Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The acute effects of shear rate maniuplation on vascular function in a healthy population

Disease of the cardiovascular system is responsible for the majority of worldwide deaths. The progression of atherosclerosis is pertinent to increased risk of an acute coronary event. An understanding of all factors that contribute to the formation of atherosclerotic plaque is essential for future primary and secondary prevention of cardiovascular diseases. It is now well established that shear rate (SR), the quotient of blood flow velocity and vessel diameter, is responsible for both positive and negative adaptation of the vasculature. Previous data has identified that inflation of a cuff around the forearm induces an increase in retrograde SR, which is detrimental to vascular function. Despite previous data highlighting the acute negative effects of distal cuff inflation on vascular function, little is known about the effects of proximal cuff inflation. Data from study 1 of this thesis indicates that proximal cuff inflation alters SR pattern to a similar degree as distal cuff inflation. However, vascular function, as measured by the established technique of flow mediated dilation (FMD) and the novel technique of low-flow mediated constriction, was not significantly attenuated in the proximal condition. This contrasts with the impacts of distal cuff inflation, which mirrored previous findings. The results from study 1 informed study 2, where a venous occlusion plethysmography (VOP) protocol was performed. Venous occlusion plethysmography has been widely used in research and clinical settings to assess blood flow in the periphery. The universal assumption that arterial inflow is not altered during VOP was questioned. The findings suggest that arterial inflow is, in fact, reduced during VOP. Moreover, it was found that retrograde SR was significantly increased. However, this did not impact upon vascular function as measured by FMD. In summary, despite previous evidence that prolonged and persistent increase in retrograde SR is detrimental to vascular function, neither proximal cuff inflation, nor VOP protocols, negatively affected arterial function. These novel findings highlight the complexity of haemodynamic physiology and suggest that factors other than retrograde SR may influence acute vascular function.
Outcomes in Vascularized Lymph Node Transplantation in Rabbits: A Reliable Model for Improving the Surgical Approach to Lymphedema.

BACKGROUND Conservative nonsurgical treatment has traditionally been applied to lymphedema. Early surgical procedures were invasive and disfiguring and their long-term success was often limited. In contrast, contemporary surgical techniques are much less invasive and have been shown to be effective in reducing excess limb volume, the risk of cellulitis, and the need for compression garments. Microsurgical procedures such as lymphovenous anastomosis and vascularized lymph node transfer can treat the excess fluid component of lymphedema and are gaining in popularity. In this study, we first evaluate the possibility of generating lymphedema in the hind limb of a rabbit and then describe its treatment with microsurgical lymph node transfer without lymph vessel transfer. METHODS AND RESULTS In experimental rabbit models, animals first underwent surgery in which the popliteal lymph node was removed to create lymphedema in the hind limb. After 15 days, another operation was performed to excise the contralateral popliteal lymph node and transfer it to the limb with lymphedema. Our model showed that lymph node transfer was able to reduce lymphedema in the rabbit's hind limb; intervened hind limb: basal volume (51.94 ± 11.23), volume day transfer (73.40 ± 26.47), and final volume (50.13 ± 12). CONCLUSION We have developed a feasible model to microsurgically induce and treat lymphedema by lymph node transfer that shows promising results.
POST: Parallel Offloading of Splittable Tasks in Heterogeneous Fog Networks

Fog computing has been promoted to support delay-sensitive applications in future Internet of Things (IoT). For a general heterogeneous fog network consisting of many dispersive fog nodes (FNs), it may well happen that some of them have delay-sensitive tasks to process, i.e., task nodes (TNs), and some have spare resources to help the TNs to process tasks, i.e., helper nodes (HNs). It remains a fundamental challenge to effectively map multiple tasks or TNs into multiple HNs to minimize every task’s service delay in a distributed manner, i.e., the multitask multihelper (MTMH) problem. The problem becomes more challenging as tasks are splittable, i.e., tasks can be divided into multiple subtasks and offloaded to multiple HNs to further reduce the service delay via the scheme similar to distributed computing, because it introduces the more complicated task division problem which results in a much larger and more complex solution space. To tackle this challenge, in this article, a generalized Nash equilibrium problem (GNEP), called parallel offloading of splittable tasks (POST), is formulated and studied thoroughly. The structural properties of the problem are characterized and thus the existence of generalized Nash equilibrium (GNE) is proven via the fixed-point theorem. Furthermore, the corresponding distributed task offloading algorithm is developed via the Gauss–Seidel-type method. The simulation results show that the proposed POST algorithm can offer much better performance in terms of the system average delay, individual delay, delay reduction ratio (DRR), and number of beneficial TNs, compared with the existing solution to the counterpart problem for nonsplittable tasks.
“Personal Training”: Can Genes Guide Us?

Dementia is one of the most devastating disease of the elderly. Alzheimer’s disease (AD) remain its most common cause. This chapter presents current data about AD risk factors, biomarkers, risk genes, available treatments. It also focuses on current and future perspectives about the use of personalized, non pharmaceutical computerbased intervation. The aim of this work is to propose that the knowledge of carring or not AD risk can be a guide for a personalized combination of brain training in preclinical stages of the disease in order to postpone or even cancel disease onset.
Who is “Queerer” and Deserves Resettlement?: Queer Asylum Seekers and Their Deservingness of Refugee Status in Turkey

Abstract Turkey’s long-standing geographical limitation on the 1951 Geneva Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees resulted in fractured legal statuses for refugees, each with minimal rights but extensive responsibilities. One of these categories, conditional refugees under international protection, presents a curious case of direct involvement of UNHCR in processing asylum applications filed under this category and resettling accepted individuals to third countries. Situated in the fourteen-month fieldwork with queer refugees under international protection, this article scrutinizes UNHCR’s role in the asylum-seeking process in Turkey through which queer refugees’ experience of displacement finds a new meaning of being “deserving” of refugee status and resettlement to a third country. UNHCR’ direct involvement in Turkey makes it an important actor in policing and controlling not only sexuality and gender identity of queer refugees but also in constructing deservingness of refugee status as a gendered performance of persecution and in constructing the discourse of “fake LGBT refugees. ”
SimpleApprenant: a platform to improve French L2 learners’ knowledge of
 multiword expressions

We present SimpleApprenant, a platform aiming to improve French L2 learners’ knowledge of Multi Word Expressions (MWEs). SimpleApprenant integrates an MWE database annotated with the Common European Framework of Reference for languages (CEFR) level and several Natural Language Processing (NLP) tools: a spelling checker, a parser, and a set of transformation rules. NLP tools and resources are used to build training and writing exercises to improve MWE knowledge and writing skills of French L2 learners. We present the user scenarios, the platform’s architecture, as well as the preliminary evaluation of its NLP tools.
Comparing the Tweet and the Experience. A Case Study @hrhbali 2019

Social media tweet is the marketing communication channel targeted to the consumers. The tweet @hrhbali, a luxurious hotel in Bali, analyzed and showed findings related to the dominant attribute proposed. This research was utilizing a mystery shopper to experience staying in the luxurious hotel and compare the attributes findings from the previous study to the experience of staying in the hotel. The results show that there are much detail and rich experiences compare with the previous research findings from the unstructured tweet dataset. This finding indicates that even though there is the right social media and channels of marketing communication, nevertheless, to deliver rich and detail experiences, stories should be written and delivered to netizen to improve the persuasiveness for the consumers to stay in the luxurious hotel. Keywords: @hrhbali, Experience, Attributes, Comparison, Hospitality DOI : 10.7176/EJBM/12-2-02 Publication date: January 31 st 2020
Indwelling urinary catheter placement and removal practices among surgical patients at Kigali University Teaching Hospital

Background: Indwelling urinary Catheters (IUCs) are routinely used medical devices among patients undergoing surgery and their undue use is a risk factor for urinary tract infections (UTIs). The study aim was to assess IUCs placement and removal practices among patients undergoing surgery. Methods: We carried out a cross-sectional study on 207 patients operated at Kigali University Teaching Hospital (KUTH). A pretested observation checklist (Cronbach: α=0.851) was used for data collection. The data were analyzed using SPSS version 20. Chi-square test was used to determine the association between patients’ characteristics and IUCs placement and removal. Results: The IUC placement rate was 56.5% (n=117). There was significant association of IUCs use with gender, age, type and urgency of surgical procedures performed and the type of anesthesia used. Appropriate indication for IUC placement was established in 95.7% patients (n=112). Although 99.1% (n=116) patients were discharged from theatre with IUCs in situ, only 56.5% (n=66) had documented removal instructions. Conclusion: This study established that IUCs use is common and justified in surgery. However, lack of removal instruction was found to be a challenge. Therefore, the authors recommend patients’ re-evaluation for post-surgery IUC need and its early removal where inappropriate to prevent CAUTIs and other complications. Keywords: Indwelling urinary catheter use, surgical patients, surgery
Addition of organic and inorganic amendments to regenerate the surface structure of silty soils

The widespread degradation of the structure of silty soils under no‐till systems (NT) that has been observed in recent years is characterized by the presence of a Platy structure (P) near the soil surface. Under these conditions, addition of organic and inorganic amendments could have beneficial effects on soil physical properties. We assessed structural regeneration following addition of amendments in an Argiudoll of Paraná, Argentina. Poultry litter (PL) and gypsum (G) were applied, providing an organic and inorganic amendment, respectively. Four treatments were tested: PL (7.5 Mg ha−1), G (3 Mg ha−1), the combination of PL+G (7.5 + 3 Mg ha−1), and control (T) with no amendment. Description and quantification of the structural state of the soil profile was made using a Visual Soil Evaluation method: “Le profil cultural”. Aggregate stability, bulk density, total porosity, pore size distribution and soil shear strength for each soil structure and soil organic carbon (SOC) were determined at two depths. Twenty months after the amendment applications, both PL and PL+G treatments led to a significant increase of SOC in the upper 5 cm of soil. The proportion of Gamma (Γ) structure increased and P declined under PL and PL+G compared with G and T inn the A horizon. Treatments G and PL+G contributed to an increase in average diameter of aggregates in Γ only. The use of PL amendment alone or in combination with G could be a promising strategy to regenerate, in the short term, the degraded soil structure under NT.
Price Transparency in OTC Equity Lending Markets: Evidence From a Loan Fee Benchmark

We study the effects of a positive shock in price transparency in the Brazilian OTC equity lending market. Before March 1st 2011, a publicly available benchmark was computed as the average loan fee across all loan deals over the previous 15 trading days; on March 1st 2011, this interval was reduced from 15 to three days, increasing the benchmark precision and, consequentially, short-sellers' predictive power over current (unobserved) loan fees. Using difference-in-differences analysis, we show that this change resulted in lower loan fees, with stronger effects for short-sellers with higher search costs. Our results are consistent with the theoretical predictions in Duffie, Dworczak, and Zhu (2017) and can be of interest to regulators few countries have publicly available loan fee benchmarks.
A study on drug prescribing pattern in Madurai city

Objective: The effects of Bonny light crude oil on the smooth and skeletal muscles contraction and pain were investigated. Methods: Analgesic effect of Bonny light crude oil was tested in mice using acetic acid (0.75%)- induced writhing model. Its effects on histamine-, and Ach-induced smooth muscle contraction were studied in guinea pig ileum. The effects of crude oil on Ach-induced contraction of rat duodenum and frog rectus abdominis muscle were also studied. Results: The crude oil caused complete inhibition of histamine - induced smooth muscle contraction, while producing only a partial inhibition of the acetylcholine - induced contraction. It had no effects on the acetylcholine-induced skeletal muscle contraction, but showed good analgesic effect comparable to aspirin. Conclusion: The Bonny light crude oil possesses inhibitory action on smooth muscle contraction induced by histamine, and analgesic property.
Physical-Chemical and Sensorial Quality of Eggs Coated With Copaiba Oil Biofilm and Stored At Room Temperature for Different Periods

11/February/2019 Approved: 27/June/2019 ABSTRACT The present study aimed at evaluating the effects of a coating based on copaiba oil on the quality of eggs stored for different periods. Eggs were coated with copaiba oil solutions (4, 8, 12, 16, or 20% copaiba oil) or not (control) and stored for 1, 7, 14, 21, 28 or 35 days at room temperature. The following parameters were evaluated: egg weight loss, egg components (albumen, yolk, and eggshell) relative weights, egg specific gravity, Haugh units, eggshell quality, and sensorial attributes. Eggs stored for 35 days presented the highest weight losses. Coating (20% copaíba oil solution) reduced egg weight loss up to 41.02%. Coated eggs presented better internal quality (yolk and albumen heights, specific gravity, and eggshell strength). Sensorial attributes were negatively affected by storage time (aroma and flavor), and copaiba oil solution (aroma, appearance, and flavor), with the natural odor of copaiba described by the tasters. Egg internal, external, and sensorial quality worsened with storage time. Solutions containing 16 and 20% copaiba oil can be used as a biofilm to coat eggs, preserving its internal and external quality, and may affect their sensory characteristics, and therefore, may be a viable alternative for maintaining the internal quality of eggs stored at room temperature
Behavioral prediction of environmentally oriented anticonsumption and consumption: A multilevel study of five Eurobarometer surveys

Funding information Spanish Ministry of Innovation, Competitiveness and Universities, Grant/ Award Number: R&D PROJECT ECO2015‐ 66504 Abstract To tackle climate change, greater public engagement is called for in actions that fall under the umbrella of environmentally oriented anticonsumption (EOA), in addition to environmentally oriented consumption (EOC) ones. This study examines potential behavioral effects on EOA and EOC actions in response to climate change, by placing attention on the EOA versus EOC distinction, as well as the behavioral domain and frequency of the selected behavioral outcomes and predictors. Multilevel analysis is conducted on a large‐scale, European pooled dataset (N=137,097 respondents) combined with secondary country data at the societal level (N=30 countries). The findings provide overall evidence for positive behavioral effects or spillovers on EOA and EOC behaviors in response to climate change, while emphasizing also the need to account for the specificity of different proenvironmental actions. Also, the findings show that positive spillovers are more likely among actions within the same EOA/EOC path of action, pertaining to the same behavioral category (i.e., intra‐domain, rather than inter‐domain spillovers), and having similar behavioral frequency characteristics (e.g., among non‐daily actions). The findings reported here improve understanding of the behavioral mechanisms behind environmental spillovers, for less‐researched EOA (and EOC) outcomes, in response to climate change, and cross‐nationally.
Teachers‘ Ability in Formulating the Topics of their Classroom Action Researches

The objective of the study was to find out how successful the teachers were in formulating the topics of their classroom action researches after following a fourhour research proposal writing workshop. This phase of proposal writing activity was considered the most urgent among school teachers in Indonesia because most of them were not obliged to do researches until they were about to be promoted to be senior teaching staff members. The respondents of the study consisted of fortytwo (42) teachers working for a junior high school in Yogyakarta Special Province, Indonesia. The instruments for collecting the data were the sheets of problem identification, particularly designed for assisting the teachers to begin writing their action research proposals. A descriptive quantitative technique was used to analyze the data. The results of the study showed that most respondents were not successful in formulating the topics of their classroom action researches.
A randomized single blind controlled trial of beads versus doxorubicin-eluting beads for arterial embolization of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

143 Background: HAE using particles is a method of treatment for HCC. The added role of doxorubicin has never been fully understood biologically. To date, no study has demonstrated any difference in outcome using HAE versus trans-arterial chemoembolization (TACE). Methods: Patients (pts) with unresectable Okuda stage I or II HCC with adequate liver function were randomized to BB or LC loaded with 150 mg of doxorubicin. Pts were evaluated by multiphasic CT 2-3 weeks post-treatment. Progression by RECIST and/or evidence of ≤5% necrosis was considered treatment failure. Otherwise pts were followed with CT every 3 months until progression or death. Pts with either recurrent tumor or new tumor outside the treated area could be re-treated. The primary objective was response rate (RR) by RECIST. With 50 pts in each arm response rates can be estimated to within +/- 14%. Secondary objectives included assessing safety and tolerability, time to progression (TTP), progression free survival (PFS), and overall survival.
Psychosocial Responses to Falling in Older Chinese Immigrants Living in the Community

Background and Rationale Falls are among the most common problems faced by elderly persons. While the physical risk factors for falls are well established, the psychosocial aspects have been largely neglected. Moreover, studies exploring the responses to falls from the individuals’ perspectives in an immigrant population are virtually non-existent. The older Chinese immigrant population is substantial and growing in the Greater Toronto Area. The cultural and immigrant-related factors that influence their responses to and recovery after a fall are important considerations as health and social care professionals develop falls prevention strategies, and provide services and care. This dissertation explored the nature of immediate and subsequent responses of community-dwelling older Chinese immigrants after falling. Method Focussed Ethnography, as guided by elements from Critical Social Theory, was used as the research methodology. Eighteen informants over 70 years of age, living in the community who had experienced a recent fall were interviewed using a semi-structured guide developed after a detailed literature review. Thematic analysis of transcribed interviews was conducted. Results Four major themes related to responses to falling were drawn forth from the interview data: 1) Help-seeking decisions immediately after the fall, 2) Psychological impact of the fall, 3) Care and support networks, and 4) Learning from the fall. Discussion The psychosocial responses supported a “blended” explanatory model of illness. Respondents appeared to adhere to both Western medical models and traditional Chinese explanatory model depending on the severity of the fall injuries. Also, the roots of Chinese
Lexical Development in Bilingual French/ Portuguese Speaking Toddlers

In this study, we explore if French-European Portuguese (EP)-speaking bilingual toddlers produce the same number of words as their monolingual peers, in French, in EP, or in both languages. Furthermore, we explore the link between language dominance and lexicon size. We tested 53 bilingual French-EP children, among which 16 were 16–18 months old, 16 were 24–25 months old and 21 were 30–35 months old. The parents completed the French and the EP Communicative Development Inventory (adaptations of MacArthur–Bates CDI [Fenson et al., 2007]), the PaBiQ (Tuller, 2015) to evaluate language dominance and the ASQ-3 (Squires et al., 2009) to assess their developmental stages. The total vocabulary (both language combined, TV? F+EP), the total vocabulary (TV) in each language (TV? EP and TV? F) and the conceptual vocabulary (CV) were calculated. These vocabulary measures were compared with the monolingual norms in French and EP. The results showed that almost all participants had the same performance in vocabulary acquisition as their monolingual peers in French and EP, measured through the CDI in each language respectively. Their TV? F+EP and CV exceeded the vocabulary of monolinguals and language dominance was correlated with vocabulary size.