Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Nursing Students' Appraisal of Their Professional Portfolios in Demonstrating Clinical Competence

Portfolios are increasingly used to demonstrate and assess competence in nursing practice, yet when introduced in our Australian nursing school, reactions from students were mostly negative. A follow-up survey sought students' perceptions about the portfolio. Respondents acknowledged the portfolio's intrinsic worth but reported little extrinsic value beyond passing the assessment. The authors discuss the implications and suggests strategies to improve portfolio use in undergraduate nursing education.
Autism and the X chromosome: no linkage to microsatellite loci detected using the affected sibling pair method.

The etiology of autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) is poorly understood, although it is clear that genetic factors play a major role. ASDs appear to be a heterogeneous group of disorders, making genetic analysis difficult in the absence of etiologically definable subgroups. The excess of males in the affected population has led to suggestions that an X-linked locus could play a role in the causation of autism or a related pervasive developmental disorder. To examine this, we have investigated the genotypes of 31 families with two or more affected boys, at a series of 16 highly polymorphic loci distributed along the X chromosome with an average interlocus distance of 12 cM, in order to identify regions of significantly increased concordance among pairs of affected brothers. No locus tested showed a significant increase in concordance, supporting findings by others that there are no genes of major effect located on the X chromosome that contribute to increased susceptibility to ASD.
Sudarshan kriya yoga: Breathing for health

Breathing techniques are regularly recommended for relaxation, stress management, control of psychophysiological states, and to improve organ function. Yogic breathing, defined as a manipulation of breath movement, has been shown to positively affect immune function, autonomic nervous system imbalances, and psychological or stress-related disorders. The aim of this study was to assess and provide a comprehensive review of the physiological mechanisms, the mind–body connection, and the benefits of Sudarshan Kriya Yoga (SKY) in a wide range of clinical conditions. Various online databases searched were Medline, Psychinfo, EMBASE, and Google Scholar. All the results were carefully screened and articles on SKY were selected. The references from these articles were checked to find any other potentially relevant articles. SKY, a unique yogic breathing practice, involves several types of cyclical breathing patterns, ranging from slow and calming to rapid and stimulating. There is mounting evidence to suggest that SKY can be a beneficial, low-risk, low-cost adjunct to the treatment of stress, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, stress-related medical illnesses, substance abuse, and rehabilitation of criminal offenders.
Perceptions of body weight among older adults: analyses of the intersection of gender, race, and socioeconomic status.

OBJECTIVES We examine the effects of gender, race, and socioeconomic status (SES) on perceptions of body weight among older adults and the role of status-based differences in BMI in these processes. METHODS Data are derived from face-to-face interviews with 1,164 adults aged 65 years and older in the District of Columbia and two counties in Maryland in 2000-2001. RESULTS With "perceived appropriate weight" as the comparison group, multinomial logistic regression analyses indicate that white adults, women, and high-SES individuals are more likely than black adults, men, and low-SES individuals to describe themselves as overweight or obese. However, these disparities are observed only after statistically adjusting for race, gender, and SES disparities in BMI. Moreover, the positive effect of SES on the likelihood of reporting overweight or obese perceptions is strongest among black women. Among low SES individuals, white women are more likely than men and black women to describe themselves as obese (relative to the "perceived appropriate weight" category). DISCUSSION Our observations underscore the importance of taking SES contingencies into account when exploring race-gender differences in perceived body weight. This study further contributes to the literature by documenting the important suppression patterns associated with race, gender, and SES differences in BMI.
Wire Scalpel for Surgical Correction of Soft Tissue Contour Defects by Subcutaneous Dissection

Background. Increasing demand exists for cosmetic correction of soft tissue contour defects. Treatments include simple tissue augmentation techniques or more complex surgeries with consequent relevant recuperation time for the patient. The search for new simple techniques to correct scars and age‐related wrinkles and folds is therefore one of the main goals of cosmetic dermatologic surgery. Objective. To improve the cosmetic outcome of patients suffering from soft tissue contour defects by the use of a novel surgical instrument and technique, subcutaneous dissection by wire scalpel. Methods. Fifty‐four patients were treated with the wire scalpel technique with no skin incisions to correct a total of 132 depressed cosmetic defects of the face. Forehead lines, glabellar, nasolabial and oral commissure folds, upper lip wrinkles, and acne scars were treated. A 2‐month to 4‐year follow‐up allowed subjective and photographic evaluation of results. Results. Good or satisfactory results were obtained in 79.7% and 16.6% of the cases, respectively. Minor complications did not change the overall positive outcome of the surgery. Conclusion. Subcutaneous dissection by wire scalpel is a simple, safe, and effective method to improve the contour appearance of patients affected with scars or age‐related contour defects.
Can zebrafish be used as a model to study the neurodevelopmental causes of autism?

The zebrafish has proven to be an excellent model for analyzing issues of vertebrate development. In this review we ask whether the zebrafish is a viable model for analyzing the neurodevelopmental causes of autism. In developing an answer to this question three topics are considered. First, the general attributes of zebrafish as a model are discussed, including low cost maintenance, rapid life cycle and the multitude of techniques available. These techniques include large‐scale genetic screens, targeted loss and gain of function methods, and embryological assays. Second, we consider the conservation of zebrafish and mammalian brain development, structure and function. Third, we discuss the impressive use of zebrafish as a model for human disease, and suggest several strategies by which zebrafish could be used to dissect the genetic basis for autism. We conclude that the zebrafish system could be used to make important contributions to understanding autistic disorders.
Freeze-dried, cross-linked bovine type I collagen: analysis of properties.

This study was undertaken to assess the physical and biological properties of freeze-dried cross-linked bovine type I collagen and to assess its potential for use in the guided tissue regeneration method of treatment of periodontal disease in human adult subjects. The modulus of elasticity, swelling ratio, and biodegradation rate were investigated. The collagen sponge was implanted subdermally into Sprague-Dawley rats and a histological study carried out at 2, 7, 21, 35, and 49 days post implantation. Growth of human gingival and periodontal ligament derived fibroblasts on collagen sponge was assessed, as well as the effect of bovine collagen supernatants upon gingival and periodontal fibroblast cultures. The physical properties of the collagen sponge were consistent with good handling qualities and, therefore, it was appropriate for use at a surgical site. The histological study demonstrated a reduction in thickness of the collagen at 21 days; at 35 days there was a hazy appearance of the collagen remnants; and at 49 days the graft material had been completely replaced with fibrous tissues. The in vitro response of human gingival and periodontal fibroblasts to bovine collagen showed that, after 21 days, confluent fibroblast growth was observed around and underneath the sponge. The effect of bovine collagen supernatants upon fibroblasts demonstrated an apparent proliferative effect of the supernatant with both gingival and periodontal ligament fibroblasts. However, the non-parametric Friedman test revealed no significant differences between dilutions or time points. The overall findings provide encouraging evidence of the safety of freeze-dried cross-linked bovine collagen sponge in the surgical treatment of periodontal disease. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
New perspectives and strategy research biomarkers for hepatocellular carcinoma

Abstract Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the fifth most common cancer worldwide. Cirrhosis caused by hepatitis B virus, hepatitis C virus or chronic alcohol intake is associated with major risk. Systematic screening for HCC of asymptomatic patients with cirrhosis is needed for earlier detection of small tumors requiring treatment (liver transplantation, surgical resection, percutaneous techniques). The recommended screening strategy among cirrhotic patients is based on regular liver ultrasonography associated with serum α-fetoprotein (AFP) assay. As the performance of AFP is not satisfactory, additional tumoral markers are proposed (des-γ-carboxyprothrombin, glycosylated AFP-L3 fraction). Currently, diagnosis of HCC in cirrhotic patients includes non-invasive tests (imaging after contrast administration, AFP assay); diagnostic biopsy is performed when imaging is limited. After treatment, tumor recurrence is assessed by regular follow-up (AFP assay and imaging). Despite the lack of accurate markers, recent developments in genomic and proteomic approaches will allow the discovery of new biomarkers for primary tumors, as well as for recurrence. This review summarizes the current state of biomarkers for screening, diagnosis and follow-up of HCC, and highlights new perspectives in the field. Clin Chem Lab Med 2007;45:1169–79.
A Study of Developing Chinese Low Carbon Logistics in the New Railway Period

Environmental issues affect numerous logistical decisions throughout the supply chain. The paper holds that low carbon economy summons the low carbon logistics. With the rapid development of railway construction and railway technology, China recently has stridden into "new railway period', which provides one valuable opportunity to develop low carbon logistics. China should take railway as the domestic main transportation artery in low carbon logistics. Based on the railway artery, we need confirm the 'carbon responsibility' of logistics so as to foster a good 'carbon image' of logistics, then formulate and implement the policy of logistics of reducing 'carbon footprint ' effectively.
Stackelberg Bayesian Game for Power Allocation in Two-Tier Networks

The downlink power allocation in a two-tier cellular network that consists of a macrocell network underlaid by multiple femtocell networks is addressed in this paper. This paper aims to maximize the transmission capacity of the femtocell networks while guaranteeing that the interference experienced at the macro base station does not exceed an interference constraint. We formulate a Bayesian Stackelberg game to model and analyze behaviors of macrocell and femtocell base stations (MBS and FBSs, respectively). In this game, the MBS is the leader, whereas the FBSs are the followers. The channel information between an FBS and its associated femtocell user is private information and is considered the type of the follower. The leader issues the price of interference charged to the followers first to maximize its own profit. Based on the price, the followers decide the strategies to maximize their payoffs defined as the difference between the transmission capacity and the cost of interference (CoI) paid to the leader. Using backward induction, we first analyze the follower game. The existence and uniqueness of the Bayesian Nash equilibrium (BNE) are examined, and the methods to obtain the BNE for a symmetric case are provided. Then, the leader game is analyzed. Finally, the numerical analysis is provided.
Surgical correction of hallux valgus complicated with adult-type pes plano-valgus

Purpose: To investigate the efficiency of simultaneous correction of moderate to severe hallux valgus deformity and adult-type pes planus. Methods: Twenty cases of moderate to severe hallux valgus complicated with adult-type pes planus in 19 consecutive patients (15 (79%) women, 4 (11%) men; mean age: 44.50 ± 17.13 years, mean follow-up duration: 31.30 ± 17.02 months) were included. Medial calcaneal sliding osteotomy was performed to correct hindfoot valgus, whereas treatments of hallux valgus were case dependent. Results: The mean postoperative hallux valgus angle, intermetatarsal angle, hindfoot alignment angle, and hindfoot alignment ratio were 8.40 ± 5.29°, 4.20 ± 2.54°, 3.09 ± 2. 92º and 0.41 ± 0.17, respectively. Although a hallux varus deformity occurred as a postoperative complication in one case (5%), there were no cases of postoperative recurrence. Conclusion: Simultaneous correction of hallux valgus and pes plano-valgus using medial calcaneal sliding osteotomy is an effective technique that reduces recurrence of hallux valgus and increases satisfaction in patients with moderate to severe hallux valgus deformity complicated with adult-type pes planus accompanying hindfoot valgus.
Immunoadsorption, current status and future developments

The association of abnormalities in the cellular and humoral immune system with various autoimmune diseases provides the rationale for apheresis technologies. While plasmapheresis or plasma exchange is limited by its non-selective removal of all plasma components, modern apheresis techniques aim to provide more specific elimination according to clinical needs and avoid plasma product replacement. However, the commercialisation has not met the expectations in the early 80’s and the number of patients treated by extracorporeal immunoadsorption remains small due to a lack of well-defined controlled trials and limited reimbursement. This review highlights the immunological and technical basis for extracorporeal immunoadsorption, as well as its current status in the treatment of immunologically-mediated diseases.
Fibre types, calcium‐sequestering proteins and metabolic enzymes in denervated and chronically stimulated muscles of the rat.

1. Fibre types, Ca2+‐sequestering proteins (parvalbumin, sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca2+‐ATPase), enzyme activities of energy metabolism, and lactate dehydrogenase isozymes were studied in extensor digitorum longus (EDL) and soleus muscles of adult rats after denervation and direct stimulation for 45‐61 days. The stimulation resembled the firing patterns of normal motor units (Hennig & Lømo, 1985) in either soleus (20 Hz, high amount) or EDL (150 Hz, low and high amount). 2. Low‐ and high‐amount 150 Hz stimulation maintained essentially normal properties in the denervated EDL and induced many EDL‐like properties in the denervated soleus, e.g. pronounced increases in Ca2+‐ATPase and parvalbumin contents, a rise in the glycolytic enzyme activities, as well as a reversal of the lactate dehydrogenase H/M subunit ratio. The 150 Hz high‐amount stimulation was not as efficient as the 150 Hz low amount in maintaining the fast properties of denervated EDL with the exception of the enzymes of aerobic oxidative metabolism. High‐amount 20 Hz stimulation maintained essentially normal properties in the soleus but induced only moderate slow muscle characteristics in the EDL. 3. The maintenance of essentially normal properties by 'native' and the changes induced by 'foreign' stimulus patterns in the absence of the nerve indicate that evoked muscle activity plays a major role in controlling the phenotypic expression of muscle properties. However, the different responses of the denervated fast‐ and slow‐twitch muscles to identical stimulus patterns further suggest that rat EDL and soleus muscles contain intrinsically different muscle fibres.
Hemolytic anemia induced by ribavirin therapy in patients with chronic hepatitis C virus infection: Role of membrane oxidative damage

The antiviral drug ribavirin (RBV) is widely used in combination with interferon (IFN) in the treatment of chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. A major side effect of RBV is a reversible hemolytic anemia. We have evaluated the in vitro effects of RBV on erythrocyte adenosine triphosphate (ATP) content and on hexosemonophosphate shunt (HMS). The ATP levels were significantly decreased in the presence of RBV and the HMS was increased, suggesting the presence of red cell susceptibility to oxidation. In vivo, we have studied the hematologic effects of treatment with RBV alone or in combination with IFN in 11 patients with chronic hepatitis C: 6 were treated with RBV (1,000‐1,200 mg/d) and 5 were treated with a combination of RBV and IFN (5 million U thrice weekly). Patients were studied at semi‐monthly intervals from 0 to day 60 of therapy. Both treatments were associated with a significant reduction in hemoglobin levels (steady state level at day 45) and a marked increase in absolute reticulocyte counts. Erythrocyte Na‐K pump activity was significantly diminished, whereas K‐Cl cotransport and its dithiotreitol‐sensitive fraction, malondialdehyde and methemoglobin levels were significantly increased. RBV‐treated patients showed an increase in aggregated band 3, which was associated with a significantly increased binding of autologous antibodies and complement C3 fragments indicating an erithrophagocytic removal by reticuloendothelial system.
Regionalization of cardiac surgery in the United States and Canada. Geographic access, choice, and outcomes.

OBJECTIVE To determine how regionalization of facilities for coronary artery bypass surgery (CABS) affects geographic access to CABS and surgical outcomes. DESIGN Computerized hospital discharge records were used to measure hospital CABS volume and in-hospital post-CABS mortality rates. Relationships between surgical volume and age- and sex-adjusted mortality rates were compared using chi 2 tests. Small-area analysis of the association between CABS rates and distances to nearest CABS hospital was performed using multivariate linear regression methods. SETTING All nonfederal hospitals in New York, California, Ontario, Manitoba, and British Columbia. PATIENTS All adult residents of the five jurisdictions who underwent CABS in a hospital in their jurisdiction from 1987 through 1989. RESULTS In New York and Canada, approximately 60% of all CABS operations took place in hospitals performing 500 or more CABS operations per year, compared with only 26% in California. The highest mortality rates were found among California hospitals performing fewer than 100 CABS operations per year (adjusted 14-day in-hospital mortality was 4.7% compared with 2.4% in high-volume California hospitals, P < .001). The percentage of the population residing within 25 miles of a CABS hospital was 91% in California, 82% in New York, and less than 60% in Canada. Eliminating very low-volume (< 100 cases per year) CABS hospitals in California would increase travel distances to a CABS hospital only slightly for a small number of residents. The Canadian degree of regionalization was not associated with lower CABS rates within provinces for populations living at more remote distances from the nearest CABS hospital. CONCLUSION Regionalization of CABS facilities in New York and Canada largely avoids the problem of low-volume outlier hospitals with high postoperative mortality rates found in California. New York has avoided the redundancy of facilities that exists in California while still providing residents a geographically convenient selection of CABS hospitals. Stricter regionalization in Canada may leave residents with a more narrow choice of facilities, but does not disproportionately affect access to surgery for populations living at remote distances from CABS facilities.
Contemporary Presentation and Management of a Spectrum of Mastoid Abscesses

Background: The incidence of complications resulting from suppurative otitis media has significantly decreased since the introduction of antibiotics. At the start of the 20th century 50% of all cases of otitis media developed a coalescent mastoiditis. By 1959, the incidence had fallen to 0.4%. Recent studies suggest a current incidence of only 0.24%. Additionally, during the time of Friedrich Bezold (1824‐1908), 20% of patients with mastoiditis developed subperiosteal abscess. Interestingly, this has incidence increased; today nearly 50% of patients diagnosed with coalescent mastoiditis have subperiosteal abscess.
Analysis and implementation of a high boost DC-DC converter for renewable energy power systems

A high conversion ratio dc-dc converter suitable for renewable energy applications has been investigated and presented here. A high-boost dc-dc converter is designed with high voltage conversion ratio for fuel cell or photovoltaic systems. The proposed system consists of a current-fed half bride at the input side, an active-clamp circuit and an output voltage-doubler with three stages of boosting operations. The reverse-recovery issues of the rectifying diodes are solved by a series resonant circuit of the output voltage doubler. The high voltage spikes of the switches and the effect of energy stored in the leakage inductance of the high frequency transformer have been reduced by an active-clamp circuit. The modes of operation of the proposed converter are analysed and verified using PSIM simulation platform and a hardware laboratory prototype is implemented and results are presented.
Destination Choice of Chinese Long-haul Outbound Tourists and Market Segmentation

ABSTRACT China is an important emerging generator of outbound international tourism. Recent studies have investigated trip characteristics and specific behaviors of Chinese travelers but have focused on intraregional patterns of actual tourists and short-haul destinations. By utilizing both qualitative and quantitative methods, this study uncovers the attributes considered important by potential long-haul tourists during destination selection. Based on these attributes, the market segmentation is further explored through the combination of conjoint analysis and cluster analysis. The interview data reveal that cost, visa restrictions, time schedule of the package, whether the destination is famous and the availability of opportunities to shop for branded goods are important choice criteria. The cluster analysis suggests that the Chinese long-haul outbound market can be divided into three subgroups, which are labeled as ‘journey beginner’, ‘conspicuous consumer’ and ‘prestige pursuer’.