Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
An analysis of pre-operative Pao2 in a general surgical population

Two hundred and thirty one patients awaiting elective surgery were divided on the basis of spirometric examination into normal (group A) and those with increased airway resistance (group B). The mean arterial oxygen tension for the 151 normal subjects was 96·3 (± 11·6) mm. Hg. There was a significant inverse correlation of Pao2 with age and dynamic lung volumes. The 80 patients in group B were significantly older and their mean Pao2 was 88·7 (± 12·9) mm. Hg. There was, however, no correlation between Pao2 and age in this group, probably because the increased airway resistance had a greater influence in lowering the arterial oxygen tension than did the age factor alone.
The Use of Gene Expression Analysis and Proteomic Databases in The Development of a Screening System To Determine The Value of Natural Medicinal Products

A rapid throughput screening system involving gene expression analysis was developed in order to investigate the potential of bioactive chemicals contained in natural health products as effective drug therapy, in particular the ability of these chemicals to alleviate the inflammatory response in human airway epithelial cells. A number of databases were searched to retrieve the information needed to properly analyze the gene expression profiles obtained. The gene expression of human bronchial epithelial cells infected with rhinovirus and/or exposed to platelet activating factor was analyzed. Following analysis of the gene expression data the total number of expressed proteins that may potentially act as a marker for monitoring the modulation of airway inflammation was narrowed to 19. Further studies will involve selecting antibodies for these proteins, culturing airway epithelial cells in the presence of extracts of natural health products, extracting the proteins and identifying them by western blot analysis.
Leader-Member Exchange (LMX) Ambivalence and Task Performance: The Cross-Domain Buffering Role of Social Support

Leader-member exchange (LMX) theory proposes that leaders develop different quality relationships with those they manage and this is predictive of work performance. While LMX quality has been viewed as univalent (ranging from low to high quality), this paper proposes that it can also be bivalent in nature (i.e., coexisting positive and negative thoughts towards the relationship), which we refer to as LMX ambivalence. A survey measure of LMX ambivalence is developed, and through three validation and two main studies, it is shown to have construct, discriminant, and incremental predictive validity beyond that of LMX quality. Hypotheses concerning LMX ambivalence and task performance are tested in two main studies and show that (1) LMX ambivalence is negatively related to performance regardless of LMX quality, (2) high levels of perceived support from the organization (Study 1) or coworkers (Study 2) nullify the negative association between LMX ambivalence and performance, and (3) high LMX ambivalence leads to more negative affect and in turn lower task performance, but only when coworker support is low (Study 2). These results show the importance of viewing LMX quality not only in terms of its absolute level (low vs. high quality) but also as a bivalent construct where both positive and negative cognitions can coexist. They also demonstrate the value of social support in buffering the negative effects of LMX ambivalence. Furthermore, our findings extend a central tenet of LMX theory by implying that LMX quality varies not only within groups (i.e., LMX differentiation) but also within leader-follower dyads.
Near-infrared spectra of Seyfert galaxies and line production mechanisms

New observations are reported of J-band spectra (1.04-1.4 μm) of three Seyfert 2 galaxies, Mkn 34, Mkn 78 and NGC 5929. In each case the spectral range includes the near-infrared lines of [Fe II], [P II], He i and Paβ. Each Seyfert galaxy has a known radio jet, and we investigate the infrared line ratios of the nuclear and extended regions of each galaxy compared to the radio structure. In Mkn 34 there is a clear indication of an extranuclear region, probably coincident with a shock induced by the radio jet, in which [Fe II] is considerably enhanced, although the nuclear emission is almost certainly the result of photoionization by the continuum of the active nucleus. Similar effects in extranuclear regions are seen in the other objects, in the case of Mkn 78 confirming recent studies by Ramos Almeida et al. A possible detection of extranuclear [P II] emission suggests, if real, that photoionization by the active nucleus is the dominant line excitation mechanism over the whole source, including the regions coincident with the radio jet.
The Effect of Translation as a Noticing Strategy on Learning Complex Grammatical Structures by EFL Learners

Translation practice as a cognitive strategy to notice the gap between what learners know and what they do not might contribute to the acquisition of grammatical structures in a language learning. The present study investigated the effect of literal translation as a noticing technique on learning the participial phrases and absolute constructions in English. Forty EFL students were non-randomly selected based on the enrollment procedures of their university. A pre-test was administered to check participant’s knowledge of targeted structures prior to the study. Translating 10 participial phrases and absolute constructions from English language into Persian while thinking aloud before deductive instruction was the treatment in the experimental group, and deductive instruction of targeted structures with exercises was applied to the control group for several sessions. Running related parametric statistics, the results revealed that the use of translation significantly affected participants’ noticing and learning the targeted grammatical structures. The implications for learners, teachers, and material developers will be explained.
Comparison of methods for the extraction of bacterial DNA from human faecal samples for analysis by real-time PCR

Real-time PCR analysis of bacterial DNA isolated from faecal specimens has become increasingly used for the quantification of indigenous intestinal microbiota. The success of such analysis requires effective methods for the extraction of faecal bacterial DNA. Three extraction methods were assessed for their effectiveness in extracting Escherichia coli and Enterococcus spp. bacterial DNA from human faecal samples: an in-house phenol/chloroform extraction, and two commercially available kits, ExtractMaster (Epicentre Biotechnologies) and UltraClean (Mo Bio Laboratories) faecal DNA extraction kits. Real-time PCR using the standard curve method was used to quantify the level of bacterial DNA extracted from ten faecal samples. The phenol/chloroform method required an additional dilution step before DNA could be amplified by real-time PCR. After taking into account this dilution, the three extraction methods did not differ in the level of E. coli bacterial DNA detected. However, for Enterococcus, the ExtractMaster kit resulted in significantly less DNA detected. The phenol/chloroform method reliably extracted DNA, and produced extracts with short-term stability. Extraction using phenol/chloroform produces quantities of faecal bacterial DNA comparable to commercially available kits when amplified by current real-time PCR technology. Furthermore, phenol/chloroform extraction is rapid and simple, and provides a clear cost advantage for laboratories with limited funds.
Development of Korean Smartphone Addiction Proneness Scale for Youth

This study developed a Smartphone Addiction Proneness Scale (SAPS) based on the existing internet and cellular phone addiction scales. For the development of this scale, 29 items (1.5 times the final number of items) were initially selected as preliminary items, based on the previous studies on internet/phone addiction as well as the clinical experience of involved experts. The preliminary scale was administered to a nationally representative sample of 795 students in elementary, middle, and high schools across South Korea. Then, final 15 items were selected according to the reliability test results. The final scale consisted of four subdomains: (1) disturbance of adaptive functions, (2) virtual life orientation, (3) withdrawal, and (4) tolerance. The final scale indicated a high reliability with Cronbach's α of . 880. Support for the scale's criterion validity has been demonstrated by its relationship to the internet addiction scale, KS-II (r = .49). For the analysis of construct validity, we tested the Structural Equation Model. The results showed the four-factor structure to be valid (NFI = .943, TLI = .902, CFI = .902, RMSEA = .034). Smartphone addiction is gaining a greater spotlight as possibly a new form of addiction along with internet addiction. The SAPS appears to be a reliable and valid diagnostic scale for screening adolescents who may be at risk of smartphone addiction. Further implications and limitations are discussed.
Association between vitamin D receptor gene polymorphisms and response to treatment of pulmonary tuberculosis.

BACKGROUND Polymorphisms in the gene that encodes the vitamin D receptor (VDR) may influence the host response to Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection. METHODS In a Peruvian community with a high incidence of tuberculosis (TB), VDR TaqI and FokI polymorphisms were compared among 103 patients with pulmonary TB and 206 matched healthy control subjects. Associations of VDR polymorphisms with treatment outcome were analyzed among 78 patients undergoing treatment of pulmonary TB. RESULTS Sputum mycobacterial culture and auramine stain conversions were significantly faster among participants with the FokI FF genotype, compared with participants with the non-FF genotypes. Sputum culture conversion was faster among participants with the TaqI Tt genotype, compared with those with the TT genotype. Increased probability of culture conversion during TB treatment was independently associated with the TaqI Tt genotype (age- and sex-adjusted relative risk, 4.28; 95% confidence interval, 1.88-9.75; P = .001). VDR polymorphisms were not significantly associated with susceptibility to TB in the case-control study. CONCLUSIONS VDR gene polymorphisms are associated with the time to sputum culture and auramine stain conversion during TB treatment. To our knowledge, the present study is the first report of a specific host gene influence on the outcome of TB treatment. These findings demonstrate the potential clinical relevance of immunomodulatory functions of vitamin D metabolites acting via the VDR in the host response against pulmonary TB.
Incompleteness : The Proof and Paradox of

Popular books on mathematics play an important role in the lay public’s education. But as is known to anyone who has given a popular mathematics lecture or written about a famous theorem for an audience of nonmathematicians, doing justice to the mathematics in question is almost impossible in those circumstances. Rebecca Goldstein, the MacArthur Foundation fellow and author of The Mind-Body Problem (a novel which seems to be quite popular among mathematicians) attempts an even more difficult task in her short new book Incompleteness: The Proof and Paradox of Kurt Gödel , namely, to place a significant piece of mathematics—Gödel’s Incompleteness Theorems—in the context of the wider intellectual currents of the twentieth century, both within the mathematical logic and the philosophy of mathematics communities, as well as within the intellectual culture at large. The theorems are presented in the context of a somewhat detailed personal and intellectual biography of Gödel as well as in that of the various schools in foundations of mathematics in existence at the time. A vast amount of material is covered: everything from the history of the Vienna Circle, to Gödel’s philosophical differences with Wittgenstein, to the Hilbert Program, to Gödel’s views on appointments at the Institute for Advanced Study, to many aspects of his personal biography, in addition to the account of the two Incompleteness Theorems. This means that some of these areas are covered more comprehensively than others. In places the author succeeds creditably; for example, her portrayals of behind-the-scenes academic life will likely be of interest to readers who enjoy such material—indeed, such portrayals seem to be her forte. As is often the case with books about mathematics written by nonmathematicians though, shortfalls of precision occurring here and there will leave mathematicians unsatisfied; and the misstatement of the Fixed Point Theorem on page 180, the heart of the matter technically, makes it, unfortunately, quite impossible for anyone to reconstruct the proof of the First Incompleteness Theorem from Goldstein’s account. In this review I will comment on the three main aspects of Goldstein’s book, apart from her technical account of the theorems: first, her portrayal of the life and personality of Gödel and the social surroundings in which he worked; second, her main claim, which is that Gödel’s work has been misunderstood and misused by postmodernists and other intellectuals; and third, her rather substantial discussion of foundational issues, which unfortunately is the weakest of these three aspects of the book. The author’s novelistic skills are at their most conspicuous in the section of the book devoted to her colorful portrait of Gödel. From p. 59:
Altered Dynamics of Action Potential Restitution and Alternans in Humans With Structural Heart Disease

Background—Restitution kinetics and alternans of ventricular action potential duration (APD) have been shown to be important determinants of cardiac electrical stability. In this study, we tested the hypothesis that APD restitution and alternans properties differ between normal and diseased human ventricular myocardium. Methods and Results—Monophasic action potentials were recorded from the right ventricular septum in 24 patients with structural heart disease (SHD) and in 12 patients without SHD. Standard and dynamic restitution relations were constructed by plotting APD as a function of the preceding diastolic interval. The dynamic restitution relation of both groups showed a steeply sloped segment at short diastolic intervals that was associated with the occurrence of APD alternans. Patients with SHD had a wider diastolic interval range over which APD alternans was present (mean±SEM 68±11 versus 12±2 ms) and showed an earlier onset (168±7 versus 225±4 bpm) and an increased magnitude (20±2 versus 11±2 ms) of APD alternans compared with patients without SHD. The occurrence of APD alternans during induced ventricular tachycardia (6 episodes) and during rapid pacing could be derived from the dynamic restitution function. Conclusions—There are marked differences in the dynamics of APD restitution and alternans in the ventricular myocardium of patients with SHD compared with patients without SHD. These differences may contribute importantly to cardiac electrical instability in diseased human hearts and may represent a promising target for antiarrhythmic substrate modification.
Isotope selective photodissociation of N-2 by the interstellar radiation field and cosmic rays

Photodissociation of 14N2 and 14N15N occurs in interstellar clouds, circumstellar envelopes, protoplanetary discs, and other environments due to UV radiation from stellar sources and the presence of cosmic rays. This source of N atoms initiates the formation of complex N-bearing species and influences their isotopic composition. To study the photodissociation rates of 14N15N by UV continuum radiation and both isotopologues in a field of cosmic ray induced photons. To determine the effect of these on the isotopic composition of more complex molecules. High-resolution photodissociation cross sections of N2 are used from an accurate and comprehensive quantum- mechanical model of the molecule based on laboratory experiments. A similarly high-resolution spectrum of H2 emission following interactions with cosmic rays has been constructed. The spectroscopic data are used to calculate dissociation rates which are input into isotopically differentiated chemical models, describing an interstellar cloud and a protoplanetary disc. The dissociation rate of 14N15N in a Draine field assuming 30K excitation is 1.73x10-10s-1 and the rate due to cosmic rays assuming an H2 ionisation rate of 10-16s-1 is about 10-15s-1, with up to a factor of 10 difference between isotopologues. Shielding functions for 14N15N by 14N2, H2, and H are presented. Incorporating these into an interstellar cloud model, an enhancement of the atomic 15N/14N ratio is obtained due to the self-shielding of external radiation at an extinction of about 1.5 mag. This effect is larger where grain growth has reduced the opacity of dust to ultraviolet radiation. The transfer of photolytic isotopic fractionation N2 to other molecules is significant in a disc model, and is species dependent with 15N enhancement approaching a factor of 10 for HCN.
The Influence of Convective Thermal Forcing on the Three-Dimensional Circulation around Squall Lines

Abstract Midlatitude squall lines are typically trailed by a large region of stratiform cloudiness and precipitation with significant mesoscale flow features, including an ascending front to rear flow; a descending rear inflow jet; line-end vortices; and, at later times, mesoscale convective vortices. The present study suggests that the mesoscale circulation in the trailing stratiform region is primarily determined by the time-mean pattern of heating and cooling in the leading convective line. Analysis of the line-normal circulation shows that it develops as thermally generated gravity waves spread away from the leading line. Midlevel line-end vortices are the result of diabatically driven tilting of horizontal vorticity generated by the time-mean thermal forcing. In the presence of the Coriolis force, a symmetric thermal forcing generates an asymmetric stratiform circulation and a pattern of vertical displacement that resembles the comma-shaped stratiform anvil observed in real systems; this suggests tha.
Developing an order picking policy for economical packing

Order picking is not only one of the most crucial tasks, but also the most expensive of warehouse operations costs in a distribution center. Therefore, improving picking efficiency is a critical benefit to distribution center operations. The study explores the condition of the lowest packaging costs and shortest travel distance in order to improve the order processing and picking efficiency. We propose an economical-packing order picking policy, which is an extending research of our previous researches, sequence order picking and batch picking for large numbers of small quantities in the B2C distribution center. A mathematic programming decision model is formed to minimize the remaining space of mailing boxes and the picking path of each order. A generic warehouse management system with the proposed order picking function has been conceptually implemented to demonstrate the elimination of storage buffers and the reduction of operation time.
RUNNING HEADER: A SOCIAL MODEL OF POSTTRAUMATIC STRESS A Social Model of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD): Interpersonal Trauma, Attachment, Group Identification, Disclosure, Social Acknowledgement and Negative Cognitions

In response to calls for social models of PTSD (Charuvastra & Cloitre, 2008), we hypothesise relationships between interpersonal/non-interpersonal traumatic events, fearful attachment style, emotional disclosure, group identification, social acknowledgment, posttraumatic cognitions and core trauma symptoms. The utility of social support vs social acknowledgement is also briefly considered. To test this exploratory model, a cross-sectional survey of participants (N = 298) with varying levels of traumatic symptoms following mixed traumas was conducted. Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) was used to analyse the model. Results support a mediational model, with group identification appearing to mediate the relationship between fearful attachment and social acknowledgement, emotional disclosure appearing to mediate the relationship between interpersonal trauma and social acknowledgment, and posttraumatic cognitions appearing to mediate the relationship between social acknowledgement and core trauma symptoms. Results suggest that, within this exploratory model, social acknowledgment and social support explain a similar amount of variance in traumatic symptoms, but acknowledgment explains considerably more variance in cognitions than social support. The paper successfully applies current theoretical insights on group identification processes to the posttraumatic environment. This theoretical application is relatively novel within the PTSD literature and helps stimulate new theory in this domain. It also provides further evidence of the ‘social cure’ theory. More broadly, the findings highlight the utility of social psychological constructs in helping explain trauma symptoms. We discuss the implications of our findings, the study limitations and suggest avenues for further
Instruction-Based Self-Testing of Processor Cores

Software based self-testing of embedded processor cores provides an excellent technique for balancing the testing effort for complex Systems-on-Chip (SoC) between slow, inexpensive external testers and embedded code stored in memory cores. In this paper we propose an efficient methodology for processor core self-testing based on the knowledge of its instruction set architecture and register transfer level description and we demonstrate it on a processor core benchmark. We also demonstrate that our methodology is superior in terms of test development effort and has significantly smaller code size and memory requirements, while the same fault coverage is achieved with an order of magnitude smaller test application time compared with a recently published structural methodology for processor core self-testing.
Speaker age interval and sex identification based on Jitters, Shimmers and Mean MFCC using supervised and unsupervised discriminative classification methods

Discrimination ability of speech long term features, including jitters, shimmers and mean MFCC is proposed, for age interval and sex identification. First to make a primary study of discrimination ability, two well-known unsupervised classification methods, i.e. k-means and FCM, were used. Then, two supervised discriminative classification approaches, namely MLP neural network and SVM, have been employed for more precise age interval and sex identification. In addition, in order to make a study of mutual influences of age interval and sex discriminative features, a cascade combination of two MLPs neural networks, with one trained for age interval and other one for sex identification, has been utilized separately. Most practical applications of age interval and sex identification are remote applications where usually speech signal is affected by telecommunication channels. To take this affect into consideration, a telephonic database has been used in experiments. Obtained results demonstrate that jitter and shimmer have good discrimination ability between male and female or young and old speakers, but do not discriminate small age intervals appropriately. On the other hand, mean MFCC is not suitable for sex unsupervised classification but leads to an increase in sex supervised classification performance. Also these coefficients contain useful information about speaker age interval, and can result in a decrease in identification error rate.