Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Modelling Social Vulnerability to Malaria Risk in Katsina-Ala Local Government Area, Benue State Nigeria

Every society has certain groups of people who are more susceptible to risk due to lack of capacity to prevent it, which makes them vulnerable. Malaria is one of such infectious diseases that imposes a substantial burden on vulnerable populations. The objectives of this study is to map and analyze spatial pattern of sub-domains of social vulnerability to malaria risk in Katsina-Ala Local Government Area (LGA) of Benue State Nigeria, model and analyze areas of social vulnerability based on the sub-domains. Based on the review of related literature, a holistic risk and vulnerability framework was adopted to guide the assessment of social vulnerability to malaria risk in the study area. Stratified systematic non-aligned sampling technique was used to collect data on social vulnerability to malaria risk from three hundred and ten (310) households using structured questionnaire and GPS device. Empirical Bayesian Kriging model tool of Geostatistical analyst and Zonal statistical extension tools of ArcGis 10.2 were used for the model. Results revealed a heterogeneous spatial pattern of social vulnerability to malaria across the entire study area, Lack of capacity to anticipate Original Research Article Williams and Bibi; JGEESI, 14(4): 1-10, 2018; Article no.JGEESI. 40466 2 malaria has highest influence with mean value of 0.70 on a scale of 0 to 1; social vulnerability to malaria risk in the study area is high with mean value of 2.51 on a scale of 1 to 4. The study recommends a holistic approach that focuses on the vulnerable group and a paradigm shift in attacking the anopheles mosquito that causes the disease and increasing the capacity of the victims to withstand malaria risk.
Predicting forest road surface erosion and storm runoff from high-elevation sites

Forest roads are a concern in management because they represent areas of elevated risks associated with soil erosion and storm runoff connectivity to stream systems. Storm runoff emanating from forest roads and their connectivity to downslope resources can be influenced by a myriad of factors, including storm characteristics, management practices, and the interaction of management practices and successive storm events. Mitigating sediment export and ensuring that storm runoff has negligible impacts on downstream resources requires a more complete understanding of forest road erosion and sediment delivery dynamics. Progress in the area of road and stream connectivity issues hinges on reliable prediction tools to inform broader-scale modeling of watershed-scale effects of forest roads and management practices. In this study, the Water Erosion Prediction Project (WEPP) model was evaluated based on the results from 156 runoff-generating storm events during a continuous five-year study of nine high-elevation road sections in the Appalachian Mountains. The model adequately predicted sediment yield from the road sections with an overall Nash-Sutcliffe model efficiency (E) of 0.76, Willmott refined index of agreement (dr) of 0.56, percent error of 5%, and average storm difference (ASD) of 1.2 kg. In contrast, WEPP predictions of storm runoff were not as good, and the poor agreement was attributed to an inability to determine the source area for runoff from some of the larger runoff events. In general, the WEPP model for these highelevation sites adequately described the sediment yield for the road sections.
Prognostic value of routine haematological and biochemical parameters on 30 day fatality in patients with acute hypertensive intracerebral hemorrhage

Objective: This prospective study aimed to study the prognostic value of routine haematological and biochemical parameters in patients of acute hypertensive intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) on fatality occurring during fi rst 30 days, and to estimate its case fatality rate, demographic and clinical correlates. Methods: One hundred and eleven consecutive patients with proved hypertensive ICH within 72 hours of symptom onset were studied. After clinical evaluation and neuroimaging, blood investigations including hemoglobin, total leukocyte count, platelet count, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, random blood sugar, urea, creatinine, sodium, potassium, serum bilirubin, aspartate transaminase (AST), alanine transaminase (ALT), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), albumin estimations were performed. The patients were followed up for a maximum period of 30 days from the onset of stroke. Results:
Adoption Disruption in Western Australia

Adoption disruption is a traumatic experience for all parties involved in the case. The child experiences another rejection and move; the sense of security of any siblings is rattled; the adoptive parents are left with shattered dreams and hopes, while the adoption agency workers agonise about where it went wrong, who is to blame and what needs to be done to prevent this from ever happening again.
Kolmogorov Complexity and Information Content

In this paper, we revisit a central concept in Kolmogorov complexity in which one would equate program-size complexity with information content. Despite the fact that Kolmogorov complexity has been widely accepted as an objective measure of the information content of a string, it has been the subject of many criticisms including the fundamental one directed by logicians and philosophers towards the statistical and semantical theories of information, which is about confusing an object and its name. In this paper, we clarify a number of subtle issues that are at the center of this debate.
Cancellation of Vibration-Induced Phase Noise in Optical Fibers

Vibration causes mechanical distortions in optical fibers that induce phase fluctuations in the transmitted optical signal. Information encoded on the optical signal by modulation, such as in a radio-frequency (RF)-photonic link also degrades. A feed-forward correction technique is described that enables 20 dB or more cancellation of vibration-induced phase fluctuations in an optical fiber wound on a spool. The scheme is also applied to an optoelectronic oscillator (OEO). The OEO has emerged as an excellent low-noise source that rivals the best electronic RF oscillators over a broad range of offset frequencies. However, close-to-carrier spectral purity of an OEO is degraded mostly by the vibration-induced phase fluctuations in optical fibers when the temperature is held constant. Implementation of feed-forward phase correction in an OEO has shown improvement by almost an order of magnitude in the vibration sensitivity of the oscillator.
Personalized Diapause: Reducing Radio Energy Consumption of Smartphones by Network-Context Aware Dormancy Predictions

A large portion of radio energy in smartphones is wasted during a special waiting period, known as the tail time, after a transmission is completed. In order to save the wasted energy during the tail time, it is important to accurately predict whether a subsequent transmission will occur in the tail period. In this paper, we propose a novel general-purpose predictive dormancy technique, called Personalized Diapause (PD). By automatically extracting meaningful network activities as network contexts, our proposed technique takes advantage of per-user usage characteristics of each network context in deciding when to release a radio connection within the tail time. Our experimental results using real network usage logs from 25 users show that PD can save the radio energy consumption by up to 36% with about 10% reconnection increase.
Sustaining Competitive Advantages in Malaysian Electrical and Electronics Industries Context

Electrical and electronics (E&E) manufacturing industries is one of the main sources for overall Malaysia economic growth. Generally, development and innovation of new product in E&E companies involved the changes in the finished goods, products or services offered by the company. However, Malaysia E&E industries are lagging behind in terms of technological research and development and corporate strategy in adopting organization’s flexibility in facing fierce market competition. In this technology advancement era, most multinational electrical and electronics (E&E) conglomerate has introduced research and development (R&D) in product technology to be integrated in manufacturing system in order to sustain competitive advantages.
Adsorption of bacteria to roots as related to host specificity in the Rhizobium-clover symbiosis

Quantitative microscope techniques were utilized to examine the adsorption of rhizobial cells to clover root hairs. Adsorption of cells of noninfective strains of Rhizobium trifolii or infective R. meliloti strains to clover root hairs was four to five times less than that of the infective R. trifolii strains. Attachment of the rod-shaped bacteria to clover root cells occurred in a polar, end-on fashion. Viable or heat-killed R. trifolii cells precoated with a clover lectin having 2-deoxyglucose specificity had increased adsorption to clover roots. Adsorption of bacteria to roots was not increased if the clover lectin was inactivated by heat or 2-deoxyglucose treatment prior to incubation with R. trifolii. Adsorption of R. trifolii to clover root hairs was inhibited by 2-deoxyglucose (30 mM) but not by 2-deoxygalactose or alpha-D-glucose. Adsorption of R. meliloti cells to alfalfa root hairs was not affected by 2-deoxyglucose at that concentration. These results suggest that expression of host specificity in the Rhizobium-clover symbiosis involves a preferential adsorption of infective cells to clover root hairs through a 2-deoxyglucose-sensitive receptor site.
Use of a patient navigator to increase colorectal cancer screening in an urban neighborhood health clinic

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the United States. Racial disparities in CRC incidence and mortality have been well documented. In addition, lower rates of CRC screening among ethnic minorities have been reported. Therefore, we tested the effectiveness of a patient navigator (PN) in increasing compliance with CRC screening in a minority community health setting. Men and women aged 50 or older attending a primary care practice were enrolled if they had not had a fecal occult blood test within the past year, a sigmoidoscopy or barium enema within the past 3–5 years, or a colonoscopy within the past 10 years. Participants were randomly assigned either to receive navigator services (PN+) or not to receive navigator services (PN−). There were no demographic differences between the two groups. Within 6 months of physician recommendation, 15.8% in the PN+ group had complied with an endoscopic examination, compared with only 5% in the PN− group (P=.019). The PN+ groups also demonstrated higher rates of fecal occult blood test completion (42.1% vs. 25%, P=.086). Thus, a PN system successfully increases CRC screening rates among a predominantly minority population of low socioeconomic status.
Lupus in the family—analysis of a cohort followed from 1978 to 1999

Familial lupus is recognised but rarely described in mother-daughter case pairs. We describe the prevalence of lupus occurring in the first degree relatives of a cohort of 300 lupus patients under long-term follow-up at a specialised lupus clinic. Three instances of mothers and their daughters who both developed the disease are described in detail to try and ascertain whether there are any particular clinical/serological/genetic factors in common which might explain the phenomenon.
Compact three-dimensional silicon termination solutions for high voltage SOI SuperJunction

This paper demonstrates and discusses novel “three dimensional” silicon based junction isolation/termination solutions suitable for high density ultra-low-resistance Lateral Super-Junction structures. The proposed designs are both compact and effective in safely distributing the electrostatic potential away from the active device area. The designs are based on the utilization of existing layers in the device fabrication line, hence resulting in no extra complexity or cost increase. The study/demonstration is done through extensive experimental measurements and numerical simulations.
Cutaneous Vitamins A and E in the Context of Ultraviolet- or Chemically-Induced Oxidative Stress

Vitamins A and E are present in mammalian skin. Although the main circulating form of vitamin A in the blood is retinol, the epidermis stores it as retinyl esters. The epidermis can be easily loaded with high amounts of vitamin A by topical application of either retinol or retinaldehyde, two well-tolerated precursors of the biologically active retinoic acid, while topical α-tocopherol loads the epidermis with vitamin E. The probable physiological function of epidermal vitamin E is to contribute to the antioxidant defense of the skin, whereas that of epidermal vitamin A (retinol and retinyl esters) is not yet well understood. Besides being a precursor for retinoic acid, vitamin A also has a free radical scavenging potential. Due to their physical properties, vitamins A and E absorb ultraviolet (UV) light in the region of solar spectrum that is responsible for most of the deleterious biological effects of the sun. In the mouse, topical vitamin A has been shown to prevent the UV-induced epidermal hypovitaminosis A, while topical vitamin E prevents oxidative stress and cutaneous and systemic immunosuppression elicited by UV. Thus constitutive epidermal vitamins A and E appear complementary in preventing UV-induced deleterious cutaneous and systemic effects, and these properties can be reinforced by topical application of retinol or retinaldehyde and topical α-tocopherol.
The Autism Spectrum Disorders Stem Cell Resource at Children's Hospital of Orange County: Implications for Disease Modeling and Drug Discovery

The autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) comprise a set of neurodevelopmental disorders that are, at best, poorly understood but are the fastest growing developmental disorders in the United States. Because animal models of polygenic disorders such as the ASDs are difficult to validate, the derivation of induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) by somatic cell reprogramming offers an alternative strategy for identifying the cellular mechanisms contributing to ASDs and the development of new treatment options. Access to statistically relevant numbers of ASD patient cell lines, however, is still a limiting factor for the field. We describe a new resource with more than 200 cell lines (fibroblasts, iPSC clones, neural stem cells, glia) from unaffected volunteers and patients with a wide range of clinical ASD diagnoses, including fragile X syndrome. We have shown that both normal and ASD‐specific iPSCs can be differentiated toward a neural stem cell phenotype and terminally differentiated into action‐potential firing neurons and glia. The ability to evaluate and compare data from a number of different cell lines will facilitate greater insight into the cause or causes and biology of the ASDs and will be extremely useful for uncovering new therapeutic and diagnostic targets. Some drug treatments have already shown promise in reversing the neurobiological abnormalities in iPSC‐based models of ASD‐associated diseases. The ASD Stem Cell Resource at the Children's Hospital of Orange County will continue expanding its collection and make all lines available on request with the goal of advancing the use of ASD patient cells as disease models by the scientific community.
O papel do núcleo na herança (1870-1900), um estudo de caso: A teoria dos idioblastos de O. Hertwig

During the last two decades of the 19th century several researchers suggested that the hereditary characteristics were transmitted by the cell nucleus, particularly by the chromosomes. The aim of this paper is to discuss one of the contributions from this period: Oscar Hertwig’s theory of idioblasts. Hertwig believed that the particles, which were the bearers of the hereditary characterististics, the “idioblasts”, were located on the nuclear chromosomes and could be grouped only temporarily, since the chromosomes could not be seen during the rest phases of the cell division. It will also be taken into account the scientific context of that time, including Hertwig’s critiques of other theories of inheritance of that time, such as Weismann’s theory of inheritance, for instance. This study led to the conclusion that besides Hertwig’s own research, the cytological and embryological evidence provided by other authors made his proposal different from the previous 19th microscopical models such as Darwin’s or Spencer’s ones
The multi‐iterative closest point tracker: An online algorithm for tracking multiple interacting targets

We describe and evaluate a greedy detection‐based algorithm for tracking a variable number of dynamic targets online. The algorithm leverages the well‐known iterative closest point (ICP) algorithm for aligning target models with target detections. The approach differs from trackers that seek globally optimal solutions because it treats the problem as a set of individual tracking problems. The method works for multiple targets by sequentially matching models to detections, and then removing detections from further consideration once models have been matched to them. This allows targets to pass close to one another with reduced risks of tracking failure due to “hijacking,'' or track merging. There has been significant previous work in this area, but we believe our approach addresses a number of tracking problems simultaneously that have only been addressed separately before. The algorithm is evaluated using four to eight laser range finders in three settings: quantitatively for a basketball game with 10 people and a 25‐person social behavior experiment, and qualitatively for a full‐scale soccer game. We also provide qualitative results using video to track ants in a captive habitat. During all the experiments, agents enter and leave the scene, so the number of targets to track varies with time. With eight laser range finders running, the system can locate and track targets at sensor frame rate 37.5 Hz on commodity computing hardware. Our evaluation shows that the tracking system correctly detects each track over 98% of the time. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Apple-Products Phytochemicals and Processing: A Review

Epidemiological studies have linked the consumption of apples with reduced risk of some cancers, cardiovascular disease, asthma, and diabetes. Extensive research exists on apples and the health benefits of their beverages and phytochemicals. The purpose of this paper is to review the most recent literature in this area focusing on phytochemicals, phytochemical bioavailability and antioxidant behavior.
PCR detection of an A/G polymorphism within exon 7 of the CYP1A1 gene.

Source/Description: We recently found a new polymorphism in the CYP1A1 gene by PCR direct sequencing (1) which results in amino acid substitution of De for Val at residue 462 in the heme binding region of the P450IA1 protein. This polymorphism asociates with Mspl polymorphism (2, 3) in the 3'-flanking region, and the linkage disequilibrium is calculated to be 0.158 (1). Here we report the PCR detection method and the frequency of this A/G polymorphism.
Chapter 2 Screening and Surveillance Colonoscopy

Colorectal cancer is a major cause of worldwide morbidity and mortality. As such, there are many guidelines and recommendations set forth by various medical societ‐ ies regarding colonoscopy for screening and surveillance. The universal goal of these guidelines is to reduce colorectal cancer prevalence and mortality. Recommendations for colorectal cancer screening and surveillance using colonoscopy vary slightly be‐ tween medical society guidelines and are often dictated by some combination of age, known disease severity, length of time since last study, family history, and comorbid conditions.
Effects of maternal ageing on ICSI outcomes and embryo development in relation to oocytes morphological characteristics of birefringent structures

Summary The aim of this study was to determine the morphological characteristics of the older reproductive aged women's oocytes and to reveal the influence of these characteristics on intra-cytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) outcomes. The oocytes of women older than 35 years of age were evaluated retrospectively. Non-invasive polarization microscopy (PolScope) examinations of mature oocytes were performed by measurement of meiotic spindles’ length, area and retardance and zona pellucida thickness and retardance. Fertilization and conception competence and the correlation with the birefringent structures were assessed. Two hundred and thirteen mature oocytes from 54 women were evaluated with a PolScope. Length of the meiotic spindle was shown to be related to fertilization success of women with advanced maternal age. In conclusion, the PolScope is a useful device used to identify the oocyte quality. Quantitative measurements of meiotic spindle parameters may be valuable for the selection of high-quality oocytes that have the potential for embryo development in the in vitro fertilization (IVF) laboratory of women older than 35 years of age who are mostly poor responders.
Enhanced detection of respiratory syncytial virus by shell vial in children hospitalised with respiratory illnesses in Northern Jordan

During the period between November 1997 and May 1998, a total of 350 nasopharyngeal aspirates were obtained from children admitted to the Respiratory Disease Unit at Princess Rahma Hospital, northern Jordan, and diagnosed clinically as suffering from respiratory tract infections. Nasopharyngeal aspirates were investigated for the presence of respiratory syncycial virus (RSV) by using shell vial (SV) culture assay, conventional culture assay, and direct immunofluorescence assay. Out of 350 nasopharyngeal aspirates, 101(28.9%) were found positive by any of SV, conventional culture, and immunofluorescence; 91 (90.1%) by SV, 87(86.1%) by culture, and 83(82.2%) by immunofluorescence. The maximum number of virus isolations was noted in children below the age of 1 year and was associated with bronchiolitis. SV assay showed the highest sensitivity (94.3%) and specificity (96.9%) for detecting RSV from nasopharyngeal aspirates. These results emphasise the importance of SV culture assay for diagnosis of RSV, although immunofluorescence is a valuable, rapid diagnostic assay. J. Med. Virol. 62:518–523, 2000. © 2000 Wiley‐Liss Inc.
Crystal structure of an archaeal homologue of multidrug resistance repressor protein, EmrR, from hyperthermophilic archaea Sulfolobus tokodaii strain 7

MarR family proteins, MarR, MexR, and EmrR, are known as bacterial regulators for a phenotype resistant to multiple antibiotic drugs. Genomic data have indicated the presence of bacterial‐type transcriptional regulators, including MarR family proteins in archaea, though the archaeal transcription system is close to that of eukaryote. To elucidate the structural basis of the transcriptional regulation mechanism of archaeal MarR family proteins, the crystal structure of the ST1710 protein, which was identified as an archaeal EmrR homologue, StEmrR, from hyperthermophilic archaeon Sulfolobus tokodaii strain 7 was determined at 1.45‐Åresolution. The protein was composed of two N‐ and C‐terminal dimerization domains, and the DNA‐binding domain consisted of a winged helix motif, as in the case of bacterial MarR family proteins. Despite the relatively low overall structural similarity between StEmrR and bacterial MarR family proteins, the structure of the DNA‐binding domain displayed high structural similarity. A comparison with the crystal structures of bacterial MarR family proteins revealed that structural variation was mainly due to the different orientation of the two helices at the N‐ and C‐termini. Our results indicated that the distance between the two DNA‐binding domains of MarR family proteins would be changed by the rotation of the two terminal helices to interact with the target DNA. Proteins 2007. © 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.