Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Evaluation of cervical spine posture after functional therapy with twin-block appliances

Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of the twin-block appliances to the cervical spine posture. Materials and Methods: Twenty-one skeletal Class II patients (11 female, 10 male; 13.31 ± 0.92) with mandibular retrusion were included in the study. Twin-block appliances with no expansion protocol were applied to all individuals. Cervical spine posture changes after treatment were evaluated by cephalograms. The differences between pre- and post-treatment measurements were evaluated by paired sample t-test. Results: No significant differences were observed after treatment, in the angle between the horizontal lines of the head (sella-nasion, anterior nasal spine-posterior nasal spine, and gonion and gnathion) and the upper and middle section of the spinal column (odontoid process tangent [OPT] and cerebral venous thrombosis [CVT]) (P > 0.05), while the increase of cervical curvature angle (OPT/CVT°) was found significant after the treatment (P = 0.009). Conclusion: A backward inclination of the middle segment of cervical column seems to be associated with the advancement of the mandible by twin-block treatment.
KIPP Middle Schools: Impacts on Achievement and Other Outcomes. Final Report.

This report shows that Knowledge Is Power Program (KIPP) middle schools have significant and substantial positive impacts on student achievement in four core academic subjects: reading, math, science, and social studies. One of the reportâ€™s analyses confirms the positive impacts using a rigorous randomized experimental analysis that relies on the schoolsâ€™ admissions lotteries to identify comparison students, thereby accounting for studentsâ€™ prior achievement, as well as factors such as student and parent motivation. The latest findings from Mathematicaâ€™s multiyear study of KIPP middle schools, the report is the most rigorous large-scale evaluation of KIPP charter schools to date, covering 43 KIPP middle schools in 13 states and the District of Columbia. Student outcomes examined included state test results in reading and math, test scores in science and social studies, results on a nationally normed assessment that includes measures of higher-order thinking, and behaviors reported by students and parents.
Comparison of the lower limbs muscular activity of toe grip and the toe-gripping strength in sitting upright position and the standing position

[Purpose] This research considers the effects of posture on toe flexor strength measured for a subject positioned on the edge of a seat and upright, and compares crural muscle movement to study the effects of posture on toe flexor strength. [Subjects and method] Toe flexor strength was measured for twenty (20) healthy adult female subjects positioned on the edge of a seat and standing. An integrated electromyogram was used to measure the medial gastrocnemius muscle, soleus muscle, and the tibialis anterior muscle at this time, calculate %IEMG for maximum isometric voluntary contractions, and compare to measured toe flexor strength. [Results] No significant difference in toe flexor strength was found between the position at the edge of a seat and standing. Comparison of crural muscle movement shows that seat edge position was significantly higher (p<0.01) compared to the standing position for %IEMG of the medial gastrocnemius muscle. No significant difference between measurement conditions for the soleus muscle and tibialis anterior muscle was found. [Conclusion] It has been suggested that toe flexor strength can be measured without being affected by posture. The finding of a significant difference in the %IEMG of the medial gastrocnemius muscle also suggests that when gastrocnemius muscle strength is reduced, values obtained when toe flexor strength is measured for a subject positioned on the edge of a seat will be affected.
Laparoscopically Assisted Appendicectomy in Adults: A comparative analysis

Background; Laparoscopic appendicectomy (LA) has always generated controversy due to its expensive and time consuming nature. Open appendicectomy (OA) on the other hand is cheaper and faster to perform but lacks the advantage of visualising the rest of the peritoneal cavity for associated pathologies. Laparoscopically assisted appendicectomy (LAA) in comparison combines the benefits of the other methods at a cheaper rate than the laparoscopic appendicectomy but is performed mainly in children. This study was aimed at evaluating the feasibility of LAA in adults compared to LA and OA. Methodology-This was a combined prospective and retrospective evaluation of patients that underwent appendicectomy using three different methods. Results The prospective arm of the study consisted of a total of 64 patients, 28 of whom had laparoscopic appendicectomy while 36 had laparoscopically assisted appendicectomy. The retrospective arm included 40 patients that had open appendicectomy. The costs of the procedures were $315 (OA), $630(LAA) and $1260 (LA). The mean operating time for the different methods were 30, 33 and 60 minutes for OA, LAA and LA respectively while the duration of hospital admission were 24hours each for OA and LAA but 48 hours for LA. Associated intra-abdominal pathologies were found in 13 patients (20.3%) that had LAA and LA while none was documented for OA. Conclusion Laparoscopically assisted appendicectomy (LAA) in adults can be done at a significantly reduced cost and shorter operating time when compared to Laparoscopic appendicectomy (LA), and has the ability to detect other intraabdominal pathologies as opposed to open appendicectomy.
Physical Dating Violence: the potential understating value of a bi-factorial model

National and international studies have pointed out Conflict Tactics Scale (CTS, Straus, 1979, 1996) as one of the most widely used measures for assessing the strategies used in situations of conflict within young couples. Nevertheless, there is not any conclusive result about its structure. Especially the physical dating violence scale has undergone sev- eral structural analyses providing monofactorial and bifactorial structures. The aim of this study was focusing on the validation of structural models using confirmatory factorial analysis (CFA) of CTS within adolescent cou- ples, considering the differences between boys and girls and between ag- gressors and victims. 3258 adolescents, aged 15- 21, were selected using a stratified random sample and interviewed using an adaptation of the CTS questionnaire. The results pointed out that it is not possible to identify a single model fit, but boys and girls, aggressor and victims, have the same pattern: a bifactorial model which establishes different but correlated mod- erate aggressive behaviors and severe aggressive behaviors. These results are discussed in terms of the potential value of this two-factor structure for
INFRASTRUCTURE AND REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT: A SURVEY OF MULTIREGIONAL ECONOMIC MODELS. IN: TRANSPORT INFRASTRUCTURE

This paper provides a review of operational multiregional economic models from the viewpoint of infrastructure. Three approaches can be distinguished towards the relationship between infrastructure and regional development. Firstly, infrastructure can be modeled as a production factor, in a production function. Secondly, infrastructure can be modeled as a location factor influencing the location of private investment or employment. Thirdly, the importance of transportation infrastructure can be analyzed via its impact on interregional trade flows.
HIV risk among street and nightclub-based sex workers in Lusaka Zambia: implications for HIV prevention interventions.

This report is on formative research among sex workers in Lusaka Zambia illustrating how the interaction between social context and personal identity affects sex workers ability to engage in safe sex. Analysis of qualitative data was gathered from in-depth interviews with 20 commercial sex workers in Lusaka including both nightclub and street-based sex workers. The nightclub-based sex workers in the authors sample were less likely to practice preventive sexual behaviors compared to street-based sex workers. Street-based sex workers had a professional identity and were willing to be publicly acknowledged as sex workers which appears to have made it easier to convince clients to use condoms. By contrast nightclub-based sex workers did not want to be identified as sex workers. They were motivated by the desire to meet a man who would marry them and change their lives. As a consequence nightclub-based sex workers could not publicly acknowledge their risk of sexually transmitted disease/HIV infection. Hence many nightclub-based sex workers went against their better judgment by not using condoms. These findings illustrate how social context can interact with personal identity to strongly influence sex workers ability to take precautions during high-risk sexual encounters. A thorough understanding of issues of personal identity and social context can help improve the design of HIV prevention interventions aimed at sex workers. (authors)
Aerobic bacteriology of burn wound infections

Introduction: Burn wound infections are important cause of mortality, morbidity and prolonged hospitalization in burn patients as the causative agent is generally a multidrug resistant organism. The pattern of microbial flora infecting burn wound varies according to geographical pattern as well as with duration of hospital stay. Objective: The present study aims to identify the causative agents of burn wound infections in our hospital, to assess the change in pattern of flora in accordance to duration of wound as well as to determine the sensitivity pattern of isolates. Materials and Methods: Wound swabs from 52 patients admitted in Burn unit of IMS and SUM Hospital, Bhubaneswar were collected every 5th day during their hospital stays and were cultured. The results were interpreted according to the standard methods and antibiotic susceptibility pattern was noted. Results: The most common organism isolated was Staphylococcus aureus, that is, 20 (47.6%) while Klebsiella spp. 12 (28.6%) was the most common Gram-negative isolate. The commonest organism isolated in the 1st week of hospital stay was S. aureus (15.4%), but it was Acinetobacter spp. (22.2%) in 2nd week and coagulase negative Staphylococcus in 3rd week of hospital stay S. aureus was mostly sensitive to levofloxacin (77.8%) and netilmycin (98%). Conclusion: The pattern of bacterial flora changes according to duration of hospital stay. Effective strict isolation techniques and infection control are thus needed to decrease the occurrence of burn wound infection.
To Assess the Fear & Anxiety among Patients Attending the OPD of a Dental College in Bangalore City

Background : Anxiety and fear towards dental treatment are common problems frequently experienced by patients world-wide. Despite the advances in technology and increased oral health awareness significant percentage of people suffer from dental anxiety. Aim: To determine dental anxiety and fear levels of patients attending the out-patient department (OPD) of a dental college in Bangalore city. Study Design: Cross-sectional questionnaire survey. Materials and Methods: Dental fear and dental Anxiety among the study subjects were assessed using Dental Fear Survey (DFS) and Modified Dental Anxiety Scale (MDAS) respectively. Statistical analysis was done using chi-square, ANOVA and Pearson’s correlation. A total of 356 study participants were present, out of which 220(61.7%) were males and 136(38.3%) were females.
THE EFFECT OF ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE AND LEADERSHIP STYLE ON TEACHER PERFORMANCE IN PRIVATE SECONDARY SCHOOL

The objective of the research were to analyze the influence of organizational structure, and leadership, to teacher performance in the private secondary school in Palembang city. This research method using quantitative method with path analysis technique (path analysis). Samples in this study were 326 teachers from 1,773 private junior high school teachers in Palembang city. The finding of the study showed that: (1) there was a direct positive effect of organizational structure to teacher performance, (2) there was a direct positive effect of leadership to teacher performance,. It is suggested to private junior high school teachers of Palembang city that in improving the performance of teachers can pay attention to the variable of good organizational structure, and leadership, because it is believed as a factor that can encourage the creation of good teacher performance.
In vivo evaluation of diclofenac induced subacute toxicity in Japanese quails

This experimental work was conducted to elucidate the in vivo evaluation of diclofenac induced subacute toxicity in Japanese quails. For this study, 100 apparently healthy Japanese quail’s birds of either sexes were randomly divided into control and treatment groups comprising of 50 birds in each group. The birds in treatment group were given 10 mg/kg body weight of diclofenac sodium for 10 days. The intoxicated birds revealed moderate lesions of gout characterized by deposition of white chalky urates on the organ surface. The intoxicated birds also revealed nephropathy and immunosuppression as evident by the depletion of lymphoid tissue from the lymphoid organs.
LAPAROSCOPIC EVALUATION OF TUBAL FACTORS IN INFERTILE PATIENTS

Objective: To evaluate tubal factor in infertility by Laparoscopy. Studydesign: Retrospective study. Setting: Department of Gynae and Obstetrics. IndependentUniversity Hospital, Faisalabad. Period: 01-Jan-2013 to 31-Dec-2015. Material and methods.Retrospective collection of data by convenience sample technique. Results: 52 patientsunderwent laparoscopy during the study period. Most patents 19(66%) were in age group of 31-35 yr. 29 (55%) had infertility of 9-15 yrs. 14(27%) had bilateral tubal block. 9(17%) had unilateralblock. 8(15%) had peritubal adhesions. 21(40%) had healthy & patent tubes. Tubal blockadewas more frequent in patients with secondary infertility (48%). Regarding complications, 4(4.6%)had pyrexia, 2(3.8%) had nausea & vomiting. 3(5%) had wound infection while none had anydamage to bowel or blood vessels. Conclusion. Laparoscopy is a safe and effective diagnostictool in evaluating tubal status of infertile patients.
Reconceptualization of English Teacher Beliefs and Practices Related to Teaching and Learning as a Result of Working at Nazarbayev Intellectual Schools

The problem of teacher change in beliefs and practices is crucial in the light of recent educational reforms in Kazakhstan where Nazarbayev Intellectual schools are seen as an experimental site for development and implementation of the new learner-centered curriculum. The study focuses on the process of teacher change, in particular how purposefully selected four English teachers in one NIS schools have changed their beliefs and practices about teaching and learning as a result of working in the NIS environment. The case study, which employed an in-depth interview-based qualitative approach, also explores the main enabling and inhibiting factors that influenced the NIS teacher change process. The study also attempts to describe the model of teacher change process for those four NIS teachers. The study offers some key recommendations for different groups of stakeholders.
Transfer of Dietary Oxytetracycline into Eggs and its Disappearance from Eggs

Oxytetracycline (abbreviated OTC) was fed to laying hens for 7 days at the dietary levels of 0, 20, 500, 1, 000, 2, 000 and 4, 000ppm, and OTC content in egg white and yolk laid on the 7th day was analyzed microbiologically. To the hens fed 4, 000ppm of OTC, OTC-free basal diet was fed for another 7 days and all of the eggs laid during 14 days of experimental period were analyzed for OTC content.No OTC was detected in the eggs laid by the hens fed 20ppm of dietary OTC, which is allowed for growth promoting purpose.Feeding the diets containing OTC at the level higher than 500ppm for 7 days, content of OTC in the eggs increased in proportion to the dietary OTC level. Average OTC content in whole eggs laid by the hens fed 4, 000ppm of OTC increased linearly after the start of OTC feeding, and decreased exponentially after the withdrawal of dietary OTC.The similar equation was induced to describe the behaviour of OTC to the equation for spiramycin (SP). From the equation, it is suggested that about 10 times more dietary SP is transferred into eggs than dietary OTC, and that no OTC will be detected even on the 7th day, if dietary OTC level is less than 247ppm.Biological half life of OTC in whole egg was 1.1 days with 95% confidence interval from 1.6 to 0.8 days, which is shorter than 2.4 days for SP, and similar to 1.3 days for tylosin.
Biologic therapies in systemic juvenile idiopathic arthritis

ABSTRACT Introduction: Systemic juvenile idiopathic arthritis (SJIA) is characterized by fever, rash, arthritis, lymphadenopathy, hepatosplenomegaly, and serositis. It is frequently considered an autoinflammatory syndrome. There is interplay between different pro-inflammatory cytokines in SJIA pathogenesis. Sufficient control of inflammation is crucial to prevent complications. Treatment strategies in SJIA have changed dramatically with the introduction of increasing number of biologic agents. These modern drugs have improved the inflammation control and reduced side effects of traditional long-term treatments. Areas Covered: This review focuses on the biologic treatment in SJIA patients. The studies on biologic drug use in SJIA, the safety issues, current recommendations, and treatment for macrophage activation syndrome (MAS) are summarized. Expert Opinion: Biologic drugs blocking interleukin-1 (IL-1) or IL-6 appear to be the most effective current biologic treatment in children with SJIA. Anti-IL-1 treatment seems especially effective in SJIA patients with prominent active systemic features. Tumor necrosis factor inhibiting drugs are not as effective as anti-IL-1 or anti-IL-6 agents in SJIA treatment. For MAS, which is a severe complication of SJIA, the combination therapy with high dose corticosteroids, cyclosporine, and anakinra is likely to become the treatment of choice.
U.S. Monetary Policy and Stock Prices: Should the Fed Attempt to Control Stock Prices?

This article rejects the linkages in proposals that the Federal Reserve Bank (Fed) target equity prices. The real federal funds rate (RFF) and stock prices (SP) are uncorrelated; causality tests show a positive effect of SP on RFF and a negative effect of SP on RFF. These results occur as part of the dynamics of a negative cointegrated relationship between SP and RFF. A theoretically expected inverse relation between SP and inflation accounts for the results. The negative effect of SP on FF is also confirmed in a Taylor Rule estimate. Higher stock prices anticipate lower, not higher, inflation.
Bayesian Calibration of the Mg/Ca Paleothermometer in Planktic Foraminifera

The Mg/Ca ratio of planktic foraminifera is a widely used proxy for sea‐surface temperature but is also sensitive to other environmental factors. Previous work has relied on correcting Mg/Ca for nonthermal influences. Here, we develop a set of Bayesian models for Mg/Ca in four major planktic groups—Globigerinoides ruber (including both pink and white chromotypes), Trilobatus sacculifer, Globigerina bulloides, and Neogloboquadrina pachyderma (including N. incompta)—that account for the multivariate influences on this proxy in an integrated framework. We use a hierarchical model design that leverages information from both laboratory culture studies and globally distributed core top data, allowing us to include environmental sensitivities that are poorly constrained by core top observations alone. For applications over longer geological timescales, we develop a version of the model that incorporates changes in the Mg/Ca ratio of seawater. We test our models—collectively referred to as BAYMAG—on sediment trap data and on representative paleoclimate time series and demonstrate good agreement with observations and independent sea‐surface temperature proxies. BAYMAG provides probabilistic estimates of past temperatures that can accommodate uncertainties in other environmental influences, enhancing our ability to interpret signals encoded in Mg/Ca.
Minimum wages, employment, and the distribution of income

After nearly a decade of relative quiet, the increases in the US minimum wage that began in 1990 have coincided with a renewed interest in its effects. Recent work suggests that a relative consensus on the effects of the minimum wage on employment came undone; on balance, however, the recent estimates seem if anything smaller than those suggested by the earlier literature, and the puzzle of why they are relatively small remains. Effects of the minimum wage on the wage distribution became clearer with the declining real minimum wage in the 1980s; nevertheless, the ability of minimum wages to equalize the distribution of family incomes remains quite limited.
Assessment of the sound quality of wind turbine noise reduction measures

Noise emissions from wind turbines are one of the main issues that the wind energy industry must deal with nowadays. Strict noise regulations often prevent wind turbines to operate at maximum power conditions, causing large losses of power production and, hence, of revenue. Several noise reduction measures have been proposed so far, but the use of trailing-edge serrations and permeable inserts seem to be the two most promising approaches, showing broadband noise reductions of several decibels. This paper considers the noise reductions (with respect to the baseline blade) observed in previous wind-tunnel measurements featuring these two measures, and scales and synthetically applies them to an experimental recording of a full-scale Vestas V90-2.0 MW wind turbine in operational conditions. The calculated results are then auralized for the observer location used for noise certification in the IEC 61400-11 standard. State-of-the-art sound quality metrics (loudness, tonality, sharpness, roughness and fluctuating strength) are then applied to these simulated sound signals to better understand the achieved reduction in noise annoyance experienced by humans. Reductions in the maximum A-weighted sound pressure level (Lp,A,max) of about 2.4 and 1.2 dBA are observed for the serrations and permeable inserts, respectively. In general, trailing-edge serrations seem to reduce the calculated annoyance experienced (17% lower than the baseline) more efficiently than the permeable inserts (just 2% lower)
RESPONSE OF ONION YIELD, BULBS QUALITY AND STORAGE ABILITY TO WATER REGIME

The present investigation has been carried out at Giza Agricultural Research Station-ARC in the three winter seasons of 2007/2008, 2008/2009 and 2009/2010. The main objective of this work is to investigate the effect of irrigation water regime on onion production. Combined analysis of the three seasons indicated that the highest values of marketable and total yield (t/fad.) were recorded from the wet treatment. Also, average bulbs weight, bulb diameter, number of growing points/bulb were significantly increased with increasing number of irrigations up to five irrigations. Bulb total soluble solids and bulb dry matter content were significantly increased with decreasing number of irrigations and the highest value was recorded with three irrigations. Sprouting bulb %, rot bulbs % and total weight loss % were significantly higher with five irrigations than three irrigations. Seasonal water consumptive use ranged from 1270 to 1981m 3 . Irrigation water requirements ranged from 2066 to 2920 m 3 /fad. It can be noted that the highest values of water consumptive use were found to be from the wet treatment. Water use efficiency values were 5.80, 6.36 and 5.49 kg onion bulbs/m 3 for water consumed of dry, medium and wet levels of irrigation, respectively. It can be concluded that application of four irrigations could be recommended for good yield and storability; in addition, the medium irrigations regime (four irrigations) produced the highest values of water use efficiency.