Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Effectiveness of Handmade “Jacky‐Like Catheter” As a Single Multipurpose Catheter in Transradial Coronary Angiography: A Randomized Comparison With Conventional Two‐Catheter Strategy

OBJECTIVE To investigate safety and efficacy of specialized hand-modified "Jacky-Like" catheter (JLC) as a single dual-purpose catheter in transradial coronary angiography. METHODS Patients over 18 years undergoing diagnostic CAG through right radial artery (RRA) were prospectively enrolled. Procedures were performed with a single JLC modified from a left Judkins (JL) 3.5 catheter or by using 2-catheter approach (2C). Procedures with coronary artery bypass grafts or ventricular angiographies were excluded from the study. Three hundred and eighty-seven transradial procedures were performed successfully. One hundred and ninety-four procedures were performed with 2C and 193 procedures with a JLC. Inability to use intended catheters, total fluoroscopic time in minutes, the consumption of contrast medium in milliliter, development of radial artery spasm (RAS), and radial artery occlusion (RAO) were evaluated. RESULTS In the 2C group, angiography was successfully performed on the RCA of 191 patients (98.9%) and on LCA in 192 patients (99.4%). In the JLC group, angiography was successfully performed on the RCA and LCA of 193 (99.4%) and 174 (89.6%) patients, respectively. Utilization of supplemental catheters was significantly greater in the JLC group (21; 10.8%) versus the 2C group (3; 1.5% P = 0.001). Mean fluoroscopy time was shorter in the JLC group (2.0 ± 2.3 min vs. 2.3 ± 1.5 min; P = 0.043). Mean procedure time was also decreased with JLC but did not reach statistical significance (5.7 ± 3.1 min vs. 6.2 ± 2.5 min; P = 0.081). When additional time for reshaping the JLC was not taken into account, mean procedure time was significantly decreased in the JLC group (5.6 ± 2.9 min vs. 6.2 ± 2.4 min; P = 0.031). There was a trend toward lower incidence of consumption of contrast medium in the 2C group (49 ± 13 mL vs. 52 ± 18 mL; P = 0.061). RAS was observed more frequently in the 2C group (11.3% vs. 21.7%, P = 0.005). There was a trend toward high incidence of RAO in the 2C group (4.1 vs. 8.3% P = 0.064). CONCLUSION In transradial procedures from RRA, a JLC catheter can be very effective when dedicated dual-purpose catheter is not available.
An industry based approach to colorectal cancer screening in an asymptomatic population

The uptake of faecal occult blood testing in a workplace based colorectal cancer screening programme was investigated. Altogether 1828 employees aged 41–65 years at a large British industrial company were invited to receive a free faecal occult blood test (Haemoccult). Faecal occult blood tests were completed on three separate days. Patients with positive results were invited to undergo colonoscopy. The number of employees completing kits was measured and differences in compliance according to age, sex, and occupation were tested with a χ2 test. Compliance was 25.4%, and similar in men (25.0%) and women (32.0%, χ2 = 3.0, not significant). In men, compliance was highest in those aged 51–60 years (30.5% χ2 >11.6, p<0.001). Compliance in women aged 41–50 years, 51–60 years, and 61–65 years was similar (Yates’s corrected χ2 <2.08, not significant). Managers returned more kits than clerical and blue collar workers (28.6% v 23.5%, χ2 = 5.6, p<0.02). One percent of tests were positive and one patient had a tubular adenoma. Compliance in employees aged 51–60 years was comparable to that achieved in one-off British general practice programmes, but less than that in the large randomised trial of screening in general practices in Nottinghamshire. Health education of large numbers of people is easier at the workplace than in the community. Future screening must target older employees and those with clerical and blue collar jobs.
Immunogenicity and Reactogenicity of an Inactivated Quadrivalent Influenza Vaccine Administered Intramuscularly to Children 6 to 35 Months of Age in 2012–2013: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Controlled, Multicenter, Multicountry, Clinical Trial

Background Influenza attack rates are high in 6- to 35-month-old children; vaccines containing both lineages of influenza B (Yamagata and Victoria), in addition to the H3N2 and H1N1 antigens, may improve protection rates. Methods In a randomized double-blind controlled trial, the immunogenicity and reactogenicity of an inactivated quadrivalent influenza vaccine (QIV) and a trivalent control vaccine (TIV) were assessed. Results Six hundred one children (QIV, n = 299; TIV, n = 302) were enrolled at 8 sites in 3 countries. The primary immunogenicity objective was met: the lower limit (LL) of the 2-sided 95% confidence interval (CI) for the seroconversion rate in QIV recipients ranged from 66.6% to 81.3%, which was ≥40% against all 4 strains. The immunogenic superiority of the additional B/Victoria strain in the QIV compared to that in the TIV was confirmed: the LL of the 2-sided 95% CI of the geometric mean titer ratio (QIV/TIV) (6.28 [95% CI, 5.32–7.41]) was greater than 1.5, and the LL of the 2-sided 95% CI for the difference in the seroconversion rate (QIV – TIV) (64.19% [95% CI, 57.65%–69.95%]) was greater than 10%. Injection-site pain and irritability/fussiness were the most commonly reported solicited injection-site and general adverse events, respectively, from days 0 to 6 and were similar in frequency between the groups. Conclusions In children aged 6 to 35 months, a QIV has superior immunogenicity for the added B strain and acceptable immunogenicity for shared strains, with no notable difference in reactogenicity and safety when compared to a TIV.
Trouble with Bleeding: Risk Factors for Acute Hepatitis C among HIV-Positive Gay Men from Germany—A Case-Control Study

Objectives To identify risk factors for hepatitis C among HIV-positive men who have sex with men (MSM), focusing on potential sexual, nosocomial, and other non-sexual determinants. Background Outbreaks of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infections among HIV-positive MSM have been reported by clinicians in post-industrialized countries since 2000. The sexual acquisition of HCV by gay men who are HIV positive is not, however, fully understood. Methods Between 2006 and 2008, a case-control study was embedded into a behavioural survey of MSM in Germany. Cases were HIV-positive and acutely HCV-co-infected, with no history of injection drug use. HIV-positive MSM without known HCV infection, matched for age group, served as controls. The HCV-serostatus of controls was assessed by serological testing of dried blood specimens. Univariable and multivariable regression analyses were used to identify factors independently associated with HCV-co-infection. Results 34 cases and 67 controls were included. Sex-associated rectal bleeding, receptive fisting and snorting cocaine/amphetamines, combined with group sex, were independently associated with case status. Among cases, surgical interventions overlapped with sex-associated rectal bleeding. Conclusions Sexual practices leading to rectal bleeding, and snorting drugs in settings of increased HCV-prevalence are risk factors for acute hepatitis C. We suggest that sharing snorting equipment as well as sharing sexual partners might be modes of sexual transmission. Condoms and gloves may not provide adequate protection if they are contaminated with blood. Public health interventions for HIV-positive gay men should address the role of blood in sexual risk behaviour. Further research is needed into the interplay of proctosurgery and sex-associated rectal bleeding.
Involvement of Calmodulin in Glucagon‐Like Peptide 1(7‐36) Amide‐Induced Inhibition of the ATP‐Sensitive K+ Channel in Mouse Pancreatic β‐Cells

The present investigation was designed to examine whether calmodulin is involved in the inhibition of the ATP‐sensitive K+ (KATP) channel by glucagon‐like peptide 1(7‐36) amide (GLP‐1) in mouse pancreatic β‐cells. Membrane potential, single channel and whole‐cell currents through the KATP channels, and intracellular free Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]i) were measured in single mouse pancreatic β‐cells. Whole‐cell patch‐clamp experiments with amphotericin‐perforated patches revealed that membrane conductance at around the resting potential is predominantly supplied by the KATP channels in mouse pancreatic β‐cells. The addition of 20 nM GLP‐1 in the presence of 5 mM glucose significantly reduced the membrane KATP conductance, accompanied by membrane depolarization and the generation of electrical activity. A calmodulin inhibitor N‐(6‐aminohexyl)‐5‐chloro‐1‐naphthalenesulphonamide (W‐7, 20 μM) completely reversed the inhibitory actions of GLP‐1 on the membrane KATP conductance and resultant membrane depolarization. Cell‐attached patch recordings confirmed the inhibition of the KATP channel activity by 20 nM GLP‐1 and its restoration by 20 μM W‐7 or 10 μM calmidazolium at the single channel level. Bath application of 20 μM W‐7 also consistently abolished the GLP‐1‐evoked increase in [Ca2+]i in the presence of 5 mM glucose. These results strongly suggest that the mechanisms by which GLP‐1 inhibits the KATP channel activity accompanied by the initiation of electrical activity in mouse pancreatic β‐cells include a calmodulin‐dependent mechanism in addition to the well‐documented activation of the cyclic AMP‐protein kinase A system.
Risk Preferences

Risk attitudes include risk aversion as well as higher-order risk preferences such as prudence and temperance. This article analyzes the effects of such preferences on medical test and treatment decisions, represented either by test and treatment thresholds or—when the test result is not given—by optimal cutoff values for diagnostic tests. For a risk-averse decision maker, effective treatment is a risk-reducing strategy since it prevents the low health outcome of forgoing treatment in the sick state. Compared with risk neutrality, risk aversion thus lowers both the test and the treatment threshold and decreases the optimal test cutoff value. Risk vulnerability, which combines risk aversion, prudence, and temperance, is relevant if there is a comorbidity risk: thresholds and optimal cutoff values decrease even more. Since common utility functions imply risk vulnerability, our findings suggest that diagnostics in low prevalence settings (e.g., screening) may be considered more beneficial when risk preferences are taken into account.
Partial Identification in Auctions with Selective Entry∗

This paper considers nonparametric identification of a two-stage entry and bidding model for auctions which we call the Affiliated-Signal (AS) model. This model assumes that potential bidders have private values, observe imperfect signals of their true values prior to entry, and choose whether to undertake a costly entry process. The AS model is a theoretically appealing candidate for the structural analysis of auctions with entry: it formally nests the Levin and Smith (1994) model and approaches the Samuelson (1985) model as a limit. Unfortunately, since pre-entry signals are not observed, the AS model is nonparametrically non-identified. In this paper, we explore a partial identification approach to structural analysis using the AS model. In particular, we show how exogenous variation in entry behavior (induced by variation in factors such as potential competition or entry costs) can be used to construct nonparametric bounds on the fundamentals of the AS model under a general class of second-stage bidding mechanisms, and translate these bounds into bounds on counterfactual seller revenue corresponding to a wide variety of potential award rules. Finally, we state conditions under which the AS model is exactly identified. ∗Earlier versions of this paper have been presented at the EC Conference on Identification in Econometrics in Toulouse, December 2010, the North American Summer Meeting of the Econometric Society in St. Louis, June 2011, and the European Meeting of the Econometric Society in Oslo, August 2011. We thank participants of these conferences for comments and Yanqin Fan for helpful suggestions. Support from National Science Foundation (SES-0922109) is gratefully acknowledged. †Department of Economics, Vanderbilt University. Email: matthew.l. gentry@vanderbilt.edu. ‡Department of Economics, Vanderbilt University. Email: tong.li@vanderbilt.edu.
Assessing the instructional effectiveness of problem-based management education in Thailand: A longitudinal evaluation

Problem-based learning (PBL) has attracted increased interest in higher education due to claims that it provides a more active and productive learning environment.Yet, to date, most empirical research on the instructional effectiveness of PBL has been conducted in medical education. This article examines the instructional effectiveness of a problem-based curriculum at a business school in Thailand. The quasi-experimental study draws on seven years of student evaluation data to compare the instructional effectiveness of courses offered in a PBL track with other courses taught in the college. The results suggest that students perceived PBL as an effective approach to learning. PBL courses fostered a more active, engaging classroom environment that helped graduate management students understand how to apply theory to practice. The findings offer initial empirical support for the use of PBL in management education and counter the belief that Asian students are not responsive to learner centred approaches to education.
Secondary Teacher Workload and Job Satisfaction

This article analyses the views of secondary school teachers involved in the Transforming the School Workforce: Pathfinder Project—a project designed to address issues of teacher workload and job satisfaction. The initiative was launched in 2002 by the Department for Education and Skills (DfES) to enable 32 pilot schools to explore ways in which they might restructure their working practices and reduce teacher workload. Funding was provided for schools to benefit from consultancy support, the training of headteachers, the employment of additional teaching assistants, the provision of ICT hardware and software, the training of bursars/school managers and for capital build projects. Here we concentrate on the evaluation of the Pathfinder Project with particular reference to possible changes in workload and job satisfaction of secondary teachers in the 12 secondary schools involved in the project. The reported weekly and holiday hours worked by secondary teachers are analysed across the duration of the project, as are patterns of evening and weekend work. Teachers’ views on job satisfaction are also analysed in conjunction with their perspectives on workload, culminating in a discussion of their solutions to the problems of excessive workload. The relationship between teacher workload, job satisfaction and work-life balance is explored within the context of the future modernization of the entire school workforce.
Cost of illness of atopic asthma and seasonal allergic rhinitis in Germany: 1‐yr retrospective study

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the cost of illness of moderate-to-severe atopic asthma and/or seasonal allergic rhinitis (SAR) in Germany from the perspective of third-party payers (TPP) and patients. Five-hundred patients (276 children/adolescents) with moderate-to-severe asthma and/or SAR were included in this cross-sectional study. Information was collected using a specific patient questionnaire and the abstraction of patient records. Overall, annual costs per patient increased with the severity of atopic asthma and if it was associated with SAR. The average annual cost of SAR was 1,089 per child/adolescent and 1,543 per adult. Annual costs of severe asthma plus SAR increased to 7,928 per child/adolescent and to 9,287 per adult. For TPPs, the main cost drivers were medication, hospitalisation, and rehabilitation. The most significant costs for patients were household modifications. For children/adolescents, 60–78% of the expenditures were direct costs, while in adults, 58% of expenditures were indirect costs. It was also observed that patients with moderate and severe asthma used inhaled corticosteroids less frequently than recommended by treatment guidelines. In summary, the total cost for patients increases with the severity of atopic asthma and/or seasonal allergic rhinitis and indirect costs represent a large proportion of the total cost.
The Relationship of Academic Stress with Aggression, Depression and Academic Performance of College Students in Iran.

This paper investigates the relationship of academic stress with aggression, depression and academic performance of college students. Using a random sampling technique, 60 students consist of boys and girls were selected as students having academic stress. The scale for assessing academic stress (Sinha, Sharma and Mahendra, 2001); the Buss-Perry aggression questionnaire (1992); and Beck depression inventory were used for collecting the data. The Pearson's coefficient of correlation showed that academic stress has a simple significant correlation with aggression (r=.54), depression (r=.49) and academic performance (r=-44) (p<. /.1). Further, the analysis of the study shows that academic stress, aggression and depression are able to explain 68% of the variance of academic performance. Also, results show that boys and girls are different in terms of aggression and depression.
No . 2007 / 02 Housing Privatization and Household Wealth in Transition

All countries in transition experienced increases in inequality. They have also undertaken massive privatization of key asset housing, often on give-away terms. Are these two phenomena related? Has transfer of ownership rights to residents slowed down the inequality increases or it pushed it up? Surprisingly little is known in this area. This paper attempts to provide empirical evidence to start answering these questions. It shows how housing privatization affected the distribution of personal wealth and inequality in current consumption based on recent representative household surveys from three transition countries: Poland, Russia and Serbia. Survey data are compared with figures derived from national accounts and housing statistics. Contrary to common belief and some earlier evidence of strong equalizing effect of housing distribution in Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union, the paper finds that the contribution of housing to the overall inequality levels is not strong, and is not universally progressive. There is also a significant variation across countries. In Russia and Serbia . /
Re: "Exposure to polychlorinated dioxins and furans (PCDD/F) and mortality in a cohort of workers from a herbicide-producing plant in Hamburg, Federal, Republic of Germany".

tices (6), and Esrey's speculation that "perhaps optimal services facilitate better hygiene practices" is no less plausible the other way round; households with better hygiene practices are more likely to install a latrine. There is no guarantee that the proxy variables in Esrey's regression model are sufficient to permit complete control for confounding by socioeconomic status and hygiene practices. On the other hand, if "optimal" sanitation really does bestow health benefits which other types of toilet do not, the mechanisms by which this might occur are not always so easy to identify. For example, what is the disease transmission route which water-flushing is hypothesized to interrupt? One reason why Esrey's work is important is that practitioners have a craving for guidance on the health implications of different technologies. Esrey's findings are already being cited by senior staff of international agencies and by academics who train public health engineers; if true, they have profound implications for the choice of sanitation technology, and may be used to justify a shift toward water-flushed sanitation. Given the very real costs and technical difficulties in switching from dry to wet systems, that could mean depriving many people of basic sanitation.
HOW MANY PERSONS AM I? AN EMPIRICAL INVESTIGATION OF PERSONHOOD AND THE UNCONSCIOUS

Acknowledgments List of Figures Introduction I.1 Conceptualizing Consciousness I.2 A Set of Projects 1. An Introduction to Dual Process Theories 1.1 The Dual Process Hypothesis 1.2 Sameness of Types of Tasks 1.3 Different Ways of Performing the Same Type of Task 1.4 Varieties of Dual Process Theories 2. Divided Minds 2.1 Odd Couples 2.2 The Analogy between Felix / Dybbuk-Oscar and Normal Human Beings 2.3 The Analogy between Felix / Oscar and Felix / DybbukOscar 2.4 A Recap of the Argument and a Clarification 3. On Another Confusion about a Function of Consciousness 3.1 The Metaphysical Function of Consciousness 3.2 Types of Necessity Claims 3.3 Candidates for the Function of Consciousness 3.4 Necessary Conditions on Personhood ii iv viii 1 4 13
Language acquisition during a stay abroad period following formal instruction: temporal effects on oral fluency development

This study investigates the development of fluency in 30 advanced L2 learners of English over a period of 15 months. In order to measure fluency, several temporal variables and hesitation phenomena are analyzed and compared. Oral competence is assessed by means of an oral interview carried out by the learners. Data collection takes place at three different times: before (T1) and after (T2) a six-month period of FI (80 hours) in the home university, and after a three-month SA term (T3). The data is analyzed quantitatively. Developmental gains in fluency are measured for the whole period, adopting a view of complementarity between the two learning contexts. From these results, a group of high fluency speakers is identified. Correlations between fluency gains and individual and contextual variables are executed and a more qualitative analysis is performed for high fluency speakers' performance and behavior. Results show an overall development of students' oral fluency during a period of 15 months favored by the combination of a period of FI at home followed by a 3-months SA.
Distinguishing the sources of normative influence on proenvironmental behaviors

The aim of this study was to assess whether different kinds of social norms make a distinct contribution and are differently associated to a place-related behavior, such as household waste recycling. The construct of “local norms” is introduced to identify the normative influence that derives from people sharing the same spatial-physical setting. This kind of influence is expected to hold particular relevance when dealing with individual behaviors that have spatially defined collective implications. Participants were 452 residents of various Italian cities, who filled in a questionnaire measuring intentions to recycle, attitudes towards recycling, perceived behavioral control, and 4 kinds of norms stemming from a 2 x 2 combination (i.e., injunctive vs. descriptive, and subjective vs. local norms). Structural equation modelling analyses confirmed the empirical distinction of the 4 kinds of norms, and showed their independent effects on recycling intentions. In particular, descriptive norms (both subjective and local) emerged as powerful predictors of the target proenvironmental behavior, both directly and indirectly through their influence on perceived behavioral control. The implications of the distinction among different kinds of social norms and their relationship with the other dimensions are discussed.