Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Atrial fibrillation following coronary artery bypass graft surgery: predictors, outcomes, and resource utilization. MultiCenter Study of Perioperative Ischemia Research Group.

OBJECTIVE To determine the incidence, predictors, and cost of atrial fibrillation and flutter (AFIB) following coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery. DESIGN Prospective observational study (MultiCenter Study of Perioperative Ischemia). SETTING Twenty-four university-affiliated hospitals in the United States from 1991 to 1993. SUBJECTS A total of 2417 patients undergoing CABG with or without concurrent valvular surgery selected using a systematic sampling interval. MEASUREMENTS Detailed preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative data collected on standardized reporting forms. RESULTS The overall incidence of postoperative AFIB was 27 percent. Independent predictors of postoperative AFIB included advanced age (odds ratio [OR], 1.24 per 5-year increase; 95 percent confidence interval [CI], 1.18-1.31); male sex (OR, 1.41; 95 percent CI, 1.09-1.81); a history of AFIB (OR, 2.28; 95 percent CI, 1.74-3.00); a history of congestive heart failure (OR, 1.31; 95 percent CI, 1.04-1.64); and a precardiopulmonary bypass heart rate of more than 100 beats per minute (OR, 1.59; 95 percent CI, 1.00-2.55). Surgical practices such as pulmonary vein venting (OR, 1.44; 95 percent CI, 1.13-1.83); bicaval venous cannulation (OR, 1.40; 95 percent CI, 1.04-1.89); postoperative atrial pacing (OR, 1.27; 95 percent CI, 1.00-1.62); and longer cross-clamp times (OR, 1.06 per 15 minutes; 95 percent CI, 1.00-1.11) also were identified as independent predictors of postoperative AFIB. Patients with postoperative AFIB remained an average of 13 hours longer in the intensive care unit and 2.0 days longer in the ward when compared with patients without AFIB. CONCLUSION Postoperative AFIB is common after CABG surgery and has a significant effect on both intensive care unit and overall hospital length of stay. In addition to expected demographic factors, certain surgical practices increase the risk of postoperative AFIB. Randomized controlled trials are necessary to determine if modification of these surgical practices, especially in patients at high risk, would decrease the incidence of postoperative AFIB.
The Role of the EEG in Epilepsy of Long Duration

Summary: Although the electroencephalogram's (EEG's) relevance in the initial work‐up of individuals with epilepsy is well‐defined, its role in epilepsy of long duration remains uncertain. A literature survey revealed eight studies that had evaluated epileptiform patterns (EPs) in series of patients but none of these were derived from outpatients presenting for regular follow‐up. Such EEG results are crucial for determining disability benefits that are often denied to people with normal records. We therefore randomly surveyed 100 adult outpatients attending the seizure follow‐up clinic at Cook County Hospital. An EP was detected in 33 patients, 36 had normal records, and 31 had non‐EP abnormalities. The, presence of an EP was significantly related to an etiology of head injury, duration of epilepsy, age of onset before age 20 years, and receiving more than one antiepileptic drug (AED). The presence of an EP did not correlate with seizure frequency, seizure type, or presence of a neurological deficit. A prior EEG increased the proportion with an EP only to 41%. The relatively low proportion of people who demonstrated an EP suggests that (a) the presence of an EP on an EEG should not be a factor in deciding about disability benefits for individuals with epilepsy, and (b) that use of an EP as an eligibility criterion for entry into a research series is likely to generate a select group of patients, thus making it difficult to generalize results.
Variables Associated With Negotiation Effectiveness: The Role of Mindfulness

Negotiation is the main mean of conflict resolution. Despite its capital importance, little is known about influencing variables or effective interventions. Mindfulness has shown to improve subjects’ performance in different settings but until now, no study has shown its impact in negotiation. The aim of this study is to analyze which variables are associated with effectiveness and to determine if meditators are more effective in negotiation. A cross-sectional descriptive study was carried out. The study variables were: socio-demographic variables, negotiation effectiveness (Negotiation Effectiveness Questionnaire), mindfulness (Five Facets of Mindfulness Questionnaire), emotional intelligence (Trait Meta-Mood Scale Questionnaire), personality (NEO-FFI personality inventory), motivation (McClelland Questionnaire), and negotiation style (Rahim Organizational Conflict Inventory-II). A correlational study and a multivariate model were developed. Negotiation effectiveness was associated with age, mindfulness, emotional intelligence, extraversion, openness, conscientiousness, achievement motivation, integrating, dominating, and compromising negotiation styles and inversely correlated toward neuroticism. The effectiveness of the negotiation is explained by the variables clarity, age, conscientiousness, dominating, and compromising style. Meditators were found to be more effective than non-meditators.
Injuries and Overuse Syndromes in Powerlifting

Powerlifting is a discipline of competitive weightlifting. To date, no investigations have focused on pain encountered during routine training. The aim of the study was to identify such pain, assign it to particular exercises and assess the data regarding injuries as well as the influence of intrinsic and extrinsic factors. Data of 245 competitive and elite powerlifters was collected by questionnaire. Information regarding current workout routines and retrospective injury data was collected. Study subjects were selected from 97 incorporated powerlifting clubs. A percentage of 43.3% of powerlifters complained of problems during routine workouts. Injury rate was calculated as 0.3 injuries per lifter per year (1 000 h of training=1 injury). There was no evidence that intrinsic or extrinsic factors affected this rate. Most commonly injured body regions were the shoulder, lower back and the knee. The use of weight belts increased the injury rate of the lumbar spine. Rate of injury to the upper extremities was significantly increased based on age >40 years (shoulder/p=0.003, elbow/p=0.003, hand+wrist/p=0.024) and female gender (hand+wrist/p=0.045). The daily workout of a large proportion of powerlifters is affected by disorders which do not require an interruption of training. The injury rate is low compared to other sports.
Familial MCA/MR syndrome due to inherited submicroscopic translocation t(18;21)(q22.1q21.3) with breakpoint at the Down syndrome critical region

We report three generation family that includes two patients with severe mental retardation and additional anomalies who have been studied, clinically, cytogenetically, and molecular cytogenetically. A clinical diagnosis could not be made in the propositus, but facial anomalies of Down syndrome (DS) were recognized in the maternal uncle of the propositus. In view of a strong family history of recurrent miscarriage, a familial translocation was highly suggestive. Standard cytogenetic analysis did not reveal any abnormalities. Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) using subtelomeric DNA probes identified a familial cryptic translocation of chromosomes 18 and 21, resulting in partial trisomy 21 and partial monosomy 18q in both patients. FISH analysis of obligate carriers demonstrated a balanced translocation between the terminal parts of 18q and 21q. Including this family, a total of six different familial cases with cryptic or subtle subtelomeric translocations of chromosome 21q has been reported, of which three involved terminal parts of chromosome 18q. The remarkable similarity of the chromosomal breakpoints of our patients and the described families prompted us to refine the breakpoints and to discuss phenotypic differences between these patients. Our results reinforce the role of cryptic subtelomeric rearrangements in patients with mental retardation associated with physical anomalies and stress the importance of FISH technology to supplement routine cytogenetics. © 2003 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Los hogares indígenas y la pobreza en el Perú : una mirada a partir de la información cuantitativa

Este documento se realizo como parte del estudio “Indigenous People, Poverty and Human Development in Latin America, 1994-2004”, conducido por Gillete May y Anthony Harry Patrinos del Human Development Department, Latin America and the Caribean Region del Banco Mundial.
Lung density distribution in dynamic CT correlates with oxygenation in ventilated pigs with lavage ARDS.

BACKGROUND Fast dynamic computed tomography (dCT) has been used to assess regional dynamics of lung inflation and deflation processes. The aim of this study was to relate ventilation-induced changes in lung density distribution, as measured over several respiratory cycles by dCT, to oxygenation and shunt fraction in a lavage acute respiratory distress syndrome model. METHODS Six anaesthetized pigs underwent pressure-constant ventilation (FIO2=1.0, inspiratory:expiratory ratio=1:1) before and after induction of lung damage by saline lavage. Mean airway pressure (Paw) was varied (8, 13, 18, 23, 28, 33, and 38 cm H2O) in random order. At each Paw level, dCT acquisitions were performed over several respiratory cycles (Somatom Plus4, Siemens; supradiaphragmatic transverse slice; thickness=1 mm; temporal resolution=100 ms). During scanning at each Paw, arterial and mixed venous blood were obtained for blood gas analysis and shunt calculation. In each CT image, fractional areas (FA) of defined density ranges representing ventilated lung and atelectasis were determined by planimetry using dedicated software. The FA data of individual 100 ms scans were averaged over several respiratory cycles, and expressed as mean FA in percentage of total lung area at each Paw. For atelectatic lung parenchyma a quantitative relationship of the respective mean FA to shunt fraction was studied using regression analysis. RESULTS Under steady-state conditions, mean FA of atelectasis correlated linearly with the calculated shunt fraction (healthy lungs, r=+0.76; lavaged lungs, r=+0.89). There is a non-linear relationship between mean FA of ventilated lung parenchyma and mean FA of atelectasis with PaO2. CONCLUSIONS We conclude that dCT allows assessment of the effects of ventilator adjustments and resultant Paw; changes upon lung aeration and oxygenation rapidly, and with good spatial and temporal resolution. This may benefit patients with acute lung injury, whose ventilatory pattern may be optimized as early as during their first diagnostic workup.
Host choice of anopheline mosquitoes in a malaria endemic area of western Venezuela

Abstract. Bloodmeals of exophilic anopheline mosquitoes collected resting on vegetation in a malaria endemic area in western Venezuela were identified by ELISA. Using a TMB peroxidase substrate in the ELISA, human bloodmeals were readily identified up to 40 h after ingestion in all laboratory‐fed mosquitoes tested. Assay sensitivity declined to 75% identifiable 44 h post‐feeding.
Unique mitochondrial genome architecture in unicellular relatives of animals

Animal mtDNAs are typically small (≈16 kbp), circular-mapping molecules that encode 37 or fewer tightly packed genes. Here we investigate whether similarly compact mitochondrial genomes are also present in the closest unicellular relatives of animals, i.e., choanoflagellate and ichthyosporean protists. We find that the gene content and architecture of the mitochondrial genomes of the choanoflagellate Monosiga brevicollis, the ichthyosporean Amoebidium parasiticum, and Metazoa are radically different from one another. The circular-mapping choanoflagellate mtDNA with its long intergenic regions is four times as large and contains two times as many protein genes as do animal mtDNAs, whereas the ichthyosporean mitochondrial genome totals >200 kbp and consists of several hundred linear chromosomes that share elaborate terminal-specific sequence patterns. The highly peculiar organization of the ichthyosporean mtDNA raises questions about the mechanism of mitochondrial genome replication and chromosome segregation during cell division in this organism. Considering that the closest unicellular relatives of animals possess large, spacious, gene-rich mtDNAs, we posit that the distinct compaction characteristic of metazoan mitochondrial genomes occurred simultaneously with the emergence of a multicellular body plan in the animal lineage.
5‐hydroxytryptamine type‐3 receptor antagonists for chemotherapy‐induced and radiotherapy‐induced nausea and emesis

Nausea and emesis as a consequence of chemotherapy or radiotherapy can have an adverse effect on patients' quality of life during cancer treatment and may last for > 5 days after administration. Guidelines suggest that, used at appropriate doses, the 5‐hydroxytryptamine type‐3 (5‐HT3) receptor antagonists—which are considered the antiemetic “gold standard” when they are administered in combination with corticosteroids—demonstrate equivalent efficacy and safety. However, due to financial considerations, these agents often are used at lower doses than recommended.
Receptor-Independent Infection of Murine Coronavirus: Analysis by Spinoculation

ABSTRACT A highly neurovirulent murine coronavirus JHMV (wild-type [wt] JHMV) is known to spread from cells infected via the murine coronavirus mouse hepatitis virus receptor (MHVR) to cells without MHVR (MHVR-independent infection), whereas a mutant virus isolated from wt JHMV, srr7, spread only in an MHVR-dependent fashion. These observations were obtained by the overlay of JHMV-infected cells onto receptor-negative cells that are otherwise resistant to wt JHMV infection. MHVR-independent infection is hypothetically thought to be attributed to a naturally occurring fusion activation of the wt JHMV S protein, which did not occur in the case of srr7. Attachment of S protein on cells without MHVR during the S-protein activation process seems to be a key condition. Thus, in the present study, we tried to see whether wt JHMV virions that are attached on MHVR-negative cells are able to infect those cells. In order to make virions attach to the cell surface without MHVR, we have used spinoculation, namely, the centrifugation of cells together with inoculated virus at 3,000 rpm for 2 h. This procedure forces viruses to attach to the cell surface, as revealed by quantitative estimation of attached virions by real-time PCR and also facilitated wt JHMV infection to MHVR-negative cells, but failed to do so for srr7. Virions of both wt and srr7 attached on MHVR-negative cells by spinoculation were facilitated for infection in the presence of a soluble form of MHVR that induces conformational changes of both wt and srr7. It was further revealed that wt JHMV S1, but not srr7, was released from the cell surface when S protein was expressed on cells. These observations support the hypothesis that attachment of the virion to MHVR-negative cells is a critical step and that a unique feature of wt JHMV S1 to be released from S2 in a naturally occurring event is involved in an MHVR-independent infection.
Socio-demographical examinations on disability prevalence and rehabilitation status in southwest of Turkey

Purpose: Disability is one of the most important social issues in the community. In contrast to the developed countries, Turkey has, unfortunately, no goods records on the current issues of disability such as the number of disabled and handicapped, and their socio-demographic properties due to the lack of sufficient studies in the specified area. The present study was, therefore, aimed to determine the status of disabled in the entire region of Isparta and to establish relationships between the distinctive disability properties in order for a better understanding of its important aspects. Materials and Method: Data were collected in 2002 from 3500 people residing throughout the region by the gradual sampling method according to the evaluation criteria of International Classification of Impairments, Disabilities and Handicaps (ICIDH) by WHO. Results: The disability prevalence in the studied group was found to be 5.3%, and 4.8% of the disabled were previously rehabilitated. Forty one percent of the disabled were found to have two types of disability. In the study, it was shown that the disability prevalence significantly increased by the age. The disabled were shown to be under-educated and not benefit from the rehabilitation services in one hand, and there were insufficient activities of rehabilitation established in the region in other hand. Conclusion: We concluded that the medical and social rehabilitation services must be initiated and freely provided to these local people, particularly to those young disables whose life will greatly change to a better living standard.
Defective relationship between subjective experience and behavior in schizophrenia.

OBJECTIVE The relationship between subjective experience and behavior abnormalities in schizophrenia was investigated. METHOD Eighteen patients with schizophrenia and 18 normal comparison subjects completed a general knowledge task with two incentive conditions to measure monitoring effectiveness, control sensitivity, and response criterion setting. RESULTS The patients' levels of monitoring effectiveness and control sensitivity were lower than those of the comparison subjects. The effect of incentives on response criterion values was similar in the two groups. CONCLUSIONS Patients were impaired in subjectively assessing the correctness of their knowledge, and their behavior was less determined by subjective experience than that of normal subjects. The patients' intact sensitivity to incentives has implications for cognitive remediation.
Lovastatin induces the formation of abnormal myelin‐like membrane sheets in primary oligodendrocytes

Statins, well‐known inhibitors of cholesterol synthesis and protein isoprenylation, have been proposed as therapeutic drugs for multiple sclerosis (MS). As lovastatin and simvastatin, which are currently tested for their use in MS, can cross the blood‐brain barrier, they may affect cellular processes in the central nervous system. This is especially relevant with respect to remyelination as a proposed additional treatment for MS, because cholesterol is a major component of myelin. Here, we show that primary oligodendrocytes, treated with lovastatin, form extensive membrane sheets, which contain galactosphingolipids. However, these membrane sheets are devoid of the major myelin proteins, myelin basic protein (MBP) and proteolipid protein (PLP). Reduced MBP protein expression was confirmed by SDS‐PAGE and Western blotting, and in situ hybridization experiments revealed that lovastatin blocks MBP mRNA transport into oligodendrocyte processes. In contrast, PLP expression was only mildly affected by lovastatin. However, lovastatin treatment resulted in intracellular accumulation of PLP and prevented its translocation to the cell surface. Interestingly, another inhibitor of cholesterol synthesis (ro48‐8071), which does not interfere with isoprenylation, had a similar effect on the localization of PLP, but it did not affect MBP expression and localization. These results suggest that lovastatin affects PLP transport predominantly by the inhibition of cholesterol synthesis, whereas reduced MBP expression is caused by impaired isoprenylation. Based on these results we recommend to carefully monitor the effect of statins on myelination prior to their use in demyelinating diseases. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Nonlinear Silicon Photonics: Analytical Tools

Since the recent demonstration of chip-scale, silicon-based, photonic devices, silicon photonics provides a viable and promising platform for modern nonlinear optics. The development and improvement of such devices are helped considerably by theoretical predictions based on the solution of the underlying nonlinear propagation equations. In this paper, we review the approximate analytical tools that have been developed for analyzing active and passive silicon waveguides. These analytical tools provide the much needed physical insight that is often lost during numerical simulations. Our starting point is the coupled-amplitude equations that govern the nonlinear dynamics of two optical waves interacting inside a silicon-on-insulator waveguide. In their most general form, these equations take into account not only linear losses, dispersion, and the free-carrier and Raman effects, but also allow for the tapering of the waveguide. Employing approximations based on physical insights, we simplify the equations in a number of situations of practical interest and outline techniques that can be used to examine the influence of intricate nonlinear phenomena as light propagates through a silicon waveguide. In particular, propagation of single pulse through a waveguide of constant cross section is described with a perturbation approach. The process of Raman amplification is analyzed using both purely analytical and semianalytical methods. The former avoids the undepleted-pump approximation and provides approximate expressions that can be used to discuss intensity noise transfer from the pump to the signal in silicon Raman amplifiers. The latter utilizes a variational formalism that leads to a system of nonlinear equations that governs the evolution of signal parameters under the continuous-wave pumping. It can also be used to find an optimum tapering profile of a silicon Raman amplifier that provides the highest net gain for a given pump power.
Changing Smoking, Drinking, and Eating Behaviour among Pregnant Women in Denmark

Health behaviour during pregnancy was examined before and after a comprehensive health campaign targeted at pregnant women in Odense, Denmark. Furthermore, lifestyle habits were compared before and during the campaign with similar habits in Aalborg, Denmark. All 13,815 pregnant women (equal numbers from each city) were enrolled in the study, and 11,980 gave information on eating, drinking, and smoking habits during pregnancy. Data collection in both cities took place from April 1984 to April 1987. The campaign, which was entitled “Healthy Habits for Two”, ran from April 1985 to April 1987 in the city of Odense only. No significant change in health behaviour in the Odense area was noted after the start of the campaign.