Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Development of the Veritas plot and its application in cardiac surgery: an evidence-synthesis graphic tool for the clinician to assess multiple meta-analyses reporting on a common outcome.

BACKGROUND Meta-analyses may be prone to generating misleading results because of a paucity of experimental studies (especially in surgery); publication bias; and heterogeneity in study design, intervention and the patient population of included studies. When investigating a specific clinical or scientific question on which several relevant meta-analyses may have been published, value judgments must be applied to determine which analysis represents the most robust evidence. These value judgments should be specifically acknowledged. We designed the Veritas plot to explicitly explore important elements of quality and to facilitate decision-making by highlighting specific areas in which meta-analyses are found to be deficient. Furthermore, as a graphic tool, it may be more intuitive than when similar data are presented in a tabular or text format. METHODS The Veritas plot is an adaption of the radar plot, a graphic tool for the description of multiattribute data. Key elements of meta-analytical quality such as heterogeneity, publication bias and study design are assessed. Existing qualitative methods such as the Assessment of Multiple Systematic Reviews (AMSTAR) tool have been incorporated in addition to important considerations when interpreting surgical meta-analyses such as the year of publication and population characteristics. To demonstrate the potential of the Veritas plot to inform clinical practice, we apply the Veritas plot to the meta-analytical literature comparing the incidence of 30-day stroke in off-pump coronary artery bypass surgery and conventional coronary artery bypass surgery. RESULTS We demonstrate that a visually-stimulating and practical evidence-synthesis tool can direct the clinician and scientist to a particular meta-analytical study to inform clinical practice. The Veritas plot is also cumulative and allowed us to assess the quality of evidence over time. CONCLUSION We have presented a practical graphic application for scientists and clinicians to identify and interpret variability in meta-analyses. Although further validation of the Veritas plot is required, it may have the potential to contribute to the implementation of evidence-based practice.
The Attitude of Physicians toward the Use of Patient Decision Aids in Iran as a Developing Country

Background: The patient decision aids (PDAs), which can facilitate the decision-making process when choosing the optimal method of treatment, are a challenge to patients. This study tried to determine the attitude of physicians on the barriers of using PDAs in the way of prioritizing and proposing solutions to them. Methods: This study was a cross-sectional research carried out on 150 clinical faculty members of research centers and scientific associations affiliated with Tehran University of Medical Sciences. The participants were chosen using the convenience sampling method. The attitude of physicians toward the application of PDAs was interviewed using a self-made questionnaire composed of 23 questions. The association between physicians’ attitude to the use of PDAs and their characteristics was examined using the t-test, analysis of variance, and correlation test. Results: The mean score of physicians’ attitude was 76.2 (standard deviation =11.9) and the range was 33–107. There was a significant and direct association between the attitude toward the use of PDA and the respondents’ age (r = 0.237, P = 0.007), years of experience (r = 0.205, P = 0.02), being male (P = 0.04), and working in the private sector (P = 0.009). The attitude score of instructors was significantly lower than that of professors (P = 0.02). Conclusions: The general attitude of physicians toward the use of PDAs was positive. However, apparently as a result of problems mentioned in this study for the developing countries such as Iran, it is much easier to employ these tools in centers run by the private sector. Usage of such tools in public centers necessitates systemic infrastructure as well as credits and budgets required for the training of patients and physicians.
Developmental Trajectories of Cocaine-and-Other-Drug—Exposed and Non-Cocaine—Exposed Children

ABSTRACT. Few data are available concerning the trajectories of mental and motor development across time for cocaine-exposed children compared with others. Findings are presented from individual group curve analyses of the mental and motor development measured by the Bayley Scales of Infant Development-II (BSID-II) on repeated visits from 3 through 36 months of a group of prenatally cocaine-and-other-drug—exposed children (n = 265) compared with those exposed to no drugs (n = 129) or no-cocaine-but-other-drugs (n = 66), including alcohol and/or tobacco. Across time, there was a general decline in motor performance but cocaine-exposed-infants showed a trend toward a greater decrease than children in the other two comparison groups. For mental performance, there was also a decline across age but only through 24 months and no differences in the trajectory of the cocaine-exposed group compared to the other two. And, across all assessment ages, cocaine-exposed-infants showed lower BSID-II mental performance compared to both non-drug and non-cocaine-exposed children. Results suggest that prenatally cocaine-exposed children show delayed developmental indices, particularly in their mental performance, but their trajectories across time are similar to those from impoverished, non-cocaine-exposed groups.
A Weighted Least Squares Algorithm for Optimal PMU Placement

This letter presents a new method for optimal placement of phasor measurement units (PMU) for complete power system observability. The optimal PMU placement (OPP) problem is formulated as a quadratic minimization problem with continuous decision variables subject to nonlinear observability constraints. The optimal solution is obtained by an unconstrained nonlinear weighted least squares (WLS) approach. Simulations are conducted on different IEEE systems (14-bus, 30-bus, 57-bus, and 118-bus) to prove the validity of the proposed algorithm.
Protective immunity and granuloma formation are mediated by two distinct tumor necrosis factor alpha- and gamma interferon-dependent T cell-phagocyte interactions in murine listeriosis: dissociation on the basis of phagocyte adhesion mechanisms

Listeria-immune mice are able to express protective immunity in the absence of CD4+ T cells and an apparent granulomatous inflammation. Using a monoclonal antibody (5C6) able to inhibit the recruitment of myelomonocytic cells into inflammatory foci by binding to complement receptor type 3 (CR3/CD11b), we could show that protective immunity and granuloma formation indeed depend on two distinct types of T cell-phagocyte interactions. Listeria-specific CD8+ T lymphocytes, possibly in collaboration with CD4- CD8- T cells, rapidly interact with myelomonocytic cells infiltrating infected tissues in a CR3/CD11b-dependent manner. This interaction results in potent antilisterial protection but not in granuloma formation. On the contrary, CD4+ T cells are able to induce adhesion mechanisms that allow the accumulation of monocytes in granulomatous lesions even in the presence of monoclonal antibody 5C6. However, the protective capacity of these CR3/CD11b-independent T cell-mediated immune mechanisms is low in listeriosis. Tumor necrosis factor alpha and gamma interferon, known to be essential for the expression of both resistance and acquired immunity, are shown to be necessarily involved in granuloma formation, too. It therefore remains to be explained why CD8+ T cells, able to secrete both cytokines, do not induce granuloma formation. The data point to the presence of an as yet undefined CD4+ T cell-derived granuloma-inducing factor and favor the hypothesis that CD8+ T cells, in collaboration with circulating phagocytes, mediate immunity by rapidly liberating listeriae from permissive cells or protecting them from becoming infected.
The trans-rotator cuff approach to SLAP lesions: technical aspects for repair and a clinical follow-up of 31 patients at a minimum of 2 years.

PURPOSE To discuss a new technique for the surgical treatment of type II SLAP lesions as well as the evaluation of the technique's effectiveness with a minimum 2-year follow-up. TYPE OF STUDY Retrospective clinical follow-up study. METHODS We present a clinical follow-up of 31 patients who were treated arthroscopically for type II SLAP lesions using a trans-rotator cuff portal at an average follow-up time of 3.7 years. Patients were screened for concomitant procedures including rotator cuff repairs, shoulder stabilizations, thermal capsullographies, and previous surgeries. These patients were subsequently excluded from the study. Patients were given a standard physical examination of the upper extremity at our institution and they completed both the L'Isalata and American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons questionnaires. RESULTS All 31 patients identified were available for follow-up at an average time of 3.7 years postoperatively (range, 2.0 to 7.4 years). The average L'Insalata score was 87.0 points (range, 46.1-100 points); the average ASES score was 87.2 points (range, 46.7-100 points). The average pain score was 1.5 (range, 0-5) and only 4 of the 31 patients complained of moderate pain with activity. Sixteen of the 31 patients returned to their preinjury level of sports; 11 of the 31 patients returned to limited activity and 2 patients were inactive at the time of follow-up. Overall satisfaction with the procedure averaged 3.79 points (range, 0-5 points): 22 patients rated overall satisfaction as good or excellent, 6 patients reported a fair outcome, and only 3 patients were unsatisfied with the results of the surgery. One patient who was unsatisfied with the procedure had reinjured his superior labrum and required a second operation. None of the 31 patients had symptoms suggestive of rotator cuff pathology. Of the 30 patients found to have a positive Active Compression test preoperatively, 26 of these patients now had a negative sign. CONCLUSIONS The trans-rotator cuff approach allows for a more optimal placement of a biodegradable fixation device and/or suture anchors into the superior labrum. Furthermore, we believe that this approach does not compromise the function of the rotator cuff. The trans-rotator cuff technique is an effective and safe modality to address superior labral pathology.
Sexual ethics. Disclosure of HIV-positive status to partners.

OBJECTIVE To determine factors associated with disclosure of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-positive status to sexual partners. METHODS We interviewed 203 consecutive patients presenting for primary care for HIV at 2 urban hospitals. One hundred twenty-nine reported having sexual partners during the previous 6 months. The primary outcome of interest was whether patients had told all the sexual partners they had been with over the past 6 months that they were HIV positive. We analyzed the relationships between sociodemographic, alcohol and drug use, social support, sexual practice, and clinical variables; and whether patients had told their partners that they were HIV positive was analyzed by using multiple logistic regression. RESULTS Study patients were black (46%), Latino (23%), white (27%), and the majority were men (69%). Regarding risk of transmission, 41% were injection drug users, 20% were homosexual or bisexual men, and 39% were heterosexually infected. Sixty percent had disclosed their HIV status to all sexual partners. Of the 40% who had not disclosed, half had not disclosed to their one and only partner. Among patients who did not disclose, 57% used condoms less than all the time. In multiple logistic regression analysis, the odds that an individual with 1 sexual partner disclosed was 3.2 times the odds that a person with multiple sexual partners disclosed. The odds that an individual with high spousal support disclosed was 2.8 times the odds of individuals without high support, and the odds that whites or Latinos disclosed was 3.1 times the odds that blacks disclosed. CONCLUSIONS Many HIV-infected individuals do not disclose their status to sexual partners. Nondisclosers are not more likely to regularly use condoms than disclosers. Sexual partners of HIV-infected persons continue to be at risk for HIV transmission.
Canadian Association of General Surgeons and American College of Surgeons Evidence Based Reviews in Surgery. 21: the risk of surgical site infection is reduced with perioperative oxygen.

OBJECTIVE Does supplemental perioperative oxygen reduce the risk of surgical wound infection after colorectal surgery? DESIGN Randomized controlled trial. SETTING Multicentre trial that included 14 hospitals in Spain. PATIENTS 300 patients aged 18-80 years who underwent elective colorectal resection. Patients who had surgery performed laparoscopically or who had minor colon surgery were excluded. INTERVENTION Patients were randomly allocated to either 30% or 80% fraction of inspired oxygen (FiO2) intraoperatively and for 6 hours postoperatively. Anesthetic treatment and antibiotic administration were standardized. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE Surgical site infection (SSI) as defined by the Center for Disease Control. RESULTS SSI occurred in 35 of 143 patients (24.4%) who were administered 30% FiO2 and in 22 of 148 patients (14.9%) who were administered 80% FiO2 (p = 0.04). The risk of SSI was 39% lower in the 80% group (relative risk [RR], 0.61; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.38-0.98) versus the 30% FiO2 group. CONCLUSIONS Patients receiving supplemental oxygen have a significant reduction in risk of surgical site infection.
Immediate cardiovascular effects of the Taser X26 conducted electrical weapon

Study objectives: To evaluate the immediate cardiac and cardiovascular effects of Taser X26 conducted electrical weapon (CEW) exposure in human volunteers, including heart rhythm, rate and blood pressure. Methods: Volunteer police officers participating in CEW training and testing each underwent a 5, 3 and 1 s exposure to the Taser X26 CEW. Continuous electrocardiogram (ECG) monitoring was performed before, during and after each exposure. Blood pressures were measured at rest before and within 1 minute after each exposure. Paired sample t-test analysis and confidence interval calculations were performed. Results: 84 Taser exposures were monitored among 28 subjects (24 men, four women) with an average age of 34 years (range 24–46, SD 5.6). No cardiac dysrhythmias or aberrantly conducted beats were seen. Mean heart rate increased by 10.9 beats per minute (bpm) (95% CI 8.2 to 13.7) from 121.7 to 132.6 (p<0.001). The QRS and QTc cardiac intervals did not change significantly. Mean blood pressure increased from 138.6/82.8 mm Hg at rest to 145.8/85.6 mm Hg after the standard 5-s CEW discharge. Conclusion: CEW exposure produced no detectable dysrhythmias and a statistically significant increase in heart rate. Overall, Taser CEW exposure appears to be safe and well tolerated from a cardiovascular standpoint in this population. This study increases the cumulative human subject experience of CEW exposure with continuous ECG monitoring and includes 28 full 5-s exposures.
Diagnosing Fish Bone and Chicken Bone Impactions in the Emergency Department Setting

Objectives: In the emergency department, fish and chicken bone impactions are typically evaluated with screening x-rays. We sought to determine whether this modality ultimately improves system outcomes, including length of stay (LOS), cost, and radiation dosage. Methods: We reviewed patients ≥18 years old presenting to an urban academic emergency department over a 4-year period who received a screening soft-tissue x-ray to determine the presence of a retained fish or chicken bone. We calculated the diagnostic accuracy of x-ray and computed tomography (CT) evaluations, respectively, in addition to system outcomes. Results: Twenty-seven of the 78 patients included for analysis were ultimately positive for bone impaction. Initial x-ray interpretations demonstrated a sensitivity of 24.0% (95% CI, 9.4%-45.1%) and a specificity of 90.0% (95% CI, 78.2%-96.7%). However, initial CT interpretation (ie, a preliminary read from on-call residents) demonstrated a sensitivity of 75% (95% CI, 19.4%-99.4%) and a specificity of 100% (95% CI, 59.0%-100%). LOS, cost, and radiation dosage were not significantly different between patients who ultimately had true bone impactions and those who did not (P > .05). Conclusions: X-rays are poor screening tools in determining fish or chicken bone impactions with poor diagnostic and system utility. Further studies should be performed to evaluate the role of a low-radiation CT screen.
Dynein- and activity-dependent retrograde transport of autophagosomes in neuronal axons

The accumulation of autophagosomes within axons is often observed in axonopathies associated with various neurological disorders, including those following excitotoxic insults. Nevertheless, the life cycle of autophagosomes in axons is not well understood. In the present study, we used microexplant cultures of cerebellar granule cells from GFP-LC3 transgenic mice to perform time-lapse imaging of LC3-positive dots in identified axons. Since these GFP-LC3 dots were never observed in granule cells on an Atg5-null background, they were considered to represent autophagosomes. Under physiological conditions, the autophagosomes showed bidirectional and saltatory movement with a bias towards one direction. Such vectorial movement was largely blocked by the dynein motor inhibitor EHNA (erythro-9-[3-(2-hydroxynonyl)] adenine), suggesting that the autophagosomes moved towards the soma, where most lysosomes are located. Interestingly, the application of the glutamate analog Ν-methyl-D-aspartic acid (NMDA) as an excitotoxin increased the number of autophagosomes in axons, while it did not significantly change its movement characteristics. These results suggest that autophagosomes play important roles in axons and are dynamically regulated under physiological and pathological conditions.
Mortuary Patterns of Regional Elites in the Lake Patzcuaro Basin of Western Mexico

Based primarily upon evidence from the site of Urichu in the Lake Pátzcuaro Basin of Michoacán, we propose that changes in the burial practices of local elites document a transformation of these elites from highly ranked local chiefs into a socially stratified elite class associated with the emergence of the Tarascan state. Two distinctive mortuary patterns that represent the Classic-Epiclassic and Late Postclassic periods are presented. These patterns vary in the age and sex composition of differing mortuary facilities, the preparation and treatment of the bodies, the mortuary facilities, the types of burial goods, and the location of the burials within settlements. Comparison to mortuary practices from the sites of Loma Santa María (Morelia), Guadalupe (Zacapu Basin), Tingambato, and Tres Cerritos (Cuitzeo Basin) place these patterns in a regional context. By contrasting the earlier mortuary pattern, which is associated with societies poorly known, with the later mortuary pattern, which is associated with the well documented Tarascan empire, it is possible to propose a model of a transformation in regional political economies associated with the emergence of the Tarascan state in the Postclassic period. This transformation involved a shift in elite identity from one primarily associated with imported finished goods from distant powerful centers and control of prestige goods networks, to an identity primarily associated with locally produced, distinctively Tarascan, goods and control of tributary, military, political, and ideological networks.
What Types of Terms Do People Use When Describing an Individual’s Personality?

An important yet untested assumption within personality psychology is that more important person characteristics are more densely reflected in language. We investigated how ratings of importance and other term properties are associated with one another and with a term’s frequency of use. Research participants were asked to provide terms that described individuals they knew, which resulted in a set of 624 adjectives. These terms were independently rated for importance, social desirability, observability, stateness versus traitness, level of abstraction, and base rate. Terms rated as describing more important person characteristics were in fact used more often by the participants in the sample and in a large corpus of online communications (close to 500 million words). More frequently used terms and more positive terms were also rated as being more abstract, more traitlike, and more widely applicable (i.e., having a greater base rate). We discuss the implications of these findings with regard to person perception in general.
Effect of cash management on profitability of Nigerian manufacturing firms

The success of any business venture is predicated on how the management has planned and controlled its cash flows. Cash shortage will disrupts the firm's smooth operation and can even lead to insolvency. Excessive cash will tie down unnecessarily long-term capital with a result that the return on capital employed will be low. Thus, cash management assumes more significance than other current assets because cash is the most important asset that a firm holds. However, literature revealed that only limited studies have investigated the relationship between cash management and profitability in Nigeria. Therefore, this study examined the relationship between cash management and profitability in the Nigerian manufacturing firms. Correlation and regression analysis were carried out. The results reveal a positive and significant relationship between CCC and ROE on one hand and a non significant negative relationship between CCC and ROA. From the results of the study, it is recommended that future researchers should expand the scope of their studies to include multiple sectors of the economy.
Increased incidence of adenocarcinomas at the gastro-oesophageal junction in Dutch males since the 1990s

Background Worldwide population-based studies suggest that the incidence of oesophageal and gastric cardia adenocarcinomas has increased since the 1970s. Objective and methods We studied time trends in mortality and incidence rates of oesophageal and gastric carcinomas according to subsite and histology in the south-east Netherlands since 1978. Results The age-adjusted mortality and incidence rates for oesophageal cancer doubled in males over the entire 19-year study period from 2.7 to 5.6 and from 2.4 to 4.8 per 100 000 person years, respectively. In females, a similar trend for the mortality and incidence rates was seen, but at a lower level. The age-adjusted mortality and incidence rates for gastric cancer decreased with time from 20.7 to 12.8 and from 21.6 to 15.9 per 100 000 person years in males, respectively. In females, age-adjusted mortality and incidence rates for gastric cancer also decreased. Analysis of incidence rates by subsite and subtype showed an increase in adenocarcinomas of the oesophagus and gastric cardia, largely restricted to males. In females, the rise in incidence of squamous cell carcinoma of the oesophagus appeared to be more marked than the rise in adenocarcinomas, whereas the incidence of gastric cardia carcinomas has remained stable over the last 10 years. Neither the decrease in the number of unspecified tumours with time, nor the increase in the use of diagnostic endoscopy and imaging techniques, is likely to explain completely the observed increases. Conclusion The increase in incidence of adenocarcinomas at the gastro-oesophageal junction in the south-eastern Netherlands seems, at least in part, to represent a true underlying increase that is restricted largely to males.