Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Foreign Direct Investment and Economic Development in Low Income African Countries

Low income economies are characterized with high investment returns and therefore should attract foreign investment to primarily fill the existing gaps of productive factors which vividly reveals the basis for their underdeveloped status. The main objective of the study is to ascertain the impact of flow of FDI on the economic development of the host African countries characterized with low income per capita. Panel data were utilized for 39 African countries, 20 of which were low income countries. The results indicates that FDI had significant impact on the economic development of the host African countries, by enhancing the development of the host sector and reducing gradually dependence on foreign capital, which resulted in increased income per capita, better education, living standards and the wellbeing of the host economies. The study concludes by recommending that government of the host economies should guide the sector of FDI inflow, and ensure that policies are in place to enhance domestic investment development in such sectors. This will gradually bring about the closure of existing proactive factors and hence economic development.
Merging and Downscaling Soil Moisture Data From CMIP6 Projections Using Deep Learning Method

Soil moisture (SM) is an important variable in mediating the land-atmosphere interactions. Earth System Models (ESMs) are the key tools for predicting the response of SM to future climate change. Many ESMs provide outputs for SM; however, the estimated SM accuracy from different ESMs varies geographically as each ESM has its advantages and limitations. This study aimed to develop a merged SM product with improved accuracy and spatial resolution in China for 2015-2100 through data fusion of 25 ESMs with a deep-learning (DL) method. A DL model that can simultaneously perform data fusion and spatial downscaling was used to analyze SM’s future trend in China. Through the model, monthly SM data in four future scenarios (SSP1-2.6, SSP2-4.5, SSP3-7.0, SSP5-8.5) from 2015 to 2100, with a high resolution at 0.25°, was obtained. The evaluation metrics include mean absolute error (MAE), root mean square difference (RMSD), unbiased root mean square difference (ubRMSD), and coefficient of correlation (r). The evaluation results showed that our merged SM product is significantly better than each of the ESMs and the ensemble mean of all ESMs in terms of accuracy and spatial distribution. In the temporal dimension, the merged product is equivalent to the original data after deviation correction and equivalent to reconstructing the fluctuation of the whole series in a high error area. By further analyzing the spatiotemporal patterns of SM with the merged product in China, we found that northeast China will become wetter whereas South China will become drier. Northwest China and the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau would change from wetting to drying under a medium emission scenario. From the temporal scale of the results, the rate of SM variations is accelerated with time in the future under different scenarios. This study demonstrates the feasibility and effectiveness of the proposed procedure for simultaneous data fusion and spatial downscaling to generate improved SM data. The merged data have great practical and scientific implications.
Locus of Control and Self-Esteem as Predictors of Maternal and Child Healthcare Services Utilization in Nigeria

This study investigated the influence of locus of control and self-esteem on the utilization of maternal and child healthcare services in Nigeria. Specifically, it explored the differences in utilization of antenatal care, skilled birth care, postnatal care, and child vaccination by women having internal and external locus of control and women having high and low self-esteem. It also examined the association between utilization of maternal and child healthcare on other sociodemographic characteristics. We collected information on non-cognitive traits of 1,411 randomly selected women along with information on utilization of various indicators of maternal and child healthcare services. We estimated logistic regression models for various components of maternal and child healthcare services utilization and found that women's internal locus of control was a significant predictor of utilization of antenatal care, skilled birth care and completion of child vaccination. We also found that having a high self-esteem was a significant predictor of utilization of antenatal care, postnatal care and completion of child vaccination after adjusting for other control variables. By improving our understanding of non-cognitive traits as possible barriers to maternal and child healthcare utilization, our findings offer important insights for enhancing participants' engagement in intervention programs that are initiated to improve maternal and child health outcomes in lower-middle-income countries.
Effect of unsaturated C18 fatty acids (oleic, linoleic and alpha-linolenic acid) on ruminal fermentation and production of fatty acid isomers in an artificial rumen

The objective of this study was to examine the effect of oleic (OA), linoleic (LA) and α-linolenic (ALA) acid used as supplements (3.5% wt/wt) to a diet containing 80% lucerne and 20% barley on rumen fermentation and lipid metabolism in an artificial rumen (Rusitec). The experiment lasted 12 days with 6 days of stabilization period. The fatty acid (FA) supplementation to a mixed diet did not affect any parameters of rumen fermenta - tion (degradation of DM, NDF, ADF, total VFA production, production of acetate, propionate and butyrate). The methane production was decreased numerically (NS) by FA supplements (OA, LA, and ALA by about 8, 8.3 and 13.2%, respectively). The stoichiometric parameters of rumen fermentation such as N M (nitrogen incorporated by microflora), OMF (organic matter fermented) and EMS (efficiency of microbial protein synthesis) were affected by unsaturated C 18 FA to a different extent. EMS calculated from N M and OMF was significantly ( P C 18:0 ) increased and proportion of MCFA (medium chain fatty acids, C 14:0 - C 17:0 ) decreased after OA, LA and ALA addition. The biohydrogenation (BH) of fatty acids was characterized by increased (NS) accumulation of stearic acid and trans isomers C 18:1 and lower SFA/UFA ratio in the effluent. The concentrations of two main BH intermediates, TVA ( trans 11 C 18:1 ) and CLA (cis 9, trans 11 C 18:2 ), significantly ( < 0.001) increased (TVA - 1.06, 1.29 and 1.10; CLA - 0.32, 0.43 and 0.36 mg/g rumen fluid DM, respectively) after OA, LA and ALA supplementation compared to the control (TVA - 0.7; CLA - 0.23).
Grafted Copolymer Based on Chitosan and Poly(N-Isopropylacryl Amide) via Click Technique. I. Synthesis and Characterization

As chitosan’s solubility represents a drawback for further applications, the functionalization of chitosan became attractive by a variety of chemical methods. The present study deals with the chemical modification of chitosan by using click chemistry technique as versatile tool being easy to perform with high yields and no additional by products. The approach used herein was to attach a responsive moiety (e.g. NIPAAm, HEMA or DMAEMA) on the macromolecular chain of chitosan via an azide-alkyne coupled reaction. More specifically, the reaction occurred between azide-chitosan and alkyne terminated responsive polymer. The method includes the modification of chain transfer agent with alkyne terminated groups, polymerization of responsive monomer, azidation steps of chitosan and final click reaction between two end products. Structure of end products and intermediaries were confirmed by the FT-IR and H-NMR spectra. Thermal characterization was performed showing different thermal behavior with the chemical modification. As main outcome, chitosan-g-PNIPAAm was obtained, the structure being confirmed by the disappearance of azide group and the presence of triazole moiety within the final product. The new approach of advancing the reaction via alkyne terminated-PNIPAAm, synthesized by RAFT, seemed to be successful as verified by 1H-NMR. Thermal properties revealed a better thermal stability for the new polymeric materials as the structure was more complex.
This Is Not Just a Café: Toward Capturing the Dynamics of Urban Places

Social media has provided a huge amount of user-generated data in capturing urban dynamics. Among them, place-level human behavior has been largely detected through people’s check-in records at certain places. Conventionally, places are characterized by a set of pre-defined features, often specified by the owner of the places. In this paper, we argue that capturing socially-meaningful features and dynamics of an urban place may also be done by analyzing human activity traces. We explore the activity-centered representation of urban places as a foundation for understanding local neighborhoods at scale. We analyze activities from several venues using data from MeetUp, a popular local event organizing service. Then, Yelp’s business information was used to triangulate the analysis. The results suggest that strategies based on local event data have great potential for modeling socially-meaningful urban places at scale.
Coeloglossum viride Var. Bracteatum Extract Attenuates MPTP-Induced Neurotoxicity in vivo by Restoring BDNF-TrkB and FGF2-Akt Signaling Axis and Inhibiting RIP1-Driven Inflammation

The tuber of Coeloglossum viride var. bracteatum is a Tibetan medicine that has been used for generations as a tonic for Yang and Qi, tranquilizing, to enhance intelligence and to promote longevity. We have previously characterized the constituents of Coeloglossum viride var. bracteatum extract (CE) and investigated its anti-Alzheimer’s disease (AD) effect in mice models. However, the exact role of CE in Parkinson’s disease (PD), especially the neurotrophic and inflammatory pathways regulated by CE, remains unknown. In this study, we investigated the anti-PD effects of CE in an MPTP-induced acute mouse model and its underlying mechanisms, focusing on BDNF, FGF2 and their mediated signaling pathways and RIP1-driven inflammatory signaling axis. Pole test and traction test were performed for behavioral analysis. RT-PCR, IHC and Western blotting were performed to assay the mRNA, tissues, and protein, respectively. We found that CE improved dyskinesia in MPTP-intoxicated mice, which was confirmed by the pole test and traction test. Also, oxidative stress and astrocyte activation and inflammation were alleviated. MPTP-intoxication disrupted the levels of BDNF, FGF2 and their mediated signaling pathways, triggered elevation of pro-inflammatory factors such as TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6, and activated RIP1-driven inflammatory axis. However, CE restored the levels of BDNF, FGF2 and TrkB/Akt signaling pathways while inhibiting the RIP1-driven inflammatory signaling axis, thereby inhibiting apoptosis, preventing loss of nigrostriatal neurons, and maintaining cellular homeostasis. Thus, CE is a promising agent for the treatment of PD.
A compact WLAN MIMO antenna with improved isolation for portable devices

A compact dual-band multiple-input-multiple-output (MIMO) antenna with improved isolation is presented in this paper, covering the WLAN band 2.4/5-GHz for portal devices. The proposed antenna consists of two symmetrical elements, which are composed of a meandered PIFA and two bended structures. The impedance bandwidth (S11<;-10 dB) of the proposed antenna covers from 2.4 GHz to 2.484GHz in the lower band and from 5.15 GHz to 5.85GHz in the upper band. The isolation is improved by 11dB using a novel mental strip array. The size of the antenna is 10mm×50mm. Numerical simulation results show that the correlation coefficients in the two bands is lower than 0.01.
Heritability of male attractiveness persists despite evidence for unreliable sexual signals in Drosophila simulans

Sexual signals can be used to attract mates, but to be honest indicators of signaller quality they need to convey information reliably. However, environmental variation and genotype‐by‐environment (G × E) interactions have the potential to compromise the reliability of sexual signals. Here, we test the reliability of cuticular hydrocarbons (CHCs) as signals of heritable aspects of male attractiveness in Drosophila simulans. We examined the heritability of male attractiveness and a measure of the difference between fathers' and sons' CHC profiles across dietary and temperature environments. Our results show that environmental heterogeneity disrupts the similarity of some components of father and son CHC profile. However, overall male attractiveness is heritable within and across environments, so that sire attractiveness is a good predictor of son attractiveness even with environmental heterogeneity. This suggests that although some male CHC signals are unreliable, attractive genotypes retain their attractiveness across environments on average.
Principled Promotion of Health: Implementing Five Guiding Health Promotion Principles for Research-Based Prevention and Management of Diabetes

Background: Based on widespread critique of the moralizing paradigm that has long characterized much of the work conducted within the field of health promotion, Steno Health Promotion Research has developed a comprehensive health promotion approach consisting of five principles that constitute the framework for a new intervention paradigm. The five principles are: (1) A broad and positive health concept; (2) Participation and involvement; (3) Action and action competence; (4) A settings perspective and (5) Equity in health. Objectives: To describe a comprehensive health promotion approach consisting of five principles; to present research and development projects based on this set of principles; and to discuss experiences and results from implementing the health promotion principles in healthcare practices. Results and conclusion: The principle approach enables consolidation of hitherto disparate approaches into a single comprehensive approach. The principles have turned out to be productive and effective “management tools” that have led to new discoveries, but also helped to identify limitations.
The Engagement of Activating FcγRs Inhibits Primate Lentivirus Replication in Human Macrophages1

We previously reported that the stimulation of monocyte-derived macrophages (MDM) by plate-bound i.v. Igs inhibits HIV-1 replication. In this study, we show that IgG immune complexes also suppress HIV-1 replication in MDMs and that activating receptors for the Fc portion of IgG–FcγRI, FcγRIIA, and FcγRIII–are responsible for the inhibition. MDM stimulation through FcγRs induces activation signals and the secretion of HIV-1 modulatory cytokines, such as M-CSF, TNF-α, and macrophage-derived chemokine. However, none of these cytokines contribute to HIV-1 suppression. HIV-1 entry and postintegration steps of viral replication are not affected, whereas reduced levels of reverse transcription products and of integrated proviruses, as determined by real-time PCR analysis, account for the suppression of HIV-1 gene expression in FcγR-activated MDMs. We found that FcγR-dependent activation of MDMs also inhibits the replication of HIV-2, SIVmac, and SIVagm, suggesting a common control mechanism for primate immunodeficiency lentiviruses in activated macrophages.
Parameter Identification of an Electrical Battery Model using DC-IR Data

Parameter identification of an electrical battery model is significant for the analysis of the performance of a battery. In order to obtain an accurate electrical battery model, a series of cell characterization tests should be conducted which will take a considerable amount of time. In this study, in order to identify the parameters of the electrical battery model in a short amount of time with an acceptable accuracy, DC-IR data is used. DC-IR test will take less time compared to the cell characterization tests. For the parameter identification, one of the most commonly used evolutionary algorithm (EA), Genetic Algorithm (GA) is used for the curve fitting problem and its performance is compared with the Levenberg-Marquardt algorithm.
A note on the lift force on a spherical bubble or drop in a low-Reynolds-number shear flow

The analytical solution giving the lift force on a spherical drop of arbitrary viscosity moving in a low-Reynolds-number linear shear flow is derived through a matched asymptotic expansion procedure. This solution extends the result established by Saffman in the particular case of a solid sphere [J. Fluid Mech. 22, 385 (1965)]. It appears that, to leading order, the lift force is proportional to the square of the vorticity present at the surface of the drop. As a consequence the lift force decreases with the viscosity of the drop and the ratio of the forces experienced by an inviscid bubble and a solid sphere is equal to (2/3)2.
The chronic pain patient and functional assessment: use of the 6-Minute Walk Test in a multidisciplinary pain clinic

Abstract Objective: For chronic pain treatment, guidelines and regulatory agencies have defined functional improvement as a primary goal, especially when chronic opioid therapy is used. Functional improvement is frequently evaluated by qualitative questioning. This pilot study sought to establish a simple and inexpensive measure of functional change for a chronic pain population. Methods: Using a multidisciplinary pain clinic standard physical therapy approach for all entering chronic pain patients, multiple functional tests were performed, including the 6-Minute Walk Test. Data was collected by retrospective chart review, at entry to the clinic and 3–6 months later and compared using simple t-test statistics on 45 patients. Results: The average distance walked at center admission was 272.87 yards. At 3–6 month clinical retesting, the distance had improved significantly to 339.04 yards (p < 0.0001). NRS scores at 3–6 months were also improved from baseline (p < 0.001). Conclusions: While suggestive, this study has significant limitations. Not all patients entering into the clinic were included in this study, only those who had completed the necessary testing. Further, chart reviews are complicated by the accuracy with which data is recorded. This study is intriguing and presents positive data for a simple, inexpensive and reproducible test for physical functioning in a chronic pain population. Further study is warranted based on these descriptive results.
Efficacy and Safety Evaluation of Sintilimab for Cancer Treatment: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials

Objective: Meta analysis was used to explore the efficacy and safety of Sintilimab in the treatment of cancer. Methods: The databases of CNKI, VIP, Wanfang Data, PubMed, ScienceDirect, the Cochrane Library and EMBASE were searched by computer to collect the randomized controlled trials published as of March 2022. The retrieval work was completed by two researchers alone. They screened the literature and extracted the data according to the nanodischarge standard, using Revman 5.4 software. The included studies were statistically analyzed. Results: Six RCTs were included in this study, including 1,048 cases of Sintilimab and 711 cases of other anticancer drugs. Compared with the control group, the overall survival (HR = 1.64, 95% CI: 1.35–1.99, p < 0.00001) and progression free survival (HR = 1.89, 95% CI: 1.59–2.25, p < 0.00001) of cancer treated with Sintilimab were longer and more effective. Moreover, the risk ratio of any grade of adverse reactions (HR = 0.87, 95% CI: 0.74–1.03, p = 0.11) and above grade III adverse reactions (HR = 0.84, 95% CI: 0.67–1.06, p = 0.14) in the treatment of cancer with Sintilimab was lower and the safety was better. Conclusion: Compared with non-Sintilimab group, Sintilimab treatment can improve the clinical efficacy of tumor patients and has a lower incidence of adverse reactions. This treatment may be a promising treatment for cancer patients.
Intercellular communication via gap junctions affected by mechanical load in the bovine annulus fibrosus

Cells in the intervertebral disc, as in other connective tissues including tendon, ligament and bone, form interconnected cellular networks that are linked via functional gap junctions. These cellular networks may be necessary to affect a coordinated response to mechanical and environmental stimuli. Using confocal microscopy with fluorescence recovery after photobleaching methods, we explored the in situ strain environment of the outer annulus of an intact bovine disc and the effect of high-level flexion on gap junction signalling. The in situ strain environment in the extracellular matrix of the outer annulus under high flexion load was observed to be non-uniform with the extensive cellular processes remaining crimped sometimes at flexion angles greater than 25°. A significant transient disruption of intercellular communication via functional gap junctions was measured after 10 and 20 min under high flexion load. This study illustrates that in healthy annulus fibrosus tissue, high mechanical loads can impede the functioning of the gap junctions. Future studies will explore more complex loading conditions to determine whether losses in intercellular communication can be permanent and whether gap junctions in aged and degenerated tissues become more susceptible to load. The current research suggests that cellular structures such as gap junctions and intercellular networks, as well as other cell–cell and cell–matrix interconnections, need to be considered in computational models in order to fully understand how macroscale mechanical signals are transmitted across scales to the microscale and ultimately into a cellular biosynthetic response in collagenous tissues.
Speed sensorless stator flux-oriented control of induction motor in the field weakening region using Luenberger observer

In a conventional speed sensorless stator flux-oriented (SFO) induction motor drive, when the estimated speed is transformed into the sampled-data model using the first-forward difference approximation, the sampled-data model has a modeling error which, in turn, produces an error in the rotor speed estimation. The error included in the estimated speed is removed by the use of a low pass filter (LPF). As the result, the delay of the estimated speed occurs in transients by the use of the LPF. This paper investigates the problem of a conventional speed sensorless SFO system due to the delay of the estimated speed in the field weakening region. In addition, this paper proposes a method to estimate exactly speed by using Luenberger observer. The proposed method is verified by the simulation and experiment with a 5-hp induction motor drive.