Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Eating difficulties, complications and nursing interventions during a period of three months after a stroke.

AIM The aim of this study was to describe eating difficulties and especially swallowing in patients with dysphagia, types of nursing intervention, and the development of complications over 3 months. The aim was also to explore common characteristics of eating difficulties that influenced the ability to finish meals. METHODS Twenty-four consecutive patients admitted because of stroke and dysphagia were included. Nursing interventions, based on assessments, were individually designed. RESULTS Three subgroups could be identified: those (n=9) who were unable to complete a meal, despite assisted feeding, because of reduced alertness/energy and impaired swallowing function; those (n=5) who could complete a meal, despite suffering from reduced alertness/energy; and those (n=10) who could complete meals with minor difficulties. Patients in the first two groups developed complications such as respiratory infections and/or malnutrition. There was a tendency towards that complications in the third group were less frequent and the hospital stay was significantly shorter than in the other groups. CONCLUSION The level of alertness/energy in patients with dysphagia after stroke was important for the ability to eat and swallow and the development of complications over time, and thus of great importance for the interventions applied.
Delay in diagnosis of retinoblastoma: risk factors and treatment outcome

BACKGROUND Delay in diagnosis of retinoblastoma causes considerable parental distress; however, the primary healthcare professional (PHP) may have difficulty detecting the most common presenting symptom—leucocoria. Alternatively, the PHP may not appreciate that retinoblastoma is the pathology underlying more common ocular symptoms in infants and young children. METHOD The parents of 100 recently diagnosed patients with retinoblastoma were interviewed to establish the extent of diagnostic delay, ascertain any associated risk factors, and to determine whether or not delay influenced treatment outcome. RESULTS Although nearly 50% of patients were referred to an ophthalmologist within 1 week of first consulting a PHP, one quarter waited more than 8 weeks. There was a significantly increased risk of diagnostic delay in younger patients, those presenting with squint rather than leucocoria, and those first presenting to a health visitor rather than to a general practitioner. The risk of local tumour invasion was significantly increased by diagnostic delay. Treatment with primary enucleation was not increased by diagnostic delay. There were no deaths during the study period. CONCLUSION Primary healthcare professionals require education about the importance of ocular symptoms, especially squint, in paediatric patients.
The genome sequence of Clostridium tetani, the causative agent of tetanus disease

Tetanus disease is one of the most dramatic and globally prevalent diseases of humans and vertebrate animals, and has been reported for over 24 centuries. The manifestation of the disease, spastic paralysis, is caused by the second most poisonous substance known, the tetanus toxin, with a human lethal dose of ≈1 ng/kg. Fortunately, this disease is successfully controlled through immunization with tetanus toxoid; nevertheless, according to the World Health Organization, an estimated 400,000 cases still occur each year, mainly of neonatal tetanus. The causative agent of tetanus disease is Clostridium tetani, an anaerobic spore-forming bacterium, whose natural habitat is soil, dust, and intestinal tracts of various animals. Here we report the complete genome sequence of toxigenic C. tetani E88, a variant of strain Massachusetts. The genome consists of a 2,799,250-bp chromosome encoding 2,372 ORFs. The tetanus toxin and a collagenase are encoded on a 74,082-bp plasmid, containing 61 ORFs. Additional virulence-related factors could be identified, such as an array of surface-layer and adhesion proteins (35 ORFs), some of them unique to C. tetani. Comparative genomics with the genomes of Clostridium perfringens, the causative agent of gas gangrene, and Clostridium acetobutylicum, a nonpathogenic solvent producer, revealed a remarkable capacity of C. tetani: The organism can rely on an extensive sodium ion bioenergetics. Additional candidate genes involved in the establishment and maintenance of a pathogenic lifestyle of C. tetani are presented.
Surgery untying of coloured knots

For p = 3 and for p = 5 we prove that there are exactly p equivalence classes of p-coloured knots modulo ± 1-framed surgeries along unknots in the kernel of a p-colouring. These equivalence classes are represented by connect-sums of n left-hand (p, 2)-torus knots with a given colouring when n = 1, 2,. , p. This gives a 3-colour and a 5-colour analogue of the surgery presentation of a knot.
Extremely red stellar objects revealed by IPHAS

We present photometric analysis and follow-up spectroscopy for a population of extremely red stellar objects extracted from the point-source catalogue of the Isaac Newton Telescope (INT) Photometric H alpha Survey (IPHAS) of the northern Galactic plane. The vast majority of these objects have no previous identification. Analysis of optical, near- and mid-infrared photometry reveals that they are mostly highly reddened asymptotic giant branch stars, with significant levels of circumstellar material. We show that the distribution of these objects traces galactic extinction, their highly reddened colours being a product of both interstellar and circumstellar reddening. This is the first time that such a large sample of evolved low-mass stars has been detected in the visual and allows optical counterparts to be associated with sources from recent infrared surveys. Follow-up spectroscopy on some of the most interesting objects in the sample has found significant numbers of S-type stars which can be clearly separated from oxygen-rich objects in the IPHAS colour-colour diagram. We show that this is due to the positions of different molecular bands relative to the narrow-band H alpha filter used for IPHAS observations. The IPHAS (r' - H alpha) colour offers a valuable diagnostic for identifying S-type stars. A selection method for identifying S-type stars in the Galactic plane is briefly discussed and we estimate that over a thousand new objects of this type may be discovered, potentially doubling the number of known objects in this short but important evolutionary phase.
Cell Type- and Subcellular Position-Dependent Summation of Unitary Postsynaptic Potentials in Neocortical Neurons

Theoretical studies predict that the modes of integration of coincident inputs depend on their location and timing. To test these models experimentally, we simultaneously recorded from three neocortical neurons in vitro and investigated the effect of the subcellular position of two convergent inputs on the response summation in the common postsynaptic cell. When scattered over the somatodendritic surface, combination of two coincident excitatory or inhibitory synaptic potentials summed linearly in layer 2/3 pyramidal cells, as well as in GABAergic interneurons. Slightly sublinear summation with connection specific kinetics was observed when convergent inputs targeted closely placed sites on the postsynaptic cell. The degree of linearity of summation also depended on the type of connection, the relative timing of inputs, and the activation state ofIh. The results suggest that, when few inputs are active, the majority of afferent permutations undergo linear integration, maintaining the importance of individual inputs. However, compartment- and connection-specific nonlinear interactions between synapses located close to each other could increase the computational power of individual neurons in a cell type-specific manner.
Understanding home modifications impact on clients and their family's experience of home: A qualitative study.

BACKGROUND/AIM Home modifications aim to enhance safety and occupational performance in the home. However, given the complexity and unique meaning of the home, they can impact aspects other than function. This qualitative descriptive study aimed to explore the impact of home modifications on clients and their family's experience of home. METHODS Home modification clients and their family and carers participated in 42 in-depth interviews which were analysed using a template analysis. FINDINGS Home modifications impacted positively and negatively on five dimensions of the home environment, the personal, occupational, physical, temporal and social dimension. The outcomes of the modifications and the home modification process were influenced by three themes, workmanship, consultation or involvement in decision-making, and the societal dimension of the home environment. CONCLUSIONS The negative outcomes and poor consultation experiences suggest the need for occupational therapists to understand their client's personal experience of home and to comprehensively follow-up and evaluate these following home modifications.
Organoclay Effect on Transverse Tensile Strength and In-Plane Shear Strength of Unidirectional Glass/Epoxy Nanocomposites

This research focuses on the fabrication of glass fiber/epoxy organoclay nanocomposites as well as on the investigation of organoclay effect on transverse tensile strength and in-plane shear strength of the nanocomposites. To demonstrate the organoclay effect, three different loadings of organoclay were dispersed respectively in the epoxy resin using a mechanical mixer followed by sonication. The corresponding glass/epoxy nanocomposites were produced by impregnating dry glass fiber with organoclay epoxy compound via a vacuum hand lay-up procedure. For evaluating transverse tensile strengths, the unidirectional coupon specimens were prepared and tested in the transverse direction. Results indicate that with the increment of organoclay loadings, the glass/epoxy nanocomposites demonstrate higher transverse tensile strength. On the other hand, the in-plane shear strengths were measured from [± 45]s laminates. It is revealed that when the organoclay loadings increase, the in-plane shear strength of glass/epoxy nanocomposites also increases appropriately. Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) observations on the failure surfaces indicate that the increasing characteristics in transverse and in-plane failure stresses may be ascribed to the enhanced fiber/matrix bonding modified by the organoclay.
Monge: The Verriest Lecture, Lyon, July 2005

In 1789, when neither the physical basis of hue nor the retinal basis of color perception was established, the mathematician Gaspard Monte stated firmly that our color perceptions do not depend on the absolute value of the physical variable, but are influenced by the context and in particular by our estimate of the illuminant. He used this insight to explain color contrast effects and the Paradox of Monge (the desaturation of red objects seen through a red filter). He proposed that we can estimate the chromaticity of the illuminant in any scene because all surfaces reflect to us varying mixtures of (i) the body color and (ii) a specular component that represents the illuminant. He also realized that white objects have a special property: Provided that they are illuminated by a single illuminant, such objects exhibit no variation in chromaticity across their surface. Thus at least one of the unique hues exists as an external reference on which observers can agree. It is suggested that other unique hues may also have a basis in the external world.
Trapping Effect on Electrical Behavior of Polyester Film. II: Bipolar Injection

The time evolution of conduction current Jc(t) determined experimentally, in polyethylene terephthalate, at 373 K, was simulated by using a bipolar charge (electrons and holes) model with injecting electrodes including dipoles with the relaxation time τ and a discrete set of localized levels with a density Nt. The numerical calculation showed that the Jc(t) characteristics are significantly affected by the carrier charge motion and depend on the model parameters.
Cell-Free Circulating Plasma hTERT mRNA Is a Useful Marker for Prostate Cancer Diagnosis and Is Associated with Poor Prognosis Tumor Characteristics

Background Serum prostate-specific antigen (PSA) is the most widely used marker for diagnosing prostate cancer (PCa). It lacks specificity and predictive value, resulting in inaccurate diagnoses and overtreatment of the disease. The aim of this study was to assess the usefulness of plasma telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT) mRNA as a diagnostic and prognostic tool for PCa and its association with clinicopathological parameters of tumors. Principal Findings Plasma hTERT mRNA levels were determined by qRT-PCR in 105 consecutive patients with elevated PSA levels and in 68 healthy volunteers. The diagnostic accuracy, the efficacy as a prognostic factor of biochemical recurrence and the association with tumor clinicopathological parameters of plasma hTERT mRNA and serum PSA tests were determined using univariate and multivariate analyses. The results show that plasma hTERT mRNA is a non-invasive biomarker for PCa diagnosis that shows higher sensitivity (85% vs. 83%), specificity (90% vs. 47%), positive predictive value (83% vs. 56%), and negative predictive value (92% vs. 77%) than serum PSA. Plasma hTERT mRNA is significantly associated with poor prognosis tumor clinicopathological parameters and is a significant independent predictor of PCa (p<0.0001). Univariate analysis identified plasma hTERT mRNA (but not serum PSA) as a significant prognostic factor of biochemical recurrence. Plasma hTERT mRNA Kaplan-Meier curves confirmed the significant differences between groups and patients with higher levels than the cut-off value showed diminished recurrence-free survival (p = 0.004), whereas no differences were observed with serum PSA (p = 0.38). Multivariate analysis indicated that plasma hTERT mRNA (but not serum PSA) and stage were significantly associated with biochemical recurrence. Conclusions Overall, these findings indicate that hTERT mRNA is a useful non-invasive tumor marker for the molecular diagnosis of PCa, affording a greater diagnostic and prognostic accuracy than the PSA assay and may be of relevance in the follow-up of the disease.
Research Statement 1. Novel Circuit Constructs 1.1 Cyclic Combinational Circuits

For most students of computer science and electrical engineering, the trend during the formative years of graduate school is one of increasing specialization. Each student carves out a niche, delving into a specific topic for his or her dissertation. And yet, moving beyond graduate school, too narrow a focus in a single domain of expertise can stunt a research career. Breakthroughs nearly always stem from the infusion of new ideas and techniques, sometimes from quite unrelated areas. I believe that a sound approach is to acquire a breadth of knowledge in a variety of fields coupled with a depth of knowledge of the underlying and unifying concepts. One should remain versatile, exploring problems of merit as they arise. My research interests can be broadly categorized into the following areas: novel circuit constructs, novel data structures and algorithms for circuit design, and novel computational platforms. Of course, all three areas are intertwined. For instance, in the nascent field of systems biology, researchers are studying cellular signaling pathways and genetic regulatory networks from a computational perspective. Such systems are inherently noisy, operate asynchronously, and involve thousands of molecular species. Modeling them requires entirely new circuit constructs. Furthermore, custom-tailored data structures and algorithms are needed to cope with the scale and complexity of the problems. In the realm of digital design, a rigid hierarchical view has become firmly entrenched: Logic gates are built from transistors; combinational circuits are built from logic gates arranged in feed-forward (i.e., acyclic) configurations; synchronous circuits are built from combinational circuits and memory elements arranged in feedback (i.e., cyclic) configurations; and, finally, digital systems are built from synchronous modules and peripheral logic. This paradigm has been tremendously successful in the design of silicon integrated circuits – so successful, in fact, that the perception exists that this is the only way circuits can be designed. In my dissertation, I establish a counterintuitive construct: combinational circuits with cycles. My interest in this topic was sparked by paper of R. Rivest from 1977 [33]. I came across it in my third year of graduate studies, after I had begun writing a dissertation on a completely different topic. The setting is a familiar one: logic gates (AND, OR, NOT, etc.) computing boolean functions. However, there is a striking incongruity in one of the examples: A circuit is labeled combinational and yet the gates are arranged in a cyclic configuration. I had learned in …
Incomplete and incorrect epinephrine auto‐injector training to food‐allergic patients by pharmacists in the Netherlands

Successful treatment of anaphylaxis in the community relies on early and correct use of epinephrine auto‐injectors (EAI). In the Netherlands, pharmacists supply EAIs to patients and have a crucial role in instructing patients in how and when to use EAI. However, there are currently no data in Europe on the quality of such instruction provided by pharmacists. Therefore, the aims of this study were to investigate the knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs regarding food allergy among pharmacists in the Netherlands and to investigate the quality of EAI instructions and demonstrations to patients by pharmacists.
Use of cutting edge educational tools for an initial programming course

Programming skills are an important component of an engineering curriculum, not only because they enable the customization of software tools to be used in the profession, but also (and perhaps more crucially) because of the "computational thinking" and problem solving capabilities that are ideally developed by young students who learn to program for the first time. The necessity to expand the computing curriculum across a wider range of schools and university courses for students who are not majoring in Computer Science (CS) ) it is well-documented in literature [1], as is the difficulty of teaching 21st century skills (www.p21.org. This work presents an educational approach to teaching initial programming based on the development of fundamental and transversal skills and computer science skills, including creative and computational thinking as well as problem solving and critical thinking. The approach is based on cutting-edge educational tools, namely the visual programming frameworks Scratch, AppInventor, BYOB, and the well-known C/C++ language; curriculum material is drawn from CSPrinciples pilot courses, CS unplugged, school level preparation material for the International Olympiad in Informatics, and are complemented by supplementary information. The pedagogical approaches used in the course are based on constructivist learning theory, experiential learning and guided inquiry. This paper presents a year-long teaching experience in a 10th/13th grade high school with 14 to 16-year-old students. Ways to extend the experience to a university course are also presented. An initial analysis of the course results, both qualitative (based on two student surveys) and quantitative (based on formal written examinations) is presented and discussed. Results are encouraging, showing how visual programming languages help students to improve their problems solving skills and reasoning practices. Exposing the younger generation to computational concepts is fundamental in order to improve the mastering of these concepts and increase the success rate in university studies.
Eye Diseases and Impaired Vision as Possible Risk Factors for Recurrent Falls in the Aged: A Systematic Review

Background. Recurrent falls are common among the aged. Vision is needed in maintaining balance, and impaired vision may be an intrinsic risk factor of recurrent falls. The aim was to perform a systematic review about the relationships between eye diseases or impaired vision and the risk of recurrent falls in the aged. Material and Methods. MEDLINE and CINAHL databases were searched in order to find longitudinal epidemiological studies about the associations between eye diseases or impaired vision and the risk of recurrent falls. Altogether 19 studies were found. A qualitative systematic analysis of these studies was performed. Results and Conclusions. The evidence about poor depth perception/stereoacuity and poor low-contrast visual acuity as risk factors of recurrent falls is quite convincing. Discrepant vision, a decrease in visual acuity, and loss of visual field may be risk factors, but more studies are needed. The results concerning the relationships between poor visual acuity and poor contrast sensitivity and the risk of recurrent falls are controversial. More studies about the relationships between different measures of vision and the risk of recurrent falls are needed before final conclusions about poor vision as a risk factor for recurrent falling can be done.
A Code Refinement Methodology for Performance-Improved Synthesis from C

Although many recent advances have been made in hardware synthesis techniques from software programming languages such as C, the performance of synthesized hardware commonly suffers due to the use of C constructs and coding practices that are not appropriate for hardware. Most previous approaches to addressing this problem require drastic changes to coding practice. We present an approach that instead requires only minimal changes but yields significant speedups. In this approach, a software developer initially writes C code as they normally would, and then applies simple refinement guidelines to only the performance-critical code regions, which are the regions most likely to be synthesized to hardware. Alternatively, if a designer is aware of performance-critical parts of the application, the guidelines could be followed during development. In this study, we analyze dozens of embedded benchmarks to determine the most common C coding practices that limit hardware performance, and introduce coding guidelines to make the code more amenable to synthesis. Those guidelines typically require minimal coding effort, generally consisting of less than ten lines of code for each guideline. The guidelines typically represent modifications that require designer knowledge, making the guidelines difficult or impossible for synthesis tools to automate. We apply these guidelines to six benchmarks, resulting in average speedups of 3.5times compared to synthesis from the original code with a negligible software size and performance overhead
Error-correcting graphs for software watermarking

In this paper, we discuss graph-theoretic approaches to software watermarking and fingerprinting. Software watermarking is used to discourage intellectual property theft and software fingerprinting is used to trace intellectual property copyright violations. We focus on two algorithms that encode information in software through the use of graph structures. We then consider the different attack models intended to disable the watermark while not affecting the correctness or performance of the program. Finally, we present several classes of graphs that can be used for watermarking and fingerprinting and analyze their properties (resiliency, data rate, performance, and stealthiness).