Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
EFFECT OF EPIDURAL ANALGESIA ON LABOR AND ITS OUTCOMES.

BACKGROUND Epidural analgesia is an effective and popular way to relieve labour pain but it may interfere with normal mechanism of labour. The objective of this study was to evaluate the outcome of labour in women with effective epidural analgesia in terms of duration of labour, mode of delivery and neonatal outcome. METHODS This was a quasi-experimental study conducted in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Shaikh Zayed Federal Postgraduate Medical Institute and Hospital, Lahore. One hundred pregnant women were selected by non-probability convenient sampling method. Subjects were divided into two groups of. 50 each as per convenience. Patients of any gravidity at term from 37-41 weeks were included in the sample. Epidural analgesia was applied to group B and distilled water to group A at the lumber region and the progress of labour, mode of delivery and effects on Apgar scores of neonates were evaluated. Out of hundred patients, 77 had normal duration of second stage while 23 had prolonged second stage. Among them, 18 patients (36%) were in epidural group and 5 patients (10%) in non-epidural group, while 4 patients (8%) in epidural group developed intra-partum complications; whereas among non-epidural group had such complications. 65 patients had spontaneous vaginal delivery while 35 patients had instrumental delivery. Among them 29 patients (58%) were in epidural group while only 6 patients (12%) were in non-epidural group. Babies born had Apgar score 5/10 (21.8%), 6/10 (59.4%) and 7/10 (17.8%) at 1 minute and 8/10 (74.3%) and 9/10 (24.8%) at 5 minutes in both groups and none of them needed bag and mask resuscitation. CONCLUSION Epidural analgesia does prolong the duration of second stage of labour and increases the instrumental delivery rate. Neonatal outcome is satisfactory while only a few intra-partum complications are found with epidural analgesia.
How Social Inequality Can Promote Cooperation

Does inequality hinder or promote cooperation? To answer this question, we study a Prisoner’s Dilemma with local adaptation, to which we add heterogeneity in payoffs. In our model, agents vary in their wealth, and this inequality affects their potential gains and losses. We find that, in such a world in which the rich can get richer, cooperation defeats exploitation under a wide range of conditions. This is in stark contrast to the traditional evolutionary prisoner’s dilemma, in which cooperation rarely survives, and almost never thrives. Here on the contrary, cooperators do better than defectors, and this even without any strategic behavior or exogenously imposed strategies. We show how different types of inequality increase cooperation, but also how this effect is marginally decreasing. These results have important consequences for our understanding of the type of social and economic arrangements that are optimal and efficient.
The Chemokine Receptor CXCR4 is More Frequently Expressed in Breast Compared to Other Metastatic Adenocarcinomas in Effusions

Abstract: This objective of this study was to investigate the expression of chemokine receptors in tumor cells and leukocytes in breast carcinoma effusions. The expression of leukocyte markers (CD3/4/8/14/16/19) and chemokine receptors (CXCR1/4, CCR2/5/7) was studied in 21 breast carcinoma effusions using flow cytometry. Breast carcinoma cells expressed CXCR4 in 7/21 (33%) effusions, with less frequent expression of CXCR1, CCR5, and CCR7. CXCR2 and CCR2 were absent. Lymphocytes showed frequent CXCR4, CCR5, and CCR7 expression, while CXCR1, CXCR2, CCR2 were rarely or never detected. Macrophages expressed all six receptors except for CXCR2. Comparative analysis of breast carcinoma effusions with previously studied ovarian and cervical/endometrial adenocarcinomas (ACs) showed significantly higher CXCR4 expression in breast carcinoma cells compared to the other gynecological ACs (p = 0.001). Breast and cervical/endometrial carcinoma effusions showed different expression of chemokine receptors in lymphocytes (lower CXCR1, higher CXCR4 and CCR7 levels; p = 0.012, p = 0.005, p < 0.001, respectively) and macrophages (higher CCR7 levels; p < 0.001), as well as lower CD8 counts (p < 0.001) and higher CD19 counts (p = 0.001) compared to ovarian carcinoma effusions. Higher numbers of CD8‐positive lymphocytes (p = 0.080) and higher CCR7 monocyte expression (p = 0.087) were associated with a trend for shorter disease‐free survival. In conclusion, breast carcinoma cells express CXCR4, a unique feature among metastatic ACs in effusions, with rare expression of other chemokine receptors. Chemokine receptor expression in leukocytes and lymphocyte counts significantly differ from those of ovarian carcinoma effusions. The prognostic role of CCR7 expression in monocytes and CD8 counts in breast carcinoma effusions merits further research.
Influence of Flexible Crop Yield Distribution on Crop Insurance Premium Rate——A Case Study on Cotton Insurance in Three Areas of Xinjiang

Based on theoretical analysis of crop risk and premium rate setting,we take the case of premium rate setting of insurance on cotton yield in Shache County,Shaya County and Aksu City of Xinjiang.Using parametric methods and insurance actuarial technique,we select the optimal model for risk fitting of cotton yield in three areas;compare the premium rate calculated accurately under four risk distribution assumptions of cotton yield,and the rational premium rate,to analyze the impact of risk distribution of crop yield on premium rate setting.The empirical results show that the Logistic distribution is the optimal distribution for risk fitting of cotton yield in three areas;the rational net premium rate of cotton insurance in three areas is 7.62%,6.32% and 4.96%,respectively;there are errors in premium rate setting under assumptions of normal distribution,normalized skew distribution and Weibull distribution,ranging from 0.2 percentage points to 8 percentage points.Thus,it indicates that the selection of risk distribution model of yield directly affects the accuracy of premium rate setting of crops,and the key to accurate premium rate setting of crops lies in correct selection of risk distribution model of yield.
On the potential of lupin protein concentrate made by enzymatic hydrolysis of carbohydrates in dairy-like applications

The aim of this research was to study the parameters of obtaining lupin concentrates by enzymatic hydrolysis of wholegrain lupin flour and application of these concentrates in the technology of high-protein dairy-like products. The following enzymes preparations were used: Celluclast BG, Cellulaza 100, Pentopan Mono BG and α-amylase. The usage of Cellulaza 100 and Pentopan Mono BG showed the highest protein amounts in the lupin concentrates under the test conditions. Three factors were studied to take effect on crude protein content in the product: temperature in the range 50 -60°C; cellulase dosage between 0.54-1.62 units g -1 ; ratio water: flour - 10 : 1, 15 : 1, 20 : 1. Optimum hydrolysis conditions for Cellulaza 100 were temperature of 55°C; ratio water: f lour of 15 : 1; cellulase dosage of 1.08 units g -1 . Crude protein content in the final product increased on 12% compared with the original flour and on 8 -9% compared to the lupin concentrate obtained without enzymes. Hydrolysis by multienzymatic compositions was tried as an alternative way of increasing the efficiency of the process. However hydrolysis by multienzymatic compositions was not yet found so efficient as hydrolysis by pure Cellulaza 100. The lupin protein concentrate was dispersed in water and mixed with skimmed milk to have total product protein content about 5%. The mixture was fermented by yogurt starter culture; consumer properties of final products were investigated. Fermented products supplement the diet with vegetable proteins, fats, carbohydrates and fiber, which have high biological value.
Early Childhood Preservice Teachers' Beliefs about e-Portfolios and Experiences in the Development of an e-Portfolio in the United States

This study examined preservice teachers’ beliefs about e-portfolios as an indicator of their understanding of professional teaching standards through their experience in the development of an e-portfolio. This study analyzed a total of 112 pre-service teachers in an early childhood teacher education program in the U.S. Midwest. The results from hierarchical multiple regressions revealed that current program status and overall positive experience in the development of an e-portfolio were significant indicators of the preservice teachers’ beliefs about e-portfolios reflecting their understanding of standards. The results stress the importance of a positive experience in the development of an e-portfolio in helping preservice teachers better understand the standards pertaining to quality teacher education and standards-based performance through the development of an e-portfolio.
The future of future-oriented cognition in non-humans: theory and the empirical case of the great apes

One of the most contested areas in the field of animal cognition is non-human future-oriented cognition. We critically examine key underlying assumptions in the debate, which is mainly preoccupied with certain dichotomous positions, the most prevalent being whether or not ‘real’ future orientation is uniquely human. We argue that future orientation is a theoretical construct threatening to lead research astray. Cognitive operations occur in the present moment and can be influenced only by prior causation and the environment, at the same time that most appear directed towards future outcomes. Regarding the current debate, future orientation becomes a question of where on various continua cognition becomes ‘truly’ future-oriented. We question both the assumption that episodic cognition is the most important process in future-oriented cognition and the assumption that future-oriented cognition is uniquely human. We review the studies on future-oriented cognition in the great apes to find little doubt that our closest relatives possess such ability. We conclude by urging that future-oriented cognition not be viewed as expression of some select set of skills. Instead, research into future-oriented cognition should be approached more like research into social and physical cognition.
Effect of administration rate on propofol requirement in cats

Objectives The objective of this study was to determine the effect of administration rate on propofol dose for induction of anesthesia and the effect of methadone on this dose. Methods This was a prospective, randomized, blinded clinical study. Forty male cats (mean ± SD age 1.5 ± 0.8 years) were admitted for orchiectomy. Cats were randomly allocated to receive acepromazine (0.05 mg/kg) with either methadone (MET; 0.3 mg/kg) or saline (SAL; 0.03 ml/kg). Each premedication group then received anesthetic induction with propofol at 5 (F) or 1.5 mg/kg/min (S), resulting in the following four groups: MET-F, SAL-F, MET-S and SAL-S. Sedation scores were assigned at 15 and 30 mins after premedication using a simple descriptive scale (SDS) and a visual analog scale (VAS). After assignment of sedation scores, respiratory frequency (fR) was recorded, and anesthetic induction began and was continued until cats lost their palpebral reflexes and jaw tone, and the eye globe rotated ventromedially. The time for induction and the total amount of propofol needed was recorded, and intubation was then performed. After intubation, fR was also recorded. Results SDS and VAS sedation scores were low at 15 and 30 mins after premedication. There was no significant difference in sedation scores by time or between the groups at any time on any scale. The amount of propofol needed to achieve anesthetic induction was 5.3 ± 1.1 mg/kg in group MET-F, which was statistically lower when compared with the other three groups, which demonstrated no difference among them. Conclusions and relevance Premedication with acepromazine and methadone was not able to produce adequate sedation in healthy cats. The slow induction rate is not adequate for use in cats considering that all of the animals demonstrated excitement during anesthetic induction. The fast administration rate was able to produce adequate induction of anesthesia and reduce the amount of propofol needed to achieve intubation only when using methadone.
Conjugation-independent, site-specific recombination at the oriT of the IncW plasmid R388 mediated by TrwC

Plasmids containing a direct repeat of plasmid R388 oriT are capable of site-specific recombination, which results in deletion of the intervening DNA. This reaction occurs in the presence, but not in the absence, of the region of R388 implicated in DNA processing during conjugation. This region contains three genes, trwA, trwB, and trwC. By using mutants of each of the three genes, it was demonstrated that only trwC is required for the oriT-specific recombination. Further analysis showed that the N-terminal 272 amino acids of the protein are sufficient to catalyze recombination. TrwC is also capable of promoting intermolecular recombination between two plasmids containing oriT, suggesting that double-strand breaks in both plasmid DNAs are involved in the process. Additionally, intramolecular recombination between R388 oriT and R46 oriT did not occur in the presence of both nickases. This suggests that the half-reactions at each oriT are not productive if they occur separately; therefore, an interaction between the recombination complexes formed at each recombining site is required. This is the first report in which a nicking-closing enzyme involved in conjugal DNA transfer promotes oriT-specific recombination of double-stranded DNA in the absence of conjugation.
Existence of the uniform value in zero-sum repeated games with a more informed controller

We prove that in a two-player zero-sum repeated game where one of the players, say player $1$, is more informed than his opponent and controls the evolution of information on the state, the uniform value exists. This result extends previous results on Markov decision processes with partial observation (Rosenberg, Solan, Vieille [15]), and repeated games with an informed controller (Renault [14]). Our formal definition of a more informed player is more general than the inclusion of signals, allowing therefore for imperfect monitoring of actions. We construct an auxiliary stochastic game whose state space is the set of second order beliefs of player $2$ (beliefs about beliefs of player $1$ on the state variable of the original game) with perfect monitoring and we prove it has a value by using a result of Renault [14]. A key element in this work is to prove that player $1$ can use strategies of the auxiliary game in the original game in our general framework, from which we deduce that the value of the auxiliary game is also the value of our original game by using classical arguments.
Burkholderia phytofirmans PsJN promotes in vitro rooting and acclimatization of Helleborus

Helleborus is a valuable ornamental plant, flowering in early spring or winter. Its hybrid cultivars can be propagated vegetatively, including in vitro via axillary shoots. One of the obstacles preventing effective micropropagation is the necessity for culture to be kept at a temperature of around 15oC, which additionally increases costs. Knowledge obtained up to date shows that inoculating plants with bacteria Burkholderia phytofirmans PsJN can increase their tolerance to the non-optimal growth temperature. In this study, we tested whether the bacterium, which is known to produce a relatively high amount of IAA and demonstrates ACC deaminase activity, was able to stimulate Helleborus root formation at a temperature of 23oC. In our experiment, the microshoots cultured without auxin and not inoculated with PsJN rooted in 83% with 1.7 roots of 0.6 cm long. The microshoots, which were induced to root with auxins IBA 3 mg/L and NAA 1 mg/L but not inoculated, were rooted in 94% with 2.0 roots of 1.1 cm long. A similar result was obtained for the microshoots not rooted on auxin containing medium but inoculated with PsJN – 95% rooted shoots with 2.3 roots of 1.2 mm long. The microshoots that were induced to root on the auxins containing medium and then inoculated with PsJN were rooted in 100% with 6.9 roots of 2.1 cm long. Almost all microplants from this treatment acclimatized to greenhouse conditions and grew vigorously, then flowered after winter precooling in a mildly heated greenhouse.
A haptic system for robotic assisted spine surgery

This paper deals with the problem of guiding an operator during the execution of a 5 degrees of freedom surgical teleoperation task. The work is focused on the feasibility of a spine surgery telerobotic system, made up of a haptic master, a slave robot, an optical tracking device and a main control unit. With this system, the surgeon performs a drilling operation by using a telerobotic device, being guided by haptic feedback: as soon as the vertebra moves, the tracking device measures vertebra pose and a proper force is exerted on the operator's hand to let him/her adjust surgical tool position and orientation. Moreover, the haptic master produces the force feedback related to the teleoperation. The paper is focused on the design and implementation of this haptic system, with particular reference to control system architecture. Finally, some experimental results are presented
Primary Prevention Implantation of Cardioverter Defibrillator without Defibrillation Threshold Testing: 2‐Year Follow‐up

Background: Even though the intraoperative threshold testing of the implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) may cause hemodynamic impairment or be unfeasible, it is still considered required standard practice at the time of implantation. We compared the outcome of ICD recipients who underwent defibrillation threshold testing (DFT) with that of patients in whom no testing was performed.
Linear Minimum Mean Square Filters for Markov Jump Linear Systems

This paper studies optimal mean square error estimation for discrete-time linear systems with observed Markov jump parameters. New linear estimators are introduced by considering a cluster information structure in the filter design. The set of filters constructed in this way can be ordered in a lattice according to the refines of clusters of the Markov chain, including the linear Markovian estimator at one end (with only one cluster) and the Kalman filter at the other end (with as many clusters as Markov states). The higher is the number of clusters, the heavier are precomputations and smaller is the estimation error for embedded sequences of partitions so that the cardinality and choice of the clusters allows for a tradeoff between performance and computational requirements. In this paper, we propose the estimator, give the formulas for precomputation of gains, present some properties, and give an illustrative numerical example.
Estradiol and its metabolites and their association with knee osteoarthritis.

OBJECTIVE To determine if levels of endogenous estrogen or estrogen metabolites are associated with an increased risk of developing knee osteoarthritis (OA) in women. METHODS Serum estradiol (E2) and 2 urinary estrogen metabolites (2-hydroxyestrone and 16alpha-hydroxyestrone) with radiographically defined prevalent and incident knee OA in 842 white and African American women from the Southeast Michigan Arthritis Cohort. RESULTS The mean age and body mass index (BMI) of women in the cohort were 42.3 years and 28.5 kg/m2, respectively. Women who developed radiographically defined knee OA had significantly greater odds of having baseline endogenous early follicular phase estradiol concentrations in the lowest tertile (<47 pg/ml; odds ratio [OR] 1.88, 95% confidence interval [95% CI] 1.07-3.51) compared with those with estradiol concentrations in the middle tertile [47-77 pg/ml]), after adjustment for age, BMI, and other covariates. Women who developed knee OA also had greater odds of having baseline urinary concentrations of 2-hydroxyestrone in the lowest tertile (OR 2.9, 95% CI 1.49-5.68) compared with women with 2-hydroxyestrone concentrations in the middle tertile), after adjustment for covariates. Women who developed knee OA were more likely to have a ratio of 16alpha-hydroxyestrone to 2-hydroxyestrone in the highest tertile (>0.86; OR 1.86, 95% CI 1.01-3.44 compared with women with ratios in the 0.54-0.86 range), after adjustment for other covariates. CONCLUSION There were significant associations of lower baseline serum estradiol and urinary 2-hydroxyestrone with developing knee OA in middle-aged women.
Inertia Estimation Based on Observed Electromechanical Oscillation Response for Power Systems

The inertia constant is a key parameter of synchronous grids that are robust to disturbances. This paper presents an inertia estimation method for a multi-area interconnected electric power system. The method utilizes the electromechanical oscillation response measured with a phasor measurement unit. On the basis of the classical swing equation, the mathematical relationships between inertia and electromechanical oscillation parameters (i.e., oscillation frequency and damping ratio of a mode) are determined. The equivalent inertia of the system can be estimated by extracting the frequency and damping ratio of a mode from the observed active power on the tie line in the electromechanical oscillation response. Moreover, the system damping coefficient can be estimated without additional calculation and measurement. The inertia estimation errors caused by the poor extraction of oscillation parameters are reduced by utilizing the advanced parameter identification technology called adaptive local iterative filtering decomposition to identify the frequency and damping ratio of a mode. The accuracy and robustness of the proposed method are verified by using two simulation examples and an actual system.
Aminophylline Induced Atrial Fibrillation

Atrial fibrillation (AF) with a rapid ventricular response was induced by intravenous [W] aminophyJJine during treatment for symptomatic pulmonary disease in three patients who had no evidence of underlying heart disease or previous cardiac arrhythmia. Serum theophylline concentration was therapeutic in two patients and toxic in the third. Previous reports of AF related to aminophylline have underscored its association with toxic serum theophylline concentration. Conversion to sinus rhythm occurred at a time interval (9–14 hours] appropriate o t the serum decay of aminophylline, after its cessation. A shortened atrial refractory period and dispersed recovery of excitability consequent to aminophylline may engender multiple reentrant circuits and lead to AF, IV diltiazem was more effective than digoxin in the ventricular rate control of AF prior to conversion to sinus rhythm.