Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Molecular detection of Escherichia coli (E. coli) from Diarrheal stool samples from children in Quetta, Balochistan, Pakistan.

Diarrhea is one of the major causes of death in children, particularly in developing countries. Rapid detection and treatment is necessary to control disease transmission in the community and thus limiting the huge number of death toll. The major cause of diarrhea in developing countries is Escherichia coli (E. coli). This study was aimed to isolate E. coli from diarrheal stool samples from children aged 05 months to 05 years visited/ hospitalized in Quetta due to acute/persistent diarrhea. Diarrheal stool samples from 200 children were collected from Lady Sandeman Hospital Quetta and cultured on nutrient agar and later transferred to E. coli specific growth media for initial detection. For further confirmation the colonies were subjected to polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The PCR results revealed that 44(22%) samples out of 200 samples were positive for E. coli. These results indicate a high proportion of E. coli infection among children suffering with diarrhea.
Latent Class Evaluation in Educational Trials: What Percentage of Children Benefits from an Intervention?

Abstract Educational stakeholders are keen to know the magnitude and importance of different interventions. However, the way evidence is communicated to support understanding of the effectiveness of an intervention is controversial. Typically studies in education have used the standardised mean difference as a measure of the impact of interventions. This measure, commonly known as the effect size, is problematic, in terms of how it is interpreted and understood. In this study, we propose a “gain index” as an alternative metric for quantifying and communicating the effectiveness of an intervention. This is estimated as the difference in the percentage of children who make positive gains between the intervention and control groups. Analysis of four randomized controlled trials in education supports the expectation that most children make progress due to normal school activities, which is independent of the intervention. This study elaborates a method to illustrate how trials with a positive gain index and with a higher percentage of pupils with positive gain in the intervention group can be used to communicate which trials are effective in improving educational outcomes.
Development of a comprehensive communication skills curriculum bases on intervention mapping in response to an urgent need for community health workers' education reform: A study protocol

BACKGROUND: Communication skills are one of the most important competencies required for community health workers (CHWs); however, there is no systematic evidence-based communication training course for them. In this study, we aim to develop a comprehensive communication skills curriculum for CHWs based on the intervention mapping (IM) approach. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We used the IM approach to develop a systematic evidence-based communication skills curriculum for CHWs. First, we will determine the required competencies (by a literature search, a qualitative study, and a Delphi study), and then, we will develop a questionnaire for need assessment, and finally, we will implement the course and evaluate its efficacy by conducting a randomized controlled trial. This study was designed according to the steps of IM. CONCLUSION: This protocol reports an example of developing a training course using IM. This course could be applied for similar health workers across the world, as well as the CHWs.
Inhibition of Free Radical and Neuroprotective Effect of Four Varieties of Ficus deltoidea

Oxidative stress and the implications have been highlighted in the pathogenesis of many neurodegenerative disorder of the brain including Alzheimer’s disease. Nowadays, the interests in the protective role of several plants extracts are growing up. Plants antioxidants ability includes the inhibition of reactive oxygen species (ROS) overproduction and up-regulation of endogenous antioxidant defences. In this study, neuroblastoma cell line, SH-SY5Y was used to determine the neuroprotective effect of the leaves and figs of aqueous extract of four varieties of Ficus deltoidea namely var kunstleri, var angustifolia, var deltoidea, and var intermedia. The study showed the positive interaction between the inhibition of free radical with the neuroprotective effect against hydrogen peroxide (H2O2)-induced in SH-SY5Y cells.
Development of two alternative Loop-mediated isothermal amplification tools for detecting pathogenic pine wood nematodes

Summary Loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) detection tools have great potential for diagnosing the causal agents of infectious diseases in clinics and in agriculture. In this work, we developed two alternative LAMP protocols for detecting the pathogenic nematode Bursaphelenchus xylophilus, causal agent of pine wilt disease. We first identified a pectate lyase 3 gene as a biomarker for developing a LAMP Detection Kit, as there was no homologue in non-pathogenic nematodes that live in pine timber or bark and show structural similarities to B. xylophilus. The first LAMP protocol used the Genie II equipment and an isothermal master mix containing Geobacillus sp. M 2.0 large fragment DNA polymerase showed approximately 10 times greater sensitivity with a shorter incubation period compared with that of the second LAMP protocol, which utilized a fluorescence metal indicator, calcein and an engineered Bacillus stearothermophilus DNA polymerase I, large fragment (Bst 2.0 DNA polymerase). However, the LAMP reactions with calcein and Bst 2.0 polymerase were the cost-effective method because the reaction could be performed using a simple isothermal block and relatively inexpensive calcein as a fluorescence indicator visible to the naked eye.
Thermodynamic Insights of Base Flipping in TNA Duplex: Force Fields, Salt Concentrations, and Free-Energy Simulation Methods

Threofuranosyl nucleic acid (TNA) is an analogue of DNA. Its inter-nucleotide linkages are shifted from the wild-type 5'-to-3' one to the 3'-to-2' one. As a result, the number of covalent bonds between consecutive phosphates is reduced from 6 to 5. This leads to higher chemical stability, less reactive groups, and lower conformational flexibility. Experimental observations indicate that the interaction network is perturbed at the minimal level and the thermodynamic stability of the duplex is unaltered upon the TNA mutation. Whether computational modelling could reproduce this result will be studied in the base flipping of the middle T (DNA) residue or its T-to-TFT mutation (TNA). We applied the equilibrium free energy simulation and the nonequilibrium stratification method proposed previously in the base flipping case, proving the applicability of alternative free energy simulation protocols. As the force field is the main accuracy-limiting factor when converged phase space sampling is obtained, we benchmarked three popular AMBER force fields for nucleotides. The last-generation force fields include bsc1 and OL15, both of which perform similarly in reproducing the structures near the crystal conformation in previous benchmark studies. Our results indicate that all these three force fields provide similar descriptions of the base-paired state. However, with free energy simulation constructing the free energy profiles along the conformational change pathway, high-energy regions are explored and these three force fields behave differently. The bsc1 force field is found to perform best in reproducing the similarity of stabilities of DNA and TNA duplexes. The free energy barrier of base flipping under the OL15 force field is lowered modestly in TNA, and thus this force field is also usable. However, the bsc0 force field provides wrong results. The TNA duplex is significantly less stable than the DNA duplex. Therefore, the bsc0 force field is not recommended in any application in modern nucleotide simulations. The salt concentration in nucleotide simulations is another factor influencing the thermodynamics of the system. Previous reports conclude that the net-neutral and excess-salt simulations provide similar results. However, the simulation method limits the phase space region explored in previous computational modelling. Our free energy simulation explores high-energy regions, where the excess salt does affect the thermodynamic stability. The free energy barrier along the base flipping pathway is generally elevated upon the addition of excess salts, but the relative height of the free energy barriers in DNA and TNA duplexes is not significantly changed. This phenomenon emphasizes the importance of adding sufficient salts to reproduce the experimental condition.
Chromosomal Localization of the Human Genes for α1A, α1B, and α1E Voltage-Dependent Ca2+ Channel Subunits

Abstract The α 1 subunit genes encoding voltage-dependent Ca 2+ channels are members of a gene family. We have used human brain cDNA probes to localize the neuronal isoform genes CACNL1A4 (α 1A ), CACNL1A5 (α 1B ), and CACNL1A6 (α 1E ) to 19p13, 9q34, and 1q25-q31, respectively, using fluorescence in situ hybridization on human chromosomes. These genes are particularly interesting gene candidates in the pathogenesis of neuronal disorders. Although genetic disorders have been linked to loci 9q34 and 19p13, no genetic disease related to Ca 2+ signaling defects has yet been linked to these loci.
Citrus thrips Scirtothrips citri (Moulton) (Thys., Thripidae) scarring and navel orange fruit quality in California

Washington navel orange fruit (Citrus sinensis L. Osbeck) which were scarred to various degrees by citrus thrips, Scirtothrips citri (Moulton), were evaluated for internal quality of the fruit. Consistent fruit quality trends were observed with more heavily scarred fruit showing more rapid weight loss, higher percent soluble solids, lower titratable acidity, and higher sugar:acid ratios. These data suggest that the indirect effect of citrus thrips feeding on immature fruit may be advancement of fruit maturity. Implications to citrus thrips management are discussed.
Optimal control strategy with multi-delay in state and control variables of a discrete mathematical modeling for the dynamics of diabetic population

In order to have realistic model. In this paper, we propose to study an optimal control approach with delay in state and control variables in our discrete mathematical model of kouidere et al [5] talking about the dynamics of a population of diabetics with highlighting the impact of living environment, that time with delay represent the measuring the extent of interaction with the means of treatment or awareness campaigns. The existence for the optimal control with delay is also provided by Pontryagin’s maximum principle is used to characterize these optimal controls. The optimality system is derived and then solved numerically using an algorithm based on the forward and backward difference approximation.
Review of cyber security threats and proposed trustworthy memory acquisition mechanism

Abstract Due to the major exponential leap in the amount of digital data generated, processed, transferred and stored in a daily life brings challenges to the digital forensic field as like it does in other research and technical area. Digital forensics has become rapidly important as a method to investigate a cyber and mobile-assisted crime. While multiple tools are present and much research & development are being undertaken, but huge uncertainties and challenges exist regarding the future of cyber security. In this literature a detailed survey is discussed on security threats in cyber security and analyzing some network with existing tools and proposes a trustworthy memory acquisition management based security solution. The crucial challenges that exist within the domain, including increased volume of data as per platforms and systems that exist, security mechanism for securing the data on existing systems, analyzing the unwanted cyber threats and forensic investigation on stored database.
Characterization of Annur and Bedakam Ecotypes of Coconut from Kerala State, India, Using Microsatellite Markers

The coconut palm is versatile in its adaptability to a wide range of soil and climatic conditions. A long history of its cultivation has resulted in development of many ecotypes, which are adapted to various agro-eco factors prevalent in a particular region. These ecotypes usually are known by the location where they are grown. It is important to explore such adaptation in the coconut population for better utilization of these ecotypes in coconut breeding programs. The aim of the present study was to identify the genetic diversity of the Bedakam and Annur ecotypes of coconut and compare these ecotypes with predominant West Coast Tall (WCT) populations, from which they are presumed to have been derived, using microsatellite markers. All the 17 microsatellite markers used in the study revealed 100% polymorphism. The clustering analysis showed that Annur and Bedakam ecotypes were two separate and distinct populations compared to WCT. It was also evident from the clustering that Annur ecotype was closer to WCT than Bedakam ecotype.
Different population structures in northern and southern populations of the European blue tit (Parus caeruleus)

We sequenced the control region of the mitochondrial DNA from a sample of six European blue tit populations to investigate the phylogeography of Parus species. Along a transect from Barcelona, Spain to Oulu, Finland, the blue tit showed a different phylogeographic structure than the great tit and the willow tit. The southernmost sample from Barcelona consisted of two widely divergent maternal lineages (nucleotide divergence, π = 0.30%), a situation also found earlier in the French Alps. The more northern populations had a relatively uniform structure (π = 0.19%) with distinctive marks of a growing population, thus resembling the great tit populations (π = 0.19%). The amount of genetic variation among blue tits is lower than in the willow tit (π = 0.53%). This probably reflects a smaller long‐term effective population size in the great tit and the blue tit than in the willow tit. The different genetic structure of the Barcelona population vs. the rest had an influence on the estimated population parameters, which are calculated based on the assumptions of genetic equilibrium of the populations.
Barriers and Facilitators to the Adoption of Mobile Health Among Health Care Professionals From the United Kingdom: Discrete Choice Experiment

Background Despite the increasing availability of mobile health services, clinical engagement remains minimal. Objective This study aims to identify and weight barriers to and drivers of health app use among health care professionals (HCPs) from the United Kingdom. Methods A discrete choice experiment was conducted with 222 HCPs using a web-based survey between March 2019 and June 2019. Participants were recruited to take part via social media and asked to choose their preferred option of 2 hypothetical health apps to prescribe to a hypothetical patient or to prescribe neither. Choices were characterized by differing levels of patient age, cost, published evidence bases, whether they had a National Health Service (NHS) stamp of approval, personal familiarity with the technology, and whether they were recommended by a fellow HCP. The results were analyzed using a mixed logit model, with subgroup analyses to account for heterogeneity. Results We received 230 responses, a total of 96.5% (n=222/230) of respondents understood the survey task and passed the test of rationality. The median age was between 36 and 45 years, and 62.6% (n=139/222) of the health care providers responding to the survey had previously recommended the use of health apps to patients. Health apps were most likely to be prescribed to patients if they had an NHS stamp of approval or if they were recommended by another HCP (both P<.001). Published studies detailing clinical effectiveness were important (P<.001), but it would take five published studies to have the same impact on prescribing behavior as an NHS stamp of approval and two studies to be as convincing as having used the technology personally. Increasing patient age and costs resulted in significant reductions in digital health prescribing (P<.001), none more so than among allied health professionals. Willingness-to-pay for health apps increased by £124.61 (US $151.14) if an NHS stamp of approval was present and by £29.20 (US $35.42) for each published study. Overall, 8.1% (n=18/222) of respondents were reluctant to use health apps, always choosing the I would prescribe neither option, particularly among older HCPs, nurses, and those who do not use health apps personally. Subgroup analyses revealed significant differences in preferences among HCPs of differing ages and clinical backgrounds. Conclusions An NHS stamp of approval, published studies, and recommendations from fellow HCPs are significant facilitators of digital prescribing, whereas increasing costs and patient age are significant barriers to engagement. These findings suggest that demonstrating assurances of health apps and supporting both the dissemination and peer-to-peer recommendation of evidence-based technologies are critical if the NHS is to achieve its long-term digital transformation ambitions.
Differential taphonomy of modern brachiopods (San Juan Islands, Washington State): effect of intrinsic factors on damage and community-level abundance

The differences in shell structure and population turnover between organic-poor, impunctate (Hemithiris) and organic-rich, punctate brachiopod (Terebratalia) in a mixed-bottom, siliciclastic setting (San Juan Islands, WA) lead to different taphonomic damage and fidelity with respect to community-level abundance in death assemblages. In comparing shell interiors of similar-sized specimens, Terebratalia is predominantly affected by fibre detachment and shows almost no microbioerosion at the SEM scale; whereas, Hemithiris shows less marked fibre detachment at the SEM scale and is more intensely affected by microbioerosion both at SEM and light microscope (LM) scales. Fibre detachment related to rapid, microbially-induced organic matter decay appears to be the main destructive process acting on Terebratalia. Higher bioerosion levels in Hemithiris at SEM and LM scales are probably related to a combination of a low maceration rate and a preferential settlement by borers. From their vastly different abundances in life assemblages it can be deduced that Terebratalia produces dead shells at a much higher rate than Hemithiris. Therefore, the proportion of altered Terebratalia, relative to Hemithiris, is expected to be decreased due to its higher production of recently dead cohorts. That Terebratalia is also characterized by high damage levels shows that differential population turnover alone is not responsible for the differences in taphonomic damage. This shows that organic-rich and organic-poor shells are characterized by differential post-mortem durability. Although very few Hemithiris are present in the life assemblages, high durability ensures its relative over-representation in death assemblages. Terebratalia is not strongly under-represented in death assemblages, despite its high destruction rate, because of large production of recently dead shells. Even with the biasing effect of differential durability, the good fidelity reported in previous live-dead studies can be enhanced by higher population turnover of numerically dominant taxa, leading to constant input of recently dead shells into death assemblages.
CHEMORECEPTORS IN THE PREORAL CAVITY OF THE TOBACCO HORNWORM, MANDUCA SEXTA, AND THEIR POSSIBLE FUNCTION IN FEEDING BEHAVIOUR

Feeding preference tests showed that antenna‐ and maxillectomized larvae of the tobacco hornworm do not lose the ability to discriminate between a host plant (tomato) and a non‐host plant (canna). When the labrum was also removed, no difference in acceptability of the two plants could be found. This suggested that chemoreceptors existed on the labrum. Scanning electronmicroscope pictures of the epipharynx revealed one pair of possible chemoreceptive structures. Using electrophysiological methods, the gustatory function of these sensilla was established and some properties were studied. Activity of not more than three different sensory cells of each epipharyngeal sensillum was observed. One cell was found to be sensitive to various distasteful compounds. Saps of tomato and canna do not stimulate particular sensory cells; however, the behavioural responses towards these plants are totally different. It was suggested that these sense organs relay information on the chemical composition of the plants in certain patterns of activity. The feeding tests on different diets showed that maxillectomy reduced the feeding stimulant effect of sucrose, but not completely. No activity of a specific sugar receptor in the epipharyngeal sensilla was observed electrophysiologically. However, the response of two cells to salt was inhibited in the presence of sugar.
Disturbance‐related heterogeneity in the seed banks of a marine angiosperm

1 Patterns in the distribution of seeds of the marine angiosperm Halodule uninervis were described over spatial scales ranging from a few centimetres to meadows separated by more than 120 km along the north‐eastern coast of Queensland, Australia. Separate surveys examined how seed bank densities were related to: (i) the distribution of male and female plants (primary dispersal) and (ii) disturbances caused by turbulent water movement and the foraging of large marine vertebrates.
Environmental Situation and Yield Performance of the Sugar Beet Crop in Germany: Heading for Sustainable Development

The environmental situation and current yield performance of sugar beet production in Germany are described and compared to those in other European regions. A continuous increase in yield performance and enhanced technical quality have been achieved through progress in breeding and improvements in crop management systems. This rise in yield potential has been brought about not by increased production intensity, but by better use of natural resources and production factors. In Germany, legislation rules many environmental aspects of agricultural plant production, and special laws are in force concerning fertilizer use, soil protection, and pesticide use. In sugar beet, nitrogen fertilizer use has decreased greatly and may be reduced further in some regions. A further reduction of potassium and phosphorus fertilizer use does not seem to be appropriate. Conservation tillage contributes to soil protection and is already performed on > 100 000 ha of land growing sugar beet. Strategies of integrated production aim to reduce pesticide use to the bare minimum. Integrated pest management is effective to control insects, nematodes and leaf spot diseases. Pesticide use in sugar beet is dominated by herbicide application. The most promising strategy to reduce the amount of active ingredient seems to be the growing of genetically modified herbicide-tolerant varieties. Possible directions for future research are discussed, and the prospects for sustainable development, in terms of economic, ecological and social factors, are considered.