Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Household Water Insecurity Affects Child Nutrition Through Alternative Pathways to WASH: Evidence From India

Background: Household water security matters greatly for child nutrition outcomes in the global South. Water’s role in sanitation/hygiene, via diarrheal disease, is cited as a primary mechanism here. Yet, the relationship between Water along with Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) and child stunting remains inconclusive. Water-related mechanisms outside of the traditional scope of WASH might assist with explaining this. Objective: We aim to test the mediating role of reduced dietary diversity as an additional potential mechanism in linking worse household water access to increased risk of early childhood stunting, separating its effects from sanitation and diarrhea among children (as a proxy for hygiene) and taking into account regional water availability. Method: We use nationally representative India Demographic and Health Survey (2015-16) data for 58 038 children aged 6 to 23 months, applying generalized structural equation modelling to estimate water’s direct and indirect effects (as mediated through dietary diversity and access to sanitation) on a child’s likelihood of being stunted. Results: Suboptimal water access is significantly associated with elevated likelihood of child stunting. More than 30% of the effect is indirect. In the context of low water access and availability, children’s dietary diversity alone mediates more than 20% of its total effect on child stunting. Conclusion: Beyond the WASH mechanisms, household water access affects child stunting indirectly, mediated through its impacts on children’s dietary diversity. These mediating effects are also moderated by regional water availability. Water interventions in low-water regions should help reduce children’s risk of nutrition-related stunting in households with lowest water access.
Image Sequence Analysis via GRU and Attention for Trachomatous Trichiasis Classiﬁcation

Chlamydia trachomatous is an infectious ocular condition that can cause the eyelid to turn inward so that one or more eyelashes touch the eyeball, a condition call trachomatous trichi-asis (TT), which can lead to blindness. Community-based screeners are used in rural areas to identify patients with TT, who can then be referred for proper medical care. Having automatic methods to detect TT will reduce the amount of time required to train screen-ers and improve accuracy of detection. This paper proposes a method to automatically identify regions of an eye and identify TT, using photographs taken with smartphones in the ﬁeld. The attention-based gated deep learning networks in combination with a region-identiﬁcation network can identify TT with an accuracy of 91%, sensitivity of 92% and speciﬁcity of 87%, showing that these methods have the potential to be deployed in the ﬁeld.
A CUDA Solver for Helmholtz Equation

In this paper, we present a CUDA based solver for the Helmholtz equation ∆ u + λu = f in three dimensional rectangular area. This solver follows the algorithm of FISHPACK – A Fortran package for solving elliptical equations. It uses DFT and its variants such as DST and DCT to eﬃciently ﬁnd the numerical solution. It is able to solve ﬁve diﬀerent kinds of boundary conditions for each coordinate direction. The experiments show that it can achieve a speedup of up to around 30 compared to the solver in FISHPACK. The source code can be downloaded from https://github.com/rmingming/cudahelmho-ltz/.
Molecular Characterization and Variation of “Bois Noir” Turkish Strains

Widespread “bois noir” phytoplasma (16SrXII-A) infection is present in Turkish vineyards. The infection was detected in wine grape varieties more than in table grapes. Grapevines with severe redness and inward curling of leaves were collected from main viticulture production areas. Collected samples were subjected to nucleic acid extraction followed by nested PCR/RFLP analyses and, according to the results; the majority were infected by “bois noir” phytoplasmas. Among the collected strains 19 were sequenced on the 16S ribosomal gene and deposited in GenBank. Obtained sequences were aligned using Clustal X and Bioedit and phylogenetic analyses were performed by using Mega7 program. Key words–grapevine, “bois noir”, phytoplasma, Turkey.
Hierarchical Bayesian approach applied to the formulation of sustained-release suppositories and dissolution profile modeling

The hierarchical Bayesian modeling approach was used to select the appropriate empirical kinetics model of sustained release and to optimize the in vitro dissolution rate of the sustained-release suppository by controlling the composition of Eudragit L-100 and Eudragit S-100 in the experimental mixture. Thirteen formulations of suppositories were prepared with 2 g (10%) mixture of Eudragit® R-100 and S-100 according to a personalized mixture experimental design. The cumulative release of active ingredient was measured at five times (20, 50, 80, 160, and 235 minutes). The best model was selected using Rsq (Adjust) and akaike information criterion for standard method and by using the weight of widely applicable information criterion (WAIC) and leave-one-out (LOO) cross-validation for the Bayesian approach. Frequentist approach gave three best model depending on the formulation. Compared to this, the Bayesian method was able to define a single model, which is the first-order model. The relative probability of this model is 0.97, 0.99 based on the WAIC, and LOO, respectively. The relationship between K1 (Release rate constant) and the quantities of the two Eudragits is quadratic, for Eudragit_L, Qrelease (%) = 0.0031X 2–0.0026 X + 0.0069 and X is the Eudragit L100 and K1 (Rate release) = 0.41 minutes −1. The Bayesian method allowed finding the most adequate model among several models that can be generated by the standard frequentist approach.
SELF ASSESSMENT: A CRUCIAL PROCESS IN E-TRAINING

The paper offers a discussion about the concept of training from a psychological point of view. Training is a process that concerns a life long learning perspective, especially if referred to e-learning and on line activities. In this paper we present the Child Observation in School Context Workshop, an experience of e-training at Macerata University. We intend to stress the crucial relevance of self assessment in training processes that involve adults’ participation. We are going to describe the methodology used in the Workshop, according to the on line educational context. Besides peer discussion and negotiation, that we described in other researches, in this study we pay more attention to the final phase of the training process. We found the importance to arrange a moment in which participants are requested to evaluate their involvement both in terms of process and outcomes. In the instructional design it is significant to plan a phase in which teachers or trainers share with participants the criterions through which they will make the assessment. We are going to show the differences, in terms of curricular results, between two editions of the same on line course: in the first one we did not share the criterions of assessment with participants, on the contrary in the second edition we dedicated a special moment to this activity. The results show a little increase of excellent outcomes and a modest decrease of the sufficient results in the second edition of the course.
OPTH_A_311816 2753..2758

Newcastle Eye Centre, Royal Victoria Infirmary, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK Aim: Evaluation of real-world outcomes of intravitreal anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (anti-VEGF) therapy in the primary treatment of choroidal neovascularization (CNV) secondary to pathological myopia. Patients and Methods: A retrospective cohort analysis of treatment naive patients with myopic CNV who received treatment with either intravitreal ranibizumab or aflibercept over a 12-year period from September 2007 to May 2020 was performed. Baseline features, treatment factors and outcomes were compared between younger and older patients and final visual outcome was assessed for associated factors. Results: Thirty-seven eyes of 36 patients (24 females, 12 males) were included. Mean age was 58 years (range=26–89 years). Of these patients, 11/36 (31%) were ≤50 years of age and 25/36 (69%) were ≥51 years of age. Seventy-three percent (27/37) of eyes were phakic. One patient received bilateral treatment for myopic CNV. Median spherical equivalent was −8.50 diopters. Seventy percent (26/37) of eyes commenced primary treatment with ranibizumab, and 11/37 (30%) eyes commenced treatment with aflibercept. There were no significant differences between treatment factors and outcomes of younger and older patients. Median number of injections was 3 over a median follow-up period of 24.6 months. Mean CRT decreased by 126μm and median visual improvement was +6 letters. Analysis showed that younger age (p=0.022) and fewer injections (p=0.004) were associated with better visual outcomes. Conclusion: Myopic CNV requires less frequent anti-VEGF intravitreal therapy over a shorter follow-up period than both neovascular age-related macular degeneration and diabetic macular edema. Increased frequency of administration of intravitreal anti-VEGF treatment did not improve vision. Younger age is associated with a better final visual outcome. These findings may help to advise patients about the prognosis of treatment and help guide treatment decisions.
Hydrogels greffés stimulables comme actionneurs microfluidiques

Nous developpons une nouvelle approche des actuateurs microfluidiques a base d’hydrogels stimulables. Contrairement aux approches precedentes, les hydrogels sont synthetises et greffes a la paroi inferieure du microcanal avant la fermeture du systeme. Nous utilisons une nouvelle strategie de synthese pour les films d’hydrogels stimulables par chimie click thiol-ene. Les films sont obtenus par depot, sur des surfaces fonctionnalisees avec des thiols, d’un melange de chaines polymeres preformees et d’un reticulant dithiol. Le greffage et la reticulation s’obtiennent simultanement par une activation thermique ou par irradiation UV. Des films et des micro-motifs sont obtenus sur une large gamme d’epaisseur allant de la centaine de nanometres a plusieurs microns. Nous integrons les motifs d’hydrogels stimulables dans les microcanaux pour realiser des actionneurs. Nous etudions des actionneurs thermosensibles realises avec des hydrogels de poly(N-isopropylacrylamide). Avec la temperature, les motifs d’hydrogels gonflent ou degonflent en absorbant/expulsant l’eau de maniere reversible. L’effet est rapide (inferieur a la seconde), la transition abrupte (quelques degres autour de la LCST a 32°C) et l’amplitude de deformation est importante (gonflement de 400%). Les micro-vannes realisees avec cette nouvelle approche presentent de tres bonnes performances et une grande durabilite. Nous avons aussi realise de nouveaux actionneurs reconfigurables fonctionnant comme des pieges microfluidiques. Ces actionneurs microfluidiques innovants offrent de nombreuses perspectives de par la facilite de leur mise en œuvre, leurs performances et l’integration sur des micro-puces a haute densite.
Longitudinal Temperature Gradients in Transphoresis and Isotachophoresis in Relation to Detection

A 5ml volume of a preparation of peptides from normal human urine in the molecular-weight range 800-1200 (Lote & Weiss, 1971) was applied to the centre of a block (33 cm x lOcm x 1 cm) of Pevikon C-870 in pyridine-acetate buffer, pH5.3 (100ml of pyridine and 32ml of acetic acid in 10 litres of distilled water). The potential gradient was 11OV/cm length. The block was eluted in 0.5cm sections, each section being washed with 1 ml of pyridine-acetate buffer. Twentythree ninhydrin-positive peaks were identified in the block. Fifteen of the peaks were on the cathodic side of the origin and eight on the anodic side. It would seem that the apparatus described here is suitable for the separation of proteins and peptides at high voltages in preparative amounts. The technique is easily learnt and is not tedious. The major advantage of the apparatus is the efficiency of its refrigerated base-plate, which allows the resistance of the block to remain unchanged during the electrophoretic separation.
FPGA IMPLEMENTATION OF EFFICIENT CODING SCHEMES FOR FAULT TOLERANT PARALLEL FILTERS

: As the complexity of communications and signalprocessing systems increases, so does the number of blocks orelements that they have. In many cases, some of those elementsoperate in parallel, performing the same processing on differentsignals. A typical example of those elements are digital filters.The increase in complexity also poses reliability challenges andcreates the need for fault-tolerant implementations. A schemebased on error correction coding has been recently proposed toprotect parallel filters. In that scheme, each filter is treated as a bit,and redundant filters that act as parity check bits are introducedto detect and correct errors. In this brief, the idea of applyingcoding techniques to protect parallel filters is adressed in a moregeneral way. In particular, it is shown that the fact that filter inputsand outputs are not bits but numbers enables a more efficientprotection. This reduces the protection overhead and makes thenumber of redundant filters independent of the number of parallelfilters. The proposed scheme is first described and then illustratedwith two case studies. Finally, both the effectiveness in protectingagainst errors and the cost are evaluated for a field-programmablegate array implementation.
Public Sphere in Crisis Mode: How the COVID-19 Pandemic Influenced Public Discourse and User Behaviour in the Swiss Twitter-sphere

In modern democracies, large societal crises like the COVID-19 pandemic are accompanied by intensified public discourse about which policies and strategies are adequate to fight the crisis. In such times, the public sphere switches to crisis mode with fundamentally different communicative dynamics compared to routinised periods. Data from social media platforms like Twitter offers new possibilities to study such dynamics. However, comprehensive studies on how crises affect discourse in distinct national publics are missing up to now. Based on 1,762,262 tweets referring to COVID-19 written between 1 January and 30 April 2020 by 56,418 validated Swiss users, we illustrate how the lockdown of public life in Switzerland affected the discourse in the Swiss Twitter-sphere. Based on public sphere theories, we identify four crisis-related dimensions for our analysis. We show that the pandemic led to a narrowing of the topic agenda and to a more inwardly oriented public sphere with increased Twitter activity by experts. Furthermore, actors from the social periphery were able to reach the centre of public discourse with their tweets. Overall our study shows how methodological innovation allows us to better connect an empirical analysis with the concept of a public sphere as a communication network.
Algorithm for identifying clients based on dynamic MAC addresses in narrowly targeted secure networks using deep learning neural networks

Existing algorithms for identifying clients on a network segment are based on static client binding by MAC address. MAC address generation is based on pseudo-random sequences of 0–256 characters. With this feature in mind, software was developed based on an algorithm for generating MAC addresses using bidirectional neural networks, followed by integration of a decision support system module. A secondary feature of the developed software is the ability to set a MAC validity timeout, which will limit access to the network segment and increase the security factor.
Industry 4.0 in manufacturing SMEs of Argentina and Brazil

ABSTRACT The level of diffusion of the new technologies involved in the so-called Industry 4.0 (I4.0) is still incipient in Latin America. This article compares the empirical studies carried out on selected samples of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Argentina and Brazil, focusing the analysis on the experiences of adoption of I4.0 technologies on the motivations and benefits of adopting these new technologies. The I4.0 presents two dimensions; on the one hand, the top-down policy in which governments encourage the productive system to adopt the drivers of this technological revolution and, on the other, the business dimension driven by the large transnational corporations and the network of participants in their value chain. This article finds that the main motivations of analyzed SMEs with the introduction of these new technologies is linked to the need to find solutions, in terms of improving efficiency in processes, higher quality of products, and services to customers and suppliers. Additionally, the change that digitalization entails poses a qualitative leap for SMEs that forces them to rethink their operation; the interconnection and dynamic updating of the skills of their human resources is essential. The research findings highlight different obstacles, such as lack of knowledge about these new technologies; the unavailability of infrastructure and necessary internal connectivity; the qualified human resources shortage; the culture, organizational habits, and resistance to change; the difficulties in accessing financing, and size of investment; and education and training system deficiencies, among others.
Material Itineraries of Electric Tuk- Tuks: The Challenges of Green Urban Development in Laos

Abstract In the context of global climate change, development organizations aim to align their aid schemes with new environmental concerns. Since the transport sector is crucial to achieve carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, the introduction of environmentally-friendly transportation systems and technologies to developing countries has become a major focus of development aid. This paper examines one such sustainable transport project in Laos, centering on the introduction of electric vehicles (EV). At the beginning, aid professionals envisioned the establishment of an EV network, in which batteries, hydroelectric powerplants, the CO2 market, and numerous other entities would be rolled out in the capital of Vientiane and several other towns. A few years later, it had been downscaled to introduce a small number of EVs to the World Heritage town of Luang Prabang. The article analyses this process of transformation by examining the network extensions and cuts that shaped the trajectory of the EV into Laos. It further scrutinizes how the contexts of more-or-less urban places influenced the material itineraries of the project. This process, which led to the eventual implementation of EVs in Luang Prabang, and their subsequent disappearance, provides a window of opportunity for analyzing the significant challenges of green urban development in Laos and Southeast Asia more generally.
Modeling of hyper-adaptability: from motor coordination to rehabilitation

Hyper-adaptability is an ability of humans and animals to adapt to large-scale changes in the nervous system or the musculoskeletal system, such as strokes and spinal cord injuries. Although this adaptation may involve similar neural processes with normal adaptation to usual environmental and body changes in daily lives, it can be fundamentally different because it requires ‘construction’ of the neural structure itself and ‘reconstitution’ of sensorimotor control rules to compensate for the changes in the nervous system. In this survey paper, we aimed to provide an overview on how the brain structure changes after brain injury and recovers through rehabilitation. Next, we demonstrated the recent approaches used to apply computational and neural network modeling to recapitulate motor control and motor learning processes. Finally, we discussed future directions to bridge the gap between conventional physiological and modeling approaches to understand the neural and computational mechanisms of hyper-adaptability and its applications to clinical rehabilitation. GRAPHICAL ABSTRACT
Structural identifiability of the generalized Lotka–Volterra model for microbiome studies

Population dynamic models can be used in conjunction with time series of species abundances to infer interactions. Understanding microbial interactions is a prerequisite for numerous goals in microbiome research, including predicting how populations change over time, determining how manipulations of microbiomes affect dynamics and designing synthetic microbiomes to perform tasks. As such, there is great interest in adapting population dynamic theory for microbial systems. Despite the appeal, numerous hurdles exist. One hurdle is that the data commonly obtained from DNA sequencing yield estimates of relative abundances, while population dynamic models such as the generalized Lotka–Volterra model track absolute abundances or densities. It is not clear whether relative abundance data alone can be used to infer parameters of population dynamic models such as the Lotka–Volterra model. We used structural identifiability analyses to determine the extent to which a time series of relative abundances can be used to parametrize the generalized Lotka–Volterra model. We found that only with absolute abundance data to accompany relative abundance estimates from sequencing can all parameters be uniquely identified. However, relative abundance data alone do contain information on relative interaction strengths, which is sufficient for many studies where the goal is to estimate key interactions and their effects on dynamics. Using synthetic data of a simple community for which we know the underlying structure, local practical identifiability analysis showed that modest amounts of both process and measurement error do not fundamentally affect these identifiability properties.
Transgenerational non-genetic inheritance has fitness costs and benefits under recurring stress in the clonal duckweed Spirodela polyrhiza

Although non-genetic inheritance is thought to play an important role in plant ecology and evolution, evidence for adaptive transgenerational plasticity is scarce. Here, we investigated the consequences of copper excess on offspring defences and fitness under recurring stress in the duckweed Spirodela polyrhiza across multiple asexual generations. Growing large monoclonal populations (greater than 10 000 individuals) for 30 generations under copper excess had negative fitness effects after short and no fitness effect after prolonged growth under recurring stress. These time-dependent growth rates were likely influenced by environment-induced transgenerational responses, as propagating plants as single descendants for 2 to 10 generations under copper excess had positive, negative or neutral effects on offspring fitness depending on the interval between initial and recurring stress (5 to 15 generations). Fitness benefits under recurring stress were independent of flavonoid accumulations, which in turn were associated with altered plant copper concentrations. Copper excess modified offspring fitness under recurring stress in a genotype-specific manner, and increasing the interval between initial and recurring stress reversed these genotype-specific fitness effects. Taken together, these data demonstrate time- and genotype-dependent adaptive and non-adaptive transgenerational responses under recurring stress, which suggests that non-genetic inheritance alters the evolutionary trajectory of clonal plant lineages in fluctuating environments.