Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Radiological and clinical criteria for the management of epidural hematomas in children.

OBJECTIVE Modern neuroimaging and intensive care permit precise delineation and specific treatment of head injury. Children sustaining cranial trauma associated with epidural hematoma (EDH) represent a heterogeneous group with a variety of clinical outcomes. Treatment consists of simple observation or surgical evacuation. We attempted to define radiological characteristics of the EDH patients that underwent surgical evacuation. METHODS We reviewed the records and computed tomography scans of 33 children sustaining cranial trauma associated with EDH treated at the Children's National Medical Center between October 1990 and August 1994. The radiological and clinical characteristics of children treated surgically (n = 13) and nonsurgically (n = 20) were compared. RESULTS Mass effect, a temporal clot location, thickness, length and volume of the clot, and midline shift (p < 0.05) differed significantly between groups. The most important radiological parameters in determining the therapeutic intervention were thickness, midline shift, mass effect, and EDH location. A thickness of the EDH > 18 mm, a midline shift >4 mm, and moderate or severe mass effect correctly predicted therapy in 29 out of 33 patients. By adding the location as a fourth parameter, therapy was accuratly predicted in 31 of 33 patients. Mechanism of injury, interval from injury to initial computed tomography scan, age, sex, Glasgow coma score on admission, or lengths of hospital and intensive care unit stays were not significantly different between groups. CONCLUSION Although radiological criteria predict surgical intervention for larger EDH, patients harboring intermediate-size EDH will continue to require careful individualized clinical judgement.
Effects of long-term etanercept treatment on growth in children with selected categories of juvenile idiopathic arthritis.

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the effects of long-term etanercept treatment, with or without methotrexate, on growth in children with selected categories of juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA). METHODS We conducted a 3-year, open-label, nonrandomized registry of 594 patients with polyarticular or systemic JIA treated with etanercept only, etanercept plus methotrexate, or methotrexate only. Height, weight, and body mass index (BMI) were assessed at baseline and at years 1, 2, and 3, using percentiles derived from US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention standardized growth charts. RESULTS Statistically significant increases in the mean height percentiles from baseline were observed in etanercept-treated patients at year 3 (4.8 percentile points) and in patients treated with etanercept plus methotrexate at years 1, 2, and 3 (2.4, 3.3, and 5.6 percentile points, respectively). Statistically significant increases from baseline in the mean weight percentiles were observed at years 1, 2, and 3 in both the etanercept group (7.4, 10.0, and 13.0 percentile points) and the etanercept-plus-methotrexate group (2.9, 6.9, and 8.4 percentile points, respectively). Statistically significant increases from baseline in the mean BMI percentiles were observed in both the etanercept group (range 9.6-13.8 percentile points) and the etanercept-plus-methotrexate group (range 2.1-5.2 percentile points). The mean height, weight, and BMI percentiles did not change significantly in patients in the methotrexate-only group. CONCLUSION Etanercept treatment, with or without methotrexate, may contribute to the restoration of normal growth in children with JIA.
Flagellar dynamics of chains of active Janus particles fueled by an AC electric field

We study the active dynamics of self-propelled asymmetrical colloidal particles (Janus particles) fueled by an AC electric field. Both the speed and direction of the self-propulsion, and the strength of the attractive interaction between particles can be controlled by tuning the frequency of the applied electric field and the ion concentration of the solution. The strong attractive force at high ion concentration gives rise to chain formation of the Janus particles, which can be explained by the quadrupolar charge distribution on the particles. Chain formation is observed irrespective of the direction of the self-propulsion of the particles. When both the position and the orientation of the heads of the chains are fixed, they exhibit beating behavior reminiscent of eukaryotic flagella. The beating frequency of the chains of Janus particles depends on the applied voltage and thus on the self-propulsive force. The scaling relation between the beating frequency and the self-propulsive force deviates from theoretical predictions made previously on active filaments. However, this discrepancy is resolved by assuming that the attractive interaction between the particles is mediated by the quadrupolar distribution of the induced charges, which gives indirect but convincing evidence on the mechanisms of the Janus particles. This signifies that the dependence between the propulsion mechanism and the interaction mechanism, which had been dismissed previously, can modify the dispersion relations of beating behaviors. In addition, hydrodynamic interaction within the chain, and its effect on propulsion speed, are discussed. These provide new insights into active filaments, such as optimal flagellar design for biological functions.
Association Between Arterial Hyperoxia and Outcome in Subsets of Critical Illness: A Systematic Review, Meta-Analysis, and Meta-Regression of Cohort Studies*

Objective:Oxygen is vital during critical illness, but hyperoxia may harm patients. Our aim was to systematically evaluate the methodology and findings of cohort studies investigating the effects of hyperoxia in critically ill adults. Data Source:A meta-analysis and meta-regression analysis of cohort studies published between 2008 and 2015 was conducted. Electronic databases of MEDLINE, EMBASE, and Web of Science were systematically searched for the keywords hyperoxia and mortality or outcome. Study Selection:Publications assessing the effect of arterial hyperoxia on outcome in critically ill adults (≥ 18 yr) admitted to critical care units were eligible. We excluded studies in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, extracorporeal life support or hyperbaric oxygen therapy, and animal studies. Due to a lack of data, no studies dedicated to patients with acute lung injury, sepsis, shock, or multiple trauma could be included. Data Extraction:Studies were included independent of admission diagnosis and definition of hyperoxia. The primary outcome measure was in-hospital mortality, and results were stratified for relevant subgroups (cardiac arrest, traumatic brain injury, stroke, post–cardiac surgery, and any mechanical ventilation). The effects of arterial oxygenation on functional outcome, long-term mortality, and discharge variables were studied as secondary outcomes. Data Synthesis:Twenty-four studies were included of which five studies were only for a subset of the analyses. Nineteen studies were pooled for meta-analyses and showed that arterial hyperoxia during admission increases hospital mortality: adjusted odds ratio, 1.21 (95% CI, 1.08–1.37) (p = 0.001). Functional outcome measures were diverse and generally showed a more favorable outcome for normoxia. Conclusions:In various subsets of critically ill patients, arterial hyperoxia was associated with poor hospital outcome. Considering the substantial heterogeneity of included studies and the lack of a clinical definition, more evidence is needed to provide optimal oxygen targets to critical care physicians.
Effect of the iChoose Kidney decision aid in improving knowledge about treatment options among transplant candidates: A randomized controlled trial

We previously developed a mobile‐ and web‐based decision aid (iChoose Kidney) that displays individualized risk estimates of survival and mortality, for the treatment modalities of dialysis versus kidney transplantation. We examined the effect of iChoose Kidney on change in transplant knowledge and access to transplant in a randomized controlled trial among patients presenting for evaluation in three transplant centers. A total of 470 patients were randomized to standard transplantation education (control) or standard education plus iChoose Kidney (intervention). Change in transplant knowledge (primary outcome) among intervention versus control patients was assessed using nine items in pre‐ and postevaluation surveys. Access to transplant (secondary outcome) was defined as a composite of waitlisting, living donor inquiries, or transplantation. Among 443 patients (n = 226 intervention; n = 216 control), the mean knowledge scores were 5.1 ± 2.1 pre‐ and 5.8 ± 1.9 postevaluation. Change in knowledge was greater among intervention (1.1 ± 2.0) versus control (0.4 ± 1.8) patients (P < .0001). Access to transplantation was similar among intervention (n = 168; 74.3%) versus control patients (n = 153; 70.5%; P = .37). The iChoose Kidney decision aid improved patient knowledge at evaluation, but did not impact transplant access. Future studies should examine whether combining iChoose Kidney with other interventions can increase transplantation. (Clinicaltrials.gov NCT02235571)
Green synthesis of fluorescent carbon dots from spices for in vitro imaging and tumour cell growth inhibition

Carbon dots have demonstrated great potential as luminescent nanoparticles in bioapplications. Although such nanoparticles appear to exhibit low toxicity compared to other metal luminescent nanomaterials, today we know that the toxicity of carbon dots (C-dots) strongly depends on the protocol of fabrication. In this work, aqueous fluorescent C-dots have been synthesized from cinnamon, red chilli, turmeric and black pepper, by a one-pot green hydrothermal method. The synthesized C-dots were firstly characterized by means of UV–vis, fluorescence, Fourier transform infrared and Raman spectroscopy, dynamic light scattering and transmission electron microscopy. The optical performance showed an outstanding ability for imaging purposes, with quantum yields up to 43.6%. Thus, the cytotoxicity of the above mentioned spice-derived C-dots was evaluated in vitro in human glioblastoma cells (LN-229 cancer cell line) and in human kidney cells (HK-2 non-cancerous cell line). Bioimaging and viability studies were performed with different C-dot concentrations from 0.1 to 2 mg·mL−1, exhibiting a higher uptake of C-dots in the cancer cultures compared to the non-cancerous cells. Results showed that the spice-derived C-dots inhibited cell viability dose-dependently after a 24 h incubation period, displaying a higher toxicity in LN-229, than in HK-2 cells. As a control, C-dots synthesized from citric acid did not show any significant toxicity in either cancerous or non-cancerous cells, implying that the tumour cell growth inhibition properties observed in the spice-derived C-dots can be attributed to the starting material employed for their fabrication. These results evidence that functional groups in the surface of the C-dots might be responsible for the selective cytotoxicity, as suggested by the presence of piperine in the surface of black pepper C-dots analysed by ESI-QTOF-MS.
Evaluation of a Safe Motherhood project in Ntcheu district, Malawi

Purpose This study evaluated knowledge and practices of childbearing women on key childcare practices within the Safe Motherhood project, administered by the Ntcheu District Health Office in the Republic of Malawi. The study excluded men and elderly women. Methods The design was cross-sectional, and utilized quantitative and qualitative data collection and analysis procedures. Data were also collected through review of participant health records. Results Although the findings showed that all participants (100%, n=400) had general knowledge on maternal and child health care, they did not have comprehensive information, and few mothers were practicing the recommended key child health care practices. Only 42.4% (n=170) knew the appropriate number of visits a woman should make to the antenatal clinic, and very few knew the appropriate time at which to access antenatal care. Only 55% (n=220) of participants breastfed their babies exclusively. Some participants introduced supplementary feeds as early as a month after birth, and not all women delivered at the health facility. Failure to actively involve men and elderly women in maternal and child health issues had a negative impact on women’s ability to fully implement key maternal and childcare practices. Conclusion and recommendations There is a need to actively involve men and elderly women in maternal and child health issues since, in the ideal Malawian context, a child is raised not just by the mother, but also by all who live in the village. Additionally, elderly women are the guardians of members of the childbearing group, and are a traditional reservoir of experience into which young women can tap. There is also a need to engage Community Nurse-Midwives in facilitating women’s groups that provide comprehensive antenatal information to mothers, who may then put knowledge into practice.
Accelerometers can measure total and activity-specific energy expenditures in free-ranging marine mammals only if linked to time-activity budgets

1-Energy expenditure is an important component of foraging ecology, but is extremely difficult to estimate in free-ranging animals and depends on how animals partition their time between different activities during foraging. Acceleration data has emerged as a new way to determine energy expenditure at a fine scale but needs to be tested and validated in wild animals. 2-This study investigated whether vectorial dynamic body acceleration (VeDBA) could accurately predict the energy expended by marine predators during a full foraging trip. We also aimed to determine whether the accuracy of predictions of energy expenditure derived from acceleration increased when partitioned by different types of at-sea activities (i.e., diving, transiting, resting and surface activities) vs calculated activity-specific metabolic rates. 3-To do so, we equipped 20 lactating northern (Callorhinus ursinus) and 20 Antarctic fur seals (Arctocephalus gazella) with GPS, time-depth recorders and tri-axial accelerometers, and obtained estimates of field metabolic rates using the doubly-labelled water (DLW) method. VeDBA was derived from tri-axial acceleration, and at-sea activities (diving, transiting, resting and surface activities) were determined using dive depth, tri-axial acceleration and traveling speed. 4-We found that VeDBA did not accurately predict the total energy expended by fur seals during their full foraging trips (R2 = 0.36). However, the accuracy of VeDBA as a predictor of total energy expenditure increased significantly when foraging trips were partitioned by activity and used activity-specific VeDBA paired with time activity budgets (R2 = 0.70). Activity-specific VeDBA also accurately predicted the energy expenditures of each activity independent of each other (R2 > 0.85). 5-Our study confirms that acceleration is a promising way to estimate energy expenditures of free-ranging marine mammals at a fine scale never attained before. However, it shows that it needs to be based on the time-activity budget that make up foraging trips rather than being derived as a single measure of VeDBA applied to entire foraging trips. Our activity-based method provides a cost-effective means to accurately calculate energy expenditures of fur seals using acceleration and time-activity budgets, a stepping stone for numerous other research fields. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
Alloantibody Levels and Acute Humoral Rejection Early After Positive Crossmatch Kidney Transplantation

We examined the course of donor‐specific alloantibody (DSA) levels early after transplant and their relationship with acute humoral rejection (AHR) in two groups of positive crossmatch (+XM) kidney transplant recipients: High DSA group—41 recipients with a baseline T‐ or B‐cell flow crossmatch (TFXM, BFXM) channel shift ≥300 (molecules of equivalent soluble fluorochrome units (MESF) of approximately 19 300) who underwent pretransplant plasmapheresis (PP), and Low DSA group—29 recipients with a baseline channel shift <300 who did not undergo PP. The incidence of AHR was 39% (16/41) in the High DSA group and 31% (9/29) in the Low DSA group. Overall, mean DSA levels decreased by day 4 posttransplant and remained low in patients who did not develop AHR. By day 10, DSA levels increased in patients developing AHR with 92% (23/25) of patients with a BFXM >359 (MESF of approximately 34 000) developing AHR. The BFXM and the total DSA measured by single antigen beads correlated well across a wide spectrum suggesting that either could be used for monitoring. We conclude that AHR is associated with the development of High DSA levels posttransplant and protocols aimed at maintaining DSA at lower levels may decrease the incidence of AHR.
ENHANCEMENT OF THE AXIAL LOAD CARRYING CAPACITY OF REINFORCED CONCRETE COLUMNS BY MEANS OF FIBERGLASS-EPOXY JACKETS

It is well known that passive confinement of reinforced concrete columns increases both the strength and ductility of concrete. Analytical expressions are derived to determine the capacity of axially loaded reinforced concrete columns which are confined by a combination of steel hoops and by composite jackets applied to the perimeter of the columns. It is shown that composite materials can be very effective in confining rectangular reinforced concrete columns. (A) For the covering abstract see ITRD E104933.
Predicting Risk of Endocarditis Using a Clinical Tool (PREDICT): Scoring System to Guide Use of Echocardiography in the Management of Staphylococcus aureus Bacteremia.

BACKGROUND Infective endocarditis (IE) is a serious complication of Staphylococcus aureus bacteremia (SAB). There is limited clinical evidence to guide use of echocardiography in the management of SAB cases. METHODS Baseline and 12-week follow-up data of all adults hospitalized at our institution with SAB from 2006 to 2011 were reviewed. Clinical predictors of IE were identified using multivariable logistic regression analysis. RESULTS Of the 757 patients screened, 678 individuals with SAB (24% community acquired, 56% healthcare associated, and 20% nosocomial) met study criteria. Eighty-five patients (13%) were diagnosed with definite IE within the 12 weeks of initial presentation based on modified Duke criteria. The proportion of patients with IE was 22% (36/166) in community-acquired SAB, 11% (40/378) in community-onset healthcare-associated SAB, and 7% (9/136) in nosocomial SAB. Community-acquired SAB, presence of cardiac device, and prolonged bacteremia (≥ 72 hours) were identified as independent predictors of IE in multivariable analysis. Two scoring systems, day 1 (SAB diagnosis day) and day 5 (when day 3 culture results are known), were derived based on the presence of these risk factors, weighted in magnitude by the corresponding regression coefficients. A score of ≥ 4 for day 1 model had a specificity of 96% and sensitivity of 21%, whereas a score of <2 for day 5 model had a sensitivity of 98.8% and negative predictive value of 98.5%. CONCLUSIONS We propose 2 novel scoring systems to guide use of echocardiography in SAB cases. Larger prospective studies are needed to validate the classification performance of these scoring systems.
The Effect of Vitamin A Treatment on Testicular Development in Young Peri-pubertal Bulls

Fourteen Angus and Shorthorn bull calves between 11 and 12 months of age were assigned randomly to one of two treatments: 1) Intramuscular injection of 1 million International Units (IU) of vitamin A (Vit A) or 2) no treatment (Control). Scrotal circumference (SC) was measured in all bull calves at the time of the treatment application and 11 days later at castration. Testes and epididymis were dissected and weighed, and samples of parenchyma were collected from each testicle. Samples were fixed in formaldehyde, embedded in paraffin and cut. Slides were deparaffinized with successive washes of xylene and alcohol. After antigen retrieval and blocking with 10 percent normal goat serum, sections were incubated sequentially with mouse monoclonal antibody to androgen receptor and goatantirabbit (IgG CF633) fluorescent stain. Samples were examined under a fluorescent microscope and the images captured with a digital camera and processed using ImagePro Plus software. Effects of treatment on SC, testicular weight, testicular parenchyma weight and epididymis weight, number of Sertoli cells, germ cell, and ratio of germ cells to Sertoli cells within the seminiferous tubule (ST) were analyzed using the ANOVA procedure of SAS. No differences were observed among treatments for SC (1.63±0.26 vs. 2.17±0.17), testicular weight (228.169±17.002 vs. 221.792±24.983), testicular parenchyma weight (grams [g]) (141.02±11.82 vs. 131.46±14.49), epididymis weight (g) (12.01±1.10 vs. 9.43±1.01), number of Sertoli cells/ST (45.56±3.14 vs. 48.04±2.18), number of germ cells/ST (217.29±26.83 vs. 156.04±16.75) and the ratio of germ cells/ Sertoli cell (5.03±0.93 vs. 3.30±0.43) for vitamin A and control, respectively. These results suggest that vitamin A has no positive effect on fertility when administered in peripubertal bulls.
A prospective comparison of four methods of endovenous thermal ablation.

The aim of the study was to compare clinical and duplex Doppler results of treatment of varicose veins with four methods of endovenous thermal ablation (EVTA). Material and methods. The results of treatment of varicose veins with 980 nm laser (EVLA980) in 67 extremities, with a radiofrequency ablation (RFA) in 43 extremities, with 810 nm laser (EVLA810) in 46 extremities and with 1470 nm laser (EVLA1470) in 15 extremities were prospectively analyzed. The data on patients' demographics, weight, stage of the venous disease, type of anesthesia, duration of the procedure, linear energy density (LED) applied, intra- and postoperative complications were collected. Thromboprophylaxis was not routinely administered. The patients were followed clinically and with duplex Doppler for 12 (1-24) months.Results. Technical success was achieved in 99% of limbs. The procedure was carried out under local anesthesia in 140 (91%) of patients. In 17 patients bilateral procedure was performed. There were one gastroenemius muscle vein thrombosis and one protruding thrombus from sapheno-femoral junction in EVLA810. No other serious complications were observed. A median LED was higher in EVLA810 than in EVLA980 and EVLA1470, 86.8 (82-94), 59.2 (45.4-74.4) and 58.8 (53-67.7) J/cm, respectively (p<0.001), though only in EVLA980 was below the intended range. Recanalization rates were 7% after EVLA980, 2% after EVLA810 and 0% after RFA and EVLA1470, p=0.14. The vein shrinking was fastest after EVLA1470. Neither neovascularization nor formation of arteriovenous fistulas was observed. Permanent saphenous nerve paresthesia occurred in two patients after RFA.Conclusions. All methods of ambulatory EVTA are safe and effective once the adequate linear energy density is applied.