Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
‘Pieces of eight! Pieces of eight!’ But where’s the treasure? A commentary on “Patient involvement and shared decision-making: an analysis of components, models and practical knowledge.” [Cribb and Donetto (2012). European Journal for Person Centered H

A key component of person-centred medicine is shared decision-making. Although this model of decision-making has its critics [1] and is not appropriate in all clinical situations [2], it has become the default position in modern health policy, as reflected internationally in the Salzburg Statement published in December 2010 [3]. When there is realistically more than one treatment choice, shared decision-making respects patient autonomy while leaving professional support intact. Although shared decisionmaking also appears safe and effective in improving patient care delivery [4], there is a continuing and common failure by health professionals to share decision-making with patients in routine clinical practice, even when these professionals voice support for shared decision-making in principle [5]. In this Issue of the European Journal for Person Centered Healthcare, Cribb and Donetto seek to narrow this gap between theory (and policy) and practice by reflecting on ‘the kinds of knowledge that might help us to do better in translating the ideals behind ‘partnership working’ into clinical practice. Specifically they offer a summary account of 8 components of patient involvement in decision-making. They suggest that each component is needed for dialogical working in all patient involvement models, including shared decision-making. In this context, they might usefully have considered how sharing spans patient-professional dialogues. There are different ways to share decision-making [6] and different ways for patients to incorporate high degrees of sharing in other forms of decision-making [7]. The authors explain that a balance between technical knowledge and practical wisdom is required for professionals to interpret and prioritize caseby-case the components of involvement as practices appropriate to particular health settings and purposes. The relative weightings of the individual components and their purposes, map to different models of involvement. This argument has merit, but its delivery raises concerns about the low level (a) of precision in describing the components, (b) of clarity regarding their identification and (c) of apparent commitment to values that are strongly personcentred.
Non‐linear model reduction for uncertainty quantification in large‐scale inverse problems

We present a model reduction approach to the solution of large‐scale statistical inverse problems in a Bayesian inference setting. A key to the model reduction is an efficient representation of the non‐linear terms in the reduced model. To achieve this, we present a formulation that employs masked projection of the discrete equations; that is, we compute an approximation of the non‐linear term using a select subset of interpolation points. Further, through this formulation we show similarities among the existing techniques of gappy proper orthogonal decomposition, missing point estimation, and empirical interpolation via coefficient‐function approximation. The resulting model reduction methodology is applied to a highly non‐linear combustion problem governed by an advection–diffusion‐reaction partial differential equation (PDE). Our reduced model is used as a surrogate for a finite element discretization of the non‐linear PDE within the Markov chain Monte Carlo sampling employed by the Bayesian inference approach. In two spatial dimensions, we show that this approach yields accurate results while reducing the computational cost by several orders of magnitude. For the full three‐dimensional problem, a forward solve using a reduced model that has high fidelity over the input parameter space is more than two million times faster than the full‐order finite element model, making tractable the solution of the statistical inverse problem that would otherwise require many years of CPU time. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Knowing What We Are Talking About: Why Evidence Doesn't Always Travel.

When is a well-established study result that a given policy/programme/treatment produced a given outcome in a particular study setting ('there') evidence that that policy/programme/treatment will produce that outcome in a new setting ('here')? This paper insists that 'there' and 'here' be firmly distinguished and offers in answer that we must have evidence that two further facts obtain: (a) that the policy can play the same causal role widely (widely enough to cover both here and there) and (b) that a complete set of the support factors necessary for the policy to operate here are present in some individuals here.
Comparison of the bleeding on marginal probing index and the Eastman interdental bleeding index as indicators of gingivitis.

AIM The purpose of the present study was to compare 2 indices, i.e., the Eastman interdental bleeding (EIB) index and the bleeding on marginal probing (BOMP) index. The comparison was made (a) in terms of the degree of bleeding provoked and the relationship with plaque in natural gingivitis and (b) for the ability of these 2 methods to detect differences between the development of experimental gingivitis in a control group and a group in which the development of gingival inflammation was suppressed by treatment. For the present studies, subjects were selected without interdental recession of the gingival tissues. METHODS EXPERIMENT 1: In this experiment, 43 subjects having established moderate gingivitis were assessed using a random splitmouth design (1st and 3rd/2nd and 4th quadrant). Plaque was scored on all approximal sites after which the BOMP index was assessed in one half of the mouth and the EIB index in the other. RESULTS EXPERIMENT 1: The BOMP index showed a bleeding score of 84% and the EIB index of 87%. The significant correlation between plaque and gingival bleeding for the BOMP index (0.55) was higher than for the EIB index (0.44). METHODS EXPERIMENT 2: For this experiment, 25 subjects participated in an experimental gingivitis trial of the lower jaw. At baseline, first the BOMP index and immediately thereafter the EIB index were assessed at all approximal sites. Experimental gingivitis (EG) was carried out in one randomly assigned quadrant and as a treatment modality only floss was used in the other (FL). RESULTS EXPERIMENT 2: In the EG quadrant, the BOMP index increased to 69% and the EIB index to 73%. Both indices showed a significant correlation with plaque; 0.60 and 0.64 respectively. In the FL quadrant, the BOMP index increased to 38% and the EIB index to 30%. No significant correlation between both gingivitis indices and the amount of plaque was present in the FL quadrant. CONCLUSION The ability of the BOMP index and the EIB index to assess the level gingival inflammation appears to be comparable.
The Maximum Surgical Blood Order Schedule and Surgical Blood Use in the United States

The outdating of units of blood can be reduced by decreasing the amount of time they spend in an assigned or crossmatched status. This reduction can be achieved in a hospital by establishing a maximum surgical blood order schedule (MSBOS) which reduces the excessive number of units of blood crossmatched preoperatively for patients undergoing elective surgery. The various steps which occurred in the development of a MSBOS in a large general hospital are detailed and the projected reduction in the number of crossmatched units which can be achieved with the MSBOS is illustrated. The projected number of units of blood transfused to patients during their hospitalization for 50 common primary surgical procedures in the United States during 1974 is presented as a basis for defining maximum blood orders for each procedure.
The Causal Pathway From Socioeconomic Status to Disability Trajectories in Later Life: The Importance of Mediating Mechanisms for Onset and Accumulation

This study examines the mechanisms by which different aspects of socioeconomic status affect disability trajectories among older adults. The author conceptualizes and models disability in two life course components, onset and growth, in order to see how socioeconomic status and its mechanisms differ in their effects on the timing and accumulation of disablement. Using the Duke Established Populations for Epidemiologic Studies of the Elderly (EPESE), the author finds that the effects of education are mainly preventive for disability onset where financial resources both delay and ameliorate a trajectory of disability accumulation after onset. Health behaviors and mastery work as independent mediators of education while financial-based capital works to mediate both income and education effects. This study highlights transitions and trajectories in health processes, showing that education effects are far reaching and robust but only work for onset, while financial-based capital is effective in ameliorating a trajectory of disability in later life.
Function of Intracoelomic Septa in Lung Ventilation of Amniotes: Lessons from Lizards*

Aspiration breathing is the dominant mechanism of lung inflation among extant amniotes. However, aspiration has two fundamental problems associated with it: paradoxical visceral translation and partial lung collapse. These can constrain the inspiratory tidal volume, reduce the effective lung ventilation, and ultimately curtail the aerobic capacity of an animal. Separation of the pleural and peritoneal cavities by an intracoelomic septum can restrict the cranial shift of abdominal viscera and provide structural support to the caudal lung surface. A muscular septum, such as the diaphragm of mammals or the diaphragmaticus of crocodilians, can exert active control over visceral translation and the degree of lung inflation. To a lesser degree, a nonmuscular septum can also function as a passive barrier when stretched taut by rib rotation. Studies of the posthepatic septum in teiid lizards and the postpulmonary septum in varanid lizards underscore the importance of nonmuscular septa in aspiration. These septa provide plausible functional models that help us infer the evolution of mammalian and avian lung ventilatory systems, respectively.
Channel tracking for a multi-antenna ITS system based on vehicle-to-vehicle tunnel measurements

Traffic safety is one of the key applications for Intelligent Transport Systems (ITS). In order to meet the strict requirements of safety related wireless communication a robust and reliable radio link is necessary. The complex vehicular environment, from a radio propagation viewpoint, represents a challenge for the receiver. We show that even under poor receive conditions the use of multiple antennas and a low-complexity channel tracking algorithm improves the receiver performance. The analysis is performed on data obtained from real-world vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) tunnel measurements in line-of-sight (LOS), non line-of-sight (NLOS), and overtaking scenarios. In this contribution we apply and extend the pilot-assisted channel tracking (PACT) algorithm to a multi antenna receiver for IEEE 802.11p. The achievable improvement of the frame success ratio (FSR) of a two antenna receiver compared to a single antenna receiver is up to 26% (without any channel tracking). Using pilot-assisted channel tracking the FSR is further increased by 12 %.
Challenging students in further education: themes arising from a study of innovative FE provision for excluded and disaffected young people

The paper draws on a research project on innovative provision in an FE college for excluded and disaffected young people. The college offers places on vocational courses to students who are still of compulsory school age who have been excluded by or have persistently failed to attend or achieve in school. One set of themes to emerge relates to the experiences of the students: the role of personal relationships and, especially, relationships with teachers, in the breakdown of school placements; the importance both of good relationships with tutors, often expressed as ‘being treated like an adult’, and of a vocational and practical curriculum in successful re-engagement at college; and positive but highly instrumental and employment related attitudes to education. Another set of themes relates to the practical and organisational difficulties and the way that a lack of flexibility in 14–19 provision, especially while students are still of compulsory school age, creates difficulties for programmes of this kind. Finally the paper considers the tensions between pressures for accountability and outcome-driven measures and the aims of increasing participation and using education to address issues of social inclusion.
Intellectual Property Rights Enforcement in Imperfect Markets

We analyze intellectual property rights (IPR) enforcement in a developing country where information asymmetry between a foreign multinational and domestic consumers gives rise to the need for signaling by the multinational. The signaling distorts the multinational’s entry decision even when IPR enforcement is perfect. Our analysis derives implications consistent with empirical observations: better IPR enforcement encourages the multinational’s entry but exhibits an inverse U-shaped relation with their incentives to develop new technologies. Compared with perfect enforcement, moderately weak IPR enforcement, which does not fully deter copycats from stealing the multinational’s technology, can benefit both the host country and the multinational. Our analysis thus sheds new light into IPR policies in developing countries and cautions policy implications drawn from empirical studies.
Effect of hepatitis B immunisation in newborn infants of mothers positive for hepatitis B surface antigen: systematic review and meta-analysis

Abstract Objective To evaluate the effects of hepatitis B vaccine and immunoglobulin in newborn infants of mothers positive for hepatitis B surface antigen. Design Systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised clinical trials. Data sources Electronic databases and hand searches. Review methods Randomised clinical trials were assessed for methodological quality. Meta-analysis was undertaken on three outcomes: the relative risks of hepatitis B occurrence, antibody levels to hepatitis B surface antigen, and adverse events. Results 29 randomised clinical trials were identified, five of which were considered high quality. Only three trials reported inclusion of mothers negative for hepatitis B e antigen. Compared with placebo or no intervention, vaccination reduced the occurrence of hepatitis B (relative risk 0.28, 95% confidence interval 0.20 to 0.40; four trials). No significant difference in hepatitis B occurrence was found between recombinant vaccine and plasma derived vaccine (1.00, 0.71 to 1.42; four trials) and between high dose versus low dose vaccine (plasma derived vaccine 0.97, 0.55 to 1.68, three trials; recombinant vaccine 0.78, 0.31 to 1.94, one trial). Compared with placebo or no intervention, hepatitis B immunoglobulin or the combination of plasma derived vaccine and hepatitis B immunoglobulin reduced hepatitis B occurrence (immunoglobulin 0.50, 0.41 to 0.60, one trial; vaccine and immunoglobulin 0.08, 0.03 to 0.17, three trials). Compared with vaccine alone, vaccine plus hepatitis B immunoglobulin reduced hepatitis B occurrence (0.54, 0.41 to 0.73; 10 trials). Hepatitis B vaccine and hepatitis B immunoglobulin seem safe, but few trials reported adverse events. Conclusion Hepatitis B vaccine, hepatitis B immunoglobulin, and vaccine plus immunoglobulin prevent hepatitis B occurrence in newborn infants of mothers positive for hepatitis B surface antigen.
A quantitative exploration of student performance on an undergraduate accounting programme of study

This paper explores undergraduate performance at second and final year levels on a degree programme in Accounting and Finance at a Welsh university using a blend of data from demographic, attitudinal and behavioural sources. It considers issues including gender, prior year performance and students' application to study based upon classroom observation, and makes use of multiple regression and principal components analysis. Findings appear to highlight that both prior year results and application to studies are positively associated with performance as measured by grade points. At second year level, gender is also positively associated with performance whilst age is negatively associated. The findings with regard to gender and age are not repeated in the final year but the primary ranking of this university by students is positively associated with performance in that final year. Finally, there is also some evidence that students who undertake a year of supervised work experience do better in the final year. Finally, the implications of the empirical research are discussed and further research is outlined in terms of undertaking a longitudinal study based upon application and the adoption of qualitative approaches to exploring the reasons for differences in undergraduate performances.
Identification of a Time Window for Therapy to Reduce Experimental Canine Myocardial Injury: Suppression of Neutrophil Activation During 72 Hours of Reperfusion

The cardio-protective effects of neutrophil depletion or inhibition of neutrophil activation early hi the course of myocardial reperfusion has been established. Whether these treatments would be effective during extended periods of reperfusion has not been ascertained. Open-chest anesthetized dogs were subjected to left circumflex artery (LCX) occlusion for 90 minutes followed by 72 hours of reperfusion. Dogs were randomized into one of four groups: 1) control; 2) Ho-2 (iloprost 100 ng/kg/min administered via the left atrium beginning 10 minutes after LCX occlusion and continuing 2 hours into reperfusion); 3) Ilo-48 (iloprost 100 ng/kg/min administered as above until 1 hour after reperfusion then 25 ng/kg/min for 48 hours of reperfusion; or 4) antibody (neutrophil antibody administered before occlusion and 1/2 hourly for 2 hours of reperfusion and then every 24 hours). Myocardial infarct size, as a percentage of the area at risk assessed after 72 hours of reperfusion, was significantly smaller hi the antibody-treated group (32.1±5.0% mean±SEM) or Do-48 (22.6±4.0%) treatment group compared with control (48.7±5.6%) or Co-2 (57.6±5.2%) groups. Regional myocardial blood flow studies demonstrated that all groups developed similar degrees of ischemia. The iloprost-treated groups had lower mean arterial blood pressures during occlusion and reperfusion than groups 1 and 4 (p < 0.05). Circulating neutrophil counts were increased in groups 1 and 2 at 24 and 48 hours after reperfusion compared to groups 3 and 4 (p < 0.001). Analysis of histological sections demonstrated a direct association between the extent of inflammatory cell infiltration and the size of myocardial infarcts (p < 0.05). Thus, iloprost or neutrophil depletion effectively reduces ultimate myocardial infarct size detected after prolonged reperfusion, and there is a direct relation between infarct size and neutrophil accumulation within the myocardium risk region. In addition, a "time window for therapy" has been defined. Iloprost treatment during the first 2 hours of reperfusion reduces the infarct size that results after 6 hours of reperfusion, but not after 72 hours of reperfusion. However, iloprost treatment for 48 hours or prolonged neutrophil depletion reduces the ultimate extent of myocardial injury. The delayed development of myocardial injury after acute short term iloprost infusion suggests that therapeutic interventions with limited pharmacological half-lives should be administered up to 48 hours after reperfusion to effectively reduce the ultimate extent of irreversible myocardial injury.
The Social Dimension of Stress Reactivity

Psychosocial stress precipitates a wide spectrum of diseases with major public-health significance. The fight-or-flight response is generally regarded as the prototypic human stress response, both physiologically and behaviorally. Given that having positive social interactions before being exposed to acute stress plays a preeminent role in helping individuals control their stress response, engaging in prosocial behavior in response to stress (tend-and-befriend) might also be a protective pattern. Little is known, however, about the immediate social responses following stress in humans. Here we show that participants who experienced acute social stress, induced by a standardized laboratory stressor, engaged in substantially more prosocial behavior (trust, trustworthiness, and sharing) compared with participants in a control condition, who did not experience socioevaluative threat. These effects were highly specific: Stress did not affect the readiness to exhibit antisocial behavior or to bear nonsocial risks. These results show that stress triggers social approach behavior, which operates as a potent stress-buffering strategy in humans, thereby providing evidence for the tend-and-befriend hypothesis.
Prevalence and correlates of insomnia in a polish sample of alcohol-dependent patients.

BACKGROUND Insomnia is an important symptom in alcohol-dependent patients because it may persist despite abstinence and predispose to relapse to drinking. The goal of the present study was to evaluate the prevalence and clinical correlates of insomnia in a sample of 302 alcohol-dependent patients admitted to treatment programs in Poland. METHODS Participants were mostly men (73.8%) with a mean (SD) age of 43.5 (9.7) years. Insomnia in the past 1 month was assessed using a total score of 6 or higher on the Athens Insomnia Scale. RESULTS Insomnia affected 62.9% of patients, and delayed sleep induction was the most common subtype. Insomnia was associated in bivariate analyses with less education, inadequate finances, problem drinking at an earlier age of onset, drinking frequency and quantity, drinking-related consequences, severity of alcohol and nicotine dependence, psychiatric and physical severity, and a childhood history of sexual or physical abuse (p < 0.05). Logistic regression analysis showed that mental and physical health status, severity of alcohol dependence, number of drinking days in the past 3 months, and childhood abuse were independent predictors of insomnia, explaining approximately 30 to 40% of the variance. CONCLUSIONS More than 60% of alcohol-dependent patients in a Polish sample screened positive for insomnia using a validated scale, a rate similar to those assessed with other scales in other countries. The study also showed that insomnia in alcohol-dependent patients is associated with poor physical health and childhood abuse, similar to the general population. The multifactorial nature of insomnia in alcohol-dependent patients has treatment implications.