Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Venomous snakebites: Rapid action saves lives—A multifaceted community education programme increases awareness about snakes and snakebites among the rural population of Tamil Nadu, India

The lack of public awareness surrounding the dangers of snakebite envenomation (SBE) is one of the most critical factors contributing to SBE-induced complications, and subsequently exacerbating the number of deaths and disabilities resulting from SBE. In this study, we deployed a multifaceted community education programme to educate students, healthcare professionals and members of the public in rural areas of Tamil Nadu, India about the dangers of SBE, appropriate first aid measures and the ‘do’s and don’ts’ following a snakebite. An assessment of prior knowledge within these communities identified several misconceptions concerning snakes and SBE. Using a combination of direct engagement (estimated to reach over 200,000 people), information leaflets (200,000 distributed), posters, video documentaries, media and social media (>2.8 million engagements), over the course of one year (January to December 2019) we reached over 3 million people in rural Tamil Nadu (around 8% of population). Evaluation of community-based assemblies indicated that at least 90% of attendees were able to recall the key messages at the end of the events, and at least 85% were able to recall the key messages even after 12 months. Due to high demand, a one-day symposium was organised to provide clinical knowledge and training on SBE to 250 healthcare professionals in rural Tamil Nadu. Notably, an assessment of patient data (291 victims) collected from a snakebite referral hospital over the same 12-month period (2019) indicated that arrival time at hospital following a snakebite was significantly faster and the effective first aid measures were administered to patients who were aware of our activities compared to those that were not. Overall, our approach provides a framework on how to educate rural communities about the dangers of SBE and thereby, mitigate delayed SBE treatment leading to an overall reduction in SBE-induced mortality, morbidity, treatment costs and other socio-economic ramifications.
Tail risks in large portfolio selection: penalized quantile and expectile minimum deviation models

Accurate estimation and optimal control of tail risk is important for building portfolios with desirable properties, especially when dealing with a large set of assets. In this work, we consider optimal asset allocation strategies based on the minimization of two asymmetric deviation measures, related to quantile and expectile regression, respectively. Their properties are discussed in relation with the ‘risk quadrangle’ framework introduced by Rockafellar and Uryasev [The fundamental risk quadrangle in risk management, optimization and statistical estimation. Surv. Oper. Res. Manag. Sci., 2013, 18(1–2), 33–53], and compared to traditional strategies, such as the mean–variance portfolio. In order to control estimation error and improve the out-of-sample performance of the proposed models, we include ridge and elastic-net regularization penalties. Finally, we propose quadratic programming formulations for the optimization problems. Simulations and real-world analyses on multiple datasets allow to discuss pros and cons of the different methods. The results show that the ridge and elastic-net allocations are effective in improving the out-of-sample performance, especially in large portfolios, compared to the un-penalized ones.
Molecular characterization and diversity analysis of selected maize inbred lines using single-nucleotide polymorphism markers

Abstract: The level of genetic diversity among the available breeding materials determines the potential success of a breeding program. In this study, 92 maize inbred lines were genotyped with 3047 single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers using a Kompetitive allele-specific polymerase chain reaction (KASPTM) genotyping protocol. The objectives were to determine the level and pattern of genetic diversity and define potential heterotic groups of maize inbred lines developed by the Agricultural Research Council maize program of South Africa. More than 91% of the SNPs used were polymorphic with a mean polymorphic information content of 0.36. Gene diversity ranged from 0.35 to 0.37, with a mean of 0.36. Cluster analysis revealed the presence of three distinct subpopulations. Analysis of molecular variance revealed low but highly significant (P < 0.0001) variations among populations and high within and among individual variations. Variation among individuals contributed 83% of the total variation, whereas variation within individuals and among populations contributed 14% and 3%, respectively. Low mean population differentiation observed in this study suggested that the inbred lines might be developed from parental genotypes with similar genetic backgrounds. The mean percentage of genetic purity among the inbred lines was 4.8, with more than 79% of the inbred lines exhibiting less than 5% heterozygosity, indicating the inbred lines are fixed. Genotypes in different clusters may be earmarked as belonging to distinct heterotic groups, and their crosses may result in better heterosis. Thus, the findings of this study set the basis for earmarking heterotic groups and parental selection.
Minimally invasive resection of benign cardiac tumors

Primary cardiac tumours for which surgical resection is the main stay of treatment are rare and present both diagnostic and management challenges. The majority of patients are asymptomatic and one third of those who have symptoms present with vague constitutional symptoms which further complicates the process of early diagnosis. The current state-of-the art multi-modality imaging, routine use of intra-operative transoesophageal echocardiogram (TOE) in most cardiac centres and the tremendous advances of endoscopic adjuncts greatly enhances both the diagnosis and management of those group of patients. The surgical burden of median sternotomy and the contemporary trend towards less invasive surgery urged the necessity for adopting minimally invasive surgery in general and cardiac tumours are no exception. Despite the rarity of theses tumours, minimally invasive resection is successful in the hands of experienced minimally invasive surgeons who employ the same minimal access valve surgery platform to access the tumours in various cardiac chambers and valves with no compromise to the oncological clearance and hence achieve the benefits of minimally invasive surgery without compromising long term outcomes.
The Effect of Environment on AGN Activity: The Properties of Radio and Optical AGN in Void, Isolated, and Group Galaxies

The evolution of galaxies depends on their environment. In this work, active galactic nucleus (AGN) activity in different environments has been studied. The fractions of radio and optical AGN in four different environments have been compared using samples of void, isolated, group member, and the brightest group galaxies. Galaxies in voids show significantly lower stellar ages, concentrations, colors, and surface mass densities, and they experience more one-on-one interactions compared to the isolated galaxies and galaxies in groups. To study pure environmental effects, the biases caused by the stellar mass and galaxy type quantified by 4000 Å break strength have been removed. While the results confirm no dependence of the optical AGN activity on environment in blue galaxies and with lower significance in green galaxies, a higher fraction of optical AGN has been observed for the massive red galaxies in voids compared to the galaxies in dense environments. This may be related to the higher amount of one-on-one interaction observed in the void galaxies, or it may reflect more fundamental differences in the host galaxies or environments of the voids. The radio-mode AGN activity increases in the dense environment for red galaxies. No changes in the radio-loud AGN fraction have been observed for the blue and green galaxies. This shows that the effect of environment on AGN activity is not significant in the presence of cold gas in galaxies. We also discuss whether the efficiency of gas accretion depends on the properties of the host galaxy.
Enhancing sustainability of donor funded livelihood projects in Kilifi County through effective monitoring and evaluation

Benefactor organizations have greatly funded livelihood projects and programs in Kilifi County. However, these projects grapple with sustainability. Some halt operations instantaneously the funding is withdrawn. The purpose of the study was to investigate the influence of monitoring and evaluation (participation; tools; and timing and frequency) on the sustainability of donor-funded livelihood projects in Kilifi County, Kenya. The descriptive correlational research design was used with a sample of 170 from a population of 295 from three livelihood projects. Seven interviews and three focus group discussions were carried out. Standard deviations, standard error of means, arithmetic means, Pearson’s Product moment correlation, and linear regression were used. The perception of sustainability did not differ significantly with projects, gender, age, and marital status. However, perception differed based on the highest level of education and duration in the project. H0, r=0.458, p=0.000389<0.05 was rejected and concluded that monitoring and evaluation significantly influenced the sustainability of donor-funded livelihood projects. Participation in M&E and (p=0.000), frequency, and timing (p=0.024) had a significant while tools used in M&E (p=0.459) did have a significant influence on sustainability. This implies that corporate and individual knowledge of the project objectives, targets, and means of measuring project results were still critical in ensuring sustainability is attained. Simple templates of the logical framework should be used for the farmers to understand how inputs are converted into activities, outputs, outcomes, and goals. It is implied that the farmers had little knowledge of Likert items denoting tools in M&E. Therefore, simple and direct Likert items need to be chosen. © 2020 by the authors. Licensee SSBFNET, Istanbul, Turkey. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).
FORMULASI KRIM EKSTRAK DAUN MENGKUDU (Morinda citrifolia L.) SEBAGAI SEDIAAN PELINDUNG SINAR ULTRAVIOLET

Tabir surya merupakan suatu zat material yang dapat melindungi kulit atau radiasi sinar UV. Senyawa fenolik yang terdapat pada daun mengkudu berfungsi melindungi jaringan tubuh terhadap kerusakan akibat radiasi sinar matahari. Senyawa fenolik khususnya golongan flavonoid mempunyai potensi sebagai tabir surya karena adanya gugus kromofor yang mampu menyerap sinar UV. Pengukuran aktivitas tabir surya dilakukan secara in vitro menggunakan spektrofotometri UV-Vis dengan menentukan nilai SPF dari ektrak daun mengkudu dan krim ekstrak daun mengkudu. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk memperoleh sedian krim ekstrak daun mengkudu yang baik dengan melakukan uji ekstrak daun mengkudu yang mempunyai aktivitas SPF dan uji parameter sifat fisik yang baik (daya lekat, daya sebar, organoleptis, pH, dan viskositas). Jenis penelitian yang dilakukan ini adalah penelitian kualitatif yang dilakukan secara eksperimental. Pembuatan krim ekstrak daun mengkudu dilakukan dengan menggunakan menggunakan basis vanishing cream. Krim diformulasikan menjadi tiga variasi konsentrasi yaitu 10%, 15% dan 20%. Uji yang di lakukan meliputi uji organoleptis, uji homogenitas, uji daya lekat, uji daya sebar, dan uji pH. Dari hasil penelitiaan didapatkan hasil pada uji skrinning fitokimia kualitatif ekstrak daun mengkudu adalah positif menggandung flavonoid, saponin, dan tanin. Hasil uji SPF pada variasi konsentrasi ekstrak daun mengkudu 10%, 15%, dan 20% secara berturut-turut sebesar 22.435, 22.397, dan 22.678. Sedangkan nilai SPF pada krim ekstrak daun mengkudu 10%, 15%, dan 20% berturut-turut sebesar 29.902, 29.818, 29.916. Nilai SPF yang paling optimal ditunjukkan pada variasi konsentrasi 20% krim ekstrak daun mengkudu dengan nilai SPF 29,916 yang termasuk dalam kategori proteksi ultra karena range lebih dari 15.
Modelling the influence of social network with a multiple group latent class analysis

ABSTRACT Presence of social network among the respondents in a survey may have an influence on the patterns of response. Latent class analysis identifies hidden subgroups in the respondents in a survey and simplifies the structure of heterogeneity amongst them. In the present study, a new model of social network-informed multiple group latent class analysis is developed by introducing a parameter measuring the influence of a social network on a respondent. For suitable application of the proposed model, data from 75 Indian villages with detailed demographic characteristics and a diverse social and economic network are used. The present study examined the methodological aspect of the proposed model of multiple group latent class analysis adjusted for the impact of social network.
Integrating Intellectual Property and Sustainable Business Models: The SBM-IP Canvas

Companies attempt to address global sustainability challenges through innovating products, services, and business models. This paper focuses on sustainable business model (SBM) innovations as a way to systemically transform businesses towards sustainability. It has been widely recognized that strategic approaches to using intellectual property (IP) need to be aligned with business model innovation for commercial success. Here we suggest that IP, aligned with SBMs, can also be used to create not only commercial, but also societal and environmental impact. Knowledge about how to best align IP with SBMs to drive sustainability transitions remains limited. We address this gap by developing an SBM-IP canvas that integrates IP considerations into each of the SBM canvas building blocks. We do this by employing relevant theoretical concepts from three literature streams, namely the business model (including SBM), IP, and innovation literature. We use case examples to illustrate different IP considerations that are relevant for the SBM-IP building blocks. These examples show that different IP types (e.g., patents, trademarks) and ways of using them (e.g., more or less restrictive licensing) are applied by companies in relation to the different building blocks. While covering new theoretical ground, the proposed SBM-IP canvas can help decision makers understand how they can use different IP types strategically to propose, create, deliver, and capture sustainable value for society, environment, and the business.
Silicon Carbide Nanotubes Functionalized by Transition Metal Atoms: A Density-Functional Study

Single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) functionalized by metals have great potential for applications in hydrogen storage, chemical sensors, and nanodevices. Because the exterior of single-walled silicon carbide (SiC) nanotubes has a higher reactivity than that of SWCNTs, it is highly desirable to investigate the functionalization of single-walled SiC nanotubes by transition metal atoms. In this article, we report the first study of the adsorption of a series of transition metal atoms on single-walled SiC nanotubes using density functional theory (DFT) calculations. We found that many transition metal atoms can be chemically adsorbed on the outer surface of single-walled SiC nanotubes, with binding energies ranging from 1.17 eV (for Cu) to 3.18 eV (for Pt). The physical properties of the single-walled SiC nanotubes are changed significantly by metal functionalization. Moreover, the modifications in the electronic structures of most of the metal-functionalized single-walled SiC nanotubes are little influe.
Doing and Negotiating Transgender on the Front Line: Customer Abuse, Transphobia and Stigma in the Food Retail Sector

Despite growing research on LGBT+ populations, few studies have examined transgender individuals’ specific workplace experiences, whose voice is often subsumed in a wider category. This article presents the story of Kathrine, a female transgender food retail worker, and discusses the abusive, discriminatory and transphobic behaviour of customers, which has received limited attention in the sociology of service work literature. The article reveals the stigmatization of transgender employees by customers, which is expressed through micro-aggressions, such as mis-gendering, mocking and harassing, and is often neglected and/or tolerated by management. Kathrine discusses the coping strategies she utilizes to reduce the negative consequences of the stigma, and to negotiate and protect her gender identity. These include confronting and/or refusing to serve transphobic customers, reflecting her resilience towards discrimination and abuse. The article calls for further research to understand transgender service employees’ experiences and the complexity and diversity of coping strategies used by stigmatized workers.
Probiotic gummy candy with xylitol: development and potential inhibition of Streptococcus mutans UA 159

Gummy candies are nutritionally poor foods; however, they have a large consumer market. Enhancing these products with nourishing and/or functional matrices is a challenge. This study aimed to develop the features of a gummy candy probiotic, containing Bifidobacterium lactis HN019, and evaluate its effectiveness in inhibiting Streptococcus mutans UA159. The candy was suitable for probiotic development, whose viable bacterial count was 8.54 Log CFU/g in the ready-to-eat product; high viability was maintained during the 28-day shelf life. Additionally, the rate of probiotic survival under in vitro gastrointestinal simulation was 98% and 93% in the ready-to-eat product and after shelf life, respectively. The sensory analysis revealed scores over 8.0 in all attributes evaluated. Lastly, the inhibition test of S. mutans UA159 showed 25% and 98% inhibition, with 10% and 20% xylitol respectively. Probiotic and xylitol gummy candy is a potential functional food and can target a niche food market, such as teenagers.
Responding to COVID-19 in Latin American Prisons: The Cases of Argentina, Chile, Colombia, and Mexico

ABSTRACT The purpose of this paper is to identify and analyze how prison systems in Argentina, Chile, Colombia, and Mexico respond to the coronavirus disease (COVID-19). It explores the challenges these institutions face, the actions taken, the beneficiaries from such measures, and their immediate effect. We argue that governments and prison authorities struggle to put in place comprehensive measures to prevent and control the spread of COVID-19 within these institutions and that more concrete and swift actions are needed to address the magnitude and the consequences of the pandemic. This paper uses both primary and secondary data to describe the current prison situation and analyze institutional responses to the COVID-19 pandemic in these countries.
From Embryo to Adult: Low Temperatures Affect Phase Transitions of Allium sativum L. from Germination to Flowering

Juvenile and vegetative adult shoot apical meristems (SAM) are actively involved in acquisition of flowering competence, while the embryonic SAM is regarded as “responsible” only for germination. Comparative analyses of imbibed and stratified seeds of garlic Allium sativum show that only stratified seedlings produced bulbs and flower stems at the end of the season. Since the seed morphology of stratified and non-stratified seeds prior to sowing was similar, the differences are attributed to the molecular alterations in the embryonic SAM. Functional annotation analysis of 3000 differentially expressed genes suggests that seed imbibition reactivates the embryonic cell cycle, initiates the metabolism, and primes garlic seed germination. Stratification enhances DNA modifications, biosynthesis, cellular transport, and tissue development. Similar to vernalization of the vegetative buds, stratification of the embryonic SAM resulted in altered expression of meristem-identity and flowering homologs. Phase transitions from seed germination to flowering and bulbing in A. sativum are tightly connected, and possibly associated with downregulation of specific flowering repressor(s). The embryonic SAM plays an important role not only in seed germination, but in the entire plant life cycle, providing the foundation for the genetic regulation of major functional shifts in metabolism and development.
Effect of 1-ethynyl-4-(trifluoromethyl) benzene on polymer network liquid crystal

ABSTRACT The polymer network liquid crystals (PNLCs) device has the advantages of large manufacturing area, high transmittance, but still has the disadvantages of high driving voltage and large hysteresis. In this paper, 1-ethynyl-4-(trifluoromethyl) benzene (ETB) was used in polymer network liquid crystal system to reduce the threshold and saturation voltage and hysteresis. The functional group of ETB is an alkynyl group, which can be regarded as polymer monomer or diluent because of its polymerisation less than the alkenyl group. When the whole weight content of polymer is 5 wt% and the 1 wt% ETB as a monomer, the operating voltage of PNLCs is reduced by 63.1%, and the hysteresis is reduced to 0.18 V. As a diluent, when the weight content of 1,4-Bis-[4-(3-acryloyloxypropyloxy)benzoyloxy]-2-methylbenzene (RM257) and ETB is 5% and 1%, the operating voltage of the polymer network liquid crystal is reduced by 51.5%, and the hysteresis is reduced to 0.38 V. From these two experiments, a small amount of ETB material doping can significantly reduce the operating voltage and hysteresis effect of PNLCs devices. Moreover, the equivalent rotational viscosity of the polymer network liquid crystals with suitable content of ETB as diluent can be reduced to be similar to that of the pure liquid crystal. Graphical abstract
Super High Frequency Events: A New Class of Events Recorded by the InSight Seismometers on Mars

We present a new class of seismic signals that are recorded by the seismometer placed on the surface of Mars as part of the NASA InSight mission. The signals, termed super high frequency (SF) events, are of short duration (∼20 s), are often similar in amplitude, and feature high‐frequency energy between ∼5 and 30 Hz that is dominant on the horizontal components. For detection and characterization of SF events, we employ the available continuous 20 samples per second (sps) data from the Very Broadband instrument. Due to bandwidth limitations, 100 sps data from the short‐period sensor are only partially obtainable, but they aid in analysis of the frequency content above 10 Hz and in distinguishing the events from high‐frequency noise. From June 2019 to May 2020, 780 SF events have been detected. The events observed occur in repeatable patterns that last for weeks. Initially, the SF events were clustered in the hours before sunset, but more recently, they have been distributed across the evening period. Based on template matching techniques, we have identified 16 distinct families that generally follow the temporal clusters. A thermal origin of these events is suggested, since the majority of the events fall within a ±2 h time window around sunset with extreme temperature changes. The SF events have similarities with thermal events observed on the lunar surface from data collected during the Apollo missions.