Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Long sleep duration and cause‐specific mortality according to physical function and self‐rated health: the Ohsaki Cohort Study

Although several studies have examined the association between sleep duration and all‐cause or cause‐specific mortality, it is unclear whether long sleep duration might merely reflect decreased physical strength and poorer health status. We therefore examined the association between sleep duration and all‐cause and cause‐specific mortality, and conducted stratified analysis based on physical function and self‐rated health. This study used prospective data from the Ohsaki Cohort Study, conducted in Miyagi Prefecture, in northern Japan. This study population comprised 49 256 subjects aged 40–79 years at the baseline survey. We estimated hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) of all‐cause and cause‐specific mortality according to the five categories of sleep duration (≤6, 7, 8, 9, ≥10 h day−1), treating 7 h as the reference group, employing Cox's proportional hazard regression analysis. We found that long sleep duration was associated with mortality. The HRs (95% CIs) of subjects who slept more than 10 h were 1.37 (1.27–1.47), 1.49 (1.30–1.71) and 1.53 (1.36–1.73) for mortality due to all causes, total cardiovascular disease and other causes of death mortality, respectively. The association between long sleep duration and stroke mortality was especially marked among subjects with limited physical function and poorer health status. However, we did not observe such a trend for mortality due to all causes, total cardiovascular disease, ischaemic heart disease, cancer or other causes of death. We conclude that, with the exception of stroke mortality, the association between long sleep duration and mortality is not modified by physical function or health status.
Differential protein expression between normal, early‐stage, and late‐stage myxomatous mitral valves from dogs

Valvular heart disease accounts for over 20 000 deaths and 90 000 hospitalizations yearly in the United States. Myxomatous valve disease (MVD) is the most common disease of the mitral valve in humans and dogs. MVD is pathologically identical in these species and its pathogenesis is poorly understood. The objectives of this study were to (i) develop proteomic methodology suitable for analysis of extracellular matrix‐rich heart valve tissues and (ii) survey over‐ and under‐expressed proteins that could provide mechanistic clues into the pathogenesis of MVD. Normal, early‐stage, and late‐stage myxomatous mitral valves from dogs were studied. A shotgun proteomic analysis was used to quantify differential protein expression. Proteins were classified by function and clustered according to differential expression patterns. More than 300 proteins, with 117 of those being differentially expressed, were identified. Hierarchical sample clustering of differential protein profiles showed that early‐ and late‐stage valves were closely related. This finding suggests that proteome changes occur in early degeneration stages and these persist in late stages, characterizing a diseased proteome that is distinct from normal. Shotgun proteome analysis of matrix‐rich canine heart valves is feasible, and should be applicable to human heart valves. This study provides a basis for future investigations into the pathogenesis of MVD.
Common malignant cutaneous conditions among albinos in Kenya

Background: Albinos in Africa are at constant risk of developing skin cancer due to the damage caused by ultra-violet exposure. This study identifies the common skin conditions among albinos in Kenya as a country located along the equator. Methods: In this descriptive study on albino patients who were admitted to Mbagathi District Hospital in Nairobi, Kenya the census method was used for sampling and a total of 151 albinos were registered. All necessary data including age, gender, type, site and the number of skin lesions were recorded. Suspected patients with malignant and premalignant lesions were studied individually through skin biopsy and histopathological investigation. Finally, the collected data were analyzed using SPSS software. Results: Albinos with serious skin lesions were 121(80%) patients. Females were 64 (52.9%). The frequency of the following premalignant and malignant skin lesions including actinic-cheilitis, solar elastosis, actinic keratosis (AK), basal cell carcinoma (BCC) and squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) were 17.88%, 11.92%, 37.08%, 7.94% and 5.29%, respectively. Hands (20.52%), face (19.20%), head (18.18%), shoulder (14.56%) and neck (7.94%) were the most affected areas by malignant and premalignant lesions. Conclusions: BCC was the most common type of cutaneous malignancy on the face and shoulders while AK was the most common cutaneous pre-malignancy on the hands and face in albinos in Kenya. Therefore, appropriate physical protection, avoiding any trauma when carrying sharp, heavy or rough instruments by the shoulder and hands, and finally urgent and quality treatment for any lesion even a small erosion and ulcer, especially on exposed areas in albinos, are recommended.
Reducing barriers to evidence-based practice with military families: Clearinghouse for military family readiness

abstract Evidence-based practice (EBP) improves health and well-being by providing current scientific evidence in treating a wide range of military family challenges. However, there are a number of real and perceived barriers to the adoption of this practice. To help reduce barriers, the Department of Defense partnered with the National Institute of Food and Agriculture to fund the development of the Clearinghouse for Military Family Readiness at the Pennsylvania State University. The Clearinghouse provides a growing web-based repository of information on more than 900 programs and practices that can be used by military personnel and their families. These programs have been closely vetted by a team of research and evaluation scientists and placed on a continuum of evidence, indicating the level of empirical support for each program (i.e., Effective, Promising, Unclear, and Ineffective). The Clearinghouse also provides live technical assistance to advise social service professionals working with military families on the adoption, implementation, and evaluation of evidence-based programs and practices. In this article we describe how military and civilian social service practitioners can benefit from partnering with the Clearinghouse.
Factors Impacting on the Current Level of Open Innovation and ICT Entrepreneurship in Africa

Across Africa, Innovation and ICT entrepreneurship are increasingly recognised as important enablers of national and regional socio‐economic growth. However, the level of skills capacity, indigenous entrepreneurial expertise and policy support varies considerably. This research study was informed by a semi‐structured, moderated focus group involving five public and four education and research stakeholders from eight African Member States. It focused on identifying factors impacting on the current level of open innovation and ICT entrepreneurship in Africa. Organised in Lilongwe, Malawi on 08 May 2015 during IST‐Africa Week 2015, a purposive approach was applied to identify the nine informants based on intensity sampling. The results highlighted six main factors: a) level of political will reflected by resource prioritisation; b) alignment with national development plans and associated funding priorities; c) level of understanding of strategic benefits by ministers and senior civil servants; d) level of awareness and sensitization of the general public, e) availability of national innovation and entrepreneurial expertise; and f) willingness and capacity to cooperate with other stakeholders to achieve common goals. Future research will capture perspectives from the private, societal and international donor sectors, and create and validate potential models/methodologies to address the challenges and opportunities identified in this study.
[Treatment of malignant biliary occlusion by means of transhepatic percutaneous biliary drainage with insertion of metal stents--results of an 8-year follow-up and analysis of the prognostic parameters].

PURPOSE To analyze outcome and predictive factors for patient survival and patency rates of unresectable malignant biliary obstruction treated with percutaneous transhepatic insertion of metal stents. MATERIALS AND METHODS This is a retroslective analysis of 130 patients treated in one interventional radiological center with data collected from patient records and by telephone interviews. The procedure-related data had been prospectively documented in a computer data base. The Kaplan-Meier analysis was performed for univariate and multivariate comparison of survival and patency rates with the log-rank test used for different tumor types. Predictive factors for survival and 30-day mortality were analyzed by a stepwise logistic regression. RESULTS Underlying causes of malignant biliary obstructions were cholangiocarcinoma in 50, pancreatic carcinoma in 29, liver metastases in 27, gallbladder carcinoma in 20, and other tumors in 4 patients. The technical success rate was 99 %, the complication rate 27 % and the 30-day mortality 11 %. Primary patency rates (406 days with a median of 207 days) did not differ significantly for different tumor types. The survival rates were significantly (p = 0.03 by log-rank test) better for patients with cholangiocarcinoma than for patients with pancreatic carcinoma and liver metastases. Multiple regression analysis revealed no predictive factor for patient survival and 30-day mortality. CONCLUSION Percutaneous transhepatic insertion of metal biliary endoprostheses offers a good initial and long-term relief of jaundice caused by malignant biliary obstruction. Although survival rates for patients with cholangiocarcinoma are better than for other causes of malignant biliary obstruction, a clear predictive factor is lacking for patients undergoing palliative biliary stent insertion.
The Effects of Exercise and Rest Breaks on Musculoskeletal Discomfort during Computer Tasks: An Evidence-Based Perspective

OBJECTIVE: To review the strength of research evidence on the effects of exercise and rest breaks on musculoskeletal discomfort during computer tasks and compare the evidence with clinical guidelines. SIGNIFICANCE: The review of research evidence and its comparison with current clinical guidelines provide clinicians with knowledge to make clinically sound decisions in the care and management of individuals with musculoskeletal discomfort during computer tasks. METHODS: Articles from Pubmed, Ovid and references of relevant articles were reviewed for research design and internal validity. Grades of evidence were assigned based on the aggregate strength of articles for each intervention. RESULTS: Fifteen articles (one on exercise, seven on rest breaks, five examining both) met the inclusion criteria. Exercise and rest breaks were each assigned a grade of C. CONCLUSIONS: Evidence supports the use of exercise and rest breaks in reducing musculoskeletal discomfort in computer tasks. The research evidence suggests no additional benefits of exercise over rest breaks alone. Research evidence concurs with the clinical guidelines recommended by OSHA and the Official Disability Guidelines.
Using A Quality Framework to Assess Rural Palliative Care

Introduction: High-quality palliative care may remain out of reach for rural people who are dying. The purpose of this study was to explore the opportunities and issues affecting the provision of high-quality palliative care from the perspective of nurses employed in two rural health regions. Method: Using an interpretive descriptive design, focus groups and in-depth individual interviews of 44 nurses were conducted. Results: Descriptions of challenges and opportunities fell into three themes: effectiveness and safety, patient-cen-tredness, and efficiency and timeliness. Patient-cen-tredness was seen as a major strength of rural palliative care. Major challenges included provision of adequate symptom management and support of home deaths. The scarcity of health human resources and the negative impact these shortages had on all dimensions of palliative care quality consistently underpinned the discussions. Conclusion: Implementing outcome measurements related to symptom management and home deaths may be a critical foundation for enhancing the quality of rural palliative care.
Colorectal cancer in Egyptian patients under 40 years of age

Although colorectal cancer is not a common cancer in Egypt, the age distribution of the disease shows that a high proportion occurs in children and adults under 40 years of age. We reviewed the records of 1,608 colorectal cancer patients treated in 4 cancer hospitals in Egypt during a period of 3 to 10 years. The hospitals in which about 85% of all colorectal cancer cases in Egypt were seen included Egypt's 2 major cancer centers, The National Cancer Institute (NCI) in Cairo and Tanta Cancer Center (TCC) in the mid‐Nile Delta region, and 2 major university hospitals, Assiut University in South Egypt and Ain Shams University in Cairo. Our review showed that patients younger than 40 years represented 35.6% of all patients in the 4 cancer hospitals, and that these rates were similar among the hospitals and for the years reviewed. The male‐to‐female ratio increased from 1.0 to 1.7 for the age groups ranging from 0–9 and 30–39 years, and increased from 1.0 to 1.5 for the age groups ranging from 40–49 to over 60 years. More than half of all patients had rectal tumors, and about 90% of the cancers were adenocarcinomas; 30.6% of patients younger than 40 years, compared with 13.8% of older patients, had mucin‐producing tumors. This study confirmed the occurrence of a high colorectal cancer rate in young Egyptians, and it opens the door to future epidemiologic studies to identify causes and risk factors of this disease pattern in Egypt. Int. J. Cancer, 71:26–30, 1997. © 1997 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Analyzing the Impact of the Dodd-Frank Act on Congolese Livelihoods

The protracted conflict in eastern DRC is often explained by referring to the ‘conflict minerals’ narrative, propagated by activist NGOs, and frequently occurring in media and think tank publications. 1 Following this narrative, the various armed groups operating in eastern DRC are able to survive largely due to the profits they incur from their involvement in the local artisanal and small-scale mining sector. This involvement tends to take different shapes and varies from direct (‘boots on the ground’ in certain mines) to indirect (demanding rents from miners and traders in the region) ways of profiting.
N-Acetylcysteine Treatment Normalizes Serum Tumor Necrosis Factor-&agr; Level and Hinders the Progression of Cardiac Injury in Hypertensive Rats

Background—Studies in isolated cardiomyocytes showed that replenishment in cellular glutathione, achieved with the glutathione precursor N-acetylcysteine (NAC), abrogated deleterious effects of tumor necrosis factor-&agr; (TNF-&agr;). Methods and Results—We examined the ability of NAC to limit the progression of cardiac injury in the rat model of hypertension, induced by the nitric oxide synthase inhibitor NG-nitro-l-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME) (50 mg/kg per day SC) and high-salt diet (HS) (8% NaCl). Four-week HS/L-NAME administration induced hypertension (193±8 versus 122±4 mm Hg for low-salt diet [LS] group) and left ventricular (LV) dysfunction, revealed by echocardiography and characterized by decreased LV shortening fraction (38±2% versus 49±4% for LS group; P<0.05) and decreased LV posterior wall thickening (49±3% versus 70±4% for LS group; P<0.05). LV dysfunction worsened further after 6-week HS/LNAME administration. Importantly, increase in serum TNF-&agr; level was strongly correlated with shortening fraction decrease and cardiac glutathione depletion. NAC (75 mg/d) was given as a therapeutic treatment in a subgroup of HS/L-NAME animals during weeks 5 and 6 of HS/L-NAME administration. NAC treatment, which replenished cardiac glutathione, had no effect on hypertension but reduced LV remodeling and dysfunction, normalized serum TNF-&agr; level, and limited activation of matrix metalloproteinases -2 and -9 and collagen deposition in LV tissues. Conclusions—These findings suggest that glutathione status determines the adverse effects of TNF-&agr; in cardiac failure and that TNF-&agr; antagonism may be achieved by glutathione supplementation.
Impact of Trade Openness and Technology Transfers on Growth: Panel Data Investigation for Developing Countries

The study investigates the causal impact of trade openness and technology transfers on productivity growth in developing countries. We introduce the concept of technologically intensive trade openness (TITO) that can be measured by country approach as imports from highly innovative countries to GDP (employed in the study) or product approach as imports of highly technological products to GDP. We use panel data methods with fixed effects in combination with instrumental variable analysis. We find the time-varying instruments for TITO, among others: one-year lagged industry value added in highly innovative countries weighted by bilateral import shares of a developing country with each innovative country. Our results report that the technologically intensive imports and R&D spillovers from highly innovative countries stay the major channel of international technology diffusion affecting productivity growth in developing countries. On the contrary technologically non-intensive imports (imports from the less innovative countries) tend to have petty or even negative effect on productivity growth. The findings are consistent with the new growth theory and some recent empirical studies. Also educational attainment, domestic R&D activity, use of foreign intellectual property rights and less evidently institutional improvement can positively and substantially increase TFP in a developing country. We also find the interactions between TITO and educational attainments as well as TITO and use of foreign intellectual property rights.
The International Wine Trade and Its New Export Dynamics (1988–2012): A Gravity Model Approach

ABSTRACT An acceleration of the wine industry globalization process has occurred in the last decades due to increased competition, the emergence of new producers and exporters, and the existence of new wine consuming countries. All this has led to global changes in production strategies and marketing. The aim of this paper is to analyze the changes that have occurred in the global wine export dynamics and define its determinants; to do so a gravity model was estimated in which (a) the main wine producers and consumers involved in international trade are present, (b) two distinctive scenarios are present: one of continuous change (1988–1999), and one of an established export dynamic (2002–2012), and (c) bulk and bottled wines are considered. The main results show that higher incomes, lower prices, cultural and geographical affinities, and trade agreements promote wine exports; the expansion of bottled wine trade, especially within the EU, is particularly highlighted. [EconLit citations: C40; F14; Q1].
Evaluation of the Pituitary Gland in Idiopathic Hypogonadotropic Hypogonadism

Purpose: Evaluation of the pituitary gland has been carried out in idiopathic hypogonadotropic hypogonadism (IHH) to test the potential of MR imaging in differentiating IHH patients from normals. Material and Methods: Thirty-seven patients (aged 18-30 years), and 20 volunteers (aged 20-30 years) were studied by T1-weighted MR imaging. Length (LA and LP), height (H), width (W), area (AA and AP), and volume (V1A, V1B V2A, V2P) of the pituitary gland were determined. (Subscripts P and A refer to measurements made with and without the posterior lobe, respectively.) V1 and V2 were estimated using two different methods. Results: In the control group, LB W and V2A exhibited significant differences between female and male volunteers. While W was the only parameter that did not show significant difference between normals and patients (in both men and women), all other parameters except LB H and AP showed statistically significant differences between normals and IHH patients in both males and females. While LP was significantly different between normals and patients (men), H and AP were significantly different between normals and patients only in the female group. Conclusion: Correlation analysis between various parameters has shown that LA can be used for evaluating the pituitary in both the male and female IHH patients.
The computational analysis of harmony in western art music

This thesis describes research in the computational analysis of harmony in western art music, focussing particularly on improving the accuracy and information-richness of key and chord extraction from digital score data. It is argued that a greater sophistication in automatic harmony analysis is an important contribution to the field of computational musicology. Initial experiments use hidden Markov models to predict key and modulation from automatically labelled chord sequences. Model parameters are based on heuristically formulated chord and key weightings derived from Schönberg’s harmonic theory and the key and chord ratings resulting from perceptual experiments with listeners. The music theory models are shown to outperform the perceptual models both in terms of key accuracy and modelling the precise moment of key change. All of the models perform well enough to generate descriptive data about modulatory frequency, modulatory type and key distance. A robust method of classifying underlying chord types from elaborated keyboard music is then detailed. The method successfully distinguishes between essential and inessential notes, for example, passing notes and neighbour notes, and combines note classification information with tertian chord potential to measure the harmonic importance of a note. Existing approaches to automatic chord classification are unsuitable for use with complex textures and are restricted to triads and simple sevenths. An important goal is therefore to recognise a much broader set of chords, including complex chord types such as 9ths, 11ths and 13ths. This level of detail is necessary if the methods are to supply sophisticated information about the harmonic techniques of composers. Testing on the first twenty-four preludes of J. S. Bach’s Well Tempered Clavier, hand annotated by the author, a state of the art approach achieves 22.1% accuracy; our method achieves 55% accuracy.