Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Recourse to Complementary/Alternative Medicine (CAM) at Times of Economic Crisis: The Case of Italy

The economic crisis that has invested western countries in the last years has determined a significant reduction in consumption of medication and treatments recourse, too. The Economic recession is generally accompanied by a decrease in health-related consumption, varying according to the welfare model, and especially affecting people of working age with a low income. The present paper focuses on the effects of the economic crisis on users of Complementary/Alternative Medicine treatments (from now on referred as CAM). Based on multi-purpose data analyses, this work aims to examine what kind of strategies such consumers have adopted in order not to neglect their health despite feeling the economic pinch. Our analyses are principally based on ISTAT, Italian National Institute for Recording Statistics findings. Specifically, our research is based on the survey “Health conditions and recourse to health services”. The analysed data refer to the Italian context in the period comprised from 2000 to 2013. The results of this work reveal how, in this delicate phase of the economy, traditional consumers of CAM have signally reduced their use of such treatments. In Italy, in the observed period, factors as working status, age, smoking and chronic diseases have been determinant in the decision to use CAM. The article suggests that, where health is at stake, CAM users are more strategic than the average biomedicine users. Furthermore, confirming the past trend, it shows how difficult it is to afford forms of treatment not covered by the health system as well as it underlines the lack of data for comparison with other countries.
Sitagliptin Suppresses Active Ghrelin in Patients with Diabetes

Ghrelin is an appetite-stimulating hormone mainly produced by the stomach. Circulating levels of ghrelin increase in fasting sates and fall following meal. Sitagliptin is an orally available new class of anti-diabetic drug that inhibits dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP-4) leading to 2-3 fold increase in the serum concentration of glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) and glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP). This study was performed to determine the effects of sitagliptin on circulating levels of ghrelin in control subjects (N=15) and diabetic patients (N=46). The diabetic patients were treated with sitagliptin (N=15), metformin (N=16) or combination of sitagliptin and metformin (N=15) for one week. Serum concentrations of total and active ghrelin were determined immediately before and 2 hours after meal challenge. The tests were repeated among patients with diabetes after receiving drug therapy for one week. Active ghrelin was significantly more suppressed than total ghrelin in diabetic patients (by 36%, p<0.001). In patients taking sitagliptin, total ghrelin (means±SEM) fell from 386±37 pg/ml at baseline to 345±73 pg/ml whereas active ghrelin decreased from 160±18 pg/ml to 85±12 pg/ml (p<0.01). There was no statistical difference in ghrelin levels between the three treatment groups. Active ghrelin concentration correlated negatively with BMI in diabetic patients (P<0.05). After adjusting data for sitagliptin or its combination with metformin suppressed active: total ghrelin ratio more potently than metformin alone (P<0.001). Sitagliptin suppressed active ghrelin more significantly in patients with diabetes when compared to healthy controls. Postprandial ghrelin suppression was strongest after medication. The result of this study warrants further investigation of the significance of ghrelin suppression in patients with diabetes.
SELF-ASSEMBLED ALKANE MONOLAYERS ON MOSE2 AND MOS2

Highly ordered monolayers of a long‐chain molecule, dotriacontane (C32H66), have been obtained by self‐assembly at the interface between an organic solution and the basal planes of two semiconductors, MoSe2 and MoS2. Scanning tunneling microscopy in situ at the solid–fluid interfaces revealed that the adsorbate lattices are close packed and oriented relative to the substrate lattices, but that they are not simply commensurate. The results indicate that for flexible chain molecules, which interact only weakly with the surface of a solid substrate, a high degree of order in the adsorbed monolayers is induced by the atomical flatness of the substrate, while the coincidence of lattice parameters and the specific surface chemistry play only a minor role. Details of the packing, including the symmetry of the adsorbate unit cell, depend on the particular substrate. The results imply that atomical flatness is a key factor for the fabrication of highly ordered organic/inorganic heterostructures.
Identifying distributional characteristics in random coefficients panel data models

We study the identification of panel models with linear individual-specific coefficients, when T is fixed. We show identification of the variance of the effects under conditional uncorrelatedness. Identification requires restricted dependence of errors, reflecting a trade-off between heterogeneity and error dynamics. We show identification of the density of individual effects when errors follow an ARMA process under conditional independence. We discuss GMM estimation of moments of effects and errors, and introduce a simple density estimator of a slope effect in a special case. As an application we estimate the effect that a mother smokes during pregnancy on child�s birth weight.
A New Geometrical Support for the Radiosity Function

This paper focuses on a new radiosity approach. Using a new geometrical model that describes any surface with an atlas of “disk-like patches”, i.e. a set of pieces covering the surface that can overlap each other, we express the radiosity function in a new function base. This leads to a new radiosity system where overlapping areas are taken into account. The classical radiosity approach appears now as a particular limit case of this new “overlapping radiosity”.
Performance of lead-free solder joints under dynamic mechanical loading

The performance of Sn/Ag/Cu solder with different component lead coating materials (Ni/Pd, 85Sn/15Pb and 98Sn/2Bi) under dynamic mechanical loading was studied in this work using a free fall drop test. PCB substrates with organic solderability preservative (OSP) and immersion gold over electroless nickel (Ni/Au) surface finishes were included in the investigation. Tests were carried out before and after thermal cycling between 0/spl deg/C and 100/spl deg/C for 3040 cycles. For comparison, lead pull tests were also carried out. It is found from this study that in the as-assembled state, the 98Sn/2Bi coating had the best performance in the drop and pull tests, followed by the 85Sn/15Pb coating. After thermal cycling, a decrease of /spl sim/40-50% in the drop test results were seen when compared with the as-assembled state. Failure modes from the drop tests were investigated and the intermetallic compounds (IMC) layer was examined using SEM/EDS to study the impact of IMC on drop test failures.
Human Capital Investment, Consumption and Growth Nexus in Nigeria: Long-Run Path

Human capital investment has been seen as an impetus to sustainable economic growth and this has necessitated the increase in government spending by major economies including Nigeria in order to achieve a steady long-run growth path. On this basis, the effect of human capital investment on economic growth in Nigeria between a decade after independence 1970 and 2009 is examined based on the endogenous growth theory framework. Following the underlying assumptions of the endogenous growth model, real output is regressed on private capital investment, government human capital investment, human capital consumption, and openness to trade. The time series of the variables were examined using the Augmented Dickey-Fuller unit root test and all of the series were found non-stationary at levels excluding population growth of economic active. Engle-Granger co-integration test result revealed that there is long-run growth path between human capital investment and economic growth in Nigeria. However, the result of the co integrating regression indicated that capital investment from the private and public sector, and human capital consumption tends to be important factors that enhance real economic growth in Nigeria, while, growth of economic active population and economic openness exert negative influence on economic growth in Nigeria. Keywords: Human Resource Investment, Human Capital Consumption, Private Capital investment, Government spending, Economic Growth.
Risk (Predisposing) Factors for Non-Infectious Claw Disorders in Dairy Cows Under Varying Zero-Grazing Systems

Lameness in cattle is one of the major causes of economic losses in dairy production systems (Hernandez et al., 2005; Kossaibati & Esslemont, 1997). These losses occur through various negative impact directly on cattle and indirectly on the dairy production system. These include reduced milk yield (Hernandez et al., 2005), discarding of milk due to withdrawal period of drugs used to treat some of the lameness conditions, cost of veterinary drugs and professional services in managing the conditions (Enting et al., 1997), lowered conception rate and increased calving interval (Melendez et al., 2003; Sogstad et al.,2006), reduced ovarian activity during early postpartum period (Garbarino et al., 2004), as well as premature culling and occasional mortalities (Enting et al., 1997). Lameness has also been identified as a major welfare determinant in cattle because of discomfort and pain that it causes (Offer et al., 2000).
NUMERICAL SOLUTION OF CONTAMINATED OIL ALONG A VERTICAL WAVY FRUSTUM OF A CONE

The eﬀect of wavy surface on natural convection ﬂow of two-phase dusty ﬂuid over a vertical frustum of a cone is presented in this paper. The boundary layer regime having the large value of Grashof number Gr is considered and the wavy surface is assume to have wavelength and amplitude of O(1). A sinusoidal surface is used as a particular example to elucidate the heat transfer mechanism near such surfaces. The transformed boundary layer equations are solved numerically and detailed results for the skin friction and rate of heat transfer coeﬃcients are presented for a selected parameters: wavy surface amplitude, half cone angle, mass concentration parameter and dust parameter. Comprehensive ﬂow formations of the contaminated oil having Pr equal to 500.0, are given with the aim to predict the enhancement of heat transport across the heated wavy frustum of the cone.
Method for analysis and prediction of dwell times at stops in local bus transportation

AbstractThe punctuality of local public bus transportation contributes to the service quality and has impact on mode choice. Appropriate planning and control measures as well as adequate passenger information require efficient analysis and prediction methods. Advanced fleet tracking systems provide enough data for these research purposes. The main factors that cause schedule deviation has been identified through the analysis of the data. As important time elements of the journey time are dwell times at stops, the research focused on it; however, the elaborated database structure is adequate also for analysis of the other time elements, which coincides with our further research intentions too. Innovative methods based on the historical data have been elaborated for the prediction of dwell times. The essence of the method: multi-variate analysis of the dwell times by exploration of the significant influencing factors, and then prediction of times based on the factors describing the certain situations. Sound.
Housing demand and tenure choice in Brazilian urban areas

Housing is both a consumer and investment good. Besides being a basic human need, housing usually corresponds to the main asset in households ́ portfolio all over the world. However, housing tenure conditions vary deeply across countries, irrespective of income patterns, region of the globe and levels of development. When we analyze tenure conditions in developing countries we can find a multiplicity of housing solutions, that include homeownership and renting in formal housing markets, squatting and renting in informal settlements up to the occupancy of rent-free housing, ceded by relatives and employers.
Geostatistical evaluation of permeability in an active fault zone

This study presents a description of permeability in an active fault zone located in the Great Basin extensional province. The fault hydraulic structure is inferred from geostatistical analysis of temperatures in 143 geothermal springs, located along a fault trace in the Alvord Basin of southeast Oregon. Based on this analysis, we conclude that the fault zone is predominately low permeability, interspersed with relatively few, spatially‐discrete, high‐permeability channels. The conceptual model presented is in agreement with the findings of other investigators, but extends their work by offering a representation of fault properties at the tens to hundreds of meters scale.
Optimizing Gaze Typing with Pupil Size for People with Severe Motor Disabilities

Thanks to recent technological advances in the field of eye tracking, eye typing provides means of communication for people with severe disabilities. Typing with gaze using dwell time has been made possible by the development of eye tracking technologies. Recent research indicates that pupil size is viewed as a subtle cue of people is making a decision. Therefore, it may help to infer users’ willing of typing. The present study describes the design process for improving eye typing by adding pupil size index into dwell time triggering. Experimental evaluations showed that the approach was effective; design considerations for such optimization of the gaze typing interfaces are discussed.
Regulation and expression of elrD 1 and elrD 2 transcripts during early Xenopus laevis development # FIDA NASSAR

The Xenopus laevis elrD (elav-like ribonucleoprotein D) gene is a member of the elav/ Hu family which encodes RNA-binding proteins. Most of the elav/Hu genes are expressed in the nervous system, where they are implicated in the development and maintenance of neurons. The regulation of elrD gene expression involves two promoters, pD1 and pD2. In this study, we analyzed the neural specificity directed by both promoters. They were fused to the gene encoding green fluorescent protein, and their ability to drive neural expression in injected Xenopus embryos was examined. We show that both promoters direct neural expression and that whole promoter sequences are needed to induce neural specific expression. Finally, we analyzed the spatial and temporal localization of the two elrD transcripts, elrD1 and elrD2. We found that the two transcripts present the same tissue-specific pattern of expression, with distinct developmental regulation. Our results show a complex regulation of the elrD gene and suggest that different transcripts resulting from alternative splicing of the elrD gene probably define different neurons.
SMC SMP 24: A newly radio-detected planetary nebula in the small Magellanic cloud

SUMMARY: In this paper we report a new radio-continuum detection of an extragalactic planetary nebula (PN): SMC SMP 24. We show the radio-continuum image of this PN and present the measured radio data. The newly reduced radio observations are consistent with the multi-wavelength data and derived parameters found in the literature. SMC SMP 24 appears to be a young and compact PN, optically thick at frequencies below 2 GHz.
Assessment of Some Selected Physical Fitness Components of Jimma University Sport Science Department Students

The purpose of the study was to assess some selected physical fitness components of Jimma University sport science department students. For this study 136 subjects was screened using systematic random sampling. Cross-sectional study design was used because the subjects were tested once. The quantitative data was collected through anthropometric test and through physical fitness tests. Mean and standard deviation was computed for age, sex, weight, height, body mass index (BMI), push up test, Illinois agility test, sit and reach test and sit up test. Moreover, multiple comparison tests was used to examine the subject push up test, Illinois agility test, sit and reach test and sit up test. The significance level was set at P< 0.05 for each of the statistical tests. The SPSS 20 software was used for the statistical analysis. The mean results of BMI in both male and female first, second and third year sport science students as compared with international norms, they were in the normal range. Both in male female first year sport science students showed that a better mean difference than second and third year sport science in push up test, agility, sit & reach and sit up tests but there is no a significant mean difference in p<0.05. Male sport science students’ are fulfilling the international norms in most physical fitness tests. Female sport science students’ are not are fulfilling the international norms in most physical fitness tests. Regular energetic activity needed to produces physical fitness improvements of sport science department students. To be more beneficial in all dimensions sport science students should have pre physical fitness exam to join the department. It is highly expected from sport professionals and related fields to guide and educate on the importance and value of physical fitness. Sport science department should design a special physical fitness program for their students. Further research on the benefits of physical fitness for sport science students and other students for their daily routine. Keywords : Physical fitness, Sport Science, Students
Assessing technological barriers to telemedicine: technology-management implications

Telemedicine, the use of information technology to deliver health care from one location to another, has the potential to increase the quality and access to health care and to lower costs. This growth of telemedicine installations is occurring even as the utilization rates for installed telemedicine projects are falling well below expectations. Drawing on data collected from three operational telemedicine projects involving different clinical telemedicine applications, we examine how the technological barriers to telemedicine are impacting telemedicine utilization rates. Addressing technological barriers is a necessary but not sufficient condition if telemedicine is to fulfil its promise, and it is predominantly only after such barriers are addressed that the other barriers-professional, legal, and financial-come to the fore. Our findings support end-user and technical training as major barriers but do not support the quality of the video, system reliability, or the perceived inconvenience for physicians to use the equipment as barriers to telemedicine. The mismatch between the sophistication of the technology and end-user requirements for clinical activities and patient confidentiality and privacy issues were supported as barriers, but how they impacted telemedicine utilization was different than expected. Finally, unsatisfactory sound quality of the telemedicine equipment was identified as a frequent and unexpected barrier to telemedicine utilization rates.
Long-term morphological changes of symptomatic lacunar infarcts and surrounding white matter on structural MRI

Background and Purpose —Insights into evolution of cerebral small vessel disease on neuroimaging might advance knowledge of the natural disease course. Data on evolution of sporadic symptomatic lacunar infarcts are limited. We investigated long-term changes of symptomatic lacunar infarcts and surrounding white matter on structural magnetic resonance imaging. Methods — From 2 nonoverlapping, single-center, prospective observational stroke studies, we selected patients presenting with lacunar stroke symptoms with a recent small subcortical (lacunar) infarct on baseline structural magnetic resonance imaging and with follow-up magnetic resonance imaging available at 1 to 5 years. We assessed changes in imaging characteristics of symptomatic lacunar infarcts and surrounding white matter. Results — We included 79 patients of whom 32 (41%) had complete and 40 (51%) had partial cavitation of the index lesion at median follow-up of 403 (range, 315–1781) days. In 42 of 79 (53%) patients, we observed a new white matter hyperintensity adjacent to the index infarct, either superior (white matter hyperintensity cap, n=17), inferior (white matter hyperintensity track, n=13), or both (n=12). Conclusions — Half of the sporadic symptomatic lacunar infarcts developed secondary changes in superior and inferior white matter. These white matter hyperintensity caps and tracks may reflect another aspect of cerebral small vessel-related disease progression. The clinical and prognostic values remain to be determined. ( Stroke . 2018;49:00-00. may cause symptomatic lacunar infarcts but also silent brain damage that is visible on structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), including white matter hyperin-tensities (WMHs) and lacunes. Insights into the radiological evolution of cSVD features are important because they might increase our knowledge of vascular disease and neu-rodegeneration and could be used as surrogate markers for therapeutic studies. long-term perilesion morphological changes of sporadic symptomatic lacunar infarcts, new WMH (caps) lat-eral or superior to 18% (15 of 82) of sporadic symptomatic lacunar infarcts. that sporadic symptomatic infarcts are associated with widespread secondary degeneration in adjacent white matter dominant arteriopathy subcortical leukoencephalopa-thy (CADASIL)—a long-term perilesional and remote morphological of or 3)], and follow-up MRI features [time between index stroke and follow-up MRI, and WMH progression], which are known variables associated with the presence and progression of WMH). Statistical significance was set at P <0.05 (2-tailed). Analyses were performed using SPSS statistical software package (SPSS, version 23.0; SPSS, Inc, Chicago, IL).
Study of Interrelationship Between Home Environment, Social Intelligence and Socio-economic Status Among Males and Females

Abstract The present study was undertaken to assess the existing levels of inter-relationship between home environment, social intelligence and socio-economic status across various age levels and two sexes. The data was collected from randomly selected four high schools in the villages of Ludhiana –I block of Ludhiana district. Home environment was assessed by using Mishra’s Home Inventory, Social Intelligence was assessed by using Chadha and Genesan’s (1986) Social Intelligence Scale and to know the socio-economic status, Kulshreshta’s Socio-Economic Status Scale (1981) was used. Results revealed that socioeconomic status has got effect on social intelligence. Home environment also showed positive impact on social intelligence