Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Cardiac Rehabilitation in Peripheral Artery Disease in a Tertiary Center—Impact on Arterial Stiffness and Functional Status after 6 Months

Background and Objectives: Cardiac rehabilitation (CR) plays an essential role in peripheral artery disease (PAD), leading to improved functional status, increased quality of life, and reduced arterial stiffness. We aimed to assess factors associated with clinical improvement 6 months after enrolment in a rehabilitation program at an academic medical center in north-eastern Europe. Materials and Methods: We conducted a prospective cohort study on 97 patients with PAD admitted to a single tertiary referral center. At the 6-months follow-up, 75 patients (77.3%) showed improved clinical status. We analyzed demographics and clinical and paraclinical parameters in order to explore factors associated with a favorable outcome. Results: Hypertension (p = 0.002), diabetes mellitus (p = 0.002), dyslipidemia (p = 0.045), and obesity (p = 0.564) were associated with no clinical improvement. Smoking cessation (p < 0.001), changing sedentary lifestyle (p = 0.032), and improvement of lipid and carbohydrate profile as well as functional status parameters and ambulatory arterial stiffness index (p = 0.008) were factors associated with clinical improvement at the 6-months follow-up. Conclusions: PAD patients require an integrative, multidisciplinary management to maintain functional status and increase quality of life. Improving carbohydrate and lipid profile, adopting a healthy lifestyle, quitting smoking and increasing exercise capacity are predictors for clinical improvement 6 months after enrolment in a CR program.
Smart Mobile Learning Success Model for Higher Educational Institutions in the Context of the COVID-19 Pandemic

Smart mobile learning (M-learning) applications have shown several new benefits for higher educational institutions during the COVID-19 pandemic, during which such applications were used to support distance learning. Therefore, this study aims to examine the most important drivers influencing the adoption of M-learning by using the technology acceptance model (TAM). The structural equation modelling (SEM) method was used to test the hypotheses in the proposed model. Data were collected via online questionnaires from 520 undergraduate and postgraduate students at four universities in Saudi Arabia. Partial least squares (PLS)–SEM was used to analyse the data. The findings indicated that M-learning acceptance is influenced by three main factors, namely, awareness, IT infrastructure (ITI), and top management support. This research contributes to the body of knowledge on M-learning acceptance practices. Likewise, it may help to facilitate and promote the acceptance of M-learning among students in Saudi universities.
Systematic Review of Pharmacogenetics of ABC and SLC Transporter Genes in Acute Myeloid Leukemia

Antineoplastic uptake by blast cells in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) could be influenced by influx and efflux transporters, especially solute carriers (SLCs) and ATP-binding cassette family (ABC) pumps. Genetic variability in SLC and ABC could produce interindividual differences in clinical outcomes. A systematic review was performed to evaluate the influence of SLC and ABC polymorphisms and their combinations on efficacy and safety in AML cohorts. Anthracycline intake was especially influenced by SLCO1B1 polymorphisms, associated with lower hepatic uptake, showing higher survival rates and toxicity in AML studies. The variant alleles of ABCB1 were related to anthracycline intracellular accumulation, increasing complete remission, survival and toxicity. Similar findings have been suggested with ABCC1 and ABCG2 polymorphisms. Polymorphisms of SLC29A1, responsible for cytarabine uptake, demonstrated significant associations with survival and response in Asian populations. Promising results were observed with SLC and ABC combinations regarding anthracycline toxicities. Knowledge of the role of transporter pharmacogenetics could explain the differences observed in drug disposition in the blast. Further studies including novel targeted therapies should be performed to determine the influence of genetic variability to individualize chemotherapy schemes.
How to implement a deal? The impact of CEO characteristics on synergy realization of European takeovers

This paper explores whether CEO characteristics affect synergy realization for a sample of 231 intraEuropean takeovers of listed firms (1997–2007). We show that CEO incentive alignment and CEO skills indeed matter. The post-takeover performance improvement of the combined firm (EBITDA) is significantly larger if the CEO has an equity stake in the combined firm. This relation holds particularly for firms where the ownership structure is more dispersed. Longer tenured CEOs realize lower synergy value, consistent with the view that long-tenured CEOs may use their power in the acquiring firm to entrench themselves, while short-tenured CEOs have stronger career-based incentives to capture synergy value during the post-takeover period. We find no incremental impact of the CEO’s educational background on synergy realization, but we do find that CEOs with prior business experience in the target industry generate a larger post-takeover performance improvement of the combined firm.
The role of the mindsets of small business owners in using business consulting services

ABSTRACT Although the rate of success among small businesses is low, most small business owners are hesitant about getting advice from business consultants. Small business owners play a crucial role in acquiring new knowledge, making decisions, and, consequently, initiating changes in their companies. This study investigates the role of small business owners’ mindsets and perspectives in using business consulting services. Through different action research cycles, this study tries to gain a shared understanding of the nature of the relationship between business consulting services and small business owners. In this regard, 16 small business owners in different industries, such as healthcare, manufacturing, food, engineering, accounting, and construction, were interviewed in person. The results of this study show that, although a small business owner’s mindset is crucial in accepting business consulting advice, it will not necessarily lead to implementing the consultant’s advice and getting the desired results. Accordingly, other important behavioral factors, such as intrinsic motivation, goal setting, social support, and removing implementing obstacles, must also be analyzed.
Accelerometer-Based Identification of Fatigue in the Lower Limbs during Cyclical Physical Exercise: A Systematic Review

Physical exercise (PE) is beneficial for both physical and psychological health aspects. However, excessive training can lead to physical fatigue and an increased risk of lower limb injuries. In order to tailor training loads and durations to the needs and capacities of an individual, physical fatigue must be estimated. Different measurement devices and techniques (i.e., ergospirometers, electromyography, and motion capture systems) can be used to identify physical fatigue. The field of biomechanics has succeeded in capturing changes in human movement with optical systems, as well as with accelerometers or inertial measurement units (IMUs), the latter being more user-friendly and adaptable to real-world scenarios due to its wearable nature. There is, however, still a lack of consensus regarding the possibility of using biomechanical parameters measured with accelerometers to identify physical fatigue states in PE. Nowadays, the field of biomechanics is beginning to open towards the possibility of identifying fatigue state using machine learning algorithms. Here, we selected and summarized accelerometer-based articles that either (a) performed analyses of biomechanical parameters that change due to fatigue in the lower limbs or (b) performed fatigue identification based on features including biomechanical parameters. We performed a systematic literature search and analysed 39 articles on running, jumping, walking, stair climbing, and other gym exercises. Peak tibial and sacral acceleration were the most common measured variables and were found to significantly increase with fatigue (respectively, in 6/13 running articles and 2/4 jumping articles). Fatigue classification was performed with an accuracy between 78% and 96% and Pearson’s correlation with an RPE (rate of perceived exertion) between r = 0.79 and r = 0.95. We recommend future effort toward the standardization of fatigue protocols and methods across articles in order to generalize fatigue identification results and increase the use of accelerometers to quantify physical fatigue in PE.
Improving the quality of ‘Keitt’ Mango using pre-harvest calcium lactate treatment and post-harvest applications of kojic and ascorbic acids

ABSTRACT This study intended to enhance fruit quality, extend shelf life and maintain quality of ‘Keitt’ mango (Mangifera indica L.) by using edible compounds without affecting quality or taste. Pre-harvest foliar treatment using calcium lactate (CaL) was applied at 1 and 2% alone or in combination with one of the post-harvest dipping treatments of 2% ascorbic acid (AsA) or 0.3% kojic acid (KA), before storage at 4°C for 12 days during two successive seasons. Pre-harvest treatment with calcium lactate at 2% significantly enhanced the quality of ‘Keitt’ mango fruits at harvest. It was observed that all the conducted treatments were effective in maintaining the quality of the pre-prepared ‘Keitt’ mango as compared to the untreated ones. Pre-harvest application of 2% CaL + post-harvest 2% AsA was the most effective treatment under experimental conditions in terms of total phenols, ascorbic acid, TSS/acid ratio, overall appearance, colour purity, browning incidence, and decay percentage. CaL at 2% showed the lowest significant values of CPLW and it maintained the highest significant firmness compared with control.
Understanding Consumer Acceptance of Smart Washing Machines: How Do Female Consumers’ Occupations Affect the Acceptance Process?

Abstract Smart washing machine (SWM) technology is being developed at a rapid pace, but the impact of female consumers’ occupations on the acceptance of SWMs is still relatively unknown. This study aims to investigate the effect of female consumers’ occupations, including full-time housewives and employed females, on their acceptance of SWMs with 11 hypotheses using the extended technology acceptance model (ETAM). The model includes antecedents (i.e., subjective norms and product involvement with washing machines), belief variables (i.e., perceived ease of use, perceived usefulness, and perceived enjoyment), and acceptance intention. Female users’ occupation was applied as a moderating variable to examine the differences in the acceptance process. Data from 380 South Korean women were analyzed using multi-group structural equation modeling. The results demonstrated that full-time housewives placed greater emphasis on the utilitarian benefits of SWMs, so enhanced convenience and efficiency of laundry played crucial roles in their acceptance process. In contrast, employed females perceived that both the utilitarian and hedonic benefits of SWMs were significant indicating that the technical advances of SWMs and psychological and social pleasure were important in their acceptance process. The results have implications for the home appliance industry to establish optimal marketing and technology development strategies targeting female users with different occupations.
Association between Early Phase Serum Lactate Levels and Occurrence of Delayed Neuropsychiatric Sequelae in Adult Patients with Acute Carbon Monoxide Poisoning: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

The primary goal of treating carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning is preventing or minimizing the development of delayed neuropsychiatric sequelae (DNS). Therefore, screening patients with a high probability for the occurrence of DNS at the earliest is essential. However, prognostic tools for predicting DNS are insufficient, and the usefulness of the lactate level as a predictor is unclear. This systematic review and meta-analysis investigated the association between early phase serum lactate levels and the occurrence of DNS in adult patients with acute CO poisoning. Observational studies that included adult patients with CO poisoning and reported initial lactate concentrations were retrieved from the Embase, MEDLINE, Google Scholar and six domestic databases (KoreaMED, KMBASE, KISS, NDSL, KISTi and RISS) in January 2022. Lactate values were collected as continuous variables and analyzed using standardized mean differences (SMD) using a random-effect model. The risk of bias was evaluated using the Quality in Prognosis Studies (QUIPS) tool, and subgroup, sensitivity and meta regression analyses were performed. Eight studies involving a total of 1350 patients were included. The early phase serum lactate concentration was significantly higher in the DNS group than in the non-DNS group in adult patients with acute CO poisoning (8 studies; SMD, 0.31; 95% CI, 0.11–0.50; I2 = 44%; p = 0.002). The heterogeneity decreased to I2 = 8% in sensitivity analysis (omitting Han2021; 7 studies; SMD, 0.38; 95% CI, 0.23–0.53; I2 = 8%; p < 0.001). The risk of bias was assessed as high in five studies. The DNS group was associated with significantly higher lactate concentration than that in the non-DNS group.
Political consumerism: An integrative review

Consumers are gradually becoming more conscious of the strength of their consumption, expressing discontent and opinions and demanding improvements in organizations. Due to the extensive theoretical background, this article aims to compile research about political consumption through an integrative review on WOS and Scopus. At the end of the methodological procedures, 36 articles were obtained and analyzed with the content analysis technique. The results show that personal influences and motivations for political consumption are based on sociodemographic situation, political ideology, and internet use. This framework synthesized the phases of political consumption, the main actions, and the main actors involved.
Drug-related problems identified during pharmaceutical care interventions in an intensive care unit at a tertiary university hospital

Introduction: Drug-related problems could potentially worsen the clinical outcomes in critically ill patients. Critically ill patients are generally considered more vulnerable to harm from drug-related problems due to frequent medication-related events and complicated clinical courses. However, drug-related problems identified by on-ward clinical pharmacists in medical intensive care units in Thailand are not well reported. This study reports clinically relevant data with the description of identified problems, common causes of drug-related problems, and pharmacists’ interventions performed in real world, so that it may serve as an educational material for pharmacists who implement a pharmaceutical care and participate in medical intensive care units. Methods: A retrospective descriptive study was conducted at a tertiary university hospital in Bangkok, Thailand, from January 2015 to December 2020. The drug-related problems were categorized according to Cipolle et al.’s classification. The severity of drug-related problems in this study was rated by modifying the definition of The National Coordinating Council for Medication Error Reporting and Prevention Taxonomy of Medication Error to report harm from drug-related problem-related patient outcomes. Results: A total of 698 drug-related problems were detected in 374 critically ill patients. The prevalence of drug-related problems occurring in critically ill patients admitted to the medical intensive care unit was 73.9%. The most frequent drug-related problems were dosage too high (27.7%), ineffective drug (17.2%), need for additional drug therapy (15.3%), unnecessary drug therapy (14.6%), dosage too low (14.3%), adverse drug reaction (9.7%), and non-adherence (1.2%). The severity of drug-related problems in the medical intensive care unit was assessed as a drug-related problem with no harm (78.2%). Pharmacists’ interventions were advised according to drug-related problem identification to provide personalized pharmacotherapy optimization in critically ill patients. Conclusion: The most frequent drug-related problem identified during pharmaceutical care interventions in the medical intensive care unit at tertiary university hospital is dosage too high. The severity of drug-related problems is mostly determined as drug-related problems with no harm.
Best Practices for Postoperative Management of Posterior Sacroiliac Joint Fusion

Abstract Sacroiliac joint (SIJ) pain is a common cause of low back pain. Traditionally, treatment for SIJ joint pain and dysfunction has consisted of physical therapy, medication management, SIJ injections, and SIJ ablations. Improved recognition of the SIJ as an etiology for back pain has led to advances in treatment options. Radiofrequency of the lateral sacral branches has been shown to be effective, though evidence is fraught with inconsistent patient selection, study design and procedural technique. It also does not directly address the mechanical dysfunction of the SIJ. In order to create a more enduring approach SIJ fusion has become an attractive option to reduce pain and to improve function. This method of SI joint treatment requires guidance in the perioperative phase of care from both the physicians and advanced practice providers (APP). In order to improve care and outcomes of those undergoing posterior SI joint fusion the American Society of Pain and Neuroscience appointed an expert panel of physicians and advanced practice providers to create a best practice for the post operative care of this approach. As with any best practice, the panel considered current peer reviewed literature and clinical expertise to create guidance today. This is intended to be a living document with modifications as additional evidence comes to light in data publication. The goals of this paper are to focus on (1) wound care, (2) medication use, (3) physical activity and (4) therapeutic exercises.
Superconducting Materials and Devices Grown by Focused Ion and Electron Beam Induced Deposition

Since its discovery in 1911, superconductivity has represented an equally inciting and fascinating field of study in several areas of physics and materials science, ranging from its most fundamental theoretical understanding, to its practical application in different areas of engineering. The fabrication of superconducting materials can be downsized to the nanoscale by means of Focused Ion/Electron Beam Induced Deposition: nanopatterning techniques that make use of a focused beam of ions or electrons to decompose a gaseous precursor in a single step. Overcoming the need to use a resist, these approaches allow for targeted, highly-flexible nanopatterning of nanostructures with lateral resolution in the range of 10 nm to 30 nm. In this review, the fundamentals of these nanofabrication techniques are presented, followed by a literature revision on the published work that makes use of them to grow superconducting materials, the most remarkable of which are based on tungsten, niobium, molybdenum, carbon, and lead. Several examples of the application of these materials to functional devices are presented, related to the superconducting proximity effect, vortex dynamics, electric-field effect, and to the nanofabrication of Josephson junctions and nanoSQUIDs. Owing to the patterning flexibility they offer, both of these techniques represent a powerful and convenient approach towards both fundamental and applied research in superconductivity.
Metabolites Associated with Memory and Gait: A Systematic Review

We recently found that dual decline in memory and gait speed was consistently associated with an increased risk of dementia compared to decline in memory or gait only or no decline across six aging cohorts. The mechanisms underlying this relationship are unknown. We hypothesize that individuals who experience dual decline may have specific pathophysiological pathways to dementia which can be indicated by specific metabolomic signatures. Here, we summarize blood-based metabolites that are associated with memory and gait from existing literature and discuss their relevant pathways. A total of 39 eligible studies were included in this systematic review. Metabolites that were associated with memory and gait belonged to five shared classes: sphingolipids, fatty acids, phosphatidylcholines, amino acids, and biogenic amines. The sphingolipid metabolism pathway was found to be enriched in both memory and gait impairments. Existing data may suggest that metabolites from sphingolipids and the sphingolipid metabolism pathway are important for both memory and gait impairments. Future studies using empirical data across multiple cohorts are warranted to identify metabolomic signatures of dual decline in memory and gait and to further understand its relationship with future dementia risk.
Maximizing Learning Opportunities with Young Refugee Multilingual Learners in Urban Schools: An Asset-Based Participatory Action Research

This paper reports an asset-based participatory research study with 18 pre-service teachers and 85 refugee multilingual learners in an after-school program housed in an urban public elementary school. The research illuminates how the refugee multilingual learners (RMLs)’ backgrounds, assets, and challenges can be understood and transformed to maximize their learning opportunities. The findings provide a renewed perspective on RML students and alternative pedagogical approaches with the hope of improving their learning experiences and outcomes. The findings also call for continuous teachers’ professional training concerning RMLs’ diverse backgrounds, knowledge, and experiences. This paper concludes with a promising concept, cultural humility, in urban education research.
L2 Learning of English Conditionals: Online Versus Traditional Classroom Teaching

The issue of whether online teaching could replace traditional classroom (TC) teaching has attracted the attention of researchers in the applied linguistics literature. The current study attempted to shed light on this proposition by testing it on the difficult linguistic target of conditional if-clauses in English. The difficulty of these clauses stems from the fact that different tenses are used to express meanings that are sometimes not related to the tense used. The study recruited 49 participants, who were divided into two groups (23 in the online group, 26 in the TC teaching group) and given a multiple-choice task containing 20 items. The study adopted a longitudinal research design (pretest and posttest). Each group was pretested before receiving just one two-hour treatment session. Then both groups were posttested. The results showed that both groups struggled with the second and third types of conditionals more than the zero and first types. The TC teaching group improved in the posttest in all types of conditionals. The online group improved in only two types of conditionals (zero and first). The TC teaching group outperformed the online group in the second and third conditionals. The findings indicate that classroom learning is superior to online learning and that, depending on their type, some conditionals in English are more difficult to learn than others.