Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Refixation of the supraspinatus tendon in a rat model—influence of continuous growth factor application on tendon structure

The purpose was to evaluate histological changes of the supraspinatus tendon (SSP) after refixation under continuous growth factor application over 20 days in comparison to the native healing process. In a chronic rat tendon tear model (15 rats/group), a transosseous SSP refixation was performed and growth factors (control, G‐CSF, b‐FGF, combination) were continuously released into the subacromial space by an osmotic pump. Tendon healing was evaluated histologically by a modified MOVIN‐Score, and Collagen I/III content was determined by immunohistology at 6 weeks. A modified MOVIN sum score showed significant lower counts for G‐CSF and b‐FGF in comparison to the control group (p = 0.050/p = 0.027) and the combined group (p = 0.050/p = 0.043). Collagen III was significantly reduced in the combined group compared to the control group (p = 0.028). Collagen I showed no significant differences. The Collagen I/III ratio was nearly doubled for b‐FGF and the combined group compared to the control. At the study endpoint, 33% of pump dislocations were detected. The continuous application of both isolated growth factors (G‐CSF/b‐FGF) achieved improved tendon‐remodeling. However, the continuous application via an osmotic pump showed a relative high dislocation rate when applied in the rat model. © 2012 Orthopaedic Research Society. Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Orthop Res 31: 300–305, 2013
Exploring Cruise Experiences, Satisfaction, and Loyalty: The Case of Aruba as a Small-Island Tourism Economy

ABSTRACT In light of increasing global competition amongst international cruise destinations; growing demand for cruise tourism; and the lack of empirical studies on the “real” destination experience, satisfaction, and intentions to return and recommend (i.e., cruise destination loyalty), the current study investigates cruise visitor satisfaction, cruise destination experience, and the resulting behavioral intention as it relates to the cruise destination of Aruba, Dutch Caribbean. Because of increased reliance of small island economies on cruise tourism receipts and visitor expenditures, cruise ports throughout the Caribbean are seeking ways to improve the quality of destination services and experiences. Results indicate that cruise visitors are satisfied with their visit to Aruba and that overall destination experience in addition to satisfaction, were found to be significant predictors of cruise visitor loyalty.
MDCT of the pancreas: optimizing scanning delay with a bolus-tracking technique for pancreatic, peripancreatic vascular, and hepatic contrast enhancement.

OBJECTIVE The purpose of this study was to determine the optimal MDCT scanning delay for peripancreatic arterial, pancreatic parenchymal, peripancreatic venous, and hepatic parenchymal contrast enhancement with a bolus-tracking technique. SUBJECTS AND METHODS Three-phase 8-MDCT of the pancreas was performed on 170 patients after administration of 2 mL/kg of 300 mg I/mL contrast medium injected at 4 mL/s to a total dose of 150 mL. Patients were prospectively randomized into three groups with different scanning delays for the three phases (arterial, pancreatic, and venous) after bolus tracking was triggered at 50 H of aortic contrast enhancement: group 1 (5, 20, 45 seconds); group 2 (10, 25, 50 seconds); and group 3 (15, 30, 55 seconds). Mean attenuation values of the abdominal aorta, superior mesenteric artery, pancreatic parenchyma, splenic vein, superior mesenteric vein, portal vein, and hepatic parenchyma were measured. Increases in attenuation values after contrast administration were assessed as change in attenuation value. Qualitative analysis also was performed. RESULTS Mean contrast enhancement in the aorta (change in attenuation, 321-327 H) and the superior mesenteric artery (change in attenuation, 304-307 H) approached peak enhancement 5-10 seconds after bolus tracking was triggered. Pancreatic parenchyma became most intensely enhanced (change in attenuation, 84-85 H) 15-20 seconds after triggering, and then the enhancement gradually decreased. Enhancement of the splenic vein and portal vein peaked 25 seconds and that of the superior mesenteric vein peaked 30 seconds after triggering. Liver parenchyma reached 52 H 30 seconds after triggering and reached a plateau (change in attenuation, 58-61 H) at a further scanning delay of 45-55 seconds. Qualitative results were in good agreement with quantitative results. CONCLUSION For the injection protocol used in this study, optimal scanning delay after triggering of bolus tracking at 50 H of aortic contrast enhancement was 5-10 seconds for the peripancreatic arterial phase, 15-20 seconds for the pancreatic parenchymal phase, and 45-55 seconds for the hepatic parenchymal phase.
Reforming Default Retirement Ages

The EU's ageing population is creating new challenges for employment law and social security systems. In particular, the use of mandatory retirement is coming under increased scrutiny as governments attempt to extend working lives. This article considers the extent to which the abolition of the national default retirement age in the UK has regulated out precariousness for older workers. Drawing on doctrinal analysis and empirical evidence, including surveys of employers and government workforce statistics, it examines the emerging impact of the legal reforms on the status and participation of older workers in the UK. It provides a critical examination of the role of mandatory retirement and similar age-specific employment regulations in constructing precariousness for older workers. While focused specifically on the situation in the UK, this article has broader repercussions for other EU Member States, particularly given current pressure across the EU to increase participation rates for, and improve the position of, older workers.
USAT: A Unified Score‐Based Association Test for Multiple Phenotype‐Genotype Analysis

Genome‐wide association studies (GWASs) for complex diseases often collect data on multiple correlated endo‐phenotypes. Multivariate analysis of these correlated phenotypes can improve the power to detect genetic variants. Multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) can perform such association analysis at a GWAS level, but the behavior of MANOVA under different trait models has not been carefully investigated. In this paper, we show that MANOVA is generally very powerful for detecting association but there are situations, such as when a genetic variant is associated with all the traits, where MANOVA may not have any detection power. In these situations, marginal model based methods, however, perform much better than multivariate methods. We investigate the behavior of MANOVA, both theoretically and using simulations, and derive the conditions where MANOVA loses power. Based on our findings, we propose a unified score‐based test statistic USAT that can perform better than MANOVA in such situations and nearly as well as MANOVA elsewhere. Our proposed test reports an approximate asymptotic P‐value for association and is computationally very efficient to implement at a GWAS level. We have studied through extensive simulations the performance of USAT, MANOVA, and other existing approaches and demonstrated the advantage of using the USAT approach to detect association between a genetic variant and multivariate phenotypes. We applied USAT to data from three correlated traits collected on 5, 816 Caucasian individuals from the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC, The ARIC Investigators [ ]) Study and detected some interesting associations.
Skin and Nipple-Areola Complex Sparing Mastectomy in Breast Cancer Patients: 15-Year Experience

AbstractSkin and nipple-areola complex sparing mastectomy (SNSM) and primary reconstruction have been popular for breast cancer treatment in the last decade. An advantage of the SNSM technique is the removal of all breast tissue as a radical surgical procedure while preserving native breast integrity, nipple-areola complex (NAC), and submammary fold. This retrospective 15-year clinical study analyzes medical records from our breast surgery database collected at our department between 1997 and 2012. A total number of 3757 patients were treated for breast cancer; 411 (10.9%) patients had a skin-sparing mastectomy with the median (range) length follow-up of 63 months. This is the longest follow-up for SNSM in breast cancer patients; 3.7% of patients who underwent SNSM developed disease local recurrence, whereas occult NAC involvement with cancer occurred in 7.7% and local recurrence in the NAC in 1.2%. Partial necrosis of the NAC developed in 9.4% and total necrosis in 0.7% of operated breasts. All disease recurrences occurred in the first 10 years of the follow-up period. Local recurrence developed as first recurrence event has longer median cancer-specific survival time of 70 months than those with only distant metastases with 50 months and locoregional plus distant metastases with 35.5 months. The “Omega” pattern incision combines an oncological radical procedure with a lower incidence of skin flap necrosis. Patients reconstructed with autologous tissue were the group most satisfied. SNSM is an oncological safe procedure for breast cancer treatment with low recurrence in properly selected patients.
Financial Performance of Socially Responsible Indices

Abstract This article analyzes rate-of-return and risk related to investments in socially responsible and conventional country indices. The socially responsible indices are the DJSI Korea, DJSI US and Respect Index, and the corresponding conventional country indices are the Korea Stock Exchange Composite KOSPI, Dow Jones Industrial Average and WIG20TR. We conclude that investing in the analyzed SRI indices do not yield systematically better results than investing in the respective conventional indices, both in terms of neoclassical risk and return rate. This finding suggest that socially responsible investing should be assessed in terms of behavioral economics related to the psycho-social features of investors, rather than to simplified rational choices (based only on the risk and return rate analysis) that neoclassical economics assumes.
Hospital In-house Laboratories: Examining the External Environment

As hospitals fight for their portion of reimbursed health care expenditures, it will become increasingly necessary to investigate alternative funding mechanisms. In-house laboratories, which have likely been seen in the past as pure cost centers, can be repositioned to provide additional revenue to hospitals. This opportunity for in-house laboratories to be remade into profit centers is predicated upon a thorough understanding of the environmental factors affecting hospital laboratories. This article examines 4 distinct environmental factors: demographic and socioeconomic trends, reimbursement and financing, government policy, and clinical events. Each of these external environmental factors provides 2 broad sources of interest to hospitals and their in-house laboratory components: opportunities on which to capitalize and hazards against which to defend.
An alternative model for measuring the success of IS projects: the GPIS model

Purpose – Aims to present an alternative holistic measurement model, the general practitioner IS (GPIS) measurement model, which assists managers in determining the organisation's state of readiness prior to IS investment.Design/methodology/approach – The model is based on assessing four organisational key elements: IT infrastructure, processes, people and work environment.Findings – Presents a classification of the current IS success measurement approaches. The existing approaches were classified into three categories: product‐based, process‐based, and general maturity‐based. The paper highlighted their shortcomings and explained the need for an alternative holistic model to measure IS success in contributing to the business objectives. This has led to the development of a quick reference model “GPIS” to enable organisations to determine their current and required state of readiness for a particular IS project.Originality/value – The paper presents a novel categorisation of the literature in this field.
The impact of age on 6‐month survival in patients with cardiovascular risk factors undergoing elective non‐cardiac surgery

An increasing number of patients aged ≥ 70 years are presenting for elective non‐cardiac surgery. We undertook this study to: (i) compare the nature and distribution of cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors in an at risk population of patients aged ≥ 70 years undergoing elective surgery compared with a younger at risk cohort; and (ii) identify the impact of age and other risk factors on 6‐month survival. We conducted a prospective observational study of patients undergoing elective non‐cardiac surgery. A total of 1622 patients aged ≥ 40 years with recognised surgical or patient‐specific risk factors for CVD were identified. The patients were divided into two groups; group 1 (aged: 40–69 years) and group 2 (aged ≥ 70 years). Logistic regression was used to identify the factors associated with 6‐month mortality. Odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) are presented. In hospital, mortality was similar in both groups. However, 6‐month mortality in those aged ≥ 70 years was significantly higher (p = 0.001). Cardiovascular symptoms were significantly more common in group 2 (p < 0.001) as were cardiovascular‐related deaths (p = 0.04) at 6 months follow‐up. Preoperative cardiovascular preventative therapy was under prescribed in the elderly cohort. Factors independently associated with 6‐month mortality were aged ≥ 70 (OR = 3.57, 95% CI: 2.22–5.73), angina (OR = 2.0, 95% CI: 1.26–3.20), renal impairment (OR = 2.39, 95% CI: 1.17–4.89) also operation type and duration. Despite similar in‐hospital mortality, those aged ≥ 70 years had significantly higher 6‐month mortality than the younger surgical cohort. Cardiovascular deaths were significantly higher in patients aged ≥ 70 years. Effective identification and the management of cardiovascular risk factors may improve 6‐month survival.
Physical activity and incident asthma in adults: the HUNT Study, Norway

Objective We aimed to investigate the associations of physical activity and change in physical activity with incident asthma in a cohort of Norwegian adults. Design We conducted a prospective cohort study using data on self-reported physical activity from 3 waves of the Nord-Trøndelag Health Study. Physical activity was reported at the first and second surveys (1985–1986 and 1995–1997). Physical activity was defined from the second survey as inactive or active and the active group was further defined as very low, low, moderate and high. Change in physical activity was defined from the first and second surveys. Setting A large population-based health survey in Norway. Participants We followed 18 894 adults over 11 years who were free from asthma at baseline in 1995–1997. Outcome Incident asthma was reported in the third survey (2006–2008). Results The cumulative incidence of asthma was 3.6% over the 11 years. The adjusted OR for incident asthma among active participants compared with inactive participants was 0.95 (95% CI 0.69 to 1.34). The adjusted OR for those who were active in the first or second survey versus those who were inactive in both surveys was 0.64 (95% CI 0.34 to 1.38); however, this association was strongly attenuated in sensitivity analysis (OR 0.93, 95% CI 0.38 to 3.09). Conclusions We did not observe statistically significant associations of physical activity or change in physical activity with incident asthma in adults over the 11-year follow-up.
Immunogold Labeling of the Low‐Affinity (55 kd) IL2 Receptor on the Surface of IL2 Receptor‐Bearing Cultured Cells and Mitogen‐Activated Peripheral Blood Lymphocytes

Foreign antigens or mitogens initiate activation of T lymphocytes through antigen‐specific receptors. After antigen‐receptor interaction, T cells release a lymphotrophic hormone, Interleukin 2 (IL2), and high‐affinity IL2 receptors (IL2R) are progressively expressed on their surfaces. When evaluated under the scanning electron microscope after specific immunolabeling with colloidal gold markers, the density of expression of the 55 kd low‐affinity IL2 receptor (Tac) increases in a time‐dependent manner, reaching a maximum 72 hours after the onset of phytohemagglutinin (PHA) activation. In contrast, the number of cells expressing the 55 kd molecule reaches a maximum by 24 hours and remains constant through 72 hours. Immunogold labeling allows simultaneous determination of IL2 receptor density at the level of each individual cell and of the percentage of IL2 receptor‐positive cells in any cell population under study. The rank order of receptor expression on the surface of established culture cell lines correlates with results reported from other laboratories with immunofluorescence and Scatchard analysis of binding of radiolabeled IL2. Although at high density of receptor expression Immunogold labeling with 40 nm gold markers detects significantly fewer sites than radiolabeling, the method appears very sensitive in identifying low levels of expression. This results from 1) the extremely low non‐specific background of the immunogold labeling technique and 2) the analysis of single cells rather than cell populations. Our results indicate that 2 cell lines, reported as negative for the expression of the 55 kd IL2 receptor (YT2C2 and MLA144), express low numbers of this molecule as demonstrated by immunogold labeling.
Reflection on how clinical nursing supervision enhances nurses' experiences of well-being related to their psychosocial work environment.

AIM The aim of this study was to make a synthesis of three studies that deal with the following research question: 'How does clinical nursing supervision enhance nurses' experiences of well-being in relation to their psychosocial work environment? ' BACKGROUND Clinical nursing supervision is one way to support nurses in coping with their stressful work situation. METHOD A hermeneutic approach was used to reflect and interpret nurses' experiences of well-being in relation to clinical nursing supervision and psychosocial work environment. RESULTS The findings suggest that clinical nursing supervision has an influence on nurses' experiences of well-being and in relation to their psychosocial work environment. Nurses attending clinical nursing supervision reported increased satisfaction with their psychosocial work environment. CONCLUSIONS The significance of caring and nursing becomes evident when nurses realize and understand that clinical nursing supervision positively influences their existence and well-being. The value of work becomes clear when nurses reflect on themselves as professionals and as authentic human beings in clinical nursing supervision. This will lead to the emergence of self-recognition.
Hysteresis and Duration Dependence of Financial Crises in the US: Evidence from 1871-2016

This study analyses the duration dependence of events that trigger volatility persistence in stock markets. Such events, in our context, are monthly spells of contiguous price decline or negative returns for the SP this hazard then decays asymptotically to zero. Spells duration increase during recessions, when interest rate rises and when price declines are more intense. The main conclusion is that short spells of negative returns appear to be mainly frictional while long spells become structural and trigger hysteresis effects after an initial period of adjustment. Although in line with our expectations, these results may be of some importance for policy-makers.
An optimal design method of delta-sigma modulator for class-D audio amplifier

The class-D audio amplifer using delta-sigma(ΔΣ) modulation technique has been spotlighted recently. In order to obtain a high performance class-D amplifer, the order of the ΔΣ modulator needs to be higher as much as possible. However the design of high-order ΔΣ modulator is very difficult because of necessity of optimal parameter setting with keeping system stability. In this paper, we propose a new design algorithm that decides an optimal design solution, and guarantees the system stability. Our approach saves the design time of the ΔΣ modulator enormously compared with the conventional method.
The relation of lifetime reproduction to survivorship in women and men: A prospective study

The relation of lifetime reproduction to survivorship was investigated among 1,533 women and 1,230 men from Southern California who were born between 1880 and 1929. Analyses used the total group and two 25‐year birthyear subcohorts (1880–1904 and 1905–1929). Follow‐up for vital status was 100% and included 41,399 person‐years, from baseline (1972–1974) through mid‐1990. Cox proportional hazards analyses were adjusted for age, body mass index, estrogen use in women, and socioeconomic status. Alternate sets of analyses for each sex used reproduction coded dichotomously, and as a continuous variable. Parous women had significantly poorer survivorship than nulliparous women in the total group (P = 0.003) and among women born 1880–1904 (P = 0.02), but not among women born 1905–1929 (P = 0.08). Analyses using number of biological children showed significantly poorer maternal survivorship “per child ever born” among the total group of women (P = 0.04) and among women born 1880–1904 (P = 0.01), but not among women born 1905–1929 (P = 0.96). Further analyses confirmed that women's risk per child tended to increase with maternal age. Equivalent sets of analyses for men showed no relationship between reproduction and survivorship. The survivorship differences between women's birthyear subcohorts may be due to secular trends or age‐specific disease patterns. Study findings tend to support the latter, and suggest that childbearing may increase or accelerate women's mortality from certain diseases which occur late in life, and that risk may increase with age. © 1996 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Fabrication of long-period gratings in micro-structure specialty fiber with random holes in cladding

We demonstrated experimentally the fabrication of the long-period fiber gratings (LPFGs) in the micro-structure fiber under external tension with high repeatability by CO2 laser. The micro-structure specialty fiber consists of a germania-doped core and a pure silica cladding with a nano-engineered ring that includes non-periodical nanometer-sized gas filled voids. The characteristics of grating growth were studied by using the dynamic analysis of laser writing process. It can be believed that the residual stress relaxation and frozen of the non-uniformed external stress account for the formation of LPFG.