Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Prospective randomized trial of mechanical bowel preparation in patients undergoing elective colorectal surgery

A total of 149 patients admitted for elective colorectal surgery were randomly allocated to receive preoperative mechanical bowel preparation (group 1) or no mechanical bowel preparation (group 2). All patients received antimicrobial prophylaxis with cephalothin and metronidazole. The overall incidence of wound infection was 17·4 per cent (24 per cent for group 1, 12 per cent for group 2) and that of dehiscence 7·4 per cent (10 per cent for group 1, 5 per cent for group 2). The incidence of wound infection was significantly higher in group 1 (P<0·05) but that of anastomotic dehiscence did not differ significantly between groups. Mechanical bowel preparation is unnecessary and may be harmful in terms of preventing wound infection and anastomotic dehiscence in patients undergoing elective colorectal surgery.
Is a Homosexual Orientation Irreversible?

Summary In four studies homosexual patients were randomly allocated to receive either different forms of aversive therapy; or aversive therapy or a positive conditioning procedure. Before and after therapy the patients' sexual orientation was determined by measuring their penile volume responses to moving pictures of nude men and women. The aversive therapies produced reduction in homosexual feelings and behaviour. In the fourth study the reduction was significantly greater following the aversive compared with the positive conditioning procedure. No significant change in measured sexual orientation occurred in the patients who received aversive therapy compared with those who received positive conditioning. The measured sexual orientation of the homosexual patients after treatment differed significantly from that of heterosexual patients who received aversive therapy for sexual anomalies.
Preconditioning Enhanced Glucose Uptake Is Mediated by p38 MAP Kinase Not by Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinase*

Ischemia is reported to stimulate glucose uptake, but the signaling pathways involved are poorly understood. Modulation of glucose transport could be important for the cardioprotective effects of brief intermittent periods of ischemia and reperfusion, termed ischemic preconditioning. Previous work indicates that preconditioning reduces production of acid and lactate during subsequent sustained ischemia, consistent with decreased glucose utilization. However, there are also data that preconditioning enhances glucose uptake. The present study examines whether preconditioning alters glucose transport and whether this is mediated by either phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) or p38 MAP kinase. Langendorff-perfused rat hearts were preconditioned with 4 cycles of 5 min of ischemia and 5 min of reperfusion, with glucose as substrate. During the last reflow, glucose was replaced with 5 mm acetate and 5 mm 2-deoxyglucose (2DG), and hexose transport was measured from the rate of production of 2-deoxyglucose 6-phosphate (2DG6P), using 31P nuclear magnetic resonance. Preconditioning stimulated 2DG uptake; after 15 min of perfusion with 2DG, 2DG6P levels were 165% of initial ATP in preconditioned hearts compared with 96% in control hearts (p < 0.05). Wortmannin, an inhibitor of PI3K, did not block the preconditioning induced stimulation of 2DG6P production, but perfusion with SB202190, an inhibitor of p38 MAP kinase, did attenuate 2DG6P accumulation (111% of initial ATP, p < 0.05 compared with preconditioned hearts). SB202190 had no effect on 2DG6P accumulation in nonpreconditioned hearts. Preconditioning stimulation of translocation of GLUT4 to the plasma membrane was not inhibited by wortmannin. The data demonstrate that ischemic preconditioning increases hexose transport and that this is mediated by p38 MAP kinase and is PI3K-independent.
Oxygen-vacancy-related low-frequency dielectric relaxation and electrical conduction in B i : S r T i O 3

The temperature dependence of dielectric properties and electrical conduction of $({\mathrm{Sr}}_{1\ensuremath{-}1.5x}{\mathrm{Bi}}_{x}){\mathrm{TiO}}_{3} (0.0133l~xl~0.133)$ was measured from 10 to 800 K. Three sets of oxygen vacancies related dielectric peaks (peaks A, B, and $C)$ were observed. These peaks could be greatly suppressed or eliminated by annealing the samples in an oxidizing atmosphere, and enhanced or recreated by annealing in a reducing atmosphere. The results show that the Maxwell-Wagner polarization is not the main mechanism, and the Skanavi's model also cannot be directly applied. A tentative explanation was suggested. Peak A, observed in the temperature range of 100\char21{}350 K with the activation energy for dielectric relaxation ${E}_{\mathrm{relaxA}}=0.32\char21{}0.49$ eV, is attributed to the coupling effect of the conduction electrons with the motion of the off-centered Bi and Ti ions; the conduction carriers in this temperature range are from the first ionization of oxygen vacancies ${(V}_{o}). $ Peaks B and C are also discussed.
Personality and Sexual Orientation: Extension to Asexuality and the HEXACO Model

Previous research has examined self-identified sexual orientation in relation to self-reports on the Big Five personality factors. Here we extend this research by including asexuality as a fourth sexual orientation and by assessing the HEXACO personality factors, using self-report data from a large anonymous online sample (N ≈ 100,000). A large overlap was observed among all sexual orientation groups on all six HEXACO dimensions, but notable group differences also emerged. All nonheterosexual groups, particularly bisexual people, averaged higher in openness to experience than did heterosexuals. Heterosexual men averaged much lower in emotionality than heterosexual women, but only a small difference was observed between gay men and lesbians on this dimension. Asexual men and women averaged lower in extraversion and in some facets of emotionality (specifically, dependence and sentimentality) than did the other sexual orientation groups of the same sex. Results are discussed in relation to the different social realities that each sexual orientation group often experiences, along with the (gender-related) developmental influences hypothesized to underlie in part the origins of sexual orientation.
Artificial neural networks in predicting current in electric arc furnaces

The paper presents a study of the possibility of using artificial neural networks for the prediction of the current and the voltage of Electric Arc Furnaces. Multi-layer perceptron and radial based functions Artificial Neural Networks implemented in Matlab were used. The study is based on measured data items from an Electric Arc Furnace in an industrial plant in Romania.
Fault diagnosis of gas turbine engines: A symbolic multiple model approach

This work is mainly concerned with the fault detection and isolation (FDI) problem of nonlinear systems by using a symbolic-based linear multiple model approach. To accomplish this goal, first a novel symbolic computational method for the linearization of a nonlinear system is developed such that the obtained linear models are subjected to the symbolic fault variables. By obtaining different linear models (healthy and faulty), a modified linear multiple model approach is then developed for the FDI problem. In order to demonstrate and illustrate the capability of our proposed FDI method a single spool gas turbine application is considered where extensive simulation studies are conducted.
Consolidated criteria for reporting qualitative research (COREQ): a 32-item checklist for interviews and focus groups.

BACKGROUND Qualitative research explores complex phenomena encountered by clinicians, health care providers, policy makers and consumers. Although partial checklists are available, no consolidated reporting framework exists for any type of qualitative design. OBJECTIVE To develop a checklist for explicit and comprehensive reporting of qualitative studies (in depth interviews and focus groups). METHODS We performed a comprehensive search in Cochrane and Campbell Protocols, Medline, CINAHL, systematic reviews of qualitative studies, author or reviewer guidelines of major medical journals and reference lists of relevant publications for existing checklists used to assess qualitative studies. Seventy-six items from 22 checklists were compiled into a comprehensive list. All items were grouped into three domains: (i) research team and reflexivity, (ii) study design and (iii) data analysis and reporting. Duplicate items and those that were ambiguous, too broadly defined and impractical to assess were removed. RESULTS Items most frequently included in the checklists related to sampling method, setting for data collection, method of data collection, respondent validation of findings, method of recording data, description of the derivation of themes and inclusion of supporting quotations. We grouped all items into three domains: (i) research team and reflexivity, (ii) study design and (iii) data analysis and reporting. CONCLUSIONS The criteria included in COREQ, a 32-item checklist, can help researchers to report important aspects of the research team, study methods, context of the study, findings, analysis and interpretations.
Anti-myelin antibodies predict the clinical outcome after a first episode suggestive of MS

The aim of this study was to test the contribution of anti-myelin antibodies in predicting conversion from clinically isolated syndrome (CIS) to multiple sclerosis (MS) when considering either Poser's or McDonald's diagnostic criteria. Fifty-one patients with CIS and abnormal brain MRI were imaged monthly for six months and then at 12, 18, 24, 36 months. At baseline serum samples testing antibodies against myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein (anti-MOG) and myelin basic protein (anti-MBP) were collected. During the 36-month follow-up, 26 (51%) patients developed a relapse thus becoming clinically definite MS (CDMS) according to Poser's criteria; 46 (90.2%) patients converted to MS according to McDonald's criteria. Out of 51 patients, 28 (54.9%) had either double or single positivity for anti-myelin antibodies. Antibody status significantly predicted MS according to Poser's criteria (P = 0.004), but did not according to the McDonald's criteria. When compared to antibody negative patients, the risk of developing a relapse was 8.9 (95% CI: 2.7—29.8; P < 0.001) for anti-MBP positive (anti-MBP+) patients and 1.5 (95% CI: 0.4—5.4; P = 0.564) for those anti-MOG positive (anti-MOG+); double positive patients (ie, anti-MBP+/anti-MOG+) had a risk of relapse's occurrence equal to 3.4 (95% CI: 1.1—10.2; P = 0.031). Also, the antibody status predicted the median time span from CIS to CDMS, that was of 36 months in the anti-MOG-/anti-MBP- group, 33 months in the anti-MOG+/anti-MBP- group, 24 months in the anti-MOG+/anti-MBP+ group and 12 months in the anti-MOG-/anti-MBP+ patients (P = 0.003 by ANOVA). Our data support the prognostic value of anti-myelin antibodies in CIS patients at risk of CDMS, with positive patients showing shorter time interval to relapse occurrence than negative patients. Multiple Sclerosis 2007; 13: 1086—1094. http://msj.sagepub. com
Pulmonary Hypertension: Response of Vasoactive Peptides to a Nonionic Contrast Medium in Patients Undergoing Pulmonary Angiography

RATIONALE AND OBJECTIVES.The degree to which pulmonary angiography may contribute to serious complications in patients with pulmonary hypertension has not been clarified and remains a matter of debate. Accordingly, this study was designed (1) to detect the potential release of vasoactive peptides and (2) to investigate the hemodynamic response after administration of a nonionic contrast medium in patients with pulmonary hypertension undergoing pulmonary angiography. Allergy-mediating substances also were measured to monitor for possible anaphylactoid reactions. METHODS.Pulmonary digital subtraction angiography was performed in 20 patients with pulmonary hypertension (mean pulmonary arterial pressure more than 20 mm Hg). Iopromide was administered as a total of 100 mL via a 7F catheter inserted from the right femoral vein. The injected volume and duration of injection (15 to 20 mL/sec) were kept constant. Hemodynamic parameters were continuously monitored, including electrocardiogram, heart rate, phasic and mean pulmonary arterial and peripheral arterial pressures. Blood samples were obtained before and after administration of contrast media to assay for the concentration of the following vasoactive peptides using radioimmunoassay techniques: renin, angiotensin-I-converting enzyme, angiotensin II, aldosterone, atrial natriuretic peptide, antidiuretic hormone, cyclic-guanosine monophosphate, and myoglobin, as well as allergy-mediating substances such as tryptase, eosinophil protein X, and eosinophil cationic protein. RESULTS.Administration of iopromide caused significant increases in atrial natriuretic peptide (from 61.3 ± 11.8 to 94.0 ± 16.7) and antidiuretic hormone (from 6.6 ± 1.9 to 12.3 ± 3.1), whereas renin significantly decreased (from 3.0 ± 0.6 to 1.3 + 0.5). After administration of contrast media, there were no significant changes in the other measured vasoactive peptides, allergy-mediating substances, and monitored cardiovascular parameters. CONCLUSION. Administration of iopromide for pulmonary angiography in patients with pulmonary hypertension resulted in no appreciable hemodynamic alterations associated with the observed changes in atrial natriuretic peptide, antidiuretic hormone, and renin. No allergy-mediated reactions were observed in these patients.
Clinical and Molecular Assessment in a Female with Fragile X Syndrome and Tuberous Sclerosis.

OBJECTIVE Fragile X syndrome (FXS) and tuberous sclerosis (TSC) are genetic disorders that result in intellectual disability and an increased prevalence of autism spectrum disorders (ASD). While the clinical presentation of each disorder is distinct, the molecular causes are linked to a disruption in the mTORC1 (mammalian Target of Rapamycin Complex 1) and ERK1/2 (Extracellular signal-Regulated Kinase) signaling pathways. METHODS We assessed the clinical and molecular characteristics of an individual seen at the UC Davis MIND Institute with a diagnosis of FXS and TSC. Clinical evaluation of physical, behavioral, and cognitive impairments were performed. Additionally, total and phosphorylated proteins along the mTORC1 and ERK1/2 pathways were measured in primary fibroblast cell lines from the proband. RESULTS In this case the phenotypic effects that result in a human with both FXS and TSC are shown to be severe. Changes in mTORC1 and ERK1/2 signaling proteins and global protein synthesis were not found to be noticeably different between four cohorts (typically developing, FMR1 full mutation, FMR1 full mutation and TSC1 loss of function mutation, and TSC1 loss of function mutation); however cohort sizes prevented stringent comparisons. CONCLUSION It has previously been suggested that disruption of the mTORC1 pathway was reciprocal in TSC and FXS double knock-out mouse models so that the regulation of these pathways were more similar to wild-type mice compared to mice harboring a Fmr1-/y or Tsc2-/+ mutation alone. However, in this first reported case of a human with a diagnosis of both FXS and TSC, substantial clinical impairments, as a result of these two disorders were observed. Differences in the mTORC and ERK1/2 pathways were not clearly established when compared between individuals with either disorder, or both.
Influences on cognitive engagement: epistemological beliefs and need for closure.

BACKGROUND Research indicates that achievement goals influence cognitive engagement, which, in turn, influences academic achievement. We believe that there are other individual difference variables in the realm of personal epistemology that may also directly or indirectly influence cognitive engagement; specifically, epistemological beliefs and epistemological motives (e.g. need for closure). AIMS This study proposed and tested a conceptual model of relationships among epistemological variables (epistemological beliefs and need for closure), achievement goals (mastery, performance-approach, performance-avoidance) and cognitive engagement. SAMPLE Two hundred and fifty-nine students attending university in the US volunteered to participate in the study. Students represented a variety of academic disciplines and ranged from 18 to 58 years. METHODS The participants completed three paper-and-pencil surveys: the Epistemological Beliefs Inventory; the Attitudes, Beliefs, and Experiences Inventory (a measure of need for closure); and the Approaches to Learning Survey (a measure of achievement goals and cognitive engagement). RESULTS Structural equation modelling supported the model in general, although not all proposed paths were significant. Correlational analyses further indicated that epistemological beliefs and need for closure are both potentially important variables for understanding learners' treatment of knowledge in instructional settings. CONCLUSIONS There are individual differences in epistemological beliefs and motives that may influence the goals students pursue in learning settings and the nature of their cognitive engagement.
Charge-Dependent Magnetization in Nanoporous Pd-Co Alloys

Since ferromagnetism in metals is fundamentally related to electronic density of states, it is interesting to study how far one can modify the magnetic order of solids by changing their electron density. Here, we explore the magnetic properties in space-charge region induced by electrochemical double layer. A maximum relative change of about 3% in magnetization has been found in nanoporous Pd1-xCox alloys near their Tc.
Clinical utility of tissue polymerase chain reaction in the diagnosis of spinal tuberculosis

Background An estimated 14 million people worldwide have active tuberculosis (TB). About 3% of these patients will have osteoarticular involvement and approximately 25% to 60% will have an infectious focus in the spine. Early diagnosis is essential as prompt treatment is associated with improved outcome and reduced mortality. This is particularly true within a high HIV-1 seroprevalence setting. Materials and methods All patients admitted to Kalafong District Hospital from January 2008 to December 2010 with a clinico-radiological diagnosis of spinal TB were included in this study. In all cases Ziehl-Nielsson (ZN) microscopy, TB culture, TB polymerase chain reaction (PCR), and histology with ZN stains were collected, and the turnaround times for these assays recorded. HIV testing was performed on patients who gave consent for the procedure. Results In total, 29 patients were included in this study. Seventeen patients consented to HIV testing of which 11 were confirmed to be positive. It was determined that sensitivity for culture and PCR were comparable at 77% and 72% respectively. Furthermore, when looking at the subgroup of HIV-1 positive patients specifically, both assays performed better, with sensitivities of 88% and 82% respectively. The TAT for assays was highly variable, with PCR and histology having comparable times. Conclusions PCR testing for spinal TB shows promising results especially within the HIV-1-positive population. Although this type of testing theoretically offers a shorter turnaround time, results were available in similar time frames as for histology. Therefore, on-site testing should be offered in hospitals with high case loads of TB, and combination testing should be used rather than opting for a single testing modality.
Effect of glutamine on normal and abnormal development in a chemically denned medium

Previous studies on the differentiation of whole embryonic eyes in culture have been carried out mainly in the chick (Strangeways & Fell, 1926; Dorris, 1938; Harrison & Berry, 1959) and in one case in the rat (Tansley, 1933). Early postnatal intact eyes of rats and mice were cultured by Lucas & Trowell (1958), while more recently intact and trypsinized early eye rudiments (9 and 10 days) of mouse embryos have been grown in various modified organ culture systems (Muthukkaruppan, 1965). In all these experiments the media employed were either entirely biological or chemically defined media supplemented with biological media. Also, with the exception of the work done by Muthukkaruppan (1965), eye differentiation was well advanced at the start of the culture period. The present study was designed to test the feasibility of observing early embryonic rat eye development in organ culture with a totally defined medium. The ultimate aim was to devise a system in which the effects of individual components of the medium on embryonic eye development could be more precisely determined. This report describes such a system as well as the degree of eye differentiation achieved under these in vitro conditions.
Evaluation of the effect of food and gastric pH on the single‐dose pharmacokinetics of cabozantinib in healthy adult subjects

Cabozantinib is a small molecule tyrosine kinase inhibitor that has been approved for the treatment of patients with progressive, metastatic medullary thyroid cancer. Cabozantinib exhibits a pH‐dependent solubility profile in vitro. Two phase 1 clinical pharmacology studies were conducted in healthy subjects to evaluate whether factors that may affect cabozantinib solubility and gastric pH could alter cabozantinib bioavailability: a food effect study (study 1) and a drug–drug interaction (DDI) study with the proton pump inhibitor (PPI) esomeprazole (study 2). Following a high‐fat meal (study 1), cabozantinib Cmax and AUC were increased (40.5% and 57%, respectively), and the median tmax was delayed by 2 hours. Cabozantinib should thus not be taken with food (patients should not eat for at least 2 hours before and at least 1 hour after administration). In the DDI study (study 2), the 90% confidence intervals (CIs) around the ratio of least‐squares means of cabozantinib with esomeprazole versus cabozantinib alone for AUC0–inf were within the 80%–125% limits; the upper 90%CI for Cmax was 125.1%. Because of the low apparent risk of a DDI, concomitant use of PPIs or weaker gastric pH‐altering agents with cabozantinib is not contraindicated.
Experimental annotation of channel catfish virus by probabilistic proteogenomic mapping

Experimental identification of expressed proteins by proteomics constitutes the most reliable approach to identify genomic location and structure of protein‐coding genes and substantially complements computational genome annotation. Channel catfish herpesvirus (CCV) is a simple comparative model for understanding herpesvirus biology and the evolution of the Herpesviridae. The canonical CCV genome has 76 predicted ORF and only 12 of these have been confirmed experimentally. We describe a modification of a statistical method, which assigns significance measures, q‐values, to peptide identifications based on 2‐D LC ESI MS/MS, real‐decoy database searches and SEQUEST XCorr and ΔCn scores. We used this approach to identify CCV proteins expressed during its replication in cell culture, to determine protein composition of mature virions and, consequently, to refine the canonical CCV genome annotation. To complement trypsin, we used partial proteinase K digestion, which yielded greater proteome coverage. At FDR <5%, for peptide identifications, we identified 25/76 previously predicted ORF using trypsin and 31/76 using proteinase K. Furthermore, we identified 17 novel protein‐coding regions (7 potential ATG‐initiated ORF). Most of these novel ORF encode small proteins (<100 amino acids). Directed, strand‐specific reverse transcription real‐time PCR confirmed RNA expression from 6/7 novel ATG‐initiated ORF investigated.