Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
How do medical students in their clinical years perceive basic sciences courses at King Saud University?

Background and Objectives : The inclusion of detailed basic science courses in medical school curricula has been a concern of students. The main objective of this study was to explore the attitudes of medical students towards basic sciences courses taught to them in the preclinical years and the applicability of these courses to current clinical practice. Design and Setting : A cross-sectional survey was conducted during 2008-2009 among medical students in their clinical years at King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Methods : Thirty percent of all students (n=314) were randomly selected to receive a questionnaire designed to evaluate their opinions about course load, ability to recall information, value of practical sessions, availability of references and course guidelines, and the applicability of individual courses to clinical practice. Results : Students identified anatomy and pathology as the courses most overloaded with content (76% and 70%, respectively). Half of the students felt they retained the most knowledge of physiology (50%), while less than a quarter of students (19%) felt they retained the most information from biochemistry coursework. The role of practical sessions in facilitating theoretical understanding was more evident in anatomy (69%). Physiology was perceived as the subject with the highest applicability to clinical practice (66%), while pathology (29%) was identified as the subject with the least practical application. Students became increasingly negative in their opinions about basic science courses as they progressed through their medical education. Conclusion : Current attitudes of medical students towards their basic science courses indicate a need to reform the curricula so as to maximize the benefit of these courses.
VR-Participation: On the feasibility of next-gen Virtual Reality technologies as Participation channel

1While progress in the development of e-Participation platforms has been significant and the emergence of new Social Media-driven platforms appears to bring significant (by quantity), citizen engagement, litle attention has been paid by researchers to the limitations of the pervasive textual communication for political participation. In this paper, we describe the major sociotechnical challenges of classic e-Participation solutions and how the emerging next-gen Virtual Reality (VR) technologies can be leveraged to alleviate some of the issues identified.
Tattoos, piercings and youth: How does body modification fit into young people’s life circumstances?

Tattoos and body piercings are forms of body modification which have received increasing attention in recent times, particularly in relation to young people. The purpose of this paper is to investigate whether young people’s participation in tattooing and body piercing aligns with particular life trajectories that have become associated with the concept of Emerging Adulthood. Using survey data from a large sample (n=1,927) of young Queenslanders participating in the Social Futures and Life Pathways (‘Our Lives’) project, I examine how young people’s participation in tattooing and body piercing varies according to factors including career, partnering and residential circumstances, controlling for a range of socio-demographic factors. The findings of these analyses indicate significant correlations between having a tattoo or piercing and gender, religiosity, personal income and involvement in post-secondary education. Correlations were also found between piercings, sexual orientation and father’s occupation. These findings have implications how body modification is currently understood at a socio-cultural level, as well as how it fits into young people’s broader sense of identity and increasing independence during their transition to adulthood.
Nutraceutical and Other Modalities for the Treatment of Headache

Purpose of Review:Nutraceutical, biobehavioral, and physical treatments, including complementary and alternative medicines, may benefit patients with migraine and other headache disorders. This article summarizes the evidence for the use of these therapies with discussion on evidence quality and product controversies. Recent Findings:The evidence for the use of nutraceuticals is low or conflicting. For migraine prevention in adults, Level B evidence, at best, exists for the use of feverfew, magnesium, and riboflavin (vitamin B2). Level C evidence exists for coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) and Level U evidence for melatonin. While Level A evidence exists for the use of Petasites, caution should be exercised given the potential for hepatic toxicity. The evidence level for IV magnesium for acute migraine treatment is B or U, depending on the interpretation of the existing literature. The evidence level for adding biobehavioral adjunctive treatment for headache management is A. The evidence level for exercise in reducing migraine is B-C. Summary:Strong evidence supports behavioral therapy as adjunctive treatment for migraine prevention. Modest evidence exists for exercise and a variety of nutraceuticals for migraine prevention in adults and IV magnesium for acute migraine therapy. In children and adolescents, the evidence is low for all nutraceuticals. Petasites has been associated with hepatic toxicity, and caution should be exercised regarding its use.
Use of a perforated scaffold-retaining abutment to achieve vertical bone regeneration around dental implants in the minipig.

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the effect of perforated scaffold retainers used in conjunction with dental implants and osteoinductive scaffolds to regenerate vertical supracrestal alveolar bone in an intraoral minipig model. MATERIALS AND METHODS Three months after extraction of mandibular premolars and first molars from six adult minipigs, two titanium (Ti) custom implants were placed bilaterally in the edentulous mandibles for a total of four implants per animal. The upper 2.5 mm of the implant was left above bone level and covered with: (1) wide-neck healing caps; (2) perforated, overhanging custom scaffold retainers (umbrellas); or (3) scaffold retainers and demineralized minipig bone allograft (DBM) and nonglycosylated bone morphogenetic protein 2 (ng/rhBMP-2)-treated implants. All constructs were submerged beneath soft tissue flaps for 8 weeks. Two dental implant surfaces were compared: SLA and SLActive. Samples were retrieved after 8 weeks and analyzed by radiography, micro-computed tomography and histomorphometry. RESULTS All implants were stable at the end of the experiment. Histomorphometry revealed that the use of the scaffold-retaining umbrellas led to increased, but not statistically significant, vertical bone regeneration as compared to the use of wide-neck healing caps (1.0 ± 0.4 mm vs 0.6 ± 0.3 mm). The combination of DBM and ng/rhBMP-2 released from the surface of the SLA implant resulted in the greatest amount of vertical bone regeneration (2.1 ± 0.2 mm). The bone-to-implant contact was similar for all groups. Mucosal dehiscence areas with healing cap or custom scaffold retainer exposures were reduced in the presence of ng/rhBMP-2. CONCLUSIONS The combined use of custom perforated Ti scaffold retainers, DBM, and ng/rhBMP-2 regenerated a substantial amount of vertical supracrestal alveolar bone around Ti implants in an intraoral minipig model.
The relationship between retrieval-induced forgetting, anxiety, and personality

Abstract Retrieval-induced forgetting (RIF) refers to the finding that the retrieval of a memory trace suppresses the retrieval of rival memory traces, and there is evidence that RIF reflects the effects of cognitive inhibition. The Attentional Control Theory (ACT) postulates that cognitive inhibition will be impaired by a high level of state anxiety, but the effect of anxiety on RIF has not previously been investigated. A sample of 116 participants were tested on the RIF procedure, and were also administered the Spielberger State Anxiety Inventory and the Big Five Personality Inventory. The results indicated a significant negative correlation between RIF scores and state anxiety, and a significant positive correlation between RIF scores and extraversion. However, a multiple regression analysis identified extraversion as the main predictor of RIF performance. None of the other personality factors correlated with RIF scores. These findings are consistent with the predictions of the ACT.
Dual-energy CT angiography for assessment of regional pulmonary perfusion in patients with chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension: initial experience.

OBJECTIVE This study assessed the utility of dual-energy pulmonary CT angiography (CTA) for noninvasive assessment of regional pulmonary perfusion in patients with chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH). Regional perfusion abnormalities were correlated with hemodynamic parameters and structural abnormalities on pulmonary CTA. SUBJECTS AND METHODS Twenty patients with CTEPH (11 men and nine women; mean age, 61.5 years) underwent pulmonary CTA with a dual-energy technique. Right heart catheterization data were available in 15 cases. Scan parameters were as follows: tube A, 140 kV (75 mA); tube B, 80 kV (300 mA); gantry rotation, 500 milliseconds; pitch, 0.5; and collimation, 14 × 1.2 mm. An iodine map was generated via three-material-decomposition and was scored for extent of hypoperfusion. Correlation was made with mosaic attenuation pattern, extent of vascular obstruction, and right heart hemodynamics. Iodine attenuation values were analyzed within completely occluded, partially occluded, and disease-free lobes. RESULTS A strong correlation existed between dual-energy CT-derived perfusion and mosaic attenuation pattern when both lobar (r > 0.6; n = 20; p < 0.006) and whole-lung scores were assessed (r = 0.77; n = 20; p < 0.001). There was no statistically significant correlation between dual-energy CT perfusion and vascular obstructive index, mean pulmonary artery pressure, or pulmonary vascular resistance (p > 0.08). Of 42 completely occluded lobes, 27 (64%) had demonstrable residual perfusion (mismatching), suggesting that blood supply was maintained via systemic collaterals. CONCLUSION Dual-energy CT can offer a "one-stop" assessment of anatomy and perfusion in CTEPH. The additional information provided by dual-energy CT could have a future role in helping guide patient selection for thromboendarterectomy surgery.
Clinical Bacteriology of Tobramycin

INC REA SED medical sophistication in the past 10 years has brought in its wake a parallel increase in serious hospital infections, particularly of the Gram-negative variety. They are common at the extremes of age, and in the debilitated and immunosuppressedso called 'compromised hosts'. With increasing bacterial resistance the life-saving role of antibiotics has moved from the penicillins through the cephalosporins and now largely rests with the aminoglycosides (McAllister, 1975). These are shown in Table I. Gentamicin has been in use in the U.K. since 1965and forms the backbone of therapy in these cases. Fears of increasing plasmidmediated resistance have led to the development of alternative drugs, namely tobramycin, amikacin and sisomicin. The parent substance, nebramycin, is derived from Streptomyces tenebrarius, an organism found in Mexican soil. It comprises at least 7 factors and the most potent of these, factor 6, has been purified by ion-exchange chromatography and introduced as tobramycin (Nebcin, Eli Lilly & Co.). It is a parenteral, bactericidal substance which acts by disruption of the bacterial ribosome. This paper presents quantitative laboratory data and relates them to the clinical role of tobramycin.
Badr POTENT PROTECTIVE ACTIVITY OF PANAX GINSENG AGAINST ACETAMINOPHEN-INDUCED HEPATOTOXICITY IN MICE

Ginseng has a wide range of pharmacological and therapeutical actions. The present study was designed to investigate the protective effect of Panax ginseng (Pg) against the l iver damage induced by paracetamol (acetaminophen; AA) in mice. Fif teen mice were divided into three groups; each contains five mice. Group "1": normal control; Group "2": mice treated via the intraperitoneal route with paracetamol (500 mg/kg) for five consecutive days; Group "3": the remaining mice were also injected intraperitoneally with ginseng (200 mg/kg) for five successive days; then injected with only one dose of paracetamol (500 mg/kg). Acetaminophen increased significantly the levels of alanine aminotransferase "ALT" and aspartate aminotransferase "AST" while decreased the level of serum albumin in significant value. Administration of Panax ginseng (Pg) in the third group reduced signif icantly the levels of "ALT" and "AST" that were induced with AA administration near to the control values and modulated the low level of albumin that was induced with AA near to the normal values in a significant manner. Liver histopathological studies showed that AA administration induced many pathological effects that can be ameliorated or prevented by applying pretreatment with Pg. These results recommend that Pg has a protective effect against AA-induced liver injury in mice.
Incoherent Oscillations Accompanying Charge Separation in Photosynthetic Reaction Centers

Early events of charge separation in reaction centers (RCs) of bacterial photosynthesis are modeled by kinetic equations with time-dependent rate constants. An illustrative case of regular motion along a “slow” coordinates leading to oscillations in the kinetics is examined. Different schemes of charge separation are investigated. A good fitting of experimental kinetics of native Rba. sphaeroides RCs is achieved in the five states model P*1BAHA↔P*2BAHA↔I↔P+HA↔P+BA with two excited states BAHA and BAHA and three charge separated states I, P+HA and P+BA (P is a primary electron donor, bacteriochlorophyll dimer, BA and HA are an electron acceptor, monomeric bacteriochlorophyll and bacteriopheophytin in active A-branch, respectively). In the model only the first excited state is directly populated by optical excitation. The emission of the two excited states is assumed to be at 905 and 940 nm, respectively. The intermediate state I is assumed to absorb at 1020 nm as well as the P+HA state. The model explains the deep oscillations in the kinetics of the stimulated emission and of the absorption. In the simpler schemes without the I state or with only one excited state the accordance with the experiment is achieved at unreal parameter values. A possible nature of the I and BAHA states and a possible incoherent nature of the oscillations are discussed.
Survival in older men may benefit from being slightly overweight and centrally obese--a 5-year follow-up study in 4,000 older adults using DXA.

BACKGROUND Whether overweight in old age is hazardous remains controversial. Body mass index (BMI) overestimates adiposity and fails to measure central adiposity. We used dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA) to measure adiposity and hypothesized that overall adiposity, distribution of adiposity, and muscle mass might individually affect survival. METHODS We recruited 2000 men and 2000 women aged 65 years or older. Baseline BMI, waist-hip ratio (WHR), body fat index (BFI = total body fat/height square), relative truncal fat (RTF = trunk fat/total body fat), and body muscle mass index (BMMI = total body muscle mass/height square) were measured. Mortality was ascertained by death registry after 63.3 (median) months. RESULTS Two hundred and forty-two men and 78 women died. In men, mortality hazard ratio (HR) decreased consistently by 0.85 (p < .005), 0.86 (p < .005), and 0.86 (p < .005) per every quintile increase in BMI, BFI, and BMMI, respectively. A J-shaped relationship was observed in central adiposity (RTF and WHR) quintiles; the minimum values were at the 3rd WHR quintile (0.92-0.94) and 4th RTF quintile (mean WHR, 0.94). When RTF was tested with BFI, both high and low central adiposity were unfavorable while general adiposity became marginally insignificant (p = 0.062). When BFI and BMMI were tested together, increasing adiposity rather than muscle mass favored survival (BFI quintile, HR 0.97, p .015; BMMI quintile, HR 1.00, p .997). CONCLUSIONS Older men were resistive to hazards of overweight and adiposity; and mild-grade overweight, obesity, and even central obesity might be protective. This may bear significant implication on the recommended cutoff values for BMI and WHR in the older population.
Changes in Serum Electrolytes After Transcervical Resection of Endometrium and Submucous Fibroids With Use of Glycine 1.5% for Uterine Irrigation

Objective: We evaluated the postoperative changes in serum electrolytes in relation to the amount of irrigating fluid absorption and the occurrence of nausea and vomiting after transcervical resection of endometrium and submucous fibroids. Methods: From May 1989 to October 1991, 101 consecutive patients were operated on for menometrorrhagia with transcervical resection of endometrium and submucous fibroids using glycine 1.5% for uterine irrigation. The deficit of glycine was assessed during and at the end of the operation. During the postoperative course, attention was paid to the occurrence of cerebral confusion, nausea (defined by at least one incident of vomiting), and dyspnea. The serum levels of sodium, potassium, and chloride were assessed before the operation, at the end of the procedure, and after 4,8, and 12 hours. Results: No marked water intoxication or signs of volume overload were seen, but 33% of the patients had nausea and vomiting in the postoperative period. These patients showed a more pronounced postoperative decrease in serum sodium (P=.0001) and a larger glycine deficit (P=.004) than did patients without nausea. The postoperative decrease in serum sodium correlated significantly to the glycine deficit (R2=0.83, P<.001). Conclusion: Postoperative hyponatremia after transcervical resection of the endometrium correlated with the deficit of irrigant fluid but not with the operation time or the total amount of irrigant fluid used. We recommend that serum sodium be controlled and corrected if necessary postoperatively in patients with nausea and vomiting.
Evaluation of Serial Arterial Lactate Levels as a Predictor of Hospital and Long-Term Mortality in Patients After Cardiac Surgery.

OBJECTIVES Although hyperlactatemia is common after cardiac surgery, its value as a prognostic marker is unclear. The aim of the present study was to determine whether postoperative serial arterial lactate (AL) measurements after cardiac surgery could predict outcome. DESIGN Prospective, observational study. SETTING Surgical intensive care unit in a tertiary-level university hospital. PARTICIPANTS Participants included 2,935 consecutive patients. INTERVENTIONS AL was measured on admission to the intensive care unit and 6, 12, and 24 hours after surgery, and evaluated together with clinical data and outcomes including in-hospital and long-term mortality. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS In-hospital and long-term mortality (mean follow-up 6.3±1.7 years) were 5.9% and 8.7%, respectively. Compared with survivors, nonsurvivors showed higher mean AL values in all measurements (p<0.001). Hyperlactatemia (AL>3.0 mmol/L) was a predictor for in-hospital mortality (odds ratio = 1.468; 95% confidence interval = 1.239-1.739; p<0.001) and long-term mortality (hazard ratio = 1.511; 95% confidence interval = 1.251-1.825; p<0.001). Recent myocardial infarction and longer cardiopulmonary bypass time were predictors of hyperlactatemia. The pattern of AL dynamics was similar in both groups, but nonsurvivors showed higher AL values, as confirmed by repeated measures analysis of variance (p<0.001). The area under the curve also showed higher levels of AL in nonsurvivors (80.9±68.2 v 49.71±25.8 mmol/L/h; p = 0.038). Patients with hyperlactatemia were divided according to their timing of peak AL, with higher mortality and worse survival in patients in whom AL peaked at 24 hours compared with other groups (79.1% v 86.7%-89.2%; p = 0.03). CONCLUSIONS The dynamics of the postoperative AL curve in patients undergoing cardiac surgery suggests a similar mechanism of hyperlactatemia in survivors and nonsurvivors, albeit with a higher production or lower clearance of AL in nonsurvivors. The presence of a peak of hyperlactatemia at 24 hours is associated with higher in-hospital and long-term mortality.
Marked Activity of Irinotecan and Rapamycin Combination toward Colon Cancer Cells In vivo and In vitro Is Mediated through Cooperative Modulation of the Mammalian Target of Rapamycin/Hypoxia-Inducible Factor-1α Axis

Purpose: Despite recent progress, colon cancer is often resistant to combination chemotherapy, highlighting the need for development of novel therapeutic approaches. An attractive target is hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α), a key transcription factor with a pivotal role in tumor cell metabolism. One potential class of therapeutic agents targeting HIF-1α are mammalian target of rapamycin inhibitors such as rapamycin. A second class are topoisomerase I inhibitors, such as irinotecan, which are able to inhibit the accumulation of HIF-1α. We here investigated whether combination of rapamycin and irinotecan was active in human colon cancer models. Experimental Design: Human metastatic tumors were xenografted in nude mice and treated with low doses of irinotecan alone, rapamycin alone, or combination of both drugs. The cellular effects of irinotecan and rapamycin were further characterized for HT-29 and HCT-116 colon cancer cells in vitro. Results: In contrast to single-agent therapy, xenografted tumors treated with combination of irinotecan and rapamycin showed potent inhibition of the mammalian target of rapamycin/HIF-1α axis, which was accompanied by a dramatic reduction in tumor volume. In vitro experiments showed that exposure to low concentrations of the two drugs resulted in massive HT-29 cell death under hypoxic, but not normoxic, conditions, in full agreement with a cytotoxic effect mediated through HIF-1α rather than through induction of genotoxic lesions. HCT-116 cells were less sensitive to the combined treatment due to constitutive activation of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/Akt and Ras/mitogen-activated protein kinase pathways. Conclusion: These results identify HIF-1α as a promising target and provide a rationale for clinical trials of low-dose irinotecan and rapamycin combination toward metastatic colon cancer.
In silico analysis of 16S ribosomal RNA gene sequencing-based methods for identification of medically important anaerobic bacteria

This study is the first study that provides useful guidelines to clinical microbiologists and technicians on the usefulness of full 16S rRNA sequencing, 5 9 -end 527-bp 16S rRNA sequencing and the existing MicroSeq full and 500 16S rDNA bacterial identification system (MicroSeq, Perkin-Elmer Applied Biosystems Division, Foster City, California, USA) databases for the identification of all existing medically important anaerobic bacteria. Full and 527-bp 16S rRNA sequencing are able to identify 52–63% of 130 Gram-positive anaerobic rods, 72–73% of 86 Gram-negative anaerobic rods and 78% of 23 anaerobic cocci. The existing MicroSeq databases are able to identify only 19–25% of 130 Gram-positive anaerobic rods, 38% of 86 Gram-negative anaerobic rods and 39% of 23 anaerobic cocci. These represent only 45–46% of those that should be confidently identified by full and 527-bp 16S rRNA sequencing. To improve the usefulness of MicroSeq, bacterial species