Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The transaxillary, totally endoscopic approach for head and neck endocrine surgery in children.

PURPOSE The purpose of this study was to assess the safety, efficacy, and learning curve for transaxillary, totally endoscopic (TATE) head and neck endocrine surgery in children. MATERIALS AND METHODS Between June 2005 and October 2009, 31 children with head and neck endocrine problems were subjected to the TATE approach. Safety, efficacy, complications, and time of operation were assessed. DATA Thirty-one children (mean age, 12.7 years; F:M, 5:1) underwent a TATE approach. Glands ranged in size from 10 g (in a small 5-year-old) to 63 g (in one 16-year-old). No cervical incisions were required and there were no conversions to open surgery. Three patients in our early experience underwent a robot-assisted procedure. Two patients suffered from hyperparathyroidism and had adenomas removed, using rapid PTH in the operating room to confirm immediate success. Of the remaining 29 children, 2 girls had an adenoma of the right thyroid lobe removed uneventfully, and the reminder all had Graves disease, which was treated successfully. Complications included transient hypocalcemia in 3 patients who were also on steroids for unrelated medical problems; transient neuropraxia in 3 patients with very large glands; 1 postoperative, lateral, subcutaneous hematoma that resolved uneventfully; and 1 asthmatic with a spontaneous apical pneumothorax that presented as subcutaneous gas in the neck, 6 hours after the surgery and which resolved with chest tube placement. Average operative time for the first 10 patients was 288 minutes and for the subsequent patients was 155 minutes (range, 92-210 minutes). CONCLUSIONS The TATE approach appears to be as safe and effective as open surgery for cervical endocrinopathies in children. Only transient, minor complications were observed. Operative time significantly decreases with experience, making the length of surgery comparable to its open counterpart.
The association of diabetes mellitus and gender with risk of bone fractures: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Bone fracture shows a growing trend. This increase is a result of several factors occurs. In this study, a meta-analysis was performed to examine the relationship of fracture risk with Type 2 diabetes mellitus and gender. For this purpose, we searched the credible databases including PubMed, ISI, and Scopus for the related epidemiologic studies that were published up to May 2016. The data provided in these articles was extracted and then analyzed by a random-effects model. Funnel plot was used to check for publication bias. Statistical analyses were carried out by R version 3.2. 1 and STATA (version 11.1). After filtering irrelevant articles, 30 studies were selected for meta-analysis. The analyses showed that type 2 diabetes mellitus is positively associated with overall fracture risk (summary RR=1.05, 95% CI: 1.04, 1.06). The incidence of fractures was higher in men than in women (Phet=0.043). The interpretation of the meta-regression showed that no significant relationship exists between the gender risk factor in diabetic patients and years of study (P=0.280). The results highlight the importance of adopting suitable strategies for prevention of bone fracture in T2DM patients.
Insulin Pump and Continuous Glucose Monitor Initiation in Hospitalized Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus.

BACKGROUND Insulin pumps and continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) are commonly used by patients with diabetes mellitus in the outpatient setting. The efficacy and safety of initiating inpatient insulin pumps and CGM in the nonintensive care unit setting is unknown. MATERIALS AND METHODS In a prospective pilot study, inpatients with type 2 diabetes were randomized to receive standard subcutaneous basal-bolus insulin and blinded CGM (group 1, n = 5), insulin pump and blinded CGM (group 2, n = 6), or insulin pump and nonblinded CGM (group 3, n = 5). Feasibility, glycemic control, and patient satisfaction were evaluated among groups. RESULTS Group 1 had lower mean capillary glucose levels, 144.5 ± 19.5 mg/dL, compared with groups 2 and 3, 191.5 ± 52.3 and 182.7 ± 59.9 mg/dL (P1 vs. 2+3 = 0.05). CGM detected 19 hypoglycemic episodes (glucose <70 mg/dL) among all treatment groups, compared with 12 episodes detected by capillary testing, although not statistically significant. No significant differences were found for the total daily dose of insulin or percentage of time spent below target glucose range (<90 mg/dL), in target glucose range (90-180 mg/dL), or above target glucose range (>180 mg/dL). On the Diabetes Treatment Satisfaction Questionnaire-Change, group 3 reported increased hyperglycemia and decreased hypoglycemia frequency compared with the other two groups, although the differences did not reach statistical significance. CONCLUSIONS Insulin pump and CGM initiation are feasible during hospitalization, although they are labor intensive. Although insulin pump initiation may not lead to improved glycemic control, there is a trend toward CGM detecting a greater number of hypoglycemic episodes. Larger studies are needed to determine whether use of this technology can lower inpatient morbidity and mortality.
A Cross-Cultural Examination of Subordinates' Perceptions of and Reactions to Abusive Supervision

Summary This manuscript explores cross-cultural differences in reactions to perceived abusive supervision. Based on an integration of fairness heuristic theory with principles about cross-cultural differences in the importance of hierarchical status, we theorize that subordinates from the Anglo culture perceive and react to abusive supervision more negatively than subordinates from the Confucian Asian culture. The predictions were tested within two field studies. Study 1 results show that culture moderated the direct effect of perceived abusive supervision on interpersonal justice and the indirect effects of perceived abusive supervision (via interpersonal justice) on subordinates' trust in the supervisor and work effort. The negative effects of perceived abusive supervision were stronger for subordinates within the Anglo versus the Confucian Asian culture; subordinates from Anglo culture compared with Confucian Asian culture perceived abusive supervision as less fair. Perceived abusive supervision indirectly and negatively influenced subordinates' trust in the supervisor and work effort. Study 2 replicated the findings from Study 1 and extended them to show culture (Anglo vs. Confucian culture) moderated the effects because it influences subordinates' power distance orientation. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
An autoradiographic study of cell kinetics in epidermis of the toad Bufo bufo bufo (L).

Under normal conditions, the toad Bufo bufo bufo molts about once a week. It was considered of interest to study whether the rhythmic pattern of cell loss through shedding of a stratum corneum is correlated with a rhythmic production of cells in stratum germinativum. An autoradiographic investigation of cell kinetics in toad skin using [3H]-thymidine and [14C]-thymidine as precursors revealed that cell production in stratum germinativum is a continuous process, and the cell production rate is much higher than is required for replacement of the cells lost with each molt. The parameters measured, i.e., % labeled cells, length of cell cycle, and S-phase, as well as migration of labeled cells from stratum germinativum toward stratum corneum support the assumption of an inhomogeneous cell population in stratum germinativum. A model proposed by Potten form the cellular organization of mouse epithelium provides a useful basis for the interpretation of the results obtained in the present study.
Diffusion of Innovation, Consumer Attitudes and Intentions to use Mobile Banking

This study discusses the effect of diffusion of innovation (relative advantage, compatibility and trial-ability) toward intention to use mobile banking through the consumer attitudes. The purpose of this study was to determine whether there is influence between Diffusion of Innovations (relative advantage, compatibility and trial-ability) toward the intention to use mobile banking through the consumer attitudes. The respondents of this study are the Bank Mobile Banking users in Banda Aceh. The sampling method used in this study is purposive sampling and the data were analyzed using path analysis technique. The results found that relative advantage, compatibility and trial-ability directly had significant effect on consumer attitudes in a positive way; relative advantage and trial-ability significant toward intention to use; compatibility effect not significant toward the intention to use in a positive way; consumer attitudes is significant towards intention to use positively; and relative advantage, compatibility and trial-ability significant toward intention to use through consumer attitudes. Keyword s : Relative advantage, Compatibility, Trial-ability, Intention to use, Consumer’s attitude
A Naturalistic Study of the Effectiveness of Pharmacogenetic Testing to Guide Treatment in Psychiatric Patients With Mood and Anxiety Disorders.

OBJECTIVE To examine the effectiveness of genetic testing in a real-world setting and to assess its impact on clinician treatment decisions. METHOD This was a naturalistic, unblinded, prospective analysis of psychiatric patients and clinicians who utilized a commercially available genetic test (between April and October of 2013), which incorporates 10 genes related to pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of psychiatric medications. Each patient's genetic results were provided to participating clinicians, who completed a baseline survey including patient medications, history, and severity of illness. Clinicians were prompted to complete surveys within 1 week of receiving the genetic results and again 3 months later. Patients likewise completed assessments of depression, anxiety, medication side effects, and quality of life at baseline, 1 month, and 3 months. RESULTS Data from 685 patients were collected. Approximately 70% and 29% of patients had primary diagnoses of either a mood or anxiety disorder, respectively. Clinician-reported data, as measured by the Clinical Global Impressions-Improvement scale, indicated that 87% of patients showed clinically measurable improvement (rated as very much improved, much improved, or minimally improved), with 62% demonstrating clinically significant improvement. When analysis was restricted to the 69% of individuals with ≥ 2 prior treatment failures, 91% showed clinically measurable improvement. Patients also reported significant decreases in depression (P < .001), anxiety (P < .001), and medication side effects (P < .001) and increases in quality of life (P < .001). CONCLUSIONS These results suggest that a substantial proportion of individuals receiving pharmacogenetic testing showed clinically significant improvements on multiple measures of symptoms, adverse effects, and quality of life over 3 months. In the absence of a treatment-as-usual comparator, the proportion of improvement attributable to the test cannot be estimated. TRIAL REGISTRATION ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT01507155.
Feedforward networks in financial predictions: the future that modifies the present

The main goal of this paper is to show how relatively minor modifications of well‐known algorithms (in particular, back propagation) can dramatically increase the performance of an artificial neural network (ANN) for time series prediction. We denote our proposed sets of modifications as the ’self‐momentum’, ’Freud’ and ’Jung’ rules. In our opinion, they provide an example of an alternative approach to the design of learning strategies for ANNs, one that focuses on basic mathematical conceptualization rather than on formalism and demonstration. The complexity of actual prediction problems makes it necessary to experiment with modelling possibilities whose inherent mathematical properties are often not well understood yet. The problem of time series prediction in stock markets is a case in point. It is well known that asset price dynamics in financial markets are difficult to trace, let alone to predict with an operationally interesting degree of accuracy. We therefore take financial prediction as a meaningful test bed for the validation of our techniques. We discuss in some detail both the theoretical underpinnings of the technique and our case study about financial prediction, finding encouraging evidence that supports the theoretical and operational viability of our new ANN specifications. Ours is clearly only a preliminary step. Further developments of ANN architectures with more and more sophisticated ’learning to learn’ characteristics are now under study and test.
ANTIBODIES TO BORNA DISEASE VIRUS IN SUBACUTE SCLEROSING PANENCEPHALITIS

Mechanisms causing persistence and reactivation of measles virus in subacute sclerosing panencephalitis (SSPE) are unknown. Borna disease virus (BDV) frequently causes latent or persistent infection in the nervous system. We investigated a possible association of these viruses in SSPE. Although BDV seropositivity was similar in SSPE and control groups, SSPE patients with high antibodies to BDV had earlier and more rapid disease. The findings suggest that BDV might be involved in the course, but not in the etiopathogenesis, of SSPE.
The Parental Bonding Instrument (PBI): an epidemiological study in a general population sample

SYNOPSIS The Parental Bonding Instrument (PBI) was used in a 2-wave community survey of 386 persons. The two factor structure of the instrument was confirmed, as well as the high stability of its scales over time. Respondents who had had children differed significantly from others. No association was found between social desirability, neuroticism or extraversion and either of the scales. No association was observed between the scales and psychiatric disorder, despite using covariance structure analysis to remove the effects of age and attenuation due to measurement error. Estimates of relative risk for affectionless control were low in contrast to estimates calculated from samples with psychiatric disorders. These findings may be characteristic of symptomatic persons in a general population. Because of the importance of the affectionless control construct, the findings invite further investigation in other community and treated samples.
Malignant solid tumors in basra pediatric oncology center

Malignant solid tumors represent about 50% of all malignant neoplasm in children aged less than 15 years ,They make more than 80% of all malignancies in infants. To focus on clinical and biological characteristics of patients with various types of malignant solid tumors who have been admitted to the Oncology center at Basra Maternity and Children Hospital during the period from the 1st of January 2004 till the end of December 2009. A retrospective study was carried out at Basra Maternity and Children Hospital during the period from the 1st of January 2004 till the end of December 2009.Total cases of cancer admitted to the Center during that period were 704 cases, malignant Solid tumors represented 27.5% of total cases(194 cases). One hundred sixty five patients were included in the study, their age ranged from one month to 14 years, 85 males and 80 females. Sympathetic nervous system tumors represented the highest percentage (35.8%) followed by renal tumors (26.1%), soft tissue sarcomas (18.2%), germ cell tumors (10.3%), retinoblastoma (6.7%) and the least percentage was for hepatic tumors (3%) . The highest frequency of malignant solid tumors was found in the age group of (1-4years), that included 79 patient (47.9%), most of them had neuroblastoma ;32 patients (40%). Most cases with malignant solid tumors were from the center and northern areas of Basra (28.5%,14.6% respectively) and to a lesser extent in western (10.3%), southern (6%), and eastern areas( 1.2%). Other governorates like ThiQar and Maysan account for high rates (21.8%,16.4% respectively) of admissions in Basra pediatric oncology center. The overall mortality was 27.3% (45 cases), it ranged from 11.8%-40%, and most common cause of death was advanced metastatic disease. Non compliance or discontinuation of treatment is an important dilemma for all types of cancer. This study revealed that sympathetic nervous system tumors, the commonest of them was neuroblastoma , most cases presented in stage III or stage IV of the disease. So Improving the diagnostic facilities in Basra Oncology Center by introducing specific type of investigation for evaluation of patient with malignant solid tumors like metaiodobenzylguanidine (MIBG) scan, positron emission tomography (PET), genetic study, and other important biochemical investigations could assign the patient risk group, and not depending only on simple criteria for the classification of the disease .
IMPLANTATION OF ELECTRODES FOR DEEP BRAIN STIMULATION OF THE SUBTHALAMIC NUCLEUS IN ADVANCED PARKINSON'S DISEASE WITH THE AID OF INTRAOPERATIVE MICRORECORDING UNDER GENERAL ANESTHESIA

OBJECTIVEDeep brain stimulation (DBS) is widely accepted in the treatment of advanced Parkinson's disease (PD) and other movement disorders. The standard implantation procedure is performed under local anesthesia (LA). Certain groups of patients may not be eligible for surgery under LA because of clinical reasons, such as massive fear, reduced cooperativity, or coughing attacks. Microrecording (MER) has been shown to be helpful in DBS surgery. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the feasibility of MER for DBS surgery under general anesthesia (GA) and to compare the data of intraoperative MER as well as the clinical data with that of the current literature of patients undergoing operation under LA. CLINICAL PRESENTATIONThe data of nine patients with advanced PD (mean Hoehn and Yahr status, 4.2) who were operated with subthalamic nucleus (STN) DBS under GA, owing to certain clinical circumstances ruling out DBS under LA, were retrospectively analyzed. All operations were performed under analgosedation with propofol or remifentanil and intraoperative MER. For MER, remifentanil was ceased completely and propofol was lowered as far as possible. INTERVENTIONThe STN could be identified intraoperatively in all patients with MER. The typical bursting pattern was identified, whereas a widening of the baseline noise could not be as adequately detected as in patients under LA. The daily off phases of the patients were reduced from 50 to 17%, whereas the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale III score was reduced from 43 (preoperative, medication off) to 19 (stimulation on, medication off) and 12 (stimulation on, medication on). Two patients showed a transient neuropsychological deterioration after surgery, but both also had preexisting episodes of disorientation. One implantable pulse generator infection was noticed. No further significant clinical complications were observed. CONCLUSIONSTN surgery for advanced PD with MER guidance is possible with good clinical results under GA. Intraoperative MER of the STN region can be performed under GA with a special anesthesiological protocol. In this setting, the typical STN bursting pattern can be identified, whereas the typical widening of the background noise baseline while entering the STN region is obviously absent. This technique may enlarge the group of patients eligible for STN surgery. Although the clinical improvements and parameter settings in this study were within the range of the current literature, further randomized controlled studies are necessary to compare the results of STN DBS under GA and LA, respectively.
Nitric Oxide and Neopterin in Bipolar Affective Disorder

Background: There is an increasing interest in the role of nitric oxide (NO) and pterines in the pathophysiology of neuropsychiatric disorders. The results so far show an inconsistent pattern. Methods: In the present study, neopterin and a measure of NO synthesis in plasma of symptomatic and euthymic bipolar affective patients were compared to those of patients with a major depression and healthy controls. As an index of NO synthesis, the ratio of the amino acids citrulline and arginine (Cit-Arg ratio) was calculated. Neopterin is a bypass product in the synthesis of tetrahydrobiopterin, which is a cofactor of NO synthase. Results: The results indicate that both neopterin and the Cit-Arg ratio are decreased in bipolar affective patients, irrespective of their symptomatic status. In addition, an association between the values of the Cit-Arg ratio and the neopterin level was observed, which is suggestive for a low tetrahydrobiopterin activity. Conclusion: NO formation may be endangered in bipolar affective disorder.
Non-acid gastro-oesophageal reflux is associated with squamous cell carcinoma of the oesophagus

Introduction Squamous cell carcinoma of the oesophagus is a common cancer among South Africans. Due to the absence of effective screening and surveillance programme for early detection and late presentation, squamous cell carcinoma of the oesophagus is usually diagnosed at an advanced stage or when metastasis has already occurred. The 5-year survival is often quoted at 5%–10%, which is poor. Objectives To determine the association between oesophageal squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) and non-acid gastro-oesophageal reflux disease. Methods Study design A cross-sectional case–control analytical study of patients referred to the Gastroenterology Division of Steve Biko Academic Hospital in Pretoria, South Africa. All patients had combined multichannel impedance and pH studies done and interpreted after upper gastroscopy using the American College of Gastroenterology guidelines by two clinicians. Results Thirty-two patients with OSCC were recruited: non-acid reflux was found in 23 patients (73%), acid reflux in 2 patients (6%) and 7 patients (22%) had normal multichannel impedance and pH studies. Forty-nine patients matched by age, gender and race were recruited as a control group. Non-acid reflux was found in 11 patients (22%), acid reflux in 31 patients (63%) and 7 patients (14%) had normal multichannel impedance and pH monitoring study. Conclusion The significance of the association between non-acid reflux and OSCC was tested using χ2, and simple logistic regression was used to adjust for the effects of potential confounders. The OR of developing OSCC in patients with non-acid gastro-oesophageal reflux was 8.8 (95% CI 3.2 to 24.5, P<0.0001) in this South African group. Alcohol and smoking had no effect on these results.
Time-domain signal-averaged electrocardiogram in healthy German Shepherd and Boxer dogs

Signal-averaged electrocardiogram (SAECG) identifies ventricular late potentials (LP), low-amplitude electrical signals that are markers of slow cardiac conduction in fibrous myocardium, consisting in a predictive factor for sudden death in dogs at risk of sustained ventricular tachycardia. The aim of this study was to establish reference values of SAECG for German Shepherd and Boxer dogs. SAECG was performed in 19 German Shepherd and 28 Boxer client-owned dogs, and parameters analyzed were QRSd (duration of filtered QRS), LAS<40V (duration of low-amplitude signals in terminal portion of filtered QRS) and RMS40 (root square of mean voltage over the last 40 milliseconds of filtered QRS), with two different filters (25-250 Hz and 40-250 Hz). Statistical analyses was achieved by T Student test (p<0.05) to identify differences between the two groups and between the values obtained with the two filters. No statistical difference was found in SAECG variables between the two breeds with the two different filters (p>0.05). Achieving normal values of SAECG in German Shepherd and Boxer dogs is important to further research late potentials in animals of these breeds with hereditary ventricular tachycardia or arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy and identification of individuals at high risk of cardiac-related sudden death.