Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Effectiveness of planning hospital discharge and follow-up in primary care for patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: research protocol.

AIM To evaluate the effectiveness of a protocolized intervention for hospital discharge and follow-up planning for primary care patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. BACKGROUND Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is one of the main causes of morbidity and mortality internationally. These patients suffer from high rates of exacerbation and hospital readmission due to active problems at the time of hospital discharge. METHODS A quasi-experimental design will be adopted, with a control group and pseudo-randomized by services (protocol approved in 2006). Patients with pulmonary disease admitted to two tertiary-level public hospitals in Spain and their local healthcare centres will be recruited. The outcome variables will be readmission rate and patient satisfaction with nursing care provided. 48 hours after admission, both groups will be evaluated by specialist coordinating nurses, using validated scales. At the hospital, a coordinating nurse will visit each patient in the experimental group every 24 hours to identify the main caregiver, provide information about the disease, and explain treatment. In addition, the visits will be used to identify care problems and needs, and to facilitate communication between professionals. 24 hours after discharge, the coordinating nurses will inform the primary care nurses about patient discharge and nursing care planning. The two nurses will make the first home visit together. There will be follow-up phone calls at 2, 6, 12 and 24 weeks after discharge. DISCUSSION The characteristics of patients with this pulmonary disease make it necessary to include them in hospital discharge planning programmes using coordinating nurses.
Clinical effects of cognitive impairment in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

The aim of this study was to evaluate the clinical effects of cognitive impairment in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). A total of 91 patients with stable moderate to very severe COPD were included in this study. Cognitive functions of the patients were evaluated using the mini-mental state examination (MMSE) tool and clock-drawing test. The Brody’s Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (IADL) Questionnaire; COPD assessment test (CAT); body mass index, airflow obstruction, dyspnea, and exercise capacity (BODE); and Charlson comorbidity index were assessed. The patients were divided into two groups as those who were diagnosed with cognitive impairment (group 1, n = 16) and those with normal cognitive functions (group 2, n = 75). Group 1 had a lower arterial partial pressure of oxygen , shorter 6-min walking distance, and higher arterial partial pressure of carbon dioxide (PaCO2) than group 2 (p = 0.01, p = 0.024, p = 0.018, respectively). In group 1, the IADL score was lower, and CAT and BODE scores were higher than group 2 (p = 0.002, p = 0.037, p = 0.012, respectively). When we considered all the patients, there was an independent correlation between the IADL score and MMSE score (p = 0.03). This study revealed that COPD patients with cognitive impairment may have more hypoxemia and limited activities of daily living.
Steatohepatitis detection from ultrasound images using attenuation and backscattering coefficients

Diagnosing liver nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) using non invasive procedures is challenging because the visual aspects in US imaging between healthy and affected liver are very much alike. Attenuation and backscattering coefficients are employed to determine the behavior of the US beams into the liver tissue. The values of these coefficients generate features for a classifier. We try to determine if is possible to discriminate between healthy and steatohepatitis patients and if is possible to assess the steatohepatitis grade. Support vector machine is used as a classifier and the Cohen’s kappa statistic evaluates the performance of the classifier. Experiments performed on US images acquired from a lot of 51 biopsied patients shown that these coefficients can successfully be used to distinguish between healthy and moderate/severe steatohepatitis. The role of fibrosis stage and fatty is also investigated. Brunt score is used to assess the steatohepatitis grades. Fibrosis stage and steatosis grade are also determined.
Detection of hepatitis A virus by extraction of viral RNA and molecular hybridization

Hepatitis A virus (HAV) RNA was extracted from cell culture, serum, liver, and feces and then detected by molecular hybridization with cloned HAV cDNA. Hybridization was approximately 10-fold more sensitive than immune electron microscopy or radioimmunoassay was and less sensitive than was assays of HAV infectivity in primates or in cell culture. As little as 10(3) 50% infective doses of HAV, or approximately 0.1 pg of viral RNA, was detected by this method. Analysis of fecal specimens from an experimentally infected marmoset and an epidemic of hepatitis A showed that HAV excretion could often be detected later in the illness by hybridization than by radioimmunoassay. This technique should be widely applicable for detection and analysis of HAV RNA.
An Ortholog of OxyR in Legionella pneumophila Is Expressed Postexponentially and Negatively Regulates the Alkyl Hydroperoxide Reductase (ahpC2D) Operon

ABSTRACT Legionella pneumophila expresses two peroxide-scavenging alkyl hydroperoxide reductase systems (AhpC1 and AhpC2D) that are expressed differentially during the bacterial growth cycle. Functional loss of the postexponentially expressed AhpC1 system is compensated for by increased expression of the exponentially expressed AhpC2D system. In this study, we used an acrylamide capture of DNA-bound complexes (ACDC) technique and mass spectrometry to identify proteins that bind to the promoter region of the ahpC2D operon. The major protein captured was an ortholog of OxyR (OxyRLp). Genetic studies indicated that oxyRLp was an essential gene expressed postexponentially and only partially complemented an Escherichia coli oxyR mutant (GS077). Gel shift assays confirmed specific binding of OxyRLp to ahpC2D promoter sequences, but not to promoters of ahpC1 or oxyRLp ; however, OxyRLp weakly bound to E. coli OxyR-regulated promoters (katG, oxyR, and ahpCF). DNase I protection studies showed that the OxyRLp binding motif spanned the promoter and transcriptional start sequences of ahpC2 and that the protected region was unchanged by treatments with reducing agents or hydrogen peroxide (H2O2). Moreover, the OxyRLp (pBADLpoxyR)-mediated repression of an ahpC2-gfp reporter construct in E. coli GS077 (the oxyR mutant) was not reversed by H2O2 challenge. Alignments with other OxyR proteins revealed several amino acid substitutions predicted to ablate thiol oxidation or conformational changes required for activation. We suggest these mutations have locked OxyRLp in an active DNA-binding conformation, which has permitted a divergence of function from a regulator of oxidative stress to a cell cycle regulator, perhaps controlling gene expression during postexponential differentiation.
Bouncing solutions in a generalized Kepler problem

In [1], Rafael Ortega considered a periodically forced Kepler problem and proved the existence of linear motions with collisions. In this work, instead of the Kepler problem associated to the equation ü = − 1 u2 + p(t) we consider the problem ü = − 1 uα + p(t), α > 2 and obtain results analogous to those in [1].
How to construct efficient on‐line/off‐line threshold signature schemes through the simulation approach

An on‐line/off‐line threshold signature (𝒪𝒯𝒮) scheme is a distributed cryptosystem in which a group of players jointly generate a signature for a message and use the on‐line/off‐line technique to improve the efficiency of signing. An 𝒪𝒯𝒮 scheme can be applied to large‐scaled distributed data storage systems and can highly improve the efficiency of writing files. There are two approaches to construct an ordinary threshold signature scheme: the direct approach and the simulation approach. Owing to its simplicity, people tend to use the simulation approach, in which the security of a threshold signature scheme is reduced to the security of its underlying (and simpler) signature scheme. The security proof in this approach is based on a theorem that guarantees the validity of the security reduction—we call this theorem the simulation theorem. However, the simulation theorem (and thus the simulation approach) for an ordinary threshold signature scheme cannot be applied to the on‐line/off‐line cases, because partial signature exposure problems might occur in these cases. This paper presents a simulation theorem for the on‐line/off‐line cases, where the security of an 𝒪𝒯𝒮 scheme is reduced to the security of a so‐called divisible on‐line/off‐line signature scheme. This provides a theoretical basis for constructing an 𝒪𝒯𝒮 scheme through the simulation approach. Furthermore, through this approach, we present a concrete 𝒪𝒯𝒮 scheme, which is efficient and its security proof is simple. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
The effect of node size, heterogeneity, and network size on FPGA based NoCs

Modern FPGAs are used to implement complex Systems-on-Chip (SoCs) and more recently Networks-on-Chip (NoCs). NoCs consist of computing nodes that are connected via switches or routers to a network of point-to-point links that define the topology. Previous work has investigated appropriate topology choices for ASICs as dictated by their electrical characteristics. However, since a FPGA has a prefabricated interconnect, their NoC implementations are not restricted by these concerns. Preliminary work has looked at homogeneous multiprocessor networks-on-chip on FPGAs and suggests that these systems perform differently on FPGAs than ASICs. In this work, we looked at the effects of the number of nodes, node sizes and heterogeneity on NoC performance. Assuming that the network node is not the critical path, we found that NoC performance is only dependent on the number of nodes and is not impacted by the node size or heterogeneity of nodes.
The Psychology of Encouragement

Despite the frequent use of encouragement in everyday social life, encouragement remains an understudied topic in positive psychology and counseling psychology. To address this gap, this article resolves ambiguity in terminology and synthesizes diverse streams of theorizing and research to propose an integrative psychological science of encouragement. The author offers a definition of encouragement, delineates its conceptual boundaries, and proposes a conceptual model that provides a taxonomy of encouragement processes. Known as the Tripartite Encouragement Model (TEM), this model charts the foci, features, and levels of encouragement. Encouragement is conceptualized, at different levels, as an act of interpersonal communication, a character strength, as well as an ecological group norm. The author explains how encouragement can enhance the quality of counseling practice as well as practical applications in other areas of psychology. Finally, the author delineates how the TEM can guide future research on the psychology of encouragement.
Four weeks of functional electrical stimulated cycling after spinal cord injury: a clinical cohort study

The aim of this study was to determine the efficacy and the effects of functional electrical stimulated cycling (FES cycling) in patients with spinal cord injury during their rehabilitation in a special acute care unit. Thirty patients [10 with American Spinal Injury Association Impairment Scale (AIS) grade A, three with AIS grade B, 15 with AIS grade C, two with AIS grade D] aged 44±15.5 years and 2 (median) (interquartile range, 1.0–4.25) months after spinal cord injury were included in the study. The patients participated in a 20-min FES-cycling program 2 days per week for 4 weeks during their acute inpatient rehabilitation. The influence on muscle cross-section, muscle and leg circumference, spasticity, and the walking ability parameter (distance, time, aids) was measured. Muscle stimulation intensity and output parameters (pedalling time and distance) were also recorded. Spasticity decreased during hip abduction and adduction (70 and 98.1%, respectively). Spasticity during knee flexion and knee extension decreased by 66.8 and 76.6%, and a decrease was found during dorsal foot extension (67.8%; for all, P<0.05). Presession–postsession comparisons showed that after 4 weeks of FES cycling, an increase in the circumference of the cross-sectional area of 15.3% on the left and of 17% on the right m. rectus femoris could be observed in group AIS A+B. In the AIS C+D group, the circumference of the left m. rectus femoris increased by 25% and that of the right m. rectus femoris by 21% (for all, P<0.05). The results of the study show that FES cycling in combination with function-oriented physiotherapy and occupational therapy can have a positive influence on spasticity, walking ability, and muscular reactivation. It seems to support circulatory processes within the rehabilitation of paraplegics already after a 4-week intervention.
In vitro Evaluation of Genotoxicity of Avocado (Persea americana) Fruit and Leaf Extracts in Human Peripheral Lymphocytes

Persea americana is much sought after both for the nutritional value of its fruit and the medicinal values of its various plant parts. A chromosomal aberration assay was undertaken to evaluate the potential genotoxicity of crude extracts from avocado fruits and leaves. Chromosomal aberrations were observed in cultured human peripheral lymphocytes exposed to separately increasing concentrations of 50% methanolic extracts of Persea americana fruit and leaves. The groups exposed to leaf and fruit extracts, respectively, showed a concentration-dependent increase in chromosomal aberrations as compared to that in a control group. The mean percentage total aberrant metaphases at 100 mg/kg, 200 mg/kg, and 300 mg/kg concentrations of leaf extract were found respectively to be 58 ± 7.05, 72 ± 6.41, and 78 ± 5.98, which were significantly higher (p < 0.0001 each) than that in the control group (6 ± 3.39). The mean percentage total aberrant metaphases at 100 mg/kg, 200 mg/kg, and 300 mg/kg concentrations of fruit extract were found to be 18 ± 5.49, 40 ± 10.00, and 52 ± 10.20, respectively, which were significantly higher (p = 0.033, p < 0.0001, and p < 0.0001, respectively) than that for control (6 ± 3.39). Acrocentric associations and premature centromeric separation were the two most common abnormalities observed in both the exposed groups. The group exposed to leaf extracts also showed a significant number of a variety of other structural aberrations, including breaks, fragments, dicentrics, terminal deletion, minutes, and Robertsonian translocations. The group exposed to leaf extract showed higher frequency of all types of aberrations at equal concentrations as compared to the group exposed to fruit extract.
ENDOGENOUS FERMENTATION IN THIORHODACEAE

The photosynthetic bacteria grow well anaerobically in the light, and many members of the group are strict anaerobes, but their abilities to ferment added substrates appear limited and no one has succeeded in growing these organisms anaerobically in the dark on any substrate (Gest, 1951). On the other hand, it has been known since the work of Gaffron (1934) and Roelofsen (1935) that a strain of purple sulfur bacteria (Chromatium strain D), when grown on a medium containing thiosulfate or H2S, may exhibit an active endogenous fermentation over a period of many hours. Gaffron (1934, 1935) believed he had shown that the photochemical oxidation of H,S to sulfate by this organism is a reversible reaction, and that the endogenous fermentation represents an oxidation of reserve food materials coupled with the reduction of sulfate to H25. The evidence for this was that the addition of sulfate stimulated the endogenous fermentation and apparently was necessary for the photoassimilation of malate and butyrate. When incubated in the dark, the bacteria were also found to produce large quantities of an iodinereducing material which gave a qualitative test for H2S. Roelofsen (1935), however, was unable to demonstrate any influence of sulfate on gas and acid production in the dark and Van Niel (1936) showed that the effect of sulfate on the light metabolism of organic substrates was a nonspecific salt effect. Van Niel did, however, confirm the production of an iodine-reducing material at a rate comparable to that reported by Gaifron, but the reductant appeared to be largely nonvolatile in acid solution and therefore not H2S. The actual rate of production of H2S, specifically determined by trapping it in acidified CdSO4 solution, proved to be barely 10 per cent of rates reported by
Ubiquitin proteasome system as a pharmacological target in neurodegeneration

Ubiquitinated protein aggregates are observed in the brains of Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and Huntington’s disease patients and in other neurodegenerative disorders. These aggregates indicate that the ubiquitin proteasome system may be impaired in these diseases. To date no therapy is available that specifically targets this system, although preventing aggregate formation or stimulating the degradation of already formed aggregates by targeting components of the ubiquitin proteasome system is an attractive therapeutic approach. Here, we review the role of the ubiquitin proteasome system in aggregate formation with respect to neurodegenerative diseases, discussing the unfolded protein response, endoplasmic reticulum-associated degradation, aggresome formation and accumulation as well as aggregation and neurotoxicity of proteins involved in neurodegeneration. The potential of pharmacological intervention within this system in patients suffering from neurodegenerative diseases will be evaluated.
Effects of dried tomato pulp used as a feed ingredient in breeder roosters ’ diets on blood and semen antioxidant status and on some sperm parameters

Food processing by-products are commonly used as feed ingredients for livestock. Wet tomato pulp is byproduct containing tomato seeds and skin residues and obtained during processing of tomatoes for paste, juice, ketchup etc. Tomato production in Turkey was around 10 million tons and approximately 3 million tons tomatoes were used for processing of tomatoes in 2010 [48]. During production of tomato paste, 3-7% of raw material is out as waste [29]. Therefore, the use of tomato pulp as a feed ingredient for animals after drying the wet tomato pulp may be economically. Some researchers [19, 31] report that dried tomato pulp may include up to 21.5, 39.8, 16, 43.3 and 4% crude protein, crude fiber, ether extract, nitrogen free extract and crude ash, respectively. AYHAN and AKTAN [6] report Summary
Evidence Based Management for Bologna Process Support

In the paper, author explains the evidence based management approach application for university education process audit and accreditation. The Bologna Process encourages universities to implement the National Qualification Framework, and student learning outcomes development. Author shares her own experiences and argues that learning outcomes provide the evidence of quality of educational processes. The paper aims to present that evidence based approach results in university education ontology development. The paper supports the methodology for evidence gathering at universities.
Exploring cognitive reserve in multiple sclerosis: New findings from a cross-sectional study

ABSTRACT Introduction: The cognitive reserve (CR) hypothesis attempts to explain the discrepancy between brain damage and clinical manifestations in neurodegenerative diseases. Recently the concept of CR was applied to the multiple sclerosis (MS) model. Our aim is to investigate the impact of demographic and clinical variables on cognitive outcome in MS patients. Method: A total of 72 MS patients were assessed by Rao’s Brief Repeatable Battery of Neuropsychological Tests (BRB-N), Cognitive Reserve Index Questionnaire (CRIq), and high field magnetic resonance examination. We performed a multivariate linear regression analysis, including each cognitive test scores as dependent variables and CRI together with age, normalized brain volume (NBV), normalized cortical volume (NCV), expanded disability severity scale (EDSS) score, and disease duration as independent variables. Moreover, we assessed whether one of the CRI subscores (CRI–Education, CRI–WorkingActivity, CRI–LeisureTime) predicted cognitive performance more than the other. Finally, to assess the CR hypothesis in our sample, we conducted the same analyses including the interaction term CRI × NCV. Results: From the multiple regression analysis, it emerged that the CRI total score influenced sustained attention, concentration, information processing speed, and verbal learning. Among the three CRI subscores, CRI–Education and CRI–WorkingActivity had the most influence. Age and EDSS score were the other significant predictors. We did not find evidence for a moderation effect of CR on negative influence of atrophy on cognitive status. Conclusions: This study focused on the contribution of CR to predict neuropsychological outcome in MS. We used a new standardized questionnaire to provide a global index including three main source of CR: education, working activity, and leisure time activities. Our preliminary findings suggest that the CR is an important predictor of better performance on cognitive tests in MS patients. However, at this stage of the study, we are unable to confirm the CR hypothesis.
Development and Performance of a Microwell-Plate-Based Polymerase Chain Reaction Assay for Mycoplasma genitalium

Background Mycoplasma genitalium is associated with, and could be the cause of, idiopathic cases of urethritis, endometritis, and cervicitis. Further epidemiologic studies on this organism are needed, but currently used polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assays are labor-intensive and culture is insensitive. Goal The goal was to develop and evaluate a microwell-plate-based PCR assay for M. genitalium. Study Design We adapted an M. genitalium PCR assay targeting the MgPa gene to a 96-microwell plate format with colorimetric detection of PCR products and incorporation of an internal inhibition control to determine the limit of detection of this assay (termed MgPa-IMW) for M. genitalium DNA and evaluate its performance on cervical and male urine specimens. Results The MgPa-IMW PCR assay detected 1 and 17 genome copies of M. genitalium (with 27% and 95% confidence) and was able to detect specimens inhibited for amplification. This assay was 100% concordant (50 positive and 50 negative) with the Southern-blot-based PCR assay with cervical specimens. Similarly, this test was 89% concordant with the Southern-blot-based assay for 64 male urine specimens (25 positive, 32 negative, 7 discordant), 97% concordant after correcting for specimens no longer positive by the Southern blot-based assay after freezer storage. Conclusion The MgPa-IMW assay is sensitive and specific for the detection of M. genitalium in patient specimens and should facilitate large-scale screening for this organism.
Rates of return to education in Botswana Happy

Using data from a Household Income and Expenditure Survey and data collected by the author, this paper presents up-to-date private rates of return to education in Botswana. The empirical fitness of the Mincerian Earnings Function is also tested. The major results are: (1) rates of return rise by level of education; (2) the empirical fitness of the human capital model is quite robust; (3) education is not income equalising; (4) women are paid less than men despite being on average more highly educated than men. The policy implications are: there is room for private financing at the upper secondary and tertiary levels of education; employment creation has to be pursued vigorously; there is a need to address the equity and gender issues.  2000 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved. JEL classification:I21; J31