Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Prospective study of the incidence of contrast-induced nephropathy among patients evaluated for pulmonary embolism by contrast-enhanced computed tomography.

OBJECTIVES Contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CECT) of the pulmonary arteries (CTPA) has become the mainstay to evaluate patients with suspected pulmonary embolism (PE) and is one of the most common CECT imaging studies performed in the emergency department (ED). While contrast-induced nephropathy (CIN) is a known complication, this risk is not well defined in the ED or other ambulatory setting. The aim of this study was to define the risk of CIN following CTPA. METHODS The authors enrolled and followed a prospective, consecutive cohort (June 2007 through January 2009) of patients who received intravenous (IV) contrast for CTPA in the ED of a large, academic tertiary care center. Study outcomes included 1) CIN defined as an increase in serum creatinine (sCr) of ≥ 0.5 mg/dL or ≥ 25%, 2 to 7 days following contrast administration; and 2) severe renal failure defined as an increase in sCr to ≥ 3.0 mg/dL or the need for dialysis within 45 days and/or renal failure as a contributing cause of death at 45 days, determined by the consensus of three independent physicians. RESULTS A total of 174 patients underwent CTPA, which demonstrated acute PE in 12 (7%, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 3% to 12%). Twenty-five patients developed CIN (14%, 95% CI = 10% to 20%) including one with acute PE. The development of CIN after CTPA significantly increased the risk of the composite outcome of severe renal failure or death from renal failure within 45 days (relative risk = 36, 95% CI = 3 to 384). No severe adverse outcomes were directly attributable to complications of venous thromboembolism (VTE) or its treatment. CONCLUSIONS In this population, CIN was at least as common as the diagnosis of PE after CTPA; the development of CIN was associated with an increased risk of severe renal failure and death within the subsequent 45 days. Clinicians should consider the risk of CIN associated with CTPA and discuss this risk with patients.
Osteoprotegerin (OPG)—a potential new role in the regulation of endothelialcell phenotype and tumour angiogenesis?

The progression of cancer depends on the establishment of a tumour blood supply, and therefore tumour angiogenesis has been identified as a major target for new anticancer agents. Recent reports have suggested that osteoprotegerin (OPG) is involved in the control of endothelial cell survival through the inhibition of the activity of tumour necrosis factor‐ (TNF) related apoptosis‐inducing ligand (TRAIL). The role of OPG in human tumour development and angiogenesis is currently unknown. In the present study we demonstrate the ability of OPG to support endothelial cell survival, as well as the formation of cord‐like structures in vitro using a matrigel tubule formation assay. Investigation of various human cancers demonstrated endothelial OPG expression in 59% of malignant tumours (n = 512), but in contrast, OPG was absent in endothelial cells associated with benign tumours and normal tissues (n = 178). In a series of 400 breast tumours, endothelial OPG expression was associated with high tumour grade and certain histological types. Our data show a clear separation in endothelial OPG expression between malignant tumours and nonmalignant tissues, supporting a potential biological role for this molecule in the development and/or maintenance of the tumour vasculature. This is the first study to report the proangiogenic effects of OPG in vitro, as well as correlating expression of OPG by tumour endothelial cells with clinicopathological data in human tumours. © 2005 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Arbovirus prevalence in the East Kootenay Region, 1968.

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Peer Effects on Vaccine Take-up among Women: Experimental Evidence from Rural Nigeria

Social networks are important in influencing one’s health behaviors. Using experimental data, this paper analyzes the effect of social networks on vaccination behaviors among women in rural Nigeria. Social networks within village, neighborhoods, and among friends all influence one’s vaccination decision to a great extent. We find that the effect of a friend getting vaccinated increases the likelihood that one receives a vaccination by 17.9 percentage points. We additionally find that the effect of a friend receiving a vaccine on one’s vaccination decision varies by the belief about vaccine safety, by the distance to a health clinic, and by the amount of cash incentives. We find suggestive evidence that social networks matter for one’s vaccination decision because peers visit the clinic for vaccination together. ∗Sato: National University of Singapore, 21 Lower Kent Ridge Road 04-01, Singapore 119077, gairs@nus.edu. sg. Takasaki: University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, Japan 1130033, takasaki@e.u-tokyo.ac. jp. We appreciate Rebecca Thornton, Raj Arunachalam, David Lam, Edward Norton, for valuable comments.
Navigation concepts for MR image‐guided interventions

The ongoing development of powerful magnetic resonance imaging techniques also allows for advanced possibilities to guide and control minimally invasive interventions. Various navigation concepts have been described for practically all regions of the body. The specific advantages and limitations of these concepts largely depend on the magnet design of the MR scanner and the interventional environment. Open MR scanners involve minimal patient transfer, which improves the interventional workflow and reduces the need for coregistration, ie, the mapping of spatial coordinates between imaging and intervention position. Most diagnostic scanners, in contrast, do not allow the physician to guide his instrument inside the magnet and, consequently, the patient needs to be moved out of the bore. Although adequate coregistration and navigation concepts for closed‐bore scanners are technically more challenging, many developments are driven by the well‐known capabilities of high‐field systems and their better economic value. Advanced concepts such as multimodal overlays, augmented reality displays, and robotic assistance devices are still in their infancy but might propel the use of intraoperative navigation. The goal of this work is to give an update on MRI‐based navigation and related techniques and to briefly discuss the clinical experience and limitations of some selected systems. J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2008;27:276–291. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Exploring Breast‐feeding Self‐efficacy

PurposeThe purpose of this descriptive study was to explore the influence of efficacy-enhancing experiences on breast-feeding self-efficacy. MethodsUsing the Breastfeeding Self-Efficacy Scale—Short Form, the influences of enactive mastery and various forms of experiences (vicarious, verbal persuasory, and physiological) on breast-feeding self-efficacy were assessed at 48 hours and 4 weeks postpartum among a convenience sample of 63 mothers. ResultsThose women who observed breast-feeding role models through videotapes or received praise from their partners or their own mothers had significantly higher levels of breast-feeding self-efficacy than mothers who did not. In addition, mothers who experienced physical pain or received professional assistance with breast-feeding difficulties had significantly lower levels of breast-feeding self-efficacy than those who did not. ConclusionThis study provides preliminary evidence that specific efficacy-enhancing strategies may significantly influence breast-feeding self-efficacy. Further research is warranted.
Rural Financial Markets and Credit Delivery System in the Philippines

The growth in the microfinance industry in the Philippines as a potential ‘financial inclusion’ innovation is a welcome development. Micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) and low-income clients are able to increase their economic activity and income, build up assets, prepare against emergencies and invest in education, health and housing services.But despite the many benefits and growing importance of microfinance, there remain social and financial performance issues as well as impact concerns that continue to challenge the industry. Central to its success is a strong link between rural finance and other components of development like access to basic infrastructure, appropriate technology and improved marketing infrastructure that are necessary conditions for competitive and sustainable economic activities. The inclusion of the private sector in financial intermediation must be reinforced by microfinance institutions (MFIs) and other channels of government funds that have the required competence, network, carrying capacity as well as infrastructure to minimise, if not totally eliminate, credit pollution and defaults. Regular access and proper use of credit ultimately leads to increase in total income, the springboard of the two long-standing development objectives of poverty alleviation and food security. The chapter discusses the role of microfinance in rural development in the Philippines. It particularly identifies the effects of microcredit on input use, productivity and income in the context of Philippine agriculture. The chapter concludes with an overview of the success of microfinance in the Philippines followed by policy directions.
The contribution of Prof. Mario Sorolla to artificial electromagnetic materials

In this talk, we will review the contribution of Prof. Mario Sorolla to the field of artificial materials, highlighting several of his research milestones in metamaterials. We will cover his contributions to one dimensional metamaterial designs, mainly in microwave planar circuit technology. Additionally, his work on two- and three dimensional metamaterial structures will be presented, with particular emphasis on quasioptical structures like prisms, lenses, polarizers, etc. His last contributions to the field of terahertz (THz) waves will be shown.
Engineering education and training in small and medium–sized manufacturing enterprises in Japan

Japan's industrial structure comprises mainly small and medium–sized manufacturing enterprises, which account for more that 99% of all factories and contribute to the expansion of the Japanese economy by forming a huge subcontracting structure. However, almost all of these companies have common problems, one of the biggest being the difficulty in recruiting and developing the personnel necessary for the expansion of the business. This paper describes the patterns of recruitment and personnel development in small manufacturing firms, and presents some of the information available in published reports from the Japanese Ministry of Education, Science and Culture, the Ministry of International Trade and Industry, the Small and Medium Enterprise Agency, the Tokyo Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and the Japanese Society for Engineering Education.
N400 Brain Responses to Spoken Phrases Paired with Photographs of Scenes: Implications for Visual Scene Displays in AAC Systems

Abstract Augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) systems are often implemented for individuals whose speech cannot meet their full communication needs. One type of aided display is called a Visual Scene Display (VSD). VSDs consist of integrated scenes (such as photographs) in which language concepts are embedded. Often, the representations of concepts on VSDs are perceptually similar to their referents. Given this physical resemblance, one may ask how well VSDs support development of symbolic functioning. We used brain imaging techniques to examine whether matches and mismatches between the content of spoken messages and photographic images of scenes evoke neural activity similar to activity that occurs to spoken or written words. Electroencephalography (EEG) was recorded from 15 college students who were shown photographs paired with spoken phrases that were either matched or mismatched to the concepts embedded within each photograph. Of interest was the N400 component, a negative deflecting wave 400 ms post-stimulus that is considered to be an index of semantic functioning. An N400 response in the mismatched condition (but not the matched) would replicate brain responses to traditional linguistic symbols. An N400 was found, exclusively in the mismatched condition, suggesting that mismatches between spoken messages and VSD-type representations set the stage for the N400 in ways similar to traditional linguistic symbols.
Microscope image processing for TB diagnosis using shape features and ellipse fitting

Tuberculosis (TB) is an infectious disease caused by the bacteria Mycobacterium tuberculosis or simply M. tuberculosis. It is primarily an infection of lungs, but it can also affect other parts of the body such as brain, intestine, kidney and spine. TB remains one of the leading cause of death in developing countries, although most are preventable if diagnosed early and treated. Among the available tools, Sputum smear microscopy is the most widely used one for TB detection. It is done manually and is often time consuming; a laboratory technician is expected to spend at least 25 minutes per slide, limiting the number of slides that can be screened. Also any incorrect diagnosis will leads to serious health issues. So a solution is Automatic screening methods. Many attempts have been made to develop automatic approaches to identify TB bacteria from microscopic sputum smear images. In this paper, we present an automatic TB diagnosis technique using morphological features and ellipse fitting. Microscopic images of sputum smear are collected from infected subjects. These images are transformed into HSV color space for a better analysis, which is thresholded using hue range of red pink color. The resultant images will contain TB bacilli along with non-TB objects. In order to identify the TB regions from the non-TB regions, shape features of every identified region is evaluated. Finally a new algorithm that make use of concave contour points as well as ellipse fitting is performed to separate out the overlapping bacilli region and add them to the total count of bacilli.
Embedded entrepreneurship: on the role of online communities in entrepreneurial activity

In the past, entrepreneurship theory has largely ignored social aspects. Dominant paradigms, such as the ‘soloist’ and even the network approach, center on the proactive role of individual entrepreneurs. We argue that these traditional perspectives on entrepreneurship should be extended to the idea of embedded entrepreneurship: the process of starting up an enterprise while and as a consequence of being part of a relevant social group. In order to support our theory, we offer empirical evidence from a case study that draws on interview, survey and archival data. Qualitative and quantitative analyses show that five widely recognized entrepreneurial processes - opportunity recognition, resource-building, organizing, legitimation, and opportunity exploitation – have a different meaning from an embedded entrepreneurship perspective. Here, the entrepreneur as individual and the community as a social group both contribute to the implementation of the five processes. We conclude by suggesting that community membership influences entrepreneurial activities positive as well as negative, and point out several directions for future research.
White-collar crime: a statistical study on its common causes

White-collar crime has always managed to find its way to corrode the values and ethics that people have in a society. A statistical study was carried out to identify some of the common causes of white-collar crime in Malaysia. To pursue this, survey questionnaires were distributed to both potential and existing investors to assess their view regarding the matter. The study found that, one of the leading causes of white-collar crime in Malaysia is due to the fact that there is a belief that competitors are paying bribes to win contracts, and hence others follow suit. On the other hand, most perpetrators commit white-collar crime because there are many opportune moments for them to do so. Companies should, therefore, gear toward good governance structure and internal controls so as not to give potential and existing perpetrators opportunity to engage in any misdeed.
Online Market Makers: A study of what they do to reach critical mass

Online market makers bring together two or more distinct different parties to interact and transact with each other. By doing this, they either reduce search costs, shared transaction costs, or both. Reducing search costs reduces asymmetric information among users and makes sampling of candidates easier. Reducing shared transaction costs means making the transaction more flexible, less costly, and less time consuming. Previous research states that online market makers need to attract a critical mass of users for network effects to appear and help further growth. We find that online market makers do not view critical mass as is suggested by existing theory. Instead of viewing critical mass as a certain total number of users, they view as the sum of having reached critical mass in small geographical areas or social niches, i.e. the number of geographical or social communities that have been created. Hence, in the effort to create strong network effects, online market makers need to focus on building up many small communities. After critical mass is reached in one social or geographical niche, the online market maker should expand into adjacent niches, which starts creating network effects. As critical mass is reached in more social or geographical niches, network effects get stronger and people start to spread the word of the platform through word-of-mouth. When enough niches have reached critical mass, we propose that a general critical mass has been reached, which makes further expansion much easier.
Improving survival in out of hospital cardiac arrest a prospective synthesis of best practice

Cardiac arrest is the leading cause of death in the United States. By reviewing and analyzing the successes and failures of resuscitation efforts, it has been possible to identify critical components which have come to be known as the “Chain of Survival:” Early Recognition, Early CPR, Early Defibrillation, Early ALS, and Early Post Resuscitative Care. A failure in any one of the five links will result in a failed resuscitation. Early Recognition is the beginning of the resuscitation effort and includes a number of related components. Witnessed cardiac arrests, those that are seen or heard to occur, have a significantly higher chance of survival than those which are unwitnessed. Properly identifying agonal gasps: irregular, forceful, reflexive breaths which can occur during cardiac arrest, is key to recognition of arrest and activation of the emergency response system. Emergency dispatchers trained to recognize cardiac arrest, as well as to initiate Early CPR via telephonic instruction, have been identified as key personnel in the resuscitation effort. Once professional rescuers have been dispatched, response delays due to distance and traffic can be costly. The use of new technologies like GPS and traffic signal preemption (as well as the use of Police, Fire and EMS in conjunction) has
Explanation for Neon Color Effect of Chromatic Configurations on the Basis of Perceptual Ambiguity in Form and Color

Under reflected light conditions, we observed a neon color effect in a van Tuijl-type pattern for 30 combinations by pairing CMY inks. The results cannot be fully explained by Bressan's proposal as follows: (1) the illusory colors for the six configurations contradicted her predictions, (2) strong effects were not presented for complementary color pairs, and (3) for four configurations, the colors of line segments assimilated into those of the inducing patterns. Thus, the author proposes an hypothesis that the visual system treats neon color displays as ambiguous figures in form and color. This proposal can explain both illusory colors of the illusory area and those of the line segments themselves.
Mobile phones as a health communication tool to improve skilled attendance at delivery in Zanzibar: a cluster‐randomised controlled trial

Please cite this paper as: Lund S, Hemed M, Nielsen B, Said A, Said K, Makungu M, Rasch V. Mobile phones as a health communication tool to improve skilled attendance at delivery in Zanzibar: a cluster‐randomised controlled trial. BJOG 2012;119:1256–1264.
Nidogen‐1 is a common target of microRNAs MiR‐192/215 in the pathogenesis of Hirschsprung's disease

Recent studies have emphasized the important role of microRNA (miRNA) clusters and common target genes in disease progression. Despite the known involvement of the miR‐192/215 family in many human diseases, its biological role in Hirschsprung disease (HSCR) remains undefined. In this study, we explored the role of the miR‐192/215 family in the pathogenesis of HSCR. Quantitative real‐time PCR and western blotting measured relative expression levels of miRNAs, mRNAs, and proteins in 80 HSCR patients and 77 normal colon tissues. Targets were evaluated by dual‐luciferase reporter assays, and the functional effects of miR‐192/215 on human 293T and SH‐SY5Y cells were detected by the Transwell assay, CCK8 assay and flow cytometry. MiR‐192/215 was significantly down‐regulated in HSCR tissue samples, and their knockdown inhibited cell migration and proliferation in the human 293T and SH‐SY5Y cell lines. Nidogen 1 (NID1) was confirmed as a common target gene of miR‐192/215 by dual‐luciferase reporter gene assay and its expression was inversely correlated with that of miR‐192/215 in tissue samples and cell lines. Silencing of NID1 could rescue the extent of the suppressing effects by miR‐192/215 inhibitor. The down‐regulation of miR‐192/215 may contribute to HSCR development by targeting NID1. We proposed the following cascade for the proposed mechanism of miR‐192/215 in the pathogenesis of Hirschsprung disease (HSCR) by targeting Nidogen 1 (NID1). Aberrant expression of miR‐192/215 inhibits cell migration and cell proliferation via NID1. We think the miR‐192/miR‐215/NID1 signaling pathway may play an important role in the pathogenesis of HSCR.