Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Effect of functional bracing on subsequent knee injury in ACL-deficient professional skiers.

The effect of functional bracing on subsequent knee injury in anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) deficient professional skiers was evaluated. A cohort of 180 ACL-deficient skiers was identified from a knee screening of 9410 professional skiers from 1991-1997. An ACL-deficient knee was defined by an abnormal examination (Lachman or pivot-shift) and a > or = 5-mm KT-1000 manual maximum difference. The dependent variable was subsequent knee injury, which occurred in 12 knees. A significantly higher proportion of injuries occurred in nonbraced skiers compared with braced skiers (P = .005). The risk ratio for subsequent knee injury comparing nonbraced with braced skiers was 6.4 (13% and 2%, respectively). Univariate analysis revealed no significant effects of the other covariates. Logistic regression identified bracing status (P < .01; odds ratio = 8) and KT-1000 manual maximum difference (P = .02; odds ratio = 1.3) as significant multivariate risk factors for subsequent knee injury, controlling for covariates.
From perspectives to policy contingencies: Conditional cash transfers as social investments

Despite the popularity of social investment, there remain ambiguities regarding how to design an effective social investment approach. We review evaluations of conditional cash transfers (CCTs) in Latin America in order to draw out lessons of how to improve the effectiveness of social investment. CCTs share many of the objectives of the social investment approach and are targeted at poorer groups. Since research shows that such groups are often not adequately supported through social investment policies, analyzing CCTs holds particular promise. Our analysis finds that architects of social investment policies should consider three questions when designing a social investment approach: how much investment is necessary to fulfill social investment functions, what is the causal mechanism through which the goals of social investment are to be achieved, and what array of policies are necessary for such mechanisms to be effective?
Synchronous Systolic Subcellular Ca2+-Elevations Underlie Ventricular Arrhythmia in Drug-Induced Long QT Type 2

Background—Repolarization delay is a common clinical problem, which can promote ventricular arrhythmias. In myocytes, abnormal sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca2+-release is proposed as the mechanism that causes early afterdepolarizations, the cellular equivalent of ectopic-activity in drug-induced long-QT syndrome. A crucial missing link is how such a stochastic process can overcome the source–sink mismatch to depolarize sufficient ventricular tissue to initiate arrhythmias. Methods and Results—Optical maps of action potentials and Ca2+-transients from Langendorff rabbit hearts were measured at low (150×150 &mgr;m2/pixel) and high (1.5×1.5 &mgr;m2/pixel) resolution before and during arrhythmias. Drug-induced long QT type 2, elicited with dofetilide inhibition of IKr (the rapid component of rectifying K+ current), produced spontaneous Ca2+-elevations during diastole and systole, before the onset of arrhythmias. Diastolic Ca2+-waves appeared randomly, propagated within individual myocytes, were out-of-phase with adjacent myocytes, and often died-out. Systolic secondary Ca2+-elevations were synchronous within individual myocytes, appeared 188±30 ms after the action potential-upstroke, occurred during high cytosolic Ca2+ (40%–60% of peak-Ca2+-transients), appeared first in small islands (0.5×0.5 mm2) that enlarged and spread throughout the epicardium. Synchronous systolic Ca2+-elevations preceded voltage-depolarizations (9.2±5 ms; n=5) and produced pronounced Spatial Heterogeneities of Ca2+-transient-durations and action potential-durations. Early afterdepolarizations originating from sites with the steepest gradients of membrane-potential propagated and initiated arrhythmias. Interestingly, more complex subcellular Ca2+-dynamics (multiple chaotic Ca2+-waves) occurred during arrhythmias. K201, a ryanodine receptor stabilizer, eliminated Ca2+-elevations and arrhythmias. Conclusions—The results indicate that systolic and diastolic Ca2+-elevations emanate from sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca2+-release and systolic Ca2+-elevations are synchronous because of high cytosolic and luminal-sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca2+, which overcomes source–sink mismatch to trigger arrhythmias in intact hearts.
Corporate imagination and expeditionary marketing.

In the 1980s, competitive success came mostly from achieving cost and quality advantages over rivals in existing markets. In the 1990s, it will come from building and dominating fundamentally new markets. Core competencies are one prerequisite for creating new markets. Corporate imagination and expeditionary marketing are the keys that unlock them. McKinsey Award winners Gary Hamel and C.K. Prahalad argue that corporate imagination quickens when companies escape the tyranny of their served markets. (Motorola, for example, sees itself as a leader in wireless communications, not just as a maker of beepers and mobile phones). Think about needs and functionalities instead of marketing's more conventional customer-product grid. Overturn traditional price/performance assumptions. (Fidelity Investments unlocked a vast new market by packaging sophisticated investment vehicles for middle-income investors.) And lead customers rather than simply follow them. Creating new markets is a risky business, however--a lot like shooting arrows into the mist. Imaginative companies minimize the risk not by being fast followers but through the process the authors call expeditionary marketing: low-cost, fast-paced market incursions designed to bring the target quickly into view. Toshiba introduced laptop computers to the market at such a blistering pace that it could explore every conceivable niche--and afford an occasional failure without compromising its credibility with customers. To stimulate corporate imagination, top management needs to redefine failure and develop new time- and risk-adjusted yardsticks for managerial performance. Managers must be encouraged to stretch their company's opportunity horizon well beyond the boundaries of its current businesses.
Effects of diclofenac sodium and disodium ethylenediaminetetraacetate on electrical parameters of the mucosal membrane and their relation to the permeability enhancing effects in the rat jejunum

The effects of diclofenac sodium and disodium ethylenediaminetetraacetate (EDTA) on electrical parameters of rat jejunal membrane were investigated, together with measurement of the mucosal‐to‐serosal flux of sulphanilic acid or L‐phenylalanine. Both adjuvants increased the flux rate of sulphanilic acid to a similar extent when added to the mucosal solution at 10 mM, but there were apparent differences in their effects on the electrical parameters. The addition of EDTA induced the gradual reduction in the membrane resistance (Rm) by 6–8 ohm cm−2, while the effect of diclofenac on Rm was complicated and concentration‐dependent. The short circuit current (Isc) was reduced rapidly to the level of 30–40 μA cm−2 by the addition of diclofenac, but was less affected by EDTA. The flux rate of L‐phenylalanine was decreased extensively by diclofenac or the 10 mM concentration of EDTA, suggesting an inhibition of carrier‐mediated transport systems in the membrane. Together with our preceding communication (Yamashita et al 1985, J. Pharm. Pharmacol. 37: 512–513), it became obvious that the sites of action of diclofenac and EDTA were different, the former directly interacting with the epithelial cell to alter the permeability and functions of the cell membane, while the primary effect of EDTA could be at the intercellular junctions.
The British and the German financial sectors in the wake of the crisis: size, structure and spatial concentration

We use employment data for 2008–2012 to analyse the impact of the subprime and Eurozone crises on the British and German financial sector. In the UK, the sector contracted and its spatial concentration increased across regions and urban hierarchy, with London as the sole winner. In Germany there has been no contraction overall, and no significant change in the spatial distribution of financial employment. We argue that while in both countries forced consolidation and financial re-regulation have acted as centripetal forces, in Germany they have been offset by strong regional and local banking, underpinned by a decentralized state.
Educational Performance of Children Born Prematurely

Importance Survivors of preterm birth often present with medical morbidities; however, variation in their long-term educational performance has not been well described. Objective To estimate the association between gestational age and 4 outcomes in school-aged children: readiness to enter kindergarten, scores on standardized tests in elementary and middle school, gifted status, and low performance. Design, Setting, and Participants In a retrospective cohort study, children born in Florida between 1992 and 2002 at 23 to 41 weeks’ gestation who entered Florida’s public schools between 1995 and 2012 were assessed for kindergarten readiness and tested in mathematics and reading in grades 3 through 8. Data analysis was performed from January 12, 2016, to March 1, 2017. Exposures Gestational age at birth. Main Outcomes and Measures Kindergarten readiness, scores on the Florida Comprehensive Achievement Test (FCAT), classified as gifted, and classified as low performance. Results A total of 1 527 113 singleton infants with gestational ages of 23 to 41 weeks born between 1992 and 2002 were matched to Florida public school records. Of these, 1 301 497 children were included in the analysis; 641 479 (49.3%) were girls. A total of 301 (65.0%) Florida children born at 23 to 24 weeks’ gestation were designated as ready to start kindergarten. When the FCAT test scores were adjusted for potentially confounding maternal and infant variables, children born at 23 to 24 weeks’ gestation performed 0.66 SD (95% CI, −0.73 to −0.59) lower compared with those born at full term. A total of 123 554 (9.5%) of all Florida-born public school students were considered gifted, including 17 (1.8%) of those born at 23 to 24 weeks’ gestation. In comparison, 75 458 (5.8%) of all Florida-born public school students were low performing; 310 (33.5%) of these children had been born at 23 to 24 weeks’ gestation. Kindergarten readiness, FCAT scores, and gifted status were positively related to gestational age, whereas low performance was inversely related to gestational age. Conclusions and Relevance Although gestational age has long been associated with poor educational performance, a sufficient proportion of children born near the limits of viability performed within expected school norms, warranting further investigation into how and why certain children are able to overcome the educational burdens that may follow preterm birth.
Quantitative Trait Locus Study Design From an Information Perspective

We examine the efficiency of different genotyping and phenotyping strategies in inbred line crosses from an information perspective. This provides a mathematical framework for the statistical aspects of QTL experimental design, while guiding our intuition. Our central result is a simple formula that quantifies the fraction of missing information of any genotyping strategy in a backcross. It includes the special case of selectively genotyping only the phenotypic extreme individuals. The formula is a function of the square of the phenotype and the uncertainty in our knowledge of the genotypes at a locus. This result is used to answer a variety of questions. First, we examine the cost-information trade-off varying the density of markers and the proportion of extreme phenotypic individuals genotyped. Then we evaluate the information content of selective phenotyping designs and the impact of measurement error in phenotyping. A simple formula quantifies the information content of any combined phenotyping and genotyping design. We extend our results to cover multigenotype crosses, such as the F2 intercross, and multiple QTL models. We find that when the QTL effect is small, any contrast in a multigenotype cross benefits from selective genotyping in the same manner as in a backcross. The benefit remains in the presence of a second unlinked QTL with small effect (explaining <20% of the variance), but diminishes if the second QTL has a large effect. Software for performing power calculations for backcross and F2 intercross incorporating selective genotyping and marker spacing is available from http://www.biostat. ucsf.edu/sen.
Complete Genome Sequence of an Oral Commensal, Streptococcus oligofermentans Strain AS 1.3089

ABSTRACT Streptococcus oligofermentans, an oral commensal, inhibits the growth of the dental caries pathogen Streptococcus mutans by producing large amounts of hydrogen peroxide. Therefore, it can be a potential probiotic for oral health. Here we report the complete genome sequence of S. oligofermentans strain AS 1.3089.
Factors Influencing Talent Development: Stories of Four Hong Kong Elite Sportspersons

Abstract This article reports on a small-scale qualitative study that investigates how intrapersonal and environmental factors shape the beliefs and experiences of four talented Hong Kong sportsperons. Research questions focus on how their talents were identified and developed, obstacles they encountered, and the major influences on their development. Semi-structured interviews were conducted examining five key areas: participants’ perceptions of their natural ability in sports, self-motivation, coaching opportunities, family influences, and school factors. Results indicated that the interviewees tended not to perceive themselves as “naturally” talented (or “very special”), and believed that all five areas had influenced the development of their talent, both positively and negatively. The data are interpreted from a Hong Kong-Chinese perspective.
The Echocardiographic Assessment of Dyssynchrony: Insights from a Consecutive Series of General Cardiology Patients with Normal LVEF and Narrow QRS

Background: Prior studies have described the potential benefit of using echocardiographic rather than ECG techniques to help select the subgroup of heart failure patients that are most likely to benefit from cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT). Currently, the most commonly used echocardiographic techniques to assess dyssynchrony include discrepancies in radial motion derived from M‐mode and in longitudinal motion derived from tissue Doppler; however, there are little data available on the range of these measurements in the general cardiology population. Methods and Results: A consecutive series of patients referred for a stress echocardiogram were screened for normal LV systolic function and normal QRS width. Fifty‐one patients met inclusion criteria and underwent dyssynchrony measurements in addition to their baseline echo. Previously proposed cutoff values were applied. We observed 17% of study subjects were above the reported normal values for radial dyssynchrony and 41% were above the reported normal values for longitudinal dyssynchrony. However, when both criteria were required to be abnormal only 4% were classified as dyssynchronous. Conclusions: Echocardiographic indices in general cardiology patients appear most accurate when radial and longitudinal parameters are used in combination. While the ideal cutoff values remain to be determined, this combination may optimize patient selection for CRT response.
Pain assessment in a geriatric psychiatry program.

BACKGROUND The assessment of pain in older persons with psychiatric illness is particularly challenging for health care professionals. There are few well-tested pain assessment tools for this population. OBJECTIVES A study was conducted to explore pain assessment and management issues in geriatric psychiatry. METHODS Seventy-four staff members of a geriatric psychiatry service at Regional Mental Health Care London, St Joseph's Health Care London, London, Ontario completed a survey to assess current pain assessment and management practice for geriatric psychiatry patients, and to identify indicators used to assess pain in this population. The results of the survey were later shared with members of the program's pain management team in a focus group discussion to explore opportunities on how to transfer these findings into clinical practice. RESULTS The majority of survey respondents (91.8%) agreed that pain assessment and management could be improved for patients; only 14.9% reported that there was a consistent approach to pain management. Misconceptions and attitudes about pain, lack of easily administered pain tools, inconsistent monitoring of pain, and lack of documentation of pain symptoms and indicators were identified as significant barriers to optimal pain management for their patients. A number of behaviours indicative of pain were identified but emphasis was placed on recognition of changes from usual behaviour. CONCLUSIONS The findings of the present study highlight the need for a comprehensive, practical and consistent approach to pain assessment and management, and provide insight into the critical components, including behavioural indicators, that could be incorporated into a pain protocol to be used with this population.
A review of atypical antipsychotic medications for posttraumatic stress disorder

Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) can be a chronic and disabling illness with a limited response to antidepressant treatment, particularly in the case of combat-inducedPTSD. The purpose of this study is to review randomized controlled and open-label trials of atypical antipsychotics for the treatment of PTSD. We conducted PUBMED and PILOTS database searches for clinical trials of atypical antipsychotic medications for PTSD in May 2010. Eighteen clinical trials (10 double-blind placebo-controlled, eight open-label) of atypical antipsychotics for PTSD were found and reviewed. Effect sizes of double-blind placebo-controlled trials were small, but were positive for risperidone and quetiapine. Intrusive and hypervigilance symptom subscales showed the most improvement. We concluded that atypical antipsychotic medications have a modest benefit for the treatment of PTSD. Larger randomized controlled trials are needed to clarify the potential utility of these medications in the treatment of PTSD and more rigorous examination of metabolic side effects is warranted.
Incidence of adverse events and negligence in hospitalized patients: results of the Harvard Medical Practice Study I. 1991.

BACKGROUND As part of an interdisciplinary study of medical injury and malpractice litigation, we estimated the incidence of adverse events, defined as injuries caused by medical management, and of the subgroup of such injuries that resulted from negligent or substandard care. METHODS We reviewed 30121 randomly selected records from 51 randomly selected acute care, non-psychiatric hospitals in New York State in 1984. We then developed population estimates of injuries and computed rates according to the age and sex of the patients as well as the specialties of the physicians. RESULTS Adverse events occurred in 3.7% of the hospitalizations (95% confidence interval 3.2 to 4.2), and 27.6% of the adverse events were due to negligence (95% confidence interval 22.5 to 32.6). Although 70.5% of the adverse events gave rise to disability lasting less than 6 months, 2.6% caused permanently disabling injuries and 13.6% led to death. The percentage of adverse events attributable to negligence increased in the categories of more severe injuries (Wald test chi(2) = 21.04, p<0.0001). Using weighted totals we estimated that among the 2671863 patients discharged from New York hospitals in 1984 there were 98609 adverse events and 27179 adverse events involving negligence. Rates of adverse events rose with age (p<0.0001). The percentage of adverse events due to negligence was markedly higher among the elderly (p<0.01). There were significant differences in rates of adverse events among categories of clinical specialties (p<0.0001), but no differences in the percentage due to negligence. CONCLUSIONS There is a substantial amount of injury to patients from medical management, and many injuries are the result of substandard care.
Characteristics of patients with chronic pain accessing treatment with medical cannabis in Washington State.

OBJECTIVES This study was conducted to better understand the characteristics of chronic pain patients seeking treatment with medicinal cannabis (MC). DESIGN Retrospective chart reviews of 139 patients (87 males, median age 47 years; 52 females, median age 48 years); all were legally qualified for MC use in Washington State. SETTING Regional pain clinic staffed by university faculty. PARTICIPANTS INCLUSION CRITERIA age 18 years and older; having legally accessed MC treatment, with valid documentation in their medical records. All data were de-identified. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Records were scored for multiple indicators, including time since initial MC authorization, qualifying condition(s), McGill Pain score, functional status, use of other analgesic modalities, including opioids, and patterns of use over time. RESULTS Of 139 patients, 15 (11 percent) had prior authorizations for MC before seeking care in this clinic. The sample contained 236.4 patient-years of authorized MC use. Time of authorized use ranged from 11 days to 8.31 years (median of 1.12 years). Most patients were male (63 percent) yet female patients averaged 0.18 years longer authorized use. There were no other gender-specific trends or factors. Most patients (n = 123, 88 percent) had more than one pain syndrome present. Myofascial pain syndrome was the most common diagnosis (n = 114, 82 percent), followed by neuropathic pain (n = 89, 64 percent), discogenic back pain (n = 72, 51.7 percent), and osteoarthritis (n = 37, 26.6 percent). Other diagnoses included diabetic neuropathy, central pain syndrome, phantom pain, spinal cord injury, fibromyalgia, rheumatoid arthritis, HIV neuropathy, visceral pain, and malignant pain. In 51 (37 percent) patients, there were documented instances of major hurdles related to accessing MC, including prior physicians unwilling to authorize use, legal problems related to MC use, and difficulties in finding an affordable and consistent supply of MC. CONCLUSIONS Data indicate that males and females access MC at approximately the same rate, with similar median authorization times. Although the majority of patient records documented significant symptom alleviation with MC, major treatment access and delivery barriers remain.
The Time-series Linkages between US Fiscal Policy and Asset Prices

This article studies the interplay of fiscal policy and asset price returns of the United States in a time-varying parameter vector autoregressive (VAR) model. Using annual data from 1890 to 2013, we study the effects of dynamic shocks to both fiscal policy on asset returns and asset returns on fiscal policy. Distinguishing between low-volatility (bull market) and high-volatility (bear market) regimes together with a time-varying parameter VAR model enables us to isolate the different sizes and signs of responses to shocks during different time periods. The results indicate that increases in the primary surplus-to-gross-domestic-product ratio decrease house returns over the entire sample and at each impulse horizon. Unlike the house return responses, stock returns only decrease in the first year after the fiscal shock but then increase for the following eight years. Furthermore, the findings show that asset return movements affect fiscal policy, whereby fiscal policy responds more to equity returns than to house returns. The response of fiscal policy to asset returns proves relatively stable and constant over time while controlling for various asset return regimes. Asset returns respond uniformly to fiscal policy shocks since the 1900s.