Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Treatments and prescriptions in advanced dementia patients residing in long-term care institutions and at home.

Dementia is an incurable condition resulting in a progressive but patchy decay characterized by dementia related events such as recurrence of infections and eating problems, as well as by acute conditions typical of frailty and/ or the worsening of chronic comorbidities. Its duration is reported to range from three to over nine years. Although not everyone will reach the advanced stage, many patients experience a highly severe and persistent disability. Health professionals may not always acknowledge advanced dementia as a terminal disease, and this may result in patients being exposed to aggressive treatments. The prescription regimen should be reconsidered not only to avoid overtreatment and side effects of drugs, but also to improve comfort and symptom control. In far advanced stages, some medications previously prescribed for comorbidities could likely be discontinued to reduce burden, adverse effects, and costs. A model for defining the concept of prescriptions’ appropriateness in advanced dementia was proposed by Holmes and colleagues taking into account factors such as patients’ life expectancy and goals of care. Many patients with advanced dementia are cared for until death in nursing homes (NHs), and studies have shown that drug regimens may be far from optimal. However, others die at home, cared for by home care service (HC). Information on the treatments and prescriptions for patients with advanced-stage dementia cared for at home are scarce. We expected differences, because drug regimes may be critically reconsidered and revised upon admission to institutional long-term care by physicians on staff of NHs. The aim of this paper is to assess and compare treatments and prescriptions of patients with advanced dementia cared for in NHs and in HC and assess their appropriateness from a palliative care perspective.
Differential syncytium-inducing capacity of human immunodeficiency virus isolates: frequent detection of syncytium-inducing isolates in patients with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) and AIDS-related complex

Human immunodeficiency virus isolates were studied with respect to syncytium-inducing capacity, replicative properties, and host range. Five of 10 isolates from patients with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) and AIDS-related complex were able to induce syncytia in cultures of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (MNC). In contrast, only 2 of 12 isolates from asymptomatic individuals had syncytium-inducing capacity. Syncytium-inducing isolates were reproducibly obtained from the same MNC sample in over 90% of the cases, independent of the donor MNC used for propagation. Syncytium-inducing capacity was shown to be a stable property of an isolate, independent of viral replication rates. Evidence was obtained that the high replication rate of syncytium-inducing isolates observed during primary isolation may be due to higher infectivity of these isolates. The finding that only syncytium-inducing isolates could be transmitted to the H9 cell line is compatible with this higher infectivity. The frequent isolation of syncytium-inducing isolates from individuals with AIDS-related complex or AIDS and the apparent higher in vitro infectivity of these isolates suggest that syncytium-inducing isolates may unfavorably influence the course of human immunodeficiency virus infection.
Connections of indoleamine‐accumulating cells in the rabbit retina

To study the connections of the neurons of the rabbit retina that accumulate indoleamines, we injected 5,7‐dihydroxytryptamine into the vitreous body. It accumulated within a subset of amacrine cells and could be visualized there by aldehyde‐induced fluorescence. The fluorescent labeling was photoconverted to an insoluble, osmiophilic product by irradiation in the presence of diaminobenzidine, and the tissue was examined by electron microscopy. Preservation of the structure of the tissue after photoconversion was satisfactory and the dendrites of the indoleamine‐accumulating cells could easily be identified. They form a dense plexus near the junction of the inner plexiform and ganglion cell layers, where they exhibit large synaptic endings that occupy a substantial fraction of the surface of rod bipolar terminals. The dendrites of the indoleamine‐accumulating cells receive input from rod bipolars at dyad synapses, where the other postsynaptic partner is a dendrite of a narrow‐field, bistratified amacrine cell; in addition, they receive amacrine cell input throughout the inner plexiform layer. The only outputs we observed are reciprocal synapses onto the rod bipolar endings. Thus, these amacrine cells appear to exert an important effect on the transmission of scotopic information through the retina.
Evaluation of the lipid‐rich layer of reamer aspirate

The fatty layer of aspirate obtained by reaming the femoral shaft using a reamer/irrigator/aspirator (RIA) device was characterized for fatty acid content and the presence of adult stem cells. Gas chromatography analysis was performed on samples taken from multiple patients to determine and compare the fatty acid contents of aspirate lipid samples. All four patients had the same four fatty acids present in the highest percentages: oleic, palmitic, linoleic and stearic. After successful isolation from bulk material, cells isolated from this lipid‐rich layer were studied to determine their osteogenic and growth potential on a clinically available ceramic bone graft substitute. The results of metabolic activity and intracellular protein assays indicated that the ceramics supported growth of the cells isolated from the aspirate fat layer, although levels of alkaline phosphatase (ALP) expression were low for cells grown on the ceramics. Cells will not transition along the osteogenic pathway when they are actively dividing, and active growth may have contributed to the lack of ALP expression in this study. Isolated cells grown on tissue culture plastic expressed significant levels of the bone marker ALP. The results of this study suggest that cells isolated from the fat layer of RIA aspirate proliferate on ceramic bone void filler and have the potential to differentiate along an osteogenic pathway. Previously considered waste, the lipid‐rich fat layer of aspirate may be a source of mesenchymal stem cells that, either alone or in conjunction with currently available synthetic bone graft material, could be used to stimulate new bone growth. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Multi-document Summarization Based on Cohesion with Disambiguation

The mass information of Internet boosts the requirement for quick and accurate methods of information acquisition. To fulfill the requirement for high quality multi-document system, this paper investigates using lexical cohesion as a model of multiple-documents written in Chinese to generate an indicative, moderately fluent summary. The method constructs lexical chains with polysemant disambiguation and identifies strong chains first. An unique disambiguation method that combined the sense definitions in the dictionary with the expanded context of the words is presented. Then significant sentences that extracted from each document are merged, and redundant information are recognized and removed. Finally, the summary is generated in chronological order. Evaluation results show that the performance of the presented system is obviously better than that of the baseline system.
What explains post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in UK service personnel: deployment or something else?

Background In previous studies an association between deployment to Iraq or Afghanistan and an overall increased risk for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in UK armed forces has not been found. The lack of a deployment effect might be explained by including, in the comparison group, personnel deployed on other operations or who have experienced traumatic stressors unrelated to deployment. Methods The sample comprised 8261 regular UK armed forces personnel who deployed to Iraq, Afghanistan or other operational areas or were not deployed. Participants completed the PTSD CheckList – Civilian Version (PCL-C) and provided information about deployment history, demographic and service factors, serious accidents and childhood experiences. Results Deployment to Iraq or Afghanistan [odds ratio (OR) 1.2, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.6–2.2] or elsewhere (OR 1.1, 95% CI 0.6–2.0) was unrelated to PTSD although holding a combat role was associated with PTSD if deployed to Iraq or Afghanistan (OR 2.7, 95% CI 1.9–3.9). Childhood adversity (OR 3.3, 95% CI 2.1–5.0), having left service (OR 2.7, 95% CI 1.9–4.0) and serious accident (OR 2.1, 95% CI 1.4–3.0) were associated with PTSD whereas higher rank was protective (OR 0.3, 95% CI 0.12–0.76). Conclusions For the majority of UK armed forces personnel, deployment whether to Iraq, Afghanistan or elsewhere confers no greater risk for PTSD than service in the armed forces per se but holding a combat role in those deployed to Iraq or Afghanistan is associated with PTSD. Vulnerability factors such as lower rank, childhood adversity and leaving service, and having had a serious accident, may be at least as important as holding a combat role in predicting PTSD in UK armed forces personnel.
Universal Portable SDE Platform for Teaching the Theory and Practice of ICT Systems

A universal portable software defined electronics platform developed to teach info-communications systems is proposed here. Because every application is implemented in software, the universal platform is suitable for the implementation and simulation of any kind of communications or measurement systems where the information is carried by band-pass signals. The software defined electronics platform needs only a laptop and two universal software radio peripheral devices, and it can be used everywhere without a laboratory infrastructure.
Subclinical hypothyroidism and the risk of coronary heart disease and mortality.

CONTEXT Data regarding the association between subclinical hypothyroidism and cardiovascular disease outcomes are conflicting among large prospective cohort studies. This might reflect differences in participants' age, sex, thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) levels, or preexisting cardiovascular disease. OBJECTIVE To assess the risks of coronary heart disease (CHD) and total mortality for adults with subclinical hypothyroidism. DATA SOURCES AND STUDY SELECTION The databases of MEDLINE and EMBASE (1950 to May 31, 2010) were searched without language restrictions for prospective cohort studies with baseline thyroid function and subsequent CHD events, CHD mortality, and total mortality. The reference lists of retrieved articles also were searched. DATA EXTRACTION Individual data on 55,287 participants with 542,494 person-years of follow-up between 1972 and 2007 were supplied from 11 prospective cohorts in the United States, Europe, Australia, Brazil, and Japan. The risk of CHD events was examined in 25,977 participants from 7 cohorts with available data. Euthyroidism was defined as a TSH level of 0.50 to 4.49 mIU/L. Subclinical hypothyroidism was defined as a TSH level of 4.5 to 19.9 mIU/L with normal thyroxine concentrations. RESULTS Among 55,287 adults, 3450 had subclinical hypothyroidism (6.2%) and 51,837 had euthyroidism. During follow-up, 9664 participants died (2168 of CHD), and 4470 participants had CHD events (among 7 studies). The risk of CHD events and CHD mortality increased with higher TSH concentrations. In age- and sex-adjusted analyses, the hazard ratio (HR) for CHD events was 1.00 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.86-1.18) for a TSH level of 4.5 to 6.9 mIU/L (20.3 vs 20.3/1000 person-years for participants with euthyroidism), 1.17 (95% CI, 0.96-1.43) for a TSH level of 7.0 to 9.9 mIU/L (23.8/1000 person-years), and 1.89 (95% CI, 1.28-2.80) for a TSH level of 10 to 19.9 mIU/L (n = 70 events/235; 38.4/1000 person-years; P <.001 for trend). The corresponding HRs for CHD mortality were 1.09 (95% CI, 0.91-1.30; 5.3 vs 4.9/1000 person-years for participants with euthyroidism), 1.42 (95% CI, 1.03-1.95; 6.9/1000 person-years), and 1.58 (95% CI, 1.10-2.27, n = 28 deaths/333; 7.7/1000 person-years; P = .005 for trend). Total mortality was not increased among participants with subclinical hypothyroidism. Results were similar after further adjustment for traditional cardiovascular risk factors. Risks did not significantly differ by age, sex, or preexisting cardiovascular disease. CONCLUSIONS Subclinical hypothyroidism is associated with an increased risk of CHD events and CHD mortality in those with higher TSH levels, particularly in those with a TSH concentration of 10 mIU/L or greater.
Improving efficiency of schooling in the Maldives : is de-shifting a desirable policy direction? : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Masters of Arts in Economics at Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand

Education, a vital component of human capital, is essential for the growth of nations. Developing countries, faced with limited resources and budget constraints, adopt strategies that they believe will improve access to education and at the same time reduce costs. This thesis explores the desirability of one such policy option, double-shift schooling, with respect to de-shifting, its reverse policy. Whether de-shifting is a desirable policy direction is assessed, based on other countries’ experiences, alternative strategies and the current education situation in the Maldives, a country presently under this transition. Some of these alternative strategies are explored for their effectiveness in improving the quality of education. In the case of the Maldives all schools were operating a double-shift system prior to 2009 and the government is now attempting to convert all schools to single-shift, by the end of 2013. Although the Maldives has achieved 100 per cent enrolment at primary school level, this access has not been transferred to secondary level. Statistics indicate low levels of achievement at all stages of education. The education situation in the atolls is of particular concern, where the majority of schools suffer from a lack of locally trained teachers and learning resources. In general, it has been found that double-shift schooling does not affect the academic standards of students. However, several costs, both direct and indirect, tend to make the quality of education in double-shift schools appear to be inferior, in comparison to single-shift schools. De-shifting, which involves large costs, does not guarantee an improvement in the quality of education, since there are several other factors which significantly affect academic performance. For the Maldives, findings from the study indicate that in addition to the high costs involved, scarcity of land, may affect the progress of de-shifting. The attitude of teachers, whose working day is lengthened without financial compensation, is also a concern. Moreover, there are other areas within the education sector which are greatly in need of immediate investment. These include, improving access and equity at secondary level, especially in the atolls, and improvement in the training of local teachers. Unless such aspects are addressed, de-shifting, although desirable in the long run, may fail to deliver the benefits that it claims.
Current understanding of the inflammatory process in cystic fibrosis: Onset and etiology

Although airway obstruction and chronic endobronchial infection have long been recognized as major factors in the pathogenesis of lung disease in cystic fibrosis (CF), only recently has it been recognized that the inflammatory process itself may be responsible in a major way for destroying the lungs. The most characteristic feature of inflammation in the CF lung is the persistent infiltration of massive numbers of neutrophils into the airways. Although neutrophils help to control infection, when present in great excess, they cause more harm than good. Major advances in our understanding of the inflammatory process in the CF lung have come from the use of bronchoscopy and bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) to analyze the inflammatory process in patients who are relatively symptom free and/or do not regularly produce sputum. Recent BAL studies suggest that neutrophil‐rich inflammation begins very early, even in infants without clinically apparent lung disease. A number of chemoattractants from epithelial cells, macrophages, neutrophils themselves, and bacterial products contribute to the neutrophil influx. Surprisingly, some infants have inflammation even in the apparent absence of infection, leading to the speculation that inflammation may precede infection. Links between the basic defect in CF and inflammation have been postulated, with dysregulation of cytokine production and abnormal epithelial host defenses being implicated as causal factors of sustained inflammation. Regardless of the details of how this process is initiated and/or perpetuated, it has become clear that inflammation begins at a very early stage and progresses throughout life, gradually worsening and destroying the lungs. For these reasons, anti‐inflammatory therapy should be initiated in early life. Additional studies are necessary to define the optimal anti‐inflammatory drugs and regimens, and to confirm their long‐term safety and efficacy. Pediatr. Pulmonol. 1997;24:137–142. © 1997 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Regulation of Insulin Receptor Substrate 1 (IRS-1)/AKT Kinase-mediated Insulin Signaling by O-Linked β-N-Acetylglucosamine in 3T3-L1 Adipocytes*

Increased O-linked β-N-acetylglucosamine (O-GlcNAc) is associated with insulin resistance in muscle and adipocytes. Upon insulin treatment of insulin-responsive adipocytes, O-GlcNAcylation of several proteins is increased. Key insulin signaling proteins, including IRS-1, IRS-2, and PDK1, are substrates for OGT, suggesting potential O-GlcNAc control points within the pathway. To elucidate the roles of O-GlcNAc in dampening insulin signaling (Vosseller, K., Wells, L., Lane, M. D., and Hart, G. W. (2002) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U. S. A. 99, 5313–5318), we focused on the pathway upstream of AKT. Increasing O-GlcNAc in 3T3-L1 adipocytes decreases phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K) interactions with both IRS-1 and IRS-2. Elevated O-GlcNAc also reduces phosphorylation of the PI3K p85 binding motifs (YXXM) of IRS-1 and results in a concomitant reduction in tyrosine phosphorylation of Y608XXM in IRS-1, one of the two main PI3K p85 binding motifs. Additionally, insulin signaling stimulates the interaction of OGT with PDK1. We conclude that one of the steps at which O-GlcNAc contributes to insulin resistance is by inhibiting phosphorylation at the Y608XXM PI3K p85 binding motif in IRS-1 and possibly at PDK1 as well.
Time-Motion Analysis of Small-Sided Training Games and Competition in Elite Women Soccer Players

We investigated the movement patterns of small-sided training games and compared these movement patterns with domestic, national, and international standard competition in elite women soccer players. In addition, we investigated the repeated-sprint demands of women's soccer with respect to the duration of sprints, number of sprint repetitions, recovery duration, and recovery intensity. Thirteen elite women soccer players [age (mean ± SD) 21 ± 2 years] participated in this study. Time-motion analysis was completed during training (n = 39) consisting of small-sided (i.e., three versus three and five versus five) training games, domestic matches against male youth teams (n = 10), Australian national-league matches (n = 9), and international matches (n = 12). A repeated-sprint bout was defined as a minimum of three sprints, with recovery of less than 21 seconds between sprints. The overall exercise to rest ratios for small-sided training games (1:13) were similar to or greater than domestic competition against male youth teams (1:15) and national-league (1:16) and international (1:12) competitions. During the international matches analyzed, 4.8 ± 2.8 repeated-sprint bouts occurred per player, per match. The number of sprints within the repeated-sprint bouts was 3.4 ± 0.8. The sprint duration was 2.1 ± 0.7 seconds, and the recovery time between sprints was 5.8 ± 4.0 seconds. Most recovery between sprints was active in nature (92.6%). In contrast to international competition, repeated-sprint bouts were uncommon in small-sided training games, domestic competition against male youth teams, and national-league competition. These findings demonstrate that small-sided training games simulate the overall movement patterns of women's soccer competition but offer an insufficient training stimulus to simulate the high-intensity, repeated-sprint demands of international competition.
Gut peptide hormones: Importance for food intake

Energy balance is a metabolic state that exists when total body energy expenditure equals dietary energy intake. Even though this energy balance is usually fine tuned, in some individuals there is an imbalance between energy intake and expenditure, resulting in obesity. In fact, obesity is today a worldwide public health problem; in some areas in the USA more than 25% of the population are obese (body mass index; BMI /30 kg m ). Obesity and insulin resistance, which appear as a common feature of obesity, are intimately associated with various medical complications and illnesses, such as hypertension, diabetes mellitus type 2, cancer, ischaemic heart disease and osteoarthritis, among others. Early experiments in animals with lesions in different hypothalamic nuclei, suggested that a satiety centre was localized in the baso-medial hypothalamus [1], while the lateral part was considered to be the hunger centre [2]. In addition, both the arcuate nucleus and the periventricular nuclei are important centres in the control of food intake, while the nucleus of the solitary tract (NTS) in the brainstem should serve as gateway for signals from the gastrointestinal (GI) tract to the hypothalamic level [3]. As early as 1952, G. C. Kennedy postulated that the maximum daily intake of food during hyperphagia was determined by some delimiting factor in addition to hypothalamic mechanisms [4]. Today, we know that the control of feeding not only involves the central nervous system (CNS), but also the adrenal glands, the pancreas and the GI tract. In addition, recent work has shown that adipose tissue has an important part in the regulation of food intake as adipocytes elaborate and release a number of endocrine and paracrine mediators, including leptin, adiponectin, resistin and tumour necrosis factor-a, which have all been shown to influence appetite and food intake [5]. The current obesity epidemic has not escaped the Gastroenterological Society. At the Digestive Disease Week 2004, much interest was taken in the GI regulation of food intake and its relationship to the obesity problem. The aim of this review is to present our current knowledge of GI signalling involved in the control of food intake. However, several other actions and agents, such as blood glucose and insulin, circulating free fatty acids, catecholamines and 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) and hormones produced by adipose tissue, such as leptin, adiponectin and resistin may contribute in the regulation of food intake.