Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The use of spatial analysis in mapping the distribution of bancroftian filariasis in four West African countries

Abstract The geographical distribution of human infection with Wuchereria bancrofti was investigated in four West African countries (Benin, Burkina Faso, Ghana and Togo), using a commercial immunochromatographic test for filarial antigen. Efforts were made to cover each health-system implementation unit and to ensure no sampling point was >50km from another, but otherwise the 401 study communities were selected at random. The aim was to enable spatial analysis of the data, to provide a prediction of the overall spatial relationships of the infection. The results, which were subjected to an independent random validation in Burkina Faso and Ghana, revealed that prevalence in the adult population of some communities exceeded 70% and that, over large areas of Burkina Faso, community prevalences were between 30% and 50%. Most of Togo, southern Benin and much of southern Ghana appeared completely free of the infection. Although there were foci on the Ghanaian coast with prevalences of 10%-30%, such high prevalences did not extend into coastal Togo or costal Benin. The prevalence map produced should be useful in prioritizing areas for filariasis control, identifying potential overlap with ivermectin-distribution activities undertaken by onchocerciasis-control programmes, and enabling inter-country and sub-regional planning to be initiated. The results indicate that bancroftian filariasis is more widely distributed in arid areas of Burkina Faso than hitherto recognized and that the prevalences of infection have remained fairly stable for at least 30 years. The campaign to eliminate lymphatic filariasis as a public-health problem in Africa will require significantly more resources (human, financial, and logistic) than previously anticipated.
Tracking BTI and HCI effects at circuit-level in adaptive systems

This work proposes a new method for measuring the performance loss of a processor due to aging (BTI and HCI). It is designed for any adaptive system incorporating in-situ delay monitors and local temperature sensors. To validate it, we developed a simplified circuit-level model for BTI/HCI effects in 28nm FD-SOI technology with a relative small error (<;1%). The correct operation of the proposed method has been verified in MATLAB/Simulink environment. It is shown that one can measure the circuit aging over a wide range of temperatures, the circuit aging being determined by the reduction of the maximum clock frequency.
How adolescents perceive the stigma of mental illness and alcohol abuse.

OBJECTIVES Research among adults has yielded three sets of conclusions about the stigma of mental illness. First, people with mental illness are stigmatized more severely than those with physical health conditions; those who abuse alcohol are viewed more harshly than those with mental illness. Second, stereotypes of mental illness related to responsibility and dangerousness lead to negative emotional reactions and discriminatory behaviors. Third, familiarity with people with mental illness tends to diminish stigma. This study attempted to validate these findings with a large and diverse sample of adolescents. METHODS A total of 303 adolescents completed a revised version of the Attribution Questionnaire (rAQ) that presented four vignettes, each describing a different type of peer: a peer with mental illness, with mental illness caused by a brain tumor, with alcohol abuse problems, and with leukemia. The rAQ comprises seven Likert scale items of agreement that research participants rated for each vignette. Items included pity, danger, fear, responsibility, anger, help, and avoidance. Participants also completed a revised Level of Contact Report to assess their familiarity with mental illness. RESULTS As with adults, adolescents stigmatized peers who abuse alcohol most severely, followed by those with mental illness. Peers with leukemia were treated more benignly than the other groups. Having a brain tumor mediated the stigmatizing effect of mental illness. Adolescents who agreed that persons with mental illness are responsible for their illness and are dangerous demonstrated more discrimination toward these persons. However, this finding was not supported for alcohol abuse. Familiarity yielded an unexpected effect among adolescents; those who reported more familiarity with mental illness were more likely to endorse stigma of mental illness. CONCLUSIONS Adolescents tended to discriminate among conditions, viewing substance abuse more harshly than the other disorders. Blame and dangerousness were important variables leading to discrimination, and contact with persons with mental illness led to more discrimination.
Repair of articular cartilage defects in the patello‐femoral joint with autologous bone marrow mesenchymal cell transplantation: three case reports involving nine defects in five knees

To investigate the effectiveness of autologous culture‐expanded bone marrow mesenchymal cell transplantation for repairing articular cartilage defects, we transplanted autologous culture‐expanded bone marrow mesenchymal cells into nine full‐thickness articular cartilage defects of the patello‐femoral joints (including two kissing lesions) in the knees of three patients, a 31 year‐old female, a 44 year‐old male and a 45 year‐old male. Three weeks before transplantation, bone marrow blood was aspirated from the iliac crest. Adherent cells were cultured with media containing autologous serum. Single‐passaged cells were collected, embedded in a collagen solution (5 × 106 cells/ml), placed on a collagen sheet, gelated, transplanted into the defect and covered with autologous periosteum or synovium. Six months after transplantation, the patients' clinical symptoms had improved and the improvements have been maintained over the follow‐up periods (17–27 months). Histology of the first patient 12 months after the transplantation revealed that the defect had been repaired with the fibrocartilaginous tissue. Magnetic resonance imaging of the second patient 1 year after transplantation revealed complete coverage of the defect, but we were unable to determine whether or not the material that covered the defects was hyaline cartilage. Autologous bone marrow mesenchymal cells transplantation may be an effective approach to promote the repair of articular cartilage defects. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Physical exercise and executive functions in preadolescent children, adolescents and young adults: a meta-analysis

Purpose The goal of this meta-analysis was to aggregate available empirical studies on the effects of physical exercise on executive functions in preadolescent children (6–12 years of age), adolescents (13–17 years of age) and young adults (18–35 years of age). Method The electronic databases PubMed, EMBASE and SPORTDiscus were searched for relevant studies reporting on the effects of physical exercise on executive functions. Nineteen studies were selected. Results There was a significant overall effect of acute physical exercise on executive functions (d=0.52, 95% CI 0.29 to 0.76, p<0.001). There were no significant differences between the three age groups (Q (2)=0.13, p=0.94). Furthermore, no significant overall effect of chronic physical exercise (d=0.14, 95%CI −0.04 to 0.32, p=0.19) on executive functions (Q (1)=5.08, p<0.05) was found. Meta-analytic effect sizes were calculated for the effects of acute physical exercise on the domain's inhibition/interference control (d=0.46, 95% CI 0.33 to 0.60, p<0.001) and working memory (d=0.05, 95% CI −0.51 to 0.61, p=0.86) as well as for the effects of chronic physical exercise on planning (d=0.16, 95% CI 0.18 to 0.89, p=0.18). Conclusions Results suggest that acute physical exercise enhances executive functioning. The number of studies on chronic physical exercise is limited and it should be investigated whether chronic physical exercise shows effects on executive functions comparable to acute physical exercise. This is highly relevant in preadolescent children and adolescents, given the importance of well-developed executive functions for daily life functioning and the current increase in sedentary behaviour in these age groups.
Indonesian Teacher Engagement Index (ITEI): An Emerging Concept of Teacher Engagement in Indonesia

This paper presents a new concept of teacher engagement in Indonesia. The various studies in this paper examine various perspectives and even criticize the initial research on teacher engagement, so as to build the concept of different teacher engagement and in accordance with the Indonesian context so that it can be implemented and has direct impact as a guideline on improving the quality of teachers and education personnel in Indonesia. The method used in this paper is the Neuroresearch research method focused on exploratory research. The conclusion of this research is the development of Indonesian Teacher Engagement Index concept (ITEI) as a concept that describes the condition of teachers who experienced various psychological conditions positively, actively participate in building positive education, able to show good performance, have supportive competence, have national character as Characteristic of Indonesia and able to show the nationalism leadership engagement.
Updated Estimates of the Average Financial Return on Master’s Degree Programs in the United States

In this study, we provide updated estimates of the private and social financial return on enrolling in a master’s degree program in the United States. In addition to returns for all fields of study, we show estimated returns to enrolling in master’s degree programs in business and education, specifically. We also conduct a sensitivity analysis to show how our findings are affected by several key assumptions in the model such as the assumed growth rates of earnings, the direct and indirect costs faced by students, and the age at which a person enrolls in a master’s program. Our findings indicate that, on average, students who enroll in master’s degree programs receive positive and substantial financial returns, with variation by age, probability of completion, and financing characteristics.
It Is Time to Shift Log-Normal

The Libor market model (LMM) and other models for interest rate processes assume the instantaneous short rate is log-normal. It made sense that the rate should be bounded below by zero and that volatility in basis points be proportional to the level of the rate. But there have been some anomalous periods when the model has exhibited substantial problems, such as the 2008 financial crisis and during periods when interest rates fell into negative territory in several major economies, and the log-normal assumption was plainly violated. In this article, the authors show how the assumption that the Libor rate is log-normal can be replaced by assuming 1/(1 + Libor), that is, the price of a zero-coupon bond, is log-normal instead. Under this assumption, the forward short rate follows a shifted log-normal and the drift term in the short rate equation must be modified. With this assumption, the rate is approximately log-normal when rates are high, but it becomes closer to normal when rates are low. The performance of the modified model is illustrated for caps, swaps, and swaptions.
Targeting HER2

The potential of the HER2-targeting antibody trastuzumab as a radioimmunoconjugate useful for both imaging and therapy was investigated. Conjugation of trastuzumab with the acyclic bifunctional chelator CHX-A”-DTPA yielded a chelate:protein ratio of 3.4±0.3; the immunoreactivity of the antibody unaffected. Radiolabeling was efficient, routinely yielding a product with high specific activity. Tumor targeting was evaluated in mice bearing subcutaneous (s.c.) xenografts of colorectal, pancreatic, ovarian, and prostate carcinomas. High uptake of the radioimmunoconjugate, injected intravenously (i.v.), was observed in each of the models, and the highest tumor %ID/g (51.18±13.58) was obtained with the ovarian (SKOV-3) tumor xenograft. Specificity was demonstrated by the absence of uptake of 111In-trastuzumab by melanoma (A375) s.c. xenografts and 111In-HuIgG by s.c. LS-174T xenografts. Minimal uptake of i.v. injected 111In-trastuzumab in normal organs was confirmed in non-tumor-bearing mice. The in vivo behavior of 111In-trastuzumab in mice bearing intraperitoneal (i.p.) LS-174T tumors resulted in a tumor %ID/g of 130.85±273.34 at 24 h. Visualization of tumor, s.c. and i.p. xenografts, was achieved by γ-scintigraphy and PET imaging. Blood pool was evident as expected, but cleared over time. The blood pharmacokinetics of i.v. and i.p. injected 111In-trastuzumab was determined in mice with and without tumors. The data from these in vitro and in vivo studies supported advancement of radiolabeled trastuzumab into two clinical studies, a Phase 0 imaging study in the Molecular Imaging Program of the National Cancer Institute and a Phase 1 radioimmunotherapy study at the University of Alabama.
Towards a reliable condition index for condition-based maintenance decision-making

This paper aims at analyzing the effectiveness of some well-known condition indices for condition-based maintenance decision-making. The study is based on a single-unit system subject to competing risks due to multiple degradation paths of stress corrosion cracking (SCC). The system is assumed to be failed whenever the number of cracks or the sum of all crack sizes reach critical thresholds. A periodic inspection scheme is used to monitor the system health state. Each inspection returns the perfect diagnostic information (i.e., the number of cracks and the corresponding crack size, as well as the failure/working state of the system). Based on this information, two kinds of prognostic condition indices (i.e., average type and quantile type of the system residual useful life) are constructed. The associated predictive maintenance strategies and cost models are also developed and compared with the ones whose maintenance decisions are based on diagnostic condition indices. The comparison results allow us to conclude on the performance and on the robustness of the prognostic indices compared to the diagnostic ones, hence giving some suggestions on the choice of condition indices for maintenance decision-making.
Tourists' Values and Perceived Appropriate Uses of National Parks

National park managers must consider people's different values, beliefs, and attitudes in developing management plans and policies to justify providing opportunities for public recreation preserving ecological integrity. This study examines tourists' perceptions of appropriate uses of, and services within, national parks, which in turn are influenced by their value orientations. It then investigates how value orientations can affect tourists' perceptions toward appropriate uses of national parks. The article also identifies the mediating role of environmental concern on value orientations with regard to appropriate national park uses and services. Data from 379 tourists in Malaysia's Taman Negara National Park reveal that tourists perceive appreciative or passive activities as most appropriate and more consumptive activities, such as hunting and golf courses, as least appropriate. Results also indicate positive and negative relationships between value orientations and perceived suitableness of accommodations and services, activities, and facilities within national parks
Switching to a Protease Inhibitor-Containing, Nucleoside-Sparing Regimen (Lopinavir/Ritonavir Plus Efavirenz) Increases Limb Fat But Raises Serum Lipid Levels: Results of a Prospective Randomized Trial (AIDS Clinical Trial Group 5125s)

Background:Subcutaneous limb fat loss continues to be one the most troubling side effects of long-term antiretroviral regimens. Nucleoside analogues and protease inhibitors (PIs) have been linked to the development of this complication. Methods:We evaluated the effects of nucleoside-sparing and PI-sparing regimens on fat distribution, bone mineral density, and metabolic parameters in 62 subjects, who were not selected for lipoatrophy, with advanced HIV (nadir CD4 count ≤200 cells/mm3 or HIV RNA level ≥80,000 copies/mL) and an undetectable HIV viral load. Participants were randomized to switch their initial successful antiretroviral regimen to open-label lopinavir/ritonavir (LPV/r) at a dose of 533/133 mg twice a day and efavirenz (EFV) at a dose of 600 mg/d (the nucleoside-sparing arm) versus EFV and 2 nucleoside analogues (the PI-sparing arm). Findings:At week 48, the median change in limb fat in the nucleoside-sparing arm was 562 g (6%, interquartile range [IQR]: −218-1186 g) versus a loss of −242 g (−4%, IQR: −539-452 g) in the nucleoside-containing PI-sparing arm (P = 0.086). At the time of last observation (median = 102 weeks, IQR: 73-152 weeks), a median gain of 782 g (10%, IQR: −380-1168 g) of limb fat was noted in the nonnucleoside arm (n = 22) versus a loss of 850 g (−15%, IQR: −1270 to −526 g) in the nucleoside-containing arm (n = 25; P = 0.002). Interpretation:The switch to a nucleoside-sparing combination antiretroviral regimen (LPV/r + EFV) was associated with significant improvement in limb fat. These results provide additional evidence that nucleoside analogues are important in the progressive limb fat loss that characterizes antiretroviral treatment and that switching medications can significantly improve this complication. This option has to be carefully balanced with the potential to increase serum lipid levels and the trend to increase virologic failure.
NUMBER OF CHILDREN IN A HOUSEHOLD AND CHILD WELL-BEINGEL

The quantity/quality tradeoff argument in explaining fertility decline has focused on the association between more education among children and fewer siblings. Human capital formation is also related to other dimensions of well-being. The goal of this analysis is to perform cross-national comparisons on the association between the number of children in a household and three measures related to child well-being: being harshly disciplined, mildly disciplined and child labor. The analysis is based on logistic regressions estimated using the Multiple Indicators Cluster Survey (MICS) datasets of 24 nations grouped into four regions. At the micro level, there is a direct association between families having more children and both the odds of children working and the odds of children being harshly disciplined, but the association is weak for mild discipline. In general, the associations found at the micro level reflect the findings that countries with higher fertility have also higher proportions of children working or being harshly disciplined.
Introducing social protection in the Middle East: Prospects for a new social contract?

The introductory article of this special issue looks at the genesis, characteristics and challenges of social protection schemes in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA). It argues that social protection policies in the MENA should be seen as a key ingredient of the social contract that governments offered to their citizens after independence. To compensate for the lack of political participation and accountability, free public health and education systems, generous food, energy and water subsidies, social insurance and assistance schemes and mass public‐sector employment were established. This was possible because MENA countries benefitted from substantial windfall profits (from the export of oil, gas and minerals; Suez Canal user fees), as well as from income from remittances from migrant workers and income from politically motivated aid. The decline of income from some of these sources and population growth has led MENA governments to focus more closely their social protection spending on strategically important social groups: typically, the urban upper middle class. As a result, social protection systems in MENA countries currently suffer from severe weaknesses in terms of social fairness, efficiency and sustainability. Although MENA countries still spend a very considerable share of gross domestic product on their social protection schemes, these have only very limited effects on the reduction of poverty, vulnerability and inequality – and some even exhibit perverse “bottom‐up” redistributive outcomes. The articles that comprise this special issue selectively spotlight a number of opportunities and challenges for the development of sustainable social protection in the MENA countries.
Sustainability and entrepreneurship in the field of tourism and heritage

The National University of Lujan of Argentina accredits an educational offer of innovative postgraduate level in tourism and heritage, which is linked with a unique "entrepreneurial culture" based on the integral development and promotion of growth and the creation of tourism - based companies and cultural, at national level and with regional emphasis, in its area of influence. This educational policy emphasizes, in this regard, the identification of business opportunities based on quality and innovation. The Specialization course in Heritage Management and Sustainable Tourism applies such ideas through a "transversal" approach to training in tourism and management of heritage resources, from a long - term results horizon that rests on: on the one hand, an entrepreneurial vision , based on innovation and scientific - technological development, taking into account: the socio - economic and cultural context at different spatial and temporal scales, the development of capacities and skills, using methodologies oriented to self - knowledge and appropriation of the process of learning, and action as the axis of learning (formative strategies that combine the theoretical level with the practice); on the other, the sustainable course of tourism: through three strong ideas: sustainability of the environmental system, patrimonial approach to natural and cultural resources, and scientific knowledge generated in an interdisciplinary way.
Monetary Policy and Industrial Output in the BRICS Countries: A Markov-Switching Model

Abstract This paper examines whether the five BRICS countries share similar business cycles and determines the probability of any of the countries moving from a contractionary regime to an expansionary regime. The study further examines the extent to which changes in monetary policy affect industrial output in expansions relative to contractions. Employing the Peersman and Smets (2001) Markov-Switching Model (MSM) and monthly data from 1994.01–2013.12, the study reveals that the five BRICS countries have similar business cycles. The results further demonstrate that the BRICS countries’ business cycles are characterized by two distinct growth rate phases: a contractionary regime and an expansionary regime. It can also be observed that the area-wide monetary policy has significantly large effects on industrial output in recessions as well as in booms. It has also been established that there is a high probability of moving from state one (recession) to state two (expansion) and that on average, the probabilities of staying in state 2 (expansion) are high for each of the five countries. It is, therefore, recommended that the BRICS countries should sustain uniform policy consistency (monetary policy), especially as they formulate and implement economic policies to stimulate industrial output.