Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Empirical Properties of Group Preference Aggregation Methods Employed in AHP: Theory and Evidence

We study various methods of aggregating individual judgments and individual priorities in group decision making with the AHP. The focus is on the empirical properties of the various methods, mainly on the extent to which the various aggregation methods represent an accurate approximation of the priority vector of interest. We identify five main classes of aggregation procedures which provide identical or very similar empirical expressions for the vectors of interest. We also propose a method to decompose in the AHP response matrix distortions due to random errors and perturbations caused by cognitive bias predicted by the mathematical psychology literature. We test the decomposition with experimental data and find that perturbations in group decision making caused by cognitive distortions are more important than those caused by random errors. We propose methods to correct systematic distortions.
Modeling Long-Term Changes in Daily Within-Person Associations: An Application of Multilevel SEM

Short-term within-person associations are considered to reflect unique dynamic characteristics of an individual and are frequently used to predict distal outcomes. These effects are typically examined with a 2-step statistical process. The present research demonstrates how long-term changes in short-term within-person associations can be modeled simultaneously within a multilevel structural equation modeling framework. We demonstrate the utility of this model using measurement burst data from the National Study of Daily Experiences (NSDE) embedded within the Midlife in the United States (MIDUS) longitudinal study. Two measurement bursts were separated by 9 years, with each containing daily measures of stress and affect across 8 consecutive days. Measures of life satisfaction and psychological well-being were also assessed across the 9-year period. Three-level structural equation models were fit to simultaneously model short-term within-person associations between stress and negative affect and long-term changes in these associations over the 9-year period. Individual differences in long-term changes of the short-term dynamics between stress and affect predicted well-being levels. We highlight how characterizing individuals based on the strength of their within-person associations across multiple time scales can be informative in predicting distal outcomes.
Diagnostic Accuracy of the Aortic Dissection Detection Risk Score Plus D-Dimer for Acute Aortic Syndromes: The ADvISED Prospective Multicenter Study

Background: Acute aortic syndromes (AASs) are rare and severe cardiovascular emergencies with unspecific symptoms. For AASs, both misdiagnosis and overtesting are key concerns, and standardized diagnostic strategies may help physicians to balance these risks. D-dimer (DD) is highly sensitive for AAS but is inadequate as a stand-alone test. Integration of pretest probability assessment with DD testing is feasible, but the safety and efficiency of such a diagnostic strategy are currently unknown. Methods: In a multicenter prospective observational study involving 6 hospitals in 4 countries from 2014 to 2016, consecutive outpatients were eligible if they had ≥1 of the following: chest/abdominal/back pain, syncope, perfusion deficit, and if AAS was in the differential diagnosis. The tool for pretest probability assessment was the aortic dissection detection risk score (ADD-RS, 0–3) per current guidelines. DD was considered negative (DD−) if <500 ng/mL. Final case adjudication was based on conclusive diagnostic imaging, autopsy, surgery, or 14-day follow-up. Outcomes were the failure rate and efficiency of a diagnostic strategy for ruling out AAS in patients with ADD-RS=0/DD− or ADD-RS ⩽1/DD−. Results: A total of 1850 patients were analyzed. Of these, 438 patients (24%) had ADD-RS=0, 1071 patients (58%) had ADD-RS=1, and 341 patients (18%) had ADD-RS >1. Two hundred forty-one patients (13%) had AAS: 125 had type A aortic dissection, 53 had type B aortic dissection, 35 had intramural aortic hematoma, 18 had aortic rupture, and 10 had penetrating aortic ulcer. A positive DD test result had an overall sensitivity of 96.7% (95% confidence interval [CI], 93.6–98.6) and a specificity of 64% (95% CI, 61.6–66.4) for the diagnosis of AAS; 8 patients with AAS had DD−. In 294 patients with ADD-RS=0/DD−, 1 case of AAS was observed. This yielded a failure rate of 0.3% (95% CI, 0.1–1.9) and an efficiency of 15.9% (95% CI, 14.3–17.6) for the ADD-RS=0/DD− strategy. In 924 patients with ADD-RS ⩽1/DD−, 3 cases of AAS were observed. This yielded a failure rate of 0.3% (95% CI, 0.1–1) and an efficiency of 49.9% (95% CI, 47.7–52.2) for the ADD-RS ⩽1/DD− strategy. Conclusions: Integration of ADD-RS (either ADD-RS=0 or ADD-RS ⩽1) with DD may be considered to standardize diagnostic rule out of AAS. Clinical Trial Registration: URL: https://www.clinicaltrials. gov. Unique identifier: NCT02086136.
Impact of hemoglobin breakdown products in the spectral analysis of burn wounds using spatial frequency domain spectroscopy

Abstract. Burn wounds and wound healing invoke several biological processes that may complicate the interpretation of spectral imaging data. Through analysis of spatial frequency domain spectroscopy data (450 to 1000 nm) obtained from longitudinal investigations using a graded porcine burn wound healing model, we have identified features in the absorption spectrum that appear to suggest the presence of hemoglobin breakdown products, e.g., methemoglobin. Our results show that the calculated concentrations of methemoglobin directly correlate with burn severity, 24 h after the injury. In addition, tissue parameters such as oxygenation (StO2) and water fraction may be underestimated by 20% and 78%, respectively, if methemoglobin is not included in the spectral analysis.
Pediatric Rapid Response Systems Beyond Tertiary Facilities: Is There a Role for Telemedicine?

DOI: 10.1097/PCC.0000000000001801 Copyright © 2019 by the Society of Critical Care Medicine and the World Federation of Pediatric Intensive and Critical Care Societies here may not be appropriate, limiting the generalizability of these findings beyond this specific population. Finally, and most importantly, the current study by Namachivayam et al (9) does not address any comparison between those infants who never received PD and those in the “early” and “late” cohorts. Thus, it remains unclear how those groups may have differed from each other, complicating efforts to apply these findings broadly at the bedside. Once the decision to use PD after CPB has been made by the clinician and CICU team, it appears to be beneficial to expedite the PD initiation as much as possible. The basic question of which infants may derive the most benefit from early initiation of PD versus continuing nondialytic fluid management, however, remains unanswered. As we move forward, protocolized prospective studies with tangible clinical outcomes that can help to guide clinical decision-making remain badly needed.
Ameliorative Effect of Cardamom Aqueous Extract on Doxorubicin-Induced Cardiotoxicity in Rats

This study was conducted to evaluate the potential cardioprotective effect of cardamom (CAR) against myocardial injuries induced by doxorubicin (DOX) in rats through investigation of histological alterations and the associated oxidative stress, apoptosis, inflammation, and angiogenesis. This study included 30 adult male albino rats that were randomized to 3 groups (n = 10/group): group I (control), group II (DOX) rats injected with DOX (2.5 mg/kg body weight [BW] i.p.) every other day for 2 weeks, and group III (CAR+DOX) received CAR extract (200 mg/kg BW) orally for 3 weeks, and 1 week later (starting from the 2nd week) they were injected with DOX (2.5 mg/kg BW i.p.) every other day for 2 weeks. Rats treated with DOX alone exhibited notable myocardial damage (discontinuity and disorganization of cardiac muscle fibers, mononuclear cell infiltration, and apparent increases in collagen fiber deposition) accompanied by loss of function (revealed by elevated serum levels of lactate dehydrogenase, creatine kinase, and cardiac troponin), induction of oxidative stress (indicated by higher levels of nitric oxide and malondialdehyde, and lower levels of superoxide dismutase, catalase, and glutathione peroxidase), apoptosis (evidenced by high caspase 3 activity and immunostaining), and inflammation (marked by high cardiac NFκB level). However, administration of CAR not only ameliorated all deleterious effects of DOX but also induced angiogenesis, as indicated by a significant increase in VEGF immunoreactivity. These data indicate that CAR could relieve DOX-induced cardiotoxicity, at least in part, via reductions in oxidative stress, apoptosis, and inflammation and increased tissue regeneration via induction of angiogenesis. Therefore, CAR could be a promising cytoprotective agent against DOX cardiotoxicity.
The Association of Psychological Well-Being with Disablement Processes in a National Sample.

OBJECTIVE Objectives were to explore subgroups of individuals with differential disability trajectories and evaluate the protective effects of psychological well-being (i.e. hedonic and eudaimonic) in the presence of multiple disease conditions (or multimorbidity) and sociodemographic disadvantages. METHODS Data come from the prospective longitudinal cohort study the Midlife Development in the United States (n = 3,904). Three waves of data spanning a 20-year period were used to identify subgroups with different disability trajectories. Subgroup membership was then modelled as a function of psychological well-being assessed at wave 1 of the study using multinomial logistic regression. RESULTS Three unique groups were identified: a normative group with initially low and slowly increasing levels of disability; a group with high levels of disability that was stable over time; and a group with moderate initial levels of disability that increased over time. Hedonic well-being at wave 1 was associated with membership in the risk groups relative to the normative group. CONCLUSION Individuals may follow one of three disability pathways mostly as a function of multimorbidity. However, hedonic well-being was associated with having an advantageous disability trajectory regardless of multimorbidity status. Cultivating psychological well-being may improve disability outcomes in aging individuals.
Effects of acute alcohol consumption on emotion recognition in social alcohol drinkers

Background: Research suggests that acute alcohol consumption alters recognition of emotional expressions. Extending this work, we investigated the effects of alcohol on recognition of six primary expressions of emotion. Methods: We conducted two studies using a 2 × 6 experimental design with a between-subjects factor of drink (alcohol, placebo) and a within-subjects factor of emotion (anger, disgust, sadness, surprise, happiness, fear). Study one (n = 110) was followed by a direct replication study (n = 192). Participants completed a six alternative forced choice emotion recognition task following consumption of 0.4 g/kg alcohol or placebo. Dependent variables were recognition accuracy (i.e. hits) and false alarms. Results: There was no clear evidence of differences in recognition accuracy between groups (ps > .58). In study one, there were more false alarms for anger in the alcohol compared to placebo group (n = 52 and 56, respectively; t(94.6) = 2.26, p = . 024, d = . 44) and fewer false alarms for happiness (t(106) = –2.42, p = . 017, d = –. 47). However, no clear evidence for these effects was found in study two (alcohol group n = 96, placebo group n = 93, ps > .22). When the data were combined we observed weak evidence of an effect of alcohol on false alarms of anger (t(295) = 2.25, p = . 025, d = . 26). Conclusions: These studies find weak support for biased anger perception following acute alcohol consumption in social consumers, which could have implications for alcohol-related aggression. Future research should investigate the robustness of this effect, particularly in individuals high in trait aggression.
A Qualitative Study of Serious Illness Conversations in Patients with Advanced Cancer.

BACKGROUND Conversations with seriously ill patients about their values and goals have been associated with reduced distress, a better quality of life, and goal-concordant care near the end of life. Yet, little is known about how such conversations are conducted. OBJECTIVE To characterize the content of serious illness conversations and identify opportunities for improvement. DESIGN Qualitative analysis of audio-recorded, serious illness conversations using an evidence-based guide and obtained through a cluster randomized controlled trial in an outpatient oncology setting. Setting/Measurements: Clinicians assigned to the intervention arm received training to use the "Serious Illness Conversation Guide" to have a serious illness conversation about values and goals with advanced cancer patients. Conversations were de-identified, transcribed verbatim, and independently coded by two researchers. Key themes were analyzed. RESULTS A total of 25 conversations conducted by 16 clinicians were evaluated. The median conversation duration was 14 minutes (range 4-37), with clinicians speaking half of the time. Thematic analyses demonstrated five key themes: (1) supportive dialogue between patients and clinicians; (2) patients' openness to discuss emotionally challenging topics; (3) patients' willingness to articulate preferences regarding life-sustaining treatments; (4) clinicians' difficulty in responding to emotional or ambiguous patient statements; and (5) challenges in discussing prognosis. CONCLUSIONS Data from this exploratory study suggest that seriously ill patients are open to discussing values and goals with their clinician. Yet, clinicians may struggle when disclosing a time-based prognosis and in responding to patients' emotions. Such skills should be a focus for additional training for clinicians caring for seriously ill patients.
Aquaculture Contributes a Higher Proportion to Children's Daily Intake of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons Than to That of Adults in Eastern China

Asia, especially China, shares a large proportion of global aquaculture production. Consequently, aquaculture food quality and safety with regard to contamination with polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were assessed in eastern China, which is a typical area of aquaculture. The concentrations of ∑PAHs ranged from 42 to 600 ng/g dry weight in a variety of dietary species from farm ponds in eastern China. With regard to the total daily intake of PAHs estimated based on the literature data on urinary hydroxy‐PAHs in this region, there was a significant difference between children (mean = 130 ng/kg/d) and adults (mean = 600 ng/kg/d for pregnant women, 1700 ng/kg/d for women, and 2300 ng/kg/d for men). Furthermore, we provided a novel estimation on the fractional contribution of aquatic products to the overall human daily intake of PAHs. Specifically, the contribution of aquatic foodstuffs to total daily intake for children and pregnant women reached more than 50 and 10%, respectively, indicating that children and pregnant women were more vulnerable to the PAH‐contaminated aquaculture foodstuffs. Meanwhile, no significant region‐specific pattern between different provinces was observed. In summary, these results suggested that sensitive subpopulations were vulnerable to exposure to PAH‐contaminated aquatic products, and it is necessary to pay attention to the dietary intake pattern of these sensitive subgroups in eastern China. Environ Toxicol Chem 2019;00:1–9. © 2019 SETAC
Age-Specific Reference Ranges of Prostate-Specific Antigen among Saudi Men as a Representation of the Arab Population

Objective: To describe the reference ranges of serum prostate-specific antigen (PSA) in Saudi men. Materials/Subjects and Methods: Saudi males, aged 30 and above, were invited to participate in the study. Blood samples were taken from each subject to determine serum levels of PSA. Blood sugar levels, lipid profile, and anthropometric measurements were also obtained. Results: Our cohort consisted of 7,814 men; their mean PSA level was 1.24 ng/mL. The majority (90.5%) had PSA values between 0 and 2.5 ng/mL. The median PSA and the 95th percentile increased steadily with age. There was a sharp increase in the 95th percentile, from 3.8 ng/mL in men between 60 and 70 years old to 6.9 ng/mL in men over 71 years old. The 95th percentiles of PSA serum levels were lower in Saudi men than in the general population. Conclusions: PSA serum levels in Saudi men are lower than in other communities. Creating age-specific reference ranges could improve the sensitivity of the PSA tests by allowing the detection of treatable tumors in younger men if the threshold of 4.0 ng/mL is lowered. Furthermore, unnecessary biopsies among older men may be avoided if the threshold is increased.
Using the Braden subscales to assess risk of pressure injuries in adult patients: A retrospective case‐control study

The aim of this study was to compare the pressure injury risk predictability between the individual Braden subscales and the total Braden scale in adult inpatients in Singapore. A retrospective 1:1 case‐control design was used from a sample of 199 patient medical records. Clinical data were collected from a local university hospital's medical records database. The results showed that, among the six subscales, the activity subscale was the most sensitive and specific in predicting pressure injury (PI). However, the overall results showed that the Braden scale remained the most predictive of PI development in comparison with the individual subscales. The study also found that, among the Singaporean patients, the Braden cut‐off score for PI risk was 17 compared with the current cut‐off score of 18. Therefore, it may be relevant for local tertiary hospitals to review their respective Braden cut‐off scores as the study results indicate an over‐prediction of PI risk, which leads to unnecessary utilisation of resources. The hospital may also consider developing a PI prevention bundle comprising commonly used preventive interventions when at least one Braden subscale reflects a suboptimal score.
Corticobasal syndrome: neuroimaging and neurophysiological advances

Corticobasal degeneration (CBD) is a neurodegenerative condition characterized by 4R tau protein deposition in several brain regions that clinically manifests itself as a heterogeneous atypical parkinsonism typically expressed in adulthood. The prototypical clinical phenotype of CBD is corticobasal syndrome (CBS). Important insights into the pathophysiological mechanisms underlying motor and higher cortical symptoms in CBS have been gained by using advanced neuroimaging and neurophysiological techniques. Structural and functional neuroimaging studies often show asymmetric cortical and subcortical abnormalities, mainly involving perirolandic and parietal regions and basal ganglia structures. Neurophysiological investigations including electroencephalography and somatosensory evoked potentials provide useful information on the origin of myoclonus and on cortical sensory loss. Transcranial magnetic stimulation demonstrates heterogeneous and asymmetric changes in the excitability and plasticity of primary motor cortex and abnormal hemispheric connectivity. Neuroimaging and neurophysiological abnormalities in multiple brain areas reflect asymmetric neurodegeneration, leading to asymmetric motor and higher cortical symptoms in CBS.
Frequency of psychiatric disorders in nonemergent admissions to emergency department

Objectives: Repeated admissions of patients with undiagnosed psychiatric problems in emergency departments (ED) is a major contributor to patient unsatisfaction and overcrowding in EDs. We evaluated the presence of psychiatric disorders in non-emergent admissions in the ED of a tertiary care hospital. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study was carried out in Eskisehir Osmangazi University Hospital between December 2015 and March 2016. The study group consists of 4320 non-emergent patients (31% of all admissions to non-emergent ED). Psychiatric assessments of patients were done using the Primary Care Evaluation of Mental Disorders (PRIME-MD) scale prior to their discharge from the ED. The Mann-Whitney U, Kruskal-Wallis and Chi-square tests, as well as multivariate logistic regression, were performed for statistical analysis. Results: The mean age was 30 ± 11.7 years years ranging from 18 to 78 years. Among non-emergent cases, 44% had at least one psychiatric disorder. The most frequent psychiatric disorder was mood disorder (major and minor depression). Females with a comorbid disease and lower education level had increased risk for mood disorders, anxiety disorders, and somatoform disorders. Single males with a comorbid disease had increased risk for alcohol dependence. Conclusions: Undiagnosed patients with psychiatric disorders appear to be frequent users of medical emergency department services. These results might be helpful in developing more effective strategies to serve the mental health needs of the undiagnosed. People's awareness of psychiatric disorders should be increased.
Changes in immune and metabolic gut response in broilers fed &bgr;‐mannanase in &bgr;‐mannan‐containing diets

&NA; &bgr;‐galactomannans found in soy‐based broiler feed are known to cause physiological effects that are hypothesized to be related to gut inflammation. Previous studies have shown that the incorporation of &bgr;‐mannanase in the diet or as a supplement results in improvements to certain performance parameters related to gut health and feed conversion. Using kinome analysis, we characterized the mechanism of &bgr;‐galactomannan activity and supplementation with &bgr;‐mannanase on the gut of commercial broilers to understand the mode of action. Two doses of &bgr;‐mannanase (200 and 400 g/ton of feed) with and without inclusion of additional &bgr;‐galactomannan (3,000 ppm) were tested at 3 time points (d 14, d 28, and d 42 post hatch). Broilers were fed starter (d 0 to 14), grower (d 15 to 28), and finisher diets (d 29 to 42). Jejuna were collected from birds from each treatment condition and time point. Cluster analysis of the kinome data showed that birds clustered first by age, then predominantly by whether &bgr;‐mannanase had been included in the diet. Biological pathway analysis showed that the inclusion of additional &bgr;‐galactomannan into the diet resulted in increased signaling related to immune response, relative to our normal control diet (with reduced soybean meal). The addition of &bgr;‐mannanase to the enhanced &bgr;‐galactomannan diet eliminated the majority of this immune‐related signaling, indicating that the feed‐induced immune response within the jejuna had been eliminated by the addition of &bgr;‐mannanase. We also saw changes in specific metabolic and gut function pathways in birds fed &bgr;‐mannanase. These observed changes in &bgr;‐mannanase‐fed birds are likely the mechanism for the enhanced performance and feed conversion observed in birds given &bgr;‐mannanase in their diets.