Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Gender Difference in Efficacy and Safety of Nonvitamin K Antagonist Oral Anticoagulants in Patients with Nonvalvular Atrial Fibrillation or Venous Thromboembolism: A Systematic Review and a Meta-Analysis of the Literature

Abstract Introduction Limited information exists on gender-related differences in the safety and efficacy of non-vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulants (NOACs). Aim of the Study To assess the safety and efficacy of direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs)/NOACs in men and women pooling data from randomized controlled trials on the prevention of stroke and systemic embolism in patients with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation (AF) and on the acute and extended treatment of venous thromboembolism (VTE). Methods MEDLINE and EMBASE databases were searched up to June 2014. The efficacy outcome was defined as the prevention of stroke and systemic embolism (AF studies), or as the prevention of recurrent VTE or VTE-related death (VTE studies). The safety outcome was defined as the occurrence of major and/or clinically relevant nonmajor bleeding. Differences in the efficacy and safety outcomes were expressed as risk ratio (RR) with pertinent 95% confidence intervals (95% CI). Results A total of 13 studies (> 100,000 patients) were included. DOACs appeared to have a similar efficacy and safety compared with vitamin K antagonists in female and male patients treated for nonvalvular AF and acute VTE. In the extended treatment of VTE NOACs had a RR of bleeding of 4.97 (95% CI 1.06, 23.41) in males and 1.33 (95% CI 0.63, 2.83) in females compared with placebo (subgroup difference chi-square test: 2.25, p = 0.13). Conclusions No gender-related difference in the efficacy and safety of NOACs in patients with AF or acute VTE was found. A trend toward an increased risk of bleeding in male patients as compared with female patients was detected in the extended treatment of VTE.
Clinical comparison of the measurement of the IOP with the ocular blood flow tonometer, the Tonopen XL and the Goldmann applanation tonometer.

PURPOSE In addition to measuring ocular blood flow, the ocular blood flow tonometer (OBF) can also be set to solely record intraocular pressure (IOP). In this mode it provides a quick means of tonometry which may allow nursing staff to be more easily trained in its use than conventional Goldmann tonometry. With a view to its eventual use in nurse-led clinics we undertook a study to compare both the OBF tonometer and our currently favoured nurse practitioners tonometer the tonopen XL with Goldmann tonometry. METHOD IOP was measured in 99 eyes with all three tonometers in a random order. RESULTS There was not any statistically significant difference between the measurements of all three tonometers. CONCLUSIONS It is concluded that OBF tonometer can provide clinically useful measurements of intraocular pressure which may in fact be more accurate than the tonopen, however, our opinion is that it possibly is not suitable for a universal glaucoma clinics application.
Fuzzy Adaptive Tracking Control of Wheeled Mobile Robots With State-Dependent Kinematic and Dynamic Disturbances

Unlike most works based on pure nonholonomic constraint, this paper proposes a fuzzy adaptive tracking control method for wheeled mobile robots, where unknown slippage occurs and violates the nonholononomic constraint in the form of state-dependent kinematic and dynamic disturbances. These disturbances degrade tracking performance significantly and, therefore, should be compensated. To this end, the kinematics with state-dependent disturbances are rigorously derived based on the general form of slippage in the mobile robots, and fuzzy adaptive observers together with parameter adaptation laws are designed to estimate the state-dependent disturbances in both kinematics and dynamics. Because of the modular structure of the proposed method, it can be easily combined with the previous controllers based on the model with the pure nonholonomic constraint, such that the combination of the fuzzy adaptive observers with the previously proposed backstepping-like feedback linearization controller can guarantee the trajectory tracking errors to be globally ultimately bounded, even when the nonholonomic constraint is violated, and their ultimate bounds can be adjusted appropriately for various types of trajectories in the presence of large initial tracking errors and disturbances. Both the stability analysis and simulation results are provided to validate the proposed controller.
Relationship Between Indicators of Training Load in Soccer Players

Abstract Casamichana, D, Castellano, J, Calleja-Gonzalez, J, San Román, J, and Castagna, C. Relationship between indicators of training load in soccer players. J Strength Cond Res 27(2): 369–374, 2013—This study examined the relationship between work load indicators used to quantify full training sessions in soccer. The participants were 28 semiprofessional male soccer players age 22.9 ± 4.2 years, height 177 ± 5 cm, body mass 73.6 ± 4.4 kg. Players' physical and physiological work load was monitored over 44 training sessions using global positioning system devices (10 Hz) and heart rate, respectively. After each training session, players' training perceived-exertion (rating of perceived exertion [RPE]) was assessed using the Borg CR-10 scale. Players' internal training load was assessed using the session-RPE and the Edwards methods. Total distance, distances covered at arbitrary selected high-intensity speed zones (≥18 and 21 km·h−1), bout frequency at speed >18 and 21 km·h−1, and work:rest ratio during training drills were considered as signs of physical work load. Furthermore, player load assumed as reflection of total center-of-mass acceleration was considered as representative of players' external load. Very-large association of player load with Edwards and session-RPE methods was found. Total distance covered was large to very large associated with Player Load, Session-RPE, and Edwards methods. The findings of this study provided evidence for the safe use of session-RPE, Edwards methods, and Players Load as valid indicators of training responses in soccer.
Glioblastoma Multiforme Stem Cells

Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is an aggressive, malignant, and lethal brain tumor, resistant to all current forms of treatment. The rapidly emerging focus on cancer stem cells embodies a paradigm shift in our understanding of tumor pathogenesis, while the development of powerful genome-wide screening techniques has provided cause for optimism related to the development of more reliable therapies primarily targeting GBM stem cells (GBMSCs). There are promising mounting data on providing new molecular targets and predictive markers of response, leading to more effective therapies of GBM, guided by patient-specific genetic and epigenetic profiling. However, the achievement of efficient GBMSC targeting also requires an adequate understanding of the unique microenvironment, and the relationship with the immune system in the central nervous system (CNS) and CNS tumors. The endogenous immune regulation is likely to limit or abrogate the efficacy of the host's immune response, as well as the developed immunotherapeutic strategies at present. Therefore, a comprehensive understanding of the mechanisms underlying the GBM-induced immunosuppression is indispensable. This review presents a summary of the present knowledge both on GBMSCs and the GBM, and/or GBMSC-related mechanisms of developing both local and systemic immunosuppression, of which an understanding may lead to the development of the novel and effective therapeutic strategies.
Short-term and long-term outcomes of serial robotic training for improving upper limb function in chronic stroke

The aim of this study was to determine short-term and long-term changes in motor function in patients with chronic hemiparesis who underwent robot training and to evaluate its long-term benefit after 6 months. This was a longitudinal study with a 6-month follow-up. The 15 patients included in this study underwent the Fugl-Meyer test, the Ashworth Scale test, the Frenchay Arm test, and the Box and Block test according to the following schedule: immediately before (T1, T3) and after each treatment (T2, T4), and 6 months after T4 (T5). There were statistically significant improvements in Fugl-Meyer test between T1 and T2 and between T1 and T4; the score increased in the Ashworth Scale test for Shoulder between T1 and T3 and between T1 and T5; a statistically significant decrease was found between T1 and T2 and between T1 and T4, in the Box and Block test between T1 and T4, and also between T1 and T5. This original rehabilitation treatment may contribute toward increasing upper limb motor recovery in stable chronic stroke patients.
Gadolinium ion inhibits loss of metabolites induced by osmotic shock and large stretch-activated channels in bacteria.

Bacteria subjected to a hypotonic osmotic shock lose internal ions and also metabolites, without lysis of the cells. We show that the presence in the shock medium, at submillimolar concentrations, of the ion gadolinium, recently shown to block stretch-activated channels in Xenopus oocytes [Yang, X. -C. & Sachs, F. (1989) Science 243, 1068-1071], was sufficient to inhibit shock-induced release of metabolites such as lactose and ATP in Escherichia coli and ATP in Streptococcus faecalis. Moreover, gadolinium was observed, in patch-clamp experiments, to inhibit the giant stretch-activated channels of E. coli, S. faecalis. and Bacillus subtilis. Taken together, these data suggest that stretch-activated channels are localized in the cytoplasmic membrane of Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria, where they control the efflux of osmotic solutes, thus probably playing a major role in the response to hypotonic osmotic shock.
Workforce projections for optometry.

BACKGROUND A 1995 workforce study conducted by RAND estimated a large current surplus of eye care providers in the United States. Due to data limitations of the RAND study and the outdated optometric workforce information available, the American Optometric Association contracted with Abt Associates to conduct a study to project future workforce requirements for optometry. METHODS We collected extensive data on both the supply (work hours, retirement rates, new entrants) and demand (patient encounters and associated time requirements) of optometrists. These data were collected from a survey using stratified random sampling of 1,100 practicing optometrists and were used to develop workforce projections for optometry through the year 2030. Projections were calculated using a forecasting tool that can be used to derive workforce and training requirements under a range of future scenarios. RESULTS Workforce projections suggest an excess supply of optometrists is likely over the next 20 years. Over the next five years, approximately 550 optometrists are expected to retire each year, while more than 1,100 optometrists enter practice annually. Patient encounter volume is projected to increase steadily, but the effects of this increase are largely offset by an anticipated decrease in optometrist time requirements for routine eye examinations. DISCUSSION To reduce the size of the anticipated excess supply, optometry may want to focus on ways that demand can be increased. One way to increase demand is through greater convergence between the actual demand for eye care services and the underlying public health need for eye care.
Economics of FACTS integration into the liberalised European power system

In spite of a large bibliography available concerning FACTS (flexible AC transmission system) analysis and implementation, a very limited amount of contributions in open literature investigate the economics of these devices. The present paper focuses on the economic implications deriving from the enhancement of transmission transfer capacity by utilizing FACTS devices in liberalised power systems. Particularly, attention has been paid to the UPFC (unified power flow controller), which has been modelled in an original way for DC load flow studies and inserted in an optimisation algorithm for market solving. Test cases in a European regional power market are also presented.
Robot That Can Promote Learning by Observing in Collaborative Learning

This study sought to examine how behavior of a robot can prompt learning by observing in collaborative learning. We designed the robot to learn in the same way as a human learner at the when learning begin. Moreover, the robot changes the way of learning to a more effective one as the learning progresses. Ten college students with low level English learned using an English vocabulary learning system with robot for two months and were videoed during that time to see how they learned. We found that learners came to imitate the learning method of the robot and change their way of learning to the more effective one. This suggests that the robot that changes the learning method as the learning progresses prompts learners to learn by observing in collaborative learning.
The social determinants of health and pandemic H1N1 2009 influenza severity.

OBJECTIVES We explored the effects of social determinants of health on pandemic H1N1 2009 influenza severity and the role of clinical risk factors in mediating such associations. METHODS We used multivariate logistic regression with generalized estimating equations to examine the associations between individual- and ecological-level social determinants of health and hospitalization for pandemic H1N1 2009 illness in a case-control study in Ontario, Canada. RESULTS During the first pandemic phase (April 23-July 20, 2009), hospitalization was associated with having a high school education or less and living in a neighborhood with high material or total deprivation. We also observed the association with education in the second phase (August 1-November 6, 2009). Clinical risk factors for severe pandemic H1N1 2009 illness mediated approximately 39% of the observed association. CONCLUSIONS The main clinical risk factors for severe pandemic H1N1 2009 illness explain only a portion of the associations observed between social determinants of health and hospitalization, suggesting that the means by which the social determinants of health affect pandemic H1N1 2009 outcomes extend beyond clinically recognized risk factors.
Conference overview: Cancer Immunotherapy and Immunomonitoring (CITIM): Moving forward

The immune system is a critical element involved in the control of tumor development and progression. While professionals have learned how to manipulate the immune system to generate tumor-specific immune responses, cancer immunotherapy has not yet delivered substantial clinical benefits. It has become increasingly clear that tumor-induced abnormalities in the immune system not only hamper tumor immunosurveillance, but also limit the efficacy of cancer immunotherapy. Meanwhile, the results of recent studies allow the belief that one is on the edge of a real breakthrough in this promising direction in cancer therapy. The 2nd International Conference ‘Cancer Immunotherapy and Immunomonitoring (CITIM)’ was the second meeting in Eastern Europe to specifically focus on the issue of immune regulation in the tumor environment, cancer immunotherapy, and immunomonitoring of immunotherapeutic clinical trials. This CITIM Conference held in Budapest, Hungary, was comprised from 12 plenary sessions, Best Abstract Award session, Poster session, and four Keynote lectures. Outstanding presentations and numerous productive discussions summarized the current place of the field and opened new directions for improving monitoring and therapy for patients with cancer.
Agri-Food Sector : the Speed of Development in the New EU Member States

Approximately a decade has passed since the first waves of the so-called Eastern enlargement of the EU took place (in 2004 and 2007), which seems to be a long enough time for us to make the first comparative analysis on its results. It is so, even if Romania and Bulgaria, having joined the EU in the second wave, are still in the phasing-in period for their direct payments, thereby for them the agricultural integration cannot be regarded as complete. In this paper, we try to measure the speed of changes in the agri-food sector both in absolute and relative terms. As for the latter, we take into account the initial (i.e. pre-integration) development level for each new member state, in order to ascertain whether, in international comparison, they could make good use of their potential and follow the development path according to their relative development status.
On Life Education for College Students

As a new notion for education,life education is in accordance with the true meaning of education,and grasps the inner affiliation between education and life.Being a particular content of education,life education holds a close relationship with moral and psychological education.The implementation of life education in higher educational institution demands two aspects,one is the way of implementation,and the other is the method to implement.In this paper,the author puts forward the basic ways of implementation of life education,including motivating the students' subjectivity through daily teaching activity and making a full use of social sources,and the method to implement life education,including the differentiation and analysis of the notion and the practice of life education.
THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN FINANCIAL DEVELOPMENT AND PRIVATE INVESTMENT IN IRAN ECONOMY

Financial system Development and private investment growth are both as the accelerator of the economic growth. This implies that these two factors can increase economic growth through enhancing each other. In this study we examine if there is such interaction and significant relationship between financial development and private investment in Iran economy. According to the findings of the cointegration tests, there is a statistical significant relationship between financial development and private investment in economy of Iran in long term but not in short term. This means that private investment requires a developed financial system that preserves it’s stability during a long period. Furthermore, if the private investment experiences a stable growth trend in a long term, then it can increase financial development.
Coverage control on multi-agent system

The problem of maximizing the coverage of a Mobile Sensor Network under an unknown interest function through distributed means is discussed in this paper. The distributed version of the Voronoi locational optimization method is used to maximize the coverage. The stability results of the method is discussed. Numerical experiment is conducted to study the effect of network topology and interest function. The distributed Recursive Least Square method based on Alternating Minimization Algorithm Framework is used to estimate the interest function. The correctness and effectiveness of the method is proved through numerical simulation. Some modification to the RLS algorithm introduced to alleviate the problem of the lack of excitation. The combined algorithm is then simulated to show its effectiveness. The result of this work shows that the modified method perform slightly worse compared with the case of centralized locational optimization with known interest field due to the lack of excitation.
First transmission of human immunodeficiency virus Type 1 by a cellular blood product after mandatory nucleic acid screening in Germany

BACKGROUND: In February 2007, a 63‐year‐old man underwent surgery. Retrospective testing with nucleic acid testing (NAT) showed that the patient was human immunodeficiency virus Type 1 (HIV‐1) positive 10 days after transfusion. The transfusion‐transmitted infection had been identified by a donor‐related lookback started in April 2007 after anti‐HIV seroconversion.
The basal dendrites of Meynert cells in the striate cortex of the monkey

A study has been made of the basal dendrites of Meynert cells in the striate cortex of the macaque monkey in sections parallel to the pial surface impregnated by the Golgi technique. The longest basal dendrite observed extended up to 0.6 mm and the average length of the longest dendrite on each cell was about 0.28 mm. In general, the dendritic field was in the form of an ellipse with mean major and minor axes of 0.22 mm and 0.11 mm respectively, and encompassing an area of about 0.13 mm2. The directions of the major axes were perpendicular to the lunate sulcus in the sections adjacent to the lunate sulcus, and parallel to the horizontal meridian in sections taken from the region of the representation of the meridian, suggesting that the basal dendritic fields are orientated in parallel with the directions of the ocular dominance bands.
A Polynomial Time Approximation Scheme for MAX-BISECTION on Planar Graphs

The Max-Bisection and Min-Bisection are the problems of (cid:12)nding partitions of the vertices of a given graph into two equal size subsets so as to maximize or minimize, respectively, the number of edges with exactly one endpoint in each subset. In this paper we design the (cid:12)rst polynomial time approximation scheme for the Max-Bisection problem on arbitrary planar graphs. The method of solution involves designing exact polynomial time algorithms for computing optimal partitions of bounded treewidth graphs, in particular their Max-and Min-Bisection, which could be also of independent interest.
Self-regulation and protective health behaviour: How regulatory focus and anticipated regret are related to vaccination decisions

Objective: We examined how individual motivational orientations and anticipated regret are related to the protective health decision of vaccination behaviour. Design: The proposed relations were examined in a large-scale sample (N = 3168) and three medium-sized samples (N = 151, N = 194, N = 208). Questionnaires were applied to assess regulatory focus, anticipated regret and vaccination behaviour. Results: Increased prevention-focused self-regulation – which is represented by concerns about security-related goals, responsibilities and obligations – was related to a greater likelihood of vaccination. Prevention-focused individuals’ higher likelihood of getting vaccinated seems at least in part to be a consequence of anticipated regret for not vaccinating. Study 3 suggests that regulatory focus is less related to vaccination decisions when regret is increased by the decision-making context; that is, when information highlighting vaccination effectiveness and a low likelihood of adverse responses is provided. Conclusion: Prevention-focused self-regulation is related to a greater likelihood of engaging in health-protective behaviour. This can be explained by prevention-focused individuals’ greater tendency to anticipate regret about getting ill as a consequence of not adopting protective measures. If people perceive a protective measure such as a vaccination as highly effective, anticipated regret for not adopting it is generally increased, and individual differences in regulatory focus no longer predict the decision.