Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Patient perceived priorities between technical skills and interpersonal skills: their influence on correlates of patient satisfaction.

OBJECTIVES The study objective was to elucidate the differences in factors related to overall patient satisfaction levels among subgroups based on whether patients placed higher priorities on technical or interpersonal skills of health care personnel. METHODS This questionnaire survey targeted 2341 patients discharged from five Japanese hospitals in 2007. Patients were grouped based on whether they prioritized technical or interpersonal skills by chi-squared automatic interaction detection (CHAID) analysis. Multiple regression analysis was used to compare and evaluate differences in various factors related to patient satisfaction among the subgroups. RESULTS Survey respondent rate was 55.7% (1305 patients). CHAID analysis showed that patients, in particular those warded in surgery departments, tended to place a higher value on technical skills, although paediatric and rehabilitation patients also placed a high value on interpersonal skills. While it has been shown that non-surgical patients tended to prioritize interpersonal skills, our results revealed that patients warded in the surgery department who did not undergo operations still prioritized technical skills. These variation patterns among patient subgroups were further supported by regression analysis of overall patient satisfaction. In surgical patients, the 40- to 79-year-old subgroup regarded technical skills to be more important and the role of the doctor was found to be more associated with overall satisfaction. However, even among surgical patients, older patients placed higher values on interpersonal skills, and overall satisfaction was found to be more associated with health care professionals (besides doctors) and living arrangements. CONCLUSIONS We conclude that differences in patient satisfaction levels could be influenced by different perspectives on prioritized skills.
Transcatheter arterial chemoembolization combined with percutaneous injection of ethanol-lipiodol mixture for treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma: a non-randomized controlled study of 122 cases

The aim is to evaluate effects and safety of the combination of transcather arterial chemoembolization (TACE) and percutaneous ethanol-lipiodol injection (PELI) for the treatment of unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). A total of 122 patients (104 men and 18 women; mean age: 52 years old) with histopathologically proven HCC were consecutively enrolled for either the combination of TACE with PELI (the combo group) or TACE alone (the control group). Safety and toxicity of the combination therapy, and its effects on survival rates, progression-free survival (PFS), and local response were evaluated. Patients in the combo group had better local response than those in the control group had in stage Ⅱ disease. Objective response rate in stage I, II and III disease was 84.6%, 78.6% and 59.3% in the combo group, and 66.7%, 45.8%, 31.0% in the control group, respectively. Both PFS and the cumulative survival curves showed that the combo group had better results than the control group had. In the combo group, PFS curve showed that both stage I and stage II disease had longer PFS than stage III had. Survival curve also showed that better survival rates were observed in stage I than that in stage III disease. The combination of TACE with PELI improved survival time of patients with unresectable HCC compared to TACE alone. Side effects were minor and delay in disease progression was obvious. A further study to better determine the efficacy of this combination therapy is warranted.
Aberrant Bmp signaling and notochord delamination in the pathogenesis of esophageal atresia

Human foregut malformation known as esophageal atresia with tracheoesophageal fistula (EA/TEF) occurs in 1 in 4,000 live births with unknown etiology. We found that mice lacking Noggin (Nog−/−) displayed Type C EA/TEF, the most common form in humans, and notochordal defects strikingly similar to the adriamycin‐induced rat EA/TEF model. In accord with esophageal atresia, Nog−/− embryos displayed reduction in the dorsal foregut endoderm, which was associated with reduced adhesion and disrupted basement membrane. However, significant apoptosis in the Nog−/− dorsal foregut was not observed. Instead, non‐notochordal, likely endodermal, cells were found in Nog−/− notochord, suggesting that Noggin function is required in the notochordal plate for its proper delamination from the dorsal foregut. Notably, ablating Bmp7 function in Nog−/− embryos rescued EA/TEF and notochord branching defects, establishing a critical role of Noggin‐mediated Bmp7 antagonism in EA/TEF pathogenesis. Developmental Dynamics 236:746–754, 2007. © 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Molecular cloning of the human ATP-binding cassette transporter 1 (hABC1): evidence for sterol-dependent regulation in macrophages.

We have cloned the full-length cDNA for the human ATP binding cassette transporter 1 (hABC1). The 6603-bp open reading frame encodes a polypeptide of 2201 amino acids resulting in a deduced molecular weight of 220 kDa. The hABC1 cDNA is highly homologous (62%) to the human rim ABC transporter (ABCR). hABC1 is expressed in a variety of human tissues with highest expression levels found in placenta, liver, lung, adrenal glands, and fetal tissues. We demonstrate that the hABC1 expression is induced during differentiation of human monocytes into macrophages in vitro. In macrophages, both the hABC1 mRNA and protein expression are upregulated in the presence of acetylated low-density lipoprotein (AcLDL). The AcLDL-induced increase in hABC1 expression is reversed by cholesterol depletion mediated by the addition of high-density lipoprotein (HDL3). Our data, demonstrating sterol-dependent regulation of hABC1 in human monocytes/macrophages, suggest a novel role for this transporter molecule in membrane lipid transport.
Improving Batch Reinforcement Learning Performance through Transfer of Samples

The main objective of transfer in reinforcement learning is to reduce the complexity of learning the solution of a target task by effectively reusing the knowledge retained from solving a set of source tasks. One of the main problems is to avoid negative transfer, that is the transfer of knowledge across tasks that are significantly different that may worsen the learning performance. In this paper, we introduce a novel algorithm that selectively transfers samples (i.e., tuples ) from source to target tasks and that uses them as input for batch reinforcement-learning algorithms. By transferring samples from source tasks that are mostly similar to the target task, we reduce the number of samples actually collected from the target task to learn its solution. We show that the proposed approach is effective in reducing the learning complexity, even when some source tasks are significantly different from the target task.
Vitamin D Metabolism and the Clinical Aspects of Measuring Metabolites

Skin Solar ultraviolet radiation will photolyse 7-dehydrocholesterol (provitamin D3) in the skin to previtamin D3• Previtamin D3 forms vitamin D3 (cholecalciferolj'F by a time (2-3 days) and temperature dependent isomerisation. Continued exposure to sunlight results in the formation of biologically inert products; previtamin D3 is photoisomerized to lumesterol and tachysteroland vitamin D3 is photodegraded to 5,6-transvitamin D] and suprasterols I and 2 (Fig. 1). 4 Melanin, by absorbing UV radiation, may also partly limit formation of previtamin D3.s Thus, sunlight regulates the production of previtamin D] and vitamin D] and limits the systemic availability of vitamin D].
How Chinese adolescent girls perceive gender roles: a psychographic study

Purpose – The purpose of this study is to replicate a psychographic segmentation of adolescent girls in Hong Kong. It attempts to see if the segmentation of Hong Kong girls according to the perceptions of gender roles and ideal female images can be generalized to girls in Mainland China. Design/methodology/approach – A convenience sample of 331 Shanghai female secondary school students aged 12 to 20 were asked to answer questions about gender roles, ideal female images, and their liking of international and Chinese brands. Factor analysis, cluster analysis, and discriminant analysis were conducted. Findings – Four segments of adolescent girls were identified and profiled. They were conformists, aggressive pursuers, image protectors, and single-handers. Research limitations/implications – The data were collected from a non-probabilistic sample of girls from Shanghai, which may not be representative of girls in other Mainland Chinese cities or elsewhere in greater China. Practical implications – Different m.
Expanded bed adsorption/desorption of proteins with Streamline Direct CST I adsorbent

Streamline Direct CST I is a new type of ion exchanger with multi‐modal functional groups, specially designed for an expanded bed adsorption (EBA) process, which can capture directly the proteins from the high ionic strength feedstocks with a high binding capacity. In this study, an experimental study is carried out for two‐component proteins (BSA and myoglobin) competitive adsorption and desorption in an expanded bed packed with Streamline Direct CST I. Based on the measurements of the single‐ and two‐component bovine serum albumin (BSA)/myoglobin adsorption isotherm on Streamline Direct CST I, the binding and elution conditions for the whole EBA process are selected; and then frontal analysis for a longer timescale and column displacement experiments in a fixed bed (XK16/20 column) are carried out to evaluate the two‐component proteins (BSA and myoglobin) competitive adsorption and displacement on Streamline Direct CST I. Finally, the feasibility of capturing both BSA and myoglobin by an expanded bed packed with Streamline Direct CST I is addressed in a Streamline 50 column packed with 300 mL Streamline Direct CST I. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Dimensional analysis , spin freezing and magnetization in spin ice

Dimensional analysis is shown to give an insight into the non-ergodic behaviour of spin ice below its apparent ‘spin freezing’ temperature. Expressions are derived for the temperature-dependent magnetic susceptibility that are found to be highly consistent with the previously reported field cooled and zero field cooled magnetization of the spin ice dysprosium titanate, Dy2Ti2O7, as well as with the theory of a ‘magnetolyte’, including Debye–Hückel screening and Wien dissociation. The spin freezing is inferred to reflect the inability of the quasi-free magnetic charges or ‘monopoles’ that comprise the magnetolyte to fully screen an applied magnetic field on the timescale of an experiment. The apparent freezing temperature (Tf ≈ 0.65 K) is identified as the point where the Debye screening length becomes greater than the Bjerrum association distance for charge pairs. Combining these dimensional arguments with Onsager’s theory of the Wien effect, it is shown that magnetization data at relatively high field (Snyder et al 2004 Phys. Rev. B 69 064414) may be used to estimate the elementary magnetic charge of spin ice, as well as the temperature-dependent monopole density. Evidence is presented of a non-equilibrium population of monopoles below T ≈ 0.2 K. It is also shown how Onsager’s microscopic theory of field-induced monopole pair separation naturally suggests the ‘magnetization jumps’ in Dy2Ti2O7 observed at applied fields of the order of ∼0.1 T. It is concluded that the results of dimensional analysis, when combined with Onsager’s theory, provide an accurate, albeit approximate, description of the properties of Dy2Ti2O7, that could be improved by the development of a lattice theory of the Wien effect, or tested on other spin ice materials. (Some figures in this article are in colour only in the electronic version)
On a quasi-linear parabolic equation occurring in aerodynamics

where u — u(x, t) in some domain and v is a parameter. The occurrence of the first derivative in t and the second in x clearly indicates the equation is parabolic, similar to the heat equation, while the interesting additional feature is the occurrence of the non-linear term u du/dx. The equation thus shows a structure roughly similar to that of the Navier-Stokes equations and has actually appeared in two separate problems in aerodynamics. An equation simply related to (1) appears in the approximate theory of a weak non-stationary shock wave in a real fluid. This is discussed in Ref. 1 (pp. 146-154) where a general solution of (1) is given. The equation is also given in J. Burgers' theory of a model of turbulence (Ref. 2) where he notes the relationship between the model theory and the shock wave. Historically, the equation (1) first appears in a paper by H. Bateman (Ref. 3) in 1915 when he mentioned it as worthy of study and gave a special solution. Eq. (1) is of some mathematical interest in itself and may have applications in the theory of stochastic processes. The aim of this paper is to study the general properties of (1) and relate the various applications. I wish to thank Professor P. A. Lagerstrom and F. K. Chuang for helpful collaboration. 2. Relationship of (1) to Shock Wave Theory. The solutions to Eq. (1) can approximately describe the flow through a shock wave in a viscous fluid. They can be related to the shock wave in several ways. In Ref. 1 an approximation based on the NavierStokes equations for one-dimensional non-stationary flow of a compressible viscous fluid gives
Hormonal activation of adenylate cyclase in mouse melanoma metastatic variants

The ability of melanocyte stimulating hormone (MSH), adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), and prostaglandin E1 (PGE1) to stimulate the accumulation of cyclic AMP was examined in intact mouse melanoma cells of varying metastatic potential. F1 cells (low metastatic potential) had significantly greater cyclic AMP levels in response to all three hormones than F5 (intermediate metastatic potential) and F10 (high metastatic potential) cells. The ranking of the response was as follows: MSH, F1 > F5 > F10, ACTH, F1 > F5 > F10, PGE, F1 > F10 > F5. In contrast to the above, the degree of hormonal stimulation of adenylate cyclase in broken cell preparations was virtually identical in all three melanoma cell lines. Control enzyme activity was depressed in both F5 and F10 relative to F1. The conflicting results between studies of intact vs. broken cell preparations could not be explained by increased cyclic AMP phosphodiesterase activity in F5 and F10 cells. We conclude that as the melanoma cells increase in metastatic potential, there is a significant loss in the ability of their cyclic AMP system to respond appropriately to hormonal stimuli.
Apoptosis and Skeletal Muscle in Aging

Apoptosis is highly considered as a possible mechanism in the aging process of skeletal muscle. Age-related apoptosis pathways in aging skeletal muscle are several, and apoptotic stimuli considered as initiators could be of various type, such as calcium, TNF-α and oxidative stress. In the last decade, scientific research has focused on some topics in order to establish an appropriate life- style improving the homeostasis of muscle tissue in aging. Physical exercise seems to improve cellular antioxidant defense especially when associated with a good quality of nutrition, thanks to some nutrients, such as carotenoids and oleic acid that have antioxidant properties. A combination of physical exercise, caloric restriction and diet seems to be best strategy to attenuate apoptotic pathways that lead to the loss of skeletal muscle in aging, with all consequence on the physical well-being of the elderly.
670 nanometer light treatment attenuates dioxin toxicity in the developing chick embryo

2,3,7,8‐Tetrachlorodibenzo‐p‐dioxin (TCDD) is an acutely toxic anthropogenic chemical. Treatment with a red to near‐infrared (630–1000 nm) light‐emitting diode (LED) attenuates the toxicant‐induced oxidative stress and energy deficit in neuronal cell culture. For this study, fertile chicken (Gallus gallus) eggs were injected once at the start of incubation with sunflower oil vehicle or 200 pg TCDD/g egg (200 parts per trillion), an environmentally relevant dose. Daily LED treatment after TCDD exposure reduced embryonic mortality by 47%. LED treatment of TCDD‐exposed eggs also decreased the hepatic oxidized‐to‐reduced glutathione ratio by 88%. Activities of other hepatic indicators of oxidative stress, such as glutathione reductase and catalase, were increased after LED treatment of TCDD‐exposed eggs. Our study demonstrates that 670 nm phototherapy can mitigate the oxidative stress and energy deficit resulting from developmental exposure to TCDD while reducing TCDD‐induced embryo mortality. Moreover, LED treatment restores hepatic enzyme activities to control levels in TCDD‐exposed embryos. The effective attenuation of TCDD‐induced embryo toxicity by LED treatment could extend to mitigating the effects of other teratogens that induce oxidative and energy stress. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biochem Mol Toxicol 20:271–278, 2006; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/jbt.20146
NF-&kgr;B Activation Plays a Role in Superoxide-Mediated Cerebral Endothelial Dysfunction After Hypoxia/Reoxygenation

Background and Purpose— Cerebral vascular injury occurs in response to hypoxia/reoxygenation (H/R). However, the cellular signaling pathways that regulate this event remain unclear. The present study was designed to determine whether reactive oxygen species (ROS) mediate endothelial dysfunction after H/R in cerebral resistance arteries and, if so, the relative contribution of ROS, NADPH oxidase, and a nuclear factor-&kgr;B (NF-&kgr;B) pathway. Methods— Arterial diameter and intraluminal pressure were simultaneously measured on rat posterior cerebral arteries (PCA). Superoxide was measured by 5-&mgr;mol/L lucigenin-enhanced chemiluminescence. Results— Hypoxia/reoxygenation selectively inhibited cerebral vasodilation to the endothelium-dependent agonist acetylcholine (Ach) (0.01 to 10 &mgr;mol/L) by ≈50%. Impaired vasodilation after H/R was reversed by 2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidine-N-oxyl (Tempo) (100 &mgr;mol/L), a cell-permeable superoxide dismutase mimetic, and partially by ebselen (10 &mgr;mol/L), a peroxynitrite scavenger. H/R-impaired vasodilation to Ach was also preserved by apocynin (1 mmol/L), a specific inhibitor for NADPH oxidase. Correspondingly, H/R significantly increased lucigenin-detectable superoxide, which was reduced by either Tempo or apocynin, but not by allopurinol (10 &mgr;mol/L), an inhibitor of xanthine oxidase. Finally, the NF-&kgr;B inhibitors helenalin (10 &mgr;mol/L) and MG-132 (1 &mgr;mol/L) independently antagonized H/R-impaired Ach-induced vasodilation without affecting dilator response to sodium nitroprusside, an endothelium-independent vasodilator. Conclusions— These results indicate that superoxide mediates cerebral endothelial dysfunction after hypoxia/reoxygenation largely via activation of NADPH oxidase and possibly activation of NF-&kgr;B pathway.
THE SEJONG OPEN CLUSTER SURVEY (SOS). IV. THE YOUNG OPEN CLUSTERS NGC 1624 AND NGC 1931

Young open clusters located in the outer Galaxy provide us with an opportunity to study star formation activity in a different environment from the solar neighborhood. We present a UBVI and Hα photometric study of the young open clusters NGC 1624 and NGC 1931 that are situated toward the Galactic anticenter. Various photometric diagrams are used to select the members of the clusters and to determine the fundamental parameters. NGC 1624 and NGC 1931 are, on average, reddened by ⟨ E ( B − V ) ⟩ ? > = 0.92 ± 0.05 and 0.74 ± 0.17 mag, respectively. The properties of the reddening toward NGC 1931 indicate an abnormal reddening law ( R V , cl ? > = 5.2 ± 0.3). Using the zero-age main sequence fitting method we confirm that NGC 1624 is 6.0 ± 0.6 kpc away from the Sun, whereas NGC 1931 is at a distance of 2.3 ± 0.2 kpc. The results from isochrone fitting in the Hertzsprung–Russell diagram indicate the ages of NGC 1624 and NGC 1931 to be less than 4 and 1.5–2.0 Myr, respectively. We derived the initial mass function (IMF) of the clusters. The slope of the IMF ( Γ NGC 1624 ? > = −2.0 ± 0.2 and Γ NGC 1931 ? > = −2.0 ± 0.1) appears to be steeper than that of the Salpeter/Kroupa IMF. We discuss the implication of the derived IMF based on simple Monte-Carlo simulations and conclude that the property of star formation in the clusters does not seem to be significantly different from that in the solar neighborhood.
A new concept of plaster for preventing hand-borne infections.

A new plaster has been developed to improve asepsis in current medical and nursing care. Technical improvements were achieved via a no touch' technique. The experimental protocol used to evaluate this new plaster allows us to claim its evident superiority because of the no touch' principle and rapid application. Such a plaster appears to be very helpful in diminishing the incidence of hand-borne infections during medical and nursing care.
Risk Factors Discriminating Online Metropolitan Women Shoppers: A Behavioural Analysis

Online shopping has been really male-oriented as the product categories were limited to software, computers, music and computer accessories. As the product category expanded to clothing, food, home care and toys, women started to adopt online shopping. Nowadays there is a massive surge in online shopping particularly among metropolitan women, as they tend to purchase both necessary and discretionary products. According to the report by Associate Chamber of Trade and Industry of India ASSOCHAM, over 80% of the online shopping is done by metropolitan women shoppers.The present study investigates the prominent perceived risks of employed women in online shopping through a consumer survey and by applying multiple discriminant analysis.The results of the empirical analysis demonstrated that perceived physical risk and product risk were found vital in discriminating the respondents as intermediate or experts in online shopping.Whereas perceived psychological risk, quality risk, Information Security Risk, Time Risk, Delivery Risk, Social Risk, Source Risk and financial risk perception during online purchase adoption contributes comparatively lesser for discrimination. The findings elucidate how marketers can formulate and implement risk-reducing strategies during online purchasing.
Process-Aware Internet of Things: A Conceptual Extension of the Internet of Things Framework and Architecture

This paper tries to extend the conventional conceptual framework of the Internet of Things (IoT) so as to reify an advanced pervasive IoT-community collaboration concept, which is called the process-aware Internet of Things. The extended conceptual framework is embodied as a referential architecture that can be a standardized reference model supporting the conceptual integration of the Internet of Things and the process awareness. The extended referential architecture covers the full range of the architectural details from abstracting the process-aware behavioral semantics to reifying the IoT-process enactments. These extended framework and architecture ought to be the theoretical basis for implementing a process-aware IoT-community computing system supporting process-aware collaborations of Things in pervasive computing environments. In particular, we do point up that the proposed framework of the process-aware Internet of Things is revised from the Internet of Things framework announced in ITU-T SG133 Y.2060 [26] by integrating the novel concept of process awareness. We strongly believe that the extended conceptual framework and its referential architecture are able to deliver the novel and meaningful insight as a standardized platform for describing and achieving the goals of IoT-communities and societies.