Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Combined Triaxial Accelerometry and Heart Rate Telemetry for the Physiological Characterization of Latin Dance in Non-Professional Adults

The purpose of this study was to value calibrate, cross-validate, and determine the reliability of a combined triaxial accelerometry and heart rate telemetry technique for characterizing the physiological and physical activity parameters of Latin dance. Twenty-two non-professional adult Latin dancers attended two laboratory-based dance trials each. After familiarization and a standardized warm-up, a multi-stage (3 x 5-minute) incremental (based on song tempo) Afro-Cuban salsa choreography was performed while following a video displayed on a projection screen. Data were collected with a portable indirect calorimeter, a heart rate telemeter, and wrist-, hip-, and ankle-mounted ActiGraph GT3X+ accelerometers. Prediction equations for energy expenditure and step count were value calibrated using forced entry multiple regression and cross-validated using a delete-one jackknife approach with additional Bland-Altman analysis. The average dance intensity reached 6.09 ± 0.96 kcal/ kg/h and demanded 45.9 ± 11.3% of the heart rate reserve. Predictive ability of the derived models was satisfactory, where R2 = 0.80; SEE = 0.44 kcal/kg/h and R2 = 0.74; SEE = 3 step/min for energy expenditure and step count, respectively. Dependent t-tests indicated no differences between predicted and measured values for both energy expenditure (t65 = -0.25, p = 0.80) and step count (t65 = -0.89, p = 0.38). The 95% limits of agreement for energy expenditure and step count were -0.98 to 0.95 kcal/kg/h and -7 to 7 step/min, respectively. Latin dance to salsa music elicits physiological responses representative of moderate to vigorous physical activity, and a wrist-worn accelerometer with simultaneous heart rate measurement constitutes a valid and reliable technique for the prediction of energy expenditure and step count during Latin dance.
Impact of recent reforms in Austria on utilization and expenditure of PPIs and lipid-lowering drugs: implications for the future

Aim: To assess the impact of a plethora of reforms and initiatives introduced in Austria since 2002 on the actual utilization and expenditure of proton pump inhibitors and statins. Methods: Utilization of dispensed prescriptions in ambulatory care was captured from 2001 to 2007 using defined daily doses (DDD) as well as DDDs/1000 inhabitants/day for patients covered by the social health insurance system. The data were provided by the internal data warehouse of Hauptverband der Österreichischen Sozialversicherungsträger. Total costs in Euros were used for the analysis from the payer’s perspective. Results: The reduction in the expenditure per DDD for both generic PPIs and statins was generally in line with expectations at over 60% of originator prices before multiple sources became available. There was also increased utilization of generics following the range of demand-side initiatives. This was 89.5% for generic omeprazole versus total omeprazole and 95.1% for generic simvastatin versus total simvastatin by the end of 2007. The utilization of atorvastatin fell substantially from 36.5% of all statins in 2002 to 10.7% by the end of 2007 following restrictions on its prescribing to patients not achieving target lipid levels with, for instance, generic simvastatin. The combined initiatives reduced expenditure per DDD for the PPIs and the statins by 41 and 60%, respectively, in 2007 versus 2001 levels. This reduction translated into lower expenditure for the statins in 2007 versus 2001 despite substantially increased utilization. Conclusion: The results provide examples to other European countries, especially the restrictions on atorvastatin utilization. Nevertheless, further initiatives will be needed to conserve resources as utilization rates grow in chronic disease areas. This includes potential lessons from other European countries.
Role of fixed combinations in the management of open-angle glaucoma

The first-line option for lowering intraocular pressure (IOP) is a single hypotensive agent, but patients frequently require additional IOP-lowering agents to reach their target pressures. Disadvantages of this multi-therapy approach include washout effect, inconvenience and poor adherence. Fixed combinations (FCs) combine two or more hypotensive agents in a single bottle, providing a convenient once-daily therapy, which tends to improve adherence. FCs generally offer equivalent efficacy to concomitant use of the individual components, with equivalent or superior tolerability. Studies also show that FCs can be more cost effective than nonfixed combinations. In terms of optimizing IOP control, minimizing visual field deterioration, preventing visual disability and minimizing associated healthcare costs, FCs are an important component of glaucoma management.
Measuring and Monitoring Animal Welfare: Transparency in the Food Product Quality Chain

Animal welfare is of increasing significance for European consumers and citizens. Previously, agricultural production focused mainly on supply, price and competition but consumers now expect their food to be produced and processed with greater respect for the welfare of the animals. Food quality is therefore determined by the welfare status of the animals from which it was produced as well as the nature and safety of the end product. Thus, practical welfare improvement strategies and reliable on-farm monitoring systems for assessing the animals’ welfare status and evaluating potential risks are urgently required to accommodate societal concerns and market demands. It is also of paramount importance to define the kind of information that consumers want about the final products and to develop effective strategies for communicating welfare standards to the public. Generating an intensified dialogue with all factions of society on welfare issues as well as appropriate labelling of animal products and farming systems that offer guarantees about welfare issues and production conditions will, in turn, promote transparency and the societal sustainability of European agriculture. Welfare is multidimensional. It cannot be measured directly but only inferred from external parameters. Therefore, the integration of the most appropriate specialist expertise in Europe is essential to develop, refine, standardise and intercalibrate welfare monitoring systems and to identify and validate remedial measures. We must establish a European standard for welfare assessment systems in order to facilitate intra-European trade and marketing. Only then can we harmonise labelling that is informative and relevant to all European consumers.
Moment shadow mapping

We present moment shadow mapping, a novel technique for fast, filtered hard shadows. Like variance shadow mapping it allows for the application of all kinds of efficient texture filtering and antialiasing to its moment shadow map. However it is designed to provide a substantially higher quality. Moment shadow maps store four moments of the depth within the filter kernel. Using this information, our efficient algorithm computes the sharpest possible lower bound as approximation to the shadow intensity. The choice to compute such a bound using four moments is based upon an automated evaluation of thousands of alternatives and thus known to be optimal. To reduce memory and bandwidth requirements we present an optimized quantization scheme to allow 16-bit quantization of moment shadow maps. Our evaluation demonstrates that moment shadow mapping produces high quality results with a single shadow map sample per fragment using 64 bits per shadow map texel.
A Controlled Study of the Effects of Tonsillectomy and Adenoidectomy in Children

Inthepast, tonsillectomy hasbeenregarded asa proper procedure torelieve avariety ofillnesses, of whichthemostgenerally accepted wererecurrent throat infections. ItwasshownbyGlover (1948, 1950) that there wasalarge geographical andsocial variation inthefrequency ofoperation. Although this mayhave been duetodifferences inneed, itis morelikely that itwasduetodifferent standards of assessment oftheneed. Itiswidely accepted that theoperation hasgood results, butthisopinion isbasedon indefinite criteria. Kaiser (1931, 1940) showed areduction in tonsillitis andsorethroat foraperiod of10years fromoperation, andareduction incolds andotitis mediaforthefirst 3years. Epstein (1937) found that thebest results ofoperation wereobtained inchildrenwhohadcervical adenitis andthat there wasonly aslight improvement in-those presenting withrecurrentheadcolds. Godwin(1953), Walker(1953), Johnston andWatkins, (1954), andLeRiche and Stiver (1957) showeda benefit fromremoval of tonsils. Theseresults havenotbeenconfirmed by Merts(1954), McCorkle, Hodges, Badger, Dingle, andJordan (1955), orintheearlier investigation into "Epidemics inSchools" (M.R.C., 1938) sponsored bytheMedical Research Council; these workers foundnoreal difference intheincidence ofrespiratoryinfections inchildren whether theyhadundergonetonsillectomy ornot.Attheother extreme, Paton(1943) foundthattonsillectomy wasresponsible foranoverall increase inrespiratory illness in girls. Illingworth (1950) suggested someofthe sources oferror inthese studies whichcould explain theinconsistency oftheir findings. Meanwhile the operation isperformed widely despite theopinions expressed bythose whoquestion thevalue ofan operation toremedy acondition which isinanycase
Evaluation of serum lipoprotein (a) in young patients with myocardial infarction

Context: Indians are prone as a community to coronary artery disease (CAD) at a much younger age. CAD is affecting Indians 5-10 years earlier than other communities. Lipoprotein (a) (Lp (a)) is now recognized as an independent risk factor for CAD. It is a genetic risk factor. Aim: We evaluate the Lp (a) in young patients with myocardial infarction (MI). Settings and design: Study population consisted of 50 patients having MI and 50 control groups. Subjects and Methods: Fasting samples were collected from patients and were analyzed for Lp (a), lipid profile, and blood sugar on fully automated analyzer. Statistical analysis used: Statistical analysis is carried out by using Student's t -test. Results: The difference in total cholesterol ( P = 0.8192), high density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-C) ( P = 0.11), low density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C) ( P = 0.8143), triglyceride ( P = 0.1177) levels, and total cholesterol/HDL-cholesterol ratio ( P = 0.2129) were observed between the case and control groups in this study was not statistically significant. The difference in the Lp (a) levels between the case and control groups was highly significant ( P -value = 0.0001). Conclusions: This study demonstrated that in young patients with MI there was a male predominance. Lp (a) level is an important and independent risk factor for CAD. Serum Lp (a) level is not dependent on serum total cholesterol level.
Donation after circulatory death

With the advent of organ transplantation, patients suffering from end-stage organ failure no longer face inevitable death or a lifetime of complex medical care and those receiving a transplanted organ can often return to a normal lifestyle. As a result of this success, coupled with an ageing population, there are increasing numbers of patients seeking organ transplantation. However, the advances in transplant medicine have brought about a demand which has outstripped the availability of organs. There are currently around 8000 people listed as waiting for an organ transplant in the UK but less than half that number received a transplant last year. Current trends show that as demand for organ transplants increases, the actual numbers of organs available have decreased. Additional measures are necessary to meet this deficit. One such measure is donation after circulatory death (DCD) and this article will explore some of the associated practical challenges.
Physical Activity, Adiposity, and Obesity among Adolescents

This review examines the evidence that the level of physical activity (PA) or total energy expenditure during adolescence affects body adiposity in the obese and nonobese adolescent population. Several cross-sectional studies suggested that obese children were less physically active than their nonobese peers, but there was no consistent difference in the total energy expenditure. The likelihood that infants of obese mothers become obese at age 1 year is greater if their total energy expenditure (using the doubly labeled water technique) is lower at age 3 months. Many interventional studies in the general adolescent population show a small (1-3% body fat) reduction in adiposity as a result of physical training. It appears, though, that programs longer than one year are more efficacious than shorter programs. Lifestyle activities (e.g., walking to and from school) appear to have a more lasting effect than regimented activities (e.g., calisthenics or jogging).
A Comparison of the Efficacy and Tolerability of Lornoxicam and Diclofenac Sodium in Patients with Acute Postoperative Pain after Spinal Surgery

Spinal fusion surgery causes severe postoperative pain, hampering reconvalescense. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are used in the management of postoperative pain to avoid the adverse effects associated with opioids. Lornoxicam use is increasing for postoperative pain management. However, lornoxicam has not been studied for use in pain management after spinal surgery. In the present study, analgesic efficacy and tolerability of lornoxicam and diclofenac sodium were compared in post operative spinal surgery patients. This single blinded, randomized, prospective comparative study of lornoxicam (8 mg) versus diclofenac (75 mg) was conducted at Stavya Spine Hospital, Ahmedabad, Gujarat. 47 patients were enrolled in the study. After spinal surgery, 23 patients received diclofenac sodium and 24 patients received lornoxicam. Pain were assessed at baseline (0 min), 15 mins, 30 mins, 45 mins, 60 mins, 90 mins, 120 mins, 180 mins, 240 mins, 300 mins, and 360 mins by visual analog scale of 10 points. Adverse events were recorded for both groups. Laboratory safety parameters were measured before and after 24 hrs of surgery. The pain relief score were significantly (<0.001) reduced at measured time points as compared to baseline for both groups. However, difference (p< 0.05) between lornoxicam and diclofenac treated groups for pain relief score were found only at 30 mins and 300 mins after drug administration. Lornoxicam has slightly greater efficacy than diclofenac in acute post operative pain with similar tolerability and safety. Thus, lornoxicam is a better alternative for diclofenac in acute post operative after spinal surgery.
The physical basis of ventilator-induced lung injury

Although mechanical ventilation (MV) is a life-saving intervention for patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), it can aggravate or cause lung injury, known as ventilator-induced lung injury (VILI). The biophysical characteristics of heterogeneously injured ARDS lungs increase the parenchymal stress associated with breathing, which is further aggravated by MV. Cells, in particular those lining the capillaries, airways and alveoli, transform this strain into chemical signals (mechanotransduction). The interaction of reparative and injurious mechanotransductive pathways leads to VILI. Several attempts have been made to identify clinical surrogate measures of lung stress/strain (e.g., density changes in chest computed tomography, lower and upper inflection points of the pressure–volume curve, plateau pressure and inflammatory cytokine levels) that could be used to titrate MV. However, uncertainty about the topographical distribution of stress relative to that of the susceptibility of the cells and tissues to injury makes the existence of a single ‘global’ stress/strain injury threshold doubtful.
Impotence and its medical and psychosocial correlates: results of the Massachusetts Male Aging Study

In the late 1980s, the Massachusetts Male Aging Study (MMAS) revealed that in a healthy New England population, 52% of men aged 40–70 had impotence to some degree. Age was the main associated variable, with complete impotence rising from 5% at 40 years to 15% at 70 years. However, multiple, additional correlates were identified, including chronic diseases and potentially modifiable para-aging phenomena such as cardiovascular risk factors.
Influenza in immunocompromised patients: considerations for therapy

Influenza infection results in substantial morbidity and mortality in immunocompromised patients, and the risks for influenza and its related complications depend on the degree of immunosuppression. In addition to influenza vaccination and infection control precautions, two classes of antiviral drugs are currently approved for treatment and prophylaxis in uncomplicated infected patients. However, there are no randomized controlled trials assessing the efficacy and safety of licensed antivirals for influenza management in immunocompromised patients. The purpose of this article is to highlight some considerations for therapy in immunocompromised patients, the usefulness of vaccination for the prevention of influenza and the clinical interest in surveillance of antiviral resistance.
Extrapulmonary comorbidities in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: state of the art

Extrapulmonary comorbidities are common and significant in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), often contributing to symptoms, exacerbations, hospital admissions and mortality. Cardiovascular, musculoskeletal and psychological conditions are among the most prevalent and important of these. In particular, ischemic heart disease is a leading cause of death in the COPD population as a whole. Here, we provide a state-of-the-art summary of key comorbidities observed in COPD patients in terms of their prevalence, impact, pathophysiology and prognosis. In addition, we review clinical, diagnostic and management strategies that may differ in COPD patients from the rest of the population.
The emerging phenomenon of electronic cigarettes

The need for novel and more effective approaches to tobacco control is unquestionable. The electronic cigarette is a battery-powered electronic nicotine delivery system that looks very similar to a conventional cigarette and is capable of emulating smoking, but without the combustion products accountable for smoking’s damaging effects. Smokers who decide to switch to electronic cigarettes instead of continuing to smoke would achieve large health gains. The electronic cigarette is an emerging phenomenon that is becoming increasingly popular with smokers worldwide. Users report buying them to help quit smoking, to reduce cigarette consumption, to relieve tobacco withdrawal symptoms due to workplace smoking restrictions and to continue to have a ‘smoking’ experience but with reduced health risks. The focus of the present article is the health effects of using electronic cigarettes, with consideration given to the acceptability, safety and effectiveness of this product to serve as a long-term substitute for smoking or as a tool for smoking cessation.
Immune, inflammatory and infectious consequences of estrogen in women with cystic fibrosis

Cystic fibrosis (CF), a multisystem genetic disease with predominantly pulmonary manifestations, occurs due to defective chloride secretion at epithelial surfaces. This along with the associated sodium hyperabsorption leads to mucus hypersecretion, compromised mucociliary clearance and pathogenic colonization by, among others, Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. This sequence of events leads to recurrent infection and persistent chronic neutrophilic inflammation causing airway damage, irreversible bronchiectasis, respiratory failure and death.
Recent advances in α-1-antitrypsin deficiency-related lung disease

α-1-antitrypsin deficiency (A1ATD) is an under-recognized hereditary disorder associated with the premature onset of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. There is considerable heterogeneity in the phenotypic expression of lung disease in A1ATD and the pathophysiology is complex, involving the interaction of multiple pathways. Other genetic factors that may contribute to emphysema risk in A1AT-deficient individuals are beginning to be identified. Methods of monitoring disease progression have evolved, including the use of computed tomography densitometry and biomarkers of disease activity. Progress in the development of novel treatment strategies continues, including the hope for a potential cure through the use of gene therapies. In this article, the authors review the recent advances in this field and outline potential future directions of research in A1ATD.
Recent advances in understanding inflammation and remodeling in the airways in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

The authors have reviewed the current literature on airway inflammation and remodeling in smoking-related chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Detailed data on airway remodeling in COPD are especially sparse and how these changes lead to decline in lung function is not well understood. Small airway fibrosis and obliteration are likely to be the main contributors to physiological airway dysfunction and occur earlier than any subsequent development of emphysema. One potential mechanism contributing to small airway fibrosis/obliteration and change in extracellular matrix is epithelial–mesenchymal transition. When associated with angiogenesis (so-called epithelial–mesenchymal transition type 3) it may well also be the link with the development of cancer, which is closely associated with COPD, predominantly in large airways. The authors have focused on our recent publications in these areas. Further investigations teasing out these mechanisms will help improve our understanding of key airway disease processes in COPD, which may have major therapeutic implications.
Analysis of learners' study logs: mouse trajectories to identify the occurrence of hesitation in solving word-reordering problems

In this paper, we describe a Web application we have been developing in order to help both teachers and learners notice the crucial aspects of solving word-reordering problems (WRPs). Also, we discuss ways to analyze the recorded mouse trajectories, response time, and drag and drop (D&D) logs, because these records are potential indicators of the degree of learners' understanding.
Chinchilla as a robust, reproducible and polymicrobial model of otitis media and its prevention

There is compelling evidence that many infectious diseases of humans are caused by more than one microorganism. Multiple diverse in vitro systems have been used to study these complex diseases, and although the data generated have contributed greatly to our understanding of diseases of mixed microbial etiology, having rigorous, reproducible and relevant animal models of human diseases are essential for the development of novel methods to treat or prevent them. All animal models have inherent limitations; however, they also have important advantages over in vitro methods, including the presence of organized organ systems and an intact immune system, which promote our ability to characterize the pathogenesis of, and the immune response to, sequential or coinfecting microorganisms. For the highly prevalent pediatric disease otitis media, or middle-ear infection, the chinchilla (Chinchilla lanigera) has served as a gold-standard rodent host system in which to study this multifactorial and polymicrobial disease.