Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
WHO EMRO | Seroprevalence of herpes simplex virus types 1 and 2 in Indian and Filipino migrant populations in Qatar: a cross-sectional survey

1 Department of Biomedical Science, College of Health Sciences, Qatar University, Doha, Qatar. 2 BioMedical Research Center, Qatar University, Doha, Qatar. 3 Infectious Disease Epidemiology Group, Weill Cornell Medicine-Qatar, Cornell University, Qatar Foundation – Education City, Doha, Qatar. 4 Department of Healthcare Policy and Research, Weill Cornell Medicine, Cornell University, New York, United States of America. (Correspondence to Laith J. Abu-Raddad: Lja2002@qatar-med.cornell.edu). Background: The epidemiology of herpes simplex virus infections is of growing interest but information on its seroprevalence in many countries is scarce. Aims: This study aimed to measure the seroprevalence of herpes simplex virus type 1 and type 2 in Filipino and Indian men living in Qatar. Methods: Blood serum specimens were collected from male blood donors aged ≥ 18 years in Qatar from 2013 to 2016. HerpeSelect® 1/2 and Euroline-WB assays were used to measure antibodies to herpes simplex virus types 1 and 2 in 120 Filipino and 325 Indian men. Results: The seroprevalence of herpes simplex virus-1 was 84.9% (95% confidence interval (CI): 78.4–90.0%) in Filipino men and 48.3% (95% CI: 43.6–53.0%) in Indian men. The seroprevalence of herpes simplex virus-2 was 8.3% (95% CI: 4.6–13.7%) in Filipinos and 3.7% (95% CI: 2.2–5.9%) in Indians. The seroprevalence of herpes simplex virus types 1 and 2 increased with age, but this trend was only statistically significant in Indian men (P = 0.013 and P = 0.011 respectively). Conclusions: The seroprevalence rates of herpes simplex virus-2 in Filipino and Indian men living in Qatar were similar to those found in the Philippines and India. However, the seroprevalence of herpes simplex virus-1 in Indians, while similar to that found in India, was substantially lower than that of other countries in Asia and developing countries worldwide, which needs further investigation.
PERCEPTIONS OF STRATEGIES FOR MINIMIZING SKILLED LABOUR SHORTAGES FOR BUILDING PROJECTS AMONGST BUILDING CONTRACTORS IN LAGOS STATE, NIGERIA

The aim of this study is to assess the perceptions of building contractors on strategies that can be adopted to overcome skilled labour shortages in the building industry. This is crucial as competitiveness is becoming entrenched in the industry for the survival of the practitioners. The client is requiring shorter time to carry out their projects and profit margins are reducing. Meanwhile, it is increasingly difficult to find skilled people in the various categories of artisans in building construction industry. There are also challenges of achieving good quality work as well as attendant time and cost overruns. Quantitative data was collected through a structured questionnaire survey using a five-point Likert scale for measurement of survey responses. The sample size of 115 was selected from the population using a simple random sampling technique. The study recommends that a standard training in organised institutions and supervised artisans’ training on building sites are critical to address skill labour shortages in order to have substantial artisans who are capable of high skilled work. This is needed by all categories of artisans for meeting the demands of the industry. Improvement in socio-economic status of artisans, performance recognition, and financial incentives should be given a priority in the work place. These will help to create a performance-enhancing environment for the industry.
A Novel Approach for Caching Item Sets in Database Systems Using Similarity Graph and Page Rate Algorithm

In this paper, we present a novel approach for cac hing large data sets. We make a similarity graph and rank the items according to their relationships and importances. F inally we compare our method with Least Recently Used (LRU) a nd Least Frequently Used (LFU) Algorithms. Results show grea t performance of our approach. Keywords-component; Caching Algorithm; Repetitive Items Sets ;Page Rate Algorithm; Items Sets Graph.
First workshop on Intelligent Agents in Urban Simulation and Smart Cities

Simulation of crowd behaviours has long been an area of active research due to its high impact on urban area design. Rather recently, the problem has been tackled using agent based simulation (ABMS), a modelling approach that offers a more natural and flexible method for describing pedestrian behaviour. The current work, concerns ABMS modelling of passengers boarding an underground station using Population P Systems (PPS), a membrane computing paradigm that allows formal definition of an agent based system. It is argued that the expressive power of PPS allows modelling the simulation under study, and an implementation of the model described is provided in a well known agent simulation platform to further prove its validity.
NOVEL HPLC STATIONARY REVERSE PHASE COMPOUND DERIVED TO VALIDATE IRBESARTAN AND ITS IMPURITIES

A novel reversed-phase column was prepared by bio-degradable versatile biopolymer chitosan with 2-Hydroxy napthaldehyde condensed Schiff base (CSb). The prepared stationary phase CSb was characterized by FT-IR and its surface morphology was determined by Scanning electron microscope (SEM). From the SEM outcomes, fluffy and highly porous nature of the CSb was identified. Due to the porous and the insoluble in mobile phase, HPLC column was fabricated using CSb for analytical applications. The stability of the column was tested and found to be stable in acidic and basic medium. Using CSb column, anti-hypertension drug Irbesartan and its potential impurities were confirmed as per ICH guidelines and the results were linear, precise, rugged and accurate. The results of CSb column and commercially available HPLC column outcomes are exhibited similar results but CSb is a long life lowcost stationary phase.
Student and School Performance in the OECD: a Machine Learning Approach

In this paper, we develop and apply novel machine learning and statistical methods to analyse the determinants of students' PISA 2015 test scores in nine countries: Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Spain, UK and USA. The aim is to nd out which student characteristics are associated with test scores and which school characteristics are associated to school value-added (measured at school level). A speci c aim of our approach is to explore non-linearities in the associations between covariates and test scores, as well as to model interactions between school-level factors in a ecting results. In order to address these issues, we apply a two-stage methodology using exible tree-based methods. We rst run multilevel regression trees in the rst stage, to estimate school value-added. In the second stage, we relate the estimated school valueadded to school level variables by means of regression trees and boosting. Results show that while several student and school level characteristics are signi cantly associated to students' achievements, there are marked di erences across countries. The proposed approach allows an improved description of the structurally di erent educational production functions
A new statistical approach to improve the satellite based

9 In a previous, study of Quaas et al., (2008) the radiative forcing by anthropogenic aerosol due 10 to aerosol-cloud interactions, RFaci, was obtained by a statistical analysis of satellite retrievals 11 using a multilinear regression. Here we employ a new statistical approach to obtain the fitting 12 parameters, determined using a non-linear least square statistical approach, for the relationship 13 between planetary albedo and cloud properties and, further, the relationship between cloud 14 properties and aerosol optical depth. In order to verify the performance, the results from both 15 statistical approaches (previous and present) were compared to the results from radiative 16 transfer simulations over three regions for different seasons. We find that the results of the new 17 statistical approach agree well with the simulated results both over land and ocean. The new 18 statistical approach increases the correlation by 21%-23% and reduce the error, compared to 19 the previous approach. 20
Square, Hexagonal, and Row Phases of PTCDA and PTCDI on Ag -Si(111)x3 × x3R30°

We have investigated the ordered phases of the perylene derivatives perylene-3,4,9,10-tetracarboxylic-3,4,9,10-dianhydride (PTCDA) and the imide analogue PTCDI on the Ag -Si(111)x3 × x3R30° surface using scanning tunneling microscopy. We find that PTCDA forms square, hexagonal, and herringbone phases, which coexist on the surface. The existence of a square phase on a hexagonal surface is of particular interest and is a result of a near commensurability between the molecular dimensions and the surface lattice. Contrast variations across the square islands arise from PTCDA molecules binding to different sites on the surface. PTCDI on Ag-Si(111)x3 × x3R30° forms extended rows, as well as two-dimensional islands, both of which are stabilized by hydrogen bonding mediated by the presence of imide groups. We present models for the molecular arrangements in all these phases and highlight the role of hydrogen bonding in controlling this order.
Characterization of Nanoformulations from Montmorillonite clay for the decontamination of zearalenonein cereals using X-ray Diffraction Technique

Montmorillonite clay due to its abundance and environmental friendliness has several industrial applications among which are the adsorption of mycotoxins in foods and feed. The mycotoxin; zearalenone (ZEA) is oestrogenic and has been implicated in hormonal and reproductive issues for both man and animals. Thus, nanoformulations from Montmorillonite clay and Cymbopogoncitratus (lemongrass) extracts were developed for the reduction of the toxin in millet. The various formulations include: Montmorillonite clay to which extract of Cymbopogoncitratus(lemon grass essential oil)has been incorporated (Mont-LGEO), Montmorillonite clay mixed with C. citratus(lemon grass)powder (Mont-LGP) and Montmorillonite clay washed with NaCl (Mont-Na). Pure Montmorillonite clay (Mont) and C. citratus (lemon grass) powder (LGP) served as the controls for the treatment. Each of these compositions were applied to millet samples at a concentration of 8 % and 12% and stored for 4 weeks. XRD patterns for compositions containing Montmorillonite clay revealed major peaks at 2-Theta value of 20.06° representing Montmorillonite and 26.56° and 68.53°representing quartz. The level of ZEA in all treated samples was quantified after 4 weeks using the Liquid Chromatography tandem mass spectrophotometer LC-MS/MS. All the compositions were effective in the decontamination of zearalenone. Furthermore, C. citratus powder was the most effective in the decontamination of zearalenone in the cereal after 4 weeks.
Knowledge Graph OLAP A Multidimensional Model and Query Operations for Contextualized Knowledge Graphs

A knowledge graph (KG) represents real-world entities and their relationships. The represented knowledge is often context-dependent, leading to the construction of contextualized KGs. The multidimensional and hierarchical nature of context invites comparison with the OLAP cube model from multidimensional data analysis. Traditional systems for online analytical processing (OLAP) employ multidimensional models to represent numeric values for further analysis using dedicated query operations. In this paper, along with an adaptation of the OLAP cube model for KGs, we introduce an adaptation of the traditional OLAP query operations for the purposes of performing analysis over KGs. In particular, we decompose the roll-up operation from traditional OLAP into a merge and an abstraction operation. The merge operation corresponds to the selection of knowledge from different contexts whereas abstraction replaces entities with more general entities. The result of such a query is a more abstract, high-level view – a management summary – of the knowledge.
TESTING SPATIAL STATIONARITY AND SPATIAL COINTEGRATION

Monte Carlo simulation methods are used to compute critical values for spatial unit root tests in the SAR model estimated from spatial cross-section data. We also compute critical values for residual-based spatial cointegration tests for cross-section data that happen to be spatially nonstationary. We show that edge effects in spatial lattices affect the asymptotics of the proposed tests. We wish to thank Dan Feldman who carried out the computations. The critical values that we report are provisional.
Genotyping of Cynomolgus and Rhesus Macaques Used in Research

DNA analysis of targeted genetic loci has revealed genetic variation and similarities that underlie observed idiosyncratic and generalized trends of responses to xenobiotics and lend efficiency to the pursuit of therapies for intractable human diseases. The non-human primate model has become important for evaluating the safety and efficacy of many therapeutic biologics due to its genetic similarity with humans. Improved predictability and reproducibility of research data in non-human primate studies should be possible if the genetic variability of sourced non-human primates were better defined.
Landscape-scale effects of homesteads, water, and dingoes on invading chital deer in Australia's dry tropics

Identifying landscape features and processes that facilitate the persistence of populations is particularly important for invasive mammal species, because it can focus management interventions on relatively small areas. We used camera traps to test predictions concerning the relative abundance of invading chital deer (Axis axis) on seven cattle ranches in northern Australia: that abundance of chital deer would be highest near permanent water and near homesteads, and that dingoes (Canis dingo) reduce abundance of chital deer. Distance from the nearest homestead determined deer abundance (as indexed by images per camera-day), with negligible abundance > 4 km from homesteads. In contrast, distance from homestead did not predict abundance of feral pigs (Sus scrofa), macropods, or dingoes. Abundance of chital deer also declined with increasing distance from water, as did feral pig abundance. There was no relationship between either macropod or dingo abundance and distance to water. The abundance of chital deer was unaffected by dingo abundance, but 75–100% of dingo scats collected within 1 km of homesteads contained chital deer. The high abundances of chital deer near homesteads are likely due to increased food quality or quantity, or protection from dingoes, but these hypotheses require further testing. We conclude that homesteads and permanent water are important determinants of the distribution and abundance of invasive chital deer in northern Australia (i.e., they are “invasion hubs” for this species). Our results suggest that, during the dry season, managers should survey for and attempt to control chital deer within 4 km of homesteads and within 3 km of water.
A comprehensive review and performance evaluation in solar (PV) systems fault classification and fault detection techniques

The renewable energy industry is growing faster than ever before and in particular solar systems have significantly expanded. Abnormal conditions lead to a reduction in the maximum available power from solar (photovoltaic) systems. Thus, it is necessary to identification, detection, and monitoring of various faults in the PV system that they are the key factors to increase the efficiency, reliability, and lifetime of these systems. Up to now, faults on PV components and systems have been identified; some of them have physical damage on PV systems and some of them are electrical faults that occur on the DC side or AC side of the PV system. Here, the faults will be divided into groups based on their location of occurrence. This paper provides a comprehensive review of almost all PV system faults and fault detection techniques of PV system proposed in recent literature.
Associations of Eating Disorder with Sleep Status and Anthropometric Measurements in Female Adolescents in Zanjan, Iran

Eating disorders (EDs) are diseases of mental origin, which are characterized by unusual eating behaviors ranging from nonclinical disorders (e.g., sense of being obese, adherence to specific diets) to severe clinical syndromes, such as bulimia nervosa and anorexia nervosa [1]. Although EDs may affect a wide range of ages groups in both genders, they are reported to have a higher prevalence among female adolescents [2]. Adolescence is a period of growth in which boys and girls become conscious of their weight and appearance [3]. As a result, they tend to compare their looks and bodies with culturally defined ideal physiques, particularly those imposed by western cultures,which idealize slenderness for women and promote the avoidance of proper eating only to receive social acceptance [3,4]. Such idealism has influenced both western and Asian countries [5]. In an attempt to lose weight, overweight adolescents may adopt disordered eating behaviors [6]. The cross-sectional studies in this regard have compared adolescents with normal weight to their overweight peers, with the latter reported to be more likely to become involved in the use of laxatives or self-induced vomiting [6]. Furthermore, a study focused on the strategies for the treatment of EDs in adolescents indicated that 36.7% of the participants Journal of Human, Environment, and Health Promotion
LCAHASH-1.1: A New Design of the LCAHASH System for IoT

The present paper represents an extension of LCAHASH system. LCAHASH is a previously developed lightweight hash algorithm. It is based on cellular automata. It was developed as an alternative to existing hash functions to ensure data integrity and to meet the security requirements of the Internet of Things devices. Due to the limited amount of storage and the limited computation capabilities of these devices, the algorithms used by these devices should be as efficient and as robust as possible. In this contribution, we propose an enhanced version of the original LCAHASH algorithm to improve its efficiency and its robustness. A description of the system proposed along with a security analysis and the results of a statistical battery of tests (Dieharder) are included. These results show that the system proposed exhibits good statistical and cryptographic features.
Describing area and yield for small-scale plantation forests in Wairarapa region of New Zealand using RapidEye and LiDAR

Background: New Zealand does not have a national forest inventory based on ground measurements. The National Exotic Forest Description (NEFD) is based on surveys of forest owners but lacks reliability in describing area and yield for small-scale forests, given that over half of the small-scale forests were not included in the direct NEFD survey. This has led to an insufficient understanding of the wood supply from these forests, which will raise problems as the majority of the small-scale forests are approaching maturity and are anticipated to contribute more than 40% of wood supply in the next decade. Therefore, having accurate estimation of this resources is critical for marketing, harvesting and logistic planning. Furthermore, the current NEFD does not incorporate a spatial representation. The aim of this study was to test the utility of remote sensing dataset for providing information on the area and yield of small-scale forest resources through a case study in the Wairarapa region of New Zealand. Methods: Classification and regression tree analysis was applied to both RapidEye and LiDAR datasets to map the net stocked area of small-scale plantation forests in Wairarapa. Results were compared against forest areas that have been determined from manual digitisation. For each forest, stand variables mean top height, basal area, volume and stand age were estimated using LiDAR-derived metrics. This allowed the development of maps for these stand variables. Results: The automatically mapped plantation area was 4.2% (1 614 ha) less than the reference area (i.e. manually digitised plantation area), together with manually digitised young plantations which were not detected from automated approach, the area differed only by -0.6% (235 ha) from the reference area. The yield tables developed using modelled stand variables were all within a realistic range and were comparable to wood availability forecast (WAF) yield tables, producing on average 27 m3 ha-1 less than the WAF yield. Conclusions: The mapping approach produced comparable results to the area calculated using manual digitisation. However, this approach struggles to detect young plantings due to the resolution of the remote sensing datasets used; hence manual digitisation is required to map the young plantations that were within 3–5 years of planting. This study also confirmed that the remote sensing approach could be used to describe forest yield, although the approach failed to predict the full range of ages of the mapped forest resource. The estimation of plantation age could be improved by including plot data with a wider range of stand ages or investigating different models for age estimation. It is also possible to review time-series satellite imagery to detect establishment periods for the forests.