Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Efficacy of fentanyl and esmolol in the prevention of haemodynamic response to laryngoscopy and endotracheal intubation.

OBJECTIVE To compare the effectiveness of single bolus dose of esmolol or fentanyl in attenuating the haemodynamic responses during laryngoscopy and endotracheal intubation. DESIGN Randomized, placebo controlled, double blind study. PLACE AND DURATION OF STUDY Department of Anaesthesia and Surgical Intensive Care Unit, Civil Hospital, Karachi, from December 1998 to November 1999. PATIENTS AND METHODS Sixty adult ASA-I and ASA-II patients undergoing elective surgery were included in the study. The patients were randomly divided into three groups i.e., A, B and C. Heart rate, systolic, diastolic and mean blood pressures were recorded as 0= baseline and after administration of study drug, laryngoscopy and endotracheal intubation and 10 minutes thereafter. Study agent was injected 30 seconds before the induction of anaesthesia. Group 'A' (control) received 10 ml saline, group 'B' and group 'C' received fentanyl 2 mg/kg and esmolol 2 mg/kg respectively diluted to make a total volume of 10 ml in normal saline. RESULTS Readings of heart rate, systolic, diastolic and mean arterial pressures were compared with baseline and among each group. The rise in heart rate was minimal in esmolol group and was statistically significant. Following intubation, blood pressure was increased in all groups but was least in group C. CONCLUSION Bolus injection of fentanyl 2 mg/kg 2 minutes prior to laryngoscopy and intubation failed to protect against elevation of both the heart rate and systolic blood pressure, whereas esmolol at 2 mg/kg provided consistent and reliable protection against the increase of heart rate but not arterial blood pressure.
Effect of 6-months’ vitamin D supplementation on residual beta cell function in children with type 1 diabetes: a case control interventional study

Abstract Background: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of short-term vitamin D supplementation on the decline of residual beta cell function (RBCF) in children with type 1 diabetes (T1D). Methods: The study involved an intervention group (cholecalciferol 2000 IU/day and calcium 25 mg/kg/day for 6 months) comprising 15 children aged 6–12 years and within 1–2 years of diagnosis of T1D. Fifteen age-matched T1D patients were followed up as controls. Stimulated C-peptide levels were estimated at baseline and 6 months. Results: The mean decrease in stimulated C-peptide levels in the intervention group was lower (–0.048±0.15 ng/mL) as compared with the controls (–0.107±0.23 ng/mL) but did not reach statistical significance (p=0.472). The percent decrease in stimulated C-peptide from baseline to endpoint (8.3% vs. 20.3%, p=0.357) and the monthly decrease (0.008 ng/mL vs. 0.017 ng/mL, p=0.22) were non-significantly lower in the intervention group compared with the control group. Three (20%) patients progressed to undetectable stimulated C-peptide (≤0.01 ng/mL) over the study period in the control group as compared with one (6%) in the intervention group (p-value 0.260). Conclusions: There was a trend towards lesser decline of RBCF with short term cholecalciferol supplementation in children with T1D. Further larger studies are urgently needed to explore the beneficial effects of the relatively inexpensive vitamin D supplementation on RBCF.
Effect of radical prostatectomy surgeon volume on complication rates from a large population-based cohort.

INTRODUCTION Surgical volume can affect several outcomes following radical prostatectomy (RP). We examined if surgical volume was associated with novel categories of treatment-related complications following RP. METHODS We examined a population-based cohort of men treated with RP in Ontario, Canada between 2002 and 2009. We used Cox proportional hazard modeling to examine the effect of physician, hospital and patient demographic factors on rates of treatment-related hospital admissions, urologic procedures, and open surgeries. RESULTS Over the study interval, 15 870 men were treated with RP. A total of 196 surgeons performed a median of 15 cases per year (range: 1-131). Patients treated by surgeons in the highest quartile of annual case volume (>39/year) had a lower risk of hospital admission (hazard ratio [HR]=0.54, 95% CI 0.47-0.61) and urologic procedures (HR=0.69, 95% CI 0.64-0.75), but not open surgeries (HR=0.83, 95% CI 0.47-1.45) than patients treated by surgeons in the lowest quartile (<15/year). Treatment at an academic hospital was associated with a decreased risk of hospitalization (HR=0.75, 95% CI 0.67-0.83), but not of urologic procedures (HR=0.94, 95% CI 0.88-1.01) or open surgeries (HR=0.87, 95% CI 0.54-1.39). There was no significant trend in any of the outcomes by population density. CONCLUSIONS The annual case volume of the treating surgeon significantly affects a patient's risk of requiring hospitalization or urologic procedures (excluding open surgeries) to manage treatment-related complications.
Two-Flap Palatoplasty: 20-Year Experience and Evolution of Surgical Technique

Background: The two-flap palatoplasty was described more than 30 years ago, but there are few reports of long-term results using this technique. There are also very few long-term series of a single method of palatoplasty from a single surgeon. Methods: The authors reviewed the technique of the two-flap palatoplasty, with emphasis on the senior author’s (K.E.S.) modifications. The authors also retrospectively reviewed 382 two-flap palatoplasties performed by the senior author in nonsyndromic patients over a 20-year period. The incidence of secondary velopharyngeal surgery was established. Detailed speech analysis was performed in a subset of 150 patients. Results: The proportion of patients with velopharyngeal insufficiency over 20 years was 8.92 percent, falling from 10.95 percent in the first decade to 6.43 percent in the second decade. There was no significant difference in velopharyngeal insufficiency between the cleft subtypes. Age at palatoplasty did not affect the development of velopharyngeal insufficiency, but it should be noted that most of the patients underwent palate repair before 12 months of age. Speech results were consistently good across the two decades. In the second decade, 91.14 percent had normal to mildly impaired resonance, 79.75 percent had no or inaudible nasal air emission, and 97.47 percent demonstrated no compensatory articulation errors. Conclusions: The two-flap palatoplasty is a reliable technique that has yielded excellent surgical and speech outcomes. Early and regular speech assessments and appropriate treatment when indicated are an integral part of the multidisciplinary approach to achieve good speech outcome.
Reversible monoparesis following decompressive hemicraniectomy for traumatic brain injury.

OBJECT The "syndrome of the trephined" is an uncommon and poorly understood disorder of delayed neurological deficit following craniectomy. From the authors' extensive experience with decompressive hemicraniectomy for traumatic brain injury (TBI), they have encountered a number of patients who developed delayed motor deficits, also called "motor trephine syndrome," and reversal of the weakness following cranioplasty repair. The authors set out to study motor function systematically in this patient population to define the incidence, contributing factors, and outcome of patients with motor trephine syndrome. METHODS The authors evaluated patient demographics, injury characteristics, detailed motor examinations, and CT scans in 38 patients with long-term follow-up after decompressive hemicraniectomy for TBI. RESULTS Ten patients (26%) experienced delayed contralateral upper-extremity weakness, beginning 4.9 +/- 0.4 months (mean +/- standard error) after decompressive hemicraniectomy. Motor deficits improved markedly within 72 hours of cranioplasty repair, and all patients recovered full motor function. The CT perfusion scans, performed in 2 patients, demonstrated improvements in cerebral blood flow commensurate with resolution of cerebrospinal fluid flow disturbances on CT scanning and return of motor strength. Comparisons between 10 patients with and 20 patients (53%) without delayed motor deficits identified 3 factors--ipsilateral contusions, abnormal cerebrospinal fluid circulation, and longer intervals to cranioplasty repair--to be strongly associated with delayed, reversible monoparesis following decompressive hemicraniectomy. CONCLUSIONS Delayed, reversible monoparesis, also called motor trephine syndrome, is common following decompressive hemicraniectomy for TBI. The results of this study suggest that close follow-up of motor strength with early cranioplasty repair may prevent delayed motor complications of decompressive hemicraniectomy.
A Simple Design of Space-Time Block Codes Achieving Full Diversity with Linear Receivers

In most of the existing space-time code designs, achieving full diversity is based on maximum-likelihood (ML) decoding at the receiver that is usually computationally expensive and may not have soft outputs. Recently, Zhang-Liu-Wong introduced Toeplitz codes and showed that Toeplitz codes achieve full diversity when a linear receiver, zero-forcing (ZF) or minimum mean square error (MMSE) receiver, is used. Motivated from Zhang-Liu-Wong's results on Toeplitz codes, in this paper, we propose a design criterion for space-time block codes (STBC), in which information symbols and their complex conjugates are linearly embedded, to achieve full diversity when ZF or MMSE receiver is used. The (complex) orthogonal STBC (OSTBC) satisfy the criterion as one may expect. We also show that the symbol rates of STBC under this criterion are upper bounded by 1. Subsequently, we propose a novel family of STBC that satisfy the criterion and thus achieve full diversity with ZF or MMSE receiver. Our newly proposed STBC are constructed by overlapping the 2times2 Alamouti code and hence named overlapped Alamouti codes in this paper. The new codes are close to orthogonal and their symbol rates can approach 1 for any number of transmit antennas. Simulation results show that overlapped Alamouti codes significantly outperform Toeplitz codes for all numbers of transmit antennas and also outperform OSTBC when the number of transmit antennas is above 4.
Patient decisions about breast cancer chemoprevention: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

PURPOSE Women at high risk of breast cancer face the complex decision of whether to take tamoxifen or raloxifene for breast cancer chemoprevention. We investigated what is known about decisions of women regarding chemoprevention. METHODS Using MEDLINE, CINAHL, and PSYCINFO, plus reviewing reference lists of relevant articles, in December 2009 we identified 13 studies that addressed patient decisions about breast cancer chemoprevention, were published in 1995 or later, were peer-reviewed primary clinical studies, and reported rates at which participants showed interest in (hypothetical uptake) or accepted (real uptake) chemoprevention medications. RESULTS Nine studies provided information about hypothetical breast cancer chemoprevention decisions (mean uptake rate, 24.7%) and five provided information about real decisions (mean uptake rate, 14.8%). The range of rates was wide, and each of the hypothetical uptake studies assessed interest differently. A logistic regression model found significant correlation with uptake of decision type (hypothetical versus real, odds ratio [OR] = 1.65; 95% CI, 1.26 to 2.16), educational or decision support intervention (provided v not, OR = 0.21; 95% CI, 0.17 to 0.27), and cohort risk for breast cancer (high-risk v general population, OR = 0.65; 95% CI, 0.56 to 0.75). Perceived vulnerability to breast cancer was consistently correlated with increased uptake, and concern for adverse effects was correlated with reduced uptake. All studies used a correlational/descriptive design, and most studies used convenience sampling strategies. CONCLUSION Breast cancer chemoprevention uptake rates are low and variation is wide. Hypothetical uptake rates are higher than real uptake, and interventions markedly reduce uptake. Research is needed that uses reproducible sampling methods and examines decision support strategies that lead to quality decisions.
THE PROBLEMS OF BIOMETRY IN COMBINED SILICONE OIL REMOVAL AND CATARACT EXTRACTION: A Clinical Trial

Purpose To evaluate the problems and accuracy of biometry in eyes that have been operated on by silicone oil removal combined with cataract extraction with or without intraocular lens implantation. Subjects and methods Twenty-nine consecutive cases that have been operated on for silicone oil removal and cataract, with or without intraocular lens implantation, were included in a prospective study. Axial length measurement was done in silicone oil–filled eyes after changing the sound speed in vitreous cavity to 987 m/sec. The SRKT formula was used for intraocular lens calculation. The cataract was removed by phacoemulsification through corneal section or phacofragmentation through the standard vitrectomy sclerotomy. Intraocular lens implantation was done either on the peripheral anterior capsule (single piece, PMMA) or in the bag (acrylic foldable three pieces). The final refraction after at least 3 months’ follow-up was measured. The difference between the predicted and the actual refraction was evaluated. A control group of 30 consecutive cases (20 nonmyopic and 10 highly myopic) of cataract extraction and intraocular lens implantation in eyes not filled with silicone oil was included using the same evaluation methods. Results The mean deviation of the final from the predicted refraction was 1.87 ± 2.11 diopters (range, +3.25 to −9 diopters). A total of 72.4% had a deviation of ±2 diopters. The mean deviation in high myopia was 3.04 ± 2.68 diopters (12 cases) (range, ±1.75 to −9 diopters), while in nonmyopic patients, the mean deviation was 1.04 ± 1.04 diopters (17 cases) (range, +3.25 to −3.25 diopters). The difference between highly myopic and nonmyopic eyes was statistically significant (P < 0.05). Most high errors occurred in highly myopic eyes. There was no statistical difference between the types of silicone oil (1,000 versus 5,000) or the mode of cataract extraction (phacoemulsification versus pars plana phacofragmentation). In the control group, the mean deviation in high myopia was 1.48 ± 1.02 diopters (10 cases) (range, ±0.5 to −3.5 diopters), while in nonmyopic patients, the mean deviation was 0.65 ± 0.75 diopters (20 cases) (range, +2.75 to −1.75 diopters). The difference was statistically significant (P < 0.05). Conclusion Intraocular lens calculation in silicone oil–filled eyes is accurate in eyes that are not highly myopic. Some highly myopic eyes with posterior staphyloma have great deviation. Unsuitable formula, artifacts, or large eyes beyond the machine range may be the cause of errors of deviation of refraction. Comparable results are obtained in eyes regardless of the type of silicone oil (1,000 or 5,000) and techniques of intraocular lens implantation (in the sulcus or in the bag).
Measurement of Patellar Tracking: Assessment and Analysis of the Literature

Patellar tracking is defined as the motion of the patella relative to the femur or femoral groove on knee flexion and extension. Abnormalities of tracking (maltracking) are thought to relate to many disorders of the patellofemoral joint and may be defined easily or may be extremely difficult to observe. Accurate measurement of patellar tracking, and definition of normal tracking, have not been achieved yet in experimental conditions or in clinical conditions. Such information would be valuable in the diagnosis and treatment of patellofemoral disorders. In the current report, the literature is reviewed critically with an emphasis on methodology and results. The reporting of patellar tracking is affected significantly by basic definitions of coordinate systems and reference points. The method of muscle loading, range, and direction of knee motion, use of static or dynamic measurement techniques, and tibial rotation also will affect the results obtained. The accuracy of the equipment used is important as differences in tracking may be small. Comparison between existing studies is difficult because of differences in methodology. There is general agreement that the patella translates medially in early knee flexion and then translates laterally. Regarding patellar tilt, results are less consistent, especially in vivo and the results for patellar rotation are highly variable.
Efficacy of Fluoride Compounds and Stannous Chloride as Erosion Inhibitors in Dentine

The aim of this study was to evaluate the anti-erosive effects of different fluoride compounds and one tin compound in the context of the complex pathohistology of dentine erosion, with particular emphasis on the role of the organic portion. Samples were subjected to two experiments including erosive acid attacks (0.05 molar citric acid, pH 2.3; 6 × 2 min/day) and applications (6 × 2 min/day) of the following test solutions: SnCl2 (815 ppm Sn), NaF (250 ppm F), SnF2 (250 ppm F, 809 ppm Sn), amine fluoride (AmF, 250 ppm F), AmF/NaF (250 ppm F), and AmF/SnF2 (250 ppm F, 409 ppm Sn). The demineralised organic fraction was enzymatically removed either at the end of the experiment (experiment 1) or continuously throughout the experiment (experiment 2). Tissue loss was determined profilometrically after 10 experimental days. In experiment 1, the highest erosive tissue loss was found in the control group (erosion only); the AmF- and NaF-containing solutions reduced tissue loss by about 60%, reductions for SnCl2, AmF/SnF2, and SnF2 were 52, 74 and 89%, respectively. In experiment 2, loss values generally were significantly higher, and the differences between the test solutions were much more distinct. Reduction of tissue loss was between 12 and 34% for the AmF- and NaF-containing preparations, and 11, 67 and 78% for SnCl2, AmF/SnF2, and SnF2, respectively. Stannous fluoride-containing solutions revealed promising anti-erosive effects in dentine. The strikingly different outcomes in the two experiments suggest reconsidering current methodologies for investigating anti-erosive strategies in dentine.
Implied Growth Horizons and the Cost of Equity

We introduce a straightforward method to estimate the implied cost of equity, allowing growth horizons to fluctuate both cross-sectionally and through time. Our results show substantial dispersion of implied growth horizons in cross-sections and time-series for US firms in the years 1988-2013. The cross-sectional difference in our implied cost of equity is a predictor of relative future returns. The return of an investment strategy based on the implied cost of equity improves, when expected growth horizons are allowed to fluctuate through time. Our findings suggest that valuation models using fixed growth horizons can be improved by the use of implied growth horizons.
Differentiation of epidemic-associated strains of Listeria monocytogenes by restriction fragment length polymorphism in a gene region essential for growth at low temperatures (4 degrees C)

The growth of Listeria monocytogenes in food stored in the cold has often been implicated in outbreaks of listeriosis. Many subtyping schemes have suggested that epidemic-associated strains belong to a unique genetic group. It has not yet been possible, however, to identify molecular or bacteriologic markers unique to epidemic-associated strains. Recently we cloned three genes of L. monocytogenes, ltrA, ltrB, and ltrC, which are essential for growth at low temperatures (4 degrees C). The use of a 1.2-kb PstI fragment derived from ltrB as a probe in Southern blots of HindIII-digested DNA revealed three hybridization patterns: the first (a 5.0-kb band) was observed in strains of serotypes 4b, 1/2b, and 3b; the second (a 3.1-kb band) was seen in strains of serotypes 1/2a, 3a, 1/2c, and 3c; and the third (a 9.5-kb band) was characteristic of epidemic-associated serotype 4b strains. These and other data suggest that probes derived from this gene region that is essential for growth at low temperatures can be useful molecular tools for the subtyping of strains implicated in food-borne listeriosis.
Reconstituted Plant Uncoupling Mitochondrial Protein Allows for Proton Translocation via Fatty Acid Cycling Mechanism*

Potato and tomato plant uncoupling mitochondrial protein (PUMP) was reconstituted into liposomes, and K+ or H+ fluxes associated with fatty acid (FA)-induced ion movement were measured using fluorescent ion indicators potassium binding benzofuraneisophthalate and 6-methoxy-N-(3-sulfopropyl)-quinolinium. We suggest that PUMP, like its mammalian counterpart, the uncoupling protein of brown adipose tissue mitochondria (Garlid, K. D., Orosz, D. E., Modrianský, M., Vassanelli, S., and Jez̆ek, P. (1996), J. Biol. Chem. 271, 2615–2702), allows for H+ translocation via a FA cycling mechanism. Reconstituted PUMP translocated anionic linoleic and heptylbenzoic acids, undecanesulfonate, and hexanesulfonate, but not phenylvaleric and abscisic acids or Cl−. Transport was inhibited by ATP and GDP. Internal acidification of protein-free liposomes by linoleic or heptylbenzoic acid indicated that H+ translocation occurs by FA flip-flopping across the lipid bilayer. However, addition of valinomycin after FA-initiated GDP-sensitive H+ efflux solely in proteoliposomes, indicating that influx of anionic FA via PUMP precedes a return of protonated FA carrying H+. Phenylvaleric acid, unable to flip-flop, was without effect. Kinetics of FA and undecanesulfonate uniport suggested the existence of an internal anion binding site. Exponential flux-voltage characteristics were also studied. We suggest that regulated uncoupling in plant mitochondria may be important during fruit ripening, senescence, and seed dormancy.
Negative impact of ‘old‐to‐old’ donations on success of cadaveric renal transplants

Abstract: The effect of ‘old‐to‐old’ cadaveric renal transplants on operative complications and graft survival was assessed in all 325 patients undergoing solitary cadaveric renal transplantations in Israel during a 3‐yr period. Preoperative information and hospital course data were abstracted from the charts. Results were analyzed using Kaplan–Meyer survival curves, univariate and multivariate Cox models. Overall, 62 (19.1%) grafts failed within a year. Failure rate was 46.2% for ‘old‐to‐old’ transplants compared with 15.5% for all other donor/recipient age combinations (p < 0.0001). ‘Old‐to‐old’ transplants remained independently associated with graft failure in a multivariate Cox model after controlling the effect of other risk factors. ‘Old‐to‐old’ transplants were also associated with increased operative complications relative to other age combinations. The decision to use ‘old‐to‐old’ transplants, even when donors are scarce, is problematic and should be reconsidered.