Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Race/Ethnicity as a Risk Factor in the Development of Postpartum Hemorrhage: A Thorough Systematic Review of Disparity in the Relationship Between Pregnancy and the Rate of Postpartum Hemorrhage

Postpartum hemorrhage (PPH) is a major cause of maternal death and morbidity worldwide. Throughout the years, there have not been many studies looking into the association of race and ethnicity with the occurrence of PPH. The goal of this study was to assess race and ethnicity as risk factors in the development of PPH in pregnant women. Following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) standards, we conducted the analysis and conducted a literature search using Google Scholar and PubMed. After applying our inclusion and exclusion criteria, the search technique yielded a total of eight articles. The analysis included seven observational studies and one randomized controlled trial. The incidence of PPH was chosen as the major outcome measure. An evaluation of eight studies revealed that although Hispanics, Asians, Native Hawaiians, and other Pacific Islanders (NHOPI) have a higher chance of developing PPH caused by uterine atony, Caucasians had a greater rate of transfusion than the other groups. In addition, compared to Caucasians, African Americans or African descendants had a lower risk of atonic PPH but increased odds of atonic PPH requiring interventions. On the other hand, compared to non-native groups, Native Americans had increased odds of uterine atony. The results showed that, in contrast to other races/ethnicities, Caucasians had the lowest risk of PPH. Additionally, it was shown that African Americans or those descended from Africans had a higher chance of PPH but a lower risk of atonic PPH.
An algorithm for deriving an articulatory-phonetic representation /

In this research work we investigate a new articulatory-phonetic representation, called the gestural score, as a model of human speech production and perception. This dissertation discusses three types of analyses which have been used to produce gestural scores for various consonant-vowel-consonant syllables. First, we describe an algorithm which nonlinearly transforms the recorded positional values of four pellets placed on the tongue during articulation into variables in a new Cartesian space, in which the new x-and y-values represent the distance of the pellets going back along the opposing vocal tract wall and the distance perpendicular to the tract wall. Second, the transformed articulatory data serve as input for a principal components analysis of four tongue pellets. The objectives of this analysis are twofold: 1) to examine the eeectiveness of the coordinate transformation, and 2) to study the constriction features of vowels. Third, a computational model which performs spatio-temporal mapping from articulatory data to the gestural score representation 1 2 is examined. The computational model uses temporal decomposition to approximate multi-channel trajectories and yield a set of target functions and vectors. Temporal decomposition constructs multiple-channel trajectories from data-derived target functions using a form of adaptive Gauss-Seidel iteration. The resultant target functions, in conjunction with the weights for each basis function, are then used to derive the articulatory-phonetic representation { gestural scores for the CVC syllables embedded in the frame sentences. The voicing information is derived from the simultaneously recorded electroglottograph data. This method is applied to the task of estimating the gestural score for various CVC syllables in a stimulus set. To evaluate the adequacy of the derived gestural scores two evaluations were performed: a perception test, and a classiication test using an automatic recognizer based on a neural network model. High recognition rates from both the perceptual experiments and the automatic recognizers support the hypothesis that suucient information is available in the resultant gestural scores to allow accurate identiication of the phonetic elements. Acknowledgments My sincere thanks go to my advisers, Stanley Ahalt and Ashok Krishnamurthy, whose expertise in signal processing and neural networks and teaching ability have given me a solid foundation. I also wish to thank my other committee member, Professor Mary Beckman, who took interest in this work and provided many helpful comments. Thanks also go to Sookhyang Lee, Kenneth DeJong, and Kevin Cohen for their helpful contributions to this work. I gratefully acknowledge grant support from NSF …
Unearthing the common core for reflective teacher training in Antigua and Barbuda, England, and Canada

Teacher education and training vary across the world, yet research from diverse cultures supports the development of reflective teachers. Claiming that the complex dynamics of the 21st-century classroom can be managed best by reflective teachers. Through the reflective process, teachers are empowered as change agents to modify learning environments to benefit their students. Teachers hold the power to influence student learning. Therefore, it is important to understand the training processes that serve to produce reflective practitioners. In conducting rigorous cross-cultural comparative research, identifying common evaluative indicators underpinned by a theoretical framework is critical. Hence, the principles of the pre-service emerging reflective teacher training (PERTT) model were explored quantitatively and explained qualitatively to specifically focus on teachers’ perceptions of their experiences of the psychosocial interpersonal process outcomes of the teacher-training environment (i.e. reflective practices, instructional scaffolding, guidance and support, modelled behaviours and reinforcement) provided during their teacher training. Such an exploration is critical because the philosophical underpinnings of the PERTT model have not been interrogated outside of Barbados. The findings demonstrate that there is merit to key theoretical principles of the PERTT model based on the lived experiences of the teachers in Antigua and Barbuda, England, and Canada during their teacher training.
Ultra-low power electronics for energy harvesting node

Apart from providing detailed insight about the energy harvesting system as a whole, this work tackles the challenges of efficient control of the interface circuit of an electrostatic vibration energy harvester, with severely limited power consumption allowance for the controlling electronics. Used interface circuit consists of double charge-pump topology, comprising a storage element (pre-charged reservoir capacitance), dual antiphase variable capacitance and an intermediate storage element, with an inductive flyback return path. Since high voltages are expected in the long term operation, switch component of the interface circuit is realized as a high-voltage PMOS device from AMSH35 process by AMS. Concerning the interface circuit, theoretical analysis was introduced, to demonstrate the requirement for precise synchronization of the switch with the circuit voltage levels, with the purpose of optimizing the harvested energy. Previous work was addressed, and this work was built upon it. For decreasing the power consumption of the critical component, a low power clock-signal generator was designed, with power consumption of approximately 0.35nW , and accompanying stable current reference with constant power consumption of 0.57nW , and 4.7%/V current deviation caused by variations in the supply voltage. Additionally, issues accompanying the long term operation, and thus increase in the pre-charge voltage, were discussed in details, and subject of interest for further research and promising possible improvements were suggested. Thesis Supervisor: Mehdi Azadmehr Title: Associate Professor
Biting Innovations of Mosquito-Based Biomaterials and Medical Devices

Mosquitoes are commonly viewed as pests and deadly predators by humans. Despite this perception, investigations of their survival-based behaviors, select anatomical features, and biological composition have led to the creation of several beneficial technologies for medical applications. In this review, we briefly explore these mosquito-based innovations by discussing how unique characteristics and behaviors of mosquitoes drive the development of select biomaterials and medical devices. Mosquito-inspired microneedles have been fabricated from a variety of materials, including biocompatible metals and polymers, to mimic of the mouthparts that some mosquitoes use to bite a host with minimal injury during blood collection. The salivary components that these mosquitoes use to reduce the clotting of blood extracted during the biting process provide a rich source of anticoagulants that could potentially be integrated into blood-contacting biomaterials or administered in therapeutics to reduce the risk of thrombosis. Mosquito movement, vision, and olfaction are other behaviors that also have the potential for inspiring the development of medically relevant technologies. For instance, viscoelastic proteins that facilitate mosquito movement are being investigated for use in tissue engineering and drug delivery applications. Even the non-wetting nanostructure of a mosquito eye has inspired the creation of a robust superhydrophobic surface coating that shows promise for biomaterial and drug delivery applications. Additionally, biosensors incorporating mosquito olfactory receptors have been built to detect disease-specific volatile organic compounds. Advanced technologies derived from mosquitoes, and insects in general, form a research area that is ripe for exploration and can uncover potential in further dissecting mosquito features for the continued development of novel medical innovations.
Dual-Band Balanced-to-Unbalanced Power Divider with Inherent Impedance Transformation

ABSTRACT A planar microstrip circuit is proposed in this article to design a dual-band balanced-to-unbalanced out-of-phase power divider with inherent impedance transformation. This balanced-to-unbalanced power divider, which essentially consists of two pairs of cascaded coupled lines, two dual-band 90° phase shifters, and a grounded resistor, features the dual-band application with inherent impedance transformation, the equal power division with out of phase, high isolation between two outputs, good ports (A, 3, and 4) matching, and high common-mode noise suppression as well as the excellent conversion inhibition between the differential-mode signals and the common-mode noise. The closed-form solutions are obtained by using the traditional odd- and even-mode analytical methods. Finally, a practical microstrip balanced-to-unbalanced power divider, which operates at 0.9 GHz and 1.8 GHz, is designed and fabricated. The simulated and measured results verify the correctness of the circuit and the design theory.
Impact of SLM build parameters on the surface quality

RTejournal - Forum fur Rapid Technologie, Vol. 2014, Iss. 1 - Additive manufacturing by melting of metal powders is an innovative method to create one-offs and customized parts. Branches like dentistry, aerospace engineering and tool making were indicated and the manufacturing methods are established. Besides all the advantages, like freedom of design, manufacturing without a tool and the reduction of time-to-market, there are however some disadvantages, such as reproducibility or the surface quality. The surface quality strongly depends on the orientation of the component in the building chamber, the process parameters which are laser power and exposure time, but also on the so-called “hatch”-strategy, which includes the way the laser exposes the solid areas. This paper deals with the investigation and characterization of the surface quality of generated parts produced by SLM. Main process parameters including part orientation, part size and hatch strategies are investigated and monitored. The outcome is a recommendation of suitable hatch strategies depending on desired part properties. This includes metered values and takes into account process stability and reproducibility.
Hypermethylation of RAD 51 L 3 and XRCC 2 Genes to Predict Late Toxicity in Chemoradiotherapy-Treated Cervical Cancer Patients ( DNA methylation / RAD 51 gene family / cervical cancer / late toxicity )

Abbreviations: DSB – double-strand break, FIGO – International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics staging system, HR – homologous recombination, ICRU – International Commission of Radiation Units and Measurements, MS­MLPA – methylati­ on-specific multiplex ligation-dependent probe amplification, RTOG/EORTC – Radiation Therapy Oncology Group/European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer. Abstract. Cervical cancer affects women worldwide, especially in developing countries. Approximately 500,000 cases of this disease are diagnosed per year. The method of choice in the treatment of advanced cervical cancers (in accordance with the International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics staging system (FIGO) starting from stage IIB) is combined radiotherapy with concomitant chemotherapy. This treatment provides good tumour control, but it carries a risk of late complications in the irradiated area in 10–15 % of cases. Methylation is one of the methods of epigenetic control, which has an important role in gene expression. Aberrant methylation of normal CpG islands in promoters of tumour suppressor genes such as RB, p53 or DNA reparation genes ATM, BRCA1,2, and RAD51 gene family causes silencing of their function and cell cycle deregulation, which is one of the efficient ways of neoplastic transformation. The significantly decreased expression of molecules involved in DNA response may cause facilitated radiosensitivity in predisposed individuals. We looked for the relationship between hypermethylation of 18 DNA reparation genes and late toxicity occurrence in cervical cancer patients treated by chemoradiotherapy using methylation-specific multiplex ligation-dependent probe amplification (MS-MLPA). The cut-off value for the hypermethylation was set at 10 %. We confirmed significant association between promoter hypermethylation in the XRCC2 gene and occurrence of late grade III–IV toxicity in cervical cancer patients (P = 0.0357). This finding could be useful in the late toxicity prediction in radiotherapy-treated patients.
Does Vaccinating against Influenza in a Given Epidemic Season Have an Impact on Vaccination in the Next Season: A Follow-Up Study

To improve the uptake of influenza vaccine in the elderly, it is important to understand the factors that predict vaccination. The study objective was to explain influenza vaccination uptake in the next season (2019/2020) in a sample of primary care clinic patients from Gryfino, Poland, vaccinated in 2018/2019 with the free-of-charge quadrivalent vaccine. A baseline and a follow-up survey assessed respondent intentions to receive a vaccine (2018), then (2020) vaccine uptake and its predictors. Patients (n = 108, 54.6% males, Mage = 66.7 ± 6.7) filled in a researcher-administered questionnaire. A majority (69.3%) intended to get vaccinated in the next season, with 25.9% receipt. Of those willing to be immunized, only 31.9% were vaccinated in the next season; of those whose decision was dependent on reimbursement, none received influenza vaccine; of undecided patients, 23.1% were vaccinated. Multivariable analysis indicated that living with a partner (OR 6.22, p = 0.01), being employed (OR = 4.55, p = 0.05) and past vaccination behavior (OR 4.12; p = 0.04) were predictors of vaccine uptake. The findings show limited follow-through on initial influenza vaccination plans for the nearest season in previously vaccinated elderly patients. Future interventions should additionally focus on unanticipated barriers to vaccination, such as those revealed in this study, to increase vaccination coverage rates.
A Structural Model of Teacher Self-Efficacy, Emotion Regulation, and Psychological Wellbeing Among English Teachers

Because of the exacting nature of teaching, identifying factors affecting teachers’ mental health and psychological wellbeing are of paramount importance. Parallel with this line of inquiry, the goal of this project was to test a model of psychological wellbeing based on teacher self-efficacy and emotion regulation in an EFL context. To this end, 276 Iranian English teachers participated in this survey. First, the measurement models for the three latent constructs were verified through performing Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA). Then Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) was used to test the hypothesized model. SEM outcomes evince that both teacher self-efficacy and emotion regulation were the significant predictors of teachers’ psychological wellbeing, with teacher self-efficacy being a stronger correlate than emotion regulation. The findings offer significant implications for English as a Foreign Language (EFL) teachers.
Valuable Natural Antioxidant Products Recovered from Tomatoes by Green Extraction

Lycopene, β-carotene and ω-fatty acids are major compounds in tomatoes with known antioxidant activity, capable of preventing health disorders. The identification of potential natural sources of antioxidants, extraction efficiencies and antioxidant activity assessments are essential to promote such products to be used in the food, pharmaceutical or cosmetic industries. This work presents four added-value products recovered from tomatoes: pigmented solid oleoresin, pigmented oil and two raw extracts from supercritical and Soxhlet extraction. Different parameters including the matrices of tomatoes, extraction methods, green solvents and operating parameters were varied to obtain extracts with different qualities. Extract analysis was performed using UV–VIS, FT–IR, GC–MS, Folin–Ciocalteu and DPPH methods. The highest-quality extract was the solid oleoresin obtained from pomace using supercritical CO2 extraction at 450 bar, 70 °C and 11 kg/h: 1016.94 ± 23.95 mg lycopene/100 g extract, 154.87 ± 16.12 mg β-carotene/100 g extract, 35.25 ± 0.14 mg GAE/g extract and 67.02 ± 5.11% inhibition DPPH. The economic feasibility of the three extraction processes (1:10:100 kg dried pomace/batch as scalability criterion) was evaluated. The most profitable was the supercritical extraction process at the highest capacity, which produces pigmented solid oleoresin and oil with high content of lycopene valorized with a high market price, using natural food waste (pomace).
Surgical Management and Outcomes following Pathologic Hip Fracture—Results from a Propensity Matching Analysis of the Registry for Geriatric Trauma of the German Trauma Society

Background and Objectives: The outcomes of patients with pathologic hip fractures remain unclear. Data from a large international geriatric trauma registry were analyzed to examine the outcomes of patients with pathologic hip fractures compared with patients with typical osteoporotic hip fractures. Materials and Methods: Data from the Registry for Geriatric Trauma of the German Trauma Society (Deutsche Gesellschaft für Unfallchirurgie (DGU)) (ATR-DGU) were analyzed. All patients treated surgically for osteoporotic or pathologic hip fractures were included in this analysis. Across both fracture types, a 2:1 optimal propensity score matching and multivariate logistic regression analysis were conducted. In-house mortality rate and mortality at the 120-day follow-up, as well as mobility after 7 and 120 days, reoperation rate, discharge management from the hospital and readmission rate to the hospital until the 120-day follow-up were analyzed as outcome parameters for the underlying fracture type—pathologic or osteoporotic. Results: A total of 29,541 cases met the inclusion criteria. Of the patients included, 29,330 suffered from osteoporotic fractures, and 211 suffered from pathologic fractures. Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed no differences between the two fracture types in terms of mortality during the acute hospital stay, reoperation during the initial acute hospital stay, walking ability after seven days and the likelihood of being discharged back home. Walking ability and hospital readmission remained insignificant at the 120-day follow-up as well. However, the odds of passing away within the first 120 days were significantly higher for patients suffering from pathologic hip fractures (OR: 3.07; p = 0.003). Conclusions: Surgical treatment of pathologic hip fractures was marked by a more frequent use of arthroplasty in per- and subtrochanteric fractures. Furthermore, the mortality rate among patients suffering from pathologic hip fractures was elevated in the midterm. The complication rate, as indicated by the rate of readmission to the hospital and the necessity for reoperation, remained unaffected.
Model Predictive Torque Control for Electrical Drive Systems with and Without an Encoder

Finite Control Set Model Predictive Control (FCS-PTC) method has been investigated in the field of electrical drives. In this dissertation, FCS-PTC strategies have been used for Induction machine (IM) and permanent magnet synchronous machine (PMSM). The experimental results show the advantages of the FCS-PTC method against the traditional direct torque control (DTC) method. The method has been adapted into the sensorless applications by means of sliding mode observer (SMO) and model reference adaptive system (MRAS).
Conservation-Based Empowerment Da'wah Spirit: Management of Welo Asri Tourism by The Muslim Community of Kayupuring Petungkriyono Pekalongan

Da'wah should have an orientation from mere rhetoric to action, and it needs to be carried out not only in the fields of theology and Islamic education (Islamic education) but must also be realized in the form of empowerment that leads to the welfare of the people. This effort is what the Muslim community of Kayupuring Petungkriyono Pekalongan Village did by establishing the Forest Village Community Institution (LMDH) and collaborating with Perhutani to explore the potential of the forest in their area. Welo Asri Tourism Object was eventually established in the Welo river basin as a tangible manifestation of realizing their empowerment and welfare without neglecting to preserve the Petungkriyono forest. Using this type of qualitative research, Field Research, this article explores how the Muslim community's management of Welo Asri tourism is carried out by the Muslim community with a conservation-based da'wah spirit. As for the results of this study, which reviewed the three criteria for indicators of the success of Social Forestry, namely Institutional set-up (social), Forest Management (ecological), and Business Development (economics), it can be concluded that the management of Welo Asri Tourism Object can be said to have found optimal results. As an official institution, this tour is managed by LMDH Kayupuring by applying restrictions on accommodation development and management based on ecological principles. In addition, in terms of financial results, Welo Asri Tourism Object can also support 30% of the total 300 heads of families (KK) in Kayupuring Village. This condition proves that the self-help empowerment program and for them is running.