/kg) for sediment, fish feed, and fish muscles, respectively. Cr was the most accumulated heavy metal in the fish muscles sampled in Arusha (4.61–9.50 mg/kg) and Morogoro (2.53–5.57 mg/kg). Concentrations and EDI calculated based on mean fish consumption of 22.1 g per person per day by a 60 kg Tanzanian adult found heavy metal intakes were below the recommended daily dietary allowance (RDA) while THQ values were lower than 1, indicating no health risk related to consumption of the fish. The estimated HI was greater than 1, suggesting a potential significant non-carcinogenic health risk. The CR values were below 10−4, indicating no carcinogenic health risk in humans from fish consumption. This study recommends continued surveillance given potential bioaccumulation of these heavy metals in fish.
Saudi Female EFL Learners and Collaborative Writing: Attitudes and Challenges

Writing skills are important skills that must be learned to express one's thoughts and ideas. Therefore, several strategies were used in writing classes to enhance learners' writing skills, one of which is collaborative writing. A number of studies reported many advantages for this strategy in terms of the quality of the produced texts and the improvements in students' writing skills. The present study aimed at investigating the attitude of Saudi female EFL learners toward collaborative writing and the challenges/problems that may arise during the activity. It adopted a quantitative approach in which 50 Saudi female EFL learners answered a questionnaire about their experience in writing collaboratively and the problems they encountered during the activity. The findings have shown that the learners have a positive attitude toward collaborative writing. However, there were some problems in terms of students’ behavior, assessment and time management. These findings encourage writing teachers to use this strategy in their classes. In addition, the findings encourage teachers and researchers to address the problems reported in the study.
The Effect of Intangible Assets, Financial Performance and Financial Policies on the Firm Value: Evidence from Omani Industrial Sector

The aim of this study is to empirically examine the effect of calculated intangible assets, financial performance and financial policy on the firm value of Omani industrial companies listed in the Muscat Securities Market from 2010 to 2014. The study tests our model on a sample of 46 industrial companies. Three groups of independent variables are used, namely, intangible assets, financial policy and financial performance. Dependent variables are measured by using Tobin’s Q ratio, and intangible assets are measured by using excess returns. In addition, financial policy is measured by debt and dividend policies, and financial performance is measured by profitability, liquidity and assets turnover. Results of the research provide empirical evidence from this emerging economy that intangible assets, financial policies and financial performance have a significant influence on firm value.
Economic Impact of High Yielding Rust Resistant Wheat Varieties Suitable for Hill region of Uttarakhand

Wheat is a major rabi crop grown in hills of Uttarakhand although still under subsistence farming at a majority of the places. Consequently, there is a great scope of increasing the production and productivity in the region with scientific interventions. Frontline demonstrations (FLDs) of improved high yielding varieties viz., VL Gehun 907 and VL Gehun 953 were conducted by ICAR-VPKAS, Almora during rabi 2014-15, 2016-17, 2017-18 and 2018-19 covering a total of 252 farmers. The yield and economic returns of FLD plots were compared with the corresponding farmers’ practices. Results revealed that technology index was much lower for VL Gehun 953 (range 8.2 to 23.6) than VL Gehun 907 (range 27.9 to 44.4) at farmers’ field which shows that VL Gehun 953 has more potential to achieve higher yield levels under hill conditions. Both the varieties recorded higher gross returns, net returns and B:C ratio in demonstrated plot. The profitability analysis exhibited that VL Gehun 907 with B:C ratio 2.06 (2014-15), 3.02(2016-17), VL Gehun 953 with B:C ratio 2.93(2016-17), 2.80(2017-18) and 2.91(2018-19) were more profitable than local wheat varieties.
A review of the Mediterranean Sea sponge biogeography with, in appendix, a list of the demosponges hitherto recorded from this sea

Biogeographia vol. XX I V - 2003 (Printed October, 31 st 2003) Marine biogeography of the Mediterranean Sea: patterns and dynamics of biodiversity A review of the Mediterranean Sea sponge biogeography with, in appendix, a list of the demosponges hitherto recorded from this sea MAURIZIO PANSINI*, CATERINA LONGO** *Dz]). Te. R23q. Dzpartimenro per lo Stuzlio del Territorio e del/e me Risorse, Universizil di Gmowz, Corro Europa, 26, 146132 Gmamz (Italy) “Dzyzarrinzenta di Z00/ogizl, U'm'z/errz't2z di Bari, Via Orzzlmmz 4, 1-7 0125 Bzzri (Italy) Key words: porifera, distribution, biogeography, Mediterranean history, species list. SUMMARY The total number of porifera species hitherto recorded from the Mediterranean Sea is 649. Demospongiae are 597, Calcarea 44, Hexactinellida 8. The demosponge distribution, studied on fifteen Mediterranean zones is not uniform, even if not proportional to the number of taxonomic studies performed in each area. The highest faunistic aﬁinities are among the southern and eastern parts of the basin, where seawater temperature is relatively warmer. The present day Mediterranean demosponge fauna is formed by a large nucleus ofendemic species (48,2 %). by cold water (19,8%), temperate (12%) and warm Water (5,7°/o) species. Cosmopolitan species (93%) are probably over estimated, whereas few species migrated from the Red Sea. The present day composition and biotic aFfinity of the Mediterranean sponge fauna can be explained, at some extent, by the geological history of this basin. Most of the paleomediterranean fauna did not survive the messinian salinity crisis but a small number of possible Tethyan relics. The demosponge list in appendix is updated according to the Systema Porifera, the revision of all the extant sponge genera published in October 2002. INTRODUCTION} Global changes and human pressure are certainly affecting marine ecosystems, probably reducing the available habitat. This is particularly true for semi—closed basins as the Mediterranean Sea. There is also a general concern about the decline of biodiversity, which contributes to promote research on this topic. Biodiversity and biogeography of Mediterranean sponges have been studied in the past by several authors. Vacelet (1980a‘) considered the aﬁinities of this fauna; Pulitzer—Finali (1983), Drai (1985), Pansini (1995) produced lists of species; Pansini (1992, 1996) updated the existing data and analyzed the Italian sponge fauna; Maldonado and Uriz (1995) compared the sponge fauna ofAlboran Island with those of-five other Atlantic—Meditertanean Islands, using the biotic affinities among these archipelagos to test Various hypotheses on the origin of the
Woodland Cover Change in the Central Rift Valley of Ethiopia

Woodlands, which are part of the landscape and an important source of livelihood for smallholders living in the environmentally vulnerable Central Rift Valley (CRV) of Ethiopia, are experiencing rapid changes. Detecting and monitoring these changes is essential for better management of the resources and the benefits they provide to people. The study used a combination of both quantitative and qualitative methods to analyze the extent and pattern of woodland cover changes from 1973 to 2013. Pixel-based supervised image classification with maximum likelihood classification algorithm was used for land cover classification and change detection analyses. Local peoples’ perceptions were used to explain the patterns of change and their possible reasons. Four major land cover classes were identified, with an overall accuracy of 88.3% and a Kappa statistic of 0.81 for the latest image. The analysis revealed a major land cover reversal, where woodland (92.4%) was the dominant land cover in 1973, while it was agriculture (44.7%) in 2013. A rapid reduction in woodland (54%) and forest (99%) covers took place between 1973 and 2013, with the majority of the conversions being made during the government transition period (1973 to 1986). Agriculture (3878%) and grassland (11,117%) increased tremendously during the 40-year period at the expense of woodlands and forests. Bare land increased moderately (40%). Thus, woodlands are under increasing pressure from other land uses, particularly agriculture, and declining faster. If the current trends of land cover change remain unabated it is likely that woodlands will disappear from the landscape of the area in the near future. Therefore, better forest policy and implementation tools, as well as better woodland management strategies and practices, need to be in place for woodlands to continue providing vital ecosystem goods and services to the local people, as well as to the environment.
Impairments in path integration, rotational memory and balancing in patients with temporal lobe epilepsy

Objectives The vestibulo-medial temporal lobe (MTL) axis model proposes that the vestibular system and the MTL are tightly linked both structurally and functionally so that alterations of one structure should entail disturbances in the other. Accordingly, patients with temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) with their functional and possible structural temporal lobe pathology should show deficits in vestibular-related behaviour. This study aimed at assessing behavioural deficits related to a suspected disturbance of the vestibulo-MTL axis in patients with TLE. Methods Twenty patients with TLE (46.7±15.1 years, seven females) and their age-matched and gender-matched controls (46.7±15.1, seven females) underwent three test batteries that challenged vestibular and MTL functions: balancing, path integration (triangle completion test) and rotational memory. In addition, participants underwent a structural MRI for grey matter analysis using voxel-based morphometry. Results Compared with controls, patients with TLE showed significantly inferior performance in all three behavioural tests, with large effect sizes. There were no significant grey matter differences between the two groups. Conclusion These results indicate a potential disturbance in the vestibulo-MTL axis in TLE; these are to be verified by future large-scale studies. In the current study, these behavioural deficits emerged without evidence of any brain volume differences between the patients and their controls as depicted by high-resolution MRI. This speaks for a dissociation between functional and structural alterations in TLE.
Revisiting Near-Inertial Wind Work: Slab Models, Relative Stress, and Mixed Layer Deepening

The wind generation of near-inertial waves is revisited through use of the Pollard–Rhines–Thompson theory, the Price–Weller–Pinkel (PWP) mixed layer model, and KPP simulations of resonant forcing by Crawford and Large. An Argo mixed layer climatology and 0.6° MERRA-2 reanalysis winds are used to compute global totals and explore hypotheses. First, slab models overestimate wind work by factors of 2–4 when the mixed layer is shallow relative to the scalingH* ≡u*/(Nf)1/2, but are accurate for deeper mixed layers, giving overestimation of global totals by a factor of 1.23 ± 0.03 compared to PWP. Using wind stress relative to the ocean currents further reduces the wind work by an additional 13 ± 0.3%, for a global total wind work of 0.26 TW. Second, the potential energy increase ΔPE due to wind-driven mixed layer deepening is examined and compared to ΔPE computed from Argo and ERA-Interim heat flux climatology. Argo-derived ΔPE closely matches cooling, confirming that cooling sets the seasonal cycle of mixed layer depth and providing a new constraint on observational estimates of convective buoyancy flux at the mixed layer base. Locally and in fall, wind-driven deepening is comparable in importance to cooling. Globally, wind-driven ΔPE is about 11% of wind work, implying that >50% of wind work goes to turbulence and thus not into propagating inertial motions. The fraction into this “modified wind work” is imperfectly estimated in two ways, but we conclude that more research is needed into mixed layer and transition-layer physics. The power available for propagating near-inertial waves is therefore still uncertain, but appears lower than previously thought.
An analysis of the effectiveness and use by the New Zealand Police of the TASER from 2009 to 2017

A number of police agencies around the world have introduced conductive energy devices such as the TASER as a less-than-lethal weapon to restrain physically violent subjects. Despite the increase in TASER use, there is a limited amount of literature available that examines its use and effectiveness. The New Zealand Police introduced the TASER in 2009 following a successful trial of the device. This research examines the use and effectiveness of the TASER by the New Zealand Police for the period 2010 to 2017 and shows that the use of the device has increased year-on-year. The analysis also found that while use of the device has increased at violent events, the form of that use has changed. Over the period of analysis, use of the discharge mode has increased compared with the show mode and as the use of the TASER increased, injuries sustained by subjects and officers also increased. The research also highlights the limitations of the methodology adopted to measure the effectiveness of TASER use and discusses options that could assist future research in examining use of the TASER by police agencies.
Wetland restoration by natural succession in abandoned pastures with a degraded soil seed bank

Natural restoration of historical wetland plant communities in fallow fields with a degraded seed bank has been assumed to be possible only if source populations of the target species are present adjacent to the abandoned fields and a high density of suitable microsites is available. However, few studies have monitored both factors simultaneously and verified this assumption. We hypothesized that plant communities that are similar to historical wetlands, including back marshes, back swamps, and bogs, will reestablish in abandoned pasturelands in cases when (1) gaps for new recruitment emerge, followed by the decline of pastures; and (2) seeds with longevity are supplied from the surrounding remnant plant communities of wetlands. We conducted a survey of vegetation and microsites in pastures, abandoned pastures, and reference wetlands followed by structural equation modeling to verify our hypothesis for the natural restoration of Phragmites australis–Phalaris arundinacea and Alnus japonica–Spiraea salicifolia communities. These communities represent historical back marshes and back swamps along a river. However, our hypothesis was not verified for the natural restoration of Vaccinium oxycoccos–Sphagnum spp. communities, which represent plant communities in historical bogs grown on acidic peat that are maintained by rainfall and fog. Our findings partly support our hypothesis that decline in pastures creates gaps and that cumulative seed dispersal from nearby remnant wetlands allows the original wetland plant communities to regenerate. Further case studies are needed to determine how the natural restoration of bog plant communities occurs.
Clade and strain specific contributions of Synechococcus and Prochlorococcus to carbon export in the Sargasso Sea

The marine picocyanobacteria Prochlorococcus and Synechococcus dominate primary production in oligotrophic oceans, but their role in the particulate organic carbon (POC) flux into the deeper ocean remains unresolved. Here, we present for the first‐time data on the absolute clade and strain‐specific contribution to POC flux of two of the most abundant clades of Synechococcus (II and III) and strains of Prochlorococcus (high‐light strain MIT 9312 and low‐light strain MIT 9313) in the Sargasso Sea, by targeting the 23S‐16S rDNA internally transcribed spacer region using quantitative Polymerase Chain Reaction. We collected seawater samples and sinking particles using shallow sediment traps during winter and summer 2012 around the Bermuda Atlantic Time Series station. Both clades of Synechococcus had a higher contribution to the total POC flux during winter compared to the summer, with both clades contributing up to 2.7% to the total winter POC flux. Prochlorococcus was more abundant during the summer, but both strains of Prochlorococcus contributed less than 0.2% to the POC flux in both seasons. We found these differences in the contribution to flux to be mainly due to the smaller size of the Prochlorococcus. In addition, the flux of Synechococcus clade III, and Prochlorococcus MIT9312 was enhanced relative to their standing stock in a cyclonic eddy sampled during winter 2012. Using quantification of genetic markers, this study establishes distinct clade‐and strain specific patterns in POC flux among the most abundant picophytoplankton groups in the Atlantic Ocean.
Ocean Gyres Driven by Surface Buoyancy Forcing

Midlatitude gyres in the ocean are large‐scale horizontal circulations that are intensified on the western boundary of the ocean, giving rise to currents such as the Gulf Stream. The physical mechanism underlying gyres is widely recognized to involve the curl of the wind stress, which injects potential vorticity into the upper ocean. However, model results have highlighted the role of surface buoyancy fluxes (principally heating and cooling of the ocean surface) in driving circulation and enhancing gyre variability. Here we present two numerical simulations—one in the fully turbulent regime and the second an eddy‐permitting ocean model—which show that gyre‐like circulation can be driven by surface buoyancy fluxes alone. We explore this phenomenon through a combination of modeling and linear theory to highlight that the transport of ocean gyres depends upon surface buoyancy fluxes as well as wind stress.