Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Sex-differences in quality of life and asthma control in Swedish asthma patients

Abstract Background: To study sex-related differences in quality of life, asthma control and asthma management in different age groups. Methods: A cross-sectional survey and patient record study in primary and secondary care. A total of 1226 patients in primary and 499 in secondary care, ages 18–75 and randomly selected, with a response rate of 71%. Patients were classified into four groups, 18–34, 35–49, 50–64 and 65–75 years. Results: Younger women (18–49 years) had a lower total MiniAQLQ score than men in the same age group (5.41 vs. 5.80, p < 0.001), while no significant difference was found between older women and men (50–75 years) (5.08 vs. 5.16, p = 0.42). The sex differences in the younger group remained significant after adjusting for medication, educational level, smoking, body mass index, allergy and depression (p = 0.008). The odds ratios for younger women to have night-awakenings was 1.7 (95%CI 1.07–2.57), for asthma exacerbations 1.9 (95%CI 1.21–2.98) and for not achieving asthma control 1.5 (95%CI 1.00–2.13) when adjusting for smoking, educational level and body mass index. No differences in asthma control were found when comparing older women with men of similar ages. Conclusions: Younger women had lower quality of life and less often asthma control than men in the same age range, while no corresponding sex differences were found between older women and men of similar ages. Female sex hormones could be an important factor affecting these outcomes.
Multimodal Affect Analysis for Product Feedback Assessment

Consumers often react expressively to products such as food samples, perfume, jewelry, sunglasses, and clothing accessories. This research discusses a multimodal affect recognition system developed to classify whether a consumer likes or dislikes a product tested at a counter or kiosk, by analyzing the consumer's facial expression, body posture, hand gestures, and voice after testing the product. A depth-capable camera and microphone system - Kinect for Windows - is utilized. An emotion identification engine has been developed to analyze the images and voice to determine affective state of the customer. The image is segmented using skin color and adaptive threshold. Face, body and hands are detected using the Haar cascade classifier. Canny edges are identified and the lip, body and hand contours are extracted using spatial filtering. Edge count and orientation around the mouth, cheeks, eyes, shoulders, fingers and the location of the edges are used as features. Classification is done by an emotion template mapping algorithm and training a classifier using support vector machines. The real-time performance, accuracy and feasibility for multimodal affect recognition in feedback assessment are evaluated.
The Modic Classification: Inter- and Intraobserver Error in Clinical Practice

Study Design. A reliability study of the Modic classification. Objective. To determine the reliability and reproducibility of the Modic classification for lumbar vertebral marrow changes. Summary of Background Data. In 1988, Modic et al described two degenerative stages of vertebral marrow and endplate morphology. These were type 1 (inflammatory phase) and type 2 (a fatty phase). Later in 1988, he added a third variety: type 3 where there was marked sclerosis adjacent to the endplates. No formal reliability or reproducibility studies had been performed on this Modic classification. Methods. This study involved five independent observers of differing spinal experience using the Modic classification to grade 50 sagittal T1- and T2-weighted magnetic resonance imaging scans. The observers repeated the assessment at 3 weeks. Intra- and interobserver reliabilities were assessed using &kgr; statistics. Results. There were 7 type 1, 40 type 2, 1 type 3, and 2 normal levels. The individual intraobserver agreement was substantial or excellent with &kgr; values ranging from 0.71 to 1. The overall interobserver agreement was excellent with a &kgr; value of 0.85. There was complete agreement in 78% of the levels, a difference of one type in 14% and a difference of two or more in 8% of levels. The level of experience of the observer did not correlate with a better score. Conclusions. We have shown that the classification is both reliable and reproducible. It is simple and easy to apply for observers of varying clinical experience. We therefore recommend its use in clinical research and practice.
The accuracy of EUS and helical CT in the assessment of vascular invasion by peripapillary malignancy.

BACKGROUND The relative accuracy of helical CT and EUS for defining the local resectability of peripapillary malignancies is undefined. METHODS Fifty-one patients with a peripapillary malignancy and no metastatic disease were prospectively evaluated with helical CT and EUS. Imaging results were compared with surgical staging, and a tumor was defined as resectable when there was no macroscopic or microscopic residual tumor. RESULTS Nine patients had surgically confirmed locally unresectable disease, which was accurately predicted by EUS in 6 patients (sensitivity 67%) and by helical CT in 3 patients (sensitivity 33%; p = 0.35). When only patients with complete EUS examinations were included, the sensitivities of EUS and helical CT for vascular invasion were 100% and 33% (p = 0.06), respectively. When all patients not undergoing surgery because of imaging evidence of locally unresectable disease were included, the sensitivities were 100% and 62.5% (p = 0.02), respectively. One of 15 patients with a tumor amenable to surgical resection was labeled as unresectable by EUS but subsequently had a local recurrence of the tumor. The specificities of EUS (93%) and helical CT (100%) were similar. CONCLUSION EUS is more sensitive than helical CT for detecting vascular invasion by peripapillary malignancies and should be added to staging protocols, particularly when findings on helical CT are equivocal.
Evaluation of early atherosclerosis markers in patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease

Objectives Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is characterized by the excessive accumulation of fat in the liver cells. It is strongly associated with cardiovascular risk factors for atherosclerosis. Flow-mediated dilation (FMD) and carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT) are noninvasive methods for the evaluation of endothelium. They are considered early markers of atherogenesis. The aim of this study was to evaluate early atherosclerosis markers in patients with NAFLD. Methods We examined 161 patients. All the patients underwent hepatic ultrasonography, transthoracic echocardiography, and brachial artery and carotid artery imaging. Fasting blood samples were drawn from all patients for the determination of lipids, insulin, C-peptide, and fasting blood glucose. HOMA-IR was calculated. Results Among the 161 patients, 44 had normal hepatic ultrasonography, 42 had stage 1 hepatosteatosis, 53 had stage 2 hepatosteatosis and 22 had stage 3 hepatosteatosis. FMD was reduced in patients with NAFLD as compared with the healthy controls (5.9±3.1 vs. 9.6±2.7%, P<0.001). There was a significant negative moderate correlation between ultrasonographic hepatosteatosis grade and FMD (r=−0.556, P<0.001). The mean CIMT was significantly increased in patients with NAFLD as compared with the controls (0.40±0.19 vs. 0.27±0.18, P<0.001). There was a significant positive weak correlation between ultrasonographic hepatosteatosis grade and mean CIMT (r=0.376, P<0.001). Conclusion This study showed that NAFLD is associated with impaired CIMT and FMD, which are early markers of atherosclerosis. These findings may play a crucial role in understanding the pathophysiology of the atherosclerotic process in patients with NAFLD.
Comparison of Sato's equation and Pedersen's theory to obtain gas discharge current

Sato's equation has been employed to calculate the pulse current caused by dielectric barrier discharge (DBD). However, it was derived from the gas discharge in a gap between both metallic electrodes. Hence, due to the existence of surface charges, the applicability of Sato's equation to DBD needs to be clarified. In this paper, the models about gas discharge in a gap between electrodes, one electrode and one layer of barrier dielectric, and between two layers of barrier dielectric are established. And the discharge current for each circumstance is obtained by Sato's equation and by Pedersen's theory simultaneously. The latter was used to explain the mechanism of pulse current method which considers the effect of surface charges. It's found that Sato's current in the gap between both electrodes is consistent with that obtained by Pedersen's theory, which results from the equivalence of the two methods where charge diffusion is neglected. Besides, in the gap between one electrode and one layer of barrier dielectric, the current obtained by the two methods is consistent under positive polarity of applied voltage, while it's inconsistent under the negative one. Moreover, the inconsistency in the gap between two layers of barrier dielectric appears under both polarities of applied voltage. These simulation results show that using Sato's equation to calculate pulse current may be not suitable for DBD or PD, which ignores the accumulation of surface charge.
Nonbalanced Growth in a Neoclassical Two-Sector Optimal Growth Model

For a neoclassical two-sector optimal growth model with Cobb-Douglas technologies and sector specific technical progress, we examine three properties: (i) each sector has an optimal path by which it will grow at a constant growth rate (an optimal constant growth path); (ii) the optimal constant growth paths satisfy saddle path stability; (iii) the elasticity of substitution between total labor and total capital is less than one along the optimal constant growth paths. These results, presented by Acemoglu and Guerrieri in their model with two intermediate good sectors and one final good sector, will give a firm theoretical base for establishing the Kaldor and Kuznets facts, and are proven herein for a neoclassical growth model.
Filling in the Gaps: Priming and the Ethics of Pharmaceutical Advertising

A prime is a cue that makes associated concepts, behaviors, and goals more psychologically accessible to people, influencing their responses in subsequent related environments. I build a case that Direct to Consumer Advertising of Prescription Pharmaceuticals (DTCA) operates as a prime that causes some viewers to prefer and pursue the advertised drug. Drawing on literature from social psychology I show that people subject to priming are mostly unaware of its influence and liable to misattribute the reasons for their primed actions. Misattribution typically includes heightened appraisals of the value of a primed goal. Consistent with this account, I argue that viewers primed by DTCA hold favorable, yet false beliefs about the safety and efficacy of the advertised drug. I further argue that, because those drug properties are material to viewers with the relevant illness, priming in DTCA can undermine the autonomy of their medicine choices. The threat to autonomy posed by priming in DTCA suggests it warrants attention from both regulators and the wider research community. It also adds further reason to be sceptical about the permissibility of this form of advertising.
Comparison of the clinical performance of i-gel, LMA Supreme and LMA ProSeal in elective surgery.

INTRODUCTION The LMA Supreme™, i-gel® and LMA ProSeal™ are second-generation supraglottic airway devices. We tested the hypothesis that these devices differ in performance when used for spontaneous ventilation during anaesthesia. METHODS 150 patients who underwent general anaesthesia for elective surgery were randomly allocated into three groups. Data was collected on oropharyngeal leak pressures, ease and duration of device insertion, ease of gastric tube insertion, and airway safety. RESULTS Leak pressure, our primary outcome measure, was found to be higher for the i-gel than the Supreme and ProSeal (mean ± standard error of the mean: 27.31 ± 0.92 cmH2O, 23.60 ± 0.70 cmH2O and 24.44 ± 0.70 cmH2O, respectively; p = 0.003). Devices were inserted on the first attempt for 90%, 82% and 72% of patients in the i-gel, Supreme and ProSeal groups, respectively (p = 0.105); mean device placement times were 23.58 seconds, 25.10 seconds and 26.34 seconds, respectively (p = 0.477). Gastric tubes were inserted on the first attempt in 100% of patients in the Supreme group, and 94% of patients in the i-gel and ProSeal groups (p = 0.100). There was blood staining on removal in 9 (18%) patients in each of the Supreme and ProSeal groups, with none in the i-gel group (p = 0.007). The incidence of postoperative sore throat, dysphagia and hoarseness was lowest for the i-gel. CONCLUSION The three devices were comparable in terms of ease and duration of placement, but the i-gel had higher initial oropharyngeal leak pressure and lower airway morbidity compared with the ProSeal and Supreme.
Anoxia-Reoxygenation Stimulates Collagen Type-I and MMP-1 Expression in Cardiac Fibroblasts: Modulation by the PPAR-γ Ligand Pioglitazone

Background: Cardiac remodeling after ischemic injury is a major cause of heart failure. In this process, fibroblast growth and collagen synthesis and degradation play a critical role. Recent studies indicate that ligands of the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors-γ (PPAR-γ) alter cardiac remodeling during chronic ischemia. This study was designed to investigate if the PPAR-γ ligand pioglitazone would modulate fibroblast growth and collagen type-I synthesis (and expression) in cardiac fibroblasts exposed to anoxia-reoxygenation (A-R). Methods and Results: Cardiac fibroblasts were exposed to anoxia (95% N2/5% CO2) and then reoxygenation (95% air/5% CO2). A-R increased fibroblast growth (MTT assay) as well as collagen type-I synthesis (3H-proline incorporation) and protein expression (Western analysis). Concurrently, there was a parallel increase in the expression of matrix metalloproteinase-1 (MMP-1) in fibroblasts. Pretreatment of cardiac fibroblasts with pioglitazone (10−5 M) reduced all these effects of A-R. Further, A-R stimulated intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation and activated the redox-sensitive transcription factor NF-κB (both P < 0.05). Both these phenomena were inhibited by pretreatment of cells with pioglitazone. Conclusion: Thus, it appears that A-R stimulates fibroblast cell growth, collagen type-I synthesis, and MMP-1 expression in cardiac fibroblasts, most likely a result of ROS generation. Inhibition of ROS generation and induction of NF-κB in cardiac fibroblasts during A-R may be a mechanism of action of pioglitazone.
A New Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) Line Construction and Housing Wealth: Evidence from the Circle Line

This study uses the opening of a new Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) line, known as the Circle Line (CL), between 2010 and 2012 in Singapore as the exogenous event to empirically test the impact of the new CL on housing wealth of households. Using a differences-in-differences (DID) approach, and with the non-landed private housing transaction data covering the period from 2009 to 2013, we find that the average housing prices in our sample increase by 1.6% in the post-opening of the CL. We also find significant capitalization of the new CL into housing prices, especially households living within a 400 meter radius (the treatment zone) from the closest MRT stations on the CL. The treatment effects that are measured by the marginal willingness to pay for houses located within the treatment zone is 13.2% relative to houses located outside the treatment zone. The new CL opening creates an estimated of S$1.23 billion housing effects for households living in the close proximity to the CL MRT stations. However, we do not find significant “anticipative” effects on house prices in the 6-month window prior to the opening of CL. The strongest treatment effect is found after the opening of the phase 1 of CL, and the intensity of treatment effects declines in phases 2 and 3 of the CL opening. The results show strong evidence of the causality from the accessibility to MRT stations on housing prices.
Hgt1p, a High Affinity Glutathione Transporter from the Yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae*

A high affinity glutathione transporter has been identified, cloned, and characterized from the yeastSaccharomyces cerevisiae. This transporter, Hgt1p, represents the first high affinity glutathione transporter to be described from any system so far. The strategy for the identification involved investigating candidate glutathione transporters from the yeast genome sequence project followed by genetic and physiological investigations. This approach revealed HGT1 (open reading frame YJL212c) as encoding a high affinity glutathione transporter. Yeast strains deleted in HGT1 did not show any detectable plasma membrane glutathione transport, andhgt1Δ disruptants were non-viable in a glutathione biosynthetic mutant (gsh1Δ) background. The glutathione repressible transport activity observed in wild type cells was also absent in the hgt1Δ strains. The transporter was cloned and kinetic studies indicated that Hgt1p had a high affinity for glutathione (K m = 54 μm)) and was not sensitive to competition by amino acids, dipeptides, or other tripeptides. Significant inhibition was observed, however, with oxidized glutathione and glutathione conjugates. The transporter reveals a novel class of transporters that has homologues in other yeasts and plants but with no apparent homologues in eitherEscherichia coli or in higher eukaryotes other than plants.
In0.17Al0.83N/AlN/GaN Triple T-shape Fin-HEMTs with gm=646 mS/mm, ION=1.03 A/mm, IOFF=1.13 µA/mm, SS=82 mV/dec and DIBL=28 mV/V at VD=0.5 V

We report the first 3D Triple T-gate InAlN/GaN nano-channel (NC) Fin-HEMTs on Si substrate with record high device performances at V<sub>D</sub> as low as 0.5 V. Utilizing a T-gate approach on NC Fin-HEMT with stress engineered techniques, enhanced device transport properties with g<sub>m</sub>=646 mS/mm, I<sub>on</sub>=1.03 A/mm, I<sub>OFF</sub>=1.13 μA/mm, I<sub>ON</sub>/I<sub>OFF</sub>~106, SS=82 mV/dec at V<sub>D</sub>=0.5 V were achieved. In addition, the Fin-HEMT also exhibited 3.2 times lower DIBL of 28 mV/V. The dramatic improvement of device performance is due to the tensile stress induced by SiN passivation in the NC Fin-HEMT.
Neurogranin as a Cerebrospinal Fluid Biomarker for Synaptic Loss in Symptomatic Alzheimer Disease.

IMPORTANCE Neurogranin (NGRN) seems to be a promising novel cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) biomarker for synaptic loss; however, clinical, and especially longitudinal, data are sparse. OBJECTIVE To examine the utility of NGRN, with repeated CSF sampling, for diagnosis, prognosis, and monitoring of Alzheimer disease (AD). DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS Longitudinal study of consecutive patients who underwent 2 lumbar punctures between the beginning of 1995 and the end of 2010 within the memory clinic-based Amsterdam Dementia Cohort. The study included 163 patients: 37 cognitively normal participants (mean [SE] age, 64 [2] years; 38% female; and mean [SE] Mini-Mental State Examination [MMSE] score, 28 [0.3]), 61 patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) (mean [SE] age, 68 [1] years; 38% female; and mean [SE] MMSE score, 27 [0.3]), and 65 patients with AD (mean [SE] age, 65 [1] years; 45% female; and mean [SE] MMSE score, 22 [0.7]). The mean (SE) interval between lumbar punctures was 2.0 (0.1) years, and the mean (SE) duration of cognitive follow-up was 3.8 (0.2) years. Measurements of CSF NGRN levels were obtained in January and February 2014. MAIN OUTCOME AND MEASURE Levels of NGRN in CSF samples. RESULTS Baseline CSF levels of NGRN in patients with AD (median level, 2381 pg/mL [interquartile range, 1651-3416 pg/mL]) were higher than in cognitively normal participants (median level, 1712 pg/mL [interquartile range, 1206-2724 pg/mL]) (P = .04). Baseline NGRN levels were highly correlated with total tau and tau phosphorylated at threonine 181 in all patient groups (all P < .001), but not with Aβ42. Baseline CSF levels of NGRN were also higher in patients with MCI who progressed to AD (median level, 2842 pg/mL [interquartile range, 1882-3950 pg/mL]) compared with those with stable MCI (median level, 1752 pg/mL [interquartile range, 1024-2438 pg/mL]) (P = .004), and they were predictive of progression from MCI to AD (hazard ratio, 1.8 [95% CI, 1.1-2.9]; stratified by tertiles). Linear mixed-model analyses demonstrated that within-person levels of NGRN increased over time in cognitively normal participants (mean [SE] level, 90 [45] pg/mL per year; P < .05) but not in patients with MCI or AD. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE Neurogranin is a promising biomarker for AD because levels were elevated in patients with AD compared with cognitively normal participants and predicted progression from MCI to AD. Within-person levels of NGRN increased in cognitively normal participants but not in patients with later stage MCI or AD, which suggests that NGRN may reflect presymptomatic synaptic dysfunction or loss.
Non-Psychotic Psychiatric Disorder After Childbirth

The psychiatric state of 483 women was examined antenatally and at 3, 6, and 12 months postpartum. Comprehensive assessments were made of all women antenatally and of subgroups of the full sample postnatally. Psychiatric state was assessed using the General Health Questionnaire, the Present State Examination and the Montgomery and åsberg Depression Rating Scale. In terms of PSE criteria, the point prevalence of non-psychotic psychiatric disorder antenatally was found to be 6.0%; and postnatally it was estimated to be 8.7% at 3 months, 8.8% at 6 months and 5.2% at 12 months after delivery. These prevalence rates were compared to the rate in a general population sample of non-puerperal women and found to be no greater. In a subgroup of the full sample, the incidence of psychiatric disorder in the year following delivery was estimated to be 15.1%, which is close to a figure previously reported for women in the community. The onset of psychiatric disturbance was soon after delivery in most instances; and, for the majority, the episode of disturbance lasted for 3 months or less. The distribution of PSE Catego classes and syndromes among the antenatal and postnatal samples were found to be similar to those in the non-puerperal comparison sample. Thus, the prevalence, incidence, and nature of non-psychotic psychiatric disorder in the 12 months following delivery do not appear to distinguish it from such disorders arising at other times.
Entrepreneurial universities and branding: a conceptual model proposal

After years of neglect, the concept of entrepreneurial universities is now well-elaborated as a more efficient and effective type of universities. A university, which not only considers its traditional missions, i.e., teaching, and research, but also pursues a third mission, i.e., entrepreneurship. Such institutions should take several issues into account, in order to become more entrepreneurial and to realise their third mission. Therefore, entrepreneurial universities have to pay more attention to different issues such as technology transfer, academic entrepreneurship, creating spinoffs, improving entrepreneurial activities, etc. But, how it would be possible if the university suffers from a low level of reputation? Thus, the authors try to propose a conceptual model for reinforcing the reputation/brand of the entrepreneurial universities, to make it possible for them to enter into new markets, to achieve their entrepreneurial goals, and to improve the level of socio-economic development. Also, the model reveals that how branding will help these universities to realise their third mission.