Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Dysexecutive performance of healthy oldest old subjects on the Frontal Assessment Battery.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS Frontal lobes and executive functions appear to be more vulnerable to normal aging than other cerebral regions and domains. The aim of the study was to evaluate executive functions by the Frontal Assessment Battery (FAB) in healthy oldest old subjects free of dementia. METHODS Thirty-two healthy oldest old subjects (age range 85-97 yrs) and 32 young old subjects (aged 61-74 yrs) were studied. All subjects were living with their families or alone and were considered normal, since they were fully independent in their activities of daily living and without signs or symptoms characteristic of any type of dementia. Mental status was assessed by the Mini- Mental State Examination (MMSE) and executive functions by the FAB. RESULTS Mean MMSE scores were 23.12 ± 4.68 in oldest old and 26.78 ± 2.60 in young old subjects (p<0.005). Delayed recall was the most impaired domain, followed by executive (Serial 7). Mean FAB scores were 9.37 ± 4.14 in the oldest old and 13.53 ± 2.12 in the young old (p<0.0001). Among the FAB subtests, conceptualization was the most impaired in both groups, with sensitivity to interference and inhibitory control exhibiting higher discrimination between the oldest old and young old. Education influenced performance on MMSE and FAB in both groups. CONCLUSIONS On the FAB test, healthy oldest old subjects showed executive impairment with respect to the young olds, due to the involvement of functions depending on activities of different regions of the frontal lobes. FAB results were consistent with the hypothesis that frontal lobes have a high vulnerability to normal aging. Short composite batteries like the FAB are suitable for rapid and reliable description of patterns of executive functioning in the oldest old.
The role of oxygen in determining phosphocreatine onset kinetics in exercising humans

31P‐magnetic resonance spectroscopy was used to study phosphocreatine (PCr) onset kinetics in exercising human gastrocnemius muscle under varied fractions of inspired O2 (FIO2). Five male subjects performed three identical work bouts (5 min duration; order randomised) at a submaximal workload while breathing 0.1, 0.21 or 1.0 FIO2. Either a single or double exponential model was fitted to the PCr kinetics. The phase I τ (0.1, 38.6 ± 7.5; 0.21, 34.5 ± 7.9; 1.0, 38.6 ± 9.2 s) and amplitude, A1 (0.1, 0.34 ± 0.03; 0.21, 0.28 ± 0.05; 1.0, 0.28 ± 0.03,% fall in PCr) were invariant (both P > 0.05) across FIO2 trials. The initial rate of change in PCr hydrolysis at exercise onset, calculated as A1/τ1 (%PCr reduction s−1), was the same across FIO2 trials. A PCr slow component (phase II) was present at an FIO2 of 0.1 and 0.21; however, breathing 1.0 FIO2 ablated the slow component. The onset of the slow component resulted in a greater (P≤ 0.05) overall percentage fall in PCr (both phase I and II) as FIO2 decreased (0.43 ± 0.05, 0.34 ± 0.05, 0.28 ± 0.03) for 0.1, 0.21 and 1.0 FIO2, respectively. These data demonstrate that altering FIO2 does not affect the initial phase I PCr onset kinetics, which supports the notion that O2 driving pressure does not limit PCr kinetics at the onset of submaximal exercise. Thus, these data imply that the manner in which microvascular and intracellular PO2 regulates PCr hydrolysis in exercising muscle is not due to the initial kinetic fall in PCr at exercise onset.
The effect of maize silage type on the performances and methane emission of dairy cattle

To examine whether type of maize silage is important for milk production performances, maize silage LG30224 (LG) was compared with Falkone (FA), the latter having a 4.0% points lower rumen NDF digestibility and 19 g/kg dry matter (DM) more starch. To bridge the lower energy content of FA, a third treatment was involved by adding maize meal (MM) in a ratio of 92/8 on DM (FA+MM). Maize and grass silage were fed ad libitum in a ratio of 65/35 on DM basis. Concentrates were supplemented individually to meet energy and protein requirements. The experiment was set up as a Latin square with three groups of nine Holstein cows during three periods of 3 weeks. In the last 2 weeks of each period, DM intake (DMI) and milk performances were measured. Each group included one cannulated cow to study effects on rumen fermentation. During the last 4 days of each period, two cows from each group were placed in gas exchange chambers to measure nutrient digestibility and methane production. Total DMI was higher (p < 0.05) for FA+MM (20.8 kg/day) than for FA (20.3 kg/day), while DMI for LG was intermediate (20.6 kg/day). Treatment did not affect milk production nor composition, whereas fat-protein-corrected milk was higher for LG (30.5 kg/day) and FA+MM (30.3 kg/day) than for FA (29.9 kg/day). The ration did not affect pH nor volatile fatty acid composition in the rumen. Further, total tract digestibility of OM, crude protein, NDF and starch did not differ among treatments. The ration with LG gave higher methane production per day and per kg NDF intake than both rations with FA, but the difference was not significant when expressed per kg DMI or FPCM. Thus, maize silage type is of little importance for milk production if energy and physical structure requirements are met.
Media dependence of commitment in Bacillus subtilis

At some time during sporulation development, cells of Bacillus subtilis develop a commitment to continue sporulation even after addition of or dilution into a fresh nutrient. The extent of commitment was measured by the titer of spores produced at the time at which the original culture sporulated maximally. Since newly formed spores of B. subtilis soon germinate in the replenished medium, the measurement of their titer, especially of heat-resistant spores, gave low values. This problem was avoided by the germination-delaying effect of methyl anthranilate (1 mM) when added together with the fresh nutrients. In a given culture, the titer of committed cells was then independent of the method by which it was measured, i.e., by the phase-bright, octanol-resistant, or heat-resistant spore titer. The time of commitment depended on the type of nutrient added. Commitment occurred earlor casein hydrolysate. The rates at which non-metabolizable amino acid analogues or the 14C from an amino acid mixture were taken up by the cells increased toward the end of growth and later declined. This decline occurred slowly and was only weakly correlated with the commitment time of an analogous amino acid.
Mechanisms of altered protein turnover in chronic diseases: a review of human kinetic studies

Purpose of reviewChanges in hormone secretion, tissue perfusion, oxygen availability, energy-protein intake, free amino acid pattern, hydration state, acid-base balance as well as activation of the systemic inflammatory response may affect protein synthesis and degradation. The overall purpose of this review is to describe how these factors may interact to change protein turnover in the different directions seen in kinetic studies in humans. Recent findingsEvidence indicates that, in vivo, changes of protein synthesis and degradation are strictly related. When protein synthesis is primarily suppressed, protein degradation is found to be unchanged or even slightly decreased. When protein degradation is primarily accelerated, the rate of synthesis is unchanged or even increased. Chronic disease states can, therefore, be characterized either by decreased or accelerated protein turnover. Apparent discrepancies among various studies in chronic uraemia, liver cirrhosis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and cancer may stem from the fact that the pathogenesis of protein metabolism abnormalities is multifactorial. When the effects of inflammatory mediators and stress hormones start overwhelming factors that tend to decrease protein synthesis and turnover (decreased protein-energy intake, physical activity, tissue oxygen delivery, leucine levels, etc.), the rate of protein degradation and turnover may increase. SummaryLow-protein turnover conditions are usually associated with the adequate sparing of body proteins, whereas in high-protein turnover conditions protein loss may proceed at a faster rate. Nonetheless, impaired recovery from acute complications and the reduced renewal of damaged and toxic proteins are potential undesired consequences of low-protein turnover.
Examination Appropriateness of Balanced Scorecard Interactive Use in Chinese Manufacturing Industry

The number of examination consequence of Balanced Scorecard (BSC) use in the management accounting literature is significant. The findings are mixed and inclusive. Appropriateness of BSC use for processing information in organisational context, where the system functions as an interactive or diagnostic system, for decision making might explain the mixed and inclusive findings of the outcome of BSC use. Grounded in contingency theory, it is expected that a positive outcome of interactive use of BSC when firms use it to process information for managing strategic uncertainty of innovation focused customer satisfaction strategy in large and decentralised firms, by contrast, a negative consequence for BSC diagnostic use. Using a survey sample of 247 senior managers in the Chinese manufacturing industry at the firm level and structural equation model, the examination is conducted to test the expectation of the paper. The findings suggest that the outcome differs when firms use BSC differently, interactive or diagnostic, to manage and implement innovation focused customer satisfaction strategy in large and decentralised organisations.
Performance Analysis of Differential BLM detector in AF Relay Networks with Time Varying Channels

In this paper, we investigate the performance of differential Bayesian linear model (BLM) detector in AF relay networks with time varying channels. A first order autoregressive (AR) model is utilized to characterize the time varying nature of channels. We assume that channel state information (CSI) is available at the receiver. We consider that the original transmitted signal is corrupted by noise and other interference signals during transmission due to the nature of wireless channels and multipath fading effects. In this paper, differential BLM detector is proposed in multiple relays network with time varying channels in order to enhance the receiver detection performance. Analytical and simulation evaluations on receiver operating characteristics (ROCs), bit error rate (BER), capacity and outage probability of the system are presented. Comparative results have shown that the time varying channels affect the system performance compared to static channels. The proposed detection method can be effective and resistant on the channel variation, can provide minimum bit error rate, minimum outage probability and higher channel capacity when the number of relays increases.
Cowpea Reaction to Single and Mixed Viral Infection with Blackeye Cowpea Mosaic Virus and Cowpea Yellow Mosaic Virus

Potted experiment was carried out in the screenhouse of the Crop Protection Department, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Ilorin, Nigeria to determine the yield reaction of cowpea to single and mixed viral infection with Blackeye Cowpea Mosaic Virus (BICMV) and Cowpea Yellow Mosaic Virus (CYMV) at different inoculation regimes. The experiment was laid out in a complete randomized block design (CRD). The two viral inoculums (BICMV and CYMV), were mechanically inoculated to cowpea plants, singly and in mixtures at 2 and 4 weeks after planting (WAP). Plants which served as the control were only buffer inoculated. The results of the experiment showed that mixed inoculation with the two viruses, induced greater susceptibility to the viral pathogens in the plants, compared to single virus inoculations. The study also indicated that, early viral infection at 2 WAP, was more pathogenic and resulted in higher yield losses compared with infections at 4 WAP. The findings confirmed that early viral infection in cowpea was more pathogenic than late infection. It also concluded that the synergistic effect of the two viruses when in mixed infection, resulted in higher susceptibility in contrast to single viral infection. Keywords: Cowpea, Viral Inoculum, Blackeye cowpea Mosaic Virus, Cowpea Yellow Mosaic Virus, Single and Mixed Infections, Synergism
Assessment of the Risk of Hospitalization for Heart Failure With Dipeptidyl Peptidase-4 Inhibitors, Saxagliptin, Alogliptin, and Sitagliptin in Patients With Type 2 Diabetes, Using an Alternative Measure to the Hazard Ratio

Background: Saxagliptin statistically significantly increased the risk of hospitalization for heart failure compared with placebo in the clinical trial of SAVOR-TIMI 53. Neither the reason why only saxagliptin among several dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP-4) inhibitors increased the risk, nor the clinical implication of the result has been explained. Objective: To evaluate the risk of hospitalization for heart failure associated with DPP-4 inhibitors by using an alternative measure to the hazard ratio. Methods: We used the difference in restricted mean survival time (RMST) between DPP-4 inhibitors and placebo to evaluate the risk of cardiovascular events, including hospitalization for heart failure associated with DPP-4 inhibitors. Three randomized clinical trials with cardiovascular events as a primary end point—EXAMINE (alogliptin), SAVOR-TIMI 53 (saxagliptin), and TECOS (sitagliptin)—were reevaluated by estimating the RMSTs for the DPP-4 inhibitors and placebo based on the reconstructed individual patient data for each time-to-event outcome from publicly available information. Results: The differences of RMSTs (DPP-4 inhibitors minus placebo) for hospitalization for heart failure were −4 days [−6, −2] in the SAVOR-TIMI 53 (720 days follow-up), −3 days [−9, 3] in the EXAMINE (900 days follow-up), and 1 day [−5, 7] in the TECOS (1440 days follow-up). There were no substantial differences in the risk of other cardiovascular outcomes between DPP-4 inhibitors and placebo. Conclusions: There are no substantial clinically relevant differences in the risk of cardiovascular events, including hospitalization for heart failure, between 3 of the DPP-4 inhibitors and placebo.
Working in SMEs as a Way to Improve Employability

Dynamic changes on markets cause organizations to search for sources of competitive advantage in intangible assets. These mostly correspond to human capital. As a result, the number, scope, and characteristics of required competences differ among branches and organization types. This is why generic competences stemming from knowledge obtainable by way of formal education are not enough to achieve an appropriate level of employability. In this article it is the possibility of improving employability by working in SMEs that is analyzed. * SMEs create specific work systems that, because of their informality and flexibility, can provide an opportunity to improve competences crucial for modern organizations.
The costs of elective and emergency abdominal aortic aneurysm repair: a comparative single centre study.

AIM Population-based screening for abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAA) is being considered in New Zealand. However, there is a lack of data to support its cost effectiveness in this country. The aim of this study was to compare the hospital costs of AAA repair in emergency and elective cases over a 3-year period in a single centre in New Zealand. METHODS A retrospective observational analysis of consecutive patients undergoing elective and emergency AAA repair during the study period (January 2009 to December 2011) was performed. RESULTS A total of 169 AAA repairs were performed during the study period, of which 114 (67%) were open repairs. Sixty-four of these were open elective AAA repairs, 40 were open ruptured repairs, and 10 were open symptomatic repairs. The mean inpatient cost was $38,804 for open ruptured AAA repair and $28,019 for open elective repair, a difference of $10,785 (95%CI: $249 to $21,321; p=.045). The costs of blood products and laboratory investigations were significantly greater in the ruptured group than the elective. There was no significant difference in length of hospital admission between the groups. CONCLUSIONS This study demonstrates that ruptured AAA repairs are more expensive than elective AAA repairs, despite no difference in length of hospital stay. The estimated inpatient costs documented in this study for each type of repair can be used for cost-effectiveness analysis in New Zealand. A screening program that reduces the incidence of surgery for ruptured AAA could decrease the average inpatient cost of AAA repairs.
Challenges to improving combat casualty survival on the battlefield.

Abstract : The United States has achieved unprecedented survival rates (as high as 98 percent) for casualties arriving alive to a combat hospital. 1 Official briefings, informal communications, and even television documentaries such as CNN Presents Combat Hospital highlight the remarkable surgical care taking place overseas. Military physicians, medics, corpsmen, and other providers of battlefield medical care are rightly proud of this achievement. Commanders and their troops can be confident that once a wounded Service - member reaches the combat hospital, his or her care will be the best in the world. Combat casualty care, however, does not begin at the hospital. It begins in the field at the point of injury and continues through evacuation to the combat hospital or forward surgery. This prehospital phase of care is the first link in the chain of survival for those injured in combat and represents the next frontier for making significant improvements in battlefield trauma care. Even with superb in-hospital care, recent evidence suggests that up to 25 percent of deaths on the battlefield are potentially preventable. The vast majority of these deaths happen in the prehospital setting. The indisputable conclusion is that any meaningful future improvement in combat casualty outcomes depends on closing the gap in prehospital survival. Improving pre - hospital combat casualty care, however, may be significantly more challenging than improving hospital-based casualty care because of significant structural challenges facing the military medical establishment. I describe five key challenges and a plan to overcome them.
Motives for participation in the sharing economy – evidence from Lithuania

Abstract Information and communication technologies enable the emergence of a new phenomenon called the “sharing economy”. An increasing number of articles in the media as well as debates about the positive and negative aspects of the sharing economy show a growing interest in the subject. The paper aims to review the different approaches to the definition of the sharing economy and to present the authors’ views on the concept. The reviewed literature reveals the main drivers for participating in the sharing economy. A survey was conducted to learn more about the motives of Lithuanian people participating in this concept. The survey reveals the following leading factors of using the sharing economy platforms: an easy way to make extra money; supporting individuals and/or small/independent companies; meeting new people and having an interesting experience/doing something most people haven’t tried yet. The survey also reveals that most of the respondents prefer to own things rather than share them. Despite the widespread popularity of the sharing economy platforms in the world, this phenomenon is in its infancy in Lithuania.
Pathways to PTSD, part II: Sexually abused children.

OBJECTIVE The goal of this research was to develop and test a prospective model of posttraumatic stress symptoms in sexually abused children that includes pretrauma, trauma, and disclosure-related pathways. METHOD At time 1, several measures were used to assess pretrauma variables, trauma variables, and stress reactions upon disclosure for 156 sexually abused children ages 8 to 13 years. At the time 2 follow-up (7 to 36 months following the initial interview), the children were assessed for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms. RESULTS A path analysis involving a series of hierarchically nested ordinary least squares multiple regression analyses indicated three direct paths to PTSD symptoms: avoidant coping, anxiety/arousal, and dissociation, all measured during or immediately after disclosure of sexual abuse. Additionally, age and gender predicted avoidant coping, while life stress and age at abuse onset predicted symptoms of anxiety/arousal. Taken together, these pathways accounted for approximately 57% of the variance in PTSD symptoms. CONCLUSIONS Symptoms measured at the time of disclosure constitute direct, independent pathways by which sexually abused children are likely to develop later PTSD symptoms. These findings speak to the importance of assessing children during the disclosure of abuse in order to identify those at greatest risk for later PTSD symptoms.
Adjunctive pharmacotherapy for coronary stenting

The use of coronary stents improves the outcomes of percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). This has led to a rapid increase in their use. Coronary stenting is not without problems and is complicated by both early ischemic events and late restenosis. The combination of anticoagulation with unfractionated heparin (UFH) and the use of antiplatelet agents including aspirin, thienopyridines, and glycoprotein IIb/IIIa inhibitors has led to a major reduction in early ischemic events after stenting. Low molecular weight heparin (LMWH) and direct thrombin inhibitors have a number of theoretical advantages over UFH. Their role as an adjunct to coronary stenting is still under investigation. Trials of systemic pharmacotherapy aimed at reducing in-stent restenosis have been consistently disappointing. Preliminary results of stents coated with agents that inhibit neointimal proliferation are extremely promising. The results of ongoing phase III trials of these coated stents are eagerly awaited.