Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Documenting Death: Maternal Mortality and the Ethics of Care in Tanzania

Documenting Death is a gripping ethnographic account of the deaths of pregnant women in a hospital in a low-resource setting in Tanzania. Through an exploration of everyday ethics and care practices on a local maternity ward, anthropologist Adrienne E. Strong untangles the reasons Tanzania has achieved so little sustainable success in reducing maternal mortality rates, despite global development support. Growing administrative pressures to document good care serve to preclude good care in practice while placing frontline healthcare workers in moral and ethical peril. Maternal health emergencies expose the precarity of hospital social relations and accountability systems, which, together, continue to lead to the deaths of pregnant women.
The Relative Importance of the Small Intestine and the Liver in Phase II Metabolic Transformations and Elimination of p-Nitrophenol Administered in Different Doses in the Rat

Intestinal and hepatic function have been investigated in phase II metabolic reactions and elimination of p-nitrophenol (PNP) in the rat. A jejunal loop was cannulated and recirculated with isotonic solutions containing PNP in different concentrations (0, 20, 100, 500, 1000 µM). Samples were obtained from the perfusate at given intervals. To investigate the metabolic and excretory functions of the liver, the bile duct was cannulated, and the bile was collected. Metabolites of PNP were determined by validated HPLC (high pressure liquid chromatography) methods. The results demonstrated the relative importance of the small intestine and the liver in phase II metabolic transformations and elimination of PNP. There were significant differences between the luminal and biliary appearances of p-nitrophenol-glucuronide (PNP-G) and p-nitrophenol–sulfate (PNP-S). The PNP-G appeared in the intestinal lumen at the lower PNP concentrations (20 µM and 100 µM) at higher rate than in the bile. No significant difference was found between the intestinal and the biliary excretion of PNP-G when PNP was administered at a concentration of 500 µM. However, a reverse ratio of these parameters was observed at the administration of 1000 µM PNP. The results indicated that both the small intestine and the liver might play an important role in phase II metabolic reactions and elimination of PNP. However, the relative importance of the small intestine and the liver can be dependent on the dose of drugs.
Nano-oxidation of H-terminated p-Si(100): Influence of the humidity on growth and surface properties of oxide islands

Nanometer-scale oxide islands were formed on p-Si(100) by use of an atomic-force microscope in ambient air. The islands were investigated using contact and friction mode. Volumes were determined from cross-sectional measurements before and after HF etching. A pronounced influence of the relative humidity (hr) of the ambient air on the size and on the friction behavior of the islands was found. A distinct peak of the size distribution was observed at hr≈85%. The friction images showed a clear contrast inversion at this humidity value. At lower humidities, the friction between tip and oxide was larger than on H-terminated silicon, at higher humidities, it was lower. A condensation mechanism occurring at the meniscus between the tip and H-terminated silicon surface is suggested, which explains the results.
Human capital readiness and global market orientation in Indonesian Micro-, Small- and-Medium-sized Enterprises business performance

PurposeThis study aims to investigate whether human capital readiness affects business performance, and if so, whether the effect is mediated by global market orientation.Design/methodology/approachThis is a quantitative study employing partial least square structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) to test the hypotheses. Using a survey method, the data were collected using both online and offline questionnaires. As many as 433 owners/managers of micro-, small- and-medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) in the East Java Province of Indonesia participated in this study. A mediating research framework was developed to investigate the mediating role of global marketing orientation on the human capital readiness–business performance relationship.FindingsThe results show that human capital readiness has a direct and positive effect on business performance. Further analysis reveals that global market orientation partially mediates the effect of human capital readiness on business performance.Research limitations/implicationsFirst, this study focuses on the MSMEs in the East Java Province of Indonesia. Caution needs to be taken if the results are generalized to other regions. Second, it employed a survey method that is commonly criticized as having the potential to be biased.Practical implicationsThe findings provide a more comprehensive understanding of owners/managers of human capital readiness and how it should be improved to better execute global market orientation strategies to achieve the desired business performance.Social implicationsBecause MSMEs play a crucial role in society, this study provides a general model to improve the welfare of society by enhancing the MSMEs' business performance. By understanding its antecedents, namely, human capital readiness and the global market orientation, improvements can be made.Originality/valueHuman capital readiness has been rarely examined in previous studies. This is the only study applying the constructs of human capital readiness, global market orientation and business performance to the Indonesian MSME research setting.
The respect it deserves: Book review of Szulkin, M., J.Munshi‐South, and A.Charmantier, eds. 2020. Urban Evolutionary Biology. Oxford University Press, Oxford, 303 pp. ISBN 978‐0‐19‐883685‐8; $49.95 PB

As a graduate student in the late 1980s and early 1990s I was struck by an undercurrent of discrimination against behavioral biologists who studied domesticated, zoo, or urban animals, and ecologists who studied species around people. Cities? They are not “natural. ” Field biologists, after all, should go to “natural” places and study “natural” processes. But what is natural? Naturalness is, of course, not absolute. An older definition I like is that it reflects the amount of human energy that has gone to modify the system (Anderson 1991); a site with paved roads and buildings is less natural than a site with dirt roads and cabins. But this definition reflects intentional modifications and doesn’t recognize our planetary chemical footprint that includes Persistent Organic Pollutants (Roscales et al. 2016) and plastics (Geyer et al. 2017) to name a few. Restricting our studies to “relatively” natural areas is limiting. How are we to understand and manage biodiversity around ecotourism or our expanding urban footprint? And, the irony was that studying Drosophila and Tribolium in jars and Daphnia in mesocosms was somehow OK because they were “model systems. ” I will be the first to admit that we have learned a lot from model systems and I am delighted to see that we have realized that we have a lot to learn from cities! Now, we not only recognize that studying the behavior, ecology, and evolution of urban species provides unique opportunities to study foundational processes, but it also is essential if we are to wisely manage biodiversity and increase urban sustainability on an increasingly urban Earth. Humans have a long history of habitat modification and there have been two major human-driven transitions, as Milot and Stearns nicely remind us in the final chapter of Urban Evolutionary Biology. First, there was a transition to agriculture, which created a series of novel anthropogenic environments. Only later was there a transition to larger population settlements. Now, over 50% of humans live in cities (United Nations 2018) and cities occupy 3% of the Earth’s habitable land (Center for International Earth Science Information Network – Columbia University et al. 2011). The proportion of people in cities, and cities themselves, are expected to grow substantially in the coming decades (Seto et al. 2012). These transitions have clearly influenced the distribution and abundance of organisms on Earth and because of their impact, urban areas may provide replicated experiments, much like islands, to study ecological and evolutionary processes that occur in cities and indeed provide a novel model system for studying adaptation.
Optimization of oxide-confined vertical-cavity surface-emitting diode lasers

The performance of modern oxide-confined (OC) vertical-cavity surface-emitting diode lasers (VCSELs) is distinctly different than that of earlier VCSEL designs. As a result, hitherto known optimal VCSEL designs cannot be considered as the best ones any longer; they need new analysis to determine their optimal OC designs for their various applications. Therefore, in this paper, a comparative analysis of the room-temperature (RT) continuous-wave (CW) threshold operation of various designs of OC VCSELs is carried out using the 1.3 µm OC intra-cavity-contacted GaAs-based quantum-well (GaIn)(NAs)/GaAs VCSEL as a typical example. The analysis has been made with the aid of a comprehensive fully self-consistent three-dimensional optical-electrical-thermal-gain model. Depending on an application, different OC VCSEL designs have been found to be optimal. The lowest RT CW lasing threshold has been found to be achieved in the 1. 5λ-cavity design with only one oxide aperture (for smaller active regions) or in the 3λ-cavity design with two oxide apertures (for larger active regions). On the other hand, to reach the single-fundamental-mode operation and/or longer lasing wavelengths, the 3λ-cavity OC VCSEL with one oxide aperture happened to be the best lasing design, especially for relatively large active regions.
ON-LINE PERAKENDE SEKTÖRÜNDE UYGULANAN PARASAL VE PARASAL OLMAYAN PROMOSYONLARIN MARKA DEĞERİNE ETKİSİ

Parasal ve parasal olmayan satis promosyonlari isletmelerin hacimli satis yapabilmelerinin yani sira marka sadakati yaratma amacli kullandiklari onemli taktiksel araclardan biridir. Gerek daha uygun fiyata satin almak, gerekse sagladigi zaman ve emek kolayliklarindan oturu alisveris deneyimi on-line platformlarda da onemli buyukluge ulasmistir. Bu noktada on-line perakende alisveris markalari icin marka ederi yaratma; uzun vadeli satis cabalari ve bunun getirilerinden faydanalanabilmek icin en onemli kavramlardan birini olusturmaktadir. Buradan hareketle calismada on-line perakende alisverislerde markalarin uyguladigi parasal ve parasal olmayan satis promosyonlarinin, marka ederini olusturan unsurlar uzerindeki etkisinin ve bu unsurlarin birbirine etkilerinin belirlenmesinin yani sira marka sadakatinin onculleri arastirilmistir. Arastirmada anket yontemi kullanilmis olup, olcekler daha onceden gecerliligi ve guvenilirligi sinanmis ifadelerden olusmaktadir. Anket Ankara’da yasayan 452 bireyin katilimi ile yuz yuze gerceklestirilmistir. Orneklemden elde edilen veri SPSS 20 ve Smart-PLS programlari ile analiz edilmistir. Arastimada betimsel analizin yani sira Aciklayici Faktor Analizi, Dogrulayici Faktor Analizi, korelasyon ve coklu baglanti analizleri yapilmis ve ardindan hipotezlerin test edilmesi icin Yapisal Esitlik Modellemesi uygulanmistir. Arastirma sonuclari parasal olmayan satis promosyonlarinin algilanan kalite, marka farkindaligi ve marka sadakati uzerinde olumlu etkiye sahip oldugunu, parasal satis promosyonlarinin ise marka farkindaligi uzerinde olumlu etkiye sahip oldugunu gostermektedir. Arastirmada ulasilan diger bir sonuc marka ederini olusturan unsurlardan marka farkindaliginin algilanan kalite ve marka cagrisimlari uzerinde ve algilanan kalite ve marka cagrisimlarinin ise marka sadakati uzerinde olumlu etkiye sahip oldugudur.
Hipomagnesemia un desbalance metabólico subestimado en la producción de ganado lechero en Costa Rica

Hypomagnesemia. A metabolic imbalance underestimated in dairy herds in Costa Rica. A review. Hypomagnesemia is a metabolic disorder characterized by a reduction in blood and cerebrospinal fluids magnesium levels, affecting the central nervous system. Hypomagnesemic tetany mainly affects old and high producing cows and incidence can reach epidemic proportions. When magnesium levels drop between 1.8 to 1.1 mgl100 ml, the metabolic imbalance is considered moderate and the animal reduces feed intake, is nervous and milk fat synthesis and total milk production are reduced. This condition predisposes to milk fever. If magnesium levels fall below 1.1 mg/100 ml neuromuscular function is affected and the animals show tetanic spams of the muscules and usually lay with the head arched back and the legs paddling. The eyelids flutter and there is nystagmus. If animals are not treated immediately mortality is high. The most effective treatment for the hypomagnesemic cow is the 500 ml injection of a solution of calcium borogluconate (8 to 10 g calcium) and magnesium borogluconate (1.5 to 4 g of magnesium). Injections should be administered slow and intravenously. To prevent relapses is recommended the subcutaneous injection of L00 to 200 ml of a 20 to 50% magnesium sulfate solution. Since no hormonal mechanisms are in charge of keeping the magnesium homeostasis in the organism, the mineral should be always supplied in the diet of the animals in order to maintain the normal plasma levels (1.8 to 2.4mg/1OO ml). Magnesium level in the dairy cattle diet should be 0.25% of dry matter when the K:(Ca+Mg) ratio is below 2.2. If this relationship is higher the level of the element should be increased to 0.30%. Magnesium absorption in the rumen epithelium depends on the concentration of magnesium in solution in the rumen fluid and the activity of the magnesium transport mechanism, which is related to sodium. Among factors affecting the concentration of magnesium in solution in the rumen fluid are the amount of this mineral in the diet, rumen pH and the concentration of unsaturated fatty acids in the forages. Magnesium transport across the rumen epithelium is affected by the sodium: potassium ratio in the diet, as well as the ingestion of lush high moisture pastures, which increases the rate of passage of feed from the rumen, reducing the absorption of magnesium. Most of the forages in the Humid Tropics and the Highlands of Costa Rica have conditions that predispose cows to suffer hypomagnemia. Moreover, most of the soils in these areas ale magnesium deficient (less than 1 mgl100 ml of soil). In those dairy herds where this imbalance is a problem, it is recommended to increase magnesium intake through drinking
Quality of Intrapartum Care: Direct Observations in Selected Health Facilities in Zambia

Approximately 303,000 women die annually while giving birth, worldwide, and more than 99% of the deaths occur in developing countries. In Zambia, a developing country situated in sub-Saharan Africa, most of the maternal mortalities occur during the intrapartum and immediate postpartum periods, arising from postpartum hemorrhage, sepsis, obstructed labor, and hypertensive disorders. Aim: The aim of this study was to assess the quality of intrapartum services provided in health facilities in the country. Methodology: Guided by a descriptive cross sectional design, data were collected from 264 women in labor using a World Health Organization validated observation checklist. Convenience sampling was used to recruit the women, while multistage sampling was used to select four health facilities. The Social Package for Social Sciences, version 23 was used to analyze the data. Results: One health facility met the World Health Organization 80% minimum standard in four out of the five categories used to measure quality in intrapartum care, while the other three met the minimum standard in one category each. Conclusion: Low numbers of midwives, inadequate supplies and equipment were major obstacles to following national and international agreed standards for providing optimal care during intrapartum period. Recommendations: There is need for local and national stakeholders in Zambia to urgently address the structural barriers that were observed, as well as invest in sufficient numbers of adequately trained and motivated midwives.
COVID-19 and Online Learning: A SWOT Analysis of Users’ Perspectives on Learning Management System of University of Education, Winneba, Ghana

This study investigated users’ perceptions of the University of Education, Winneba (UEW) Learning Management Systems (LMS) based on SWOT. The study adopted the explanatory sequential mixed methods which sampled 3272 students and 20 lecturers by using the stratified and purposive sampling techniques, respectively. The study used questionnaires and semi-structured interview guides to collect quantitative and qualitative data. Quantitative data were analyzed using Means and Standard Deviations, Independent Samples t-test, and ANOVA. The qualitative data was analyzed thematically. The study found that UEW LMS is perceived to have elements of weaknesses and threats as well as strengths and opportunities. The study further found that the users of LMS differ in their perceptions in terms of SWOT based on students’ age. The students, however, did not differ significantly in their perceptions of SWOT based on gender. The study recommended that the management of UEW LMS need to educate both lecturers and students about the benefits that LMS offers to its users. Management of the UEW should make the usage of the LMS compulsory for teaching and learning while taking into consideration the age, level as well as the programme of study in the design and implementation of subsequent online platforms for students and lecturers.
A detailed study about CDW-PSO, BWO and GM-CPSO methods on continuous function optimization

Abstract Gauss map based chaotic particle swarm optimization (GM-CPSO) is a state-of-the-art method involving the necessary chaotic map for PSO and has proved itself in global optimization, hybrid classifier design, etc. GM-CPSO can outperform recent techniques such as chaotic dynamic weight PSO (CDW-PSO), outclassing 20 optimization methods. However, the behavior of GM-CPSO on continuous characterized functions is unknown. As the main aim, this paper comprehensively determines the performance of GM-CPSO specifically on continuous function optimization. Black widow optimization (BWO) includes a non-stable population size that cannot be fixed. In BWO, the population can increase without any intervention during iterations, which prevents an objective comparison of the method with other methods. Thus, as the second aim, a new viewpoint on BWO population size selection is suggested for an objective comparison of the method. In various disciplines, stochastic optimization is inevitable to efficiently perform function optimization. Here, the necessary question concerns with which method the best convergence and performance can be achieved. As the third aim, we evaluate three state-of-the-art optimization methods to answer this question. To realize all of these aims, GM-CPSO is compared with CDW-PSO and BWO methods by using 10 continuous benchmark functions to perform a detailed comparison and reveal which one can achieve reliable scores on low-, middle-, and high-dimensional problems. Fitness-based comparisons, computation time analysis, and convergence-based evaluations are presented to determine the robustness of algorithms. As a result, GM-CPSO arises as the most remarkable method, especially for the middle-and high-dimensional continuous functions.
First-Principles Modeling of Mixed Halide Organometal Perovskites for Photovoltaic Applications

We computationally investigate organometal CH3NH3PbX3 and mixed halide CH3NH3PbI2X perovskites (X = Cl, Br, I), which are key materials for high efficiency solid-state solar cells. CH3NH3PbX3 perovskites exhibited the expected absorption blue shift along the I → Br → Cl series. The mixed halide systems surprisingly showed the CH3NH3PbI3 and the CH3NH3PbI2Cl (or CH3NH3PbI3–xClx) perovskites to have similar absorption onset at ∼800 nm wavelength, whereas CH3NH3PbI2Br absorbs light below ∼700 nm. To provide insight into the structural and electronic properties of these materials, in light of their application as solar cell active layers, we perform periodic DFT calculations on the CH3NH3PbX3 and CH3NH3PbI2X perovskites. We find a good agreement between the calculated band structures and the experimental trend of optical band gaps. For the mixed halide perovskites our calculations show the existence of two different types of structures with different electronic properties, whose relative stability varies by v.
Trichoderma asperellum improves soil microenvironment in different growth stages and yield of maize in saline-alkaline soil of the Songnen Plain

The Songnen Plain is an important agricultural base in China and one of the important areas of distribution of saline-alkaline soils in the cold region. Saline-alkaline soils severely restrict maize growth. This study was to potentially promote the soil nutrient in the maize rhizosphere, microbes diversity, and maize yield by Trichoderma asperellum in saline-alkaline soil of the cold region. In the present study, we applied different amounts of T. asperellum in field experiments for three consecutive years. High-throughput sequencing was used to analyse the impact of Trichoderma on microbes diversity in maize rhizosphere soils. Changes in crop yield and soil nutrients were also monitored. T. asperellum treatment significantly increased the relative abundance of beneficial microbes genera. In the control treatment, the pathogenic microbes were the dominant genera. Pearson’s correlation analysis revealed that changes in the soil microbial community composition were closely related to soil nutrients and were highly correlated with T. asperellum treatment concentration. Further, T. asperellum treatment increased crop yield by 4.87–20.26%. These findings suggest that T. asperellum treatment optimised the microenvironment of the maize rhizosphere soil, alleviated microbial community degeneration in cold region saline-alkaline soil, and promoted maize growth.
Impact of Providing a Living Learning Community for First-Year Pre-Pharmacy Students

Objective. To conduct a retrospective cohort pilot study to evaluate the impact of a living learning community (LLC) designed for undergraduate pre-pharmacy students interested in pursuing a Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) degree program. Methods. Persistence, retention, and progression within the pre-pharmacy program, as well as grade point average (GPA) were measured for LLC students and their pre-pharmacy peers who did not participate in the LLC. Information was obtained from the university’s data system and analyzed. Persistence was defined as the student continuing at the university from the fall to spring academic terms. Retention was defined as the student being enrolled at the university during a subsequent fall term. Progression was determined by whether the student had successfully completed the pre-pharmacy curriculum and began pharmacy school within two or three years of initial enrollment in the pre-pharmacy program. Results. Despite having admissions characteristics comparable to other pre-pharmacy students, students who participated in the LLC demonstrated significantly higher grade-point averages and retention than their peers who did not participate. Conclusion. Living learning community programs may be a valuable contributor to pre-pharmacy student success in terms of students’ persistence, retention, and progression in a pre-pharmacy program.