Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Physician Profiling: Applications for the Robert Wood Johnson Profiling Project Database

An overview of the applications and limitations of the Center for Research In Ambulatory Health Care Administration (CRAHCA) Profiling Project database funded by The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation is presented. The Profiling Project collects data from 77 practices and links organizational, provider, and patient demographics to administrative data. The Project's database has the capability (1) to profile physicians based on the Resource Based Relative Value Scale (RBRVS) relative value units as a measure of work and (2) to identify practice patterns as defined by procedures used by physicians with the same diagnosis. The Project will further explore variations between physicians and specialties based on systems of care, physician specialty, and patient differences. The comparative reports generated from these data provide comparisons on selected indicators for participating practices.
Colonisation – It’s bad for your health: The context of Aboriginal health

Abstract Australia’s history is not often considered to be an indicator of any person’s health status. However, as health professionals we are taught the importance of taking and listening to our client’s detailed history to assist us in our comprehension of the issues impacting upon their lives. This skill base is an important one in that it makes available valuable information that assists the health professional to be discerning of intimate and specific circumstances that could contributeto health related problems not previously diagnosed. It is a vital screening tool. I would like to advocate that history taking, that being Australia’s colonial, political, social and economic histories be a course of action undertaken by all health professionals working with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. Health researchers of recent years have been able to clearly illustrate that there is a powerful relationship between health status and individuals or collectives; social, political and economic circumstances (Marmot, 2011; Marmot … Wilkinson, 2001; Saggers … Gray, 2007). This way of knowing how health can be affected through such social health determinants is an important health competency (Anderson, 2007; Marmot, 2011). As such this paper delivers a timeline of specific historical and political events, contributing to current social health determinants that are undermining Indigenous Australians health and well-being. This has been undertaken because most Australians including Indigenous Australians have not benefited from a balanced and well informed historical account of the past 200 and something years. The implication of this lack of knowing unfortunately has left its effect on the way health service providers have delivered health to Indigenous children, mothers, fathers, and their communities. Indigenous Australians view the way forward in improving health outcomes, as active partners in their health service delivery. This partnership requires health professionals to listen to their clients, with respect and a decolonising gaze.
Impact of Chlorine, Temperature and Freezing Shock on the Survival Behavior of Escherichia coli O157:H7 on Ready-to-Eat Meats *

Foodborne pathogens continue to pose a potential food safety hazard in ready-to-eat (RTE) meat. Chlorine is commonly used to sanitize processing equipment where Escherichia coli O157:H7 (Ec) may survive and contaminate food products. The objective of this study was to characterize the survival behavior of Ec with different stresses on RTE meats. A multi-strain cocktail of Ec was pre-treated with freezing shock for 15 - 20 h and/or chlorine (0, 25, and 50 ppm) for one hour, and then inoculated onto RTE meat surfaces to obtain about 3.0 log CFU/g. Samples were stored at three abuse temperatures (12℃, 18℃, and 24℃) and Ec was enumerated during the storage. The freezing shock impact was studied using the Ec cocktail stored in a freezer overnight followed by chlorine exposure for one hour. The lag phase and growth rate of Ec were estimated using DMFit (Combase, Baranyi’s model). Results indicated that Ec growth was suppressed by chlorine treatment. Freezing shock was found to have little impact in terms of lag time and growth rate. The lag phase of Ec after exposure to 0 ppm of chlorine (50.3 h) was shorter than that of Ec treated with 25 ppm (54.6 h) and 50 ppm (164.1 h) at 12℃. However, the lag phase decreased with an increase in temperature, e.g. at 25 ppm, lag times were 54.6, 51.1 and 48.9 h for 12℃, 18℃ and 24℃, respectively. Lag times increased with an increase in chlorine concentration. At 24℃, lag times were 15.8, 48.9, and 52.4 h for 0, 25, and 50 ppm, respectively. The growth rate increased with an increase in temperature for 0 and 25 ppm chlorine levels, but decreased at 50 ppm level. Growth rate and lag phase as a function of temperature and chlorine concentration can be described by polynomial models and modified Ratkowsky-type and Zwietering-type models. Results of this study will contribute to risk assessment of RTE meats.
Frequent and preferential infection of Treponema denticola, Streptococcus mitis, and Streptococcus anginosus in esophageal cancers

Multiple cancers frequently occur in the upper digestive tract. One possible explanation is that specific bacterial infection stimulates the normal epithelium to initiate inflammation and/or promotes carcinogenesis. This study was undertaken to determine which bacterial species is predominantly associated with esophageal cancer. We examined the bacterial diversity in this type of cancer and in the saliva from healthy people by using a culture‐independent molecular method. Here we report the preferential and frequent infection of the oral periodontopathic spirochete Treponema denticola (T. denticola), Streptococcus mitis (S. mitis), and Streptococus anginosus (S. anginosus) in esophageal cancer from different regions of the world, and we also describe the induction of inflammatory cytokines by infection of S. anginosus and S. mitis. Our present data suggest that these three bacteria could have significant roles in the carcinogenic process of many cases of esophageal cancer by causing inflammation and by promoting the carcinogenic process, and that eradication of these three bacteria may decrease the risk of recurrence.
Frequency of Antitoxocara Antibodies in Students with Chronic Cough and Eosinophilia in a Rural Area of Shiraz, Iran

Article history: Received: 11 Apr 2013 Accepted: 12 June 2013 Available online: 24 Dec 2013 ZJRMS 2015 Jan; 17(1): 15-18 Background: Visceral larva migrant’s syndrome by toxocara affects mainly children between 2 and 5 years old, it is generally asymptomatic, and the seroprevalence varies from 3 to 86% in different countries; as well as, the secondary stage larvae cause ocular, respiratory and neurotic disorders. The aim of this study was to determine the incidence of anti-toxocara antibodies in children blood that showed chronic cough having eosinophilia in rural part of Shiraz, Iran. Materials and Methods: In a cross sectional study during a tuberculin survey rural area of Shiraz, a city in Southwest Iran, a number of 610 children were selected by randomized two-stage cluster sampling. Children with chronic cough were investigated for toxocariasis. Initially, the absolute eosinophil count was determined. Then, children having eosinophilia were tested by toxocara-IgG ELISA kit (Ibl, Hamburg). Results: Of total 80 children with chronic cough, 12 (15%) were eosinophilic, among them 6.25% were hypereosinophilic, 9 (11.25%) were toxocara ELISA-IgG positive. No correlation between intestinal parasites and toxocariasis was detected. There was also no significant interdependence between age, gender, and dwelling difference in toxocara antibody amount. Conclusion: Presence of eosinophilia and the risk factors evaluated in this population were frequently associated to human toxocariasis. Anti toxocara antibody was detected in more than half of children with chronic cough, thus, toxocariasis among children in schools should have been noticed in schools by both education and hygiene ministry. Copyright © 2015 Zahedan University of Medical Sciences. All rights reserved.
Visualization of G Protein-coupled Receptor Trafficking with the Aid of the Green Fluorescent Protein

A chimeric protein consisting of the cholecystokinin receptor type A (CCKAR) and the green fluorescent protein (GFP) was used for studying receptor localization, internalization, and recycling in live cells in real time in four different cell lines. Fusion of the C terminus of the CCKAR to the N terminus of the GFP did not alter receptor ligand binding affinity, signal transduction, or the pattern of receptor surface expression and receptor-mediated cholecystokinin (CCK) internalization. The use of a new GFP mutant with increased fluorescence allowed the continuous observation of CCKAR-GFP in stably expressing cell lines. Newly obtained biologically active fluorescent derivatives of CCK were used for simultaneous observation of receptor and ligand trafficking in CHO, NIH/3T3, and HeLa cells stably expressing the fluorescent CCKAR and in transiently transfected COS-1 cells. Receptor internalization was predominantly ligand dependent in HeLa, COS-1, and CHO cells, but was mostly constitutive in NIH/3T3 cells, suggesting the existence of cell-specific regulation of receptor internalization. The CCKAR antagonists, L-364,718 and CCK 27–32 amide potently inhibited spontaneous internalization of the receptor. The average sorting time of CCK and the receptor in the endosomes was about 25 min. The receptor recycled back to the cell membrane with an average time of 60 min. While the ligands sorted to lysosomes, no receptor molecules could be detected there, and no receptor degradation was observed during recycling. These results demonstrate the usefulness of GFP tagging for real time imaging of G protein-coupled receptor trafficking in living cells and suggest that this technique may be successfully applied to the study of the regulation and trafficking mechanisms of other receptors.
Assessment of Morphology for Anaerobic‐Granular Particles

This study shows that a proper assessment of granule morphology is fundamental before applying any mathematical derivation or empirical formula based on the shape factor of anaerobic‐granular particles to determine granular characteristics. The granular images and size distribution of samples observed in this study revealed two different dimensions along two axes, which characterize these particles as ellipsoids. In the literature, theoretical‐settling velocities and particle‐size distribution of anaerobic granules have been calculated by assuming granules as spherical‐shaped and using the numerical correlation between the size and settling velocity. This resulted in large deviations in results reported for settling velocities and size distribution calculated by using empirical equations when compared with experimentally measured values. It is believed that, because of the nonspherical nature of these particles, errors have been made in the earlier studies (which considered these particles as spherical), while evaluating granular‐physical properties.
Comments on the analysis of twin samples.

Many of the conclusions drawn from twin studies depend upon observed differences or assumed comparability between two twin samples (e. g., monozygotic and dizygotic), between a twin sample and the general twin population, or between the twin population and the total population. Much attention has been given to possible biological or cultural factors affecting these comparisons, but several relatively simple problems of sampling and enumeration still seem to deserve further study.
Realizing a 2-D Positive Operator-Valued Measure by Local Operations and Classical Communication

We study the realization of a 2-D positive operator-valued measure (POVM) by local operations and classical communication (LOCC). We derive that any POVM on a 2-D Hilbert space in which each party’s space is finite dimensional can be realized by one-way LOCC. This implies that any optimal discrimination of quantum states spanning such a 2-D Hilbert space is possible by one-way LOCC, regardless of the optimality criterion used and how entangled the states are.
Features of ‘CD4-exploders', HIV-positive patients with an optimal immune reconstitution after potent antiretroviral therapy

ObjectiveTo identify crucial immunological characteristics of a group of patients, defined ‘CD4-exploders', who were able to fully reconstitute their immune system after receiving highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART). PatientsAmong a population of 540 HIV-positive patients treated with HAART, six individuals were identified who experienced a nadir of less than 85 × 106 CD4+ cells/l, had major opportunistic infections (four out of six), started HAART in 1996 or 1997, and showed a rapid and relevant CD4+ lymphocyte increase (mainly due to virgin cells), in some cases regardless of virological control. MethodsEnzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for the determination of interleukin (IL)-7 plasma levels; flow cytometry to analyse surface antigens and CD127 (IL-7 receptor α-chain) expression; quantitative-competitive (QC) PCR for detecting cells containing T-cell receptor rearrangement excision circles (TREC); chest-computed tomography (CT) to analyse thymus volume and content. ResultsIn ‘CD4-exploders', high levels of TREC+ lymphocytes were found among CD4+ T cells, which also contained a high percentage of naive cells. However, CT revealed a dramatic depletion of intrathymic lymphoid tissue. Plasma levels of IL-7 were significantly high. Most CD4+ and CD8+ T lymphocytes expressed CD127, whose level was similar to that of healthy donors. CD127 expression on CD8+ lymphocytes was markedly higher than in HIV-positive individuals treated with the same therapy or in patients with AIDS. ConclusionIn ‘CD4-exploders', HAART-induced reconstitution of the T-cell compartment is independent from thymus volume, and is favoured by the upregulation of the IL-7/IL-7 receptor system.
Wheelchair users at home: few home modifications and many injurious falls.

Aged 18–64 y (n = 219) Aged >64 y (n = 306)Injurious Fall, % Injurious Fall, %Feature Present in House No (n = 174) Yes (n = 45) No (n = 258) Yes (n = 48) All, % (n = 525)Bathroom modifications 45.4 35.6 47.7 52.1 46.3Widened doorways/hallways 43.1 28.9 25.2 18.8 30.9Kitchen modifications 17.8 13.3 5.4 8.3 10.5Railings 39.7 26.7 38.8 35.4 37.7Easy-open doors 19.0 11.1 13.6 12.5 15.0Has all 5 features 6.9 0.0 2.7 4.2 4.0Has none of the 5 features 33.3 53.3 34.5 41.7 36.4
Modeling Framework and Architecture of Hybrid System Dynamics and Discrete Event Simulation for Construction

Abstract: Construction system modeling aims to improve construction work performance by tracking the dynamic behaviors of construction systems. More accurate system modeling can be achieved by considering the mutual effects of construction operations on the context level of the system. Hybrid models of discrete event simulation (DES) and system dynamics aim to capture these mutual effects to provide model developers with more precise system analysis. Although system dynamics models are used to capture the behavior of the system at the context level, DES models are utilized to capture construction operations. The potential benefits of utilizing hybrid models for complex systems have been argued and established, but there are still limited studies that have utilized this modeling approach for real construction systems. In this research, we have attempted to identify the challenging issues that have caused this problem and to confront this problem by proposing a hybrid framework and architecture, which address these challenges. To verify the effectiveness of the new model, the performance of the proposed hybrid modeling framework and architecture has been tested by applying the proposed model in a real‐scale construction‐related system.
Combinatorial content of CCL3L and CCL4L gene copy numbers influence HIV-AIDS susceptibility in Ukrainian children

Objective:CCL3L and CCL4L genes encode HIV-suppressive chemokines, colocalize on chromosome 17q12 and have copy number variation. Copy number variation of CCL3L associates with HIV-AIDS susceptibility. Here, we determined the influence of the combinatorial content of distinct CCL3L and CCL4L genes on HIV-AIDS susceptibility. Methods:By designing gene-specific assays, the association between doses of all CCL3L or CCL4L genes or their individual duplicated components (CCL3La/b and CCL4La/b) with HIV-AIDS susceptibility was determined in 298 perinatally exposed Ukrainian children. Results:The odds of transmission was increased in children with less than two copies of CCL3L or CCL4L, compared with those with at least two copies, and 10-fold higher when both mother and offspring had less than two CCL3L or CCL4L copies, compared with mother–child pairs with at least two copies. The extent of the pair-wise correlations between CCL3La, CCL3Lb, CCL4La and CCL4Lb copy number varied extensively, with an inverse correlation between CCL4L genes that transcribe a classical chemokine (CCL4La) versus aberrantly-spliced transcripts (CCL4Lb). Children possessing only CCL4Lb progressed four times faster to AIDS than those with only CCL4La. A lower content of CCL3L and CCL4L genes that transcribe classical chemokines was associated with enhanced HIV-AIDS susceptibility. Conclusion:Transmission risk is greatest when mother and offspring both have low CCL3L or CCL4L gene doses. The impact on HIV-AIDS susceptibility of the chemokine gene-rich locus on 17q12 is dependent on the balance between the doses of genes conferring protective (CCL3La and CCL4La) versus detrimental (CCL4Lb) effects. Hence, the combinatorial genomic content of distinct genes within a copy number variable region may determine disease susceptibility.
DC-Balanced Line Coding for Downlink Modulation in Bidirectional WDM PONs Using Remodulation

We experimentally investigate the use of DC-balanced line coding in a wavelength-shared bidirectional wavelength-division-multiplexed passive optical network using 10-Gb/s directly modulated lasers (DMLs) for downlink and 2.5-Gb/s reflective semiconductor optical amplifiers for uplink. We show that the line coding not only allows us to utilize the flat frequency response of the DML but it also alleviates the downlink-to-uplink crosstalk induced by remodulation.
Collaborative learning through formative peer review: pedagogy, programs and potential

We examine student peer review, with an emphasis on formative practice and collaborative learning, rather than peer grading. Opportunities to engage students in such formative peer assessment are growing, as a range of online tools become available to manage and simplify the process of administering student peer review. We consider whether pedagogical requirements for student peer review are likely to be discipline-specific, taking computer science and software engineering as an example. We then summarise what attributes are important for a modern generic peer review tool, and classify tools according to four prevalent emphases, using currently available, mature tools to illustrate each. We conclude by identifying some gaps in current understanding of formative peer review, and discuss how online tools for student peer review can help create opportunities to answer some of these questions.
Unified approach to single- and multiantenna turbo-TCM: union bound and constituent code optimization over AWGN and fading channels

Unified approach to distance spectrum interpretation (DS) of single- and multiantenna turbo trellis coded modulations (turbo-TCMs) is introduced in this paper to analyze the performance and optimize constituent TCMs for AWGN and fading channels. The union bound (UB) on frame-error-rate (FER) and bit-error-rate (BER) appeared as rather tight. Further DS optimization produced the new set of constituent TCMs for the robust single-antenna turbo-TCM. Compared to existing Robertson et al. turbo-TCM, more than 1 dB and 5 dB gains are achieved in the error floor region over AWGN and fast fading channel, respectively. Single-antenna turbo-TCM was further concatenated with inner space-time block code (STBC) and compared to previously optimized multiantenna or space-time (ST) turbo-TCM. Achieving the same spectral efficiency with lower decoding complexity, ST-turbo-TCM offers additional 1 dB and 1.5 dB gains over quasistatic and fast fading channel, respectively.
Selected RD1 Peptides for Active Tuberculosis Diagnosis: Comparison of a Gamma Interferon Whole-Blood Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay and an Enzyme-Linked Immunospot Assay

ABSTRACT We recently set up a gamma interferon (IFN-γ) enzyme-linked immunospot assay (ELISPOT), using selected early secreted antigenic target 6 (ESAT-6) peptides, that appears specific for active tuberculosis (A-TB). However, ELISPOT is difficult to automate. Thus, the objective of this study was to determine if the same selected peptides may be used in a technique more suitable for routine work in clinical laboratories, such as whole-blood enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (WBE). For this purpose, 27 patients with A-TB and 41 control patients were enrolled. Our WBE, using the already described selected peptides from ESAT-6 plus three new ones from culture filtrate protein 10, was performed, and data were compared with those obtained by ELISPOT. Using our selected peptides, IFN-γ production, evaluated by both WBE and ELISPOT, was significantly higher in patients with A-TB than in controls (P < 0.0001). Statistical analysis showed a good correlation between the results obtained by WBE and ELISPOT (r = 0.80, P < 0.001). To substantiate our data, we compared our WBE results with those obtained by QuantiFERON-TB Gold, a whole-blood assay based on region of difference 1 (RD1) overlapping peptides approved for TB infection diagnosis. We observed a slightly higher sensitivity with QuantiFERON-TB Gold than with our WBE (89% versus 81%); however, our test provided a better specificity result (90% versus 68%). In conclusion, results obtained by WBE based on selected RD1 peptides significantly correlate with those generated by ELISPOT. Moreover, our assay appears more specific for A-TB diagnosis than QuantiFERON-TB Gold, and thus it may represent a complementary tool for A-TB diagnosis for routine use in clinical laboratories.
Gender perspective on risk factors, coronary lesions and long-term outcome in young patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction

Objective Previous data on young patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) have indicated higher rates of normal coronary angiograms but higher mortality in women than men. However, ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) differs from non-ST-elevation ACS in many aspects. We elucidated sex differences in risk factors, angiographic findings and outcome in consecutive STEMI patients below 46 years of age. Design Retrospective cohort study. Setting The Swedish registers for CCU care and coronary angioplasty; RIKS-HIA and SCAAR. Patients 2132 STEMI patients below 46 years of age admitted to intensive coronary care units in Sweden between 1995 and 2006 and followed for at least 1 year. Main outcome measures Angiographic findings and short-term and long-term mortality. Results Risk factors were more common in women. Significant coronary lesions were equally common (92.1% vs 93.1%, p=0.64) while single vessel disease was more common (72.9% vs 59.3%; p<0.001) in women. Women had higher multivariable adjusted in-hospital mortality, OR 2.85 (95% CI 1.31 to 6.19) while long-term mortality was the same, HR 0.93 (95% CI 0.60 to 1.45). The catch-up of mortality in men might be related to a higher occurrence of re-infarctions, HR 1.82 (95% CI 1.25 to 2.65). Conclusions STEMI below age 46 is a more rare condition in women than in men and more often related to cardiovascular risk factors. More than 90% of both men and women had coronary lesions, in women more often single vessel lesions. Female sex is associated with higher in-hospital mortality, while long-term mortality is low without difference between genders.