Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Underestimation of airflow obstruction among young adults using FEV1/FVC <70% as a fixed cut-off: a longitudinal evaluation of clinical and functional outcomes

Background: Early detection of airflow obstruction is particularly important among young adults because they are more likely to benefit from intervention. Using the forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1) to forced vital capacity (FVC) (FEV1/FVC) <70% fixed ratio, airflow obstruction may be underdiagnosed. The lower limit of normal (LLN), which is statistically defined by the lower fifth percentile of a reference population, is physiologically appropriate but it still needs a clinical validation. Methods: To evaluate the characteristics and longitudinal outcomes of subjects misidentified as normal by the fixed ratio with respect to the LLN, 6249 participants (aged 20–44 years) in the European Community Respiratory Health Survey were examined and divided into three groups (absence of airflow obstruction by the LLN and the fixed ratio; presence of airflow obstruction only by the LLN; presence of airflow obstruction by the two criteria) for 1991–1993. LLN equations were obtained from normal non-smoking participants. A set of clinical and functional outcomes was evaluated in 1999–2002. Results: The misidentified subjects were 318 (5.1%); only 45.6% of the subjects with airflow obstruction by the LLN were also identified by the fixed cut-off. At baseline, FEV1 (107%, 97%, 85%) progressively decreased and bronchial hyperresponsiveness (slope 7.84, 6.32, 5.57) progressively increased across the three groups. During follow-up, misidentified subjects had a significantly higher risk of developing chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and a significantly higher use of health resources (medicines, emergency department visits/hospital admissions) because of breathing problems than subjects without airflow obstruction (p<0.001). Conclusions: Our findings show the importance of using statistically derived spirometric criteria to identify airflow obstruction.
Reliability and practical aspects of the disease impact measure on hypertensive patients.

OBJECTIVE to evaluate the feasibility, acceptability, the ceiling and floor effects and the reliability of the Instrument to Measure the Impact of Coronary Disease on Patient's Daily Life (IDCV) when applied to hypertensive patients. METHOD one hundred and thirty seven hypertensive outpatients were interviewed, using questionnaires to collect sociodemographic and clinical data, followed by the IDCV. Reliability was assessed according to the temporal stability and internal consistency criteria. RESULTS the IDCV was applied in 8.0 (±3.0) minutes with 100% of the items answered. A ceiling effect of 31.4% was observed in the domain Adjustment to the Disease. The stability measure was observed for the total score and for all domains. There was evidence of internal consistency of the total IDCV (α=0.83) and the domains Physical Impact of the Disease – Symptoms (α=0.78) and Social and Emotional Impact of the Disease (α=0.74). CONCLUSION the IDCV is an instrument of easy use and its reliability among hypertensive patients is evidenced. The domain Adjustment to the Disease, however, should be reviewed in further studies.
Effect of an extra layer of hydrophobic resin on the microleakage of Cl V composite resin restorations with a universal adhesive system

AIM The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effect of the application of a hydrophobic resin on the microleakage of Cl V composite resin restorations using a universal adhesive system applied in the self-etch (SE) and etch-and-rinse (ER) modes. METHOD Cl V cavities were prepared on the buccal surfaces of 64 human premolar teeth and divided into four groups (n = 16): ER, ER with hydrophobic resin (ERH), SE, and SE with hydrophobic resin (SEH). Microleakage at occlusal and gingival margins was evaluated using 0.5% methylene blue dye penetration technique under stereomicroscope at 40 × magnification. Data were analyzed using Kruskal-Wallis and Mann-Whitney U-tests (P < 0.05). RESULTS At the enamel margins, the ER group had significantly less microleakage than the SE and SEH groups (P < 0.001), but had no significant difference compared with the ERH group (P > 0.05). There was also no statistically-significant difference between the SE and SEH groups (P > 0.05). At the dentinal margins, the SE group had significantly less microleakage compared with the ER (P < 0.001) and ERH groups (P = 0.005). Furthermore, microleakage of the SEH group was significantly less than the SE group (P < 0.001). CONCLUSION Applying an extra layer of hydrophobic resin significantly decreased microleakage in the SE mode at the dentinal margin, but had no significant effect in the ER mode.
Adjustment to Chronic Diseases and Terminal Illness Health Psychology : Psychological Adjustment to Chronic Disease

Humans, being highly social creatures, rely heavily on the ability to perceive what others are doing and to infer from gestures and expressions what others may be intending to do. These perceptual skills are easily mastered by most, but not all, people, in large part because human action readily communicates intentions and feelings. In recent years, remarkable advances have been made in our understanding of the visual, motoric, and affective influences on perception of human action, as well as in the elucidation of the neural concomitants of perception of human action. This article reviews those advances and, where possible, draws links among those findings. 47 A nn u. R ev . P sy ch ol . 2 00 7. 58 :4 773 . D ow nl oa de d fr om a rj ou rn al s. an nu al re vi ew s. or g by D r. M ag gi e Sh if fr ar o n 12 /1 2/ 06 . F or p er so na l u se o nl y. ANRV296-PS58-03 ARI 21 November 2006 18:1 Kinematics: analysis of the motions of objects without regard to the forces producing them Point-light animations: biological activity portrayed by small light tokens (point lights) placed on the major body parts of an actor
NCEP-defined metabolic syndrome, diabetes, and prevalence of coronary heart disease among NHANES III participants age 50 years and older.

Although the individual components of the metabolic syndrome are clearly associated with increased risk for coronary heart disease (CHD), we wanted to quantify the increased prevalence of CHD among people with metabolic syndrome. The Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES III) was used to categorize adults over 50 years of age by presence of metabolic syndrome (National Cholesterol Education Program [NCEP] definition) with or without diabetes. Demographic and risk factor information was determined for each group, as well as the proportion of each group meeting specific criteria for metabolic syndrome. The prevalence of CHD for each group was then determined. Metabolic syndrome is very common, with approximately 44% of the U.S. population over 50 years of age meeting the NCEP criteria. In contrast, diabetes without metabolic syndrome is uncommon (13% of those with diabetes). Older Americans over 50 years of age without metabolic syndrome regardless of diabetes status had the lowest CHD prevalence (8.7% without diabetes, 7.5% with diabetes). Compared with those with metabolic syndrome, people with diabetes without metabolic syndrome did not have an increase in CHD prevalence. Those with metabolic syndrome without diabetes had higher CHD prevalence (13.9%), and those with both metabolic syndrome and diabetes had the highest prevalence of CHD (19.2%) compared with those with neither. Metabolic syndrome was a significant univariate predictor of prevalent CHD (OR 2.07, 95% CI 1.66-2.59). However, blood pressure, HDL cholesterol, and diabetes, but not presence of metabolic syndrome, were significant multivariate predictors of prevalent CHD. The prevalence of CHD markedly increased with the presence of metabolic syndrome. Among people with diabetes, the prevalence of metabolic syndrome was very high, and those with diabetes and metabolic syndrome had the highest prevalence of CHD. Among all individuals with diabetes, prevalence of CHD was increased compared with those with metabolic syndrome without diabetes. However, individuals with diabetes without metabolic syndrome had no greater prevalence of CHD compared with those with neither.
Effects of DAU 6215, a novel 5‐hydroxytryptamine3 (5‐HT3) antagonist on electrophysiological properties of the rat hippocampus

1 The aim of the present study was to test the effects of DAU 6215 (endo‐N‐(8‐methyl‐8‐azabicyclo‐[3.2.1]‐octo‐3‐yl)‐2,3‐dihydro‐2‐oxo‐1H‐benzimidazole‐1‐carboxamide hydrochloride), a newly synthesized, selective 5‐hydroxytryptamine3 (5‐HT3) antagonist, on the cell membrane properties and on characterized 5‐HT‐mediated responses of pyramidal neurones in the hippocampal CA1 region. 2 Administration of DAU 6215, even at concentrations several hundred fold its Ki, did not affect the cell membrane properties of pyramidal neurones, nor modify extracellularly recorded synaptic potentials, evoked by stimulating the Schaffer's collaterals. 3 Micromolar concentrations (15–30 μm) of 5‐HT elicited several responses in pyramidal neurones that are mediated by distinct 5‐HT receptor subtypes. DAU 6215 did not antagonize the 5‐HT1A‐induced membrane hyperpolarization and conductance increase, a response that was blocked by the selective 5‐HT1A antagonist NAN‐190 (1‐(2‐methoxyphenyl)‐4‐[4‐(2‐phtalamido)butyl‐piperazine). Similarly, DAU 6215 did not affect the membrane depolarization and decrease in amplitude of the afterhyperpolarization, elicited by the activation of putative 5‐HT4 receptors. 4 5‐HT increased the frequency of spontaneous postsynaptic potentials (s.p.s.ps) recorded in pyramidal neurones loaded with chloride. In agreement with previous observations, most of the s.p.s.ps were reversed GABAergic events, produced by the activation of 5‐HT3 receptors on interneurones, because they persisted in the presence of the glutamate NMDA and non NMDA antagonists, d‐aminophosphonovaleric acid (APV; 50 μm) and 6,7‐dinitroquinoxaline‐2,3‐dione (DNQX; 25 μm), and were elicited by the selective 5‐HT3 agonist, 2‐methyl‐5‐HT (2‐Me‐5‐HT, 50 μm). 5 The increase in frequency of s.p.s.ps induced by 5‐HT was significantly antagonized by DAU 6215 in 70% of the cases, whereas the 5‐HT3 antagonist always suppressed the effect of 2‐Me‐5‐HT, at concentrations as low as 60 nm. 6 The antagonistic effect of DAU 6215 was also tested on the 5‐HT3‐mediated block of induction of long‐term potentiation (LTP), elicited by a primed burst (PB) stimulation. Extracellular recordings showed that low concentrations (60 nm) of DAU 6215 suppressed the inhibitory action of 5‐HT on PB‐induced LTP, without affecting the 5‐HT1A‐induced reduction in the amplitude of the population spike. 7 These results provide evidence that DAU 6215 is an effective antagonist of the 5‐HT3‐mediated responses in the central nervous system and may offer a cellular correlate for the pharmacological effects of DAU 6215 as an anxiolytic and cognition enhancer.
Living Beyond Loss: Death in the Family

The editors' clinical framework identifies variables that heighten risk for individual, couple, or family dysfunction and describes key processes that foster healing and growth. Chapters by leading authorities reveal how the family response to loss affects all members and their relationships across the life cycle and the generations. New chapters address such topics as spirituality, gender issues, suicide and other traumatic deaths, unacknowledged and stigmatized losses, and resilience-based approaches to family and community recovery from major disaster. In a completely new section, prominent family therapists offer poignant reflections on their own legacies of loss. Throughout Living Beyond Loss, Second Edition, readers will find valuable therapeutic guidelines for working with threatened loss and end-of-life dilemmas, the immediate aftermath of traumatic loss, and long-term complications. Case illustrations address a wide range of loss situations, show their ripple effects, and suggest ways to address hidden losses when other symptoms are presented. Therapists and counselors will find their own lives and practices deeply enriched by this new volume.
An ontological analysis of uncertainty in soft data

This paper introduces several aspects to take into account in order to describe uncertainties in soft data. Various types of uncertainty are identified to express ambiguities of natural language, inaccuracies of information reporting, lack of knowledge or even misleading intentions. The analysis explores uncertainties inherent to soft data, along with contradictions or weightings revealed when information items are considered in combination. Quality measures corresponding to each aspect are developed by using the Uncertainty Representation and Reasoning Evaluation Framework (URREF) as a basis. While some criteria are intended to capture the way humans assess uncertainty through their use of language, some others highlight inconsistencies with respect to domain knowledge. A joint approach, based on natural language processing and shallow semantic analysis is proposed to evaluate those criteria. This analysis provides a richer description of soft data in terms of precision, ambiguity, vagueness, weight of evidence and consistence, suitable for high-level information fusion.
Visual acuity of fly photoreceptors in natural conditions - dependence on UV sensitizing pigment and light-controlling pupil

SUMMARY The effect of the UV-absorbing sensitizing pigment of fly photoreceptors on absolute, spectral and angular sensitivity was investigated with a wave-optics model for the facet lens-rhabdomere system. When sky light was used as a UV-rich light source, one sensitizing pigment molecule per rhodopsin increased the photoreceptor absorption by 14-18% with respect to pure rhodopsin, whilst two sensitizing pigment molecules per rhodopsin increased the absorption by 20-27%. Upon light adaptation, when the pupil mechanism is activated, photoreceptor absorption decreases; in the housefly, Musca, by up to 6-fold. The fully light-adapted pupil diminishes the photoreceptor's acceptance angle by a factor of ∼0.6 due to selective absorption of higher order waveguide modes. Spatial acuity of dark-adapted photoreceptors is more or less constant throughout the visual wavelength range, including the UV, because the waveguide optics of the rhabdomere compromise acuity least at wavelengths most limited by diffraction of the facet lens. Diffraction is not the general limiting factor causative for UV sensitivity of insect eyes. Visual acuity is governed by diffraction only with a fully light-adapted pupil, which absorbs higher waveguide modes. Closure of the blue-absorbing pupil causes a UV-peaking spectral sensitivity of fly photoreceptors. The sensitizing pigment does not play an appreciable role in modifying spatial acuity, neither in the dark- nor the light-adapted state, due to the dominant contribution of green light in natural light sources.
Learning to change projects

Background: Most software effort estimation research focuses on methods that produce the most accurate models but very little focuses on methods of mapping those models to business needs. Aim: In our experience, once a manager knows a software effort estimate, their next question is how to <u>change</u> that estimate. We propose a combination of inference + visualization to let managers quickly discover the important changes to their project. Method: (1) We remove superfluous details from project data using dimensionality reduction, column reduction and feature reduction. (2) We visualize the reduced space of project data. In this reduced space, it is simple to see what project changes need to be taken, or avoided. Results: Standard software engineering effort estimation data sets in the PROMISE repository reduce to a handful of rows and just a few columns. Our experiments show that there is little information loss in this reduction: in 20 datasets from the PROMISE repository, we find that there is little performance difference between inference over all the data and inference over our reduced space. Conclusion: Managers can be offered a succinct representation of project data, within which it is simple to find critical the decisions that most impact project effort.
An untethered miniature origami robot that self-folds, walks, swims, and degrades

A miniature robotic device that can fold-up on the spot, accomplish tasks, and disappear by degradation into the environment promises a range of medical applications but has so far been a challenge in engineering. This work presents a sheet that can self-fold into a functional 3D robot, actuate immediately for untethered walking and swimming, and subsequently dissolve in liquid. The developed sheet weighs 0.31 g, spans 1.7 cm square in size, features a cubic neodymium magnet, and can be thermally activated to self-fold. Since the robot has asymmetric body balance along the sagittal axis, the robot can walk at a speed of 3.8 body-length/s being remotely controlled by an alternating external magnetic field. We further show that the robot is capable of conducting basic tasks and behaviors, including swimming, delivering/carrying blocks, climbing a slope, and digging. The developed models include an acetone-degradable version, which allows the entire robot's body to vanish in a liquid. We thus experimentally demonstrate the complete life cycle of our robot: self-folding, actuation, and degrading.
Adaptive physical-layer network coding in two-way relaying with OFDM

Adaptive physical layer network coding (PNC) has been shown to be effective in two-way relay communications (TWRC). Given that the existing PNC methods were developed for frequency-flat fading channels, this paper studies adaptive PNC in OFDM systems operating over frequency-selective fading channels. Proposed and investigated are three methods to determine a common clustering for all subcarriers in order to reduce the overhead information required in the broadcast phase. The “Min-SER” method is given based on the analysis of the error event in the multiple access phase, while the “Max-fade-SER” and “Min-fade-distance” methods are recommended to further reduce the computational complexity in determining the common clustering. Considering the trade-off among performance, overhead and complexity, the “Max-fade-SER” method is the most attractive clustering method for applying adaptive PNC in OFDM systems.
Effect of blue light on hyperbilirubinaemia.

Neonatal hyperbilirubinaemia, of any cause, is potentially dangerous and may produce kernikterus. The standard method of treatment is by exchange transfusion, carried out as often as necessary to keep the serum bilirubin below an arbitrary danger level of between 20 and 30 mg. /100 ml. There is, however, no clear evidence that any absolute value in serum bilirubin concentration per se constitutes a danger (Trolle, 1964). On the other hand it seems that certain additional factors, such as prematurity, asphyxia, and the respiratory distress syndrome, may potentiate the toxic action of bilirubin on brain cells (Wood, Culley, Waterhouse, and Powell, 1962). Exchange transfusion is not without risk and, as was suggested by Trolle (1964), the mortality rate from this method of treatment may exceed the incidence of kernikterus. A simpler and safer alternative is, therefore, desirable for cases that are not anaemic. Cremer, Perryman, and Richards (1958) showed that in some cases of neonatal jaundice the serum bilirubin level could be reduced by exposure of the infant to sunlight or to an artificial blue light. Several groups of South American workers have described their experiences with this method of treatment (Ferreira, Cardim, and Mellone, 1960; Ferreira, Berezin, Barbieri and Larrubia, 1960a, b, c; Mellone, 1960; Peluffo, Beltran, Malinger, Giguens, Vila Vidal, and Lorenzo de Ibarreta, 1962), but it has not found general acceptance, mainly because of doubts as to its effectiveness and ignorance of the nature and possible toxicity of the products of the photochemical decomposition of bilirubin (Franklin, 1958; Blondheim, Zabriskie, and Lathrop, 1962b). This paper records the results of in vivo and in vitro experiments which were designed to obtain more information about this method of treatment. Its effectiveness in lowering the serum bilirubin was investigated in a clinical trial on a group of infants with neonatal jaundice. Gunn rats have a similar unconjugated hyperbilirubinaemia, due to a deficiency of the enzyme glucuronyl transferase (Lathe and Walker, 1958), and the effect of blue light on their serum bilirubin levels was also studied. Signs of toxicity were looked for in both infants and rats. Ernster, Herlin, and Zetterstrom (1957) demonstrated that bilirubin uncoupled the oxidative phosphorylation of brain and liver mitochondria, and suggested that this was the basis of its toxicity. We have examined the possible toxicity of the photochemical decomposition products of bilirubin by studying their effect on oxidative phosphorylation. Biesold, Liebold, and Theile (1962) showed that, in the absence of soluble protein, uncoupling takes place at very low bilirubin concentrations. In order to match the conditions in the newborn infant, our experiments have been conducted in the presence of serum.
A Narrative Review of Binge Eating and Addictive Behaviors: Shared Associations with Seasonality and Personality Factors

Binge-eating disorder and seasonal affective disorder were first described as clinically relevant conditions in very close temporal proximity a few decades ago. Both disorders have a higher prevalence rate in woman than in men, are characterized by a high proneness-to-stress and manifest heightened responsiveness to high-calorie, hyper-palatable foods. In recent years, a compelling body of evidence suggests that foods high in sugar and fat have the potential to alter brain reward circuitry in a manner similar to that seen when addictive drugs like alcohol and heroin are consumed in excess. These findings have led to suggestions that some cases of compulsive overeating may be understood as an addiction to sweet, fatty, and salty foods. In this paper, it is proposed that high seasonality is a risk factor for binge eating, especially in those characterized by anxious and impulsive personality traits – associations that could only occur in an environment with a superfluity of, and easy access to, rich and tasty foods. Given the well-established links between binge eating and addiction disorders [Ref. (1–3) for reviews], it is also suggested that seasonality, together with the same high-risk psychological profile, exacerbates the likelihood of engaging in a broad range of addictive behaviors. Data from a community sample (n = 412) of adults tested these models using linear regression procedures. Results confirmed that symptoms of binge eating and other addictive behaviors were significantly inter-correlated, and that seasonality, gender, and addictive personality traits were strong statistical predictors of the variance in binge-eating scores. Seasonality and addictive personality traits also accounted for a significant proportion of the variance in the measure of addictive behaviors. Conclusions are discussed in the context of brain reward mechanisms, motivational alternations in response to chronic over-consumption, and their relevance for the treatment of excessive appetitive behaviors.