Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Chest compression during sustained inflation versus 3:1 chest compression:ventilation ratio during neonatal cardiopulmonary resuscitation: a randomised feasibility trial

Background Current neonatal resuscitation guidelines recommend 3:1 compression:ventilation (C:V) ratio. Recently, animal studies reported that continuous chest compressions (CC) during a sustained inflation (SI) significantly improved return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC). The approach of CC during SI (CC+SI) has not been examined in the delivery room during neonatal resuscitation. Hypothesis It is a feasibility study to compare CC+SI versus 3:1 C:V ratio during neonatal resuscitation in the delivery room. We hypothesised that during neonatal resuscitation, CC+SI will reduce the time to ROSC. Our aim was to examine if CC+SI reduces ROSC compared with 3:1 C:V CPR in preterm infants <33 weeks of gestation. Study design Randomised feasibility trial. Method Once CC was indicated all eligible infants were immediately and randomly allocated to either CC+SI group or 3:1 C:V group. A sequentially numbered, brown, sealed envelope contained a folded card box with the treatment allocation was opened by the clinical team at the start of CC. Study interventions Infants in the CC+SI group received CC at a rate of 90/min during an SI with a duration of 20 s (CC+SI). After 20 s, the SI was interrupted for 1 s and the next SI was started for another 20 s until ROSC. Infants in the ‘3:1 group’ received CC using 3:1 C:V ratio until ROSC. Primary outcome Overall the mean (SD) time to ROSC was significantly shorter in the CC+SI group with 31 (9) s compared with 138 (72) s in the 3:1 C:V group (p=0.011). Conclusion CC+SI is feasible in the delivery room. Trial registration number Clinicaltrials.gov NCT02083705, pre-results.
Permeability of Stressed Concrete and Role of Fiber Reinforcement

The primary purpose of this paper is to study how externally applied stress influences the water permeability of concrete, while also evaluating the effects of fibers. To achieve this, the authors measure the water permeability of both plain and fiber reinforced concrete, with and without an applied compressive stress. A novel test is used to measure permeability under stress, involving one cylinder tested with stress while the other is tested without stress. Identical flow conditions are applied to both cylinders. Flow equilibrium is achieved early in the test via the use of a special design of the permeability cell that eliminates leakage. The stressed specimens are examined under two levels of applied stress -- 0.3f and subscript u and 0.5f and subscript u, where f and subscript u is the ultimate strength of concrete in compression. Collated cellulose fiber at volume fractions of 0.1, 0.3, and 0.5% is also used. Results show that fiber reinforcement reduces the permeability of concrete while in the unstressed state. However, for stressed concrete, results initially show that with an increase of the applied stress, there is an observed reduction in the permeability of both plain and fiber reinforced concrete. However, this observed reduction occurs only at a certain threshold value of stress. Beyond this stress threshold, plain concrete experiences a rapid increase in permeability. For fiber-reinforced concrete, there is also an observed increase in permeability beyond the threshold value of stress. However, the authors note that permeability still remains below that of the unstressed level.
A Small Leak Detection Method Based on VMD Adaptive De-Noising and Ambiguity Correlation Classification Intended for Natural Gas Pipelines

In this study, a small leak detection method based on variational mode decomposition (VMD) and ambiguity correlation classification (ACC) is proposed. The signals acquired from sensors were decomposed using the VMD, and numerous components were obtained. According to the probability density function (PDF), an adaptive de-noising algorithm based on VMD is proposed for noise component processing and de-noised components reconstruction. Furthermore, the ambiguity function image was employed for analysis of the reconstructed signals. Based on the correlation coefficient, ACC is proposed to detect the small leak of pipeline. The analysis of pipeline leakage signals, using 1 mm and 2 mm leaks, has shown that proposed detection method can detect a small leak accurately and effectively. Moreover, the experimental results have shown that the proposed method achieved better performances than support vector machine (SVM) and back propagation neural network (BP) methods.
Is the status of diabetes socioeconomic inequality changing in Kurdistan province, west of Iran? A comparison of two surveys

Background: About 80% of deaths in 350 million cases of diabetes in the world occur in low and middle income countries. The aim of this study was to determine the status of diabetes socioeconomic inequality and the share of determinants of inequalities in Kurdistan Province, West of Iran, using two surveys in 2005 and 2009. Methods: Data were collected from non-communicable disease surveillance surveys in Kurdistan in 2005 and 2009. In this study, the socioeconomic status (SES) of the participants was determined based on the residential area and assets using principal component analysis statistical method. We used concentration index and logistic regression to determine inequality. Decomposition analysis was used to determine the share of each determinant of inequality. Results: The prevalence of diabetes expressed by individuals changed from 0.9% (95% CI: 0.6-1.3) in 2005 to 3.1% (95% CI: 2-4) in 2009. Diabetes Concentration Index changed from -0.163 (95% CI: -0.301- -0.024) in 2005 to 0.273 (95% CI: 0.101-0.445) in 2009. The results of decomposition analysis revealed that in 2009, 67% of the inequality was due to low socioeconomic status and 16% to area of residence; i.e., living in rural areas. Conclusion: The prevalence of diabetes significantly increased, and the diabetes inequality shifted from the poor people to groups with better SES. Increased prevalence of diabetes among the high SES individuals may be due to their better responses to diabetes control and awareness programs or due to the type of services they were provided during these years.
Curcumin Modulates MicroRNA-203–Mediated Regulation of the Src-Akt Axis in Bladder Cancer

Bladder cancer is often associated with recurrence and progression to invasive metastatic disease that have palliative therapeutic options. The use of traditional chemotherapeutic agents for bladder cancer management often suffers from toxicity and resistance concerns. This emphasizes the need for development of safer, natural, nontoxic compounds as chemotherapeutic/chemopreventive agents. Curcumin (diferuloylmethane) is a natural compound that has been known to possess anticancer properties in various cancers, including bladder cancer. However, the biological targets of curcumin are not well defined. Recently, it has been proposed that curcumin may mediate epigenetic modulation of expression of microRNAs (miRNA). In this article, we define for the first time, that curcumin directly induces a tumor-suppressive miRNA, miR-203, in bladder cancer. miR-203 is frequently downregulated in bladder cancer due to DNA hypermethylation of its promoter. We studied the functional significance of miR-203 in bladder cancer cell lines and found that miR-203 has tumor suppressive properties. Also, we define Akt2 and Src as novel miR-203 targets in bladder cancer. Curcumin induces hypomethylation of the miR-203 promoter and subsequent upregulation of miR-203 expression. This leads to downregulation of miR-203 target genes Akt2 and Src that culminates in decreased proliferation and increased apoptosis of bladder cancer cells. This is the first report that shows a direct effect of curcumin on inducing epigenetic changes at a miRNA promoter with direct biological consequences. Our study suggests that curcumin may offer a therapeutic advantage in the clinical management of refractory bladder cancer over other standard treatment modalities. Cancer Prev Res; 4(10); 1698–709. ©2011 AACR.
Group-Constrained Maximum Correntropy Criterion Algorithms for Estimating Sparse Mix-Noised Channels

A group-constrained maximum correntropy criterion (GC-MCC) algorithm is proposed on the basis of the compressive sensing (CS) concept and zero attracting (ZA) techniques and its estimating behavior is verified over sparse multi-path channels. The proposed algorithm is implemented by exerting different norm penalties on the two grouped channel coefficients to improve the channel estimation performance in a mixed noise environment. As a result, a zero attraction term is obtained from the expected l 0 and l 1 penalty techniques. Furthermore, a reweighting factor is adopted and incorporated into the zero-attraction term of the GC-MCC algorithm which is denoted as the reweighted GC-MCC (RGC-MMC) algorithm to enhance the estimation performance. Both the GC-MCC and RGC-MCC algorithms are developed to exploit well the inherent sparseness properties of the sparse multi-path channels due to the expected zero-attraction terms in their iterations. The channel estimation behaviors are discussed and analyzed over sparse channels in mixed Gaussian noise environments. The computer simulation results show that the estimated steady-state error is smaller and the convergence is faster than those of the previously reported MCC and sparse MCC algorithms.
Positive well-being during the menopausal transition: a systematic review

Abstract A large body of research has investigated psychological distress during the menopause transition, but less is known about the experience of positive well-being at this time. The aim of this review is to evaluate the evidence on the relationship between menopausal factors (stage and symptoms) and indices of positive well-being including mood, satisfaction with life and eudaimonic well-being. A systematic review of the literature was conducted according to PRISMA guidelines. Nineteen relevant publications were found. Two out of 18 studies found a statistically significant association between menopausal stage and well-being, and one found a significant negative association between vasomotor symptoms and well-being. Four found menopausal symptoms measured with aggregate scales such as the Greene Climacteric Scale were associated with significantly diminished well-being, with the effect driven by the inclusion of psychological symptoms (e.g. ‘crying spells’) within the aggregate scales. Results indicate that there may be a dissociation, whereby menopausal stage and core vasomotor symptoms of menopause are related to negative, but not positive well-being. Positive well-being may be largely unaffected by menopause, which may mean that it is available for use as a resilience factor that women can draw on to meet the challenges that midlife presents.
How Well Do Coupled Models Simulate Today's Climate?

Information about climate and how it responds to increased greenhouse gas concentrations depends heavily on insight gained from numerical simulations by coupled climate models. The confidence placed in quantitative estimates of the rate and magnitude of future climate change is therefore strongly related to the quality of these models. In this study, we test the realism of several generations of coupled climate models, including those used for the 1995, 2001, and 2007 reports of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). By validating against observations of present climate, we show that the coupled models have been steadily improving over time and that the best models are converging toward a level of accuracy that is similar to observation-based analyses of the atmosphere.
The Use of Eccentric Strength Training to Enhance Maximal Muscle Strength, Explosive Force (RDF) and Muscular Power - Consequences for Athletic Performance

Heavy-resistance strength training results in marked increases in maximal muscle strength and power in both athletes, untrained subjects and elderly individuals. The addition of eccentric overload training (loads > 100% 1RM) appears to evoke enhanced gains in these parameters. Further, the use of plyometric training evokes marked increases in maximal muscle power. The adaptive physiological mechanisms involve changes in neuromuscular activity and alterations in muscle morphology (fiber size, fiber lengths) and muscle architecture, respectively, while changes in tendon stiffness may potentially contribute as well.
Automatic analysis of computed catalytic cycles

The energetic span model allows the estimation of the turnover frequency (TOF) of a catalytic reaction from its calculated energy profile. Furthermore, by identifying the TOF determining intermediate and the TOF determining transition state, the model shows that the concept of “determining states” is more useful and correct than the concept of “determining steps. ” This article illustrates the application of the model and provides an introduction to its concepts using instructive examples. The first part explains the model in its current state of development, whereas in the second part the degree of TOF control of the reactant and product concentrations is introduced. With this information, it is possible to give explicit recommendations regarding the conditions to be applied in the experiment, e.g., which reactant promotes the reaction or if a product kinetically inhibits it. At the end, we present the AUTOF program that allows the user to apply the complete model in a black box fashion. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Comput Chem, 2011
Mycobiota and toxigenecity profile of Aspergillus flavus recovered from food and poultry feed mixtures in Cameroon.

A total of 202 poultry feed and its raw ingredients collected from different agroecological zones of Cameroon were examined for total mycoflora and the ability of A. flavus isolates to produces aflatoxin B1. Dilution plating was used for fungal isolation. The mean fungal contamination levels were significantly higher in maize and peanut meal as compared with broiler and layer feeds. In peanut meal and poultry feed, the most representative fungi were A. flavus, A. niger, A. oryzae, F. solani, F. verticilloides, Penicillium spp, and Rhizopus spp. Of all the fungi encountered, A. flavus was encountered in 90% of white maize and 28.5% of yellow maize samples. The frequency of isolation of the most representative fungi in peanut meal, broiler and layer feed was 100, 94, and 76.5% for A. flavus and 70.6, 82.3, and 76.5% for Penicillium spp, respectively. Molecular identification using the Intergenic Spacer Gene (IGS) for aflatoxin biosynthesis confirmed all fungi identified morphologically as A. flavus. Aflatoxin B1 analysis showed that all the A. flavus isolates encountered were aflatoxin B1 producers. Conclusion from this study indicate that the use of peanut meal in poultry feed is risky, and can impact poultry health and economic benefits.
Estimating sparse spectro-temporal receptive fields with natural stimuli

Several algorithms have been proposed to characterize the spectro-temporal tuning properties of auditory neurons during the presentation of natural stimuli. Algorithms designed to work at realistic signal-to-noise levels must make some prior assumptions about tuning in order to produce accurate fits, and these priors can introduce bias into estimates of tuning. We compare a new, computationally efficient algorithm for estimating tuning properties, boosting, to a more commonly used algorithm, normalized reverse correlation. These algorithms employ the same functional model and cost function, differing only in their priors. We use both algorithms to estimate spectro-temporal tuning properties of neurons in primary auditory cortex during the presentation of continuous human speech. Models estimated using either algorithm, have similar predictive power, although fits by boosting are slightly more accurate. More strikingly, neurons characterized with boosting appear tuned to narrower spectral bandwidths and higher temporal modulation rates than when characterized with normalized reverse correlation. These differences have little impact on responses to speech, which is spectrally broadband and modulated at low rates. However, we find that models estimated by boosting also predict responses to non-speech stimuli more accurately. These findings highlight the crucial role of priors in characterizing neuronal response properties with natural stimuli.
Effects of glutamine supplementation on the immune status in weaning piglets with intrauterine growth retardation

Neonates with intrauterine growth retardation (IUGR) often suffer from impaired cellular immunity, and weaning may further aggravate adverse effects of IUGR on development and function of the immune system. In this study, we investigated effects of glutamine supplementation on immune status in the intestines of weaning pigs with IUGR, focusing on molecular mechanisms underlying altered immune response. Piglets with IUGR were weaned at 21 days of age and received orally 1.22 g alanine or 1 g glutamine per kg body weight every 12 h. Weight gain and intestinal weight of weaning piglets were increased by glutamine supplementation. Levels of serum IgG in piglets supplemented with glutamine were increased compared with Control piglets. The production of IL-1 and IL-8 in the serum and jejunum was decreased by glutamine supplementation, whereas the levels of IL-4 in the serum and the concentrations of IL-4 and IL-10 in the jejunum were increased. The expression of heat shock protein 70 (Hsp70) in the jejunum was increased by glutamine supplementation, but the degradation of inhibitor κB and the activity of nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) were decreased. In conclusion, glutamine supplementation enhanced immune response in weaning piglets with IUGR. The effects of glutamine in IUGR are associated with increased Hsp70 expression and suppression of NF-κB activation.
Influence of body mass index on postoperative complications after thymectomy in myasthenia gravis patients

Objectives It is not clear whether being overweight or obese influences postoperative complications in myasthenia gravis (MG) patients. We retrospectively investigated an association between body mass index (BMI) and postoperative complications in MG. Materials and Methods Fifty-nine MG patients who had undergone transsternal thymectomy were classified as low or high BMI based on the criteria for Asian-Pacific populations. An association between BMI and complications was analyzed. Results MG patients with high BMI had significantly higher rates of major adverse complications (P = 0.033), postoperative respiratory failure (P = 0.045), and longer postoperative hospitalization (P = 0.005). The optimal cutoff value of BMI for postoperative respiratory failure was 23.3 kg/m2, with a sensitivity of 75.0% and a specificity of 64.7% (P = 0.046). Conclusions MG patients with a BMI indicating overweight or obesity have a higher risk of postoperative complications after thymectomy. Thus, close monitoring must be performed when surgery is necessary.
Low–Contrast Dose Protection Protocol for Diagnostic Computed Tomography in Patients at High-Risk for Contrast-Induced Nephropathy

Objective To evaluate the safety of a low–contrast dose computed tomography (CT) protocol for patients with renal insufficiency for contrast-induced nephropathy. Methods One hundred forty-three patients with renal insufficiency who underwent low–contrast dose–enhanced abdominal CT were reviewed. Another group of 327 patients who received unenhanced CT was reviewed as a control group. Baseline serum creatinine and estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) levels were obtained for all patients to determine the contrast dosing (1.6 and 1.0 mL/kg for patients with eGFR levels 30–59 and 15–29). We compared the incidence of acute kidney injury between the groups. Results There were no significant differences in the incidence of acute kidney injury between the low–contrast dose and unenhanced CT protocols (9.1% vs 8.3%, P = 0.77). None of the patients with renal dysfunction required postprocedure dialysis. Conclusion The low–contrast dose CT protocol might enable us to perform a contrast-enhanced study without any major safety concerns.
The Diversity of Corporate Board Committees and Financial Performance

We examine the relationship between the gender and ethnic minority diversity of the board of directors and the financial performance of the firm. The research is unique because we analyze the diversity of important board committees to gain greater insight into the way diversity affects board functions and shareholder value. Our sample consists of all firms listed in the Fortune 500 over the period 1998-2002 which yields a panel of data with approximately 2,000 firm years. The results of three-stage least-squares estimation support the conclusion that board diversity has a positive effect on financial performance as measured by Tobin's q. The evidence on board committees indicates that gender diversity has a positive effect on financial performance primarily through the audit function of the board and ethnic diversity impacts financial performance through all three functions of the board we investigate, audit, executive compensation, and director nomination.
Survivable virtual concatenation for data over SONET/SDH in optical transport networks

Next-generation SONET/SDH technologies-namely, generic framing procedure, virtual concatenation, and link-capacity-adjustment scheme-enable network operators to provide integrated data and voice services over their legacy SONET/SDH infrastructure to generate new revenue. An important open research problem on data over SONET/SDH (DoS) is survivability: SONET automatic protection switching is too resource inefficient for data services, and the protection mechanisms of data networks are too slow for mission-critical applications. We propose two approaches for provisioning survivable DoS connections. Our approaches exploit the tradeoff between resource overbuild and fault-recovery time while utilizing the inverse-multiplexing capability of virtual concatenation to increase backup sharing. Our results show that one approach achieves low resource overbuild and much faster fault recovery than that of data networks, and the other approach achieves fast fault recovery comparable to SONET 50-ms protection (for typical U.S. backbone networks) while still achieving modest backup sharing. We further investigate the tradeoff between network blocking performance and network control and management complexity resulting from the number of paths M a connection can be inversely multiplexed onto: larger M leads to more freedom in routing and better network performance but increases network control and management complexity. Our results indicate that the network blocking performance for small values of M (e.g., M=2 for some representative backbone network topologies) is almost as good as the case in which M is infinity.