Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Improving Awareness of Patients with Obesityand its Healthcare Implications

Objective: The purpose of this quality improvement initiative was to improve patients’ awareness and understanding of body mass index (BMI) and its healthcare implications. Background: Obesity has reached epidemic levels nationwide and is tied with smoking as the leading cause of preventable death. The Division of General Internal Medicine (GIM) at Mayo Clinic has approximately 3,680 patient visits monthly. Over 50% of these visits are with patients with a BMI >25 (overweight-obese). However, only 20% of these visits had documentation of discussion regarding obesity/BMI. As such, a significant quality gap exists in terms of obesity awareness, discussion, and implementation of treatment options. Given that awareness is the pivotal first step in reducing obesityrelated risks factors, we utilized quality methods and metrics in order to investigate the etiologies for this vast awareness gap, hypothesized and implemented a potential intervention, and reassessed for improvement. Design and methods: This study was designed as quality improvement initiative. A root cause analysis (5-Whys) was performed to determine why obesity was not being addressed during physician visits. Based on this analysis, we hypothesized that a brief intervention of a physician-led discussion would increase patients’ awareness and understanding of BMI. A pre- and post-intervention survey tool was utilized to measure baseline and subsequent understanding respectively. Participants included patients seen within GIM at Mayo Clinic. Results: A total of 70 patients completed the physicianled discussion along with the pre- and post-intervention surveys. The mean age of the cohort was 58.82 ± 12.69 years, with 45 (65%) male and 25 (35%) female participants. The mean intervention time of the physician-led discussion was 3 minutes. The brief intervention led to statistically significant improvements in patient awareness and understanding of BMI, ability to calculate BMI, knowledge of BMI-associated health risks, and awareness of an online resource tool. Furthermore, as result of this intervention, 84% of patients stated that they were more motivated to lose weight. Conclusion: This quality initiative demonstrates various clinically orientated applications of quality metrics and tools. In summary, when physicians actively engage patients in a discussion about BMI and weight loss, not only do patients become better informed about their personal health and associated risk factors, but they also become more motivated to lose weight.
Multiple Layers of Cooperativity Regulate Enhanceosome-Responsive RNA Polymerase II Transcription Complex Assembly

ABSTRACT Two coordinate forms of transcriptional synergy mediate eukaryotic gene regulation: the greater-than-additive transcriptional response to multiple promoter-bound activators, and the sigmoidal response to increasing activator concentration. The mechanism underlying the sigmoidal response has not been elucidated but is almost certainly founded on the cooperative binding of activators and the general machinery to DNA. Here we explore that mechanism by using highly purified transcription factor preparations and a strong Epstein-Barr virus promoter, BHLF-1, regulated by the virally encoded activator ZEBRA. We demonstrate that two layers of cooperative binding govern transcription complex assembly. First, the architectural proteins HMG-1 and -2 mediate cooperative formation of an enhanceosome containing ZEBRA and cellular Sp1. This enhanceosome then recruits transcription factor IIA (TFIIA) and TFIID to the promoter to form the DA complex. The DA complex, however, stimulates assembly of the enhanceosome itself such that the entire reaction can occur in a highly concerted manner. The data reveal the importance of reciprocal cooperative interactions among activators and the general machinery in eukaryotic gene regulation.
Decoupled Smith predictor for multivariable nonsquare systems with multiple time delays

The classical multivariable Smith predictor is extended to multivariable nonsquare systems with multipl e time delays where the number of process inputs is higher than the process outputs. Pairing for input and output var iables is carried out using the block relative gain technique. Simplified decoupling method is applied to design the d ecouplers. The decoupled processes are modeled as first -order plus time-delay model or second -order plus timedelay model with positive/negative zero. The controllers are designed individually based on the ident ified models. For the delay-compensated system, decentralized multivariable proportional-integral controllers are designed by internal model control method for FOPTD models. To show the improvement, PI controllers for the uncompe nsated system are also designed by simplified internal model control method. For SOPTD models , a method similar to Chien et al . [Simple PID controller tuning method for processes with inverse response plus dead time or large overshoot response plus dead time, Ind. Eng. Chem. Res., 42, 4461–4477 (2003)] is proposed for controller design in the delay compensator. The proposed method is applied to shell standard control problem (3 input and 2 output), hot oil fractionator (4 input and 2 output) and mixing tank (3 input and 2 output). Simulation studies were carried out for both servo and regulatory pr oblems. Robustness studies were carried out for uncertainty in all the process model parameters. It is shown that the performance of the mult ivariable delay-compensated system with decentralized PI controllers is significantly better than that of the mult ivariable control system without any delay compensator.
Multimethod Measurement of High-Risk Drinking Locations

Portal survey techniques involve multimodal assessments (e.g., self-report, biologic, and observational) in high-risk drinking and drug-use settings. Our investigation expanded the portal survey methodology to include follow-up assessments of emerging adult women recruited at the border as they cross to and from Mexico south of San Diego, California. The feasibility of the follow-up procedure was established, and the limitations of the technique clarified. Follow-up participants and nonparticipants did not differ by age or reported victimization. Data indicated that 8% of women experience negative events on their return to the United States after a night of binge drinking. These experiences could only be captured in a follow-up survey, as they happened after participants left the border area.
Life Stress, Social Support and Coronary Heart Disease

Objective: The aim of this paper is to review the relationship between life-event stress, social support and coronary heart disease. Method: A literature search from 1978 to early 1999 using Medline, PsychINFO and EMBASE databases was performed. It focused largely on prospective studies. Results: Both life-event stressors and inadequate social supports assessed by a variety of indicators are risk factors for acute coronary heart disease events. Poor social support does not particularly appear to moderate the relationship of life stress to coronary heart disease but rather both appear to be independent risk factors. Conclusion: While life-event stress and poor social supports are risk factors, the exact mechanism by which they impact on heart disease is not as yet well elicited, although disturbance in mood would appear to be the most likely intervening variable.
What Might We Be Saying to Potential Applicants to Medical School? Discourses of Excellence, Equity, and Diversity on the Web Sites of Canada’s 17 Medical Schools

Purpose Medical school Web sites often advance arguments to claim institutional excellence and appeal to the “best and the brightest” who might join their institutions as medical students. What do these texts communicate about institutional excellence, or the excellence of potential applicants to medical school? How are discourses related to social accountability, such as those concerning diversity and equity, represented? Method From July through December 2010, using the concepts of excellence, equity, and diversity, the authors examined the discourses identified on the Web sites of Canada’s 17 medical schools, focusing on faculty welcome pages, deans’ messages, and those pages specifically targeting applicants to medicine. Results Institutional prestige and applicant suitability were generally promoted through discourses of academic excellence such as research, innovation, and global positioning. Service-to-society discourses were much less prominent. Diversity discourses emerged primarily as appeals to institutions’ cosmopolitan sophistication. Equity, when mentioned, tended to focus on increasing the participation of indigenous and rural students in medicine. Institutional positioning can be situated on a continuum from the more “centric” (typical academic excellence claims) to the more “eccentric” (excellence claims grounded in local contexts such as service to a region or constituency). Conclusions Discourses can play a central role in regulating social institutional practices. It is worthwhile for medical schools to examine the messages that medical schools are communicating on their Web sites. If schools are to move beyond prestige-based characterizations of excellence and build a socially accountable profession, open and inclusive discussions are needed.
The molecular forms of cholinesterase and acetylcholinesterase in vertebrates.

The mechanism of cholinergic neurotransmission requires the rapid inac­ tivation of acetylcholine (Dale 1914). Loewi & Navratil showed in 1926 that acetylcholine can be destroyed by an enzyme that exists in aqueous extracts of frog tissues. An esterase that specifically hydrolyzes choline esters was characterized in horse serum by Stedman et al (1932), who called it choli­ nesterase. It was later found that blood cells also contain a high level of acetylcholine-hydrolyzing activity (Stedman & Stedman 1935). Alles & Hawes (1940) subsequently found that in human blood the serum and cell enzymes are qualitatively different; Mendel et al (1943a) showed that, al­ though the serum enzyme hydrolyzes butyrylcholine or propionylcholine faster than acetylcholine [as already noted by Stedman et al (1932)], the cell-bound enzyme acts preferentially on acetylcholine, at low substrate concentration. The particulate enzyme also presents a characteristic excess substrate inhibition, so that its activity varies, in a bell-shaped manner, as a function of substrate concentration (Mendel & Rudney 1943). These two activities exist in all classes of vertebrates. The serum enzyme (Be 3.1.1.8) varies somewhat in its specificity, notably in the relative rates of hydrolysis of propionylcholine and butyrylcholine (Augustinsson 1959a,b). The serum enzyme was called originally "nonspecific" cholineste­ rase, or "pseudocholinesterase" (Mendel et al 1943, Mendell & Rudney 1943). In contrast, the erythrocyte enzyme (EC 3.1.1.7) was considered the
A CPW MEMS Switch with Enhanced Bandwidth

Shunt capacitive RF-MEMS switches over coplanar waveguides exhibit low isolation in the down-state position and high return loss in the up-state position at low frequencies. At high frequencies, they have a dual behavior with respect to these characteristics, which can significantly limit their operation bandwidth, as discussed in the literature. This work presents further improvements in relation to the ones obtained in previous work that enlarge even more the bandwidth of this type of switches.
Lithium‐induced lung toxicity in rats: the effect of caffeic acid phenethyl ester (CAPE)

Aims: We aimed to evaluate the effects of caffeic acid phenethyl ester (CAPE) on lithium (Li)‐induced lung toxicity. Methods: Twenty‐two adult male Wistar albino rats weighing between 280 and 300 g were used. The rats were randomly divided into three groups: control, Li and Li+CAPE groups. Li and CAPE were co‐administered intraperitoneally twice daily for 4 weeks. Control rats were given 0.9% NaCl during the same period. All the rats were allowed to feed ad libitum until midnight after they had received the proposed treatment. Results: In the Li group, peribronchial and intraparenchymal lymphocyte and macrophage infiltration were observed. Atypical type II pneumocytes, alveolar destruction and emphysematous changes were also detected. Lymphocyte and macrophage infiltration was significantly decreased in the Li+CAPE group compared with the Li group. Alveolar destruction, emphysematous changes and intraparenchymal mononuclear cell infiltration were also recovered to a level close to the control group. Malondialdehyde (MDA) levels were increased in the Li group compared with the control group. CAPE administration decreased the MDA levels in the Li+CAPE group. Conclusions: CAPE was found to associate with histopathological changes recovery in the lungs and oxidative stress due to Li treatment.
The Relationship Between Coach and Player Training Load Perceptions in Professional Soccer

The training load imposed and perceived by coaches and soccer players, respectively, was compared for three weeks of the basic preparatory period of a professional soccer team through session ratings of perceived exertion (S-RPE). Participants were 24 professional Brazilian soccer players (all males, age: 24.1 ± 3.4 years) and their coaches. Athletes responded to the scale of perceived exertion (scores from 0 to10) after the training, while the coaches completed the scale prior to the training session, based on prior planning. The t-test for independent samples was used to compare S-RPE responses, and the Pearson correlation test was used to examine possible correlations between the parameters analyzed. There were no statistical differences between perceptions of prescribed (coaches) and experienced (players) S-RPE, and moderate correlations were found between these parameters (r = .60; p = .003). No statistically significant group differences were found in the perceived exertion during any of three types of training: physical, technical, or tactical. The results suggest that the S-RPE prescribed during the preseason period (by coaches) was not different from that perceived by professional soccer players.
Production and characterization of species-specific monoclonal antibodies against Leishmania donovani for immunodiagnosis.

Sixteen species-specific monoclonal antibodies were produced against membranes of Leishmania donovani. These antibodies only reacted with determinants present on L. donovani. No cross-reactions were found with any other species of Leishmania or with membranes of Trypanosoma cruzi. An extensive analysis of the binding specificities of selected antibodies was carried out by using whole promastigote homogenates as antigen. Monoclonal antibodies D-1, D-2, D-3, and D-4 correctly identified all 44 L. donovani stocks from a cross-panel of 84 New and Old World Leishmania stocks. Antibodies D-1 and D-2 were also useful for species classification by immunofluorescence. No cross-reactions were observed with any other Leishmania species examined. Based on either Western blot and/or radioimmunoprecipitation analyses, five distinct groups of molecules associated with L. donovani-specific antigenic determinants were identified. These molecules range in m.w. from 18 to 84 kilodaltons. The antigenic molecules recognized by antibodies D-2, D-10, and D-13 are also recognized by antibodies present in sera from patients with visceral leishmaniasis (kala-azar). Kala-azar sera obtained from cases in both the Old and New World specifically compete with these monoclonal antibodies for the appropriate antigenic determinants in Western blot analysis. These monoclonal antibodies and/or the purified protein antigens may be useful in the development of a serologic assay for the clinical diagnosis of visceral leishmaniasis caused by L. donovani and in epidemiologic studies of leishmaniasis.
Cutaneous Wound Healing: An Update

Our understanding of wound‐healing mechanisms has progressed over the past decade. Wound healing is traditionally divided into three phases—the inflammatory phase, the proliferation phase, and the remodeling phase— and involves a well‐orchestrated interaction among blood vessels (platelets, macrophages, neutrophils, endothelial cells, and smooth muscle cells), epidermis (keratinocytes, melanocytes, and Langerhans cells), adnexal structures (outer root sheath cells and hair dermal papilla cells), dermis (fibroblasts and myofibroblasts), nervous system (neurons), and subcutaneous fatty layers (adipocytes). We review recent discoveries of basic and clinical aspects of wound healing including several revolutions that occurred in wound management: occlusive dressing therapy, use of living skin equivalents, and topical administration of growth factors. As we previously proposed, the use of tissue substitutes and autologous epidermal sheets led to a new concept of skin grafting through the keratinocyte activation phase in the graft healing mechanism. In this review, we also discuss a representative patient who presented with plantar wounds caused by calcaneal osteomyelitis and healed by the coverage of epidermal grafting.
Assessment of Nurses’ Perceptions and Barriers on Evidence Based Practice in Tikur Anbessa Specialized Hospital Addis Ababa Ethiopia

Background: Historically, nurses have relied on expert’ opinions in clinical decision-making. However, these ways of practicing may not only be outdated but unsafe. Experienced-based knowledge may be associated with biased thinking that lead to errors. Objective: Assessment of nurses’ perceptions, level of use and barriers on Evidence Based Practice. Method: Two hundred ten nurses were assessed through self-administer questionnaires for quantitative and fifteen nurses were also involved in in-depth interview for qualitative. The quantitative data was analysis in SPSS version 21. The qualitative was analyzed through open code. Results: 90% and 73.8% have good perception and positive attitude respectively. Of the total 210 121(57.6%) of nurses were integrate EBP in their clinical practice. Only 19 (15.7%) use EBP in their clinical practice always. Knowledgeable (AOR 3.2 95%CI 1.5-7.0); skill, (AOR 2.4, 95%CI 1.1-5.4); free time (AOR 7.9, 95%CI 3.5-17.6); supportive nursing managers (AOR 5, 95%CI 1.7-14.5) have significant association with implementation of EBP. But, year of experience and perception have no association. Conclusion: Both individual and organizational factors are the predominant factors that hinder implementation of EBP. So, hospital managements and nursing leaders can easily overcome some of these barriers through arranging EBP training.
Biclustering-based Iterative Segmentation of human face images for facial feature extraction

With the rapid development of biclustering techniques in machine learning and data mining, such techniques have been successfully applied to practical problems such as gene expression analysis, text mining, collaborative filtering and market analysis. In this work, biclustering techniques were applied to segmentation of gray-scale human face images. A biclustering-based framework (BISA), which iteratively partitions an image into subimages/regions in the SVD subspaces and retains those passing the threshold test as effective regions (ERs), was proposed. After the third iteration of BISA in our experiments, most of important facial feature areas were captured and outputted as ERs, which can be further handled by feature-extraction or contour-detection tools. Overall, the proposed framework is useful and efficient in human face detection and facial feature area extraction, and it welcomes other biclustering methods as components for multi-purpose applications.
Modeling the stylized facts in finance through simple nonlinear adaptive systems

Recent work on adaptive systems for modeling financial markets is discussed. Financial markets are viewed as evolutionary systems between different, competing trading strategies. Agents are boundedly rational in the sense that they tend to follow strategies that have performed well, according to realized profits or accumulated wealth, in the recent past. Simple technical trading rules may survive evolutionary competition in a heterogeneous world where prices and beliefs co-evolve over time. Evolutionary models can explain important stylized facts, such as fat tails, clustered volatility, and long memory, of real financial series.
Blind image quality assessment using statistical independence in the divisive normalization transform domain

Abstract. We present a general purpose blind image quality assessment (IQA) method using the statistical independence hidden in the joint distributions of divisive normalization transform (DNT) representations for natural images. The DNT simulates the redundancy reduction process of the human visual system and has good statistical independence for natural undistorted images; meanwhile, this statistical independence changes as the images suffer from distortion. Inspired by this, we investigate the changes in statistical independence between neighboring DNT outputs across the space and scale for distorted images and propose an independence uncertainty index as a blind IQA (BIQA) feature to measure the image changes. The extracted features are then fed into a regression model to predict the image quality. The proposed BIQA metric is called statistical independence (STAIND). We evaluated STAIND on five public databases: LIVE, CSIQ, TID2013, IRCCyN/IVC Art IQA, and intentionally blurred background images. The performances are relatively high for both single- and cross-database experiments. When compared with the state-of-the-art BIQA algorithms, as well as representative full-reference IQA metrics, such as SSIM, STAIND shows fairly good performance in terms of quality prediction accuracy, stability, robustness, and computational costs.
Bcl-xL is expressed in ovarian carcinoma and modulates chemotherapy-induced apoptosis.

OBJECTIVE To investigate the role of Bcl-xL in resistance to chemotherapy-induced apoptosis in ovarian carcinoma. METHODS Two human ovarian carcinoma cell lines were used in this study: A2780 and SKOV3. A2780 cells were transfected with human Bcl-xL or control plasmid alone. Expression of Bcl-xL in single cell clones was analyzed by flow cytometry and protein expression was confirmed by Western blot. For in vitro chemotherapy-induced death assays, cisplatin and Taxol were used. The percentage of apoptotic cells was determined by nuclear propidium iodide staining followed by flow cytometric analysis. Human ascites samples were used to make tumor lysates which were then analyzed for expression of Bcl-xL protein by Western blot. RESULTS A2780 cells express low levels of endogenous Bcl-xL while SKOV3 cells express high amounts as determined by Western blot. In addition, A2780 cells are sensitive to chemotherapy-induced cell death while SKOV3 cells are resistant. To determine if chemoresistance is mediated by expression of Bcl-xL, A2780 cells were transfected with Bcl-xL or control plasmid. Cells were incubated with either cisplatin or Taxol to induce apoptosis. Bcl-xL-expressing cells were highly resistant to cisplatin and Taxol compared with controls (P < 0.05). All samples of malignant ascites analyzed expressed high levels of Bcl-xL on Western blot. CONCLUSIONS The results of these studies indicate that Bcl-xL is expressed in ovarian carcinoma, and in A2780 cells functions in a manner analogous to Bcl-2 by inhibiting chemotherapy-induced apoptosis. This may have prognostic significance; previous studies have demonstrated that patients with breast cancer that overexpress Bcl-2 have low-grade, hormonally responsive tumors. In ovarian carcinoma, another Bcl-2 family member, Bcl-xL may be responsible for modulating resistance to chemotherapy-induced apoptosis.