Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Evaluation of Latent Tuberculosis Prevalence in Chronic Psychotic In-patients

Aim: Control of risk groups is essential for success in the struggle against tuberculosis. People living in low socioeconomic conditions, in crowded living conditions, in close contact with tuberculosis patients, imprisoned people and health care providers are more at risk compared to other individuals in society. Moreover, at the present time, patients with high hospitalization frequency and psychiatric comorbidities are considered to be in the high risk group for tuberculosis and active screening is recommended. In this study we aimed to determine the rate of latent tuberculosis in a psychotic patient group. Methods: In the first phase of our descriptive and cross-sectional study, a Tuberculin Skin Test (TST) was performed on psychosis diagnosed patients in our hospital. TST evaluation was done by trained personnel and TST was accepted as positive with ≥15 mm in vaccinated patients and ≥10 mm in unvaccinated patients and was determined to be significant in terms of latent tuberculosis. Results: The number of PPD positive cases in terms of BCG vaccination status in chronic psychotic and control groups were respectively 66 (33.2%) and 35 (16.8%) and the difference between the two groups was statistically significant (p=0.001). In this study we found that psychotic patients must be carefully considered among risk groups in terms of latent tuberculosis.
Efficacy of probing for congenital nasolacrimal duct obstruction in a private tertiary hospital: 10-year experience

Objetive: To evaluate the success rate of initial and repeated probing as treatment approach for congenital nasolacrimal duct obstruction (CNLDO) in children between 2 and 46 months. Methods: A restrospective review of 73 children diagnosed with CNLDO who underwent probing of the NLD from March 2010 to 2020 was conducted. Data were colected from Hospital Oftalmológico de Anápolis in Anápolis, Goiás. Results: The procedure was performed in 90 eyes. The study sample was constituted of 36 males and 37 females. Bilateral involvement occurred in 18 (24.6%) children whereas 55 (75.3%) of them were unilaterally affected. The age ranges of the patients were divided into 4 groups: A - up to 6 months old (5.5% of the eyes), B - 7 to 12 months (27.5%), group C - 13 to 24 months (39.5%) and group D - older than 24 months (26.4%). The mean age of the sample was 18.6 months. Initial probing obtained an overall success rate of 88.8% and group B showed the best percentage (96%) from all age ranges. The second intervention had a lower outcome, successfuly in 55.5% of the cases. Conclusion: All age ranges showed high success rates for initial probing, although there was a decrease in subsequent procedures outcomes. Our results demonstrate that the success rate for primary probing is not affected by age. inverse association between age and success rate documented. the second-best success percentage of probing seen in children from group D. sustained by the findings of Elbakary and Shalaby, of a prospective interventional case series of 25 children aged 2 years or older showed a success rate of 84% comparable to percentages of probing performed the of life. (12) lowest efficacy rates were seen in patients from A. This expected
Short-term effects of fluctuations in self-esteem, perceived stress and loneliness in depressive states

Depression depends on risk factors such as loneliness, low self-esteem, and perceived stress when inter-individual differences are investigated in the long run. Depression, however, oscillates within-person over short-time periods as well, but there is a lack of evidence on its temporary correlates. The present study explored how transitory feelings of depression covariate with states of loneliness, stress, and self-esteem at the within-person level, further inspecting how inter-individual differences contribute to understanding intra-individual dynamics. Seventy-four adults (M = 33 years) took part in the study and reported on daily depression, stress, loneliness, and self-esteem for eight successive evenings. The main results showed that within-person fluctuations in depression depended on transient changes in loneliness, self-esteem, and stress, with stress further moderating the depression-self-esteem association; the link between depression and its predictors was reciprocal; inter-individual differences in depression instability across the assessment occasions enhanced the effect of transitory loneliness on feelings of depression. The present findings revealed that within-person associations for depression reflect correlation patterns between people, further highlighting how an individual’s instability in depressive states is relevant for understanding who is more vulnerable to transitory depressive states, which might develop into trait-like conditions over longer time periods.
Late-Onset Famılıal Medıterranean Fever: Sıngle-Center Experıence And Lıterature Revıew

Introduction: Familial Mediterranean Fever (FMF) is an autoinflammatory disease characterized by recurrent fever and serositis attacks. The disease onset occurs before 20 years of age in 90% of patients. Rarely, the disease onset occurs after 40 years of age. Aim: We aimed to compare the patients with early and late-onset of disease. Methods: We did a retrospective analysis of 2020 patients registered in our FMF center in the years 2008-2017. Patients with disease onset after the age of 40 (Group 1) were collected. The control group (Group 2), disease onset before the age of 20, was randomly selected with twice amount of the study group. Demographic, clinical and genetic data were recorded. Results: Out of 2020 patients, 41 were in group 1 (2.02%). The male to female ratio was 1:1.7 in both groups. The delay of diagnosis was 5.6±5.75 years in group 1, 10.7±12.3 years in group 2. In terms of clinical features, the only significant difference between two groups belonged to fever seen in 26 (63.4%) patients in group 1 and 67 (81.7%) patients in group 2 (p=0,026). M694V mutation frequency was higher in group 2 whereas exon 2 mutation frequency was higher in group 1. The mean colchicine dose in the 6 months was 1.38±0.64 mg in group 1, 1.61±0.47 mg in group 2. Discussion: In patients with late disease onset, the results of decreased mean colchicine dose during the last 6 months, decreased fever ratio, and increased exon 2 mutation frequency might point out to mild disease severity. Keywords: Familial Mediterranean Fever, late-onset, early-onset, MEFV mutation, colchicine
An execution time prediction model for crew information processing in new special vehicles

Task execution time prediction modeling is of great significance to the safety of special vehicle crew and maintenance of overall combat effectiveness. In our study, a task execution time prediction model for crew information processing task is proposed considering the characteristics of information processing task, as well as the interaction mode of man-machine system of special vehicles. In addition, a model validation experiment was conducted adopting 20 subjects facing to two kinds of representative tasks, and both of them have two levels of complexities. The result shows that there is a highly positive correlation (r = 0.999, p = 0.001) between the model prediction and the experimental results of four tasks, which indicates that the model has a good applicability. Based on the rationality of model validation, the application research of the model was conducted. The result shows that for the sub-tasks with more objects and visual searching difficulty, the speech interaction mode can reduce the operation duration to a great extent; for simple subtasks with less operation steps and strong coherence, the touch interaction mode has certain advantages.
Didáctica virtual y desempeño académico en estudiantes de maestrías de educación de la PUCE – Ambato

El artículo sobre la “Didáctica Virtual y el Desempeño Académico de los estudiantes en las Maestrías de Educación de la PUCE–Ambato”, describe cómo los docentes con título de tercer nivel siguen el reto de formación profesional de una maestría en un contexto de estudios de modalidad virtual considerando el momento de pandemia que altera significativamente factores bio-psicosociales, los objetivos son; fundamentar teórica y metodológicamente el desarrollo de la didáctica virtual en el desempeño académico de los estudiantes, diagnosticar en los maestrantes la verificación del desempeño académico y evaluar teóricamente la didáctica virtual en el desempeño académico de los estudiantes de las maestrías, la metodología que se aplicará tiene un alcance explicativo y descriptivo. La modalidad es cualitativa de tipo bibliográfica. Entre las conclusiones se evidencia que la didáctica virtual es significativa dependiendo de las metodologías aplicadas por el docente y en educación on-line el uso de herramientas tecnológicas didácticas que interactúen en clase, el desempeño académico tiene factores externos que afectan áreas afectivas, laborales y familiares, más aún en tipos de pandemia.
Genetic dissection of photosynthetic performances in maize under drought-stressed and well-watered environments

BackgroundMaintaining photosynthetic capacity is a critical function that allows maize (Zea mays L.) to adapt to drought stress. The elucidation of genetic controls of photosynthetic performances, and tightly linked molecular markers under water stress are thus of great importance in marker-assisted selection (MAS) breeding. Meanwhile, little is known regarding their genetic controls under drought stress. Two F4 populations were developed to identify quantitative trait loci (QTLs) and dissect the genetic variation underlying six photosynthetic-related traits, namely, net photosynthetic rate (Pn), stomatal conductance (Gs), intercellular CO2 concentration (Ci), transpiration rate (Tr), ribulose 1,5-biphosphate carboxylase activity (RuBP), and water use efficiency (WUE) under drought-stressed and well-watered environments.ResultsFor two populations, we detected 54 QTLs under drought-stressed and well-watered environments by single-environment mapping with composite interval mapping (CIM), approximately 81.8~100 % QTLs displayed non-additive effects, and 43 of the 54 QTLs were identified under drought-stressed environment. We also dissected 54 QTLs via joint analysis of all environments with mixed-linear-model-based composite interval mapping (MCIM), 24 QTLs involved in QTL × environment interactions (QEIs), approximately 87.5 % QEIs were identified under drought-stressed environments, as well as 14 pair epistasis exhibited dominance-by-additive/dominance (DA/DD) effects under constracting environments. We further identified 8 constitutive QTLs (cQTLs) across two populations by CIM/MCIM under multiple environments. Remarkably, bin 1. 07_1. 10 (cQTL2), bin 6.05 (cQTL5), bin 7. 02_7. 04 (cQTL6), bin 8.03 (cQTL7), and bin 10.03 (cQTL8) exhibited 5 pleiotropic cQTLs that were consistent with phenotypic correlations among all photosynthetic-related traits. Additionally, 17 candidate genes were validated in above cQTLs.Conclusions﻿Photosynthetic performances in maize were predominantly controlled by non-additive and QEIs effects, where more QEIs effects occurred in drought stress. 8 cQTLs affecting six photosynthetic-related traits could be useful for genetic improvement of these traits via QTL pyramiding, corresponding 5 QTLs clusters indicated tight linkage or pleiotropy in the inheritance of these traits, and 17 candidate genes involved in leaf morphology and development, photosynthesis, and stress reponse coincided with above corresponding cQTLs.
Experimental study of plasma decay in pulsed microwave discharges of H2, CH4 and their mixtures

The results of the experimental investigations of the plasma decay in X-band pulsed microwave discharges produced by surface waves in hydrogen and hydrogen–methane mixtures under pressures of 0.5–5 Torr are presented. The electron density in the decaying plasma was measured by the resonator method using a high-Q quasioptical resonator. These investigations demonstrated a significant influence of ion conversion processes on the composition of ions in a hydrogen–methane plasma. Such conversion processes result in a change in ionization-recombination balance, which, in turn, influences the parameters of the discharge plasma. Ion recharging processes quickly convert the ‘primary’ H2+ ions in hydrogen into H3+ ions. It was found that the addition of even a few percent of CH4 to hydrogen, after a sequence of ion-molecular reactions, leads to the formation of complex ions CxHy+. Recombination coefficients and the dominant type of ions in hydrogen and hydrogen–methane plasma are reported.
Doppler Ultrasound Screening For Significant Carotid Artery Stenosis In Cardiac Surgery Patients, Presenting To Hayatabad Medical Complex, Peshawar, Pakistan.

Background: This study aimed to determine the frequency of significant carotid artery stenosis by Doppler Ultrasound screening in patients undergoing open heart surgery.Method: From January 2019 to April 2019, 125 consecutive patients who were booked for open heart surgery, in Hayatabad Medical Complex Peshawar Pakistan, were included in this study. Adult patients aging more than 18years were studied irrespective of the planned cardiac surgical procedure, while pediatric and adolescent patients below the age of 18years were excluded.Using Mindray® DC 70 Color Doppler Ultrasound Scanner, significant carotid artery stenosis was determined by a Radiologist as stenosis of more than 50 % luminal diameter of the carotid artery under study.Results: We studied 250 carotid arteries of 125 patients (87 males and 38 females with age range 19 to 80 years (mean 57.47 years). Significant stenosis was found in 13 patients (10.40 %) with slight male preponderance (7:6). Conclusion: Doppler ultrasound study is a good modality, free of radiation hazards for screening carotid arteries in patients undergoing open Heart surgery. Patients with significant carotid artery stenosis on Doppler ultrasound study may be objectively confirmed by subsequent CT carotid angiography. However, further studies are required to assess the efficiency of Doppler ultrasound study in carotid artery stenosis in comparison to CT carotid angiography.Routine Doppler ultrasound screening in adult cardiac surgical patients can identify significant carotid artery stenosis and can help in subsequently reducing the risk of operative stroke in patients undergoing open heart surgery.
Temporal variation in community structure of zoosporic fungi in Lake Biwa, Japan

Zoosporic fungi play an important role in aquatic environments, but their diversity, especially that of parasitic fungi of phytoplankton, has still not been fully revealed. We conducted monthly analyses of the community structure of zoosporic fungi at a pelagic site in Lake Biwa, Japan, from May to December 2016. Metabarcoding analysis, targeted to a large subunit region of ribosomal DNA in the nano-size fraction of particles (2−20 μm), was carried out on the samples. We also counted large phytoplankton and chytrid sporangia attached to the hosts. We detected 3 zoosporic fungal phyla (Blastocladiomycota, Chytridiomycota and Cryptomycota) within 107 operational taxonomic units (OTUs), in which Chytridiomycota was the most diverse and abundant phylum. Few fungal OTUs overlapped between months, and specific communities were detected in each month. These results showed that diverse zoosporic fungi with high temporal variability inhabited the lake. Five large phytoplankton species were found to be infected by chytrids: Staurastrum dorsidentiferum, S. rotula, Closterium aciculare, Asterionella formosa and Aulacoseira granulata. Some chytrids were detected by metabarcoding analysis: Zygophlyctis asterionellae infecting A. formosa, Staurastromyces oculus infecting S. dorsidentiferum and Pendulichytrium sphaericum infecting A. granulata. One OTU detected in association with infected C. aciculare by microscopic counting might have been an obligate parasitic chytrid of C. aciculare. The results indicated that a combination of metabarcoding and microscopic analysis revealed more information on zoosporic fungi, including those that are parasitic.
The effects of changing NOM composition and characteristics on coagulation performance, optimisation and control

A number of water utilities have been experiencing operational difficulties during specific times of the year, associated with elevated levels of organics due to heavy rainfall or snow melt. Water samples were collected from Albert treatment works (Halifax, UK) and the natural organic matter (NOM) was characterised using XAD resin adsorption techniques. The addition of a cationic polyelectrolyte was employed to determine the charge density of the fractions. Results show that NOM fraction make-up changes throughout the year, with the fulvic acid fraction (FAF) showing the greatest increase during the autumn and winter period. The charge density of the FAF fraction also increases. The coagulation conditions for traditional coagulants, such as iron, are more affected by increased levels of organics than the novel coagulant also investigated, and the zeta potential range for optimum removal is narrower. Therefore, the conditions required for zero charge during coagulation varies with both raw water source and the coagulant type.
The effects of irrigation modernization on the cost recovery of water in the Valencia Region (Spain)

The modernization of the irrigation systems has been the main strategy followed by the regional administration of the Valencia Region to cope with the structural water deficit of the region, which has been particularly severe during the last three decades. These policies have been oriented to the substitution of gravity irrigation systems for drip technology. The technological change has involved an important investment effort, developed by different public administrations and also the farmers and water users9 associations (WUAs). This transformation, has also involved a change in the structure of costs of the WUAs. This paper analyzes the changes in costs and tariffs of irrigation after the important investments made in the modernization of irrigation. The effects of subsidies on the percentage of the cost recovery in the services of water for irrigation are also considered. All of them have developed modernization projects in the recent years. It can be concluded that conflict between two objectives proposed by the Water Framework Directive may exist. On the one hand, significant reductions of water supply are observed; meanwhile, on the other hand, the cost recovery percentage diminishes significantly.
Collective Decision Making through Self-regulation: Mechanisms and Algorithms for Self-regulation in Decision-Theoretic Planning

This thesis explores the potential of self-regulation in collective decision making to align interests and optimise joint performance. Demonstrated in the domain of road maintenance planning, this research contributes novel incentive mechanisms and algorithmic techniques to incite self-regulation and coordinate agent interactions, paired with a practical validation of the concept through serious gaming. The learnings of this work guide the design and implementation of future performance-based partnerships and advance the current state-of-the-art in sequential decision making.
Efficient H2 Production Using Ag2S-Coupled ZnO@ZnS Core–Shell Nanorods Decorated Metal Wire Mesh as an Immobilized Hierarchical Photocatalyst

Ag2S-coupled ZnO@ZnS core–shell nanorods heterostructures were grown on stainless steel wire mesh substrates along the c-axis by sulfidation of aligned ZnO nanorod arrays as immobilized hierarchical photocatalysts (Ag2S-coupled ZnO@ZnS/metal wire mesh) for photocatalytic H2 production. The effects of the sulfidation time and AgNO3 precursor concentration on the morphology, crystalline properties, optical property, photocurrent response, and photocatalytic H2 production activity of the photocatalysts under UV or visible light irradiation, together with the stability of photocatalytic activity for recycled photocatalysts were investigated. In comparison with ZnO/metal wire mesh under the same conditions, the ZnO@ZnS/metal wire mesh photocatalysts showed excellent photocatalytic H2 production activity that can be attributed to the formation of Ag2S-coupled ZnO–ZnS heterojunctions on conductive metal wire mesh substrate that favors the absorption of light, separation of photogenerated electron–hole pairs, and.
Zur Entwicklung neuer aza-analoger Benzo[c]phenanthridine mit antitumoraler Wirkung

Maligne Tumorerkrankungen zahlen weltweit zu den haufigsten Todesursachen. Dabei sind neben einer mangelhaften Umsetzung von Praventionsmasnahmen vor allem unzu-reichende Therapieoptionen dafur verantwortlich, dass ein dramatischer Anstieg an Krebsneuerkrankungen und damit verbundenen Todesfallen zu verzeichnen ist. Fur naturliche Benzo[c]phenanthridin-Alkaloide wie Fagaronin und Nitidin konnten in der Vergangenheit vielversprechende antitumorale und Topoisomerase-inhibierende Eigen-schaften in vitro und in vivo gefunden werden, ungunstige physikochemische Eigenschaften verhinderten allerdings den Einsatz dieser Stoffe als Zytostatika am Menschen. Dennoch wird derzeit gezielt an verschiedenartig modifizierten Verbindungen geforscht, die sich von den naturlichen Leitstrukturen ableiten. Aus diesem Kontext heraus wurden in dieser Arbeit zwei auf dem Benzo[c]phenanthridin-Gerust basierende Heterozyklensysteme intensiv untersucht. Mit Hilfe der effizienten Eintopf-Synthese nach CLEMENT und WEIDE, ursprunglich eingesetzt um den Benzo[c]phenanthridin-Tetrazyklus darzustellen, konnte eine Vielzahl unterschiedlich substituierter aza-analoger Heterozyklen synthetisiert und physikochemisch charaktierisiert werden. Auch die beiden ganzlich unsubstituierten zuvor nicht literatur-bekannten Grundkorper dieser Stoffklassen konnten im Rahmen dieser Arbeit dargestellt werden. Uber ein primares Zytotoxizitatsscreening am National Cancer Institute (NCI, Maryland, USA) konnten Leitstrukturen identifiziert werden, die im Anschluss weiter strukturoptimiert wurden. Entsprechende chemische Modifikationen fuhrten in diesem Zusammenhang zu einer signifikanten Erhohung der Wasserloslichkeit einiger Verbindungen in pharmazeutisch relevante Bereiche. In einem zweiten Zytotoxizitatsscreening der struktur-optimierten Derivate konnte eine hochpotente Verbindung mit zytotoxischen Eigenschaften im unteren nanomolaren Bereich gefunden werden, welche in darauffolgenden Kooperationsarbeiten als starkes Topoisomerase I- und II-Gift identifiziert wurde. Durch sowohl eine starkere Zytotoxizitat, als auch potentere Gitwirkung auf Topoisomerase-Enzyme als die der zugelassenen Topoisomerase-Hemmstoffe Etoposid und Derivate des Camptothecins ist der gefundene Stoff daher im Zusammenspiel mit der guten Wasserloslichkeit, die auch eine orale Gabe erlauben wurde, pradestiniert fur die Erprobung in in vivo-Xenograft-Wirksamkeitsstudien und einer anschliesenden eventuellen Weiter-entwicklung zur Anwendung als Arzneistoff.