Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Noninvasive measures of liver fibrosis

As novel therapies for liver fibrosis evolve, non‐invasive measurement of liver fibrosis will be required to help manage patients with chronic liver disease. Although liver biopsy is the current and time‐honored gold standard for measurement of liver fibrosis, it is poorly suited to frequent monitoring because of its expense and morbidity, and its accuracy suffers from sampling variation. At the current writing, serum markers and imaging methods are available and increasingly in use as alternatives to biopsy. However, many questions remain about their indications, accuracy, and cost‐effectiveness, and more investigation is required before they are put into widespread use. The development of safe, inexpensive, and reliable noninvasive fibrosis measurement tools remains a research priority in clinical hepatology. (Hepatology 2006;43:S113–S120.)
A thermodynamic model for electrical current induced damage

Electromigration induced damage, which is in principal an irreversible mass diffusion under high current density, has been a concern for VLSI design for a long time. Miniaturization of electronic device sizes down to nano-scale will make electromigration a concern for all conducting components. This paper uses thermodynamics, statistical mechanics and mass transport (diffusion) principals to propose a model for electromigration process and a damage evolution model to quantify the degradation in microelectronics (and Micro Electro Mechanical System) solder joints subjected to high current densities. Entropy production in the system is used as a damage metric. The irreversible thermodynamic damage model utilized in this work has previously been successfully applied to thermomechanical fatigue of microelectronic solder joints. In this paper we extend this model to electromigration-induced degradation. Electromigration process is modeled by the atomic vacancy flux (mass diffusion) process. The proposed unified model is compared with several existing analytical and empirical models. A comparison of the damage evolution model proposed in here agrees well with empirical models proposed in the literature.
A Consistency Adjusted Measure for the Success of Prediction Methods in Cricket

Two models are used to predict the outcomes of matches in a Twenty20 cricket series. The success of prediction methods is hampered by the fact that if two teams play two or more matches against each other and each team wins some of the matches, such inconsistent outcomes cannot all be predicted correctly. The challenge was to find a procedure which could compensate for inconsistent results. The consistency adjusted measure of the success of prediction is defined and shown to give a fair assessment of prediction results. For the first model the success rate of 56.8% is increased to 76.4% and for the second model from 52.7% to 70.9%. The same method can be used in any sports series where teams play against each other more than once.
Theoretical and empirical models around caring for someone with an eating disorder: The reorganization of family life and inter-personal maintenance factors

Background: Previous theoretical models regarding family functioning have proposed that dysfunctional family interactions may play a causal role in the development of eating disorders. Such models, while historically important, have been unhelpful in blaming families and are poorly supported by empirical evidence. Aims: The aim of this paper was to expand and develop models around familial patterns which may be more clinically valuable. Method: Recent empirical and theoretical evidence around family's experiences of caring for someone with an eating disorder were explored. Results: Recent literature supports the view that families may become “reorganized” around the illness. The following processes are discussed: (i) The central role of the symptoms in family life, (ii) The narrowing of time focus on the here-and-now, (iii) The restriction of the available patterns of family interaction processes, (iv) The amplification of aspects of family functioning, (v) The diminishing ability to meet family life-cycle needs, and (vi) The loss of a sense of agency (helplessness). Conclusions: Families may become stuck in unhelpful interactions and lose sight of their own strengths and resources. Professionals should address unhelpful processes within the family, using a collaborative approach. Declaration of interest: J. Whitney has been funded by RIED through the charitable organization, Psychiatry Research Trust.
Novel Cooperative Teleoperation Framework: Multi-Master/Single-Slave System

In this paper, a novel multi-master/single-slave (MM/SS) teleoperated framework is proposed. The desired objectives for the MM/SS system are presented in such a way that both cooperative and training applications, e.g., surgical teleoperation and surgical training, can benefit. Passivity of the system is investigated, and it is shown that an ideal MM/SS system, depending on its structure, may not always be passive unlike a conventional SM/SS system. An impedance-based control methodology is developed to satisfy the desired objectives of the MM/SS system in the presence of communication delays. The small-gain theorem is used to analyze the closed-loop stability, deriving a sufficient condition to guarantee system stability in the presence of time delays. Experimental results conducted on an MM/SS system are presented to evaluate the performance of the proposed methodology.
Exploring the Musical MindCognition, emotion, ability, function

Our website was released using a want to serve as a total on the internet digital local library that provides access to many PDF file archive selection. You will probably find many kinds of epublication along with other literatures from your files database. Particular well-known topics that distributed on our catalog are famous books, answer key, examination test questions and answer, guide paper, training information, quiz example, consumer guidebook, user guide, services instructions, maintenance guidebook, etc.
New models of apprenticeship and equal employment opportunity. Do training networks enhance fair hiring practices?

This study investigates whether occupational training networks enable the selection of apprentices to be less discriminatory. Training networks are a new organisational form of VET that is becoming increasingly widespread in Switzerland, as well as in Germany and Austria. In the Swiss model, an intermediary lead organisation recruits the candidates. It also attends to the apprenticeship itself and effects a placement of the young adults with the training network companies every year anew. The study is based on the sociology of conventions, which allows organisational mechanisms of selection in training institutions to be understood and the dangers of discrimination harboured therein to be appreciated. Based on a case study of a medium-sized training network, the study shows how this form of organisation permits a fairer selection, i.e. one that is gauged more by performance and less by social attributes of the applicants, as compared to selection processes in single SMB.
A neural network controller for a nonholonomic mobile robot with unknown robot parameters

Real-time fine motion control of a nonholonomic mobile robot is investigated, where both the robot dynamics and geometric parameters are completely unknown. A neural network controller combining both kinematic control and dynamic control is developed. The neural network assumes a single layer structure, by taking advantage of the robot regressor dynamics that express the highly nonlinear robot dynamics in a linear form in terms of the known and unknown robot parameters. The learning algorithm is computationally efficient. The system stability and the convergence of tracking errors to zero are rigorously proved using a Lyapunov stability theory. The real-time fine control of a mobile robot is achieved through the online learning of the neural network. In addition, the developed controller is capable of learning the kinematic parameters online. The effectiveness and efficiency of the proposed controller is demonstrated by simulation studies.
Functional Immune Anatomy of the Liver—As an Allograft

The liver is an immunoregulatory organ in which a tolerogenic microenvironment mitigates the relative “strength” of local immune responses. Paradoxically, necro‐inflammatory diseases create the need for most liver transplants. Treatment of hepatitis B virus, hepatitis C virus, and acute T cell–mediated rejection have redirected focus on long‐term allograft structural integrity. Understanding of insults should enable decades of morbidity‐free survival after liver replacement because of these tolerogenic properties. Studies of long‐term survivors show low‐grade chronic inflammatory, fibrotic, and microvascular lesions, likely related to some combination of environment insults (i.e. abnormal physiology), donor‐specific antibodies, and T cell–mediated immunity. The resultant conundrum is familiar in transplantation: adequate immunosuppression produces chronic toxicities, while lightened immunosuppression leads to sensitization, immunological injury, and structural deterioration. The “balance” is more favorable for liver than other solid organ allografts. This occurs because of unique hepatic immune physiology and provides unintended benefits for allografts by modulating various afferent and efferent limbs of allogenic immune responses. This review is intended to provide a better understanding of liver immune microanatomy and physiology and thereby (a) the potential structural consequences of low‐level, including allo‐antibody‐mediated injury; and (b) how liver allografts modulate immune reactions. Special attention is given to the microvasculature and hepatic mononuclear phagocytic system.
Upregulation of SR-PSOX/CXCL16 and Recruitment of CD8+ T Cells in Cardiac Valves During Inflammatory Valvular Heart Disease

Objective—SR-PSOX/CXCL16 is a transmembrane chemokine and is implicated in activated CD8+ T cell trafficking. In the present study, we examined the expression pattern of SR-PSOX/CXCL16 in the heart and investigated a potential role of SR-PSOX/CXCL16 in inflammatory valvular heart disease. Methods and Results—Initial expression of SR-PSOX/CXCL16 in murine embryos was detected in endothelial cells lining endocardial cushions in the forming heart at E11.5. From mid-gestation to adult, expression of this gene in the heart was exclusively observed in valvular endothelial cells. Examination of SR-PSOX/CXCL16 expression in human cardiac valves demonstrated that SR-PSOX/CXCL16 was strongly expressed in valvular and neocapillary endothelial cells in patients with infective endocarditis. SR-PSOX/CXCL16 expression in neocapillary endothelial cells was also observed in patients with rheumatic and atherosclerotic valvular disease. Moreover, CD8+ T cells were distributed closely to endothelial cells expressing SR-PSOX/CXCL16. In vitro adhesion assays showed that SR-PSOX/CXCL16 induced adhesion of activated CD8+ T cells to vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1) through very late antigen-4 (VLA-4) activation. Furthermore, SR-PSOX/CXCL16 stimulated interferon-&ggr; (IFN-&ggr;) production by CD8+ T cells. Conclusions—SR-PSOX/CXCL16 may be involved in CD8+ T cell recruitment through VLA-4 activation and stimulation of IFN-&ggr; production by CD8+ T cells during inflammatory valvular heart disease.
¿Democracia a pesar de todo? Evaluación del pasado económico, expectativas futuras y preferencia por un gobierno democrático en Argentina

Empirical research into citizens’ attitudes towards democracy has given scant consideration to hypotheses based on the economic model which have been assayed for other dimensions of political support, such as attitudes towards capitalism (e.g., Bruszt, 1995) or towards economic market reforms (e.g., Stokes, 2001a). To examine the state of this subject among the Argentine population, this article studies the relation between democracy and economy in its preferences in 1995 and 2001. One aim is to determine the existence of retrospective and/or prospective support (e.g., Langue, 1994; Lockerbie, 1992). Another objective is to evaluate presence of “sociotropic” and/or “egocentric” behavior (e.g., MacKuen, Erickson and Stimson, 1992; Kinder and Kiewet, 1981). Egocentric attitudes were observed in both the years studied. It was also noted that in 2001 the future of the “wallet” was the only thing that mattered when opting for democracy or not.
Personal and Human Rights Attitudes Toward Global Organ Donation Practices

Abstract To reduce the global shortage of life-saving human organs, four controversial policies have emerged in some nations today: Transplant Tourism, Mandated Prisoner Donation, Free Market Sales, Presumed Consent. How do people regard these practices? Here, 127 students in five colleges in New York City completed a survey rating each of these four practices on a 0-9 scale, how much they regarded that practice as a “human rights issue” (HR), and how much they “personally accepted” that practice (PA); After a brief informational message on these four practices, they completed a post-survey using the same scales. Three results emerged: (a) Students were extremely divided in their ratings of all four practices, with scores ranging from 0 to 9, in near-bimodal distributions (overall HR mean= 23.0, s.d.= 9.2, PA mean= 16.0, s.d.= 9.5). (b) These ratings were unchanged after hearing details on these four practices (total HR mean= 23.3, s.d.= 10.6, PA mean=15.5, s.d.= 10.4). (c) There were a few possible demographic correlates of one's attitudes—one's gender, political affiliation, and whether one considered registering to be an organ donor themselves. Future research can improve upon the limitations of the current study--including a longer and more powerful video message, and modification of the survey for clearer responding.
Risk for Adverse Events and Discontinuation Due To Adverse Events of Ziprasidone Monotherapy Relative to Placebo in the Acute Treatment of Bipolar Depression, Mania, and Schizophrenia

ObjectiveThis study aimed to examine the risk difference (RD) in the discontinuation due to adverse events, akathisia, overall extrapyramidal symptoms (EPS), reported-somnolence, and 7% or greater weight gain between ziprasidone monotherapy and placebo in the acute treatment of bipolar depression (BPD), bipolar mania (BPM), and schizophrenia. MethodsPooled data from 9 randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, acute studies of ziprasidone in BPD, BPM, and schizophrenia were used. The number needed to treat to harm (NNTH) of ziprasidone relative to placebo was estimated when an RD was statistically significant. ResultsThe RD in discontinuation due to adverse events or 7% or greater weight gain between ziprasidone and placebo was not significant in all 3 psychiatric conditions. The risk for akathisia with ziprasidone was significantly higher in BPD with an RD of 2.3% (NNTH = 44) and in BPM with an RD of 8.4% (NNTH = 12). Risk for overall EPS with ziprasidone was significantly higher in BPM with an RD of 8.7% (NNTH = 12) and schizophrenia with an RD of 3.3% (NNTH = 30). Risk of reported-somnolence with ziprasidone was also significantly higher in BPD with an RD of 11.8% (NNTH = 8), BPM with an RD of 14.3% (NNTH = 7), and schizophrenia with an RD of 7% (NNTH = 14). Dose-dependent increase in the risk for reported somnolence with ziprasidone was observed in BPD and schizophrenia. ConclusionsZiprasidone was associated with significant differential adverse effects relative to placebo in BPM, BPD, and schizophrenia with no significant difference in weight gain in all 3 groups. Self-reported somnolence was increased across the 3 conditions. Subjects with BPM were more vulnerable to EPS than those with BPD or schizophrenia.
A recommendation system for spots in location-based online social networks

Centralized Online Social Network services (OSN) are collecting immense amounts of data, containing a wealth of information about preferences of their users. Its exploitation for the benefit of the users, even though quite promising, has not seriously been tackled, yet. For this purpose, we propose a personalized recommender for places in location-based OSNs, based on the check-ins of the entire user base. Following a brief analysis, we first propose an interpretation of the data available to OSN providers and an recommendation scheme based on regularized matrix factorization. To evaluate our approach we acquire a large sample of a real data set by crawling Gowalla, one of the most popular location-based OSNs. An exhaustive experimental evaluation then confirms the feasability of using Collaborative Filtering techniques to make personalized recommendation of potentially interesting spots.
Predictors of outcome in severe, asymptomatic aortic stenosis.

BACKGROUND Whether to perform valve replacement in patients with asymptomatic but severe aortic stenosis is controversial. Therefore, we studied the natural history of this condition to identify predictors of outcome. METHODS During 1994, we identified 128 consecutive patients with asymptomatic, severe aortic stenosis (59 women and 69 men; mean [+/-SD] age, 60+/-18 years; aortic-jet velocity, 5.0+/-0.6 m per second). The patients were prospectively followed until 1998. RESULTS Follow-up information was available for 126 patients (98 percent) for a mean of 22+/-18 months. Event-free survival, with the end point defined as death (8 patients) or valve replacement necessitated by the development of symptoms (59 patients), was 67+/-5 percent at one year, 56+/-5 percent at two years, and 33+/-5 percent at four years. Five of the six deaths from cardiac disease were preceded by symptoms. According to multivariate analysis, only the extent of aortic-valve calcification was an independent predictor of outcome, whereas age, sex, and the presence or absence of coronary artery disease, hypertension, diabetes, and hypercholesterolemia were not. Event-free survival for patients with no or mild valvular calcification was 92+/-5 percent at one year, 84+/-8 percent at two years, and 75+/-9 percent at four years, as compared with 60+/-6 percent, 47+/-6 percent, and 20+/-5 percent, respectively, for those with moderate or severe calcification. The rate of progression of stenosis, as reflected by the aortic-jet velocity, was significantly higher in patients who had cardiac events (0.45+/-0.38 m per second per year) than those who did not have cardiac events (0.14+/-0.18 m per second per year, P<0.001), and the rate of progression of stenosis provided useful prognostic information. Of the patients with moderately or severely calcified aortic valves whose aortic-jet velocity increased by 0.3 m per second or more within one year, 79 percent underwent surgery or died within two years of the observed increase. CONCLUSIONS In asymptomatic patients with aortic stenosis, it appears to be relatively safe to delay surgery until symptoms develop. However, outcomes vary widely. The presence of moderate or severe valvular calcification, together with a rapid increase in aortic-jet velocity, identifies patients with a very poor prognosis. These patients should be considered for early valve replacement rather than have surgery delayed until symptoms develop.
Nigella sativa and Its Protective Role in Oxidative Stress and Hypertension

Hypertension increases the risk for a variety of cardiovascular diseases, including stroke, coronary artery disease, heart failure, and peripheral vascular disease. The increase in oxidative stress has been associated with the pathogenesis of hypertension. Increase of blood pressure is due to an imbalance between antioxidants defence mechanisms and free radical productions. Excessive production of reactive oxygen species reduces nitric oxide bioavailability leading to an endothelial dysfunction and a subsequent increase in total peripheral resistance. Hypertension can cause few symptoms until it reaches the advanced stage and poses serious health problems with lifelong consequences. Hypertensive patients are required to take drugs for life to control the hypertension and prevent complications. Some of these drugs are expensive and may have adverse reactions. Hence, it is timely to examine scientifically, complimentary therapies that are more effective and with minimal undesirable effects. Nigella sativa (NS) and its active constituents have been documented to exhibit antioxidant, hypotensive, calcium channel blockade and diuretic properties which may contribute to reduce blood pressure. This suggests a potential role of NS in the management of hypertension, and thus more studies should be conducted to evaluate its effectiveness.
Technological Momentum

The nineteenth century was a very significant period in the history of modern India. It was during this period that the country witnessed the emergence of many intellectual currents in all aspects: religious, social, political, economic and cultural. For the colonial power, by the beginning of the nineteenth century, the empire had more or less been won. The job was to keep it, and to use it for profit. Colonialism was not the result of mere Western superiority, but of the unleashing of overwhelming force backed by technology at minimal cost. Technological changes affected the timing and location of European conquests and thus determined the economic relations of colonialism. It made European expansion swift, thorough and cheap. The new ability of Europeans in the nineteenth century to conquer other territories arose from relatively few inventions like iron-hulled steam ships, improved firearms, telegraph, railways and so on. With these tools, Europeans brought about a shift in global relations. The current study seeks to find answers as to how various technological tools and projects were used by the British in the nineteenth century Bengal and whether the relocation of Western technologies on Indian soil was really successful.
Pseudoword reading errors of poor, dyslexic, and normally achieving readers on multisyllable pseudowords

ABSTRACT This study examined the pseudoword reading strategies of dyslexic readers (i.e., children whose reading was significantly lower than predicted by their IQ score) and poor readers (i.e., children whose reading scores were consistent with their lower IQ scores). The disabled readers were grouped according to their reading grade level and were compared with reading level matched, normally achieving readers. The reading performance on a test of pseudoword reading (Woodcock Word Attack Subtest) for the three groups (dyslexic, poor, and normal readers) was analyzed according to the type of error committed. The performance of dyslexic and poor readers was virtually indistinguishable at both reading grade levels 2–3 and 4–5. There was very little difference among dyslexic, poor, and normally achieving readers in the types of errors made. Nearly 50010 of all the oral reading errors of all three groups were vowel substitutions, followed by consonant substitution and deletion and insertion errors. Sequential, reversal, and word substitution errors were committed infrequently for all three reader groups. The findings failed to support the existence of a critical phonological processing difference between IQ reading- discrepant and IQ reading-nondiscrepant disabled readers and suggest that disabled readers lag behind normally achieving readers in phonological decoding skills.