Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Self-management and peer support interventions for people with Severe Mental Illness

This thesis investigates the effectiveness of self-management interventions for people with severe mental illness. Part one is a systematic review and meta-analysis of self-management interventions for those with severe mental illness. Part two reports on resilience outcomes in a randomised controlled trial of a peer-delivered self-management program for people recently discharged from crisis care (ISRCTN registration: http://www.isrctn.com/ISRCTN01027104). It also investigates baseline predictors of resilience. Part three, the critical appraisal, examines the concepts of self-management and resilience. It also considers the methodological and conceptual challenges of conducting randomised controlled trials of complex mental health interventions, particularly in populations where outcomes are largely socially determined.
Thermoregulation in the dry forest anole, Norops cupreus

Abstract. Norops cupreus inhabits lowland dry forests and gallery forests along the Pacific Coast of Central America. We used operative temperature models (OTM) to examine the thermoregulation of this species in Parque Nacional Palo Verde (Costa Rica) by conducting a field study in February 2003. Norops cupreus in Palo Verde appeared to thermoregulate during early morning hours, late evening, and during the afternoon to maintain their body temperature (Tb) < 33°C. Lower capture rates during the midday suggest decreased activity of N. cupreus during this period, perhaps because they actively searched for the coolest environmental temperature (Te). During the rest of the day, N. cupreus appeared to thermoconform, with mean body temperatures tracking minimum available Te. These results are similar to other observations reported for N. cupreus in Central America.
Improved bone bonding of hydroxyapatite spacers with a high porosity in a quantitative computed tomography‐image pixel analysis: A prospective 1‐year comparative study of the consecutive cohort undergoing double‐door cervical laminoplasty

Laminoplasty using hydroxyapatite (HA) spacers is widely performed in patients with cervical myelopathy. However, spacer dislocation is a critical complication caused by bone absorption and inadequate bone conductivity, and can result in dural damage and restenosis. We thus designed a prospective cohort study to clarify the feasibility of increased porosity HA spacers for double‐door laminoplasty by analyzing computed tomography (CT) images. Forty‐seven patients underwent cervical laminoplasty. Two different types of CERATITE HA spacer were used, either high porosity (50%) or low porosity (35%). These HA spacers were placed in an alternating manner into the laminae in each patient. In total, 85 high‐porosity (50%) HA spacers and 84 low‐porosity (35%) HA spacers were implanted. At postoperative 2 weeks, 3 months, 6 months, and 1 year, CT images were obtained. In both groups, the percentage of bone‐bonding boundary area of the HA spacer in contact with laminae and bone volume of the spinous process relative to the 2‐week value were calculated by a 3D and 2D CT‐image pixel analysis. The bone‐bonding ratio was significantly higher in high‐porosity (50%) than low‐porosity (35%) HA spacers at 3 months and thereafter (1 year, 69.3 ± 27.8% and 49.7 ± 32.9% respectively, P < .01). The bone volume in both groups significantly decreased with time (1 year, 73.2 ± 29.8% and 69.0 ± 30.4% respectively, P < .01), indicating bone absorption. This showed no significant difference between the HA spacers (P = .15) but was higher in high‐porosity (50%) than low‐porosity (35%) HA spacers throughout the study period. Meanwhile, spacer breakage was found in 4.7% of high‐porosity (50%) HA spacers and 1.2% of low‐porosity (35%) HA spacers (P = .37). In summary, high‐porosity (50%) HA spacers have the advantages of accelerated bone bonding and relatively decelerated bone absorption compared to low‐porosity (35%) HA spacers; however, possibly more frequent breakage of HA spacers with a high porosity (50%) requires careful, extended postoperative follow‐up.
Cost-Effectiveness of Azacitidine Compared with Low-Doses of Chemotherapy (LDC) in Myelodysplastic Syndrome (MDS)

ABSTRACT Introduction Myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) comprises a group of clonal hematological disorders, characterized by ineffective hematopoiesis and progressive bone marrow failure. It increases the risk of transformation to acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Therapeutic benefit should include overall survival increase (OS), hematological improvement, transfusion dependence and time to progression to AML decrease. Objective Assess, from a Mexican health-care perspective, the cost-effectiveness of azacitidine compared with low-doses of chemotherapy (LDC) plus best supportive care (BSC) for the treatment of adult patients with intermediate-2 and high-risk MDS, who are not eligible for hematopoietic stem-cell transplantation. We developed a cost-effectiveness survival analysis model of three stages: MDS, AML, and death. OS and costs are extrapolated beyond three-year time horizon. Discount rate of 5% was applied. To estimate the model cycle probability transition to mortality state, survival curves were constructed for each treatment arm using individual patient-level data from Study AZA-001. Unitary costs are from public price list, and profiles for the management of MDS and AML were collected separately using a structured questionnaire. Probabilistic sensitivity analyses (PSA) were conducted by simultaneously sampling from estimated probability distributions of model parameters. Results Overall survival was projected to increase by 72.26 weeks with azacitidine. Incremental expected total costs for azacitidine compared to LDC was MXN$68,045. However, the cost of the drug therapy was lower with azacitidine. The incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) for azacitidine compared to LDC was MXN$48,932 per life-year gained (LYG). PSA showed that azacitidine was a highly cost-effective option in 96.49% of the simulated cases in MXN$180,000/LYG willingness-to-pay. Conclusions Compared with LDC, azacitidine represents a cost-effective treatment alternative in patients with MDS from a Mexican perspective.
Vocal behavior of the Undulated Tinamou (Crypturellus undulatus) over an annual cycle in the Brazilian Pantanal: New ecological information

Tinamous (Tinamidae) are a group of Neotropical birds for which little information is available. The Undulated Tinamou (Crypturellus undulatus) is one of the most widespread species but also declining. Due to its secretive habits, ecological knowledge regarding the species relies on few anecdotal descriptions. We used automated recorders to monitor the vocal activity of the species over an annual cycle at four sites in the Brazilian Pantanal. We provide a description and analyze the diel and seasonal patterns of the calling activity in this species and provide new ecological information. The daily cycle showed two significant peaks in calling activity during the early morning and late afternoon, in agreement with the vocal behavior common among tinamous. The species was vocally active throughout the year, but it was significantly higher during September–October and March. This suggests that the breeding period of the Undulated Tinamou in the Brazilian Pantanal extends from September to April. After the months with highest calling activity, there was a strong decrease in activity, which might be related to the silent behavior of male tinamous during incubation. The seasonal pattern and breeding period identified for the Undulated Tinamou in the Brazilian Pantanal are in agreement with those observed in previous studies carried out with other Crypturellus species. The use of automated recorders was found to be a useful method for monitoring the calling activity of this secretive group of birds and might be useful in the assessment of future population trends in this and other declining tinamous.
Overmodulation Strategy for Electrolytic Capacitorless PMSM Drives: Voltage Distortion Analysis and Boundary Optimization

Permanent magnet synchronous motor (PMSM) drives equipped with slim film capacitors have many advantages, including longer lifetime, smaller volume, and lower cost. However, improving the dc-link voltage utilization rate by the typical overmodulation strategy will cause the distortion of the stator voltage and current due to the dc-link voltage fluctuation. In this article, the influence of the dual-mode overmodulation strategy used in the small dc-link capacitor PMSM drive, including the stator voltage distortion and uncontrollable time for entering the six-step operation, is analyzed. A novel overmodulation strategy named as the optimized voltage boundary-based overmodulation strategy is proposed to reduce the distortion of the stator voltage and current. By switching between the actual dc-link voltage and the fixed dc-link voltage used for space vector pulse width modulation (SVPWM), the performance can be improved in the overmodulation region if the value of the dc-link voltage for SVPWM is selected appropriately. Experimental results on a PMSM drive platform are provided to verify the effectiveness of the proposed strategy.
A study on patient’s perception towards service quality of corporate hospitals in Coimbatore district

India is second most populous country in the world. Although there have been major improvements in public health care sector in since 1950’s. The country is passing through demographic and environmental transition which is adding to burden of diseases. Indian health care system and policy have been face much more challenges and issues in current consumers environment which is both technology and infrastructure facilities. Today’s corporate hospitals environment played on significant role in global environment the last few decades has seen a magnificent development in the health and hospitals consciousness of the Indian public surroundings like minor and major health care problems. In present study investigate patient’s perceptions about service quality in corporate hospitals in Coimbatore city and this study undertaken in corporate hospitals using SERVQUAL dimension Parasuraman, Ziethamal and L. Berry 1988. Health care service quality should be exclusively evaluated by the patients. This study also identifies some problems like High treatment cost, human and economic threat posed by Non – Communicable diseases, Unnecessary test, lack of time consuming, lack of sound public relations, Non utilizations of services of specialized people. And this study suggests technology and infrastructure will be game changes in the manner in which health care services will be delivered in India. The private sector will be the major driving force behind technology adoption in the health care system. This revolution can improve the patients experience and operate more efficiently.
Effective and Efficient Forensic Analysis via System Monitoring

Advanced Persistent Threat (APT) attacks and data breaches are sophisticated and stealthy, plaguing many well-protected businesses (e.g., Target, Yahoo, Home Depot, eBay, Equifax, Marriott, etc.) with significant losses. To counter these advanced attacks, approaches based on ubiquitous system monitoring have emerged as an important solution for monitoring system activities from enterprise hosts and performing forensic analysis. System monitoring audits system calls at the kernel level to collect information about system activities, providing a global view of interactions among applications and system resources. Collection of system monitoring data enables security analysts to identify the root causes and the ramifications of attacks (i.e., attack investigation) and to detect the abnormal behaviors of attacks (i.e., attack detection). However, the daunting amount of system monitoring data and the complexity of advanced attacks pose significant challenges for designing solutions for effective and efficient forensic analysis. In this thesis, we propose novel approaches for effective and efficient forensic analysis (attack investigation and attack detection) via system monitoring. First, we propose Aiql, a system that enables efficient post-mortem attack investigation via querying the historical system monitoring data. Second, we propose Saql, a system that enables real-time abnormal system behavior detection via querying the stream of system monitoring data. Both Aiql and Saql provide (1) domain-specific languages that uniquely integrate critical primitives for easily incorporating the domain knowledge of security experts to express a wide range of attack behaviors, and (2) query execution engines that employ novel optimizations based on the domain-specific characteristics of the system monitoring data and the semantics of the query for efficient query execution. Finally, we propose SysRep, a system that facilitates automatic attack investigation via (1) propagating reputation from seed sources (can be trusted or suspicious) along system dependency paths to infer the reputation of POI (point iii of interest) entities (e.g., files, network sockets), and (2) automatically reconstructing the attack sequence from POI entities. Together, Aiql, Saql, and SysRep work seamlessly for effective and efficient forensic analysis of APT attacks.
The P-Rex1 Regulator Norbin Suppressess Neutrophil-Dependent Antibacterial Immunity

xvii Chapter 1 Introduction . 1 1.1 Neutrophils . 1 1.1.1 Neutrophil development . 1 1.1.2 Overview of neutrophil recruitment . 2 1.1.2.1 Selectin-mediated tethering, rolling and adhesion . 4 1.1.2.2 Integrin-dependent firm adhesion and crawling . 5 1.1.2.3 Leukocyte transmigration and interstitial migration . 6 1.1. 3 Neutrophil effector responses . 7 1.1. 3.1 Bacterial killing mechanism . 8 1.1. 4 Neutrophil priming . 11 1.1. 5 Neutrophil lifespan and clearance . 12 1.2 GPCRs and heterotrimeric G proteins. 14 1.2.1 G protein-coupled receptors . 14 1.2.1.1 Heterotrimeric G protein signalling pathways . 16 1.2.1.2 GPCR trafficking . 17 1.2.2 Chemokine receptors in neutrophils . 19
Evaluating periodontal conditions in patients with von Willebrand's disease in Hospital Universitario de Maracaibo (University Hospital, Maracaibo)-Venezuela.

Objective: To evaluate the periodontal conditions of patients with von Willebrand’s Disease (vWD) who went for dental examination in the “Area of attention to patients with systemic disease” of the University Hospital in Maracaibo, Venezuela. Design of the Study: 40 patients (28 female and 12 male), with ages ranging from 10 to 72 years, who regularly attended dental control, were evaluated along with a control group of patients with no hemorrhagic alterations. Periodontal conditions were evaluated using the Loe and Silness Gingival Index (GI) and Greene and Vermillon’s Simplified Oral Hygiene Index (SOHI). The results were analyzed using averages, Standard Deviation, Student’s T-test and the Chi² test, with P<0.0005. Results: 92.5% of the patients had Type 1 vWD and 7.5% had Type 2 or 3. Periodontal Indices: GI (0.70±0.40, slight) and SOHI (1,70±0,80, acceptable). Comparison with the control group showed that there were statistically significant differences in the SOHI (P = 0.02). Conclusions: Periodontal conditions in patients with vWD regularly attending for dental control were within acceptable parameters. Education of the patient with regard to prevention and opportune treatment is of utmost importance, thereby avoiding the oral hemorrhagic complications produced by the periodontal disease. Of equal importance is multidisciplinary teamwork.
Changes in kidney function among patients undergoing transcatheter aortic valve replacement

Introduction: The patients selected for transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) usually have a high prevalence of chronic kidney disease (CKD). Little is known regarding the impact of TAVR on changes in renal function.Objectives: This study aimed to assess the change in estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) after TAVR.Patients and Methods: Adult patients with aortic stenosis (AS) who underwent TAVR between January 2008 and June 2014, at Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN. Changes in renal function during six months follow-up were evaluated.Results: Of 386 patients undergoing TAVR, 106 (28%) developed acute kidney injury (AKI). There was significant reduction in eGFR at the hospital discharge and at 6 months post-TAVR in AKI patients in comparison with non-AKI individuals, (mean differences -7.1; 95% CI -9.8, -4.3 mL/min/1.73 m2, P < 0.001 and -4.2; 95% CI -7.1, -1.3 mL/min/1.73 m2, P = 0.005, respectively). In non-AKI patients with baseline eGFR ≥60 mL/min/1.73 m2, there was a modest decrease in eGFR at 6 month (mean difference -4.0; 95% CI -6.4, -1.6 ml/min/1.73 m2, P = 0.001). Conversely, in non-AKI patients with eGFR 30-59 and <30 mL/min/1.73 m2, there was an increase in eGFR at 6 months (mean difference 2.4; 95% CI 0.8, 2.4 mL/min/1.73 m2; P = 0.004 and 5.3; 95% CI 2.8, 7.8 mL/min/1.73 m2; P = 0.001, respectively). Conclusion: In patients undergoing TAVR, change in renal function is significantly related to pre-procedural kidney function. AKI significantly impacts renal function at six months post TAVR. CKD patients who do not develop AKI, may benefit from TAVR by an increase in eGFR at six months.
Estimation procedures in the 1996 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey Household Component.

The Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS) is the third in a series of nationally representative surveys of medical care use and expenditures sponsored by the Agency for Health Care Policy and Research (AHCPR). MEPS comprises four component surveys. The Household Component (HC) produces national and regional estimates of the health care utilization expenditures sources of payment and insurance coverage of the U.S. civilian noninstitutionalized population. The HC sample design is a stratified multistage area probability design with disproportionate sampling to facilitate the selection of an over-sample of minorities. This report provides an overall summary of HC sample yields across the three rounds of data collection that cover calendar year 1996. It also provides an overview of the weighting strategies used to obtain national estimates of health care parameters for the population. Survey design complexities that require special consideration for variance estimation and analysis are discussed. (authors)
Efficiency differential in rice production technologies in Ghana: a comparison between stochastic and bias-corrected metafrontier approaches.

Productivity in rain-fed and irrigated rice farming ecosystems are very important for Ghanaâs self-sufficiency in rice. This paper, therefore, provides a synthesis of the irrigated and rain-fed rice farming ecosystems in Ghana using recent advances in the production economics literature. Specifically, the technical efficiency differential in the irrigated and rain-fed rice farming ecosystems are estimated using stochastic and bias-corrected data envelopment metafrontier methods. Technical efficiency drivers of the individual rice farming ecosystems are also examined. Using a sample of 381 for the modelling, the estimated results showed that farms under the irrigated rice farming ecosystem are more technically efficient (71%) compared to those under the rain-fed rice farming ecosystem (59%). However, overall technical efficiency falls short of about 36%, suggesting a substantial level of inefficiency in both rice farming ecosystems. In addition, the results revealed male farmers are more technically efficient compared to female farmers. Also, membership of farming associations has efficiency reducing effect. The study proposes that to improve rice productivity, resources should be invested in improving the managerial skills of farmers operating under the two rice farming ecosystems and in infrastructural development.
Utilization and adoption of Internet of Things in construction industry : comparative case study in Finland and Sweden

Author: Henri Takki Subject: Utilization and adoption of Internet of Things in construction industry: Comparative case study in Finland and Sweden Year: 2019 Place: Espoo, Finland Master’s thesis. Lappeenranta-Lahti University of Technology, School of Engineering Science, Industrial Engineering and Management. 109 pages, 11 figures, 5 tables and 5 appendices. Examiners: Associate Professor Lea Hannola and Associate Professor Kalle Elfvengren
Developing teachers: adopting observation tools that suspend judgement to stimulate evidence-informed dialogue during the teaching practicum to enrich teacher professional development

ABSTRACT This research involves two case studies, one in Melbourne, Australia the other in Gothenburg, Sweden, that focus on how using observation tools to gather classroom evidence of teaching and learning promoted opportunities to discuss and develop professional practice. We found that dialogues between pre-service teachers and more experienced practicing teachers after an observed lesson were richer and more nuanced in their feedback when evidence was gathered and presented in a common way. The feedback provided in these dialogues was utilised in an ongoing manner when the evidence took the form of an observation tool that was provided to the pre-service teachers. Crucially these observation tools prompted pre-service teachers and their supervising teachers to attend to evidence of learning in their classes and make their reasoning and choices in practice transparent. The concepts of relational agency, communities of practice, and practice architectures provide the analytic framework for this study. Our findings suggest that in both cases formalisation of evidence-informed professional dialogues between pre-service teachers, mentors and others, can create further opportunities for professional development, provide a safe framework to interpret and expand the ‘object of activity’, and gain deeper understanding of the ‘doings, sayings and relatings’ in communities of teaching practice.
Correlated Gene Modules Uncovered by Single-Cell Transcriptomics with High Detectability and Accuracy

Single cell transcriptome sequencing has become extremely useful for cell typing. However, such differential expression data has shed little light on regulatory relationships among genes. Here, by examining pairwise correlations between mRNA levels of any two genes under steady-state conditions, we uncovered correlated gene modules (CGMs), clusters of intercorrelated genes that carry out certain biological functions together. We report a novel single-cell RNA-seq method called MALBAC-DT with higher detectability and accuracy, allowing determination of the covariance matrix of the expressed mRNAs for a homogenous cell population. We observed a prevalence of positive correlations between pairs of genes, with higher correlations corresponding to higher likelihoods of protein-protein interactions. Some CGMs, such as the p53 module in a cancer cell line, are cell type specific, while others, such as the protein synthesis CGM, are shared by different cell types. CGMs distinguished direct targets of p53 and exposed different modes of regulation of these genes in different cell types. Our covariance analyses of steady-state fluctuations provides a powerful way to advance our functional understanding of gene-to-gene interactions.