Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Social, behavioral, and biological factors, and sex differences in mortality

Few studies have examined whether sex differences in mortality are associated with different distributions of risk factors or result from the unique relationships between risk factors and mortality for men and women. We extend previous research by systematically testing a variety of factors, including health behaviors, social ties, socioeconomic status, and biological indicators of health. We employ the National Health and Nutritional Examination Survey III Linked Mortality File and use Cox proportional hazards models to examine sex differences in adult mortality in the United States. Our findings document that social and behavioral characteristics are key factors related to the sex gap in mortality. Once we control for women’s lower levels of marriage, poverty, and exercise, the sex gap in mortality widens; and once we control for women’s greater propensity to visit with friends and relatives, attend religious services, and abstain from smoking, the sex gap in mortality narrows. Biological factors—including indicators of inflammation and cardiovascular risk—also inform sex differences in mortality. Nevertheless, persistent sex differences in mortality remain: compared with women, men have 30% to 83% higher risks of death over the follow-up period, depending on the covariates included in the model. Although the prevalence ofriskfactors differs by sex, the impact of those riskfactors on mortality is similar for men and women.
Breast Cancer Risk Based on the Gail Model and its Predictors in Iranian Women.

BACKGROUND This study was carried out to examine breast cancer risk and its fertility predictors in women aged ≥35. MATERIALS AND METHODS This cross-sectional study was conducted on 560 healthy women referred to health centers of Tabriz-Iran, 2013-2014. Five-year and lifetime risk of developing breast cancer were determined using the Gail model. General linear modeling was applied to determine breast cancer predictors. RESULTS The mean age of the subjects was 42.7 (SD: 7.7) years. Mean 5-year and lifetime risks of developing breast cancer were determined to be 0.6% (SD: 0.2%) and 8.9% (SD: 2.5%), respectively. Variables of family history of breast cancer, age, age at menarche, parity, age at rst childbirth, breastfeeding history, frequency of breastfeeding, method of contraception, marital status and education were all found to be predictors of breast cancer risk. CONCLUSIONS According to the results of this study, screening programs based on the Gail model should be implemented for Iranian people who have a high risk for breast cancer in order to facilitate early detection and better plan for possible malignancies.
Featured research Featured research Abstracts and commentaries Recruitment of compensatory pathways to sustain oxidative flux with reduced carnitine palmitoyltransferase I activity characterizes inefficiency in energy metabolism in hypertrophied hearts

Recent studies have determined that atherosclerosis is a dynamic disease, with both progression and regression of plaques possible, as well as marked change in composition that affect plaque stability. Plaque composition, rather than size, determines the clinical course and consequences of atherosclerosis. In particular, recent findings from models of atherosclerosis have emphasized the important contribution of both inflammatory cells and the death of smooth muscle cells. The mechanisms underlying plaque vulnerability and their implications for development of treatment for atherosclerosis are discussed in the light of this knowledge. Heart Metab. 2007;36:5–7.
Mode switching control design with initial value compensation and its application to head positioning control on magnetic disk drives

To meet an increasing demand for high performance and large-capacity in magnetic hard disk drives, both fast response and precise positioning are strongly required for the head positioning control. A mode switching control (MSC) system, which includes a track seeking controller, a track following controller, and a switching function, is widely used to meet this requirement. The issue for MSC is to confirm a design method of servo mode switching. This paper proposes the initial value compensation method (IVC). The IVC inputs certain initial values in the controller state variables at mode switching in order to improve the transient response after switching. There are two approaches to determine the values: (1) minimizing a linear-quadratic function of the plant state variables; and (2) cancelling the unfavorable poles of the transfer function between initial values and head position by relocating zeros. Some experimental results are shown to be effective.
A high speed optical imaging system for studying lightning attachment process

We have developed a high speed optical imaging system for studying lightning attachment process. The system has the feature of wide dynamic range, long recording length, high time resolution and data collection efficiency. We have installed three of such systems at The International Center for Lightning Research and Testing (ICLRT) at Camp Blanding, Florida to observe the attachment process of both natural and rocket triggered lightning. We have obtained some preliminary results which demonstrate that the system is a useful tool for studying lightning attachment process.
PROPOSTA DE UMA ESCALA PARA AVALIAR O TURGOR DA PELE DE IDOSOS

Os idosos sofrem varias transformacoes biopsicossociais; este artigo vai abordar as alteracoes, dentre elas a desidratacao, que leva a formacao das ulceras por pressao (UPP) nessa fase da vida. As UPP desafiam o enfermeiro a buscar novas alternativas de avaliacao, tratamento e prevencao, para minimizar a dor que promovem, bem como, o custo de seu tratamento e a consequente diminuicao do tempo de internacao do paciente. O objetivo desta pesquisa foi elaborar um instrumento que permita ao enfermeiro uma avaliacao criteriosa reproduzindo quantitativamente a hidratacao cutânea em idosos. Com um estudo metodologico desenvolveu-se um instrumento, aqui denominado escala de avaliacao do turgor da pele (EATP) e consequente hidratacao da mesma. Apos o exame fisico e detectado o tipo de pele, aplica-se a EATP que mediante descricao do estado da pele e respectivos escores quantifica o grau de desidratacao da pele. A EATP e simples, de facil e rapida aplicacao e podera facilitar o trabalho dos enfermeiros na busca da prevencao individualizada de UPP.
Treatment of Ventriculitis with Gentamicin and Cloxacillin in Infants Born with Spina Bifida

Of 783 newborn infants with spina bifida cystica and cranium bifidum treated in the 6 years to December 1966, 11% died of ventriculitis. 24% of all deaths were due to this cause. Experience with treatment of ventriculitis with 2 of the antibiotic drugs, gentamicin and cloxacillin, during an 18-month period is presented. CSF levels were estimated during systemic and intraventricular administration of a drug and the clinical response was correlated with these levels. Of the 14 infants treated with gentamicin, the majority of whom had Gram-negative infections, 7 recovered. The 7 who died as a result of ventriculitis were mostly under 4 weeks of age. There was close correlation between the CSF levels attained and results of therapy. It was essential to give the drug intraventricularly to attain any recordable level, and to obtain the best results the systemic and intraventricular dose of the drug had to be adjusted to give CSF levels that exceeded the minimum inhibitory concentration considerably. 2 infants who recovered died later of other causes, but 4 of the 5 survivors had normal developmental attainments. No toxic effects were observed. The 7 infants treated with cloxacillin, all of whom had Gram-positive infections, survived, 3 with normal development. The importance of intraventricular administration of drugs and proper control of doses to achieve optimal therapeutic levels is emphasized.
A cross-lagged evaluation of eating disorder symptomatology and substance-use problems.

OBJECTIVE The purpose of this study was to conduct a temporal examination of the associations among disordered eating behaviors, substance use, and use-related negative consequences in female college students-a population at high risk for developing eating and substance-use disorders. METHOD Participants completed assessments of disordered eating behaviors, alcohol and drug use, and use-related negative consequences. RESULTS Results support previous research suggesting that disordered eating behaviors are more strongly associated with alcohol- and substance-related problems rather than use per se. With respect to temporal precedence, results indicated that binge eating preceded alcohol-use problems, but a bidirectional relationship was found for vomiting. With regard to drug problems, laxatives use preceded drug problems, whereas drug problems preceded fasting. These associations were not better accounted for by pre-existing eating or substance-use problems or psychiatric distress (e.g., depression, anxiety). CONCLUSIONS This study further supports the importance of assessing consequences, in addition to use patterns, when examining substance use in individuals demonstrating threshold and subthreshold eating-disordered behaviors.
Image classification: A hierarchical dictionary learning approach

Hierarchical dictionary learning seeks multiple dictionaries at different image scales to capture complementary coherent characteristics. We propose a method to learn a hierarchy of two overcomplete synthesis dictionaries with an image classification goal. The classification objective in some sense regularizes the joint optimization of the hierarchical dictionaries and injects refinement feedback. The validation of the proposed approach is based on its classification performance using two well-known data sets.
A population based cohort study of patients with multiple colon and endometrial cancer: Correlation of microsatellite instability (msi) status, age at diagnosis and cancer risk

Hereditary non‐polyposis colorectal cancer, HNPCC, is an autosomal dominant condition predisposing to cancers of primarily the colorectum and the endometrium. The aim of our study was to identify persons at a high risk of hereditary colorectal cancer and to estimate their risk of colon and other HNPCC‐associated tumours. Family histories of cancer were obtained on 89 persons with double primary (DP) cancers of the colon and the endometrium. The cancer risks in their 649 first‐degree‐relatives (FDR) were analysed. The microsatellite instability (MSI) status of the tumour of the proband was also analysed and the cancer risks were estimated in relation to MSI status and age at diagnosis in the proband (over or under 50 years). The overall standardised incidence ratio (SIR) was 1.69 (95% CI; 1.39–2.03). In the =50‐year‐old cohort the SIR was 2.67 (95% CI; 2.08–3.38). Colon, rectal and uterus cancer exhibited significantly increased risks. This risk was further increased in the =50‐year‐old MSI positive families. Several =50‐year‐old MSI negative HNPCC‐like families with increased risks were also identified. In conclusion a FDR to a person with a DP cancer of the colorectum or the colon/endometrium have a significantly increased risk of having a colorectal or other HNPCC‐associated cancers if the proband is diagnosed with one of the cancers before age 50. These families are candidates for genetic counselling and colorectal screening programmes. Mutations in mismatch repair genes can explain some of the increased risk in these families, but mutations in MSI negative families are probably due to other colon cancer susceptibility genes not yet described. © 2001 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Air-Dried Brown Seaweed, Ascophyllum nodosum, Alters the Rumen Microbiome in a Manner That Changes Rumen Fermentation Profiles and Lowers the Prevalence of Foodborne Pathogens

Maintaining product safety and reducing the carbon footprint of production are two sustainability goals of the livestock industry. The objective of this study was to study the impact of Tasco, a product derived from the brown macroalga Ascophyllum nodosum, on the rumen microbiome and its function. The inclusion of Tasco altered both rumen and fecal microbiota levels without affecting rumen fermentation. Tasco reduced fecal Escherichia coli populations and specifically reduced the prevalence of Shiga toxin-producing E. coli O45, O103, O111, and O121 in feces. The findings of this study highlight the application of Tasco as a potential feed additive to reduce pathogen shedding in rams without interfering with ruminal metabolism. ABSTRACT The use of Tasco (air-dried Ascophyllum nodosum) as a feed supplement for ruminants has been reported to affect rumen fermentation and reduce Escherichia coli O157:H7 shedding in feces, but the mode of action behind this phenomenon is unclear. In this study, the effects of four Tasco levels (0, 1, 3, and 5%) on rumen microbiota and rumen/fecal E. coli O serogroups in rams were investigated. Rumen total bacteria and archaea were linearly reduced (P < 0.001) and protozoa were linearly increased (P < 0.001) by increasing levels of Tasco. The relative abundances of seven bacterial species and one protozoal species differed among Tasco levels. With Tasco, 14 predicted metabolic pathways were enriched while only 3 were suppressed. A lower ruminal butyrate concentration is possibly associated with enrichment of the “butanoate metabolism” pathway in Tasco-fed rams. The ruminal total E. coli population was linearly reduced (P < 0.001) by Tasco. Supplementation with Tasco only completely eliminated O121 in the rumen and feces, and higher levels of Tasco (3 and 5%) reduced fecal shedding of serogroups O45, O103, and O111 even though these serogroups were present in the rumen. Our results suggest that Tasco effectively reduced pathogenic E. coli but had only minimal impacts on rumen fermentation in rams. IMPORTANCE Maintaining product safety and reducing the carbon footprint of production are two sustainability goals of the livestock industry. The objective of this study was to study the impact of Tasco, a product derived from the brown macroalga Ascophyllum nodosum, on the rumen microbiome and its function. The inclusion of Tasco altered both rumen and fecal microbiota levels without affecting rumen fermentation. Tasco reduced fecal Escherichia coli populations and specifically reduced the prevalence of Shiga toxin-producing E. coli O45, O103, O111, and O121 in feces. The findings of this study highlight the application of Tasco as a potential feed additive to reduce pathogen shedding in rams without interfering with ruminal metabolism.
Effect of older age on treatment decisions and outcomes among patients with traumatic spinal cord injury

Background: Older people are at increased risk of traumatic spinal cord injury from falls. We evaluated the impact of older age (≥ 70 yr) on treatment decisions and outcomes. Methods: We identified patients with traumatic spinal cord injury for whom consent and detailed data were available from among patients recruited (2004–2013) at any of the 31 acute care and rehabilitation hospitals participating in the Rick Hansen Spinal Cord Injury Registry. Patients were assessed by age group (< 70 v. ≥ 70 yr). The primary outcome was the rate of acute surgical treatment. We used bivariate and multivariate regression models to assess patient and injury-related factors associated with receiving surgical treatment and with the timing of surgery after arrival to a participating centre. Results: Of the 1440 patients included in our study cohort, 167 (11.6%) were 70 years or older at the time of injury. Older patients were more likely than younger patients to be injured by falling (83.1% v. 37.4%; p < 0.001), to have a cervical injury (78.0% v. 61.6%; p = 0.001), to have less severe injuries on admission (American Spinal Injury Association Impairment Scale grade C or D: 70.5% v. 46.9%; p < 0.001), to have a longer stay in an acute care hospital (median 35 v. 28 d; p < 0.005) and to have a higher in-hospital mortality (4.2% v. 0.6%; p < 0.001). Multivariate analysis did not show that age of 70 years or more at injury was associated with a decreased likelihood of surgical treatment (adjusted odds ratio [OR] 0.48, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.22–1.07). An unplanned sensitivity analysis with different age thresholds showed that a threshold of 65 years was associated with a decreased chance of surgical treatment (OR 0.39, 95% CI 0.19–0.80). Older patients who underwent surgical treatment had a significantly longer wait time from admission to surgery than younger patients (37 v. 19 h; p < 0.001). Interpretation: We found chronological age to be a factor influencing treatment decisions but not at the 70-year age threshold that we had hypothesized. Older patients waited longer for surgery and had a substantially higher in-hospital mortality despite having less severe injuries than younger patients. Further research into the link between treatment delays and outcomes among older patients could inform surgical guideline development.
Clinical significance of early recurrence after pulmonary vein antrum isolation in paroxysmal atrial fibrillation -- insight into the mechanism.

BACKGROUND Early recurrence of atrial fibrillation (ERAF) is common after pulmonary vein antrum isolation (PVAI); however, the definition, study population, and lesion set are not uniform in prior studies. We examined ERAF for paroxysmal AF while complying with the definition in the latest guidelines. METHODSANDRESULTS We included 471 patients undergoing empirical PVAI for paroxysmal AF. ERAF was observed in 180 patients (38.2%) including 49, 16, and 115 within 3, 4-7 days, and 8-90 days, respectively, after the index procedure. ERAF (hazard ratio 6.872; 95% confidence interval 4.803-9.382; P<0.0001) was the strongest factor associated with recurrence beyond 3 months (LR) in the multivariable model, and ERAF patients had worse outcomes than those without, regardless of the time to the first ERAF episode. There were no significant differences in the prevalence of PV reconnections and non-PV foci among 29 and 62 patients, respectively, who underwent redo procedures for ERAF within and more than 3 months after the index procedure, and 21 who underwent redo procedures for LR. Re-ablation was associated with a greater freedom from LR (HR 0.443; 95% CI 0.230-0.854; P=0.015). CONCLUSIONS ERAF occurred in 38.2% of patients and was strongly associated with LR regardless of the time to the first ERAF episode. Re-ablation for ERAF significantly improved the freedom from recurrent atrial arrhythmias, regardless of the time to the first ERAF episode.
Paradoxes of Welfare: Universality, Truth, and Power in Modern Welfare Provision

This Chapter explores paradoxes in modern welfare provision. In so doing, it both engages with theoretical expositions of the contradictions within modern forms of governing and by presenting three specific case studies on paradoxical welfare. The chapter draws in particular upon insights from Michel Foucault and governmentality writers, and empirically it uses studies from Denmark done by the author and one done by a fellow researcher. First the chapter presents the view on governmentality as it was developed by Foucault and writers who draw on his framework for understanding modern power. This section especially highlights the paradoxes inherent in modern ways of governing, and it discusses how these paradoxes re-emerge and give shape to modern welfare provision. Next, the chapter explores three cases of concrete welfare provision with a focus on its inherent paradoxes. The first case is on the preparatory training of unemployed people, the second concerns anti-authoritarian dialogue techniques used in motivational therapy, and the third examines health promotion by means of ‘playful’ techniques purporting to influence individuals’ identity-work. Finally, a brief discussion is offered on how paradoxes may be handled not only analytically but also by practitioners. The point of departure of the chapter is that paradoxes constitute a persisting and integral property of modern welfare provision. This means that we may hardly hope to suspend or resolve them once and for all, but should rather look for ways of rendering them productive.
On the prediction of the average absorbing cross section of materials from coherence bandwidth measurements in reverberation chamber

The average absorbing cross section is obtained from S11 parameters measured in reverberation chamber by using a single antenna. This method uses the coherence bandwidth estimated from the complex correlation function of the empty and loaded chamber. The load consists of parallelepiped absorbers whose dimensions and electrical parameters are known. An approximate model is developed to calculate the average absorbing cross section. The model uses the average projected surface and includes a correction associated with the absorber edges effect. Comparisons between simulations and measurements are done. It results that the average absorbing cross section can be a priori approximated. This method enables to predict how the wireless channel can change (e.g., if it will be affected or not by intersymbol interference or attenuation) in the presence/absence of parallelepiped absorbers.
Anterior torque control using partial-osseointegrated mini-implants: biocreative therapy type II technique.

AIM To show the clinical application of surface-treated mini-implants (C-Implants) in managing an anterior torque control during en masse retraction of anterior dentition. METHODS Nickel-titanium archwire with reverse curve of Spee, which is directly engaged in the hole of C-Implants, and severe curve of Spee can be overlaid on anterior segmented archwires to generate anterior torque on the anterior dentition to resist lingual tipping during en masse retraction. This treatment mechanics is called the biocreative therapy type II technique. The characteristics and procedure of the type II technique for treating maximum anchorage using the C-Implants is shown with case reports of treated patients. The biomechanics and a comparison to the type I technique of this treatment are also described. RESULTS The authors show the clinical application of type II technique during anterior retraction on various cases, possible indications, and simplicity of the mechanics. CONCLUSION Biocreative therapy, which implements partial-osseointegrated mini-implants, presents a novel therapeutic approach in orthodontics. A technique of intrusion overlay archwires for anterior torque control also simplifies the design of orthodontic appliances while eliminating unwanted side effects, such as vertical changes on posterior anchorage teeth during en masse retraction.
Observations of low-aberration plasma lens focusing of relativistic electron beams at the underdense threshold

Focusing of a 15 MeV electron bunch by a plasma lens operated at the threshold of the underdense regime has been demonstrated. The strong, 1.7 cm focal length, plasma lens focused both transverse directions simultaneously and reduced the minimum area of the beam spot by a factor of 23. It is shown through analytic analysis and simulation that the observed spherical aberration of this underdense lens, when expressed as the fractional departure of the focusing strength from its linear expectation, is ΔK/K=0.08±0.04. This is significantly lower than the minimum theoretical value for the spherical aberration of an overdense plasma lens. Parameter scans showing the dependence of focusing performance on beam charge, as well as time resolved measurements of the focused electron bunch, are reported.