Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Characteristics of Japanese elderly patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension

Previous nationwide Japanese data suggested that pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) predominantly affects young women. However, the number of elderly patients diagnosed with PAH has been increasing in western countries. There have been no reports on elderly PAH patients in Asian countries. This study aimed to investigate the clinical characteristics of elderly PAH patients in a Japanese cohort. Idiopathic/heritable PAH (I/H-PAH) was included in the national research project on intractable diseases. The patients were required to submit a clinical research form completed by their attending physicians. We analyzed the characteristics of Japanese I/H-PAH using the newly registered forms in 2013 (Study 1, n = 148). Also, we did a retrospective, observational cohort study at Chiba University Hospital (Study 2, n = 42). We compared the characteristics of elderly PAH patients (≥65 years old) with younger patients (<65) in both studies. Study 1 revealed a predominance of males (51% male), better hemodynamics and poorer exercise capacity in the elderly group (n = 72), compared with the younger group (n = 76) in study 1. In Study 2, elderly patients showed a male predominance (63% male), a higher ratio of smokers, a lower % carbon monoxide diffusing capacity, and poorer exercise tolerance. Elderly patients in Study 2 showed less improvement in hemodynamics with therapy. There was no significant difference in disease-specific survival between elderly and younger patients. Japanese elderly patients with I/H-PAH showed poorer exercise capacity and impaired gas exchange, but better pulmonary hemodynamics than younger patients.
Analysis of Intention and Practices of Collaboration with Stakeholders in Brazil

Objective: Our objective was to analyze the intention and practice of collaboration of managers in Brazilian private companies regarding their stakeholders. Method: In this research we aimed to analyze a sample of 149 Brazilian companies that have (or not) collaboration features with stakeholders. It is a quantitative research with the use of primary search data. Regarding the techniques, this research was conducted through an electronic survey platform and the measuring instrument was a questionnaire with closed questions, measured with a Likert scale, and forwarded to e-mail addresses of managers of the target companies. Originality / Relevance: This study contributes to the Stakeholders Theory in a descriptiveempirical view, considering the study of collaboration of organizations and their stakeholders in private companies. These aspects are still little explored in the Brazilian literature of companies’ stakeholders. Results: We observed that the real benefits of collaboration with stakeholders are still unclear in the context of Brazilian companies. Both consumers and shareholders are still perceived by managers as the most salient elements in the corporate social responsibility in Brazilian companies. Although, results also indicated that managers’ intention in the companies we studied is to contribute with their stakeholders as stated by Jones (1995) and Halal (2001). Theoretical / methodological contributions: The main contribution of this study was to bring insights into the practices of managers in Brazilian companies on collaboration with stakeholders from international practices, subject especially studied by Halal (2001).
'The medicine is to get me better': Findings on Pediatric Cancer Patients' Responses to play with Medical Equipment

Children coping with a haematological malignancy have to deal with an extensive number of stressors including frequent hospitalization, repeated intrusive procedures, and the stress of treatment and side-effects from prolonged chemotherapy. This article presents findings from recent qualitative research that documents through an unstructured play-based interview, which incorporated the opportunity to play with medical equipment, the insights and understanding of pediatric haematology patients about their disease and its treatment. This information is compared to baseline information on similar play-based interviews with a control group of healthy pre-schoolers. Although limitations to the comparison are noted, the significantly different results highlights the important of play as a medium for providing insights as to the knowledge, and meaning both healthy and seriously ill children bring to their understanding of leukaemia and related disorders. In summary, the healthy cohort of children displayed very short-lived, naﶥ, uninformed, joyous encounters in playing with medical equipment, whilst the children with haematological malignancies demonstrated either intense and extended play or complete avoidance (aversion) accompanied by a detailed and quite sophisticated knowledge base and understanding of both the disease and its treatment.
Wounded Childhood : the use of children in armed conflict in Central Africa

Presents a synthesis of the findings of 'rapid assessment' inquiries conducted by consultants in four countries, covering the causes and mechanisms for the recruitment of child soldiers, their living conditions while in the armed groups, and the circumstances surrounding their release. Makes proposals for preventive action and reintegration measures, addressed to the families, the children themselves, the political parties, and the potential recruiters.
Accessing and selecting menu items by in-air touch

Is it possible to realize a non-visual, purely tactile version of an icon-based menu? Driven by such question, a hierarchical tactile dock was designed for an array of ultrasound emitters. The icons were conceived as spatio-temporal variable-speed sequences of tactile stimulation points, that are passively perceived as trajectories drawn on the palm of the hand. The recognition rate on four icons largely improved prior performance results obtained by active haptic exploration. As a result, a four-icons set can be used as the first level of a hierarchy of symbols that can be navigated by touch and gesture. The design process, based on controlled recognition experiments and exploration of dissimilarity data, can be iterated to converge to a set of icons that are suitable for a functional tactile dock.
Validação de método analítico para avaliação da qualidade de cápsulas de cloridrato de metformina manipuladas

As farmacias magistrais tem se mostrado uma alternativa quando o paciente procura medicamentos com doses personalizadas ou custos mais baixos, o que resultou em um crescente aumento pela procura de medicamentos manipulados. Porem, apesar das vantagens, estes medicamentos nao passam por um rigido controle de qualidade, o que pode colocar o tratamento do paciente em risco. Este trabalho teve como objetivos validar metodologia analitica e avaliar a qualidade das capsulas de cloridrato de metformina manipuladas por sete farmacias de Santa Maria – RS. O metodo validado mostrou-se seletivo, linear, preciso, exato e robusto, podendo ser utilizado para a determinacao quantitativa de cloridrato de metformina em capsulas. As capsulas produzidas pelas farmacias A, B, D, F e G cumpriram com os requisitos minimos de controle de qualidade e as capsulas manipuladas pelas farmacias C e E foram reprovadas nos testes de doseamento e uniformidade de doses unitarias. Palavras-chave: Controle da qualidade. Metformina. Manipulacao. Validacao. ABSTRACT Validation of analytical method for quality control of compounded metformin hydrochloride capsules Compounding pharmacies have proved a useful alternative when patients look for drugs fitted to their needs in dose number and size, or for less expensive drug forms, leading to an increasing demand for compounded drugs. However, despite the advantages, these drugs do not always go through a strict quality control, which may be detrimental to patient care. The aim of the present study is to validate an analytical method and use it to assess the quality of metformin hydrochloride capsules obtained from seven different compounding pharmacies in Santa Maria, RS (Brazil). The validated method proved to be selective, linear, precise, accurate and robust and can be used for the quantitative determination of metformin hydrochloride in capsules. The capsules compounded by pharmacies A, B, D, F and G met the minimum requirements of quality control, while those from pharmacies C and E failed in the assays of dose and uniformity of dosage units. Keywords: Quality Control. Metformin. Compounding. Validation.
Reimagining school change: the necessity and reasons for hope

Changing schools. This phrase can be read in two ways. The first is a description of schools being in a continual state of flux driven by social, cultural and economic shifts, and policy agendas. We are using it in a second and more positive sense to talk about changing schools for educative, democratic and socially just purposes. Of course, talking about changing schools immediately raises issues about who is driving change, for what ends, and in whose interests. And today, the idea of change inevitably draws our attention to the increasingly global contexts in which schools are located and the ways in which a range of technologies mediate who knows what and who is able to know about what.
Analyse des résultats de la cytoponction, de l'examen histologique extemporané et définitif dans le traitement chirurgical de la pathologie thyroïdienne : à propos de 163 cas

Introduction: clans la pathologie thyroidienne, l'interet de la cytoponction dans la decision chirurgicale reste aujourd'hui debattu: sa sensibilite et sa specificite sont l'objet d'importantes variations dans les series publiees dans la litterature. L'examen anatomopathologique extemporane est, quant a lui un maillon essentiel dans la strategie therapeutique. Le but de cette etude retrospective etait de confronter les resultats de la cytoponction, de l'examen extemporane et de l'histologie definitive dans une population de 163 patients operes d'une pathologie thyroidienne pour en tirer des conclusions sur le plan therapeutique. Materiel et methodes: de janvier 1994 a janvier 1999, 163 patients (132 femmes, 31 hommes) ont ete operes d'une pathologie thyroidienne apres un bilan preoperatoire classique. En cas de pathologie nodulaire isolee unique asymptomatique, palpable et hypofixant a la scintigraphie, les patients ont beneficie d'une cytoponction dont les resultats sont analyses et confrontes a l'histologie definitive. Resultats: le geste operatoire a ete une loboisthmectomie dans 88 cas (54 %), une thyroidectomie subtotale dans 34 cas (21 %) et une thyroidectomie totale dans 41 cas (25 %) dont 18 cas (11 %) avec curage cervical et/ou recurrentiel uni- ou bilateral, toujours associe a un examen histologique extemporane en cas de pathologie nodulaire. Il s'agissait d'un nodule unique dans 97 cas (60 %), de nodules multiples dans 27 cas (17 %), d'un goitre multinodulaire dans 34 cas (21 %) et d'une maladie de Basedow dans 5 cas (3 %). La cytoponction a ete realisee chez 62 patients. Dans 25 cas (15 %), l'histologie definitive portait le diagnostic de pathologie maligne, La cytoponction avait une sensibilite de 40 % et une specificite de 100 %. L'examen extemporane avait une sensibilite de 73 % et une specificite de 99 %. Conchision: la cytoponction est un examen peu invasif a proposer en cas de nodule isole, unique, payable et hypofixant a la scintigraphie ou en cas de contre indication a la chirurgie. Les auteurs recommandent d'operer les patients atteints d'une pathologie thyroidienne symptomatique ou porteurs d'un ou plusieurs nodules pleins > 2 cm. L'augmentation de la fiabilite de la cytoponction doit permettre a terme de mieux selectionner les indications chirurgiclaes.
Nursing Education Administrators' Perceptions of the Recruitment and Retention of African American Male Nursing Students

The present descriptive study obtained nursing education administrators’ perceptions about the use and effectiveness of recruitment and retention strategies for African American male nursing students as compared to those strategies used for all nursing students in their nursing programs. A survey based on a review of the literature was developed by the researcher. The survey was mailed to 241 baccalaureate degree nursing education administrators in the 16 states and District of Columbia, Southern Regional Educational Board (SREB) region with a response rate of 39.3 %. Descriptive analysis of each strategy on the survey was calculated to determine use and effectiveness. Paired samples t-tests were performed for the total recruitment strategies for African American male nursing students and all nursing students and for the total retention strategies for African American male nursing students and all nursing students. Narrative comments were clustered and categorized. Seven findings from this descriptive study were reported. The discrete data reported in this study showed that few African American male nursing students were admitted to the baccalaureate degree nursing schools in the study in the year 2004 (M = 1.99, SD = 3.93) and even fewer graduated in that same year (M = .75, SD = 1.27). This study also
REDUCING CHILDHOOD PEDESTRIAN INJURIES, SUMMARY OF A MULTIDISCIPLINARY CONFERENCE - SUPPLEMENT TO INJURY PREVENTION, VOL 8, SUPPLEMENT 1, JUNE 2002

The discrepancy between encouraging young people to walk to benefit their health and keeping them safe on the roads is explored. Child pedestrian death rates have declined in the USA but this is related more to reduced exposure than to a safer environment or better pedestrian skills. Boys are more likely to be injured than girls, largely because of greater exposure to traffic. Toddlers sustain the highest overall number of pedestrian injuries. They are particularly vulnerable to reversing in driveways. Mid-block accidents are commonest at 3-9 years of age, particularly where children attempt to cross between parked cars. Adolescents are more likely to be injured on busier roads, further from home. Parents of 5- to 9-year-olds often overestimate their road crossing skills. High traffic volume, low parental income and younger age are most strongly related to child pedestrian injury. Surveillance systems linked to child pedestrian injury are considered inadequate and the opportunity to improve roads is lost. Sociological, individual, engineering and educational factors linked with child pedestrian accidents are explored and the combination of improved highway design with practical rather than classroom-based training in crossing the road is suggested as the way forward.
Participation in physical activity by adolescent girls : a social-psychological and physical environmental approach

Physical activity in youth is an important public health issue and regular participation in physical activity can contribute to the enhancement of young people's physical, psychological, and social well-being. However, adolescent girls typically have lower levels of physical activity than boys and their rates of participation decline rapidly during this age period. This thesis presents four studies examining factors influencing adolescent girls' likelihood of being physically active, and reasons for this decline in physical activity across the teenage years. Study 1 is a systematic review of the literature of correlates of participation in physical activity for adolescent girls. Study 2 uses a qualitative approach to explore potential influences of adolescent girls' physical activity, and how physical activity might be made more attractive to these girls. Study 3 uses a quantitative approach to examine the role of selected socialpsychological and physical environmental factors in three different types of sport and physical activity. Study 4 presents six case, studies examining in greater depth some of the ways in which social-psychological factors can impact on physical activity decisions. Overall findings suggest that aspects of the physical environment can be influential to particular activity types; this is an under-researched area and attempts should be made to further examine girls' perceptions of their environment so that safe and attractive provisions can be made. These attempts should be specific to particular activity types to enable the best possible understanding of potential environmental. Participation in organised sport also appears to account for differences in overall physical activity levels, and it is proposed that more gender-specific organised sport should be made available. Findings in relation to significant others indicate that parental support and encouragement may be more influential than parental role modelling, while the role of friends changes across the teenage years. Here, education programmes for whole families and interventions designed to change behaviour across groups of friends are recommended. Finally, self-presentational concerns appear to be related to actual body size and can serve to either increase or decrease physical activity participation. It is proposed that activities should be offered that emphasise fun and enjoyment, de-emphasise the importance of physical appearance, and stress that physical activity is equally acceptable across individuals of all shapes and sizes.
Reinforcing the Teach-Back Method for Nurses Providing Stroke Patient Education

iii LIST OF TABLES vi LIST OF FIGURES vii CHAPTER 1. PROBLEM AND ITS ENVIRONMENTAL CONTEXT 1 Incidence of Stroke 1 Stroke Prevention and Patient Education 2 Purpose 3 Definitions 3 CHAPTER 2. LITERATURE REVIEW 5 Introduction 5 The Impact of Stroke Patient Education 5 Stroke Patients’ Perceptions of Stroke Education 8 Nurses’ Impact on Patient Education 10 Evidence-Based Practice and Strategies for Patient Education 11 Assumptions 15 Orem’s Self-Care Deficit Nursing Theory 16 Teach-Back 17 CHAPTER 3. INTERVENTION AND IMPLEMENTATION 19 Intervention 19 Implementation 20 Protection of Human Subjects 22 CHAPTER 4. EVALUATION 23 Results 24 Demographic Factors Influencing Practice 25
Pilot Study on Experience of Engineering Students in Multimedia-Enhanced Introductory Physics Labs

Dr. Popovic has expertise in design and development of multimodal medical imaging systems for surgical guidance and diagnostics. He enjoys working with undergraduate students on independent research projects, and has supervised students’ work on topics ranging from materials selection for x-ray imaging system characterization phantoms, to development of algorithms for lung tumor nodule classification. Dr. Popovic takes great delight in guiding students to improve their technical communication and hands-on skills through introductory physics labs. Dr. Popovic is a member of ASEE and SPIE, and is a reviewer for the Physics in Medicine and Biology journal.
Oxidant-Antioxidant Balance And Lung Outcomes: The Role Of Nutrition, Genetic Susceptibility, And Cigarette Smoking

Increased antioxidant defenses are hypothesized to decrease ageand smoking-related decline in lung function. The relation of dietary antioxidants, smoking, and forced expiratory volume in the 1 second of effort (FEV1) was investigated in communitydwelling adults (aged 70-79 yrs at baseline) in the Health, Aging, and Body Composition Study, (Memphis, TN and Pittsburgh, PA; 1997-2007). 2,065 participants completed a food frequency questionnaire, self-reported smoking history, and had at least 2 measurements of FEV1. In continuing smokers (reported smoking at baseline and follow-up), high vitamin C and high intake of fruits and vegetables were associated with an 18 and 29 ml/year slower rate of FEV1 decline compared to low intake (P=0.0004 and 0.003, respectively). In quitters (reported smoking at baseline, but quit during follow-up), high intake was associated with a slower rate of decline for each nutrient studied (p<0.01, all models): the rate of FEV1 decline was attenuated by 56, 83, 73, and 33 ml/year in high versus low consumers of vitamins C, E, betacarotene and fruits/vegetables, respectively. Antioxidant intake was not associated with FEV1 decline in non-smoking participants. Increasing the intake of nutrients with antioxidant properties may attenuate lung function decline in older adults who smoke or have smoked.
Smoking and Cerebrovascular Disease: A Three-phase Research Program

Purpose: Data from observational studies has led to the general acceptance of the benefit of smoking cessation in stroke prevention. There is a paucity of interventional studies and what is less established is the relative benefit of smoking cessation interventions (SCIs) in this population. Furthermore, the extent of the benefit of cessation in regards to stroke recurrence is relatively unclear. The purpose of these systematic reviews was twofold. The first review aimed to determine the effectiveness of SCI’s for increasing cessation rates in this population. The second review examined the effects of smoking cessation on stroke recurrence in smokers with cerebrovascular disease. Methods: We followed the PRISMA and MOOSE statement approach to identify relevant randomized control studies and observational studies for the first and second systematic reviews, respectively. We used a mixed effects Mantel-Haenszel approach meta-analysis to pool estimate effects for randomized control trials for the first systematic review. A generic inverse variance random effects meta-analyses was conducted to assess the effects of smoking cessation on stroke recurrence in observational studies in the second systematic review. Results: Of 852 relevant articles, 4 articles fit the inclusion criteria and were included for the first review. Of 900 relevant articles 2 articles were included for the second review. The first meta-analysis revealed a non-significant effect of SCI on quitting (relative risk [RR] 1.08; 95% CI: 0.74 to 1.58; p=0.68, I=0.00). A non-significant effect of smoking cessation on stroke recurrence was found in the second review (RR 0.5; 95% CI: 0.24 to 1.16; p=0.1, I=37.8%).
Willing to go the distance : relationships between school characteristics and school choice in DC public schools

Thesis (M.P.P.)--Georgetown University, 2009. ; Includes bibliographical references. In the 2008-2009 school year, more than half of the families served by the DC Public Schools chose to send their student to a school different from the one designated by the school system. Using DC Public Schools data, I analyze characteristics of these students as well as the characteristics of the out-of-boundary schools the families choose. Consideration of relationships between student, family and school factors and the decision to send a student to a school farther from home reveals that characteristics of the attended out-of-boundary school explain a large proportion of variation in distance traveled to school. Racial composition of attended school has a significant relationship to distance traveled and explains a substantive amount of variation in the sample. Other attended-school characteristics including percent of students scoring "advanced" on state reading tests and crime rate in the attended school neighborhood also have a significant relationship. Student characteristics have a significant relationship to distance traveled, but these explain a relatively small amount of variation compared to the variation explained by characteristics of the attended school. Policy recommendations for districts seeking to increase district enrollment include encouraging greater racial diversity within each school.