Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Assistive Communicative Vibrating Aid for Differently Abled

The hearing impaired community faces many challenges during their daily life and communication is the most talked about problem out of them. A conclusion based on some research suggests that rather than one on one communication with their fellow hearing impaired friends, what they find more difficult is to capture their peers attention when they are in a group, at class or at work. Differently abled students in class struggle to capture the attention of their fellow friends and teachers struggle to capture the attention of the students. The current solution for which is flickering the classroom lights which is very rudimentary and ineffective in places other than the classroom. Hard of hearing working professionals go through the same struggle every day to capture their nearby colleagues attention.The conceptualised solution is a wearable device called ACVA( Assistive Communicative Vibrating Aid). It is a wearable wristband which contains an OLED display and a vibrating module. The aim is to transform natural communicative gestures into a form that can be sensed by the differently abled, helping them with effective communication and mainstreaming their communicative conducts. By converting clap gesture into a broadcast signal using Wifi technology, the device can bridge the gap between Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) and general human behavioural communication.ACVA proposes to achieve an interface that allows the differently abled to culminate natural communicative gestures to provide ease in attention capturing during interpersonal or group level communications.
The Comparative Study of Maternal Mortality over Time: The Role of the Professionalisation of Childbirth

SummaryMidwifery in western countries emerged during the seventeenth century in France with the training of midwives under supervision of male obstetricians. A wave of new schools of midwifery reached all European countries in the eighteenth century to reduce maternal and infant mortality. During the nineteenth century most European countries adopted a strategy for the promotion of skilled attendance at delivery based on professional midwives who progressively replaced traditional midwives. However, the effectiveness of the strategy reflected by the coverage of deliveries by these midwives varied widely among European countries. This was partly due to a conflict of interest with medical doctors. The reduction in maternal mortality was parallel to the intensity of the coverage by professional midwives with a clear contrast between the USA—with a staggering maternal mortality around 600-800 per 100,000 live births—and Sweden, Denmark, Norway or the Netherlands with a ratio around 250-300 per 100,000 live births. The more recent history of maternal mortality reduction in Sri Lanka and Malaysia showed that technical and political conditions similar to what will be shown to have prevailed in Sweden also permitted the dramatic fall.
Physical fitness as a predictor of cardiovascular disease risk factors in 6- to 7- year old Danish children: The Copenhagen School Child Intervention Study

The aim of this study was to investigate whether risk factors for cardiovascular disease cluster in 6- to 7-year-old children and whether low physical fitness is a predictor of risk factor clustering. The study included 369 boys (6.8 ± 0.4 years) and 327 girls (6.7 ± 0.4 years). VO2max was directly measured during a treadmill test. The ratio of total cholesterol to high-density cholesterol, triglyceride levels, the ratio of insulin to glucose, systolic blood pressure, and the sum of four skinfolds were selected as risk factors. A child was considered at risk for individual factors if he or she had values in the least favorable quartile. The number of children with more than three cardiovascular disease cluster risk factors was not significantly different from a binomial distribution. This lack of clustering could be a result of the fact that these young children have not yet developed insulin resistance. Children in the lowest quartile of fitness had an odds ratio of 2.1 (CI: 1.0? 4.4) compared with the most fit for having three or more risk factors. This is interesting with regard to prevention because it indicates that an intervention involving increased physical activity might postpone or even prevent the development of risk factors
Glucocorticoid Sensitivity in Rheumatoid Arthritis

textabstractAccumulating observations of women with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) who ‘spontaneously’ experienced less active disease during pregnancy led to the growing belief by Philip Hench that a hormonal substance had to be involved in the improving clinical conditions of pregnant patients with RA. In close collaboration with Edward Kendall and Tadeus Reichstein they eventually managed to isolate, identify and produce compound E (i.e. cortison) and administered the compound to RA patients with impressive results. Ever since, glucocorticosteroids (GC) are being used in a variety of inflammatory and noninflammatory disorders because of their powerful anti-inflammatory and immunomodulating properties. As such, GC are also frequently used in early and longstanding RA, although long-term use of GC is also associated with dose- and time-dependent side effects such as changes in body composition (obesity, muscle atrophy, osteoporosis), diabetes and hypertension. However, large interindividual differences in GC sensitivity are present, reflected by different treatment responses and by the degree to which side effects develop. In addition, abnormalities in the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis itself have been recognized in RA which may contribute to its pathogenesis. This justifies the search for determinants of GC sensitivity, in order to individualize and optimize GC therapy in RA, and to further unravel HPA-axis dysfunction in the pathophysiology of RA.
A case study on developing the graduate teaching assistant role in higher education

Universities are developing their use of Graduate Teaching Assistants (GTAs) in a haphazard and sometimes exploitative way. This paper discusses relevant literature and examples of practice from Universities in the UK. It goes on to describe the development of the GTA role at the University of Salford and research into this in one academic department. The views of stakeholders concerned are presented including the students, academic staff and GTAs. Universities have to address the increasing quantity of teaching required together with the call for higher quality of delivery. They also place greater demands on the use of academic staff time for research and management. Effective, ethical deployment of GTAs can help manage this tension.
Estudio multicéntrico sobre actitudes y normas culturales frente a la violencia (proyecto ACTIVA): metodología

El proposito de este articulo es describir las bases conceptuales y los metodos empleados en el estudio multicentrico ACTIVA, asi como el proceso que se cumplio en las diferentes etapas de la investigacion. Se brinda informacion general sobre el enfoque, diseno y metodos que se aplicaron en las ciudades que participaron en el estudio: San Salvador, El Salvador; San Jose, Costa Rica; Cali, Colombia; Caracas, Venezuela; Salvador de Bahia y Rio de Janeiro, Brasil; Santiago, Chile y Madrid, Espana. Los objetivos del estudio fueron: 1) analizar y comparar entre ciudades la prevalencia de conductas agresivas verbales y fisicas hacia los ninos, la pareja y personas que no son miembros de la familia; y 2) identificar factores personales, ambientales y socioeconomicos asociados con estas conductas violentas. El proposito del proyecto ACTIVA fue generar informacion que ayudara a orientar politicas y programas para la prevencion de la violencia en las ciudades y brindar criterios para la toma de decisiones, asi como recabar informacion que sirviera de base para evaluar politicas y programas de prevencion. Para cumplir con los objetivos propuestos se procedio a elaborar y validar un cuestionario comun, que se aplico, mediante el metodo de entrevista cara-cara, a los residentes de hogares particulares urbanos entre los 18 y 70 anos de edad. La muestra fue seleccionada en cada ciudad mediante un muestreo multietapico, estratificado y por conglomerados, y proporcionada segun los estratos socioeconomicos y la densidad de la poblacion y sin reemplazo o sustitucion. La muestra final estuvo compuesta por 10821 personas. En general, los porcentajes de respuesta se encontraron comprendidos entre los limites establecidos, salvo algunas excepciones. En San Jose, Rio de Janeiro y Madrid el tamano de la muestra final fue ligeramente menor del esperado. Se registraron mayores rechazos en varones jovenes adultos de los estratos altos, por lo cual en las muestras se observo una sobrerrepresentacion de mujeres con predominio de los estratos medio y bajo. A manera de conclusiones se exponen los alcances y limitaciones, tanto del enfoque como de los metodos del estudio. Se destacan las aportaciones que brindan los estudios de este tipo cuando se efectuan analisis comparativos que permiten identificar las diferencias y semejanzas que se expresan en diferentes centros urbanos. Se indica que con el metodo propuesto es posible analizar la asociacion entre las conductas violentas y diferentes factores de riesgo y atributos a nivel individual en un momento particular en el tiempo. Sin embargo, se advierte que este diseno tiene limitaciones a la hora de establecer relaciones causales y que no permitio evaluar el contexto en que se manifiesta y desarrolla la violencia en cada situacion particular.
Diagnostic imaging of breast cancer microvasculature with optoacoustic tomography

We report first clinical results of diagnostic imaging of breast cancer patients with optoacoustic tomography (OAT). OAT combines the most compelling features of light and sound for medical imaging: high tissue contrast and excellent resolution. Aggressive malignant tumors were diagnosed based on relative concentration of oxy- and deoxy-hemoglobin in the tumor microvasculature. Optoacoustic images of breast cancer were acquired at two laser wavelengths matching maximum of oxyhemoglobin (1064-nm) and deoxyhemoglobin (760-nm). Quantitative analysis of two-color optoacoustic images was correlated with immunohistology of biopsy specimens. The possibility for noninvasive differentiation of malignant carcinoma from benign fibroadenoma was demonstrated.
The World Health Organization STEPwise Approach to Noncommunicable Disease Risk-Factor Surveillance: Methods, Challenges, and Opportunities.

OBJECTIVES We sought to outline the framework and methods used by the World Health Organization (WHO) STEPwise approach to noncommunicable disease (NCD) surveillance (STEPS), describe the development and current status, and discuss strengths, limitations, and future directions of STEPS surveillance. METHODS STEPS is a WHO-developed, standardized but flexible framework for countries to monitor the main NCD risk factors through questionnaire assessment and physical and biochemical measurements. It is coordinated by national authorities of the implementing country. The STEPS surveys are generally household-based and interviewer-administered, with scientifically selected samples of around 5000 participants. RESULTS To date, 122 countries across all 6 WHO regions have completed data collection for STEPS or STEPS-aligned surveys. CONCLUSIONS STEPS data are being used to inform NCD policies and track risk-factor trends. Future priorities include strengthening these linkages from data to action on NCDs at the country level, and continuing to develop STEPS' capacities to enable a regular and continuous cycle of risk-factor surveillance worldwide.
`No worries!'

`No Worries! ' is a nurse-led drop-in sexual health service for young people in one Primary Care Trust in South West England. The service aims to provide sexual health promotion, contraception, STI testing and a range of health promotion advice. The service was evaluated from the young people's perspectives using quantitative and qualitative methodologies. Attendance data, questionnaires and interviews explored patterns of use, effectiveness and acceptability of three clinics, two in areas of social deprivation and a third with increasing teenage conception rates. Questionnaire data were collected from 153 young people (232 clinic attendances) and 18 were interviewed (aged 14—18 years). The pattern of service use varied across the clinics, with those from the lowest socio-economic community using fewer condoms, having more pregnancy tests and STI swabs. Average age of first intercourse was 15 years, and most visited the clinic after having sex rather than before. Young people found the service accessible and they highlighted close proximity to home and school, the drop-in nature, and confidentiality, professionalism and friendliness of staff. After using the service, respondents reported that they would be more likely to practise safer sex and change their behaviour. The clinics appeared to match up to young people's expectations of the service, but did not manage to attract many boys. Young people said the service made them feel more confident, more informed about sex, aware of sexually transmitted diseases and take fewer risks.
Reestablishing Proprioception and Neuromuscular Control in the ACL-Injured Athlete

Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury disrupts static and dynamic knee restraints, compromising functional stability. Deafferentation of ACL mechan-oreceptors alters the spinal reflex pathways to motor nerves and muscle spindles in addition to the cortical pathways for conscious and unconscious appreciation of proprioception and kinesthesia. These pathways are required by the feed-forward and feedback neuromuscular control systems to dynamically stabilize joints. Feed-forward motor control is responsible for preparatory muscle activity, while feedback motor control regulates reactive muscle activity. The level of muscle activation, preparatory or reactive, influences muscular stiffness, thereby providing dynamic restraint for the ACL-deficient athlete. Rehabilitation protocols should incorporate activities that enhance muscle stiffness while encouraging adaptations to peripheral afferents, spinal reflexes, and cortical motor patterns. Four elements crucial for reestablishing neuromuscular control and fu.
Artéria radial versus veia safena para revascularização do miocárdio: metanálise (não houve diferença estatisticamente significante)

OBJECTIVE: To compare the effectiveness of radial artery graft with saphenous vein graft to myocardial revascularization, in association with the internal thoracic artery. METHODS: We made a systematic review of literature, using a strategy to search articles applied to MEDLINE and LILACS databases. Two independent researchers have carried through the election of identified articles, evaluating carefully the methodology of articles considered excellent for the subject. Only the randomized controlled trials, with adjusted randomization system have been enclosed. All the situations where the researchers didn't agree there was a consensus meeting. It hasn't been stipulated restriction for postoperative period to graft angiographic evaluation, the vessel treated and enclosed patient's characteristics. The results have been expressed as Risk Relative (RR), with 95% of Confidence Interval (CI), to comparison the effectiveness between the radial artery and the saphenous vein. RESULTS: Based in these criteria three studies have been enclosed. We couldn't find statistic difference between grafts' patency studied (RR 0.53 [95% IC 0.13 - 2.18]). CONCLUSION: Despite of the studies have good methodological quality, we have not observed a result significant statistically benefiting one of the grafts. The statistical power of the meta-analysis is low, therefore, it's necessary more randomized controlled trials, with adjusted sample size to detect possible differences between the considered treatments.
Genomics, Telomere Length, Epigenetics, and Metabolomics in the Nurses' Health Studies.

OBJECTIVES To review the contribution of the Nurses' Health Study (NHS) and NHS II to genomics, epigenetics, and metabolomics research. METHODS We performed a narrative review of the publications of the NHS and NHS II between 1990 and 2016 based on biospecimens, including blood and tumor tissue, collected from participants. RESULTS The NHS has contributed to the discovery of genetic loci influencing more than 45 complex human phenotypes, including cancers, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, reproductive characteristics, and anthropometric traits. The combination of genomewide genotype data with extensive exposure and lifestyle data has enabled the evaluation of gene-environment interactions. Furthermore, data suggest that longer telomere length increases risk of cancers not related to smoking, and that modifiable factors (e.g., diet) may have an impact on telomere length. "Omics" research in the NHS continues to expand, with epigenetics and metabolomics becoming greater areas of focus. CONCLUSIONS The combination of prospective biomarker data and broad exposure information has enabled the NHS to participate in a variety of "omics" research, contributing to understanding of the epidemiology and biology of multiple complex diseases.
Exogenous Hormone Use: Oral Contraceptives, Postmenopausal Hormone Therapy, and Health Outcomes in the Nurses' Health Study.

OBJECTIVES To review the contribution of the Nurses' Health Study (NHS) to our understanding of the complex relationship between exogenous hormones and health outcomes in women. METHODS We performed a narrative review of the publications of the NHS and NHS II from 1976 to 2016. RESULTS Oral contraceptive and postmenopausal hormone use were studied in relation to major health outcomes, including cardiovascular disease and cancer. Current or recent oral contraceptive use is associated with a higher risk of cardiovascular disease (mainly among smokers), melanoma, and breast cancer, and a lower risk of colorectal and ovarian cancer. Although hormone therapy is not indicated primarily for chronic disease prevention, findings from the NHS and a recent analysis of the Women's Health Initiative indicate that younger women who are closer to menopause onset have a more favorable risk-benefit profile than do older women from use of hormone therapy for relief of vasomotor symptoms. CONCLUSIONS With updated information on hormone use, lifestyle factors, and other variables, the NHS and NHS II continue to contribute to our understanding of the complex relationship between exogenous hormones and health outcomes in women.
The diagnosis and management of dementia in primary care: development, implementation and evaluation of a national training programme

General practitioners (GPs) and their teams are uniquely situated to achieve early diagnosis and optimal management in the community of dementia, yet there is evidence of under-diagnosis, under-response to established dementia, and inadequate management. An educational agenda has been proposed on the basis of a review of existing studies and a national training programme has been designed to test the feasibility, acceptability and relevance of this agenda for primary care workers in the UK. A nationwide programme of workshops was successfully implemented, using educational methods based on adult learning principles, and received a very positive response from a multidisciplinary audience. This educational agenda has been shown to be congruent with the reported experiences of primary care workers, particularly GPs. Community psychiatric nurses (CPN) emerge from the findings of this study as a professional group who might have an important educational role for other professionals in primary care.
Community-Based, Preclinical Patient Navigation for Colorectal Cancer Screening Among Older Black Men Recruited From Barbershops: The MISTER B Trial

Objectives To test the effectiveness of a preclinical, telephone-based patient navigation intervention to encourage colorectal cancer (CRC) screening among older Black men. Methods We conducted a 3-parallel-arm, randomized trial among 731 self-identified Black men recruited at barbershops between 2010 and 2013 in New York City. Participants had to be aged 50 years or older, not be up-to-date on CRC screening, have uncontrolled high blood pressure, and have a working telephone. We randomized participants to 1 of 3 groups: (1) patient navigation by a community health worker for CRC screening (PN), (2) motivational interviewing for blood pressure control by a trained counselor (MINT), or (3) both interventions (PLUS). We assessed CRC screening completion at 6-month follow-up. Results Intent-to-treat analysis revealed that participants in the navigation interventions were significantly more likely than those in the MINT-only group to be screened for CRC during the 6-month study period (17.5% of participants in PN, 17.8% in PLUS, 8.4% in MINT; P < .01). Conclusions Telephone-based preclinical patient navigation has the potential to be effective for older Black men. Our results indicate the importance of community-based health interventions for improving health among minority men.
Effects of indigenous medicinal plants of Bangladesh on blood glucose level and neuropathic pain in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats

We investigated the effect of freshly prepared aqueous extracts of Psidium guajava, Momordica charantia, Coccinia indica leaves and their combination on blood glucose level and neuropathic pain in hyperglycemic rats. Streptozotocin (STZ; 65 mg/kg, Iv) was injected to albino rats to induce diabetes. Oral administration of freshly prepared aqueous extracts of each of the leaves and their combination were given to STZ-induced diabetic rats until 8 weeks after the STZ injection at a dosage of 500 mg/kg bwt/day. Oral glucose tolerance test to follow the changes in blood glucose and von Frey test to evaluate the tactile allodynia were performed to investigate the antidiabetic effects. Treatment with these freshly prepared leaf aqueous extracts significantly reduced blood glucose in diabetic rats (p < 0.001). Blood glucose lowering effect of the combination treatment was significantly greater than individual treatments (p < 0.01). Oral glucose tolerance test also showed the improvement of glucose tolerance by each extracts (p < 0.001). These effects were significantly greater in the combination treatment group over the individual treatment groups (p < 0.01). STZ-induced loss of body weight was attenuated by the individual and their combination treatment (p < 0.02). Diabetic rats developed stable tactile allodynia measured by von Frey test. Treatment with these freshly prepared leaf aqueous extracts significantly improved tactile allodynia in diabetic rats (p < 0.01). Effect of the combination treatment on tactile allodynia was also significantly greater than individual treatments (p < 0.05). These data suggest beneficial effect of freshly prepared aqueous extracts of P. guajava, M. charantia and C. indica leaves on hyperglycemic and neuropathic pain. Their combination therapy works better against hyperglycemia and neuropathy of STZ-induced diabetes rats. Therefore, the use of these plants as antidiabetics in folkloric medicine is justified.
Human Visual Attention Analysis-based Image Segmentation using Color Histogram

This paper proposes a new image segmentation method which uses 3D color histogram and human visual attention analysis. Existing histogram-based methods find the cluster centers by analyzing the distribution of the 3D color histogram values. It is difficult to consider the overall characteristics of an image by analyzing the distribution of the 3D color histogram values. Thus, Existing histogram-based methods have difficulty to finding the optimal cluster centers. To overcome this drawback, the proposed method uses both 3D color histogram and human visual attention analysis to find the optimal cluster centers by considering the overall characteristic of the image. Compared with the benchmark methods, the experimental results show that the proposed method improved the segmentation accuracy.