Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Anthropometric measurements of newborns of gestational diabetic mothers: Does it indicate disproportionate fetal growth?

Anthropometric and skinfold measurements in 51 newborns of mothers with gestational diabetes were compared to reference ranges obtained from measurements of 501 newborns of nondiabetic mothers. In newborns of diabetic mothers, the means of fetal birth weight, biceps, subscapular, suprailiac skinfolds, and total fat index measurements (the sum of all measurements) were significantly greater than those of the nondiabetic group. While the means of fetal crown-heel length and head circumference did not significantly differ between the two groups, these findings suggest a disproportionate pattern of growth in fetuses of diabetic mothers, with increased tendency for deposition of subcutaneous fat. The studied population were then stratified into six categories according to birth weight percentiles. Within each category, the skinfold measurements in newborns of diabetic mothers were greater—though the difference was not statistically significant than that of nondiabetic mothers. It is possible, however, that in .
Learning Efficiency Shocks, Knowledge Capital and the Business Cycle: A Bayesian Evaluation

We incorporate shocks to the efficiency with which firms learn from production activity and accumulate knowledge into an otherwise standard real DSGE model with imperfect competition. Using real aggregate data and Bayesian inference techniques, we find that learning efficiency shocks are an important source of observed variation in the growth rate of aggregate output, investment, consumption and especially hours worked in post-war US data. The estimated shock processes suggest much less exogenous variation in preferences and total factor productivity are needed by our model to account for the joint dynamics of consumption and hours. This occurs because learning efficiency shocks induce shifts in labour demand uncorrelated with current TFP, a role usually played by preference shocks. At the same time, knowledge capital acts like an endogenous source of productivity variation in the model. Measures of model fit prefer the specification with learning efficiency shocks.
Exchange Rate Behaviour: Implication for West African Monetary Zone

As West African Monetary Zone (WAMZ), in Africa is working hard to achieve convergence criteria as a sign of readiness of the five aspiring member states. The issue of similarity of behaviour of macroeconomic indicators has become very important. This paper examines the long term sustainability of the union by examining the dynamics of exchange rates behaviour of the candidate countries within zone using Fractional Integration (FI) methods. Policy implications are discussed and possible outstanding policy questions are also raised.
Identification of ISSR markers associated with productivity traits in silkworm, Bombyx moni L.

Bombyx mori L. , commonly recognised around the world as the mulberry silkworm, is characterized by a wide variability in yield and developmental traits, which have been proven through conventional genetic analysis to be of polygenic nature. A large number of morpho-biochemical traits and RFLP and RAPD markers are mapped on different linkage groups, but to this point very little attention has been given to unravelling the genetics of yield traits. To address this issue, polymorphic profiles of 147 markers generated with 12 ISSR primers on the genomic DNA of 20 silkworm stocks of diverse yield status were subjected to multiple regression and discriminant function analyses (DFA). This led to the identification of eight markers generated by six primers, which demonstrated high beta-coefficient indices of -0.451 to -0.940. Furthermore, a significant difference between the yield traits for stocks with and without the specific marker could also be established. The inheritance pattern of one marker, L13800bp, identified at the first step of selection of markers through stepwise regression analyses for five yield parameters is discussed in the context of applying multiple regression analysis for establishing association, if not linkage, between a group of DNA markers and a particular yield trait of polygenic nature and using such markers in molecular marker-assisted breeding programs.
Visuospatial training improves elementary students’ mathematics performance

BACKGROUND Although spatial ability and mathematics performance are highly correlated, there is scant research on the extent to which spatial ability training can improve mathematics performance. AIMS This study evaluated the efficacy of a visuospatial intervention programme within classrooms to determine the effect on students' (1) spatial reasoning and (2) mathematics performance as a result of the intervention. SAMPLE The study involved grade six students (ages 10-12) in eight classes. There were five intervention classes (n = 120) and three non-intervention control classes (n = 66). METHODS A specifically designed 10-week spatial reasoning programme was developed collaboratively with the participating teachers, with the intervention replacing the standard mathematics curriculum. The five classroom teachers in the intervention programme presented 20 hr of activities aimed at enhancing students' spatial visualization, mental rotation, and spatial orientation skills. RESULTS The spatial reasoning programme led to improvements in both spatial ability and mathematics performance relative to the control group who received standard mathematics instruction. CONCLUSIONS Our study is the first to show that a classroom-based spatial reasoning intervention improves elementary school students' mathematics performance.
Tourism Destinations as Clusters: Analytical Experiences from the New World

This paper responds to the recent paper by Hjalager (2000) which analyses tourism destinations in Europe within the framework of the industrial districts model (Piore and Sabel, 1984). Hjalager finds that despite tourism destinations having many of the identifying characteristics of industrial districts, there are elements of these destinations that defy the theory, which hamper their ability to cooperate in destination development and promotion. This paper suggests the use of Porter's (1998) cluster model as an extension of the industrial district model and as a broader analytical framework for measuring the success of tourism destinations. Two regional tourist destinations outside Europe are analysed within this framework. The authors find that the cluster model is a suitable analytical framework and that tourism destinations in the ‘New World’ are likely to be quite receptive to working cooperatively to develop their product.
Carbohydrate 19-9 Antigen Is Not a Marker of Liver Disease in Patients with Cystic Fibrosis

Abstract Serum concentration of carbohydrate 19-9 antigen (CA 19-9), a sensitive marker of pancreatic cancer and cholangiocarcinoma, increases in a variety of liver diseases due to higher production and release by bile duct cells. Biliary epithelial cells are primarily affected in liver disease associated with cystic fibrosis (CF), which develops in up to 30% of CF patients. Our aim was to evaluate the usefulness of serum CA 19-9 concentration as a test of liver involvement in CF. Serum concentration of CA 19-9, liver enzymes, bile acids, and total amylase was determined in 107 CF patients (49 with and 58 without liver disease) and 56 healthy subjects. Serum CA 19-9 concentration was significantly higher in CF patients (67 U/ml, 95% CI 53.5–80.5 U/ml) than in controls (11.8 U/ml, 95% CI 2.5–44 U/ml; p < 0.001) and in CF patients with liver disease (92.3 U/ml, 95% CI 75–109.5 U/ml) compared to CF patients without liver disease (46.6 U/ml, 95% CI 27.8–65.4 U/ml; p < 0.001). In CF patients, stepwise logistic regression analysis identified alanine aminotransferase, γ-glutamyltranspeptidase, amylase, and CA 19-9 as the most useful predictors of liver disease (p < 0.0001). Receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis revealed γ-glutamyltranspeptidase and CA 19-9 as the best tests for identification of liver disease in CF patients; at a CA 19-9 cut-off arbitrarily fixed at 73 U/ml, positive and negative predictive value was 70% and 78%, respectively (sensitivity 57%, specificity 81%). To increase sensitivity to 94%, the cut-off had to be fixed at 31 U/ml, which corresponds to a specificity of only 36.2% (predictive value 33%). Our study indicates that measurement of the serum CA 19-9 concentration alone cannot be proposed as a reliable test of early hepatic involvement in CF.
Redistribution of body fat in HIV-infected women undergoing combined antiretroviral therapy.

OBJECTIVES To investigate the prevalence, metabolic features and risk factors of a particular pattern of fat redistribution (FR), characterized by a progressive enlargement of breast and abdominal girth associated with a wasting of the lower limbs, observed in HIV-infected women treated with combined antiretroviral (ARV) therapy. DESIGN Cross-sectional study. SETTING Outpatients attending the Institute of Infectious Diseases, University of Milan, Milan, Italy. PATIENTS AND METHODS HIV-infected women treated with two or more ARV drugs, observed between December 1997 and February 1998. FR was confirmed by means of a physical examination and dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA). The metabolic and endocrinological measurements in patients with FR were compared with those in FR-free women. RESULTS FR was observed in 32 out of 306 women (10.5%). DEXA revealed more trunk fat (P < 0.01) and less leg fat (P < 0.001) in the patients with FR than in the matched controls. There were no significant differences in laboratory test results between the two groups. All of the FR patients were taking lamivudine-containing regimens; 20 of them were also taking a protease inhibitor (PI). The association of FR with lamivudine-including regimens was statistically significant (P = 0.017). Among the patients taking lamivudine, the risk associated with treatments including PI was 1.8 (95% CI 0.8-3.8, P = 0.12). A total duration of ARV therapy of more than 1000 days was associated with a greater risk of developing FR (OR 10.8; 95% CI 1.4-80.5; P = 0.0207). Stepwise logistic regression analyses indicated that prolonged ARV therapy and a viral load of more than 10000 copies per ml at the beginning of the last ARV regimen were the only variables that significantly and independently correlated with the risk of FR. CONCLUSIONS The observed body modifications are caused by a redistribution of body fat without fat loss that is apparently not associated with hyperlipidemia, altered glucose metabolism or other endocrinological disorders. The development of FR in patients receiving only reverse transcriptase (RT) inhibitors suggests the presence of a PI-independent mechanism that deserves further investigation.
Improved anemia is associated with favorable long-term clinical outcomes in patients undergoing PCI

BackgroundAnemia is associated with an increased risk of mortality in patients who underwent percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in the bare-metal stent era. However, there have been no data concerning the clinical importance of anemia improvement during the follow-up period after discharge from the hospital during the drug-eluting stent era. Methods and resultsTo assess anemia, the hemoglobin level was measured at the time of index PCI with drug-eluting stents and at the subsequent outpatient visit between 3 and 12 months later. Improvement of anemia was defined by the normalization of the hemoglobin level at the follow-up laboratory examination. We analyzed 4300 patients who were tested for initial and follow-up hemoglobin levels. We compared major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events (MACCE) between the normal group and the anemia group and between the improved anemia group and the sustained anemia group. The median follow-up period was 25.4 months. There was poorer clinical outcome in the anemia group than in the normal group in terms of MACCE (adjusted hazard ratio 1.479, 95% confidence interval 1.025–2.134, P=0.037). Furthermore, the sustained anemia group showed poorer MACCE than did the improved anemia group (hazard ratio 3.558, 95% confidence interval 2.285–5.539, P<0.0001). On the basis of the multivariate Cox hazard regression model and propensity-score matching, the overall findings were consistent between sustained and improved anemia groups. ConclusionThe follow-up of hemoglobin level is important, and improvement of anemia is associated with favorable long-term clinical outcomes.
Role perceptions and reported actual role content of hospital nurses in Mainland China.

AIM The study aimed to explore nurses' views and experiences regarding their working roles in Mainland China. BACKGROUND Ministry of Health guidance relating to the hospital nurse's role has been widely used in Mainland China since 1982 but it does not adequately cover the development of new roles arising from recent health care system reforms. This has led to increasing concerns about the potential of role conflict and role ambiguity for nurses especially where role expectations are not reflected in actual role content leading to job dissatisfaction and higher turnover. METHODS A cross-sectional survey design using postal questionnaires comprising demographic questions and four scales measuring role perception and actual role content, job satisfaction, occupational stress, role conflict and role ambiguity was used. Five hundred and twelve hospital nurses in Beijing participated representing a response rate of 81%. RESULTS Most respondents reported that staff nurses should undertake most of the roles described in the domain of patients' physical care, psychosocial and communication and professional aspects of patient care and patient care management and there was overall consensus regarding the roles of other health care personnel. Further, they reported that nurses always or sometimes carried out these roles. Different role perceptions were reported across educational groups. Additionally, nurses' ratings of role perception and actual role content were related to their ratings of job satisfaction, occupational stress, role conflict and role ambiguity (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS There was relative consensus regarding role perceptions but the role boundary between nursing and non-nursing work lacked clarity. The importance of role expectations is highlighted regarding job satisfaction and other components of working lives. Relevance to clinical practice. Acknowledgement of a potential gap between expectations and actual role of nurses provides the basis for developing strategies to reduce resulting occupational stress, role conflict and role ambiguity and increase job satisfaction. Additionally the findings provide a basis for international comparison of actual nurse role content and the potential support needs of nurses from Mainland China who move to work in other health care systems.
Challenging the Current Treatment Paradigm for Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Epidermidis Peritonitis in Peritoneal Dialysis Patients

Objectives To analyze clinical outcomes of Staphylococcus epidermidis peritoneal dialysis peritonitis before and after an interventional switch from a vancomycin/tobramycin to a cefazolin/tobramycin regimen for empiric treatment. To examine risk factors associated with clinical failure. Design A retrospective study. Setting A peritoneal dialysis program within a university-affiliated tertiary-care hospital. Patients 93 episodes of S. epidermidis peritonitis over a 6-year period. Interventions Clinical responses were compared between treatments using chi-square or Fisher's exact test. Univariate and multivariate analyses were used to identify significant risk factors for clinical failure. Measurements and Main Results There was no difference in the overall response rates observed with vancomycin (40/49; 81.6%) and cefazolin (23/29; 79.3%) regimens for episodes of S. epidermidis peritonitis. Furthermore, the presence of methicillin resistance in 63 of 93 cases (67.7%) had no influence on clinical outcome, with response rates of 83.9% (26/31) and 82.4% (14/17) for empiric vancomycin and cefazolin regimens, respectively. Tobramycin therapy of less than 2 days was an independent risk factor for clinical failure in multivariate logistic regression analysis (odds ratio 4.44, 95% confidence interval 1.28 – 15.48; p = 0.02). Conclusions Empiric treatment with intraperitoneal cefazolin was as effective as vancomycin for S. epidermidis peritonitis despite a high prevalence of methicillin resistance. Tobramycin therapy of less than 2 days was strongly associated with treatment failure.
Relation between Plasma Homocysteine and Alzheimer’s Disease

Objective: Several studies have shown that plasma total homocysteine (tHcy) concentration is elevated in Alzheimer’s disease (AD). However, it is not clear whether elevated plasma tHcy is a primary cause or a consequence of AD. Method: To elucidate this question, we have analysed plasma homocysteine and its determinants in patients with early (EOAD)- and late-onset AD (LOAD) and compared the findings with those in vascular dementia (VaD) and age- and sex-matched control subjects. Results: One of the main findings in the present study is that in EOAD there is no change in the levels of either plasma tHcy or its determinants compared with an age- and sex-matched control group. The fact that plasma tHcy concentration is normal in EOAD thus indicates that elevated plasma tHcy is not the primary cause of the disease. Another main finding is that patients with mixed dementia (AD and VaD) and patients with VaD showed significantly increased plasma tHcy concentration compared with controls and that plasma tHCy concentration in patients with LOAD and a history of additional cardiovascular disease was elevated compared both with AD patients without such a history and with the controls. Thus, there is an association between elevated plasma tHcy and vascular disease. A third main finding is that patients with AD who were followed up for several years showed a clinical deterioration of dementia and an elevation of plasma tHcy concentration. This finding likewise supports the notion that elevated plasma tHcy is not the primary cause of the disease. Conclusions: The findings suggest that elevated plasma tHcy is not the primary cause of the disease. Furthermore, the findings indicate that elevated plasma tHcy might be a reflection of concomitant vascular disease in AD patients.
How Civil War Experience Affects Dimensions of Social Trust in a Cross-National Comparison

We challenge the conventional assumption that experiences of civil war inevitably destroy social trust. Civil wars are transformative forces whose societal outcomes depend on processes defining these collective experiences. Providing the first cross-national comparative study of civil war and social trust, we examine these processes and their consequences for dimensions of social trust in 30 post-conflict societies. Results reveal that although on average civil wars reduce trust, violence of higher intensity leads to positive transformation and greater trust in out-groups and strangers. We further show that religious civil wars clearly surpass ethnic civil wars in terms of their negative consequences for generalized trust. Our findings also suggest that abrupt changes in institutional infrastructure are less relevant for trust relations than the disruption of social networks that occurs through forced displacement. Last, we present evidence that while societies rebuild social trust over time, the way the conflict ended is less consequential.
New method for verification of analytical device models using transistor parameter fluctuations [MOSFETs]

In this work device parameter fluctuations are considered for verification of analytical device models. We focus on the (WL)/sup -1/2/-dependence of the standard deviation of the threshold voltage /spl sigma//sub Vt/ [1-6]. Besides the known contribution from doping variations, an explicit channel length dependence enhances substantially the (WL)/sup -1/2/-curve. Oxide thickness variation is shown to have minor influence on the V/sub T/-fluctuation and the contribution of mobility fluctuation is completely negligible for a 0.5 /spl mu/m process. It has been found that a percolation model for the current paths through the device can give full account of the experimentally measured values of /spl sigma//sub Vt/.
Physical self-esteem, a five year follow-up study on Swedish adolescents

UNLABELLED This study describes the levels and inter-correlations of physical self-esteem, physical activity, body mass index (BMI), and body fat and, in addition, distinctive of individuals with high vs. low physical self-worth in a longitudinal design during adolescence. METHODS At mean ages 12.7, 15.7, and 17.7 years, physical activity (steps/day) was measured for four consecutive schooldays of 77 (41 girls) Swedish adolescents. Perceived physical self-esteem, height, weight, and at ages 15.7 and 17.7 years, body fat percent was also measured. RESULTS Boys' physical self-perception scores were higher than girls' and an overall stability during adolescents was seen. High and low physical self-worth had a significant impact regarding BMI at ages 12.7 and 17.7 years and regarding body fat at age 17.7 years in both boys and girls. CONCLUSIONS Regression analysis indicated that BMI and body fat counter-predicted self-worth in girls age-dependently. Efforts to build adapted physical activity programs for overweight and obese are emphasized.
Anxiety as a predictor of pain magnitude following termination of first-trimester pregnancy.

OBJECTIVE The purpose of the study was to investigate anxiety and other factors that may predict pain magnitude following termination of pregnancy (TOP) during the first trimester. DESIGN Prospective, nonrandomized study. SETTING Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Rambam Medical Center in Haifa, Israel. PATIENTS Forty consecutive women undergoing TOP. OUTCOME MEASURES Women undergoing a TOP were asked to fill out the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory. Pain magnitude was measured by using a visual analog scale (VAS) at 15, 30, and 60 minutes following the procedure. Correlations between state anxiety, trait anxiety, age, parity, number of TOP, gestational age, and pain magnitude were measured. RESULTS State anxiety was able to predict pain magnitude on VAS 15 minutes after TOP (P = 0.023), and trait anxiety was able to predict pain magnitude on VAS 30 minutes after TOP (P = 0.013). Other variables failed to show significant results. CONCLUSIONS Preoperative assessment of anxiety levels may lead to appropriate treatment in order to alleviate discomfort and ensure pain control outcome.
Music therapy in the treatment of multiple sclerosis: a comprehensive literature review

Coping with multiple sclerosis symptoms still remains a challenge for each patient suffering from this chronic inflammatory disease. Therefore, patients often turn to using complementary and alternative medicine (CAM). In this review, the authors aimed to investigate the current state of literature of music therapy in the treatment of multiple sclerosis (MS). Medline, PubMed, Embase, AMED, CAMbase and the Music Therapy World Journal Index were searched for the terms MS and ‘music therapy’. In addition, an internet search using Google Scholar was performed. The authors found seven case-reports/series and seven studies on music therapy for MS-patients. Both the case reports and studies presented here are pioneer work. Most of the studies are naturally predominated by the use of qualitative and uncontrolled research designs. Nevertheless, the results of the studies as well as the case reports demonstrate patients’ improvement in the domains of self-acceptance, anxiety and depression. The results of the studies as well as the case reports define a sufficient basis for further music therapeutical work as they show a variety of psychosocial and emotional benefits for MS patients.