Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A PROSPECTIVE OBSERVATIONAL STUDY OF INTRAVENOUS ONDANSETRON AND PALONOSETRON IN ATTENUATING HYPOTENSIVE RESPONSE FOLLOWING SPINAL ANESTHESIA IN PATIENTS UNDERGOING ELECTIVE CESAREAN SECTION

Objective: To compare the efficacy of prophylactic administration of intravenous ondansetron and palonosetron in attenuating hypotensive response following spinal anesthesia in patients undergoing elective cesarean section. Methods: This was a comparative study in which 84 patients aged 18–35 years of American Society of Anesthesiologists physical status II, scheduled for elective cesarean section under spinal anesthesia (SA) were included based on predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria. 84 patients undergoing elective cesarean sections were divided into two groups to receive either ondansetron or palonosetron before SA. Vital signs were monitored, with interventions for hypotension or bradycardia. Data on vital signs, vasopressor use, neonatal Apgar scores, and post-operative symptoms were collected and analyzed. For statistical purposes, a P value less than 0.05 was taken as statistically significant. Results: The mean ages and body mass indexes (BMIs) of the groups were similar, with no significant statistical difference (p=0.674 and p=0.3583, respectively). Heart rates, systolic and diastolic blood pressures showed minor differences, but only a few instances were statistically significant. Mean arterial pressures differed significantly at multiple intervals, but no clinical hypotension was observed. SPO2 levels remained stable and comparable in both groups. Average phenylephrine usage was also similar, with no significant difference. The incidence of hypotension, sedation scores, and incidence of bradycardia were comparable. Neonatal outcomes, measured by APGAR scores, showed no significant difference, indicating similar newborn health status in both groups. Conclusion: Prophylactic ondansetron, as well as palonosetron, were equally effective in reducing the incidence and severity of hypotension in healthy parturients following spinal anesthesia with hyperbaric bupivacaine for elective LSCS.
Leadership Styles and Organizational Resilience in Times of Crisis in Sudan

Purpose: The aim of the study was to assess the leadership styles and organizational resilience in times of crisis in Sudan. Methodology: This study adopted a desk methodology. A desk study research design is commonly known as secondary data collection. This is basically collecting data from existing resources preferably because of its low cost advantage as compared to a field research. Our current study looked into already published studies and reports as the data was easily accessed through online journals and libraries. Findings: Research on leadership styles and organizational resilience in times of crisis underscores the critical role of leadership in navigating turbulent environments. Studies suggest that transformational leadership, characterized by vision, inspiration, and individualized consideration, tends to foster organizational resilience by promoting adaptability, innovation, and employee commitment. Additionally, servant leadership, which prioritizes the needs of others and emphasizes empathy and humility, has been linked to enhanced organizational resilience through fostering trust, collaboration, and a sense of community. Implications to Theory, Practice and Policy: Contingency theory, social exchange theory and complexity leadership theory may be use to anchor future studies on assessing the leadership styles and organizational resilience in times of crisis in Sudan. Organizations, both public and private, should prioritize leadership development initiatives aimed at nurturing transformational leadership behaviors among their leaders. Policymakers should recognize the importance of leadership in promoting organizational resilience and incorporate leadership development initiatives into crisis management policies and strategies.
A climate impact assessment for the future of Greece and its adaptation capacity as influenced by socio-economic factors

The occurrence of climate change will have a significant impact on society and adapting to a more sustainable environment is of key importance. The dangers of climate change will include temperature and precipitation patterns becoming more extreme creating a substantial impact on society. Greece’s location and climate make it particularly vulnerable to a changing climate and climate impact assessments will become increasingly valuable for enhancing Greece’s adaptability to the effects in the future. This study uses two separate climate models with the latest CORDEX data, inputted with a set of climate indices in order to assess the potential future characteristics of both temperature and precipitation for the whole of Greece and to recognise any patterns in the modelled outputs. Both climate models displayed an increase in both the occurrence of extreme temperature and an increase in the consecutive number of days by which these temperatures are seen. The majority of model simulations displayed a substantial increase between different time periods, often the occurrence of ‘extreme events’ in one time period became a normality and average event in the following time period. Drastic increases were also displayed from the near future to the far future. These scenarios provide an overall image of how climate change may impact the country of Greece, the impacts will be quite significant, particularly for various different sectors such as the tourism industry. Water and energy will be placed under a particularly high demand should the climate effects become apparent, therefore carefully planning adaptation strategies to reduce the overall damage inflicted to Greece will become an important field to consider. (Less)
A Multiscalar Approach to Mapping Marginal Agricultural Land: Smallholder Agriculture in Malawi

Marginal agricultural lands are defined here by suboptimal biophysical conditions and historically variable or low agricultural production. We characterize these areas using remotely sensed information to disentangle the biophysical and possible social factors driving marginality. Considering both the modifiable areal unit problem and the ecological fallacy problem, the heuristic we propose is generalizable across geographies and scales and provides information at multiple decision-making levels through a multiscalar interannual variability model. We present results from our study of Malawi, where the landscape is densely cultivated and smallholder farmers frequently occupy marginal lands, to illustrate the potential of a multiscalar analysis in a place where food insecurity alleviation is needed and where remote sensing can provide necessary information. Our framework for identifying marginal agricultural lands consists of (1) locating long-term agricultural land, (2) measuring interannual productivity of long-term farmed locations, and (3) assessing marginal biophysical land characteristics and the fundamental climate niche for the dominant crop (in this case maize). Productivity and marginality in Malawi are spatially organized, and an assessment of productivity at multiple scales highlights the importance of presenting both global and local spatiotemporal variability for managing agroecological variance. By disaggregating broad classes of historically marginal production and the underlying drivers of marginality, different intervention efforts can intelligently target areas most likely to receive maximum benefit. These methodologies can be applied by both policymakers and scholars to identify and target marginal agricultural areas for improved productivity and for the support of smallholder farmer livelihoods.
Single Image Depth Estimation Based on Improved U-NET

In response to the problems of low accuracy and complex network structure in existing deep learning based monocular image depth estimation algorithms, an improved U-NET [1] monocular image depth estimation method based on dense skip connections is proposed. The traditional U-NET network has the problem of depth distortion when processing depth estimation tasks. In response to this problem, this algorithm proposes skip connections to achieve multi-scale feature fusion from encoder to decoder; And introduce attention mechanism into the decoder to further improve the accuracy of depth estimation. The training and verification were carried out on the indoor data set KITTI [2] and the outdoor data set NYU Depth V2 respectively. The experimental results show that compared with the advanced algorithm DORN, all indicators have been improved to varying degrees, in which the root-mean-square error has been reduced by 24.1% and the square relative error has been reduced by 15.2%.
Dynamic Privacy-Preserving Anonymous Authentication Scheme for Condition-Matching in Fog-Cloud-Based VANETs

Secure group communication in Vehicle Ad hoc Networks (VANETs) over open channels remains a challenging task. To enable secure group communications with conditional privacy, it is necessary to establish a secure session using Authenticated Key Agreement (AKA). However, existing AKAs suffer from problems such as cross-domain dynamic group session key negotiation and heavy computational burdens on the Trusted Authority (TA) and vehicles. To address these challenges, we propose a dynamic privacy-preserving anonymous authentication scheme for condition matching in fog-cloud-based VANETs. The scheme employs general Elliptic Curve Cryptosystem (ECC) technology and fog-cloud computing methods to decrease computational overhead for On-Board Units (OBUs) and supports multiple TAs for improved service quality and robustness. Furthermore, certificateless technology alleviates TAs of key management burdens. The security analysis indicates that our solution satisfies the communication security and privacy requirements. Experimental simulations verify that our method achieves optimal overall performance with lower computational costs and smaller communication overhead compared to state-of-the-art solutions.
CRISPR RNA-Guided Transposases Facilitate Dispensable Gene Study in Phage

Phages provide a potential therapy for multi-drug-resistant (MDR) bacteria. However, a significant portion of viral genes often remains unknown, posing potential dangers. The identification of non-essential genes helps dissect and simplify phage genomes, but current methods have various limitations. In this study, we present an in vivo two-plasmid transposon insertion system to assess the importance of phage genes, which is based on the V. cholerae transposon Tn6677, encoding a nuclease-deficient type I-F CRISPR–Cas system. We first validated the system in Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO1 and its phage S1. We then used the selection marker AcrVA1 to protect transposon-inserted phages from CRISPR-Cas12a and enriched the transposon-inserted phages. For a pool of selected 10 open-reading frames (2 known functional protein genes and 8 hypothetical protein genes) of phage S1, we identified 5 (2 known functional protein genes and 3 hypothetical protein genes) as indispensable genes and the remaining 5 (all hypothetical protein genes) as dispensable genes. This approach offers a convenient, site-specific method that does not depend on homologous arms and double-strand breaks (DSBs), holding promise for future applications across a broader range of phages and facilitating the identification of the importance of phage genes and the insertion of genetic cargos.
Influence of strain hardening, strain aging and the Bauschinger effect on steel tubular strut load capacity

A nonlinear finite element model for tracing the inelastic preand postbuckling load-deformation path of tubular struts has been developed. The analysis accounts simultaneously for both the geometrical and material nonlinearities. The influence of strain-unloading is included. In particular, the model takes into account a generalized stress-strain relationship and the influence of strain hardening. Several stress-strain relationships of the material are assumed with respect to as-received material, material that is prestrained in tension and fully-aged, and material that is prestrained in tension and unaged. The structure tangent stiffness matrix is obtained by using a series of transformation matrices to update the element geometry. A socalled arc-length iterative numerical procedure is combined with a modified NewtonRaphson method to obtain a solution to the incremental equations of equilibrium. The procedure has been applied to trace out the inelastic load-deflection paths of both as-received and prestrained pin-ended struts. Material and strut tests have been performed on circular tubular sections of 60.3mm diameter and wall thickness 2.3mm. Several material effects (strain hardening, strain aging, the Bauschinger effect and residual stresses) have been included in the tests. The significant influence of these effects have been investigated by applying a two-way analysis variance to the strut test results. It has been found that the combined influence of strain aging, strain hardening and the Bauschinger effect have a dominant role in the test results referred to herein, with load capacity reductions up to 38%. Strain aging has been seen to be more significant than strain hardening for the rimming steel used in enhancing the capacity of the prestrained struts. The experimental results are also compared with the current
Low Physical Performance Could Be Associated with Adverse Health Outcomes over Time: Results from a Cohort of Older Adults

A few studies on physical performance (PP) decline among community-dwelling older adults have simultaneously evaluated various outcomes in Brazil. This longitudinal cohort study aimed to verify the association between PP and health outcomes (negative health self-perception—NHSP; consultations with health professionals; disability; falls; and hospitalization) in older Brazilians (N = 476, 68 ± 6.7 years). PP assessments included Gait Speed (GS) and Timed Up and Go (TUG) tests, and changes were evaluated over time (2014 to 2019–2020). The association between the PP and the outcomes was estimated using Poisson’s regression with robust variance. The physical tests were not associated with NSPH or with the number of consultations with health professionals. However, after adjustment (economic level, diet quality, physical activity, multimorbidity, depression, polypharmacy, and BMI), low PP at baseline (TUG and GS) was associated with disability at follow-up. A low TUG performance at baseline was also associated with subsequent falls (PR = 1.57, p = 0.007). A decline in GS was associated with hospitalization (PR = 1.86, p = 0.033). PP was associated with disability, falls, and hospitalization over a five- to six-year period in older Brazilians. Regular PP assessments should be conducted and low PP should be used as an indicator of the need for preventative measures to avoid poor health outcomes.
Developments in Negative-Strand RNA Virus Reverse Genetics

Many epidemics are caused by negative-stranded RNA viruses, leading to serious disease outbreaks that threaten human life and health. These viruses also have a significant impact on animal husbandry, resulting in substantial economic losses and jeopardizing global food security and the sustainable livelihoods of farmers. However, the pathogenic and infection mechanism of most negative-stranded RNA viruses remain unclear. Reverse genetics systems are the most powerful tools for studying viral protein function, viral gene expression regulation, viral pathogenesis, and the generation of engineered vaccines. The reverse genetics of some negative-strand viruses have been successfully constructed, while others have not. In this review, we focus on representative viruses from the Orthomyxoviridae family (IAV), the Filoviridae family (EBOV), and the Paramyxoviridae family (PPRV) to compile and summarize the existing knowledge on reverse genetics techniques for negative-strand viruses. This will provide a theoretical foundation for developing reverse genetics techniques for some negative-strand viruses.
The relationship between the difference neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio before and after anthracycline-based neoadjuvant chemotherapy with clinical response in locally advanced breast cancer

Link of Video Abstract: https://youtu.be/Jb1SATaI8oQ Introduction: The difference in the Neutrophil-to-Lymphocyte Ratio (NLR) before and after chemotherapy, which is commonly called the delta NLR, is thought to be a better predictive factor than pre-chemotherapy NLR or post-chemotherapy NLR in breast cancer patients. Methods: We analyzed 130 locally advanced breast cancer (LABC) patients who received anthracycline-based neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT) at Dr. Soetomo General Hospital Surabaya from January 2017 – December 2021. Results: Out of 130 patients, 91 (70.0%) responded to chemotherapy. Bivariate analysis showed a significant relationship between delta NLR and chemotherapy response (p = 0.002). Patients with delta NLR < 0 achieved a significantly higher rate of clinical response to NACT compared to those with delta NLR ≥ 0 (OR: 4.67, 95% CI: 1.69 – 12.85, p: 0.003) Conclusion: LABC patients with delta NLR < 0 have better clinical response to anthracycline-based NACT than those with delta NLR ≥ 0.
Sécheresse, écologie et lutte contre Glossina tachinoides dans la région du Bas-Chari

La secheresse intense qui s'installe en Afrique sahelienne depuis quelques annees exerce egalement son influence au niveau des galeries ripicoles de la vallee du Chari. Elle modifie tres sensiblement: - les conditions ecologiques vis-a-vis de G. tachinoides qui voit ses populations se reduire en limitant leur presence aux seuls rares endroits epargnes par le dessechement; - les conditions d'application de l'insecticide au cours de l'execution de la campagne de lutte menee actuellement en aval de N'Djamena
Global observed and modelled impacts of irrigation on surface temperature

Agricultural irrigation has significant potential for altering local climate by reducing soil albedo, increasing evapotranspiration, and enabling greater leaf area. Numerous studies using regional or global climate models have demonstrated the cooling effects of irrigation on mean and extreme temperature, especially over regions where irrigation is extensive. However, these model‐based results have not been well validated due to the limitations of observational data sets. In this study, multiple satellite‐based products, including the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) and Soil Moisture Active Passive (SMAP) data sets, are used to isolate and quantify the local impacts of irrigation on surface climate over irrigated regions, which are derived from the Global Map of Irrigation Areas (GMIA). The relationships among soil moisture, albedo, evapotranspiration, and surface temperature are explored. Strong evaporative cooling by irrigation lowers daytime surface temperature over arid and semi‐arid regions, such as California's Central Valley, the Great Plains, central Asia, and northwestern India. However, the cooling effects are less evident in areas of eastern China and the Lower Mississippi River Basin despite extensive irrigation over these regions. Results are also compared with irrigation experiments using the Community Earth System Model (CESM) to assess the model's ability to represent land–atmosphere interactions in regards to irrigation. CESM greatly underestimates the surface temperature response to irrigation. The comparison between the offline and coupled simulations suggests that the irrigation‐induced cooling can be regulated by the interactions between land surface and atmosphere, and amplified signals are found over the “hot spot” regions. Meanwhile, model resolution can also influence the magnitude of the local cooling by irrigation.
Non-Verbal Communication in Ancient Rome: Eyebrow Gestures

This article analyses the communicative power of eyebrows in ancient Rome within the framework of broader research into gestures from the same period. Our research uses the corpus of Latin literature to describe evidence of gestures in said texts. It then identifies the expressions used by the authors to refer to them and describes how they were performed. Moreover, by analysing the context, it explains the meanings the authors attribute to them. Although the texts do not describe these gestures with the precision required by non-verbal communication research today, our analysis of the selected extracts has enabled us to identify four free eyebrow gestures—contracting, raising, relaxing, and lowering—and associate a meaning to them. In this regard, we have uncovered that Roman writers introduce eyebrow gestures in their work to communicate emotions such as arrogance and humility, and anger or seriousness, and even to identify certain characters. In turn, these gestures are also used to express disapproval and assent in place of speech.
Intragastric injection of botulinum toxin in the treatment of obesity: a single-center study

Background: In recent years, various novel surgical and non-surgical therapeutic options have been developed for treating obesity. Due to its disputed success, intragastric botulinum toxin A (BTX-A) injection is still being debated. Objectives: We aim to contribute to this controversial issue in the literature by sharing our center’s findings regarding intragastric BTX-A injections in the treatment of obesity. Design: Patients with a body mass index (BMI) of greater than 25 kg/m2 and at least one obesity-related complication, or a BMI of greater than 30 kg/m2 without complications, were eligible for the study if they were between the ages of 18 and 65. Methods: Following the same procedure, two endoscopists administered BTX-A to all patients. All patients were evaluated for obesity by measuring their lipid profile, hormone profile, and insulin resistance level before treatment. Results: In our study on 82 patients, we saw a significant mean weight loss (−9.2 kg, p < 0.001) in the second month, and there was no additional mean weight loss in the sixth month of follow-up. In addition, this result seems to be independent of the patient’s insulin resistance. We did not see any serious side effects in any of the patients. Conclusion: Although the use of intragastric injection of BTX-A in the treatment of obesity is a controversial issue, we showed in our study that it causes significant weight loss. Further studies are needed on this subject, as it can be a safe method when the ideal dose and application site are combined with appropriate patient selection.