Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Clinical profile of hepatocellular carcinoma and experience with sorafenib from a tertiary cancer centre in Southern India

Background: Hepatocellular carcinoma is a major health problem and a major cause of cancer mortality in India. There are no reports published on experience with sorafenib in advanced HCC from India. We analyzed the clinical presentation, possible etiological factors, tumor characteristics, outcomes and tolerability of sorafenib in the patients presenting to present cancer center. Methods: Retrospective chart review of 53 patients was done. 53 patients (male 37, female 16; median age 52 years, range 7-80 years) fulfilling the diagnostic criteria were analyzed for clinical characteristics, hematological and biochemical investigations, tumor characteristics, treatment taken and outcome. Results: 53 patients were diagnosed to have HCC between 2012-2015. Hepatitis B virus infection was the most common underlying etiologic factor (22.6%). Heavy alcohol intake was seen in 5 patients. PS ≥2 was noted in 66% of patients. 68% of the patients had BCLC stage C. Sorafenib was well tolerated with median OS of 3 months in patients taking sorafenib. Conclusions: Most of the patients had advanced inoperable HCC. Majority of the patients presented with BCLC Stage C and D. Hepatitis B infection was the most common underlying etiology. Sorafenib was well tolerated. More prospective studies are required for getting a clearer and correct picture of HCC and experience with sorafenib in Indian scenario.
Coagulation testing in atherosclerosis and liver disease

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Factors Affecting the Student Persistence in Online Education: A Qualitative and Quantitative Investigation

Online education has been gaining popularity thanks to the advent of the Internet. There has been success in providing online education to many students who otherwise would not have had access to higher education. However, many students were dropping out of the online program. In addition, only a few studies have looked at this phenomenon closely and intensively for the purely online students. The current study was therefore initiated to not only find the manifest factors of persistence that apply to online students in degree-granting institutions, but also to discover latent structures and linkages among those factors. The study is unique and vigorous in that it used two methods of data collection and two methods of data analysis. The data collection methods were content analysis and questionnaire, and the two data analysis methods were qualitative and quantitative techniques. A content analysis of over 500 research studies was performed to identify the factors that affect student persistence from the body of literature. The factors were submitted in a survey to faculty members who teach online courses, with a request for comments and/or addition to the list. The resulting list from the two data collection methods was then used in a survey of online students to determine what factors were important to them for persisting in the online program. Qualitative analysis of data was conducted through open coding with the help of a content analysis software. Quantitative analyses were performed which included descriptive statistics as well as three multivariate techniques (i.e., factor analysis, cluster analysis, and multi-dimensional scaling). The latent structure discovered in the study categorized the factors into four groups, namely, personal commitment, social support, institutional commitment and academic confidence. The findings of the study have significant pedagogical, technical, and administrative
Brain-Wide Mapping of Water Flow Perception in Zebrafish

Information about water flow, detected by lateral line organs, is critical to the behavior and survival of fish and amphibians. While certain aspects of water flow processing have been revealed through electrophysiology, we lack a comprehensive description of the neurons that respond to water flow and the network that they form. Here, we use brain-wide calcium imaging in combination with microfluidic stimulation to map out, at cellular resolution, neuronal responses involved in perceiving and processing water flow information in larval zebrafish. We find a diverse array of neurons responding to head-to-tail (h-t) flow, tail-to-head (t-h) flow, or both. Early in this pathway, in the lateral line ganglia, neurons respond almost exclusively to the simple presence of h-t or t-h flow, but later processing includes neurons responding specifically to flow onset, representing the accumulated displacement of flow during a stimulus, or encoding the speed of the flow. The neurons reporting on these more nuanced details are located across numerous brain regions, including some not previously implicated in water flow processing. A graph theory-based analysis of the brain-wide water flow network shows that a majority of this processing is dedicated to h-t flow detection, and this is reinforced by our finding that details like flow velocity and the total accumulated flow are only encoded for the h-t direction. The results represent the first brain-wide description of processing for this important modality, and provide a departure point for more detailed studies of the flow of information through this network. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT In aquatic animals, the lateral line is important for detecting water flow stimuli, but the brain networks that interpret this information remain mysterious. Here, we have imaged the activity of individual neurons across the entire brains of larval zebrafish, revealing all response types and their brain locations as water flow processing occurs. We find neurons that respond to the simple presence of water flow, and others attuned to the direction, speed, and duration of flow, or the accumulated displacement of water that has passed during the stimulus. With this information, we modeled the underlying network, describing a system that is nuanced in its processing of water flow simulating head-to-tail motion but rudimentary in processing flow in the tail-to-head direction.
Simulation and Software Development to Understand Interactions of Guest Molecules inPorous Materials

xi Chapter 1: Introduction . 1 Chapter 2: Accurate H2 Sorption Modeling in the rht-MOF NOTT-112 Using Explicit Polarization . 4 2.1 Note to Reader . 4 2.2 Abstract . 4 2.3 Introduction . 5 2.4 Methods . 8 2.4. 1 Atomic Coordinate Determination . 8 2.4. 2 MOF Parameterization . 9 2.4. 3 Simulation Details . 11 2.5 Results and Discussion . 13 2.5. 1 Isotherms and Isosteric Heats of Adsorption . 13 2.5. 2 H2 Sorption Sites . 16 2.5. 3 Simulated Annealing . 21 2.6 Conclusion . 23 2.7 Acknowledgements . 24 Chapter 3: Simulations of hydrogen, carbon dioxide, and small hydrocarbon sorption in a nitrogen–rich rht–metal-organic framework . 26 3.1 Note to Reader . 26 3.2 Abstract . 26 3.3 Introduction . 27 3.3 Introduction . 27 3.4 Methods . 32 3.5 Results and Discussion . 36 3.5. 1 Summary . 36 3.5. 2 Hydrogen . 38 3.5. 3 Carbon Dioxide . 46 3.5. 4 Hydrocarbons . 50 3.6 Conclusion . 52
CEO Overconfidence and Firm Performance: The Moderating Effect of Restaurant Franchising

This study examined the effect of CEO overconfidence on restaurant performance and how franchising, a key business format in the restaurant industry, affects the relationship. Based on the notion that overconfident individuals take more risks than non-overconfident people, this study hypothesized that CEO overconfidence positively (negatively) influences restaurant growth (profitability). Furthermore, since franchising reduces operational and financial risk, this study hypothesized that franchising moderates the relationship between CEO overconfidence and firm performance. The results of this study confirmed that CEO overconfidence positively influences firm growth but negatively affects firm profitability in the restaurant industry. This study also found that franchising negatively (positively) influences the effect of CEO overconfidence on restaurant firm growth (profitability). The results suggest that overconfident CEOs are more suitable for growth-seeking restaurant firms but less desirable for profit-seeking firms. The results also highlight that franchising mitigates the risk associated with CEO overconfidence. More detailed results and implications are discussed in this article.
Health Promoting Behaviors and Differences According to Subjects' Characteristics among Chinese Students in Korea

본 연구는 재한 중국인 유학생의 건강증진행위와 대상자 특성에 따른 차이를 파악하고자 시도된 서술적 조사연구이다. 2011년 3월 1일부터 6월 15일까지 충청북도에 소재한 대학교에 재학 중인 중국인 유학생 중 연구참여에 동의한 208명을 대상으로 구조화된 설문지를 이용하여 건강증진행위를 파악하였다. 재한 중국인 유.
THE IMMEDIATE EFFECT OF FOAM ROLLING VERSUS MUSCLE ENERGY TECHNIQUE ON HAMSTRING FLEXIBILITY IN HEALTHY YOUNG INDIVIDUALS WITH HAMSTRING TIGHTNESS

Background: The purpose was to compare the effects of foam rolling and muscle energy technique (MET) on hamstring flexibility in healthy young individuals with hamstring tightness. Methodology: 80 participants were selected according to the inclusion and exclusion criteria and were randomly allocated into 2 groups - Group A (Foam rolling) and Group B (MET). Straight leg raise (SLR) test and Active knee extension (AKE) tests were the outcome measures used to assess hamstring flexibility, pre and post intervention. Data was evaluated using paired t test and z test. Result: Within group comparison demonstrated that the SLR and AKE scores improved significantly in both foam rolling and MET group (p 0.0001). Conclusion: Both foam rolling and MET were equally effective in improving hamstring flexibility.
Public health issues in India and UK: Child Mortality and Survival Expectations

This thesis consists of three self-contained research articles that empirically explore survival expectations of older populations and mortality amongst children. Chapter 1 examines methodological considerations in eliciting survival probabilities in India and tests their associations with known socioeconomic characteristics. Chapter 2 investigates the effect of a survey induced negative health information shock on survival expectations of older Britons. Chapter 3 estimates the causal effect of domestic violence on child mortality in India. The analysis uses the pilot study of the Longitudinal Ageing Study of India (LASI) in Chapter 1, the English Longitudinal Ageing Study (ELSA) in Chapter 2 and the Demographic Health Survey (DHS) in Chapter 3. The general timeframe of the analysis is 1991 to 2010. The findings in Chapter 1 suggests that it is feasible to elicit subjective survival expectations in a developing country context and that these expectations correlate in meaningful ways with previously known social and economic predictors. Chapter 2 finds that individuals update subjective survival expectations in response to new information in meaningful ways and in Chapter 3 I find evidence that suggest a causal and significantly positive relationship between domestic violence and child mortality.
Recombinant Progranulin Prevents the Loss of Proteoglycan in Surgically Induced Osteoarthritis Model

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a degenerative joint disease that affects more than 46 million people in the United States alone. Since mechanisms by which OA ensues are largely unknown, there are no therapeutic targets that effectively prevent and treat the disease. However, growth factors, cytokines and matrix-degrading enzymes are strongly implicated in initiating and aggravating OA lesions. Thus, a molecular understanding of these molecules will provide invaluable information toward the search for novel therapeutic targets for OA. Our genome-wide screen for novel, differentially expressed genes in OA led to the isolation of progranulin (PGRN) as a novel OA-associated growth factor [1]. In subsequent global screen for the binding proteins of PGRN, we found that PGRN bound to TNF Receptors (TNFR). In addition, PGRN blocks the binding of TNFα to TNFR and inhibits TNFα-induced ADAMTS cleavage of cartilage oligomeric matrix protein (COMP) [2]. These previous findings led us to determine whether recombinant PGRN prevents cartilage degradation in the progression of OA in vivo. For this purpose, we took advantage of PGRN knockout mice to generate anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) transection induced OA models which develop severe OA due to the deficiency of PGRN. Importantly, intra-articular injection of rPGRN growth factor significantly prevented the degeneration of cartilage in PGRN-deficient OA model. PGRN treated mice retained cartilage integrity and showed little or no degradation of cartilage matrix in comparison to highly degraded cartilage of non-treated mice (Figure).
Fatty acids composition of Cystoseira sauvageauana and Laurencia pinnatifida collected from the Algerian coast

Algae are a significant part of biodiversity and studies on their bioactive compounds are numerous. The aim of this work was to study the fatty acid profile of Cystoseira sauvageauana and Laurencia pinnatifida collected from the Algerian coast. Different conventional and alternative methods were used for lipids extraction and GCMS analysis for fatty acids methyl esters identification. The lipids content was low (<1%) for the two species while the highest yield was obtained by Folch method assisted with a pulsed electric field. The identified fatty acids in both species ranged from C14 to C20 carbon atoms, of which palmitic acid was the major compound. Regarding polyunsaturated fatty acids, in C. sauvageauana arachidonic acid (C20:4) was the major constituent in extraction methods using the chloroform: methanol mixture as solvent, while in the method using hexane, linoleic acid (C18:2) was found as the main constituent. In L. pinnatifida, eicosapentaenoic acid (C20:5) was the major fatty acid followed by arachidonic acid. In comparison between the two species the best polyunsaturated fatty acids/saturated fatty acids ratio was found in ultrasound assisted methods in C. sauvageauana. The omega-6/omega-3 ratio was considered satisfactory for both species; however, it was better in L. pinnatifida. The obtained results showed the influence of the solvent and the extraction method on the total lipid yield and the fatty acids composition in algal extracts. In addition, these two species could find an application in the field of food and pharmaceuticals.
Educating student nurses about chronic pain

10 Chapter one Introduction . 11 Health care provision and practice.11 Chronic health issues . 11 The education and practice of nurses.12 Previous research . 13 This study . 14 The structure of this thesis.16 Summary 17 Chapter two Literature review . 18 Introduction 18 Pain 19 Types of pain . 19 Chronic pain . 20 Chronic pain syndrome.21 Management of pain.21 Patients’ experiences of pain.22 Contextual issues and pain management.23 Neoliberalism . 23 Chronicity in the context of neoliberalism. 23 Health care provision in a neoliberal environment. 24 The New Zealand social and political environment.25 Sociopolitical context and chronic pain.26 The New Zealand health environment.27 Nursing practice in the New Zealand Health environment. 28 Views of chronicity and disability.29 Assessment, treatment and evaluation of chronic pain.30 Health professionals and pain management.32 The impact of knowledge on practice.32 Personal and professional culture.34 Interactions with patients with chronic pain.35 Beliefs, values, attitudes and stereotypes.36 Misconceptions about chronic non-malignant pain.38 The response of health professionals to people with chronic pain. 41
Cox-2 Expressed with Insulin in Pancreatic Beta-Cells, and in the Infiltrated Leukocytes in Inflamed Islets of Diabetic Mice

In the event of the onset of type 1 diabetes (T1D) the circulating autoantibodies against the beta-cell of the pancreas are attacked by macrophages and autoreactive lymphocytes under the influence of different cytokines. Eventually, beta-cells are destroyed through apoptosis, or natural killer cells, or a scavenger process. Cyclooxygenase (COX)-2 is constitutively expressed in beta-cells, the possible role in insulin secretion and insulitis has been suggested. However, COX-2 with lymphocytes and other infiltrated leukocytes on diabetogenesis remains largely elusive. We injected diabetic lymphocytes of non-obese diabetic (NOD) mice to NOD/SCID mice for adoptive transfer. The diabetogenesis of adoptive transferred NOD/SCID mice was tested with supplements of COX-2 inhibitor or the substrate, arachidonic acid, in the diets under placebo control. The tissues of intestine and pancreas of BALB/c, NOD and NOD/SCID mice were immunohistochemically analyzed. COX-2 and insulin were revealed in the vesicles of beta-cells in intact islets of BALB/c mice. The lymphocyte tracking of the transferred lymphocytes and COX-2 expression in beta-cells and emerged leukocytes showed that celecoxib, or the substrate did not change the pattern of lymphocyte accumulation in the pancreas compared to placebo, even though the development of severe diabetes was slightly different. COX-2 was only expressed in macrophages, rather than infiltrated lymphocytes. Morphology showed that the emerged lymphocytes migrated from outside islets indicating that the disructive impact of COX-2 on beta cells is probably limited. The enhanced expression of COX-2 and insulin in random beta-cells is likely associated with the genesis of diabetes, a possible mechanism to increase or extend insulin secretion in the late period of insulitis.
The Role of Memory in the English as a Second Language Classroom

In the recent years, memory has been frequently disregarded as a tool to learn as it is considered a vehicle that makes students acquire temporary information and deprived of all meaning. However, memory could be the tool that leads to effective, meaningful and consequently permanent learning. Nowadays, research on the brain and its areas in connection with learning has led to consider the benefits of taking these areas into account in the ESL field. The various processes memory provides learners with during each learning episode should be taken into account in order to provide students with a selection of activities according to the way in which these processes occur. The aim of this paper is to analyse how teachers use memory, memory-friendly approaches and activities in the classroom to foster the real role of memory: effective learning.
A modified magnetic force model and experimental validation of a tri-stable piezoelectric energy harvester

Nonlinear tri-stable piezoelectric energy harvesters with magnetic field coupling have attracted many researchers’ interest in ambient vibration energy harvesting and conversion. In such a tri-stable piezoelectric energy harvester, the nonlinear magnetic force generated by the external magnetic field is mainly calculated by the equivalent magnetic dipole method. However, this method will give highly erroneous results when the magnetic separation distance is small. This study presents a modified magnetic force model to precisely calculate the nonlinear magnetic force exerted on the tip of the cantilever beam. Unlike the equivalent magnetic dipole method regarding the magnet as a point dipole at its body center, this model only considers the surface magnetization current of the left and right surfaces of the magnets and replaced them by the one of the center point dipoles on these associated surfaces. With this model, the nonlinear magnetic force, the potential energy, and the transition mechanism of the tri-stable piezoelectric energy harvester are numerically investigated. Experimental validations are consequently performed to testify the numerical results. Compared with the equivalent magnetic dipole method, the modified magnetic force model has a much higher accuracy to be more applicable for different magnetic separation distances, especially when the magnetic separation distance is small.
Early Lymphocyte Recovery Predicts Superior Survival after Unmanipulated HLA-Mismatched/Haploidentical Blood and Marrow Transplantation for Patients with Hematological Malignancies.

Background: The crucial role of repopulating lymphocytes following allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT), including the prevention of infections and erudiating residual tumor cells in the early post-transplant phase, has been demonstrated. Currently, unmanipulated HLA-mismatched/haploidentical blood and marrow transplantation with T cell repletion has been an established treatment for patients without HLA-matched related or unrelated donors. However, the prognostic significance of early lymphocyte recovery in this transplant settings is not defined. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed the relationship between day 30 absolute lymphocyte count (ALC30) and transplant outcomes in 217 paients with hematological malignancies receiving T-cell-repleted transplantation from an HLA-mismatched/haploidentical related donors. Results: At the time of this analysis, 44 of the cohort patients had died. The choice of ALC ≥ 235 cells/μL as the cut-off value point was supported by the data because it yielded the greatest differential in survival, based on the chi-square (× 2 =23.448, P vs 510 days, respectively, P P -value of 0.05. One patients (0.46%) failed to neutrophil engraft, 12 patients (5.53%) failed to platelet engraft. The median time to neutrophil and platelet recovery was 13 days (range, 9–49 days) and 16 days (range, 7–356 days), respectively. Eighty-two patients developed grade II to IV acute GVHD with a cumulative incidence of 49%±3.80%. 113 of 160 evaluable patients surviving more than 100 days developed chronic GVHD (limited 82 [51.25%]; extensive 31 [19.38%]) with a cumulative incidence of 63.8%±3.90%. Forty-four of 217 (20.28%) patients died from nonrelapse causes, with a cumulative incidence of TRM of 23.6%±3.40%. In multivariate analysis the ALC30 above the cutoff value 235 cells/μL was associated with improved overall survival (OS) (HR 0.331, 95% CI 0.189–0.578; P P P =0.014), and less transplant-related mortality (HR=0.284; 95%CI 0.148–0.544; P Conclusion: Our results suggest that the day 30 ALC would appear to be a useful and simple measurement to predict those patients with superior survival after unmanipulated HLA-mismatched/haploidentical transplantation.
An Empirical Analysis of Health Care Utilizations: Waiting Times in the Italian National Health Service

Understanding health care utilization is important to design efficient and effective health systems. Toward this end, we develop a relatively simple and intuitively appealing microeconometric framework (based on the hurdle model for count data) to investigate the determinants that increase the probability and the length of waiting for a health care service. In this framework private health care without waiting time is an option for the patients in the public health queue. In trying to determine how resources are allocated, in this analysis, an effort will be made at taking seriously the idea that there is a margin of choices available within the INHS that can affect the waiting lists.