Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Recent trends in colorectal cancer mortality in Europe

Colorectal cancer mortality has been declining over the last two decades in Europe, particularly in women, the trends being, however, different across countries and age groups. We updated to 2007 colorectal cancer mortality trends in Europe using data from the World Health Organization (WHO). Rates were analyzed for the overall population and separately in young, middle‐age and elderly populations. In the European Union (EU), between 1997 and 2007 mortality from colorectal cancer declined by around 2% per year, from 19.7 to 17.4/100,000 men (world standardized rates) and from 12.5 to 10.5/100,000 women. Persisting favorable trends were observed in countries of western and northern Europe, while there were more recent declines in several countries of eastern Europe, including the Czech Republic, Hungary and Slovakia particularly in women (but not Romania and the Russian Federation). In 2007, a substantial excess in colorectal cancer mortality was still observed in Slovakia, Hungary, Croatia, the Czech Republic and Slovenia in men (rates over 25/100,000), and in Hungary, Norway, Denmark and Slovakia in women (rates over 14/100,000). Colorectal mortality trends were more favorable in the young (30–49 years) from most European countries, with a decline of ∼2% per year since the early 1990s in both men and women from the EU. The recent decreases in colorectal mortality rates in several European countries are likely due to improvements in (early) diagnosis and treatment, with a consequent higher survival from the disease. Interventions to further reduce colorectal cancer burden are, however, still warranted, particularly in eastern European countries.
Relational Developmental Systems Theories and the Ecological Validity of Experimental Designs

Conducting good science rests on asking good questions. In ideal situations, developmental scientists who frame their research by addressing theoretically predicated questions have the best opportunity to integratively link their empirical work to extant knowledge about how to describe, explain, and optimize intraindividual change and interindividual differences in intraindividual change [Baltes, Reese, & Nesselroade, 1977; Lerner, 2012]. However, to make such empirical contributions, questions need to be coupled with pertinent methods. Because of the fundamental importance of this link between question and method, theory becomes the primary and most important tool of the developmental methodologist [Collins, 2006; Little, Card, Preacher, & McConnell, 2009]. In short, theory should shape the selection of the methods used to address one’s questions about human development. To state this relation in the negative, when methodological preferences determine the questions one asks, then (at best) weak science is the result. Accordingly, any method – any research design, measurement approach, or statistical technique – may be useful within developmental science, depending on the theoretically-predicated question one asks. Indeed, depending on a given theorypredicated question, there may be multiple methods that might be appropriate to use to address the question. These methods may be either quantitative or qualitative. Moreover, to reduce the challenges associated with disentangling method variance and substantive variance, triangulating across multiple methods is always advisable in good scientific practice [Campbell & Fiske, 1959] and, today, such triangulation is increasingly involving mixed-methods research employing both quantitative and qualitative methods [Tolan & Deutsch, in preparation].
Individualization at Work?: Subjectivity, Teamworking and Anti-Unionism

This article explores how power can individualize, rendering us isolated and fearful, but also how power can be wielded to challenge such conditions. It is argued that subjectivity should not be confused with individualism, for although we are all individualized, and understand ourselves as individuals, subjectivity is constituted through social relations, that give rise to collective meaning, sentiments and affiliations. These issues are considered in the context of an automobile manufacturing company, where there was an attempt to constitute individualistic employees through anti-unionism and, paradoxically, teamworking. The article elucidates the polarity within the Labour Process debate, arguing that much of the controversy and confusion stems from a dualistic reading of the issues involved.
THE RELATION OF THE FOSTER HOME ENVIRONMENT TO THE MENTAL DEVELOPMENT OF CHILDREN PLACED IN INFANCY

The mental development of children placed in foster homes is being studied cooperatively by the Iowa Child Welfare Research Station and the Bureau of Child Welfare. The present report is the first unit of a long-time study. As time progresses, children from infancy to six years of age at time of placement in foster homes will be included in order to determine changes in mental growth with changes in the environment. The unit now being reported includes only children who were under six months of age when placed in foster homes. The state program requires that a child be in the foster home at least twelve months before application for adoption can be made. The group includes all children for whom application for adoption was made during the fiscal year from February 1, 1934 to February 1, 1935 who had been placed before they were six months of age, a total of seventy-three children. These children have been in the foster homes from one to five years. The mean chronological age of this group at time of placement was 2.5 months. The children have therefore experienced essentially only the environment of the foster home.
Leading multi‐ethnic schools: adjustments in concepts and practices for engaging with diversity 1

The student population across world is increasingly reflective of diverse cultures, religions and ethnicities. This rich diversity may become a challenge for educational leaders, teachers, and policy‐makers in the absence of an understanding of diverse sources of knowledge people draw on for directing their beliefs and daily practices. This paper explores the multi‐ethnic context in Britain with a focus on Muslim students in English secondary schools, and argues for drawing on diverse ethnic knowledge sources to inform and enrich approaches towards managing diversity. It discusses the concept of Adab derived from Muslim ethics and philosophy, and debates possible contributions of such conceptual adaptations towards improving educational engagement and performance.
Discrete-time battery models for system-level low-power design

For portable applications, long battery lifetime is the ultimate design goal. Therefore, the availability of battery and voltage converter models providing accurate estimates of battery lifetime is key for system-level low-power design frameworks. In this paper, we introduce a discrete-time model for the complete power supply subsystem that closely approximates the behavior of its circuit-level continuous-time counterpart. The model is abstract and efficient enough to enable event-driven simulation of digital systems described at a very high level of abstraction and that includes, among their components, also the power supply. The model gives the designer the possibility of estimating battery lifetime during system-level design exploration, as shown by the results we have collected on meaningful case studies. In addition, it is flexible and it can thus be employed for different battery chemistries.
Diversification of DNA Sequences in the Symbiotic Genome of Rhizobium etli

ABSTRACT Bacteria of the genus Rhizobium and related genera establish nitrogen-fixing symbioses with the roots of leguminous plants. The genetic elements that participate in the symbiotic process are usually compartmentalized in the genome, either as independent replicons (symbiotic plasmids) or as symbiotic regions or islands in the chromosome. The complete nucleotide sequence of the symbiotic plasmid of Rhizobium etli model strain CFN42, symbiont of the common bean plant, has been reported. To better understand the basis of DNA sequence diversification of this symbiotic compartment, we analyzed the distribution of single-nucleotide polymorphisms in homologous regions from different Rhizobium etli strains. The distribution of polymorphisms is highly asymmetric in each of the different strains, alternating regions containing very few changes with regions harboring an elevated number of substitutions. The regions showing high polymorphism do not correspond with discrete genetic elements and are not the same in the different strains, indicating that they are not hypervariable regions of functional genes. Most interesting, some highly polymorphic regions share exactly the same nucleotide substitutions in more than one strain. Furthermore, in different regions of the symbiotic compartment, different sets of strains share the same substitutions. The data indicate that the majority of nucleotide substitutions are spread in the population by recombination and that the contribution of new mutations to polymorphism is relatively low. We propose that the horizontal transfer of homologous DNA segments among closely related organisms is a major source of genomic diversification.
Sequential sensory and decision processing in posterior parietal cortex

Decisions about the behavioral significance of sensory stimuli often require comparing sensory inference of what we are looking at to internal models of what we are looking for. Here, we test how neuronal selectivity for visual features is transformed into decision-related signals in posterior parietal cortex (area LIP). Monkeys performed a visual matching task that required them to detect target stimuli composed of conjunctions of color and motion-direction. Neuronal recordings from area LIP revealed two main findings. First, the sequential processing of visual features and the selection of target-stimuli suggest that LIP is involved in transforming sensory information into decision-related signals. Second, the patterns of color and motion selectivity and their impact on decision-related encoding suggest that LIP plays a role in detecting target stimuli by comparing bottom-up sensory inputs (what the monkeys were looking at) and top-down cognitive encoding inputs (what the monkeys were looking for). DOI: http://dx.doi. org/10.7554/eLife.23743. 001
‘Quality’ part-time work in Australian organizations: implications for HRD

Abstract Part-time work is an international phenomenon. Many western countries show similar patterns to Australia, with a significant increase in part-time work in the last twenty to twenty-five years. In Australia, part-time work has developed some unique features, particularly as it often involves lower wages and poor conditions. Part-time employees in Australia are often excluded from human resource development (HRD) activities such as training and career tracks provided to full-time workers. The experience of particular Australian organizations illustrates possible avenues for quality part-time work. This paper examines practical examples of quality part-time work in eight Australian organizations across five industries (nursing, hospitality, retail, local government and the legal profession). Using case study research, the paper discusses the dimensions of quality part-time work in different industry and occupational contexts from an HRD perspective.
Influence of Past Experience on Perceptual Grouping

We used primed matching to examine the microgenesis of perceptual organization for familiar (upright letters) and unfamiliar (inverted letters) visual configurations that varied in the connectedness between their line components. The configurations of upright letters were available for priming as early as 40 ms, irrespective of connectedness between their line components. The configurations of connected inverted-letter primes were also available this early, but the configurations of disconnected inverted letters were not available until later. These results show that past experience contributes to the early grouping of disconnected line segments into configurations. These findings suggest an interactive model of perceptual organization in which both image-based properties (e.g., connectedness) and input from object memories contribute to perceptual organization.
Risk for End-Stage Renal Disease Over 25 Years in the Population-Based WESDR Cohort

OBJECTIVE In the population-based Wisconsin Epidemiologic Study of Diabetic Retinopathy (WESDR) cohort, we sought to examine whether a decline in the prevalence and incidence of end-stage renal disease (ESRD) was evident with increasing calendar year of type 1 diabetes diagnosis among people followed for 25 years. Factors associated with the hazard of incident ESRD that may mediate a decline were also investigated. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS Participants were examined at baseline in 1980 (n = 996) and at 4–25 years of follow-up. ESRD was defined by self-reported renal transplant or dialysis. Cumulative incidence with competing risk of death was determined. Incident ESRD was modeled by period of diagnosis, adjusting for other known risk factors using discrete time hazard models. RESULTS When diabetes was diagnosed during 1970–1980, the unadjusted cumulative incidence of ESRD at 25 years was 9.3%. The unadjusted hazard of ESRD was reduced by 70% (P < 0.001), compared with those diagnosed with diabetes in 1922–1969; however, the association was attenuated by glycosylated hemoglobin level (HbA1c), systolic blood pressure, and antihypertensive use (hazard ratio [HR] 0.89 [95% CI 0.55–1.45]). HbA1c, age, and male sex remained associated with ESRD hazard after adjustment for kidney function and proliferative retinopathy. CONCLUSIONS A lower incidence of ESRD among those more recently diagnosed with type 1 diabetes was explained by improvements in glycemic and blood pressure control over the last several decades. Intensive diabetes management, especially for glycemic control, remains important even in long-standing diabetes as it may delay the development of ESRD.
Thrombotic events in patients with antiplatelet factor 4/heparin antibodies

Background: Antibodies to the heparin/platelet factor 4 (PF4) complex are linked to the pathogenesis of heparin-induced thrombocytopenia type II, and to the thrombotic complications associated with this syndrome. We investigated the long-term relation between antibody concentration and thrombosis. Methods: 250 patients who had been treated with unfractionated heparin as part of cardiac surgery management were included in the study. The immunoassay ELISA test was used to detect the presence and the plasma concentration of heparin/PF4 antibodies (as optical density value, OD). Follow-up lasted one year and new thrombotic events (myocardial infarction, stroke, pulmonary embolism), and death from any cause, were evaluated. Results: 79 of 250 patients (31.6%) developed anti-PF4/heparin antibodies after cardiac surgery. Nadir platelet count was significantly lower in patients who developed antibody positivity (82 (31)/109 vs 105 (52)/109, p<0.001). At follow-up, patients with anti-PF4/heparin antibodies were more likely to die or develop myocardial infarction (25.3% vs 10.5%, p<0.001), pulmonary embolism (20.2% versus 5.8%, p<0.001) or stroke (12.6% vs 5.8%, p<0.001), than patients who were antibody-negative. Patients were categorised in quintiles of antibody concentration according to the OD. The risk of developing thrombotic events markedly increased with increasing quintile of OD, with the highest group showing an odds ratio of 7.68 (95% CI 4.04 to 9.20) (p<0.001). Conclusions: Patients who develop antibodies to the PF4/heparin complex have a significantly higher rate of thrombotic events during a one-year follow-up than those who lack these antibodies; within this group the risk of developing thrombosis increases with increasing plasma concentration of antibodies.
The Invisible Cliff: Abrupt Imposition of Malthusian Equilibrium in a Natural-Fertility, Agrarian Society

Analysis of a natural fertility agrarian society with a multi-variate model of population ecology isolates three distinct phases of population growth following settlement of a new habitat: (1) a sometimes lengthy copial phase of surplus food production and constant vital rates; (2) a brief transition phase in which food shortages rapidly cause increased mortality and lessened fertility; and (3) a Malthusian phase of indefinite length in which vital rates and quality of life are depressed, sometimes strikingly so. Copial phase duration declines with increases in the size of the founding group, maximum life expectancy and fertility; it increases with habitat area and yield per hectare; and, it is unaffected by the sensitivity of vital rates to hunger. Transition phase duration is unaffected by size of founding population and area of settlement; it declines with yield, life expectancy, fertility and the sensitivity of vital rates to hunger. We characterize the transition phase as the Malthusian transition interval (MTI), in order to highlight how little time populations generally have to adjust. Under food-limited density dependence, the copial phase passes quickly to an equilibrium of grim Malthusian constraints, in the manner of a runner dashing over an invisible cliff. The three-phase pattern diverges from widely held intuitions based on standard Lotka-Verhulst approaches to population regulation, with implications for the analysis of socio-cultural evolution, agricultural intensification, bioarchaeological interpretation of food stress in prehistoric societies, and state-level collapse.
"It Makes You Think More When You Watch Things": Scaffolding for Historical Inquiry Using Film in the Middle School Classroom

Students' understanding of history may be shaped less by their social studies teachers than by the powerfully ubiquitous, historically themed media images they passively consume outside of school. In this article, the author describes two strategies conducted during a classroom-based action research study designed to explore how historically themed film can be used to scaffold activities that encourage middle school students to conduct inquiries of the past and critically evaluate feature films and documentaries. Data collected from student surveys, focus group discussions, assignments, and classroom observations suggested that students benefit from well-structured activities that encourage them to compare historical accounts with cinematic portrayals of the past. In particular, the Know-Wonder-Learn and anticipation guide strategies can encourage critical critical viewing and thinking about how film accounts are created.
Endogenous p53 protein generated from wild-type alternatively spliced p53 RNA in mouse epidermal cells

We previously demonstrated that a wild-type alternatively spliced p53 (p53as) RNA exists in mouse cultured cells and normal mouse tissues at approximately 25 to 33% of the level of the major p53 RNA form. The alternative RNA transcript is 96 nucleotides longer than the major transcript as a result of alternative splicing of intron 10 sequences. The protein expected to be generated from the p53as transcript is 9 amino acids shorter than the major p53 protein and has 17 different amino acids at the carboxyl terminus. We report here that p53as protein exists in nontransformed and malignant epidermal cells and is localized to the nucleus. In addition, p53as protein is preferentially expressed during the G2 phase of the cell cycle and in cells with greater than G2 DNA content compared with the major p53 protein, which is preferentially expressed in G1. The p53as immunoreactivity is elevated and shifted to the G1 phase of the cell cycle following actinomycin D treatment of nontransformed cells but not malignant cells. In view of the dimerization and tetramerization of p53 protein which may be necessary for its DNA binding and transcriptional activation activities, the presence of p53as protein in cells has important implications for understanding the physiological function(s) of the p53 gene.
The Role of Eye Movements During Reading in Patients with Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD)

AMD patients often have particular difficulty reading, even when the text is magnified to compensate for reduced visual acuity. This study explores whether reading performance can be explained by eye movement factors. Forty patients with advanced AMD were tested with a high-speed video eye tracker to evaluate fixation stability and saccadic eye movements. Reading speed was measured for standardized texts viewed at the critical print size. Visual acuity and contrast sensitivity were unrelated to reading speed, but fixation stability, proportion of regressive saccades and size of forward saccades were all significantly associated with reading performance, accounting for 74% of the variance. The implications of these findings for low-vision training programmes are discussed.
Visibilising clinical work: Video ethnography in the contemporary hospital

Abstract This paper discusses the role of video-based research methods in social research. The paper situates these methods in the context of rising levels of visibility of professionals in government-funded organisations. The paper argues that while visual research may appear to play an ambiguous role in these organisations, it can also enable practitioners to confront the encroaching demands of post-bureaucratic work. To ground its argument, the paper presents an account of a video-ethnographic project currently underway in a local metropolitan hospital. This project focuses on negotiating understandings about existing care practices among a team of multi-disciplinary clinicians. Visual data gathered as part of that project are presented to specify issues which have thus far arisen during the project. Against this empirical background, the paper turns to considering the ambiguous potential of video-based research. The argument developed here is that, besides potentially exacerbating the pressure already imposed on clinicians - thanks to audit, surveillance and risk minimisation - video-based research may provide staff with new resources and opportunities for shaping their increasingly public and visible work practices.
Hubbub: a sound-enhanced mobile instant messenger that supports awareness and opportunistic interactions

There have been many attempts to support awareness and lightweight interactions using video and audio, but few have been built on widely available infrastructure. Text-based systems have become more popular, but few support awareness, opportunistic conversations, and mobility, three important elements of distributed collaboration. We built on the popularity of text-based Instant Messengers (IM) by building a mobile IM called Hubbub that tries to provide all three, notably through the use of earcons. In a 5.5-month use study, we found that Hubbub helped people feel connected to colleagues in other locations and supported opportunistic interactions. The sounds provided effective awareness cues, although some found them annoying. It was more important to support graceful transitions between multiple fixed locations than to support wireless access, although both were useful