Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
KIR Gene Mismatching and KIR/C Ligands in Liver Transplantation: Consequences for Short-Term Liver Allograft Injury

Background Killer immunoglobulin-like receptors (KIRs) bind human leukocyte antigen (HLA) class-I (HLA-I) ligands and regulate functions of natural killer cells and subsets of T cells. KIR/HLA-I interactions allow predicting natural killer cell alloreactivity in hematopoietic stem cell transplantation and in HLA-compatible kidney transplants, but its meaning in liver transplantation remains controversial. Methods KIR and HLA genotypes were studied in 402 liver transplants, using sequence-specific oligonucleotides and primer methods. Recipients and donor KIRs, HLA-C genotypes, KIR gene mismatches (MMs) between recipient-donor pairs, and KIR/HLA-ligand combinations were analyzed in overall transplantations, in the acute rejection (AR; n=110) and non-AR (n=292) groups. Results KIR gene MMs between recipients and donors, mainly in activating KIRs, and KIR2DL3 and KIR2DS1 of recipients in the presence of donor C2 ligands, significantly enhanced early AR rate (P<0.05), with KIR2DL3+ and KIR2DS1+ exhibiting a synergic effect in dependence of the donor C2 ligand number (&khgr;2=7.662, P=0.022). KIR2DL3, KIR2DS1, and also KIR2DS4+ significantly influenced short-term graft survival, with a benefit for transplantations combining KIR2DL3+ recipients and donors having C1 ligands (log rank, P<0.019 at 1 year; hazards ratio [HR], 0.321; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.107–0.962; P=0.042), whereas KIR2DS1+ and KIR2DS4+ recipients combined with donors lacking C1 ligands (C2/C2) exhibited a worse graft survival (log rank, P=0.035 at 6 months; HR, 7.713; 95% CI, 2.156–27.369; P=0.002 for KIR2DS1+; and log rank, P=0.006 at 1 year; HR, 3.794; 95% CI, 1.267–11.365; P=0.017 for KIR2DS4). Conclusions This study shows that KIR gene-gene MMs increase AR and that KIRs/C ligands associated to AR and KIR2DS4+/C ligands also influence short-term graft survival.
The power-series algorithm for two-queue polling system with impatient customers

Two-queue system with queue alternate exhaustive service and customerspsila impatience (stochastic time out) is considered. The switch-over times are assumed to be non-zero. The computation scheme of the power-series algorithm for the evaluation of the joint queue length distributions for the model under consideration is presented. Having the joint queue length distributions calculated, we can obtain the performance characteristics.
The Importance and Impact of Nursing Informatics Competencies for Baccalaureate Nursing Students and Registered Nurses

Purpose: This study was conducted to determine and compare the importance of informatics competencies for baccalaureate nursing students and registered nurses. Method: Qualitative descriptive study design focused with convenience sampling technique. Data were collected on December- 2015 through a written survey distributed and completed by 70 nursing students and 50 nurses from the G’city. Data were analyzed by descriptive statistics, t-test, x 2 -test, ANOVA and Pearson’s correlation coefficient Results: Survey scores indicated that Nursing students were competent in informatics than nurses. Comparison of competency scores revealed that nursing students and Nurses differ significantly in overall informatics competency. This difference may reflect that students’ perceived and lacked competence in two areas, “informatics skills” and “Clinical informatics role. Also nurses’ differ in levels of clinical nursing experience with informatics skills and the learning format. Conclusion: These findings provide insight about the strengths and weakness of the informatics competencies of nursing students and nurses. Also indicates that participants had a deficit in informatics skills. It is important to establish nursing informatics skills for nursing students and nurses by continuing education, training and classroom teaching with practical classes. Also need to integrate IT based NI into the nursing theory and practical session in order to improve Nursing Informatics skills.
The Role of Personal Factors in the Location Decision of Software Services Start-up Firms

Abstract This paper explores the factors which influence the business location decisions of start-ups, focusing in particular on the role of personal factors. Established explanations of industry location emphasize proximity to firms in the same or related industries and proximity to a wider set of business services, though recent research suggests that personal factors may play an important role in explanations of industry location—particularly in technology-enabled sectors. A survey of 97 new firms, founded between 2008 and 2012, in the Irish software services sector, shows that the business location decision is influenced by the personal motivation of entrepreneurs to attain a desired quality of life, and that this outweighs economic factors such as proximity to firms within the same or related industries, proximity to a broader set of supporting business services, infrastructure or the availability of government support schemes. Personal factors are particularly important to firms located outside the Dublin metropolitan area and to home-based businesses. This has important policy implications for national and regional governments seeking to encourage entrepreneurship in technology-enabled service sectors.
Small Artery Resistance Increases During the Development of Renal Hypertension

Vascular pressures were measured in the principal (Al) arteriole and in upstream small arteries of the rat cremaster muscle to investigate vascular resistance changes associated with one-kidney, one clip Goldblatt hypertension. Pressure measurements were made at a proximal and distal site of each vessel using a servonull micropipette system. Vessel diameters were measured using video microscopy. Al arteriole and external spermatic artery diameters were both decreased after 2 and 4 weeks of hypertension. Mean arterial pressure was elevated after 2 weeks of hypertension (106±4 mm Hg versus 140±5 mm Hg). likewise, vascular pressures were elevated at every site: pudicepigastric artery (36%), external spermatic artery (47%), and Al arteriole (38%). The pressure drop along the external spermatic artery was increased (87%) after 2 weeks of hypertension. Mean arterial pressure was further elevated from 2-4 weeks of hypertension (105 ±4 mm Hg versus 162 ±7 mm Hg) but only the proximal pudic-epigastric artery pressure was further elevated during this time from 2 to 4 weeks (131±5 mm Hg versus 147±7 mm Hg) of hypertension development This was associated with an increased pressure drop (87%) along the artery compared with the situation at 2 weeks. These data indicate that small arteries upstream from the microcirculation contribute significantly to the increase in vascular resistance during hypertension. In addition, these data indicate that the increases in small artery resistance do not develop uniformly throughout all vessel branches.
TRABECULAR BONE MINERALIZATION LAG TIME DETERMINED BY TETRACYCLINE DOUBLE‐LABELING IN NORMAL AND CERTAIN PATHOLOGICAL CONDITIONS

Quantitative histomorphometric analyses of iliac crest biopsy specimens were performed after tetracycline double‐labeling in 41 normal individuals, 20 hyper‐ and 10 hypothyroid patients, 18 patients with primary hyperparathyroidism, 20 epileptic patients receiving long‐term anticonvulsant therapy, and 17 patients after jejunoileal bypass for morbid obesity. The mineralization lag time in trabecular bone or the period of time between apposition and subsequent mineralization of osteoid was calculated from the bone formation rate at BMU level (Basic Multicellular Unit) and the mean width of osteoid seams. The mineralization lag time was 8–52 days (median 21 days) in normal individuals and showed no variation with sex or age. The mineralization lag time was shortened in hyperthyroidism, normal in anticonvulsant bone disease and in primary hyperparathyroidism, and markedly prolonged in hypothyroidism and following jejunoileal bypass. Among all individuals an inverse hyperbolic relation (r = 0.94, p<0.001) was found between the mineralization lag time and the average cellular activity of the osteoblasts.
Trends in the Swedish Social Investment Welfare State: ‘The Enlightened Path’ or ‘The Third Way’ for ‘the Lions’?

The concept of social investment has gained ground on the EU-level, manifested among other things in the launching of the ‘Social investment package’ by the EU Commission in 2013 and subsequent engagement in the follow up of that initiative. In this context, the Nordic experience has no doubt played an important role and Sweden is an interesting case in point for discussing the social investment approach. We argue that Sweden has long tradition of social investment which has contributed to a number of positive outcomes, such as low poverty and high employment. However, our examination of more recent trends suggests that the achievements are now jeopardised by the trend towards a cheaper ‘Third Way’ version of the social investment approach. Since the investment quality of policy interventions has been diluted, not least in the field of active labour market policy, and old redistribution policies are at drift, it has become difficult to combat old as well as new inequalities and social divisions. Still, a more enlightened development path is open but requires serious recasting of the social investment policy package.
Cognitive Interviewing as a Tool for Improving the Informed Consent Process

Consent materials often contain complex information, legalese, and other features that render them difficult to comprehend in such a way that consent is truly informed. I propose that researchers adapt cognitive interviewing, normally used for the pretesting of survey questionnaires, to evaluate the understandability of consent materials and the way in which subjects use this information to make decisions regarding participation. Cognitive interviewing involves the intensive probing of small samples of volunteer subjects to elucidate thought processes that otherwise remain hidden. Cognitive interviewing can be applied: (a) to further the basic science of informed consent; (b) to pretest materials for a specific study; and (c) as an embedded procedure for assessing subject thought processes in the course of obtaining consent.
Caesarean section and perinatal outcomes in a sub-urban tertiary hospital in North-West Nigeria

Objectives: This study was undertaken to review the caesarean section rate and perinatal mortality in Federal Medical Centre, Birnin Kudu from 1 st January 2010 to 31st December, 2012. Materials and Methods: This was a retrospective study involving review of 580 case files. Ethical clearance was obtained. The records of labour ward, neonatal intensive care unit (ICU) and operating theatre were use. Information extracted includes age, parity, booking status, total deliveries, indications for caesarean section and perinatal outcome from 1 st January 2010 to 31 st December 2012 at Federal Medical Centre, Birnin Kudu. The data obtained was analysed using SPSS version 17.0 statistical software (Chicago, Il, USA). Absolute numbers and simple percentages were used to describe categorical variables. Association between caesarean section and perinatal mortality was determined using Pearson′s Coefficient of correlation and student t- test. P - value < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Result: This study reported a caesarean section rate of 17.69 % and a perinatal mortality rate of 165.6 per 1000. Majority of the babies (78.2%) were within normal weight. The mean age of the women was 25.9 ± 6.2 years and mean parity was 4 ± 3. Majority of them were uneducated and unemployed. Obstructed labour was the commonest indication for emergency caesarean section accounting for 31.7% of caesarean sections and foetal distress was the least at 2.6 %. Two or more previous caesarean section was the commonest indication for elective caesarean section (17.1%) and bad obstetrics history the least indication (1.4%). There is a weak positive correlation (r = 0.35) between caesarean section rate and perinatal mortality and this association was not statistically significant (P = 0.12). Conclusion: Caesarean section and perinatal mortality rates in the present study are comparatively high. Absence of significant correlation means that a high caesarean section rate is not likely to improve perinatal outcomes in babies of normal weight; therefore the caesarean section rate in this centre should be reduced. Measures to reduce perinatal mortality such as skilled attendant in labour and training of medical staff in neonatal resuscitation should be adopted.
Mortgage Debt and Entrepreneurship

We study the link between mortgage debt and entrepreneurship using a model of occupational choice and housing tenure in a setting where homeowners do not default on their debt. Our model predicts that, as long as the mortgage interest rate exceeds the rate of interest on liquid wealth: (i) mortgage debt, by amplifying risk aversion, diminishes the likelihood of entrepreneurship; and (ii) the negative relation between leverage and entrepreneurship increases with income volatility. Our model also shows that the link between housing wealth and entrepreneurship is ambiguously signed because of competing portfolio and hedging effects. Using the British Household Panel Survey, we test and confirm the model’s predictions. A one standard deviation increase in leverage reduces the probability of entrepreneurship by 10%–12%.
Literacy Block: Meeting the Needs of All Learners; A Summative Program Evaluation.

This summative program evaluation study investigated the Response to Intervention (RTI) pilot literacy block program that was implemented in first and second grade classrooms in a small southeastern suburban school. All 111 students in the first and second grade were involved in this RTI model during the 2010-2011 school year including special education students, English Language Learners (ELLs), advanced learners, and students in regular education. Eight educators were purposefully selected and volunteered to be participants in the study which included three grade one teachers, three grade two teachers, a building substitute and a moderate special needs educator. The following two research questions were investigated in this study: 1. How do teachers perceive that the reorganization of literacy instruction has impacted teaching and student learning? 2. How are teachers impacted by the implementation of a Professional Learning Community (PLC ) guided by distributive leadership with a focus on literacy differentiation? The program evaluation followed a qualitative methodology (Patton, 2002) as this study tells a story which focused on teachers’ perceptions related to implementation of the RTI literacy block pilot as well as their views as to how it impacted student achievement. The study also explored teacher collaboration including teachers’ perceptions about the collaborative structures put in place as well as ones that took place independent of the ones set aside by the building principal. In addition, this researcher addressed the following: PLC development, the role of the principal within the PLC, teachers’ perceptions of the principal’s involvement, and distributive leadership practices within the school. 3
Serial Case Reporting Yoga for Idiopathic and Degenerative Scoliosis

Background: Non-surgical techniques for treating scoliosis frequently focus on realigning the spine, typically by muscular relaxation or muscular or ligamentous stretching. However, such treatments, which include physical therapeutic, chiropractic, and bracing techniques, are inconsistently supported by current evidence. In this study, we assess the possible benefits of asymmetrical strengthening of truncal muscles on the convex side of the scoliotic curve through a single yoga pose, the side plank pose, in idiopathic and degenerative scoliosis. Methods: Twenty-five patients with idiopathic or degenerative scoliosis and primary curves measuring 6 to 120 degrees by the Cobb method had spinal radiographs and were then taught the side plank pose. After 1 week performing the pose with convexity downward for 10 to 20 seconds, they were instructed to maintain the posture once daily for as long as possible on that one side only. A second series of spinal radiographs was taken 3 to 22 months later. Pre- and post-yoga Cobb measurements were compared. Results: The mean self-reported practice of the yoga pose was 1.5 minutes per day, 6.1 days per week, for a mean follow-up period of 6.8 months. Among all patients, a significant improvement in the Cobb angle of the primary scoliotic curve of 32.0% was found. Among 19 compliant patients, the mean improvement rose to 40.9%. Improvements did not differ significantly among adolescent idiopathic and degenerative subtypes (49.6% and 38.4%, respectively). Conclusions: Asymmetrically strengthening the convex side of the primary curve with daily practice of the side plank pose held for as long as possible for an average of 6.8 months significantly reduced the angle of primary scoliotic curves. These results warrant further testing.
Monocular optokinetic nystagmus in humans with age-related maculopathy

AIM To investigate full field monocular optokinetic nystagmus (OKN) in patients with age-related maculopathy (ARM) and relative central scotoma. METHODS Six patients aged 59–88 years with bilateral ARM and an aged-matched control group of six patients aged 54–83 years were examined. Visual fields were assessed with a Humphrey field analyser using the threshold 30-1 routine. Monocular full field horizontal optokinetic stimuli were presented on a hemicylindrical screen subtending 172° horizontally and 50° vertically. The stimulus was a projected random dot pattern and three stimulus velocities were used, 30, 50, and 70°/s in both nasalward and temporalward directions. Each trial lasted between 30 and 40 seconds and eye movements were monitored using infrared oculography. RESULTS The ARM patients had relative central scotomas with an average depth of 10 dB. Neither the ARM nor the age-matched groups displayed any directional preponderance or a buildup of the slow phase eye velocity with time. No statistically significant difference in the gain was found between the two groups (p>0.05). CONCLUSIONS Marked central field loss in ARM does not significantly impair OKN gain. This supports the view that complete central retinal integrity is by no means essential and that the peripheral retina provides an important input to the generation of OKN.
A Three-Component Framework for Trade Show Performance Evaluation

The purpose of this study was to propose and examine a three-component trade show evaluation framework on exhibitors’ and visitors’ performance that accounts for the relationships between all three key stakeholders (i.e., visitors, exhibitors, and organizers). After a review of previous literature on stakeholder theory and trade show performance evaluation, the visitor–exhibitor–organizer (VEO) framework was proposed to examine dimensions of overall satisfaction of trade show exhibitors and visitors. Based on the VEO framework, exhibitor and visitor performance evaluation models consist of three components that address three corresponding stakeholders: satisfaction with self-performance and satisfaction with the other two key stakeholders, respectively. To validate the framework, exhibitor and visitor models were tested using data from 514 visitors and 92 exhibitors. The results validated the VEO framework by indicating that the three key stakeholders must be accounted for when evaluating trade show performance. All three dimensions (i.e., satisfaction with self-performance, and the other two stakeholders) contributed to overall satisfaction and positive behavioral intention.
Addressing the Role of Health Literacy in Social Science: The Revision and Validation of the Perceived Oral Health Literacy Scale

Addressing the Role of Health Literacy in Social Science: The Revision and Validation of the Perceived Oral Health Literacy Scale Sara LaBelle The purpose of this dissertation was twofold. The first purpose was to develop a valid and reliable measurement of health literacy appropriate for use in social science. The second purpose was to determine whether health literacy is a skill set that can be increased through the intervention efforts of communication studies scholars. These purposes were addressed across four studies. The results of exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis provided support for a 26-item revised Perceived Oral Health Literacy Scale (LaBelle & Weber, 2013) which assesses individuals’ Motivation and Ability to gain access to, understand, and use health information in order to promote and maintain good health. Conceptually, this measure is consistent with the definition of health literacy put forth by the World Health Organization (2014), thus offering evidence of its content validity. Empirically, the results across the four studies provide strong evidence for the validity of the revised POHLS. Evidence for construct validity was provided by the measures positive relationships to patient self-efficacy, response efficacy and perceived health competence, while also being negatively related to trait and dyadic communication anxiety. Further evidence of construct validity was suggested by known groups differences in the POHLS scores obtained between individuals who had completed a semester long course in Health Communication and those who had completed a course in an unrelated topic. Evidence for the criterionrelated validity of the measure was not supported, as the revised POHLS was not related to individuals’ physiological indicators of health or stage of readiness to change behaviors related to obesity and diabetes prevention. The results of a pretest-posttest nonequivalent groups design did not provide support for the effectiveness of a brief educational intervention to increase individuals’ health literacy; however, the known-groups assessment offers support to conduct further research on this topic. Taken together, these results provide support for the revised POHLS as a reliable and valid measure of health literacy appropriate for use in social science research.
Coping Strategies and Learned Helplessness of Employed and Nonemployed Educated Married Women From India

In the present study, we compare three types of coping strategies (cognitive, physical, and social coping) and learned helplessness between married women who are either employed or nonemployed in Pune, India. A total of 100 employed women and 100 nonemployed women were surveyed. Employed women were found to have significantly higher cognitive, physical, and social coping, as well as lower learned helplessness than nonemployed women. Multiple roles of employed women and sense of control theories were used to explain the differences. We have found significant implications for the development of intervention programs for empowering women.
Neurophysiology of Tactile Perception : A Tribute to Steven Hsiao The tactile motion aftereffect suggests an intensive code for speed in neurons sensitive to both speed and direction of motion

X S. McIntyre, I. Birznieks, R. M. Vickery, A. O. Holcombe, and T. Seizova-Cajic School of Psychology, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia; Neuroscience Research Australia, Sydney, Australia; Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia; MARCS Institute for Brain, Behaviour and Development, Western Sydney University, Sydney, Australia; and School of Medical Sciences, University of New South Wales, Australia, Sydney, Australia