Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Serum Oxytocin, Posttraumatic Coping and C-Reactive Protein in Motor Vehicle Accident Survivors by Gender

Background: Previous studies indicate that oxytocin (OT) might play a major role in the prevention of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and that the effects of OT might differ by gender. This exploratory study aimed to clarify the relationships between the OT level and physical and psychosocial factors by gender in accident survivors. Methods: Two hundred and thirty-five accident survivors offered blood samples at baseline, 155 of whom participated in follow-up assessments 1 month later. Spearman's correlation coefficients were calculated between the serum OT levels and physical and psychosocial factors assessed at baseline by gender. Univariate and multivariate regression analyses were then used to examine the relationships between the serum OT levels and psychological variables by gender. Results: In men, the OT levels were negatively associated with C-reactive protein at baseline and did not predict any psychological variables at the 1-month follow-up. On the other hand, in women, the OT levels were positively associated with cooperativeness at baseline and predicted seeking social support, positive reappraisal, accepting responsibility and planful problem solving at the 1-month follow-up. The OT levels were not associated with PTSD, depression, and anxiety symptoms. Conclusions: The findings suggest that the role of OT in posttraumatic coping and inflammation differs by gender in accident survivors. Gender differences in the effects and mechanism of OT might be a key consideration when developing interventions using OT.
A Ferroelectric Nonvolatile Processor with 46 $\mu $ s System-Level Wake-up Time and 14 $\mu $ s Sleep Time for Energy Harvesting Applications

Nonvolatile processor (NVP) attracts more and more attentions for its immunity to power loss in energy harvesting scenarios. The overall performance of an NVP is determined by its sleep and wake-up speeds, which refer to how fast the NVP can turn itself off and on when a sudden power failure occurs. To the best of our knowledge, this paper is the first work to improve the system-level sleep/wake-up speed of an energy harvesting NVP. A hybrid CMOS/ferroelectric nonvolatile flip-flop (nvFF) and a high-speed voltage detector are designed and integrated in the proposed NVP to jointly minimize its sleep and wake-up time. Measurement results demonstrate <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$46~\mu \text {s}$ </tex-math></inline-formula> wake-up time and <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$14~\mu \text {s}$ </tex-math></inline-formula> sleep time, which is up to 18 and 24 times speedup over existing works. This approach not only improves the robustness of the NVP to power fluctuations but also brings significant advantages for better utilization of harvested energy.
Methicillin Resistant Staphylococci: Prevalence and susceptibility patterns in a burn center in Ahvaz from 2013–2014

Background and Objectives: Methicillin resistance Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and coagulase negative staphylococci (MRCoNS) have recognized as the major cause of nosocomial infections that threat the burn patient's life. The aims of this study were to determine the frequency of MRSA and MRCoNS and their antibiotic resistance patterns among burn patients in a burn center in Ahvaz, Iran. Material and Methods: A total of 340 clinical specimens: (80%) wound and (20%) blood were obtained from patients in Taleghani burn hospital during February 2013–2014. Staphylococci species identification and antibiogram were performed by standard procedures using disk diffusion method. The Methicillin resistance strains were detected by Etest and PCR using mecA specific primers. Results: Out of 30.2% (103) isolates that were recognized as staphylococci, 82 % (84) and 18% (19) were identified as S. aureus and coagulase negative staphylococci (CoNS) respectively. Resistance to methicillin was detected in 60% and 63% of the S. aureus and CoNS isolates respectively. Seven different antimicrobial resistance patterns observed among methicillin resistant staphylococci. The MRSA and MRCoNS strains showed closed resistance phenotypes. All the methicillin resistant isolates showed a high rate resistance to the other studied antibiotics in comparison to methicilin sensitive isolates. Vancomycin and imipenem showed the greatest effect against methicillin resistant isolates. During 8 years in the studied burn hospital, no significant changes in the methicillin resistance staphylococci frequency were detected. Conclusion: The presence of multi resistant MRSA and MRCoNS strains is cause of concern in burn hospitals. Vancomycin remains as a drug of choice for methicillin resistance staphylococci infections.
A comparative analysis of conventional and SurePath liquid-based cervicovaginal cytology: A study of 140 cases

Background: The role of Papanicolaou (Pap) test in cervical cancer screening need not be overemphasized. While most Western countries have adopted the liquid-based cytology (LBC), which is considered superior, many developing countries are still using the conventional Pap smear (CPS) technique. Objective: To compare the staining and cytomorphological features on conventional versus liquid-based cervicovaginal smears. Materials and Methods: One hundred and forty cervicovaginal smears prepared by the standard conventional and LBC techniques were interpreted as per the Bethesda system of reporting cervicovaginal smears. Twelve parameters were studied, compared, and statistically analyzed. A P value <0.05 was considered to be statistically significant. Results: 129/140 (92%) of CPSs and 130/140 (93%) LBC smears were satisfactory. LBC had a significantly shorter screening time (2.0 ± 0.08 vs 4.0 ± 0.65) and better representative material than that of CPS (50% vs 42%). Neutrophils were significantly more in CPS than LBC (96% vs 92%) with a P value <0.05 while hemorrhagic background and red blood cells (RBCs) were more prominent in CPS. LBC showed significant artifactual changes in squamous epithelial cells. Epithelial abnormalities ranging from atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance (ASCUS) to high grade squamous intraepithelial lesion (HSIL) were seen in 3% (4) and 2% (2) of CPSs and LBCs, respectively. Organisms were better picked up in CPS (99% in CPS vs 73% LBC) with a value of P = 0.0001. Conclusion: Although a shorter screening time and cleaner background are the major advantages of LBC, CPS is not inferior to LBC. Considering the high cost, rather than the advantages associated with LBC, we feel that CPS is a better option for developing countries.
The role of parental monitoring in adolescent health outcomes: impact on regimen adherence in youth with type 1 diabetes.

OBJECTIVE To determine if parental monitoring of adolescent behavior was related to regimen adherence and metabolic control among adolescents with type 1 diabetes. An additional objective was to compare the relative importance of instrumental parenting behaviors such as monitoring to affective behaviors such as parental support as predictors of regimen adherence. METHOD Ninety-nine adolescents aged 12-18 years and their primary caregiver completed self-report questionnaires. Path analysis was used to test a model where diabetes-specific parental monitoring and support were predicted to have direct effects on regimen adherence and indirect effects on metabolic control via regimen adherence and an alternative model where parental support moderated the effects of monitoring on adherence. RESULTS Diabetes-specific, but not general, monitoring was found to be associated with regimen adherence based on both parent and youth report. Monitoring had an indirect effect on metabolic control through regimen adherence. Although adolescent-reported parental support was significantly associated with regimen adherence in bivariate analyses, multivariate analyses indicated that parental support was not a significant independent predictor of health outcomes when parental monitoring was considered simultaneously. Modest support was also found for parental support as a moderator of the relationship between monitoring and adherence. CONCLUSIONS Close parental monitoring of care completion can contribute to better adherence in adolescents with diabetes. General warmth and support in the absence of careful parental supervision may be insufficient to help youth achieve adequate levels of adherence.
Anxious or Depressed and Still Happy?

This study aimed to examine cross-sectionally to what extent persons with higher symptom levels or a current or past emotional disorder report to be less happy than controls and to assess prospectively whether time-lagged measurements of extraversion and neuroticism predict future happiness independent of time-lagged measurements of emotional disorders or symptom severity. A sample of 2142 adults aged 18–65, consisting of healthy controls and persons with current or past emotional disorder according to DSM-IV criteria completed self-ratings for happiness and emotional well-being and symptom severity. Lagged measurements of personality, symptom severity and presence of anxiety and depressive disorder at T0 (year 0), T2 (year 2) and T4 (year 4) were used to predict happiness and emotional well-being at T6 (year 6) controlling for demographics. In particular persons with more depressive symptoms, major depressive disorder, social anxiety disorder and comorbid emotional disorders reported lower levels of happiness and emotional well-being. Depression symptom severity and to a lesser extent depressive disorder predicted future happiness and emotional well-being at T6. Extraversion and to a lesser extent neuroticism also consistently forecasted future happiness and emotional well-being independent of concurrent lagged measurements of emotional disorders and symptoms. A study limitation is that we only measured happiness and emotional well-being at T6 and our measures were confined to hedonistic well-being and did not include psychological and social well-being. In sum, consistent with the two continua model of emotional well-being and mental illness, a ‘happy’ personality characterized by high extraversion and to a lesser extent low neuroticism forecasts future happiness and emotional well-being independent of concurrently measured emotional disorders or symptom severity levels. Boosting positive emotionality may be an important treatment goal for persons personally inclined to lower levels of happiness.
A global geometrical input-output linearization theory

Input{output linearization is a method that uses nonlinear state feedback control to obtain linear equations between the input and output of a nonlinear control system. Its success depends crucially on the ability of the control to steer the state across the level sets of the output function. It is clear that this is essentially a global geometrical problem. In this work, we present a linearization theory that is geometrical. This means that the relation of the control vector elds to the output function is considered from a global geometrical perspective. We argue for general position, generic vector elds and output functions and linearization for typical trajectories. We also prove that the relative degree is generically one. This approach succeeds in resolving the problem of singularities and is thus more complete than the existing literature. The unavoidable cost is that since the concept of strong relative degree cannot, in general, be deened globally, linearization may be piecewise. A simple example is included with a common type of output function and linearization is worked out in some detail as an illustration of some of the features of this novel approach.
Robust landmark selection for mobile robot navigation

Precise navigation is a key capability of autonomous mobile robots and required for many tasks including transportation or docking. To guarantee a robust and accurate localization and navigation performance, many practical approaches rely on observations of artificial landmarks. This raises the question of where to place the landmarks along the desired trajectory of the robot. In this paper, we present a novel approach to landmark selection, which aims at selecting the minimal set of landmarks that bounds the uncertainty about the deviation of the robot from its desired trajectory. At the same time the selected landmark sets are robust against the fact that a certain number of landmarks can be obscured from view during operation. Our algorithm is highly efficient due to a linearization of the whole navigation cycle and employs submodular optimization, for which strong formal bounds on the approximation quality are known. In extensive experiments, also carried out with a real robot, we demonstrate that our approach outperforms several other methods and that it enables robust autonomous robot navigation in practice.
A comparison of different proportions of a ketamine-propofol mixture administered in a single injection for patients undergoing colonoscopy

Introduction In this study, we aimed to determine the appropriate proportion of ketamine-propofol (ketofol), which was prepared in two different proportions for colonoscopy procedures. Material and methods This is a prospective and randomized trial. Group 1 was administered a mixture of 100 mg ketamine and 200 mg propofol. Group 2 was administered 50 mg ketamine and 200 mg propofol. Additional doses of 0.5 mg/kg bolus propofol without ketamine were administered to both groups to stabilize the bispectral index at 70–80 and with a Ramsey sedation score of 3–4. The pulse rate, mean arterial pressure (MAP), peripheral oxygen saturation values, colonoscopy period, adverse events, recovery time, discharge time, additional propofol doses, total propofol doses, colonoscopist and patient satisfaction were recorded. Results In group 2, the 1 min MAP mean was significantly lower than the initial, 10, 15 and 20 min MAP means (p = 0.014, p = 0.002). The 20 min PR mean of group 2 was statistically significantly higher than group 1 (p = 0.045). The 15 min PR mean of group 2 was significantly lower than the initial and the 1 min PR means (p = 0.023, p = 0.006). The total propofol dose mean of group 2 was significantly higher than group 1 (p = 0.0001). The presence of adverse events in group 2 was significantly lower than that in group 1 (p = 0.0001). The mean colonoscopist satisfaction in group 2 was significantly lower than that in group 1 (p = 0.047). Conclusions In colonoscopy, a ketofol mixture prepared in the proportion 1 : 2 provides appropriate hemodynamic conditions and sufficient sedation.
Progression of Cerebral Small Vessel Disease in Relation to Risk Factors and Cognitive Consequences: Rotterdam Scan Study

Background and Purpose— Cerebral white matter lesions and lacunar infarcts are small vessel disease-related lesions, which are associated with cognitive decline and dementia. We aimed to assess the relationship between risk factors, effect modifiers, and progression of these lesions. Furthermore, we studied the cognitive consequences of lesion progression. Methods— Six hundred sixty-eight people, aged 60 to 90 years, underwent repeated MRI scanning and neuropsychological testing within 3-year follow-up. We rated incident lacunar infarcts and change in periventricular and subcortical white matter lesion severity with a semiquantitative scale. We assessed the relationships between age, sex, baseline lesion load, risk factors, lesion progression, and change in cognitive function by multivariate regression analyses and additional stratified analyses. Results— Baseline lesion load, higher age, high blood pressure, and current smoking were independently associated with progression of white matter lesions. Women had more marked progression of subcortical white matter lesions and incident lacunar infarcts compared with men. Carotid atherosclerosis was associated with incident lacunar infarcts. Higher blood pressure did not contribute to lesion progression in people with already severe lesions at baseline nor in the very old. Lesion progression was associated with a paralleled decline in general cognitive function and in particular with a decreased information processing speed. Conclusions— Higher age, female sex, cigarette smoking, elevated blood pressure, and baseline lesion load were associated with small vessel disease progression. Age and baseline lesion load influenced the risk relations with blood pressure. Progression of small vessel disease was related to a paralleled decline in cognitive function.
Preoperative Factors Predicting Intraoperative Blood Loss in Female Patients With Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis

AbstractIn this article, a retrospective analysis of 161 female patients with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) is performed who underwent posterior correction and fusion using all-pedicle screw instrument.The aim of this article is to find out preoperative factors that influence intraoperative blood loss (IOBL) in female patients with AIS.The IOBL in posterior correction and fusion surgery for patients with idiopathic scoliosis greatly varies. The variables affecting the IOBL also greatly vary among different studies.Medical records of all female patients with AIS who underwent posterior correction and fusion operations using the all-pedicle screw system in our hospital from January 2012 to January 2014 were reviewed. Patients with irregular menstruation, who underwent osteotomy, and using coagulants were excluded. Preoperative clinical data, including patient age, height, weight, Risser sign, day after last menstruation, major curve Cobb angle, fulcrum-bending Cobb angle, curve flexibility index, sagittal thoracic Cobb angle, sagittal lumbar Cobb angle, albumin, hemoglobin, platelet, activated partial thromboplastic time (APTT), prothrombin time, thrombin time, fibrinogen, fusion level, menstrual phase, and blood type, were collected. Data were further analyzed using multiple linear regression with forward elimination.A total of 161 patients were included in this study. The mean IOBL was 933.98 ± 158.10 mL (500–2000 mL). Forward selection showed that fulcrum-bending Cobb angle, fusion level, Risser sign, APTT, fibrinogen, and menstrual phase were the preoperative factors that influenced the IOBL in female patients with AIS. Equation of IOBL was built by multiple linear regression: IOBL = −966.228 + 54.738 Risser sign + 18.910 fulcrum-bending Cobb angle + 114.737 fibrinogen + 21.386 APTT − 71.312 team 2 − 177.985 team 3 − 165.082 team 4 + 53.470 fusion level. R = 0.782. Operation for patients with AIS was featured by large IOBL. Large fulcrum-bending Cobb angle, the number of level fused, higher Risser sign, high APTT, high preoperative blood fibrinogen concentration, and premenstrual phase predicted higher IOBL.
Alternatives to Antibiotics in Semen Extenders: A Review

Antibiotics are added to semen extenders to be used for artificial insemination (AI) in livestock breeding to control bacterial contamination in semen arising during collection and processing. The antibiotics to be added and their concentrations for semen for international trade are specified by government directives. Since the animal production industry uses large quantities of semen for artificial insemination, large amounts of antibiotics are currently used in semen extenders. Possible alternatives to antibiotics are discussed, including physical removal of the bacteria during semen processing, as well as the development of novel antimicrobials. Colloid centrifugation, particularly Single Layer Centrifugation, when carried out with a strict aseptic technique, offers a feasible method for reducing bacterial contamination in semen and is a practical method for semen processing laboratories to adopt. However, none of these alternatives to antibiotics should replace strict attention to hygiene during semen collection and handling.
An improvement on the modified weighted bit flipping decoding algorithm for LDPC codes

We present a major improvement to the modified weighted bit flipping (MWBF) decoding algorithm for low density parity-check (LDPC) codes. We improve the flipping criterion by introducing a more efficient method for computing the reliability of the parity checks. We derive an approximate theoretical expression for the weighting factor and demonstrate its consistency with simulation results. The improved MWBF algorithm achieves a noticeable gain over the MWBF algorithm with only a modest increase in computational complexity.
Infant Feeding Practice and its effect on the Growth and Development of babies

The present study was conducted among 150 healthy babies 6 months (P value = 0.001) while significant differences in development were seen between babies exclusively breast fed for <3 months and the others (P value = 0.003 & 0.032). Though most of the babies were breast fed exclusively for 4-6 months, babies weaned after 6 months are likely to be malnourished, while babies exclusively breast fed for< 3 months are likely to have a delay in achieving milestones
Low-loss analog and digital reflection-type MEMS phase shifters with 1:3 bandwidth

Broad-band analog and digital reflection-type phase shifters (RTPSs), showing constant phase shift over 1:3 bandwidth, have been developed using microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) technology. Two-unit RTPSs centered at two different frequencies have been cascaded to achieve flat phase responses over a wide frequency band. Each phase shifter uses air-gap overlay coplanar-waveguide couplers for low-loss 3-dB coupling and bridge-type MEMS capacitors for reflective terminations. The fabricated analog phase shifter shows the average insertion loss of 3.5 dB, and maximum phase error of /spl plusmn/4.9/spl deg/ from 15 to 45 GHz. The 2-bit digital RTPS shows reduced maximum phase error of /spl plusmn/2.8/spl deg/ together with a comparable insertion loss of 3.1 dB from 5 to 15 GHz. The details of the circuit design, analysis, and fabrication procedures are presented together with the measurement results. Compared with the similar constant phase shifters using semiconductor diodes and transistors, the micromachined RTPS of this study shows superior performance in terms of phase errors, insertion losses, and bandwidth.
Controlling the Search for Convex Groups

This paper describes an efficient algorithm for the perceptual grouping of line segments. The method uses a geometry-based measure of affinity between pairs of lines to guide group formation, and implements a search control procedure that is intended to reduce search complexity when image characteristics lead to a combinatorially large number of possible groups. We also present a ranking system that identifies the polygons that offer the most plausible explanation for the observed image data. The method is applied in the context of finding convex groups, and is experimentally shown to outperform existing algorithms, particularly in images with significant clutter, strong texture, and long, curved contours.