Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Reflexión sobre la muerte y el morir en la UCI a partir de la perspectiva profesional en cuidados intensivos

Este articulo se ocupa del analisis reflexivo de las preocupaciones bioeticas sobre la muerte y el proceso de morir desde el punto de vista profesional en cuidados intensivos, a traves del metodo de revision bibliografica. Se busca resaltar que a pesar de que la muerte es parte del contexto laboral de estos profesionales, despierta sentimientos de impotencia, de indiferencia e incluso de evasion y negacion, visibilizando incomodidad o algun intento de camuflar el verdadero sentimiento en relacion a la muerte. Se busca tambien discutir sobre la muerte concebida como perdida, dolor, malestar, tristeza, miedo, ausencia y el final de todo. El estudio evidencia las dificultades sentidas por los profesionales a la hora de verificar la muerte en una UCI, lugar en el cual se lucha intensamente por la vida. Se constato que esta dificultad es el resultado tanto de la educacion contemporanea, como de la formacion poco humanizada y distante de la concientizacion de la muerte y del proceso de morir como parte de la vida.
Oxidative stress in sperm biology - a review.

Oxidative stress occurs when the production of potentially destructive reactive oxygen species (ROS) exceeds the bodies own naturalantioxidant defenses, resulting in cellular damage. ROS, defined as including oxygen ions, free radicals and peroxides, are generated by sperm and seminal leukocytes within semen and produce infertility by two key mechanisms.First, they damage the sperm membrane, decreasing sperm motility and its ability to fuse with the oocyte. Second, ROS can alter the sperm DNA, resulting in the passage of defective paternal DNA on to the conceptus. Spermatozoa, like all cells living in aerobic conditions face the oxygen (O2) paradox: O2 is required to support life, but its metabolites such as ROS can modify sperm cell functions, endanger sperm cell survival. ROS in small amount is necessary to maintain normal spermatozoa function. It is not surprising that a battery of different antioxidants is available to protect spermatozoa against oxidants. Spermatozoa are particularly susceptible to oxidative stress induced damage because their plasma membranes contain large quantities of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) and their cytoplasm contains low concentrations of scavenging enzymes. In addition, the intracellular antioxidant enzymes cannot protect the plasma membrane that surrounds the acrosome and the tail, forcing spermatozoa to supplement their limited intrinsic antioxidant defenses by depending on the protection afforded by the seminal plasma. Oxidative stress attacks not only the fluidity of the sperm plasma membrane, but also the integrity of DNA in the sperm nucleus. High content of polyunsaturated fatty acids in the plasma membrane and a low level of antioxidant in the sperm cytoplasm make them susceptible to oxidative stress and peroxidative attack during preservation. Defective and dead spermatozoa, major source of ROS during cryopreservation Cryoprotective media with antioxidants to overcome cryodamage.
Manufacturing strategies and innovation performance in newly industrialised countries

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to present a comparative study on the impact of manufacturing strategies and resources on innovation performance in two newly industrialised countries in the South East Asian region, Thailand and Vietnam.Design/methodology/approach – A quantitative approach was employed. The survey data was drawn from 95 Thai and 44 Vietnamese middle or senior managers in manufacturing firms.Findings – Three major findings were noted in this study. First, there were no significant differences between Thai and Vietnamese manufacturing firms with respect to manufacturing strategies, resources, and innovation performance. Second, differentiation strategy is shown to be the strongest predictors for both product and process innovation across both countries. Technology management, however, only shows a significant effect on both product and process innovation among Thai firms. The other three manufacturing strategies (leadership, people management, and R&D) did not show a significant relat.
How to use insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF1)

Insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF1) is produced in the liver and peripheral tissues including the growth plate, in response to growth hormone (GH) and is commonly used as a diagnostic marker of growth hormone deficiency (GHD) and to monitor GH replacement therapy, as recommended by an international GH consensus.1 However, while it is a useful biochemical tool, there are limitations to its use and results should be interpreted with care.
Testing como Práctica para Evaluar la Eficiencia en Aplicaciones Web

La investigacion esta asociada al Testing como practica para evaluar uno de los atributos de calidad que describe la Norma ISO/IEC 9126 como caracteristica la “Eficiencia”, que es segun esta norma: La capacidad del producto de software para proporcionar una ejecucion o desempeno apropiado, en relacion con la cantidad de recursos utilizados usados, bajo condiciones establecidas. Para evaluar esta caracteristica se han identificado un conjunto de tipos de Test, teniendo en cuenta las sub-caracteristicas de la misma ellas son: Rendimiento, Carga y Estres, ademas se propone un procedimiento que guia la gestion y ejecucion de los diferentes test. Para las No Conformidades (errores) generados se ha elaborado una clasificacion dependiendo de su tipo. Se propone el uso de herramientas automatizadas para la ejecucion de los diferentes test, especificamente la herramienta JMETER, usada para analizar y medir el desempeno de una variedad de servicios, con enfasis en aplicaciones web. Se creo una Base de Casos de posibles soluciones que dan respuesta a errores HTTP. Todos estos elementos descritos anteriormente proveen de un marco para la evaluacion final de la caracteristica en cuestion en productos de software, proponiendose un conjunto de metricas que arrojan resultados cuantitativos por cada sub-caracteristica de la Norma o por tipos de test propuestos.
Twelve tips for “flipping” the classroom

Abstract The flipped classroom is a pedagogical model in which the typical lecture and homework elements of a course are reversed. The following tips outline the steps involved in making a successful transition to a flipped classroom approach. The tips are based on the available literature alongside the author’s experience of using the approach in a medical education setting. Flipping a classroom has a number of potential benefits, for example increased educator–student interaction, but must be planned and implemented carefully to support effective learning.
Physiological Correlates of 3-Kilometer Running Performance in Male Children

The purpose of this study was to examine the influence of body fatness, aerobic and anaerobic ability on 3-km running performance in 19 physically active boys (mean +/- SD, age = 10.4 +/- 0.9 yrs). The sum of six skinfolds, VO2 at 8.04 and 9.65 km.hr-1, and VO2max were measured in the laboratory. Run time for 3 km was assessed twice on separate days on a 200-meter indoor track. Prior to each run, every child performed two 55-meter sprints and two vertical jumps. Mean +/- SD values for the sum of skinfolds, %VO2max at each running speed, VO2max and 3-km run time were: 33.9 +/- 14.9 mm; 70.6 +/- 6.6% and 81.0 +/- 7.9%; 54.6 +/- 5.0 ml.kg-1.min-1; 16.41 +/- 2.58 min, respectively. Significant (p < 0.05) correlations were observed between the following variables and run time: sum of skinfolds (r = 0.72); vertical jump (r = 0.67); sprint time (r = 0.59); VO2max (r = 0.61); and, %VO2max at each treadmill speed (r = 0.79 and r = 0.75, respectively). Stepwise multiple regression analysis indicated that the combination of the %VO2max at 8.04 km.hr-1 and vertical jump accounted for 83% (adjusted R2) of the variance in running time (SEE = 1.06 min, p < 0.05). This study suggests that 3-km run time in physically active boys is influenced by aerobic and anaerobic indices as well as body fatness, supporting the notion that children, compared to adults, are not metabolic specialists.
Emotional Intelligence and Clinical Skills: Preliminary Results from a Comprehensive Clinical Performance Examination

Background The recognition of emotional states in one’s self and others, emotional intelligence (EI) may play a key role in patient care. This study examines the relationship between EI and students’ clinical skills in a required, comprehensive performance examination (CPX). Method Prior to taking a 12-station CPX, third-year students in 2003 and 2004 (n = 165) completed the Trait Meta-Mood Scale and Davis’ Interpersonal Reactivity Index. Dimensional subscales were computed and correlated with selected aspects of students’ clinical skills as recorded by standardized patients in each objective structured clinical examination (OSCE)-type encounter. Results The internal consistencies (&agr;) of subtests ranged from . 73-. 90. Attention to Feelings, Empathic Concern, and Perspective Taking were significantly (p = ≪ .05) positively correlated with communication skills, while the latter two were also significantly negatively associated with physical examination skills. Conclusions Various aspects of EI are modestly implicated in students’ clinical skills as assessed by standardized patients in an OSCE.
Phonological and Perceptual Components of Short‐Term Memory for Odors a,b

ABSTRACT: Just as a written word can be encoded and retained in memory either verbally or in a visual form, so it might seem that an odor might be retained as either a verbal description/name or as a perceptual (olfactory) code. However, one view has it that olfactory memory in the short term does not exist as a separate perceptual code. This was examined in an experimental paradigm in which errors in memory could be recognized as deriving from the substitution of similar verbal codes or of similar olfactory codes. The set of odorants presented for recall was divided into three groups: (i) base odorants (odorants that might be replaced in memory either by similar verbal or similar olfactory representations); (ii) verbal foils (stimuli dissimilar to the base stimuli in odor but which is similar in name); and (iii) odor foils (the reverse). The substitution errors made when attempting to recall test odorants were classified as verbal errors or olfactory errors. A substantial proportion of the errors were olfactory, but verbal errors also occurred. These results support the presence of short‐term perceptual olfactory memory, rather than simply verbal encoding of olfactory perceptions.
Explanatory Models of Overweight Among African American, Euro-American, and Mexican American Women

Ethnographic interviewing methods were used to explore women's explanatory models (EMs) of overweight and the congruence of these models with professional models and professionally recommended treatments for overweight. Through community-based snowball and theoretical sampling, 4O African American, 40 Euro-American, and'40Mexican American women of varying social status and weight participated in multiple ethnographic interviews, which were subsequently interpreted using domain analysis and constant comparison. Study participants'EMs of overweight ranged from simple to complex, were generally similar across the three study groups, and only partially congruent with professional EMs of obesity. Major differences in EMs between the study groups were found in the dimensions of etiologies and consequences of overweight. There was partial congruence between participants' EMs and professionally recommended treatments for overweight.
Classification models based on Tanaka's fuzzy linear regression approach: The case of customer satisfaction modeling

Fuzzy linear regression (FLR) approaches are widely used for modeling relations between variables that involve human judgments, qualitative and imprecise data. Tanaka’s FLR analysis is the first one developed and widely used for this purpose. However, this method is not appropriate for classification problems, because it can only handle continuous type dependent variables rather than categorical. In this study, we propose three alternative approaches for building classification models, for a customer satisfaction survey data, based on Tanaka’s FLR approach. In these models, we aim to reflect both random and fuzzy types of uncertainties in the data in different ways, and compare their performances using several classification performance measures. Thus, this study contributes to the field of fuzzy classification by developing Tanaka based classification models.
Comparative Study between Breast Cytology and Histology in Saudi Females

The objective of this study is to outline the pattern of breast lesions in Saudi Arabian females who are diagnosed by Fine Needle Aspiration Cytology for a clinically palpable breast mass, and to determine the level of diagnostic accuracy in cytology with subsequent histological comparison whenever possible. A retrospective clinical study targeting 312 Saudi female patients being evaluated for clinically palpable breast mass that were performed and reported at King Abdulaziz University Hospital, Jeddah from 2000 to 2009. This result indicated that while fibroadenoma is the most frequent benign tumor, infiltrating duct carcinoma is the most common malignant tumor in Saudi Arabian females on Fine Needle Aspiration Cytology and histological examination. Based on this, the overall distribution of breast diseases was as follows: inflammatory lesions were 8.65%, benign lesions were 45.83%, highly suspicious/atypical lesions were 8.33%, malignant lesions were 30.76% and unsatisfactory smears were 6.41%. Analysis of histological correlation in patients revealed a sensitivity of 91.58% and a specificity of 97.75%. False negative fraction was of 4.59% which on histology turned out to be infiltrating duct carcinomas. Causes of cytohistological discrepancy were outlined in order to increase awareness of such conditions.
Aspect, singularization, and pluralization in Czech and Russian

Le russe et le tcheque, deux langues proches, ont developpe des systemes de marquages aspectuels et referentiels distincts. Cette difference reside moins dans le type de marquage morphologique utilise que dans leurs proprietes fonctionnelles. Au niveau aspectuel, l'opposition porte sur l'expression de l'iteration et l'emploi du perfectif/imperfectif. Du cote de la reference, le russe et le tcheque possedent des quantificateurs universels de pluralisation et de singularisation mais different au niveau de la frequence et de leur valeur semantique. L'A. etudie, d'une part, l'interrelation entre l'aspect et d'autres elements de la proposition et cherche, d'autre part, a montrer que les differences de comportements entre ces deux langues refletent plus fondamentalement une difference systemique
R EINFORCEMENT LEARNING VIA REPLICA STACKING OF QUANTUM MEASUREMENTS FOR THE TRAINING OF QUANTUM B OLTZMANN MACHINES

Recent theoretical and experimental results suggest the possibility of using current and near-future quantum hardware in challenging sampling tasks. In this paper, we introduce free-energy-based reinforcement learning (FERL) as an application of quantum hardware. We propose a method for processing a quantum annealer’s measured qubit spin configurations in approximating the free energy of a quantum Boltzmann machine (QBM). We then apply this method to perform reinforcement learning on the grid-world problem using the D-Wave 2000Q quantum annealer. The experimental results show that our technique is a promising method for harnessing the power of quantum sampling in reinforcement learning tasks.
PREDICTORS OF POSTOPERATIVE COMPLICATIONS IN GASTROINTESTINAL SURGERY

Surgical site infections and wound dehiscence are well-known postoperative complications that cause high mortality and morbidity. The aims of this study were to identify and evaluate the predictors of the following complications: infection and wound dehiscence. This study was performed between Jan 2007 and Apr 2008, and a cohort of 525 consecutively operated patients was evaluated. The operations were performed at the Surgery Clinic, Clinical Center Nis. Of the total number, there were 338 (64,38%) elective and 187 (35,61%) emergency operations. The analysis of factors associated with complications following elective surgery disclosed that smoking, comorbidity, blood loss, and type of operation were independent predictors. Multivariate subgroup analysis of the association between smoking and complications disclosed that smoking was independently associated with surgical site infections, as well wound dehiscence. In emergency surgery, male gender, peritonitis, operation, and multiple operations were independent predictors. The association between complications and blood loss disclosed a significant dose-relationship, signifying that a large blood loss yielded a higher risk of complications. The risk factors of wound dehiscence can be predicted early and their number can be decreased before and after surgery by an experienced surgeon, leading to a lowered incidence of wound failure. Acta Medica Medianae 2008;47(3):15-20.
An improved BCD adder using 6-LUT FPGAs

The need for high performance decimal arithmetic is required in many applications. Using binary system to process decimal numbers tends to be costly in terms of area and speed. Hence, there is a demand to realize decimal operations efficiently. In this paper, an improved approach to implement decimal addition is proposed. A hardware implementation of this arithmetic function is developed based on 6-input LUTs and the fast carry chains. In our proposed approach, a new architecture of a BCD adder is presented with emphasis on critical path delay reduction. The adder architecture has been implemented on Xilinx Virtex-6 FPGA for operand sizes from 2 to 18 digits. Our design has outperformed other approaches in terms of area and delay. On average, the delay reduction is 13.1% and LUT saving is 28.9% compared to a conventional BCD adder.
Molecular dynamics study of secondary structure motion in proteins: Application to myohemerythrin

The concept of secondary structure motions is examined in a molecular dynamics simulation of the protein myohemerythrin. We extracted from the simulation a corresponding trajectory of helices and demonstrated that the fluctuations of the protein are dominated by a rigid shift of these secondary structure elements. The relative motions of the helices are regular, with no clear periodicity. They are bounded by ∼2 for the center of mass motions and by 20° for the relative orientations. The potential of mean force for the interactions of the helices was calculated, and the correlations between the different extended motions were investigated. It shown that the one‐dimensional mean force potentials are close to quadratic for most of the helices coordinates. The anharmonicity is reflected by changes in the direction of the normal modes as a function of the energy and by the existence of multiple free energy minima for the helices packing. The multiple conformations are associated with a single type of secondary structure coordinate: the angle that describes the relative orientation of the helices in a plane perpendicular to the line connecting their center of mass.
RESPONSABILIDADE SOCIAL CORPORATIVA NO CONTEXTO DO VAREJO: UM ESTUDO DE CASO DO PROGRAMA MODELO RESPONSÁVEL

Considerada uma modernidade etica no âmbito empresarial, a Responsabilidade Social Corporativa (RSC) tornou-se ao longo dos anos uma necessidade para o sucesso das organizacoes junto aos seus diversos stackeholders. O presente estudo, dessa maneira, apresenta a experiencia da Rede Modelo, tradicional grupo do segmento varejista do Estado de Mato Grosso, atraves de um estudo de caso do Programa Modelo Responsavel (PMR). Pretende-se, sob a luz deste case study, a avaliacao do conceito de RSC, que se posiciona como um conceito de ordem sistemica mas que tem se tornado aporte para a acao estrategica das organizacoes pela visibilidade conferida junto ao seu publico consumidor. Assim, para a compreensao desta acao de âmbito empresarial, apresenta-se na primeira parte do texto a revisao de literatura, fundada na conjugacao dos aportes sobre o Planejamento Estrategico Empresarial, RSC, o Desenvolvimento Sustentavel. Na sequencia, apresenta-se a metodologia e respectivamente, o estudo de caso sobre o PMR, os resultados e consideracoes finais. Dentre as principais conclusoes deste estudo esta a compreensao de que a adocao da RSC como coordenadora do posicionamento junto ao mercado e uma recorrencia da filosofia empresarial fundada no planejamento estrategico e na visao dos fundadores do negocio. Palavras-chave: Planejamento Estrategico, Responsabilidade Social Corporativa, Desenvolvimento Sustentavel, Varejo Supermercadista.
Printed antennas for millimeter-wave applications

In this paper, we introduce three printed wideband antenna designs for millimeter-wave applications. They are (1) U-slot loaded patch antenna, (2) vertical patch antenna, and (3) magneto-electric dipole antenna. This work is to demonstrate how to use printed element, plated-through-hole element and their combination to develop wideband antennas at millimeter-wave frequencies. The first example performs a directional radiation from a printed radiating patch with a wide impedance bandwidth of 33% (for reflection coefficient <; -10 dB) and a maximum gain of 7 dBi. The second design realizes a broadside radiation from a vertical via-hole embedded in a microwave substrate. This antenna has the impedance bandwidth of 50% and obtains a maximum gain of 9 dBi. Finally, the third antenna comprises of printed and plated-through-hole elements to obtain a directional radiation pattern with low cross polarization level, low back radiation, and stable antenna gain across the operating bandwidth. The antenna yields an impedance bandwidth of 40% and a maximum gain of 8 dBi.
Evaluation of Helicobacter pylori with a stool antigen assay in frail, elderly patients

Objective Helicobacter pylori infection has not been studied thoroughly in elderly patients. The aim of this study was to evaluate the reliability of stool antigen assay (HpSA) in the assessment of H. pylori infection in hospitalized, frail, elderly patients. Material and methods The study population consisted of 85 consecutively recruited elderly patients (≥65 years old) hospitalized between May 1999 and December 2001 with diagnostic indications for upper gastrointestinal endoscopy. Twenty-nine subjects had been receiving treatment with proton-pump inhibitors (PPIs), such as omeprazole (10–20 mg/day) for 2–15 days, and 56 were not receiving treatment. HpSA was evaluated versus UBT (urea breath test), serology and histology: patients with at least two positive results out of the latter three tests were considered positive for H. pylori infection, while patients with at least two negative tests out of three were considered negative. Results The sensitivity and specificity of HpSA in the 56 untreated patients were, respectively, 76% (true positives TP = 22; false negatives FN = 7) and 93% (true negatives TN = 25; false positives FP = 2). The sensitivity and specificity of HpSA in the 29 patients on PPI treatment were, respectively, 82% (TP = 9; FN = 2) and 83% (TN = 15; FP = 3). Conclusions HpSA is an accurate, non-invasive and easy method for diagnosing H. pylori infection in elderly patients.