Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Detection of virulence factors and antifungal resistant patterns of Candida species isolated from women with urinary tract infections

The incidence of Candida species has increased among females of child bearing age over the years. There has also been an increase in the resistance of these Candida species to the antifungal drugs used to treat them. This study is aimed at detecting the prevalence of Candida species among patients with urinary tract infections (UTI) attending gynecological unit of Ekiti State University Teaching Hospital, Ado-Ekiti, Nigeria. The distribution of pathogenic factors and the antifungal resistance pattern of the isolates were also determined. A total of 61 subjects of different ages and socioeconomic status attending the health facility were enrolled in this study. Samples of high vaginal swab (HVS) were collected from each of the participant and screened. A total of 36 candidal isolates were recovered from the samples out of which 11 (30.5%) were predominantly Candida albican, 5 (13.9%) Candida krusei, 4 (11.1%) Candida glabrata, 2 (5.6%) Candida tropicalis and 14 (38.9%) were not identified beyond the genus level. Ten (27.8%) of the isolates were not able to produce biofilm. Out of those that produce biofilm 17 (47.2%) produced weak biofilm, 5 (8.2%) produced moderate biofilm, while 4 (11.1%) produced strong biofilm. Spectrophotometer was used to quantify those that produce biofilm 9 (25%) produced moderate biofilm while 16 (44.4%) produced strong biofilm. The isolates were subjected to various pathogenicity tests which include haemolysis, catalase, phospholipase and hydrolysis. This test shows that Candida species has the highest percentage to the entire test while none of C. glabrata produced haemolysin and phospholipase. Antifungal assay was then carried out on the entire organisms showed Candida albicans to have low resistance to the azoles drugs while the non-albican Candida shows higher resistance to it. Extremely high prevalence of Candida albicans and Candida species were documented in this study. These findings should be taken into account in further research concerning presence of Candida among patient with sexually transmitted disease in Nigeria.
Morphology and Size of Ion Induced Carbon Nanofibers: Effect of Ion Incidence Angle, Sputtering Rate, and Temperature

Graphite surfaces were bombarded with oblique Ar+ ions at 1 keV to induce the carbon nanofiber (CNF) growth at room temperature and at high temperature (300 °C), and their dependence of length, diameter and number density on ion-incidence angle and sputtering rate was investigated in detail. The sputtered surface ion-irradiated at normal incidence produced huge cones and rod-like structures. It was found that some of the cones possessed the non-aligned thick carbon fibers on the top. By contrast, obliquely ion-irradiation induced the formation of densely distributed CNF-tipped cones. The higher ion-incidence angle produced CNF of smaller diameter and high fabrication temperature favors the formation of longer fiber with higher numerical density. In addition, the number density of the CNF-tipped cones strongly depended upon the ion-incidence angle rather than the sputtering rate. Thus, the diameter, length and number density of CNFs were strongly dependent upon the ion-irradiation parameters. It is believed that myriad of applications is possible with ion-induced CNFs by selecting the suitable ion-irradiation parameters.
Comprehensive analysis of immune cell infiltration and role of MSR1 expression in aneurysmal subarachnoid haemorrhage

Aneurysmal subarachnoid haemorrhage (aSAH), resulting from the rupture of intracranial aneurysms, can yield high mortality and disability. This study aimed to explore the immune infiltration of aneurysmal tissues and investigate a novel mechanism underlying aSAH. We downloaded datasets containing expression profiles of aneurysmal and normal arterial tissues from the online database. Then a comprehensive bioinformatic strategy was conducted to select the biomarkers of aneurysmal tissues. Two calculation algorithms were performed to identify the unique immune characteristics between aneurysmal tissues and normal arteries. Double immunofluorescence staining was used to investigate the role of pathway‐related proteins in the inflammatory process after aSAH. Six microarray datasets were integrated, and another RNA‐sequencing dataset was used as the validation dataset. Functional enrichment analysis of the differentially expressed genes indicated that immune‐related processes were closely related to the progression of aSAH. We then performed immune microenvironment infiltration analysis, and the results suggested macrophages were abnormally enriched in aneurysmal tissues. Core gene MSR1 was filtered through a comprehensive bioinformatic strategy. Our analysis suggested that MSR1 might be associated with macrophage activation and migration. Our study elucidated the impact of macrophage and MSR1 on aSAH progression. These findings were helpful in gaining insight into the immune heterogeneity of aneurysmal tissues and normal arteries, and in identifying patients who might benefit from immunotherapy.
Long-Wavelength Absorption by Fractal Dust Grains

The far-infrared and submillimeter absorption properties of random aggregates of conducting spheres have been studied as a possible source for the long-wavelength absorption of interstellar dust grains. The complex shapes of random aggregates have various fractal dimensions, depending on the process that forms them. The long wavelength absorption versus frequency is affected more by the shape of a conducting grain than by its composition. 16 references.
A Review of Facial Expression Recognition

With the development of deep learning, deep learning is becoming more and more common for facial recognition. We summarize some widely used public data sets for facial expression recognition; The basic flow of facial expression recognition is briefly introduced. This paper mainly analyzes some existing deep learning methods, especially deep convolutional neural network. The structure analysis and performance comparison of four classical convolutional neural networks (AlexNet, GoogleNet, VGGNet and ResNet) are carried out. Finally, the present research on expression recognition is summarized and prospected.
Needs Assessment in Parents of Children Affected by Cancer: A Qualitative Perspective

Background: Childhood cancer is a “stressful experience” for parents in their role as caregivers. The aim of this study is to analyze the needs of a group of parents who have children diagnosed with cancer. The assessment looks at all areas of their daily life using a qualitative content analysis approach. Methods: This study uses open questions designed to investigate the main problems faced by the parents of children with cancer. All the answers were analyzed using MAXQDA 20 software. The study was conducted according to the Consolidated Criteria for Reporting Qualitative Research (COREQ). Results: The content analysis of the answers from 13 mothers and 7 fathers is presented. The main themes as priority areas of need were: “informal social support”, “coping”, “stressors/imbalances” and “health problems”. Dissatisfaction with the support provided from the informal network was detected. Although the participants expressed active coping, they also exhibited helplessness, as well as concerns regarding possible sequelae and the impact of this situation on the family’s economic/work context. Conciliation problems were a source of stress. All this is consistent with the participants suffering from a variety of health issues. Conclusions: the results show the effect of childhood cancer on different aspects of family life. They provide essential information for designing psychosocial interventions.
Perceived Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Adults with Intellectual and Developmental Disability: A Qualitative Study

The current study examined the impact that the COVID-19 pandemic and resulting restrictions have had on individuals with intellectual and developmental disability. Semi-structured focus groups were conducted to collect data from participants who attended day programming by local community agency. Results indicate that the COVID-19 pandemic and its safety restrictions impacted participants’ knowledge of the disease, programming and work, relationships, activities, and emotions in ways that were both similar to and different from other findings in other populations. Implications of these findings for research and practice are discussed.
A data-adaptive hybrid method for dimension reduction

To gain the advantages of different inverse regression methods, the convex combination can be useful for estimating the central subspace. To select an appropriate combination coefficient in the hybrid method, we propose in this paper a data-adaptive hybrid method using the trace of kernel matrices. For ease of illustration, we consider particularly the combination of inverse regressions using the conditional mean and the conditional variance, both of which are separately powerful in estimating different models. Because the efficacy of the slicing estimation may deteriorate when it is used to estimate the conditional variance, we use the kernel smoother instead. The asymptotic normality at the root-n rate is achieved even with the data-driven combination weight. Illustrative examples by simulations and an application to horse mussel data is presented to demonstrate the necessity of the hybrid models and the efficacy of our kernel estimation.
Micromechanics Modeling of Bi-Axial Stretching Effects on the Electrical Conductivity of CNT-Polymer Composites

In this paper, the bi-axial stretching effects on the electrical conductivity of carbon nanotube (CNT)-polymer composites are studied by a mixed micromechanics model with the consideration of the electrical conductive mechanisms. The bi-axial stretching effects are characterized by volume expansion of composite, re-orientation of CNTs and change of conductive networks. Simulation results demonstrate that the bi-axial stretching decreases the electrical conductivity of the composites due to the dominant role of the stretching-induced change in conductive networks, i.e., the increase in the percolation threshold, the separation distance among CNTs and the breakdown of the networks. It is also found that the bi-axial stretching enhances the decreasing rate of the electrical conductivity and increases the distribution randomness of the CNTs in the bi-axial stretching plane, as compared to a uni-axial stretching case. Furthermore, the dependency of the variation of electrical conductivity on the CNT concentration and sizes is also investigated. Possible reasons for the variation trends are interpreted. The study in this paper is expected to provide an increased understanding on the stretching effects upon the electrical conductivity of CNT-polymer composites.
Low-luminosity accretion onto magnetized neutron stars

The behavior of matter accreting at low rates (M is less than 10 to the 16th g/s) onto the polar caps of a highly magnetized (B = 10 to the 12th G) neutron star is investigated. Flow solutions are found for the case in which the matter undergoes a stationary collisionless shock. It is found that the cyclotron emission is the dominant energy loss mechanism and can yield continuum spectra resembling those observed from X-ray pulsars. A number of relations among the accretion rate, the surface magnetic field, the shock height, and the characteristic electron and ion temperatures are obtained. For magnetic fields greater than 10 to the 12th G, typical values of KTe are several times the cyclotron energy at the surface of the neutron star. When the field drops below 10 to the 12th G, the electrons become very hot and emit gamma-rays.
Voltage-tunable terahertz and infrared photodetectors based on double-graphene-layer structures

We propose and theoretically substantiate the concept of terahertz and infrared photodetectors using the resonant radiative transitions between graphene layers (GLs) in double-GL structures. The calculated absorption spectrum and the spectral characteristics of the photodetector responsivity exhibit sharp resonant maxima at the photon energies in a wide range. The resonant maxima can be tuned by the applied voltage. We compare the photodetector responsivity with that of the GL p-i-n photodiodes and quantum-well infrared photodetectors. Weak temperature dependences of the photocurrent and dark current enable the effective operation of the proposed photodetector at room temperature.
Time resolved four-wave mixing technique to measure the ultrafast coherent dynamics in semiconductor optical amplifiers

A femtosecond four‐wave mixing technique is used to measure the ultrafast coherent dynamics of the optical polarization in semiconductor optical amplifiers. A heterodyne detection scheme enables us to measure a background‐free quasi‐degenerate four‐wave mixing signal even without spatial separation of the pump and probe beam. First results indicate that the polarization dephasing time close to the transparency point is on the order of 100 fs.
Geometrical approach to local gauge and superguage invariance: Local guage theories and supersymmetric strings

A geometrical analysis of local gauge invariance is presented. By extending the four directions in space-time which can define a light cone to an enlarged symmetry groups are explored. Three applications are considered: (1) Local gauge theories in flat or curved space-time are derived from a scalar action in superspace. As a result, the theory has an extra dimensional parameter. (2) Born-Infeld electrodynamics and its non-Abelian counterpart are extended to curved space-time. This suggests a new set of gravitational field equations. (3) The formalism is extended to the case in which the connection forms anticommute, and a supersymmetric string models are constructed, which give action-principle formulations of the known dual models involving fermions and suggest possibilities for constructing new models. Applications to gravitation and local supersymmetry are pointed out. (AIP)
Bayesian Genetic Colocalization Test of Two Traits Using coloc

Genetic colocalization is an approach for determining whether a genetic variant at a particular locus is shared across multiple phenotypes. Genome‐wide association studies (GWAS) have successfully mapped genetic variants associated with thousands of complex traits and diseases. However, a large proportion of GWAS signals fall in non‐coding regions of the genome, making functional interpretation a challenge. Colocalization relies on a Bayesian framework that can integrate summary statistics, for example those derived from GWAS and expression quantitative trait loci (eQTL) mapping, to assess whether two or more independent association signals at a region of interest are consistent with a shared causal variant. The results from a colocalization analysis may be used to evaluate putative causal relationships between omics‐based molecular measurements and a complex disease, and can generate hypotheses that may be followed up by tailored experiments. In this article, we present an easy and straightforward protocol for conducting a Bayesian test for colocalization of two traits using the ‘coloc’ package in R with summary‐level results derived from GWAS and eQTL studies. We also provide general guidelines that can assist in the interpretation of findings generated from colocalization analyses. © 2022 Wiley Periodicals LLC.
Polarization coherence tomography

In this paper we introduce a new radar‐imaging technique, called polarization coherence tomography (PCT), which employs variation of the interferometric coherence with polarization to reconstruct a vertical profile function in penetrable volume scattering. We first show how this profile function can be efficiently represented as a Fourier‐Legendre series, with tomographic reconstruction reducing to estimation of the unknown coefficients of this series from coherence data. We then show that we can linearize this inversion by using a priori knowledge of two parameters, namely, volume depth and topographic phase. We further propose a new algorithm based on polarimetric interferometry to estimate these two from the data itself. To assess stability, we investigate both the single‐ and dual‐baseline conditioning of the associated matrix inversion and then concentrate on the single‐baseline case to demonstrate that for sufficient multilooking (around 50), stable retrievals of profiles can be obtained in the presence of coherence noise. Finally, we apply the technique to simulated L band coherent radar data to demonstrate its potential for new applications in radar remote sensing.
Combination of Laplace transform and residual power series techniques of special fractional-order non-linear partial differential equations

This paper investigates fractional-order partial differential equations analytically by applying a modified technique called the Laplace residual power series method. The analytical solution was utilized to test the accuracy and precision of the proposed methodologies and shown by tables and graphs. The solution is a convergent series established on Taylor's new form. When determining the series coefficients like RPSM, the fractional derivatives must be calculated every time. We only need to perform a few computations to obtain the coefficients because LRPSM only requires the concept of an infinite limit. The advantage of this method is that it does not require Adomian polynomials or he's polynomials to solve nonlinear problems. As a result, the method's reduced computation size is a strength. The outcome we got supports the idea that the suggested method is the best one for handling any non-linear models that appear in technology and science.
Investigating the relationship among seasonality, socioeconomic risk factors and suicides in Greece.

Globally, there has been growing evidence pointing to a relationship among suicides, seasonality and socioeconomic factors. This study aims at investigating the seasonal suicide patterns, the effect of gender on these patterns, the trend of these patterns and whether the suicides are associated with economic and social risk factors. The objects of the current study have been the seasonal suicide patterns in Greece during 1980-2018 (39 years), as well as their interrelation with a variety of socioeconomic risk factors, however for a shorter period (21 years) due to unavailability of aggregated data provided by the Hellenic Statistical Authority (ELSTAT). The Walter-Elwood test was applied in order to investigate seasonality. Poisson regression models were applied to investigate the relationship amongst seasonality, socioeconomic risk factors and monthly suicides. The best variable subset was selected according to the leaps and bounds algorithm. A total of 15,692 suicides were recorded. In the total sample, as well as, in men, a peak was documented in May - June, whereas females mostly peaked in July. Among the risk factors under investigation, an increase in marriage rates appeared to have significantly lowered the number of suicides, while a rise in unemployment rates exhibited a statistically non-significant increase in suicides. The findings of the study suggest distinct sex-oriented seasonal patterns and a protective effect of marriage.
Risk Factors for First and Recurrent Fractures among Kidney Transplant Recipients

Introduction: Kidney transplantation is associated with increased risk of bone fracture. Current literature reports widely variable fracture burden and contains limited data on risk factors for recurrent fractures. Methods: The incidence of all and major osteoporotic fractures (hip, forearm, thoracolumbar, and proximal humerus) were assessed. The risk factors for first and recurrent fractures among 1285 Canadian kidney transplant recipients transplanted between January 1, 2004, and December 31, 2013 were also identified. Results: The 10-year cumulative incidence of all fractures and major osteoporotic fractures in this population was 27.1% (95% CI: 22.5, 32.4) and 17.8% (95% CI: 13.4, 23.5), respectively. On multivariable analysis, female sex (HR = 1.64 [95% CI: 1.20, 2.26]), history of fracture (HR = 1.54 [95% CI: 1.12, 2.11]), and pretransplant diabetes (HR = 1.85 [95% CI: 1.29, 2.65]) were recipient factors found to increase the risk for any first fracture posttransplant. These risk factors persist in analysis with the time origin 3-months posttransplant, where transplant age (HR = 1.01 [95% CI: 1.00, 1.03]) and increased time on pretransplant dialysis (HR = 1.06 [95% CI: 1.00, 1.12]) also emerge as risk factors for first fracture. On multivariable shared frailty model analysis, increased risk of recurrent fractures was associated with recipient female sex (HR = 1.74 [95% CI: 1.21, 2.51]) and history of diabetes (HR = 1.76 [95% CI: 1.17, 2.66]). Discussion: The results suggested that some risk factors for first fracture may not inform risk of recurrent fractures. As such, fracture risk should be assessed accordingly to optimize long-term care and implement preventive measures.
Canonical Resonant Four-Wave-Mixing in Photonic Crystal Cavities: Tuning, Tolerances and Scaling

We refer to Canonical Resonant Four-Wave-Mixing when only four (three in the degenerate case) modes of the cavity are able to interact through this parametric process; thereby inhibiting competing parametric processes. This condition is achieved in the recently introduced photonic crystal parametric oscillator, Marty et al. Nat. Photonics, <underline>15</underline>, 53 (2021). Here, we discuss extensively the properties of this parametric source and compare the design with other geometries of photonic crystal resonators. Based on a statistical study over more than 100 resonators and 10 parametric oscillators, robustness against fabrication tolerances is assessed, performances are evaluated in terms of average values and their dispersion, and the dependence on the main parameters is shown to follow the theoretical scaling. The lowest pump power at threshold is <inline-formula><tex-math notation="LaTeX">$\approx$</tex-math></inline-formula>40 <inline-formula><tex-math notation="LaTeX">$\mu$</tex-math></inline-formula>W and we show the existence of a minimum value of the cavity photon lifetime as a condition for parametric oscillation, which is related to three photon absorption.
Hydrodynamic coupling in diffusion of quasi–one-dimensional Brownian particles

We report a study of the diffusion of weakly interacting colloidal spheres in a one-dimensional groove using digital video microscopy. At a time much shorter than the direct interaction time, τI, the spheres diffuse according to Fick's law. The packing fraction dependence of the short-time diffusion coefficient is much stronger than in unbound bulk fluids, indicative of an enhanced hydrodynamic coupling between particles in a groove. At a later time (but still shorter than τI) a subdiffusion (⟨Δx2(τ)⟩ ∝ τγ, where γ < 1) evolves, suggesting that the hydrodynamic coupling induces the subdiffusion. Correlated motion of spheres is identified both in the trajectories of the spheres and in the magnitude of the velocity pair-correlation.