Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Patient safety culture among nurses.

BACKGROUND Patient safety is considered to be crucial to healthcare quality and is one of the major parameters monitored by all healthcare organizations around the world. Nurses play a vital role in maintaining and promoting patient safety due to the nature of their work. AIMS The purpose of this study was to investigate nurses' perceptions about patient safety culture and to identify the factors that need to be emphasized in order to develop and maintain the culture of safety among nurses in Oman. METHODS A descriptive and cross-sectional design was used. Patient safety culture was assessed by using the Hospital Survey on Patient Safety Culture among 414 registered nurses working in four major governmental hospitals in Oman. Descriptive statistics and general linear regression were employed to assess the association between patient safety culture and demographic variables. RESULTS Nurses who perceived more supervisor or manager expectations, feedback and communications about errors, teamwork across hospital units, and hospital handoffs and transitions had more overall perception of patient safety. Nurses who perceived more teamwork within units and more feedback and communications about errors had more frequency of events reported. Furthermore, nurses who had more years of experience and were working in teaching hospitals had more perception of patient safety culture. CONCLUSION Learning and continuous improvement, hospital management support, supervisor/manager expectations, feedback and communications about error, teamwork, hospital handoffs and transitions were found to be major patient safety culture predictors. Investing in practices and systems that focus on improving these aspects is likely to enhance the culture of patient safety in Omani hospitals and others like them. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING AND HEALTH POLICY Strategies to nurture patient safety culture in Omani hospitals should focus upon building leadership capacity that support open communication, blame free, team work and continuous organizational learning.
Letter: increasing incidence and prevalence of eosinophilic oesophagitis – author's reply

topical steroids are at least, if not more, effective as systemic steroids but without the side effects. For a chronic condition that might require years of therapy, I would strongly advise against systemic steroid use. Is there a reason for such high systemic steroid use in Denmark, and is it possible for the authors to influence future prescribing patterns? It is over 25 years since the condition was first publicised and, following a period of being regarded as a rare disease, eosinophilic oesophagitis may now be regarded as the second most common disease in the oesophagus. It is now essential that all gastroenterologists and ear nose and throat surgeons are aware of the condition, and know how to diagnose and treat it.
A Unified Game-Theoretic Approach to Multiagent Reinforcement Learning

To achieve general intelligence, agents must learn how to interact with others in a shared environment: this is the challenge of multiagent reinforcement learning (MARL). The simplest form is independent reinforcement learning (InRL), where each agent treats its experience as part of its (non-stationary) environment. In this paper, we first observe that policies learned using InRL can overfit to the other agents' policies during training, failing to sufficiently generalize during execution. We introduce a new metric, joint-policy correlation, to quantify this effect. We describe an algorithm for general MARL, based on approximate best responses to mixtures of policies generated using deep reinforcement learning, and empirical game-theoretic analysis to compute meta-strategies for policy selection. The algorithm generalizes previous ones such as InRL, iterated best response, double oracle, and fictitious play. Then, we present a scalable implementation which reduces the memory requirement using decoupled meta-solvers. Finally, we demonstrate the generality of the resulting policies in two partially observable settings: gridworld coordination games and poker.
The Backtranslation Score: Automatic MT Evalution at the Sentence Level without Reference Translations

Automatic tools for machine translation (MT) evaluation such as BLEU are well established, but have the drawbacks that they do not perform well at the sentence level and that they presuppose manually translated reference texts. Assuming that the MT system to be evaluated can deal with both directions of a language pair, in this research we suggest to conduct automatic MT evaluation by determining the orthographic similarity between a back-translation and the original source text. This way we eliminate the need for human translated reference texts. By correlating BLEU and back-translation scores with human judgments, it could be shown that the backtranslation score gives an improved performance at the sentence level.
Age‐related decline in humoral immune function in Collared Flycatchers

Although immune function usually declines with age in humans and captive animals, little is known about whether immune function deteriorates with age in natural populations. Here we present evidence for such an age‐related deterioration in humoral immune function from a wild population of the Collared Flycatcher (Ficedula albicollis). In this study, young (1‐year old), mid‐age (3‐year old) and old (5–6‐year old) females were challenged with a nonpathogenic antigen, sheep red blood cells (SRBC), while provisioning their nestlings. The level of antibodies against SRBC was measured thereafter. Old females showed markedly lower humoral immune response and produced fledglings of lower body mass in comparison with the other two age classes. Moreover, the age classes differed in the relationship between immune response and fledgling body mass with mid‐age females showing a significant positive relationship while the relationship was negative but nonsignificant among young and old females. The results are discussed in light of existing theories of optimal resource allocation, ageing and the theory of terminal investment.
Personal goal orientations and subjective well-being of adolescents

The present study examines the types of orientation that can be identified according to the personal goals of adolescents, and how these orientations differ in their subjective well-being. In the context of the person-oriented approach, 1144 17-year-olds (565 girls, 579 boys) filled in the revised Little's personal project analysis, school burnout, depression, life satisfaction, and self-esteem inventories. Four goal orientations emerged from this data with cluster analysis: (1) property (40%), (2) vocation (24%), (3) social relationships and future education (23%), and (4) self-focused (13%) orientations. Boys were the majority in the property and the vocation orientations, whereas girls dominated in the social relationships and future education- and the self-orientations. Those in the self-orientation group were the most burned out, had most symptoms of depression and the lowest life satisfaction and self-esteem compared with other orientations. Orientations indicate the basic needs for competence (property and vocation orientations), relatedness (social relationships and future education orientation) and autonomy (self-focused orientation) (Deci & Ryan, 2000). The time perspective is addressed on the basis of goal orientations reflecting the past (self-ruminating goals), the present (relationships and current education) or the future (upcoming education and wealth).
Association between a TGFBR2 Gene Polymorphism (rs2228048, Asn389Asn) and Acute Rejection in Korean Kidney Transplantation Recipients

Transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) signaling transduction initiates TGF-β activation, resulting in activation of TGF-β receptor II (TGFBR2). Any quantitative and qualitative changes in TGFBR2 are expected to affect the TGF-β signaling pathway, which occupies a central position with respect to the regulation of cell growth, differentiation, apoptosis, immune reaction, angiogenesis and extracellular matrix formation. Recent studies have shown that TGF-β1 gene polymorphisms may confer susceptibility to early acute and chronic allograft rejection in kidney transplantation recipients. In this study, we assessed whether polymorphisms of the TGFBR2 gene were associated with susceptibility to kidney transplantation rejection. A total of 347 renal allograft recipients transplanted at three centers in Korea were analyzed. Three SNPs (rs764522, rs3087465, rs2228048) of the TGFBR2 gene were genotyped from genomic DNA with direct sequencing. Multiple logistic regression models (codominant, dominant, recessive, and log-additive) were performed to evaluate odds ratios (ORs), 95% confidence intervals (CIs), and p-values. A total of 63 patients (18%) developed acute rejection (AR). There were no significant differences in age, sex, number of HLA mismatches, cause of renal failure, or immunosuppressant regimen between the AR and non-AR group. The synonymous SNP rs2228048 was significantly associated with AR (p = 0.020 in recessive model, and p = 0.036 in log-additive model. The allele frequencies of rs2228048 were different between the AR and non-AR group (p = 0.026). These results suggest that the synonymous TGFBR2 gene SNP rs2228048 may be associated with the development of AR in Korean kidney transplantation recipients. Authors Yeong-Hoon Kim and Tae Hee Kim contributed equally to this work and are considered co-first authors.
Understanding myths and realities of test-suite evolution

Test suites, once created, rarely remain static. Just like the application they are testing, they evolve throughout their lifetime. Test obsolescence is probably the most known reason for test-suite evolution---test cases cease to work because of changes in the code and must be suitably repaired. Repairing existing test cases manually, however, can be extremely time consuming, especially for large test suites, which has motivated the recent development of automated test-repair techniques. We believe that, for developing effective repair techniques that are applicable in real-world scenarios, a fundamental prerequisite is a thorough understanding of how test cases evolve in practice. Without such knowledge, we risk to develop techniques that may work well for only a small number of tests or, worse, that may not work at all in most realistic cases. Unfortunately, to date there are no studies in the literature that investigate how test suites evolve. To tackle this problem, in this paper we present a technique for studying test-suite evolution, a tool that implements the technique, and an extensive empirical study in which we used our technique to study many versions of six real-world programs and their unit test suites. This is the first study of this kind, and our results reveal several interesting aspects of test-suite evolution. In particular, our findings show that test repair is just one possible reason for test-suite evolution, whereas most changes involve refactorings, deletions, and additions of test cases. Our results also show that test modifications tend to involve complex, and hard-to-automate, changes to test cases, and that existing test-repair techniques that focus exclusively on assertions may have limited practical applicability. More generally, our findings provide initial insight on how test cases are added, removed, and modified in practice, and can guide future research efforts in the area of test-suite evolution.
The contribution of high-redshift galaxies to cosmic reionization: New results from deep WFC3 imaging of the Hubble Ultra Deep Field

We have searched for star-forming galaxies at z≈ 7–10 by applying the Lyman-break technique to newly released Y-, J- and H-band images (1.1, 1.25 and 1.6 μm) from Wide Field Camera 3 (WFC3) on the Hubble Space Telescope. By comparing these images of the Hubble Ultra Deep Field with the Advanced Camera for Surveys (ACS) z′-band (0.85 μm) images, we identify objects with red colours, (z′−Y)AB > 1.3, consistent with the Lyman α forest absorption at z≈ 6.7–8.8. We identify 12 of these z′-drops down to a limiting magnitude YAB 1.0 and JAB 0.5), and the clumping factor of the Universe is low. Even then, we need to invoke a large contribution from galaxies below our detection limit (a steep faint-end slope). The apparent shortfall in ionizing photons might be alleviated if stellar populations at high redshift are of low metallicity or have a top-heavy initial mass function.
IFN-γ-Producing Dendritic Cells Are Important for Priming of Gut Intraepithelial Lymphocyte Response Against Intracellular Parasitic Infection1

The importance of intraepithelial lymphocytes (IEL) in immunoprotection against orally acquired pathogens is being increasingly recognized. Recent studies have demonstrated that Ag-specific IEL can be generated and can provide an important first line of defense against pathogens acquired via oral route. However, the mechanism involved in priming of IEL remains elusive. Our current study, using a microsporidial model of infection, demonstrates that priming of IEL is dependent on IFN-γ-producing dendritic cells (DC) from mucosal sites. DC from mice lacking the IFN-γ gene are unable to prime IEL, resulting in failure of these cells to proliferate and lyse pathogen-infected targets. Also, treatment of wild-type DC from Peyer’s patches with Ab to IFN-γ abrogates their ability to prime an IEL response against Encephalitozoon cuniculi in vitro. Moreover, when incubated with activated DC from IFN-γ knockout mice, splenic CD8+ T cells are not primed efficiently and exhibit reduced ability to home to the gut compartment. These data strongly suggest that IFN-γ-producing DC from mucosal sites play an important role in the generation of an Ag-specific IEL response in the small intestine. To our knowledge, this report is the first demonstrating a role for IFN-γ-producing DC from Peyer’s patches in the development of Ag-specific IEL population and their trafficking to the gut epithelium.
Cost-effectiveness of competing strategies for management of recurrent Clostridium difficile infection: a decision analysis.

BACKGROUND Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) is an important cause of morbidity and healthcare costs, and is characterized by high rates of disease recurrence. The cost-effectiveness of newer treatments for recurrent CDI has not been examined, yet would be important to inform clinical practice. The aim of this study was to analyze the cost effectiveness of competing strategies for recurrent CDI. METHODS We constructed a decision-analytic model comparing 4 treatment strategies for first-line treatment of recurrent CDI in a population with a median age of 65 years: metronidazole, vancomycin, fidaxomicin, and fecal microbiota transplant (FMT). We modeled up to 2 additional recurrences following the initial recurrence. We assumed FMT delivery via colonoscopy as our base case, but conducted sensitivity analyses based on different modes of delivery. Willingness-to-pay threshold was set at $50 000 per quality-adjusted life-year. RESULTS At our base case estimates, initial treatment of recurrent CDI using FMT colonoscopy was the most cost-effective strategy, with an incremental cost-effectiveness ratio of $17 016 relative to oral vancomycin. Fidaxomicin and metronidazole were both dominated by FMT colonoscopy. On sensitivity analysis, FMT colonoscopy remained the most cost-effective strategy at cure rates >88.4% and CDI recurrence rates <14.9%. Fidaxomicin required a cost <$1359 to meet our cost-effectiveness threshold. In clinical settings where FMT is not available or applicable, the preferred strategy appears to be initial treatment with oral vancomycin. CONCLUSIONS In this decision analysis examining treatment strategies for recurrent CDI, we demonstrate that FMT colonoscopy is the most cost-effective initial strategy for management of recurrent CDI.
Public Opinion About Gun Control Post–Sandy Hook

I use data from a national public opinion poll conducted 4 months after the mass shooting of teachers and students in Sandy Hook Elementary School to analyze the content and predictors of public opinion about gun control and gun control politics. I find that a slim majority of Americans favors a semiautomatic weapon ban and proposals to make gun control laws stricter, and a large majority supports a federal background check law. Consistent with previous research, I also find that both instrumental concerns and cultural beliefs are significantly related to people’s opinions about gun control, but the strongest, most consistent predictors of people’s gun control preferences are their political beliefs and affiliations. I conclude by discussing the implications of these findings for the national gun control debate.
A closed-form forward kinematics solution for the 6-6p Stewart platform

Studies the forward kinematics of a special 6-6 Stewart platform, in which both the base and the mobile platforms are similar hexagons. A concise closed-form solution to the forward kinematics of the Stewart platform is obtained by introducing a quaternion to represent the transformation matrix. It is very interesting to find that the eight possible solutions have a very simple inner symmetry relationship. So, the solutions obtained from the approach presented in the paper are concise, represented as the squares of the four quaternion components. Besides, unnecessary complex roots are avoided automatically. Finally, only univariate quadratic equations are required to solve in this approach.
Aberrant CD200/CD200R1 expression and its potential role in Th17 cell differentiation, chemotaxis and osteoclastogenesis in rheumatoid arthritis.

OBJECTIVE CD200/CD200R1 signalling has an immunoregulatory effect on the activation threshold of the inflammatory immune response and maintains immune homeostasis. In this study we evaluated the status of CD200/CD200R1 interaction in patients with RA. METHODS The expression of CD200 and CD200R1 was examined by immunohistochemistry and flow cytometry and was compared between RA patients and healthy controls (HCs). Sorted CD4(+) T cells were stained with carboxyfluorescein succinimidyl ester (CFSE) and annexin V-propidium iodide to evaluate the effect of CD200 on cell proliferation and apoptosis. The effect of CD200 on Th17 differentiation, function and osteoclastogenesis was determined by flow cytometry, transwell migration assay and immunocytochemistry, respectively. RESULTS The proportion of CD200(+) cells and CD200R1(+) cells in peripheral blood mononuclear cells, peripheral CD14(+) cells and CD4(+) T cells was significantly lower in the RA patients than in HCs, whereas the number of CD200(+) cells was higher in synovium from RA patients than in that from HCs. After treatment with infliximab and MTX we found increased expression of peripheral CD200/CD200R1 that correlated with a decrease in the 28-joint DAS. CD200Fc in vitro partially inhibited CD4(+) T cell proliferation, promoted CD4(+) T cell apoptosis, reduced CD4(+) T cell differentiation into Th17 cells and down-regulated CCR6-mediated Th17 chemotaxis in cells from RA patients. In addition, the engagement of the CD200 receptors on CD14(+) cells with CD200Fc in vitro reduced osteoclastogenesis and inhibited CD14(+) cell-driven Th17 differentiation. CONCLUSION Abnormal CD200/CD200R1 expression in RA may contribute to abnormal Th17 cell differentiation, chemotaxis and osteoclastogenesis.
The Organizational Context of Tracking in Schools.

The study of tracking patterns in secondary schools is central to understanding the educational attainment process. In this paper I offer a conceptualframeworkfor evaluating school tracking patterns as meritocratic, arbitrary, exclusive, or inclusive. Tracking patterns are hypothesized to emerge under different organizational contingencies. In particular, the type of structural constraints, the informationflow within the school, and the cultural milieu evident among the staff are thought to affect the likelihood that one type of tracking pattern would emerge rather than another. A preliminary analysis suggests that student demand for a given track, which is a structural constraint, affects the degree to which exclusive tracking occurs. Social networks among students and teachers as well as teacher control over grouping policy are found to affect the likelihood of inclusive or exclusive tracking patterns, and the cultural milieu of the staff affects the degree to which exclusive or inclusive tracking occurs. No clear evidence for a press toward arbitrary tracking is observed.
Carboxy‐terminal propeptide of human type I collagen and pyridinium cross‐links as markers of bone growth in infants 1 to 18 months of age

Serum carboxy‐terminal propeptide of human type I collagen (PICP) concentrations, as a marker for bone formation, and urinary pyridinium (Pyd) cross‐link concentrations, as a marker of bone resorption, were determined in 66 healthy infants aged 1–18 months who are being studied longitudinally. We hypothesized that there would be a positive correlation of growth velocity, increase in bone area, and bone mass accretion rates with PICP and Pyd cross‐link concentrations. Since osteocalcin is currently used as a marker of bone formation, serum osteocalcin concentrations were also measured. Mean serum PICP and urinary Pyd cross‐link concentrations were significantly greater than adult concentrations. Future growth velocity, increase in bone area, and bone mass accretion rates were not associated with PICP, Pyd cross‐link, or osteocalcin concentrations. Growth velocity during the 3 months preceding sample collection correlated with serum PICP, Pyd/kg, and osteocalcin concentrations (r = 0.474, p < 0.001; r = 0.379, p < 0.001; and r = 0.516, p < 0.001, respectively). Previous increase in bone area correlated with serum PICP concentrations (r = 0.359, p = 0.01). The relationship between the infant's previous bone mass accretion rate and PICP was of borderline significance (r = 0.281, p = 0.055). In summary, normative data for PICP, Pyd cross‐link concentrations, and parameters of bone growth are provided for infants 1–18 months of age and indicate that these markers reflect past and current bone metabolism and may be helpful in monitoring bone disorders in infants.
Comparison of two new tests for rapid diagnosis of respiratory syncytial virus infections by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and immunofluorescence techniques

The sensitivity and the specificity of two new commercial reagent tests, an indirect fluorescent antibody test (FAT) with a mouse monoclonal antibody (MAb) against respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) RSV antigen detection kit, were determined by a comparison of results from these tests with those of tissue culture isolation and an indirect FAT with bovine polyclonal antibody (BPA). Of 251 nasal aspirates from infants with suspected RSV infection, positive results were found for 99 (39%) by the FAT-MAb, 93 (37%) by the FAT-BPA, and 87 (35%) by the ELISA; 69 of 240 (29%) were positive by cultures. The FAT-MAb was a more sensitive technique than cultures, with 87% sensitivity for the FAT-MAb and 84% for the ELISA. It was also more sensitive than the FAT-BPA, with 97% sensitivity for the FAT-MAb and 85% for the ELISA. This could be caused only by the distinctive volume of suspended specimens used in these tests. Of 171 negative culture specimens, positive (but not false-positive) results were found for 18% by the FAT-MAb and for 12% by the ELISA. Inversely, 13% of 69 culture positive specimens were FAT-MAb negative and 16% were ELISA negative, emphasizing the importance of tissue cultures for the maximum recovery of RSV, as well as for detection of other respiratory viruses. The FAT-MAb and ELISA were easy to perform and interpret, thus facilitating wider use.