Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The Role of Preoperative Pulmonary Function Tests in Patients With Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis Undergoing Posterior Spinal Fusion

Study Design. A retrospective review of the case records and radiographs of 133 patients with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis who underwent posterior spinal fusion and instrumentation between 1986 and 1992. Objectives. To evaluate the incidence of abnormal results on preoperative pulmonary function tests and their correlation to immediate postoperative pulmonary impairment in patients with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis who had posterior spinal fusion. Summary of Background Data. It has been stated that preoperative pulmonary function tests are essential to assess surgical risk in a patient with scoliosis because of the possibility of further compromising the pulmonary function. Authors of previous studies have reported on the increased incidence of postoperative pulmonary complications in patients undergoing anterior spinal surgery. Methods. The case records and radiographs of 133 patients with either a thoracic or a double‐major curve, who underwent posterior spinal fusion, were reviewed. The presence of any preoperative or postoperative cardiopulmonary symptoms and increased requirement of postoperative ventilatory support were noted. Results of preoperative pulmonary function tests were classified as normal, restrictive, or obstructive disease. Postoperative chest radiographs were examined to note the presence of atelectasis, infiltrates, pneumothorax, hemothorax, or pneumonia. Results. The majority of patients (72.9%) had normal results on pulmonary function tests. The mean coronal Cobb angle of the thoracic curve was 48°, and the mean angle of kyphosis was 26°. None of the patients had any increased requirement of postoperative ventilatory support. The overall incidence of postoperative pulmonary complications was 2.3%. Conclusions. Performance of a thoracoplasty was the only risk factor for postoperative pulmonary complications in patients undergoing posterior spinal fusion. There was no correlation between deterioration of preoperative pulmonary function and the risk of postoperative pulmonary complications. It appears that performance of preoperative pulmonary function tests in patients with moderate adolescent idiopathic scoliosis‐scheduled for posterior spinal fusion is not necessary.
Magnesium sulphate and postoperative agitation in children: an analgesic effect?

dles are presented in a box with clear instructions explaining how to mix the solution following the study protocol of Allam et al. [2]. This minimises the risk of drawing up incorrect drugs, a concern voiced by some. Twenty ml lidocaine 2% from a 20-ml ampoule (Antigen Pharmaceuticals, Co Tipperary, Ireland) are mixed with 2 ml bicarbonate 8.4% from a 10-ml ampoule (Martindale Pharmaceuticals, Romford, UK) and 0.1 ml adrenaline 1:1000 from a 1-ml ampoule (Mercury Pharmaceuticals, Co Dublin, Ireland). The lidocaine is preservative-free, the adrenaline contains sodium metabisulphite (E223) and the bicarbonate contains disodium edetate (EDTA) BP 0.01%. The bicarbonate is therefore diluted by a factor of 11. These are the current suppliers of the drugs used, although this is occasionally subject to change. We have used these, or similar, preparations of drug mixtures for this purpose for at least four years and are not aware of any complications as a result, although we accept that any complication may be difficult to detect, as they are unlikely to present acutely and long-term follow-up is not routinely performed beyond the inpatient episode. We concur [3] that the benefits of using preservative-containing bicarbonate outweigh the risks of any side-effects.
A randomized surveillance study of patients with pedunculated and small sessile tubular and tubulovillous adenomas. The Funen Adenoma Follow-up Study.

BACKGROUND We wanted to assess the influence of various surveillance intervals on the risk of new neoplasia after removal of pedunculated and small sessile tubular and tubulovillous adenomas. METHODS After initial colonoscopic polypectomy patients were randomized to surveillance with either 2 years (group A) or 4 years (group B) between colorectal examinations. RESULTS The cumulated risk of a patient having new adenomas was 35.0% (28.7-41.4%) in group A and 35.5% (28.4-42.7%) in group B after 48 months. The risk increased to 44.9% (36.0-53.9%) and 60.1% (48.5-71.7%), respectively, after 96 months. The risk of significant neoplasia (carcinoma or adenoma with villous structure, severe dysplasia, or diameter > 10 mm) was 5.2% (2.3-8.1%) and 8.6% (3.8-13.3%) after 48 months and 8.6% (4.2-13.0%) and 17.4% (7.6-27.2%) after 96 months. More than one adenoma at first examination was associated with higher risk of new adenomas. Furthermore, we found a tendency for age above 60 years and male gender to be associated with higher risk of new adenomas. More than two adenomas at first examination was the only factor found to be associated with a higher risk of new significant neoplasia. One patient in group A and two patients in group B developed cancer, which is not significantly different from the number expected (3.43) in the average Danish population (RR = 0.9, 0.2-2.6). CONCLUSION After colonoscopy with removal of all polyps, colorectal examination at 4 years resulted in a similar risk of new adenomas compared with examinations at 2 and 4 years. However, new significant neoplasia tended to be more frequent when first surveillance was at 4 years. Extending the surveillance to 8 years also tended to increase the risk more in the group being examined every 4 years, but reduction of the number of surveillance examinations by more than 50% and a probable reduction of complications from surveillance examinations themselves may justify a recommendation for the longest interval.
Authentication and Key Agreement Via Memorable Passwords

This paper presents a new password authentication and key agreement protocol called AMP in a provable manner. The intrinsic problem with password authentication is a password, associated with each user, has low entropy so that (1) the password is hard to transmit securely over an insecure channel and (2) the password file is hard to protect. Our solution to this complex problem is the amplified password proof idea along with the amplified password file. A party commits the high entropy information and amplifies her password with that information in the amplified password proof. She never shows any information except that she knows it for her proof. Our amplified password proof idea is similar to the zero-knowledge proof in that sense. A server stores amplified verifiers in the amplified password file that is secure against a server file compromise and a dictionary attack. AMP mainly provides the passwordverifier based authentication and the Diffie-Hellman based key agreement, securely and efficiently. AMP is simple and actually the most efficient protocol among the related protocols.
The Information

The accessible information and communications technologies (ICT) design community has made compelling arguments about the business beneﬁts available to companies who design their prod-uctsandservicestobeaccessibletopeoplewithdisabilities.TheICT industry,however,hasnotembracedaccessibledesign.Thisarti-cleproposesre-brandingaccessibleICTdesignas“Anytime,Any-where,Anyone(AAA)Design. ”Thisrebrandedapproachwould shiftthefocusfromoneof“pushing”accessibledesigntoonewhere businesswouldactively“pull”forit.
Sigma factor-anti-sigma factor interaction in alginate synthesis: inhibition of AlgT by MucA

Conversion from the nonmucoid to the mucoid phenotype is a typical feature of Pseudomonas aeruginosa strains causing chronic pulmonary infections in cystic fibrosis patients. One of the key genetic controls in this conversion to mucoidy is from the algT(U)-mucA-mucB(algN) locus, located at 67.5 min on the standard P. aeruginosa chromosomal map. The algT gene promotes conversion to mucoidy and encodes an alternative sigma factor (sigma E) which belongs to the ECF (for extracytoplasmic function) family. On the other hand, the mucA and mucB (algN) genes suppress conversion to mucoidy. Loss-of-function mutations in mucA have been postulated to be the cause of mucoidy in some P. aeruginosa strains isolated from cystic fibrosis patients. We expressed and purified the protein products from the mucA and mucB open reading frames. The purified MucA protein abolishes the in vitro transcription specified by AlgT and the ability of AlgT to compete with an Escherichia coli sigma factor, FliA, suggesting that inhibiting AlgT-dependent transcription could be the mechanism by which mucA suppresses mucoidy in vivo. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and glycerol density gradient sedimentation experiments suggest that MucA physically interacts with AlgT.
Only a fraction of patients with ischaemic diseases or diabetes are treated to recommended target values for plasma lipids.

INTRODUCTION We tested the hypothesis that individuals in the general population with and without ischaemic cardiovascular disease, or with diabetes, are treated to recommended target values for plasma lipids. MATERIAL AND METHODS We used the Copenhagen General Population Study in which 69,354 individuals were examined cross-sectionally from 2004 through 2010. Among this population, 1,521 had previously had myocardial infarction, 2,372 other ischaemic heart disease, 542 ischaemic stroke, 2,086 claudicatio intermittens and 2,155 had diabetes. RESULTS The fraction of participants using lipid-lowering therapy among those with myocardial infarction was 70%, other ischaemic heart disease 44%, ischaemic stroke 60%, claudicatio intermittens 33%, diabetes 48%, and for those without ischaemic cardiovascular disease 8%. Among those with myocardial infarction with and without lipid-lowering therapy, 41% and 84%, respectively, had not reached a total cholesterol < 4.5 mmol/l, 30% and 79%, respectively, had not reached a low-density lipoprotein cholesterol < 2.5 mmol/l, and 46% and 48%, respectively, had not reached triglycerides < 1.7 mmol/l. In those with other ischaemic cardiovascular disease, with diabetes or without ischaemic cardiovascular disease, a similar or larger fraction of individuals did not reach guideline lipid targets. CONCLUSION Large fractions of individuals with ischaemic cardiovascular disease or diabetes are not treated with lipid-lowering therapy. Even among many of those treated, plasma total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and triglycerides are not treated to guideline targets.
Surgical treatment of chronic Achilles tendinitis

Between 1977 and 1985, 170 patients suffering from chronic Achilles tendinitis were treated surgically. Ninety-one patients with 143 tendons returned for fol lowup. The duration of preoperative symptoms aver aged 18 months. In all cases, conservative treatment was first attempted but failed to alleviate symptoms. Only those patients whose lesions and symptoms were confined to the Achilles tendon segment 2 to 6 cm proximal of the insertion were included in this study. All athletes who had an insertion tendinopathy or a lesion at the musculotendinous junction were excluded from this study. The surgical procedure depended on the lesion. For 93 tendons exhibiting pure peritendinitis, treatment consisted of a simple release of the fascia cruris and the peritenon. For the 50 tendons with tendinosis, a resection of diseased tendon tissue was performed. The defect could be sutured side to side in 26 cases but in the other 24 cases, reinforcement with a turned- down tendon flap was necessary because of the exten sive debridement. Of the 93 cases in which only dorsal release was performed, results were considered excellent in 54 cases, good in 28, fair in 8, and poor in 3 cases. Of the 26 cases in which side-to-side suture was performed, 15 cases were rated as having excellent results, 4 as good, 4 as fair, and 3 as poor. For the 24 cases in which a turned down tendon flap procedure was per formed, the result was excellent in 12 cases, good in 9, fair in 2, and poor in 1 case. The group of 170 patients treated surgically is part of a total number of 980 patients seen over this period in our hospital. The high percentage of operated cases for this group of 980 patients is explained by the fact that these 980 patients were a selected group of pa tients not including mild cases or patients with a tran sient Achilles tendinitis. Since the University Hospitals are mainly referral hospitals, many cases were referred because of complaints resistant to conservative treat ment.
Phylogenetic relationships of the Cretaceous frog Beelzebufo from Madagascar and the placement of fossil constraints based on temporal and phylogenetic evidence

The placement of fossil calibrations is ideally based on the phylogenetic analysis of extinct taxa. Another source of information is the temporal variance for a given clade implied by a particular constraint when combined with other, well‐supported calibrations. For example, the frog Beelzebufo ampinga from the Cretaceous of Madagascar has been hypothesized to be a crown‐group member of the New World subfamily Ceratophryinae, which would support a Late Cretaceous connection with South America. However, phylogenetic analyses and molecular divergence time estimates based on other fossils do not support this placement. We derive a metric, Δt, to quantify temporal divergence among chronograms and find that errors resulting from mis‐specified calibrations are localized when additional nodes throughout the tree are properly calibrated. The use of temporal information from molecular data can further assist in testing phylogenetic hypotheses regarding the placement of extinct taxa.
Characterisation of the difference in fracture mechanics between children and adult cortical bone

Clinical literature describes a specific type of children bone fracture, known as “greenstick facture” which is never encountered for adult bone. Concerning children bone, there is a tremendous lack of mechanical references. Indeed, the few studies which explored the mechanical characteristics of growing process in bone dealt with samples close to cancerous cells [1], or with samples from cadavers [2]. These studies gave dispersive results and did not provide insights to the two different kinds of fracture (i.e. brittle for mature bone and plastic for growing bone). Part of the answer could lie in the evolution of the biochemical composition of cortical bone; indeed, Bala et al. [3] have shown that the elasticity depends on the mineral part of the bone matrix and the plasticity on the organic part (collagen 1). This organic part of cortical bone seems to differ between adult and children. Saito et al. [4] have shown that the main non enzymatic crosslinks in mature bone (PYD+DPD) are different from those of growing bone (DHLNL+HLNL). It seems to us that the difference between plastic growing bone fractures and brittle adult bone fractures could be explained by this difference in the non enzymatic collagen crosslinking. We performed three point microbending tests on children and adult bone to evaluate the mechanical Young’s modulus (Em) and the plastic strain energy (ωp). The results are in agreement with the clinical observations. The goal of this study is to explain these differences in mechanical behaviour between children and adult bone by using a biochemical analysis of the organic part quantifying the composition of the collagen.
Risk factors for breast cancer in Pakistani women aged less than 45 years

Background: There has been an increase in the incidence of breast cancer in previously low-risk Asian countries. It is important to identify the risk factors for Asian women, as little information currently exists for this population. Aim: The objective of the study was to determine risk factors for breast cancer among Pakistani women. Subjects and methods: 498 cases younger than 45 years were interviewed from 1 July 1997 to 31 December 1998 at two major cancer hospitals. Age-matched population-based controls were selected from two cities and two villages to represent urban and rural areas. For the variables under study, cases and controls were compared by t-test. Conditional multiple logistic regression models were applied to the data set. Results: Women with BMI ≥ 30, with a family history of breast cancer and who were parous were at increased risk. Among parous women risk factors included BMI ≥ 30, being in a consanguineous marriage, later age at menarche, later age at first full-term pregnancy, high parity and a history of abortion. Conclusion: The risk factors identified for Pakistani women below 45 years were similar to those observed in other studies. However, obesity in pre-menopausal women and late menarche were not protective and consanguinity was identified as a risk.
Reducing the Risk of HIV/AIDS in African American College Students

This study explores the impact of a peer-led HIV intervention, based on the health belief model and social cognitive theory of behavior change, on a sample of African American college students. Certified peer educators were trained by the researcher to implement the four-module HIV prevention intervention. Pre-/postassessments revealed that after the intervention, students were less embarrassed to put a condom on themselves or on their partner, were more likely to use a condom, and ask their sex partner if they had ever been tested for HIV. It was concluded that peer education, which focuses on susceptibility, severity, benefits, self-efficacy (components of the health belief model), skill building, and peer influence (social cognitive theory) is an effective strategy in reducing HIV risk behaviors among African American college students.
People with Spinal Cord Injury in Thailand

EPIDEMIOLOGY OF SPINAL CORD INJURY IN THAILAND There are few epidemiologic studies of people with spinal cord injury (SCI) in Thailand, predominantly coming from the ChiangMai province, as no national data for the whole country exist. Most studies that have been done come from university hospitals with rehabilitation wards. This report is mainly based on studies done at Maharaj Nakorn Chiang Mai Hospital, a tertiary/advanced level and university hospital with a dedicated rehabilitation ward for SCI. Over the past 30 years, most SCI cases in the northern region were referred to this hospital for treatment and rehabilitation. According to a 5-year study (1977–1981) of patients with spinal injuries admitted, 48% of 577 patients had SCI. During 1985–1991, there were 398 new patients with SCI admitted, and when counting only those living in Chiang Mai, the incidence of SCI was approximately 23 cases per million per year. According to a 6-month survey of road traffic accidents done by the National Rehabilitation Center in 2006 to study the incidence of disability and impact of these collisions, data were collected from 8 of 28 trauma centers operated by the Ministry of Public Health. When extracting data from this survey, there were 9,737 victims with major injuries. Of these, 82% used a motorcycle, 32% drank alcohol before the collision, and 3.2% became disabled. Among thosewith disabilities, 10.4% had SCI (tetra-AB, 26%; tetra-CD, 55%; para-AB, 12%; and para-CD, 7%). From these data, 0.3% of major injuries or 3 of 1,000 severely injured road traffic accident victims had SCI. In addition, the economic loss of more than 2.6 million baht per case with disability was reported. When comparing data between 2 previous studies (1977– 1981 and 1985–1991), causes of SCI have changed: falling from height, the main cause 30 years ago, declined from 42.8% to 33%, whereas the prevalence of road traffic accidents increased from 28.4% to 47%. Among road traffic accidents, 54% were collisions involving motor cycles. In addition, later data in 2006 indicate that 67.5% of new patients with SCI were caused by road traffic accidents. Two studies from Siriraj Hospital in Bangkok showed that the prevalence of road traffic accidents increased from 50.7% of SCI causes in 1989–1994 to 74.8% in 1997–2000. Clearly, road traffic accident–related injury is a major cause of SCI in Bangkok.
Factors influencing killing of Cryptococcus neoformans by human leukocytes in vitro.

Phagocytosis of Cryptococcus neoformans by human neutrophils and monocytes was studied, and intracellular killing was documented for the first time. Killing of C neoformans by neutrophils was maximal by 2 hr. Ingestion appeared to be the major factor limiting intracellular killing of the organism. Phagocytosis by neutrophils was not greatly altered by specific antibody or by clinically common concentrations of soluble capsular polysaccharide but was markedly affected by size of cryptococcal capsules. Killing mechanisms of neutrophils appeared to require the generation of H202. That myeloperoxidase activity was also required for normal rates of cryptococcal killing by neutrophils was evidenced by a lag in killing by sodium azide-treated cells. Ingestion of C neoformans by monocytes was not affected by capsule size, but killing was less efficient. While repeated determinations in the same individuals were extremely consistent, differences between subjects were great with a wide range in normal killing. There was no apparent cellular or opsonic defect in patients with cryptococcosis. Untreated cryptococcosis is a frequently fatal systemic infection caused by the encapsulated yeastlike fungus, Cryptococcus neoformans. The best evidence that man can recover spontaneously from
Cardioprotective potential of myricetin in isoproterenol‐induced myocardial infarction in wistar rats

The study aimed to evaluate the protective role of myricetin obtained from Vitis vinifera (Vitaceae) on heart rate, electrocardiographic (ECG) patterns, vascular reactivity to catecholamines, cardiac marker enzymes, antioxidant enzymes together with morphological and histopathological changes in isoproterenol (ISO) induced myocardial infarction (MI) in male Wistar rats. Rats treated with isoproterenol (85 mg/kg, administered subcutaneously twice at an interval of 24 h) showed a significant increase in heart rate and ST elevation in ECG, and a significant increase in the levels of cardiac marker enzymes – lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), creatine kinase (CK) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) in serum. Isoproterenol significantly reduced superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) activity and increased vascular reactivity to various catecholamines. Pretreatment with myricetin (100 mg/kg, p.o. and 300 mg/kg, p.o.) for a period of 21 days significantly inhibited the effects of ISO on heart rate, levels of LDH, CK, AST, SOD, CAT, vascular reactivity changes and ECG patterns. Treatment with myricetin (100 mg/kg and 300 mg/kg) alone did not alter any of the parameters compared with vehicle treated Wistar rats. Myricetin treated animals showed a lesser degree of cellular infiltration in histopathological studies. Thus, myricetin (100 mg/kg and 300 mg/kg) ameliorates the cardiotoxic effects of isoproterenol and may be of value in the treatment of MI. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.