Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Are memory self-efficacy and memory performance related? A meta-analysis.

The association between memory self-efficacy (MSE) and memory performance is highly documented in the literature. However, previous studies have produced inconsistent results, and there is no consensus on the existence of a significant link between these two variables. In order to evaluate whether or not the effect size of the MSE-memory performance relationship in healthy adults is significant and to test several theory-driven moderators, we conducted a meta-analysis of published and unpublished studies. A random-effects model analysis of data from 107 relevant studies (673 effect sizes) indicated a low but significant weighted mean correlation between MSE and memory performance, r = . 15, 95% CI [. 13, . 17]. In addition, the mean effect size was significantly moderated by the way MSE was assessed. Memory performance was more strongly related to concurrent MSE (perceived current ability to perform a given task) than it was to global MSE (perceived usual memory ability in general). Furthermore, we found marginally larger MSE-memory performance correlations when the memory situations used to assess MSE involved familiar stimuli. No effect of the method used to assess global MSE or domain MSE (memory rating vs. performance predictions) was found. The results also show that the resource demands of the memory tasks have a moderator effect, as the MSE-performance correlation is larger with free-recall and cued-recall tasks than it is with recognition tasks. Limitations (generalization issues, moderators not considered) and implications for future research are discussed.
Ankyloblepharon filiforme adnatum: a case report

Ankyloblepharon is defined by partial or complete adhesion of the ciliary edges of superior and inferior eyelids. It is usually a sporadic isolated malformation in which the upper and lower lids are joined by tags. Although it is an uncommon and benign condition, its presence should alert the clinician to the possibility of other important disorders. We report a case of a new born who had a sporadic ankyloblepharon, treated one day after birth.
Investigation of the tearing properties of a new airship envelope fabric based on experimental and theoretical methods

In the present work, a new phenomenal model is proposed for modeling and simulating tearing mechanical properties on an airship envelope fabric. The greatest advantage of the phenomenal model is that such model is capable of calculating the tearing strength of a plain weave fabric by simply uniaxial tearing tests rather than the expensive and complex pressurized cylinder tests. The geometric progression technique is employed to calculate the stress distribution on the crack tip. The stress transfer coefficient Q is derived to be 0.9656. Three types of SEN (single-edge-notched) specimens were researched by the uniaxial tearing tensile tests. The effects of specimen width and the crack length ratio on the tearing strength of the airship envelope fabric are studied thoroughly. A good agreement between such model and experimental data is obtained, and the deviation is lower than 5%. Meanwhile, compared with the new phenomenal model and the Thiele’s formula, this new phenomenal model is verified to be more accurate while calculating the tearing strength of a plain weaving airship envelope fabric in the uniaxial tearing tensile load.
The Performance of Monolithic Reinforced Concrete Structure Includes Slab, Beam and Column against Blast Load

The numerical investigations has been carried out on reinforced concrete structures against blast loading to demonstrate the accuracy and effectiveness of the finite element based numerical models. The size of building was considered 3 ×3 × 3 m and whereas the size of beam and column was 0.3 m, arbitrary. The thickness of roof slab was 120 mm, whereas the reinforced concrete wall on all four sides was 0.2 m. The simulations were carried out through finite element code ABAQUS/CAE. The inelastic behavior of concrete has been incorporated through concrete damage plasticity model and the model includes compressive and tensile behavior. The elastic and plastic behavior of steel reinforcement bar has been incorporated using Johnson-cook model includes the effect of state of stress, temperature and strain rate. The simulations were carried out against varying standoff distance, mass of TNT, locations of blast origin and thickness of roof slab to examine the resistance of building. The response of structural elements were studied in light of deflection, impulsive velocity, von-Mises stresses, compression and tension damage of concrete. The results indicate that the standoff distance has great influence on the survivability of reinforced concrete slab and wall.
Innovation: case study among wood, energy and medical firms

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to develop a best innovation practices framework analyzing the innovation process in firms from the most innovative and the less innovative sectors.Design/methodology/approach – This case study uses an intense review of literature in the field of innovation practices inside organizations. The field work is based in direct observation of innovation practices intended to identify and select those practices that lead to successful implementation of the innovation process in the participating firms.Findings – The study recognizes the need of innovation as a tool for sustainable growth for firms. The article also describes the current process used by US government and organizations to measure innovation and presents a list of innovation best practices that have been recognized by each participating firm as key practices to develop innovation.Research limitations/implications – The framework allows a combination of practices from different industries however it has been st.
Reason and less

We consider ourselves to be rational beings. We feel that our choices, decisions, and actions are selected from a flexible array of possibilities, based upon reasons. When we vote for a political candidate, it is because they share our views on certain critical issues. When we hire an individual for a job, it is because they are the best qualified. However, if this is true, why does an analysis of the direction of shift in the timbre of the voice of political candidates during an exchange or debate, predict the winner of American presidential elections? Why is it that while only 3% of the American population consists of white men over 6′4″ tall, 30% of the CEOs of Fortune 500 companies are white men over 6′4″ tall? These are examples of “instinctual biases” affecting or modulating rational thought processes. I argue that existing theories of reasoning cannot substantively accommodate these ubiquitous, real-world phenomena. Failure to recognize and incorporate these types of phenomena into the study of human reasoning results in a distorted understanding of rationality. The goal of this article is to draw attention to these types of phenomena and propose an “adulterated rationality” account of reasoning as a first step in trying to explain them.
Negative Poisson's Ratio Behavior Induced by an Elastic Instability

Negative Poisson's ratio behavior has been uncovered in cellular solids that comprise a solid matrix with a square array of circular voids. The simplicity of the fabrication implies robust behavior, which is relevant over a range of scales. The behavior results from an elastic instability, which induces a pattern transformation and excellent quantitative agreement is found between calculation and experiment.
Surgical Unroofing of an Anomalous Right Coronary Artery Arising From the Posterior Left Sinus of Valsalva

A 25-year-old male patient presented with sudden collapse due to a cardiac arrest during physical exercise. An electrocardiogram revealed ST-T wave abnormalities. A coronary catheterization and complementary computer tomography angiography showed an anomalous right coronary artery arising from the posterior left sinus of Valsalva. A successful surgical unroofing was performed.
The Finite Larmor Radius Approximation

The presence of a large external magnetic field in a plasma introduces an additional time-scale which is very constraining for the numerical simulation. Hence it is very useful to introduce averaged models which remove this time-scale. However, depending on other parameters of the plasma, different starting models for the asymptotic analysis may be considered. We introduce here a generic framework for our analysis which fits many of the possible regimes and apply it in particular to justify the finite Larmor radius approximation both in the linear case and in the nonlinear case in the plane transverse to the magnetic field.
Knowledge for Precision Medicine: Mechanistic Reasoning and Methodological Pluralism.

Precision medicine (PM) describes prevention, diagnosis and treatment strategies that take individual variability into account. While PM aims to incorporate individual variability in genes, in environment and in lifestyle, in current practice the emphasis is on personalized genetic profiling for diagnosis and risk assessment. PM stands to move medicine away from the population-based knowledge that grounds evidence-based medicine (EBM) to the treatment of patients “based upon a deep understanding of health and disease attributes unique to each individual. ” Such deep understanding requires a broader conception of medical knowledge, the development of new methodologies for generating such knowledge, and approaches for incorporation into clinical practice.
Interference and integration: The fan effect in children and adults

In three experiments, we explored (1) possible developmental changes in interference and (2) the use of integration processes to eliminate them. Two versions of the fan effect procedure were used. Results of Experiment 1 with unrelated sentences showed similar fan effects for 12-13-year-old children and adults. In Experiment 2, the sentences were thematically related so that it was possible to use elaboration processes to construct integrated representations. Under these conditions only adult participants eliminated the fan effect. In Experiment 3 a new procedure was used where children and adults studied highly familiar material in an organised manner. The results showed that in these conditions children integrated information and reduced interference. Thus, prior knowledge and organisation seem to be important factors to create meaningful integrated representations in memory.
Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor Induces Hyperexcitable Reentrant Circuits in the Dentate Gyrus

Aberrant sprouting and synaptic reorganization of the mossy fiber (MF) axons are commonly found in the hippocampus of temporal lobe epilepsy patients and result in the formation of excitatory feedback loops in the dentate gyrus, a putative cellular basis for recurrent epileptic seizures. Using ex vivo hippocampal cultures, we show that prolonged hyperactivity induces MF sprouting and the resultant network reorganizations and that brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is necessary and sufficient to evoke these pathogenic plasticities. Hyperexcitation induced an upregulation of BDNF protein expression in the MF pathway, an effect mediated by L-type Ca2+ channels. The neurotrophin receptor tyrosine kinase (Trk)B inhibitor K252a or function-blocking anti-BDNF antibody prevented hyperactivity-induced MF sprouting. Even under blockade of neural activity, local application of BDNF to the hilus, but not other subregions, was capable of initiating MF axonal remodeling, eventually leading to dentate hyperexcitability. Transfecting granule cells with dominant-negative TrkB prevented axonal branching. Thus, excessive activation of L-type Ca2+ channels causes granule cells to express BDNF, and extracellularly released BDNF stimulates TrkB receptors present on the hilar segment of the MFs to induce axonal branching, which may establish hyperexcitable dentate circuits.
A meta-analysis of integrated compression screw compared to single screw nails using a single lag screw or single helical blade screw for intertrochanteric hip fractures

Background: Surgical treatment is the optimal strategy for managing intertrochanteric fractures as it allows early rehabilitation and functional recovery. We sought to assess the clinical effectiveness of commonly used intramedullary devices for the treatment of unstable intertrochanteric hip fractures and also assess if there was a class effect of these nails. Methods: A comprehensive systematic literature review and meta-analysis of studies was conducted comparing an Integrated Compression Screw nail (ICS) with conventional single screw nails using a single lag screw (SLS) or a single helical blade (SHB). We assessed the following outcomes, device related complications (shaft fracture, varus collapse and cut-outs), revisions, non-unions, hip and thigh pain, Harris Hip Score, health related quality of life, operating and fluoroscopy time, blood loss and other complications. We report odds ratios for dichotomous outcomes and mean difference for continuous outcomes. Results: Twelve studies with 1,661 patients were included, 8 comparing ICS with SHB and 4 comparing ICS with SLS. Mean age was 76 years and 71% of patients were female. There were significant differences (p<0.05) in device performance in favour of ICS for implant related failures, fewer revisions, hip and thigh pain and better function as measured by SF-36 and HHS compared to single screw nails. Operating time and fluoroscopy time significantly favoured single screw nails. No differences were seen in non-unions, blood loss, and other complications. Conclusion: Our meta-analysis suggests that there are significant differences between ICS and the single screw nails in favour of ICS with respect to the incidence of implant related failures, revision, functional outcomes and proportion of patients reporting hip and thigh pain. Operating time favours the single screw nails while no differences were observed regarding non-unions, blood loss and other complications. There is no evidence of class effect regarding intrameduallary nails in this patient population. *Correspondence to: Nherera L, Director Health Economics, Smith & Nephew Global Market Access, 101 Hessle Road Hull, HU3 2BN, UK, E-mail: leo. nherera@smith-nephew.com
The efficacy of end‐to‐end and end‐to‐side nerve repair (neurorrhaphy) in the rat brachial plexus

Proximal nerve injury often requires nerve transfer to restore function. Here we evaluated the efficacy of end‐to‐end and end‐to‐side neurorrhaphy of rat musculocutaneous nerve, the recipient, to ulnar nerve, the donor. The donor was transected for end‐to‐end, while an epineurial window was exposed for end‐to‐side neurorrhaphy. Retrograde tracing showed that 70% donor motor and sensory neurons grew into the recipient 3 months following end‐to‐end neurorrhaphy compared to 40–50% at 6 months following end‐to‐side neurorrhaphy. In end‐to‐end neurorrhaphy, regenerating axons appeared as thick fibers which regained diameters comparable to those of controls in 3–4 months. However, end‐to‐side neurorrhaphy induced slow sprouting fibers of mostly thin collaterals that barely approached control diameters by 6 months. The motor end plates regained their control density at 4 months following end‐to‐end but remained low 6 months following end‐to‐side neurorrhaphy. The short‐latency compound muscle action potential, typical of that of control, was readily restored following end‐to‐end neurorrhaphy. End‐to‐side neurorrhaphy had low amplitude and wide‐ranging latency at 4 months and failed to regain control sizes by 6 months. Grooming test recovered successfully at 3 and 6 months following end‐to‐end and end‐to‐side neurorrhaphy, respectively, suggesting that powerful muscle was not required. In short, both neurorrhaphies resulted in functional recovery but end‐to‐end neurorrhaphy was quicker and better, albeit at the expense of donor function. End‐to‐side neurorrhaphy supplemented with factors to overcome the slow collateral sprouting and weak motor recovery may warrant further exploration.
Why I am not a Christian

Bertrand Russell Routledge, £9.99, pp 208 ISBN 0 415 07918 7 In 1969, at the age of 17, and after eight schooners of lager and a night of murderous vomiting to celebrate my final matriculation exam, I left my home in rural New South Wales and moved to a university hall of residence in the parental Gomorrah of Sydney. In the room opposite me was an earnest man from Hong Kong, 10 years my senior, who late at night would tap on my door to invite me to play chess and drink jasmine tea. He was studying for a PhD on the mathematical philosopher Gottfried Leibnitz, and his room was full of books with titles that both frightened and excited …
Managing haemorrhoids

Improvements in our understanding of the anatomy of haemorrhoids have prompted the development of new and innovative methods of treatment. Unfortunately confusion still exists among lay people and doctors, who misuse the terms haemorrhoids and piles to cover a variety of complaints. This has led to estimates of prevalence varying from 4.4% among adults in the United States to 36.4% in general practice in London. 2 This article describes the pathogenesis of haemorrhoids and management strategies (fig 1).
Expanding use of new oral anticoagulants

New, non-vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulants (NOACs) have been developed to overcome the limitations of warfarin. These include dabigatran, which inhibits thrombin, and rivaroxaban, apixaban, and edoxaban, which inhibit factor Xa. In the US, rivaroxaban and apixaban are licensed for thromboprophylaxis after elective hip or knee arthroplasty, and rivaroxaban and dabigatran are approved for treatment of venous thromboembolism. Dabigatran, rivaroxaban, and apixaban also are licensed for stroke prevention in eligible patients with atrial fibrillation. Designed to be given in fixed doses without routine coagulation monitoring, the NOACs are more convenient to administer than warfarin. Phase III clinical trials have shown that the NOACs are at least as effective as warfarin and are associated with less intracranial bleeding. This article compares the pharmacological properties of the NOACs with those of warfarin, describes the clinical trial data with the NOACs in the approved indications, outlines the unmet medical needs that the NOACs address, highlights the potential limitations of the NOACs, and provides guidance on the optimal use of the NOACs.
Pharmacogenetics in the Brazilian Population

Brazil is the fifth largest country in the world and its present population, in excess of 190;million, is highly heterogeneous, as a result of centuries of admixture between Amerindians, Europeans, and Sub-Saharan Africans. The estimated individual proportions of biogeographical ancestry vary widely and continuously among Brazilians: most individuals, irrespective of self-identification as White, Brown or Black – the major categories of the Brazilian Census “race/color” system – have significant degrees of European and African ancestry, while a sizeable number display also Amerindian ancestry. These features have important pharmacogenetic (PGx) implications: first, extrapolation of PGx data from relatively well-defined ethnic groups is clearly not applicable to the majority of Brazilians; second, the frequency distribution of polymorphisms in pharmacogenes (e.g., CYP3A5, CYP2C9, GSTM1, ABCB1, GSTM3, VKORC, etc) varies continuously among Brazilians and is not captured by race/color self-identification; third, the intrinsic heterogeneity of the Brazilian population must be acknowledged in the design and interpretation of PGx studies in order to avoid spurious conclusions based on improper matching of study cohorts. The peculiarities of PGx in Brazilians are illustrated with data for different therapeutic groups, such as anticoagulants, HIV protease inhibitors and non-steroidal antinflammatory drugs, and the challenges and advantages created by population admixture for the study and implementation of PGx are discussed. PGx data for Amerindian groups and Brazilian-born, first-generation Japanese are presented to illustrate the rich diversity of the Brazilian population. Finally, I introduce the reader to the Brazilian Pharmacogenetic Network or Refargen1, a nation-wide consortium of research groups, with the mission to provide leadership in PGx research and education in Brazil, with a population health impact.
The conflicting effects of maternal nutrient restriction and early-life obesity on renal health

Epidemiological and animal studies have demonstrated that early-life nutrition alters the metabolic responses and generates structural changes in complex tissues, such as the kidneys, which may lead to a reduction in the offspring lifespan. Independently, obesity induces a spontaneous low-grade chronic inflammatory response by modulating several of the major metabolic pathways that ultimately compromise long-term renal health. However, the combined effects of maternal nutrition and early-life obesity in the development of renal diseases are far from conclusive. Previous results, using the ovine model, demonstrated that the combination of a reduction in fetal nutrition and juvenile obesity induced a series of adaptations associated with severe metabolic syndrome in the heart and adipose tissue. Surprisingly, exposure to an obesogenic environment in the kidney of those offspring produced an apparent reduction in glomerulosclerosis in relation to age- and weight-matched controls. However, this reduction in cellular apoptosis was accompanied by a rise in glomerular filtration rate and blood pressure of equal intensity when compared with obese controls. The intention of this review is to explain the adaptive responses observed in this model, based on insights into the mechanism of renal fetal programming, and their potential interactions with some of the metabolic changes produced by obesity.
Infection of Chicken Embryonic Fibroblasts by Measles Virus: Adaptation at the Virus Entry Level

ABSTRACT Measles virus (MV) has a tropism restricted to humans and primates and uses the human CD46 molecule as a cellular receptor. MV has been adapted to grow in chicken embryonic fibroblasts (CEF) and gave rise to an attenuated live vaccine. Hallé and Schwarz MV strains were compared in their ability to infect both simian Vero cells and CEF. Whereas both strains infected Vero cells, only the CEF-adapted Schwarz strain was able to efficiently infect CEF. Since the expression of the human MV receptor CD46 rendered the chicken embryonic cell line TCF more permissive to the infection by the Hallé MV strain, the MV entry into CEF appeared to be a limiting step in the absence of prior MV adaptation. CEF lacked reactivity with anti-CD46 antibodies but were found to express another protein allowing MV binding as an alternative receptor to CD46.
Neuromuscular, physiological and endocrine responses to a maximal speed training session in elite games players

Abstract The aim of this study was to determine the acute neuromuscular, biochemical and endocrine responses to a maximal speed training (MST) session. Eighteen male rugby players completed the protocol, which involved performing six maximal effort repetitions of 50 m running sprints with 5 minutes recovery between each sprint. Testosterone (T), cortisol (C), creatine kinase (CK), lactate (La), perceived muscle soreness (MS) and counter movement jump were collected immediately pre (PRE), immediately post (IP), 2 hours post (2P) and 24 hours post (24P) the sprint session. A bimodal recovery pattern was observed from the jump parameters with several declining significantly (p ≤ 0.05) IP, recovering 2P and suffering a secondary decline 24P. CK and perceived MS were elevated IP and continued to rise throughout the protocol, while La was only elevated IP. T and C were unaffected IP but showed significant declines 2P. These data indicate that MST results in a bimodal recovery pattern of neuromuscular function with changes most likely being related to metabolic and biochemical responses.