Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Randomized comparative study of conventional minilaparoscopy (5mm) versus modern minilaparoscopy (2.9mm) in patients of infertility

Background: To compare diagnostic conventional minilaparoscopy (5mm) with diagnostic modern minilaparoscopy (2.9mm) in patients of infertility in terms of operating time, post-operative pain, hospital stay. Methods: A prospective randomized comparative study was done in a tertiary care centre involving eighty patients of infertility undergoing diagnostic laparoscopy. Diagnostic laparoscopy was done using 5mm laparoscope (Conventional minilaparoscope-Group I) in 40 patients and using 2.9mm laparoscope (Modern minilaparoscope-Group II) in 40 patients. Operating time was measured from the point of skin incision to closure, post op pain was assessed with VAS scoring system, total hours of hospital stay from shifting to day care recovery ward till discharge was noted. Results: Both conventional minilaroscope and modern minilaparoscopes were comparable to each other. Operating time in both groups was similar (7.7min in Group I vs 8.7min in Group II). In both groups, there was no statistically significant difference in post-operative pain as assessed by VAS scoring System (39 in Group I vs 38 in Group II had mild post-op pain and 1 in Group I vs 2 in Group II had moderate pain). The difference in duration of post-op hospital stay in both Group I and group II was not statistically significant (3.5 hours vs 3.3 hours). Conclusions: Both conventional minilaparoscopy (5mm laparoscope) and modern miniaparoscopy (2.9mm laparoscope) are comparable with respect operating time, post-op pain, hospital stay. Modern minilaparoscope is no better than conventional minilaparoscope.
A nonequilibrium thermodynamic model for viscoplasticity coupled with damage for BCC metals

Abstract We present a physically enhanced ductile damage model applicable for body centered cubic (BCC) metals. The current proposition extends the authors’ recent work on thermo-viscoplasticity based on two-temperature thermodynamics and physics of disparate types of dislocation densities. The description of the thermodynamic system involves primarily two types of variables (or degrees of freedom, DOFs) representing several micro/meso-scopic processes occurring in two separable time-scales during ductile damage. Processes of rearrangement and movement of defects, namely dislocations, voids, micro-cracks, take place in a time scale much slower than that of the vibration of atoms about their equilibrium positions in the lattice. Consequently, they appear in the thermodynamic theory in terms of slow configurational DOFs and the fast kinetic vibrational DOFs respectively. While we consider physics based internal variables, e.g., mobile and forest dislocation densities, for modeling viscoplasticity alone, material degradation due to ductile damage is treated in a phenomenological fashion taking recourse to the framework of continuum damage mechanics. In order to assess the performance of our proposal, numerical experiments on boundary value problems of viscoplasticity with or without damage are carried out and validated against available experimental evidence.
The role of water masses in shaping the distribution of redox active compounds in the Eastern Tropical North Pacific oxygen deficient zone and influencing low oxygen concentrations in the eastern Pacific Ocean

Oceanic oxygen deficient zones (ODZs) influence global biogeochemical cycles in a variety of ways, most notably by acting as a sink for fixed nitrogen (Codispoti et al. 2001). Optimum multiparameter analysis of data from two cruises in the Eastern Tropical North Pacific (ETNP) was implemented to develop a water mass analysis for the large ODZ in this region. This analysis reveals that the most pronounced oxygen deficient conditions are within the 13°C water (13CW) mass, which is distributed via subsurface mesoscale features such as eddies branching from the California Undercurrent. Nitrite accumulates within these eddies and slightly below the core of the 13CW. This water mass analysis also reveals that the 13CW and deeper Northern Equatorial Pacific Intermediate Water (NEPIW) act as the two Pacific Equatorial source waters to the California Current System. The Equatorial Subsurface Water and Subtropical Subsurface Water are synonymous with the 13CW and this study refers to this water mass as the 13CW based on its history. Since the 13CW has been found to dominate the most pronounced oxygen deficient conditions within the Eastern Tropical South Pacific ODZ and the Peru‐Chile Undercurrent, the 13CW and the NEPIW define boundaries for oxygen minimum conditions across the entire eastern Pacific Ocean.
ITS SOLUTIONS FOR DETECTION OF REDUCED MOBILITY

Prioritising technology development in the field of Intelligent Transport Systems, ITS, will be crucial for the long-term goals of a safer and environmental friendly transport sector. With the current advancements made in automation, increased computing power, analytic processing, communications and cooperative systems, ITS will secure a more efficient utilisation of the transport system for all road users and personnel carrying out transports. Building a physical and digital infrastructure with intelligent roadside units will provide the required foundations for communication coverage, positional accuracy, sensor data and situation awareness during the transition period of mixed fleet operations (varying levels of automation). The intelligent road providing infrastructure-tovehicle (I2V) and infrastructure-to-cloud (I2C) communications. These innovative technologies for ITS solutions are already available and with automated vehicles approaching fast in the rear-view mirror it is important that the foundation is there for the overtake. This report presents the use of three different Intelligent Transport Systems (ITS) to detect reduced mobility and stop in traffic due to varying winter conditions in uphill gradients. Providing an efficient and cost effective approach to securing safe use of winter roads by alert messaging to road users, traffic managers and dynamic road condition warning signs. Large scale field trials of the technologies in an arctic climate have produced promising results to secure situation awareness and sensor data to the digital infrastructure of an intelligent winter road.
Neuroprotective effect of paeonol against isofluraneinduced neuroapoptosis and cognitive dysfunction

Purpose: To investigate whether paeonol affords neuroprotection against isoflurane-induced neurotoxicity. Methods: Separate groups of neonatal rat pups were administered paeonol (20, 40 or 80 mg/kg) from post-natal day 3 (P3) to post-natal day 15. On post-natal day 7, the pups were exposed to 6 h of isoflurane (0.75 %) anesthesia. TUNEL assay was performed to assess neuroapoptosis. Cleaved caspase-3 expressions were evaluated by immunohistochemistry and western blotting analysis. The expressions of apoptotic pathway proteins and mitogen activated protein kinases (MAPKs) were assessed by western blotting. The general behaviour of the rats was determined by open field test and elevated maze test. Y-maze test and Morris water maze tests were performed to evaluate working memory and cognition. Results: Isoflurane exposure caused (p < 0.05) severe neuronal apoptosis in the hippocampal region and enhanced caspase-3 expressions. Paeonol supplementation remarkably (p < 0.05) reduced neuronal apoptosis and modulated expressions of apoptotic proteins. The raised expressions of NF-κB, TNF-α, IL-6 and IL-1β and significantly (p < 0.05) enhanced JNK/p38 signalling cascades were inhibited by paeonol. The expression levels of ERK were not significantly (p < 0.05) changed, but there was significant improvement in the general behaviour and working memory of the rats. Conclusion: Paeonol significantly improves cognitive impairments and offers neuroprotection against isoflurane-induced apoptosis via modulating JNK/ERK/p38 MAPK and NF-κB signaling pathways. Keywords: Apoptosis, Isoflurane, Neurodegeneration, Paeonol, Cognitive impairment, Signaling pathways
Are Data from Mycotoxins’ Urinary Biomarkers and Food Surveys Linked? A Review Underneath Risk Assessment

ABSTRACT Mycotoxins are natural chemical contaminants of foods, posing several health risks to humans. Biomarkers-driven research has been used as a tool for a more accurate characterization of the internal exposure. Whether certain food items are predictors of exposure to mycotoxins constitutes an important aspect for the risk assessment of mycotoxins. Comprehensive human biomonitoring studies linked with food surveys and health studies are of utmost importance, contributing to identify the determinants of exposure. Associations between mycotoxins’ urinary biomarkers and consumption of some food items were reported. This review is focused on the link between mycotoxins’ urinary biomarkers and food consumption.
Design and Development of a Novel Two-Directional Energy Harvester With Single Piezoelectric Stack

This article presents the design, fabrication, and testing of a novel piezoelectric energy harvester. Its unique feature is that a single piezoelectric stack is used for harvesting the energy from two-directional excitation in vertical directions. To accept the input forces in two directions, a flexure-based two-stage force amplifier is integrated with a conical transmission mechanism and a sliding guiding mechanism. An analytical model is established to predict the force amplification ratio of the proposed energy harvester. In order to maximize the output performance of the energy harvester, the dominant parameters of the mechanism are determined, which are optimally designed by resorting to a genetic algorithm. A prototype energy harvester is fabricated for experimental testing. Experimental results indicate that the developed harvester exhibits the advantages of high safety factor, large force amplification ratio, and compact size. It can provide the maximum average output power density of over 286.70 kW<inline-formula><tex-math notation="LaTeX">$\cdot$</tex-math></inline-formula>m<inline-formula><tex-math notation="LaTeX">$^{-3}$</tex-math></inline-formula> from 10-N force excitation in two directions.
Minute and diverse in fossil sticky stuff: Tanytarsini (Diptera: Chironomidae) from early Eocene Indian Cambay amber

1Laboratory of Systematic Zoology, Department of Invertebrate Zoology and Parasitology, Faculty of Biology, University of Gdańsk, Wita Stwosza 59, 80-308 Gdańsk, Poland 2Birbal Sahni Institute of Palaeosciences, 53 University Road, Lucknow, India 3Department of Chemistry and Technology of Functional Materials, Faculty of Chemistry, Gdańsk University of Technology, Narutowicza 11/12, 80-233 Gdańsk, Poland
Evaluation of the Phase Training Model of cancer rehabilitation

Brown, J.M. , Shackelford, D.Y. K. , & Hayward, R. (2016). Evaluation of the Phase Training Model of Cancer Rehabilitation. Journal of Clinical Oncology. Exercise is a well-established method of alleviating cancer-related toxicities during and following treatment in cancer survivors. Due to this clear evidence, exercisebased rehabilitation programs have begun to emerge. Of concern, specific recommendations of exercise prescription for patients at different time points on the cancer continuum have not been developed, and available guidelines are broad and unclear. The Phase Training Model of cancer rehabilitation was created to address this issue. Purpose: To evaluate the effects of the Phase Training Model on cardiorespiratory endurance, muscular strength (MS), and cancer-related fatigue (CRF) in cancer survivors during the transition from each Phase and in those who have completed the entire Phase Training Model. Methods: A total of 152 cancer survivors’ data were utilized. The Phase Training Model consists of four sequential Phases representing differing time points from treatment. The designated Phase prescribes intensity, progression, and goals unique to each. Changes in peak volume of oxygen consumption
Epicardial Adipose Tissue Thickness as Useful Marker of Metabolic Syndrome in Adult Egyptian Patients

Background: The metabolic syndrome (MetS) can be thought of as multiple, interrelated risk factors of metabolic origin (Visceral obesity, dyslipidemia, hyperglycemia and hypertension). Epicardial adipose tissue (EAT) is an emerging cardio metabolic risk factor. This study was planned to assess the association of echocardiographic EAT measurements with the presence of MetS and its components in adult Egyptian patients. Forty patients diagnosed with MetS and 20 patients with Pre-MetS as a control group were enrolled in this study. All participants were subjected to full history taking, clinical examination, assessment of EAT thickness by using resting transthoracic two – dimensional (2D) echocardiography and biochemical parameters (fasting plasma glucose, insulin, HOMA IR, total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), HDL-C, LDL-C, blood urea, serum creatinine, ALT and serum albumin. Results of this study revealed: EAT thickness was significantly increased in patients with MetS compared to pre-MetS patients (0.84 ± 0.22 cm VS 0.64 ± 0.17 cm, P<0.001), correlating positively with systolic blood pressure (SBP) (r = 0.51; P<0.001), diastolic blood pressure (DBP) (r = 0.51; p<0.001), TC (r = 0.42; p<0.001), TG (r = 0.58 p<0.001), HOMA (r = 0.53; p<0.001), and FPG (r = 0.46; p<0.05). EAT thickness correlated negatively with HDL-C level (r = - 0.4; p<0.001). Receivers operating characteristic Curve (ROC- curve) analysis revealed that EAT thickness predicted MetS with 72.5 % sensitivity and 70% specificity above the level of 0.7 cm [area under curve = 0.761; 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.639- 0.88] There were highly significant difference between MetS group and pre-Mets group regarding parameters of MetS, HOMAIR (p<0.001), FPG and fasting insulin (FI) (p<0.05). Conclusion: The present study revealed significant association exist between EAT thickness and MetS components. Those finding might be used as useful marker for MetS.
Anterolateral entorhinal cortex thickness as a new biomarker for early detection of Alzheimer’s disease

Loss of entorhinal cortex (EC) layer II neurons represents the earliest AD lesion in the brain. Research suggests differing functional roles between two EC subregions, the anterolateral EC (aLEC) and the posteromedial EC (pMEC). We use joint label fusion to obtain aLEC and pMEC cortical thickness measurements from serial MRI scans of 775 ADNI-1 participants (219 healthy; 380 MCI; 176 AD) and use linear mixed-effects models to analyze longitudinal associations between cortical thickness, disease status and cognitive measures.Group status is reliability predicted by aLEC thickness, which also exhibits greater associations with cognitive outcomes than does pMEC thickness. Change in aLEC thickness is also associated with CSF amyloid and tau levels.Thinning of aLEC is a sensitive structural biomarker that changes over short durations in the course of AD and tracks disease severity – it is a strong candidate biomarker for detection of early AD.
Are Asian public affairs students different? Comparing job sector attitudes and sector preference between public affairs students at an Asian and Dutch University

ABSTRACT Public affairs programs aim to prepare students for public service roles by teaching certain skills and reinforcing prosocial motivations. Studies provide mixed results as to whether these aims are met. What we do not know is whether public administration and public affairs programs in Asia attract students different in their job sector attitudes and sector preferences from those in Western Europe. To this end, we analyze survey data on 247 students from public affairs programs in the Netherlands and Singapore. We find no significant difference in job sector preference. However, Singaporean students display a higher level of public service motivation (PSM) and a higher preference for pecuniary rewards. This implies that public affairs programs in Asia should take into account students’ distinct motivations when designing curricula, and public affairs programs in both countries should leverage the prosocial motivation of students by enhancing their PSM through socialization during their educational experience.
Earth's Van Allen Radiation Belts: From Discovery to the Van Allen Probes Era

Discovery of the Earth's Van Allen radiation belts by instruments flown on Explorer 1 in 1958 was the first major discovery of the Space Age. The observation of distinct inner and outer zones of trapped megaelectron volt (MeV) particles, primarily protons at low altitude and electrons at high altitude, led to early models for source and loss mechanisms including Cosmic Ray Albedo Neutron Decay for inner zone protons, radial diffusion for outer zone electrons and loss to the atmosphere due to pitch angle scattering. This scattering lowers the mirror altitude for particles in their bounce motion parallel to the Earth's magnetic field until they suffer collisional loss. A view of the belts as quasi‐static inner and outer zones of energetic particles with different sources was modified by observations made during the Solar Cycle 22 maximum in solar activity over 1989–1991. The dynamic variability of outer zone electrons was measured by the Combined Radiation Release and Effects Satellite launched in July 1990. This variability is caused by distinct types of heliospheric structure that vary with the solar cycle. The launch of the twin Van Allen Probes in August 2012 has provided much longer and more comprehensive measurements during the declining phase of Solar Cycle 24. Roughly half of moderate geomagnetic storms, determined by intensity of the ring current carried mostly by protons at hundreds of kiloelectron volts, produce an increase in trapped relativistic electron flux in the outer zone. Mechanisms for accelerating electrons of hundreds of electron volts stored in the tail region of the magnetosphere to MeVenergies in the trapping region are described in this review: prompt and diffusive radial transport and local acceleration driven by magnetospheric waves. Such waves also produce pitch angle scattering loss, as does outward radial transport, enhanced when the magnetosphere is compressed. While quasilinear simulations have been used to successfully reproduce many essential features of the radiation belt particle dynamics, nonlinear wave‐particle interactions are found to be potentially important for causing more rapid particle acceleration or precipitation. The findings on the fundamental physics of the Van Allen radiation belts potentially provide insights into understanding energetic particle dynamics at other magnetized planets in the solar system, exoplanets throughout the universe, and in astrophysical and laboratory plasmas. Computational radiation belt models have improved dramatically, particularly in the Van Allen Probes era, and assimilative forecasting of the state of the radiation belts has become more feasible. Moreover, machine learning techniques have been developed to specify and predict the state of the Van Allen radiation belts. Given the potential Space Weather impact of radiation belt variability on technological systems, these new radiation belt models are expected to play a critical role in our technological society in the future as much as meteorological models do today.
A Qualitative Examination of Social Changes and Challenges in Rural Adolescents With Traumatic Brain Injury

This article describes the results of a qualitative investigation of social changes and challenges for rural adolescents who have a traumatic brain injury (TBI). We interviewed adolescents with mild to moderate TBI and their mothers using an iterative approach based in grounded theory. Interviews focused on social adjustment and interaction as well as environmental variables, especially those related to the adolescents’ rural status. In-depth interviews produced multifaceted and interrelated social process themes expressed by participants in the study. Four umbrella themes emerged, which were personal change, environmental response, social needs, and facilitators and inhibitors of intentional changes (FIICs). These themes, and their subthemes, capture both assets and needs as they develop over time and provide guidance for both researchers and practitioners working with adolescents who have a TBI.
Treatment Outcome of Tuberculosis Patients and Associated Risk Factors at Dessie and Woldiya Town Health Institutions, Northeast Ethiopia: ARetrospective Cross Sectional Study

Background: Ethiopia introduced directly observed therapy short-course (DOTS) strategy for TB in 1995; reaching its full coverage in 2005. Treatment success rate (TSR) was 84% in 2009 and dropped to 83% in 2010. Despite the progress made in tuberculosis control throughout Ethiopia, risk factors leading to poor treatment outcome have not been assessed in Dessie and Woldiya town health institutions. Therefore, this study aimed to determine treatment outcome of TB patients and risk factors for poor treatment outcome in Dessie and Woldiya town health institutions, Northeast Ethiopia. Methods: A three years (September 2010 to August 2012) retrospective study was conducted from medical records of 1511 TB patients at Dessie and Woldiya town health institutions. Data were collected using a questionnaire that consists of patients’ age, sex, weight, TB history, TB type, HIV status, availability of supporter, availability of mobile number, drug type and TB treatment outcomes in treatment cards and TB logbook from February, 2013 to April, 2013. Pearson chi-square test and logistic regression were employed for data analysis. Results: From 1511 TB patients, 1,331(88.1%) were successfully treated, 123 (8.1%) died, 45 (3.0%) defaulted and 12 (0.8%) failed from treatment. In terms of TB type, 57.4% were pulmonary TB, 40.5% were extra pulmonary TB and 2.1% were both smear negative pulmonary and extra pulmonary TB. In addition, TB-HIV co-infection rate was 42.9% in 2010, with significant reduction in 2012 (33.7%) (P<0.01). Multivariate logistic regression showed the odds of successful treatment outcome was higher among females (AOR=2.09, 95% CI: 1.27-3.45), new TB patients (AOR=10.52, 95% CI: 3.96-27.93), patients with unknown HIV status (AOR=7.16, 95% CI; 1.56-32.75) and HIV negative (AOR=1.80, 95% CI: 1.09-2.99) when compared with the respective comparison groups. The odds of defaulting was higher among TB patients started treatment in Dessie Health Center (AOR=4.09, 95% CI: 1.33-12.60) and combined smear negative pulmonary and extra pulmonary TB disease (AOR=8.87, 95% CI: 2.53-31.02) compared with the respective comparison groups. Conclusions: Treatment success rate of TB patients in this study was very encouraging for TB control through DOTS strategy. Nevertheless, TB patients with HIV/AIDS, combined smear negative pulmonary and extra pulmonary TB and with previous history of TB were found to be at risk of poor treatment outcome. Correspondingly, male TB patients and those who attend health centers should be encouraged for successful treatment outcome. Generally, to reduce poor treatment outcome, patients should be strictly followed by health extension workers or trained community health workers in Dessie and Woldiya town health institutions.
Psychological attitudes of Saudi Arabian international students toward mental health counseling

III ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS . IV CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION . 1 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM . 5 PURPOSE OF THE STUDY . 12 RESEARCH QUESTIONS . 14 Quantitative Research Questions . 14 Qualitative Research Questions . 14 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY . 14 LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY . 16 DEFINITION OF TERMS . 17 CHAPTER TWO: REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE . 2