Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Maternal Mortality in Eastern Zambia: Accessing Healthcare for Delivery and Obstetric Emergencies

Improving maternal health and survival remains the most elusive of the Millennium Development Goals, and the global disparities in maternal mortality are vast, with lifetime risks still in excess of 1 in 10 throughout much of sub-Saharan Africa. The "three delays model", developed by Thaddeus and Maine (1994), identifies delays in recognising need for care, reaching a care facility and then receiving care at the facility as crucial obstacles to improving maternal health outcomes. A new motorcycle ambulance-trailer transport intervention being introduced in Eastern Zambia seeks to address the second delay by improving access to emergency obstetric facilities and clinics. However, interventions do not always translate into improved outcomes, since healthcare decision-making is a complex process drawing on multiple factors and perspectives. This paper reports on an anthropological study conducted in six villages in the Lundazi District, Zambia with the aim of situating the intervention within a framework of current attitudes towards transport and use of transport, health-seeking decision-making processes and practices and barriers to service use. Based on in-depth interviews and focus groups with women of reproductive age and their families, combined with participant observation, this paper demonstrates that while poor transport is an important barrier, taking into account the economic and socio-cultural context is also crucial to improved maternal health. This underlines the importance of detailed qualitative research before project implementation and the benefits of inter-disciplinary collaboration between engineering and social sciences in improving health in the Global South.
Effects of intragenomic polymorphism in the SSU rRNA gene on estimating marine microeukaryotic diversity: A test for ciliates using single‐cell high‐throughput DNA sequencing

Diversity assessments using the small subunit (SSU) rRNA gene allow for rapid assessments of microeukaryotic communities. Yet, for microeukaryotes, only limited information is available on the extent to which sequence variations within individual genomes exist at this locus. We investigated 14 marine species belonging to four major ciliate groups by single‐cell high‐throughput DNA sequencing to estimate the extent of intragenomic polymorphism in the V4 region of the SSU rRNA gene. Based on these results, we evaluated the potential effect of polymorphism on metabarcoding studies. The intragenomic variability was generally below 3% among about 1000 unique sequences obtained from each studied cell, except of Protocruzia sp. , whose intragenomic variability was as high as 15.6% among about 2000 unique sequences. Intragenomic variations significantly correlated with the number of macronuclei, but not with the biovolume of cell or macronuclei, indicating the occurrence of nonuniform evolution within the macronuclei. The removal of rare unique sequences greatly decreased the number of variations. For diversity studies, we therefore propose to conservatively discard rare amplicons. Considering the intragenomic variation within the V4 region, a sequence similarity cutoff of 3% to delimit marine ciliate operational taxonomic units could be substantiated, as at least this threshold could exclude most effect of intragenomic polymorphisms, although it may be too strict for some particular groups.
The essential oil of Curcuma longa rhizomes as an antimicrobial and its composition by Gas Chromatography/Mass Spectrometry

Objetivo Este trabalho teve como objetivo determinar a composicao e avaliar as atividades antimicrobiana e hemolitica do oleo essencial de rizomas da Curcuma longa L. Metodos A extracao do oleo essencial foi realizada por hidrodestilacao e sua composicao determinada por cromatografia gasosa com espectrometria de massas. A Concentracao Minima Inibitoria foi avaliada por microdiluicao e a atividade hemolitica foi analisada em hemacias de carneiro. Resultados Os componentes majoritarios encontrados foram zingibereno (11%), sesquipelenadieno (10%), β-turmerona (10%) e α-curcumeno (5%). O oleo essencial provocou hemolise e inibiu Staphylococcus aureus (Concentracao Minima Inibitoria=38,8μl/mL), Staphylococcus epidermidis (Concentracao Minima Inibitoria=50,0μl/mL), Escherichia coli (Concentracao Minima Inibitoria=44,4μl μl/mL) e Pseudomonas aeruginosa (Concentracao Minima Inibitoria=27,7μl/mL). Conclusao Apesar de provocar hemolise, o oleo essencial analisado tem potencial para diversas finalidades, devido as suas propriedades antibacterianas. Estudos complementares sao necessarios para determinar a atividade in vivo e o potencial uso de oleo essencial de C. longa como agente antimicrobiano em diversas situacoes.
Ethanol Production from Ripe Palmyra Palm Fruit Pulp Extract using Loog Pang Khao MaK and Loog Pang Satho

Ripe palmyra palm fruit is an agricultural residue that can be used to produce alternative energy. The fruit pulp extract contained carbohydrates (108.01 ± 0.05 g/L) and sugars (64.36 ± 1.67 g/L) which can be used as substrate for ethanol fermentation. This research investigated the production of ethanol from palmyra fruit pulp extract by using Loog Pang Khao Mak and Look Pang Satho. The effect of reducing sugar concentrations was studied by using fruit pulp extract at 20, 40, 60, 80, and 100% v/v. The result showed that 100% v/v of fruit pulp extract gave the highest ethanol concentrations for the fermentation with the two types of Loog Pang. The pH affecting the fermentation efficiency was investigated at 4.5, 4.8, 5.0 and 5.5. The optimum pH for the fermentation with Look Pang Khao Mak and Loog Pang Satho were 4.5 and 5.0, respectively. The fermentation with Look Pang Khao Mak at optimum condition gave the highest ethanol concentration at 10.57 ± 0.03 g/L with 48 h fermentation time. The ethanol yield was 0.23 ± 0.001 g/g. The productivity and fermentation efficiency were 0.22 ± 0.001 g/L/h and 45.08 ± 0.15 %. For the fermentation with Loog Pang Satho, the highest ethanol concentration was 7.93 ± 0.03 g/L with 48 h fermentation time. The ethanol yield, productivity and fermentation efficiency were 0.17 ± 0.001 g/g, 0.17 ± 0.001 g/L/h and 32.7 ± 0.02 %, respectively. These were significantly lower than the fermentation with Loog Pang Khao Mak when statistically tested at 95 % confidential level.
Antioxidant activities of methanolic extract and its fractions of Baccaurea racemosa and Macaranga subpeltata leaves

Oxidative stress, the excessive presence of reactive oxygen species (ROS), is suggested as a basal cause of aging as well as various degenerative and chronic diseases in human. Antioxidants are believed to play a very vital role in the body defense system against ROS. Plant-based antioxidants with their prominence have gained tremendous worldwide interest nowadays. Baccaurea racemosa and Macaraanga subpeltata are among ethnomedical used plants for liver diseases medication which have potential source as natural antioxidants. The aim of the study was to evaluate the antioxidant activities of the methanolic crude extract (CE) and their fractions of the plant’s leaves. Maceration was performed to obtain CE, which then subjected to fractionation using n-hexane, dichloromethane, chloroform, ethyl acetate, and ethanol to obtain fractions of hexane fraction (HF), dichloromethane (DF), chloroform (CF), ethyl acetate (EAF), and ethanol fractions (EF), respectively. The CE and all fractions included water fraction (WF) and residue (R) were examined for its total phenolic contents, total flavonoid contents, and antioxidant activities using various in vitro assay. In general, EAF demonstrated as the best solvent for the extracting phenolic compounds with higher antioxidant activity. The CE and its fractions of M. subpeltata contained higher of TPC and TFC, also demonstrated higher antioxidant capacity, than that B. racemosa. The phenolics compounds were responsible for the antiradical properties. The EAF of M. subpeltata was scavenging those radicals better than that of L-(+)ascorbic acid as a positive control. The high antioxidant activities and phenolics contents make both the plant extracts to be developed as a food supplement.
THE WOMAN IN THE MIDDLE : THE SANDWICH GENERATION REVISED

The 'Sandwich Generation' consists of middle-aged parents who still have young adult children living at home, and who are partly respon sible for some care giving to parents and parents-in-law. A study of 66 'women in the middle' was completed in Metropolitan Toronto through personal interviews, in order to obtain information on fac tors related to being in the 'sandwich'. Selected findings are pre sented, and implications for research and counselling for health pro fessionals are included. In the September issue of Canada's Mental Health, Schlesinger (1989) de scribed some of the issues facing the Sandwich generation. After review ing the existing literature, one of the research questions raised was how the 'Sandwich Generation' coped with the stress of having to meet some of the needs of the other two family layers consisting of young adult children who stayed home longer, and elderly parents/parents-in-law who are in part dependent on the middle generation, which has been assigned the name of the 'Sandwich Generation' (Miller, 1981). In order to find out about this growing family phenomenon in Cana society we completed a study related to the 'woman in the middle'.
Tratamiento del insomnio.

About half of the cases with chronic insomnia are related to psychiatric conditions. , the remaining cases include insomnia related to medical conditions and sleep disorders. Insomnia not attributable to other disorder is termed primary insomnia. Sleep hygiene, and treatment of any underlying condition are the initial therapeutic approaches of insomnia. Benzodiazepine and non-benzodiazepine hypnotics promote sleep through a similar effect on benzodiazepine receptors which enhance GABA activity. The principal differences among those hypnotics relate to the duration of action. The risks of tolerance, abuse, and dependency are much less marked in non-benzodiazepine hypnotics. The use of antidepressants and other sedating drugs for treatment of insomnia is common. Behavioral treatment of insomnia can be quite effective. A number of approaches such as relaxation therapy, stimulus control, sleep restriction and cognitive therapy have proven to be effective. Combined or sequential pharmacologic and behavioral are often effective.
Synergistic Effect of Nitric Oxide with Antibiotics Against Mycobacterium Abscessus in Vitro

Mycobacterium Abscessus in Vitro Chau, T.a, Blade K.a, da Silva J.L. a, Ghaffari A.b, Zelazny A.M.c, Olivier K.N. a a Laboratory of Chronic Airway Infection, Pulmonary Branch, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA; b AIT Therapeutics, Garden City, NY, USA; c Department of Laboratory Medicine, Clinical Center, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
Melatonin and alpha lipoic acid restore electrolytes and kidney morphology of lopinavir/ritonavir-treated rats

Introduction: Lopinavir/ritonavir (LPV/r) may cause renal dysfunction such as electrolyte and acid base disorders and alteration in kidney morphology. Drug–induced renal dysfunction can occur through multiple mechanisms including oxidative stress and inflammation. Objectives: The current study aimed at evaluating the protective effects of melatonin (MT) and alpha lipoic acid (ALA) against serum electrolytes and kidney histology of LPV/r-treated rats. Adult albino rats were randomized into six groups (A to F). Rats in the control groups were treated orally with normal saline and 1% ethanol as placebo and solvent control for 90 days respectively. Rats in the experimental groups were pre-treated orally with 10 mg/kg of MT, 10 mg/kg of ALA, and MT+ ALA daily before treatment with 22.9/5.71, 45.6/11.4 94 and 91.4/22.9 mg/kg/d of LPV/r for 90 days respectively. Materials and Methods: At the end of treatment, rats were euthanized. Blood samples were collected and serum samples were extracted and evaluated for electrolytes, total protein, and albumin. Additionally, kidneys were excised via dissection and evaluated for morphological changes. Results: Significant (P<0.001) decreases in serum sodium, potassium, chloride, bicarbonate, total protein and albumin in a dose-dependent fashion were obtained in LPV/r-treated rats when compared to control. Dose-dependent kidney morphological changes characterised by tubular necroses were obtained in LPV/r-treated rats. The observations in LPV/r-treated rats were significantly reversed in MT (P<0.01), ALA (P<0.01) and MT+ALA (P<0.001) pre-treated rats when compared to LPV/r-treated rats. Conclusion: MT and ALA can serve as adjuvant therapies for LPV/r-associated alterations in serum electrolytes and kidney histology.
110th Anniversary: Using Data to Bridge the Time and Length Scales of Process Systems

In this paper, we review the role of data as a “bridge” connecting the different time/length scales of chemical processes in mathematical modeling and multiscale, integrated decision making. We argue that this is a fitting role of “big data” in the chemical industry, an area that comprises complicated yet deterministic physical systems. Such systems can be described using physical and chemical laws that are generally well understood. As such, data and their analysis are less likely to provide the unexpected and/or surprising insights that they have generated in other sectors (e.g., the transactional economy, social sciences). Nevertheless, historical operating data (which are often plentiful and available at little cost) can be converted to very useful information for multiscale mathematical modeling of chemical processes. Several examples of integration are provided, mapped on the continuum of time and length scales of process systems. Existing research challenges and potential directions for future work.
HIV prevention while bulldozers roll : developing evidence based HIV prevention intervention for female sex workers following the demolition of Goa's redlight area

Background: Interventions targeting female sex workers (FSWs) are pivotal to HIV prevention in India. Societal factors and legislation around sex-work are potential barriers to achieving this. In recent years several high profile closures of red-light areas and dance bars in India have occurred. In this thesis I describe the effects of the demolition of Goa’s red-light area on the organsiation of sex-work, HIV risk environment, and implications for evidence-based HIV prevention. Methods: The pre-demolition phase was a detailed ethnographic study. The early post-demolition phase included rapid ethnographic mapping of sex-work in the immediate aftermath. The late post-demolition phase was a cross-sectional survey supplemented by an in-depth qualitative study. 326 FSWs were recruited throughout Goa using respondent-driven-sampling, and completed interviewer-administered questionnaires. They were tested for sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and HIV. Results: The homogeneous brothel-based sex-work in Goa evolved into heterogeneous, clandestine and dispersed types of sex-work. The working environment was higher risk and less conducive to HIV prevention. Infections were common with 25.7% prevalence of HIV and 22.5% prevalence of curable STIs. Women who had never worked in Baina, young women, and those who had recently started sex-work were particularly likely to have curable STIs, a marker of recent sexual risk. STIs were independently associated with young age, lack of schooling, no financial autonomy, deliberate-self-harm, sexual-abuse, regular customers, streetbased sex-work, Goan ethnicity, and being asymptomatic. Having knowledge about HIV, access to free STI services, and having an intimate partner were associated with a lower likelihood of STIs. HIV was independently associated with being Hindu, recent migration to Goa, lodge or brothel-based sex work, and dysuria. Conclusions: Tackling structural and gender-based determinants of HIV are integral to HIV prevention strategies. Prohibition and any form of criminalisation of sex-work reduce the sex workers’ agency and create barriers to effective HIV prevention.
Technical Training and General Education: Can We Really Provide Both?.

This document focuses on the ability of Oklahoma State University-Okmulgee Community College to effectively incorporate technical training with general education. It"emphasizes that in the past, technical training and general liberal arts education were seen and operated as two distinct, somewhat unrelated programs. Changes in the demands and needs of business and industry make incorporating the two fields a necessity. Employers believe that one of two things happens in postsecondary education: (1) students graduate from a liberal arts institution with communications skills but no technical skills; or (2) students graduate from a technical school with minimal liberal arts versatility and minimal communications skills. The author asserts that there must be a middle ground, regardless of the difficulty community colleges have convincing technical students of the importance of general education. Technical training, problem-solving skills, audience analysis, writing, computer skills, and general/specialized communication are the most commonly mentioned employment skills presently desired by employers. This document reports that most technical programs have some general education requirements. Dual emphasis on technical training and general studies, which is what Okmulgee is encouraging, is required to ensure gainful employment for community college students. (Contains 12 references.) (MKF) Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the original document. Technical Training and General Education: Can We Really Provide Both? Submitted to: ERIC Clearinghouse for Community Colleges Submitted by: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION Office of Educational Research and IrnproVernetlt. '4. EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION CENTER (ERIC) . i . AThis document has been reproduced as s received from the person or:organization -originating it. 0 Minor changes have been Made to improve reproduction qualify. Points of view or cipinions stated in this document do not necessarily represent. official OERI position or policy. PERMISSION TO REPRODUCE AND DISSEMINATE THIS MATERIAL HAS BEEN GRANTED BY . TO THE EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION CENTER (ERIC) Stuart Tichenor Oklahoma State University-Okmulgee December 14, 2001 2 BEST COPY AVAILABLE
Layer-by-layer assembly of graphene oxide nanoplatelets embedded desalination membranes with improved chlorine resistance

Membranes with polyamide thin film active layer are used in reverse osmosis based water desalination applications. Incorporation of graphene oxide nanoplatelets (GONPs) in the polyamide layer can alter the surface characteristics, permeability, selectivity, and can enhance the chlorine resistance of these membranes. In this study, a layer-by-layer (LbL) synthesis technique has been developed for embedding GONPs in polyamide layer. Polyamide layers with GONPs were synthesized in various sequences, such as alternating layers of GONPs and polyamide, and GONPs on top of the polyamide layer. Incorporation of GONPs resulted in an increase of surface hydrophilicity, as captured by the change of the water contact angle. Water flux and salt rejection properties of synthesized membranes have been investigated by using a dead-end cell. The salt rejection ability of membranes increased slightly with the incorporation of GONPs, while the water flux found to be similar to that observed for the pristine membranes without GONPs. Upon exposure to chlorine, GONPs embedded membranes retained salt rejection performance better than the pristine membranes. Our approach provides an alternative framework to incorporate nanoparticles in thin film membranes in a precise manner and to investigate the effect of such nanoparticles on the membrane performances.
Identificación de deleciones en el gen de la distrofina y detección de portadoras en familias con distrofia muscular de Duchenne/Becker

Introduccion. Del 60 al 65% de las mutaciones que causan distrofia muscular de Duchenne/Becker (DMD/DMB) corresponden a deleciones en el gen de la distrofina. La identificacion de deleciones confirma el diagnostico y permite la deteccion precisa de portadoras, que es el recurso principal de prevencion. En el sudeste de Mexico se desconoce la frecuencia y distribucion de las deleciones del gen DMD. Objetivos. Identificar deleciones del gen DMD y detectar portadoras en familias con DMD/DMB del sudeste de Mexico. Pacientes y metodos. Se incluyeron 26 familias cuyo proposito mostro signos clinicos de DMD/DMB. Las deleciones se determinaron en el ADN de 40 varones mediante reaccion en cadena de la polimerasa (PCR) multiple de 22 segmentos del gen. La deteccion de portadoras se aplico a 33 familiares femeninos con PCR mediante polimorfismo de longitud de fragmentos de restriccion de los marcadores Pert 87.8/Taq 1, pERT 87.15/Bam H1, y PCR simple para el VNTR MPIP mediante analisis de ligamiento. Resultados. Las deleciones se identificaron en el 67,5% de pacientes con DMD y se localizaron en el extremo 5� y en la region central, exones 44 al 52, del gen. En la deteccion de portadoras, el 73,33% de las familias resulto informativo. Los marcadores 87.8/Taq I y MPIP arrojaron el mayor poder de informacion, con el 26,67 y el 33,33%, respectivamente. De 33 mujeres, 21 (63,64%) resultaron portadoras, una (3,03%) no portadora y 11 (33.33%) no fueron informativas. Conclusion. La frecuencia de deleciones fue del 67,5%. Se determino el estado de portador en el 66,67% de las mujeres analizadas. Los marcadores pERT 87.8/Taq 1 y MPIP arrojaron el mayor poder de informacion.
Synthesis of Calcium Oxide from River Snail Shell as a Catalyst in Production of Biodiesel

This research studied synthesis of calcium oxide from river snail shells by calcination at 700,800 and 900 °C for 4 h, and its subsequent use as a catalyst for biodiesel production. The calciumoxide fraction in calcined river snail shell was analyzed by X-ray fluorescence (XRF), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The XRF result showed calciumoxide levels of 59.499 %, 70.113 % and 73.88 1%, respectively, at corresponding calcination temperatures of 700, 800 and 900 °C. The SEMimages revealed porous, rough, and fragile surfaces which became agglomerated at elevated temperatures. The calcium oxide obtained from each calcination temperature was utilized as a catalyst in production of biodiesel. The process usedwaste cooking oil and methanol in a molar ratio of 6:1, reaction temperature 60-65 ̊C for 3 h and 1- 3 % by weight of catalysts. The transesterification reaction using calcined river snailshell as catalyst was compared at three temperature ranges. They results revealed that a calcination temperature of 800 ºC, a catalyst amount of 1 % resulted in maximum biodiesel yield, at 95.91 %. The properties of biodiesel, flash point, heat of combustion, acid value and methyl ester contentwere analyzed. The results found biodiesel from this research was qualified according to the standards of the Department of Energy Business. In conclusion, river snail shell is considered effective as a source of calcium oxide catalyst for commercial biodiesel production in the future.
The “HDL receptor” scavenger receptor class B type 1 finesses the uptake of low-density lipoproteins into the subendothelial space of arteries

Atherosclerosis is a chronic inflammation initiated by the accumulation of low-density lipoproteins (LDL) in the subendothelial space of the artery wall in spatially selected regions of the artery. The LDL is derived from circulating plasma lipoproteins. The passage of macromolecules across the endothelial barrier may involve one of three mechanisms—diffusional, paracellular or transcellular.