Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Molecular Identification, Species Composition and Distribution Maps of Malaria Vector Species in SelectedCommunities in Benue State, North Central Nigeria

1 Department of Zoology,Faculty of Natural Sciences,University of Jos,Plateau State,Nigeria 2 Molecular Entomology and Vector Control Research Laboratory, Public Health Division Nigerian Institute of Medical Research, Lagos, Nigeria __________________________________________________________________________________________ Abstract:An accurate and detailed knowledge of theIdentification,composition and distribution of malaria vectors is needed to guide malaria control programmes.An investigation to accurately identify malaria vectors using standard molecular protocols was carried out in selected rural and urban communities in Benue State, North Central Nigeria where such baseline data was not previously available. Sampling was carried out using Pyrethrum Spray Catch (PSC) from January to December 2015. A total of 1,734 mosquitoes were recorded of which Culex peaked 1,410 (81.31%), Anopheles 276 (15.92%),Mansoni 14(0.81%), Aedes 3(0.17%) and unidentified accounted for 31 (1.79%). There was a significant difference (P=0.001) between rural and urban communities in species composition at (P<0.05). A Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) assay identified two major species within the Anopheles gambiae complex; Anopheles gambiaes.s. and Anopheles arabiensis. Further identification using the Polymerase Chain Reaction-Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphisim (PCR-RFLP) revealed the presence of all three molecular forms (M,S,and H) of Anopheles gambiaes.s. ; and for the first time detection of the hybrid form (H form). The distribution maps presented here highlights the existence and location of two members of the Anopheles gambiae complexand three members of the Anopheles gambiaes.s.
An algorithm for detecting Trichodesmium surface blooms in the South Western Tropical Pacific

Abstract. Trichodesmium, a major colonial cyanobacterial nitrogen fixer, forms large blooms in NO3-depleted tropical oceans and enhances CO2 sequestration by the ocean due to its ability to fix dissolved dinitrogen. Thus, its importance in C and N cycles requires better estimates of its distribution at basin to global scales. However, existing algorithms to detect them from satellite have not yet been successful in the South Western Tropical Pacific (SP). Here, a novel algorithm (TRICHOdesmium SATellite) based on radiance anomaly spectra (RAS) observed in SeaWiFS imagery, is used to detect Trichodesmium during the austral summertime in the SP (5° S–25° S 160° E–170° W). Selected pixels are characterized by a restricted range of parameters quantifying RAS spectra (e.g. slope, intercept, curvature). The fraction of valid (non-cloudy) pixels identified as Trichodesmium surface blooms in the region is low (between 0.01 and 0.2 %), but is about 100 times higher than deduced from previous algorithms. At daily scales in the SP, this fraction represents a total ocean surface area varying from 16 to 48 km2 in Winter and from 200 to 1000 km2 in Summer (and at monthly scale, from 500 to 1000 km2 in Winter and from 3100 to 10 890 km2 in Summer with a maximum of 26 432 km2 in January 1999). The daily distribution of Trichodesmium surface accumulations in the SP detected by TRICHOSAT is presented for the period 1998–2010 which demonstrates that the number of selected pixels peaks in November–February each year, consistent with field observations. This approach was validated with in situ observations of Trichodesmium surface accumulations in the Melanesian archipelago around New Caledonia, Vanuatu and Fiji Islands for the same period.
Optimization and Experimental Demonstration of Plasmonic Enhanced Internal Photoemission Silicon Schottky Detectors in the Mid-IR

Plasmonic enhanced Schottky photodetectors operating on the basis of the internal photoemission process are becoming an alternative for the more conventional photodetectors based on interband transitions for light detection in the infrared. This is because such detectors typically consist of silicon and CMOS compatible metals, thus, allowing low cost and large scale fabrication. Most of the reports so far were focused on measuring the responsivity of the device. Here, we provide a detailed analysis for the optimization of internal photoemission based devices in terms of figure of merits such as signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and noise equivalent power (NEP). Following the analysis, we experimentally demonstrate the operation of pyramidally shaped, silicon-based, internal photoemission detectors in the mid-infrared. The measured devices are capable of photodetection at wavelengths up to ∼2.5 μm. This paves the way for the use of plasmonic enhanced silicon photodetectors for a broad range of applications inclu.
Doradztwo biznesowe dla małego przedsiębiorstwa – współpraca między doradcą a przedsiębiorcą

Streszczenie: Doradztwo biznesowe dla małych przedsiębiorstw postrzegane jest jako jedno ze źródeł wiedzy wspierającej proces budowy pozycji konkurencyjnej na rynku. Jednocześnie literatura, koncentrując się na zakresie wykorzystania doradztwa oraz ocenie jego efektów, w ograniczonym stopniu ukazuje mechanizmy powiązane z realizacją samego doradztwa oraz strukturą jego procesu. W niniejszym artykule podjęto próbę analizy współpracy pomiędzy doradcą a osobą zarządzającą małą firmą w ramach procesu doradztwa. W efekcie zaproponowana została klasyfikacja relacji współpracy uwzględniająca moment, w którym w ramach procesu doradczego współpraca ma miejsce. Na bazie analizy empirycznej wskazano na powiązania tejże klasyfikacji z czynnikami odnoszącymi się do typu doradztwa i doradcy z jednej strony, ale również do rodzaju zaufania wykorzystywanymi w początkowym etapie doradztwa z drugiej.
Dual effect of photocatalysis and adsorption in degradation of Azorubine dye using nanosized TiO2 and activated carbon immobilized with different techniques.

Combination of photodegradation and adsorption processes induces strong beneficial effects in removal of dyes. Addition of high adsorption capacity activated carbon to photoactive titanium dioxide in photodegradation of dyes improves the efficiency of dye mineralization. The present study involves the preparation of immobilized TiO2 films by two different techniques to overcome the drawbacks encountered with the powdered suspensions. The photocatalytic performance of the prepared films for degradation of Azorubine dye has been evaluated and compared. The activated carbon has also been immobilized along with titanium dioxide to examine the dual effect of photodegradation and adsorption in removal of Azorubine. The dual effect showed better dye degradation capabilities.
ransdiagnostic versus disorder-specific and clinician-guided versus elf-guided internet-delivered treatment for generalized anxiety isorder and comorbid disorders : A randomized controlled trial

Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) can be treated effectively with either disorder-specific cognitive behavior therapy (DS-CBT) or transdiagnostic CBT (TD-CBT). The relative benefits of DS-CBT and TD-CBT for GAD and the relative benefits of delivering treatment in clinician guided (CG-CBT) and self-guided (SG-CBT) formats have not been examined. Participants with GAD (n = 338) were randomly allocated to receive an internet-delivered TD-CBT or DS-CBT intervention delivered in either CG-CBT or SG-CBT formats. Large reductions in symptoms of GAD (Cohen’s d ≥ 1.48; avg. reduction ≥ 50%) and comorbid major depressive disorder (Cohen’s d ≥ 1.64; avg. reduction ≥ 45%), social anxiety disorder (Cohen’s d ≥ 0.80; avg. reduction ≥ 29%) and panic disorder (Cohen’s d ≥ 0.55; avg. reduction ≥ 33%) were found across reatment ransdiagnostic isorder-specific elf-guided linician-guided nternet the conditions. No substantive differences were observed between DS-CBT and TD-CBT or CG-CBT and SG-CBT, highlighting the public health potential of carefully developed TD-CBT and SG-CBT. © 2015 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/). 4-Month follow-up andomized controlled trial
Ethnic Differences in Union Formation in Kyrgyzstan

The unique cultural and political history of Central Asia has produced intriguing ethnic variations in union formation. We use data from a survey of 1535 young adults conducted in 2005 in northern Kyrgyzstan to examine ethnic patterns of entry into marriage vs. cohabitation. To reflect the historico-cultural and political realities of Kyrgyzstan, we subdivide ethnic Kyrgyz into two categories based on the degree of linguistic Russification—more-Russified Kyrgyz and lessRussified Kyrgyz—and compare them to each other and to respondents of European origin. The results of the multinomial discrete-time logit models show significant differences among the three groups. Thus Europeans were most likely to enter cohabitation whereas less Russified Kyrgyz were least likely to do so, net of other factors. The three groups were lined up in the converse order with respect to probability of entering marriage, but this ordering was present only among women. In contrast, among men, more-Russified Kyrgyz were less likely to marry than both lessRussified Kyrgyz and Europeans. We interpret these findings in light of long-term historico-cultural and demographic distinctions as well as more recent politically-induced cleavages in Kyrgyzstan.
Resilience of orbital-angular-momentum photonic qubits and effects on hybrid entanglement

The orbital angular momentum of light (OAM) provides a promising approach for the implementation of multidimensional states (qudits) for quantum-information purposes. In order to characterize the degradation undergone by the information content of qubits encoded in a bidimensional subspace of the orbital angular momentum degree of freedom of photons, we study how the state fidelity is affected by a transverse obstruction placed along the propagation direction of the light beam. Emphasis is placed on the effects of planar and radial hard-edged aperture functions on the state fidelity of Laguerre-Gaussian transverse modes and the entanglement properties of polarization-OAM hybrid-entangled photon pairs.
Effect of Sitagliptin on the anti-atherogenic M 2 macrophage polarization

Dipeptidyl peptidase 4 (DPP-4) inhibitors are a new class of anti-hyperglycaemic drugs that can improve blood glucose by reducing inactivation of incretins. Studies have shown that these drugs can exert anti-atherosclerotic and anti-inflammatory effects in mice. However, the roles of DPP-4 inhibitors in polarization of macrophages have not been well studied. Therefore, we investigated the effects of DPP-4 inhibitor Sitagliptin on macrophage polarization. Monocyte-derived macrophages were established from human monocytic leukaemia THP-1 cells treated with phorbol myristate acetate (PMA). Lipopolysaccharide (LPS, 20 ng/ml) stimulation was used to initiate inflammatory conditions. We found that Sitagliptin could induce macrophage polarization towards M2 cells through activating STAT6. Sitagliptin treatment significantly up-regulated the specific markers of M2 macrophage expression, including the scavenger receptor CD163 and the macrophage mannose receptor CD206. Furthermore, pre-treatment of macrophages with Sitagliptin for 24 h also resulted in the up-regulation of mRNA levels of IL-10, TGF-β and Arg-1, which are markers related to M2 macrophages, while the mRNA levels of TNF-α, IL-6 and iNOS were decreased. An increase in the levels of the anti-inflammatory cytokines, IL-10 and TGF-β was also observed. Moreover, a reduction in oxidized low density lipoprotein (ox-LDL)-induced lipid accumulation was observed in Sitagliptin-treated M2 macrophages confirming the anti-atherogenic effect of DPP-4 inhibitor. In conclusion, the results of present study showed that Sitagliptin-induced M2 polarization of macrophages could be mediated by STAT6 signalling, which facilitated its anti-inflammatory and anti-atherogenic properties.
Whole Number Bias in Children's Probability Judgments

Simple probability judgments pervade human experience. Decades of research have revealed a pattern of heuristic errors in simple random draw predictions of both children and adults. Participants often make their choice based on the magnitude of the target or the non-target set without relating the two quantities. In a series of experiments, we demonstrate that this bias is robust in both timed and untimed tasks (Experiment 1) and may be overcome when the child is given the adequate amount and type of feedback (Experiment 2).
The Peers Intervention: Social Anxiety, Physiological Regulation, and Core Autistic Symptoms in Adolescents with Autism

THE PEERS INTERVENTION: SOCIAL ANXIETY, PHYSIOLOGICAL REGULATION, AND CORE AUTISTIC SYMPTOMS IN ADOLESCENTS WITH AUTISM Kirsten A. Schohl, B.A. Marquette University, 2012 There have been very few effective interventions developed that have focused on improving social skills in adolescents with autism spectrum disorders (ASD), however, the need is persistent. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of the Program for the Enrichment and Education of Relational Skills (PEERS: Laugeson, Frankel, Mogil, & Dillon, 2009). PEERS focuses on improving friendship quality and social skills among adolescents, ages 11-15 years, with higher-functioning ASD. This study included 47 participants, who were randomly assigned to two groups. Assessment measures utilized parent report and adolescent self-report at preand post-treatment. In addition, respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA) was measured at both pre-and post-treatment in order to assess adolescents’ physiological arousal. Results revealed, in comparison to the waitlist control group, that the experimental treatment group significantly improved their knowledge of PEERS concepts and friendship skills, increased in their amount of get-togethers, and displayed less autistic symptoms as reported by parents, from pre-to post-PEERS. RSA was found to significantly decrease over time in both groups, contrary to expectations. This study greatly adds to the minimal literature regarding social skills interventions for adolescents with ASD, as well as suggests further avenues for understanding the complex effect of intervention on physiology in ASD.
Automated Segmentation of Retinal Optical Coherence Tomography Images

IV ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS . VI DEDICATION . IX TABLE OF CONTENTS . X CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION . 1 1.1 RETINAL IMAGING . 1 1.2 OVERVIEW OF THE PROJECT . 1 1.2.1 OPTICAL COHERENCE TOMOGRAPHY . 1 1.2.2 IMPORTANCE OF RETINAL OCT AND ITS SEGMENTATION . 4 1.2.3 EXISTING CHALLENGES ASSOCIATED WITH OCT IMAGING AND SEGMENTATION.4 1.3 AIM OF THE THESIS . 5 1.4 ORGANIZATION OF THE THESIS . 6 CHAPTER 2: BACKGROUND & LITERATURE REVIEW . 7 2.1 OCT IMAGE SEGMENTATION . 7 2.2 AN INTRODUCTION TO GRAPH-THEORETICAL METHODS IN IMAGE SEGMENTATION . 7 2.2.1 MIN-CUT/MAX-FLOW IMAGE SEGMENTATION . 8 2.3 REVIEW OF GRAPH-BASED RETINAL LAYER SEGMENTATION ALGORITHMS IN OCT IMAGES . 9 2.4 CONCLUSION . 15 CHAPTER 3: AUTOMATED INTRARETINAL LAYER SEGMENTATION OF OPTICAL COHERENCE TOMOGRAPHY IMAGES USING GRAPH THEORETICAL METHODS . 16
Why Adopt Codes of Good Governance? A Comparison of Institutional and Efficiency Perspectives

Our results support the idea that the characteristics of the national corporate governance system and law explain the main differences among the coverage of codes. This conclusion indicates the existence of a strong interplay between hard and soft law. The study contributes to enriching our knowledge on the process of reinvention characterizing the diffusion of new practices. Our results are consistent with a symbolic perspective on corporate governance, and support the view that diffusing practices are usually modified or reinvented by adopters. We collected corporate governance codes developed worldwide at the end of 2005, and classified them according to the country's legal system (common or civil law). Then, we made a comparative analysis of the scope, coverage, and strictness of recommendations of the codes. We tested differences between common law and civil law countries using t-tests and probit models. Our findings suggest that the issuance of codes in civil law countries be prompted more by legitimation reasons than by the determination to improve the governance practices of national companies. Given the global diffusion and the relevance of codes of good governance, the aim of this article is to investigate if the main reason behind their proliferation in civil law countries is: (i) the determination to improve the efficiency of the national governance system' or (ii) the will to legitimize domestic companies in the global financial market without radically improving the governance practices. Empirical given the global diffusion and the relevance of codes of good governance, the aim of this article is to investigate if the main reason behind their proliferation in civil law countries is: (i) the determination to improve the efficiency of the national governance system' or (ii) the will to legitimize domestic companies in the global financial market without radically improving the governance practices. We collected corporate governance codes developed worldwide at the end of 2005, and classified them according to the country's legal system (common or civil law). Then, we made a comparative analysis of the scope, coverage, and strictness of recommendations of the codes. We tested differences between common law and civil law countries using t-tests and probit models. Our findings suggest that the issuance of codes in civil law countries be prompted more by legitimation reasons than by the determination to improve the governance practices of national companies. The study contributes to enriching our knowledge on the process of reinvention characterizing the diffusion of new practices. Our results are consistent with a symbolic perspective on corporate governance, and support the view that diffusing practices are usually modified or reinvented by adopters. Our results support the idea that the characteristics of the national corporate governance system and law explain the main differences among the coverage of codes. This conclusion indicates the existence of a strong interplay between hard and soft law.
Assessment techniques of antimicrobial properties of natural compounds of plant origin : current methods and future trends

Medicinal plants have recently received the attention of the pharmaceutical and scientific communities and various publications have documented the therapeutic value of natural compounds in a bid to validate claims of their biological activity. Attention has been drawn to the antimicrobial activity of plants and their metabolites due to the challenge of growing incidences of drug-resistant pathogens. Some plants have shown the ability to overcome resistance in some organisms and this has led to researchers’ investigating their mechanisms of action and isolating active compounds. Particular focus is on establishing the effect of the plant(s) extracts in terms of their microstatic and microcidal action and the spectrum of organisms affected. This has enabled exploitation of plants for the treatment of microbial infections and in the development of new antimicrobial agents. This requires rigorous research and it is therefore imperative to follow standard methods to authenticate claims of antimicrobial action. Results comparability is largely dependent on the techniques employed in the investigations and conclusive results can only be obtained if methods are standardized and universal. This paper reviews the current methods used in the investigations of the efficacy of plants as antimicrobial agents and points out some of the differences in techniques employed by different authors.
Antimicrobial activity from endophytic fungi isolated from plant leaves in Dipterocarpous forest at Viengsa district Nan province, Thailand

Eleven fungal endophytes representing different morphotaxa were characterized from 68 cultures, which were isolated from 4 species of Dipterocapous trees (Dipterocarpus tuberculatus Roxb., Shorea obtusa Wall., Shorea siamensis Miq. and Dalbergia oliveri Gamble.) growing in the Dipterocapous forest at Viengsa district, Nan province. Species of Phyllosticta spp. (15 isolates), Nodulisporium spp. (13 isolates) and Xylaria sp.1 (10 isolates) were the most frequently found. All endophytic fungal isolates were tested for potential production of bioactive metabolites. They were tested for antimicrobial activity against pathogenic microorganisms such as Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus subtilis, Pseudomonas aerogenosa, Escherichia coli and Candida albicans by the paper disk susceptibility test. They inhibited the growth of Gram positive bacteria more than Gram negative bacteria. Candida albicans was inhibited only by Nodulissporium sp. (DT6) and Xylaria sp.1 (DO9).
DISTRIBUTION AND POLLEN MORPHOLOGY OF SOME SPECIES OF GREWIA LINN. IN NIGERIA

The distribution and pollen morphology of some Grewia species in Nigeria were studied. These species occupy a wide range of habitats; six species (G. malacocarpa Mast., G. barombiensis K.Schum., G. brunnea K.Schum., G. coriacea Mast., G. hookerana Exell & Mendonca. and G. oligoneura Sprague) are found in the lowland rain forests of the Southern parts of the country, eight species (G. barteri Burret, G. bicolor Juss., G. cissoides Hutch&Dalz., G. flavescens Juss., G. lasiodiscus K.Schum, G. venusta Fresen., G. tenax (Forsk) Fior and G. villosa Willd) were present in the Guinnea savannah dry land of the Northern part of the country while two species (G. carpinifolia Juss. and G. mollis Juss.) occur in both ecological zones in the country. Grewia bicolor Juss. is the only species restricted to the high mountains of the Northern part of the country among the Savannah species. The pollen results reveal two pollen types: the Microcos and Grewia types. The Microcos pollen type consists of the following characters: tricolporate with short colpi, small-sized pollen of 17. 5μm-21. 0μm x 15. 0μm-20. 0μm (PA x ED); sub-prolate to prolate shape; exine is thin (0.5 μm -1.50μm) and fine reticulations; lumina shape range from round, angular and elongated. Parent plants with this pollen type are natural to the lowland rainforest zone. The Grewia type consists of pollen, parent plants of which are natural to southern Guinea savannah, as well as G. mollis and G. carpinifolia which occur in both ecological zones. The pollen grains of the Grewia type are mainly tricolporate but G. venusta is three to four colporate; they possess long colpi; are medium (30.0μm) to large (55-67.5μm x 57.5-82.5μm) in size. Pollen shapes include sub-prolate, prolate and oblate-spheroidal; exine is generally thick (0.87μm-3.0μm), exine pattern is reticulate, coarse reticulate and sometimes striato-reticulate; lumina shapes are distinctly polygonal or irregular, and contain bacules. These characters are discussed in relation to the taxonomy of the genus in Nigeria.