Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Addressing the challenges of recurrent Tuberculosis in Malawi

Background Each year, approximately 10% of people diagnosed with tuberculosis (TB) globally have previously received TB treatment, and are prescribed a standardised WHO ‘Category II regimen’ which includes daily intramuscular injections of streptomycin. Treatment success rates on this re-treatment regimen are low, yet reasons for poor outcomes are not well understood. Currently data are lacking about appropriate ways to deliver long term injectable agents used as part of TB treatment. Methods The study was conducted in Malawi, a small country in South-Eastern Africa with a high TB burden and a generalised HIV epidemic. A cohort study prospectively recruited adult patients receiving retreatment regimen. Patients were assessed at baseline, 2 and 8 months. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to determine associations between clinical outcome and microbiologically confirmed TB, drug resistance, clinical features at presentation and medical co-morbidities. A pragmatic, individually randomised trial assessed hospital versus community-based care during the intensive phase of TB retreatment. In the community arm guardians were trained to deliver intramuscular injections of streptomycin at home. An economic evaluation was conducted from a societal perspective; and a qualitative evaluation involved in depth interviews with trial participants, key informant interviews, and observations. Results In the cohort study, the prevalence of drug resistance was 9.6%. The prevalence of co-morbidity was high (HIV 82.9%; antiretroviral therapy failure 37.5%; severe anaemia 22.2%; chronic lung disease 88.2%; renal impairment 33.8%). Ototoxicity developed in 35.9% and nephrotoxicity in 14.6%. In multivariate analysis, successful outcome was associated only with hypotension at presentation, but not microbiologically confirmed TB, drug resistance or other co-morbidities. In the trial, 93.2% of patients who received community-based care successfully completed 2 months treatment, compared to 96.0% managed in hospital (RD -0.03; 95%CI -0.09 - 0.03). The mean cost of hospital-based care was US$ 1546 per person, compared to US$ 729.2 in the community. Community-based management reduced risk of catastrophic household costs by 84%. Qualitative data demonstrated social and financial benefits of community-based care. Conclusions This cohort study demonstrated a low prevalence of drug resistant TB but a high burden of medical co-morbidity in patients with recurrent TB in Malawi. Co-morbidity is likely to be contributing to poor outcomes on TB retreatment regimen. A novel community-based model of delivering injectable anti-TB drugs by training guardians to do injections at home is shown to be feasible, acceptable and highly cost effective.
Feedback based Adaptive matching algorithm for cancellable fingerprint templates

: The Cancellable fingerprint generation techniques extract features from the fingerprint, obtain a user key input from the user and transform the features to a non-invertible domain using the user key input and store the transformed features as templates. Non-invertible transformations are many to one transformation which means that distinct biometric feature sets could be transformed in to similar feature sets because of transformation by user key input. The matching algorithms generally match between enrolled and query bit strings and generate a score based on how different the two bit strings are to each other, like hamming distance. This simple approach to matching works well when both bit strings contain raw biometric features such as minutiae locations and angles. But matching cancellable templates using such bit string matching algorithms would not be successful because they don’t take into account the many to one transformations caused by the user key. Specifically, the ability of the matching algorithm to separate between genuine and imposter diminishes and Equal Error Rate increases. A novel feedback based adaptive matching algorithm that matches features instead of bit-strings is presented in this paper. The proposed algorithm matches features in the cancellable templates that are generated by Delaunay triangulations. The algorithm includes a feedback based parameter which enables the matching algorithm to maximize separability and minimize EER by adapting itself to the templates in the population which is demonstrated by applying the algorithm on public database. The separability thus obtained is higher than other such algorithms and EER is comparable with other such algorithms.
THE EFFECT OF GOVERNMENT EXPENDITURE ON INCOME INEQUALITY AND POVERTY IN INDONESIA

Income inequality and poverty have become key issues in development studies since the 1970s. Although theoretically there are various factors associated with the incidence of poverty and income inequality, choices regarding the types and structure of government expenditure are often quoted as one of the crucial determinants. However, the evidence is still inconclusive, and the research about these issues in the case of Indonesia is still minimum. This paper tries to contribute to the discussion by analysing a panel data set of 33 provinces from 2005 to 2017 to examine the effect of different types of government expenditure on income inequality and poverty in Indonesia. Using the fixed effect, random effect, and Seemingly Unrelated Regression (SURE) system, this paper finds that social aid, subsidy and grant expenditure have an insignificant effect on reducing income inequality and poverty in Indonesia. However, the empirical evidence suggests that infrastructure spending has a negative correlation with income inequality in urban areas (when using the random effect model), and rural areas (when using the fixed effect model). In addition, infrastructure expenditure is also negatively and significantly correlated with poverty in Indonesia, and the impact is more significant in rural than urban areas.
PNPLA3 and GCKR Gene Polymorphisms influence genetic Susceptibility to NAFLD in Obese Egyptians

Environmental and genetic factors have a crucial role in the development and progression of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). The aim of the present study is to investigate the association between single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) rs738409 in PNPLA3 gene and rs1260326 in GCKR gene and the development of NAFLD in obese Egyptian population. Forty obese subjects (20 with NAFLD and 20 without NAFLD) and 20 control subjects were enrolled in this study. All subjects were genotyped for (rs738409) PNPLA3 and (rs1260326) GCKR gene polymorphisms using the TaqMan assay. Results revealed that the homozygous mutant GG genotype of the PNPLA3 was the most frequent among patients with NAFLD (15%) as compared to controls (0%) (p=0.036). Regarding the GCKR rs1260326; the homozygous mutant TT genotype was most frequent among patients with NAFLD (40%) as compared to controls (20%) with trend significance (p=0.083) and as compared to obese non-FL group (10%) (p=0.014). The frequency of the T allele was found to be significantly higher in NAFLD patients (62.5%) compared to obese non-FL group (42.5%) (p=0.037). In conclusion our study confirmed the association between PNPLA3 (rs738409) and GCKR (rs1260326) polymorphisms and susceptibility to NAFLD.
Relationship between Parenting Styles and Drug Abuse as a Maladaptive Behaviour among Senior Secondary School Students in Zone ‘C’ Geo-Political Area of Benue State: Implications for Counseling

The study investigated the relationship between parenting styles and drug abuse as a maladaptive behaviour among Senior Secondary Students in zone C geo-political area of Benue State. The survey research design was used for the study. The total population of the study consisted of 12,512 students. A sample of 400 students was drawn for the study using Krejecie and Morgan’s (1970) table for determining sample size. The instrument used to collect data was a structured questionnaire titled: ‘Parenting Maladaptive Behaviour Investigation Scale’ (PMBIS). Three research questions were raised and three hypotheses were formulated to guide the study. The research questions were answered using mean and standard deviations while the hypotheses were tested at P ≤ . 05 level of significance using the Pearson Product Moment Correlation. The results of this study revealed that parenting styles result to maladaptive behaviour inform of drug abuse, hence the call for instructional and moral counseling in schools and homes.Based on the finding of the study, it was recommended that,Parenting styles irrespective of the type should be geared towards molding the wholesome individual that will benefit the individual and society at large. Consistent awareness should be created at all times to curb maladaptive behaviour such as drug abuse, aggression etc. by counselors especially among secondary school students within and outside the area under study. Anti-drug awareness programmesshould be adopted in schools in Benue State and zone c in particular.
Methodological aspects in using Pearson coefficient in analyzing social and economical phenomena

The authors illustrate in this paper a series of methodological aspects generated by the use of Pearson correlation coefficient in analyzing social and economical phenomena. Pearson correlation coefficient is largely used in economics and social sciences; however, the diversified nature and subtle nuances of this concept raises significant methodological issues. This article deals with aspects concerning the factors that impact on the size and interpretation of Pearson correlation coefficient, as well as special cases of this coefficient.
Enhancement of Chemokine mRNA Expression by Toll-Like Receptor 2 Stimulation in Human Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells of Patients with Atopic Dermatitis

Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a chronic inflammatory skin disease which is often associated with Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) colonization. S. aureus ingredients are potential ligands to activate the Toll-like receptor 2 (TLR2) and drive inflammatory cytokine or chemokine production. However, the role of TLR2-mediated chemokine expression in AD development has not been systematically investigated. In this study, we sought to determine the mode of TLR2-mediated chemokine expression in AD patients. Human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were isolated from AD patients and healthy controls. Upon incubation with TLR2 ligands Pam3CSK4 and PGN, mRNA expression of chemokines, including CCL1, CCL5, CCL8, CCL13, CCL17, CCL18, CCL22, and CCL27, were determined by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) analysis. The results showed that basal mRNA expression of CCL17 in PBMCs from AD patients was upregulated compared with healthy controls, while those of CCL8 and CCL13 were downregulated. When stimulated with TLR2 ligands, the mRNA expression of CCL5, CCL8, CCL13, CCL18, and CCL22 in PBMCs from AD patients was significantly higher than those from healthy controls. The different basal chemokine mRNA expression profiles indicate the different immune status in patients with AD compared with healthy controls. Excessive chemokine mRNA expression induced by TLR2 activation is associated with the development of AD.
DYNAMIC CUR, AN ALTERNATIVE TO VARIABLE SELECTION IN CUR DECOMPOSITION

CUR decomposition is one of the matrix decomposition techniques proposed in the literature for the selection of rows and/or columns of a data matrix. Dynamic CUR is proposed as an alternative to the selection criteria of the CUR decomposition based on probabilistic criteria. This alternative tries to fit the most adequate theoretical probability distribution to the empirical distribution of the leverages obtained from the start and based on it, automatically determines not only the individuals and/or variables that need to be selected, but also their numbers. In this way, Dynamic CUR sets itself apart from CUR in the information selection criteria, dynamizing the calculation of the approximation error starting from an optimal initial selection of parameters based on the most adequate probability distribution. Lastly, with the purpose of facilitating the use of this new method in any practical context, the Dynamic CUR algorithm has been developed in C#. NET and R languages. KEYWORDS: Multivariate analysis, Principal component analysis, CUR decomposition, Correlation, Singular Value Decomposition. MSC: 62E17, 62G30, 49M27
THE IMPACT OF HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT PRACTICES ON ORGANIZATIONAL PERFORMANCE CASE STUDY: MANUFACTURING ENTERPRISES IN KOSOVO

The purpose of this study is to examine the impact of human resource management practices on organizational performance. In this study a total of 100 managers of manufacturing firms in Kosovo from public and private sectors have responded to the survey. The survey questionnaire had contained 39 items covering selected HRM practices and organizational performance. Our empirical results show that managers of manufacturing firms in Kosovo recognize the importance of employees in their organization and apply practices to manage them effectively. The outcome of correlation analysis provides evidence that HRM practices positively and significantly influence organizational performance. Recruitment and selection practices show the strongest positive association with organizational performance (rho = 0.905) compared to other practices. Regarding to our findings we suggest that with a good recruiting and selection, the organization will fill with a group of potentially qualified candidates. Also, companies should continuously train and develop and involve their employees as they are viewed as the most important resources source of competitive advantage.
Evaluation of IT Service Desk: A Case Study

Organisations rely heavily on Information Technology Services Management (ITSM) to provide efficient and quality services to all stakeholders. This research is an exploratory study conducted of the service desk operations model. The research explores simple metrics and a weighted requirement matrix for evaluating and selecting ITSM systems. Several data gathering tools which include brainstorming, interviewing, participantobservation and collaborative feedback document have been employed in this research for collecting requirements from stakeholders to ensure viability and robustness of the research. Prominent challenges to sound implementation of a suitable service desk suite have been identified and tabulated. The identified challenges, coupled with feedback from stakeholders enabled the researchers to arrive at a scaled section framework for selecting an ITSM system. A comparison of eleven state of the art service desk systems has also been completed as part of the research. This research also proposes a novel service desk process with specific emphasis on the roles played by various stakeholders in provision of an efficient service desk operation.
Detection Of Malware Using Deep Learning Techniques

: Malware continues to be a serious threat starting from home users to large enterprises. This makes it a hot research topic. Detection of malware is done using static and dynamic analysis of malware signatures and behavior patterns. These are proven to be ineffective and time consuming while detecting unknown malware. In order to identify the new malware many machine learning algorithms are created. Feature engineering is a key step for building these algorithms. This takes too much time. By using deep learning techniques this step can be completely avoided. Recent research reported that many of them used biased dataset, which is completely ineffective in real-time situations. Hence this drives to create a new algorithm/architecture to detect malware using deep learning. By using specialized Convolutional Neural Networks for capturing patterns in malware sequences using the concept of weight sharing. Also adding this with Recurrent Neural Networks, we could capture recurring patterns in malware.
Practical PERL for Security Practitioners

This paper introduces PERL as a useful, flexible, and extensible tool for the security practitioner. References to resources are provided so that the reader may expand their knowledge beyond the concepts presented here. In this paper examples of PERL's ability to process log files, grab banners of network services, craft packets, and to exploit code that writes to unchecked buffers (typically call buffer overflows) are explored.
Accessibility in Web Development Courses: A Case Study

Web accessibility is becoming a relevant topic with an increased number of people with disabilities and the elderly using the web. Numerous legislations are being passed that require the web to be universally accessible to all people, regardless of their abilities and age. Despite this trend, university curricula still teach traditional web development without addressing accessibility as a topic. To investigate this matter closely, we studied the syllabi of web development courses at one university to evaluate whether the topic of accessibility was taught there. Additionally, we conducted a survey with nineteen students who were enrolled in a web development course, and we interviewed three lecturers from the same university. Our findings suggest that the topic of accessibility is not covered in web development courses, although both students and lecturers think that it should. This generates lack of competence in accessibility. The findings also confirm the finding of previous studies that, among web developers, there is a low familiarity with accessibility guidelines and policies. An interesting finding we uncovered was that gender affects the motivation to learn about accessibility. Females were driven by personal reasons, which we attribute to females having an increased sense of empathy. Finally, our participants were divided in their opinions whether accessibility contributes to usability.
INFLUENCE OF DIETARY SUPPLEMENTATION OF VARIOUS SELENIUM SOURCES ON NUTRIENT DIGESTIBILITY, GROWTH PERFORMANCE AND BLOOD METABOLITES IN MALE BUFFALO CALVES

An experiment was conducted to compare the effect of organic (selenized yeast) and inorganic (Na-selenite) selenium on nutrient digestibility, growth performance and blood parameters of growing buffalo claves. Fifteen Egyptian healthy male buffalo calves were divided randomly into three groups (5 animals each). The treatment groups were as follows: control group (G1) fed basal diet without selenium supplement and treated groups fed 0.22 mg Se/kg DM as either Na –Selenite (G2) or selenized yeast (G3) to the concentrate mixture. All animals were fed 70% of their requirements as concentrate mixture, while wheat straw given as roughages ad libitumThe results indicated that there were significant (P<0.05) improvements in the digestibility coefficient of organic matter, crude protein, either extract and crude fibre due to dietary supplementation of both Se- yeast and Na-Selenite. No significant differences were observed in growth rate and total dry matter intake of calves between treatments groups. Dietary Se-yeast and Na-selenite supplementation led to significantly (P<0.05) improved fed conversion ratio for calves as compared with control group (10.86 and 11.09 vs. 11.99). Calves fed Se-yeast or Na-Selenite supplement had increased (P< 0.05) concentrations of selenium in whole blood, greater activity (P < 0.05) of blood glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) with lower (P< 0.05) cholesterol and urea concentration than those fed the control diet. In conclusion, dietary supplementation with Se-yeast was more effective than sodium selenite in improving nutrient digestibility, feed conversion efficiency and increasing both Se concentration and GSH-Px activity in the blood of buffalo calves.
A Review on Layered & Cross Layer Design Issues and Security Attacks in Wireless Sensor Networks

: Wireless sensor network (WSN) is a wireless network where sensor nodes are spatially distributed. These nodes consist of several technical components like radio, battery microcontroller analog circuits and sensor interface. These nodes are capable to collect the sensitive information like temperature pressure etc. The data collected by these nodes are very sensitive and are vulnerable to many kinds of attacks therefore very much importance must be given while considering the security of these devices. While considering the security of WSN there are two types of approaches are possible. They are layered approach and cross layered approach. This survey paper describes certain investigation about the layered and cross layered communication approach, various WSN attacks and various security techniques etc.
ATF3 and EGR2 gene expression levels in sdLDL-treated macrophages of patients with coronary artery stenosis

Abstract Background: The metabolism of cholesteryl esters (CEs) is under the control of a gene network in macrophages. Several genes such as ATF3 and EGR2 are related to cholesterol metabolism. Methods: In this study, the ATF3 and EGR2 gene expression levels were evaluated in differentiated macrophages of subjects undergoing coronary artery angiography [controls (<5% stenosis), patients (>70% stenosis)] after treatment with small dense low density lipoprotein (sdLDL) particles. Monocytes were isolated using a RosetteSep Kit and were differentiated into macrophages using the M-CSF factor. A modified heparin-MgSO4-PEG method was used for the sdLDL preparation. The ATF3 and EGR2 gene expression levels were measured by the real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) technique. Results: In contrast with the control group (p=0.4), the ATF3 expression level reduced significantly in the differentiated macrophages from all patients [single vessel disease (SVD), fold change 17 times, p=0.02; two vessel disease (2VD), fold change 1.5 times, p=0.05; three vessel disease (3VD), fold change 3.5 times, p=0.04]. Also, the EGR2 expression level reduced significantly in all groups (p<0.02). The gene fold changes had no significant differences between the patients (p>0.8). Conclusions: We propose that the failure of ATF3 gene expression improves the CE synthesis after sdLDL influx. Furthermore, the reduced EGR2 gene expression level in the sdLDL-treated groups may be a negative factor in cholesterol homeostasis.
Insert Switches Inside to Increase Battery Lifespan

This paper shows the possible gain on time before the end of useful time brought by switches addition in a multicell battery. In a first time, it presents a battery electric model. A battery includes many identical electrical energy cells that electrically interact. From a behavioral standpoint, cell performance is measured by fundamental parameters: State of Charge (SoC) and State of Health (SoH). To simulate cell electrical behavior, the Thevenin model or the Nernst model are often used. However, these models do not take into account the cells aging or the possible interactions on aging. A cell ages mainly in two ways: cyclic and calendar. This aging impacts both the elements of the equivalent electrical model and the fundamental parameters (SoC and SoH). Thus, the conventional electric model of a cell does not accurately reflect the cell aging. In this paper, another formal model based on the fundamental curve that relates electrical and behavioral parameters is proposed. It integrates aging into the equivalent electric model estimation. In a second time, in order to validate this model, this cell model is used to simulate parallel-series association. To improve battery lifespan, in addition to the usual balancing techniques, it may be relevant to require some traditional reliability and operating safety solutions. This requires to add switches inside battery. The presented simulation shows adding switches solution is currently not deployed. This is justified in this paper by examining the impact provide on lifespan improvement on an example, which is pretty weak. But it also shows that however, by managing active cells in a different way, adding switches and spare cells can really reach this improvement.