Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Sleep disturbance experiences among perimenopausal women in Taiwan.

AIM To generate a descriptive theory framework regarding the experiences of sleep disturbances among perimenopausal women in Taiwan. BACKGROUND Although studies show that some perimenopausal women are troubled by sleep problems, little information was found about the subjective experiences of sleep disturbances among these women. Research is required to explore women's feelings or perceptions in dealing with their sleep problems. These understandings will be important to help alleviate perimenopausal women's sleep problems. DESIGN A grounded theory research design was applied. METHOD Twenty-one Taiwanese sleep disturbed women, aged 46-57 years, participated in in-depth interviews. RESULTS 'Getting back a good night's sleep' was the core theme for describing and guiding the process of the women's sleep disturbance experiences. During the process, 'disturbed sleep' was identified as the antecedent condition that included subcategories: easy awakening, difficulty falling asleep, inner worries, physical discomfort and genetic and bodily constitution. Analyses showed five categories (some with subcategories) of the sleep disturbed women: (i) worsening health status - physical exhaustion, impaired social interactions, emotional swings and decreased work performance; (ii) living with lonely nights - self-help and endurance; (iii) a search for resources to relieve sleep difficulties - doctor shopping, trying alternative therapies, exercising and seeking support; (iv) vicious cycle and (v) acceptance of insomnia. CONCLUSIONS Women expected to relieve their sleep disturbance by finding comprehensive counselling or by their body constitution responding to treatment. Healthcare providers need to value women's individual concerns and subjective voices. Providers must seek out sleep counselling instead of simply prescribing drugs for their sleep difficulties. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE It is crucial to integrate perimenopausal sleep care by implementing a multidimensional approach such as sleep assessment laboratories, sleep counselling, complementary alternative medicine, sleep strategies and support groups.
Nanotechnology: A Big Revolution from the Small World

Nanotechnology is a multidisciplinary field originating from the interaction of several different disciplines, such as engineering, physics, biology and chemistry. New materials and devices effectively interact with the body at molecular level, yielding a brand new range of highly selective and targeted applications designed to maximize the therapeutic efficiency while reducing the side effects. Liposomes, quantum dots, carbon nanotubes and superparamagnetic nanoparticles are among the most assessed nanotechnologies. Meanwhile, other futuristic platforms are paving the way toward a new scientific paradigm, able to deeply change the research path in the medical science. The growth of nanotechnology, driven by the dramatic advances in science and technology, clearly creates new opportunities for the development of the medical science and disease treatment in human health care. Despite the concerns and the on-going studies about their safety, nanotechnology clearly emerges as holding the promise of delivering one of the greatest breakthroughs in the history of medical science.
Undergraduate Students' Perceptions of the Role of the Nurse Educator during Clinical Placements in Malawian

In this article we reported selected findings of a hermeneutic phenomenological study which explored the clinical learning experience of undergraduate nursing students in Malawi. The setting for the study was a university nursing college and the sample was selected purposively, consisting of thirty participants. Conversational interviews were conducted and a framework developed by modifying Colaizzi’s procedural steps guided the phenomenological analysis. The study findings reflect students’ perspectives on what the ideal role of a nurse educator in Malawi should entail. Contrary to most of the literature from western countries, the findings strongly indicate the need for nurse educators to teach students during clinical placements by engaging in hands-on-care. Additionally, the study also indicates the need for educators to view their role holistically by focusing on both academic and personal aspects of the students’ life. The study illustrates the need for connected educator-student relationships.
Optimization of Quadratic Forms: NP Hard Problems: Neural Networks

In this research paper, the problem of optimization of a quadratic form over the convex hull generated by the corners of hypercube is attempted and solved. It is reasoned that under some conditions, the optimum occurs at the corners of hypercube. Some results related to the computation of global optimum stable state (an NP hard problem) are discussed. A heuristic algorithm is proposed. It is hoped that the results shed light on resolving the P ≠ NP problem.
Improved delay-dependent stability criterion of generalized neural networked with interval time-varying delays

In this paper, we focus on deriving a less conservative stability criterion for generalized neural networked (GNN) with interval time-varying delays. Firstly, a new augmented Lyapunov-Krasovskii functional (ALKF) with triple-integral terms is chosen to reduce the conservatism of stability criteria. In addition, by fully utilizing the integral inequality presented recently and combining the reciprocally convex approach, a improved delay-dependent stability condition is established in terms of LMI. Finally, two numerical examples are provided to verify the advantages of the presented criteria.
Altered cerebral gamma-aminobutyric acid type A-benzodiazepine receptor binding in panic disorder determined by [11C]flumazenil positron emission tomography.

CONTEXT The benzodiazepine (BZD) receptor system has been implicated in the pathophysiologic mechanism of panic disorder (PD) by indirect evidence from pharmacological challenge studies and by direct evidence from single-photon emission computed tomography and positron emission tomography neuroimaging studies. However, the results of previous neuroimaging studies are in disagreement, possibly because of experimental design limitations related to sample size, matching between patients and controls, and confounding medication effects. OBJECTIVE To compare BZD receptor binding between subjects with PD and healthy control subjects. DESIGN Cross-sectional study for association. SETTING Psychiatric outpatient clinic of the National Institute of Mental Health. PARTICIPANTS Fifteen subjects with PD who were naïve to BZD drug exposure and were not receiving other drug treatment, and 18 healthy controls. INTERVENTION Images of BZD receptor binding were acquired using positron emission tomography and flumazenil tagged with carbon 11. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES The BZD receptor binding potential was assessed by a simplified reference tissue-tracer kinetic model. RESULTS The BZD receptor binding potential was decreased in multiple areas of the frontal, temporal, and parietal cortices and was increased in the hippocampus/parahippocampal region in subjects with PD vs controls. The most significant decrease was located in the dorsal anterolateral prefrontal cortex (DALPFC); the most significant increase, in the hippocampus/parahippocampal gyrus. These abnormalities were not accounted for by comorbid depression. In subjects with PD, the severity of panic and anxiety symptoms correlated positively with BZD receptor binding in the DALPFC but negatively with binding in the hippocampus/parahippocampal gyrus. CONCLUSIONS These data provide evidence of abnormal BZD-gamma-aminobutyric acid type A receptor binding in PD, suggesting that basal and/or compensatory changes in inhibitory neurotransmission play roles in the pathophysiologic mechanism of PD. They also provide evidence of an impairment of frontal-limbic interaction in the modulation of anxiety responses, consistent with previous functional and structural neuroimaging studies in PD.
Involvement of Mammalian Mus81 in Genome Integrity and Tumor Suppression

Mus81-Eme1 endonuclease has been implicated in the rescue of stalled replication forks and the resolution of meiotic recombination intermediates in yeast. We used gene targeting to study the physiological requirements of Mus81 in mammals. Mus81–/– mice are viable and fertile, which indicates that mammalian Mus81 is not essential for recombination processes associated with meiosis. Mus81-deficient mice and cells were hypersensitive to the DNA cross-linking agent mitomycin C but not to γ-irradiation. Remarkably, both homozygous Mus81–/– and heterozygous Mus81+/– mice exhibited a similar susceptibility to spontaneous chromosomal damage and a profound and equivalent predisposition to lymphomas and other cancers. These studies demonstrate a critical role for the proper biallelic expression of the mammalian Mus81 in the maintenance of genomic integrity and tumor suppression.
The TRPC channel blocker SKF 96365 inhibits glioblastoma cell growth by enhancing reverse mode of the Na+/Ca2+ exchanger and increasing intracellular Ca2+

SKF 96365 is well known for its suppressing effect on human glioblastoma growth by inhibiting pre‐activated transient receptor potential canonical (TRPC) channels and Ca2+ influx. The effect of SKF 96363 on glioblastoma cells, however, may be multifaceted and this possibility has been largely ignored.
Measuring the Influence of Mainstream Media on Twitter Users

COMPUTER & INFORMATION SCIENCES ELTAYEBY,OMAR B.Se. ALEXANDRIA UNIVERSITY, 2011 MEASURING THE INFLUENCE OF MAINSTREAM MEDIA ON TWITTER USERS Committee Chair: Peter Molnar, Ph.D. Thesis dated: May 2014 This research study is based on analyzing text on Twitter to quantify the correlation between the segregated opinions posted by the users on multiple issues and the news mention in between those opinions. The results show various correlation percentages within the range of sentiment used by the clusters of segregated opinions towards different topics. The study participates in fitting the model of mining the opinions into using multiple algorithms, such as Apriori for finding the trending topics, Hierarchical clustering to describe the semantic relatedness between adjectives and the Expectation-Maximization algorithm to mine the hidden variables which result into different clusters. The framework shows how those algorithms are applied on the dataset collected from Twitter. Multiple experiments are conducted with different filtering categories to extract tweets with certain properties suitable for the analysis. MEASURING THE INFLUENCE OF MAINSTREAM MEDIA ON TWITTER USERS A DISSERTATION SUBMITTED TO THE FACULTY OF CLARK ATLANTA UNIVERSITY IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE MASTERS DEGREE
Low-Dose Aspirin Affects the Clinicopathological Features of Gastric Cancer

Background/Aims: There have been investigations on the chemopreventive effect of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) in gastric cancer and also on the association between cyclo-oxygenase 2 expression and the clinicopathological features of gastric cancer. However, it is not yet clear whether the cardioprotective properties of low-dose aspirin could affect the biological behavior of gastric cancer. This study was aimed at investigating the association between the use of low-dose aspirin and clinicopathological features of gastric cancer in human. Method: A case-control study was performed retrospectively by comparing the clinicopathological parameters between two groups of gastric cancers, 47 (30.5%) low-dose aspirin users and 107 (69.5%) non-aspirin users who were diagnosed and underwent operation for gastric cancers. Results: The gastric cancers of aspirin user group showed favorable clinicopathological features, such as earlier tumor stage (overall stage, T and N stage: p < 0.001, <0.001, and 0.002, respectively), smaller size (p = 0.03), and intestinal type rather than diffuse type (p = 0.004). But these differences were significant only in non-cardiac cancer while cardiac cancer patients showed no significant association with low-dose aspirin usage (overall stage, T stage, N stage, tumor size, and histological type: p <0.001, <0.001, 0.003, 0.035, and 0.004, respectively, by Cochran-Mantel-Haenszel statistics). Conclusion: The use of low-dose aspirin might affect the clinicopathological features in gastric cancers, and possibly have a favorable protective effect on the progression of gastric cancer in a subset of non-cardiac gastric cancer patients.
An assessment of musculoskeletal knowledge in graduating medical and physician assistant students and implications for musculoskeletal care providers.

BACKGROUND The purpose of the present study was to evaluate musculoskeletal knowledge among graduating medical students and physician assistant students with use of a National Board of Medical Examiners (NBME) examination. We hypothesized that there would be no difference in scores between the two groups. In addition, we looked for relationships between examination scores and both the student-reported musculoskeletal experiences and the school-reported musculoskeletal curriculum. METHODS One hundred and forty-four students from three medical schools and ninety-one students from four physician assistant schools were included in the present study; both groups were graduating students in the final semester of education. The National Board of Medical Examiners Musculoskeletal Subject Examination (NBME MSK) was utilized to assess musculoskeletal knowledge. RESULTS The mean examination score (and standard deviation) was 73.8% ± 9.7% for medical students and 62.3% ± 11% for physician assistant students (95% confidence interval [CI], -13.8 to 0.00; p < 0.05). Medical students with an interest in orthopaedics as a career scored significantly higher than those without an expressed orthopaedic interest, and medical students without an expressed career interest in orthopaedics scored significantly higher than physician assistant students (p < 0.05). Among medical students, a longer duration of a clinical rotation in orthopaedics was associated with a higher examination score (p < 0.05). The average number of hours of preclinical musculoskeletal education in the first two years of school was significantly higher for medical schools (122.1 ± 25.1 hours) than for physician assistant schools (89.8 ± 74.8 hours) (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS Graduating medical students scored significantly higher than graduating physician assistant students on the NBME MSK. This may be related to multiple factors, and further studies are necessary to evaluate the overall musculoskeletal clinical competence of both groups of students.
Nasal and Oral Calls in Juvenile Goitred Gazelles (Gazella subgutturosa) and their Potential to Encode Sex and Identity

Like many other gazelles, goitred gazelles (Gazella subgutturosa) are capable of calling either through the nose or through the open mouth. In particular, juvenile goitred gazelles provide a convenient model for contrasting acoustic characteristics of nasal and oral calls, and for estimating their communicative functions. In this study, acoustic variables (formants, fundamental frequency, duration and power quartiles) of 480 oral and 483 nasal calls, recorded from 20 (9 male, 11 female) individually identified captive juvenile goitred gazelles, were examined for their potential to encode sex and identity of the caller. Discriminant function analysis revealed an equally high potential of oral and nasal calls to encode sex, whereas encoding the individual identity was significantly more accurate for oral calls. Sex was encoded exclusively in formants, whilst individual identity was encoded in a combination of all investigated variables. No correlation was found between body mass and values of any acoustic variable. Analyses controlling for age and sex revealed higher average values for all investigated variables of oral calls compared to nasal calls. We discuss the results in relation to the sourcefilter theory, mother–offspring communication and production mechanisms of nasal and oral calls in mammals.
A radioautographic study of the efferent pathways of the nucleus locus coeruleus

The projections of neurons in the nucleus locus coeruleus (LC) of the rat were traced by radioautography following stereotaxic injections of 3H‐proline. An ascending bundle consisting of a dense cluster of labeled axons accompanied the medial forebrain bundle (MFB) into the lateral hypothalamus. Rostral to the anterior commissure, the labeled fibers contributed to other major pathways: the stria terminalis to the amygdala, and the cingulum bundle and the supracallosal stria to the cingulate cortex, subiculum, and hippocampus. The rest of the ascending fibers terminated diffusely in the pyriform cortex and frontal neocortex. In addition, a lateral group of labeled fibers entered the cerebellum through the superior cerebellar peduncle and terminated around the Purkinje cell somata and in the molecular layer. Descending fibers which entered the medulla either terminated around brainstem nuclei or passed into the ventral portion of the spinal cord. In all areas except the brainstem, the labeling was unilateral with respect to the injection site. This distribution of label from LC provides direct confirmation for connections which have been difficult to visualize in their entirety by any other histological or cytochemical method.
Effect of Amiodarone on Dispersion of Atrial Refractoriness and Cycle Length in Patients with Atrial Fibrillation

Introduction: Amiodarone is effective in preventing the recurrence of atrial fibrillation (AF) after cardioversion (CV). Dispersion of atrial refractoriness may be relevant to the generation of AF. We designed a study to determine the electrophysiologic effects of amiodarone in patients with previous early recurrence of AF after CV.
Persistence of lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus at very low levels in immune mice.

Lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV), strain WE, is a non-cytopathic RNA virus that is highly adapted to its natural host, the mouse. Acute infection of adult mice leads to generalized virus spread, followed by cytotoxic T lymphocyte-mediated virus clearance below the detection levels of conventional assays within 2-3 weeks. Indirect evidence had suggested that virus or viral antigen might persist in the immune mouse. Here we demonstrate LCMV-WE persistence at low levels after infection with 10(2) or 10(6) plaque-forming units, shown as viral genome, viral antigen, and replicative virus using sensitive in vitro and in vivo assays. The finding that LCMV-WE persists in the face of apparently intact immune responses resembles the situation in some viral (hepatitis B and C, HIV) and bacterial (tuberculosis, leprosy) infections in humans; the results are relevant to the understanding not only of other murine and human persistent viral infections but also of protective immunological memory by "infection immunity. "
Current clinical trials in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis is caused by selective degeneration of motor neurons in the brain and spinal cord. There are still no other effective therapies 10 years after the approval of riluzole for the treatment of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, but advances in drug development and screening are substantially increasing the number of potential therapeutic agents. This review provides an overview of clinical trial methodology in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis followed by a systematic evaluation of drugs that are presently in Phase I, II and III clinical trials. There is an emphasis on the scientific evidence supporting the selection of each drug being tested, as well as on trial design.
A hybrid multilevel inverter topology with third harmonic injection for grid connected photovoltaic central inverters

A three phase hybrid multilevel inverter topology is proposed for grid integrated photovoltaic central inverter systems. This topology is a hybrid of cascaded H bridge topology (CHB) and neutral point clamped (NPC) topology. The inverter uses asymmetric structure of dc bus voltage to increase the number of levels of the inverter. Third harmonic injection is proposed in order to have better utilization of the dc bus and to obtain higher number of levels. Nearest voltage level control is adapted as modulation technique to have good dynamic performance with less computational burden. A 29-level MATLAB/Simulink model of the inverter is developed to verify the performance of the proposed topology. The simulation uses only two H-bridges per phase and one three phase NPC (three-level) inverter to obtain 29 levels in line-to-line voltage. The objective of the work is: Reduction of number of switching devices, system (converter and controller) cost, EMI problem, device losses, and increasing the dynamic performance and efficiency. The proposed topology and its control are simulated using MATLAB/SIMULINK and confirmed through prototype experimentation in the laboratory.
Effects of 2,3,7,8‐Tetrachlorodibenzo‐p‐Dioxin on Bone in Two Rat Strains with Different Aryl Hydrocarbon Receptor Structures

Polychlorinated dibenzo‐p‐dioxins (PCDDs) are highly toxic environmental contaminants, and 2,3,7,8‐tetrachlorodibenzo‐p‐dioxin (TCDD) is the most potent dioxin. Here, we studied the effects of TCDD on bone. Two rat strains, Han/Wistar (H/W) and Long‐Evans (L‐E), were used because they exhibit a 1000‐fold sensitivity difference in acute lethality of TCDD, which difference is related to the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR). TCDD inhibited the tibial growth dose dependently, the effect being manifested at lower doses in the more sensitive L‐E strain. In H/W rats the effect of TCDD was seen only at the high dose of 170 μg/kg (p < 0.05), whereas in the sensitive L‐E rats a significant reduction of bone growth was already seen at 1.7 μg/kg (p < 0.01). This reduction was caused by the smaller tibial size because the diaphyseal bone mineral density (BMD) did not change. The three‐point bending breaking force of the tibia was significantly reduced in H/W rats at 170 μg/kg (p < 0.05), but tibial stiffness was lower already at the dose of 17 μg/kg (p < 0.05). In the sensitive L‐E strain, both breaking force and stiffness were reduced at the dose of 17 μg/kg (p < 0.001). These results indicate that TCDD dose‐dependently interferes with bone growth, modeling, and mechanical strength. The altered transactivation domain of AHR is associated with a lower sensitivity of bone to TCDD in H/W rats, suggesting that AHR plays a role in modulating the effects of dioxins on bone.
Change in Rate Sensitivity of Skin Tissue Induced by Thermal Damage

Characterization of the thermomechanical behaviour of skin tissue is of great importance and can contribute to a variety of medical applications. However, there have been limitations to the studies addressing the heat induced thermal denaturation (thermal damage) dependent mechanical properties of skin tissue. In this paper, experimental study has been carried out to characterize the thermal damage induced change in rate sensitivity of skin compressive behaviour. The results show that the stiffness of skin tissue decreases with increasing thermal damage degree and strain rate sensitivity is observed at different damage levels, due mainly to hydration changes.