Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Results of Extracorporeal Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation in Children

Background Survival of children experiencing cardiac arrest refractory to conventional cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) is very poor. We sought to examine current era outcomes of extracorporeal CPR (ECPR) support for refractory arrest. Methods Patients who were <18 years and underwent ECPR between November 2013 and January 2016 were including in this study. We retrospectively investigated patient medical records. Results Twelve children, median age 6.6 months (range, 1 day to 11.7 years), required ECPR. patients’ diseases spanned several categories: congenital heart disease (n=5), myocarditis (n=2), respiratory failure (n=2), septic shock (n=1), trauma (n=1), and post-cardiotomy arrest (n=1). Cannulation sites included the neck (n=8), chest (n=3), and neck to chest conversion (n=1). Median duration of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation was five days (range, 0 to 14 days). Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation was successfully discontinued in 10 (83.3%) patients. Nine patients (75%) survived more than seven days after support discontinuation and four patients (33.3%) survived and were discharged. Causes of death included ischemic brain injury (n=4), sepsis (n=3), and gastrointestinal bleeding (n=1). Conclusion ECPR plays a valuable role in children experiencing refractory cardiac arrest. The weaning rate is acceptable; however, survival is related to other organ dysfunction and the severity of ischemic brain injury. ECPR prior to the emergence of end-organ injury and prevention of neurologic injury might enhance survival.
From Men to Mice: CHRNA5/CHRNA3, Smoking Behavior and Disease

Introduction: The nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) gene cluster CHRNA5-A3-B4 on chromosome 15 has been the subject of a considerable body of research over recent years. Two highly correlated single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) within this region—rs16969968 in CHRNA5 and rs1051730 in CHRNA3—have generated particular interest. Methods: We reviewed the literature relating to SNPs rs16969968 and rs1051730 and smoking-related phenotypes, and clinical and preclinical studies, which shed light on the mechanisms underlying these associations. Results: Following the initial discovery of an association between this locus and smoking behavior, further associations with numerous phenotypes have been subsequently identified, including smoking-related behaviors, diseases, and cognitive phenotypes. Potential mechanisms thought to underlie these have also been described, as well as possible gene × environment interaction effects. Conclusions: Perhaps counter to the usual route of scientific inquiry, these initial findings, based exclusively on human samples and strengthened by their identification through agnostic genome-wide methods, have led to preclinical research focused on determining the mechanism underlying these associations. Progress has been made using knockout mouse models, highlighting the importance of α5 nAChR subunits in regulating nicotine intake, particularly those localized to the habenula–interpeduncular nucleus pathway. Translational research seeking to evaluate the effect of nicotine challenge on brain activation as a function of rs16969968 genotype using neuroimaging technologies is now called for, which may point to new targets for novel smoking cessation therapies.
Resection of colorectal liver metastases following neoadjuvant chemotherapy

Background/aims: Hepatic resection in metastatic disease from colorectal cancer offers the best chance in selected cases for long-term survival. Neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT) has been advocated in some cases initially deemed irresectable, with few reports of the efficacy of such a strategy and the influence of the response to chemotherapy on the outcome of radical hepatic resection. Methodology: Between December 1995 and May 2005, 27 patients with colorectal liver metastases (seven males, 20 females, mean age: 58 ± 8 years; range: 40–75) were treated with neoadjuvant chemotherapy. A seven-year survival analysis was performed. Chemotherapy included mainly 5-fluorouracil, leucovorin and either oxaliplatin or irinotecan for a median of eight courses. Results: A total of 16 patients (59%) had synchronous and 11 (41%) metachronous metastases. During pre-operative chemotherapy, tumour regression occurred in ten cases (37%), stable disease in a further ten patients (37%) and progressive disease developed in seven cases (26%). The five-year overall survival for NACT responders was 64% and only 15% for non-responders (p=0.044). Conclusions: The response to chemotherapy is likely to be a significant prognostic factor affecting survival after liver resection for cure.
A First Step toward Recommendations Based on the Memory of Users

Most of recommender systems build their predictions by analysing the preferences of users. However, there are many situations, such as in intelligent tutoring systems, where recommendations of pedagogical resources should rather be based on their memory. So as to infer in real time and with low involvement what has been memorized by users, we highlight in the paper the link between gaze features and visual memory. We designed a user experiment where different subjects had to remember a large set of images. In the meantime, we collected about 19,000 fixation points. Among other metrics, our results show a strong correlation between the relative path angles and the memorized items. It is thus possible to predict the users' memory status by analyzing their gaze data while interacting with the system, so as to provide recommendations that fits their learning curve.
Dust Exposure and Lung Function Impairment in Construction Workers

Background: Millions of people are working daily in dusty environment. They are exposed to different types of occupational health hazards such as fumes, gases, organic and inorganic dusts which are risk factors in developing occupational lung diseases. Workers engaged in building and construction work are at risk of developing impaired lung function due to exposure to high level of dust generated at the construction site. Aims: The present study was designed to assess the effect of exposure to various types of dust in construction site on lung functions of construction workers. Materials and methods: The lung function was studied in 61 male construction workers and 62 male control subjects. All the participants were nonsmokers. The subjects were matched for age, height and weight. The pulmonary function test was performed by using an electronic spirometer and results were compared by Student's unpaired t test. Results: The results of the present study showed a significant decrease in the mean values and percent predicted value of FVC, FEV1, %FEV1/FVC, PEFR and FEF25-75% in construction workers and this impairment was increased with duration of exposure to dust in construction site. Conclusion: Based on the results of the present study it may be concluded that construction workers in India are at increased risk of developing occupationally related pulmonary impairment. We recommend the compulsory use of personal protective equipment by construction workers during work. J Physiol Biomed Sci. 2011; 24(1): 9-13
Skill Shortages: Prevalence, Causes, Remedies and Consequences for Australian Businesses. NCVER Monograph Series 09/2012.

Despite the attention paid to skill shortages, the evidence used to evaluate their incidence and the causes and responses by firms remains thin. This report aims to improve understanding of the causes of skill shortages, the way businesses respond and the short-term consequences of skill shortages. Responses from small- and medium-sized businesses reveal that skill shortages matter, but that their relationship to firm performance differs according to the nature of the skill shortage. The findings confirm that skill shortages are a complex labour market phenomenon and give rise to complex responses by firms.
Individual Differences in Music Reward Experiences

Music is one of the most pleasant human experiences, even though it has no direct biological advantage. However little is known about individual differences in how people experience reward in music-related activities. The goal of the present study was to describe the main facets of music experience that could explain the variance observed in how people experience reward associated with music. To this end we developed the Barcelona Music Reward Questionnaire (BMRQ), which was administrated to three large samples. Our results showed that the musical reward experience can be decomposed into five reliable factors: Musical Seeking, Emotion Evocation, Mood Regulation, Social Reward, and Sensory-Motor. These factors were correlated with socio-demographic factors and measures of general sensitivity to reward and hedonic experience. We propose that the five-factor structure of musical reward experience might be very relevant in the study of psychological and neural bases of emotion and pleasure associated to music.
One Ukraine or many? regionalism in Ukraine and its political consequences

Intra-state regional differences are a central topic in the study of European and Eurasian politics. In Ukraine, regional differences have proven to be powerful predictors of mass attitudes and political behavior. But what does the “regional factor” in Ukrainian politics represent? Is it simply the result of compositional effects, or are the regional differences more than just a sum of other demographic factors correlated with geographic divisions? When analyzing regional divisions as an explanatory variable, what are the implications of employing different regional frameworks? In this article, we demonstrate how geographic divisions in the country hold up even when others factors—such as ethnicity and language use—are controlled for. As part of this inquiry, we compare the results of three competing regional frameworks for Ukraine: one with two regions, one with four regions and one with eight regions. While the eight-region framework is uncommon in studies of Ukraine, the decision to examine eight regions is supported by historical, economic and demographic arguments, as well as by the results of the statistical analyses presented in this article. Scholars who have focused on fewer regions in Ukraine may have underestimated the effects of regional differences and missed interesting stories about intra-state variation in Ukrainian attitudes and voting behavior. The results of this study carry important implications not only for the study of Ukraine but also for those interested in intra-state regional divisions across Europe and Eurasia.
A FISH-based method for assessment of HER-2 amplification status in breast cancer circulating tumor cells following CellSearch isolation

Introduction Amplification of the HER-2/neu (HER-2) proto-oncogene occurs in 10%–15% of primary breast cancer, leading to an activated HER-2 receptor, augmenting growth of cancer cells. Tumor classification is determined in primary tumor tissue and metastatic biopsies. However, malignant cells tend to alter their phenotype during disease progression. Circulating tumor cell (CTC) analysis may serve as an alternative to repeated biopsies. The Food and Drug Administration-approved CellSearch system allows determination of the HER-2 protein, but not of the HER-2 gene. The aim of this study was to optimize a fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH)-based method to quantitatively determine HER-2 amplification in breast cancer CTCs following CellSearch-based isolation and verify the method in patient samples. Methods Using healthy donor blood spiked with human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER-2)-positive breast cancer cell lines, SKBr-3 and BT-474, and a corresponding negative control (the HER-2-negative MCF-7 cell line), an in vitro CTC model system was designed. Following isolation in the CellSearch system, CTC samples were further enriched and fixed on microscope slides. Immunocytochemical staining with cytokeratin and 4′,6-diamidino-2′-phenylindole dihydrochloride identified CTCs under a fluorescence microscope. A FISH-based procedure was optimized by applying the HER2 IQFISH pharmDx assay for assessment of HER-2 amplification status in breast cancer CTCs. Results A method for defining the presence of HER-2 amplification in single breast cancer CTCs after CellSearch isolation was established using cell lines as positive and negative controls. The method was validated in blood from breast cancer patients showing that one out of six patients acquired CTC HER-2 amplification during treatment against metastatic disease. Conclusion HER-2 amplification status of CTCs can be determined following CellSearch isolation and further enrichment. FISH is superior to protein assessment of HER-2 status in predicting response to HER-2-targeted immunotherapy in breast cancer patients. This assay has the potential of identifying patients with a shift in HER-2 status who may benefit from treatment adjustments.
Learning or performance: Predicting drivers of student motivation

There is substantial research demonstrating that a student’s motivation for learning can be largely explained in terms of their preferred achievement orientation. This paper explores a case study investigating ICT derived lead indicators of student achievement orientation, and therefore underlying motivations. The study incorporated Tan’s (2009) research on learning dispositions to quantify student achievement orientations. These findings were then correlated with student LMS data to identify if patterns of online behaviour are indicative of the observed achievement orientation scores. The results suggest that there is a significant correlation between student achievement orientation and participation in discussion forums. Students reporting a strong learning orientation were more inclined to utilise the unit’s ‘learning forum’. Conversely, students tending towards a performance orientation were more prone to use the ‘administration forum’. The findings and data harvesting methodology employed, represent a novel, scalable and automated approach for rapidly identifying the drivers of student learning motivation.
An approximate representation of heavy-tailed noise: Bi-parameter Cauchy-Gaussian mixture model

As a non-Gaussian statistic model, alpha stable distribution has gained much attention due to its generality to represent heavy-tailed and impulsive interference. Unfortunately, there is no closed form expression for the probability density function of alpha-stable distributions. Hereby, finding the approximate expressions is of importance for signal detection and denoising. In this paper, we present a novel approximate expression, which is a simplified version of Cauchy-Gaussian mixture (CGM) for symmetric alpha-stable (SalphaS) distribution, called Bi-parameter CGM (BCGM). Such a model has a complete closed-form expression, and hence is more tractable than classical GMM and CGM.
Effectiveness of VasectomyTechniques

Modern vasectomy techniques were developed as a component of family planning services in the 1960s and 1970s. Since then, vasectomy has been used as a contraceptive method by millions of couples (see articles by Sheynkin and by Pile and Barone elsewhere in this issue). The procedure is performed in two distinct steps (or three steps if the administration of anesthesia is included as the first step). The first step is the approach to the vas (ie, penetrating the skin and bringing a loop of the vas outside of the scrotum). The second step, which determines contraceptive effectiveness, is to occlude the vas. Many techniques for approaching and occluding the vas have been suggested over the years (see the articles by Sheynkin and by Art and Nangia elsewhere in this issue), and surgeons in the United States and around the world use a wide variety of techniques. This article presents the current knowledge on the effectiveness of the most commonly used vasectomy techniques. To understand vasectomy effectiveness, it is necessary to briefly review the definition and measurement of vasectomy outcomes.
A Publication of the Association of Management ASSESSING THE RELATIONSHIPS AMONG IT FLEXIBILITY , STRATEGIC ALIGNMENT , AND IT EFFECTIVENESS : STUDY OVERVIEW AND FINDINGS

Increased competitive pressures upon businesses are continuing to escalate, generating the need for greater efficiency and productivity. Breakthroughs in technology-based services and solutions are driving frequent, rapid, and serendipitous changes in business strategies subsequently placing demand upon information technology for supporting services and solutions required to achieve sustained competitive advantage. The degree to which information technology (IT) can effectively and efficiently deliver these services and solutions is known as ITE (IT Effectiveness). Strategic alignment has traditionally been viewed as the means to achieve greater IT delivery capabilities, but recent research and trends seem to indicate a growing awareness of need for IT flexibility as a means to achieve IT effectiveness. However, there has been a lack of empirical evidence regarding the relationships between IT flexibility, IT effectiveness, and strategic alignment. There is a need to validate their relationships and to analyze which, if any, factor has a higher correlation with IT effectiveness. This study, therefore is intended to assess: 1) the strength of these three relationships and 2) the extent to which IT flexibility has a greater influence on IT effectiveness than does strategic alignment. The results of this research indicate that a positive relationship exists among these three areas. Additionally, the data confirmed that IT flexibility has a stronger relationship with IT effectiveness than does strategic alignment. The study findings further indicate that the inclusion of strategic alignment does not improve the predictive power of the construct model because IT flexibility carries the weight of explanatory effect of ITE within the construct model.
Prosody production and perception: converging evidence from fMRI studies

Clinical observations of distortions of production and perception of prosody implicate that distinct, non-overlapping neural circuits are responsible for distinct prosodic cues and functions. These observations motivate a question whether similar evidence can be found in the neurologically intact brain. The experiment presented in this paper was constructed to check the neuroanatomical basis of the prosody generator, a functional unit in the phonological system which integrates and controls the variation of prosodic parameters [1]. The results show that relatively small, non-overlapping, fronto-basal areas of both the right and the left hemisphere are involved in the generation of prosody. Futhermore, we found clear evidence for the functional lateralization of prosody processing. Generating linguistically geared prosody revealed exclusively left hemisphere activation, while the production of affective prosody revealed right hemisphere activation only. Additionally, our results show interesting analogies with activation patterns of perception paradigms of recent functional imaging studies.
COMPUTER MODELLING OF CONCRETE STRUCTURES

The lecture reviews some recent developments in the theory of creep and thermal effects in concrete structures. T~e formulation of the solidification theory for the effect of aging due to cement hydration on concrete creep is summarized, a new operator-type formulation for the theory is given and a new general statement of the computational algorithm is presented. Also, a reformulation of the solidification theory on the basis of a continuous retardation spectrum is outlined. The dichotomy of the two-fold influence of temperature, consisting in the acceleration of creep rate and the acceleration of hardening due to hydration, is discussed and its formulation given. Attention is then focused on the interaction of creep with fracture mechanics, and a time-dependent generalization of the cohesive (fictitious) crack model is described, along with the compliance method of structural analysis for time-dependent cohesive fracture. Finally, some recent novel experiments that separate the mechanisms of the creep increase due to drying are reviewed and the effects of drying on a structure such as a box girder bridge segment is explored. The lecture concludes with a brief discussion of currently important research directions.
Defined Order of Evolutionary Adaptations: Experimental Evidence

Abstract Organisms often adapt to new conditions by means of beneficial mutations that become fixed in the population. Often, full adaptation requires several different mutations in the same cell, each of which may affect a different aspect of the behavior. Can one predict order in which these mutations become fixed? To address this, we experimentally studied evolution of Escherichia coli in a growth medium in which the effects of different adaptations can be easily classified as affecting growth rate or the lag-phase duration. We find that adaptations are fixed in a defined and reproducible order: first reduction of lag phase, and then an increase of the exponential growth rate. A population genetics theory explains this order, and suggests growth conditions in which the order of adaptations is reversed. We experimentally find this order reversal under the predicted conditions. This study supports a view in which the evolutionary path to adaptation in a new environment can be captured by theory and experiment.
The Demand for Tertiary Education in South Africa

This report has two related objectives. The first is to clarify the relationship between the length of stay in education and access to the job market based on South African household survey data. The second is to contribute to what is known about what influences participation in higher education institutions for young South Africans who have successfully completed secondary school. Regarding the first objective, previous studies have shown that young South Africans who obtain a post-grade 12 qualification benefit from greater employment opportunities in both the formal and informal sector. In section 1 of the report we interrogate this by examining how much better off a young qualified South African in the job market is compared to a less qualified contemporary. Over the post-apartheid period matriculants have faced a hostile labour market when they exited school. Youth unemployment is very high and the norm rather than the exception in many communities. If tertiary education is seen as providing a successful route into the labour market, then the benefits will be perceived to be large and, subject to financial constraints, there will be strong demand for tertiary options.
Relationships among Piagetian, IQ, and achievement assessments.

DEVRIES, RHETA. Relationships among Piagetian, IQ, and Achievement Assessments. CHILD DEVELOPMENT, 1974, 45, 746-756. Empirical relationships are explored among the theoretically different Piagetian and psychometric assessments of intelligence, and school achievement. Ss were 143 bright and average children chronologically aged 5, 6, and 7 years. Factor analyses of performance on the California Test of Mental Maturity (CTMM), Metropolitan Achievement Test (MAT), Stanford-Binet, and 15 Guttman-scaled Piaget-type tasks indicated that Piagetian, IQ, and achievement tests overlap to some degree, but also measure different aspects of cognitive functioning.