Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Barriers to the integration of palliative care in Ghana: evidence from a tertiary health facility

Background: Integration of palliative care (PC) in cancer management is critical to improving the overall quality of life of cancer patients and their families. Nevertheless, only a few people in need of PC services actually receive them. Objective: The study explored the barriers to the successful integration of PC in cancer management in Ghana. Design: The design was an exploratory descriptive qualitative research design. Methods: In all, we conducted 13 interviews with service providers (7), patients (4) and caregivers (2). An inductive thematic analysis was carried out. Data were managed using QSR NVivo 12. Results: Our study reveals the different levels of barriers that adversely affect the successful integration of PC and cancer management. Emerging from the findings are patient- and family-level barriers (denial of the primary diagnosis and understanding of PC and financial constraints), service provider–level barriers (healthcare providers’ misunderstanding of PC and late referrals), and institutional and policy-level barriers (infrastructural and logistical constraints, non-inclusion of PC in the National Health Insurance Scheme, low staff strength). Conclusion: We conclude that different levels of barriers are encountered in the integration of PC in cancer management. There is a need for policymakers to develop comprehensive guidelines and protocols for the integration of PC into cancer management. These guidelines should address the various levels of factors that serve as barriers to PC integration. The guidelines should also emphasise the importance of early referral for PC and educate service providers on the benefits of PC for patients with life-limiting illnesses. Our findings underscore a need to include PC services and medication in the benefits package of the health insurance scheme to reduce the financial burden on patients and their families. In addition, continuous professional training of all cadre of service providers is needed to facilitate PC integration.
The multi-reciprocal grid system

This paper investigates the different shapes that the Multi-Reciprocal Grid could have using regular and semi-regualr grids. The concept is to create forms using grids. The structure is generated by elements mutually supporting each other; it is the addition of elements that creates a 3-dimensional form. The new structure is demountable, transportable, and quick to reassemble. It could have various types of different geometry, simply or doubly curved, which gives almost an endless possibility of different architecture. As the elements support one another, their connections create a slope between each element, thus 2d grid will not stay flat. They will be curved in one or two direction. It depends on the degree of freedom of the node of the grid. The form of the structure depends on the grid chosen. The new structure may be particularly useful in emergency situations where rapid construction of shelters is needed. The structures could have only one type of element and one type of connection.
The 1992 detailed analyses of α Centauri A and α Centauri B

The α Cen system, with its accurate parallax and mass, is a basic reference system against which our knowledge of the stellar structure and evolution can best be tested, and for which a good age estimation ought to be possible. To meet these objectives, accurate values of the effective temperatures and metallicities are needed. We made a special effort to determine these parameters as precisely as possible by a detailed analysis of high quality spectra of the A and B components of this system. Our analysis results in effective temperatures T eff =5800 and 5325 K and iron abundances [Fe/H] * ⊙ =+0.22±0.02 and +0.26±0.04 for α Cen A and B respectively
Personal and Interpersonal Factors Moderate the Relation Between Human-Made Trauma and Hypertension: A Path Analysis Approach

ABSTRACT Background Although the link between trauma, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and hypertension is established, its underlying mechanisms remain underexplored. Objective This study tested a theoretical model exploring the moderating influence of psychological (emotion regulation) and interpersonal (social support) factors on the mediation between trauma and hypertension, through PTSD. Methods We measured these variables through self-reported questionnaire on 212 patients, recruited from internal medicine in a general hospital of Bukavu, a region affected by more than 25 years of armed conflicts. We first evaluated the PTSD mediation in the absence of moderators, before testing each moderator using moderated path analysis. Results Results showed that PTSD partially mediates the relationship between human-made trauma and hypertension, whereas social support and maladaptive emotion regulation moderate the relationship between human-made trauma and PTSD. Conclusions The relationship between human-made trauma, PTSD, and hypertension might be modulated by psychological and interpersonal factors, which paves the way for new interventions targeting emotion regulation and social support to reduce PTSD and hypertension in populations exposed to human-made violence.
Adjustable Trifunctional Mid-Infrared Metamaterial Absorber Based on Phase Transition Material VO2

In this paper, we demonstrate an adjustable trifunctional absorber that can achieve the conversion of broadband, narrowband and superimposed absorption based on the phase transition material vanadium dioxide (VO2) in the mid-infrared domain. The absorber can achieve the switching of multiple absorption modes by modulating the temperature to regulate the conductivity of VO2. When the VO2 film is adjusted to the metallic state, the absorber serves as a bidirectional perfect absorber with switching capability of wideband and narrowband absorption. The superposed absorptance can be generated while the VO2 layer is converted to the insulating state. Then, we introduced the impedance matching principle to explain the inner mechanism of the absorber. Our designed metamaterial system with a phase transition material is promising for sensing, radiation thermometer and switching devices.
Granger Causality Analysis of Transient Calcium Dynamics in the Honey Bee Antennal Lobe Network

Simple Summary In this work, we imaged the neuronal activity in the peripheral olfactory system of honey bees, the antennal lobes. Instead of the conventional analysis that focuses on the activity patterns in the network nodes, the glomeruli, we present a new approach that analyzes the causal connections between glomeruli. Our analysis shows that such links are present even in the absence of olfactory stimulation and that, upon exposure to an odor pulse, the connectivity increases and the structure of the connections becomes odorant-specific. This approach allows mapping the information flow that underlies the formation of odor-specific response maps in the antennal lobe. Abstract Odorant processing presents multiple parallels across animal species, and insects became relevant models for the study of olfactory coding because of the tractability of the underlying neural circuits. Within the insect brain, odorants are received by olfactory sensory neurons and processed by the antennal lobe network. Such a network comprises multiple nodes, named glomeruli, that receive sensory information and are interconnected by local interneurons participating in shaping the neural representation of an odorant. The study of functional connectivity between the nodes of a sensory network in vivo is a challenging task that requires simultaneous recording from multiple nodes at high temporal resolutions. Here, we followed the calcium dynamics of antennal lobe glomeruli and applied Granger causality analysis to assess the functional connectivity among network nodes in the presence and absence of an odorous stimulus. This approach revealed the existence of causal connectivity links between antennal lobe glomeruli in the absence of olfactory stimulation, while at odor arrival, the connectivity network’s density increased and became stimulus-specific. Thus, such an analytical approach may provide a new tool for the investigation of neural network plasticity in vivo.
Carbon Electrode Sensor for the Measurement of Cortisol with Fast-Scan Cyclic Voltammetry

Cortisol is a vital steroid hormone that has been known as the “stress hormone”, which is elevated during times of high stress and anxiety and has a significant impact on neurochemistry and brain health. The improved detection of cortisol is critically important as it will help further our understanding of stress during several physiological states. Several methods exist to detect cortisol; however, they suffer from low biocompatibility and spatiotemporal resolution, and they are relatively slow. In this study, we developed an assay to measure cortisol with carbon fiber microelectrodes (CFMEs) and fast-scan cyclic voltammetry (FSCV). FSCV is typically utilized to measure small molecule neurotransmitters by producing a readout cyclic voltammogram (CV) for the specific detection of biomolecules on a fast, subsecond timescale with biocompatible CFMEs. It has seen enhanced utility in measuring peptides and other larger compounds. We developed a waveform that scanned from −0.5 to −1.2 V at 400 V/s to electro-reduce cortisol at the surface of CFMEs. The sensitivity of cortisol was found to be 0.87 ± 0.055 nA/μM (n = 5) and was found to be adsorption controlled on the surface of CFMEs and stable over several hours. Cortisol was co-detected with several other biomolecules such as dopamine, and the waveform was fouling resistant to repeated injections of cortisol on the surface of the CFMEs. Furthermore, we also measured exogenously applied cortisol into simulated urine to demonstrate biocompatibility and potential use in vivo. The specific and biocompatible detection of cortisol with high spatiotemporal resolution will help further elucidate its biological significance and further understand its physiological importance and impact on brain health.
Natural Infection of Nyssorhynchus darlingi and Nyssorhynchus benarrochi B with Plasmodium during the Dry Season in the Understudied Low-Transmission Setting of Datem del Marañon Province, Amazonian Peru

ABSTRACT. The persistence of malaria hotspots in Datem del Marañon Province, Peru, prompted vector control units at the Ministry of Health, Loreto Department, to collaborate with the Amazonian International Center of Excellence for Malaria Research to identify the main vectors in several riverine villages that had annual parasite indices > 15 in 2018–2019. Anophelinae were collected indoors and outdoors for two 12-hour nights/community during the dry season in 2019 using human landing catch. We identified four species: Nyssorhynchus benarrochi B, Nyssorhynchus darlingi, Nyssorhynchus triannulatus, and Anopheles mattogrossensis. The most abundant, Ny. benarrochi B, accounted for 96.3% of the total (7,550/7,844), of which 61.5% were captured outdoors (4,641/7,550). Six mosquitoes, one Ny. benarrochi B and five Ny. darlingi, were infected by Plasmodium falciparum or Plasmodium vivax. Human biting rates ranged from 0.5 to 592.8 bites per person per hour for Ny. benarrochi B and from 0.5 to 32.0 for Ny. darlingi, with entomological inoculation rates as high as 0.50 infective bites per night for Ny. darlingi and 0.25 for Ny. benarrochi B. These data demonstrate the risk of malaria transmission by both species even during the dry season in villages in multiple watersheds in Datem del Marañon province.
Efficacy and nontarget effects of broadcast treatments to manage spotted lanternfly (Hemiptera: Fulgoridae) nymphs

Management to control the spotted lanternfly, Lycorma delicatula (White), would ideally achieve managers' goals while limiting impacts on nontarget organisms. In a large-scale field study with 45 plots at least 711 m2, we tested foliar applications of dinotefuran and 2 formulations of Beauveria bassiana (Balsamo) Vuillemin, each applied from the ground and separately by helicopter. Applications targeted early instar nymphs. For both application methods, a single treatment with dinotefuran significantly reduced L. delicatula numbers, as measured by catch on sticky bands (91% reduction by air and 84% reduction by ground 19 days after application) and by timed counts (89% reduction by air and 72% reduction by ground 17 days after application). None of the B. bassiana treatments significantly reduced L. delicatula numbers, even after 3 applications. Beauveria bassiana infection in field-collected nymphs ranged from 0.4% to 39.7%, with higher mortality and infection among nymphs collected from ground application plots. Beauveria bassiana conidia did not persist for long on foliage which probably contributed to low population reduction. Nontarget effects were not observed among arthropods captured in blue vane flight intercept traps, San Jose Scale pheromone sticky traps or pitfall traps, but power analysis revealed that small reductions of less than 40% may not be detected despite extensive sampling of 48,804 specimens. These results demonstrate that dinotefuran can markedly reduce local abundance of L. delicatula with little apparent effect on nontarget insects when applied shortly after hatch, and that aerial applications can match or exceed the effectiveness of applications from the ground.
Modelling the beam and circumsolar radiation under cloud-free conditions in desert environment

Routine measurements of the broadband direct normal irradiance (DNI), i.e. beam irradiance at normal incidence, by means of pyrheliometers or equivalent pyranometric systems include the irradiance originating from within the extent of the solar disc (DNIS) and that from a larger circumsolar region, called the circumsolar normal irradiance (CSNI). Such instruments have equivalent aperture half-angles between 2.5° and 5° which are one order of magnitude greater than the angular radius of the solar disc. The equivalent aperture half-angles of the concentrated solar powered systems are greater than the angular radius of the solar disc, but smaller than that of the measuring systems. Therefore, information on the CSNI should be provided for an improved assessment of the DNI. The objective of this PhD thesis is to contribute to an improved assessment of the beam and circumsolar radiation under cloud-free conditions in a desert environment. After selecting the aerosol optical properties of significance, the radiative transfer model libRadtran was used to model the CSNI and DNIS. A fast and simple parametric model which mimics the libRadtran values is proposed. This model uses standard measurements of the DNI and the diffuse horizontal irradiance as inputs to estimate the circumsolar ratio (CSR) for any aperture half-angle between 0.4° and 5°. The CSR is the ratio of the CSNI to the sum of the CSNI and the DNIS. Knowing the CSR and having the measured DNI, the CSNI and the DNIS can be computed.
Decrease in the Ratio proBDNF/BDNF in the Urine of Aging Female Patients with OAB

Imbalance in the levels of neurotrophins, growth factors crucial in the development, function, and survival of neurons is commonly observed in many pathological states. Concentrations of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and its precursor (proBDNF) were measured in the urine of a cohort of aging female patients with overactive bladder disease (OAB). When reported to creatinine, levels were similar between OAB patients and healthy controls. However, the ratio proBDNF/BDNF was significantly decreased in the OAB group. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis of the ratio proBDNF/BDNF displayed a good diagnostic value for OAB (AUC = 0.729). Clinical questionnaires of symptom severity (OABSS and IIQ-7) were negatively correlated with this ratio. On the other hand, microRNAs (miRNA) involved in proBDNF gene translation were expressed at comparable levels between groups. However, urinary enzymatic activity of matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9), the enzyme that cleaves proBDNF into BDNF, was increased in OAB compared to controls. Levels of miR-491-5p, the main miRNA that downregulates MMP-9 synthesis, were greatly decreased in urine from OAB patients. These results suggest that the ratio proBDNF/BDNF could be useful in the phenotyping of OAB in an aging population, and the difference could originate from enhanced MMP-9 enzymatic activity rather than translational control.
Proto-Entailment in RS logic

In this paper I propose a formalization of protoentailment relation introduced by V. Shalak by means of RS logic. The first section clarifies the idea and formal developments of RS logic, which is the logic of Rational Subject. In the second section I will very briefly introduce the conception of proto-entailment as it was promoted in Shalak’s writings. The third section contains the formal account for proto-entailment and axiotimatization of resulting logic.
Overexpression of the Capebp2 Gene Encoding the PEBP-like Protein Promotes the Cap Redifferentiation in Cyclocybe aegerita

Phosphatidylethanolamine-binding protein (PEBP) is widely involved in various physiological behaviors, such as the transition from vegetative growth to reproductive growth in plants, tumorigenesis in the human, etc. However, few functional studies have examined pebp genes affecting the development of fungi. In this study, Capebp2 was cloned from Cyclocybe aegerita AC0007 strains based on the genome sequence and gene prediction, and the sequence alignment of CaPEBP2 with other PEBP proteins from other biological sources including plant, animal, fungi, and bacteria indicated that PEBP had low sequence similarity in fungi, whereas all protein sequences had some conserved motifs such as DPDAP and HRY. Expression analysis showed the transcription level of Capebp2 increased approximately 20-fold in fruiting bodies compared with mycelia. To uncover the function of Capebp2 in C. aegetita development, Capebp2 was cloned into a pATH vector driven by the actin promoter for obtaining overexpression transformant lines. Fruiting experiments showed the transformed strains overexpressing Capebp2 exhibited redifferentiation of the cap on their surface, including intact fruiting bodies or partial lamella during fruiting development stage, and the longitudinal section indicated that all regenerated bodies or lamella sprouted from the flesh and shared the epidermis with the mother fruiting bodies. In summary, the sequence characterization of Capebp2, expression level during different development stages, and function on fruiting body development were documented in this study, and these findings provided a reference to study the role of pebp in the development process of basidiomycetes. Importantly, gene mining of pebp, function characterization, and the regulating pathways involved need to be uncovered in further studies.
Impact of mechanical stress on ferroelectricity in (Hf0.5Zr0.5)O2 thin films

To investigate the impact of mechanical stress on their ferroelectric properties, polycrystalline (Hf0.5Zr0.5)O2 thin films were deposited on (111)Pt-coated SiO2, Si, and CaF2 substrates with thermal expansion coefficients of 0.47, 4.5, and 22 × 10−6/ °C, respectively. In-plane X-ray diffraction measurements revealed that the (Hf0.5Zr0.5)O2 thin films deposited on SiO2 and Si substrates were under in-plane tensile strain and that their volume fraction of monoclinic phase decreased as this strain increased. In contrast, films deposited on CaF2 substrates were under in-plane compressive strain, and their volume fraction of monoclinic phase was the largest among the three kinds of substrates. The maximum remanent polarization of 9.3 μC/cm2 was observed for Pt/(Hf0.5Zr0.5)O2/Pt/TiO2/SiO2, while ferroelectricity was barely observable for Pt/(Hf0.5Zr0.5)O2/Pt/TiO2/SiO2/CaF2. This result suggests that the in-plane tensile strain effectively enhanced the ferroelectricity of the (Hf0.5Zr0.5)O2 thin films.
Regulation of LRRK2 mRNA stability by ATIC and its substrate AICAR through ARE‐mediated mRNA decay in Parkinson's disease

Mutations in LRRK2 are the most common genetic causes of Parkinson's disease (PD). While the enzymatic activity of LRRK2 has been linked to PD, previous work has also provided support for an important role of elevated LRRK2 protein levels, independent of enzymatic activity, in PD pathogenesis. However, the mechanisms underlying the regulation of LRRK2 protein levels remain unclear. Here, we identify a role for the purine biosynthesis pathway enzyme ATIC in the regulation of LRRK2 levels and toxicity. AICAr, the precursor of ATIC substrate, regulates LRRK2 levels in a cell‐type‐specific manner in vitro and in mouse tissue. AICAr regulates LRRK2 levels through AUF1‐mediated mRNA decay. Upon AICAr treatment, the RNA binding protein AUF1 is recruited to the AU‐rich elements (ARE) of LRRK2 mRNA leading to the recruitment of the decapping enzyme complex DCP1/2 and decay of LRRK2 mRNA. AICAr suppresses LRRK2 expression and rescues LRRK2‐induced dopaminergic neurodegeneration and neuroinflammation in PD Drosophila and mouse models. Together, this study provides insight into a novel regulatory mechanism of LRRK2 protein levels and function via LRRK2 mRNA decay that is distinct from LRRK2 enzymatic functions.
Phase Transitions in Engineered Ultracold Quantum Systems

Title of dissertation: PHASE TRANSITIONS IN ENGINEERED ULTRACOLD QUANTUM SYSTEMS Ryan M. Price, Doctor of Philosophy, 2016 Dissertation directed by: Dr. Ian Spielman Department of Physics The study of quantum degenerate gases has many applications in topics such as condensed matter dynamics, precision measurements and quantum phase transitions. We built an apparatus to create 87Rb Bose-Einstein condensates (BECs) and generated, via optical and magnetic interactions, novel quantum systems in which we studied the contained phase transitions. For our first experiment we quenched multi-spin component BECs from a miscible to dynamically unstable immiscible state. The transition rapidly drives any spin fluctuations with a coherent growth process driving the formation of numerous spin polarized domains. At much longer times these domains coarsen as the system approaches equilibrium. For our second experiment we explored the magnetic phases present in a spin-1 spin-orbit coupled BEC and the contained quantum phase transitions. We observed ferromagnetic and unpolarized phases which are stabilized by the spin-orbit couplings explicit locking between spin and motion. These two phases are separated by a critical curve containing both first-order and second-order transitions joined at a critical point. The narrow first-order transition gives rise to long-lived metastable states. For our third experiment we prepared independent BECs in a double-well potential, with an artificial magnetic field between the BECs. We transitioned to a single BEC by lowering the barrier while expanding the region of artificial field to cover the resulting single BEC. We compared the vortex distribution nucleated via conventional dynamics to those produced by our procedure, showing our dynamical process populates vortices much more rapidly and in larger number than conventional nucleation. PHASE TRANSITIONS IN ENGINEERED ULTRACOLD QUANTUM SYSTEMS
An output feedback tracking controller for systems diffeomorphic to the non-linear observer form

An output feedback tracking controller is proposed for single-input, single-output non-linear systems that are diffeomorphic to the non-linear observer form. Difficulty in obtaining the output injection terms of the non-linear observer form is solved by a numerical technique and the interpolation method using the radial basis function (RBF) network. The trained RBF networks approximate output injection terms in a compact interval and are utilized for building a non-linear observer. In constructing the output tracking controller the backstepping control method is adopted based on the state estimates.