Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Questioning a relationship between nitrous oxide duration of exposure and postoperative nausea and vomiting.

To the Editor: We have read the recent article by Peyton and Wu1 with great interest, which suggested nitrous oxide–related postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) was correlated with the length of time exposed to nitrous oxide. Their excellent meta-analysis on this important subject deserves applause. However, we would like to add some comments to emphasize a few important issues. First, the concentrations of inhaled nitrous oxide were ignored in the current analysis, which may have a confounding influence on the relationship between the incidence of PONV and duration of exposure to nitrous oxide besides patient sex, age, and duration of anesthesia. In fact, several studies included in this meta-analysis observed different concentrations of inhaled nitrous oxide and showed that nitrous oxide increased the incidence of PONV in a dosedependent manner.2–4 Both duration of exposure to nitrous oxide and concentrations of inspired nitrous oxide may be significant covariates in the incidence of PONV. Therefore, it is necessary to rule out the influence of concentrations of inhaled nitrous oxide on PONV when determining whether duration of exposure to nitrous oxide was related to the incidence of PONV. Second, the authors stratified studies based on duration of anesthesia and suggested that the effect of duration of anesthesia on nitrous oxide–induced PONV may instead simply reflect the invasiveness and magnitude of the surgery. However, the type of surgery per se may also be a confounding covariate. In this meta-analysis, more than one-third of the studies involved gynecologic surgery with or without laparoscopy, including a large sample study5 in which up to 45.1% was gynecologic surgery. Duration of anesthesia in this type of surgery was usually no more than 1 to 2 h, while nongynecologic surgeries in remaining studies were almost more than 1 to 2 h except orthopedic surgery in two studies and day case/ambulatory surgery laparoscopy in one study less than 1 h. That is to say, a big difference exists in the types of surgery among groups stratified by duration of anesthesia. Although whether the type of surgery identified as a risk factor of PONV is still somewhat controversial, increased incidence of PONV has been demonstrated in the gynecologic, laparoscopic, and middle-ear surgeries.6–8 Thus, the heterogeneity of the type of surgery may have tempered their conclusion. Though this meta-analysis brings us closer to draw overall conclusion, it may only be regarded as an interim analysis toward reaching a final answer. Further studies are still needed to clarify the relationship between duration of exposure to nitrous oxide and the incidence of PONV. Questioning a Relationship between Nitrous Oxide Duration of Exposure and Postoperative Nausea and Vomiting
An interdisciplinary perspective on business appraisals for technology potentials

Appraising the benefits of new technologies is a commonly accepted challenge for any organisation and is a prime area for technology management research. As the future potential of any technology is always associated with some level of uncertainty it is thus important to either reduce or better understand this uncertainty in order to make appropriate business decisions. A wide variety of methods are available that intend to service this need, such as net present value calculations, real options, portfolio methods, road-mapping, expert systems, etc. Technology companies often use a selection of or hybrid models. The problem is thus inherently interdisciplinary. The techniques used to appraise new technologies range from “hard” mathematics, often taken from the finance sector, to more “softer” techniques that enable people to systematically structure the potential outcomes and their underlying uncertainty. Furthermore, the use or purpose of the techniques can vary as well. Methods can be applied to justify decisions and judgements made, but also to support the process of shaping this judgement, or to provide boundary conditions and hence enable the decision making process. This paper aims to provide an overview of prevailing methods and tools and evaluate their relative value in the process of business appraisals. We will elaborate on the overlaps and gaps and conclude with recommendations for future research.
Malaysia’s International Relations and Foreign Direct Investment (FDI): A Structural Change Analysis

This study aims to identify the effect of international relations and the presence of structural change using Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA) and Chow test respectively. It also aims to examine the long run relationships among Malaysia’s GDP and inward FDI, as well as among Malaysia’s total FDI and inward FDI taking into consideration of international relations using Engle-Granger test. Furthermore, Error Correction Mechanism (ECM) is used to examine whether the variables are converge in the long run. This study supports that international relation affects inwards FDI from all selected countries (Japan, United States, Singapore and Germany). In addition, inwards FDI from respective countries have long run relationship with Malaysia’s GDP and Malaysia’s total FDI. It also found that the respective variables are converging in the long run. With this finding in mind, international relations-focused policies can be created in order to boost up Malaysia’s FDI inwards and growth.
Aerobic and Resistance Training Improves Mood State among Adults Living with HIV

Abstract The purpose of this investigation was to examine the effects of combined aerobic and resistance exercise training among self-reported mood disturbances, perceived stress, frequency of self-reported symptoms, and symptom distress in a sample of HIV+ adults. For this purpose, 49 participants were randomly assigned into an exercise (EX) or control (CON) group. Those in the EX group completed 50 min of supervised aerobic and resistance training at a moderate intensity twice a week for 6 weeks. The CON group reported to the university and engaged in sedentary activities. Data were collected at baseline before randomization and 6 weeks post intervention. Measures included the symptom distress scale (SDS), perceived stress scale (PSS), profile of mood states (POMS) total score, and the POMS sub-scale for depression and fatigue. A 2 way ANOVA was used to compare between and within group interactions. The EX group showed a significant decrease in reported depression scores (p=0.03) and total POMS (p=0.003). The CON group reported no change in POMS or SDS, but showed a significant increase in PSS. These findings indicate that combination aerobic and resistance training completed at a moderate intensity at least twice a week provides additional psychological benefits independent of disease status and related symptoms.
Responses of Oat Grains to Fusarium poae and F. langsethiae Infections and Mycotoxin Contaminations

Recent increases of Fusarium head blight (FHB) disease caused by infections with F. poae (FP) and F. langsethiae (FL) have been observed in oats. These pathogens are producers of nivalenol (NIV) and T-2/HT-2 toxin (T-2/HT-2), respectively, which are now considered major issues for cereal food and feed safety. To date, the impact of FP and FL on oat grains has not yet been identified, and little is known about oat resistance elements against these pathogens. In the present study, the impact of FL and FP on oat grains was assessed under different environmental conditions in field experiments with artificial inoculations. The severity of FP and FL infection on grains were compared across three field sites, and the resistance against NIV and T-2/HT2 accumulation was assessed for seven oat genotypes. Grain weight, β-glucan content, and protein content were compared between infected and non-infected grains. Analyses of grain infection showed that FL was able to cause infection on the grain only in the field site with the highest relative humidity, whereas FP infected grains in all field sites. The FP infection of grains resulted in NIV contamination (between 30–500 μg/kg). The concentration of NIV in grains was not conditioned by environmental conditions. FL provoked an average contamination of grains with T-2/HT-2 (between 15–132 μg/kg). None of the genotypes was able to fully avoid toxin accumulation. The general resistance of oat grains against toxin accumulation was weak, and resistance against NIV accumulation was strongly impacted by the interaction between the genotype and the environment. Only the genotype with hull-less grains showed partial resistance to both NIV and T-2/HT-2 contamination. FP and FL infections could change the β-glucan content in grains, depending on the genotypes and environmental conditions. FP and FL did not have a significant impact on the thousand kernel weight (TKW) and protein content. Hence, resistance against toxin accumulation remains the only indicator of FHB resistance in oat. Our results highlight the need for new oat genotypes with enhanced resistance against both NIV and T-2/HT-2 to ensure food and feed safety.
Usefulness of Fibrinopeptide A Generation Tests in Experimental and Clinical Studies with Low Molecular Weight Heparin Fractions

FPA generation test provides a sensitive tool to study the events leading to the production of fibrin from fibrinogen. Drug modulation of pathways resulting in thrombin generation can be readily assessed utilizing the FPA generation test. In circumstances in which conventional clotting and amidolytic methods fail to detect any antiprotease effects, the FPA generation test provides the sensitivity to study these actions. The FPA generation test demonstrates the collective action of antithrombotic agents on inhibition of activation of the pathways leading to the generation of thrombin. The generation systems are easily modified by activators to provide identification of sites, components, and modulating interaction of various heparin derivatives on the hemostatic system. The FPA generation test assesses the overall inhibitory effects of heparin and thus provides insight into the pharmacokinetics of the biologically active components of these agents. Currently, the FPA generation test may be utilized to demonstrate pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics but has limited quantitative capacity in this regard. The FPA generation test performed on native plasma may provide insight into the great variation in individual hemostatic parameters important to dosage determinations.
The electronic, personalizable Rosetta system for dementia care: exploring the user-friendliness, usefulness and impact

Abstract Purpose: This research aimed to integrate three previously developed assistive technology (AT) systems into one modular, multifunctional system, which can support people with dementia and carers throughout the course of dementia. In an explorative evaluation study, the integrated system, called Rosetta, was tested on usefulness, user-friendliness and impact, in people with dementia, their informal carers and professional carers involved. The Rosetta system was installed in participants‘ homes in three countries: The Netherlands, Germany and Belgium. Methods: Controlled trial with pre- and post-test measures across three countries (randomized controlled trial in Germany; matched groups in the Netherlands and Belgium). Participants completed questionnaires for impact measurement and participated in semi-structured interviews regarding usefulness and user-friendliness of Rosetta. Results: All participants agreed that Rosetta is a very useful development. They did not rate the user-friendliness of the system highly. No significant effects were found on impact measurements. Conclusion: All participants found Rosetta a very useful development for future care, and would consider using it. Since Rosetta was still in development during evaluation, a discrepancy between expectations and actual functioning of Rosetta existed, which may explain the lack of findings on the impact of the system and the low appreciation of user-friendliness. Implications for Rehabilitation People with dementia and carers find assistive technology (AT) a useful future development and they are willing to use it in the future. People with dementia and carers have little privacy issues with AT. If they have concerns, they are willing to accept the trade-off of reduced privacy in exchange for the ability to live in their own homes for longer. Given that a system works flawlessly, informal carers indicate that integrated AT can reduce their burden and stress. This can in turn help informal carers to provide better care for a longer period of time.
Stride length and speed for adults, children, and fossil hominids.

Research workers studying the relationship between stride length (L) and speed (u) in human walking have often expressed their results as multiples of stature (h): they have given values of L/h and u/h. They have claimed or implied that this takes account of differences of body size and that L/h should be the same function of u/h for people of all sizes. It is shown that this is not true for comparisons of children with adults. Further, it is argued by dimensional analysis that u/square root gh is a more appropriate speed parameter that u/h (g is the acceleration of free fall). It is shown that L/h is approximately the same function of u/square root gh for children aged 4 or more years as for adults. The empirical relationship between L/h and u/square root gh is used to make new estimates of walking speed for the early hominid footprints found at Laetoli, Tanzania. The speeds obtained are equivalent to mean speeds of human walking observed in small towns (i.e., they give approximately equal values of u/square root gh).
A Stochastic Inventory Model Incorporation Intra-Year Purchases and Accounting Tax Incentives

It has been observed that firms alter year-end inventory policies in response to accounting tax incentives. This study proposes a stochastic ordering policy model which quantifies these effects. An innovative feature is its use of two decision variables: an initial order-up-to-level at the beginning of each year and a desired year-end inventory level. The ability to place a second order after demand has been assessed allows for an explicit consideration of the effects of tax incentives on order quantity decisions. Separate formulations are developed for the two most widely-used inventory accounting methods, LIFO and FIFO. The model provides new implications for choices between LIFO and FIFO, the forms of optimal ordering policies under each and for year-end inventory levels. A procedure is given for calculating the optimal FIFO policy. Calculating optimal LIFO policies is very difficult so myopic approximate policies are given which bound the optimal policy.
The RNA Binding Protein ELF9 Directly Reduces SUPPRESSOR OF OVEREXPRESSION OF CO1 Transcript Levels in Arabidopsis, Possibly via Nonsense-Mediated mRNA Decay[W]

SUPPRESSOR OF OVEREXPRESSION OF CO1 (SOC1) is regulated by a complex transcriptional regulatory network that allows for the integration of multiple floral regulatory inputs from photoperiods, gibberellin, and FLOWERING LOCUS C. However, the posttranscriptional regulation of SOC1 has not been explored. Here, we report that EARLY FLOWERING9 (ELF9), an Arabidopsis thaliana RNA binding protein, directly targets the SOC1 transcript and reduces SOC1 mRNA levels, possibly through a nonsense-mediated mRNA decay (NMD) mechanism, which leads to the degradation of abnormal transcripts with premature translation termination codons (PTCs). The fully spliced SOC1 transcript is upregulated in elf9 mutants as well as in mutants of NMD core components. Furthermore, a partially spliced SOC1 transcript containing a PTC is upregulated more significantly than the fully spliced transcript in elf9 in an ecotype-dependent manner. A Myc-tagged ELF9 protein (MycELF9) directly binds to the partially spliced SOC1 transcript. Previously known NMD target transcripts of Arabidopsis are also upregulated in elf9 and recognized directly by MycELF9. SOC1 transcript levels are also increased by the inhibition of translational activity of the ribosome. Thus, the SOC1 transcript is one of the direct targets of ELF9, which appears to be involved in NMD-dependent mRNA quality control in Arabidopsis.
Sources of competitive advantage in woodworking firms of Northwest Russia

Purpose – The existing literature emphasizes the strategic choices of core competencies/capabilities based on intangible and tangible resources, and the combination of these as the base for developing firm‐level strategies. However, little is known about the organizational structure, strategic orientation, and future goals of woodworking firms in the East‐European countries in transition. This paper aims to produce information contributing to these information needs regarding Northwest Russia (NWR). Design/methodology/approach – The largest potential increase in both production of and demand for wood products is in Russia, and this paper examines the issue in a case study of 18 small‐ and medium‐sized wood industry companies in NWR using thematic semi‐structured personal interviews.Findings – The results indicate that closeness to the main markets, good logistics connections and access to large markets, i.e. other than raw‐material related factors, are the main perceived sources of competitive advantage am.
Control at a distance as self-control: the renewal of the myth of control through technology

This paper draws on socio-institutional research on accounting technology. It underlines the ability of one type of accounting technology (performance measurement technology) to be a base for control at a distance since this technology links together discourse and calculation. Failures in this link are analysed thanks to a case study of the pharmaceutical industry. The sales teams of eleven global pharmaceutical laboratories located in France are investigated. Translation theory is used as an analytical framework to argue that (1) technologies of control at a distance lead to an illusion of external control, (2) control at a distance is nevertheless fostered by the substitution of individual resources, the codification and the integration exerted by technology, and (3) these features, combined with ideal beliefs relating to technology, lead individuals to develop self-control. Therefore, the illusion of external control developed by technology is compensated by the growing self-control of individuals, which is, in fact, the most efficient way of getting people to do things. Technologies of control at a distance thus act as remote control devices that take part in a pervasive programme of governing individuals.
Differential expression of myogenic determination genes in muscle cells: possible autoactivation by the Myf gene products.

The development of muscle cells involves the action of myogenic determination factors. In this report, we show that human skeletal muscle tissue contains, besides the previously described Myf‐5, two additional factors Myf‐3 and Myf‐4 which represent the human homologues of the rodent proteins MyoD1 and myogenin. The genes encoding Myf‐3, Myf‐4 and Myf‐5 are located on human chromosomes 11, 1, and 12 respectively. Constitutive expression of a single factor is sufficient to convert mouse C3H 10T1/2 fibroblasts to phenotypically normal muscle cells. The myogenic conversion of 10T1/2 fibroblasts results in the activation of the endogenous MyoD1 and Myf‐4 (myogenin) genes. This observation suggests that the expression of Myf proteins leads to positive autoregulation of the members of the Myf gene family. Individual myogenic colonies derived from MCA C115 cells (10T1/2 fibroblast transformed by methylcholanthrene) express various levels of endogenous MyoD1 mRNA ranging from nearly zero to high levels. The Myf‐5 gene was generally not activated in 10T1/2 derived myogenic cell lines but was expressed in some MCA myoblasts. In primary human muscle cells Myf‐3 and Myf‐4 mRNA but very little Myf‐5 mRNA is expressed. In mouse C2 and P2 muscle cell lines MyoD1 is abundantly synthesized together with myogenin. In contrast, the rat muscle lines L8 and L6 and the mouse BC3H1 cells express primarily myogenin and low levels of Myf‐5 but no MyoD1. Myf‐4 (myogenin) mRNA is present in all muscle cell lines at the onset of differentiation. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
The Watchdogs of Subsidiarity: National Parliaments and the Logic of Arguing in the EU

The 2004 Constitutional Treaty features an 'early warning system' (EWS) in which national parliaments will scrutinize European legislative proposals to assess whether they comply with the principle of subsidiarity. In constructivist terms, this procedure effectively sets up the Commission and the national parliaments as interlocutors in an "argument" over when and how the EU should legislate. At a minimum, this system - which should be expanded to include proportionality - will alleviate the 'democratic deficit' by enhancing the parliamentary scrutiny of EU legislation. If it works well, it will improve the subsidiarity compliance of EU legislation and produce a clearer substantive definition of the principle. Copyright 2006 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.
Cooperative-manipulation scheme of routh-hurwitz type for simultaneous repetitive motion planning of two-manipulator robotic systems

In this paper, a novel task-level cooperative-manipulation scheme is proposed for the simultaneous repetitive motion planning (SRMP) of two-manipulator robotic systems. Specifically, to remedy the two-manipulators' joint-angle drift phenomenon, a Routh-Hurwitz type performance index is designed and exploited for the first time. Two Routh-Hurwitz type subschemes are thus generated for the left and right robot manipulators respectively. Then, the two subschemes are unified as one scheme. Theoretical analysis based on Routh-Hurwitz criterion is presented to show the feasibility and effectiveness of the proposed performance indices. Furthermore, the unified scheme is reformulated as a quadratic program (QP) to be solved in real time. Finally, computer simulations based on two-manipulator robotic systems substantiate the effectiveness and accuracy of the proposed cooperative-manipulation scheme for SRMP.
Recurrent primary haemangiopericytoma of the bladder: A case report and literature review

Haemangiopericytoma (HPC) is a rare soft-tissue tumour with great histological variability and unpredictable clinical and biological behaviour. HPC of the bladder is exceedingly rare and carries uncertain malignant potential. The current study reports a case of HPC of the bladder in a 48-year-old female, who was admitted to the Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital (Hangzhou, China) due to a large bladder mass. The patient exhibited no mass-related symptoms, such as pain, gross haematuria or urinary irritation. Seven years prior to admission, the patient underwent surgical resection of a bladder mass, which was determined to be HPC. Computed tomography scans showed a well-defined, heterogeneously enhancing solid cystic mass in the bladder. The patient underwent complete excision of the tumour and a partial cystectomy. The histopathological diagnosis was HPC of the bladder. The post-operative recovery was uneventful and no evidence of recurrence or metastasis was identified during two years of follow-up. The clinical and histological features, and the treatment and prognosis of this tumour are discussed together in the present study, with a review of the literature.