Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
THE EFFECTS OF HEAD TILT ON OCULAR ASTIGMATIC AXIS IN CHILDREN

Purpose: To investigate the effect of head tilt artifacts on astigmatic axis measured by Topcon autorefractometer in normal children eyes. Methods: three hundred ninety six eyes from 198 children underwent astigmatic axis measurements with the Topcon autokeratore fractometer. The autokeratore fractometer measurements were done at a primary baseline head position and at right and left head tilt positions. The differences in astigmatic axis between the primary baseline head position and the positions with head tilt were assessed. Results: The right and left head tilt caused counterclockwise (mean 15.55) and clockwise (mean 16.3) rotation of the astigmatic axis respectively. The mean percentage of tilt angle compensation by compensatory ocular counter torsion (COCT) was 20.37% at the head tilt angle of 20°. Astigmatic axis error values at right head tilt were significantly lower than their corresponding values at left head tilt (ANOVA, P = 0.004 95% CI). Patching the contralateral eye did not change the measurement errors due to head tilt. Conclusion: Astigmatic axis measurements evaluated with the Topcon autoref ractometer were affected by head tilt and ocular compensatory mechanism cannot compensate the effect of head tilt so astigmatic axis rotation induced by head tilt should be considered in the assessing of the autokeratore fractometer findings.
EFFECTS OF SELECTED MODES OF PROPHYLACTIC SUPPORT ON REFLEX MUSCLE FIRING FOLLOWING DYNAMIC PERTURBATION OF THE ANKLE

Ankle sprains are among the most common injuries in sports. The majority involve the lateral ligaments of the ankle following a rapid inversion of the weight bearing joint. The ability of prophylactic stabilization to minimize the impact of these forces has been studied extensively. An innovative device designed to evoke a 20o inversion perturbation was used to demonstrate that application of ankle prophylaxis is effective in improving muscular response in healthy individuals. Forty one volunteers (21 males, 20 females) underwent EMG analysis of the peroneus longus (PL) and tibialis anterior (TA), measuring reflex latency (RL) and time to peak amplitude (TPA) while performing a dynamic task. Data were collected while subjects were fitted with two types of ankle braces (lace-up and semi-rigid) and standard closed basketweave ankle taping, each compared with a no support control. In addition, a comparison of PL and TA was conducted to determine muscle differences on measures of RL and TPA. Significantly shorter RL in the PL were observed in the lace-up and semi rigid brace conditions compared to the no brace (p=0.004, p less than 0.001) control. Similarly, the semi-rigid brace was significantly shorter than the tape (p less than 0.001) condition. In the TA, RL were significantly shorter for the lace-up than the no brace (p less than 0.008) control. TPA values were significantly shorter for the lace-up and semi rigid brace conditions in the TA compared to the no brace (p=0.007, p=0.001) control; and the semi-rigid brace TPA was significantly shorter than tape (p less than 0.001). No significant differences were observed in either RL or TPA measurements (p greater than 0.05) between the PL and TA. The dynamic task in this study better replicates the conditions which often precipitate ankle injury. Results indicate the application of ankle support may be beneficial in heightening the sensitivity of dynamic restraints, thus minimizing the effects of a rapid inversion mechanism. In particular, the lace-up and semi-rigid braces appeared to be the most effective in hastening muscular responses observed during a dynamic task. The implications for these findings would be of particular interest to the clinician when recommending the type of prophylactic support to be employed during sport activity.
Prevalence of Ceserean Section and Associated Factors in University of Gondar Comprehensive Referal Hospital, North West Ethiopia, 2019

Abstract Objective: cesarean section is the delivery of the fetus, placenta, and membranes through an incision on the abdominal and uterine walls after the fetus has reached viability. The world health organization (WHO) suggests the cesarean section (CS) rate between 5%-15%. Evidence suggested that the rate of CS is high in developing countries including Ethiopia. So the aim of this study was to assess the prevalence and associated factors of cesarean section in the University of Gondar comprehensive referral hospital, North West Ethiopia, 2019 Result: The overall prevalence of cesarean section in Gondar university hospital was 29.7%. The most common indications of CS were non-reassurance fetal heart rate pattern (NRFHP) (17.8%) which was followed by previous CS scar (15.9%) and severe preeclampsia (12.1 %). Factors such as maternal educational status (AOR 2.89, CI (1.278-6.56), gravidity (AOR 3.259 CI (1.484-7.160), Ante Natal care (ANC) follow up (AOR 0.248, CI (0.083-0.739) and number of ANC follow up (AOR 5.17 CI (1.48-18.03) were associated with CS. Keywords: prevalence, Caesarean section, University of Gondar Referral Hospital, laboring mothers, Ethiopia.
Instrument Bearing Life with Non-CFC Cleaners

Accelerated bearing life tests were conducted to evaluate the effects of ODC-free bearing cleaning solvents as a replacement to CFC-113. Three chemically different, ODC-free cleaning solvents were tested against the CFC-113 baseline. Test bearings were representative of the type that would be used for a space scanner bearing application. The bearings were lubricated with two space flight oils. Lives with the replacement solvents exceeded those obtained with CFC-113 baseline. Pennzane-lubricated bearings enjoy a 2 to 6X life advantage over those lubricated with Bray 815Z oil.
Development of Predictor and Criterion Measures for the NCO21 Research Program

Abstract : The NCO21 research program was undertaken to help the U.S. Army plan for the impact of future demands on the noncommissioned officer (NCO) corps. The performance requirements and associated knowledge, skills, and aptitudes (KSAs) expected of future successful NCOs were used as a basis for developing tools that could be incorporated into an NCO performance management system geared to 21st century job demands. This report documents the design and development of predictor and criterion measures that will be used in a criterion-related validation data collection. The predictor measures include the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB), Assessment of Individual Motivation (AIM), and Biographical Information Questionnaire (BIQ), which are operational tests already used in the Army for other purposes. A written Situational Judgment Test (SJT), the Experience and Activities Record (ExAct), Personnel File Form (PFF21), and a semi-structured interview were developed for this project. Two types of rating scale instruments were developed for gathering criterion data. The Observed Performance Rating Scales ask supervisors to rate soldiers on how well they perform in their current jobs. The Expected Future Performance Rating Scales ask supervisors to predict how their soldiers would perform in specific sets of conditions expected to be characteristic of future Army requirements.
Relationship between Sleep Disturbance and Polypharmacy among Hospitalized Elderly

Background Aging induces many changes in sleep architecture, many studies suggests that older adults are particularly vulnerable (1) . Although changes in sleep architecture are to be expected with increasing age, age itself does not result in disturbed sleep. But it is the ability to sleep that decreases with age, which may be due to other associated factors with aging (2) . Sleep disturbance is common in older adults because aging is associated with an increasing prevalence of multiple morbidities and polypharmacy (3) . Medication use is another factor that may increase risk for sleep disturbances in older adults. Polypharmacy may also contribute to heightened risk for sleep disturbance in older adults (3) . Polypharmacy is associated with adverse outcomes including mortality, falls, adverse drug reactions, increased length of stay in hospital and readmission to hospital soon after discharge (4) . The risk of adverse effects and harm increases with increasing numbers of medications (5) . The use of multiple drugs more than 5 drugs is defined by many authors as polypharmacy (6) . Polypharmacy is really common as age-related morbidities increase, putting the elderly at risk for drug-drug and drugdisease interactions (7) .
Efficacy of Armodafinil for Maintaining Vigilance Among Navy Air Traffic Controllers Eight to Twelve Hours Post-Dose

Abstract : This study is designed to measure the efficacy of armodafinil as a fatigue countermeasure during military air traffic control (ATC) operations. ATC operations require extended periods of sustained attention without room for error. Military ATC crews accommodate shift schedules unique to demands of military operations which often exceed FAA regulations. Armodafinil, a slow-release form of modafinil, improves wakefulness and alertness without affecting normal sleep patterns making it an ideal fatigue counteragent for military ATC operations. Methods: Forty-eight US Navy and Marine Corps ATC students participated. Subjects were assigned to a treatment (150 mg armodafinil) or placebo condition (identical nonactive pills). Double-blinding was used to prevent demand characteristics. Subjects reported at 0800 for dosing, followed by their normal work day (0800-1530). Subjects reported at 1600 for the performance portion of the study. Subjects performed 3 successive 10-minute blocks of the Psychomotor Vigilance Task (PVT) once an hour for 4 hours. Subjects completed questionnaires every thirty minutes including: a symptom profile to document adverse events, the Brief Fatigue Inventory (BFI) to measure fatigue, the Karolinska Sleepiness Scale (KSS) to assess subjective sleepiness, and the Global Rating Questionnaire (GRQ) to measure subjective cognitive workload. Results: Analysis of PVT data showed that participants assigned to the treatment condition experienced significantly fewer lapses of attention than participants assigned to the placebo condition f (11,26) = 2.64, p < . 05, ? 2 = . 53. No significant effects were detected for the subjective measures of fatigue, sleepiness, or workload. Conclusion: A single dose of armodafinil (150mg) appears to significantly reduce the number of attention lapses experienced by participants eleven hours post-dose.
DEBRIS FORCES ON HIGHWAY BRIDGES

This report contains the findings of a study undertaken to develop practical methods for determining drag and hydrostatic forces on bridge piers and on superstructures due to waterborne debris. The report includes recommended specifications for assessing these forces. The material in this report will be of immediate interest to bridge designers. The report is organized into four chapters and an appendix. The first chapter provides background information and discusses the objectives, tasks, and scope of the study. The second chapter summarizes the state of knowledge on the effect of debris on bridges. The chapter also discusses experimental studies conducted to determine a method for predicting debris forces on piers and on superstructures. The third chapter both introduces the recommended specification and commentary on debris forces and applies the debris-loading specification to three examples. The final chapter draws conclusions from the research and recommends areas for further research. The appendix provides a more detailed account of the procedures and outcomes of this research project.
Two-Dimensional, Time-Dependent Plasma Structures of a Hall Effect Thruster

Abstract : The Hall thruster is a type of electric propulsion utilized by satellites to perform a wide variety of missions ranging from station keeping, orbital maneuvers, and even deep space propulsion. In order to accommodate the multitude of missions it also has a wide assortment of sizes and power configurations which can range from approximately an inch in diameter at 20 W to a couple of feet in diameter at 1.5 kW. Additionally, this electro-static device provides high specific impulse without the added weight penalty associated with conventional chemical thrusters. It supplies this high specific impulse by ionizing a gas such as xenon or krypton and then accelerating it through the electric field to speeds on the order of kilometers per second depending on the thruster size and power. Although the steady-state outputs such as thrust and specific impulse are measurable, other transient mechanisms within the main discharge are still not well understood.
BE-501: BIO-ETHANOL PRODUCTION FROM SUGAR CANE BY PRODUCT WITH CHEAPEST STRAIN

S.cerevisae is the cheapest strain available for the conversion of biomass substrate where it is also capable to utilize variety of substrates. Sugar cane molasses contain 1688 g/l total sugars and it is chosen for its low cost and its effect of having high yield of ethanol. The optimization of process conditions was done with different ranges of temperature, pH, and agitation speed with fixed media compositions obtained from previous study. It was carried out by using 2 Level Factorial design formulated by Design Expert 6.0. 8. Fermentation process was done in a BioSys 30 litres bioreactor for 24 hours. Product was analyzed for every 6 hours interval. 2Level Factorial design was selected to design the process in order to minimize numbers of run in bioreactor. Product analysis covers the concentration of ethanol produced and concentration of remaining sugar. Optimum conditions for highest bioethanol production using molasses are at 35 °C, pH 4.5, and 125rpm. Under this optimum operating condition the maximum of 9.31% of ethanol was produced and 34.77% of sugars were converted into ethanol. The production is acceptable theoretically as maximum ethanol production by wild type industrial yeasts can only achieves maximum up 10% v/v since greater amount of ethanol produced in the system will halt the growth of S.cerevisae. The data was validated and it was proven that the model is well fits and the findings are reliable with R2 = 99.95%. The objectives of the study were successfully achieved where the process parameters were optimized and validated.
APPLICATIONS OF LAYERED SYSTEM CONCEPTS AND PRINCIPLES TO INTERPRETATIONS AND EVALUATIONS OF ASPHALT PAVEMENT PERFORMANCE AND TO DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION

The purpose of the paper is to present layered system methods of analysis and evaluation of asphalt pavement performance and to make applications to the problems of design and construction. The unprecedented expansion of major expressway systems in the United States makes imperative the development and use of adequate methods for evaluation, design, and construction control of asphalt pavement systems.
Location-inventory planning models: capacity issues and solution algorithms

In this dissertation, we present various integrated location inventory models involving a single supplier and multiple retailers. The first part of the thesis focuses on two capacitated location models with risk-pooling that handle inventory management and capacity issues in a new and more complete way than do the existing location models. The second part of the thesis presents an analytical location and an analytical location-inventory model. This second part also analyzes the benefits of integrating the strategic location decisions with tactical inventory decisions. The first capacitated location-inventory model we introduce in this dissertation assigns each retailer to a single distribution center. We formulate this model as a nonlinear integer program in which the objective function is neither concave nor convex. Feasible solutions for this problem cannot always be found easily. The second model we introduce allows the demands of a retailer to be served by multiple distribution centers. This model is formulated as a nonlinear mixed-integer program. Both models are solved using Lagrangian relaxation. We compare the total costs resulting from using these two models, and conclude that value of allowing multi-sourced retailers increases as the transportation costs become a larger portion of the total logistics costs. The analytical models we introduce are approximations of the classical uncapacitated fixed-charge location and the uncapacitated location model with risk-pooling. We perform sensitivity analysis using these approximation models and conclude that savings from integration of location and inventory decisions are significant when the inventory costs are a significant portion of the total logistics costs.
Assemblages of Gelatinous Zooplankton in Mesoscale Oceanographic Features in the Tropical-Temperate Transition Zone of a Western Boundary Current

Boundary currents generate cyclonic and anticyclonic eddies, which strongly influence the composition of plankton communities and their spatial dynamics. We explored the gelatinous zooplankton communities where the East Australian Current (EAC) intensifies between 25-31°S, forming a dynamic eddy field at a tropical/temperate boundary. Five types of mesoscale features including the EAC were sampled: the adjacent continental shelf, a transient upwelling feature at the shelf break, a cyclonic frontal eddy which had entrained shelf water and a larger cyclonic eddy that had originated in the Tasman Sea. Forty-two gelatinous taxa were sampled from 62 plankton tows, including 24 cnidarians (9 hydromedusae, 14 siphonophores, 1 scyphozoan), 5 ctenophores and 12 thaliaceans. Assemblages of gelatinous zooplankton differed significantly among oceanographic features but were dominated by the salp, Salpa fusiformis, which comprised 66% of the overall catch. Abundances of gelatinous zooplankton were lowest in the EAC, the shelf break upwelling feature and over the continental shelf, which at the time sampled was flooded by a coastal incursion of the EAC. Abundances were greatest in the two cyclonic eddies and increased four-fold in the Tasman Sea cyclonic eddy over the three times it was sampled, highlighting the importance of cyclonic eddies in driving production of gelatinous zooplankton.
Knowledge and Attitudes on First aid among Advanced Level Students in Gampaha Educational Zone, Sri Lanka.

BackgroundFirst aid is the initial care given in an emergency, to protect life and to prevent worsening of the condition of the victims, until they are undertaken by a professional medical person. It is essential to know basic first aid as a responsible person in society. The current study was conducted to assess the knowledge, attitudes and practices on first aid among advanced level students in government schools in Gampaha educational zone.MethodsA descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among 510 grade 12 students in five randomly selected schools. A pre-tested self-administered questionnaire consisting of 25 multiple choice questions on knowledge and 10 statements formed as a Likert scale to assess attitudes. Chi-square test was used to assess the associations and a p-value <0.05 was considered as significant.ResultsStudent’s mean first aid knowledge was 57.4%±13.5% according to the score grading and 1% (n=5) were categorized as having “inadequate knowledge”, 30.6% (n=156) had “moderate knowledge”, 61.4% (n=313) were having “good knowledge” and 7.1% (n=36) were categorized as having “excellent knowledge”. Out of the sample, only 16.9% (n=86) students were previously trained in first aid. The overall attitudes towards first aid was positive and most of the students (98.8%, n=504) believed it is essential to have first aid knowledge. Their willingness to give first aid for emergencies was generally positive. There was only a slight correlation between knowledge and attitudes (r=0.134). There was a statistically significant relationship between first aid knowledge and advanced level stream (χ2=31.7, p<0.001) where biology students were more knowledgeable than students in other streams. The students who had followed health science in their O/L had a significantly higher knowledge score when compared to others (χ2=12.4, p=0.006). However, previous training on first aid and gender had no significant relationship with their knowledge (p>0.05). ConclusionsAddition of first aid as a part of the school curriculum and improving the standards of the existing first aid training programs is recommended. Further studies should be undertaken to assess the practical skills of students, as the current study mainly focused on the assessment of the theory knowledge.
Bestämning av motoremissioner från arbetsmaskiner inom jord- och skogsbruk

Modern agriculture and forestry are based on the use of large diesel-fuelled vehicles. The emissions from these vehicles cause substantial damage to the production area and to the surrounding environment. A useful method for analysis of the environmental load from a production chain or a process is LCA. The results from LCA analyses performed on food production show that an important part of the environmental load is caused by emissions from internal combustion engines. Very few data are available on discharge of emissions from agricultural tractors. Therefore, the data used in most LCA studies is from measurements on diesel-fuelled trucks or from large wheel loaders. There are many reasons to believe that these figures are not representative for tractors performing typical agricultural work operations. The shortage of data contributes to the possibility that LCA results describing environmental loads from modern food production may have very high error levels and high uncertainties. The report describes a study performed in order to quantify engine emissions from a medium size (70 kW) tractor when performing typical agricultural work operations. To obtain emission values specific for different driving operations, time series for the load at the engine are recorded when performing typical operations. These data are then combined with test bench emission data, in order to calculate the discharge of emissions for each of the recorded operations. The operations studied were ploughing, harrowing, stubble cultivation, sowing, loading and transporting. Emissions were calculated for two different diesel fuels and for RME. The general results are a) that the use of one single emission factor for all types of driving operations may result in very high error levels, and b) that the emission factors normally used in LCA studies can not be used for agricultural tractors. Important areas for further research are described and discussed in the last part of the report.
Technology Acceptance of Business Meetings in a 3D Virtual Environment Supported by a Content Management System

Organizations are spread across the globe and work together virtually. However, working together through electronic media decreases the richness of the communication, is often perceived as impersonal and building trust can be difficult. While technology advances new possibilities present themselves for cooperative work over distance. One of these possibilities is using 3D virtual environments. Currently little is known about these virtual environments and their possibilities for cooperative work in a business setting. The majority of the existing research on virtual worlds focusses on education and the few papers on virtual environments in a business setting do not provide any scientific evidence why some solutions work and others do not. This research focusses on using a 3D virtual environment for the purpose of business meetings and attempts to reach a high level of usability. From existing literature and experiences of users, the current issues, challenges and best practises are identified. These results are enriched with literature on meetings and working together virtually to create a list with requirements for the system. From these requirements a web-based content management system (CMS) and a virtual environment are created.