Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A Review of Psychoeducational Interventions to Improve Sexual Functioning, Quality of Life, and Psychological Outcomes in Gynecological Cancer Patients

Background: Psychoeducational interventions are recommended for use with clinical gynecological cancer patients to improve their patient care outcomes. However, the evidence of their effectiveness is far from conclusive. Objective: The objective of this study was to identify the best available research evidence related to the effects of psychoeducational interventions on sexual functioning, quality of life, and psychological outcomes in gynecological cancer patients. Methods: A systematic search was conducted to identify English and Chinese articles from the inception of the databases to April 2012 and included 13 English databases and 7 Chinese databases. Gray literature or unpublished studies were also searched. Results: A total of 11 studies involving 975 gynecological cancer patients were included in the review. Meta-analysis results for 4 comparable studies indicated that psychoeducational interventions were effective in treating depressive symptoms among gynecological cancer patients (standardized mean difference = −0.80; 95% confidence interval, −1.05 to −0.54), whereas information provision significantly improved the mental aspect of quality of life (standardized mean difference = −0.41; 95% confidence interval, −0.74 to −0.08). With regard to sexual functioning, psychoeducational interventions appeared to have benefits in improving the sexual life of patients. Conclusions: Findings confirm the effectiveness of psychoeducational interventions on depressive symptoms and mental aspect of the quality of life in gynecological cancer patients. Implications for Practice: The authors discuss the implications of review findings for the effective design of psychoeducational interventions including components, provider, provision time frame, and duration for clinical practice, as well as psychoeducational intervention research.
RF energy harvester-based wake-up receiver

Wake-up receivers (WuRxs) can improve the lifetime of a wireless sensor network by reducing energy consumption from undesirable idle listening. The amplitude level of the incoming RF signal is used by a WuRx to generate an interrupt and wake up the radio of a sleeping sensor node. Existing passive WuRx designs are generally based on RFID tags that incur high cost and complexity. Thus, there is a need for cost-effective and low-complexity WuRxs suited for both long-range and directed wake-ups. In this work, we present a WuRx design using an RF energy harvesting circuit (RFHC). Experimental results show that our RFHC-based WuRx can provide a wake-up range sensitivity around 4 cm/mW at low transmit RF powers (<; 20 mff), which scales to a long wake-up range at high powers. Our design also obtains accurate selective wake-ups. We finally present simulation-based studies for optimizing the design of RFHCs that enhance decoding efficiency with improved rise and fall times.
Feature Extraction of Hyperspectral Image Cubes Using Three-Dimensional Gray-Level Cooccurrence

This paper presents a novel approach for the feature extraction of hyperspectral image cubes. In this paper, hyperspectral image cubes are treated as volumetric data sets. Features that are most helpful in separating different targets are effectively extracted from the hyperspectral image cubes using a newly developed high-order texture analysis method. The traditional texture measure of the gray-level cooccurrence matrix is extended to a 3-D tensor field to explore the complicated volumetric data more effectively and to extract discriminant features for better classification. As the kernel size is one of the most important parameters in statistics-based texture analysis, a semivariance analysis and a spectral separability measure are used to determine the most appropriate kernel size in the spatial and spectral domains, respectively, for computing 3-D gray-level cooccurrence. In addition, a few statistical indexes are also extended to third-order forms in order to calculate quantitative texture properties of the generated cooccurrence tensor field. An airborne hyperspectral data set and an EO-1 Hyperion image are used to test the performance of the developed algorithms. Experimental results indicate that the developed 3-D texture analysis outperforms conventional second-order texture descriptors and the support vector machine-based classifier in supervised classifications of both hyperspectral data sets.
A comprehensive review of heregulins, HER3, and HER4 as potential therapeutic targets in cancer

Heregulins (HRGs) bind to the receptors HER3 or HER4, induce receptor dimerization, and trigger downstream signaling that leads to tumor progression and resistance to targeted therapies. Increased expression of HRGs has been associated with worse clinical prognosis; therefore, attempts to block HRG-dependent tumor growth have been pursued. This manuscript summarizes the function and signaling of HRGs and review the preclinical evidence of its involvement in carcinogenesis, prognosis, and treatment resistance in several malignancies such as colorectal cancer, non-small cell lung cancer, ovarian cancer, and breast cancer. Agents in preclinical development and clinical trials of novel therapeutics targeting HRG-dependent signaling are also discussed, including anti-HER3 and -HER4 antibodies, anti-metalloproteinase agents, and HRG fusion proteins. Although several trials have indicated an acceptable safety profile, translating preclinical findings into clinical practice remains a challenge in this field, possibly due to the complexity of downstream signaling and patterns of HRG, HER3 and HER4 expression in different cancer subtypes. Improving patient selection through biomarkers and understanding the resistance mechanisms may translate into significant clinical benefits in the near future.
Biologic Drugs: A New Target Therapy in COPD?

ABSTRACT Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a heterogeneous disease associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Current diagnostic criteria based on the presence of fixed airflow obstruction and symptoms do not integrate the complex pathological changes occurring within the lung and they do not define different airway inflammatory patterns. The current management of COPD is based on ‘one size fits all’ approach and does not take the importance of heterogeneity in COPD population into account. The available treatments aim to alleviate symptoms and reduce exacerbation frequency but do not alter the course of the disease. Recent advances in molecular biology have furthered our understanding of inflammatory pathways in pathogenesis of COPD and have led to development of targeted therapies (biologics and small molecules) based on predefined biomarkers. Herein we shall review the trials of biologics in COPD and potential future drug developments in the field.
Alcohol-Related Injuries Among Eastern Croatian University Students

ABSTRACT The aim of this study was to describe the alcohol consumption patterns and to identify the association of injury with excess drinking among Croatian students. This cross-sectional study was conducted among 845 university students by the use of the WHO AUDIT questionnaire. A total of 39.9% of the university students reported some level of excess drinking and 21.3% reported that injury to themselves or others occurred as a result of their alcohol use. Conclusively, these results demonstrate a significant need for comprehensive programs to reduce alcohol intake and associated alcohol problems, as well as programs to reduce injuries among Croatian university students.
Pattern Does Not Equal Process: What Does Patch Occupancy Really Tell Us about Metapopulation Dynamics?

Patch occupancy surveys are commonly used to parameterize metapopulation models. If isolation predicts patch occupancy, this is generally attributed to a balance between distance‐dependent recolonization and spatially independent extinctions. We investigated whether similar patterns could also be generated by a process of spatially correlated extinctions following a unique colonization event (analogous to nonequilibrium processes in island biogeography). We simulated effects of spatially correlated extinctions on patterns of patch occupancy among pikas (Ochotona princeps) at Bodie, California, using randomly located extinction disks to represent the likely effects of predation. Our simulations produced similar patterns to those cited as evidence of balanced metapopulation dynamics. Simulations using a variety of disk sizes and patch configurations confirmed that our results are potentially applicable to a broad range of species and sites. Analyses of the observed patterns of patch occupancy at Bodie revealed little evidence of rescue effects and strong evidence that most recolonizations are ephemeral in nature. Persistence will be overestimated if static or declining patterns of patch occupancy are mistakenly attributed to dynamically stable metapopulation processes. Consequently, simple patch occupancy surveys should not be considered as substitutes for detailed experimental tests of hypothesized population processes, particularly when conservation concerns are involved.
Retrieval-Induced Forgetting and Context

Retrieving information can result in the forgetting of related information, a phenomenon referred to as retrieval-induced forgetting (RIF). To date, the dominant explanation of RIF has been an inhibition account, which emphasizes long-term suppression of interfering memories. As one alternative, some have advocated for a strength-based interference account, which emphasizes the role of strengthening associations. More recently, we have proposed a context account, which emphasizes the role of context change and context reinstatement. In this article, we outline these three accounts of RIF and demonstrate that there is substantial evidence that uniquely supports our context account.
Dispersal as a source of variation in age-specific reproductive strategies in a wild population of lizards

Dispersal syndromes describe the patterns of covariation of morphological, behavioural, and life-history traits associated with dispersal. Studying dispersal syndromes is critical to understanding the demographic and genetic consequences of movements. Among studies describing the association of life-history traits with dispersal, there is anecdotal evidence suggesting that dispersal syndromes can vary with age. Recent theory also suggests that dispersive and philopatric individuals might have different age-specific reproductive efforts. In a wild population of the common lizard (Zootoca vivipara), we investigated whether dispersive and philopatric individuals have different age-specific reproductive effort, survival, offspring body condition, and offspring sex ratio. Consistent with theoretical predictions, we found that young dispersive females have a higher reproductive effort than young philopatric females. Our results also suggest that the early high investment in reproduction of dispersive females trades-off with an earlier onset of senescence than in philopatric females. We further found that young dispersive females produce smaller offspring in lower body condition than do young philopatric females. Overall, our results provide empirical evidence that dispersive and philopatric individuals have different age-specific life-history traits.
Transfusion‐Associated Sepsis Caused by Candida parapsilosis

Background and Objectives : The contamination of blood components by bacteria is an adverse event, which, although very uncommon, has an exceptionally high mortality rate. Case Report: A patient suffering from terminal adenocarcinoma of the ovary received a red blood cell unit. During the transfusion, the patient developed fever. Cultures of both the patient's blood and the blood unit were done, and she was treated with antibiotics. Forty‐eight and seventy‐two hours after the transfusion, Candida parapsilosis grew in the blood cultures of the red blood cell bag and of the patient. The infection was controlled with amphotericin. The patient died from cancer progression. Conclusion: We describe the first case of transfusion‐associated sepsis caused by C. parapsilosis.
Energy harvesting study on single and multilayer ferroelectret foams under compressive force

Cellular polypropylene (PP) ferro electret is a thin and flexible cellular polymer foam that generates electrical power under mechanical force. This work investigates single and multilayer ferro electret PP foams and their potential to supply energy for human-body-worn sensors. Human foot-fall is emulated using an electrodynamic instrument, allowing applied compressive force and momentum to be correlated with energy output. Peak power, output pulse duration, and energy per strike is derived experimentally as a function of force and momentum, and shown to be a strong function of external load resistance, thus providing a clear maximum energy point. The possibility of increasing pulse time and reducing voltage to CMOS compatible levels at some expense of peak power is shown. To further increase the output power, multilayer ferro electret is presented. The synchronized power generation of each layer is studied and illustrated using simulation, and results are supported by experiments. Finally, the energy output of single-layer and multi-layer ferro electrets are compared by charging a capacitor via a rectifier. A ten-layer ferro electret is shown to have charging ability 29.1 times better than that of the single-layer ferro electret. It demonstrates energy output that is capable of powering the start-up and transmission of a typical low-power wireless sensor chipset.
Long term treatment of Huntington disease with L‐glutamate and pyridoxine

Decreased levels of gamma aminobutyric acid (GABA) and its synthetic enzyme, glutamic acid decarboxylase, have been found in the brains of patients with Huntington disease. In an attempt to augment GABA-mediated neurotransmission, daily doses of 25 gm of L-glutamate (the substrate for glutamic acid decarboxylase) and 500 mg of pyridoxine, its cofactor, were given to five patients with Huntington disease. This regimen was continued for 2 years. Assessment of motor and behavioral function indicated no improvement on this regimen.
JRF Adult and Tertiary Education and Poverty

The report is an examination of the research evidence on how and how far adult andtertiary education can lift poor young people and adults out of poverty. In undertaking this review the authors were guided by JRF? s definition of poverty as a general lack of sufficient material resources for young people and adults to meet their needs. In addition, the report recognises that access to material resources is influenced by complex power dynamics that reflect aspects of young people? s and adults? agency ? that is, what they feel they can do (alone or with others), and what is under their control. It is also about those factors that appear to constrain that agency, that are beyond their control and that reflect the structuring influencesof society more generally. The report also recognises that poverty manifests itselfin the context of a complex web of social characteristics ? gender, ethnicity, disability.and sexual orientation in particular ? whichcan act to moderate or to worsen the effectsof poverty.
The effect of photoreceptor coupling and synapse nonlinearity on signal : noise ratio in early visual processing

Electrical coupling of vertebrate photoreceptors is well known to improve the signal: noise ratio in the photoreceptor layer for large - area stimuli. For example, if N photoreceptors are perfectly coupled to each other, the signal: noise ratio is improved for stimuli illuminating more than a number M = √N of the receptors but is made worse for small-area stimuli illuminating less than M of the N receptors. Using the model of Lamb & Simon (J. Physiol., Lond. 263, 257 (1976)), which treats the photoreceptor layer as a square array of cells, each coupled through a resistive gap junction to the four cells around it, we show that the signal: noise ratio for small-area stimuli is much greater than would be expected from a model in which receptors are assumed to be perfectly coupled. Contrary to predictions made assuming perfect coupling, receptor coupling should not prevent rods from detecting single photons, but whether the single photon signal can be detected at the bipolar cell level depends on how signals are read out of the receptor layer. The signal: noise ratio in bipolar cells postsynaptic to the photo receptor layer is determined partly by synaptic convergence and non-linearity in synaptic transmission from receptors. If the synaptic gain decreases with light-induced receptor hyperpolarization, as is found experimentally, then receptor coupling can improve the postsynaptic signal: noise ratio for stimuli illuminating only one receptor, even though coupling decreases the presynaptic signal: noise ratio for such stimuli. Moreover, increasing the number of coupled receptors projecting to a bipolar cell can improve the signal: noise ratio for localized stimuli if the synapse is sufficiently nonlinear (although, for the degree of nonlinearity seen in lower vertebrates, synaptic convergence makes the ratio worse for the single photon event). The fact that receptor coupling and synaptic convergence can, under some circumstances, improve the signal: noise ratio in bipolar cells suggests a principle of retinal design that may compete with the requirements of high spatial resolution.
Kainate Seizures Cause Acute Dendritic Injury and Actin Depolymerization In Vivo

Seizures may cause brain injury via a variety of mechanisms, potentially contributing to cognitive deficits in epilepsy patients. Although seizures induce neuronal death in some situations, they may also have “nonlethal” pathophysiological effects on neuronal structure and function, such as modifying dendritic morphology. Previous studies involving conventional fixed tissue analysis have demonstrated a chronic loss of dendritic spines after seizures in animal models and human tissue. More recently, in vivo time-lapse imaging methods have been used to monitor acute changes in spines directly during seizures, but documented spine loss only under severe conditions. Here, we examined effects of secondary generalized seizures induced by kainate, on dendritic structure of neocortical neurons using multiphoton imaging in live mice in vivo and investigated molecular mechanisms mediating these structural changes. Higher-stage kainate-induced seizures caused dramatic dendritic beading and loss of spines within minutes, in the absence of neuronal death or changes in systemic oxygenation. Although the dendritic beading improved rapidly after the seizures, the spine loss recovered only partially over a 24 h period. Kainate seizures also resulted in activation of the actin-depolymerizing factor, cofilin, and a corresponding decrease in filamentous actin, indicating that depolymerization of actin may mediate the morphological dendritic changes. Finally, an inhibitor of the calcium-dependent phosphatase, calcineurin, antagonized the effects of seizures on cofilin activation and spine morphology. These dramatic in vivo findings demonstrate that seizures produce acute dendritic injury in neocortical neurons via calcineurin-dependent regulation of the actin cytoskeleton, suggesting novel therapeutic targets for preventing seizure-induced brain injury.
Early detection of pulmonary arterial hypertension in systemic sclerosis: a French nationwide prospective multicenter study.

OBJECTIVE Screening allows for early management of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH), a severe complication of systemic sclerosis (SSc). Since no consensus has been reached on the method and criteria for optimal screening, we sought to develop an algorithm based on symptoms, Doppler echocardiography, and right heart catheterization (RHC) for application to a nationwide multicenter SSc population in France. METHODS This prospective study was conducted from September 2002 to July 2003 by experts at 21 SSc centers. At each center, SSc patients without severe pulmonary function abnormalities underwent Doppler echocardiography by an experienced cardiologist. Patients with a peak velocity of tricuspid regurgitation (VTR) of >3 meters/second or 2.5-3 meters/second with unexplained dyspnea were asked to undergo RHC to confirm PAH according to international guidelines. RESULTS Of the 599 patients analyzed, 29 had known PAH and 33 had suspected PAH, based on Doppler echocardiography, and underwent RHC. Of these 33, 18 were found to have PAH, 3 had left ventricular dysfunction, and 12 had no PAH. Newly diagnosed cases of PAH were of mild severity (mean +/- SD pulmonary artery pressure [mPAP] 30 +/- 9 mm Hg, mean +/- SD total pulmonary resistance [TPR] 524 +/- 382 dynes x second/cm(5)). Hemodynamic findings in patients with known PAH were mPAP 49 +/- 17 mm Hg and TPR 1,007 +/- 615 dynes x second/cm(5). The estimate of PAH prevalence was 7.85% (95% confidence interval 5.70-10.00). CONCLUSION This screening algorithm, based on dyspnea, Doppler echocardiographic evaluation of VTR, and RHC, enabled early detection of PAH at a mild stage. Whether mild PAH will evolve to severe PAH in reported cases and whether this early diagnosis translates into improved prognosis for patients with mild PAH will be evaluated in the ongoing 3-year followup of this cohort.
THE UNITARY BOARD: FACT OR FICTION?

A recent consultation process in the UK produced strong support for the concept of the unitary board. Many respondents in this process connected the concept of the unitary board with the principle that all directors should have the same legal responsibilities or duties. This article explores the legal responsibilities of UK executive and non-executive directors and in doing so exposes the gap between the concept of the unitary board and the messy reality of the courts’ treatments of specific non-executive scenarios. It also identifies a change in the language used to describe UK boards. Previously the unitary board, comprising executive and non-executive directors, had been described as a team. The most recent rhetoric is of a “partnership” between the executive and non-executive directors. This shift could signal the end of the unitary board.
An optical packet compressor based on a fiber delay loop

We propose an optical packet compressor based on a fiber delay loop and demonstrate its feasibility for an all optical inter-local area network (LAN) TDM network. The proposed scheme requires only a few devices for compression operation and only one delay line to obtain the desired compression ratio. The calculated optical signal-to-noise ratio of the compressed packet with 1-nm bandwidth is more than 20 dB when the number of the compressed bits is less than 100. Compression of 25-MHz 10-bit packet to 5 GHz is experimentally demonstrated.