Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
An Investigation of Unstructured Play in Nature and its Effect on Children’s Self-Efficacy

ABSTRACT AN INVESTIGATION OF UNSTRUCTURED PLAY IN NATURE AND ITS EFFECT ON CHILDREN’S SELF-EFFICACY Paul Starling Dr. Lani Nelson-Zlupko Much attention is being given to childhood physical and mental well-being as it relates to outdoor play in nature. This is particularly relevant as today’s children are spending much less time outdoors, and even less time in unstructured play compared to indoor time or highly regulated supervised activity. Recent research indicates that outdoor unstructured play may be essential to core mastery in children: it has been linked to improvements in cognitive, behavioral, and even physical functioning. This study investigated whether unstructured play in nature had an effect on children’s self-efficacy. An original, mixed methods, empirical study was conducted which enlisted 21 subjects, (n=11 male) and (n=10 female) ages 8-12. These subjects took part in unstructured play in nature within a 3-week period of time while attending a summer camp. Subjects played anywhere from 2-5 days in 45-minute play sessions. Subjects completed the modified widely used Self-Efficacy Scale (SES) and the Emotional Self-Efficacy Scale (ESES) at pre and post conditions in order to explore whether or not exposure to unstructured outdoor play in nature contributes to increases in perceived self-efficacy. Quantitative results indicated no difference at post-test but when frequency of exposure to the experimental condition was factored in a lowering of self-efficacy as measured by the modified SES surfaced. Statistics also revealed that the exposure to the experimental condition alone was not significant enough to account for the decrease in self-efficacy scores. Qualitative field notes taken throughout the study indicated the contrary: there were indeed multiple instances of self-efficacy development. Degree Type Dissertation Degree Name Doctor of Social Work (DSW) First Advisor Dr. Lani Nelson-Zlupko Second Advisor Dr. Ram Cnaan This dissertation is available at ScholarlyCommons: http://repository.upenn. edu/edissertations_sp2/15 Third Advisor Dr. Robert Culp
Diabetic Patients Have Increased Perioperative Cardiac Risk in Heart-Type Fatty Acid-Binding Protein-Based Assessment

Objective: To test the potential role of heart-type fatty acid-binding protein (H-FABP) in detecting increased perioperative cardiac risk in comparison with cardiac troponin I (cTnI) in the early postoperative period. Subjects and Methods: Sixty-seven patients who had clinical risk factors and underwent elective intermediate - or high-risk noncardiac surgery were included in this study. Serum specimens were analyzed for H-FABP and cTnI levels before and at 8 h after surgery. None of the patients had chest pain; 27 had a history of ischemic heart disease, 3 of heart failure, 5 of cerebrovascular diseases, 40 of diabetes and 46 of hypertension. Results: The mean duration of the operations was 2.33 ± 1.27 h (range 1-6). In the postoperative period, 27 (40.3%) patients had increased H-FABP levels (≥7.5 ng/ml); the median preoperative serum H-FABP level was 0.13 ng/ml (<0.1-5.9) and the median postoperative H-FABP level was 6.86 ng/ml (<0.1-13.7). Only 1 (1.5%) patient had cTnI >0.1 µg/l during the postoperative period. Correlation analysis revealed that the presence of diabetes was associated with an increased H-FABP level (r = 0.30, p = 0.01). Of the 27 patients with H-FABP ≥7.5 ng/ml, 21 (87%) had diabetes. There was no significant correlation with other clinical risk factors, type or duration of surgery. Conclusion: The H-FABP levels significantly increased in the postoperative period. Most patients with increased postoperative H-FABP levels were diabetic. High H-FABP levels could alert clinicians to increased perioperative cardiovascular risk and could prevent underdiagnosis, especially in diabetic patients.
Evidence-Based Compression: Prevention of Stasis and Deep Vein Thrombosis

Objective:To summarize the currently published scientific evidence for the venous flow effects of mechanical devices, particularly intermittent pneumatic compression, and the relation to prevention of deep vein thrombosis (DVT). Summary Background Data:While intermittent pneumatic compression is an established method of DVT prophylaxis, the variety of systems that are available can use very different compression techniques and sequences. In order for appropriate choices to be made to provide the optimum protection for patients, the general performance of systems, and physiological effects of particular properties, must be analyzed objectively. Methods:Medline was searched from 1970 to 2002, and all relevant papers were searched for further appropriate references. Papers were selected for inclusion when they addressed specifically the questions posed in this review. Results:All the major types of intermittent compression systems are successful in emptying deep veins of the lower limb and preventing stasis in a variety of subject groups. Compression stockings appear to function more by preventing distension of veins. Rapid inflation, high pressures, and graded sequential intermittent compression systems will have particular augmentation profiles, but there is no evidence that such features improve the prophylactic ability of the system. Conclusions:The most important factors in selecting a mechanical prophylactic system, particularly during and after surgery, are patient compliance and the appropriateness of the site of compression. There is no evidence that the peak venous velocity produced by a system is a valid measure of medical performance.
Ionospheric Scintillation Monitoring Using Commercial Single Frequency C/A Code Receivers

The earth’s ionosphere can cause serious problems for many radio applications: DOD C31 and navigation systems and commercial applications such as communications, radio astronomy and navigation. They can all be seriously affected by ionospheric disturbances. Disturbance effects such as amplitude fading and phase scintillation limit the ability to coherently integrate weak signals. One solution, which reduces the effective data capacity of the channel, is the use of time-interleaved modulation schemes in which data is sent repeatedly to ensure its error-free reception. Another solution is to use alternate resources during the times of predicted signal outages due to scintillation fading. However, these predictions are generally based on monthly climatology and are poor for a specific time in a particular region due to the variability and dynamics of the earth’s ionosphere. A more real-time and local solution is required GPS signals provide an excellent means for measuring scintillation effects on a disperse global basis because they are continuously available and can be measured through many points of the ionosphere simultaneously. GPS signals are themselves affected, but because of the spread spectrum properties of the signal, tracking through disturbances with a GPS receiver is usually possible with reasonably wide bandwidth tracking loops. and scintillation parameters can be extracted There are GPS applications, however, such as surveying where integrated carrier phase measurements are used, in which scintillation can easily disrupt operational activities [l]. This paper presents the result of a Small Business IMOvative Research (SBIR) Phase I study and testing of a software-modified commercial C/A code receiver to perform this function. The result is a design of a low-cost, portable Ionospheric Scintillation Monitor (ISM) being developed on a follow-on SBlR Phase II project.
Resurgence of lymphogranuloma venereum in Western Europe: an outbreak of Chlamydia trachomatis serovar l2 proctitis in The Netherlands among men who have sex with men.

BACKGROUND Lymphogranuloma venereum (LGV) is a sexually transmitted disease (STD) and is rare in the Western world. Recently, 3 men who have sex with men presented with LGV proctitis at the Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands. We investigated a possible outbreak in a sexual network of men who have sex with men (MSM). METHODS After active case finding, a total of 15 men presented and were investigated. Serum antibody titers to Chlamydia trachomatis were determined. Urine and rectum specimens were analyzed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for the presence of C. trachomatis. C. trachomatis-positive specimens were genotyped to detect the specific C. trachomatis serovars. All subjects underwent routine STD screening. Sociodemographic, clinical, and endoscopic characteristics were evaluated. RESULTS Thirteen subjects had high immunoglobulin (Ig) G and IgA titers to C. trachomatis, suggesting an invasive infection. Rectal specimens of 12 subjects were PCR-positive for C. trachomatis. All urine specimens were negative. Genotyping revealed serovars L(2) (n=8) and L(1) (n=1). An ulcerative proctitis was found in all subjects obtaining sigmoidoscopy (n=9). Eleven of 13 subjects with an LGV diagnosis were seropositive for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), 6 had another concomitant STD, and 1 had recently acquired a hepatitis C virus infection. Further sexual contacts were reported from The Netherlands, Germany, Belgium, the United Kingdom, and France. CONCLUSIONS We revealed an outbreak of LGV proctitis among MSM in The Netherlands. The ulcerous character favors transmission of HIV, other STDs, and blood-borne diseases. From a public health perspective, it seems important to increase the awareness of possible LGV in MSM with symptomatic proctitis.
White matter integrity, hippocampal volume, and cognitive performance of a world-famous nonagenarian track-and-field athlete

Physical activity (PA) and cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) are associated with successful brain and cognitive aging. However, little is known about the effects of PA, CRF, and exercise on the brain in the oldest-old. Here we examined white matter (WM) integrity, measured as fractional anisotropy (FA) and WM hyperintensity (WMH) burden, and hippocampal (HIPP) volume of Olga Kotelko (1919–2014). Olga began training for competitions at age of 77 and as of June 2014 held over 30 world records in her age category in track-and-field. We found that Olga’s WMH burden was larger and the HIPP was smaller than in the reference sample (58 healthy low-active women 60–78 years old), and her FA was consistently lower in the regions overlapping with WMH. Olga’s FA in many normal-appearing WM regions, however, did not differ or was greater than in the reference sample. In particular, FA in her genu corpus callosum was higher than any FA value observed in the reference sample. We speculate that her relatively high FA may be related to both successful aging and the beneficial effects of exercise in old age. In addition, Olga had lower scores on memory, reasoning and speed tasks than the younger reference sample, but outperformed typical adults of age 90–95 on speed and memory. Together, our findings open the possibility of old-age benefits of increasing PA on WM microstructure and cognition despite age-related increase in WMH burden and HIPP shrinkage, and add to the still scarce neuroimaging data of the healthy oldest-old (>90 years) adults.
Increased ice flow in Western Palmer Land linked to ocean melting

A decrease in the mass and volume of Western Palmer Land has raised the prospect that ice speed has increased in this marine‐based sector of Antarctica. To assess this possibility, we measure ice velocity over 25 years using satellite imagery and an optimized modeling approach. More than 30 unnamed outlet glaciers drain the 800 km coastline of Western Palmer Land at speeds ranging from 0.5 to 2.5 m/d, interspersed with near‐stagnant ice. Between 1992 and 2015, most of the outlet glaciers sped up by 0.2 to 0.3 m/d, leading to a 13% increase in ice flow and a 15 km3/yr increase in ice discharge across the sector as a whole. Speedup is greatest where glaciers are grounded more than 300 m below sea level, consistent with a loss of buttressing caused by ice shelf thinning in a region of shoaling warm circumpolar water.
Joint kinematics simulation from medical imaging data

A method for joint kinematics simulation is described. Kinematics parameters are determined from the relative displacement of marker sets placed on anatomical landmarks of surface models generated from medical imaging contour data. The landmarks are identified manually on fingers in multiple positions. A mathematical algorithm was then used to ascertain the kinematics axes of motion of the fingers. Once these axes are located, they are used as the base of a real time interactive simulation of the finger. The entire simulation was accomplished in a high-resolution graphics environment. A full complement of interactive tools (virtual dials and buttons controlled via mouse) was used to enhance the user interface. The development of the system, the model and the advantages and disadvantages of the method are discussed.
OCCURRENCE AND DISTRIBUTION OF SARCOCYSTIS PARASITE ISOLATED FROM SHEEP IN YAZD PROVINCE, IRAN

Introduction: Sarcocystis species are one of the most important meat borne parasites. Sarcocystosis causes several symptoms in human as well as numerous diseases with a high economic impact on livestock. In the current paper at first the results of a pilot study for determination of disease agent in the lambs of Yazd province in central Iran is presented. Then the status of parasite in red meat products in the study region is discussed. Materials and Methods: Muscles of 70 slaughtered sheep from both sexes and different ages were investigated for presence of parasite cysts from September to October 2013. Carcass inspection with naked eye at industrial slaughterhouses of Yazd for macroscopic cysts, and pepsin-digestion method for microscopic cysts was performed on common infected sites
Multistate Outbreak of Salmonella Serovar Muenchen Infections Associated with Alfalfa Sprouts Grown from Seeds Pretreated with Calcium Hypochlorite

ABSTRACT During September 1999, a multistate outbreak ofSalmonella serovar Muenchen infection associated with eating raw alfalfa sprouts was identified in Wisconsin. Despite use of a calcium hypochlorite sanitizing procedure to pretreat seeds before sprouting, at least 157 outbreak-related illnesses were identified in seven states having sprouters who received alfalfa seed from a specific lot. The continued occurrence of sprout-related outbreaks despite presprouting disinfection supports the concern that no available treatment will eliminate pathogens from seeds before sprouting and reinforces the need for additional safeguards to protect the public. A lack of consumer knowledge regarding exposure to sprouts documented in this investigation suggests that more-targeted outreach to high-risk individuals may be needed to reduce their risk.
Outcomes of Patients With Acute Type B (DeBakey III) Aortic Dissection

Background— Aortic dissection remains the most common aortic catastrophe. In the endovascular era, the management of acute type B aortic dissection (ATBAD) is undergoing dramatic changes. The aim of this study is to evaluate the long-term outcomes of patients with ATBAD who were treated at our center over a 13-year period. Methods and Results— We reviewed patients with ATBAD between 2001 and 2014, analyzing variables based on status (complicated [c] versus uncomplicated [u]) and treatment modalities. We defined cATBAD as rupture, expansion of diameter on imaging during the admission, persistent pain, or clinical malperfusion leading to a deficit in cerebral, spinal, visceral, renal, or peripheral vascular territories at presentation or during initial hospitalization. Postoperative outcomes were defined as deficits not present before the intervention. Outcomes were compared between the groups by use of Kaplan-Meier and descriptive statistics. We treated 442 patients with ATBAD. Of those 442, 60.6% had uATBAD and were treated medically, and 39.4% had cATBAD, of whom 39.0% were treated medically to 30.0% with open repair, 21.3% with thoracic endovascular aortic repair, and 9.7% with other open peripheral procedures. Intervention-free survival at 1 and 5 years was 84.8% and 62.7% for uATBAD, 61.8% and 44.0% for cATBAD-medical, 69.2% and 47.2% for cATBAD-open, and 68.0% and 42.5% for cATBAD–thoracic endovascular aortic repair, respectively (P=0.001). Overall survival was significantly related primarily to complicated presentation. Conclusions— In our experience, early and late outcomes of ATBAD were dependent on the presence of complications, with cATBAD faring worse. Although uATBAD was associated with favorable early survival, late complications still occurred, mandating radiographic surveillance and open or endovascular interventions. Prospective trials are required to better determine the optimal therapy for uATBAD.
Invisibility and interpretation

Invisibility is often thought to occur because of the low-level limitations of the visual system. For example, it is often assumed that backward masking renders a target invisible because the visual system is simply too slow to resolve the target and the mask separately. Here, we propose an alternative explanation in which invisibility is a goal rather than a limitation and occurs naturally when making sense out of the plethora of incoming information. For example, we present evidence that (in)visibility of an element can strongly depend on how it groups with other elements. Changing grouping changes visibility. In addition, we will show that features often just appear to be invisible but are in fact visible in a way the experimenter is not aware of.
The quality of life trajectory of resected gastric cancer

Few studies describe quality of life (QoL) outcomes following gastrectomy for gastric cancer using a validated instrument. The gastric cancer module for the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy system of QoL measurement tools (FACT‐Ga) was utilized to determine the changes in QoL following gastrectomy, and during the disease course.
Exponential convergence for a convexifying equation and a non-autonomous gradient flow for global minimization

We consider an evolution equation similar to that introduced by Vese and whose solution converges in large time to the convex envelope of the initial datum. We give a stochastic control representation for the solution from which we deduce, under quite general assumptions that the convergence in the Lipschitz norm is in fact exponential in time. We then introduce a non-autonomous gradient flow and prove that its trajectories all converge to minimizers of the convex envelope.
Longitudinal studies of drug abuse in a fifteen‐year‐old population

ABSTRACT A representative, stratified sample of ninth‐graders of comprehensive school 1968 were followed retrospectively and prospectively in files from hospitals and Social Welfare Administration and in other official registers. Those who had stated high‐frequency drug use in a school questionnaire, those who had attended special classes or had dropped out of school appeared to a larger extent than the average ninth‐graders in social and child psychiatric registers during childhood. Over a follow‐up period of 11 years they had a large over‐consumption of drug‐related psychiatric and social care. They were more often sick‐listed and assessed to be without income than the average year cohort. The women had children before 20 years of age and the men were exempted from military service lo a higher extent.
Study on Ethno Veterinary Practices in Amaro Special District SouthernEthiopia

Background: Ethno veterinary knowledge covers up people’s knowledge, skills, methods, practices and beliefs about the care of their animals and themselves, and has been used over many centuries. Aim: To documented traditional medicinal plants that used to prevent and control ailments in Amaro Special District, Southern Ethiopia. Method: A purposive sampling technique study was carried out using a semi-structured questionnaire, field observational and survey to document indigenous knowledge. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze and summarize the ethno-botanical data. A total of 24 herbalists aged between 35-69 years old, 71% were over 46 years old (elders) and 29% were between 35 and 45 years old (younger). The majority informants were males, 87.5% and the experiences year from 29-32 years were 58.33% and the remaining 41.67% were from 5-20 years. Result: Twenty four medicinal plants against a total of 29 animal and human ailments were reported and botanically identified as belonging to 24 plant families. Most frequently used plants were from Solanaceae (16.67%), Lamiaceae (12.5%), Fabaceae (8.33%), Cucurbitaceae (8.33%) and Asteraceae (8.33%). The medicinal plant parts that were more commonly utilized for the preparation of ethno veterinary medicines were leaves (41.67%), roots (25%) and bark (12.5%). The findings showed that herbaceous accounted for 41.67%, followed by trees (29.17%), climbers (16.67%) and shrubs (12.5%). 83.33% of medicinal plants reported were collected from wild habitats and 16.67% from home garden. The preparations were applied through oral administration accounted for (58.3%), followed by topical application (29.17%). The identified and documented medicinal plants predominantly used to animal ailments treatment (65%) and followed by human and animal aliments (both) treatment (25%). Conclusion: The people of the district have sound ethno veterinary knowledge and practices for preventing and controlling their animal and themselves from ailments, but this facing the risk of disappearing due tocombined effect factors. So, training on the awareness creation and rising and documentation are highly recommended. Scientific investigations should be carried out to ascertain their effectiveness of the identified medicinal plants used in animal and human health management.
Complementation of mitochondrial electron transport chain by manipulation of the NAD+/NADH ratio

Taking control of cellular NAD+ concentrations Cellular concentrations of the nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+) are critical for proper metabolism and are often altered in aging and disease. To enable better understanding of these processes, Titov et al. altered the concentration of NAD+ in particular cellular compartments. They did this through expression of a bacterial enzyme targeted to specific compartments of human cells in culture. Their experiments emphasize the important role of the electron transport chain in redox transfer of electrons to NADH, rather than proton pumping, in mitochondrial pathogenesis. Science, this issue p. 231 The process of borrowing a bacterial enzyme to control nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide concentrations in mammalian cells is discussed. A decline in electron transport chain (ETC) activity is associated with many human diseases. Although diminished mitochondrial adenosine triphosphate production is recognized as a source of pathology, the contribution of the associated reduction in the ratio of the amount of oxidized nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+) to that of its reduced form (NADH) is less clear. We used a water-forming NADH oxidase from Lactobacillus brevis (LbNOX) as a genetic tool for inducing a compartment-specific increase of the NAD+/NADH ratio in human cells. We used LbNOX to demonstrate the dependence of key metabolic fluxes, gluconeogenesis, and signaling on the cytosolic or mitochondrial NAD+/NADH ratios. Expression of LbNOX in the cytosol or mitochondria ameliorated proliferative and metabolic defects caused by an impaired ETC. The results underscore the role of reductive stress in mitochondrial pathogenesis and demonstrate the utility of targeted LbNOX for direct, compartment-specific manipulation of redox state.