Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The effect of early and late amniotomy on the success of induction of labour in postdated nulliparous women

Background: Induction of labour (IOL) is defined as the process of artificial initiation of uterine contractions, prior to their spontaneous onset with intention to make progressive effacement and dilatation of the cervix. There are many ways of induction of labour like Pharmacological methods as prostaglandins, non-pharmacological methods for an example hot baths, enemas and surgical method like amniotomy. In this study amniotomy has been used with the aid of oxytocin. Induction of labour is useful to reduce maternal and fetal mortality and morbidity. Early amniotomy is defined as rupture of membrane when the cervix dilatation is ( ≥ 4cm) whereas late amniotomy when cervix dilatation is ( < 4 cm). According to most literatures late amniotomy is safer to the mother and fetus, because it reduces the mortality and morbidity rates more than early amniotomy. Late amniotomy is promoting vaginal delivery while in early amniotomy the possibility of cesarean section is more. Early neonatal outcome
Investigations of a cylindrical DRA with controllable wide bandwidths and monopole like omni-directional radiation patterns and beam focusing properties when implemented in a circular array

OF THE THESIS Investigations of a Cylindrical DRA with Controllable Wide Bandwidths and Monopole Like Omni-Directional Radiation Patterns and Beam Focusing Properties When Implemented in a Circular Array by Mehak Garg Master of Science in Electrical Engineering San Diego State University, 2012 The dielectric resonator antenna is actually derived from the dielectric resonator (DR), which was previously used for miniaturization of the active and passive microwave circuit components such as filters and oscillators. The DRs have various advantages such as the compact size, light weight, high radiation efficiency, ease of excitation, high power handling capability, and wideband capability. The coaxial probe and aperture coupled excited cylindrical DRAs have shown wide-bandwidth and broadside radiation patterns. A DRA that radiates pure monopole like patterns is of great interest. The investigations results are presented of a cylindrical dielectric resonator antenna (DRA) with a central air gap and fed in using a coaxial probe connected to a wire monopole. The central air gap and monopole height were determined after parametric studies which offer controllable impedance bandwidth (S11 ≤ -10dB) between 40% to 67%. The DRA provides monopole like omnidirectional radiation patterns with low cross-polarization levels over a wide impedance bandwidth. Prototype DRA with a selected air gap and monopole height was fabricated and experimentally verified. Simulated and measured impedance bandwidths of 67%, and 64%, respectively, were obtained with acceptable peak realized gain over the bandwidth. The simulated and measured radiation patterns also show monopole like omni-directional radiation patterns within the bandwidth. The investigation results on the beam focusing properties of a dielectric resonator antenna (DRA) array consisting of four-elements on a finite ground plane are also presented. Each of the DRA provides pure omni-directional radiation patterns while possessing 67% impedance bandwidth. One DRA is excited at a time while other DRAs in the array are either short circuited to ground, open circuited, or matched terminated. The best option among the short circuit, open circuit and matched terminated case is selected. The antenna beam provides both horizontal and vertical plane beam coverage with 60% fractional bandwidth. This type of antenna can find applications in Digital Radio Broadcast (DRB), mobile terrestrial communications, and smart adaptive antennas, where switched sector beams are desired. The beam focusing property study was further extended for a case with ground plane having skirt. The array is having six-elements, the center one being fed and one open circuited and rest short circuited to the ground plane surrounding the center element. This work can be carried out further and can be done as a future study of the work presented here.
Cone-Beam Computed Tomography-Derived Augmented Fluoroscopy Improves the Diagnostic Yield of Endobronchial Ultrasound-Guided Transbronchial Biopsy for Peripheral Pulmonary Lesions

Background: Endobronchial ultrasound-guided transbronchial biopsy (EBUS-TBB) is used for the diagnosis of peripheral pulmonary lesions (PPLs), but the diagnostic yield is not adequate. Cone-beam computed tomography-derived augmented fluoroscopy (CBCT-AF) can be utilized to assess the location of PPLs and biopsy devices, and has the potential to improve the diagnostic accuracy of bronchoscopic techniques. The purpose of this study was to verify the contribution of CBCT-AF to EBUS-TBB. Methods: Patients who underwent EBUS-TBB for diagnosis of PPLs were enrolled. The navigation success rate and diagnostic yield were used to evaluate the effectiveness of CBCT-AF in EBUS-TBB. Results: In this study, 236 patients who underwent EBUS-TBB for PPL diagnosis were enrolled. One hundred fifteen patients were in CBCT-AF group and 121 were in non-AF group. The navigation success rate was significantly higher in the CBCT-AF group (96.5% vs. 86.8%, p = 0.006). The diagnostic yield was even better in the CBCT-AF group when the target lesion was small in size (68.8% vs. 0%, p = 0.026 for lesions ≤10 mm and 77.5% vs. 46.4%, p = 0.016 for lesions 10–20 mm, respectively). The diagnostic yield of the two study groups became similar when the procedures with a failure of navigation were excluded. The procedure-related complication rate was similar between the two study groups. Conclusion: CBCT-AF is safe, and effectively enhances the navigation success rate, thereby increasing the diagnostic yield of EBUS-TBB for PPLs.
The Role of Male Reproductive Organs in the Transmission of African Swine Fever—Implications for Transmission

African swine fever (ASF) has evolved from an exotic animal disease to a threat to global pig production. An important avenue for the wide-spread transmission of animal diseases is their dissemination through boar semen used for artificial insemination. In this context, we investigated the role of male reproductive organs in the transmission of ASF. Mature domestic boars and adolescent wild boars, inoculated with different ASF virus strains, were investigated by means of virological and pathological methods. Additionally, electron microscopy was employed to investigate in vitro inoculated sperm. The viral genome, antigens and the infectious virus could be found in all gonadal tissues and accessory sex glands. The viral antigen and viral mRNAs were mainly found in mononuclear cells of the respective tissues. However, some other cell types, including Leydig, endothelial and stromal cells, were also found positive. Using RNAScope, p72 mRNA could be found in scattered halo cells of the epididymal duct epithelium, which could point to the disruption of the barrier. No direct infection of spermatozoa was observed by immunohistochemistry, or electron microscopy. Taken together, our results strengthen the assumption that ASFV can be transmitted via boar semen. Future studies are needed to explore the excretion dynamics and transmission efficiency.
Effective Components of Educational Outreach in Tribology as a Career Exploration Conference Workshop for Sixth Grade Girls

The objective of this paper is to explore the essential components that constitute hands-on outreach activities and related discussions suitable for sixth grade girls that are effective enough to generate interest in associated STEM fields. These activities were conducted during an educational outreach workshop on tribology, as part of an annual one day science outreach program at Texas A&M University, titled “Expanding Your Horizons (EYH),” which is a career exploration conference for sixth grade female students from the neighboring community. Both the technical aspects of these activities as well as the non-technical, but significant influencing aspects that help generate a sustained interest in associated STEM fields are examined. Following the workshop, it was observed that the interactive hands-on activities that were of a friendly competitive nature with their peers as well as those involving competing friendly teams were especially well received by the sixth graders, besides helping to solidify concept clarity. The lessons learned from these activities are expected to help enhance similar future outreach workshops catering to middle school girls of a similar age bracket who have a specific knowledge level based on their current sixth grade science curriculum.
Changes in general and central fatness are associated with hepatocellular carcinoma: A Korean nationwide longitudinal study

We investigated the impact of short‐term changes in general and central fatness on the risk of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in a large, population‐based cohort. We screened 7 221 479 subjects who underwent health examinations provided by the National Health Insurance Service of South Korea in 2009 and 2011. In total, 6 789 472 subjects were included in the final analysis. General fatness was defined as a body mass index (BMI) ≥25 kg/m2, and central fatness was defined as a waist circumference (WC) ≥90 cm in men and ≥85 cm in women. Subjects were classified according to the change in body fatness between 2009 and 2011, as follows: (a) persistent no fatness as no fatness in both 2009 and 2011, (b) reversed fatness as fatness in 2009, but no fatness in 2011, (c) incident fatness as no fatness in 2009, but fatness in 2011 or (d) persistent fatness as fatness in both 2009 and 2011. During a median 6.4‐year follow‐up, we documented 9952 HCC cases. Compared to subjects with a persistent no general fatness, the risk of HCC significantly increased in those with incident (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR] = 1.10, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.01‐1.20) and persistent (aHR = 1.28, 95% CI = 1.23‐1.34) general fatness. Compared to subjects with persistent no central fatness, those with incident and persistent central fatness showed a significantly increased risk of HCC (aHR = 1.19, 95% CI = 1.11‐1.27 and aHR = 1.33, 95% CI = 1.26‐1.40, respectively). Taken together, these findings indicate the importance of strategies for preventing and reversing body fatness to reduce the incidence of HCC.
Neocortical pyramidal neurons with axons emerging from dendrites are frequent in non-primates, but rare in monkey and human

The canonical view of neuronal function is that inputs are received by dendrites and somata, become integrated in the somatodendritic compartment and upon reaching a sufficient threshold, generate axonal output with axons emerging from the cell body. The latter is not necessarily the case. Instead, axons may originate from dendrites. The terms “axon carrying dendrite” (AcD) and “AcD neurons” have been coined to describe this feature. Here, we report on the diversity of axon origins in neocortical pyramidal cells. We found that in non-primates (rodent, cat, ferret, pig), 10-21% of pyramidal cells of layers II-VI had an AcD. In marked contrast, in macaque and human, this proportion was lower, and it was particularly low for supragranular neurons. Unexpectedly, pyramidal cells in the white matter of postnatal cat and aged human cortex exhibit AcDs to much higher percentages. In rodent hippocampus, AcD cells are functionally ‘privileged’, since inputs here can circumvent somatic integration and lead to immediate action potential initiation in the axon. Our findings expand the current knowledge regarding the distribution and proportion of AcD cells in neocortial regions of non-primate taxa, which strikingly differs from primates where these cells are mainly found in deeper layers and white matter.
Covariation Judgments and Selective Sampling in Auditing: An Experimental Study

Ananda R. Ganguly University of Illinois Department of Accountancy 1206 S. Sixth St. Champaign, IL 61820 aganguly@uiuc.edu Jacqueline S. Hammersley University of Georgia Terry College of Business J.M. Tull School of Accounting 238 Brooks Hall Athens, GA 30602 jhammers@uga.edu January 19, 2004 Version 2.2 Preliminary Draft. Please do not quote. We gratefully acknowledge the help of Rajib Doogar, Bob Halperin and our students in the acquisition of participants and in the running of the experiments. We also thank Audrey Gramling, Kathryn Kadous, Susan Krische, Mark Peecher, Steve Salterio, Teri Shearer, Scott Vandervelde, and participants at the January 2004 AAA Midyear Auditing Section Meeting and at a workshop at Queen’s University for comments on earlier drafts of this paper. Research assistance of Kelly Jones is also appreciated.
Enabling conditions for the emergence and effective performance of technical and cultural boundary spanners in global virtual teams

Globalization has led to a widespread increase in the practice of ‘offshore outsourcing’ of projects in the construction industry. This phenomenon has led to the development of a new form of organization—the ‘global virtual team’. Where much is explored in the extant literature on the ingredients affecting virtual team functioning, relatively little research has been done on the interaction of participants in virtual teams, the role of boundary spanners that bridge occupation and cultural boundaries and their impact on project performance. Motivated by this understanding, a research experiment was conducted wherein postgraduate engineering students from IIT Madras, India and Columbia University, USA, collaborated virtually to develop a computer-aided design model and an organizational simulation model of ongoing construction projects in the USA. We used social-network analysis to examine the performance of four teams that executed this academic exercise virtually over a period of three months. Team frater.
The development of an apparatus to understand the traction developed at the shoe–surface interface in tennis

The traction developed at the shoe–surface interface can have a significant influence on a player’s injury risk and performance in tennis. The purpose of this study was to investigate shoe–surface traction on a dry acrylic hard court and two artificial clay court tennis surfaces in dry and wet conditions. A laboratory-based mechanical test rig was developed to measure the traction force developed at the shoe–surface interface. Linear regression analysis was used to examine the relationship between normal force and three measures of traction: initial stiffness, peak traction force and average dynamic traction force. The normal force did not significantly influence the initial stiffness for the shoe–surface system on the acrylic hard court but did on the artificial clay surfaces. The infill particle size and the addition of moisture influenced the traction developed on the artificial clay surfaces. Small, dry particles developed greater traction and with a sufficiently high applied normal force will provide traction comparable to that on an acrylic hard court. However, increased particle size and/or the presence of moisture generally reduced traction. Strong and significant positive linear relationships were found between peak traction force and average dynamic traction force for all surface types and conditions. This study improves the understanding of the influence surface characteristics have on shoe–surface traction mechanisms. Once traction mechanisms are understood, surface properties and/or footwear can be effectively changed to maximise performance and/or minimise injury risk.
A probabilistic approach for assessing the crosswind stability of ground vehicles

This paper introduces a risk assessment procedure for the crosswind stability of ground vehicles. A random variable gust model is combined with constrained simulation techniques and variance reducing Monte Carlo methods for an efficient computation of failure probabilities. Based on the failure probability, sensitivities, the influence of additional effects such as turbulence, track irregularities or the friction coefficient between wheel and road can be investigated on an objective basis. Moreover, the procedure allows us to compute the failure probabilities for vehicle journeys or a whole line.
Rally Effect in the Covid-19 Pandemic: The Role of Affectedness, Fear, and Partisanship

When the Covid-19 pandemic hit internationally in March 2020, governments and political incumbents received exceptionally high approval ratings. Such a sudden spike of public support in times of crisis is often explained as the ‘rally ‘round the flag’ effect. This paper has three goals: first, to examine whether a rally effect indeed occurred; second, to analyse whether and how much it is related to (i) affectedness, i.e. the occurrence of infections on individual and aggregate level, and (ii) fear of Covid-19; and third, to examine an assumed moderating effect of partisanship. We merged individual survey data from an online survey conducted in September 2020 as part of the German Longitudinal Election Study (GLES) with infection rates on the state level (Bundesländer) published by the Robert Koch Institute. We detect a striking rally effect in all partisan camps. Furthermore, we identify fear of Covid-19 as the driving mechanism while there is no evidence that affectedness is a major force behind the rally effect. Furthermore, we show that partisanship takes on a moderating role for fear of Covid-19 regarding satisfaction with government.
Identification of Shear Parameters of Masonry Panels Through the In-Situ Diagonal Compression Test

This article deals with the mechanical interpretation of the in-situ diagonal compression test on masonry panels, through a non-linear numerical modeling, and proposes a methodology for the evaluation of the tensile strength and the shear modulus of masonry. The results of a wide experimental campaign on 24 masonry panels in the region of Tuscany (Italy) are presented; the obtained material parameters are classified according to the masonry typology. A critical review of the frequently used methodologies for the interpretation of the diagonal compression test, regulated by ASTM and RILEM (ASTM E 519-02, 2002; RILEM TC-76 LUM, 1994), has been made, showing the inaccuracy and incompleteness of both. The aims of this research are to simulate the behavior of different masonry typologies and to give a numerical interpretation of the tests, in order to determine the tensile strength of the panel. This parameter is very important for the seismic safety check of masonry panels in existing buildings, according to many seismic codes.
Predictors of Sustained Response With Tofacitinib Therapy in Patients With Ulcerative Colitis

Abstract Background Tofacitinib is an oral, small molecule JAK inhibitor for the treatment of ulcerative colitis. We evaluate baseline characteristics as predictors of sustained response and remission in patients with ulcerative colitis receiving tofacitinib maintenance therapy. Methods Patients with clinical response following OCTAVE Induction 1 and 2 entered OCTAVE Sustain and were rerandomized to receive tofacitinib 5 or 10 mg twice daily or placebo. Baseline characteristics were stratified by week 52 efficacy endpoints (remission, sustained remission, clinical response, sustained clinical response). Associations between baseline characteristics and efficacy endpoints were evaluated using logistic regression analyses. Results Overall, 170 of 487 (34.9%) patients were in remission at week 52. In multivariable modeling, endoscopic subscore at baseline of OCTAVE Induction 1 and 2 (2 vs 3; odds ratio [OR], 1.60; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.06-2.44]), partial Mayo score (<2 vs ≥2; OR, 1.92; 95% CI, 1.27-2.90), and age (per 10-years; OR, 1.19; 95% CI, 1.02-1.39) at baseline of OCTAVE Sustain (following 8 weeks’ tofacitinib induction therapy) were associated with higher odds of remission at week 52. Oral corticosteroid use (OR, 0.63; 95% CI, 0.42-0.96) and C-reactive protein (per unit; OR, 0.94; 95% CI, 0.89-0.99) at baseline of OCTAVE Sustain were associated with reduced likelihood of remission at week 52. In general, opposite associations were observed for time to loss of response. Conclusion Patients with greater clinical improvement after 8 weeks of tofacitinib induction therapy are more likely to maintain response or remission with tofacitinib regardless of dose received during maintenance, highlighting the importance of a robust response to induction therapy.
Walking in an unstable Masai Barefoot Technology (MBT) shoe introduces kinematic and kinetic changes at the hip, knee and ankle before and after a 6-week accommodation period: a comprehensive analysis using principal component analysis (PCA)

Background: Scientific and anecdotal evidence suggests that some individuals who wear the unstable Masai Barefoot Technology (MBT) shoe experience a reduction in back and joint pain. A more comprehensive biomechanical gait analysis is needed to better understand the mechanisms for symptom relief and what the long-term implications of wearing these shoes might be on the body. Objective: The aim of this study was to determine the gait changes introduced at the hip, knee and ankle before and after wearing an unstable MBT shoe for a 6-week accommodation period. Methods: Three-dimensional joint angles and moments were measured for 23 healthy individuals while walking in an unstable MBT shoe and a stable control shoe, both before and after a 6-week accommodation period of wearing the unstable shoe at their workplace. Principal component analysis (PCA) was used on the stance phase waveforms to identify differences between the two shoes and two testing sessions. Results: Joint angle and moment differences between the two shoe conditions were identified both before and after wearing the unstable shoe for the accommodation period. Notable kinematic changes included reduced hip flexion–extension and ankle adduction–abduction range of motion, increased early stance dorsiflexion and increased knee internal rotation for unstable shoe walking. Ankle moments tended to be greater for the unstable shoe and at the hip and knee, both increases and decreases in moments were observed. Conclusions: While many of the identified changes agree with previous research, this is the first study to report increases in some joint moments for the unstable MBT shoe. These increases along with other notable changes do, however, require further investigation to better understand the long-term implications of the unstable MBT shoe.