Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Artificial intelligence and anesthesia: a narrative review

Background and Objective The aim of this narrative review is to analyze whether or not artificial intelligence (AI) and its subsets are implemented in current clinical anesthetic practice, and to describe the current state of the research in the field. AI is a general term which refers to all the techniques that enable computers to mimic human intelligence. AI is based on algorithms that gives machines the ability to reason and perform functions such as problem-solving, object and word recognition, inference of world states, and decision-making. It includes machine learning (ML) and deep learning (DL). Methods We performed a narrative review of the literature on Scopus, PubMed and Cochrane databases. The research string comprised various combinations of “artificial intelligence”, “machine learning”, “anesthesia”, “anesthesiology”. The databases were searched independently by two authors. A third reviewer would mediate any disagreement the results of the two screeners. Key Content and Findings The application of AI has shown excellent results in both anesthesia and in operating room (OR) management. In each phase of the perioperative process, pre-, intra- and postoperative ones, it is able to perform different and specific tasks, using various techniques. Conclusions Thanks to the use of these new technologies, even anesthesia, as it is happening for other disciplines, is going through a real revolution, called Anesthesia 4.0. However, AI is not free from limitations and open issues. Unfortunately, the models created, provided they have excellent performance, have not yet entered daily practice. Clinical impact analyzes and external validations are needed before this happens. Therefore, qualitative research will be needed to better understand the ethical, cultural, and societal implications of integrating AI into clinical workflows.
Neopterin, procalcitonin, total sialic acid, paraoxonase-1 and selected haematological indices in calves with aspiration pneumonia

This study aims to determine serum neopterin, procalcitonin, total sialic acid (TSA), paraoxonase-1 (PON1), and some haematological indices in calves with aspiration pneumonia (ASP). The patient group consisted of 30 calves of the Simmental breed, 0–28 days old, diagnosed with ASP upon clinical examination, anamnesis, auscultation examination, and radiographic results. The control group consisted of 10 healthy calves, otherwise with the same characteristics. A significant difference was found between calves with ASP and the control group of calves in serum iron (Fe, P < 0.001), total iron-binding capacity (TIBC, P < 0.05), PON1, TSA, procalcitonin, neopterin, and total leukocyte count (WBC) indices as a result of the analyses (P < 0.001). Serum procalcitonin concentration was found to be 285.71 ng/ml in the ASP group and 30.34 ng/ml in the control group. Serum neopterin concentration was found to be 37.68 nmol/l in the ASP group and 15.14 nmol/l in the control group. Serum procalcitonin, neopterin, and TSA concentrations were found to be significantly higher in the ASP group compared to the control group. It was concluded that biomarkers such as serum procalcitonin, neopterin, and TSA are high in calves with ASP, and as a result, these markers provide diagnostically and prognostically important information.
Influence of urbanization characteristics on ant (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) and spider (Arachnida: Araneae) diversity

Demographic characteristics and length of land use occupation time are important factors in the evaluation of the influence of urbanization on biodiversity. Thus, the aim of this study was to evaluate how population density and human occupation history influence taxonomic and guild spider (Arachnida: Araneae) and ant (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) diversities in four distinct Administrative Regions (ARs) of the municipality of Salvador (Bahia, Brazil). The ants and spiders in the ARs were collected in different types of green areas: forest fragments, vacant lots, and gardens/backyards, using three capture techniques (Winkler trap, entomological umbrella, and manual collection). We tested for eventual differences in myrmecofauna and araneofauna richness and composition, in addition to guilds (FGs) according to population density level (high vs. low) and urbanization time (old vs. recent). A total of 148 ant species were collected and classified into 15 guilds. Whereas a total of 97 spider species were captured and classified into 10 guilds. Spider richness varied significantly between the ARs, instead of to ant richness. There were also significant differences between ARs for the taxonomic composition of spiders, but not for ants. Those of the guild compositions of ants and spiders were not significant. Finally, our results indicate the importance of how historical processes of neighborhood occupation influence the distribution of spiders, demonstrating increased richness in areas with lower population densities, while other factors related to urban landscapes may be related to the distribution of ant and spider species.
On the potential impact of directionality on emotion processing in interpreting

The main aim of the study is to investigate the process of interpreting emotionally-laden content in the two directions (i.e., L2>L1 vs. L1>L2). In line with previous research on bilingualism, there is a psychological distance when processing the non-native relative to the native tongue, reflecting a decreased sensitivity to affect-laden stimuli in L2 compared to L1. Yet thus far only little attention has been devoted to investigating how interpreters process emotionally-laden as compared to neutral stimuli when interpreting. Additionally, in the context of language processing in interpreting, previous studies have shown an interpreting asymmetry, pointing to more cognitively taxing operations engaged in interpreting in the L1-L2 than L2-L1 direction; however, it remains under-investigated whether emotion processing might be modulated by interpreting directionality. To this aim, in the present pilot study, five professional interpreters were asked to interpret negatively-valenced as well as neutral sentences, both from Polish (L1) into English (L2) and in the opposite direction. To measure emotional responding, skin conductance (SC) method was triangulated with a self-report measure (SUPIN S30, the Polish adaptation of the PANAS questionnaire, Positive and Negative Affect Schedule). The obtained results showed an increased emotional responding, as reflected in SC results, in the process of interpreting a negatively-valenced compared to neutral content, irrespective of interpreting direction. The obtained results may contribute to research on emotional language processing in the context of interpreting.
Immobilization of Antioxidant Enzyme Catalase on Porous Hybrid Microparticles of Vaterite with Mucin

Catalase is one of the crucial antioxidant enzymes with diverse applications in textile, food industries, wastewater treatment, cosmetics, and pharmaceutics, which, however, is highly sensitive to environmental challenges. Resisting the loss of activity and prolongation of formulation storage can be achieved via the catalase entrapment into insoluble carriers. Affordable and degradable vaterite is proposed as amicable material for catalase immobilization. To improve the carrier properties of the vaterite, it was co‐precipitated with mucin from the pig's stomach producing ca 5 μm hybrid mucin/vaterite microparticles. Catalase is impregnated into the crystals by means of adsorption without chemical modifications. The presence of mucin matrix partially hinders catalase penetration into the crystals and reduces the adsorption capacity (for 0.1 mg mL−1 catalase, ca 2.3 vs ca 1.5 mg g−1 for pristine and hybrid microparticles, respectively) but significantly promotes the protection of antioxidant activity upon storage and under the action of temperature, organic solvent (acetonitrile), and proteolytic enzyme (trypsin). Hybrid microcrystals are pH‐sensitive and better retain the enzyme at pH 3–5 due to catalase‐mucin complexation. Immobilized catalase can be used for 5–6 consecutive cycles until it loses catalytic activity. Altogether, these findings indicate promises of hybrid mucin/vaterite microparticles for immobilization of antioxidant enzymes.
Interaction between distributed generation and the distribution network: operation aspects

The paper aims at providing an overview of the impact that distributed generation (DG) might have on the operation of distributed networks. Issues like impact of DG on losses, voltage control, power quality, short circuit power, and system protection are discussed. Based on the discussion, it can be concluded that the impact of DG depends on the penetration level of DG in the distribution network as well as on the DG technology. Furthermore, critical issues, for example the impact of DG on the protection system, can be solved by using the right technology and detailed studies beforehand. Also, new operation approaches, using IT technologies, might help to integrate DG into the distribution network operation.
MRI-Based Radiomics Models to Discriminate Hepatocellular Carcinoma and Non-Hepatocellular Carcinoma in LR-M According to LI-RADS Version 2018

Differentiating hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) from other primary liver malignancies in the Liver Imaging Reporting and Data System (LI-RADS) M (LR-M) tumours noninvasively is critical for patient treatment options, but visual evaluation based on medical images is a very challenging task. This study aimed to evaluate whether magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) models based on radiomics features could further improve the ability to classify LR-M tumour subtypes. A total of 102 liver tumours were defined as LR-M by two radiologists based on LI-RADS and were confirmed to be HCC (n = 31) and non-HCC (n = 71) by surgery. A radiomics signature was constructed based on reproducible features using the max-relevance and min-redundancy (mRMR) and least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) logistic regression algorithms with tenfold cross-validation. Logistic regression modelling was applied to establish different models based on T2-weighted imaging (T2WI), arterial phase (AP), portal vein phase (PVP), and combined models. These models were verified independently in the validation cohort. The area under the curve (AUC) of the models based on T2WI, AP, PVP, T2WI + AP, T2WI + PVP, AP + PVP, and T2WI + AP + PVP were 0.768, 0.838, 0.778, 0.880, 0.818, 0.832, and 0.884, respectively. The combined model based on T2WI + AP + PVP showed the best performance in the training cohort and validation cohort. The discrimination efficiency of each radiomics model was significantly better than that of junior radiologists’ visual assessment (p < 0.05; Delong). Therefore, the MRI-based radiomics models had a good ability to discriminate between HCC and non-HCC in LR-M tumours, providing more options to improve the accuracy of LI-RADS classification.
Preparation of Duplex Sequencing Libraries for Archival Paraffin-Embedded Tissue Samples Using Single-Strand-Specific Nuclease P1

DNA from formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) tissues, which are frequently utilized in cancer research, is significantly affected by chemical degradation. It was suggested that approaches that are based on duplex sequencing can significantly improve the accuracy of mutation detection in FFPE-derived DNA. However, the original duplex sequencing method cannot be utilized for the analysis of formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) tissues, as FFPE DNA contains an excessive number of damaged bases, and these lesions are converted to false double-strand nucleotide substitutions during polymerase-driven DNA end repair process. To resolve this drawback, we replaced DNA polymerase by a single strand-specific nuclease P1. Nuclease P1 was shown to efficiently remove RNA from DNA preparations, to fragment the FFPE-derived DNA and to remove 5′/3′-overhangs. To assess the performance of duplex sequencing-based methods in FFPE-derived DNA, we constructed the Bottleneck Sequencing System (BotSeqS) libraries from five colorectal carcinomas (CRCs) using either DNA polymerase or nuclease P1. As expected, the number of identified mutations was approximately an order of magnitude higher in libraries prepared with DNA polymerase vs. nuclease P1 (626 ± 167/Mb vs. 75 ± 37/Mb, paired t-test p-value 0.003). Furthermore, the use of nuclease P1 but not polymerase-driven DNA end repair allowed a reliable discrimination between CRC tumors with and without hypermutator phenotypes. The utility of newly developed modification was validated in the collection of 17 CRCs and 5 adjacent normal tissues. Nuclease P1 can be recommended for the use in duplex sequencing library preparation from FFPE-derived DNA.
Measuring Pandemic and Lockdown Impacts on Wellbeing

Abstract With the onset of the COVID‐19 pandemic, New Zealand's official statistical agency (Stats NZ) moved quickly to supplement the quarterly Household Labour Force Survey with wellbeing measures from the General Social Survey. The first supplement (June 2020) began toward the end of a restrictive national lockdown. Subsequent quarterly surveys continued through a second lockdown for the Auckland region, enabling tests of regional lockdown impacts. Survey measures include questions on life satisfaction, health, income adequacy, social capital (trust), and loneliness. Published aggregated data indicate that life satisfaction, social capital, health, and financial wellbeing were each higher through the pandemic (in 2020) than prior to it, including for disadvantaged groups, but loneliness rose. Analysis of the individual‐level data, confined to the within‐pandemic period, however indicates that more restrictive lockdowns were associated both with reduced life satisfaction and greater loneliness, with differing impacts according to labor market and household status.
Portfolio Entrepreneurs: Structure, Strategy and Management of Business Groups

This paper draws on the experiences of portfolio entrepreneurs and develops new insights into this important mode of business development. Portfolio entrepreneurs own and manage multiple businesses simultaneously, providing an alternative growth process and the prospect of enduring entrepreneurship. Previous research has focused on either the genealogy of businesses in a portfolio or the human capital attributes that determine who becomes a portfolio entrepreneur and how they perform relative to other types of entrepreneurs. Key issues involving the structure, strategy and management of portfolios need further exploration and development. This multiple-case study conducted in New Zealand features eleven entrepreneurs with portfolios of different ages and sizes, each reflecting a series of opportunistic responses to different situations. Our results show that some entrepreneurs use structure as an internal seedbed to spawn new ventures, others seek opportunities to acquire more businesses, while some use both means to build and maintain their business groups. Structure is the dominant construct, providing a flexible canvas upon which entrepreneurs enact growth ambitions by creating and re-creating their portfolios over time. We found no evidence of portfolio-level decision making or performance measurement with the lead entrepreneur’s attention largely focused at the business unit level.
Testing Several Rival Models Using the Extension of Vuong's Test and Quasi Clustering

The two main goals in model selection are ﬁrstly introducing an approach to test homogeneity of several rival models and secondly selecting a set of reasonable models or estimating the best rival model to the true one. In this paper we extend Vuong’s method for several models to cluster them. Based on the working paper of Katayama (2008), we propose an approach to test whether rival models have expected relations. The multivariate extension of Vuong’s test gives the opportunity to examine some hypotheses about the rival models and their relations with respect to the unknown true model. On the other hand, the standard method of model selection provides an implementation of Occam’s razor, in which parsimony or simplicity is balanced against goodness of ﬁt. Therefore, we are interested in clustering the rival models based on their divergence from the true model to select a suitable set of rival models. In this paper we have introduced two approaches to select suitable sets of rival models based on the multivariate extension of Vuong’s test and quasi clustering approach. MSC: 62F03, 62H30.
Investigating critical risk factors of selecting joint venture contractors for infrastructure projects implementation in Vietnam

Abstract The purpose of this paper is to investigate the major risks of joint venture contractor selection for infrastructure project implementation in Vietnam, and to explore the relationship between risk factors used for risk ranking and mitigation. From a literature review, together with expert group discussion, a list of potential risk factors was identified and used for questionnaire survey design. In this study, 100 survey responses were received from professional practitioners in Vietnam used to investigate their perceptions regarding the probability of risk occurrence and the severity of risk impacts on contractor joint venture selection. Factor analysis was performed based on a total of 32 main risk factors identified. Results reveal that seven main risk factors were extracted as follows: financial and economic risk, professional competence risk, joint venture organizational risk, joint venture legal risk, construction implementation collaboration risk, natural environment impact and pandemic risk, and construction site supervision risk. This study enables us to understand latent risk from a practitioner’s viewpoint. The findings of this study are beneficial for both the construction contractors involved in the joint venture form and the decision-makers who establish contractor selection strategies for complicated infrastructure projects in the context of developing countries.
Performance of Isa-Brown Layers and the Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer of the Mineral Content of Eggs Produced by Moringa oleifera Leaf Powder Supplementation

09/August/2021 Approved: 25/November/2021 ABSTRACT Moringa oleifera leaves richly contain numerous nutrients that can be used to induce performance in animals and when supplemented in layer feeds can improve the feed intake, body weight, egg qualities and mineral content of the eggs. The study was aimed to determine the performance of layers, egg quality and mineral profile of the eggs produced by inclusion of varying percentages of M. oleifera leaf powder in the feed of layers. Two hundred and forty Isa-brown layer birds were offered 0%, 2.5%, 5.0% and 7.5% M. oleifera leaf powder supplemented feeds respectively, using a completely randomized design. The mineral analysis was done following the procedure of the Association of Official Analytical Chemists using atomic absorption spectrophotometer. Data collected were analysed using analysis of variance at 0.05 level of significance. The results indicated that the body weight, feed intake, FCR, egg weight, egg length and shell thickness were significantly higher in layers fed M. oleifera leaf powder. However, the laying percentage was significantly higher in the control. The phosphorous, sodium, zinc, manganese, iron, copper, selenium and chromium contents of the eggs increased as the percentage of moringa inclusion increased. The eggs produced by layers fed with 5% M. oleifera leaf powder had significantly highest contents of magnesium, potassium and calcium, but decreased with further supplementation of moringa. The findings indicated that the supplementation of M. oleifera leaf powder at various levels improves the mineral contents of eggs but this is significantly achieved at a
Evaluation of novel SexedULTRA-4M technology for in vitro bovine embryo production

Abstract SexedULTRA-4M™ is made using an improved method of sex-sorting sperm in a less damaging environment for better retaining sperm integrity throughout the sorting process. The objective of this research was to compare conventional (CONV) and SexedULTRA-4M™ (ULTRA-4M) semen for bovine IVP using four Angus bulls. Matured slaughterhouse oocytes (n = 4000) were divided into the CONV group and the ULTRA-4M group (2000 COCs for each semen type). The IVF process was implemented with CONV and ULTRA-4M semen from the same bull. The cleavage rates, eight cell embryos and blastocysts on day 7 of culture were evaluated for each semen type and each bull. The statistical analysis was carried out with the ANOVA procedure SAS software. The results were 54.45% ± 1.03 and 58.10% ± 1.07; 35% ± 1.57 and 39.15% ± 1.62; 22.8% ± 1.09 and 27.15% ± 1.12 for CONV and ULTRA-4M, respectively, for cleavage rate, eight cell embryos and blastocysts on day 7 for the average of all bulls, comparing only the semen type. Concerning only the semen type, ULTRA-4M was significantly superior to CONV for cleavage rates (P = 0.01) and blastocysts on day 7 (P = 0.009). There were no significant differences between the CONV and ULTRA-4M groups (P>0.05) for all variables analyzed for Bull 1 and Bull 4, however, for Bull 2 ULTRA-4M was significantly superior to CONV for cleavage rates and blastocysts on day 7 (P< 0.05). In Bull 3, ULTRA-4M was significantly higher (P< 0.05) for blastocysts on day 7 compared to CONV. In conclusion, under the conditions of this research the ULTRA-4M and CONV semen produced similar bovine IVP results overall.
DESEMPENHO DE FUSÕES E AQUISIÇÕES CROSS BORDER: ANÁLISE EMPÍRICA DO CASO BRASILEIRO

This study aims to investigate whether the cross-border acquisitions made by Brazilian companies over the past 15 years have improved their financial performance. Drawing on Institutional, Socio-cultural and Organizational Learning theories, this study develops and empirically tests several hypotheses on the determinants of M&A performance. The results demonstrate that the cross-border acquisitions of Brazilian companies improve their financial performance. Financial performance tends to be positive if the cultural distance between the countries of the acquiring and acquired companies is low to medium and if the institutional context in which the acquired company operates is developed. We also find that the relationship between the previous experience of acquiring companies in international M&As and the performance of a new cross-border operation follows an inverted U shape. These findings suggest that studies on international M&As should include the M&A experience of the acquiring firm as well as the institutional characteristics of its target countries.