Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Qualitative evaluation of a cognitive behaviour therapy Hearing Voices Group with a service user co-facilitator

This project evaluated a Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT) Hearing Voices Group (HVG), piloting the introduction of a service user co-facilitator (SUC). Interviews with the SUC and seven HVG attendees were analysed using thematic analysis. A superordinate theme was identified around what helped people “get something from the group”, such as the process of “being in a group”, including subthemes: “openness breeds openness” and “discovering I’m not alone’. Having an SUC was described positively, including subthemes: “relating to us” and “admiring resilience”. A second superordinate theme around hindrances included societal barriers and “feeling anxious”. A third superordinate theme of changes made by HVG members included developing “new perspectives” on themselves and their voices, “feeling inspired” by the SUC, and “coping better”. The SUC found facilitating more valuable than attending an HVG. The study suggests that service users could be trained to co-facilitate structured CBT HVGs.
A randomised controlled trial of senior Lay Health Mentoring in older people with ischaemic heart disease: The Braveheart Project.

OBJECTIVE to examine the effects and feasibility of educating and empowering older people with ischaemic heart disease using trained senior lay health mentors. DESIGN randomised controlled trial with blinded evaluation. SETTING Falkirk and District Royal Infirmary. PARTICIPANTS inpatients and outpatients aged 60 or over attending secondary care with a diagnosis of angina or acute myocardial infarction. Three-hundred and nineteen entered and 289 completed exit assessments. The intervention group took part in mentoring groups for 1 year, meeting monthly for 2 hours, each led by two trained lay health mentors in addition to standard care. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES primary outcome measures were changes in coronary risk factors, medication usage and actual use of secondary care health services. Secondary outcomes were total and cardiovascular events; changes in medication compliance, non-medical support requirement, health status and psychological functioning, and social inclusion. RESULTS there were significant improvements in a reported current exercise score (mean +0.33, +0.02 to +0.52), in the average time spent walking per week by 72 minutes (+1 to +137 minutes), and in the SF36 Physical Functioning Score (+6.1, +2.4 to +9.5). There was a 1.0% reduction in total fat (95% CI -3.0% to -0.6%) and a 0.6% reduction in saturated fat (95% CI -1.5% to -0.03%). The intervention group showed reduced outpatient attendance for coronary heart disease (-0.25 appointments, -0.61 to -0.08). Attendance rates were high. Socio-economic grouping did not affect participation. CONCLUSIONS Lay Health Mentoring is feasible, practical and inclusive, positively influencing diet, physical activity, and health resource utilisation in older subjects with ischaemic heart disease without causing harm.
Intensive Versus Intermediate Glucose Control in Surgical Intensive Care Unit Patients

OBJECTIVE The optimal perioperative blood glucose range to improve surgical site infection (SSI) in surgical intensive care unit (ICU) patients remains unclear. We sought to determine whether the incidence of SSI is reduced by perioperative intensive insulin therapy (IT). RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS Patients were randomly assigned to receive perioperative intensive IT, with a target blood glucose range of 4.4–6.1 mmol/L, or intermediate IT, with a target blood glucose range of 7.7–10.0 mmol/L in the surgical ICU. We defined the primary end point as the incidence of SSI. RESULTS Study participants were randomly assigned to glucose control with one of two target ranges: for 225 patients in the intermediate IT group or for 222 patients in the intensive IT group, respectively. No patients in either group became hypoglycemic (<4.4 mmol/L) during their stay in the surgical ICU. In our series, the rate of SSI after hepato-biliary-pancreatic surgery was 6.7%. Patients in the intensive IT group, compared with the intermediate IT group, had fewer postoperative SSIs (9.8% vs. 4.1%, P = 0.028) and a lower incidence of postoperative pancreatic fistula after pancreatic resection (P = 0.040). The length of hospitalization required for patients in the intensive IT group was significantly shorter than that in the intermediate IT group (P = 0.017). CONCLUSIONS We found that intensive IT decreased the incidence of SSI among patients who underwent hepato-biliary-pancreatic surgery: a blood glucose target of 4.4 to 6.1 mmol/L resulted in lower rate of SSI than did a target of 7.7–10.0 mmol/L.
Quantitative nature of overexpression experiments

Overexpression experiments are sometimes considered as qualitative experiments designed to identify novel proteins and study their function. However, in order to draw conclusions regarding protein overexpression through association analyses using large-scale biological data sets, we need to recognize the quantitative nature of overexpression experiments. Here I discuss the quantitative features of two different types of overexpression experiment: absolute and relative. I also introduce the four primary mechanisms involved in growth defects caused by protein overexpression: resource overload, stoichiometric imbalance, promiscuous interactions, and pathway modulation associated with the degree of overexpression.
Shortened Questionnaire on Quality of Life for Inflammatory Bowel Disease

Questionnaires for measuring quality of life in patients with inflammatory bowel disease usually include a large number of items and are time-consuming for both administration and interpretation. Our aim was to elaborate and validate a short quality-of-life questionnaire with the most representative items from the Spanish version of the 36-item Inflammatory Bowel Disease Questionnaire (IBDQ-36) using the Rasch analysis. The responses to 311 IBDQ-36 questionnaires from 167 patients with ulcerative colitis (UC) and 144 with Crohn's disease (CD) were analyzed.IBDQ-36 was shortened with successive Rasch analyses until all the remaining items showed acceptable separation and goodness-of-fit properties. Validation of the short questionnaire was studied in a new group of 125 patients by determining its validity and reliability.A 9-item short questionnaire was obtained (IBDQ-9). Its correlation with IBDQ-36 was excellent (r = 0.91). Correlation between IBDQ-9 and clinical indices of activity was statistically significant in UC (r = 0.70) and CD (r = 0.70). IBDQ-9 score discriminates adequately between patients in clinical remission or relapse (P < 0.01). Sensitivity to change was determined in 14 patients who improved clinically, showing significant IBDQ-9 changes between both determinations (P < 0.01), with an effect size of −2.67 in UC and −5.29 in CD. IBDQ-9 was also homogeneous, with a Cronbach's &agr; of 0.95 in UC and 0.91 in CD. In 35-clinically stable patients, test-retest reliability was good, with a statistically-significant correlation between both questionnaires (r = 0.76 in UC and 0.86 in CD, P < 0.01) and an intraclass correlation coefficient of 0.82 in UC and 0.84 in CD.In conclusion, a short and valid questionnaire to measure quality of life in patients with inflammatory bowel disease was obtained using a new measurement model. Its use should facilitate comprehension of the impact of inflammatory bowel disease.
Is aggression in children with behavioural and emotional difficulties associated with television viewing and video game playing? A systematic review.

BACKGROUND Possible associations between television viewing and video game playing and children's aggression have become public health concerns. We did a systematic review of studies that examined such associations, focussing on children and young people with behavioural and emotional difficulties, who are thought to be more susceptible. METHODS We did computer-assisted searches of health and social science databases, gateways, publications from relevant organizations and for grey literature; scanned bibliographies; hand-searched key journals; and corresponded with authors. We critically appraised all studies. RESULTS A total of 12 studies: three experiments with children with behavioural and emotional difficulties found increased aggression after watching aggressive as opposed to low-aggressive content television programmes, one found the opposite and two no clear effect, one found such children no more likely than controls to imitate aggressive television characters. One case-control study and one survey found that children and young people with behavioural and emotional difficulties watched more television than controls; another did not. Two studies found that children and young people with behavioural and emotional difficulties viewed more hours of aggressive television programmes than controls. One study on video game use found that young people with behavioural and emotional difficulties viewed more minutes of violence and played longer than controls. In a qualitative study children with behavioural and emotional difficulties, but not their parents, did not associate watching television with aggression. All studies had significant methodological flaws. None was based on power calculations. CONCLUSION This systematic review found insufficient, contradictory and methodologically flawed evidence on the association between television viewing and video game playing and aggression in children and young people with behavioural and emotional difficulties. If public health advice is to be evidence-based, good quality research is needed.
Types of impulsivity, their behavioural expression and association with the markers of vulnerability of serotonin system

Rationale: Low capacity of the central serotonergic system has been associated with impulsive behaviour. Both low platelet monoamine oxidase (MAO) activity and the short (S) allele of the serotonin transporter gene promoter region polymorphism (5-HTTLPR) are proposed to be markers of less efficient serotonergic functioning. Objectives: The effect of the two markers for serotonin system efficiency on performance in a visual comparison task (VCT) and self-reported impulsiveness (Barratt Impulsiveness Scale, BIS-11) were investigated in healthy adolescents participating in the Estonian Children Personality Behaviour and Health Study. Possible confounding effect of general cognitive abilities on the performance in VCT was controlled for. Results: Low platelet MAO activity and carrying of the S allele of 5-HTTLPR were both associated with higher error-rate and more impulsive performance in VCT. Platelet MAO activity and 5-HTTLPR S allele had a significant interactive effect on self-reported impulsivity (BIS-11). The effect of platelet MAO activity on both self-reported and performance impulsivity was significant only in the S
High Levels of Plasma Malondialdehyde, Protein Carbonyl, and Fibrinogen Have Prognostic Potential to Predict Poor Outcomes in Patients With Diabetic Foot Wounds: A Preliminary Communication

Diabetic foot ulcer (DFU) is the leading cause of lower extremity amputation and is generally known to have poor prognosis. Oxidative stress is considered important in the pathogenesis of chronic wounds. Fibrinogen is a recognized marker in peripheral vascular disease; increasing levels predict an increased mortality and risk of amputation. The aim of this study was to evaluate if plasma malondialdehyde (MDA), protein carbonyl (PC) and fibrinogen levels can be used as prognostic markers in patients with DFU. The study design was prospective, nonrandomized, and controlled. A total of 41 DFU grade 1 and 20 DFU grade 2 patients were studied in this case—control study. Diabetic controls without foot ulcers and healthy controls were also studied. Plasma MDA, PC, and fibrinogen levels were significantly higher in patients with DFU compared with those without ulcers (P < .05) and nondiabetic controls (P < .001). These parameters increased in association with DFU grade (P < .01). Increased levels of plasma fibrinogen, MDA, and PC correlated with worsened outcomes. An augmented oxidative stress and plasma fibrinogen level >300.4 mg% (95% confidence interval, 100% sensitivity, 99.2% specificity) was correlated with a high risk of amputation in DFU.
Generation of Random Bayesian Networks with Constraints on Induced Width , with Application to the Average Analysis of d-Connectivity , Quasi-random Sampling , and Loopy Propagation

We present algorithms for the generation of uniformly distributed Bayesian networks with constraints on induced width. The algorithms use ergodic Markov chains to generate samples, building upon previous algorithms by the authors. The introduction of constraints on induced width leads to more realistic results but requires new techniques. We discuss three applications of randomly generated networks: we study the average number of nodes d-connected to a query, the effectiveness of quasi-random samples in approximate inference, and the convergence of loopy propagation for non-extreme distributions.
The Contribution of Higher Education to Regional Cultural Development in the North East of England

In the United Kingdom, the creative and cultural industries in the North East of England have notably contributed to the region’s economic development. The city of NewcastleGateshead’s recent renaissance has helped redefine the region’s cultural identity. Higher education has played an important part in the North East of England region, whether through heritage buildings such as Durham Castle, or the newly built facilities within Newcastle University’s cultural quarter. The North East universities also play a leading role in developing knowledge and skills for the cultural sector by supporting new businesses, supplying student volunteers, and making a critical contribution through staff research and collaborative doctoral studentships. The success of the universities’ engagement with the region depends on strategies and structures within both higher education and governmental bodies responsible for the cultural sector; universities work with a wide range of central government departments, sector skills councils, regional development associations, local government, and cultural organisations such as the Arts Council and the Regional Cultural Consortia. In many ways the cultural value of the universities’ contribution is often intangible, but as major contributors to the quality of life and economic prosperity, often partnering cultural organisations throughout the region, the significance of this contribution cannot be ignored.
Ground moving target classification based on micro-Doppler signature using novel spectral information features

A novel spectral-based feature set is proposed for ground moving target classification using a battlefield surveillance radar. Precise frequencies and coefficients are extracted from the backscattered radar signal which is used as an information in Automatic Target Recognition (ATR) system to solve the problem of ground moving target classification. The proposed ATR system is realized by combining Gaussian Mixture Model (GMM) with Maximum Likelihood (ML) rule. Experimental signals, realized with ground surveillance radar operating in centimetre range wavelengths, are used to test our ATR system. Numerical evaluation results are presented to assess the performance gain provided by the proposed method.
Auditory verbal hallucinations and the interhemispheric auditory pathway in chronic schizophrenia

Abstract Objectives. The interhemispheric auditory pathway has been shown to play a crucial role in the processing of acoustic stimuli, and alterations of structural and functional connectivity between bilateral auditory areas are likely relevant to the pathogenesis of auditory verbal hallucinations (AVHs). The aim of this study was to examine this pathway in patients with chronic schizophrenia regarding their lifetime history of AVHs. Methods. DTI scans were acquired from 33 healthy controls (HC), 24 schizophrenia patients with a history of AVHs (LT-AVH) and nine schizophrenia patients without any lifetime hallucinations (N-LT-AVH). The interhemispheric auditory fibre bundles were extracted using streamline tractography. Subsequently, diffusivity indices, namely Fractional Anisotropy (FA), Trace, Mode, Axial and Radial diffusivity, were calculated. Results. FA was decreased over the entire pathway in LT-AVH compared with N-LT-AVH. Moreover, LT-AVH displayed decreased FA and Mode as well as increased radial diffusivity in the midsagittal section of the fibre tract. Conclusions. These findings indicate complex microstructural changes in the interhemispheric auditory pathway of schizophrenia patients with a history of AVHs. Alterations appear to be absent in patients who have never hallucinated.
Spatial and temporal operation of the Scotia Sea ecosystem: a review of large-scale links in a krill centred food web

The Scotia Sea ecosystem is a major component of the circumpolar Southern Ocean system, where productivity and predator demand for prey are high. The eastward-flowing Antarctic Circumpolar Current (ACC) and waters from the Weddell–Scotia Confluence dominate the physics of the Scotia Sea, leading to a strong advective flow, intense eddy activity and mixing. There is also strong seasonality, manifest by the changing irradiance and sea ice cover, which leads to shorter summers in the south. Summer phytoplankton blooms, which at times can cover an area of more than 0.5 million km2, probably result from the mixing of micronutrients into surface waters through the flow of the ACC over the Scotia Arc. This production is consumed by a range of species including Antarctic krill, which are the major prey item of large seabird and marine mammal populations. The flow of the ACC is steered north by the Scotia Arc, pushing polar water to lower latitudes, carrying with it krill during spring and summer, which subsidize food webs around South Georgia and the northern Scotia Arc. There is also marked interannual variability in winter sea ice distribution and sea surface temperatures that is linked to southern hemisphere-scale climate processes such as the El Niño–Southern Oscillation. This variation affects regional primary and secondary production and influences biogeochemical cycles. It also affects krill population dynamics and dispersal, which in turn impacts higher trophic level predator foraging, breeding performance and population dynamics. The ecosystem has also been highly perturbed as a result of harvesting over the last two centuries and significant ecological changes have also occurred in response to rapid regional warming during the second half of the twentieth century. This combination of historical perturbation and rapid regional change highlights that the Scotia Sea ecosystem is likely to show significant change over the next two to three decades, which may result in major ecological shifts.
Investigating Automatic Static Analysis Results to Identify Quality Problems: An Inductive Study

Background: Automatic static analysis (ASA) tools examine source code to discover “issues”, i.e. code patterns that are symptoms of bad programming practices and that can lead to defective behavior. Studies in the literature have shown that these tools find defects earlier than other verification activities, but they produce a substantial number of false positive warnings. For this reason, an alternative approach is to use the set of ASA issues to identify defect prone files and components rather than focusing on the individual issues. Aim: We conducted an exploratory study to investigate whether ASA issues can be used as early indicators of faulty files and components and, for the first time, whether they point to a decay of specific software quality attributes, such as maintainability or functionality. Our aim is to understand the critical parameters and feasibility of such an approach to feed into future research on more specific quality and defect prediction models. Method: We analyzed an industrial C# web application using the Resharper ASA tool and explored if significant correlations exist in such a data set. Results: We found promising results when predicting defectprone files. A set of specific Resharper categories are better indicators of faulty files than common software metrics or the collection of issues of all issue categories, and these categories correlate to different software quality attributes. Conclusions: Our advice for future research is to perform analysis on file rather component level and to evaluate the generalizability of categories. We also recommend using larger datasets as we learned that data sparseness can lead to challenges in the proposed analysis process.
AKADEMIK PERSONELIN FINANSAL GÖNENÇ HÂLI ILE FINANSAL DAVRANIŞ EĞILIMI ARASINDAKI ILIŞKIYE YÖNELIK AMPIRIK BIR ARAŞTIRMA AN EMPIRICAL ANALYSIS ON THE RELATION BETWEEN ACADEMICS' FINANCIAL WELL-BEING AND FINANCIAL BEHAVIOR

This study aims both to reveal the financial behavior of academics and also to investigate the impact of financial behavior on financial well-being. In this regard, hypotheses are established by taking into consideration both the demographic variables and also arguments and findings in the literature. In order to test the validity of the hypotheses, a questionnaire is carried out on academics of Dumlupinar University. Covering all units of the University, the questionnaire produced a sample that consists of 246 academics. The data set is analyzed over SPSS program by using such techniques as arithmetic mean, one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA), Tukey test, t-test and Pearson correlation analysis. The results suggest that the academics are limitedly satisfied with their current financial well-being. The findings also indicate that financial behavior possesses a positive impact on financial well-being.
The association and a potential pathway between gender-based violence and induced abortion in Thai Nguyen province, Vietnam

Background : Gender-based violence (GBV) has profound adverse consequences on women's physical, mental, and reproductive health. Although Vietnam has high rates of induced abortion and GBV, literature examining this relationship is lacking. Objective : This study examines the association of GBV with induced abortion among married or partnered women of reproductive age in Thai Nguyen province, Vietnam. In addition, we explore contraceptive use and unintended pregnancy as mediators in the pathway between GBV and induced abortion. Design and methods : Data were drawn from a cross-sectional survey of 1,281 women aged 18–49 years in four districts of Thai Nguyen province. Bivariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were applied to examine the associations between lifetime history of GBV, contraceptive use, unintended pregnancy, induced abortion, and repeat abortion, controlling for other covariates. Results : One-third of respondents had undergone induced abortion in their lifetime (33.4%), and 11.5% reported having repeat abortions. The prevalence of any type of GBV was 29.1% (17.0% physical violence, 10.4% sexual violence, and 20.1% emotional violence). History of GBV was associated with induced abortion (OR=1.61, 95% CI: 1.20–2.16) and repeat abortion (OR=2.22, 95% CI: 1.48–3.32). Physical violence was significantly associated with induced abortion, and all three types of violence were associated with repeat abortion. Abused women were more likely than non-abused women to report using contraceptives and having an unintended pregnancy, and these factors were in turn associated with increased risk of induced abortion. Conclusions : GBV is pervasive in Thai Nguyen province and is linked to increased risks of induced abortion and repeat abortion. The findings suggest that a pathway underlying this relationship is increased risk of unintended pregnancy due in part to ineffective use of contraceptives. These findings emphasize the importance of screening and identification of GBV and incorporating women's empowerment in reproductive health and family planning programs.