Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Robot Training of Upper Limb in Multiple Sclerosis: Comparing Protocols With or WithoutManipulative Task Components

In this pilot study, we compared two protocols for robot-based rehabilitation of upper limb in multiple sclerosis (MS): a protocol involving reaching tasks (RT) requiring arm transport only and a protocol requiring both objects' reaching and manipulation (RMT). Twenty-two MS subjects were assigned to RT or RMT group. Both protocols consisted of eight sessions. During RT training, subjects moved the handle of a planar robotic manipulandum toward circular targets displayed on a screen. RMT protocol required patients to reach and manipulate real objects, by moving the robotic arm equipped with a handle which left the hand free for distal tasks. In both trainings, the robot generated resistive and perturbing forces. Subjects were evaluated with clinical and instrumental tests. The results confirmed that MS patients maintained the ability to adapt to the robot-generated forces and that the rate of motor learning increased across sessions. Robot-therapy significantly reduced arm tremor and improved arm kinematics and functional ability. Compared to RT, RMT protocol induced a significantly larger improvement in movements involving grasp (improvement in Grasp ARAT sub-score: RMT 77.4%, RT 29.5%, p=0.035) but not precision grip. Future studies are needed to evaluate if longer trainings and the use of robotic handles would significantly improve also fine manipulation.
English as a medium of academic identity: attitudes to using English for research and teaching at Nantes University.

This socio-linguistic study investigates attitudes of French speakers of English to using English for academic purposes. The study is situated within the post-Fioraso Law period (2013), which sees France joining the process described as the ‘internationalisation’ of Higher Education in Europe. This study confirms that rather than encouraging multiple languages in academia, the term ‘internationalisation’ implies ‘Englishisation’ in Europe by contributing to studies which show how English is instrumental to academic identity in Europe. Through the use of complementary qualitative methods (questionnaires, interviews, visual methods and classroom observations), the narratives of 164 academics working at the science faculties of Nantes University were analysed for how they positioned their professional identities in relation to the use of English for professional purposes (such as writing research papers, presenting at conferences, and teaching in English as a medium of instruction, EMI). The major divisions regarding the attitudes towards English as a medium of academic identity in France are to be found in the issues relating to the legitimacy and authority of French speakers of English within the wider international academic community. The principal arguments are based on beliefs concerning the ownership of the English language and whether it is possible for L2 speakers of English to ever identify themselves as being anything other than ‘learners of English’, despite repeated proof of their language expertise. The study concludes that within French Higher Education in 2016, English is a strategic medium through which to access research and teaching communities. Ownership of the English language as an identifying feature comes second to the emerging bilingual identities of the participants who are competing in the global market of Higher Education. Key words: France, Higher Education, Identity, Language attitudes, EMI
Combined pigment epithelial and retinal hamartoma: long-term follow-up of three cases.

BACKGROUND Combined hamartoma of the retina and retinal pigment epithelium (CHR-RPE) is a rare lesion at the level of the RPE. METHODS We report 3 cases of CHR-RPE in otherwise healthy patients and discuss their clinical and instrumental characteristics at diagnosis and during follow-up. RESULTS The clinical characteristics are usually diagnostic; however, echography, fluorescein angiography, and optical coherence tomography are useful tools for appropriate diagnostic evaluation and accurate follow-up. INTERPRETATION Standardized echography is important in CHR-RPE's diagnosis because it permits exclusion of malignant lesions, preventing unnecessary enucleation, and is fundamental in follow-up.
The effects of periodontal treatment on pregnancy outcomes.

BACKGROUND Preterm infants are at greater risk than term infants for physical and developmental disorders. Morbidity and mortality increases as gestational age at delivery decreases. Observational studies indicate an association between poor periodontal health and risk for preterm birth or low birthweight, making periodontitis a potentially modifiable risk factor for prematurity. AIM To identify randomized controlled trials (RCTs) published between January 2011 and July 2012 and discuss all published RCTs testing whether periodontal therapy reduces rates of preterm birth and low birthweight. METHODS Search of databases including PubMed, ISI Web of Science and Cochrane Library. RESULTS The single RCT identified showed no significant effect of periodontal treatment on birth outcomes. DISCUSSION All published trials included non-surgical periodontal therapy; only two included systemic antimicrobials as part of test therapy. The trials varied substantially in terms of sample size, obstetric histories of subjects, study preterm birth rates and the periodontal treatment response. The largest trials - also judged to be high-quality and at low risk of bias - have yielded consistent results, and indicate that treatment does not alter rates of adverse pregnancy outcomes. CONCLUSION Non-surgical periodontal therapy, scaling and root planing, does not improve birth outcomes in pregnant women with periodontitis.
Marriage and Divorce: Patterns by Gender, Race, and Educational Attainment

This study examines marriage and divorce patterns among people between the ages of 15 and 46 using a sample of 7,357 men and women who had 8,112 marriages during those ages. The data are weighted using custom weights that make the sample used in the study statistically representative of the population from which the NLSY79 was drawn.
The use of performance measurement in universities

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to identify the degree of maturity in performance measurement in a national group of universities. Design/methodology/approach A model for identifying the level of performance measurement maturity in an organisation was identified; this model consisted of seven constructs. A survey consisting of Likert-scale items derived from the maturity model was then administered to academic and administrative staff at New Zealand’s eight universities. Findings The survey showed a relatively high use of performance measurement (usage index 3.47/5), and strong alignment of strategy and performance measurement (strategy index 3.95/5). Research output measures were the most commonly used by academics, whereas measures relating to community service and third role activities were used least. Multiple significant differences between academics and administrators were identified, with the degree of support for performance measurement a particular area of contrast. The overall degree of performance measurement maturity identified was higher than found in similar studies utilising documentary methods. Originality/value Performance measurement in higher education is a controversial subject and there has been relatively little research into the basics of how, and how well, universities utilise the approach. This exploratory study helps fill the gap and provides a basis for more detailed research.
Test-retest reliability of symptom-limited cycle ergometer tests in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

BACKGROUND Symptom-limited exercise tests are widely used to evaluate the effects of pulmonary rehabilitation in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), but the reliability of these tests is not well established in COPD patients. OBJECTIVES We compared test-retest reliability of two repeated symptom-limited exercise tests between COPD patients and healthy elderly subjects and between male and female patients. METHOD Fifty-six COPD patients (40 men, 16 women) and 16 healthy subjects (6 men, 10 women) performed two symptom-limited exercise tests approximately 2 weeks apart. Measures of oxygen uptake (VO2), minute ventilation (VE), heart rate, and ratings of breathlessness and leg fatigue were obtained at peak exercise at each symptom-limited exercise test. RESULTS Repeated measures of peak exercise responses were stable for patients and healthy subjects and for male and female patients. Although mean percent error (absolute difference/mean) for peak exercise responses was low, some individuals' values exceeded 10%. There was no difference in the percent error between COPD patients and healthy subjects or between men and women with COPD. Test-retest reliability was lower for breathlessness ratings than for other peak exercise responses for all groups. CONCLUSIONS Repeated symptom-limited exercise tests are reliable in COPD patients and healthy subjects. However, some individuals are less reliable, and these patients may require more than one exercise test to establish reliable performance.
[Causes of atrial fibrillation early after coronary artery bypass grafting].

UNLABELLED The aim of the study was to define the frequency of atrial fibrillation early after coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) and clinical risk factors for the development of atrial fibrillation in the post-operative course. The study population consisted of 1578 patients (1283 men and 295 women ranging in age from 25 to 85 years, mean age 59.373 +/- 8.686 years) undergoing isolated coronary artery bypass grafting in extracorporeal circulation between 1.01. 1998 and 21.12. 1999. The patients were divided into two groups: group 1 with atrial fibrillation after CABG (193 patients, mean age 62.399 +/- 7.097 years) and group 2 without atrial fibrillation in the postoperative course (1385 patients, mean age 58.952 +/- 9.009 years). Both groups were compared with respect to pre-, intra- and postoperative parameters. Additionally in group 1 the following aspects were taken into account: timing of atrial fibrillation and its relapses in relation to the surgical procedure, serum potassium level, type and efficacy of antiarrhythmic treatment. RESULTS Postoperative atrial fibrillation developed in 193 patients i.e. 12.23% of the CABG population. The complication occurred most frequently on the third day after the procedure and it recurred in about 60% of the patients. Analysis of clinical pre, intra- and postoperative factors identified those affecting the occurrence of atrial fibrillation in the postoperative course as follows: age, paroxysmal atrial fibrillation occurring before the operation, previous inferior myocardial infarction, type 2 diabetes mellitus, arterial hypertension, left ventricular ejection fraction, left atrial size, volume of cardioplegia used during the procedure, volume of blood lost during the procedure, postoperative ischaemia, timing of postoperative ischaemia, perioperative withdrawal of beta adrenolytics, prolonged intubation after the procedure, low cardiac output syndrome, prolonged administration of pressor amines after CABG, and Intraaortic balloon counterpulsation, especially during the procedure. CONCLUSIONS (1) Atrial fibrillation is an important clinical problem early after coronary artery bypass grafting. It is poorly tolerated and shows a tendency to recur. (2) Atrial fibrillation after CABG is most strongly correlated with age over 60 years, arterial hypertension and perioperative withdrawal of beta adrenolytics.
Judgments at Gaze Value: Gaze Cuing in Banner Advertisements, Its Effect on Attention Allocation and Product Judgments

Banner advertising is a popular means of promoting products and brands online. Although banner advertisements are often designed to be particularly attention grabbing, they frequently go unnoticed. Applying an eye-tracking procedure, the present research aimed to (a) determine whether presenting human faces (static or animated) in banner advertisements is an adequate tool for capturing consumers’ attention and thus overcoming the frequently observed phenomenon of banner blindness, (b) to examine whether the gaze of a featured face possesses the ability to direct consumers’ attention toward specific elements (i.e., the product) in an advertisement, and (c) to establish whether the gaze direction of an advertised face influences consumers subsequent evaluation of the advertised product. We recorded participants’ eye gaze while they viewed a fictional online shopping page displaying banner advertisements that featured either no human face or a human face that was either static or animated and involved different gaze directions (toward or away from the advertised product). Moreover, we asked participants to subsequently evaluate a set of products, one of which was the product previously featured in the banner advertisement. Results showed that, when advertisements included a human face, participants’ attention was more attracted by and they looked longer at animated compared with static banner advertisements. Moreover, when a face gazed toward the product region, participants’ likelihood of looking at the advertised product increased regardless of whether the face was animated or not. Most important, gaze direction influenced subsequent product evaluations; that is, consumers indicated a higher intention to buy a product when it was previously presented in a banner advertisement that featured a face that gazed toward the product. The results suggest that while animation in banner advertising constitutes a salient feature that captures consumers’ visual attention, gaze cuing can be an effective tool for driving viewers’ attention toward specific elements in the advertisement and even shaping consumers’ intentions to purchase the advertised product.
Hierarchical clustering analysis identifies metastatic colorectal cancers patients with more aggressive phenotype

A large percentage of metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) patients presents metastasis at the time of diagnosis. In the last years, great efforts have been made in the treatment of these patients with the identification of different phenotypes playing a key role in the definition of new systemic therapies. Unsupervised hierarchical clustering analysis (HCA) was performed considering the clinicopathological characteristics of 51 mCRCs. Using immunohistochemistry on tissue microarrays, we assessed the expression of β-catenin, NHERF1, RASSF1A, TWIST1, HIF-1α proteins in tumors and paired liver metastases. We also analyzed RASSF1A methylation status on the samples of the same patients. HCA distinguished Group 1 and Group 2 characterized by different clinicopathological features. Group 1 was characterized by higher number of positive lymph nodes (p=0.0139), poorly differentiated grade (p<0.0001) and high extent of tumor spread (p=0.0053) showing a more aggressive phenotype compared to Group 2. In both Groups, we found a common “basal” condition with a higher level of nuclear TWIST1 (p<0.0001 and cytoplasmic β-catenin (p<0.0001) in tumors than in paired liver metastases. Furthermore, the Group 1 was also characterized by RASSF1A hypermethylation (p<0.0001) and nuclear HIF-1α overexpression (p=0.0354) in paired liver metastases than in tumors. In conclusion, HCA identifies mCRC patients with a more aggressive phenotype. Moroever, our results support the important contribution to the progression of the disease of RASSF1A methylation and the oncogenic role of HIF-1α in these patients. These evidences, should provide relevant information concerning the biology of this tumor and, as a consequence, potential new systemic therapeutic approaches.
Lessons from immunology: IL4R directly promotes mammary tumor metastasis

Interleukin-4 (IL4), a Th2 cytokine, signals through IL4 receptors (IL4Rs) to regulate increased lymphocyte proliferation and survival. We have recently discovered that IL4 also promotes these phenotypes in mammary cancer cells expressing IL4Rs to enhance their metastatic ability. Targeting IL4/IL4R signaling on cancer cells themselves may limit metastatic disease.
Adapting the Chudak-Shmoys approximation algorithm to the k-level uncapacitated facility location problem

Chudak and Shmoys have proposed an (1 + 2/e)-approximation algorithm to the 1-level uncapacitated facility location problem. In this thesis, this approximation algorithm is first extended to the 2-level problem. We prove that under a specific assumption on the structure of the solution of the LP-relaxation, a solution of the 2-level problem can be transformed to an equivalent solution of the 1-level problem. The assumption made is that all positive values that occur in a connected component are equal. Then, the algorithm of Chudak and Shmoys can be applied on the new obtained solution. Thereafter, we show in a similar way that a valid extension of the Chudak and Shmoys to the k-level uncapacitated facility location problem exists under this assumption. For the 1, 2 and 3-level uncapacitated facility location problem, 10,000 small and large problem instances are generated at random and the LP-relaxation is solved. The percentage of fractional solutions that satisfy the assumption made in this thesis decreases when the size of the problem instances increases. However, all the solution to these problem instances have a structure in which all positive values in a connected component have the same denominator.
Development of a Croatian version of the US Hospital Survey on Patient Safety Culture questionnaire: dimensionality and psychometric properties

Background The Hospital Survey on Patient Safety Culture (HSOPSC), originally developed in the USA, is used worldwide to assess patient safety culture in hospitals. A limited number of studies have provided data on psychometric properties outside of the US healthcare system. Our aim was to determine if all 12 dimensions of the US HSOPSC were applicable, valid and reliable to Croatian healthcare workers. Methods The study was conducted from September 2010 to April 2011. Questions were translated into Croatian and then translated back into English. The questionnaires (ie, the Croatian translation of the US HSOPSC) were distributed in unmarked envelopes along with a consent form to all the doctors and nurses in four Croatian hospitals. The responses were analysed using explorative factor analyses, reliability testing, and confirmatory factor analyses. Results The study included 561 healthcare workers in four Croatian hospitals—a response rate of 32.69%. Our results are similar to the original US sample, but with some differences: 11 dimensions with acceptable reliability scores were identified by exploratory factor analysis compared with the original 12 in the US sample; five of 12 dimensions had a Cronbach's α higher than 0.7, suggesting a reasonable fit to the original US HSOPSC; the dimensions ‘Staffing’ and ‘Organisational learning—continuous improvement’ were found to have a Cronbach's α <0.6. The use of confirmatory factor analysis confirmed a good fit to the original US model. Conclusions Results show that the Croatian translation of the US HSOPSC is compatible in 11 of the original 12 dimensions. Results suggest that for the purposes of research in Croatia, the dimensions ‘Staffing’, ‘Communication openness’, and ‘Organisational learning—continuous improvement’ should be revised. For example, the use of question A7 (‘We use more agency/temporary staff than is best for patient care’) in the context of European healthcare systems should be adapted or removed for the Croatian version of the US HSOPSC questionnaire.
Long-memory Modelling and Forecasting of the Returns and Volatility of Exchange-traded Notes (ETNs)

This research provides evidence in determining the predictability of exchange-traded notes (ETNs). It utilises commodity, currency and equity ETNs as data samples, and examines the performance of the three combinations of long-memory models, that is, autoregressive fractionally integrated moving average and generalised autoregressive conditional heteroskedasticity (ARFIMA-GARCH), autoregressive fractionally integrated moving average and fractionally integrated generalised autoregressive conditional heteroskedasticity (ARFIMA-FIGARCH) and autoregressive fractionally integrated moving average and hyperbolic generalised autoregressive conditional heteroskedasticity (ARFIMA-HYGARCH), and three forecasting horizons, that is, 1-, 5- and 20-step-ahead horizons, to model ETNs returns and volatilities. The article finds long-memory processes in ETNs; however, dual long-memory process in returns and volatilities is not verified. The research also poses a challenge to the weak-form efficiency hypothesis of Fama (1970) because lagged changes determine future values, especially in volatility. The findings also show that differences in the characteristics of commodity, currency and equity ETNs are not concluded because of similarities in ETN traits and several insignificant results. However, the presence of intermediate memory was identified, and should serve as a warning sign for investors not to keep these investments in the long run. Lastly, the ARFIMA-FIGARCH model has a slight edge over the ARFIMA-GARCH and ARFIMA-HYGARCH specifications using 1-, 5- and 20-forecast horizons. JEL Classification: G11, G17
The oral health of seniors in Brazil: addressing the consequences of a historic lack of public health dentistry in an unequal society.

OBJECTIVE National epidemiological data on the oral health of elders was analysed to examine relationships between the need for oral treatment and external environment, the dental care delivery system, personal characteristics and subjective conditions of oral health. BACKGROUND Brazil's universal public healthcare system is theoretically responsible to provide dental care to Brazilians of all ages. However, as dentists were integrated into public primary care facilities only in 2000, Brazilian seniors have accumulated needs. MATERIALS AND METHODS Seniors (65-74 years old) were examined and interviewed by calibrated professionals. The association of overall need for oral treatment and component factors were analysed. Associations with socio-demographic factors and self-reported attitudes and behaviours were also calculated. RESULTS A total of 85.9% of Brazilian seniors demonstrated a need for some oral treatment, 83.8% of the dentate needed periodontal treatment and 57.3% of all seniors needed full or partial prostheses. Social inequalities were also evident as Brazilians using free oral care services demonstrated a higher degree of need, as did elders who had not previously accessed dental services, nonwhites and males. CONCLUSIONS Our findings demonstrate that the elderly population in Brazil has a very high degree of need in general and that certain subgroups have been especially vulnerable to oral disease.