Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Assessment of major adverse cardiovascular events and ischemic stroke with coronary computed tomography angiography based upon angiographic diagnosis in a high-volume single center

Background: Patient prognosis has been shown to directly correlate with the severity of coronary artery disease diagnosed by coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA). Although the presence of coronary artery calcium has been associated with increased incidence of ischemic stroke, there are no data on the incidence of ischemic stroke based upon the severity of coronary artery disease by CCTA. Therefore, we sought to investigate the rate of major adverse cardiovascular events, including ischemic stroke, based upon the severity of coronary artery disease by CCTA over a 6-year period in a high-volume single military center. Methods: We performed a retrospective chart review of all CCTA studies to evaluate the incidence of all-cause mortality, non-fatal myocardial infarction, ischemic stroke, and late revascularization (>90 days following CCTA) from January 2005 until July 2012. We reviewed 1518 CCTA reports, dividing patients into groups with obstructive (≥50% stenosis), non-obstructive (<50% stenosis), and no coronary artery disease (no angiographic disease). Subsequent major adverse cardiovascular events data (incidence of all-cause mortality, ischemic stroke, non-fatal myocardial infarction, and late revascularization) were obtained. Results: Over a review period of 6 years with a resultant median follow-up period of 22 months (interquartile range = 13–34 months), the major adverse cardiovascular events rate was significantly higher with obstructive coronary artery disease compared to both non-obstructive coronary artery disease and no coronary artery disease (8.9% vs 0.7%, p < 0.001; 8.9% vs 1.6%, p < 0.001). The incidence of ischemic stroke alone was also significantly higher in those with obstructive coronary artery disease compared to those with no coronary artery disease (3.8% vs 0.4%, p < 0.001). Conclusion: Being free of disease on CCTA was associated with excellent cardiovascular prognosis. Obstructive coronary artery disease was associated with a significantly increased incidence of ischemic stroke. There was also a direct correlation between the severity of coronary artery disease on CCTA and cardiovascular prognosis over the follow-up period of 24 months.
Attitudes of parents of young men towards the inclusion of sexual orientation and homophobia on the Irish post‐primary curriculum

The ‘Exploring Masculinities’ (EM) programme was piloted in 22 Irish single‐sex boys’ post‐primary schools during the late 1990s. Following objections from some influential journalists and an organisation representing parents whose sons attended Catholic secondary schools, the Minister for Education and Science put the planned dissemination of the programme on hold. The concerns of the objectors included the proposed treatment of sexual orientation and homophobia in the context of the school curriculum. The authors researched the views of a national sample of the parents of young men regarding the inclusion of social and personal education issues on the school curriculum. The vast majority of parents would welcome the inclusion of all EM topics including sexual orientation and homophobia, the focus of the current paper, on the school curriculum. However, parents did express concerns in relation to the adequacy of teacher development for dealing with such sensitive topics and possible conflict between school and parental values.
Criminality and suicide: a longitudinal Swedish cohort study

Objectives This study aimed to investigate whether violent and non-violent offending were related to elevated risk of suicide. We also investigated whether the risk was higher among those with repeated offences and how experiences of substance misuse and suicide attempt modified the relationship. Design A nationwide prospective cohort study. Setting A register study of 48 834 conscripted men in 1969/1970 in Sweden followed up during a 35-year period in official registers. Participants A birth cohort of 48 834 men who were mandatory conscripted for military service in 1969/70 at the age of 18–20 years. Possible confounders were retrieved from psychological assessments at conscription and the cohort was linked to mortality and hospitalisation and crime records from 1970 onwards. Estimates of suicide risks were calculated as HR with 95% CIs using Cox proportional regression analyses with adjustment for potential confounding by family, psychological and behavioural factors including substance use and psychiatric disorders. Results Of the total cohort, 2671 (5.5%) persons died during the follow-up period. Of these, 615 (23%) persons died due to suicide. Non-violent criminality was evident for 29% and violent criminality for 4.7% of all the participants. In the crude model, the violent offenders had nearly five times higher risk (HR=4.69, 3.56 to 6.19) to die from suicide and non-violent criminals had about two times higher risk (HR=2.08, 1.72 to 2.52). In the fully adjusted model, the HRs were still significant for suicide in the non-violent group. Conclusions Experiences of violent or non-violent criminality were associated with increased risk of suicide. Comorbidity with alcohol and substance use and psychiatric disorders modified the risk, but the suicide risk remained significantly elevated for non-violent criminals. It is crucial to identify offenders and especially repeated offenders who also suffer from alcohol or substance misuse and psychiatric illness in clinical settings in order to prevent suicide.
An Investigation of Empathic Skills of Children and Parents

This study was conducted to examine children’s empathic tendencies with respect to their gender and to investigate the relationship between empathic tendencies of children and empathic skills of parents. The study has been conducted on a sample of 261 people, composed of 87 children from the grades ranging between third and fifth, including 47 female and 40 male children who attend Pamukkale Educational Foundation PEV Primary School in the Denizli province of Turkey and their mothers (87) and fathers (87). In order to determine children’s empathic tendency, “KA-SI Scale of Emphatic Tendency for Children and Adolescents – Children Form” developed by Kaya & Siyez (2010) has been applied. In order to evaluate empathic ability of the parents, “Empathic Ability Scale-B Form” developed by Dokmen (1988, 1990) has been applied. The results showed that a significant difference in favor of girls existed in the “Emotional Sensitivity” and “Cognitive Sensitivity” dimensions as well as the “Total Empathic Tendency Score” obtained from the KA-SI Emphatic Tendency Scale for Children and Adolescents – Children’s Form. (p<0.05). The data were analyzed by using “T-Test” and “Pearson Correlation Test”. The research results have revealed that the gender of the child has an influence on the empathic tendencies of children, but not on the emphatic skills of both parents. It has also been determined that although there is not a correlation between the empathic tendency scores of children and the empathic skill scores of parents, there is a positive correlation between the empathic skill scores of mothers and those of fathers.
To Be Accountable in Neoliberal Times: An Exploration of Educational Policy in Ecuador

The ascendancy of neoliberal modes of governing has caused a shift in accountability practices in the public sector, including in the field of education. This shift can be observed in the accountability regimes introduced into education systems around the world. They reflect a strong focus on quality assurance/control and efficiency in order for countries to be able to survive in a global competitive environment. Increasingly operating in a global context, Ecuador also engaged in a series of policy initiatives to restructure accountability in its educational system. Based on a critical analysis of recent accountability policies in Ecuadorian education, this article determines the regime of accountability that is promoted in Ecuador today and discusses the emerging tensions.
Retained sponge after abdominal surgery: experience from a third world country

Background: Retained abdominal sponge after surgery is a quite rare condition which can have heavy medico-legal consequences; its frequency is generally underestimated. Few reports of these conditions are available in African environment with specific technical and medico-legal background. We present our local experience of retained sponges after abdominal surgery and review current literature. Method: A retrospective analysis of the medical files of 14 consecutive patients with a retained surgical sponge after abdominal and urological surgery. Results: The incidence was 1every 677 abdominal operations; no metallic foreign body described, only sponges; the female sex predominated with 10/14 patients. 85.71% of retained sponge occurred after an emergency procedure and 64.28% were gynecological or obstetrical procedures. Most cases presented as intestinal obstruction, localized persistent pain or abdominal mass and pre-operative diagnosis could be done only in 28.57% of cases. A falsely correct sponge count was reported in 71.42% of cases 92.85% of patients were re-operated and the morbidity was low; no death was reported. None of our cases ended in a medico-legal claim despite proper counseling. Conclusion: The incidence of retained sponge might be significantly higher in an environment with reduced medico-legal threat; most cases of retained sponges are still related to human errors; the incidence will probably be reduced by a greater awareness about the condition.
Molecular analysis of the iap gene of Listeria monocytogenes isolated from cheeses in rio grande do Sul, Brazil

The polymorphic region sequences in the iap gene were analyzed in 25 strains of Listeria monocytogenes isolated from cheeses in the state of Rio Grande do Sul, and compared with reference strains. This investigation distinguished two clusters of L. monocytogenes: I (20 strains) and II (5 strains).
Validating a Short Version of the Suicide Intent Scale in China

As Beck's Suicide Intent Scale (SIS) gains popularity in various areas in the world, we are not sure whether the scale is an optimal measure of suicide intent in the Chinese culture. This study is to provide evidence to support the use of the Chinese shortened version of SIS (C-SIS) in Chinese societies. The data were from applying the C-SIS in a psychological autopsy (PA) study of 66 suicides in Dalian, China. Reliability and validity tests were performed on the C-SIS data. Internal consistency analysis showed excellent correlation coefficients for all items but one. Inter-rater reliability tests showed statistically significant correlations between each pair of informants for each item and for the total scores. Criterion validity analysis demonstrated a relatively high correlation between the scores on the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAM-D) and C-SIS. Factor analysis produced three factors accounting for 66.77% of the total variance. The study suggested that C-SIS should be an appropriate instrument for detecting and measuring suicide intent in Chinese societies.
Statistical Mechanics of Torque Induced Denaturation of DNA

A unifying theory of the denaturation transition of DNA, driven by temperature $T$ or induced by an external mechanical torque $\ensuremath{\Gamma}$ is presented. Our model couples the hydrogen-bond opening and the untwisting of the helicoidal molecular structure. We describe denaturation as a first order transition from $B$-DNA to $d$-DNA phases. The coexistence region is naturally parametrized by the degree of supercoiling $\ensuremath{\sigma}$. The denaturation free energy, the temperature dependence of the twist angle, the phase diagram in the $T,\ensuremath{\Gamma}$ plane, and isotherms in the $\ensuremath{\sigma},\ensuremath{\Gamma}$ plane are calculated and show a good agreement with experimental data.
Through a Glass, Less Darkly?

Self-esteem has been traditionally assessed via self-report (explicit self-esteem: ESE). However, the limitations of self-report have prompted efforts to assess self-esteem indirectly (implicit self-esteem: ISE). It has been theorized that ISE and ESE reflect the operation of largely distinct mental systems. However, although low correlations between measures of ISE and ESE empirically support their discriminant validity, similarly low correlations between different measures of ISE do not support their convergent validity. We explored whether such patterns would reemerge if more recently developed, specific, and reliable ISE measures were used. They did, although some convergent validity among ISE measures emerged once confounds resulting from conceptual mismatch, individual differences, and random variability were minimized. Nonetheless, low correlations among ISE measures are not primarily caused by the usual psychometric suspects, and may be the result of other factors including subtle differences betw.
Major depression: the relative contribution of gender, MDMA, and cannabis use

Previous research has suggested that 3,4‐methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA; ecstasy) users have elevated depressive symptomatology, although it is not clear whether this is due to MDMA or other drug use. This study aimed to investigate the contributions of MDMA and cannabis use to Major Depressive Disorder in MDMA users. A total of 226 MDMA users were studied. Participants (65% male) reported an average number of 35.8 uses of MDMA (SD = 45.6, range = 2–400). Participants were administered a Structured Clinical Interview for DSM‐IV. Twenty‐six individuals (11.5%) met lifetime criteria for Major Depressive Disorder. High rates of lifetime Cannabis Abuse (30.1%) and Cannabis Dependence (12.4%) were reported. No association was found between number of uses of MDMA and Major Depressive Disorder. Those with lifetime major depression were found, however, to have higher rates of lifetime cannabis use disorder (adjusted OR = 2.40). A logistic regression indicated that lifetime cannabis use disorder, but not MDMA use, was significantly associated with lifetime Major Depressive Disorder. Stratified analyses suggested that for males, neither drug use variable was associated with major depression. For females, a lifetime cannabis use disorder (adjusted OR = 4.99), but not MDMA use, was associated with lifetime Major Depressive Disorder. Results of this study suggest that although MDMA use was not found to be significantly associated with major depression for either gender, a lifetime cannabis use disorder was significantly associated with lifetime major depression for female, but not male, users of MDMA. Depression and Anxiety 0:1–7, 2007. Published 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Immunosuppression reactivates viral replication long after resolution of woodchuck hepatitis virus infection

Resolution of hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is characterized by coordinated humoral and cellular immune responses. Immunity is durable over decades, protecting the host from reinfection and potential activation of residual HBV. Woodchucks infected at birth with woodchuck hepatitis virus (WHV) cleared viremia and developed antibodies to surface antigen (anti‐WHs). Woodchucks became seronegative for anti‐WHs 3‐6 years later, but in some, WHV DNA was detected in serum, liver, and/or peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs). Those with WHV DNA had increased in vitro cellular immune responses to viral antigens, CD4 and CD8 markers, and Th1‐type cytokines, suggesting active WHV‐specific T lymphocytes. Immunosuppression for 12 weeks using cyclosporine A in such woodchucks resulted in transient reactivation of WHV replication. Serum of 1 woodchuck that became positive for WHV DNA during immunosuppression was inoculated into WHV‐susceptible woodchucks, and a productive infection was demonstrated. The results indicate that after infection durable cellular immunity to WHV is essential for the long‐term control of viral replication and is probably maintained by continuous priming from residual virus. Conclusion: These experimental observations demonstrate the potential of immunosuppression to reactivate HBV after resolution of infection. (HEPATOLOGY 2007;45:614–622.)
Education, Male Child and Childlessness as Predictors of Spouse Abuse Among Rural and Urban Igbo-Nigerian Women

This research work investigated education, male child and childlessness as predictors of spouse abuse among Ibowomen living in the rural and urban areas in Nigeria. The purposive sampling was used to select 331 married women, with age range of 22-66, and all living in Imo state. The spouse rape inventory (Sri) developed by Uwaoma, Udeagha and Madukwe, (2011) was used to collect data. The multiple regression analysis of the SPSS II version 15 was used to analyze data. The researchers found education and residential area as significant predictors while male child and childlessness were not significant predictors of spouse abuse. The discussion highlighted the role of education in equipping women with the knowledge of their sexual rights and skills on how to cope with marriage based problems especially when they live in the rural areas. Key words: Education; Abuse; Spouse Abuse; Male Child; Childlessness Resume Ce travail de recherche a etudie l’education, les enfants de sexe masculin et l’infecondite comme des predicteurs de violence conjugale chez les Ibo-femmes vivant dans les zones rurales et urbaines au Nigeria. L’echantillonnage raisonne a ete utilise pour selectionner 331 femmes mariees, avec la gamme d’âge des 22-66, et tous vivent dans l’Etat d’Imo. L’inventaire viol conjoint (Sri) developpe par Uwaoma, Udeagha et Madukwe, (2011) a ete utilise pour recueillir des donnees. L’analyse de regression multiple de la version SPSS II 15 a ete utilise pour analyser les donnees. Les chercheurs ont constate domaine de l’education et residentiel des predicteurs significatifs tout enfant de sexe masculin et l’infecondite sont pas des predicteurs significatifs de violence conjugale. La discussion a souligne le role de l’education a equiper les femmes de la connaissance de leurs droits sexuels et des competences sur la facon de faire face a des problemes de mariage a base surtout quand ils vivent dans les zones rurales. Mots cles: Education; Violence; Violence conjugale; Enfant de sexe mâle; Infecondite
Cognitive Skills as Predictor of Attitudes Toward Political Conflict: A Study of Polish Politicians

The relationship between cognitive development and attitudes toward a current political conflict was examined in a sample of 46 Polish politicians. This relationship was examined in a control group in a neutral condition and in an experimental group after participants were presented with a hostile attack on their position on the conflict. Politicians with less advanced cognitive skills tended to use competitive attitudes in both conditions. In contrast, those who possessed more advanced skills tended to use cooperative attitudes in the neutral situation; after the emotional attack, they tended to avoid further involvement in the conflict and sought to exit it. The key difference in participants’ cognitive functioning was their ability to differentiate perspectives and to transcend their own point of view in the conflict.
Elementary School Teachers’ Attitudes toward Instructional Television

A 32-item instrument was developed to measure the attitudes of elementary school teachers toward instructional television. The instrument was administered to a stratified sample of 142 teachers in Tennessee. Correlations of responses to the thirty-two items with years of teaching experience were computed. Twenty-five items correlated significantly and were subjected to factor analysis. Four factors appeared to be the best solution to the problem and have been titled 1. ) The Teaching Process, 2. ) Threat of Instructional Television, 3. ) Use of Instructional Television, and 4. ) The Learning Process. Items of threat nature were rejected and the attitudes of the teachers were highly positive toward instructional television. The instrument appeared to be an effective tool to measure attitudes of elementary teachers toward instructional television.
Gender and Biculturalism: Ethnic Identity and Choice of Marital Partner among Second Generation Bangladeshi Women in the USA and Sweden

The purpose of this study was to explore and learn how the Second Generation Women of Bangladeshi Origin relate themselves to the culture of their host society and the traditions of their parental country of origin. Predominantly, how they look for their choice of a future life partner. This study was carried out in Malmoe, Sweden and New York City, USA, and from both locations, there were total nineteen women who enthusiastically responded to this study. It was a Qualitative Study and the data were collected by Semi-Structured interviews. The data was analyzed by use of Analytical terminology in light of feminism. The results showed that the second generation of women in both cities tended to be bi-cultural. However, the young women had difficulties in handling the often divergent push and pulls of the host and home land cultures. A contributing factor was the way in which young women lacked a freedom of choice. Especially, parental control was imposed on choice of life partners for young women, while young men were given more freedom of choice. The shaping of bi-cultural identities was marked by gender inequality: the development of young women's identities was surrounded by more tensions and constraints. Stricter control of young women by parents and ethnic communities was not the only factor involved. The young women wanted to maintain ties with the traditions of their parental home land. These ties were not valued by host societies, and also, their particular problems of their identity formation remained unrecognized. The results of this study cannot be generalized, but largely, are consistent with those of other studies.
Inference for non-markov multi-state models : an overview

Thanks to a referee for careful reading of the paper. Luis F. Meira-Machado acknowledges financial support by Grant PTDC/MAT/104879/2008 (FEDER support included) of the Portuguese Ministry of Science, Technology and Higher Education. The research was also partially funded by CMAT and FCT under the POCI 2010 program.
Childhood and Intergenerational Poverty: The Long-Term Consequences of Growing Up Poor

Children growing up in low-income families face many challenges that children from more advantaged families do not.1 These children are more likely to experience multiple family transitions, move frequently, and change schools.2 The schools they attend are less well funded, and the neighborhoods they live in are more disadvantaged.3 The parents of these children have fewer resources to invest in them and, as a consequence, their homes have fewer cognitively-stimulating materials, and their parents invest less in their education.4 The stress of living in poverty and struggling to meet daily needs can also impair parenting.5