Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Factors associated with prolonged length of stay following cardiac surgery in a major referral hospital in Oman: a retrospective observational study

Objectives Two objectives were set for this study. The first was to identify factors influencing prolonged postoperative length of stay (LOS) following cardiac surgery. The second was to devise a predictive model for prolonged LOS in the cardiac intensive care unit (CICU) based on preoperative factors available at admission and to compare it against two existing cardiac stratification systems. Design Observational retrospective study. Settings A tertiary hospital in Oman. Participants All adult patients who underwent cardiac surgery at a major referral hospital in Oman between 2009 and 2013. Results 30.5% of the patients had prolonged LOS (≥11 days) after surgery, while 17% experienced prolonged ICU LOS (≥5 days). Factors that were identified to prolong CICU LOS were non-elective surgery, current congestive heart failure (CHF), renal failure, combined coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) and valve surgery, and other non-isolated valve or CABG surgery. Patients were divided into three groups based on their scores. The probabilities of prolonged CICU LOS were 11%, 26% and 28% for group 1, 2 and 3, respectively. The predictive model had an area under the curve of 0.75. Factors associated with prolonged overall postoperative LOS included the body mass index, the type of surgery, cardiopulmonary bypass machine use, packed red blood cells use, non-elective surgery and number of complications. The latter was the most important determinant of postoperative LOS. Conclusions Patient management can be tailored for individual patient based on their treatments and personal attributes to optimise resource allocation. Moreover, a simple predictive score system to enable identification of patients at risk of prolonged CICU stay can be developed using data that are routinely collected by most hospitals.
Does culture matter at all in explaining why people still use traditional medicines

Why do individuals still use traditional medicines when modern treatments are available? Economic explanations for an individual’s use of traditional instead of modern medicines are scarce and often fail to consider explanations beyond the conventional. This paper puts forward an economic explanation for the use of traditional medicine. First, traditional medicines were the default form of health care available in pre-colonial times where industry influence was yet to develop. Hence, both those individuals who exhibit lower incomes and are left out of health insurance coverage are more likely to use traditional medicines. Second, cultural attitudes and ethnic group controls explain variation in utilisation, even among those who have health insurance. Results are suggestive of the validity of cultural interpretations.
Topographic effects on the seismic response of steep slopes

A frequency-domain parametric study using generalized consistent transmitting boundaries has been performed to evaluate the significance of topographic effects on the seismic response of steep slopes. The results show that the peak amplification of motion at the crest of a slope occurs at a normalized frequency H/λ = 0.2, where H is the slope height and λ is the wavelength of the motion. The importance of the natural site frequency is illustrated by the analysis of a stepped layer over a half-space. It was found that the natural frequency of the region behind the crest can dominate the response, relative to the topographic effect, for the conditions studied. Moreover, the effect of topography can be handled separately from the amplification due to the natural frequency of the deposit behind the crest of the slope. This concept of separating the amplification caused by topography from that caused by the natural frequency is advantageous to the development of a simplified method to estimate topographic effects.
3D simulation and analysis of AlGaN/GaN ultraviolet light-emittings diodes

Compact ultraviolet light sources are currently of high interest for applications in solid-state lighting, short-range communication, and bio-chemical detection. Our nitride-based light-emitting diode (LED) includes AlGaN quantum wells with an emission wavelength of approximately 340 nm. In this paper, we analyze internal device physics by three-dimensional (3D) numerical simulation. The simulation incorporated a 3D drift-diffusion model for the carrier transport, the quantum well (QW) energy band-structure including interface polarization charges, the local QW spontaneous emission spectrum, as well as 3D raytracing for photon extraction. The simulation results showed good agreement with measurements. Internal physical mechanisms such as current crowding, carrier leakage, and carrier recombination were investigated. Nanoscale effects exhibited a strong influence on the LED performance.
New Observations of the Interstellar Medium in the Lyman Break Galaxy MS 1512–cB58

We present the results of a detailed study of the interstellar medium (ISM) of MS 1512-cB58 (cB58 for short), an ~L* Lyman break galaxy at z = 2.7276, based on new spectral observations obtained with the Echelle Spectrograph and Imager on the Keck II telescope at 58 km s-1 resolution. We focus in particular on the chemical abundances and kinematics of the interstellar gas deduced from the analysis of 48 ultraviolet absorption lines, at rest wavelengths between 1134 and 2576 Å, due to elements from H to Zn. Our main findings are as follows. Even at this relatively early epoch, the ISM of this galaxy is already highly enriched in elements released by Type II supernovae; the abundances of O, Mg, Si, P, and S are all ~2/5 of their solar values. In contrast, N and the Fe-peak elements Mn, Fe, and Ni are underabundant by a factor of ~3. Based on current ideas of stellar nucleosynthesis, these results can be understood if most of the metal enrichment in cB58 has taken place within the last ~300 Myr, the timescale for the release of N from intermediate-mass stars. Such a young age is consistent with the UV-optical spectral energy distribution. Thus, cB58 seems to be an example of a galaxy in the process of converting its gas into stars on a few dynamical timescales—quite possibly we are witnessing the formation of a galactic bulge or an elliptical galaxy. The energetic star formation activity has stirred the interstellar medium to high velocities; the strongest absorption lines span a velocity interval of ~1000 km s-1. The net effect is a bulk outflow of the ISM at a speed of ~255 km s-1 and at a rate that exceeds the star formation rate. It is unclear whether this gas will be lost or retained by the galaxy. On the one hand, the outflow probably has sufficient energy to escape the potential well of cB58, for which we derive a baryonic mass of ~1010 M☉. On the other hand, at least some of the elements manufactured by previous generations of stars must have mixed efficiently with the ambient, neutral, ISM to give the high abundances we measure. We point out that the chemical and kinematic properties of cB58 are markedly different from those of most damped Lyα systems at the same redshift.
High Prevalence of Virulence Genes in Specific Genotypes of Atypical Enteropathogenic Escherichia coli

Atypical enteropathogenic Escherichia coli (aEPEC) strains are emerging enteropathogens that have been detected worldwide. A collection of 228 aEPEC strains (121 from diarrheal patients, 27 from healthy carriers, 47 from animals and 33 from raw meats) were investigated for serotypes, virulence gene profiles and phylogenetic relationships. Sixty-six O serogroups were identified. Serogroup O51 was the most prevalent, followed by O119, O26 and O76. For the 20 virulence genes detected, statistically significant differences were observed in the overall prevalence of efa1 (lifA), nleB, nleE, set/ent, paa, and ehxA genes among strains from diarrheal patients, healthy carriers, animals and raw meats, respectively. Strains from diarrheal patients had significantly higher levels of efa1 (lifA) (29.8 vs. 0%, P = 0.0002), nleB (41.3 vs. 7.4%, P = 0.0004), nleE (43.8 vs. 7.4%, P = 0.0002) and set/ent (41.3 vs. 7.4%, P = 0.0004) genes than strains obtained from healthy carriers. The paa gene was identified more often in isolates from raw meats (63.6 vs. 14.8%, P < 0.0001), animals (42.6 vs. 14.8%, P < 0.0122), and diarrheal patients (36.4 vs. 14.8%, P < 0.0225) than in strains obtained from healthy carriers. The ehxA gene was detected more frequently in strains from raw meats than in strains from diarrheal patients (27.3 vs. 2.5%, P = 0.0000) and healthy carriers (27.3 vs. 7.4%, P = 0.0474). The phylogenetic marker, yjaA, was more frequently observed in strains among healthy carriers than in diarrheal patient strains. Among the 228 aEPEC strains, 79 sequence types (STs) were identified. The prominent STs, which comprised strains carrying the four OI-122 genes and lpfA, were ST40, ST328, and ST29. Overall, the results indicate that aEPEC strains isolated in China are highly heterogeneous. aEPEC strains that are potentially more pathogenic appear to be related to specific STs or clonal complexes and serotypes. The high prevalence of diarrhea-associated genes in animal or raw meat strains suggests a zoonotic transmission pathway for potentially human pathogenic aEPEC.
Kerr geodesics, the Penrose process and jet collimation by a black hole

Aims. We re-examine the possibility that astrophysical jet collimation may arise from the geometry of rotating black holes and the presence of high-energy particles resulting from a Penrose process, without the help of magnetic fields. Methods. Our analysis uses the Weyl coordinates, which are revealed better adapted to the desired shape of the jets. We numerically integrate the 2D-geodesics equations. Results. We give a detailed study of these geodesics and give several numerical examples. Among them are a set of perfectly collimated geodesics with asymptotes ρ = ρ1 parallel to the z-axis, with ρ1 only depending on the ratios Q E2−1 and a M ,w herea and M are the parameters of the Kerr black hole, E the particle energy and Q the Carter’s constant.
Path diversified retransmission for TCP over wireless mesh networks

Path diversity exploits multiple routes simultaneously, achieving higher aggregated bandwidth and potentially decreasing delay and packet loss. Unfortunately, for TCP, naive load splitting often results in inaccurate estimation of round trip time (RTT) and packet reordering. As a result, it can suffer from significant instability or even throughput reduction. This is particular severe in Wireless Mesh Networks (WMNs), as validated by our analysis and simulation. To make multi-path TCP viable over WMNs, we propose a novel cross-layer design with a smart traffic split scheme, namely, Path Diversified Retransmission (PDR). PDR differentiates the original data packets and the retransmitted packets, and works with a novel QoS-aware multi-path routing protocol, QAOMDV, to distribute them separately. PDR does not suffer from the RTT underestimation and extra packet reordering, which ensures stable throughput improvement over single path routing. Through extensive simulations, we further demonstrate that, as compared to state-of-the-art multi-path protocols, our PDR with QAOMDV noticeably enhances the TCP throughput and reduces bandwidth fluctuation, with no obvious impact to fairness.
Title of Document : ACID MODIFICATION OF PSYLLIUM

Title of Document: ACID MODIFICATION OF PSYLLIUM Xiaoyin Pei, Master in Science, 2008 Directed By: Associate Professor, Liangli (Lucy) Yu, Ph.D, Department of Nutrition and Food Science Psyllium, a type of dietary fiber, has been shown to have various health benefits including cholesterol lowering, hypoglycemic, cancer prev ention, and laxative effects. However, due to its extremely strong water -holding and gel-forming capacities, incorporation of psyllium into food products on the required amount per serving for health claim is difficult. This study evaluated the eff ct of acid treatment on water up-taking, swelling, gelling and bile acid binding capacitie s of psyllium samples. The acid treatments were conducted at different reacti on temperatures (25, 37.5, and 50 °C) with different psyllium – solvent ratios (1:2.5, 1:5, 1:7.5, and 1:10 g/mL). The result showed that reaction temperature influenced the effectiveness of acid treatment on physical/chemical properties of psyllium sam ples significantly, while effects of different psyllium – solvent ratios were not si gnif cant. This implicated the acid modification at a high temperature might be a possible method to improve the physical/chemical properties of psyllium for incorporation in food. ACID MODIFICATION OF PSYLLIUM
Long-Term Trends and Short-Run Dynamics in International Stock Markets

The objective of the present study is to examine the behaviour and interaction of international stock markets. The validity of an earnings based valuation model is assessed using data from seventeen developed countries around the world over the last sixteen years. The estimation process employed involves a two–step Engel–Granger procedure where cointegrating relationships between market indices and their fundamentals are analysed. Cointegration appears mainly in large markets, while the presence of an error correction representation implies the existence of the reversion force towards the fair value obtained from the cointegrating regression. Further, the error correction model, enriched with other variables identified in previous research, seems to capture the short–run dynamics quite well. The coefficients of the variables in both the cointegrating regression and the error correction representation have the correct signs and are consistent in size. Granger causality tests do not particularly support the hypothesis that smaller markets are being influenced by external factors, since causality seems to run both from large to small markets and vice versa.
A supplementary feature for speaker verification in constrained room acoustics

The paper describes a preliminary experiment to find a supplementary feature for speaker verification. In conventional speaker verification systems, spectral features, such as the Mel frequency cepstral coefficient (MFCC), are used universally for all speakers. For some specific applications demanding high security, however, the system also needs to adopt speaker specific supplementary features. Assuming that verification is done in a specified room environment, we analyze the effect of the room response on speaker verification. Simulation results show that the additional supplementary feature is crucial for improving system performance.
Introduction of surgical safety checklists in Ontario, Canada.

BACKGROUND Evidence from observational studies that the use of surgical safety checklists results in striking improvements in surgical outcomes led to the rapid adoption of such checklists worldwide. However, the effect of mandatory adoption of surgical safety checklists is unclear. A policy encouraging the universal adoption of checklists by hospitals in Ontario, Canada, provided a natural experiment to assess the effectiveness of checklists in typical practice settings. METHODS We surveyed all acute care hospitals in Ontario to determine when surgical safety checklists were adopted. Using administrative health data, we compared operative mortality, rate of surgical complications, length of hospital stay, and rates of hospital readmission and emergency department visits within 30 days after discharge among patients undergoing a variety of surgical procedures before and after adoption of a checklist. RESULTS During 3-month periods before and after adoption of a surgical safety checklist, a total of 101 hospitals performed 109,341 and 106,370 procedures, respectively. The adjusted risk of death during a hospital stay or within 30 days after surgery was 0.71% (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.66 to 0.76) before implementation of a surgical checklist and 0.65% (95% CI, 0.60 to 0.70) afterward (odds ratio, 0.91; 95% CI, 0.80 to 1.03; P=0.13). The adjusted risk of surgical complications was 3.86% (95% CI, 3.76 to 3.96) before implementation and 3.82% (95% CI, 3.71 to 3.92) afterward (odds ratio, 0.97; 95% CI, 0.90 to 1.03; P=0.29). CONCLUSIONS Implementation of surgical safety checklists in Ontario, Canada, was not associated with significant reductions in operative mortality or complications. (Funded by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research.).
Assessing the impact of a new air traffic control instruction on flight crew activity

A new allocation of tasks between controller and flight crew is envisaged as one possible option to improve air traffic management and in particular the sequencing of arrival flows. It relies on a set of new spacing instructions where the flight crew can be tasked by the controller to maintain a given spacing with respect to a designated aircraft. In order to assess the benefits and limits of airborne spacing, two streams of air and ground experiments were conducted. The latest air experiment aimed at assessing the feasibility of time-based spacing in final approach and its impact on flight crew activity. Flight crews were tasked to maintain a spacing behind a target aircraft, through adjustments of the selected speed. Their feedback on feasibility was generally positive despite an increase of mental effort which remained acceptable. Every crew successfully achieved the spacing task: the deviation was maintained within the tolerances. The impact on flight crews’ activity was assessed through the speed actions needed to perform the spacing task. The average number of speed actions was less than 1 per minute, and most were small adjustments comprised between -15kt and +5kt. The effect of various reactions of preceding aircraft under airborne spacing will be investigated in further experiments, as well as monitoring load and scanning pattern.
Representing Red and Blue: How the culture wars change the way citizens speak and politicians listen.

What is a political representative's job, really? Are they supposed to simply figure out what "the people" want and deliver it, or are they charged to do what they think is best for their constituents - even if that means sometimes ignoring those constituents' wishes? In Representing Red and Blue, David Barker and Christopher Carman explore what people think about this question, why their answers vary, and what difference it makes. They observe that the citizens of "Red America" - religious and cultural traditionalists, including most Republicans - often prefer lawmakers who challenge public opinion, whereas "Blue Americans," or culturally progressive Democrats, typically prefer lawmakers who follow it. What is more, these preferences filter up: lawmakers who represent progressive locales tend to pursue the policies their constituents want, whereas representatives of more traditionalistic places often behave quite differently, leaning decidedly to the Right of even most Red American voters. The fundamental reason underlying these patterns, Barker and Carman argue, is that on average, traditionalists and progressives simply do not hold the values of liberal popular democracy in equally high esteem. What all of this means is that the citizens of Red America live in a different kind of democracy than that of the citizens of Blue America - one where they have less political say over what their government does, but one that seems to suit their tastes all the same.
Influence of child care on nasopharyngeal carriage of Streptococcus pneumoniae and Haemophilus influenzae

Background. Children cared for by a child minder (CM) should be less exposed to upper respiratory tract infections than those in group day care (GDC) and therefore to antibiotic treatment. Thus fewer CM children should carry resistant bacteria. To test this hypothesis nasopharyngeal carriage of Streptococcus pneumoniae (SP) and Haemophilus influenzae (HI) and exposure to recent antibiotic treatment were investigated among children in both types of care settings in the Alpes Maritimes (France) between November 1999 and March 2000. Methods and population. A two stage cluster sample of children attending group day care or cared for by a child minder was selected. Nasopharyngeal samples were cultured for SP and HI. Penicillin susceptibility was tested by disk diffusion and E-test and beta-lactamase production. Results. We sampled 235 children in the CM group and 298 in the GDC group who were ages 6 to 36 months. Age and sex distribution were similar in both groups. S. pneumoniae was isolated in 80 children in the CM group (34.0%) and in 163 (54.7%) children in GDC (P < 10−6). Proportions of non-penicillin susceptible (NPSP) were 52.5 and 55.8%, respectively (P = 0.6). H. influenzae was present in 37.2% of children in GDC vs. 23.8% in the CM group (P < 0.001). Proportions of beta-lactamase-positive HI (HIBL+) were 40.2% vs. 46.4%, respectively (P = 0.4). Antibiotic exposure during the previous 3 months occurred in 41.3% of children in GDC and in 47.4% in the CM group (P = 0.16). There was no association between antibiotic use and carriage of NPSP or HIBL+ strains. Conclusion. SP and HI carriage rates were significantly lower among children in the CM group than in GDC. The proportion of NPSP and HIBL+ was similar in both groups, and comparable patterns of antibiotic use were observed. Continued efforts must concentrate on parental education and enforcement of recommendations for management of pediatric upper respiratory tract infections.
AN EVALUATION OF THE LEADERSHIP STYLES OF MANAGERS AND THEIR IMPACT ON HUMAN CAPITAL FACTORS OF MOTIVATION, PERFORMANCE AND ABSENTEEISM OF EMPLOYEES AT SELECTED HOSPITALS IN EASTERN FREE STATE, SOUTH AFRICA

Purpose – This study aimed to provide an examination of the extent to which different leadership styles impact employee motivation, performance and absenteeism at four selected hospitals in Eastern Free State, South Africa. Design/methodology/approach – Quantitative; descriptive survey design was used with a structured questionnaire as data collection instrument. The useable survey comprised 180 individual responses from 250 distributed, giving a response rate of 72 percent. Findings – The findings show that autocratic, participative, and democratic and laissez- faire leadership styles are prevalent in the hospitals under study. Further, it was found that employees’ motivation, performance was decreased while absenteeism was increased as a result of the autocratic and laissez – faire leadership styles prevalent in the hospitals. Recommendations - Recommendations were made for improvement of leadership styles in order to increase motivation and performance whilst reducing absenteeism. Further research, specifically relating to impact of leadership styles in hospitals and the impact of human capital factors were recommended
Wii as entertainment and socialisation aids for mental and social health of the elderly

As the world population ages rapidly, it is likely that more elderly risks being detached from society. The possible isolation of many more elderly could lead to societal and mental health problems that could weigh down on public healthcare systems. Using surveys, focus groups, interviews and video analysis, our pilot study examines the effects of the Nintendo Wii games, examples of co-located games, between two generations (old and young), and the factors that could affect the adoption and enjoyment of computer-mediated games as entertainment and socialization aids between the elderly and the youths. This pilot study with 14 pairs of elderly-teenager participants shows that general attitude towards the other age group improves after a period of playing. The paper concludes with a discussion on design recommendations for computer-mediated games in general that can support inter-generational gameplay between the elderly and the youths, and as entertainment and socialisation aids to promote positive mental and social health of the elderly.