Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Midlife and older rural women's adherence to U.S. Dietary Guidelines across stages of change in healthy eating.

Poor diet is one of the factors that influences morbidity and premature mortality among older women. The purpose of this descriptive correlational study was to assess (a) healthy eating behaviors of midlife and older rural women, as reflected by adherence to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, and (b) differences in daily servings in each food group consumed by the women across stages of readiness for change in healthy eating. A sample of 371 midlife and older rural women attending a national meeting of a community education organization completed a questionnaire, including items to measure healthy eating and readiness for change in healthy eating. Only 5.9% of the women adhered to all levels of the Food Pyramid. Adherence to individual levels ranged from 3.5% for grain products to 65.4% for fruit. Analyses of variance revealed significant differences (p < 0.05) in servings consumed daily across stages of change for grain (F=4.80), fruits (F=19.02), vegetables (F=9.24), dairy (F=2.45), and meats (F=1.98). Findings suggest the need for community health nurses to design dietary interventions tailored for women's stage of readiness for change to reduce disability in this vulnerable population.
Hypokalemia and Hypothermia are Associated With 30-day Mortality in Patients With Acute Paraquat Poisoning

Background:Clinical predictors associated with acute paraquat (PQ) poisoning have not been systematically studied. Objective:To identify independent predictors of death in patients with acute PQ poisoning. Methods:This is a retrospective study executed in the emergency department of a university hospital. One hundred three consecutive patients poisoned with PQ between January 1999 and December 2004 were enrolled. Urine PQ concentration, electrolyte and renal function, detailed history, and Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II were extracted from medical records. The outcome measure was 30-day mortality. Multivariate analysis was done by Cox-proportional hazard regression model. Receiver operating characteristics area under the curve was calculated for selected predictors. Results:The crude 30-day mortality was 67.9% (70 of 103). Independent predictors of death were acute renal failure (hazard ratio, 3.53; 95% confidence interval, 1.97–6.32), hypokalemia (2.07, 1.21–3.51), hypothermia (2.91, 1.67–5.07), suicide (2.11, 1.04–4.29), and self-reported ingested dose (2.06, 1.38–3.06). The receiver operating characteristics area under the curve of serum potassium concentrations, maximal urine PQ concentrations, and Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II scores were 0.75 (95% confidence interval, 0.60–0.81), 0.71 (0.66–0.84), and 0.80 (0.71–0.88), respectively. Under the cutoff value of 3.6 mEq/L, hypokalemia had a sensitivity of 75% and specificity of 54% in predicting mortality. Conclusion:The identified risk factors may allow better identification of those at greater mortality risk. Future development of a tailored clinical scoring system incorporating the identified risk factors for acute PQ poisoning may be of great help.
Treatment of imipramine-resistant recurrent depression, IV: A double-blind crossover study of tranylcypromine for anergic bipolar depression.

OBJECTIVE Few trials of monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs) in tricyclic-resistant depression have had double-blind conditions. In the authors' previous double-blind comparison of tranylcypromine and imipramine in anergic bipolar depression, tranylcypromine was significantly more effective. This investigation was a crossover study of nonresponders in the initial study. METHOD The subjects were 16 outpatients with anergic bipolar depression. Fourteen had not responded to 4 weeks of treatment with at least 30 mg/day of tranylcypromine or 150 mg/day of imipramine, and two patients were crossed over because of intolerable side effects from the initial drug. The crossover medication was prescribed as in the initial double-blind study. RESULTS Twelve patients were crossed over from imipramine to tranylcypromine; nine of them responded to tranylcypromine. Highly significant improvements were documented on the Hamilton, Beck, and Pittsburgh Reversed Vegetative Symptom Scales. Four patients were switched from tranylcypromine to imipramine, but only one responded. CONCLUSIONS The high rates of response to tranylcypromine in both the initial and crossover double-blind studies document the efficacy of MAOI treatment for anergic bipolar depression. Moreover, the results further illustrate the utility of MAOIs in tricyclic-resistant depressions.
Are STR & CAT-Generated texts useful for comprehension of lecturing content in a foreign language?

In this study, we applied Speech-to-Text Recognition (STR) and Computer-Aided Translation (CAT) technologies in combination during lectures in English to facilitate Russian speaking students' comprehension of lecture content. The instructor lectured in English, the STR system generated texts from the voice input, and the CAT system then simultaneously translated the STR-texts into Russian. We aimed to test the feasibility of applying STR and CAT technologies in combination to support learning of Russian speaking students during lectures in English. To this end, we designed an experiment. Three groups with twenty students in each were formed and all students attended the same lectures. Students in a control group attended lectures without any support, students in an experimental group 1 attended lectures with STR support (i.e. they were presented with texts in English generated from the instructor's speech), and students in an experimental group 2 attended lectures with STR and CAT support (i.e. they were presented with texts in Russian translated from English). We compared language ability and post-test results of students in three groups and we surveyed perceptions of students in the experimental group 2 about usefulness of translated texts for their learning. Our results showed that applying STR and CAT technologies was a useful approach; translated texts helped improve learning performance of the experimental group 2 students compared to the control condition significantly. More specifically, translated texts were beneficial both for low and high ability students in the experimental group 2, so that their scores of the tests were much better compared to those of students in the control condition. When students got used to translated texts and found their strength and limitations, they better utilized these texts for their learning. This is why learning progress of students was increasing from Lecture 1 to Lecture 2. Our results also showed that low ability students benefit from translated texts the most; their language ability was lower than that of high ability students before the experiment but after it, learning performance had no significant difference. Finally, most of the students in the experimental group 2 perceived translated texts as useful for their learning and they intended to use them in the future for learning.
The frequency and clinical significance of thrombocytopenia complicating critical illness: a systematic review.

BACKGROUND The epidemiology of thrombocytopenia in critically ill patients has not been well characterized. The objective of this study was to systematically review the prevalence, incidence, and consequences of, and risk factors for, thrombocytopenia among critically ill patients. METHODS We searched MEDLINE, EMBASE, the Cochrane Registry for controlled trials (until May 2010), and the Online Computer Library, as well as bibliographies of relevant studies, to identify investigations designed to examine the frequency, risk factors, and/or outcomes associated with thrombocytopenia among patients admitted to the ICU. We independently selected studies, abstracted data, and assessed methodologic quality in duplicate. Heterogeneity of design and analysis precluded statistical pooling of results. RESULTS We identified 24 studies (12 prospective) enrolling 6,894 patients from medical, surgical, mixed, or trauma ICUs. Prevalent thrombocytopenia (on ICU admission) occurred in 8.3% to 67.6% of patients; incident thrombocytopenia (developing during the course of the ICU stay) occurred in 13.0% to 44.1% of patients. High illness severity, sepsis, and organ dysfunction often correlated with thrombocytopenia. Only one study using multivariate analysis examined whether thrombocytopenia was associated with major bleeding, but it found no association. Six out of eight studies using multivariate analysis found that thrombocytopenia increased the risk of death. CONCLUSIONS The frequency of thrombocytopenia during critical illness varies widely, based on case mix and definition. After confounding factors are adjusted for, thrombocytopenia appears to increase the risk of death.
On the Theoretical Efficacy of Quantitative Easing at the Zero Lower Bound

We construct a monetary economy in which agents face aggregate demand shocks and hetero- generous idiosyncratic preference shocks. We show that, even when the Friedman rule is the best interest rate policy, not all agents are satiated at the zero lower bound. Thus, quantitative easing can be welfare improving since it temporarily relaxes the liquidity constraint of some agents, without harming others. Moreover, due to a pricing externality, quantitative easing may also have beneficial general equilibrium effects for the unconstrained agents. Lastly, our model suggests that it can be optimal for the central bank to buy private debt claims instead of government debt.
Migraine in Twins Raised Together and Apart

History of headache and migraine diagnosed by structured interview utilizing International Headache Society criteria was obtained in two samples of female twin pairs—154 raised together and 43 raised apart since infancy. Zygosity was determined by standard methods. Probandwise concordance rates were determined. Assuming that liability to migraine has a multifactorial etiology involving a number of genetic and environmental risk factors acting additively, tetrachoric correlations in the four groups of twins (monozygotic raised together, monozygotic raised apart, dizygotic raised together, and dizygotic raised apart) were then calculated. The genetic and environmental influences in the liability to migraine were estimated using biometrical model‐fitting methods.
Corporate Social and Environmental Responsibility Reporting Practices from an Emerging Mobile Telecommunications Market

type="main"> This study examines corporate social responsibility reporting practices in the rapidly growing mobile telecommunications industry in Bangladesh. This industry sector is one of the fastest growing in the world making it an attractive global investment. Using content analysis we reviewed and analysed the annual reports of four major mobile companies between 2008 and 2011. The findings reveal that mobile telecommunications companies in Bangladesh disclose social and environmental responsibility information across a range of categories. We find that these mobile companies provide significant benefits to education and health in Bangladesh and that their focus on community and development disclosures are motivated in part by seeking to maintain legitimacy in an extremely competitive industry.
Age effect on dopamine and serotonin metabolite levels in cerebrospinal fluid

Homovanillic acid (HVA), 5‐hydroxyindoleacetic acid (5‐HIAA), and 3‐methoxy‐4‐hydroxyphenylethylene glycol (MHPG) were measured in lumbar cerebrospinal fluid from a group of patients ranging in age from 1 week to 45 years. Quantitation of these biogenic amine metabolites was achieved using a gas chromatographic/mass spectrometric technique. The subjects had various specific disorders of the nervous system, though patients with movement disorders and biochemical defects known to affect the neurotransmitter systems examined in this study were specifically avoided.
Glial Cells Missing‐2 (GCM2) transactivates the calcium‐sensing receptor gene: effect of a dominant‐negative GCM2 mutant associated with autosomal dominant hypoparathyroidism

Glial cells missing‐2 (GCM2) is a transcription factor expressed in the parathyroid hormone (PTH)‐secreting cells of the parathyroid gland and is essential for their development. Thus far, downstream targets of GCM2 have not been identified. Here, we show that both promoters (P1 and P2) of the calcium‐sensing receptor (CASR) gene, a differentiation marker for the parathyroid gland, are transactivated by wild‐type GCM2. GCM response elements within CASR P1 (–451 to –441; relative to the transcription start site at +1) and CASR P2 (–166 to –156) were identified by mutated promoter‐reporter studies as well as oligonucleotide precipitation assays. Primary hypoparathyroidism is a heterogeneous group of conditions characterized by hypocalcemia and hyperphosphatemia due to deficient PTH secretion. A few cases of familial isolated hypoparathyroidism with autosomal recessive inheritance have been identified that are caused by homozygous inactivating mutations in the GCM2 gene. We describe the GCM2 mutations in two families with hypoparathyroidism, one inherited in an autosomal recessive fashion and the other in an autosomal dominant manner. In transfection studies using a promoter‐reporter construct having synthetic multimerized GCM elements in the promoter, the dominantly inherited mutant GCM2 exerted a dominant‐negative effect on wild‐type GCM2 activity, whereas recessively inherited mutants did not. In addition, we show that the transactivation of the CASR promoter‐reporter constructs by wild‐type GCM2 is completely abolished in the presence of the dominant‐negative mutant GCM2. Hum Mutat 0,1–8, 2008. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Tumors Hamper the Immunogenic Competence of CD4+ T Cell-Directed Dendritic Cell Vaccination1

Dendritic cells loaded with tumor-derived peptides induce protective CTL responses and are under evaluation in clinical trails. We report in this study that prophylactic administration of dendritic cells loaded with a MHC class II-restricted peptide derived from a model tumor Ag (Leishmania receptor for activated C kinase (LACK)) confers protection against LACK-expressing TS/A tumors, whereas therapeutic vaccination fails to cure tumor-bearing mice. Although CD4+ T cell-directed dendritic cell vaccination primed effector-like (CD44highCD62Llow, IL-2+, IFN-γ+) and central memory-like lymphocytes (CD44highCD62Lhigh, only IL-2+) in tumor-free mice, this was not the case in tumor-bearing animals in which both priming and persistence of CD4+ T cell memory were suppressed. Suppression was specific for the tumor-associated Ag LACK, and did not depend on CD25+ T cells. Because T cell help is needed for protective immunity, we speculate that the ability of tumors to limit vaccine-induced CD4+ T cell memory could provide a partial explanation for the limited efficacy of current strategies.
Electricity Generation Technologies Systematic Risk

We propose a method to estimate differentiated costs of equity for electricity generation technologies. We provide evidence that there is a substantial difference in their cost of equity. This method is based on a regression between available information on electric utilities equity return and their electricity generation asset portfolio. Our first main finding is that there is a statistically significant risk premium for nuclear technology. This point is in line with the most recent studies using a higher discount rate for nuclear technology compared to coal fired plants. But, in contrast with these studies, we find that the value of the risk premium is on the order of 1% above the systematic risk of a coal-fired plant, which is considerably lower than their recommended value of 3%. The robustness of this result is tested for the structural breaks that may have been induced by the August, 2008 financial crisis and the Daishi-Fukushima accident of March, 2011. Our second finding deals with renewable energies. Despite the existence of subsidies through feed-in tariffs which would make them look like safe investments, they present a high level of systematic risk. A possible explanation for this important excess return is the fact that they are dependent on subsidies for their development and thus, bear a larger systematic exposure than can be seen on short term time series data.
Inelastic Cross Sections for Low-Energy Electrons in Liquid Water: Exchange and Correlation Effects

Low-energy electrons play a prominent role in radiation therapy and biology as they are the largest contributor to the absorbed dose. However, no tractable theory exists to describe the interaction of low-energy electrons with condensed media. This article presents a new approach to include exchange and correlation (XC) effects in inelastic electron scattering at low energies (below ∼10 keV) in the context of the dielectric theory. Specifically, an optical-data model of the dielectric response function of liquid water is developed that goes beyond the random phase approximation (RPA) by accounting for XC effects using the concept of the many-body local-field correction (LFC). It is shown that the experimental energy-loss-function of liquid water can be reproduced by including into the RPA dispersion relations XC effects (up to second order) calculated in the time-dependent local-density approximation with the addition of phonon-induced broadening in N. D. Mermin's relaxation-time approximation. Additional XC effects related to the incident and/or struck electrons are included by means of the vertex correction calculated by a modified Hubbard formula for the exchange-only LFC. Within the first Born approximation, the present XC corrections cause a significantly larger reduction (∼10–50%) to the inelastic cross section compared to the commonly used Mott and Ochkur approximations, while also yielding much better agreement with the recent experimental data for amorphous ice. The current work offers a manageable, yet rigorous, approach for including non-Born effects in the calculation of inelastic cross sections for low-energy electrons in liquid water, which due to its generality, can be easily extended to other condensed media.
FADyAD- Fault and congestion aware routing algorithm based on DyAD algorithm

The performance of Network-on-Chip (NoC) largely depends on the underlying routing techniques. In this paper we present and evaluate a Fault and congestion aware routing scheme called FADyAD which combines the advantages of both deterministic and adaptive routing schemes. On the other hand, the routers switching between deterministic and adaptive routing based on the network's congestion conditions. The simulation results show the effectiveness of FADyAD by comparing it with deterministic and adaptive routing schemes under different traffic patterns. Simulation results depict that the proposed routing algorithm is able to route packet even in the case of faulty links or switches in the NoC. Moreover, Simulation results demonstrate the advantage of FADyAD routing algorithm in terms of average packet latency, packet loss rate compared with XY, OE and DyAD routing algorithm in the presence of permanent faults. For the proposed algorithm, it can get much less average packet latency and lead to less than average 15% packet loss rate. Simulation results show that our algorithm in terms of average energy consumption provides less energy consumption compared to the Fault-Aware Dynamic Routing (FADR) and recently reported fault tolerant flooding routing algorithms. Moreover, a prototype router based on the FADyAD idea has been designed and evaluated. The overhead of implementing FADyAD is negligible, while the performance is consistently better.
Electrospun composite poly(L-lactic acid)/tricalcium phosphate scaffolds induce proliferation and osteogenic differentiation of human adipose-derived stem cells

Development of tissue-engineered bone constructs has recently focused on the use of electrospun composite scaffolds seeded with stem cells from various source tissues. In this study, we fabricated electrospun composite scaffolds consisting of β-tricalcium phosphate (TCP) crystals and poly(L-lactic acid) (PLA) at varying loading levels of TCP (0, 5, 10, 20 wt%) and assessed the composite scaffolds' material properties and ability to induce proliferation and osteogenic differentiation of human adipose-derived stem cells (hASCs) in the presence of osteogenic differentiating medium. The electrospun scaffolds all exhibited a nonwoven structure with an interconnected porous network. With the addition of TCP, the fiber diameter increased with each treatment ranging from 503.39 ± 20.31 nm for 0 wt% TCP to 1267.36 ± 59.03 nm for 20 wt% TCP. Tensile properties of the composite scaffolds were assessed and the overall tensile strength of the neat scaffold (0 wt% TCP) was 847 ± 89.43 kPA; the addition of TCP significantly decreased this value to an average of 350.83 ± 38.57 kPa. As the electrospun composite scaffolds degraded in vitro, TCP was released into the medium with the largest release occurring within the first 6 days. Human ASCs were able to adhere, proliferate and osteogenically differentiate on all scaffold combinations. DNA content increased in a temporal manner for each scaffold over 18 days in culture although for the day 12 timepoint, the 10 wt% TCP scaffold induced the greatest hASC proliferation. Endogenous alkaline phosphatase activity was enhanced on the composite PLA/TCP scaffolds compared to the PLA control particularly by day 18. It was noted that at the highest TCP loading levels of 10 and 20 wt%, there was a dramatic increase in the amount of cell-mediated mineralization compared to the 5 wt% TCP and the neat PLA scaffold. This work suggests that local environment cues provided by the biochemical nature of the scaffold can accelerate the overall osteogenic differentiation of hASCs and encourage rapid ossification.
Knowledge gap of recommendations in ACOG practice bulletins: A survey of members of the Central Association of Obstetricians and Gynecologists

Abstract The purpose of this survey was to assess the knowledge gap of recommendations in practice bulletins (PBs). A survey consisting of three questions for 12 selected PBs (six obstetric and six gynecologic) was developed and sent to members of the Central Association. Odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated. Of the 385 active members, 100 (26%) returned the survey. The overall correct score was 49%. Respondents were significantly more likely to know recommendations in obstetric PBs (60%) than gynecologic PBs (39%; OR 2.45, 95% CI 2.12–2.81). Maternal-fetal medicine sub-specialists (n=27), compared with obstetricians-gynecologists (n=66), did significantly better with obstetric PBs (67% vs. 59%; OR 1.42, 95% CI 1.32–1.77) and substantially worse with gynecologic topics (34% vs. 39%; OR 0.79, 95% CI 0.63–0.98). In conclusion, since members of the Central Association have a substantial knowledge gap, there are ample opportunities to educate and reinforce PB recommendations.
Developing a measurement instrument for high school students’ entrepreneurial orientation

Abstract Business owners, especially successful ones, can be assumed to have eminently developed an entrepreneurial orientation ever since their high school days. However, thus far there is no standardized scale to specifically measure entrepreneurial orientation behavior in high school students. This study analyzes the dimensions of entrepreneurial orientation in 368 high school students in six major cities on the island of Java, Indonesia. Items of the scale are arranged based on five dimensions of entrepreneurial orientation by Lumpkin and Dess. The result of the exploratory analysis indicates four dimensions that are proven valid and reliable, namely innovativeness, risky proactiveness, autonomy, and competitiveness. However, the result of external validity test shows only three valid dimensions, hence leading to the exclusion of the autonomy dimension from this scale. This scale can be implemented by educators to identify and develop entrepreneurial orientation in high school students.