Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Dynamic aspects of obesity in a sample of Egyptian women

Introduction Obesity is actually conceptualized as a complex, multifactorial disorder, in which genetic, psychological, physiological, environmental, and socioeconomic factors play a major role. The nature of the relationship between obesity and psychological distress continues to be debated by researchers and clinicians. Some studies have suggested a relationship between being overweight and having increased psychiatric symptoms, and an association between obesity and several lifetime psychiatric disorders, whereas other studies have found no association at all. Aim It is hypothesized that there are differences between obese and normal-weight women in different dynamic aspects; therefore, here, we compare them in terms of defense mechanisms, self-esteem, and body image. Also, we attempt to explore the association between the degree of obesity and the severity of psychopathology. Patients and methods This was a case-control cross-sectional study, in which a group of 40 obese women seeking treatment for obesity were recruited from the National Nutrition Institute (BMI ≥ 30), and a group of 40 healthy normal-weight women were recruited from among the general population (control sample). They were subjected to the following psychometric procedures: Symptom Check List-90-R (SCL-90-R), Body Image Questionnaire (BIQ), Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RSES), and Defense Style Questionnaire (DSQ-40). Results In terms of SCL-90-R, there was a significant difference between the two groups in the somatization, hostility, and paranoid ideation subscales; the scores for these on SCL-90-R were higher in the obese group. For BIQ, there was a statistically highly significant difference between the two groups; obese individuals had a disturbed body image compared with those in the control group. For DSQ-40, the obese women showed excessive use of immature defenses (displacement) and the control group showed frequent usage of neurotic defenses (reaction formation); there was a significant difference between the two groups in the two defenses. There was no significant difference in self-esteem. There was a positive correlation between BMI and the somatization subscale, BMI and the phobia subscale, and BMI and the Global Severity Index subscale of SCL-90-R in the obese group. There was a positive correlation between BMI and the depression subscale and BMI and the interpersonal sensitivity subscale of SCL-90-R in the control group. There was a negative correlation between BMI and mature defense styles in the obese group, whereas in the control group, there was a positive correlation between BMI and immature defense styles. There were no significant correlations between BMI and both BIQ and RSES. Conclusion Obese women have more disturbed body image, immature defense mechanisms, and psychopathology than the control group.
Pituitary-Adrenal and Sympathetic Nervous System Responses to Stress in Women Remitted From Recurrent Major Depression

Objective: To better understand the changes in hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis and sympathetic nervous system (SNS) function after remission of depression. We characterized these systems at baseline and in response to a psychosocial stressor in a cohort of women remitted from recurrent major depression as well as in never-depressed healthy female controls. Methods: Baseline HPA function was measured via saliva cortisol sampling at 8 AM and 4 PM over 7 days as well as quantification of urinary overnight cortisol secretion. The HPA system response to a psychosocial stressor was assessed by measuring serum cortisol and adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) levels and SNS reactivity by determining serum epinephrine (E) and norepinephrine (NE) concentrations as well as autonomic nervous system changes by analysis of heart rate variability (HRV). The stressor included a speech task, mental arithmetic, and a cognitive challenge. Results: In all, we studied 22 women remitted from recurrent major depression (age = 51.0 ± 1.7 years) and 20 healthy controls (age = 54.2 ± 1.6 years). Morning saliva cortisol concentrations were lower in remitted patients, paralleled by lower serum cortisol concentrations before stress testing. This group also displayed a blunted cortisol and ACTH response to the stressor, as compared with healthy controls. No between-group differences in HRV parameters were observed. Conclusion: In this group of women remitted from recurrent major depressive disorder, we found evidence of HPA system hypoactivity, both in the basal state and in response to a psychosocial stressor. ACTH = adrenocorticotropic hormone; E = epinephrine; HAM-D = Hamilton Depression Scale; HPA = hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal; HF = high frequency; HRV = heart rate variability; HR = heart rate; LF = low frequency; NE = norepinephrine; rm-ANOVA = repeated-measures analysis of variance; SNS = sympathetic nervous system; VAS = visual analogous scale.
Immunological Status of Competitive Football Players During the Training Season

We investigated possible immunological changes in 15 professional football players before, during and after the sports season. We studied the leucocyte count as well as different functions such as T-lymphocyte proliferation, NK activity, chemotaxis and phagocytosis of neutrophils. Training and competitions did not produce any change in the total number of leucocytes but increased neutrophil counts and decreased T4 lymphocyte counts. We also observed a slight decrease of T-lymphocyte proliferation and a significant decrease of neutrophil functions. On the other hand, training and competitions did not induce significant changes in the number of NK cells nor in the total NK cytotoxic activity. The different change observed tended to normalize after the sports season. Our results suggest a predominant neutrophil function depression in football players during a training season which could partly explain the susceptibility of elite athletes to infections.
The Vital Importance of the Arts in Personal Development

Abstract Miguel Angel Estrella gives a moving personal testimony of his experience as an international concert pianist and socially engaged musician. He explains why he created Musica Esperanza (Music Hope), to put music to work for the cause of human dignity. He has seen how getting very poor people to play music can be a source of reconstruction and renewal, particularly in Amerindian communities in Latin America and in prisons.
Lernverlaufsdiagnostik im Mathematikunterricht der zweiten Klasse: Raschanalysen und Empfehlungen zur Adaptation eines Testverfahrens für den Einsatz in inklusiven Klassen

Das Ziel der Lernverlaufsdiagnostik ist es, Lernverlaufe von Schulerinnen und Schulern darzustellen. Lernverlaufsdiagnostik stellt insbesondere in leistungsheterogenen Klassen eine wichtige Informationsbasis fur padagogische Entscheidungen dar, indem fur Schulerinnen und Schuler aller Leistungsniveaus ruckgemeldet wird, ob der Unterricht angemessene Lernfortschritte bewirkt. Das internetbasierte System „quop“ eroffnet die Moglichkeit, die Lernverlaufe von einzelnen Schulerinnen und Schulern sowie von ganzen Klassen im Regelunterricht zu erfassen. Die hier bereitgestellten Testreihen wurden auf der Basis der klassischen Testtheorie konstruiert und sind jeweils fur eine bestimmte Klassenstufe konzipiert. Fur den Einsatz in sehr leistungsheterogenen Klassen ware es wunschenswert, dass die Itemparameter der Aufgaben in den Tests bekannt sind und die Items auch uber Klassenstufen hinweg verbunden werden konnen. Dafur ist es notwendig, dass der Test der probabilistischen Testtheorie entspricht. Ziel des vorliegenden Beitrags ist es, die dafur notwendigen Voraussetzungen im Hinblick auf die Eindimensionalitat, Schwierigkeit und Testfairness der Testreihe zur Lernverlaufsdiagnostik im Mathematikunterricht in zweiten Klassen auf Basis des Raschmodells zu prufen. Die Analysen der Daten von 414 Schulerinnen und Schulern aus 19 Klassen zeigen, dass anhand der Testreihe die Leistungsentwicklung im Mathematikunterricht auf den beiden Dimensionen Vorlauferkompetenzen und curriculare Kompetenzen reliabel erfasst werden konnen. Eine mogliche Weiterentwicklung der beiden Subskalen fur die Nutzung in inklusiven Klassen wird diskutiert. (DIPF/Orig.) Learning progress assessment aims to monitor student learning growth. Especially in heterogeneous classrooms, learning progress assessment provides important information that can be used in the instructional decision-making process by monitoring whether the instruction is effective for students at all skill levels. The web-based system „quop“ provides an opportunity to monitor the learning progress of individual students and also of whole classrooms in general education. The test series available on the quop-platform were designed on the basis of classical test theory for a specific grade level. However, it would be helpful to analyze item parameters of the tests in order to use them across grades in highly heterogeneous classrooms. Therefore the tests should meet the requirements of item response theory. The aim of this paper is to examine the necessary conditions in terms of one-dimensionality, difficulty and test fairness of the test series for learning progress assessment in mathematics in second grade based on the Rasch model. Data analysis of 414 students from 19 classes shows that the tests reliably assess the development in mathematics on the two dimensions precursor competencies and curricular skills. Further development of the two subscales for use in inclusive classrooms is discussed. (DIPF/Orig.)
The Efficacy of Percutaneous Lateral Hemiepiphysiodesis on Angular Correction in Idiopathic Adolescent Genu Varum

Background Percutaneous lateral hemiepiphysiodesis of the lower extremity is a simple and excellent method to correct the angular and length problems cosmetically. However, the efficacy of percutaneous lateral hemiepiphysiodesis is not well established in the literature. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of percutaneous lateral hemiepiphysiodesis for angular corrections in adolescent idiopathic genu varum patients with proximal tibia vara and identify the factors affecting the amount of deformity correction of the lower limb in the coronal plane. Methods We retrospectively reviewed 20 patients (40 lower limbs) who had percutaneous lateral hemiepiphysiodesis on the proximal lateral tibia between 1997 and 2010. Radiographic evaluations were made using (1) the hip-knee-ankle angle and (2) the length of the tibia. Furthermore, the intercondylar distance was evaluated at the level of the knee joint. Preoperative factors (gender, age, body mass index, intercondylar distance, preoperative hip-knee-ankle angle, remaining growth of tibia, and calculated correctable angle) were analyzed, as well as their correlation with the degree of the actual correction angle. Results The amount of coronal deformity of the lower limb was improved from its preoperative state. The median average of hip-knee-ankle angle improved from 8.0° (interquartile range [IQR], 7.0° to 10.0°) preoperatively to 3.0° (IQR, 2.5° to 4.0°) at the final follow-up (p < 0.001). The median percent ratio of the angular correction was 60% (IQR, 50% to 71.3%). The correlation coefficients were –0.537, 0.832, 0.791, and 0.685 for the bone age, preoperative hip-knee-ankle angle, the remaining growth of tibia, and calculated correctable angle, respectively. Conclusions Despite the excellent cosmetic outcome of percutaneous lateral hemiepiphysiodesis on the proximal lateral tibia in adolescent idiopathic genu varum, the effect was limited in most cases. For optimum results, surgery a few months earlier is recommended, rather than at the calculated operation time.
A Finnish Study of Self‐Regulation Discourses in the Chemical Industry's Responsible Care Programme

The aim of the study was to explore the effects of the Responsible Care (RC) programme and how it is applied in practice. The present research questions include the following focus: how should we assess the performance of an organization's RC activity and what are the different criteria for assessing RC practices? The results indicate that the RC programme provides practical tools for developing health, environmental and safety operations. RC companies are committed to developing their products and processes, and continuously strive to minimize emission levels and improve the efficiency of their use of raw materials and energy. The RC partnership between the chemical industry and its customers is executed in the form of responsibility for the product and its safe use. The product stewardship approach provides companies with tools that help secure safe usage throughout the product life cycle.
RESILIENCE-BUILDING WITH DISABLED CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE: A REVIEW AND CRITIQUE OF THE ACADEMIC EVIDENCE BASE

The aim of this paper was to review published accounts of resilience-based approaches with and for disabled children and young people aged up to 25 years. The review is part of a broader study looking more generally at resilience-based interventions with and for young people. The authors attempt to summarise the approaches and techniques that might best support those children and young people who need them the most. However, when compared to the number of evaluated resilience-based approaches to working with typically-developing children and young people, those including children and young people with complex needs are disappointingly lacking. Of 830 retrieved references, 46 were relevant and 23 met the inclusion criteria and form the body of this review. They covered a variety of intervention content, setting, and delivery, and diverse children and young people, making comparative evaluation prohibitive. The difficulties in identifying suitable resilience-based interventions are discussed, together with the authors' iterative approach, which was informed by realist review methodology for complex social interventions. The review is set into a context of exclusion, an ableist mindset and the political economy of research. It also provides recommendations for future research and practice development in this field.
B-vitamin status in relation to bone mineral density in treated celiac disease patients

Abstract Objectives. Patients with celiac disease (CD) are at increased risk of osteoporosis and compromised B-vitamin status. Emerging evidence supports a beneficial role of folate and the metabolically related B-vitamins in bone health in generally healthy adults, but no previous study has investigated this in CD patients. The aim of the current study was to examine the relationship of folate, vitamins B12, B6 and B2 (riboflavin), and the related metabolite homocysteine, with bone mineral density (BMD) in CD patients. Materials and methods. Of the 400 treated adult CD patients invited to participate, 110 responded and met the eligibility criteria for study participation. BMD was measured using dual energy X-ray absorptiometry scanning at the lumbar spine (L1–L4), femoral neck, and total hip sites. Biomarker status of the relevant B-vitamins and homocysteine, and dietary B-vitamin intakes, were measured. Results. The significant predictors of low BMD were increasing age (B = 0.080, p < 0.001) and decreasing weight (B = 0.072, p = 0.004), whereas no significant relationship with serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (B = 0.093, p = 0.928) was observed. Following adjustment for these predictors, serum vitamin B12 (but no other B-vitamin biomarker) was found to be a significant determinant of BMD at the femoral neck (β = 0.416, p = 0.011) and total hip (β = 0.327, p = 0.049) in men only. No significant relationships were found between any of the B-vitamin biomarkers investigated and BMD (at any measured site) in women. Conclusion. These findings add to current evidence suggesting a potential role of vitamin B12 in BMD, particularly in men, and show such a relationship for the first time in CD patients.
Towards the evolution of laughter: a comparative analysis on hominoids

Laughter and smiles are one of the most common and marked expressions of happiness in humans. They bear resemblance in form and function to great ape vocal and facial displays that occur during tickling sessions and social play. The three main studies of this book, which were conducted by Marina Davila Ross for her PhD, apply a comparative approach across great apes and humans to assess the function, test for mimicry, and reconstruct the evolutionary relationships of these displays.
Synchronizing education to adolescent biology: ‘let teens sleep, start school later’

Arne Duncan, US Secretary of State for Education, tweeted in 2013: ‘let teens sleep, start school later’. This paper examines early starts and their negative consequences in the light of key research in the last 30 years in sleep medicine and circadian neuroscience. An overview of the circadian timing system in adolescence leading to changes in sleep patterns is given and underpins the conclusion that altering education times can both improve learning and reduce health risks. Further research is considered from education, sleep medicine and neuroscience studies illustrating these improvements. The implementation of later starts is briefly considered in light of other education interventions to improve learning. Finally, the impact of introducing research-based later starts synchronized to adolescent biology is considered in practical and policy terms. Video Abstract Read the transcript> Watch the video on Vimeo
Predicting Risk for Serious Complications With Bariatric Surgery: Results from the Michigan Bariatric Surgery Collaborative

Objectives:To develop a risk prediction model for serious complications after bariatric surgery. BackgroundDespite evidence for improved safety with bariatric surgery, serious complications remain a concern for patients, providers and payers. There is little population-level data on which risk factors can be used to identify patients at high risk for major morbidity. Methods:The Michigan Bariatric Surgery Collaborative is a statewide consortium of hospitals and surgeons, which maintains an externally-audited prospective clinical registry. We analyzed data from 25,469 patients undergoing bariatric surgery between June 2006 and December 2010. Significant risk factors on univariable analysis were entered into a multivariable logistic regression model to identify factors associated with serious complications (life threatening and/or associated with lasting disability) within 30 days of surgery. Bootstrap resampling was performed to obtain bias-corrected confidence intervals and c-statistic. Results:Overall, 644 patients (2.5%) experienced a serious complication. Significant risk factors (P < 0.05) included: prior VTE (odds ratio [OR] 1.90, confidence interval [CI] 1.41–2.54); mobility limitations (OR 1.61, CI 1.23–2.13); coronary artery disease (OR 1.53, CI 1.17–2.02); age over 50 (OR 1.38, CI 1.18–1.61); pulmonary disease (OR 1.37, CI 1.15–1.64); male gender (OR 1.26, CI 1.06–1.50); smoking history (OR 1.20, CI 1.02–1.40); and procedure type (reference lap band): duodenal switch (OR 9.68, CI 6.05–15.49); laparoscopic gastric bypass (OR 3.58, CI 2.79–4.64); open gastric bypass (OR 3.51, CI 2.38–5.22); sleeve gastrectomy (OR 2.46, CI 1.73–3.50). The c-statistic was 0.68 (bias-corrected to 0.66) and the model was well-calibrated across deciles of predicted risk. Conclusions:We have developed and validated a population-based risk scoring system for serious complications after bariatric surgery. We expect that this scoring system will improve the process of informed consent, facilitate the selection of procedures for high-risk patients, and allow for better risk stratification across studies of bariatric surgery.
Prevalence and clinical characteristics of renal transplant patients with true resistant hypertension

Objective: Arterial hypertension is a prevalent complication that occurs in 75–90% of kidney-transplant recipients. Data about resistant arterial hypertension are scarce. The aim of this multicenter, cross-sectional, and observational study was to assess the prevalence and the clinical features of true resistant hypertension among renal-transplant patients. Methods: Eligible patients included hypertensive cadaveric kidney-transplant recipients aged below 70 years, with functioning kidney for at least 1 year, and with an estimated glomerular filtration rate at least 30 ml/min per 1.73 m2 and serum creatinine below 2.5 mg/dl. Recorded data included demographic characteristics, office blood pressure, and ambulatory blood pressure monitoring and laboratory investigations. A total of 868 patients (mean age 53.2 ± 11.6 years) were included. Results: Mean systolic and diastolic office blood pressure was 140.2 ± 18 and 80.4 ± 10 mmHg, respectively. Mean 24-h ambulatory SBP and DBP was 131.5 ± 14 and 77.4 ± 8.7 mmHg and the prevalence of true resistant hypertension was 18.9%. Those with resistant hypertension were older and men, with a worse cardiovascular risk profile and history of cardiovascular disease. Apart from this, these patients had worse graft function and treatment with steroids. Conclusions: The present study provides evidence about the prevalence of true resistant hypertension in renal-transplant patients. It also shows the very high cardiovascular risk of true resistant hypertension and the elevated association of this condition with renal failure, organ damage, and history of cardiovascular events.
Formation Control of Mobile Robots Using Distributed Controller With Sampled-Data and Communication Delays

This brief presents a synchronous formation control approach using distributed controller with sampled-data and communication delay. The local information of each robot is sampled first, and then transmitted to its coupling robots through a network with communication delays, i.e., the information exchanged between coupling robots is the sampled-data with communication delays. The distributed formation controller is designed by using the synchronization approach, which enables mobile robots to maintain time-varying formations while performing a group task in a synchronous manner. A sufficient condition for formation control that can guarantee the exponential convergence of both the position errors and the synchronization errors is obtained by using the Lyapunov approach. Based on the proposed sufficient condition, an upper bound of the sampling period and the communication delay that guarantees mobile robots to converge to the desired formations can be easily obtained. Finally, the effectiveness of the proposed method is demonstrated by simulations and real experiments.
Denosumab: A comprehensive review

Abstract The clinical sequelae from bone metastases, termed skeletal-related events (SREs), are among the most frequent and debilitating complications in patients with advanced cancer. Bone metastases are characterized by pathologically increased osteoclast activity, and accumulating evidence indicates that tumor cells interact within the bone to stimulate the receptor activator of nuclear factor kB (RANK)-RANK ligand (RANKL) pathway. RANKL is an essential mediator of osteoclast formation, function, and survival. Because of the central role of RANKL in cancer-induced bone destruction, the inhibition of RANKL has the potential to result in the reduction of pathologic bone resorption. Denosumab is a fully human monoclonal antibody specific for RANKL that inhibits the formation, activation, and survival of osteoclasts. This in turn decreases bone resorption and reduces cancer-induced bone destruction. In this review, we give an overview of the drug Denosumab with its history, mechanism of action, clinical trial data, adverse effects, and future challenges.