Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The Association Between Mechanical Power and Mortality in Ventilated Patients with Pneumonia

Background: Recent studies reported that mechanical power (MP) has been associated with increased mortality in patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). We aimed to investigate the association between 28-day mortality and MP in patients with severe pneumonia. Methods: In total, 313 patients with severe pneumonia were enrolled. Serial MP was recorded daily for either 21 days or until ventilator support was no longer required. The associations between all variables and 28-day mortality were analyzed using binary logistic regression analyses. Results: The ARDS group (106 patients) demonstrated lower age, higher Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II score, lower history of diabetes mellitus, high incidences of shock and jaundice, higher MP and driving pressure on Day 1, and higher death within 28 days than the non-ARDS group. Regression analysis revealed that MP was an independent factor associated with 28-day mortality (odds ratio, 1.041; 95% confidence interval, 1.013-1.071). MP persisted high in non-survivors and low in survivors among the ARDS group, the non-ARDS group and all patients.Conclusions: MP was associated with the 28-day mortality in ventilated patients with severe pneumonia both in the ARDS and non-ARDS groups. MP had better predicted value for 28-day mortality than driving pressure.
Managerial Ability and Revenue-Expense Matching: Accrual Estimation versus Business Decision

We investigate the association between managerial ability and revenue-expense matching. We find that firms having managers with better ability exhibit better contemporaneous revenue-expense matching because more capable managers estimate accruals more accurately and select the projects with smaller early cash outflows. On the other hand, the relation between current revenue and past expense is weaker for such firms. These findings are attributable to both accrual estimations and project selections, former effect being stronger than the latter. Our study indicates that the relation between managerial ability and earnings attribute could be a function of accrual estimation process as well as project selection
Determination of Sulfur in Bio-Samples by ICP-QMS/QMS with an ORC

A method for determination of sulfur was investigated using an inductively coupled plasma tandem quadrupole mass spectrometer (ICP-QMS/QMS) with an octopole reaction/collision cell (ORC). It helped to achieve a lower background equivalent concentration (BEC) and a lower detection limit (DL) when 10% HNO3 with 10% ethanol was applied as the rinse solution. Sulfur measurement was carried out by shifting the measured mass from 32S+ to 32S16O+ by reaction with O2 gas. The introduction of H2 together with O2 as reaction gases provided a lower DL. The BEC and DL of 32S were 0.83 ng g-1 and 0.03 ng g-1, respectively. The validation of the present method was confirmed by determining sulfur in certified reference materials, NIST SRMs 2773, 2298, and 2299. The results of sulfur in amino-acids and protein indicate that determination of sulfur could be an effective technique for quantification of sulfur-containing amino acids and proteins.
Learning with the Past: Racism, Education and Reparative Futures

This paper was commissioned by UNESCO as background information to assist in drafting the Futures of Education report to be published in 2021. It has not been edited by UNESCO. The views and opinions expressed in this paper are those of the author(s) and should not be attributed to UNESCO. This paper can be cited with the following reference: Sriprakash, A. , Nally, D. , Myers, K. , and Ramos-Pinto, P. 2020. Learning with the Past: Racism, Education and Reparative Futures. Paper commissioned for the UNESCO Futures of Education report (forthcoming, 2021).
Method for purification of collagen: A systematic review

Collagen has diverse applications in various industries and thus a various method of purifications has been developed over the years to produce high yield and high purity of collagen to fulfill collagen market demand. The objective of this qualitative systematic review is to summarize the current literature on the existing purification methods for collagen from different sources. Toward this end, three databases were searched and articles were screened for all original articles explaining the purification of collagen regardless of their main sources. After the comprehensive screening, out of 715 articles, 12 articles were chosen and were further reviewed. The analysis of the technical details, theory, advantages, and disadvantages of the techniques used are reported in this study. We found four types of purification methods that commonly used to purify various types of collagen from mammals, marine, bacteria, and recombinant collagen. The correlations between the prevalence of the method and the efficiency of collagen purification were also identified. It highlighted that many factors should be considered before choosing any method of purification such as types, sources and structure of the collagen itself. Affinity chromatography commonly used for purification of recombinant collagen as they have been genetically modified and appended by affinity tags whereas conventional purification method is preferable for non-recombinant collagen from mammalian and marine sources.
Feature Extraction and Classification for Electro-Encephalography Based Bci: A Review

A Brain Computer Interface (BCI) system provides a method for controlling a peripheral device. A BCI may use the magnetic, electrical, or metabolic activity of the brain. Electro-encephalography (EEG) is a non-invasive technique. It is popular for BCI research and is preferred due to its high temporal resolution, low cost of devices, convenience and movability. BCI based applications have massive potential in assistive devices, health care, and amusement industry. A regular BCI system comprises of these steps: signal acquisition, pre-processing, feature extraction and classification. An EEG contains the impulsive electrical activity of the brain taken from electrodes placed on the scalp of the subject. The EEG signal is then processed to remove noise and enhance the signal for analysing further. Features are mined from the amplitude and frequency of the recorded analog signals which can be transformed into feature vectors, and given as input to a classifier. Since EEG is non-stationary in nature, vulnerable to artifacts and has high variability, we need algorithms that efficiently extract relevant features and classify the signals accurately. This study reviews some recent applications of BCI and the feature extraction techniques used by them. Machine learning algorithms typically used in EEG-based BCI applications are also studied.
Montmorillonite combined organic acid or essential oil complex improves the intestinal health status of laying hens

Background: This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of montmorillonite combined organic acid (MOA) complex and montmorillonite combined essential oil (MEO) complex on the laying performance and intestinal barrier functions in laying hens. Methods: Two hundred and seventy 29-wk-old laying hens were randomly assigned to 3 treatments consisted of 6 replicates of 15 hens, receiving the following diets for 10 wks, respectively: 1) basal diet; 2) the basal diet added with 0.65 g/kg of MOA complex; 3) the basal diet added with 0.70 g/kg of MEO complex. Results: Dietary supplementation with both MOA and MEO complexes tended to increase (P = 0.094) the hens’ egg production and improved numerically (P > 0.05) the egg mass and feed conversion ratio during 6–10 weeks of the experiment. Dietary MOA and MEO complexes decreased (P < 0.05) the relative amount of Clostridium perfringens and the mRNA expression levels of myeloid differentiation factor 88 (MyD88) and interleukin‐1 beta (IL-1β) in the ileum while increased (P < 0.05) the activity of suctase and villus height-to-crypt depth ratio of the ileum. Besides, dietary inclusion of MEO complex increased (P < 0.05) the mRNA expression level of claudin-5 in the ileum. The MOA complex supplementation reduced (P < 0.05) the relative amount of Salmonella and nuclear factor kappa B P65 (NF-κB p65) mRNA expression level of the ileum but enhanced (P < 0.05) the alkaline phosphatase activity in the ileum and villus height-to-crypt depth ratio of the jejunum. Conclusions: Dietary both MOA and MEO complexes could improve the intestinal health status of laying hens, which may contribute to the partially increase in hens’ laying performance.
Important Dispersal Capacity of One Main Species Vector of Bluetongue and Schmallenberg Viruses Culicoides Obsoletus (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae) Revealed by Landscape Genetic Analyses 

Background: In the last two decades, recurrent epizootics of bluetongue virus and Schmallenberg virus have been reported in the western Palearctic region. These viruses affect domestic cattle, sheep, goats and wild ruminants and are transmitted by native hematophagous midges of the genus Culicoides (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae). Culicoides dispersal is known to be stratified, i.e. due to a combination of dispersal processes occurring actively at short distances and passively or semi-actively at long distances, allowing individuals to jump hundreds of kilometers. Methods: Here, we aim to identify the environmental factors that promote or limit gene flows of Culicoides obsoletus, an abundant and widespread vector species in Europe using an innovative framework integrating spatial, population genetics and statistical approaches. A total of 348 individuals were sampled in 46 sites in France and have been genotyped using 11 newly-designed microsatellite markers. Results: We found a low genetic differentiation and population structure for C. obsoletus across the country. Using three complementary inter-individual genetic distances, we did not detect any significant isolation-by-distance, but a significant anisotropic isolation-by-distance on a North-South axis. We have employed a multiple regression approach on distance matrices to investigate the correlation between genetic and environmental distances. Among all the environmental factors that have been tested, only cattle density seems to have an impact on C. obsoletus gene flow. Conclusions: Such a high dispersal capacity of C. obsoletus over land territories calls for a re-evaluation of the impact of Culicoides on virus dispersal and highlights the urgent need to better integrate molecular, spatial and statistical information to guide vector-borne diseases control.
Application and Kinetics of Ozone in Food Preservation

ABSTRACT Ozone is activated oxygen and it is referred to as a triatomic form of oxygen. It is a natural agent and has a broad antimicrobial property, which together with an oxidation potential, make it an attractive option for the food industry. This article focuses on the use of ozone for preservation of vegetables, fruits and fruit juices, and highlights the inactivation mechanism of microorganisms. The application of ozone in grain storage and the quality of ozone treated grains is discussed, along with the reaction kinetics of ozone in grains.
Flux and profile measurements of an atomic beam using laser cooled atoms

The population dynamics of a Magneto-Optical Trap (MOT) make it a potential candidate for flux measurements of an atomic beam. This is achieved by determining the collisional cross section of the trapped atom and the beam particle which would result in ejection of a trapped atom. Due to the properties of a MOT it is possible to make spatial and time-of-flight profiles of the beam using this technique. The work of this thesis explores the collisional cross sections and flux profiles of several gaseous beams with a MOT of 85Rb or 87Rb. Each of the beams, generated through supersonic expansion, produced a loss cross section on the order of the combined van-der-Waals radii of the two particles. The flux and time-of-flight information of the beam was verified with a Residual Gas Analyser (RGA) and high beam rep rate pressure measurements. The MOT was characterized through a combination of fluorescence detection for population and a catalysis process for the trap’s depth. A custom built translation mechanism for the MOT’s optics and Helmholtz coils was constructed to perform the profiling measurements.
Understanding the impact of correlation within pair‐bonds on Cormack–Jolly–Seber models

Abstract The Cormack–Jolly–Seber (CJS) model and its extensions have been widely applied to the study of animal survival rates in open populations. The model assumes that individuals within the population of interest have independent fates. It is, however, highly unlikely that a pair of animals which have formed a long‐term pairing have dissociated fates. We examine a model extension which allows animals who have formed a pair‐bond to have correlated survival and recapture fates. Using the proposed extension to generate data, we conduct a simulation study exploring the impact that correlated fate data has on inference from the CJS model. We compute Monte Carlo estimates for the bias, range, and standard errors of the parameters of the CJS model for data with varying degrees of survival correlation between mates. Furthermore, we study the likelihood ratio test of sex effects within the CJS model by simulating densities of the deviance. Finally, we estimate the variance inflation factor c^ for CJS models that incorporate sex‐specific heterogeneity. Our study shows that correlated fates between mated animals may result in underestimated standard errors for parsimonious models, significantly deflated likelihood ratio test statistics, and underestimated values of c^ for models taking sex‐specific effects into account. Underestimated standard errors can result in lowered coverage of confidence intervals. Moreover, deflated test statistics will provide overly conservative test results. Finally, underestimated variance inflation factors can lead researchers to make incorrect conclusions about the level of extra‐binomial variation present in their data.
Historical eye on IPF: a cohort study redefining the mortality scenario

Rationale Therapies that slow idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) progression are now available and recent studies suggest that the use of antifibrotic therapy may reduce IPF mortality. Objectives The aim of the study was to evaluate whether, to what extent, and for which factors the survival of IPF in a real-life setting has changed in the last 15 years. Methods Historical eye is an observational study of a large cohort of consecutive IPF patients diagnosed and treated in a referral center for ILDs with prospective intention. We recruited all consecutive IPF patients seen at GB Morgagni Hospital, Forlì, Italy between January 2002 and December 2016 (15 years). We used survival analysis methods to describe and model the time to death or lung transplant and Cox regression to model prevalent and incident patient characteristics (time-dependent Cox models were fitted). Measurements and main results The study comprised 634 patients. The year 2012 identifies the time point of mortality shift (HR 0.58, CI 0.46–0.63, p < 0.001). In the more recent cohort, more patients had better preserved lung function, underwent cryobiopsy instead of surgery, and were treated with antifibrotics. Highly significant negative prognostic factors were lung cancer (HR 4.46, 95% CI 3.3–6, p < 0.001), hospitalizations (HR 8.37, 95% CI 6.5–10.7, p < 0.001), and acute exacerbations (HR 8.37, 95% CI 6.52–10.7, p < 0.001). The average antifibrotic treatment effect estimated using propensity score matching showed a significant effect in the reduction of all-cause mortality (ATE coeff −0.23, SE 0.04, p < 0.001), acute exacerbations (ATE coeff −0.15, SE 0.04, p < 0.001), and hospitalizations (ATE coeff −0.15, SE 0.04, p < 0.001) but no effect on lung cancer risk (ATE coeff −0.03, SE 0.03, p = 0.4). Conclusion Antifibrotic drugs significantly impact hospitalizations, acute exacerbations, and IPF survival. After the introduction of cryobiopsy and antifibrotic drugs, the prognosis of IPF patients has significantly improved together with our ability to detect IPF at an earlier stage.
Assessment of Home-Based Telemedicine Systems in human resourse management

Telemedicine is essentially “the use of information and telecommunications technologies to provide and support health care services when distance separates the participants. Many product developments have taken place resulting in various medical devices becoming commercially available which may form part of a telemedicine solution. To foster user acceptance of telemedicine technologies, it is important for healthcare consumers to have a positive attitude toward using such systems. A key factor that influence user acceptance is the usability of the telemedicine system. It is critical, for real-world applicability to situate telemedicine applications within the context-specific needs of the people benefiting from or otherwise affected by them. Limited research is conducted in evaluating the usability of such tools from a home based video telemedicine system perspective has been conducted. To address this situation, this study investigates the usability issues associated with four home-based telemedicine software platforms using task performance metrics, and subjective measures. At-home telemedicine visits are quickly becoming an acceptable alternative for in-person patient visits. However, little work has been done to understand the usability of these home-based telemedicine solutions. It is critical for user acceptance and real-world applicability to evaluate available telemedicine solutions within the context-specific needs of the users of this technology. To address this need, this study evaluated the usability of four home-based telemedicine software platforms: Doxy.me, Vidyo,VSee, and Polycom. Statistically significant differences among the telemedicine software platforms were found for task completion time, total workload, mental demand, effort, frustration, preference ranking and computer system usability scores. Usability problems with installation and account creation led to high mental demand and task completion time, suggesting the participants preferred a system without such requirements. Majority of the usability issues were identified at the telemedicine initiation phase. The findings from this study can be used by software developers to develop user-friendly telemedicine systems.
Effects of Combustion-Generated Nanoparticles on Cellular Membranes

ABSTRACT In the environment, the process of combustion is the dominant pathway through which mankind continuously injects particles into the atmosphere at the present time. The most direct and serious risk related to these emissions is the direct absorption of these particles into the living systems of humans and animals through the process of respiration, especially in more urban environments. Little is known about the potential of low-level exposures to alter key biophysical functions, such as membrane form and function. This study employs molecular dynamics simulations to reconstruct the free energy landscapes of the mechanisms of entry of nanoparticles into biological cells. Specifically, we investigate the behavior of two nanoparticles produced in combustion conditions with different amphiphilic properties to assess the effect of chemical composition on the interactions with cellular membranes. Free energy calculations of nanoparticles interacting with a lipid bilayer composed of dimyristoylphosphatidylcholine and cholesterol show that the presence of hydroxyl groups on the nanoparticle makes the region where the lipids’ heads are solvated by water the most favorable position for these species. The hydrophobic nanoparticle shows a strong affinity for the center of the membrane. This study shows the importance of surface composition and suggests different mechanisms of interactions of nanoparticles with cellular membranes.
POLITENESS, GENDER AND POWER: THE STUDY OF MAKING AND RESPONDING TO REQUEST IN MOANA MOVIE SCRIPT

The article investigates the relation of politeness, gender and power in making and responding to request between two person with different social status and rank in Moana movie. Trosborg’s taxonomy of request strategies (1995), Face Threatening Acts (FTAs), and politeness strategies by Brown and Levinson (1987), Fairclough theory of power (1989) are applied to explain the phenomenon of how the act of making and responding to requests influence the possible politeness strategies, the construction of gender by language choices and their power. The study indicates that Moana, a daughter of the chief village, succeeds in reaching her goal of her mission to request Maui to restore the ‘heart’ of Te Fiti and further restore and heal the nature. Moana’s success, despite Maui’s rank and status as a powerful male demigod, is the result of her communication of using request strategy, which also demonstrate her powerful position. The finding of this study reveals that both characters’ ways on making and responding request are related to and determine their gender and power.
Effectiveness of teicoplanin versus β-lactam for bacteremia due to methicillin-susceptible Staphylococcus aureus: a propensity score-based study

Background: Many studies have shown that vancomycin is inferior to β-lactam antibiotics in terms of effectiveness in the treatment of methicillin-susceptible Staphylococcus aureus (MSSA) bacteremia. However, limited data are available regarding the comparison of clinical outcomes between patients receiving initial teicoplanin and those receiving β-lactam antibiotics for MSSA bacteremia.Methods: Eighty-four adults with MSSA bacteremia were included: initial teicoplanin treatment group (n=28) and β-lactam treatment group (n=56). The two groups were further stratified based on propensity score matching according to the outcome analysis using a logistic regression model. We investigated the clinical outcomes between the groups before and after propensity score matching after treatment completion.Results: Pittsburgh bacteremia score ≥4 (odds ratio, 60.6; 95%CI, 7.4–496.8) was an independent risk factor for unfavorable outcome. After propensity score matching, the initial teicoplanin treatment group and the β-lactam treatment group consisted of 28 patients each. No statistically significant differences were observed in the proportions of patients with favorable outcomes and 30-day overall mortality rates between the groups before and after propensity score matching after the completion of teicoplanin or β-lactam treatment. The Kaplan-Meier 30-day survival curve also showed no significant difference between the patients receiving initial teicoplanin treatment and those receiving β-lactam treatment before and after matching (hazard ratio, 1.84, 95%CI, 0.60–5.64; and 3.12, 95%CI, 0.98–9.99, respectively). Conclusions: There were no significant difference in clinical outcomes between initial teicoplanin treatment and β-lactam treatment among patients with MSSA bacteremia. Pittsburgh bacteremia score ≥4 was a significant risk factor for mortality.