Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Grown Unschoolers’ Experiences with Higher Education and Employment: Report II on a Survey of 75 Unschooled Adults

A sample of 75 adults, who had been unschooled for at least the years that would have been their last two years of high school, answered questions about their subsequent pursuits of higher education and careers. Eighty-three percent of them had gone on to some form of formal higher education and 44 percent had either completed or were currently in a bachelor’s degree program. Overall, they reported little difficulty getting into colleges and universities of their choice and adapting to the academic requirements there, despite not having the usual admissions credentials. Those who had been unschooled throughout what would have been their K-12 years were more likely to go on to a bachelor’s program than were those who had some schooling or curriculum-based homeschooling during those years. Concerning careers, despite their young median age, most were gainfully employed and financially independent. A high proportion of them—especially of those in the always-unschooled group—had chosen careers in the creative arts; a high proportion were self-employed entrepreneurs; and a relatively high proportion, especially of the men, were in STEM careers. Most felt that their unschooling benefited them for higher education and careers by promoting their sense of personal responsibility, self-motivation, and desire to learn.
Screening for Depression in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

ABSTRACT Depression and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are major causes of disability. Identifying COPD patients at risk for depression would facilitate the alleviation of an important comorbidity conferring additional risk for poor outcomes. The purpose of this study was to determine the utility of a brief screening measure, the 15-item Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS-15), in detecting the mood disorders in persons with COPD. This is a cross-sectional study of 188 persons with COPD, stratified by age (65 and older versus less than 65) and COPD severity using Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD) staging. Screening cut-points were empirically derived using threshold selection methods and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were estimated. The GDS-15 was used as a screening measure and diagnoses of Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) or other mood disorders were determined using a “gold standard” standardized structured clinical interview. Of the 188 persons with COPD, 25% met criteria for any mood disorder and 11% met criteria for MDD. Optimal threshold estimations suggested a GDS cut score of 5, which yielded adequate sensitivity and specificity in detecting MDD (81% and 87%, respectively) and correctly classified 86% of participants. To detect the presence of any mood disorder, a cut score of 4 was suggested yielding sensitivity and specificity of 67% and 82%, respectively; correctly classifying 79%. These results suggest that mood disorders are relatively common among persons with COPD. The GDS-15 is a useful screening measure to identify patients at risk for depression.
A Note on Bound Constraints Handling for the IEEE CEC’05 Benchmark Function Suite

The benchmark functions and some of the algorithms proposed for the special session on real parameter optimization of the 2005 IEEE Congress on Evolutionary Computation (CEC’05) have played and still play an important role in the assessment of the state of the art in continuous optimization. In this article, we show that if bound constraints are not enforced for the final reported solutions, state-of-the-art algorithms produce infeasible best candidate solutions for the majority of functions of the IEEE CEC’05 benchmark function suite. This occurs even though the optima of the CEC’05 functions are within the specified bounds. This phenomenon has important implications on algorithm comparisons, and therefore on algorithm designs. This article's goal is to draw the attention of the community to the fact that some authors might have drawn wrong conclusions from experiments using the CEC’05 problems.
Effects of Ramadan fasting on body weight and metabolic profile

Background and objective: Fasting during the Ramadan month is a religious duty and it is obligatory for all healthy adult Muslims. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of fasting during Ramadan in different times and place on body weight, blood sugar, serum lipids and blood pressure. Methods: Fifty three healthy adult fasting volunteers were included in the study. Peripheral venous blood samples were taken three days before Ramadan, at the end of the first week, and at the end of the fourth week of fasting. The last blood sample was taken one week after the end of Ramadan. Serum total cholesterol, HDL and LDL, triglycerides and glucose were measured. Vital signs and body mass index were taken by one of the researchers. Results: Thirty three (62.3%) volunteers were males, 93.4% were below 40 years of age. Weight changed significantly during Ramadan. Mean systolic blood pressure decreased by 11 mmHg while diastolic blood pressure decreased by 9 mmHg (P <0.001). Fasting blood sugar decreased by 14.96 mg/dl (P <0.001). Plasma lipids; cholesterol decreased by 19.3 mg/dl (P <0.027), LDL by 23 mg/dl (P <0.001), triglyceride by 44 mg/dl (P <0.003) but the HDL increased by 5.4 mg/dl (P <0.002) during Ramadan fasting. Before Ramadan, 19% of participants had abnormal serum cholesterol and 37% had abnormal LDL level, while after Ramadan all had normal lipid levels (P <0.001). The proportion of participants with abnormal HDL decreased from 94% before Ramadan to 50% after Ramadan (P <0.001). Conclusion: Ramadan affects the body physiology and lowers the weight, serum lipids,
Gene expression in relation to exhaled nitric oxide identifies novel asthma phenotypes with unique biomolecular pathways.

RATIONALE Although asthma is recognized as a heterogeneous disease associated with clinical phenotypes, the molecular basis of these phenotypes remains poorly understood. Although genomic studies have successfully broadened our understanding in diseases such as cancer, they have not been widely used in asthma studies. OBJECTIVES To link gene expression patterns to clinical asthma phenotypes. METHODS We used a microarray platform to analyze bronchial airway epithelial cell gene expression in relation to the asthma biomarker fractional exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO) in 155 subjects with asthma and healthy control subjects from the Severe Asthma Research Program (SARP). MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS We first identified a diverse set of 549 genes whose expression correlated with FeNO. We used k-means to cluster the patient samples according to the expression of these genes, identifying five asthma clusters/phenotypes with distinct clinical, physiological, cellular, and gene transcription characteristics-termed "subject clusters" (SCs). To then investigate differences in gene expression between SCs, a total of 1,384 genes were identified that highly differentiated the SCs at an unadjusted P value < 10(-6). Hierarchical clustering of these 1,384 genes identified nine gene clusters or "biclusters," whose coexpression suggested biological characteristics unique to each SC. Although genes related to type 2 inflammation were present, novel pathways, including those related to neuronal function, WNT pathways, and actin cytoskeleton, were noted. CONCLUSIONS These findings show that bronchial epithelial cell gene expression, as related to the asthma biomarker FeNO, can identify distinct asthma phenotypes, while also suggesting the presence of underlying novel gene pathways relevant to these phenotypes.
Dual Inhibition of MEK and PI3K/Akt Rescues Cancer Cachexia through both Tumor-Extrinsic and -Intrinsic Activities

Involuntary weight loss, a part of the cachexia syndrome, is a debilitating comorbidity of cancer and currently has no treatment options. Results from a recent clinical trial at our institution showed that biliary tract cancer patients treated with a MEK inhibitor exhibited poor tumor responses but surprisingly gained weight and increased their skeletal muscle mass. This implied that MEK inhibition might be anticachectic. To test this potential effect of MEK inhibition, we utilized the established Colon-26 model of cancer cachexia and the MEK1/2 inhibitor MEK162. Results showed that MEK inhibition effectively prevented muscle wasting. Importantly, MEK162 retained its ability to spare muscle loss even in mice bearing a Colon-26 clone resistant to the MEK inhibitor, demonstrating that the effects of blocking MEK are at least in part independent of the tumor. Because single-agent MEK inhibitors have been limited as a first-line targeted therapy due to compensatory activation of other oncogenic signaling pathways, we combined MEK162 with the PI3K/Akt inhibitor buparlisib. Results showed that this combinatorial treatment significantly reduced tumor growth due to a direct activity on Colon-26 tumor cells in vitro and in vivo, while also preserving skeletal muscle mass. Together, our results suggest that as a monotherapy, MEK inhibition preserves muscle mass, but when combined with a PI3K/Akt inhibitor exhibits potent antitumor activity. Thus, combinatorial therapy might serve as a new approach for the treatment of cancer cachexia. Mol Cancer Ther; 16(2); 344–56. ©2016 AACR. See related article by Kobayashi et al., p. 357
Collateral Donor Artery Physiology and the Influence of a Chronic Total Occlusion on Fractional Flow Reserve

Background—The presence of a concomitant chronic total coronary occlusion (CTO) and a large collateral contribution might alter the fractional flow reserve (FFR) of an interrogated vessel, rendering the FFR unreliable at predicting ischemia should the CTO vessel be revascularized and potentially affecting the decision on optimal revascularization strategy. We tested the hypothesis that donor vessel FFR would significantly change after percutaneous coronary intervention of a concomitant CTO. Methods and Results—In consecutive patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention of a CTO, coronary pressure and flow velocity were measured at baseline and hyperemia in proximal and distal segments of both nontarget vessels, before and after percutaneous coronary intervention. Hemodynamics including FFR, absolute coronary flow, and the coronary flow velocity–pressure gradient relation were calculated. After successful percutaneous coronary intervention in 34 of 46 patients, FFR in the predominant donor vessel increased from 0.782 to 0.810 (difference, 0.028 [0.012 to 0.044]; P=0.001). Mean decrease in baseline donor vessel absolute flow adjusted for rate pressure product: 177.5 to 139.9 mL/min (difference −37.6 [−62.6 to −12.6]; P=0.005), mean decrease in hyperemic flow: 306.5 to 272.9 mL/min (difference, −33.5 [−58.7 to −8.3]; P=0.011). Change in predominant donor vessel FFR correlated with angiographic (%) diameter stenosis severity (r=0.44; P=0.009) and was strongly related to stenosis severity measured by the coronary flow velocity–pressure gradient relation (r=0.69; P<0.001). Conclusions—Recanalization of a CTO results in a modest increase in the FFR of the predominant collateral donor vessel associated with a reduction in coronary flow. A larger increase in FFR is associated with greater coronary stenosis severity.
Audiological evaluation of hearing levels in patients diagnosed with migraine

Introduction: Based on the hypothesis that neurovascular events involving in the pathophysiology of migraine can cause hearing loss by influencing blood flow of inner ear, it was aimed to determine whether migraine with or without aura in our clinics patients are at risk for hearing loss by assessing hearing levels via a high-frequency audiometry, acoustic reflex and transient otoacoustic emission responses; to discriminate whether hearing loss is cochlear or retrocochlear originated, if present; and to evaluate whether or not migraine treatment affect hearing level in patients received treatment for migraine in this study. Materials and Methods: The study included patients who were diagnosed as migraine between December 2011 and December 2012 at Neurology Department of Cumhuriyet University, Medicine School according to ICD-II classification and accepted to receive medical therapy. In all patients, hearing levels were measured at baseline and after treatment by using high-frequency audiometry, transient otoacoustic emission and acoustic reflex tests. Results: In the present study, hearing thresholds measured in the right ear was normal in migraine patients with or without aura at baseline, while mild hearing loss was detected in right ear at the frequency of 500 Hz after treatment when hearing thresholds at different frequencies were compared. This difference was significant (P < 0, 05). When hearing thresholds in right ear at baseline and after treatment was compared, mild hearing loss was detected at the frequency of 250 Hz in migraine patients with aura. This difference was significant (P < 0, 05). In migraine patients with aura, hearing was normal in all patients at baseline, while in both ears mild hearing loss was detected in 2 patients (8.7%) after treatment. This difference was not significant (P > 0, 05). Conclusion: Differently from literature, hearing loss in our patients developed at lower frequencies and after treatment. The results we obtained from our study also presented that there might be a relationship between migraine disease and sensorineural hearing loss.
Prevalence and Consequences of Male-to-female and Female-to-male Intimate Partner Violence as Measured by the National Violence Against Women Survey

Using data from a telephone survey of 8,000 U.S. men and 8,000 U.S. women, this study compares the prevalence and consequences of violence perpetrated against men and women by marital and opposite-sex cohabiting partners. The study found that married/cohabiting women reported significantly more intimate perpetrated rape, physical assault, and stalking than did married/cohabiting men, whether the time period considered was the respondent's lifetime or the 12 months preceding the survey. Women also reported more frequent and longer lasting victimization, fear of bodily injury, time lost from work, injuries, and use of medical, mental health, and justice system services.
Long-Term Control with Etanercept (Enbrel®) of a Severe Acrodermatitis Continua of Hallopeau Refractory to Infliximab (Remicade®)

Hallopeau’s acrodermatitis is characterized by the presence of aseptic pustules on an inflammatory basis of the periungual or subungual region. The cyclic recurrences induce important physical and psychological morbidity. By analogy to the efficacy of TNF-α antagonists in the treatment of generalized pustular psoriasis, our patient illustrates the long-term efficacy and safety of etanercept (Enbrel®) in the treatment of Hallopeau’s acrodermatitis refractory to infliximab (Remicade®). This treatment alternative should in consequence be considered in patients with a recalcitrant form of a potentially debilitating disease.
Outcomes of a Peritoneal Dialysis Program in Remote Communities Within Colombia

♦ Background and Objective: Colombia is a country of diverse geographic regions, some with mountainous terrain that can make access to urban areas difficult for individuals who live in remote areas. In 2005, a program was initiated to establish remote peritoneal dialysis (PD) centers in Colombia to improve access to PD for patients with end-stage renal disease who face geographic or financial access barriers. ♦ Patients and Methods: The present study was a multi-center cohort observational study of prevalent home PD patients who were at least 18 years of age and were being managed by one of nine established remote PD centers in Colombia over a 2-year period. Data were collected from clinical records, databases, and patient interviews. Patient survival, incidence of peritonitis, and rate of withdrawal from PD therapy were assessed. ♦ Results: A total of 345 patients were eligible for the study. The majority (87.8%) of patients lived on one to two times a minimum monthly salary (equivalent to US$243 – US$486). On average, patients traveled 1.2 hours and 4.3 hours from their home to their remote PD center or an urban reference renal clinic, respectively. The incidence rate of peritonitis was 2.54 episodes per 100 patient-months of therapy. A bivariate analysis showed a significantly higher risk of peritonitis in patients who were living on less than one times a monthly minimum salary (p < 0.05) or who had a dirt, cement, or unfinished wood floor (p < 0.05). The 1-year and 2-year patient survival rates were 92.44% and 81.55%, respectively. The 1-year and 2-year technique survival rates were 97.27% and 89.78%, respectively. ♦ Conclusions: With the support of remote PD centers that mitigate geographic and financial barriers to healthcare, home PD therapy is a safe and appropriate treatment option for patients who live in remote areas in Colombia.
Raised Adolescent Body Mass Index Predicts the Development of Adiposity and a Central Distribution of Body Fat in Adulthood: A Longitudinal Study

Objective: To test the hypothesis that adolescent body mass index (BMI) tracks into adulthood and can be used as a predictor of obesity and/or central adiposity in adulthood. Method: A prospective cohort study following up 111 female and 84 male subjects who participated in dietary and anthropometric surveys when aged 12 years (in 1979–1981) and 33 years (in 2000–2001). At both time points, height and weight were measured and BMI calculated. At 33 years, waist circumference (WC) and hip circumference were also measured and waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) calculated. Results: In the male and female participants, BMI at 12 years was associated significantly with BMI at 33 years (R = 0.58 and 0.53, respectively, both p < 0.01) and WC at 33 years (R = 0.58 and 0.53, both p < 0.01). The probability of being an obese adult increased with rising adolescent BMI: normal weight male (BMI < 20.89 kg/m2) and female subjects (BMI < 21.20 kg/m2) at 12 years had a 20% and a 7% chance of being obese at 33 years, respectively; the probabilities for obese male (BMI ≥25.58kg/m2) and female subjects (BMI ≥26.05kg/m2) were 83 and 64%. The corresponding probability of becoming centrally obese (measured by WC) increased from 17 and 16% in male and female subjects of a normal weight to 58 and 59% in those being obese. Conclusions: Adolescent BMI is a good predictor of adult BMI and WC and the likelihood of becoming obese and/or centrally obese in adulthood.
Comparison of the clinical utility of tocilizumab and anti-TNF therapy in AA amyloidosis complicating rheumatic diseases

ObjectivesAnti-cytokine therapy is reportedly useful in amyloid A (AA) amyloidosis complicating rheumatic diseases. However, to date no studies have directly compared the utility of tumour necrosis factor (TNF) inhibition to that of interleukin-6. The aim of our retrospective study was to compare the clinical utility of tocilizumab (TCZ) and anti-TNF (TNF inhibitor) therapy.MethodsWe studied 42 patients treated with anti-cytokine agents at our hospital: 31 had received a single agent, ten had received two agents and one had received three agents. Patients were divided into a TCZ group (22 patients) and a TNF inhibitor group (32 patients). The main parameters compared were treatment retention rate, serum amyloid A (SAA) profile, renal function profile and clinical disease activity index.ResultsThe 5-year retention rates were 90.4 (TCZ group) and 34.3 % (TNF inhibitor group) (p = 0.0154, log-rank test). The median SAA fell from 219.2 μg/mL at treatment initiation to 5.0 μg/mL at last observation (TCZ), and from 143.6 to 38.1 μg/mL (TNF inhibitor) (p = 0.0194). Estimated glomerular filtration rate was improved in 72.7 (TCZ) and 34.4 % (TNF inhibitor) of patients (p = 0.0062). The rates of clinical remission or low disease activity at last observation for the TCZ and TNF inhibitor groups were 72.7 and 40.7 % (p = 0.0201), respectively.ConclusionsBased on these results, we conclude that TCZ was of greater clinical utility than anti-TNF therapy in our patients with AA amyloidosis complicating rheumatic diseases.
Clustering through decision tree construction

Clustering aims to find the intrinsic structure of data by organizing data objects into similarity groups or clusters. It is often called unsupervised learning as no class labels denoting an a priori partition of the objects are given. This is in contrast with supervised learning (e.g., classification) for which the data objects are already labeled with known classes. Past research in clustering has produced many algorithms. However, these algorithms have some major shortcomings. In this paper, we propose a novel clustering technique, which is based on a supervised learning technique called decision tree construction. The new technique is able to overcome many of these shortcomings. The key idea is to use a decision tree to partition the data space into cluster and empty (sparse) regions at different levels of details. The technique is able to find "natural" clusters in large high dimensional spaces eff iciently. It is suitable for clustering in the full dimensional space as well as in subspaces. It also provides comprehensible descriptions of clusters. Experiment results on both synthetic data and real-li fe data show that the technique is effective and also scales well for large high dimensional datasets.
Long-Term Effects of Creatine Monohydrate on Strength and Power

The use of creatine monohydrate supplementation by athletes to increase strength and lean body mass has great anecdotal support. There has also been great interest in the use of lower doses of creatine monohydrate for extended periods during heavy resistance training. The purpose of this investigation was to document the long-term effects of creatine monohydrate supplementation on resistance-trained athletes. Sixteen collegiate football players were randomly separated into creatine monohydrate and placebo groups. Supplementation in capsule form consisted of 5 g/d of creatine monohydrate or placebo (no loading phase) throughout a 10-week supervised resistance training program. Pretesting and posttesting consisted of the following: weight; body fat estimation; 1 repetition maximum bench press, squat, and power clean; and Cybex testing. Results revealed the creatine monohydrate group was able to significantly increase measures of strength and power and increase body mass without a change in percent body fat, whereas the placebo group showed no significant changes. The results indicate that 10 weeks of creatine monohydrate supplementation while participating in a resistance training program significantly increases strength and power indices compared with placebo supplementation. These data also indicate that lower doses of creatine monohydrate may be ingested (5 g/d), without a short-term, large-dose loading phase (20 g/d), for an extended period to achieve significant performance enhancement.