Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Factors Associated with Psychological Distress at Home following Elective Surgery in a Representative Group of Surgical Patients: An Explorative Panel Study

Background. Physical care and the provision of harmless treatment is the main objective of peri-operative nursing care with psychological distress being less addressed. Aim. The aim of the study is to describe postoperative psychological distress of elective surgical patients and identify factors that are present or known during hospitalisation and detect their associations with the psychological distress at home at least four weeks post discharge from the hospital. Method. 390 patients participated in the study. Symptoms of psychological distress were measured with the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale. Results. Surgical patients experience symptoms of anxiety and depression, with spinal patients experiencing most symptoms. The symptom causing most patients (10%) the greatest distress prior to surgery was trouble with movement. Younger age, scores on the HADS subscales at the hospital, and pain and symptoms at the hospital, correlated sifnificantly with scores on the HADS subscales at home. Women, patients on a waiting list before the surgery, those who were not very satisfied with care received at the hospital, patients with children at home and those that had lung disease or a psychiatric disorder scored higher on the HADS subscales at home than their counterparts. Conclusion. Nurses should routinely screen patients for psychological distress at home and develop realistic intervention strategies.
Japanese Older People's Perceptions of “Elder Abuse”

ABSTRACT This study examined the proportion of Japanese older people who have heard of elder abuse and their perceptions of elder abuse by using data collected from a nationally representative sample of more than 4,000 Japanese older people in 1999. Approximately one half of the older people in this study had heard of elder abuse. Among those, about 18% knew elder abuse victims. Further, the definitions of elder abuse among these older people included psychological abuse, neglect, physical abuse, and financial abuse. Based on the study findings, it is strongly recommended that preventive measures as well as public education programs be implemented to help prevent, detect, and treat elder abuse in a timely manner.
‘Playing God Because you Have to’: Health Professionals’ Narratives of Rationing Care in Humanitarian and Development Work

This article explores the accounts of Canadian-trained health professionals working in humanitarian and development organizations who considered not treating a patient or group of patients because of resource limitations. In the narratives, not treating the patient(s) was sometimes understood as the right thing to do, and sometimes as wrong. In analyzing participants’ narratives we draw attention to how medications and equipment are represented. In one type of narrative, medications and equipment are represented primarily as scarce resources; in another, they are represented as patient care. In the contexts respondents were working, medications and equipment were often both patient care interventions and scarce resources. The analytic point is that health professionals tend to emphasize one conceptualization over the other in coming to assert that not treating is right, or wrong. Rendering tacit ethical frameworks more explicit makes them available for reflection and debate.
Presence of the neuropeptide Y1 receptor in tenocytes and blood vessel walls in the human Achilles tendon

Background: Questions remain concerning the mechanisms of the development of chronic pain and impaired function of tendons (tendinosis). Aspects known to occur are cell proliferation, angiogenesis and altered blood flow regulation. Neuropeptide Y (NPY) is widely distributed in the body and has powerful effects in relation to these processes. NPY has its effects via the G-protein-coupled Y receptors. There is no information concerning the presence or absence of NPY receptors in Achilles tendons or other tendons. Objective: To clarify the expression patterns of the NPY receptors Y1 and Y2 in normal and tendinosis Achilles tendons of humans. Methods: Immunohistochemical methods were used. Examination on NPY was carried out in parallel. Results: The tenocytes showed strong immunoreactions for the Y1 receptor. The immunoreactions were more intense in the tenocytes of tendinosis tendons than in non-tendinosis tendons. The rounded/oval tenocytes typically seen in tendinosis tendons exhibited marked Y1 receptor reactions on their exterior. Pronounced Y1 reactions were seen in the smooth muscle of the arterioles of both tendinosis and non-tendinosis tendons. No reactions for the Y2 receptor were noted. NPY was detected in nerve fascicles and in perivascular innervation. Conclusions: This study shows that there is a morphological correlate for the occurrence of pronounced NPY effects via the Y1 receptor in both tenocytes, especially for tendinosis tendons, and blood vessel walls in the Achilles tendon. The findings are of particular interest as NPY is known to have proliferative, angiogenic and blood vessel-regulating effects. The effects of targeting the Y1 receptor in tendinosis is an interesting task to be evaluated further.
Effects of resistive load on performance and surface EMG activity during repeated cycling sprints on a non-isokinetic cycle ergometer

Objectives To determine the effects of resistive load on performance and surface electromyogram (SEMG) activity during repeated cycling sprints (RCS) on a non-isokinetic cycle ergometer. Methods Participants performed two RCS tests (ten 10-second cycling sprints) interspersed with both 30- and 360-second recovery periods under light (RCSL) and heavy load conditions (RCSH) in a random counterbalanced order. Recovery periods of 360 seconds were set before the fifth and ninth sprints. Results In the 9th and 10th sprints, the values of peak power output divided by body mass were significantly higher in RCSH than in RCSL. Changes in blood lactate concentration were not different between the two conditions. In RCSL, the root mean square calculated from the SEMG was significantly lower in the ninth sprint than in the first sprint, but there were no differences between the root mean square in the first sprint and that in the ninth sprint in RCSH. Conclusions During RCS on a non-isokinetic cycle ergometer, performance and SEMG activity are influenced by resistive load. It is thought that regulation of skeletal muscle recruitment by the central nervous system is associated with fatigue during RCS with a light resistive load.
Resistance training among young athletes: safety, efficacy and injury prevention effects

A literature review was employed to evaluate the current epidemiology of injury related to the safety and efficacy of youth resistance training. Several case study reports and retrospective questionnaires regarding resistance exercise and the competitive sports of weightlifting and powerlifting reveal that injuries have occurred in young lifters, although a majority can be classified as accidental. Lack of qualified instruction that underlies poor exercise technique and inappropriate training loads could explain, at least partly, some of the reported injuries. Current research indicates that resistance training can be a safe, effective and worthwhile activity for children and adolescents provided that qualified professionals supervise all training sessions and provide age-appropriate instruction on proper lifting procedures and safe training guidelines. Regular participation in a multifaceted resistance training programme that begins during the preseason and includes instruction on movement biomechanics may reduce the risk of sports-related injuries in young athletes. Strategies for enhancing the safety of youth resistance training are discussed.
Experiment-specific models of ventricular electrical activation: Construction and application

Experimental intramural recordings of electrical activity at high resolution have been made in the in-vivo pig LV free wall. To analyze features of these recordings experiment-specific 3D computer models of tissue structures and electrical behavior around the recording sites were constructed. The construction of the models used novel tissue image registration, correction and feature extraction methods. Appropriate model conductivity parameters were deduced from measurements and used to replicate features of experimental recordings.
Trileaflet valve hydrodynamic resistance assessment

Valve hydrodynamic performance is usually assessed by effective orifice area, transvalvular resistance, regurgitation and blood damage effect. Some studies suggest effects in effective orifice area due to cardiovascular resistance, compliance and angle position of the valve. We suppose that silicone rubber valves under study have a good performance under different cardiovascular resistance conditions. Two in vitro experiments were made to test this hypothesis under constant and pulsatile flow rate. Transvalvular gradient pressure, transvalvular resistance, Gorling effective orifice area, effective orifice area in the ascending aorta and Reynolds numbers were estimated in both flow rates. Results suggest that cardiovascular resistance has no significant effect for this kind of valves, however resistance effect is observed in pumping pressure. Small transvalvular resistance and transvalvular pressure gradients were found. Gorlin effective orifice areas greater than 0.3 cm2 have not viscosity effect. P-value < 0.001 was found between Gorlin effective orifice area under constant and pulsatile flow rate.
Perfil epidemiológico da hanseníase no município de Divinópolis, Minas Gerais

Objective: to analyze the epidemiological profile of leprosy in Divinopolis/MG. Method: this is cross-sectional and descriptive study. Data were collected in the Information System for Notifiable Diseases, for the period 2001 to 2010. Results: during the period under study has reported 124 cases of leprosy living in the city, mostly in individuals over 15 years with a predominance of multibacillary and zero degree of disability at diagnosis. The hidden prevalence of leprosy in the period 2006 to 2010 was 12 cases. Conclusion: we conclude that the current organization of health services contributes to late diagnosis and highlights the need to integrate primary health care in the conduct of actions to control leprosy
PEARLS: Program for Energetic Analysis of Receptor-Ligand System

Analysis of the energetics of small molecule ligand-protein, ligand-nucleic acid, and protein-nucleic acid interactions facilitates the quantitative understanding of molecular interactions that regulate the function and conformation of proteins. It has also been extensively used for ranking potential new ligands in virtual drug screening. We developed a Web-based software, PEARLS (Program for Energetic Analysis of Ligand-Receptor Systems), for computing interaction energies of ligand-protein, ligand-nucleic acid, protein-nucleic acid, and ligand-protein-nucleic acid complexes from their 3D structures. AMBER molecular force field, Morse potential, and empirical energy functions are used to compute the van der Waals, electrostatic, hydrogen bond, metal-ligand bonding, and water-mediated hydrogen bond energies between the binding molecules. The change in the solvation free energy of molecular binding is estimated by using an empirical solvation free energy model. Contribution from ligand conformational entropy change is also estimated by a simple model. The computed free energy for a number of PDB ligand-receptor complexes were studied and compared to experimental binding affinity. A substantial degree of correlation between the computed free energy and experimental binding affinity was found, which suggests that PEARLS may be useful in facilitating energetic analysis of ligand-protein, ligand-nucleic acid, and protein-nucleic acid interactions. PEARLS can be accessed at http://ang.cz3. nus.edu. sg/cgi-bin/prog/rune.pl.
Segmentation of leukocytes and erythrocytes in blood smear images

Differential blood count is a standard method in hematological laboratory diagnosis. In the course of developing a computer-assisted microscopy system for the generation of differential blood counts, the detection and segmentation of white and red blood cells forms an essential step and its exactness is a fundamental prerequisite for the effectiveness of the subsequent classification step. We propose a method for the exact segmentation of leukocytes and erythrocytes in a simultaneous and cooperative way. We combine pixel-wise classification with template matching to locate erythrocytes and use a level-set approach in order to get the exact cell contours of leukocyte nucleus and plasma regions as well as erythrocyte regions. An evaluation comparing the performance of the algorithm to the manual segmentation performed by several persons yielded good results.
Evidence-based approach to revising the SCAT2: introducing the SCAT3

The Sport Concussion Assessment Tool 2 (SCAT2), which evolved from the 2008 Concussion in Sport Group (CISG) Consensus meeting, has been widely used internationally for the past 4 years. Although the instrument is considered very practical and moderately effective for use by clinicians who manage concussion, the utility and sensitivity of a 100-point scoring system for the SCAT2 has been questioned. The 2012 CISG Consensus Meeting provided an opportunity for several of the world's leading concussion researchers and clinicians to present data and to share experiences using the SCAT2. The purpose of this report is to consider recommendations by the CISG, and to review the current literature to identify the most sensitive and reliable concussion assessment components for inclusion in a revised version—the SCAT3. Through this process, it was determined that important clinical information can be ascertained in a streamlined manner through the use of a multimodal instrument such as the SCAT3. This test battery should include an initial assessment of injury severity using the Glasgow Coma Scale, immediately followed by observing and documenting concussion signs. Once this is complete, symptom endorsement and symptom severity, neurocognitive function and balance function should be assessed in any athlete suspected of sustaining a concussion. There is no evidence to support the use of a composite/total score; however, there is good evidence to support the use of each component (scored independently) in a revised assessment tool.
The effect of subcutaneous fat thickness on the efficacy of transcutaneous electrical stimulation

Transcutaneous electrical stimulation is a widely used technique to relieve the symptoms of various neuromuscular disorders and to improve muscle strength. It is currently being investigated in the treatment of obesity to physically enable and encourage increased levels of voluntary exercise. Due to the high resistivity of subcutaneous fat tissue, higher stimulus currents are required to evoke muscle contraction in obese subjects than in subjects of a healthy weight, which can lead to patient discomfort. In this study, a three-dimensional finite element model of the human thigh, including skin, fat, muscle and bone, was developed to examine the relationship between fat thickness and evoked muscle activation. The effects of fat thickness, electrode size and inter-electrode distance on the activating function were investigated during monopolar and bipolar stimulation. The amplitude of the activating function was found to reduce as electrode size increased, however, this effect was relatively less at higher fat thicknesses. The activating function was also less sensitive to inter-electrode distance as fat thickness increased. These results indicate that by increasing electrode size, the current density at the skin surface can be reduced, thereby reducing patient discomfort while maintaining the efficacy of the electrical stimulation in obese patient populations.
New approach in features extraction for EEG signal detection

This paper describes a new approach in features extraction using time-frequency distributions (TFDs) for detecting epileptic seizures to identify abnormalities in electroencephalogram (EEG). Particularly, the method extracts features using the Smoothed Pseudo Wigner-Ville distribution combined with the McAulay-Quatieri sinusoidal model and identifies abnormal neural discharges. We propose a new feature based on the length of the track that, combined with energy and frequency features, allows to isolate a continuous energy trace from another oscillations when an epileptic seizure is beginning. We evaluate our approach using data consisting of 16 different seizures from 6 epileptic patients. The results show that our extraction method is a suitable approach for automatic seizure detection, and opens the possibility of formulating new criteria to detect and analyze abnormal EEGs.
Adjuvant rituximab treatment for pemphigus: A retrospective study of 45 patients at a single center with long‐term follow up

To evaluate the long‐term outcomes of rituximab in the treatment of pemphigus and the influence of disease duration and different dose of rituximab on the clinical response, 45 patients with refractory pemphigus treated with at least one cycle of two infusions of rituximab (375 mg/m2 per infusion weekly) were retrospectively studied. All patients were followed up for more than 2 years. All patients achieved complete or partial remission within 8 months of the first cycle. Thirty‐four (76%) patients relapsed at a median of 17 months. All patients who received additional cycles after relapse achieved new remissions. Early use of rituximab within 1 year of disease duration and high‐dose therapy induced better outcomes, although the results in early use were not statistically significant. Acute respiratory distress syndrome occurred in one patient. Rituximab is effective in treating pemphigus, but relapses are frequent during long‐term follow up, and additional cycles are beneficial in relapsed cases. Early and high‐dose rituximab therapy may be more effective.
Transfer function analysis of baroreflex function in a rabbit model of endotoxic shock

Sepsis is characterized by profound cardiovascular abnormalities which may result from the derangements in the arterial baroreflex system and other autonomic regulatory functions. In this study, a mechanically ventilated and anesthetized rabbit model of endotoxic shock was utilized to mimic the behaviors of the cardiovascular system in a sepsis patient. 13 adult New Zealand white rabbits were studied, with 8 of them injected with endotoxin and the remaining given saline solution as sham fluid. Measurements of heart period (RRi) and systolic blood pressure (SBP) were obtained pre-and post-intervention after a 90 minute period, which allowed spectral and cross-spectral analysis of heart rate and blood pressure variabilities to be performed. A significant increase of blood lactate level (p < 0.01) in post-intervention stage signified the onset of distributive shock. Based on this model, the novel findings were that in the low frequency (LF) and mid frequency (MF) bands, there was a decrease in coherence (p < 0.01 and p < 0.05 respectively) and loss of phase delay (p < 0.05) between SBP and RRi, along with a depression in transfer function gain in the LF band (p < 0.05), which might indicate an impairment of baroreflex control of heart rate following the administration of endotoxin. None of the above variables changed significantly in the control group. Moreover, endotoxin also led to a decrease in RRi variability in the ventilatory frequency (VF) band, suggesting a suppression of cardiac vagal modulation. These results highlight the potential value of frequency spectrum analysis combined with transfer function analysis of cardiovascular variability in the assessment of autonomic and baroreflex-related changes associated with endotoxic shock.
Practical Applications of Taguchi Method for Optimization of Processing Parameters for Plastic Injection Moulding: A Retrospective Review

Determining the optimal processing parameter is routinely performed in the plastic injection moulding industry as it has a direct and dramatic influence on product quality and costs. In this volatile and fiercely competitive market, traditional trial-and-error is no longer sufficient to meet the challenges of globalization. This paper aims to review the research of the practical use of Taguchi method in the optimization of processing parameters for injection moulding. Taguchi method has been employed with great success in experimental designs for problems with multiple parameters due to its practicality and robustness. However, it is realized that there is no single technique that appears to be superior in solving different kinds of problem. Improvements are to be expected by integrating the practical use of the Taguchi method into other optimization approaches to enhance the efficiency of the optimization process. The review will shed light on the standalone Taguchi method and integration of Taguchi method with various approaches including numerical simulation, grey relational analysis (GRA), principal component analysis (PCA), artificial neural network (ANN), and genetic algorithm (GA). All the features, advantages, and connection of the Taguchi-based optimization approaches are discussed.
A pilot study on low power pulse rate detection based on compressive sampling

Low power consumption is one of the key design challenges for various pervasive healthcare systems. Compressive Sampling (CS) is an emerging technique for reconstructing signals from data sampled under the Nyquist rate. CS has great potentials for low power pulse rate detection based on photoplethysmograph (PPG) signals, since by reducing the PPG data sampling rate the LEDs could be turned off for a prolonged period of time. Obviously the higher CS rate, the lower power consumption and lower pulse rate measurement accuracies. In this paper, a feasibility study of using CS for low power pulse rate detection was conducted. A miniature PPG measurement device based on our body sensor networks platform was employed for signal acquisition. Experiments for evaluation the pulse rate estimation and the power consumption were completed. Results suggested that the Gradient Projection for Sparse Reconstruction (GPSR) algorithm is a highly efficient for retrieving pulse rate from PPG signals. It was suggested that the CS rate should be approximate 3 for low power pulse rate detections with averaging estimation mean-square error being less than 5.
The clinical characteristics of schizophrenic patients consenting or not consenting to a placebo controlled trial of antipsychotic medication

Sixty‐seven patients meeting DSM‐III‐R criteria for schizophrenia who had been eligible for a placebo controlled trial of an antipsychotic preparation were followed up at 9 months to examine whether a variety of socio‐demographic, illness, treatment and compliance variables were associated with consent to participate in the treatment trial. A survey of subjective appraisals concerning the trial and attitudes to medication of trial participants was also carried out.