Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Physiological and Psychological Variables Predict Compliance to Prescribed Exercise Therapy in Patients Recovering from Myocardial Infarction

&NA; Previous research has documented high rates of noncompliance to prescribed medical therapy in patients recovering from myocardial infarction (MI). This study was undertaken to determine if patients who subsequently drop out of a structured cardiac rehabilitation program could be prospectively distinguished from those who remain in the program based upon their initial baseline characteristics. Thirty‐five consecutive patients with recent MIs underwent comprehensive physical and psychological assessments at entry into the program, and were followed for a period of 1 year. The 14 patients who dropped out of the program could be distinguished from the compliers on the basis of their reduced left ejection fraction assessed by first pass radionuclide angiography at rest and during peak exercise. In addition, their psychological profiles assessed by the MMPI indicated the dropouts were more depressed, hypochondriacal, anxious, and introverted and had lower ego strength than those who remained in the program. Statistical analysis further indicated that psychological variables were associated with noncompliance independently of physical status. These findings suggest that MI patients who are unlikely to adhere to this form of medical therapy may be prospectively identified based upon their initial physical and psychological characteristics.
Persistent Nuclear Factor-κB Activation in Ucp2-/- Mice Leads to Enhanced Nitric Oxide and Inflammatory Cytokine Production*

One of the phenotypes of mice with targeted disruption of the uncoupling protein-2 gene (Ucp2-/-) is greater macrophage phagocytic activity and free radical production, resulting in a striking resistance to infectious microorganisms. In this study, the molecular mechanisms of this enhanced immune response were investigated. We found that levels of nitric oxide measured in either plasma or isolated macrophages from Ucp2-/- mice are significantly elevated in response to bacterial lipopolysaccharide challenge compared with similarly treated Ucp2+/+ mice. Likewise, expression of inducible nitric-oxide synthase and inflammatory cytokines is higher in Ucp2-/- mice in vivo and in vitro. Key steps in the activation cascade of nuclear factor (NF)-κB, including IκB kinase and nuclear translocation of NF-κB subunits, are all remarkably enhanced in Ucp2-/- mice, most notably even under basal conditions. The elevated basal activity of IκB kinase in macrophages from Ucp2-/- mice can be blocked by cell-permeable inhibitors of superoxide and hydrogen peroxide generation, but not by a specific inhibitor for inducible nitric-oxide synthase. Isolated mitochondria from Ucp2-/- cells produced more superoxide/hydrogen peroxide. We conclude that mitochrondrially derived reactive oxygen from Ucp2-/- cells constitutively activates NF-κB, resulting in a “primed” state to both potentiate and amplify the inflammatory response upon subsequent stimulation.
Physiologic, psychologic, and health predictors of 6-minute walk performance in older people.

OBJECTIVE To determine the extent to which physiologic, psychologic, and health-related factors predict 6-minute walk distance (6MWD) in older people. DESIGN Cross-sectional study. SETTING Retirement villages. PARTICIPANTS A total of 515 people between the ages of 62 and 95 years (mean +/- standard deviation, 79.5+/-6.4y) residing in retirement villages in Australia. INTERVENTIONS Not applicable. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Quantitative tests of vision, strength, peripheral sensation, reaction time, and balance and short Mini-Mental State Examination, Geriatric Depression Scale, Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS), Medical Outcomes Study 36-Item Short-Form Health Survey (SF-36), and 6MWD. RESULTS All physiologic, psychologic, and health scores were significantly associated with 6MWD. Multiple regression analysis revealed that 10 factors (visual contrast sensitivity, lower-limb strength, simple reaction time, postural sway, maximal balance range, PANAS positive scale score, SF-36 pain score, number of medications used, SF-36 general health subscale score, age) were significant and independent predictors of 6MWD performance. Of these measures, strength, maximal balance range, medication use, and age explained the largest proportions of the variance in 6MWD. The final regression model explained over half (52.5%) of the variance in 6MWD (multiple r=.72). CONCLUSIONS In older people, 6MWD depends on multiple physiologic, psychologic, and health factors. Thus, 6MWD appears to provide a measure of overall mobility and physical functioning in this population group rather than a specific measure of cardiovascular fitness.
Co-Occurring Disorders in the Adolescent Mental Health and Substance Abuse Treatment Systems

Abstract This article explores the rates of co-occurring disorders in two large federally-funded programs that target youth. In the mental health treatment system, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration's (SAMHSA) Center for Mental Health Services (CMHS) supports the Comprehensive Community Mental Health Services for Children and Their Families Program. SAMHSA's Center for Substance Abuse Treatment (CSAT) supports a number of grant programs providing substance abuse treatment for adolescents. The data from these programs underscores the need for the use of systematic, validated, biopsychosocial assessment instruments for all youth entering either the substance abuse or mental health treatment systems. The current evidence base for models of co-occurring treatment for youth is discussed and recommendations made for future activity related to adolescent co-occurring treatment. †The authors would like to acknowledge the support of Michael Dennis, Melissa Ives and Rod Funk of Chestnut Health Systems for data analysis, and Rick Shepler for input on integrated co-occurring treatment.
The majority of MRSA colonized children not given eradication treatment are still colonized one year later. Systemic antibiotics improve the eradication rate

Abstract Background: Colonization with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) can cause endogenously derived infections and be a source of transmission to other people. Neither colonization time of asymptomatic MRSA colonization nor the effect of treatment aiming at MRSA eradication in children has been thoroughly investigated. Methods: Two hundred ninety-three children <18 years in the mandatory follow-up program for MRSA-carriers in Malmö, Sweden were evaluated. Samples from the throat, nares, perineum and skin lesions from each child were screened for MRSA with a PCR-based broth enrichment method. PVL presence and spa-type were evaluated in a majority of cases. The sampling was repeated approximately every 6 month after initial detection. When three consecutive sets of negative samples during at least a 6-month period were obtained, the MRSA was considered permanently eradicated. MRSA eradication treatment given, on clinical grounds during follow-up, was noted. Results: One year after detection 62% of the untreated children were still MRSA positive and after 2 years 28%. MRSA throat colonization and having MRSA positive household contacts significantly prolonged the observed colonization time. Topical MRSA eradication treatment was successful in 36% of cases and in 65% if systemic antibiotics were added. Presence of PVL correlated with shorter observed colonization time in the older age group and with increased eradication success among throat carriers. Conclusion: MRSA throat colonization and having MRSA positive household contacts prolongs the time of MRSA colonization in children. Systemic antibiotics enhance the effect of MRSA eradication treatment.
Beyond Universal Saliency: Personalized Saliency Prediction with Multi-task CNN

Saliency detection is a long standing problem in computer vision. Tremendous efforts have been focused on exploring a universal saliency model across users despite their differences in gender, race, age, etc. Yet recent psychology studies suggest that saliency is highly specific than universal: individuals exhibit heterogeneous gaze patterns when viewing an identical scene containing multiple salient objects. In this paper, we first show that such heterogeneity is common and critical for reliable saliency prediction. Our study also produces the first database of personalized saliency maps (PSMs). We model PSM based on universal saliency map (USM) shared by different participants and adopt a multitask CNN framework to estimate the discrepancy between PSM and USM. Comprehensive experiments demonstrate that our new PSM model and prediction scheme are effective and reliable.
FLUID MODELS WITH JUMPS

ABSTRACT In this paper we study a general stochastic fluid model with a single infinite capacity buffer, where the buffer content can change continuously as well as by instantaneous upward jumps. The continuous as well as the instantaneous change is modulated by an external environment process modelled as a finite state continuous time Markov chain. The Laplace-Stieltjes transform of the steady-state joint distribution of the buffer content and the state of the environment is determined explicitly in terms of the solutions of a generalized eigenvalue problem. The methodology is illustrated by several well-known queueing problems.
Testing Popular Visualization Techniques for Representing Model Uncertainty

Many land allocation issues, such as land-use planning, require input from extensive spatial databases and involve complex decision-making. Spatial decision support systems (SDSS) are designed to make these issues more transparent and to support the design and evaluation of land allocation alternatives. In this paper we analyze techniques for visualizing uncertainty of an urban growth model called SLEUTH, which is designed to aid decision-makers in the field of urban planning and fits into the computational framework of an SDSS. Two simple visualization techniques for portraying uncertainty—static comparison and toggling—are applied to SLEUTH results and rendered with different background information and color schemes. In order to evaluate the effectiveness of the two visualization techniques, a web-based survey was developed showing the visualizations along with questions about the usefulness of the two techniques. The web survey proved to be quickly accessible and easy to understand by the participants. Participants in the survey were mainly recruited among planners and decision-makers. They acknowledged the usefulness of portraying uncertainty for decision-making purposes. They slightly favored the static comparison technique over toggling. Both visualization techniques were applied to an urban growth case study for the greater Santa Barbara area in California, USA.
TSPO mutations in rats and a human polymorphism impair the rate of steroid synthesis

The 18 kDa translocator protein (TSPO) is a ubiquitous conserved outer mitochondrial membrane protein implicated in numerous cell and tissue functions, including steroid hormone biosynthesis, respiration, cell proliferation, and apoptosis. TSPO binds with high affinity to cholesterol and numerous compounds, is expressed at high levels in steroid-synthesizing tissues, and mediates cholesterol import into mitochondria, which is the rate-limiting step in steroid formation. In humans, the rs6971 polymorphism on the TSPO gene leads to an amino acid substitution in the fifth transmembrane loop of the protein, which is where the cholesterol-binding domain of TSPO is located, and this polymorphism has been associated with anxiety-related disorders. However, recent knockout mouse models have provided inconsistent conclusions of whether TSPO is directly involved in steroid synthesis. In this report, we show that TSPO deletion mutations in rat and its corresponding rs6971 polymorphism in humans alter adrenocorticotropic hormone-induced plasma corticosteroid concentrations. Rat tissues examined show increased cholesteryl ester accumulation, and neurosteroid formation was undetectable in homozygous rats. These results also support a role for TSPO ligands in diseases with steroid-dependent stress and anxiety elements.
Independent Contributions of Nocturnal Hot Flashes and Sleep Disturbance to Depression in Estrogen-Deprived Women.

CONTEXT Women are at increased risk for mood disturbance during the menopause transition. Hot flashes (HFs), sleep disruption, and fluctuating estradiol levels correlate with menopause-associated depression but co-occur, making cause and effect relationships difficult to disentangle. OBJECTIVE Using a GnRH agonist (GnRHa) experimental model, we investigated whether depressive symptoms are associated with HFs and/or are explained by concomitant sleep fragmentation in the absence of estradiol fluctuation. DESIGN AND INTERVENTION Depressive symptoms, objective polysomnographic sleep parameters, subjective sleep quality, serum estradiol, and HFs were assessed before and 4 weeks after open-label depot GnRHa (leuprolide 3.75-mg) administration. SETTING Academic medical center. PARTICIPANTS Twenty-nine healthy nondepressed premenopausal volunteers (mean age, 27.3 years). RESULTS Serum estradiol was rapidly and uniformly suppressed. HFs developed in 69% of the subjects. On univariate analysis, worsening of mood was predicted by increases in time in light sleep (stage N1), number of transitions to wake, non-REM arousals, subjective sleep quality, and reductions in perceived sleep efficiency (all P < .045), as well as the number of nighttime (P = .006), but not daytime (P = .28), HFs reported. In adjusted models, the number of nighttime HFs reported, increases in non-REM arousals, time in stage N1, transitions to wake, and reduced sleep quality remained significant predictors of mood deterioration (P ≤ .05). CONCLUSIONS Depressive symptoms emerged after estradiol withdrawal in association with objectively and subjectively measured sleep disturbance and the number of nighttime, but not daytime, HFs reported. Results suggest that sleep disruption and perceived nighttime HFs both contribute to vulnerability to menopause-associated depressive symptoms in hypoestrogenic women.
REGIONAL AND SUBCELLULAR DISTRIBUTION OF AMINOTRANSFERASES IN RAT BRAIN

Abstract— Aminotransferase activity was measured in various areas of the nervous system of the rat (cortical grey matter, midbrain, corpus callosum, spinal cord and sciatic nerve) and in subcellular fractions of rat brain (nuclei, mitochondria and cytosol). Activity was low or absent in the sciatic nerve relative to that in the other areas, with the exception of incubation of glutamate with oxaloacetate (25 per cent of the activity found in brain) and of asparagine with 2‐oxoglutarate (65 per cent of the activity found in brain). The distribution of enzymic activity was not homogeneous; alanine‐2‐oxoglutarate aminotransferase was highest in cortical grey matter; leucine‐ and GABA‐2‐oxoglutarate aminotransferases were highest in midbrain. Incubation of phenylalanine or tyrosine with 2‐oxoglutarate gave similar activities in grey matter and midbrain. Activity generally was higher in the grey matter than in corpus callosum or spinal cord. However, incubations of methionine with 2‐oxoglutarate, or glutamine with glyoxylate, gave similar activities in the three areas studied from the brain, whereas incubations of glutamate with glyoxylate gave highest activity in the corpus callosum. Only incubations of asparagine with 2‐oxoglutarate, and glutamate with glyoxylate, gave significant activity in the nuclear subcellular fraction. Aminotransferase activity of phenylalanine, tyrosine or GABA with 2‐oxoglutarate, or ornithine or glutamine with glyoxylate, was localized to mitochondria. The remaining reactions studied (glutamate with oxaloacetate; leucine, alanine, methionine or asparagine with 2‐oxoglutarate and glutamate with glyoxylate) demonstrated activity in both the mitochondrial fraction and the soluble supernatant fraction.
A cost-benefit analysis of female primary education as a means of reducing HIV/AIDS in Tanzania

This article, uses panel data related to 20 Tanzania regions and 8 years to estimate the direct and indirect effects of female primary education on HIV/AIDS rates. A recursive framework for education, income and infections is employed, based on two autoregressive equations that allow us to obtain dynamic estimates of effectiveness. We find that the indirect effect working through changes in income outweighs the direct positive effect of education on infections, implying that female education can be effective as an intervention to lower the disease in Tanzania. The estimates of effectiveness are then utilized to carry out a cost-benefit analysis of the education expenditures. The human capital approach is used to measure the benefits. Irrespective of the timing of the benefits and costs, and the discount rate alternatives we consider, our best estimates result in positive net-benefits, with benefit-cost ratios in the range 1.3–2.9. † This article was completed with the financial assistance provided by the Fulbright Research award for 2003. It was part of the project on the Cost-Benefit Analysis of HIV-AIDS interventions programs in Tanzania carried out when the author was a visiting Professor in the Department of Economics at the University of Dar Es Salaam in Tanzania.
Penicillin as empirical therapy for patients hospitalised with community acquired pneumonia at a Danish hospital.

INTRODUCTION We report on the outcome of a study of patients hospitalised with community acquired pneumonia (HCAP) at a Danish university hospital. METHODOLOGY In a retrospective study of 243 consecutive patients with radiographically verified HCAP, data on clinical and laboratory findings and outcome parameters were collected. Three groups were established according to the initial choice of antibiotic(s): penicillin only (n = 160); non-allergic patients starting broader spectrum therapy (n = 54); and patients with suspected penicillin allergy (n = 29). RESULTS The overall mortality within three months was 12% and the readmission rate within three months was 20%. The three treatment groups were comparable with respect to most demographic and clinical criteria at baseline. No significant differences in outcome between the groups were found: the mortality was 12.5%, 13.0%, and 10.3%, respectively, p = 0.94, and the readmission rate 20.3%, 24.0%, and 14.8%, respectively; p = 0.63. CONCLUSION Patients treated for community-acquired pneumonia at a Danish university hospital had clinical outcomes fully at height with findings from other countries, and half of the patients were successfully treated with penicillin monotherapy. No differences in clinical outcomes were documented between patients treated empirically with broad-spectrum therapy and penicillin monotherapy. Therefore, penicillin seems to be a reasonable first choice for initial therapy of HCAP in Denmark as in other regions with similar patterns of microbial pathogens and resistance.
Cointegration and Causality Between Macroeconomic Variables and Share Prices

The aim of this study is to investigate whether there is a relationship between some macroeconomic variables and share prices. In the analysis, covering the period of 1990: 01-2003: 12, variables of Istanbul Stock Exchange index, consumer price index, money supply, interest rate, exchange rate, trade balance, and industrial production index were used. Least squares estimation method, Johansen-Jeselius cointegration test, Granger causality test and variance decomposition results produced by VEC model were used in the study. These analysis shows that there is a long run relationship between some macroeconomic variables and share prices.
What's inside

a This conclusion was reached by examining the turnover of coral taxa at14 sites along kenya’s fringing reef between 1993 and 2018. turnover is the change in the presence and absence of species and indicates how the whole assemblage of coral species responds to disturbances. Turnover was shown to differ significantly from the changes recorded for the dominant corals, which are frequently the main reported measure of change. Previous studies of change have either examined the total cover of hard coral or the dominant taxa, such as Acropora , Porites , and Montipora . Conclusions about change will differ based on these two ways of measuring change, according to the study’s comparisons. turnover is often used by biogeographers because it tends to be slow and conservative and represents large changes in time and space that often occur over evolutionary time. Thus, periods of rapid turnover are indications of the emergence of new and unique species assemblages. Spreading risk by protecting a diversity of coral habitats is the key recommendation stemming from a 27-year study of Kenyan corals. A major thermal disturbance between 1996 and 1998 provoked rapid change and losses of species when a back-to-back cold and warm temperature period caused a major reshuffling of the coral taxa. Stabilization of the taxa did not occur until after 2005. The greatest loss of taxa occurred in Kenya’s no-fishing marine parks and not the shallow and fished fringing reef sites outside the national parks. elucidates the societal and environmental impact of seaweed farming enterprises concerning livelihoods, environmental health and community development. Further, the study provides an overview of the capital and time requirements involved in the seaweed farming investment to guide policy formulation for the sector.
National Database Analysis of Single-Level versus Multilevel Sleep Surgery

Objective Recent evidence suggests that multilevel sleep surgery improves outcomes when compared with palate surgery alone for most patients. The study objective was to compare demographic and outcomes data for palate surgery (uvulopalatopharyngoplasty [UPPP]) alone versus multilevel surgery through a national insurance claims database. Study Design Retrospective cohort study. Setting National insurance claims database. Subjects and Methods An adult cohort undergoing single-level UPPP versus UPPP with nasal and/or tongue/hypopharyngeal surgery was identified in the Truven Health Analytics MarketScan Research Databases for the years 2010 through 2012. Demographic and outcomes data were assessed at short-term (≤14 days), intermediate (15-60 days), and long-term (61-183 days) intervals via a multivariate regression model adjusted for age, sex, geographic region, insurance type, and the Charlson-Deyo comorbidity score. The primary long-term complication considered was positive airway pressure (PAP) equipment supply, implying possible treatment failure. Results The cohort included 14,633 patients: 7559 (51.6%), UPPP alone; 5219 (35.7%), UPPP + nasal surgery; 1164 (7.95%), UPPP + tongue/hypopharyngeal surgery; and 691 (4.7%), UPPP + nasal + tongue/hypopharyngeal surgery. Demographic data were similar among the groups. UPPP alone had lower rates of postoperative bleeding than UPPP + tongue/hypopharyngeal surgery (4.31% vs 6.19%, P = .004). Multivariate modeling indicated that the addition of either nasal surgery (odds ratio = 1.21, 95% CI = 1.10-1.34, P < .001) or tongue/hypopharyngeal surgery (odds ratio = 1.15, 95% CI = 1.00-1.32, P = .048) to UPPP was associated with increased odds of postoperative continuous positive airway pressure. Conclusions UPPP alone is currently the predominant form of sleep surgery in the United States. Multilevel surgery had greater odds of postoperative bleeding and positive airway pressure equipment supply than UPPP alone. Dedicated studies formally evaluating single- versus multilevel sleep surgery and the impact of possible surgeon/patient selection bias should be a priority.