Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A Comparison of the Efficacy, Safety, and Patient Satisfaction of Ondansetron Versus Droperidol as Antiemetics for Elective Outpatient Surgical Procedures

Two identical, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled studies enrolled 2061 adult surgical outpatients at high risk of postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) to compare IV ondansetron 4 mg with droperidol 0.625 mg and droperidol 1.25 mg for the prevention of PONV. The antiemetic drugs or placebo were administered IV 20 min before the induction of anesthesia with a barbiturate compound, followed by maintenance with N2 O/isoflurane/enflurane. Nausea, emetic episodes, adverse events, and patient satisfaction were analyzed for the 0 to 2 h and 0 to 24 h postoperative periods. In the 0 to 2 h postoperative period, there was a complete response (no emesis or rescue antiemetic) in 46% of subjects given placebo (P < 0.05 versus antiemetic groups), in 62% given ondansetron, in 63% given droperidol 0.625 mg, and in 69% given droperidol 1.25 mg (P < 0.05 versus ondansetron). In the 0 to 24-h postoperative period, there were no significant differences in complete response between the ondansetron and droperidol 0.625 or 1.25 mg groups; all groups remained superior to placebo. The proportion of patients without nausea during the 0 to 24 h postoperative period was greater in the antiemetic groups compared with the placebo group; however, droperidol 1.25 mg was more effective than ondansetron 4 mg or droperidol 0.625 mg (43% vs 29% or 29%, respectively). Headache incidence was higher in the ondansetron group compared with either droperidol group. Patient satisfaction scores did not differ significantly among antiemetic treatment groups, although all were superior to placebo. In conclusion, all antiemetic treatment regimens were superior to placebo for the prevention of PONV in the immediate postoperative period; however, droperidol 1.25 mg was more efficacious than ondansetron during the early recovery period (0-2 h). There were no significant differences between ondansetron and either droperidol dose for emesis prevention during the 0 to 24 h postoperative period. Implications: More than 2000 patients at high risk of post-operative nausea and vomiting were given either placebo, ondansetron 4 mg, or droperidol 0.625 mg or 1.25 mg IV before the administration of general anesthesia. After surgery, the incidence of nausea, vomiting, medication side effects, and patient satisfaction were evaluated for 24 h. Droperidol 0.625 or 1.25 mg IV compared favorably with ondansetron 4 mg IV for the prevention of postoperative nausea and vomiting after ambulatory surgery. (Anesth Analg 1998;86:731-8)
Renegotiation Without Holdup: Anticipating Spending and Infrastructure Concessions

Infrastructure concessions are frequently renegotiated after investments are sunk, resulting in better contractual terms for the franchise holders. This paper offers a political economy explanation for renegotiations that occur with no apparent holdup. We argue that they are used by political incumbents to anticipate infrastructure spending and thereby increase the probability of winning an upcoming election. Contract renegotiations allow administrations to replicate the effects of issuing debt. Yet debt issues are incorporated in the budget, must be approved by Congress and are therefore subject to the opposition's review. By contrast, under current accounting standards the obligations created by renegotiations circumvent the budgetary process in most countries. Hence, renegotiations allow incumbents to spend more without being subject to Congressional oversight.
Socioeconomic Differences in Dietary Patterns in an East African Country: Evidence from the Republic of Seychelles

Background In high income countries, low socioeconomic status (SES) is related to unhealthier dietary patterns, while evidence on the social patterning of diet in low and middle income countries is scarce. Objective In this study, we assess dietary patterns in the general population of a middle income country in the African region, the Republic of Seychelles, and examine their distribution according to educational level and income. Methods Data was drawn from two independent national surveys conducted in the Seychelles among adults aged 25–64 years in 2004 (n = 1236) and 2013 (n = 1240). Dietary patterns were assessed by principal component analysis (PCA). Educational level and income were used as SES indicators. Data from both surveys were combined as no interaction was found between SES and year. Results Three dietary patterns were identified: “snacks and drinks”, “fruit and vegetables” and “fish and rice”. No significant associations were found between SES and the “snacks and drinks” pattern. Low vs. high SES individuals had lower adherence to the “fruit and vegetables” pattern [prevalence ratio (95% CI) 0.71 (0.60–0.83)] but a higher adherence to the traditional “fish and rice” pattern [1.58 (1.32–1.88)]. Income modified the association between education and the “fish and rice” pattern (p = 0.02), whereby low income individuals had a higher adherence to this pattern in both educational groups. Conclusion Low SES individuals have a lower consumption of fruit and vegetables, but a higher consumption of traditional foods like fish and rice. The Seychelles may be at a degenerative diseases stage of the nutrition transition.
On solvable models of type IIB superstring in NS-NS and R-R plane wave backgrounds

We consider type IIB string in the two plane-wave backgrounds which may be interpreted as special limits of the AdS_3 x S^3 metric supported by either the NS-NS or R-R 3-form field. The NS-NS plane-wave string model is equivalent to a direct generalization of the Nappi-Witten model, with its spectrum being similar to that of strings in constant magnetic field. The R-R model can be solved in the light-cone gauge, where the Green-Schwarz action describes 4 massive and 4 massless copies of free bosons and fermions. We find the spectra of the two string models and study the asymptotic density of states. We also discuss a more general class of exactly solvable plane-wave models with reduced supersymmetry which is obtained by adding twists in two spatial 2-planes.
An extension of the generalized Hough transform to realize affine-invariant two-dimensional (2D) shape detection

We present a method for two-dimensional (2D) shape detection applicable under affine transformation. The problem of affine-invariant shape detection is an important and fundamental research subject in computer vision. Although various methods have been proposed to solve this problem, most of those approaches are not well suited for the following general cases: (1) a shape to be detected is occluded by other overlapping objects, (2) a shape boundary is partially broken because of noise or other factors. We introduce a method to deal with such cases, which extends the generalized Hough transform to be an affine-invariant shape detector. This method, called the affine-GHT, utilizes pairwise parallel tangents and basic properties of an affine transformation to carry the direct computation for six parameters of an affine transformation. Experimental results demonstrate that the proposed method performs successfully and efficiently.
Digital Inequality and Developmental Trajectories of Low-income, Immigrant, and Minority Children

Children growing up in the United States today are more ethnically and racially diverse than at any time in the nation’s history. Because of rising income inequality, almost half of the 72 million children in the United States are also growing up in low-income families, with immigrant and children of color disproportionately likely to be within their ranks. Children in low-income households are more likely to face a number of social challenges, including constrained access to the Internet and devices that connect to it (ie, digital inequality), which can exacerbate other, more entrenched disparities between them and their more privileged counterparts. Although the American Academy of Pediatrics’ new guidelines encourage clinicians to reduce children’s overexposure to technology, we argue for a more nuanced approach that also considers how digital inequality can reduce low-income children’s access to a range of social opportunities. We review previous research on how digital inequality affects children’s learning and development and identify areas where more research is needed on how digital inequality relates to specific aspects of children’s developmental trajectories, and to identify what interventions at the family, school, and community levels can mitigate the adverse effects of digital inequality as children move through their formal schooling. On the basis of the evidence to date, we conclude with guidelines for clinicians related to supporting digital connectivity and more equitable access to social opportunity for the increasingly diverse population of children growing up in the United States.
Motion vector coding with selection of an optimal predictive motion vector

A new motion vector coding method with optimal predictive motion vector selection is proposed. To improve compression performance, the proposed encoder selects an optimal predictive motion vector that produces minimum bits for motion vector coding. The proposed decoder estimates the optimal predictive motion vector without additional information for indicating which predictor is to be used at the encoder side. Experimental results show that compared to the H.264/AVC standard, the proposed scheme improves coding efficiency for various video sequences.
Mini-Projects Development in Computer Science - Students' Use of Organization Tools

This paper describes a study aimed at identifying different profiles of students' project development processes. Specifically, we assessed the use of abstract data types for the development of knowledge-based projects. The concept of abstract data types was introduced to high school students who took the course "Computer Science-Logic Programming". During their studies the students learned and practiced various tools and methods of project development, one of which was based on the use of abstract data types as tools for problem solving and knowledge representation. To this end, a one-day workshop for team development of mini-projects was organized, and the whole development process was audio and video documented, categorized and analyzed. The pro- files of team behavior in the project development process were specified. The analysis of the profiles resulted in identifying four types of project development teams, all of which employed some or- ganizing tool in developing their projects. Two types of the developing teams used abstract data types and two used other methods. The findings indicated that the process of project development of those who used abstract data types was more structured and more organized than others.
Optimal Pipeline Performance via Transactional Slice with No Branch Prediction Overhead

One of decisive feature in computer system design is the assessment of instruction pipeline. To design it carefully with minimum complexity to achieve enhanced performance and optimum result could be a powerful method. In order to achieve pipeline throughput close to ideal, the penalties of different hazards must be reduced. Branches are also one of those decisive substances that degrade the efficiency and can have dominating effect on the overall performance of CPU pipeline. Transactional Slice (TS) is one of the optimal solutions to tackle this issue, where the last instruction is always branch. Experiments are conducted on SPEC cpu2006 benchmark using Intel's pin tool to estimate the size of the transactional slice. Pipeline efficiency is evaluated in this paper in terms of timing and pipelining model. It is observed that the transactional slice mechanism optimizes the efficiency of instruction pipeline.
Diverticula of the appendix and certain factors in their development

DIVERTICULOSIS of the appendix was first described by Kelynak in 1893; he reported a “greatly distended appendix, totally shut off from the ccecum, and having two very distinct diverticular processes, which were directed between the folds of the mesentery of the appendix”. Some later writers have given the credit for the first description to Edel’s paper of 1894, though Edel himself refers to Kelynak’s work. Edel thought diverticula were the result of distension. ‘ Inflammatory ’ and ‘ Non-inflammatory ’ Diverticula. -Soon afterwards the idea was brought forward that diverticula of the appendix were either ‘ inflammatory ’ or ‘ non-inflamma tory ’, according to whether or not inflammatory damage had played a part in their development. (I have not been able to fmd the origin of this idea.) Hansemannn (1896) considered that non-inflamma tory diverticula were due to herniation of mucosa through the openings in the muscularis by which vessels run to the inner coats. Mertens (1902) and Mundt (1903) thought that only non-inflamma tory diverticula pass through these vascular openings. Von Bmnn (1905) observed that the diverticulum might contain the entire mucosa, so that the lumen of the apppendix described a sharp hairpin bend outside the muscle. He held that inflammatory diverticula may be recognized by the presence of muscle in their walls, carried out from the muscularis; Aschoff later (1908) gave this view the support of quotation. A number of other writers reported cases in the first decade of this century, discussing the findings and sometimes arriving at contradictory conclusions ; for example, Maaloe (1908) supported Mertens’ view that only non-idammatory diverticula pass thfbugh the vascular openings, but Malatesta (1908; said that the vascular openings favour the development of inflammatory diverticula. Malatesta held that muscular contraction would enlarge the vascular openings and at the same time expel the mucosa. Bkrard and Vignard (1914) distinguished hernial and inflammatory types, the former being caused by rise of intra-appendidar pressure, the latter by limited necrotic lesions; these writers described morphological peculiarities of each type, but added that the former must be prone to infbnma tion and so to become more and more like the latter. Lewisohn (1918), having done experimental Ramstedt operations on six dogs, found in one of them, at autopsy three months after operation, a diverticulum of the mucosa running through the defect he had made in the muscle, which in the other cases had been closed by scar tissue. He thought
Discovering Hope for Recovery

The concept of recovery and recovery-oriented services and practices are well advanced in some parts of the world, particularly in the US and New Zealand. This paper provides a review of the literature upon which the hope for recovery is based, and explores this concept in the UK context, where it is now gaining recognition. In so doing, it identifies the background to the development of a consciousness of a possibility of recovery (both with and without mental health services support) and addresses the issues raised by the self-fulfilling concept of chronicity. It further examines the questions of measuring recovery and understanding recovery as a process or goal. It then goes on to identify themes within recovery literature and research, and to focus on recovery skills and self-care strategies for people diagnosed with schizo-phrenia, psychoses, or other serious mental illnesses. The paper concludes by addressing issues that have implications for more effective policy and practice—most notably resolving.
Innovating the Classical Music Experience in the PHENICX Project : Use Cases and Initial User Feedback

The FP7 PHENICX project focuses on creating a new digital classical concert experience, improving the accessibility of classical music concert performances by enhancing and enriching them in novel digital ways, In this paper, we present the project’s foreseen use cases. Subsequently, we summarize initial use case feedback from two different user groups. Despite the early stage of the project, the feedback already gives important insight into real-world considerations to make for interactive music content consumption solutions.
Biological video reconstruction using linear or non-linear Fourier measurements

In this paper, we investigate how the CS framework can be adapted to biological video microscopy acquisition problems. We first consider a frame-by-frame linear acquisition model in the Fourier domain of the signal, and discuss the relevance of several sparsity models that can be used to drive the reconstruction of the whole video sequence. Then, we switch to a non-linear acquisition model – therefore beyond the “pure” CS framework – in which only the modulus of the Fourier transform of the signal is acquired: by exploiting sparsity properties similar to the one used in the linear acquisition case, we demonstrate the feasibility of a phase retrieval reconstruction procedure applied to video signals.
Perception of nonlinear and linear formant trajectories.

Perception of F2 trajectories in synthetic vowels was investigated. Perceptual boundaries (50% response points of identification functions) of 20-step/U-I/continua with various shapes of F2 trajectories were determined and compared with the boundary for vowels with steady-state F2. In experiment 1, the vowels were synthesized in either/j-j/or/w-w/context resulting in parabolic trajectories, then the stimuli were split into halves resulting in quadratic F2 trajectories. All stimuli were 200 ms long. For the/wVw/, and/wV/stimuli, the boundaries were at lower stimulus numbers than for the stimuli with steady-state F2, indicating that the nonlinear F2 trajectories were perceived as having frequencies beyond the extreme values actually synthesized in the stimuli. This type of signal processing has been termed "perceptual compensation. " For the /jVj/ stimuli, there was only a trend for perceptual compensation of F2 trajectories. For the/Vw/,/Vj/, and/jV/stimuli, the boundaries were at stimulus numbers corresponding to frequencies of the relatively steady-state vowel-like segments. In experiment 2, the quadratic F2 trajectories of the/wV/stimuli were changed to linear trajectories and F1 and F3 trajectories were either quadratic, linear, or steady state. The results indicated that the shape of F1 and F3 trajectories had no effect on the boundaries. For the linear F2 trajectories, as for the quadratic F2 trajectories in the/wV/ stimuli, the boundaries were at lower stimulus numbers than for the stimulus with steady-state F2, indicating presence of perceptual compensation. In the experiment 3, the F1 and F3 were steady state and the linear F2 trajectories had three different values of frequency difference, delta F, between the initial and final frequencies. The perceptual compensation was found for the 200-ms stimuli with large delta F up to 500 Hz over 200-ms stimulus duration, and perceptual enhancement of final frequencies was found for the stimuli with delta F = 280 Hz.
Dual Queue Management for Improving TCP Performance in Multi-Rate Infrastructure WLANs

In IEEE 802.11 wireless local area networks (WLANs), TCP suffers unfairness between uplink and downlink flows due to its asymmetric reactions towards data and ACK losses at the AP (Access Point), and the AP's inability to distinguish itself from other contending stations accessing the medium. In this paper, we propose a novel dual queue management (DQM) scheme with ECN (Explicit Congestion Notification) at the AP's downlink buffer to improve TCP performance in infrastructure WLANs. Our approach maintains two queues for TCP ACK and data respectively, with their total length controlled by a PI (Proportional Integral) controller to prevent congestion. ACK/data packets are marked/dequeued dependent on uplink/downlink time usage of the wireless channel. We also propose an opportunistic scheduling mechanism of the two queues exploiting "multi-rate capability" and "multi-user diversity" for more efficient link utilization. We evaluate the proposed approach in ns-2 and our simulation results demonstrate that this design with few states can significantly improve TCP congestion control, fairness performance and link utilization in WLANs.
Adversarial error correction for network coding: Models and metrics

The problem of error correction in both coherent and noncoherent network coding is considered under an adversarial model. For coherent network coding, where knowledge of the network topology and network code is assumed at the source and destination nodes, the error correction capability of an (outer) code is succinctly described by the rank metric; as a consequence, it is shown that universal network error correcting codes achieving the Singleton bound can be easily constructed and efficiently decoded. For noncoherent network coding, where knowledge of the network topology and network code is not assumed, the error correction capability of a (subspace) code is given exactly by a modified subspace metric, which is closely related to, but different than, the subspace metric of Kotter and Kschischang. In particular, in the case of a non-constantdimension code, the decoder associated with the modified metric is shown to correct more errors then a minimum subspace distance decoder.
Women, alcohol, self-concept and self-esteem: A qualitative study of the experience of person-centred counselling

This study explores the self-concept and self-esteem of women with alcohol problems from a client perspective, and relates the findings to person-centred theory and practice. Eight women with severe and long-standing alcohol problems, who had received person-centred counselling, were interviewed in relation to their sense of self over time. The data were analysed using grounded theory methodology, resulting in the emergence of five key categories. Examples from the interviews are used to illustrate the complex relationships between life experience, self-concept, self-esteem and drinking. The possible significance of the findings for counsellors working with this client group is discussed.
Vital Involvement of a Natural Killer Cell Activation Receptor in Resistance to Viral Infection

Natural killer (NK) cells are lymphocytes that can be distinguished from T and B cells through their involvement in innate immunity and their lack of rearranged antigen receptors. Although NK cells and their receptors were initially characterized in terms of tumor killing in vitro, we have determined that the NK cell activation receptor, Ly-49H, is critically involved in resistance to murine cytomegalovirus in vivo. Ly-49H requires an immunoreceptor tyrosine-based activation motif (ITAM)–containing transmembrane molecule for expression and signal transduction. Thus, NK cells use receptors functionally resembling ITAM-coupled T and B cell antigen receptors to provide vital innate host defense.
Peatland delineation under forest canopy with polsar data using model based decomposition technique

The paper describes evaluating the potential of peatland detection under forest canopy with L-band space borne quad-polarization data in the boreal forest zone. Particular emphasis was made on under what seasonal conditions this detection was possible using single SAR data-take. For this purpose multitemporal ALOS PALSAR imagery acquired over Kuortane test site in central Finland during 2007-2008 was used. Supervised classification experiments employing selected polarimetric features were performed using standard maximum likelihood approach and probabilistic neural network (PNN). Strong non-gaussianity effects were noted, with better performance demonstrated by PNN, utilizing non-parametric estimation of probability distributions of the respective polarimetric features. Suitability of several techniques aimed at compensating the presence of forest canopy was studied as well.