Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Staff nurses' career development relationships and self-reports of professionalism, job satisfaction, and intent to stay.

: The purpose of this study was to investigate the range of career development relationships (CDRs) experienced by staff nurses in relation to the outcomes of professionalism, job satisfaction, and intent to stay. A sample of 390 Army staff nurses completed questionnaires measuring five CDRs--precepting, peer-strategizing, coaching, sponsoring, and mentoring--and the outcome variables. Findings indicated that 61% of the sample experienced a CDR, with the predominant CDR being coaching. No CDR affected professionalism; however, job satisfaction and intent to stay may warrant further investigation in relation to CDRs. The findings suggest that if nurses perceived that an interest was taken in their career development, and felt valued by the developer, then usually staff nurses viewed the relationship as professionally important. The perception of importance often influenced intent to stay in a positive direction.
A Bayesian meta-analytic approach for safety signal detection in randomized clinical trials

Background/Aim: Meta-analyses are frequently performed on adverse event data and are primarily used for improving statistical power to detect safety signals. However, in the evaluation of drug safety for New Drug Applications, simple pooling of adverse event data from multiple clinical trials is still commonly used. We sought to propose a new Bayesian hierarchical meta-analytic approach based on consideration of a hierarchical structure of reported individual adverse event data from multiple randomized clinical trials. Methods: To develop our meta-analysis model, we extended an existing three-stage Bayesian hierarchical model by including an additional stage of the clinical trial level in the hierarchical model; this generated a four-stage Bayesian hierarchical model. We applied the proposed Bayesian meta-analysis models to published adverse event data from three premarketing randomized clinical trials of tadalafil and to a simulation study motivated by the case example to evaluate the characteristics of three alternative models. Results: Comparison of the results from the Bayesian meta-analysis model with those from Fisher’s exact test after simple pooling showed that 6 out of 10 adverse events were the same within a top 10 ranking of individual adverse events with regard to association with treatment. However, more individual adverse events were detected in the Bayesian meta-analysis model than in Fisher’s exact test under the body system “Musculoskeletal and connective tissue disorders. ” Moreover, comparison of the overall trend of estimates between the Bayesian model and the standard approach (odds ratios after simple pooling methods) revealed that the posterior median odds ratios for the Bayesian model for most adverse events shrank toward values for no association. Based on the simulation results, the Bayesian meta-analysis model could balance the false detection rate and power to a better extent than Fisher’s exact test. For example, when the threshold value of the posterior probability for signal detection was set to 0.8, the false detection rate was 41% and power was 88% in the Bayesian meta-analysis model, whereas the false detection rate was 56% and power was 86% in Fisher’s exact test. Limitations: Adverse events under the same body system were not necessarily positively related when we used “system organ class” and “preferred term” in the Medical Dictionary for Regulatory Activities as a hierarchical structure of adverse events. For the Bayesian meta-analysis models to be effective, the validity of the hierarchical structure of adverse events and the grouping of adverse events are critical. Conclusion: Our proposed meta-analysis models considered trial effects to avoid confounding by trial and borrowed strength from both within and across body systems to obtain reasonable and stable estimates of an effect measure by considering a hierarchical structure of adverse events.
Rebuttal: Flagellar Hook Length Is Controlled by a Secreted Molecular Ruler

New ideas keep coming to satisfy all data accumulated regarding hook length control (1). Let us look at some of them and see if they are well brushed up as concept or just whim (3, 4). (i) The molecular clock (8). Length (L) and time (T) are independent parameters in physics. However, in our case, hook length L (in nanometers) and time T (in seconds) are intricately related to each other by the equation L = v′T, where v is the growth rate of the hook (in nanometers per second). The rate is possibly time-dependent, as we have previously shown by a statistical method (6). Thus, the molecular clock is a tautology. Then why do we bother with time? Let us stick to length alone (1, 3).
A study of functional viability and metabolic degeneration of human skin stored at 4° C

We sought to ascertain whether an in vitro assay could be as reliable as an in vivo assay in determining the viability of human skin stored at 4 degrees C. Allografts from six human donors were stored in RPMI 1640 tissue culture medium at 4 degrees C. At fixed intervals during the storage period, all skin specimens were tested concurrently by two different viability assays: (1) transplantation onto surgically created defects on nude mice, and (2) intracellular enzyme activity with use of a 4-hour semiquantitative micromethod system activity (API ZYM; Biomerieux Vitek Inc., Hazelwood, Mo.). Human graft survival on the nude mice was 100% for the first 15 days of storage, and then declined to 50% on storage day 30. The API ZYM assay showed a comparable progressive decrease in enzyme activity over skin storage time. The API ZYM assay is a simple, rapid system that produces reproducible results and is cost-effective when compared to the biologic model.
Efficient View-Based SLAM Using Visual Loop Closures

This paper presents a simultaneous localization and mapping algorithm suitable for large-scale visual navigation. The estimation process is based on the viewpoint augmented navigation (VAN) framework using an extended information filter. Cholesky factorization modifications are used to maintain a factor of the VAN information matrix, enabling efficient recovery of state estimates and covariances. The algorithm is demonstrated using data acquired by an autonomous underwater vehicle performing a visual survey of sponge beds. Loop-closure observations produced by a stereo vision system are used to correct the estimated vehicle trajectory produced by dead reckoning sensors.
Smoking habits and the risk of non-fatal acute myocardial infarction in Costa Rica

Background: Smoking is a major risk factor for cardiovascular diseases, but there is little information on Latin America. Methods: We used data from a case-control study comprising 2094 cases with a first acute non-fatal myocardial infarction (MI) and 2094 matched controls (by age, sex, and area of residence) living in Costa Rica between 1994 and 2004. Relative risks (RRs) were obtained from conditional logistic regression models. Results: Compared to never smokers, the risk of MI was not higher in ex-smokers, but the RR was 2.71 for current smokers, and increased with the number of cigarettes smoked per day. Smoking ≥25 cigarettes per day was associated with an eight-fold risk of MI. The RR was higher for women (4.39) than for men (2.38). There was no trend in risk with duration and age at starting smoking. RRs were respectively 4.8, 5.6 and 6.1 for smokers of ≥15 cigarettes per day with obesity, diabetes or hypertension compared to non-smokers. Subjects living with a smoker had a 23% higher MI risk. Active and passive smoking accounted for 38% and 8% of MI cases. It explained 25% and 9% of female and 42% and 7% of male cases, 47% and 15% of cases below age 50, and 35% and 5% cases above age 50 years. Stopping smoking reduced the risk of MI already after one year, and after five years the risk approached that of never smokers. Conclusion: In Costa Rica, like elsewhere, inducing smokers to stop is a public health priority.
Structural feature extraction on multiple bases with application to handwritten character recognition systems

H. Nishida and S. Mori (1992) proposed a clear, rigorous, and powerful method for the structural description of character shapes in terms of quasi-topological features (convexity and concavity), directional features, and singular points (branch points and crossings). Shapes are described by few components with rich features and shape prototypes (structural models) can be constructed automatically from the training data. However, the number of directions is fixed to 4, and more directions such as 8 or 16 cannot be dealt with. For various applications of Nishida and Mori's method, the author presents a method for structural analysis and description of simple arcs or closed curves based on 2/sup m/ (m = 2,3,4,.) directional features and convex/concave features. Software OCR systems without specialized hardware have attracted much attention recently. Based on the method of structural analysis and description, the author describes a software implementation of a handwritten character recognition system with a multi-stage strategy. <<ETX>>
Adaptor Protein MecA Is a Negative Regulator of the Expression of Late Competence Genes in Streptococcus thermophilus

ABSTRACT In Streptococcus thermophilus, the ComRS regulatory system governs the transcriptional level of comX expression and, hence, controls the early stage of competence development. The present work focuses on the posttranslational control of the activity of the sigma factor ComX and, therefore, on the late stage of competence regulation. In silico analysis performed on the S. thermophilus genome revealed the presence of a homolog of mecA (mecASt), which codes for the adaptor protein that is involved in ComK degradation by ClpCP in Bacillus subtilis. Using reporter strains and microarray experiments, we showed that MecASt represses late competence genes without affecting the early competence stage under conditions that are not permissive for competence development. In addition, this repression mechanism was found not only to act downstream of comX expression but also to be fully dependent on the presence of a functional comX gene. This negative control was similarly released in strains deleted for clpC, mecA, and clpC-mecA. Under artificial conditions of comX expression, we next showed that the abundance of ComX is higher in the absence of MecA or ClpC. Finally, results of bacterial two-hybrid assays strongly suggested that MecA interacts with both ComX and ClpC. Based on these results, we proposed that ClpC and MecA act together in the same regulatory circuit to control the abundance of ComX in S. thermophilus.
Persistent lipid abnormalities in statin-treated patients and predictors of LDL-cholesterol goal achievement in clinical practice in Europe and Canada

Background: The prevalence of persistent lipid abnormalities in patients receiving statins in primary and secondary care is needed to formulate recommendations for future treatment. Studies associating cardiovascular risk factors with lipid target goal achievement are lacking. Design: A cross-sectional, observational study that assessed the prevalence of persistent dyslipidemia in patients treated with statins and analyzed predictors of lipid target achievement. Methods: Serum lipid values of 22,063 statin-treated patients were studied in the context of their cardiovascular risk factors, and the potency and composition of their lipid-lowering treatment. European Society of Cardiology recommendations were used to classify patient risk, and to define LDL-cholesterol goal and normal levels for HDL-cholesterol and triglycerides. Results: Overall, 48.2% of patients did not achieve the therapeutic goal for LDL-cholesterol, either as a single lipid anomaly or associated with low HDL-cholesterol, elevated triglycerides, or both. Lack of goal achievement was more prevalent among low-risk patients (55.8%) than high-risk patients (46.8%). Serum LDL-cholesterol levels were lower in high-risk patients. Predictors associated with LDL-cholesterol goal achievement were higher statin dose (odds ratio (OR): 0.35), specialist treatment (OR: 0.74), or combined lipid-lowering therapy (OR: 0.80). Conclusions: Nearly half of statin-treated patients missed their therapeutic LDL-cholesterol goal, highlighting a gap between recommendations and clinical practice. Better achievement of LDL-cholesterol therapeutic goal was found among patients at high cardiovascular risk, those on high statin doses or using combination therapy, and patients managed by specialists. Results suggest that residual dyslipidemia in statin-treated patients at low cardiovascular risk may be reduced by increasing statin dose.
The birth weight of apparently healthy Nigerian newborns in Sokoto

Objective : To determine the birth weight of apparently healthy newborns delivered at Usmanu Danfodiyo University Teaching Hospital, Sokoto, Nigeria. Materials and Methods: This prospective study was carried out between July 1, 2003 and June 30, 2004. The criteria were booked mothers, mothers with regular menstrual cycles, availability of mother's last menstrual period ± report of an obstetric ultrasound scan and absence of first trimester vaginal bleeding. Maternal weight, height, birth order and socioeconomic status were also obtained. 253 babies were enrolled. Results : There were 131 males and 122 females giving a male: female ratio of 1.1:1. Gestational age by maternal dates ranged from 28 to 44 weeks. There was a consistent increase in mean values of weight as the gestational age increased. The mean (SEM) weight for 24 babies of 42 weeks had mean (SEM) weight of 3668.48(106.63) grams. The mean birth weight of the 253 infants in the study was 2472grams. Social class effect on birth weights recorded showed a higher birth weight series for social class I and II, and least for social class IV. Conclusion : These findings are at variance from studies elsewhere within the country. The birth weight remains an important factor for a continuing re-appraisal of any nation's health care delivery system. Keywords : birth weight, healthy Nigeria newborns, UDUTH, Sokoto Sahel Medical Journal Vol. 9(1) 2006: 19-22
Donor‐specific antibody in chronic rejection is associated with glomerulopathy, thickening of peritubular capillary basement membrane, but not C4d deposition

Abstract: The impact of post‐transplant donor‐specific antibody (DSA) on the development of chronic rejection has been focused recently. The aim of this study was to evaluate the significance of DSA, graft function and pathological factors of chronic rejection. Seventy‐three kidney recipients who underwent protocol biopsy were included in the study. The median follow‐up period after transplant was 40 months. The presence of anti‐HLA antibody (aHLAAb) and DSA was tested using flow beads analysis (FlowPRA®). The patients were divided into a group with DSA, a group with non‐donor‐specific aHLAAb and a group without aHLAAb. Protocol biopsy specimen were compared for transplant glomerulopathy (cg), vasculopathy (cv), C4d deposition at peritubular capillary (PTC), peritubular capillaritis (ptc score 0–3) and thickening of PTC basement membrane (ptcbm score 0–3) as recently proposed. The presence of DSA was significantly associated with the presence of cg, ptcbm. The group with non‐donor‐specific aHLAAb had ptcbm but did not have cg. The group without aHLAAb rarely showed ptcbm. The presence of DSA was associated with impaired graft function. C4d was not specific for the patients with DSA. These histopathological markers are useful in the detection of immunological chronic rejection. Early detection by screening tests will be important for treatment before irreversible change occurs.
Relation between thyroid-stimulating hormone and the occurrence of cardiovascular events and mortality in patients with manifest vascular diseases

Aims: To investigate whether levels of thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) within the normal range are associated with an increased risk of new vascular events and mortality in patients with clinical manifest vascular diseases and whether this relation is influenced by adiposity. Methods and results: Prospective cohort study in 2443 patients (1790 men and 653 women) with clinical manifest vascular disease and TSH levels in the normal range. Median follow up was 2.7 (interquartile range 1.4–3.9) years. Clinical endpoints of interest were: myocardial infarction, stroke, vascular death, and all-cause mortality. In patients with manifest vascular disease, the prevalence of (subclinical) hypothyroidism was 5.7%, while 3.6% had (subclinical) hyperthyroidism. An increase in 1 unit of TSH was associated with a 33% higher risk (HR 1.33; 95% CI 1.03–1.73) for the occurrence of myocardial infarction, adjusted for age, gender, renal function, and smoking. In patients with a body mass index (BMI) below the median of 26.7 kg/m2 the HR per unit TSH for myocardial infarction was 1.55 (95% CI 1.08–2.21) compared to 1.18 (95% CI 0.81–1.71) in patients with a BMI ≥26.7 kg/m2. Visceral adipose tissue thickness below the median (≤8.8 cm) was associated with higher HR per unit TSH for myocardial infarction (HR 1.69; 95% CI 1.21–2.35) compared to visceral adipose tissue thickness >8.9 cm (HR 1.00; 95% CI 0.66–1.49). There was no relation between TSH and risk of stroke, vascular death, the combined endpoint, or all-cause mortality. Conclusion: Higher TSH levels within the normal range are associated with an increased risk of myocardial infarction, in patients with clinical manifest vascular disease. This relation is most prominent in patients without visceral obesity.
Morphogenesis of Bacillus Spore Surfaces

ABSTRACT Spores produced by bacilli are encased in a proteinaceous multilayered coat and, in some species (including Bacillus anthracis), further surrounded by a glycoprotein-containing exosporium. To characterize bacillus spore surface morphology and to identify proteins that direct formation of coat surface features, we used atomic-force microscopy (AFM) to image the surfaces of wild-type and mutant spores of Bacillus subtilis, as well as the spore surfaces of Bacillus cereus 569 and the Sterne strain of Bacillus anthracis. This analysis revealed that the coat surfaces in these strains are populated by a series of bumps ranging between 7 and 40 nm in diameter, depending on the species. Furthermore, a series of ridges encircled the spore, most of which were oriented along the long axis of the spore. The structures of these ridges differ sufficiently between species to permit species-specific identification. We propose that ridges are formed early in spore formation, when the spore volume likely decreases, and that when the spore swells during germination the ridges unfold. AFM analysis of a set of B. subtilis coat protein gene mutants revealed three coat proteins with roles in coat surface morphology: CotA, CotB, and CotE. Our data indicate novel roles for CotA and CotB in ridge pattern formation. Taken together, these results are consistent with the view that the coat is not inert. Rather, the coat is a dynamic structure that accommodates changes in spore volume.
Multiple Paths for Nonphysiological Transport of K+ in Escherichia coli

ABSTRACT Mutants of Escherichia coli lacking all of the known saturable K+ transport systems, “triple mutants,” require elevated K+ concentrations for growth. K+ transport activity in such mutants, called TrkF activity, has low substrate specificity and a low rate that increases with increasing external pH. Attempts to isolate mutants requiring even higher concentrations of K+ failed, implying that either TrkF is essential or is composed of multiple minor K+ transport activities. Instead, we sought mutations that allowed triple mutants to grow at lower K+ concentrations. Mutations so identified include ones altering MscL, the large mechanosensitive channel, or Opp, the oligopeptide permease. However, a possible contribution of wild-type Opp and MscL to TrkF activity was not proven. In contrast, expression of wild-type ProP, TrkG, and TrkH proteins increased uptake when encoded on multicopy plasmids. In all of these situations, the driving force for K+ appeared to be the transmembrane electric potential, and in most cases substrate specificity was low; these are characteristics of TrkF activity. These results support the view that TrkF is composed of multiple, “aberrant” K+ transport activities, i.e., paths that, regardless of their physiological function, allow K+ to cross the cell membrane by a uniport process.
Isolation and Characterization of an Aldehyde Dehydrogenase Encoded by the aldB Gene of Escherichia coli

ABSTRACT An aldehyde dehydrogenase was detected in crude cell extracts of Escherichia coli DH5α. Growth studies indicated that the aldehyde dehydrogenase activity was growth phase dependent and increased in cells grown with ethanol. The N-terminal amino acid sequence of the purified enzyme identified the latter as an aldehyde dehydrogenase encoded by aldB, which was thought to play a role in the removal of aldehydes and alcohols in cells that were under stress. The purified enzyme showed an estimated molecular mass of 220 ± 8 kDa, consisting of four identical subunits, and preferred to use NADP and acetaldehyde. MgCl2 increased the activity of the NADP-dependent enzyme with various substrates. A comparison of the effect of Mg2+ ions on the bacterial enzyme with the effect of Mg2+ ions on human liver mitochondrial aldehyde dehydrogenase revealed that the bacterial enzyme shared kinetic properties with the mammalian enzyme. An R197E mutant of the bacterial enzyme appeared to retain very little NADP-dependent activity on acetaldehyde.
Mutations in Flavobacterium johnsoniae secDF Result in Defects in Gliding Motility and Chitin Utilization

ABSTRACT secDF mutants of Flavobacterium johnsoniae were deficient in gliding motility and chitin utilization. Cells of the mutants had reduced levels of GldJ protein, which is required for both processes. SecDF is similar to Escherichia coli SecD and SecF, which are involved in protein secretion.
Trends in socioeconomic inequalities in mortality from ischaemic heart disease and stroke in Australia, 1979–2006

Background: This study investigates secular trends in ischaemic heart disease (IHD) and stroke mortality by socioeconomic status (SES) in Australia to determine if absolute and relative differences between low and high SES areas have changed over time. Methods: IHD and stroke mortality data for adults aged 35–74 years and corresponding population data from Australian censuses for 1979–2006 were stratified into quintiles using an area-based measure of SES and analysed by quinquennia (and 2004–06). IHD and stroke (rates per 100,000) adjusted for age, country of birth, and rurality were compared across SES strata (separately by sex) using Poisson regression. Results: Mortality declined monotonically over the study period in all SES groups and both sexes. Absolute differences between low and high SES groups narrowed for IHD in females (27 to 23 per 100,000) and stroke in males and females (16 to 13, and 13 to 7 per 100,000, respectively), although absolute differences widened for IHD in males (52 to 63 per 100,000). Relative declines were greater in high compared to low SES groups for IHD (28% average quinquennial decline in high SES; compared with 21% in low SES for males; 30% and 21% for females), and for stroke (25% average quinquennial decline in high SES; 21% in low SES for males; 26% and 23% for females). Conclusion: Differences in mortality rates between lower and higher SES groups narrowed for both IHD (in females) and stroke (in males and females) from 1979–2006, indicating that the epidemic decline is now at a late stage when low SES groups are benefiting more, in absolute terms, than high SES groups. However males in the lower SES groups are still at an earlier stage of the epidemic decline in IHD mortality.