Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Providing Support at Time of Death From Cancer: Results of a 5-Year Post-Bereavement Group Study

Despite advances in the quality and availability of hospice and palliative care for people with end stage cancers, research addressing the psychosocial needs of family members and concerned others during the dying process has been limited primarily to caregivers. In addition, many of these studies focused on the recently bereaved. In this study, the authors sought to broaden that perspective by examining the psychosocial needs of secondary survivors, a term that applies to caregivers, family members, and others who felt a caring bond with a dying person. A qualitative exploration of needs expressed by secondary survivors following the conclusion of a structured 8-week psychoeducational grief group experience revealed that secondary cancer survivors experience a sense of isolation and powerlessness that is often unrecognized by physicians, nurses, oncology social workers, or other health care professionals. Furthermore, these secondary survivors needed support that extends well beyond activities that are traditionally associated with the physical and emotional care of the dying. Social work intervention strategies directed toward helping secondary survivors assert personal needs, develop greater proximity with the health care team, and prepare for the processes associated with end-of-life may be helpful later during bereavement.
Vanishing Bile Duct Syndrome: A Possible Mechanism for Intrahepatic Cholestasis in Hodgkin's Lymphoma

A syndrome of idiopathic intrahepatic cholestasis occurs in some patients with Hodgkin's lymphoma. The underlying mechanism is poorly understood. In this paper we describe three patients with Hodgkin's lymphoma in whom severe intrahepatic cholestasis of unknown pathogenesis developed. In two cases jaundice was the presenting symptom; all three patients died with intractable liver damage. The three patients were initially thought to have idiopathic Hodgkin's‐associated cholestasis, but subsequent review of histological material revealed advanced vanishing bile duct syndrome in addition to severe cholestasis. Ten liver specimens were obtained from 4 to 97 wk after the onset of jaundice (seven needle biopsies, one wedge biopsy, two postmortem livers). In seven liver specimens taken within 30 wk of the onset of jaundice, portal tracts characteristically had a “hurned‐out” appearance without secondary periportal changes related to chronic cholestasis. Three biopsy specimens obtained from one of the patients more than 1 yr after the onset of jaundice showed evidence of progressive periportal damage in the form of fibrous expansion, marginal ductular proliferation and copper‐associated protein deposition. More than 80% of small portal tracts lacked recognizable bile ducts in the final liver specimens obtained from the three patients. These observations suggest that Hodgkin's lymphoma should be included in the list of diseases associated with loss of intrahepatic bile ducts. The possibility of a vanishing bile duct syndrome should be considered in the differential diagnosis of unexplained intrahepatic cholestasis in patients with Hodgkin's disease. (HEPATOLOGY 1993;17:70–77.)
The Estimation of Direct Medical Costs of Treating Patients With Chronic Hepatitis B and C in Iran

Background: The objective of this study is to estimate the average diagnosis and treatment costs of chronic hepatitis B and C, with respect to different therapeutic strategies in Iran. Methods: This is a descriptive, analytical, and cross-sectional study carried out on patients with hepatitis B and C, who were referred to the Liver Disease Research Center for Prevention and Treatment of Hepatitis, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, in 2011. We have estimated the direct medical costs including doctors′ fees, cost of para-clinical tests, medical treatments, and liver biopsy, in different treatment strategies. Findings: The results of this study showed that the total cost of diagnostic services for hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) patients, with state medical tariffs, was US$ 1499.07 and US$ 2084.89, respectively. The patients’ profiles showed that there were currently seven therapeutic strategies available to treat HBV patients. The total cost of treatment strategies varied significantly from US$ 73 to US$ 8256. There were also four main strategies for HCV patients, each of these could be applied in two periods of time. The total cost of these treatment strategies showed a high discrepancy from US$ 242 to US$ 8256. Conclusion: The results confirmed that the total direct medical cost for an HBV patient in Iran exceeded US$ 5.5 Milliard in 2011. The results implied that the market price of direct medical cost of HBV and HCV patients in Iran is much higher than the estimated state costs. These costs would likely be saved or reduced by effective disease management and early prevention.
Near-surface damage - a persistent problem in crowns obtained by computer-aided design and manufacturing

Abstract Robust dental systems obtained by computer-aided design and manufacture (CAD/CAM) have been introduced and, in parallel, the strength of the ceramic materials used in fabricating dental crowns has improved. Yet all-ceramic crowns suffer from near-surface damage, limiting their clinical success, especially on posterior teeth. Factors directly associated with CAD/CAM fabrication that contribute to the degree of damage include material selection and machining parameters and strategies. However, a number of additional factors also either create new damage modes or exacerbate subcritical damage, potentially leading to catastrophic failure of the crown. Such factors include post-fabrication manipulations in the laboratory or by the clinician, fatigue associated with natural occlusal function, and stress fields created by compliance or distortion within the supporting tooth structure and/or adhesive material holding the crown to the tooth. Any damage reduces the strength of a crown, increasing the probability of catastrophic failure. The challenge is to understand and manage the combination of competing damage initiation sites and mechanisms, limitations imposed by the demand for aesthetics, and biologically related constraints.
A survey on hygienic and physicochemical properties of Istrian cheese

Istrian cheese is the traditional hard cheese produced exclusively from the raw milk of the autochthonous Istrian sheep. The aim of this study was to determine the bacteriological quality, physicochemical properties of the sheep milk and Istrian cheese as well as proteolysis of cheese produced on six family farms during the cheese ripening. The hygienic microbial indicators of the sheep milk were poor in comparison to the other East Adriatic regions. However, the number of bacterial indicators rapidly declined during the ripening and they were under the detection limit for “ready to consume” cheese and therefore indicated their good bacteriological quality. Regression function of the effects of the ripening time on physicochemical properties of Istrian cheese during ripening showed a substantial increase in total solids, in salt, in moisture and in salt content as well as in the lactic acid in the total solids. However, these changes were not significant due to the high variability of the Istrian cheese production. The farm cheese making procedure affected the electrophoretic profile of the primary proteolysis in the cheese samples. Significant (P<0.01) increase of the index beta was found due to the high content of salt in moisture (>5 %). Equal degradation of as1-casein and ß-casein during ripening of Istrian cheese occurred. A low percentage of nitrogen fractions soluble in water and in 12 % trichloroacetic acid were determined.
Attachment stability and emotional and behavioral regulation from infancy to preschool age

Relations between attachment and child emotional and behavioral regulation were studied longitudinally in a sample of 223 children from urban, low-income families. Attachment in the Strange Situation at 12 and 18 months was scored using the infant classification system and at 24 months was scored using a preschool classification system. Only modest stability was found in attachment whether within or across classification systems, with the percentage of insecure attachments consistently increasing over time. Results indicated both concurrent and predictive associations with indices of child regulation based on observer ratings or maternal report. However, only the 24-month classification predicted maternal report of externalizing and internalizing behavior problems at age 3.5 years, with additional variance accounted for by selected measures of child emotional and behavior regulation from the same assessment. Attachment security (B) and atypical attachment classifications (D, A/C, and AD) appear to provide the most consistently useful information about child functioning. Results are discussed in terms of continuity and change from the perspective of developmental psychopathology.
The Deflation Bias and Committing to Being Irresponsible

I model deflation, at zero nominal interest rate, in a microfounded general equilibrium model. I show that one can analyze deflation as a credibility problem if three conditions are satisfied. First: The government's only policy instrument is increasing the money supply by open market operations in short-term bonds. Second: The economy is subject to large negative demand shocks. Third: The government cannot commit to future policy. I call the credibility problem that arises under these conditions the deflation bias. I propose several policies to solve it. They all involve printing money or issuing nominal debt. In addition they require cutting taxes, buying real assets such as stocks, or purchasing foreign exchange. The government "credibly commits to being irresponsible" by pursuing these policies. It commits to higher money supply in the future so that the private sector expects inflation instead of deflation. This is optimal since it curbs deflation and increases output by lowering the real rate of return.
HER-2/AKT expression in upper urinary tract urothelial carcinoma: prognostic implications.

AIM To assess HER-2 and p-AKT expression in upper urinary tract urothelial carcinoma (UTUC) in order to determine their value as prognostic factors of tumour progression and cancer-specific survival. PATIENTS AND METHODS One hundred consecutive UTUC patients were retrospectively included, between 1990-2004, in 4 tissue microarrays for immunostaining. Median follow-up: 33.03 months. RESULTS Positive HER-2 expression was found in 10 cases and cytoplasmic p-AKT expression in 84 cases; the expression intensity was strong: 30 cases, moderate: 28 and weak: 26. Nuclear p-AKT expression was found in 6 patients: 1 with strong, and 5 with moderate intensity. Nuclear p-AKT expression was an independent factor for tumour progression (HR=4.145, p=0.013), together with grade (HR=4.557, p=0.009) and stage (HR=2.085, p=0.003). In cancer-specific survival analysis, nuclear p-AKT expression (HR=4.268, p=0.017), together with grade (HR=5.214, p=0.035) and stage (HR=2.666, p=0.002) were identified as independent prognostic factors. CONCLUSION Nuclear p-AKT expression together with stage and grade constitute independent prognostic factors for tumour progression and cancer-specific survival.
Cerebral activation during the exertion of sustained static force in man

The aim of our study was to determine alterations of cerebral activity during prolonged static force exertion. Regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) was measured using H215O positron emission tomography (PET) while six male normal subjects pressed a morse-key with their right index finger with a constant force of 20% of their maximal voluntary contraction (MVC) for different periods of time (1.5–4.5 min). Exertion of static force led to activation which was at least as extensive as that during exertion of repetitive dynamic force pulses. Despite a considerable sense of fatigue and increased effort at the end of a 4.5 min key press, no compensatory changes of activity were detected in motor or sensory related structures. The right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex demonstrated a significant correlation between rCBF and duration of key-press, possibly reflecting processes over-riding fatigue. Prominent basal ganglia activation was demonstrated in this static force task, but not in a previous force task involving repetitive dynamic force pulses. This suggests that sustained exertion of a static force is an active process modulated, at least in part, by the basal ganglia.
Heart-on-a-Chip: An Investigation of the Influence of Static and Perfusion Conditions on Cardiac (H9C2) Cell Proliferation, Morphology, and Alignment

Lab-on-a-chip systems are increasingly used as tools for cultures and investigation of cardiac cells. In this article, we present how the geometry of microsystems and microenvironmental conditions (static and perfusion) influence the proliferation, morphology, and alignment of cardiac cells (rat cardiomyoblasts—H9C2). Additionally, studies of cell growth after incubation with verapamil hydrochloride were performed. For this purpose, poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS)/glass microfluidic systems with three different geometries of microchambers (a circular chamber, a longitudinal channel, and three parallel microchannels separated by two rows of micropillars) were prepared. It was found that static conditions did not enhance the growth of H9C2 cells in the microsystems. On the contrary, perfusion conditions had an influence on division, morphology, and the arrangement of the cells. The highest number of cells, their parallel orientation, and their elongated morphology were obtained in the longitudinal microchannel. It showed that this kind of microsystem can be used to understand processes in heart tissue in detail and to test newly developed compounds applied in the treatment of cardiac diseases.
Respiratory syncytial virus: Should we be concerned in pregnancy?

Brolin RE , LaMarca LB , Kenler HA et al . 2002 . Malabsorptive gastric bypass in patients with super obesity . Journal of Gastrointestinal Surgery 6 : 195 – 205 . Burns EM , Naseem H , Bottle A et al . 2010 . Introduction of laparoscopic bariatric surgery in England: observational population cohort study . British Medical Journal 341 : c4296 . Decker GA , Swain JM , Crowell MD et al . 2007 . Gastrointestinal and nutritional complications aft er bariatric surgery . American Journal of Gastroenterology 102 : 2571 – 2580 . Eid GM , Cottam DR , Velcu LM et al . 2005 . Eff ective treatment of polycystic ovarian syndrome with Roux-en-Y gastric bypass . Surgery for Obesity and Related Disease 1 : 77 – 80 . Fujioka K . 2005 . Follow-up of nutritional and metabolic problems aft er bariatric surgery . Diabetes Care 28 : 481 – 484 . Heber D , Greenway FL , Kaplan LM et al . 2010 . Endocrine and nutritional management of the post-bariatric surgery patient: an Endocrine Society Clinical Practice Guideline . Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism 95 : 4823 – 4843 . Poitou Bernert C , Ciangura C , Coupaye M et al . 2007 . Nutritional defi ciency aft er gastric bypass: diagnosis, prevention and treatment . Diabetes and Metabolism 33 : 13 – 24 . Vargas-Ruiz AG , Hern á ndez-Rivera G , Herrera MF . 2008 . Prevalence of iron, folate, and vitamin B 12 defi ciency anemia aft er laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass . Obesity Surgery 18 : 288 – 293 .
Rule extraction by successive regularization

Proposes an approach to rule extraction by successive regularization which generates a small number of dominant rules in an earlier stage and less dominant rules or exceptions at later stages. It is not only computationally robust but also advantageous from a viewpoint of human understanding. Humans tend to interpret data as a small number of dominant rules and their exceptions, instead of a large number of rules. This hierarchical structure of rules and their exceptions is much easier to understand than a non-hierarchical set of rules.
Test meal intake in obese binge eaters in relation to impulsivity and compulsivity.

OBJECTIVE Studies have linked increased impulsivity and compulsivity with bulimia nervosa (BN). Less is known about this relationship in binge eating disorder (BED). METHOD Seventy-nine overweight participants (28 male, 65 females) were classified as BED (n = 22), BE (Subthreshold BED, not meeting full criteria for BED) (n = 21), and non-BED (n = 36). Following an 8-hr fast, participants completed psychological scales to assess impulsivity, compulsivity, and depression. They then consumed a liquid test meal until extremely full. RESULTS Test meal intake (TMI) was significantly greater for both BED and BE than non-BED participants. Impulsivity and depression scores were significantly higher in BED and BE than in non-BED participants. Men had significantly higher compulsivity scores than women. Impulsivity correlated significantly with TMI, accounting for 16% of the variance. CONCLUSION There was greater impulsivity in BED and BE, compared with non-BED. Moreover, impulsivity was the best predictor of TMI, and may play a larger role in BE than previously realized.
Crystallographic structure of human tooth enamel by electron microscopy and x‐ray diffraction: hexagonal or monoclinic?

Recently reports on the major stability of the monoclinic phase of hydroxyapatite compared with the hexagonal phase have established it as the most observable structure of hydroxyapatite in natural materials, such as hard tissues. In this work, the structural and crystallographic analysis of the inorganic component of sound human tooth enamel was done by transmission electron microscopy, electron diffraction and X‐ray diffraction techniques. The results indicated that its unit cell is hexagonal not monoclinic.
Hemodynamic Changes in Patients with Portal Venous Obstruction

Splanchnic and systemic hemodynamics were evaluated in five adult patients with portal hypertension due to portal venous obstruction and were compared with those of patients with cirrhosis and those of a control group. In patients with portal venous obstruction, the gradient between wedged and free hepatic venous pressures ranged from 2 to 3 mm Hg, as in the control group, and was significantly lower than in patients with cirrhosis. Hepatic blood flow averaged 0.521 ± 0.127 liter per min per m2 (mean ± S.D.) and was significantly lower than that measured in cirrhotic and normal patients. Cardiac index averaged 3.788 ± 0.629 liters per min per m2; this high value for cardiac index was not significantly different from that measured in cirrhotic patients, but was significantly higher than in patients of the control group.
Enhancing User-Game Engagement Through Software Gaming Elements

User-game engagement is vital for building and retaining a customer base for software games. However, few studies have investigated such engagement during gameplay and the impact of gaming elements on engagement. Drawing on the theoretical foundation of engagement, we meticulously deduced two cognitive-related gaming elements of a software game, namely, game complexity and game familiarity, and argued that these elements have individual and joint effects on user-game engagement. This research adopted multimethod empirical investigations to validate our conceptions. The first investigation used electroencephalography and a self-report survey to study quantitatively the cognitive activities of user-game engagement. The second investigation adopted the qualitative interview method to triangulate the findings from the quantitative data. This research contributes to theory in two ways, namely, conceptualizing and empirically examining user-game engagement as well as theorizing and demonstrating how the two gaming elements affect user-game engagement. This work contributes to the gaming practice by providing a set of design principles for gaming elements.
Overgeneral autobiographical memory predicts changes in depression in a community sample

This study investigated whether overgeneral autobiographical memory (OGM) predicts the course of symptoms of depression and anxiety in a community sample, after 5, 6, 12 and 18 months. Participants (N = 156) completed the Autobiographical Memory Test and the Depression Anxiety Stress Scales-21 (DASS-21) at baseline and were subsequently reassessed using the DASS-21 at four time points over a period of 18 months. Using latent growth curve modelling, we found that OGM was associated with a linear increase in depression. We were unable to detect changes over time in anxiety. OGM may be an important marker to identify people at risk for depression in the future, but more research is needed with anxiety.
Leprosy Scenario at a Tertiary Level Hospital in Delhi: A 5-year Retrospective Study

Background: Leprosy has been officially eliminated from India since December, 2005; still, there are districts and blocks reporting high prevalence indicating ongoing transmission. The present study aimed at determining the current clinical profile of leprosy from a tertiary level hospital in Delhi. Materials and Methods: A retrospective, record-based study was carried out on patients diagnosed and registered in the leprosy clinic of a tertiary level teaching hospital in East district of Delhi (April 2007 to March 2012). Data regarding demographic details, clinical features, treatment started and complications was analyzed. Results: A total of 849 patients were registered over a 5-year period, with M: F ratio of 2.3:1. 9.3% were children (≤14 years). 54.3% patients were immigrants from adjoining states. Multibacillary leprosy was the most common clinical type (86.9%). Borderline tuberculoid leprosy was the most frequent morphologic type, seen in 56.3% followed by borderline-borderline (1.5%), borderline lepromatous (24.9%), lepromatous leprosy (8.1%), pure neuritic (8.1%), histoid and indeterminate leprosy (0.5% each). 37.4% patients presented in reaction (Type I in 30.4% cases and Type II in 7% cases). WHO grade II deformities were diagnosed in 37.9% with claw hand being the most common paralytic deformity (23.3% cases). Conclusion: Our study offers insight into the current status of the disease in an area of otherwise low prevalence. It is seen that despite statistical elimination, multibacillary disease, leprosy reactions and deformities are commonly seen as presenting manifestations, in contrast to national projected trends. Delhi's unique demography with a high degree of migrant workers, presenting to our center (near border location) could be a possible contributing factor towards these aberrations. It highlights the need for continuation of targeted leprosy control activities and active case detection.
A Representative Democracy to reduce interdependency in a 1 multi-model ensemble 2

6 The collection of Earth System Models available in the CMIP5 archive represents, at least to 7 some degree, a sample of uncertainty of future climate evolution. The presence of duplicated 8 code as well as shared forcing and validation data in the multiple models in the archive 9 raises at least three potential problems; biases in the mean and variance, the overestimation 10 of sample size and the potential for spurious correlations to emerge in the archive due to 11 model replication. Analytical evidence is presented to demonstrate that the distribution 12 of models in the CMIP5 archive is not consistent with a random sample, and a weighting 13 scheme is proposed to reduce some aspects of model co-dependency in the ensemble. A 14 method is proposed for selecting diverse and skillful subsets of models in the archive which 15 could be used for impact studies in cases where physically consistent joint projections of 16 multiple variables (and their temporal and spatial characteristics) are required. 17