Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Surgical technique affects the risk for tracheostoma-related complications in post-ICU patients

Conclusions. This study provides evidence that the surgical technique used for tracheotomy influences the risk of tracheostomy-related complications. Techniques resulting in an epithelialized tracheostoma seem to minimize the risk. Objective. Tracheotomies are frequently performed procedures in critically ill patients requiring long-term ventilation. Hence, we undertook a study to evaluate factors for tracheostomy-related complications among patients with a persisting stoma after critical care. Patients and methods. The patients underwent endoscopic examination of the tracheostoma, larynx, and trachea. The intensive care units (ICUs) were contacted with a questionnaire about the patient's diagnosis, the indication for the tracheotomy, the date of the tracheotomy, and the method of the tracheotomy procedure. Results. A total of 170 patients were included in this study. In all, 57.6% of the patients had unstable tracheostomas, a stenosis of the tracheal lumen above the stoma was encountered in 48.2% (G I, <50% of the lumen = 27.6% and G II, >50% of the lumen = 20.6%), and below the stoma in 3.5% of the patients. A significant association was found between severe suprastomal stenosis, tracheostoma instability and the use of dilatational tracheotomy (DT) (p<0.001). A malacia of the trachea was significantly more common among female patients (p < 0.010).
ON STRUCTURAL INFLATION AND LATIN-AMERICAN 'STRUCTURALISM'

THE process of inflation which, with great severity and persistence, has been afflicting for years some Latin-American countries has given rise in them to a lively controversy about its genesis and possible remedial measures. There are some who maintain the view, often denoted as 'structuralist', that such perturbations should be attributed to nonmonetary imbalances, partly due to flaws in the economic and social organization of those countries; and that, therefore, the reliance on monetary restriction to check price rises in them is unjustified.2 The failure of successive stabilization plans, not always imputable to defects in their practical execution, has of itself tended to favour the credibility of the non-monetary diagnosis; but the influence of the 'structuralist' doctrine is still quite limited. This may be due to some relative intricacy of formulation, both from the viewpoint of theory and of policy, in contrast to the analytical precision of the monetary method and the clearness of its counterinflationary prescriptions. Moreover, the rather
Charged particle radiography

New applications of charged particle radiography have been developed over the past two decades that extend the range of radiographic techniques providing high-speed sequences of radiographs of thicker objects with higher effective dose than can be obtained with conventional radiographic techniques. In this paper, we review the motivation and the development of flash radiography and in particular, charged particle radiography.
Clinical Relevance of Plasma miR‐21 in New‐Onset Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Patients

Plasma miR‐21 is widely investigated as biomarker in many diseases. Recent studies show that miR‐21 participates in the development of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). The aim of this study was to evaluate the expression profile of miR‐21 in the plasma of SLE patients.
Relationship between increases in BMI and changes in periodontal status: a prospective cohort study.

AIM The purpose of this prospective cohort study was to investigate whether body mass index (BMI) and oral health behaviour are related to changes in periodontal status in Japanese university students. MATERIALS AND METHODS Students (n = 224) who were interested in receiving oral health examinations before entering university and before graduation were included in the analysis. Subjects were investigated regarding the correlations of oral health behaviours and increases in BMI with the percentage of bleeding on probing (%BOP) and Community Periodontal Index (CPI) scores as indicators of changes in periodontal status. RESULTS The risk of increased %BOP was associated with the non-use of dental floss (adjusted odds ratio [OR]: 3.11; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.31-7.37; p < 0.05), whereas the risk of increased CPI score was associated with increases in BMI (OR: 1.95; 95% CI: 1.05-3.65; p < 0.05) and simplified oral hygiene index score (OR: 2.28; 95% CI: 1.23-4.22; p < 0.01). CONCLUSION Increases in BMI were associated with worsening of periodontal status, defined as increased CPI score in Japanese university students, whereas lack of inter-dental cleaning was associated with exacerbated gingival bleeding.
Effect of ovariectomy on the proliferative capacity of intrahepatic rat cholangiocytes.

BACKGROUND & AIMS We evaluated the effects of ovariectomy (OVX) and estrogen replacement treatment on cholangiocyte proliferation induced by bile duct ligation (BDL). METHODS BDL (2 weeks) was performed in ovariectomized rats and the proliferative and apoptotic activity compared with normal, with BDL control rats, and with BDL +/- OVX rats treated with 17-beta estradiol. RESULTS OVX induced a significant (P < 0.01) reduction of bile duct mass in BDL rats. The reduction of bile duct mass induced by OVX was associated with a decreased expression of estrogen receptor (ER)-alpha (2.5-fold) and, mainly, ER-beta (35-fold). Proliferating cellular nuclear antigen (PCNA) expression in cholangiocytes was impaired by OVX, indicating depression of proliferation, whereas terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated deoxyuridine triphosphate nick-end labeling (TUNEL) and Fas positivity were markedly enhanced, indicating activation of Fas-mediated apoptosis. Administration of 17-beta estradiol during BDL in OVX rats induced a normalization of bile duct mass, ER expression, cholangiocyte proliferation, and apoptosis (Fas and TUNEL) in comparison with untreated BDL rats. CONCLUSIONS Our findings support the role of endogenous estrogens in sustaining the enhanced proliferative and secretory activities of cholangiocytes in cholestasis. On the basis of these data, the hypothesis of an estrogenic functional deficiency in chronic cholestatic liver diseases should merit careful attention.
Personalization enhances learning anatomy terms

Background: Personalizing computer-based instructional text with a conversational rather than formal style has been found to enhance learning substantially. Aim: An experimental study investigated whether a conversational style would enhance learning anatomy terminology from paper-based materials. Methods: Students were randomly assigned to experimental conditions, and hypotheses were tested with a multiple-choice test and self-report scales. Results: Studying personalized materials led to better performance on a terminology test and lower mental effort during testing than studying non-personalized materials. However, groups did not differ on ratings of interest/enjoyment. Conclusion: These results extend previous research by demonstrating learning gains following personalization using paper-based materials. However, the lack of effect on interest/enjoyment self-reports raises questions about previous theorizing on the role of this variable.
Measuring the customers’ perception of tangible service quality in the restaurant industry: An emphasis on the upscale dining segment

ABSTRACT The purpose of this study is to investigate the relative importance of tangible service attributes toward diners’ satisfaction within the upscale dining segment. Based on previous studies on tangible service quality, a total of 29 tangible service attributes were identified. Through the exploratory factor analysis (EFA), five underlying dimensions of tangible service attributes were first delineated: presentation value, table aesthetics, sensory perceptions, hygiene purity, and vehicle convenience. The results of multiple regression analyses indicate that statistically significant causal relationship between tangible service factors and the diners’ satisfaction exist within the upscale dining segment. Detailed empirical findings and implications are discussed.
A content analysis of involuntary autobiographical memories: Examining the positivity effect in old age

Although research on autobiographical memory is growing steadily, very little is known about involuntary autobiographical memories that are spontaneously recalled in everyday life. In addition, very few studies have examined the actual content of autobiographical memories and how the content might change as a function of age. The present study carried out a content analysis of involuntary autobiographical memories recorded by young (N = 11) and old (N = 10) volunteers over a period of 1 week. A total of 224 memories were classified into 17 categories according to the type of content recalled (e.g., births, holidays, school). The results support the socioemotional theory of ageing (Carstensen, Isaacowitz & Charles, 1999) by showing that although young and old adults recalled a similar number of memories with a typically positive content (e.g., holidays, special occasions), older adults recalled very few memories with a typically negative content (e.g., accidents, stressful events). Moreover, even when such negative memories were recalled, they were rated by older adults as neutral or even positive. This so-called positivity effect in old age could not be entirely explained by participants' ratings of mood at the time of recall. Theoretical and practical implications of these findings for ageing and autobiographical memory research are discussed.
Prostate Cancer Update: Advanced Disease

The presentations for the “Advanced Disease" section of the 13th International Prostate Cancer Update provided an overview of current and future directions in the management of men with recurrent prostate cancer after local therapy and those with metastatic disease. Definitions of biochemical failure after local therapy were reviewed. Treatment strategies that were discussed included salvage radiation, early/intermittent hormonal therapy, cytotoxic chemotherapy, the use of bisphosphonates, and gene therapy. Several possible molecular targets for prostate cancer treatment need further validation before testing in clinical trials, and examples of these were presented. Each presentation focused on the need to accrue men to clinical trials to enable progress at a faster pace.
The relationships between personality and Facebook photographs: A study in Taiwan

Abstract The current study aimed to investigate the relationships between Facebook users’ personality traits and Facebook photos categories relating to the users’ daily life events. Five hundred and seventy-five Facebook users participated in this study. The results indicated that Extraversion was the strongest significant predictor for most photo categories. The other four personality traits, i.e. Openness to experience, Conscientiousness, Emotional stability, and Agreeableness, were also related to certain photo categories. The current study’s findings expand literature a new field to explore Facebook users’ underlying dispositions and extend current knowledge to a deeper understanding of what kinds of photo being predicted by what dispositions, and provides a new approach to assessment of applicants’ and employees’ personality in addition to self-reported personality tests.
Advanced access control system for multi-tier server applications

Server applications are one of the most important components of applications which use multi-tire architecture. These servers need to handle access of users. Access control logic is usually implemented directly inside an object which is responsible for performing required operations over the data. The object verifies access to its methods and permits or denies the operation. But systems usually consist of many such objects with different missions. All of these objects require similar access control system. This makes a greater overhead because access control verification must be coded inside all those objects. If in this approach a programmer forgets to verify some of required rights in the code then the system may encounter a forbidden data access. This article deals with that topic and designs a unified database layer working over relation databases. Benefits of this layer are strong simplification of the access control system and impossibility to access data without permissions.
The impact of hepatitis C virus coinfection on HIV-related kidney disease: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Background:In the era of antiretroviral therapy, non-AIDS complications such as kidney disease are important contributors to morbidity and mortality. Objective:To estimate the impact of hepatitis C coinfection on the risk of kidney disease in HIV patients. Design and methods:Two investigators identified English-language citations in MEDLINE and Web of Science from 1989 through 1 July 2007. References of selected articles were reviewed. Observational studies and clinical trials of HIV-related kidney disease and antiretroviral nephrotoxicity were eligible if they included at least 50 subjects and reported hepatitis C status. Data on study characteristics, population, and kidney disease outcomes were abstracted by two independent reviewers. Results:After screening 2516 articles, 27 studies were eligible and 24 authors confirmed or provided data. Separate meta-analyses were performed for chronic kidney disease outcomes (n = 10), proteinuria (n = 4), acute renal failure (n = 2), and indinavir toxicity (n = 5). The pooled incidence of chronic kidney disease was higher in patients with hepatitis C coinfection [6.2 versus 4.0%; relative risk 1.49, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.08–2.06]. In meta-regression, prevalence of black race and the proportion of patients with documented hepatitis C status were independently associated with the risk of chronic kidney disease. The relative risk associated with hepatitis C coinfection was significantly increased for proteinuria (1.15; 95% CI 1.02–1.30) and acute renal failure (1.64; 95% CI 1.21–2.23), with no significant statistical heterogeneity. The relative risk of indinavir toxicity was 1.59 (95% CI 0.99–2.54) with hepatitis C coinfection. Conclusion:Hepatitis C coinfection is associated with a significant increase in the risk of HIV-related kidney disease.
Astrocytes as a Predominant Cellular Site of 99mTc-HMPAO Retention

Technetium-99m-d,l-hexamethylpropylene amine oxime (99mTc-HMPAO) retention in the brain monitored by single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) is currently used as a marker of cerebral blood flow. The purported mechanism by which 99mTc-HMPAO accumulates in the brain is through its intracellular conversion from a lipophilic form to more hydrophilic derivatives within the brain parenchyma. The issue of the contribution of different cell types on 99mTc-HMPAO retention was investigated in vitro by studying the accumulation of 99mTc-HMPAO in primary cultures of mouse cortical astrocytes and neurons. Results show that 99mTc-HMPAO retention predominates in astrocytes over neurons by a factor of ∼2.5 (0.26 ± 0.05 vs. 0.095 ± 0.042 fmol/mg protein after 120 minutes, respectively). Diethyl maleate (60 μmol/L), ethacrynic acid (1 mmol/L) and buthionine sulfoximine (1 mmol/L), 3 agents which significantly reduced glutathione levels also decreased 99mTc-HMPAO retention in both astrocytes (29%, 3%, and 46% of control, respectively) and neurons (69%, 11% and 63% of control). Decrease did not always correlate with glutathione levels, however, which suggests that other factors could be involved. The possibility that cell energy status determines 99mTc-HMPAO retention was also assessed. Agents that activate (glutamate, azide) or inhibit (cytochalasin B) glucose utilization in astrocytes, as measured by the 3H-2-deoxyglucose method, were without effect on 99mTc-HMPAO retention. In conclusion, the data presented indicate that astrocytes may constitute a prominent site of 99mTc-HMPAO retention and most likely contribute significantly to the SPECT signal. In addition, the data also suggest that specific alterations in glial cell metabolism could explain flow-independent changes in 99mTc-HMPAO retention in the brain as observed by SPECT in some pathologies.
Comparison of performance in successive CASP experiments

As the number of completed CASP (Critical Assessment of Protein Structure Prediction) experiments grows, so does the need for stable, standard methods for comparing performance in successive experiments. It is critical to develop methods for determining the areas in which there is progress and in which areas are static. We have added an analysis of the CASP4 results to that previously published for CASPs 1, 2, and 3. We again use a unified difficulty scale to permit comparison of performance as a function of target difficulty in the different CASPs. The scale is used to compare performance in aligning target sequences to a structural template. There was a clear improvement in alignment quality between CASP1 (1994) and CASP2 (1996). No change is apparent between CASP2 and CASP3 (1998). There is a small barely detectable improvement between CASP3 and the latest experiment (CASP4, 2000). Alignment remains the major source of error in all models based on less than about 30% sequence identity. Comparison of performance in the new fold modeling regime is complicated by issues in devising an objective target difficulty scale. We have found limited numerical support for significant progress between CASP3 and CASP4 in this area. More subjectively, most observers are convinced that there has been substantial progress. Progress is dominated by a single group. Proteins 2001;Suppl 5:163–170. © 2002 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Age differences in self-set goal effects for memory

ABSTRACT Research has shown that goal setting leads to gains in memory performance and memory self-efficacy across adulthood when goals are set by experimenters and accompanied by positive feedback. However, self-set memory goals have had less consistent impact. This research extended past studies on aging and memory goals to examine the impact of self-set goals using anchors to guide goal selection. Two trials of name, text, and list recall were administered to younger and older adults, comparing goal and no-goal groups. After baseline, participants assigned to the goal group set personal goals for memory gain on a second, post-goal trial for each of the three tasks. Anchoring for goal-setting was used to encourage the selection of realistic, yet challenging goals. Younger and older participants set comparable goals. Only younger adults showed a motivational response (higher gains across trials for goals than no goals), even though older adults reported being just as committed to their personal goals. Older adults may have failed to show reliable goal-related gains because no positive feedback was offered or because they were unable to activate effective strategies for improved performance.
Cortical Indices of Impaired Ocular Accommodation and Associated Convergence Mechanisms

ABSTRACT The accommodative and fusional vergence mechanisms were examined electrophysiologically in a juvenile suffering from a severe reduction in focusing ability. We used the visually evoked response (VER) to diagnose the accommodation‐vergence insufficiency. The procedure is shown to be effective for monitoring longitudinally the ability of simple orthoptic techniques to restore normal accommodative function.
APOE influences on neuropsychological function after mild head injury: Within-person comparisons

To the Editor: Sundström et al.1 compared neuropsychological function in 11 ApoE-4 positive and 23 ApoE-4 negative individuals with mild head injury (MHI). The authors conducted two analyses on their data. First, they compared neuropsychological performance before and after MHI in both groups separately using paired sample t-tests. This showed significant post-injury decline in the ApoE-4 positive group but not in the ApoE-4 negative group. Second, they calculated the proportion of individuals in each group whose performance declined by one SD on at least two of nine measures. This revealed a greater probability of post-injury decline within ApoE-4 positive individuals than in ApoE-4 negative individuals. The authors concluded that “. the risk that MHI will have a negative effect on neuropsychological functions is increased for individuals with the ApoE-4 allele. ” We believe that the conclusion cannot be supported on the basis of the analysis presented. First, the hypothesis that change in cognition was greater in ApoE-4 carriers than in non-carriers should have been tested using a group by assessment repeated measures analysis of variance. As the between groups effect sizes at the post-injury assessment are very small ( .3), we are not optimistic that re-analysis would reveal a significant group by assessment interaction. The second analysis fails to control for false classification of decline (i.e., Type 1 error). It is well known that the probability of false classification increases with the number of measures analyzed, even if the Type I error is controlled for each measure. The one-tailed probability of decline of one SD occurring on 2/9 tests is approximately 50%. 2 Sundstrom et al. have observed no greater decline in their ApoE-4 allele group than should occur by chance. There are two ways in which the authors can reduce experiment-wise error in this analysis. First, a more strict definition of decline could be set (e.g., change greater than two SD on 2/9 tests). Second, if the authors wish to keep their definition of decline (two tests impaired at one SD) then it is necessary to reduce the number of measures studied.2 Given the potential implications of conclusions that ApoE-4 allele predisposes an individual to worse outcome after MHI, it is important that appropriately conservative analyses are undertaken in studies addressing this issue.
Mining marketing intelligence from online reviews using sentiment analysis

Online product reviews have emerged as a powerful medium for generating electronic word-of-mouth. Many consumers share their opinions, post purchase experiences, and recommendations about products and services in online reviews that may be used by potential consumers to assist them in making product choices and purchase decisions. Users' opinions expressed in reviews are important for potential consumers to make well informed purchase decisions, and for product manufacturers to get insights about their products' strengths and weaknesses. This paper argues that online reviews are a rich source of marketing intelligence that can be extracted in the form of users' opinions by applying advanced text processing and analysis techniques. In particular, this paper proposes the use of sentiment analysis for extracting marketing intelligence from online reviews. The experimental results on hotel reviews show that sentiment analysis can be an effective way of deriving marketing intelligence and benchmarking information from online reviews.