Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Effectiveness of plant-based diets in promoting well-being in the management of type 2 diabetes: a systematic review

Diet interventions have suggested an association between plant-based diets and improvements in psychological well-being, quality of life and glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) control in populations with diabetes. The aims of this review are to systematically analyze the available literature on plant-based diet interventions targeting diabetes in adults and to clearly define the benefits on well-being of such interventions. This is a systematic review of controlled trials. A computerized systematic literature search was conducted in the following electronic databases: Allied and Complementary Medicine, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, E-Journals, Excerpta Medica Database, MEDLINE, Health Management Information Consortium, PsycARTICLES, PsycINFO, PubMed, SocINDEX and Web of Science. The search strategy retrieved 1240 articles, of which 11 met the inclusion criteria (n=433; mean sample age 54.8 years). Plant-based diets were associated with significant improvement in emotional well-being, physical well-being, depression, quality of life, general health, HbA1c levels, weight, total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, compared with several diabetic associations’ official guidelines and other comparator diets. Plant-based diets can significantly improve psychological health, quality of life, HbA1c levels and weight and therefore the management of diabetes.
Key Determinants for Users Intention to Use Smarthome Devices in Vietnam

Smarthome is one of the remarkable fields of the industrial revolution 4.0, which are popular in many countries such USA, EURO, Japan and Korea. However, how Vietnamese people are considering and having intension to use smarthome devices is still a question for marketers and researchers. This study develops a comprehensive research model that can explain potential customers’ behavioral intentions to adopt and use Smarthome services in Viet Nam and figure which key factors affect the intention. This study proposes and validates a new theoretical model that extends the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology 2 (UTAUT2). The model consists of eight factors that affect one element (Behavioral Intention), specifically: Habits, Perceived usefulness, Perceived ease of use, Trust, Innovativeness Personal, Perceived value, Hedonic motivations and Social influences. Data were collected from 304 Vietnamese citizens by sending the email to survey questionnaire, direct contact with the experienced smarthome users. Through regression analysis, data from samples were analysed with SPSS 20 software and verification of hypotheses, the results show the key determinants affecting the intention to use smarthome appliances in Vietnam: Perceived Value, Social Influence, Perceived Usefulness, Perceived Ease of Use and Trust. From this result, several recommendations have been suggested to to smarthome devices vendors and marketer to improve products as well as marketing approaches to meet customer needs.
Simulation Assisted Safety Impact Analyses for Signalized Urban Intersections

This study primarily investigates the combination of a microscopic traffic flow simulation and a crash prediction model to develop effective surrogate safety assessment measures at signalized urban intersections. This approach enables the early identification of safety risks in traffic flow and can be utilized for risk assessment of different traffic sites as part of road safety audits by identifying the probability of several accident types. Nevertheless, resulting individual vehicle accidents can only be investigated in detail in nanoscopic accident and vehicle crash simulations that allow the consideration of detailed vehicle dynamics and therefore estimations of collision severity. Hence, the second objective of this study is to combine the existing simulation methods to provide a tool able to analyze critical traffic situations. Furthermore, the tool is also capable to evaluate the pre-crash phase and to assess the effectivity of Advanced Driver Assistance Systems such as Autonomous Emergency Braking.
A Friendly Dog as Potential Moderator of Cardiovascular Response to Speech in Older Hypertensives

ABSTRACT As the population ages and obesity increases, the number of older adult hypertensives is rising dramatically. Uncontrolled hypertension (HTN) increases, and reducing blood pressure (BP), lowers cardiovascular, cerebrovascular, and renal morbidity and mortality. Cardiovascular reactivity, defined as exaggerated cardiovascular responses to various stressors, is associated with the development and progression of HTN and associated morbidity and mortality. Speaking is a social stressor, occurring frequently in daily life, that is accompanied by significant surges in BP. The current project was designed as a preliminary study to evaluate whether friendly dogs may be an effective intervention for moderating cardiovascular stress responses in older adult hypertensives. Cognitively intact, community-living older adults (n = 11) with resting BPs in the pre- to mild hypertensive range (120–150/80–100 mmHg) participated in the study. The quiet-talk-quiet (QTQ) protocol was used to assess BP responses to speaking. The QTQ protocol, consisting of sitting silently for two minutes, talking for two minutes, and sitting silently for two minutes was repeated twice, once with an unfamiliar, friendly dog in the room, once without the dog. The dog was randomly assigned to be present either for the first or the second QTQ. An ANOVA or ANCOVA with repeated measures three-way interaction between dog presence (dog in, dog not in), activity (quiet, talk), and order (dog in first, no dog in first) was used to examine the moderating effect of the presence of the dog on cardiovascular reactivity to speaking; it was significant for diastolic BP (F(1,9) = 12.8, p = 0.006), and tended to be significant for systolic BP (F(1,8) = 4.4, p = 0.12). During speech, BP was (7/2 mmHg) lower when the dog was present than when it was not present. BP while sitting quietly did not differ according to the presence of a dog. Pets might provide a viable means of decreasing BP surges during stressful activities in older hypertensives.
A Randomized Controlled Trial of Immediate versus Delayed Umbilical Cord Clamping in Multiple-Birth Infants Born Preterm

Background: Delayed cord clamping (DCC) improves placental transfusion and increases blood volume in preterm infants when compared with immediate cord clamping (ICC). However, evidence to support DCC in multiple-birth preterm infants is still lacking. Objective: To compare the outcomes of ICC versus DCC in preterm infants of multiple births. Study Design: Women with a multiple pregnancy, including twins and triplets with a gestational age of 28–36 weeks, were randomized to receive ICC (23 women and 50 infants) or DCC for 30–60 s (24 and 51 infants). The infants’ hematocrit on admission, superior vena cava (SVC) flow measured within 24 h, and hematocrit at 8 weeks of age were compared. The use of uterotonic agents during delivery was not controlled in this study. Result: All infants were delivered by cesarean section (CS) except for 2 sets of twins, 1 in each group. Maternal and infant baseline characteristics in both groups were comparable. There were no significant differences between the groups in admission hematocrit, SVC flow measured within 24 h, hematocrit at 8 weeks of age, or any other neonatal outcomes. The incidence of maternal postpartum hemorrhage (PPH) was higher in the DCC group (4.3% in ICC vs. 25% in DCC, p = 0.04). Conclusion: DCC for 30–60 s did not improve placental transfusion or increase systemic blood flow in multiple-birth infants born preterm, mostly by CS, when compared with ICC. The finding of a higher PPH rate in the DCC group raises concerns about the maternal safety of this procedure in this patient population.
Divergence Prior and Vessel-Tree Reconstruction

We propose a new geometric regularization principle for reconstructing vector fields based on prior knowledge about their divergence. As one important example of this general idea, we focus on vector fields modelling blood flow pattern that should be divergent in arteries and convergent in veins. We show that this previously ignored regularization constraint can significantly improve the quality of vessel tree reconstruction particularly around bifurcations where non-zero divergence is concentrated. Our divergence prior is critical for resolving (binary) sign ambiguity in flow orientations produced by standard vessel filters, \eg Frangi. Our vessel tree centerline reconstruction combines divergence constraints with robust curvature regularization. Our unsupervised method can reconstruct complete vessel trees with near-capillary details on synthetic and real 3D volumes.
Estimating trembling aspen productivity in the boreal transition ecoregion of Saskatchewan using site and soil variables

Pinno, B. D. and Bélanger, N. 2011. Estimating trembling aspen productivity in the boreal transition ecoregion of Saskatchewan using site and soil variables. Can. J. Soil Sci. 91: 661-669. The productivity of trembling aspen, as expressed by site quality index (SQI), in natural stands growing on three different soil parent material types (fluvial, lacustrine and glacial till) in the boreal transition ecoregion of Saskatchewan was evaluated by using soil and site variables. The soil and site variables used were either general categorical variables, such as parent material and ecosite, or continuous variables, such as soil texture (percent sand or clay), pH, carbon, nitrogen, C:N ratios, and elemental composition. It was not possible to reliably estimate SQI using only categorical site variables or continuous soil variables when all plots were grouped together. However, when plots were grouped by parent material type, over 45% of the variability in trembling aspen productivity was explained using the common soil measurements of texture and pH. In estimating SQI, there was an interaction between both pH and soil texture with parent material. On fluvial and lacustrine parent materials, increased clay content was positively correlated with SQI, but was negatively correlated with SQI on till, while pH was positively correlated with SQI on fluvial parent material, but negatively on lacustrine. Including more sophisticated measures of soil nutrient availability in the forest floor and BC horizons did not improve the SQI prediction. This study indicates that it is possible to estimate trembling aspen productivity using simple site and soil variables, provided that differences in soil properties within parent material groupings are considered in the analysis.
Motion planning for controllable systems without drift

A general strategy for solving the motion planning problem for real analytic, controllable systems without drift is proposed. The procedure starts by computing a control that steers the given initial point to the desired target point for an extended system, in which a number of Lie brackets of the system vector fields are added. Using formal calculations with a product expansion relative to P. Hall basis, another control is produced that achieves the desired result on the formal level. This provides an exact solution of the original problem if the given system is nilpotent. For a general system, an iterative algorithm is derived that converges very quickly to a solution. For nonnilpotent systems which are feedback nilpotentizable, the algorithm, in cascade with a precompensator, produces an exact solution. Results of simulations which illustrate the effectiveness of the procedure are presented. <<ETX>>
7,8-Dihydroxyflavone Protects High Glucose-Damaged Neuronal Cells against Oxidative Stress

Oxidative stress is considered a major contributor in the pathogenesis of diabetic neuropathy and in diabetes complications, such as nephropathy and cardiovascular diseases. Diabetic neuropathy, which is the most frequent complications of diabetes, affect sensory, motor, and autonomic nerves. This study aimed to investigate whether 7,8-dihydroxyflavone (7,8-DHF) protects SH-SY5Y neuronal cells against high glucose-induced toxicity. In the current study, we found that diabetic patients exhibited higher lipid peroxidation caused by oxidative stress than healthy subjects. 7,8-DHF exhibits superoxide anion and hydroxyl radical scavenging activities. High glucose-induced toxicity severely damaged SH-SY5Y neuronal cells, causing mitochondrial depolarization; however, 7,8-DHF recovered mitochondrial polarization. Furthermore, 7,8-DHF effectively modulated the expression of pro-apoptotic protein (Bax) and anti-apoptotic protein (Bcl-2) under high glucose, thus inhibiting the activation of caspase signaling pathways. These results indicate that 7,8-DHF has antioxidant effects and protects cells from apoptotic cell death induced by high glucose. Thus, 7,8-DHF may be developed into a promising candidate for the treatment of diabetic neuropathy.
Dento-orales Tuning – Schönheit im Mund

Niemand wird bestreiten, dass ein strahlendes, offenes Lachen, welches den Blick auf wohlgeformte, ebenmäßige Zähne freigibt, ein wesentlicher Bestandteil fazialer Attraktivität ist. Entsprechend umfangreich sind die menschlichen Bestrebungen, diesen Zustand zu erlangen bzw. zu erhalten. Manipulationen an Zähnen mit dem Ziel, diese zu betonen, zu verzieren bzw. bei Verlust wieder zu ersetzen, existieren seit Jahrhunderten und sind weltweit in vielen Regionen nachzuweisen. Heute hat sich rund um die dentale Ästhetik ein milliardenschwerer Markt mit einer kaum noch zu überblickenden Anzahl von Möglichkeiten etabliert. Hierbei greifen Zahnmedizin und Humanmedizin ineinander. Krankenkassen beteiligen sich an der Mehrzahl dieser Leistungen nur teilweise oder überhaupt nicht, insbesondere dann, wenn keine medizinische Indikation vorliegt. Betroffene Patienten bzw. interessierte Klienten müssen also oft tief in die Tasche greifen, um ihrem Wunsch nach „dentaler Selbstverbesserung“ näherzukommen. Im Rahmen der Körpermodifikation ist der Mund, insbesondere die intraorale Region, insofern ein gewisser Brennpunkt. Lippen und Zunge werden bisweilen in modifizierende Maßnahmen einbezogen.
Utility of Amyloid PET Scans in the Evaluation of Patients Presenting with Diverse Cognitive Complaints.

BACKGROUND The impact of amyloid positron emission tomography (Aβ-PET) in a "real-world" memory disorders clinic remains poorly studied. OBJECTIVE We studied the impact of Aβ-PET in diagnosis and management in the memory clinic and factors making the most impact in diagnosis and management. METHODS We studied 102 patients who had presented at a memory disorders clinic (the Wien Center for Alzheimer's Disease and Memory Disorders, Miami Beach, FL) and had a diagnostic work-up for cognitive complaints, including Aβ-PET scans. RESULTS Following Aβ-PET, changes were made in diagnosis (37.3%), in specific treatments for Alzheimer's disease (26.5%) and in psychiatric treatments (25.5%). The agreement between diagnosis pre-Aβ-PET versus post-Aβ-PET diagnosis was only fair, with a Cohen's kappa of 0.23 (95% CI 0-0.42). Patients with MRI findings suggestive of AD (medial temporal and/or parietal atrophy) were more frequently amyloid positive than amyloid negative (66.2% versus 33.8%, p = 0.04). Among patients with atypical clinical features for AD, but with MRI findings suggestive of AD, an amyloid negative PET scan had a greater impact than an amyloid positive PET scan on diagnosis (84.2% versus 17.1%, p < 0.001), management (84.2% versus 40%, p < 0.01) and discussion of results and advice on lifestyle (73.7% versus 22.9%, p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS We conclude that MRI features suggestive of AD predict a positive amyloid PET scan. However, among those with MRI features suggestive of AD but with atypical clinical features of AD, the clinical impact on diagnosis and management is greater for an amyloid negative than an amyloid positive Aβ-PET scans.
Near-infrared spectroscopy in neonatal intensive care unit: do we make our life more difficult?

The question has been the following: can the regional oxygenation monitoring change our clinical practices in neonatal intensive care? Fifty newborns of gestational age ≤ 32 weeks were recruited for regional oxygenation continuous monitoring immediately after their admission. Of these newborns 44 showed a patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) with a left to right shunt. In these subjects, a progressive decrease of the renal oxygenation (rSO 2 ) up to values of 59.6 ± 3.6% and an increase of the renal oxygen extraction fraction (rFTOE) to 50.9 ± 3 were observed during the first hours of monitoring. The cerebral oxygenation (cSO 2 ) instead, remained relatively constant at 64.5(± 4.2%)-69.7(± 5.6%) with a cerebral oxygen extraction fraction (cFTOE) between 28.6 ± 4.7 and 24.6 ± 6.5. Renal oxygenation improved in almost all the subjects, except that in three, up to values of rSO 2 of 75(± 1.0%)-82.2(± 4.9) with a rFTOE of 20.1(± 14.8)-13.4(± 3.5) after a three-six hours treatment with dopamine at 5-7.5 μg/kg/min. These data, together with echodoppler findings, have allowed us to modify our approach to the newborn with PDA and the left-right shunt. It now consists in using dopamine as soon as ductal shunt has been left to right and waiting until the hemodynamic stability persists or until the end of the first week of life prior to consider the closure of the duct by cyclooxygenase inhibitors. Besides, 42 newborns with a post-natal age ≥ 2 weeks were selected and submitted to a regional oxygenation monitoring once hematocrit had been less than 30%. Sixteen out of 42 newborns showed a decline of rSO 2 to 50 ± 5% and a rFTOE of 45 ± 3, with a cSO 2 of 69 ± 3% and a cFTOE of 23 ± 4. Of the 26 newborns with normal values of regional saturation, 10 showed a decrease of rSO 2 to 50 ± 3 with a rFTOE of 45 ± 3 when the hematocrit fell to 20-22%. After a packed red cell transfusion, a progressive rise of the rSO 2 to 83.8 ± 9.4 and a decline of the rFTOE to 8.1 ± 3.4 were observed. These changes started at the end of the transfusion and became stable in the following 12-24 hours. An increase of the cSO 2 to 82.2 ± 2.9 and a decrease of the cFTOE to 12.2 ± 2.90 were observed after the transfusion and after the progressive normalization of the renal oxygenation as well. On the basis of these results, in our Unit only the newborns with a hematocrit ≤ 30 and clear sinking renal saturation values are transfused. In the light of the reported observations, we recognize to the regional oxygenation monitoring a precise role in the process of personalization of the newborn cares in intensive contexts. Despite the requirement for wider observations, the information drawn by the variations of the regional oxygenation in different pathophysiologic processes can substantially help in the prevention of the organ damage, particularly the brain, that upsets still today the results of the neonatal intensive cares. Proceedings of the 9 th International Workshop on Neonatology · Cagliari (Italy) · October 23 rd -26 th , 2013 · Learned lessons, changing practice and cutting-edge research
An Investigation of Service Mix within the Home and Community Care Program in Queensland

Given Australia’s ageing population, the demand for Home and Community Care services is expected to escalate to unprecedented levels. A skilled and flexible aged care workforce, together with other broader aged care workforce planning needs, has become a priority at both the national and state levels. This study examined the Australian government’s Home and Community Care program for possible regional differences in service hours received by clients and associations between services. Analysis was based on the Minimum Data Set of 2007/08 and confined to Queensland clients aged 18 and over. Among clients residing outside the city, an inverse relationship existed between allied health and nursing hours. This suggests that other categories of staff may have supplemented the shortfall in skilled labour present in regional and remote areas. The findings are part of the initial steps in examining the potential opportunities available to government in implementing skill mix reforms within the health sector.
Perceptions of tick-borne encephalitis risk: a survey of travellers and travel clinics from Canada, Germany, Sweden and the UK

Abstract Background While the worldwide endemicity of tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) has been increasing, a lack of awareness of the risks of this life-threatening disease may be leading to an underutilization of preventive measures among travellers to TBE-endemic regions. This study’s objectives were to assess travellers’ awareness of TBE and advice-seeking attitudes, and to evaluate practices of travel clinics regarding pre-travel advice. Methods We used an online questionnaire to identify individuals aged 18–65 years residing in the UK, Germany, Canada and Sweden, who had travelled to TBE-endemic countries between 2013 and 2016. This sample was defined as the visit-risk sample. Of these, the first 375 respondents who reported that they had engaged in pre-defined at-risk activities (e.g. hiking in forests) were asked to complete an additional online survey and were included in the activity-risk sub-sample. We also used an online/phone questionnaire to interview travel clinic personnel. Results The TBE visit-risk sample included 4375 individuals; 69% had heard of the disease and 32% had heard of a TBE vaccine. Before travelling, travellers most commonly sought information online (26%); fewer travellers consulted family doctors (8%) or travel clinics (5%). In the activity-risk sample, 79% of the travellers were aware of at least one correct TBE prevention measure; however, only 15% reported being vaccinated within the past 3 years, with 11% of vaccinated travellers doing so following a clinic’s recommendation. One hundred and eighty travel clinic representatives responded and reported that TBE vaccination was recommended to an average of 61% of travellers to endemic regions. Vaccination-reminder services such as follow-up appointments, e-mail and text reminders were offered by 50% of the clinics. Conclusions There is a need to increase awareness of the risk and prevention of TBE among travellers to endemic countries, and travel clinics could play an important role in this process.
Grjotá Valles and implications for flood sediment deposition on Mars

Grjotá Valles is one of Mars' four Amazonian‐aged, fissure‐headed, catastrophic flood channels. It originates at the northwestern‐most Cerberus Fossa and stretches several hundred kilometers eastward and southward. Moats around in‐channel knobs and various small‐scale mounds, similar to mounds seen in Athabasca Valles, are both attributed to flood‐related processes. The floodwater sinks are ambiguous, and the lack of recognizable flood deposits is attributed to two causes. The first cause is the channel's high width‐to‐depth ratio, which may have facilitated floodwater recession during flooding. The second cause is the tendency of floodwater under lower gravity to move a higher percentage of material as washload. As flood deposits are comprised of bedload and suspended load, this tendency would result in fewer depositional bedforms. Our analysis of Grjotá Valles supports the idea that formation of terrestrial‐style flood deposits is energetically unlikely on Mars and that their presence indicates special paleohydraulic conditions.