Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Mini-open Anterior Lumbar Interbody Fusion for Recurrent Lumbar Disc Herniation Following Posterior Instrumentation

Study Design. A retrospective study. Objective. The aim of this study is to evaluate, clinically and radiographically, the efficacy of mini-open retroperitoneal anterior lumbar discectomy followed by anterior lumbar interbody fusion (ALIF) for recurrent lumbar disc herniation following primary posterior instrumentation. Summary of Background Data. Recurrent disc herniation following previous disc surgery occurs in 5 to 15% of cases. This is often treated by further surgical intervention where posterior approach is generally preferred. However, posterior surgery may be problematic if the initial surgery involved posterior instrumentation. An anterior approach may be indicated in these patients, and recent findings suggest that a “mini-open” procedure may have some benefits when compared with traditional open techniques and their associated morbidities. Methods. A total of 35 recurrent lumbar disc herniation patients (10 male, 25 female) following primary posterior instrumentation with an average age of 52.8 years (range: 34–70 yrs) who underwent the mini-open ALIF procedures between August 2001 and February 2012 were evaluated retrospectively. The ALIF was performed at the levels L4-L5 (n = 14), L5-S1 (n = 15), or both L4-L5 and L5-S1 (n = 6). Visual Analog pain Scale (VAS) and Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) together with radiological results were assessed. Results. The mean operating time, intraoperative estimated blood loss, and hospital stay were 115 minutes, 70 mL, and 6 days, respectively. No blood transfusion was needed. Transient complication was recorded in two patients. Postoperative follow-up was a minimum 24.3 months. VAS score and ODI percentage decreased significantly from 7.9 ± 0.8 and 78.8% ± 12.4% pre-operatively to 1.4 ± 0.6 and 21.7 ± 4.2% at final follow-up, respectively. There was no neurological worsening and radicular pain improved significantly compared with pre-operation in all the patients. Computed tomographic reconstruction 12 and 24 months after surgery showed bony fusion, normal position, and morphology of the fusion cage in all patients. Conclusion. Mini-open retroperitoneal ALIF is an effective treatment for patients with recurrent lumbar disc herniation following primary posterior instrumentation. Level of Evidence: 4
Errorless learning of everyday tasks in people with dementia

Errorless learning (EL) is a principle used to teach new information or skills to people with cognitive impairment. In people with dementia, EL principles have mostly been studied in laboratory tasks that have little practical relevance for the participants concerned, yet show positive effects. This is the first paper to exclusively review the literature concerning the effects of EL on the performance of useful everyday tasks in people with dementia. The role of factors such as type of dementia, type of task, training intensity, EL elements, outcome measures, quality of experimental design, and follow-up are discussed. The results indicate that, compared with errorful learning (EF) or no treatment, EL is more effective in teaching adults with dementia a variety of meaningful daily tasks or skills, with gains being generally maintained at follow-up. The effectiveness of EL is highly relevant for clinical practice because it shows that individuals with dementia are still able to acquire meaningful skills and engage in worthwhile activities, which may potentially increase their autonomy and independence, and ultimately their quality of life, as well as reduce caregiver burden and professional dependency. Suggestions for future research are given, along with recommendations for effective EL-based training programs, with the aim of developing a clinical manual for professionals working in dementia care.
Relationship between personality and psychopathology in a longitudinal community study: a test of the predisposition model

Background Mounting evidence supports the notion that personality is crucial in the aetiopathology of common mental disorders, but studies that allow for aetiological conclusions are lacking. The aim of the present study was thus to provide a test of the predisposition model. Method We analysed data from the Zurich Cohort Study, a 30-year longitudinal epidemiological community study of an adult cohort (n = 591) from 1979 to 2008. Personality was assessed in 1988 with an established personality questionnaire, and psychopathology through seven semi-structured interviews between 1979 and 2008. Results On the basis of personality assessment from 1988, used as predictor of subsequent psychopathology (1993–2008), while adjusting for sex and prior mental disorders (1979–1988), neuroticism related significantly with future major depression episodes [odds ratio (OR) = 1.41], anxiety disorders (OR = 1.32) and depression treatment use (OR = 1.41). When participants with a past 10-year history (i.e. 1979–1988) of either major depression, anxiety disorder or depression treatment use were excluded, neuroticism in 1988 still significantly predicted first incidence (i.e. 1993–2008) of major depression episodes (OR = 1.53) and depression treatment use (OR = 1.84). Conclusions The present study provides compelling evidence that the personality trait of neuroticism constitutes an independent risk factor for subsequent major depression episodes and use of respective professional treatments, which serves as a proxy for particularly severe and impairing depression episodes. We therefore advocate that personality traits could provide clinically useful prognostic information when considered carefully.
Theory of mind as a predictor of maternal sensitivity in women with severe mental illness

Background Research has shown that maternal mental illness can affect mother–infant interactions with implications for infant outcomes. Severe and chronic mental illness (SMI), particularly schizophrenia, is associated with the greatest risk. Schizophrenia is also associated with impairments in attribution of mental states, ‘theory of mind’ (ToM). Recent attachment research has suggested that maternal mentalizing skills are strongly associated with attachment outcome in infants. To date, no research has explored the relationship between ToM and maternal sensitivity in mothers with SMI using standard tests of ToM. The present study was designed as an exploratory study in order to investigate this. Method A total of 40 women with SMI in the postpartum period were administered a battery of ToM tasks and general neuropsychological tasks. The women were also filmed in an unstructured play session with their infants, which was coded for maternal sensitivity using the Crittenden CARE-Index. Results One ToM task, the Frith–Happé Animations, predicted maternal sensitivity across all diagnoses. There was also an effect of diagnosis, with lower sensitivity observed in women with schizophrenia. ToM impairments did not fully explain the effect of diagnosis on sensitivity. Mothers of girls were rated as being more sensitive than mothers of boys. Conclusions The results suggest that ToM is a significant predictor of maternal sensitivity across all mental health diagnoses, extending the results of studies focusing on healthy populations. Clinical interventions emphasizing the importance of understanding the perspective of the infant may enhance maternal sensitivity.
MEASURING STUDENTS PERCEPTIONS OF BLACKBOARD USING THE TECHNOLOGY ACCEPTANCE MODEL: A PLS APPROACH

In this study, partial least square approach (PLS) is applied to investigate the determinants of students’ perceived usage results in the framework of university online or hybrid courses. A total of 134 valid responses from students who have finished or are currently enrolled in at least one online or hybrid course at two universities were employed to inspect the structural model. Using a structure that is in theory grounded in the technology acceptance model (TAM) and tested through TAM, the analysis of results suggest that separate factors guide the students’ usage choice.
Orally Disintegrating Tablets Containing Melt Extruded Amorphous Solid Dispersion of Tacrolimus for Dissolution Enhancement

In order to improve the aqueous solubility and dissolution of Tacrolimus (TAC), amorphous solid dispersions of TAC were prepared by hot melt extrusion with three hydrophilic polymers, Polyvinylpyrrolidone vinyl acetate (PVP VA64), Soluplus® and Hydroxypropyl Cellulose (HPC), at a drug loading of 10% w/w. Molecular modeling was used to determine the miscibility of the drug with the carrier polymers by calculating the Hansen Solubility Parameters. Powder X-ray diffraction and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) studies of powdered solid dispersions revealed the conversion of crystalline TAC to amorphous form. Fourier transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy results indicated formation of hydrogen bond between TAC and polymers leading to stabilization of TAC in amorphous form. The extrudates were found to be stable under accelerated storage conditions for 3 months with no re-crystallization, indicating that hot melt extrusion is suitable for producing stable amorphous solid dispersions of TAC in PVP VA64, Soluplus® and HPC. Stable solid dispersions of amorphous TAC exhibited higher dissolution rate, with the solid dispersions releasing more than 80% drug in 15 min compared to the crystalline drug giving 5% drug release in two hours. These stable solid dispersions were incorporated into orally-disintegrating tablets in which the solid dispersion retained its solubility, dissolution and stability advantage.
The long-term risk of recognized and unrecognized myocardial infarction for depression in older men

Background The association between myocardial infarction (MI) and depression is well described. Yet, the underlying mechanisms are unclear and the contribution of psychological factors is uncertain. We aimed to determine the risk of recognized (RMI) and unrecognized (UMI) myocardial infections on depression, as both have a similar impact on cardiovascular health but differ in psychological epiphenomena. Method Participants of the Rotterdam Study, 1823 men aged ⩾55 years, were followed for the occurrence of depression. RMI and UMI were ascertained using electrocardiography and medical history at baseline. We determined the strength of the association of RMI and UMI with mortality, and we studied the relationship of RMI and UMI with depressive symptoms and the occurrence of major depression. Results The risk of mortality was similar in men with RMI [adjusted hazard ratio (aHR) 1.71, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.45–2.03] and UMI (aHR 1.58, 95% CI 1.27–1.97). Men with RMI had on average [unstandardized regression coefficient (B) 1.14, 95% CI 0.07–2.21] higher scores for depressive symptoms. By contrast, we found no clear association between UMI and depressive symptoms (B 0.55, 95% CI −0.51 to 1.62) in men. Analysis including occurrence of major depression as the outcome were consistent with the pattern of association. Conclusion The discrepant association of RMI and UMI with mortality compared to depression suggests that the psychological burden of having experienced an MI contributes to the long-term risk of depression.
Global HIV neurology: a comprehensive review

&NA; Neurological conditions associated with HIV remain major contributors to morbidity and mortality and are increasingly recognized in the aging population on long-standing combination antiretroviral therapy (cART). Importantly, growing evidence shows that the central nervous system (CNS) may serve as a reservoir for viral replication, which has major implications for HIV eradication strategies. Although there has been major progress in the last decade in our understanding of the pathogenesis, burden, and impact of neurological conditions associated with HIV infection, significant scientific gaps remain. In many resource-limited settings, antiretrovirals considered second or third line in the United States, which carry substantial neurotoxicity, remain mainstays of treatment, and patients continue to present with severe immunosuppression and CNS opportunistic infections. Despite this, increased global access to cART has coincided with an aging HIV-positive population with cognitive sequelae, cerebrovascular disease, and peripheral neuropathy. Further neurological research in low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs) is needed to address the burden of neurological complications in HIV-positive patients, particularly regarding CNS viral reservoirs and their effects on eradication.
Physicochemical and sensory assessment of apple pomace enriched muffins.

In recent years, foods are not anticipated to only satisfy hunger needs and to deliver essential nutrients to people but also to avoid nutrition-related diseases and enhance physical and mental comfort of the people. Bakery products provide best structure by which functionality can be provided to the customers in a suitable food. Apple pomace is the byproduct of apple fruit industry. Apple pomace is also a rich source of phytochemicals. In this study, apple pomace was dried at 60C to convert into powder form. Value addition of muffins were done with two varieties of apple pomace powder (Kala Kullu, Golden) using 0%, 5%, 10% and 15% concentration. These muffins were characterized on the basis of chemical (proximate analysis, total phenolic compounds), physical (texture, color) and sensory properties. Addition of apple pomace powder (APP) of both varieties significantly increases the ash, crude fiber and phenolic content. Highest values were observed in the treatment containing 15% of apple pomace powder i.e. 3.01 and 2.76 mg/g GAE for TA3 and TB3 respectively. Hardness was also increased with the increasing level of apple pomace powder. From the sensory evaluation, the muffins containing 10% APP from Kala Kullu performed better than other variety on hedonic scale. Conclusively, apple pomace can effectively be utilized to develop functional muffins with added health benefits without compromising sensory or physicochemical attributes.
Philopatry and Regional Connectivity of the Great Hammerhead Shark, Sphyrna mokarran in the U.S. and Bahamas

A thorough understanding of movement patterns of a species is critical for designing effective conservation and management initiatives. However, generating such information for large marine vertebrates is challenging, as they typically move over long distances, live in concealing environments, are logistically difficult to capture and, as upper-trophic predators, are naturally low in abundance. As a large bodied, broadly distributed tropical shark typically restricted to coastal and shelf habitats, the great hammerhead shark Sphyrna mokarran epitomizes such challenges. Highly valued for its fins, it suffers high bycatch mortality coupled with conservative fecundity, and as a result, is vulnerable to over-exploitation and population depletion. Although there is very little species specific data available, the absence of recent catch records give cause to suspect substantial declines across its range. Here, we used biotelemetry techniques (acoustic and satellite), conventional tagging, laser-photogrammetry, and photo-identification to investigate; the level of site fidelity, and or residency for great hammerheads to coastal areas in the Bahamas and U.S. and the extent of movements and connectivity of great hammerheads between the U.S. and Bahamas. Results revealed large scale return migrations (3030 km), seasonal residency to local areas (some for 5 months), site fidelity (annual return to Bimini and Jupiter for many individuals) and numerous international movements. These findings enhance the understanding of movement ecology of the great hammerhead shark and have the potential to contribute to improved conservation and management.
Highly reliable controller implementation using a network-based fully reconfigurable FPGA for industrial applications

Fault-Tolerance is currently a very important feature in industrial automation. This paper focuses on Fault-Tolerant FPGA-based controllers for Sensor-to-Actuator Networked Control Systems. A design is proposed that takes advantage of the Dynamic Partial Reconfiguration property inherent in some FPGAs. The controller is assumed to consist of a small processor, memory and associated hardware. Several Fault-Tolerance techniques are applied to this generic system and single points of failure are avoided even in the error detection and recovery mechanisms. The fault model considered is single and/or some multiple event upsets. A case study is presented to quantify the increase in reliability of the presented system. Furthermore, the proposed architecture can support FPGA full configuration as well as partial reconfiguration over TCP/IP networks through on-chip configuration network interface with minimal off-chip components.
Social democracy and market reform in Australia and New Zealand

Social democratic governments in Australia and New Zealand adopted policies of radical free-market reform, including financial deregulation, privatization, and public-sector reform in the 1980s. Because of the absence of institutional obstacles to government action, reform was faster and more comprehensive in New Zealand than in Australia. The New Zealand reforms were associated with increasing inequality and generally poor economic outcomes. There is nothing in the New Zealand experience to support the view that radical free-market economic policies are consistent with social democratic welfare policies or with social democratic values of concern for the disadvantaged. The Australian reforms were less radical, and were accompanied by some refurbishment of the welfare state. Economic performance did not improve, as anticipated by advocates of reform, but was considerably better than that of New Zealand. Copyright 1998 by Oxford University Press.
The Effects of Rhythm Training on Tennis Performance

The Effects of Rhythm Training on Tennis Performance Rhythm training is an integral part of sports. The purposes of the study were to analyze the effects of rhythm training on tennis performance and rhytmic competence of tennis players, to compare the improvement levels of tennis specific and general rhythm training and to examine the effects of shorter and longer tempos on rhythmic competence. Thirty university students whose mean score of International Tennis Number (ITN) was 7.3 (±0.9) were divided randomly into three sub-groups: Tennis Group, General Rhythm Training Group and Tennis-Specific Rhythm Training Group. The experimental procedure lasted 8 weeks. During this period, all groups had the same tennis training twice a week. The Tennis Group had regular tennis training sessions. In addition to regular tennis training sessions, the General Rhythm Training Group followed the general rhythm training sessions and the Tennis-Specific Rhythm Training Group had tennis-specific rhythm training. The measurement instruments were ITN, Rhythmic Competence Analysis Test and Untimed Consecutive Rally Test. The results indicated that participation in tennis-specific or general rhythm training resulted in progress in tennis playing levels, forehand consistency performance and rhythmic competence of the participants. On the other hand, attendance to the regular 8-week tennis training was enough to solely increase the tennis playing level but not sufficient to develop forehand consistency performance and rhythmic competence. Although the participants in the TRTG had better improvement scores than the ones in the GRTG, no significant difference was found between the rhythm training groups. The results also revealed that participants exhibited higher rhythmic competence scores on fast tempo compared to slow tempo.
The Collateral Consequences of Sex Offender Management Policies: Views From Professionals

In this study, the perceptions of community corrections professionals and clinical specialists toward the collateral consequences of current sex offender management policies were explored and contrasted. In addition, potential influencing factors of these perceptions were examined. Results indicate high levels of belief that sex offenders experience a variety of collateral consequences upon reentry; however, community corrections professionals are significantly less likely to believe that sex offenders experience collateral consequences than clinical specialists. Furthermore, few demographic variables were found to significantly influence the perceptions of the sample. Implications for the management of sex offenders are discussed.
Early Family Experiences and Adult Values: A 26-Year, Prospective Longitudinal Study

Archival longitudinal data were used to examine relations of childhood environmental factors with adult values. Parental style and family socioeconomic status (SES) were assessed when participants were 5 years old. At age 31, participants completed the Rokeach Value Survey. Results indicated that adults focused on conformity values were more likely to have restrictive parents and to have been raised in lower SES families. Age-31 self-direction values were negatively correlated with parental restrictiveness at age 5, and age-31 security values were negatively correlated with parental warmth at age 5. Results with parenting variables remained significant after controlling for both childhood and concurrent SES. The pattern of findings is consistent with organismic-based theories, which suggest that the manner in which environments support or hinder need satisfaction influences individuals’ value development.
Single-Image Crowd Counting via Multi-Column Convolutional Neural Network

This paper aims to develop a method than can accurately estimate the crowd count from an individual image with arbitrary crowd density and arbitrary perspective. To this end, we have proposed a simple but effective Multi-column Convolutional Neural Network (MCNN) architecture to map the image to its crowd density map. The proposed MCNN allows the input image to be of arbitrary size or resolution. By utilizing filters with receptive fields of different sizes, the features learned by each column CNN are adaptive to variations in people/head size due to perspective effect or image resolution. Furthermore, the true density map is computed accurately based on geometry-adaptive kernels which do not need knowing the perspective map of the input image. Since exiting crowd counting datasets do not adequately cover all the challenging situations considered in our work, we have collected and labelled a large new dataset that includes 1198 images with about 330,000 heads annotated. On this challenging new dataset, as well as all existing datasets, we conduct extensive experiments to verify the effectiveness of the proposed model and method. In particular, with the proposed simple MCNN model, our method outperforms all existing methods. In addition, experiments show that our model, once trained on one dataset, can be readily transferred to a new dataset.