Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Critical Care Nurses' Knowledge and Compliance with Ventilator Associated Pneumonia Bundle at Cairo University Hospitals

Ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) continues to be a common and potentially fatal complication of ventilator care and often encountered within intensive care units (ICUs). Ventilated and intubated patients present critical care nurses the unique challenge to incorporate evidence-based practices surrounding the delivery of high-quality care. Bundled practices approach is composed of individual preventive measures for preventing the incidence and prevalence of VAP and improving outcomes of patients. The aim of this study is to assess the critical care nurses' knowledge and compliance with ventilator associated pneumonia bundle. A descriptive exploratory study design was utilized. A sample of convenience of 45 critical care nurses was recruited from different critical care units at Cairo university hospital for this study. Data were collected between March 2010 and September 2011. The participants initially, were instructed to complete a demographic data sheet and a validated 20- items questionnaire; 15 items multiple-choice and 5 true/ false items covered the knowledge about pathophysiology , risk factors and preventive VAP bundle practices. Then, direct observation of nurses who provided nursing care to mechanically ventilated patients was carried out utilizing VAP bundle compliance checklist that consisted of ventilator bundled practices for preventing VAP. The main bundle items were infection control measures, patient positioning, endotracheal suctioning care, peptic ulcer prophylaxis, oral care, weaning & extubatoin trials ,and ventilator care measures . The results of 20- items questionnaire revealed unsatisfactory knowledge scores (mean= 7.46 + 2.37) and most of the nurses were not compliant with ventilator associated pneumonia bundle practices (average mean = 8.62 + 7.9 out of 29) and there is no specific protocol to follow for VAP prevention. The findings of the study recommended the need for developing and implementing a protocol for VAP prevention in ICUs. Moreover, there is also a need for training programs for nurses on infection control and VAP bundle preventive measures to lessen the prevalence of ventilator associated pneumonia. Key Words: Critical care nurses' knowledge, compliance, ventilator associated pneumonia bundle
Twitter profile analysis of the institutions of science and technology in Ibero-America

The rapidity with which information travels on the Internet makes it unquantifiable. To analyze it, it's necessary to define the area; so, the dissemination of information on Science and Technology through Twitter is the premise of the investigation. The study seeks to highlight the importance of social networks in the field of science and technology and their influence on the democratization processes. 31 Ibero-America organizations with a profile on microblogging network were analyzed in order to know what type of information they communicate. It was used the technique of Social Network Analysis (SNA) to visualize graphs through each of the connections and communities that these entities have used.
The effect of the MassHealth hospital pay-for-performance program on quality.

OBJECTIVE To test the effect of Massachusetts Medicaid's (MassHealth) hospital-based pay-for-performance (P4P) program, implemented in 2008, on quality of care for pneumonia and surgical infection prevention (SIP). DATA Hospital Compare process of care quality data from 2004 to 2009 for acute care hospitals in Massachusetts (N=62) and other states (N=3,676) and American Hospital Association data on hospital characteristics from 2005. STUDY DESIGN Panel data models with hospital fixed effects and hospital-specific trends are estimated to test the effect of P4P on composite quality for pneumonia and SIP. This base model is extended to control for the completeness of measure reporting. Further sensitivity checks include estimation with propensity-score matched control hospitals, excluding hospitals in other P4P programs, varying the time period during which the program was assumed to have an effect, and testing the program effect across hospital characteristics. PRINCIPAL FINDINGS Estimates from our preferred specification, including hospital fixed effects, trends, and the control for measure completeness, indicate small and nonsignificant program effects for pneumonia (-0.67 percentage points, p>.10) and SIP (-0.12 percentage points, p>.10). Sensitivity checks indicate a similar pattern of findings across specifications. CONCLUSIONS Despite offering substantial financial incentives, the MassHealth P4P program did not improve quality in the first years of implementation.
An Improved Iterative Censoring Scheme for CFAR Ship Detection With SAR Imagery

To eliminate the influence of target returns on the estimation of local sea clutter distributions, an improved iterative censoring scheme (ICS) for constant false-alarm rate detectors is proposed with two modifications. First, the proposed ICS censors out both target pixels and their four-connected neighborhood pixels from the estimation of local sea clutter distributions. Second, a novel initial detector is proposed to improve the convergence speed of ICS. The proposed initial detector, which only needs the probability of false alarms as an input parameter, is based on the sorting of all pixels under test. Experiments of ship detection with RADARSAT-2 ScanSAR wide mode images are presented to illustrate the effectiveness and improvements of the proposed ICS.
Simposio : la historia de la ciencia en la enseñanza de las ciencias

A pesar de la casi total unanimidad acerca de la importancia de la historia y de la filosofia de la ciencia para conseguir el objetivo de una educacion cientifica de calidad para todos y todas, hay diversas problematicas que obturan la presencia efectiva de estas metaciencias en las aulas de ciencias de los distintos niveles educativos. En este simposio se reunen trabajos con caracter teorico y practico sobre la insercion de la historia y la filosofia de la ciencia en la ensenanza de las ciencias, con especial enfasis en la formacion inicial y continuada del profesorado de ciencias.
Stability enhancement of wind power system by using energy capacitor system

This paper presents Permanent Magnet Synchronous generator (PMSG) based a variable speed wind turbine systems including energy capacitor system (ECS). The ECS is the combination of electric double layer capacitor (EDLC) known as supercapacitor and power electronic devices for wind power application with its detailed modeling and control strategy which can supply smooth electrical power to the power grid and makes the system better stable and reliable. As generated power from wind fluctuates randomly, the objective of this control system is to select a line power reference level and to follow the reference level by absorbing or providing active power to or from ECS to smooth output power fluctuation penetrated to the grid and to keep the wind farm terminal voltage at a desired level by supplying necessary reactive power. The performance of the proposed system is investigated by simulation analysis using PSCAD/EMTDC software.
BRCA1/BRCA2 germline mutations in locally recurrent breast cancer patients after lumpectomy and radiation therapy: implications for breast-conserving management in patients with BRCA1/BRCA2 mutations.

PURPOSE Breast cancer patients treated conservatively with lumpectomy and radiation therapy (LRT) have an estimated lifetime risk of local relapse (ipsilateral breast tumor recurrence [IBTR]) of 10% to 15%. For breast cancer patients carrying BRCA1 or BRCA2 (BRCA1/2) mutations, the outcome of treatment with LRT with respect to IBTR has not been determined. In this study, we estimate the frequency of BRCA1/2 mutations in a study of breast cancer patients with IBTR treated with LRT. PATIENTS AND METHODS Between 1973 and 1994, there were 52 breast cancer patients treated with LRT who developed an IBTR within the prior irradiated breast and who were willing to participate in the current study. From our database, we also identified 52 control breast cancer patients treated with LRT without IBTR. The control patients were individually matched to the index cases with respect to multiple clinical and pathologic parameters. Lymphocyte DNA specimens from all 52 locally recurrent patients and 15 of the matched control patients under age 40 were used as templates for polymerase chain reaction amplification and dye-primer sequencing of exons 2 to 24 of BRCA1, exons 2 to 27 of BRCA2, and flanking intron sequences. RESULTS After LRT, eight (15%) of 52 breast cancer patients had IBTR with deleterious BRCA1/2 mutations. By age, there were six (40%) of 15 patients with IBTR under age 40 with BRCA1/2 mutations, one (9.0%) of 11 between ages 40 and 49, and one (3.8%) of 26 older than age 49. In comparison to the six (40%) of 15 of patients under age 40 with IBTR found to have BRCA1/2 mutations, only one (6.6%) of 15 matched control patients without IBTR and had a BRCA1/2 mutation (P =.03). The median time to IBTR for patients with BRCA1/2 mutations was 7.8 years compared with 4.7 years for patients without BRCA1/2 mutations (P =.03). By clinical and histologic criteria, these relapses represented second primary tumors developing in the conservatively treated breast. All patients with BRCA1/2 mutations and IBTR underwent successful surgical salvage mastectomy at the time of IBTR and remain alive without evidence of local or systemic progression of disease. CONCLUSION In this study, we found an elevated frequency of deleterious BRCA1/2 mutations in breast cancer patients treated with LRT who developed late IBTR. The relatively long time to IBTR, as well as the histologic and clinical criteria, suggests that these recurrent cancers actually represent new primary breast cancers. Early onset breast cancer patients experiencing IBTR have a disproportionately high frequency of deleterious BRCA1/2 mutations. This information may be helpful in guiding management in BRCA1 or BRCA2 patients considering breast-conserving therapy.
A Novel Aerosol Load Index Using MODIS Visible Bands: Applied to South-West Part of Iran

Because of the existence of some gaps, uncertainties, and coarse spatial resolution in global aerosol optical depth (AOD) data over south-west part of Iran as the study area, a novel aerosol load index is proposed. As no AERONET station is available in the study area, an index is needed that does not use particle properties. The proposed algorithm has several steps: cloud masking, Rayleigh path reflectance, surface reflectance database, aerosol reflectance, and aerosol load index. Surface reflectance database of 0.05° latitude × 0.05° longitude resolution is calculated by improved minimum reflectance technique (IMRT) for spring season of 2005. The correlation of IMRT surface reflectance at 0.47 μm wavelength with MOD09 is increased in comparison with minimum reflectance technique (MRT), R = 0.75. Aerosol reflectance is obtained through radiation transfer equation, Rayleigh path reflectance, and surface reflectance database. The proposed load index is based on reducing the geometry dependency; hence normalized aerosol reflectance by accounting for solar/view slant path is used. The aerosol load index is verified for dust contamination. The suggested algorithm is applied over study area in spring 2005 using moderate resolution imaging spectroradiometer (MODIS) level L1B calibrated reflectance MOD02Hkm on Terra spacecraft. The spatial resolution of final aerosol load index is 500 m. For validation, the resultant load index is compared with dark-target and Deep Blue retrieved AOD of MOD/MYD04 and correlations of R = 0.82 and R = 0.71 are found at 0.47 μm wavelength, respectively. In comparison with ground base dust particle concentration, correlation of R = 0.72 is achieved correspondingly.
An overview of factors responsible for geographic distribution pattern of ixodid ticks in the Sudan

Tick fauna in the Sudan comprises over 70 species prevalent in diverse ecological zones. Among these are the most economically important ticks in Africa, namely Rhipicephalus appendiculatus, Hyalomma anatolicum, Amblyomma variegatum, Amblyomma lepidum, Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) decoloratus and Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) annulatus. Several factors determine the dynamic changes of tick distribution in the Sudan. These are animal movement either for trade, nomadism, or migration due to civil unrest etc., habitat modification such as deforestation, large-scale mechanized cultivation and urbanization; drought and desertification, and global climate change. The accelerated change in tick distribution results in outbreaks of several tick-borne diseases. Examples of these are East Coast fever, tropical theileriosis, malignant ovine theileriosis, heartwater and babesiosis by Babesia bovis. Emergence of these diseases in districts believed to be free is alarming and has adverse effects in the process of animal resources development. This communication discusses distribution patterns of the economically important livestock ticks in the Sudan and identifies new zones where ticks have established and the possible factors determining such distribution.
Pathway Analysis of Ceratitis capitata (Diptera: Tephritidae) Using Mitochondrial DNA

ABSTRACT The polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) method described in a previous publication to document worldwide population structure of Mediterranean fruit flies and analyze probable sources of fly introductions is re-evaluated. Analysis of representatives of the RFLP-based markers using the ND5-tRNA-ND4 mitochondrial locus through DNA sequencing shows that the original markers produced haplotypes that are homoplasic and exclude valuable information. DNA sequences also identified errors in data generated with the protocol because of failure of the XbaI enzyme to efficiently cut PCR product. In all, the PCR-RFLP method is able to document haplotypes present in medfly populations outside of Sub-Saharan Africa and is a cost-effective approach to pathway analysis. New primer pairs for analysis of this locus are reported that reduce the number of PCR steps required to analyze the RFLP marker and the time of each PCR run. For comparison of the PCR-RFLP method, the utility of a DNA sequence-based approach to Mediterranean fruit fly pathway analysis is reported using the ND5-ND4 locus and the proposed “barcode region” of the COI gene. Both gene sequences are more informative than the PCR-RFLP method and document high genetic variation within Sub-Saharan Africa. Application of these methods as tools and their interpretation is discussed.
High-level vancomycin-resistant enterococci causing hospital infections

SUMMARY Nosocomial infection or colonization due to enterococci with high-level resistance to vancomycin (minimal inhibitory concentrations [MICs] between 64 and > 2000 mg/L) has occurred in 41 patients with renal disease. These vancomycin-resistant enterococci were cultured from many sources including blood. All but one strain contained one or more plasmids ranging in molecular weight from 1·0 to 40 Megadaltons (MDa). Vancomycin resistance was transferable by conjugation to a susceptible recipient strain of Enterococcus faecalis but this was not always associated with plasmid DNA. The emergence of transferable high-level vancomycin resistance in enterococci causing significant clinical infections is of particular importance since vancomycin is widely regarded as a reserve drug for the management of infections with multi-resistant Gram-positive organisms.
Research on State-of-Charge Estimation of Battery Pack Used on Hybrid Electric Vehicle

A dynamic model considering hysteresis effect and this paper, a dynamic model for NiMH battery pack is polarization effect and based on tests and parameter estimation is proposed and applied in Extended Kalman Filter (EKF) proposed to describe the dynamic characteristics of NiMH method. battery pack on Hybrid Electric Vehicle (HEV) with high precision. With the dynamic model, State-of-Charge (SOC) II. DYNAMIC BATTERY MODEL BULDING estimation method is derived based on Extended Kalman Filter The internal chemical reaction in the battery is so (EKF). Simulation results over different tests show that the complicated that it is difficult to build a good battery model dynamic model can simulate the output characteristics of NiMH theoretically. In this paper, a dynamic model is proposed battery pack more accurately and the SOC estimation method according to voltage characteristics analysis of NiMH battery based on the model is adaptive for HEV. pack. Different values of current pulse charge and discharge Keywords-hybrid electric vehicles; NiMH battery pack; battery tests have been done at constant temperature 25 with the test dynamic model; state of charge; Extended Kalman Filter instrument named Bitrode FTN400-450, which can measure voltage, current and SOC accurately. 6 Ah NiMH battery pack
Modélisation, analyse numérique et simulations de phénomènes complexes pour des systèmes hyperboliques de lois de conservation avec termes sources raides et en électrocardiologie.

Ces travaux de recherche concernent la modelisation, l'analyse numeique et les simulations de phenomenes complexes. Le lien fondamental entre eux est la volonte de pouvoir realiser des simulations de ces phenomenes complexes decrivant avec le maximum de preision possible des situations physiquement realistes. Ils peuvent se classer en deux grands themes : les systemes hyperboliques de lois de conservation avec terme source et l'electrocardiologie.
Development of Quantitative Tools for Filter‐Aided Dichromats

ABSTRACT Historically, there has been little quantitative rationale for the prescription of colored filters for color deficients. A formal prediction of the effects of any filter on dichromat luminance and chromatic discrimination is presented; these predictions were generated by using colorimetric concepts and related derived formulas to create four interactive computergraphic tools. In addition to predicting performance of presently available commercial filters, such tools can be used to describe, classify, and even design new filters.
Variations in Protein Bindingof Drugs in Plasma and Serum

1722 CLINICAL CHEMISTRY, Vol.35, No. 8, 1989 serum albumin from the assay buffer resulted in lower absorbances, and so did replacement of the present bovine serum albumin preparation (Behringwerke) by another commercial preparation, which probably had a higher biotin content. Table 1 shows the intra-assay coefficients of variation (CV) determined after 10 single measurements of the biotin concentration in seven sara. The inter-assay CV was 13% as determined by assaying aliquots of a serum pool stored at -20 #{176}C for 18 weeks (eight duplicate determinations, biotin concentration 0.43 nmol/L). The lowest detectable concentration of biotin in seven sara (Table 1) was 0.11 nmol/L,corresponding to 3 fmol per well. Analytical recoveries of biotin added to serum at 1 and 2 nmol/L (n = 11) were 100 (SD 7)% and 97 (SD 11)%, respectively. Specificity: Addition of biotin to sera and buffer solutions (final biotin concentration 32 nmoIJL) gave absorbance
Call admission control for real-time traffic in OFDMA based cellular networks

We evaluate the Grade of Service (GoS) provided by some call admission control (CAC) schemes for real-time traffic in OFDMA cellular networks. We consider simple first come first served (FCFS) based CAC as the reference and compare schemes such as GoS fair, proportional channel fair allocation etc. These schemes are static bandwidth partitioning based CAC schemes. A dynamic CAC scheme that improves GoS fairness within the cell is also proposed. It is shown to provide increased fairness without the steep reduction in Erlang capacity entailed by the static bandwidth partitioning schemes. Discrete event simulations are used to verify the performance improvement with this dynamic CAC scheme.
Effect of hypertonic vs isotonic saline solution on responses to sublethal Escherichia coli endotoxemia in horses.

Cardiovascular responses to sublethal endotoxin infusion (Escherichia coli, 50 micrograms/ml in lactated Ringer solution at 100 ml/h until pulmonary arterial pressure increased by 10 mm of Hg) were measured 2 times in 5 standing horses. In a 2-period crossover experimental design, horses were either administered hypertonic (2,400 mosm/kg of body weight, IV) or isotonic (300 mosm/kg, IV) NaCl solution after endotoxin challenges. Each solution was administered at a dose of 5 ml/kg (infusion rate, 80 ml/min). Complete data sets (mean arterial, central venous, and pulmonary arterial pressures, pulmonary arterial blood temperature, cardiac output, total peripheral vascular resistance, heart rate, plasma osmolality, plasma concentration of Na, K, Cl, and total protein, blood lactate concentration, and PCV) were collected at 0 (baseline, before endotoxin infusion), 0.25, 1, 1.5, 2, 2.5, 3, 3.5, 4, and 4.5 hours after initiation of the endotoxin infusion. Blood constituents alone were measured at 0.5 hour and cardiovascular variables alone were evaluated at 0.75 hour. By 0.25 hour, endotoxin infusion was completed, a data set was collected, and saline infusion was initiated. By 0.75 hour, saline solutions had been completely administered. Mean (+/- SEM) cardiac output decreased (99.76 +/- 3.66 to 72.7 +/- 2.35 ml/min/kg) and total peripheral resistance (1.0 +/- 0.047 to 1.37 +/- 0.049 mm of Hg/ml/min/kg) and pulmonary arterial pressure (33.4 +/- 0.86 to 58.3 +/- 1.18 mm of Hg) increased for both trials by 0.25 hour after initiation of the endotoxin infusion and prior to fluid administration. For the remainder of the protocol, cardiac output was increased and total peripheral resistance was decreased during the hypertonic, compared with the isotonic, saline trial. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Mathematical Modelling, Simulation and Optimisation of Microneedles for Transdermal Drug Delivery: Trends and Progress

In the last two decades, microneedles (MNs) have received significant interest due to their potential for painless transdermal drug delivery (TDD) and minimal skin damage. MNs have found applications in a range of research and development areas in drug delivery. They have been prepared using a variety of materials and fabrication techniques resulting in MN arrays with different dimensions, shapes, and geometries for delivery of a variety of drug molecules. These parameters play crucial roles in determining the drug release profiles from the MNs. Developing mathematical modelling, simulation, and optimisation techniques is vital to achieving the desired MN performances. These will then be helpful for pharmaceutical and biotechnological industries as well as professionals working in the field of regulatory affairs focusing on MN based TDD systems. This is because modelling has a great potential to reduce the financial and time cost of both the MNs’ studies and manufacturing. For example, a number of robust mathematical models for predicting the performance of the MNs in vivo have emerged recently which incorporate the roles of the structural and mechanical properties of the skin. In addressing these points, this review paper aims to highlight the current status of the MN modelling research, in particular, the modelling, simulation and optimisation of the systems for drug delivery. The theoretical basis for the simulation of MN enhanced diffusion is discussed within this paper. Thus, this review paper provides a better understanding of the modelling of the MN mediated drug delivery process.