Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Development and validation of a length- and habitus-based method of total body weight estimation for critically ill adults requiring urgent weight-based medical intervention

Background Erroneous weight estimation during the management of emergency presentations in adults may contribute to patient harm and poor outcomes. Patients can often not be weighed during emergencies and a weight estimation is required to facilitate weight-based therapies. Many existing methods of weight estimation are either unacceptably inaccurate or very difficult to use during the provision of emergency care. Methods The weight estimation system developed in this study was based on and modified from the PAWPER XL-MAC method, a paediatric weight estimation system that uses recumbent length and mid-arm circumference (MAC) to predict total body weight. This model was validated in the 2015 to 2018 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) datasets. The primary outcome measure was to achieve >95% of estimations within 20% of measured weight (P20>95%). Results The modified PAWPER XL-MAC model achieved a P20 of 96.0% and a P10 of 71.3% in the validation dataset (N=11520). This accuracy (P20>95%) was maintained in both sexes, all ages, all ethnic groups, all lengths and in all habitus-types, except for the subgroup of severely obese individuals. Conclusions The modified PAWPER XL-MAC model proved to be a very accurate method of weight estimation. It is more accurate than most other published reports of existing methods of weight estimation, except for patients' own estimations. It therefore could have a role in facilitating emergency drug dose calculations, if prospective studies bear out the accuracy found in this study.
Cost models for Water supply distribution systems

A major challenge for society in the 21st century will be replacement, design, and optimal management of urban infrastruc- ture. It is estimated that the current worldwide demand for infrastructure investment is approximately three trillion dollars annually. A Drinking Water Infrastructure Needs Survey conducted by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency estimated that community water systems nationwide have an immediate need of $12.1 billion in infrastructure investment, primarily to protect against microbiological contamination. This paper presents equations that can be used to estimate the cost of system construction, expansion, and rehabilitation and repair for distribution system components. Equations have been developed for installation of new pipe, trenching, embedment, and the other unit operations that are required to replace or construct new distribution system components. Equations have also been developed to estimate the cost of cement mortar lining, sliplining, and corrosion control. These equations can be used in an additive manner to estimate the cost of all of the unit operations required for replacing or laying new distribution system piping, and for a limited set of rehabilitation and repair options.
A Wideband 1-Bit Reconfigurable Reflectarray Antenna at Ku-Band

In this letter, a wideband high-efficiency 1-bit 16 × 16 reconfigurable reflectarray antenna (RRA) is proposed. First, a wideband and low loss 1-bit RRA element is designed. It consists of double-layer patches printed on two dielectric substrates, respectively, forming a multiresonant behavior to expand the bandwidth.Due to the relatively thin thickness of the double-layer dielectric substrate (0.05 λ0), the element has low reflection loss. Therefore, the high efficiency and wide bandwidth performances can be obtained simultaneously. The phase difference between the two states of the RRA element is stable within 180 ± 20° in the frequency range of 12.9–16.5 GHz. Based on the broadband RRA element, a 16 × 16 RRA was fabricated and measured. Tested results show that the proposed RRA achieves 22.5% of 1 dB gain bandwidth and 25% of maximum aperture efficiency.
Capacities of OSB-Sheathed Light-Frame Shear-Wall Panels with or without Perforations

Walls of low-rise wood light-frame buildings are commonly employed as the primary means for resisting damaging effects of horizontal forces caused by events like hurricanes and earthquakes. Here test data show how openings for doors and windows influence the in-plane shear stiffness and load capacity of light-frame wall panels sheathed with oriented strand board. Findings contribute to improved design data.
Fidelity and Interactivity in Navigational Training: A Comparison of Three Methods

In two experiments we vary the degree of fidelity of a navigational training environment, and determine how this variance effects the degree of route knowledge and survey knowledge demonstrated in a navigational transfer task. Subjects learn about the geography of a computer-generated world by either (a) studying a 2D map of the world, (b) passively viewing a 3D course through the world on an IRIS display, or (c) actively flying through an IRIS-based simulation of the world. Groups (b) and (c) were yoked. All groups then transferred to a flight along the studied route plan in a high fidelity Evans and Sutherland visual simulation system. In Experiment 1, 60 pilots were assigned to the three training conditions, and the subjects in the two IRIS flight groups were subdivided into categories of low and high visual fidelity of the IRIS world. In this experiment, the active flight training condition yielded most accurate navigation performance (route knowledge), with the map-study group being nearly as proficient, and the passive group much lower. The map-study group had the highest recall of the geography (survey knowledge), but this knowledge did not provide them with any benefit in solving an unexpected navigational problem (functional survey knowledge). Visual fidelity had no effect on any measure of transfer performance. In Experiment 2, the speed and workload of the rehearsal flight was increased, and 10 pilots were assigned to each training group. The results revealed that the increased workload reversed the order of the two computer flight groups, with subjects in the active group who needed to rotate the map, now performing most poorly. The results of both experiments are discussed in terms of the detrimental effects of high workload to geographical learning, and to the dissociation between different kinds of geographical knowledge.
Sex Differences in Brain Structure Account for the Sexual Distinction on Balanced Time Perspective

Sex differences in behaviour and cognition have been widely observed, however, little is known about such differences in maintaining a balanced time perspective or their potential underlying neural substrates. To answer the above questions, two studies were conducted. In Study 1, time perspective was assessed in 1,913 college students, including 771 males and 1,092 females, and demonstrated that females had a significantly more balanced time perspective than males. In Study 2, 58 males and 47 females underwent assessment of time perspective and structural brain imaging. Voxel-based morphometry analysis and cortical thickness analysis were used to analyse the structural imaging data. Results showed that compared with males, females demonstrated a more balanced time perspective, which primarily related to lower grey matter volume in left precuneus, right cerebellum, right putamen and left supplementary motor area. Analysis of cortical thickness failed to reveal any significant sex differences. Furthermore, the sex difference in grey matter volume of left precuneus, right cerebellum, right putamen and left supplementary motor area could account for the difference in balanced time perspective between males and females. The findings deepen our understanding of sex differences in human cognition and their potential neural signature, and may inform tailored interventions to support a balanced time perspective in daily life.
Commitment, agency costs and dynamic capital structure

This paper studies leverage dynamics when shareholders commit to optimizing total enterprise value and face debt adjustment friction. Debt adjustment costs render the leverage commitment a double-edged sword. High-levered firms benefit from the commitment due to active debt repurchase. However, such debt buyback incurs a heavy burden and constrains financial flexibility. With high debt adjustment costs, it could be inefficient for the enterprise to maintain a firm-optimal debt policy. Interestingly, the incentive alignment effect from commitment makes shareholders act as if creditors in normal times. For instance, shareholders exhibit precautionary motives and overinvest. Finally, we show that dynamic risk management exacerbates the debt-equity conflicts and improves the commitment value. Highlights The firm-optimal debt policy eliminates the leverage ratchet effect by accelerating debt repayment should the firm's fundamental deteriorates. The commitment to the firm-optimal debt policy hurts enterprise value when facing high debt adjustment costs and short-term debt. Incentive alignment effect from the firm-optimal commitment causes shareholders to overinvest and exhibit risk-aversion in normal times.
Chilling Accumulation Is Not an Effective Predictor of Vegetation Green‐Up Date in Inner Mongolian Grasslands

Chilling accumulation (CA) might be reduced under a warming climate, which raises a critical question: is vegetation green‐up date (VGD) altered by varing CA? If the answer is yes, existing thermal‐time models should be modified to include a chilling component. By collating observations from eight long‐term (1982–2019) field experiments across Inner Mongolia, we quantitatively assessed the responses of VGD of 27 grass species to CA in this region. The results indicated that effect of CA on VGD is in general negligible for most grass species. As excepted, rather than CA, VGD was predominantly determined by other climatic attributes such as heat requirement (HR) and precipitation. These results demonstrate the robustness of existing thermal‐time models without a chilling component to predict variations in VGD of major plant species in Inner Mongolian temperate grasslands.
Systematic Performance Evaluation of Smart Seismic Isolation Systems

This paper presents a quantitative comparison of results from a number of studies that have focused on the performance of smart base-isolated buildings. Many strategies have been proposed in recent years to improve upon the performance of passive base-isolated buildings; the need for improved performance being motivated in part by the high isolation system deformation demand that can occur in the case of near-field ground excitation. One approach to improving the performance of base-isolated buildings is to incorporate elements within the isolation system whose mechanical properties can be modified in real-time. For such smart seismic protection systems, performance indices, which are often defined as the ratio of controlled response over uncontrolled response, have become a common tool for comparing performance in much of the literature. However, the use of such performance indices can result in a loss in the ability to identify the significance of the measured quantities. Thus, a systematic evaluation of the performance that has been achieved in prior studies is examined in this paper in an attempt to improve the understanding of the potential benefits of smart seismic isolation systems. Furthermore, the results from prior studies are compared with the recent Phase I results of the First Generation Smart Base Isolation Benchmark Building, which incorporates one of the most realistic isolated building models used in such studies to date.
Preference Importance Ratings among African American and White Nursing Home Residents

ABSTRACT Objectives The Preferences for Everyday Living Inventory (PELI-NH) assesses psychosocial preferences of nursing home (NH) residents. This study explored the association of race with importance ratings of self-dominion preferences (i.e., preferences for control). Methods PELI-NH interviews were conducted with 250 NH residents. Tests of mean differences compared African American (n = 57) and White (n = 193) residents on demographic (age, gender, education, length of stay) and clinical attributes (self-rated health, depressive symptoms, anxiety, functional limitations, hearing, vision, cognition). Stepwise multiple regression accounted first for associations of demographic and clinical attributes then for the unique association of race with total importance of self-dominion preferences to determine whether African American and White residents differ. For between group demographic/clinical differences, interaction effects were tested. Results African Americans were younger and more functionally impaired. After accounting for the effects of gender (female), age (younger), anxiety (greater), and functional impairment (less) with higher reports of importance of self-dominion preferences, race was significant. There were no significant moderating effects. Conclusions African American residents reported greater importance of self-dominion preferences than Whites. Clinical Implications Cultural sensitivity is critical; it may be more important to provide opportunities for autonomous decision-making for African American than for White residents.
Collision Avoidance, Driver Support and Safety Intervention Systems

Autonomous Intelligent Cruise Control (AICC) will be marketed by a number of vehicle manufacturers before the end of the decade. This paper will describe AICC and the next generation systems currently being developed and validated within the EC Fourth Framework project, Anti-Collision Autonomous Support and Safety Intervention SysTem (AC ASSIST). The currently available cruise control systems which maintain a fixed speed are a well-known form of longitudinal driver support. The fixed speed cruise control becomes less useful with increased traffic volumes, as the driver must disable the system when a slower preceding vehicle is encountered.
Perioperative Predictive Factors for Positive Outcomes in Spine Fusion for Adult Deformity Correction

Purpose: Identifying perioperative factors that may influence the outcomes of long spine fusion for the treatment of adult deformity is key for tailored surgical planning and targeted informed consent. The aim of this study was to analyze the association between demographic or perioperative factors and clinical outcomes 2 years after long spine fusion for the treatment of adult deformity. Methods: This study is a multivariate analysis of retrospectively collected data. All patients who underwent long fusion of the lumbar spine for adult spinal deformity (January 2016–June 2019) were included. The outcomes of interest were the Oswestry disability index (ODI), visual analogic scale (VAS) preoperatively and at 1 and 2 years’ follow up, age, body mass index, American Society of Anaesthesiologists (ASA) score, upper and lowest instrumented vertebrae (UIV and LIV, respectively), length of surgery, estimated blood loss, and length of hospital stay. Results: Data from 192 patients were available. The ODI at 2 years correlated weakly to moderately with age (r = 0.4), BMI (r = 0.2), ASA (r = 0.3), and LIV (r = 0.2), and strongly with preoperative ODI (r = 0.6). The leg VAS at 2 years moderately correlated with age (r = 0.3) and BMI (r = 0.3). Conclusion: ODI and VAS at 2 years’ follow-up had no to little association to preoperative age, health status, LIV, or other peroperative data, but showed a strong correlation with preoperative ODI and pain level.
A narrative review of the role of gastrointestinal dysbiosis in the pathogenesis of polycystic ovary syndrome

Diet-induced gastrointestinal dysbiosis has been hypothesized to play a significant role in stimulating an increase in gastrointestinal permeability and activating systemic inflammation in women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). We reviewed the current proof-of-concept studies on the proposed mechanism of dysbiosis in the pathogenesis of PCOS. A literature search was performed to identify articles on changes in the intestinal microbiome (dysbiosis) and increased intestinal mucosal permeability involving lipopolysaccharide (LPS), LPS-binding protein (LPS-BP), and zonulin. We also searched for systematic reviews and meta-analyses that synthesized the results of studies on the therapeutic effects of prebiotics, probiotics, or synbiotics in women with PCOS. Our search was confined to human studies between 2012 and 2021 using the PubMed, Scopus, and Cochrane databases. Thirty-one studies met the inclusion criteria (14 microbiota, 1 LPS, 1 LPS-BP, 1 LPS and LPS-BP, 5 zonulin, 9 systematic reviews). Our analysis revealed that most studies reported reduced alpha diversity and dysbiosis in women with PCOS. Preliminary studies suggest that LPS, LPS-BP, and zonulin may be involved in the pathophysiology of increased intestinal permeability. Treatment of PCOS with prebiotics, probiotics, and synbiotics appears to have a range of beneficial effects on metabolic and biochemical profiles. This review highlights the need for continued research into the pathophysiological mechanisms of dysbiosis and the clinical efficacy of prebiotics, probiotics, and synbiotics in women with PCOS.
Utilisation Of Natural Coagulant For Reduction Of Turbidity From Waste water

Water is undoubtedly the most vital parameter among the natural resources. Turbidity imparts a enormous problem in waste water treatment. In this present study, an attempt has been made to evaluate the effectiveness of locally available tamarind seed powder as natural coagulant for reduction of turbidity in the quality improvement of wastewater. The tests were carried out using the co nventional jar test apparatus. The dosing of water-soluble extract of tamarind seed at various concentrations obtained the reduction of turbidity in wastewater. It was found that natural coagulant worked better with turbid water. Highest turbidity reductio n efficiency of about 78% was noticed. Influence of the pH on the system found to be significant on turbidity removal. The study clearly indicates that at optimum pH system conditions, there is significant reduction in coagulant dose required and in some cases a further increase in turbidity removal. Therefore in practical situations a judicious selection of system pH would result in either reduced coagulant dose requirements or an increased turbidity removal or even both. Utilisation of locally available natural coagulant was found to be suitable, easier, cost effective and environment friendly for water treatment .
The Place as factor of the pedagogical quality of place

Research has shown that aspects of the subject’s behavior are governed by a sense of space that permeates social interactions, is reflected on the built space and gives the social environment both a material and a symbolic dimension. In this context, the place is a subjective version of the space, associated with the desires, the choices and the capabilities of the subject. The concept of the place acquires special interest in the educational process, because the child forms places spontaneously, whenever he has the chance to do so, having the innate need to develop a field of expression and constant interaction with his social environment. Can the spontaneous creation and functioning of places by the children become a permanent and predesigned component of school space? This was the issue of a research study conducted in kindergartens in Thessaloniki, organized around an educational game activity in the classroom. We named educational places the micro-environments created by the children during this research. Observation has shown that an educational place is composed by a module of both spaces and activities, created and managed exclusively by the children. The evaluation of the data showed that the educational place, as element of school space, had multiple positive effects on the educational process. The most important effect was that a new model of school space emerged from the development and the functioning of educational places, which is based on an informal and continuous re-planning of space by the child during the educational process associated with his activity. This model highlights an interesting dimension of flexibility of space as a factor of the educational environment, which is exclusively owed to the process of its utilization. Adopting this model, the school space can be transformed into a field of educational places, directed to the acquisition of learning experiences.
Moderate to Intense Physical Activity Is Associated With Improved Clinical, CD4/CD8 Ratio, and Immune Activation Status in HIV-Infected Patients on ART

Abstract Background Physical activity has anti-inflammatory effects and reduces morbidity and mortality in the general population, but its role in the clinical, CD4/CD8 ratio, and immune activation status of HIV-infected patients has been poorly studied. Methods A cross-sectional study was carried out in a cohort of 155 HIV-infected patients on stable antiretroviral therapy (ART) to compare clinical, biochemical, CD4/CD8 ratio, and immune activation status according to their physical activity in the last 2 years (sedentary/low vs moderate/intense) assessed by the iPAQ. A binary logistic regression and mixed analysis of variance were performed to evaluate the impact of levels of physical activity on CD4/CD8 ratio. Results In our series, 77 (49.7%) out of 155 patients were sedentary, and 78 (50.3%) practiced moderate/intense physical activity. Moderate/intense physical activity was associated with better metabolic control (lower body mass index, P = .024; glucose, P = .024; and triglyceride, P = .002) and CDC HIV stage (P = .046), lower CD8+ (P = .018), CD4+CD8+ (P = .026), CD4+CD86+ (P = .045), CD4+HLA-DR+ (P = .011), CD8+HLA-DR+ (P = .048) T lymphocytes and CD16+HLA-DR+ natural killer cells (P = .026), and higher CD3+CD4+ T lymphocytes (P = .016) and CD4/CD8 ratio (P = .001). Sedentary lifestyle (odds ratio [OR], 2.12; P = .042), CD4 nadir (OR, 1.005; P < .001), and CD8+CD38+ T cells (OR, 1.27; P = .006) were independently associated with low CD4/CD8 ratio (<0.8). Earlier and more intense CD4/CD8 ratio recovery was observed in patients with higher physical activity in the 2-year follow-up with a significant interaction between these variables: F(2, 124) = 3.31; P = . 049; partial η2 = 0.042. Conclusions Moderate to high physical activity is associated with beneficial health effects, improvement in metabolic profile, and reduction of chronic inflammation in patients with HIV. Although more studies and clinical trials are needed to confirm these findings, a healthy lifestyle including at least moderate physical activity should be recommended to HIV patients on stable ART.
Quantitating Psychological Status-Quo among Students in Bangladesh using Zung’s Self-Rating Anxiety Analysis: Architecting a Blueprint to Predict Behavior in Lockdowns

The study objective is to create a baseline of the anxiety level among students in Bangladesh during country-wide lockdown phase. A cross-sectional online survey was conducted using snowballing technique. The integral instrument in this study is the Zung self-rating anxiety scale (SAS) self-rating anxiety questionnaire. Data was cleaned and statistical analysis was conducted using Excel. 822 respondents were obtained. 3.17%, 71.41%, and 25.42% experienced minimal, Mild to severe, and extreme levels of anxiety, respectively. The male gender experienced 4.24%, 65.17%, and 30.59% of normal, mild to severe, and extreme anxiety levels, whereas the female counterpart experienced 1.87%, 78.88%, and 19.25% of the respective levels. The main stress factors were revealed to be uncertainty over the future concerning academics and professional careers. The anxiety level also appears to be a driving factor in influencing individuals to break isolation during the lockdown. This paper attempts to outline a blueprint to predict individual behavior in relation to their anxiety status-quo, and breed further research under this umbrella.