Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The A1C and ABCD of glycaemia management in type 2 diabetes: a physician's personalized approach

Recent intervention trials (Veterans Affairs Diabetes Trial, Action to Control Cardiovascular Risk in Diabetes, Action in Diabetes and Vascular Disease) have underscored problems surrounding the risk‐benefit balance of most therapeutic strategies in type 2 diabetes given, especially the limited cardiovascular advantage of tight glycaemic control when set against the co‐incident risk of severe hypoglycaemia and weight gain. Consequently, therapy should to tailored to the individual. While attractive, such an approach remains highly empiric and to some extent difficult to implement without practical guidance, in particular for the inexperienced physician. To provide a user‐friendly guide for a personalized therapeutic approach to type 2 diabetes, we performed a systematic review of the literature and elaborated a simple rule that was debated at a large independent University Symposium on the occasion of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes held in Vienna 2009. As a result of that process, we now propose an A1C and ABCD of glycaemia management in type 2 diabetes to determine appropriate glycaemic targets based on Age, Body weight, Complications and Disease Duration. ‘A1C and ABCD’ aims to guide clinicians in the use of therapeutic agents more effectively, efficiently and safely. While no regulatory‐approved drug can be excluded, given its proven efficacy, there is a need to better phenotype patients, paying particular attention to ABCD. Based on these parameters, physicians can select the therapeutic strategy with minimum risk and maximum benefit for each individual. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Assessment of Leadership Training Needs of Internal Medicine Residents at the Massachusetts General Hospital

Internal medicine (IM) physicians, including residents, assume both formal and informal leadership roles that significantly impact clinical and organizational outcomes. However, most internists lack formal leadership training. In 2013 and 2014, we surveyed all rising second-year IM residents at a large northeastern academic medical center about their need for, and preferences regarding, leadership training. Fifty-five of 113 residents (49%) completed the survey. Forty-four residents (80% of respondents) reported a need for additional formal leadership training. A self-reported need for leadership training was not associated with respondents' gender or previous leadership training and experience. Commonly cited leadership skill needs included “leading a team” (98% of residents), “confronting problem employees” (93%), “coaching and developing others” (93%), and “resolving interpersonal conflict” (84%). Respondents preferred to learn about leadership using multiple teaching modalities. Fifty residents (91%) preferred to have a physician teach them about leadership, while 19 (35%) wanted instruction from a hospital manager. IM residents may not receive adequate leadership development education during pre-graduate and postgraduate training. IM residents may be more likely to benefit from leadership training interventions that are physician-led, multimodal, and occur during the second year of residency. These findings can help inform the design of effective leadership development programs for physician trainees.
Comparison of Bupivacaine Plus Magnesium Sulfate and Ropivacaine Plus Magnesium Sulfate Infiltration for Postoperative Analgesia in Patients Undergoing Lumbar Laminectomy: A Randomized Double-blinded Study

Aim: The objective of this study was to assess and compare the analgesic duration of local infiltration of bupivacaine plus magnesium sulfate and ropivacaine plus magnesium sulfate for postoperative analgesia in patients undergoing lumbar laminectomy. Study Design: A randomized, prospective, double-blinded single hospital, comparative study. Methods: Sixty adult patients of the American Society of Anesthesiologists physical Status I and II were randomly allocated into two Groups BM and RM, comprising 30 and 31 patients. Postlumbar laminectomy, the study drug was locally infiltrated into the paravertebral muscles on either side before skin closure. Group BM was given 20 ml of 0.25% bupivacaine combined with 500 mg of magnesium sulfate (constituted with normal saline [NS]), and Group RM was given 20 ml of 0.25% ropivacaine combined with 500 mg of magnesium sulfate (constituted with NS). Postoperative visual analog scale pain score was assessed hourly for the first 24 h postoperatively. Duration of postoperative analgesia, rescue analgesia consumption and side effects were also recorded. Statistical Analysis: Comparison of data between the groups was done with SPSS 21.0© using independent t-test, Chi-square test, and Mann–Whitney U-test accordingly. P<0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: Time to first analgesic consumption was significantly longer in Group BM (7.3 ± 0.46 h) compared to Group RM (6.6 ± 0.69 h) (P < 0.05). The consumption of nalbuphine rescue analgesic was significantly higher in Group RM (15.33 ± 5.07 mg) compared to Group BM (12 ± 4.07 mg) (P < 0.05). Conclusion: Wound infiltration with bupivacaine and magnesium sulfate compared to ropivacaine and magnesium sulfate provided longer duration of postoperative analgesia and significantly reduced postoperative opioid consumption in patients undergoing lumbar laminectomy.
High-speed Germanium-on-SOI lateral PIN photodiodes

We report the fabrication and characterization of high-speed germanium on silicon-on-insulator lateral PIN photodetectors. At an incident wavelength of 850 nm, 10 /spl times/10-/spl mu/m detectors with finger spacing S of 0.4 /spl mu/m (0.6 /spl mu/m) produced a -3-dB bandwidth of 29 GHz (27 GHz) at a bias voltage of -1 V. The detectors with S=0.6 /spl mu/m had external quantum efficiency of 34% at 850 nm and 46% at 900 nm and dark current of 0.02 /spl mu/A at -1-V bias.
Kinematics of stair ascent in healthy dogs

Summary Objective: The purpose of the study was to evaluate the kinematic characteristics of pelvic limb joints in orthopaedically normal dogs during stair ascent. Design: Prospective study. Procedure: Eight hound-type dogs were fitted with reflective spheres at palpable landmarks, including the tuber ischium, greater trochanter, cranial dorsal iliac spine, lateral epicondyle of the femur, lateral malleolus, and the base of the fifth metatarsal bone. Each dog was walked up a set of custom made stairs consisting of four steps and then trotted across a level test space. Data were recorded for the right and left pelvic limbs during ascent. Maximum and minimum joint angles and total joint motion were calculated for all joints and evaluated statistically. Results: Pelvic limb joints had a greater total joint excursion during stair ascent. There was greater extension of the coxofemoral and tibiotarsal joints during ascent, whereas the stifle joint had less extension. Maximum flexion of the stifle and tarsal joints was significantly greater in stair ascent. There was not any significant difference between the right and left limbs. Conclusions: All joints of the pelvic limb undergo a greater joint motion to ascend stairs.
Variation of serum and urinary neutrophil gelatinase associated lipocalin (NGAL) after strenuous physical exercise

Abstract Background: Strenuous exercise may trigger acute complications, such as exertional rhabdomyolysis and gastrointestinal complaint. As less is known about the potential renal impairment after long distance running, we assessed creatinine and neutrophil gelatinase associated lipocalin (NGAL) in serum (sNGAL) and urine (uNGAL) before and after an ultramarathon. Methods: The study population consisted of 16 trained male athletes who ran a 60 km ultramarathon. Blood and spot urine samples were collected 20 min before and immediately after the run. Creatinine was assessed by Jaffe assay on Beckman Coulter AU5800 and renal function was expressed as estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) by MDRD formula. NGAL was measured by fully-automated immunoassay NGAL Test™ on AU 5800. Results: Serum and urinary creatinine increased significantly by 38% and 78%, respectively. The eGFR contextually decreased by 31%. sNGAL, uNGAL and uNGAL/creatinine ratio increased by 1.6-fold, 7.7-fold and 2.9-fold. In six of 16 athletes (38%), the acute post-exercise increase of serum creatinine met the criteria of acute kidney injury. No significant relationship was found between pre-exercise, post-exercise values and post-exercise variation of sNGAL, uNGAL and uNGAL/creatinine ratio. A significant correlation was found between pre- and post-exercise changes of serum creatinine and sNGAL, but not with either uNGAL or uNGAL/creatinine ratio. Conclusions: The acute variations of serum creatinine and uNGAL attest that renal impairment is likely to develop after long distance running. The uNGAL seems more independent from creatinine variation and extra-renal sources, and thereby more reliable for monitoring the renal involvement in these types of kidney impairment.
Face to (face)book: the two faces of social behavior?

UNLABELLED Social networking sites such as Facebook represent a unique and dynamic social environment. OBJECTIVE This study addresses three theoretical issues in personality psychology in the context of online social networking sites: (a) the temporal consistency of Facebook activity, (b) people's awareness of their online behavior, and (c) comparison of social behavior on Facebook with self- and informant-reported behavior in real life. METHOD Facebook Wall pages of 99 college students (mean age = 19.72) were downloaded six times during 3 weeks and coded for quantity and quality of activity. Everyday social interactions were assessed by self- and friend report. RESULTS Facebook activity showed significant consistency across time, and people demonstrated awareness of their online behavior. There was significant similarity between everyday traits and interactions and Facebook behavior (e.g., more posts by friends are related to Agreeableness). Some differences between online and everyday interactions warrant further research (e.g., individuals with more positive offline relationships are less likely to engage in back-and-forth conversations on Facebook). CONCLUSIONS The results indicate substantial similarity between online and offline social behavior and identify avenues for future research on the possible use of Facebook to compensate for difficulty in everyday interactions.
A unique method for predicting cardiorespiratory fitness using rating of perceived exertion.

The purpose of this study was to develop a simple and convenient indirect method for estimating maximal oxygen uptake (VO2max) and oxygen uptake at the anaerobic threshold (VO2AT) by using workrate and a rating of perceived exertion (RPE) during a submaximal graded cycling test (GCTsubmax). One hundred and fifty-four healthy Japanese men, aged 20 to 64 years, volunteered to participate in the study. The subjects were randomly divided into two groups, a validation (V) group (n = 100) and a cross-validation (CV) group (n = 54). The V and CV groups performed a maximal cycling test and the GCTsubmax. The GCTsubmax was conducted with documentation of three categories (overall, chest, legs) of RPE, up to a rating of 15. Prediction equations of VO2max and VO2AT were developed by multiple regression analysis using data of the V group. The mean VO2max and VO2AT of the V group were 2462 +/- 484 ml.min-1 and 1349 +/- 334 ml.min-1, respectively. Correlational analyses indicated that the workrate (W) at which the legs RPE (RPElegs) reached 15 or higher was evaluated first (WRPE legs 15) together with WRPE legs 14 both yielded the highest correlation coefficients (r) with VO2max (r = 0.781) and V O2AT (r = 0.790), respectively. The developed prediction equations of VO2max and VO2AT were VO2max (ml.min-1) = 1.19 WRPE legs 15 (kgm.min-1) - 15.84 age (yr) + 13.06 weight (kg) + 1365 (R = 0.849, SEE = 261 ml.min-1) VO2AT (ml.min-1) = 1.34 WRPE legs 14 (kgm.min-1) - 5.49 age (yr) + 665 (R = 0.816, SEE = 195 ml.min-1) Results of a cross-validation analysis indicated a similar estimation (r = 0.793 and 0.853, and SEE = 240 ml.min-1 and 183 ml.min-1) compared with the above equations developed from data of the V group. Reliability coefficients of V O2max (r = 0.891) and VO2AT (r = 0.870) respectively were significant and there was no difference in the mean value between trials 1 and 2. The "RPE method" developed for estimating cardiorespiratory fitness is not only a unique indirect method but also a valid and useful tool in various settings of exercise prescription.
Eating Disorder Attitudes and Psychopathology in Caucasian Australian, Asian Australian and Thai University Students

Objective: To examine eating disorder attitudes and psychopathology among female university students in Australia and Thailand. Method: Participants were 110 Caucasian Australians, 130 Asian Australians and 101 Thais in Thailand. The instruments included the Eating Attitudes Test (EAT) and the Eating Disorders Inventory (EDI). Results: Eating disorder attitudes and psychopathology scores in the Thai group were found to be highest. The Asian Australian group did not have significantly higher scores on the EAT-26 than the Caucasian Australian group, but had higher scores in some subscales of the EDI-2. That the Thai group had the highest scores in susceptibility to developing an eating disorder and eating disorder psychopathology may be partially explained in sociocultural terms, with pressure to be thin more extreme in Thailand than in Australia. The evidence suggested that unhealthy eating disorder psychopathology is not limited to Western societies but is already present in Thai and other Asian societies.
Youth Reactions to Participation in Psychological Assessment Procedures

This study investigates self-reported positive and negative reactions of youth to psychological assessment procedures. A community sample (COM) reported reactions to completing a self-report questionnaire of negative emotional states. A clinical sample (CL) reported reactions both to completion of the questionnaire and to a clinical intake. Confirmatory factor analyses (CFAs) supported distinct, relatively independent positive and negative reactions for both samples. Participants reported significantly greater positive than negative reactions. Developmental and gender differences indicated that girls reported greater positive reactions than boys and that younger children reported greater positive and negative reactions than adolescents. The CL reported greater positive reactions to the clinical intake relative to completing the questionnaire. Discussion focuses on increasing understanding of youth reactions to psychological assessments and potential implications for research and clinical practice.
Mental Rotation as Bayesian Quadrature

Given a computational resource–for example, the ability to visualize an object rotating–how do you best make use of it? We explored how mental simulation should be used in the classic psychological task of determining if two images depict the same object in different orientations. We compared two models on this mental rotation task, and found that a model based on an optimal experiment design for Bayesian quadrature is qualitatively more consistent with classic behavioral data than a simpler model. We suggest that rational models which adaptively exploit available resources are promising in their ability to characterize metacognitive processes like mental simulation.
Does hepatitis B virus therapy reduce the risk of hepatocellular carcinoma?

Introduction: Liver cancer is one of the most common cancers. Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) represents > 90% of primary liver cancers and is a major global health problem today. Chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is associated with more than half of HCCs. Areas covered: Long-term therapy with nucleos(t)ide analogues (NUCs) improves outcomes in HBV-infected patients by slowing the progression of liver disease. It is associated with improvements in histological and clinical outcomes, improved patient survival, reduced need for liver transplantation and improved liver function in patients with decompensated liver disease. This review highlights the results of previous studies conducted on HCC prevention with long-term NUC therapy. Studies include the use of all available drugs in different clinical scenarios, and the comparison between treated and untreated patients. Expert opinion: NUCs have been studied extensively in HCC prevention. A comprehensive review of the literature has shown that they can be safely and effectively used for this purpose. Despite some discrepancies between studies, most of the evidence favors using NUC therapy for HCC prevention.
Kinematic Analysis of the Posterior Cruciate Ligament, Part 2

Background: A more thorough understanding of the posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) has led to an increase in awareness and treatment of complex PCL injuries. Controversy exists about whether PCL reconstruction (PCLR) using an anatomic single-bundle (aSB) or anatomic double-bundle (aDB) technique is the most effective. Hypothesis: An aDB PCLR provides significantly better anterior-posterior and rotatory knee stability compared with an aSB PCLR and more closely recreates normal knee kinematics. Study Design: Controlled laboratory study. Methods: A total of 18 match-paired, cadaveric knees (mean age, 54.8 years; range, 51-59 years; 5 male and 4 female pairs) were used to evaluate the kinematics of an intact PCL, an aSB and aDB PCLR, and a complete sectioned PCL. A 6 degrees of freedom robotic system was used to assess knee stability with a 134-N applied posterior tibial load, 5-N·m external and internal rotation torques, 10-N·m valgus and varus rotation torques, and a coupled 100-N posterior tibial load and 5-N·m external rotation torque at 0°, 15°, 30°, 45°, 60°, 75°, 90°, 105°, and 120°. Results: The aDB PCLR had significantly less posterior translation than the aSB PCLR at all flexion angles of 15° and greater. The largest difference in posterior translation was seen at 105° of flexion, where the aSB PCLR had 5.3 mm (P = .017) more posterior translation than the aDB PCLR. The aDB PCLR also had significantly less internal rotation than the aSB PCLR at all tested angles of 90° and greater. Neither reconstruction was able to fully restore native knee kinematics. Conclusion: An aDB PCLR more closely approximated native knee kinematics when compared with an aSB PCLR. Specifically, the aDB PCLR demonstrated significantly more restraint to posterior translation at flexion angles between 15° and 120° and less internal rotational laxity at high flexion angles 90° to 120°. Clinical Relevance: Comparison of the 2 reconstruction techniques illustrates the time-zero kinematic advantage imparted by the addition of the posteromedial bundle reconstruction. The benefit is most pertinent for resistance to posterior translation across a full range of flexion and rotational stability beyond 90° of knee flexion.
Challenges and Solutions for Using Informatics in Research

Computer technology provides innovations for research but not without concomitant challenges. Herein, we present our experiences with technology challenges and solutions across 16 nursing research studies. Issues included intervention integrity, software updates and compatibility, web accessibility and implementation, hardware and equipment, computer literacy of participants, and programming. Our researchers found solutions related to best practices for computer-screen design and usability testing, especially as they relate to the target populations’ computer literacy levels and use patterns; changes in software; availability and limitations of operating systems and web browsers; resources for on-site technology help for participants; and creative facilitators to access participants and implement study procedures. Researchers may find this information helpful as they consider successful ways to integrate informatics in the design and implementation of future studies with technology that maximizes research productivity.
The n-ordered graphs: A new graph class

For a positive integer n, we introduce the new graph class of n-ordered graphs, which generalize partial n-trees. Several characterizations are given for the finite n-ordered graphs, including one via a combinatorial game. We introduce new countably infinite graphs R(n), which we name the infinite random n-ordered graphs. The graphs R(n) play a crucial role in the theory of n-ordered graphs, and are inspired by recent research on the web graph and the infinite random graph. We characterize R(n) as a limit of a random process, and via an adjacency property and a certain folding operation. We prove that the induced subgraphs of R(n) are exactly the countable n-ordered graphs. We show that all countable groups embed in the automorphism group of R(n). © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Graph Theory 60: 204–218, 2009
Harmonic load modeling for smart microgrids

The study on modern microgrids implicitly comes with the concern of quality of power and its impact on the electrical network. That is the result of the accumulated impact of nonlinear processes, many of which include switching elements. To perform microgrid studies, especially simulations which test smart control techniques and strategies, the ideal of sinusoidal AC waveforms is no more a valid assumption and the harmonic components must be correctly represented. This paper intends to present voltage and current signals based lumped models of harmonic electrical loads suitable for a simulation environment. The corresponding computations required for harmonic powers of the load are also presented. The calculations done could be used to obtain quantitative estimation of harmonics in contexts such as large built-environments, or microgrids with significant nonlinear processes such as chemical loads.
Worldwide dissemination of Radopholus similis and its importance in crop production.

The burrowing nematode, Radopholus similis, attacks agronomic and horticultural crops and many weeds, and is reported to reproduce on more than 250 plant species. Two races of R. similis are recognized. Although one race attacks citrus and the other race does not, they are morphologically similar. At present, the citrus race is found attacking citrus only in Florida, U.S.A. , but it is known to infect more than 250 species and varieties of noncitrus plants. Although it has many hosts, R. similis is probably most widely distributed on banana and is found worldwide. Although best known as a pest of Piper nigrum, Musa spp. , and Citrus spp. , it also attacks many crops that are important in world commerce and in subsistence-type agriculture, a factor which makes it a significant agricultural pest. Worldwide dissemination occurs primarily when parasitized plants are moved into areas where the pest could adapt. Yield losses of 12.5 tons/ha in bananas have been reported from R. similis infection. Infections suppress orange and grapefruit yields as much as 70-80%. Because of the severity of R. similis damage (particularly to banana and citrus), extensive control programs have been developed. Prevention, cultural practices, resistant varieties, and chemical pesticides interact to reduce losses.