Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Effect of loneliness on elderly people's lives

Tampereen ammattikorkeakoulu Tampere University of Applied Sciences Degree Programme in Nursing and Health Care Option of Medical-surgical Nursing MUHUMED, KHADRA & CERVINKOVA, MARKETA: Effect of Loneliness on Elderly People’s Lives Bachelor’s thesis, 37 pages, appendices 3pages November 2011 The purpose of this thesis was to explore how elderly people experience the effect of loneliness on daily activities and the ways of loneliness alleviation. This study aimed to give better understanding of the loneliness among elderly people and to improve quality of elderly care and services of partners of project Active Aging in Tampere region, which part this Bachelor’s thesis was. As the study dealt with human emotions and feelings, qualitative approach was used. Data was collected through semi-structured interviews of six elderly people, residents or service users of Kuusela Senior Centre. Data was analysed by method of content analysis. Results were divided into three categories, meaning of loneliness, causes of loneliness and coping with loneliness. Loneliness was perceived as both, positive, a time of one’s own, as well as negative feeling, which was connected to living alone, social isolation and estrangement from the society. The most discussed issue concerning loneliness was lack of social contacts, either due to death of friends or missing their children, and this topic was especially connected to winter time, when there was little possibility to meet other people. Moreover, own personality and dependency limited the amount and choice of activities and contributed to social isolation. Bereavement over partner’s death but also lack of interest from younger generations led to withdrawal from active life of some participants as well. Concerning coping strategies, solitary activities, like reading, watching television or light housework, helped the participant to stay occupied but social network, social activities and family support were more beneficial. The findings of this thesis highly correlate with previous studies in this field and show the importance of social contacts and meaningful activity for elderly people once again, as the elderly people themselves highlighted the beneficence of different psychosocial rehabilitation groups, physiotherapy and social activities. This thesis also linked loneliness and decreased level of activities together, no matter in what order they were reported.
Estimation géostatistique des phénomènes régis par des équations aux dérivées partielles

Jusqu'a recemment, les equations aux derivees partielles et la geostatistique sont des domaines qu'on a peu l'habitude d'associer. Pourtant, parmi les sciences de la terre, les phenomenes regis par des equations aux derivees partielles sont nombreux: on peut citer les ecoulements de fluides (air en meteorologie, eau en hydrogeologie) et les transferts de chaleur (geothermie). Ce type de problemes a ete, depuis peu, l'objet de nombreuses etudes sous l'angle probabiliste. Cependant, souvent dans ces travaux, seules les solutions stationnaires sont considerees et peu d'auteurs ont fait appel aux methodes d'estimation telles que le krigeage ou le cokrigeage pour resoudre leurs problemes. Nous nous proposons d'etudier les deux equations suivantes dans le contexte de la theorie des fonctions aleatoires intrinseques d'ordre k(fai-k): z=y (1) z=y/x (2). Designe l'operateur laplacien et x une direction de l'espace. L'equation (1) sera examinee sous l'angle du "probleme direct" (estimation de z a partir des donnees de y) tandis que l'equation (2) sera abordee sous l'angle du "probleme inverse" (estimation de y a partir des donnees de z). La premiere etape est consacree a la determination des couples de covariances de z et y compatibles avec l'equation etudiee. En interpretant l'equation (2) en termes de distributions, on pourra s'inspirer de l'analyse structurale de l'equation (1) et utiliser des modeles non differentiables pour y. Dans le cas du "probleme direct", on construira des estimateurs par cokrigeage de z qui: 1) tiennent compte des conditions aux limites du type dirichlet, neumann et surfaces libres et plus generalement des conditions du type lineaire; 2) verifient l'equation (1) en tout point ou y est connue. Contrairement aux methodes traditionnelles, le cokrigeage peut prendre en compte des conditions aux limites ne situant pas a la frontiere et n'exige pas la connaissance de la total
PTEN Expression Contributes to the Regulation of Muscle Protein Degradation in Diabetes

OBJECTIVE—Conditions accelerating muscle proteolysis are frequently associated with defective phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/Akt signaling and reduced PI3K-generated phosphatidylinositol 3,4,5-triphosphate (PIP3). We evaluated the control of muscle protein synthesis and degradation in mouse models of type 1 and 2 diabetes to determine whether defects besides PI3K/Akt activities affect muscle metabolism. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS—We evaluated the expression and activity of PTEN, the phosphatase converting PIP3 to inactive phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate, and studied how PTEN influences muscle protein in diabetic wild-type mice and in mice with partial deficiency of PTEN+/−. RESULTS—In acutely diabetic mice, muscle PTEN expression was decreased. It was increased by chronic diabetes or insulin resistance. In cultured C2C12 myotubes, acute suppression of PI3K activity led to decreased PTEN expression, while palmitic acid increased PTEN in myotubes in a p38-dependent fashion. To examine whether PTEN affects muscle protein turnover, we studied primary myotubes cultures from wild-type and PTEN+/− mice. The proteolysis induced by serum deprivation was suppressed in PTEN+/− cells. Moreover, the sizes of muscle fibers in PTEN+/− and wild-type mice were similar, but the increase in muscle proteolysis caused by acute diabetes was significantly suppressed by PTEN+/−. This antiproteolytic response involved higher PIP3 and p-Akt levels and a decrease in caspase-3–mediated actin cleavage and activation of the ubiquitin-proteasome system as signified by reduced induction of atrogin-1/MAFbx or MurF1 (muscle-specific RING finger protein 1). CONCLUSIONS—Changes in PTEN expression participate in the regulation of muscle proteolytic pathways. A decrease in PTEN could be a compensatory mechanism to prevent muscle protein losses.
A meta‐analysis of pica and micronutrient status

Pica is the craving for and consumption of nonfood items, including the ingestion of earth (geophagy), raw starch (amylophagy), and ice (pagophagy). Pica has long been associated with micronutrient deficiencies, but the strength of this relationship is unclear. We aimed to evaluate the association between pica behavior and the risk of being anemic or having low hemoglobin (Hb), hematocrit (Hct), or plasma zinc (Zn) concentrations.
Health economics of percutaneous hemodynamic support in the treatment of high-risk cardiac patients: a systematic appraisal of the literature

This article systematically appraises the findings and conclusions derived from six recent studies of the economic impact and relative value of using percutaneous ventricular assist devices to render short-term hemodynamic support to high-risk patients with particular attention to the settings of cardiogenic shock and percutaneous coronary interventions. Although the extant body of literature is still growing, these studies offer evidence and insight regarding the health economics of traditional and emerging technologies in this treatment domain, and generally find the latter to be cost-effective in the long term. As the incidence of heart disease rises and the attendant economic burden of healthcare climbs, technologies for mitigating cardiovascular illness will be the target for more robust empirical evidence to justify the comparative value of minimally invasive hemodynamic support interventions in the armamentarium of treatment options available to physicians.
Joint NASA-ESA-DARA Study. Part three: effects of chronically elevated CO2 on mental performance during 26 days of confinement.

BACKGROUND Short-term exposures to increased CO2 concentrations in breathing air up to 5% are assumed to have only negligible behavioral effects. In the present study it was examined to what extent prolonged exposures to moderately elevated levels of CO2 in the ambient air affect human performance. METHOD During two phases of 26 d of confinement in a diving chamber a group of four subjects was exposed to two different levels of CO2 (0.7% and 1.2%). Cognitive, visuo-motor, and time-sharing performance were assessed repeatedly before, during, and after the exposure by means of a task battery including grammatical reasoning, memory search, unstable tracking, and dual tasks. In addition, subjective workload and mood ratings were collected. A second group of four subjects served as a control group who performed the different tasks on the same 26-d time schedule without being exposed to confinement and elevated CO2. RESULTS During exposure to 0.7% CO2 only tracking performance was slightly disturbed compared with baseline levels, whereas performance of the control group remained stable. The time course of this effect suggested that it was related to chamber adaptation rather than to increased levels of CO2. During exposure to 1.2% CO2, tracking performance again was significantly impaired. In contrast to the lower exposure condition, the time course of this effect appeared to be related to the CO2 load and covaried with a loss of subjective alertness. CONCLUSIONS The study indicates that at least visuomotor performance might be affected by CO2 concentrations in the ambient atmosphere as small as 1.2% if subjects are chronically exposed to these concentrations in a confined environment. The strength of these effects, however, does not appear to be of operational relevance.
The capacity of people with a ‘mental disability’ to make a health care decision

Background. Based on the developing clinical and legal literature, and using the framework adopted in draft legislation, capacity to make a valid decision about a clinically required blood test was investigated in three groups of people with a ‘mental disability’ (i.e. mental illness (chronic schizophrenia), ‘learning disability’ (‘mental retardation’, or intellectual or developmental disability), or, dementia) and a fourth, comparison group. Methods. The three ‘mental disability’ groups (N = 20 in the ‘learning disability’ group, N = 21 in each of the other two groups) were recruited through the relevant local clinical services; and through a phlebotomy clinic for the ‘general population’ comparison group (N = 20). The decision-making task was progressively simplified by presenting the relevant information as separate elements and modifying the assessment of capacity so that responding became gradually less dependent on expressive verbal ability. Results. Compared with the ‘general population’ group, capacity to make the particular decision was significantly more impaired in the ‘learning disability’ and ‘dementia’ groups. Importantly, however, it was not more impaired among the ‘mental illness’ group. All the groups benefited as the decision-making task was simplified, but at different stages. In each of the ‘mental disability’ groups, one participant benefited only when responding did not require any expensive verbal ability. Conclusions. Consistent with current views, capacity reflected an interaction between the decision-maker and the demands of the decision-making task. The findings have implications for the way in which decisions about health care interventions are sought from people with a ‘mental disability’. The methodology may be extended to assess capacity to make other legally-significant decisions.
Injuries in professional rugby league

In this 3-year prospective study, the incidence and nature of injuries incurred by a professional rugby league football club were investigated. During the 1989, 1990, and 1991 season games, 141 injuries occurred throughout the first, second, and under-21 age teams, which resulted in players missing subsequent games. The incidence of injury was 44.9 per 1000 player- position game hours, which is high when compared with other sports. Of these injuries, 37.6% were clas sified as minor, 34.8% as moderate, and 27.6% as major. The classification was based on the number of subsequent games missed: minor injuries caused a player to miss one game; moderate, two to four games; and major, five or more games. Ligament and joint injuries comprised 53.9% of all injuries, and the knee was the most common area injured (24.1 %). The commonest specific injuries were to the medial collateral ligament of the knee and to the groin musculotendinous unit (10.6% each).
Investigating teamwork competencies in the value chain of a selected wool brokerage logistics department

department of BKB Ltd. The research aimed at addressing the team balance, the environment and culture in which the team operates and teamwork competencies of the value chain. Thus, creating a high performance value chain team will add to the success of the team, and hence the company as a whole. Research to establish the degree of teamwork within the value chain was undertaken. A survey which included a structured self-administered questionnaire was used to elicit information from all eight value chain team members (four section heads and their four supervisors), who represented the entire cross-section of the value chain team. The research revealed the following important points pertaining to the value chain team: • The team’s balance needs to be addressed; and • The culture and environment in which the team operates needs to be reviewed. Points of interest pertaining to teamwork competencies include the following: • The degree of teamwork is average; • The level of individual competencies is high; • The extent that team members are team players is average; • That team communication is below average; • A high perception of hidden agendas exists; • Dysfunctional team conflict exists; • A high level of empowerment and autonomy exists; • Team leadership - team linker is absent; • Co-operation and collaboration is below average; • Team attitude is high; • Team motivation is high; • Team strategies exist, but need more attention; • Team set goals are set; • Free-wheelers exist in the team; • Job satisfaction is above average; • Team recognition is high; and • Team synergy is average. Teamwork needs to be analyzed holistically, to ensure that the complex dynamics of teamwork is acknowledged and understood. A greater knowledge and understanding of the characteristics and measurement criteria of teamwork will equip team enthusiasts in building high performance teams, to the benefit of all role players. High performance team based organisations will add to the current and future success of the business. As the term “synergy” implies, the result is greater than the sum of the individual effects and capabilities. This emphasises why team-based organisations are fast becoming the modern trend of doing business.
Effect of rising atmospheric carbon dioxide on the marine nitrogen fixer Trichodesmium

Diazotrophic (N2‐fixing) cyanobacteria provide the biological source of new nitrogen for large parts of the ocean. However, little is known about their sensitivity to global change. Here we show that the single most important nitrogen fixer in today's ocean, Trichodesmium, is strongly affected by changes in CO2 concentrations. Cell division rate doubled with rising CO2 (glacial to projected year 2100 levels) prompting lower carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus cellular contents, and reduced cell dimensions. N2 fixation rates per unit of phosphorus utilization as well as C:P and N:P ratios more than doubled at high CO2, with no change in C:N ratios. This could enhance the productivity of N‐limited oligotrophic oceans, drive some of these areas into P limitation, and increase biological carbon sequestration in the ocean. The observed CO2 sensitivity of Trichodesmium could thereby provide a strong negative feedback to atmospheric CO2 increase.
Industrial robotics and the global organisation of production

Increased robot use, fuelled by price declines and the increased dexterity of these machines, is expected to affect existing/future production technologies and the organisation of production within GVCs. In order to safeguard their competitiveness in an increasingly digitalised global economy, governments across OECD and emerging economies are implementing a range of policy measures/programmes to support the investment in and use of robotics. This paper assesses the extent to which robotics impact the organisation of production through offshoring and backshoring. The results indicate that the use of industrial robots in developed economies appears to be slowing the offshoring rates, although it is not yet prompting firms to bring jobs back home. However, the effect is very recent, especially in labour-intensive sectors, and not yet apparent in developing countries. The findings suggest the rate of global value chain expansion may be slower than in the past.
The relative importance of personal characteristics for the hiring of young workers

We investigate the relative importance of different personal characteristics for firms' hiring decisions. Our design allows firms to observe potential workers during a long screening period. At the end of that period firms can decide to make job offers, thereby revealing their preferences about workers' personal characteristics. We connect real-world job offers and workers' personal characteristics, both of which are usually unobserved. To investigate the relative importance of various personal characteristics for the likelihood to receive a job offer, we use a unique panel data set of entry-level workers. We find that grades and non-cognitive skills are important for receiving a job offer, with the Big Five Personality traits being the most important predictor. We find no effects for intelligence or economic preferences.
Prolonged febrile convulsions and mesial temporal lobe epilepsy in an identical twin

The authors report a 30-year-old identical twin who had prolonged febrile convulsions (FC) at the age of 8 months, left mesial temporal lobe epilepsy beginning at the age of 2 years, and left mesial temporal lobe sclerosis (MTS). The unaffected twin had short FC and meningitis at the age of 4 years but remained seizure free. Thus, prolonged FC in children younger than 4 years may precipitate later development of MTS.
The Impact of the use of Other Participating Auditors by the Signing Auditor on the Audit Quality of Group Audits

Recent regulatory initiatives by the IAASB and the PCAOB show a growing concern regarding group audits using the work of other audit firms. Current research copes with issues regarding the identification of audits where other auditors are used, since other participating firms could only be identified when they contributed to (more than) 20 percent of the audit. Since 2017, the PCAOB maintains a database which contains detailed information on the participation of other auditors in a group audit. Based on this information, all participating firms can be identified for audits where the group auditor assumed responsibility over the work of others. This study examines the effect of the use of other audit firms on audit quality using a Propensity Score Matching technique. This study finds no evidence that suggests the use of other audit firms is associated with a decrease in audit quality. In fact, this paper finds some evidence which suggests this is associated with an increase in audit quality. This paper contributes to academic research by using data on other participating firms that is more detailed compared to data used in previous research. The practical implications are mainly that it enables regulatory bodies as the PCAOB and the IAASB to evaluate the effectiveness and need for regulation regarding the use of other audit firms in a group audit.
Changing Patterns in Mortality and Disease Outcomes for Patients with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus

Objective Survival of patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) has improved significantly, but new morbidities have emerged, leading to altered patterns of outcome in this disease. We examined changes in mortality and other outcomes over time in a large SLE cohort. Methods A group of 1241 patients from the University of Toronto Lupus Clinic followed prospectively were divided into 4 entry cohorts — 1: 1970–1978, 2: 1979–1987, 3: 1988–1996, 4: 1997–2005. These cohorts were followed through four 9-year calendar periods defined over the same intervals. Both cohort and calendar effects were assessed for the following outcomes: mortality (standardized mortality ratio; SMR), disease activity over time (adjusted mean SLEDAI; AMS), cumulative damage (Systemic Lupus International Collaborating Clinics Damage Index; SDI), coronary artery disease (CAD), and osteonecrosis (ON). Cox regression models were used to further investigate mortality and the influence on it of the disease-related factors. Results Over the 36-year period of the study, 211 deaths occurred. The overall SMR in the first and last decades were 12.60 (95% CI: 9.13, 17.39) and 3.46 (95% CI: 2.71, 4.40) respectively. When SMR were stratified by the entry cohort and calendar period, there is evidence of a calendar-period effect but no cohort effect. The AMS decreased over the decades, while SDI, CAD, and ON increased. There were significant detrimental effects for male sex, CAD, AMS, SDI, and use of immunosuppressive drugs and significant protective effects for use of antimalarials and the effect of calendar period on mortality. Conclusion Our study demonstrates improved survival in patients with SLE over a 36-year period. Disease-related variables included in the model are important factors for mortality in this SLE cohort, but could not completely explain the trend of improved survival over calendar period observed.
The Importance of Quality and Product Design in the New Textile Production Markets

The rapid development of technology and communications has reduced the distance between nations and improved the time from order to delivery [1]. Hence, today’s economy is global [2]. As with Portugal, according to Towers [3] many textile businesses have significantly reduced their manufacturing capacity in the UK and have transferred some or all of it overseas to Eastern Europe, the African continent and Asia. With their significantly lower labour and production costs, such companies are able to widen their profit margins considerably. Hence, according Middleton [4], the textiles market has become highly competitive, with the main manufacturing base moving from the developed countries to the developing countries such as India, Pakistan and China, where manufacturing costs are significantly lower (e.g. labour costs, taxes and transport costs) and governments grant subsidies. The lower production costs allow developing countries to export goods at cheaper prices than developed countries, which are compounded when developing countries markets mature and they have difficulty selling the goods. When large brands relocate production, unemployment increases in countries where large brands previously made their production [5]. A major problem is developing countries do not have design of their own products, and also, they do not have their own universal brands [6]. But there is another big problem. In emerging countries the product quality is low and many times, they do not respect intellectual property [7]. In Portuguese companies the quality is excellent [8], but the biggest problem of the Portuguese textile industry is the lack of product design, which is usually done in the headquarters of large international companies, that is, in the developed countries, namely G7 countries [7].