Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Surveys on attitudes to active euthanasia and the difficulty of drawing normative conclusions

Purpose: To present surveys on active euthanasia and to discuss what normative conclusions can be drawn. Methods: Two summary articles and 30 recent surveys on attitudes to active euthanasia are discussed. Results: According to the first summary article, acceptance of active euthanasia among the public has stabilized around 65%; according to the second, almost 60% of physicians are in favour of legalizing active euthanasia. As for the 30 recent surveys, physicians are most often respondents, while the general public is surveyed in only three. The differences in attitudes are striking: 21-78% answered that active euthanasia should be legalized, and 14-51% rejected this idea. The core of the general problem of drawing normative conclusions from empirical data is first addressed; then we discuss the principles of autonomy and beneficence, which are often referred to in arguments for and against euthanasia.
Disparities in hospital outcomes for injured people with epilepsy/seizures

Purpose: Controlling for injury and patient characteristics, one would expect comparable in‐hospital outcomes for injured patients with and without epilepsy. The historical stigma associated with epilepsy is well‐documented, yet potential disparities in injury care for people with epilepsy/seizures have not been examined. We compared in‐hospital outcomes of injured patients with epilepsy/seizures with patients without epilepsy/seizures and tested the hypothesis that injured people with epilepsy have worse outcomes.
The Triglyceride-Lowering Effects of a Modest Dose of Docosahexaenoic Acid Alone Versus in Combination with Low Dose Eicosapentaenoic Acid in Patients with Coronary Artery Disease and Elevated Triglycerides

Background: Hypertriglyceridemia is a risk factor for coronary artery disease (CAD). The American Heart Association recommends 1000 mg of omega-3 fatty acids, docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), daily for cardioprotection and higher doses for triglyceride-lowering in patients with CAD. Methods: This was a prospective, randomized, double-blind study comparing DHA to DHA + EPA in patients with CAD and triglycerides greater than 200 mg/dL. Subjects were randomized to either 1000 mg of DHA or 1252 mg of DHA + EPA for eight weeks. Baseline and eight-week laboratories were drawn to assess changes in the fasting lipid profile. The primary objective was to evaluate the change in triglycerides between the two groups at eight weeks. Results: A total of 116 subjects were enrolled; 57 in the DHA group and 59 in the DHA + EPA group. Baseline characteristics were similar between groups. The mean age was 69.4 ± 9.1 years and 70.7% were male. Triglycerides decreased by an average of 21.8% in the DHA group (p < 0.001) and 18.3% in the DHA + EPA group (p < 0.001). The difference between groups was not significant. A greater proportion of subjects in the DHA group achieved triglyceride goal (less than 150 mg/dL) compared to the DHA + EPA group (24.6% versus 10.2%, p < 0.05). Conclusions: Our results indicate that the American Heart Association recommended cardioprotective dose of omega-3 fatty acids can also significantly lower triglycerides in patients with CAD. There do not appear to be significant differences in triglyceride-lowering between DHA only and DHA + EPA combination products when dosing is based on DHA.
American Cancer Society Guidelines for the Early Detection of Cancer: Update of Early Detection Guidelines for Prostate, Colorectal, and Endometrial Cancers: ALSO: Update 2001—Testing for Early Lung Cancer Detection

Updates to the American Cancer Society (ACS) guidelines regarding screening for the early detection of prostate, colorectal, and endometrial cancers, based on the recommendations of recent ACS workshops, are presented. Additionally, the authors review the “cancer‐related check‐up,” clinical encounters that provide case‐finding and health counseling opportunities. Finally, the ACS is issuing an updated narrative related to testing for early lung cancer detection for clinicians and individuals at high risk of lung cancer in light of emerging data on new imaging technologies.
Contrasting Metamorphic Record of Heat Production Anomalies in the Penokean Orogen of Northern Michigan

It is proposed that the contrasting metamorphic mineral assemblages of the isolated amphibolite facies metamorphic highs in the Penokean orogen of northern Michigan may be caused by different heat production rates in the Archean basement. This hypothesis is based on concentrations of K, U, and Th in the Archean basement gneisses and Paleoproterozoic metasediments that indicate significant contribution of radiogenic heating during Penokean metamorphism. Heat production was anomalously high (∼10.6 μWm−3) where andalusite‐bearing mineral assemblages indicate that high temperatures were attained at shallow crustal levels (∼550°–600°C at ∼3 kbar). In contrast, where exposed metamorphic rocks indicate peak temperatures of 600°–650°C at 6–7 kbar, heat production in the Archean basement was lower (∼3.7 μWm−3). The effect of heat production rates on the metamorphic pressure–temperature paths was tested with numerical thermal models. The calculations show (1) that if the heat production rate, where andalusite‐bearing assemblages formed, was significantly <6.0 μWm−3, the estimated pressure at peak temperatures ( \documentclass{aastex} \usepackage{amsbsy} \usepackage{amsfonts} \usepackage{amssymb} \usepackage{bm} \usepackage{mathrsfs} \usepackage{pifont} \usepackage{stmaryrd} \usepackage{textcomp} \usepackage{portland,xspace} \usepackage{amsmath,amsxtra} \usepackage[OT2,OT1]{fontenc} \newcommand\cyr{ \renewcommand\rmdefault{wncyr} \renewcommand\sfdefault{wncyss} \renewcommand\encodingdefault{OT2} \normalfont \selectfont} \DeclareTextFontCommand{\textcyr}{\cyr} \pagestyle{empty} \DeclareMathSizes{10}{9}{7}{6} \begin{document} \landscape $$P_{T_{\mathrm{max}\,}}$$ \end{document} ) would be much higher and lie in the sillimanite or kyanite stability fields; and (2) differences between \documentclass{aastex} \usepackage{amsbsy} \usepackage{amsfonts} \usepackage{amssymb} \usepackage{bm} \usepackage{mathrsfs} \usepackage{pifont} \usepackage{stmaryrd} \usepackage{textcomp} \usepackage{portland,xspace} \usepackage{amsmath,amsxtra} \usepackage[OT2,OT1]{fontenc} \newcommand\cyr{ \renewcommand\rmdefault{wncyr} \renewcommand\sfdefault{wncyss} \renewcommand\encodingdefault{OT2} \normalfont \selectfont} \DeclareTextFontCommand{\textcyr}{\cyr} \pagestyle{empty} \DeclareMathSizes{10}{9}{7}{6} \begin{document} \landscape $$P_{T_{\mathrm{max}\,}}$$ \end{document} estimates for the metamorphic highs based on thermobarometry can be reproduced if thermal history involved significant crustal thickening as well as moderate unroofing rates.
A Clinicopathologic and Immunohistochemical Study of Five Cases

We report 5 cases of sclerosing rhabdomyosarcoma. The patients included 4 adults and 1 adolescent. In the 5 cases, 3 tumors occurred in the head and neck region and 2 in an extremity. Histologically, all 5 tumors were characterized by the presence of abundant extracellular hyaline matrix, mimicking osteoid or chondroid tissue. They were composed mostly of primitive small round cells that displayed diverse growth patterns. In 2 cases, focal areas suggestive of spindle cell rhabdomyosarcoma were present. Typical features of embryonal or alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma were not noted; however, rare strap rhabdomyoblasts were identified in 1 case. Immunohistochemically, all 5 cases showed diffuse immunoreactivity for MyoD1, with varied expression of myogenin, desmin, muscle-specific antigen, and α-smooth muscle actin. All patients underwent surgery, combined with adjuvant radiation therapy or chemotherapy. Of 4 cases with follow-up, recurrence was found in 2. Sclerosing rhabdomyosarcoma represents a special variant of rhabdomyosarcoma and is possibly related to embryonal rhabdomyosarcoma. Rhabdomyosarcoma is the most common malignant soft tissue tumor of childhood and adolescence.1 Rhabdomyosarcoma is relatively rare in adults older than 45 years.2 Based on the morphologic features and molecular analysis, the current World Health Organization classification categorizes rhabdomyosarcoma into 3 main subtypes: embryonal (encompassing the botryoid, spindle cell, and anaplastic variants), alveolar (including the solid variant), and pleomorphic.3 Although embryonal rhabdomyosarcoma and alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma typically affect children younger than 15 years, they can be occasionally encountered in adults.4 In comparison, pleomorphic rhabdomyosarcoma arises almost exclusively in adults,5 with very few cases reported in children.6 In 2000, Mentzel and Katenkamp7 reported a peculiar type of adult rhabdomyosarcoma characterized by prominent hyaline sclerosis and a pseudovascular growth pattern. They called it sclerosing, pseudovascular rhabdomyosarcoma. In 2002, Folpe et al8 described 4 additional cases with similar features, and they proposed to designate the lesion as sclerosing rhabdomyosarcoma. Because of the presence of heavily hyalinized collagenous matrix and occasional pseudovascular growth pattern, sclerosing rhabdomyosarcoma is frequently misdiagnosed as chondrosarcoma, osteosarcoma, or angiosarcoma at initial evaluation. The relationship between sclerosing rhabdomyosarcoma and the conventional rhabdomyosarcomas remains uncertain, although cytogenetic studies suggest a link with embryonal rhabdomyosarcoma.9 To increase the recognition of this rare entity, we describe 5 new cases of sclerosing rhabdomyosarcoma.
Handling False Negatives in Indoor RFID Data

The Radio-Frequency Identification (RFID) is a useful technology for object tracking and monitoring systems in indoor environments, e.g., Airport baggage tracking. Nevertheless, the data produced by RFID tracking is inherently uncertain and contains errors. In order to support meaningful high-level applications including queries and analyses over RFID data, it is necessary to cleanse raw RFID data. In this paper, we focus on false negatives in raw indoor RFID tracking data. False negatives occur when a moving object passes the detection range of an RFID reader but the reader fails to produce any readings. We investigate the topology of indoor spaces as well as the deployment of RFID readers, and propose the transition probabilities that capture how likely objects move from one RFID reader to another. We organize such probabilities, together with the characteristics of indoor topology and RFID readers, into a probabilistic distance-aware graph. With the aid of this graph, we design algorithms to identify false negatives and recover missing information in indoor RFID tracking data. We evaluate the proposed cleansing approach using both real and synthetic datasets. The experimental results show that the approach is effective, efficient and scalable.
Viral-type Orchitis: A Potential Mimic of Testicular Neoplasia

Orchitis of viral or presumed viral etiology is an uncommon cause of testicular pain or enlargement. Rarely orchitis is clinically or radiographically suggestive of neoplasia, resulting in a testicular biopsy or orchiectomy being performed. Between 1978 and 2004, 10 cases submitted in consultation were diagnosed as orchitis at the Massachusetts General Hospital. The patients were from 18 to 37 years of age and presented with testicular enlargement or a mass, pain, or both. Radiographic studies were suspicious for a neoplasm in all 5 cases in which results were available. The patients underwent testicular biopsy (2 cases), orchiectomy (6 cases), biopsy immediately followed by orchiectomy (1 case), or biopsy followed by orchiectomy 3 weeks later (1 case). The cases were submitted with diagnoses that included intratubular seminoma, intratubular germ cell neoplasia, unspecified, Sertoli cell hyperplasia, myeloid sarcoma, and lymphoma. Microscopic examination revealed preservation of the architecture of the testicular parenchyma, typically with hemorrhage and edema, with patchy inflammation in the form of a lymphohistiocytic infiltrate within seminiferous tubules and also between tubules. The intratubular infiltrate usually predominated. Immunohistochemical studies, performed in 7 cases showed a mixture of CD68+ histiocytes and CD3+ T cells, with few B cells (CD20+) and few granulocytes. Follow-up was available in 5 cases; all 5 patients were alive and well 11 months to 10 years after diagnosis. In the rare instance in which a testicular specimen with orchitis is submitted for pathologic evaluation, diagnosis may be difficult. Familiarity with the pathologic changes characteristic of orchitis will help avoid misdiagnosis.
Effects of Sample Standardization on Mean Species Detectabilities and Estimates of Relative Differences in Species Richness among Assemblages

Ecological surveys provide the basic information needed to estimate differences in species richness among assemblages. Comparable estimates of the differences in richness between assemblages require equal mean species detectabilities across assemblages. However, mean species detectabilities are often unknown, typically low, and potentially different from one assemblage to another. As a result, inferences regarding differences in species richness among assemblages can be biased. We evaluated how well three methods used to produce comparable estimates of species richness achieved equal mean species detectabilities across diverse assemblages: rarefaction, statistical estimators, and standardization of sampling effort on mean taxonomic similarity among replicate samples (MRS). We used simulated assemblages to mimic a wide range of species‐occurrence distributions and species richness to compare the performance of these three methods. Inferences regarding differences in species richness based on rarefaction were highly biased when richness estimates were compared among assemblages with distinctly different species‐occurrence distributions. Statistical estimators only marginally reduced this bias. Standardization on MRS yielded the most comparable estimates of differences in species richness. These findings have important implications for our understanding of species‐richness patterns, inferences drawn from biological monitoring data, and planning for biodiversity conservation.
Posterior Cranial Vault Distraction Osteogenesis: Evolution of Technique

Abstract The rapid growth of the brain in the first few years of life drives the expansion of the cranial vault. This expansion occurs primarily at the cranial sutures; premature fusion of these results in growth restriction perpendicular to the axis of the suture. The result of this is physical deformation of the cranial and facial skeleton, as well as the distortion of the underling brain and its physiology. These patients can present with symptoms of raised intracranial pressure, neurodevelopmental delay, as well as the morphological features of craniosynostosis. Acquired conditions such as the slit ventricle syndrome may also result in cephalocranial disproportion with these clinical features. Traditional vault remodeling surgery is able to correct the physical abnormalities as well as correcting cephalocranial disproportion. Its limitations include the degree of scalp expansion achievable as well as resulting defects in the bone. The use of distraction osteogenesis of the cranial vault permits a controlled expansion in a predetermined vector in a gradual manner. When used in the calvarium, this combines the benefits of tissue expansion on the scalp, as well as stimulating the production of new bone, reducing the defects resulting from expansion. In this review, the authors describe some of the surgical considerations important to the use of this technique. This includes the relevant anatomy and technical aspects illustrated with the use of clinical cases. Finally, they present a summary of their experience and discuss the complications associated with cranial vault distraction osteogenesis.
Reaping What They Sow? Victim-Offender Overlap Perceptions and Victim Blaming Attitudes

Abstract Examining the tendency to attribute blame to crime victims reveals a striking dichotomy. Some types, such as children, elicit intense emotional reactions from the public. Alternatively, others, such as the typical victims of street crimes, garner substantially less concern. According to the “just world” hypothesis, these latter groups may be perceived by the public as criminally involved, and so “blameworthy” for their victimization. We test this hypothesis—specifically, we evaluate whether perceptions of the extent of victims’ involvement in crime are associated with dispositional attributions for victimization. Data from a recent national survey (N = 760) are analyzed. To extend generalizability, we replicate results with a college sample (N = 733). Findings indicate that victim-offender overlap perceptions vary consistently by crime type. There is also consistent evidence that perceiving a larger victim-offender overlap is associated with the view that the causes of criminal victimization are, in part, dispositional—and thus that crime victims hold personal responsibility.
Report g Memory for Mating Signals

Females often prefer to mate with males who produce complex signals [1–3]. It is not clear why they do so. Females might prefer complexity if it predicts mate quality [4–6], or signals might evolve complexity to exploit females’ sensory or cognitive biases [6–9]. We tested whether complexity increases active time, the period over which a signal influences a receiver’s response to that signal. Mating signals are often ephemeral, yet their active time has largely been ignored. Here we demonstrate that signal complexity influences active time in túngara frogs. Male advertisement calls consist of frequency sweeps (whines) followed by 0–7 high-frequency bursts (chucks). Females preferentially approach complex (whines with chucks) over simple (whines alone) calls but do not consistently prefer greater complexity [10], so the function of multiple chucks has been uncertain. We found that females remember which speaker previously broadcast complex calls when choosing between simple calls broadcast after a delay. This effect occurred for calls with multiple chucks, but not with single chucks. Neither motivation nor orientation behavior differed with chuck number, suggesting that results are due to differential memory. Thus, female memory could favor the evolution of increasing signal complexity through sexual selection.
Exploring the longitudinal relationships between the use of grammar in text messaging and performance on grammatical tasks

Research has demonstrated that use of texting slang (textisms) when text messaging does not appear to impact negatively on children’s literacy outcomes and may even benefit children’s spelling attainment. However, less attention has been paid to the impact of text messaging on the development of children’s and young people’s understanding of grammar. This study therefore examined the interrelationships between children’s and young adults’ tendency to make grammatical violations when texting and their performance on formal assessments of spoken and written grammatical understanding, orthographic processing and spelling ability over the course of 1 year. Zero-order correlations showed patterns consistent with previous research on textism use and spelling, and there was no evidence of any negative associations between the development of the children’s performance on the grammar tasks and their use of grammatical violations when texting. Adults’ tendency to use ungrammatical word forms (‘does you’) was positively related to performance on the test of written grammar. Grammatical violations were found to be positively associated with growth in spelling for secondary school children. However, not all forms of violation were observed to be consistently used in samples of text messages taken 12 months apart or were characteristic of typical text messages. The need to differentiate between genuine errors and deliberate violation of rules is discussed, as are the educational implications of these findings.
Human body modeling for FDTD evaluation of electromagnetic hazards

Electromagnetic fields can obviously hurt living organisms if the strengths are great enough. We discuss the application of FDTD to computation of electromagnetic energy absorption by a human body. In particular, we are concerned with evaluating the specific absorption rate (SAR) in the different human tissues and organs given the EM environment to which the body is exposed.
Onchip Interconnect Exploration for Multicore Processors Utilizing FPGAs

Dual core microprocessors are currently available and higher processor-count architectures will dominate the mu lticore market. A complex part of these higher order multicore designs will be the interconnection scheme that exists onchip and how exactly that interconnection is best used and configured. While FPGAs currently support a variety of onchip bus interconnects, there is a gap in the tools to provi de Network on Chip (NoC) exploration. A Network on Chip is a onchip packet switched network that is used for computation l elements (typically standard processors) to communicate w ith each other. In this paper, we present our NoC emulation tool (NoCem) and provide an example memory architecture exploration platform that can be created.
How Much More Global Warming and Sea Level Rise?

Two global coupled climate models show that even if the concentrations of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere had been stabilized in the year 2000, we are already committed to further global warming of about another half degree and an additional 320% sea level rise caused by thermal expansion by the end of the 21st century. Projected weakening of the meridional overturning circulation in the North Atlantic Ocean does not lead to a net cooling in Europe. At any given point in time, even if concentrations are stabilized, there is a commitment to future climate changes that will be greater than those we have already observed.