Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The “Weekend Effect” in patients admitted to the Emergency Unit with non-variceal upper gastrointestinal bleeding. A high-complexity hospital experience

Introduction and Objectives: The “Weekend Effect” refers to an increase in mortality of patients admitted to health care centers on weekends or holidays. This study was performed to assess the impact of weekend admissions in patients with upper gastrointestinal bleeding (UGIB) based on a three year-experience in a high-comple-xity hospital in Latin America. Materials and Methods: A descriptive observational study was performed between 2016 and 2018. Data on demographic characteristics, risk factors, symptoms, endoscopic findings, and medical treatment was described. Moreover, the time to perform an endoscopy, the length of hospital stay, and the mortality level among patients admitted on weekends were compared with the same factors during the week. Results: The analysis included 274 patients admitted during the weekend and holidays (39.1%) versus patients admitted during the week (60.9%). The median age was 68.5 years old (interquartile range [IQR]: 53-79), and 56.6% were men. The most common conditions were tarry stools and hematemesis. Peptic ulcer was the most common endoscopic diagnosis (48.7%). Similar results were found in the length of hospital stay (7,38 ± 8,7 versus 7,38 ± 7,1; p = 0,234) and mortality groups (1,9 % versus 4,2 %; p = 0,274). A higher number of endoscopies 24 hours after the patient was admitted was performed (19,6 % versus 9,6 %; p = 0,041). Conclusions: The “Weekend Effect” was not present in the analyzed group, and there are no significant differences related to the length of hospital stay or the mortality of patients diagnosed with UGIB.
Technical note: On uncertainties in plant water isotopic composition following extraction by cryogenic vacuum distillation

Abstract. Recent studies have challenged the interpretation of plant water isotopes obtained through cryogenic vacuum distillation (CVD) based on observations of a large 2H fractionation. These studies have hypothesized the existence of an H-atom exchange between water and organic tissue during CVD extraction with the magnitude of H exchange related to relative water content of the sample; however, clear evidence is lacking. Here, we systematically tested the uncertainties in the isotopic composition of CVD-extracted water by conducting a series of incubation and rehydration experiments using isotopically depleted water, water at natural isotope abundance, woody materials with exchangeable H, and organic materials without exchangeable H (cellulose triacetate and caffeine). We show that the offsets between hydrogen and oxygen isotope ratios and expected reference values (Δ2H and Δ18O) have inversely proportional relationships with the absolute amount of water being extracted, i.e. the lower the water amount, the higher the Δ2H and Δ18O. However, neither Δ2H nor Δ18O values, were related to sample relative water content. The Δ2H pattern was more pronounced for materials with exchangeable H atoms than with non-exchangeable H atoms. This is caused by the combined effect of H exchange during the incubation of materials in water and isotopic enrichments during evaporation and sublimation that depend on absolute water amount. The H exchange during CVD extraction itself was negligible. Despite these technical issues, we observed that the water amount-dependent patterns were much less pronounced for samples at natural isotope abundance and particularly low when sufficiently high amounts of water were extracted (>600 µL). Our study provides new insights into the mechanisms causing isotope fractionation during CVD extraction of water. The methodological uncertainties can be controlled if large samples of natural isotope abundance are used in ecohydrological studies.
Exploring the Use of Tweets and Word Clouds as Strategies in Educational Research

This paper presents personal insights and discussions on the exploration of specific strategies which relate to data collection and analysis used to support the focus group discussion data collection and preliminary analysis of a doctoral research entitled Undergraduate students’ experiences of learning with digital multimodal texts. The main objective of the doctoral research was to understand the different ways undergraduate students experienced learning with digital multimodal texts (DMTs) within the context of a history module included in their first-year programme of studies both as readers (consumers) and authors (producers). Data were collected through semi-structured interviews, written reflection accounts, a focus group discussion and consideration given to the DMT (a video) produced by the participants. The focus group discussion event included a hands-on task whereby participants were requested to write their views in response to a given prompt question in the form of tweets. Also, the written tweets were visualised as word clouds for the purpose of initial analysis. The findings reported in this paper, which are based on observation notes and investigation of the word clouds, suggest that the tweet-related, hands-on task acted as a good ice breaker, making the participants feel at ease and more relaxed about sharing their views amongst each other while eliciting discussions and fostering deeper thinking. Also, the word clouds were revealed to be an effective data visualisation tool allowing emerging and salient themes to stand out from the participants’ written tweets and reflections.
An Examination of Uncertainty aware Top-k Metrics on MNIST and CIFAR-100

To evaluate neural networks (NNs), the classes that have the k highest activations in their output neurons are often output. The result is a static top-k list, i.e. a list with length k for each object to be classified. For uncertainty aware top-k metrics, the list length depends on how certain the NN is about the correctness of the classification. In this thesis, different algorithms implementing uncertainty aware top-k metrics were evaluated on the MNIST and CIFAR-100 datasets. For this purpose, a paradigm was established that takes into account both the redundancy of the output classes and the accuracy of the classification. The results show that uncertainty aware top-k algorithms in the given paradigm are a very good alternative to static top-k lists since especially the redundancy of the output classes is strongly reduced. Furthermore, comparisons between the uncertainty aware algorithms were drawn. Algorithms dealing with a critical overlap are more robust than algorithms dealing with a threshold value but are often computationally more costly.
Gonadotrop Cells ins in Secreting Both Normal Rat Pi Prolactin and tuitary Cells

The present study was designed to characterize bihormonal cells in rat pituitary cells which secrete PRL and gonadotropins. This was done by using sandwich cell immunoblot assay (CIBA) and reverse hemolytic plaque assay (RHPA) in combination with immunocytochemistry (ICC) and by measuring the intracellular free calcium concentration ([Ca2+];). The result of the experiment with sandwich CIBA revealed that the populations of LHand FSH-secreting cells in the PRL-secreting cells were 6.23% and 5.91%, respectively, and the populations of the PRL secreting cells in the LHand FSHsecreting cells were 18.4% and 15.5%, respectively. Additional studies by the combined techniques of RHPA with ICC revealed that the populations of LHand FSH-containing cells in the PRL secreting cells were 4.43% and 2.40%, respectively, which were consistent with the results of Sandwich CIBA. Some of the PRL-secreting cells determined by RHPA showed responsiveness to TRH and GnRH in [Ca2+];. These results suggest that bihormonal cells which secrete both PRL and LH, or both PRL and FSH are present in the normal rat pituitaries.
INVESTIGATION OF THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN PRIMARY PRODUCTION AND SEA ICE IN THE ARCTIC SEAS: ASSESSMENTS BASED ON A SMALL-COMPONENT MODEL OF MARINE ECOSYSTEM

The work is focused on the further development of a regional coupled eco-thermohydrodynamic model of the Arctic seas with the aim of using it to better understand the interaction of dynamic and ecosystem processes in the ocean under a changing climate in the Arctic. We used the MITgcm as a thermohydrodynamic block and an original 7-component ecosystem model which includes the carbon cycle as an ocean biogeochemistry block. The results of a model climatic run for a 40-year modern period for the Arctic shelf region (Kara, Barents and White Seas) are presented. The estimates of the spatial distribution of the chlorophyll-a concentration in the surface layer have clarified the effect of sea ice on primary production in the Arctic seas, including under conditions of a changing climate that leads to a significant reduction of ice cover in the Arctic Ocean. The clear relationship between the area of the marginal ice zone and primary production has been obtained: the moments of their spring-summer peaks coincide completely and they are highly correlated (0.87), proving the importance of this zone in the functioning of the marine ecosystem. As expected, the interannual variability of the integrated primary production and the total sea ice area (both averaged over the hydrological year — from October to September) have demonstrated an antiphase oscillation which means that the reduced sea ice cover area in the previous winter is one of the main reasons for the increase in primary production in the current year.
Book Chapter Immune Correlates of Disease Progression in Linked HIV-1 Infection

Genetic and immunologic analyses of epidemiologically-linked HIV transmission enable insights into the impact of immune responses on clinical outcomes. Human vaccine trials and animal studies of HIV-1 infection have suggested immune correlates of protection; however, their role in natural infection in terms of protection from disease progression is mostly unknown. Four HIV-1 + Cameroonian individuals, three of them epidemiologically-linked in a polygamous heterosexual relationship and one incidence-matched case, were studied over 15 years for heterologous and cross-neutralizing antibody responses, antibody binding, IgA/IgG levels, antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC) against cells expressing wild-type or CD4-bound Env, viral evolution, Env epitopes, and host factors including HLA-I alleles. Despite viral infection with related strains, the members of the transmission cluster experienced contrasting clinical outcomes including cases of rapid progression and long-term non-progression in the absence of strongly protective HLA-I or CCR5Δ32 alleles. Slower progression and higher CD4/CD8 ratios were associated with enhanced IgG antibody binding to native Env and stronger V1V2 antibody binding responses in the presence of viruses with residue K169 in V2. ADCC against cells expressing Env in the CD4-bound conformation in combination with low Env-specific IgA/IgG ratios correlated with better clinical outcome. This data set highlights for the first time that V1V2-directed antibody responses and ADCC against cells expressing open, CD4exposed Env, in the presence of low plasma IgA/IgG ratios, can correlate with clinical outcome in natural infection. These parameters are comparable to the major correlates of protection, identified post-hoc in the RV144 vaccine trial; thus, they may also modulate the rate of clinical progression once infected. The findings illustrate the potential of immune correlate analysis in natural infection to guide vaccine development. Prime Archives in Immunology 6 www.videleaf. com
APPLICATION OF DEMING’S CYCLE IN BENCHMARKING AND PERFORMANCE IN PUBLIC SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN KEIYO SUB-COUNTY, KENYA.

New generation of organizations have adopted management models and processes for measuring and managing organizational performance with collaboration and benchmarking being some of the approaches adopted by secondary schools in Kenya. This is geared at addressing the multiple expectations notably improved performance in the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) examinations. The study aimed to examine the relationship between the application of Deming‟s Cycle model in benchmarking and performance of public secondary schools in KCSE in Keiyo Sub-County. The target population were school principals/deputy principals, directors of studies and head of departments from the 22 public secondary schools in Keiyo Sub-County. A sample of 7 schools was extracted using stratified sampling techniques. Data was collected using structured questionnaires and interview guides then analyzed was based on descriptive and inferential statistics. The study revealed that the processes of planning, data collection, data analysis and implementation of benchmarking reports are positively correlated with performance of schools in KCSE. The study recommends that schools can fully adopt the use of Deming‟s PDCA cycle model of benchmarking when carrying out benchmarking with other schools/institutions. I propose a similar study to be carried out on private secondary schools and also other sectors.
GENE FLOW FROM MAJOR GENETICALLY MODIFIED CROPS AND STRATEGIES FOR CONTAINMENT AND MITIGATION OF TRANSGENE ESCAPE: A REVIEW

Recent advancements in biotechnology resulted in rapid adoption of genetically modified (GM) crops in the agriculture systems. At the same time, transgene escape has also been reported and examples reveal global dimension of the problem. Pollen mediated gene flow (PMGF) is the major pathway for transgene escape. Almost all transgenes have been escaped into their Non-GM counterpart and wild relatives. Although gene flow varies between species, crops, and ecological zones/environments but intraspecific gene flow (> 10%) is not uncommon in adjacent populations. Whereas in outcrossing species, 1% gene flow at thousand meters’ isolation is not unusual, and magnitude is even higher than the mutation rate. It is well documented that transgene flow is deteriorating different production systems in agriculture and famers choice to cultivate GM, conventional and organic crops. If comprehensive policy is not implemented, then in future it will be difficult to detect and remove transgenes from the environment; if unexpected problems arise.
Acute effect of cigarette smoking on frontal planar QRS-T angle in apparently healthy subjects with habitual smoking

Aim: It has been well recognized that smoking exerts various detrimental cardiovascular effects. Although the effect of chronic smoking on cardiac electrophysiology is well known, little is known about the effect of acute smoking on surface ECG. Previous reports suggested that frontal planar QRS-T angle (fpQRS-Ta), measured by surface ECG, may be associated with ventricular arrhythmias and cardiac death. Hence, we primarily aimed to assess the effect of acute smoking on fpQRS-Ta. Methods: A total of 92 apparently healthy subjects [44 female, 48 male, mean age 38.7(8.02) years] with smoking habit were enrolled in this prospective cohort study between May-July 2019. Demographic and clinical characteristics were recorded, and fpQRS-Ta together with some ECG parameters were noted before and 10 minutes after smoking for comparison. Spearman’s analysis was implemented to seek the probable correlation of the difference between pre- and post-smoking ECG parameters. Results: Ten minutes after smoking, median heart rate, QRS duration and fpQRS-Ta increased significantly (72.6 beats/min vs 81.5 beats/min, P< 0.001; 84 ms vs 86 ms, P= 0.012; 14.5° vs 25°, P< 0.001; respectively), while PR and QTc duration did not significantly change (150.0 ms vs 150.0 ms, P= 0.774; and, 423.5 ms vs 429.5 ms, P= 0.372). In Spearman’s correlation analysis, the difference between pre- and post-smoking fpQRS-Ta significantly and negatively correlated with C-reactive protein (CRP) levels (r: -0.272, P= 0.027). Conclusion: Acute smoking may widen fpQRS-Ta in healthy habitual smokers, and serum CRP negatively correlates with the degree of fpQRS-Ta widening. Our observation may further enlighten the pathophysiological mechanism of smoking in cardiac arrhythmias and sudden death.
Lower risks of new-onset acute pancreatitis and pancreatic cancer in sodium glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitors compared to dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP4) inhibitors: a propensity score-matched study with competing risk analysis

Background: Dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitors (DPP4I) may be associated with higher risks of acute pancreatitis and pancreatic cancer. This study compared the risks of acute pancreatitis and pancreatic cancer between sodium glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitors (SGLT2I) and DPP4I users. Methods: This was a retrospective population-based cohort study of patients with type-2 diabetes mellitus on either SGLT2I or DPP4I between January 1st 2015 and December 31st 2020 in Hong Kong. The primary outcome was new-onset acute pancreatitis and pancreatic cancer. Propensity score matching (1:1 ratio) using the nearest neighbour search was performed. Univariable and multivariable Cox regressions were applied to identify significant predictors. Results: This cohort included 31609 T2DM patients (median age: 67.4 years old [SD: 12.5]; 53.36% males). 6479 patients (20.49%) used SGLT2I, and 25130 patients (70.50%) used DPP4I. After matching, the incidence of acute pancreatitis was significantly lower in SGLT2I users (incidence rate, IR: 0.6; 95% confidence interval, CI: 0.2-1.4) than in DPP4I (IR: 2.1; CI: 1.3-3.0). The incidence of pancreatic cancer was also lower among SGLT2I users (IR: 1.4; 95% CI: 0.7-2.6 vs. 3.6; 95% CI: 2.6- 4.9). SGLT2I was associated with lower risks of acute pancreatitis (hazard ratio, HR: 0.11; 95% CI: 0.02-0.51; P=0.0017) and pancreatic cancer (HR: 0.22; 95% CI: 0.039-0.378; P=0.0003) after adjustments. The results were consistent in the competing risk models and the different matching approaches. Conclusions: SGLT2I may be associated with lower risks of new-onset acute pancreatitis and pancreatic cancer after matching and adjustments, underscoring the need for further evaluation in the prospective setting.
Root Canal Sealers : A Micro-Computed Tomographic Study

root canals, besides the flow of AH Plus (AHP) and Neo MTA Plus (NMTAP) sealers using different methodologies. Mandibular molars mesial roots with two root canals and degree of curvature between 20° and 40° were selected. The specimens were prepared with the ProDesign R system up to size 35.05 and were filled with the sealers by a continuous wave of condensation technique, Thermo Pack II (n=12). The teeth were scanned using μCT after root canal preparation and obturation. The volumetric percentage of filling material and voids were calculated. Flow was evaluated based on ISO 6876/2012 (n=10). Flow and filling were also evaluated in μCT using a glass plate with a central cavity and four grooves from the central cavity (n=6). Flow was linearly calculated into the grooves. The central cavity filling (CCF) and lateral cavity filling (LCF) were calculated in mm3. Data were submitted to non-paired t test with a significance threshold at 5%. The percentage of filling and voids between the root canals filled with AHP or NMTAP was similar (p>0.05). NMTAP presented the lowest flow in conventional test (p<0.05). Using μCT, sealers had similar CCF, LCF and linear flow (p>0.05). In conclusion, NMTAP and AHP had similar filling ability in curved mesial root canals of mandibular molars without presence of isthmus. Although AHP presented better flow than NMTAP using ISO methodology, there was no difference between these materials regarding volumetric filling when evaluated by μCT. F i l l i n g Ab i l i t y and F l ow o f Root Canal Sealers : A MicroComputed Tomographic Study
A deterministic geometric representation of temporal rainfall: sensitivity analysis for a storm in Boston

In an earlier study, Puente and Obrego´n [Water Resour. Res. 32(1996)2825] reported on the usage of a deterministic fractal– multifractal (FM) methodology to faithfully describe an 8.3 h high-resolution rainfall time series in Boston, gathered every 15 s and made of 1990 points, as the derived distribution of a classical multifractal measure via a fractal interpolating function. This work further studies the robustness of the FM methodology via an exhaustive sensitivity analysis aimed at obtaining even better FM descriptions for the Boston storm. This is carried out by varying a host of pertinent attributes that include usage of: (a) alternative objective functions for the inverse problem based on cumulative distributions of the records and of their derivatives; (b) a genetic algorithm in order to ﬁnd the best FM parameters; (c) fractal interpolating functions passing by 3, 4 and 5 points, considering all relevant parameter-combination cases separately; and (d) two scales of aggregation, i.e. records with 199 and 1990 bins. The analysis indicates that previous results may indeed be improved when cumulative distributions of the records, rather than the records themselves, are employed in the FM parameter search, especially for representations based on 4 and 5 interpolating points and at the highest data resolution.
THE EFFECCT OF PAVER JOINT WIDTH ON THE CONSTRUCTION OF CONCRETE BLOCK PAVEMENT ON SLOPING ROAD SECTION

This research presents the construction of concrete block pavement (CBP) on sloping road section that influences the joint width between blocks. The effect of load transfer on the CBP behavior is discussed. The results of a series of tests conducted in laboratory with horizontal force test. The horizontal force testing installation was constructed within the steel frame 2.00 x 2.00 meter and forced from the side until CBP failure (maximum horizontal creep). The optimum joint width between blocks is 3 mm. For joint widths less than the optimum, the jointing sand was unable to enter inside between blocks. A large amount of sand remained outside the joint showing sand heaps on the block surface. The effect of the degree of slope on concrete block pavements on sloping road section area is significant with friction between blocks and thrusting action between adjacent blocks at hinging points is more effective with thicker blocks. The spacing of anchor beam will be increases with decreasing joint width. Keywords: Optimum, Joint width and Horizontal Creep.