Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Quality of economic evaluations in health care

Economic evaluation is becoming established globally as one of the tools for decision making in health care.1 Its rise in popularity is reflected by the increasing number of published economic evaluations. One source estimates that 1803 economic evaluations were published in medical journals in 1979-90,2 rising to 2222 in 1991-6.3 This increase in both the availability of economic evaluations and willingness to use their results to allocate scarce resources reinforces the need for evaluations to be methodologically sound so that the consequent healthcare decisions are ethically defensible. Do our current economic evaluations meet the necessary methodological requirements? In the early 1990s several systematic reviews cast doubt on the scientific reliability of some published evaluations. All advocated better standards of conducting and reporting economic evaluations.4–7 A subsequent survey among editors of medical journals found that none had a coherent editorial policy for economic evaluations, and few had peer reviewers with knowledge …
A 5.8-Gb/s Adaptive Integrating Duobinary DFE Receiver for Multi-Drop Memory Interface

This paper describes a 5.8 Gb/s adaptive integrating duobinary decision-feedback equalizer (DFE) for use in next-generation multi-drop memory interface. The proposed receiver combines traditional interface techniques like the integrated signaling and the duobinary signaling, in which the duobinary signal is generated by current integration in the receiver. It can address issues such as input data dependence during integration, need for precursor equalization, high equalizer gain boosting, and sensitivity to high-frequency noise. The proposed receiver also alleviates DFE critical timing to provide gain in speed, and embed DFE taps in duobinary decoding to provide gain in power and area. The adaptation for adjusting the equalizer common-mode level, duobinary zero level, tap coefficient values, and timing recovery is incorporated. The proposed DFE receiver was fabricated in a 45 nm CMOS process, whose measurement results indicated that it worked at 5.8 Gb/s speed in a four-drop channel configuration with seven slave ICs, and the bathtub curve shows 36% open for $10^{-10}$ bit error rate.
High-dose 166Ho-DOTMP in myeloablative treatment of multiple myeloma: pharmacokinetics, biodistribution, and absorbed dose estimation.

UNLABELLED Thirty-two patients with multiple myeloma were treated with high doses of 166Ho-1,4,7,10-tetraazacyclododecane-1,4,7,10-tetramethylene-phosphonic acid (DOTMP) and were a subset of patients enrolled in a multicenter phase I/II dose escalation myeloablative trial. 166Ho with beta-emission (half-life, 26.8 h; beta-particle energies, 1.85 MeV [51%] and 1.77 MeV [48%]; gamma-photons, 80.6 keV [6.6%] and 1.38 MeV [0.9%]) was complexed to DOTMP, a macrocyclic tetraphosphonate. Pharmacokinetics, dosimetry, and biodistribution were studied. METHODS Patients were treated at escalating dose levels of 20, 30, and 40 Gy to the bone marrow in combination with high-dose melphalan, with or without total-body irradiation, to evaluate toxicity and efficacy. After infusion with 1,110 MBq (30 mCi) of 166Ho-DOTMP for evaluation of biodistribution and dosimetry calculation, patients received the calculated amount of radioactivity for therapy in a single administration based on estimated dose calculations. RESULTS Thirty-two patients participated in the study and were then treated. The average amount of administered radioactivity was 74.3 GBq (2,007 mCi) (range, 21.5-147.5 GBq [581-3,987 mCi]) of 166Ho-DOTMP. CONCLUSION 166Ho-DOTMP has physical and pharmacokinetic characteristics compatible with high-dose myeloablative treatment of multiple myeloma.
A Psychometric Evaluation of the Integrity Profile 200 (IP 200) and the Adaptation Thereof for Use in the South African Police Service

Integrity is an essential element of orderly co-existance and an important facet of professional policing. The objective of this study was to psychometrically evaluate the Integrity Profile 200 (IP 200), an instrument widely used in South Africa, to assess its utility as an integrity measure for use in the South African Police Service. Although the literature indicates that the constructs measured with the IP 200 are sound, an exploratory investigation in the South African Police Service reveals poor reliability and unacceptable inter-item correlations. This suggests poor factorial validity (model fit). Subsequently an exploratory factor analysis (N = 1457) was done to adapt the scale and improve the model fit. Four factors were extracted and analysed, and satisfactory psychometric properties were found for these factors, including the absence of race-based item bias. The factors are: (i) Integrity restricting orientation; (ii) Moral conscientiousness and accountability; (iii) Organisational/management integrity, and (iv) Lie scale. The results account for a significant deviation and simplification from the original instrument structure. It is recommended that the original IP 200 should not be used in this context but that the adapted scale be used.
Automated Classification of Human Atrial Fibrillation From Intraatrial Electrograms

The assessment of the degree of organization and the classification of atrial fibrillation (AF) according to the types defined by Wells usually resorts to the visual inspection of bipolar intraatrial electro‐grams. The focus of this study was to test, seven parameters aimed to quantify the degree of organization of the electrograms, and then to design a final classification scheme based on a multidimensional, minimum‐distance analysis. The following parameters were tested: mean atrial period (AP) and its coefficient of variation (CV); number of points lying at the baseline (NO) and the Shannon entropy (EN) of the amplitude probability density function (APDF); depolarization width (F‐WIDTH); and correlation waveform analysis (CWA) and electrogram bandwidth (BW). The signal database consisted in a set of 160 AF strips of Type I, II, and HI AF, scored by an expert cardiologist (60 Type I, 40 Type II, 60 Type III) and further divided in a training set (60) and a test set (100). Strips were 6 seconds long and were recorded with 5‐mm interspace bipolar catheters from electrically induced (n = 13) and chronic (n = 10) patients. A classification algorithm based on a minimum‐distance (Mahalanobis distance) discriminant analysis was tested. Using a single parameter, the best discriminations were provided by NO, F‐WIDTH, and CV. F‐WIDTH was found strongly inversely correlated to NO (r =−0.90). Of all the two‐parameter combinations, CV‐NO provided the best classification: 92 of WO segments were correctly classified with sensitivity > 90% and specificity > 92%. A further improvement was obtained by including BW as a third parameter (93/100 correctly classified). The use of more than three parameters not only failed to improve, but even degraded the classification.
Pilot double-blinded study to assess efficacy and tolerability of morphine sulphate oral solution (Oramorph®) given preoperatively as add-on therapy within a multimodal postoperative pain approach in patients undergoing laparoscopic cholecystectomy.

BACKGROUND This study aims at investigating the effect of a single pre-operative oral administration of morphine sulphate (Oramorph®) on pain after laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC). METHODS Forty-one ASA I-III patients, aged 18-65 years, undergoing LC were randomly, double-blindly allocated to treatment (N.=20, 30mg Oramorph®, group M) or placebo (N.=21, group P). General anesthesia was maintained with propofol and remifentanil. All patients received ketamine 0.2 mg/kg iv at induction, intraoperative ketorolac 30mg iv and tramadol postoperatively (iv PCA: bolus 50 mg, lock-out 30 min, max 100 mg/4 hours). Numerical rating scale for pain (NRS), White's fast track and PADSS scores, tramadol consumption and adverse events were recorded for the first 24h. All patients underwent State Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) and Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE). RESULTS Anthropometric characteristics, MMSE, STAI, ASA status, NRS rest, White's and PADDS scores, PONV incidence were similar. Group M showed significantly lower NRS on movement during the first 3 hours after awakening. Cumulative tramadol consumption was lower in group M than in group P (185±142 mg versus 263±199 mg, P=0.199). CONCLUSION Within a multimodal approach, a single preoperative oral administration of 30 mg of morphine sulphate in patients undergoing LC did not improve pain at rest, but improved NRS on movement during the first 3 hours after awakening. Group P required a higher mean dose of tramadol compared to Group M, although not significantly. The safety profile of Oramorph® allowed fast extubation and awakening times as well as prompt home discharge within 6 hours from surgery.
Surgical management of bronchial carcinoid tumors: 11-year experience

Amaç: Bu çalışmada, bronşiyal karsinoid tümörlü hastalarda cerrahi tedavi, ameliyat sonrası komplikasyonlar ve uzun dönem sonuçlar sunuldu. Ça­lış­ma­pla­nı:­Ocak 2000 Aralık 2010 tarihleri arasında ameliyat öncesi ve sonrası patolojik olarak bronşiyal karsinoid tümör olduğu doğrulanmış 57 hastaya (34 kadın, 23 erkek; ort. yaş 43 yıl; dağılım 13-83 yıl) akciğer rezeksiyonu uygulandı. Cerrahi tipi, karsinoid tümörün histopatolojik tipi, ameliyat sonrası komplikasyonlar ve uzun dönem sonuçlar değerlendirildi. Bul gu lar: Patolojik muayenede 44 (%77) tipik, 13 (%23) atipik karsinoid tümör saptandı. Hastaların 23’üne (%40.3) bronşiyal sleeve reseksiyon, üçüne (%5.2) pnömonektomi, 27’sine (%47.3) lobektomi, dördüne (%7) sublobar rezeksiyon uygulandı. Sekiz hastada (%14) ameliyat sonrası komplikasyon gözlendi. Ameliyat sırası mortalite gözlenmedi. Takip döneminde hiçbir hastada ölüm ve lokal nüks olmadı. So­nuç:­Parenkim koruyucu rezeksiyonlar (sleev lobektomi ve sleev bronşiyal rezeksiyon), tipik karsinoid tümörlü hastalarda, negatif cerrahi sınır elde etmek koşulu ile uzun dönem takip sürecinde iyi prognoz sağlayabilir. Anah tar söz cük ler: Bronşiyal karsinoid tümör; uzun dönem sonuç; parenkim koruyucu rezeksiyon. Background:­This study aims to present surgical treatment, postoperative complications, and long-term outcomes in patients with a bronchial carcinoid tumor. Methods: Between January 2000 and December 2010, 57 patients (34 females, 23 males; mean age 43 years; range 13 to 83 years) underwent pulmonary resection for preand postoperatively pathologically confirmed bronchial carcinoid tumors. Type of surgery, histopathological types of carcinoid tumor, postoperative complications, and long-term results were evaluated. Results:­ Pathological examination revealed 44 (77%) typical and 13 (23%) atypical carcinoid tumors. Bronchial sleeve resection, pneumonectomy, lobectomy and sublobar resection were performed on 23 (40.3%), three (5.2%), 27 (47.3%) and four patients (7%), respectively. Eight patients (14%) had postoperative complications. There was no perioperative mortality. During the follow-up period, no mortality or local recurrence occurred. Conclusion:­ During long-term follow-up period, parenchyma-sparing resections (sleeve lobectomy and bronchial sleeve resection) can achieve good prognosis in patients with typical carcinoid tumor if tumor free surgical margins can be obtained.
A simple steady-state model for carry-over of aflatoxins from feed to cow's milk

A simple steady-state model is derived from two kinetic one-compartment models for the disposition of aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) and aflatoxin M1 (AFM1) in the lactating cow. The model relates daily intake of AFB1 in feed of dairy cattle and the cow's lactation status to resulting concentrations of AFM1 in milk. Moreover, assuming a linear relationship between the cow's lactation status and feed intake, the model relates daily milk production and AFB1 concentration in total feed to AFM1 levels in milk. The model explains similar experimental outcomes from different investigations into carry-over of aflatoxins from feed to milk. Although it is difficult to set a permanent limit for AFB1 in feed, the European Union (EU) limit of 5 µg AFB1 kg−1 concentrate has proved, thus far, to be an appropriate level in preventing the EU limit of 0.05 µg AFM1 kg−1 milk being exceeded.
Binding of RecA protein to single‐stranded nucleic acids: spectroscopic studies using fluorescent polynucleotides.

Binding of the recA gene product from Escherichia coli to single‐stranded polynucleotides has been investigated using poly(dA) that have been modified by chloroacetaldehyde to yield fluorescent 1,N6‐ethenoadenine (epsilon A) bases. A strong enhancement of the fluorescent quantum yield of poly(d epsilon A) is induced upon RecA protein binding. A 4‐fold increase is observed in the absence of ATP or ATP gamma S and a 7‐fold increase in the presence of either nucleoside triphosphate. RecA protein can bind to poly(d epsilon A) in the absence of both Mg2+ ions and ATP (or ATP gamma S) but Mg2+ ions are required to observe RecA protein binding in the presence of ATP (or ATP gamma S) at pH 7.5. ATP binding to the RecA‐poly(d epsilon A) complex induces a dissociation of RecA from the polynucleotide followed by re‐binding of [RecA‐ATP‐Mg2+] ternary complex. Whereas ATP‐induced dissociation of RecA‐poly(d epsilon A) complexes is a fast process, the subsequent binding reaction of [RecA‐ATP‐Mg2+] is slow. A model is proposed whereby [RecA‐ATP‐Mg2+] binding to poly(d epsilon A) involves slow nucleation and elongation processes along the polynucleotide backbone. The nucleation reaction is shown to involve at least a trimer or a tetramer. Polymerization of the [RecA‐ATP‐Mg2+] ternary complex stops when the polynucleotide is entirely covered with 6 +/‐ 1 nucleotides per RecA monomer. ATP hydrolysis then induces a release of RecA‐ADP complexes from the polynucleotide template.
Effect of Postpartum HIV Treatment Discontinuation on Long-Term Maternal Outcome

Background. Long-term maternal outcomes after postpartum antiretroviral therapy (ART) discontinuation are unknown. Methods. Retrospective review of pregnancies in HIV-infected women on treatment between 1997 and 2005. Women were grouped by postpartum ART use and followed until new opportunistic infection (OI), death or last clinic visit. Results. Of 172 pregnancies, postpartum ART discontinuation occurred in 123 (71.5%) women and was associated with greater parity, no partner during pregnancy, and no indication for OI prophylaxis or preconception ART in multivariate analysis (P < .05). Median follow-up was 32.5 months after delivery. There were 12 OIs and 2 deaths; 10 OIs and both deaths occurred in women who had discontinued ART. Conclusion. Postpartum ART discontinuation is common, especially among those with less advanced HIV disease, but may leave women at increased risk of long term adverse outcomes. This study highlights the need for larger longitudinal studies to determine appropriate recommendations for postpartum ART administration.
Factors associated with HBV Virological Breakthrough

Background Little is known about non-adherence to HBV therapy. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between self-reported missed days of antiviral therapy and HBV virological breakthrough and factors associated with virological breakthrough. Methods A cross-sectional survey of 211 HBV patients receiving oral antiviral therapies was undertaken at three tertiary hospitals in Sydney, Australia. Associations between 0 to >6 missed days in the last 30 days and virological breakthrough (defined as >10-fold rise in serum HBV DNA above nadir or after achieving virological response in the last 12 months) were examined. Logistic regression analyses determined the number of missed days most strongly associated with virological breakthrough and the associated factors. We report odds ratios (ORs) and relative risks (RRs). Results Of the 204, 32 participants (15.6%) had quantifiable HBV DNA levels (>20 IU/ml); 15 (46.8%) of them experienced virological breakthrough. Participants reported never missing medication (n=130, 63.7%) or missing 1 day (n=23, 11.3%), >1 day (n=23, 11.3%), 2–6 days (n=15, 7.3%) and >6 days (n=13, 6.4%). The most discriminating definition of non-adherence was missing >1 day of medication (RR=8.3; OR=10.2, 95% CI 3.1, 33.8, receiver operating characteristic curve 0.76). Factors independently associated with virological breakthrough included non-adherence (OR=9.0, 95% CI 2.5, 31.9) diagnosed with HBV ≤14 years (OR=5.3, 95% CI 1.0, 26.2) and age ≤47 years (OR=5.4, 95% CI 1.1, 26.9). Conclusions Results provide an evidence-based definition of non-adherence to inform clinical practice and provide a basis for key patient education messages. Closer monitoring of groups at risk of viral breakthrough is required.
Development of a Fast-Swimming Dolphin Robot Capable of Leaping

It remains a great challenge for a biomimetic dolphin robot to leap out of the water by reason of requirements for very high speed and exquisite motion control. In this paper, we estimate the minimum exit speed that allows the dolphin to completely leap out of the water, and for the first time, we build a self-contained leaping dolphin robot with commercially available actuators and power supply. To quantify the possible impact of the body length on the minimum exit speed during the leap, we employ a rigid body model rather than a particle model to numerically evaluate the leaping process. Furthermore, a robotic prototype intended for leap motions is created, with particular emphasis on streamlining and high-thrust tail propulsive mechanism designs in conjunction with a passive control strategy for the dorsoventral propulsion. Underwater tests on the untethered dolphin robot demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed methods and mechatronic designs. We found that the dolphin robot successfully performed leaps with a length-specific speed of over 2.3 body lengths per second, and an emergence angle ranging between 35 and 60°.
Preterm labor diagnosis by sonographic measurement of the uterine cervical length *

OBJECTIVE: To measure the uterine cervical length by using transvaginal ultrasonography in patients with clinical signs compatible with preterm labor threat, and correlating each individual measurement with spontaneous pregnancy interruption within seven days. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Sonographic examinations were performed in 72 patients with clinical signs compatible with preterm labor threat. RESULTS: Sensitivity was 90.5%, specificity, 98%, positive predictive value, 95%, and negative predictive value, 96%. A standard uterine cervix length of 15 mm was considered as a predictive value for preterm labor. CONCLUSION: It seems to be possible to foresee preterm delivery in patients whose cervical length is < 15 mm. Such observation could contribute to a timely corticosteroid administration to accelerate fetal lung maturity.
Ratio of geometric means to analyze continuous outcomes in meta‐analysis: comparison to mean differences and ratio of arithmetic means using empiric data and simulation

Meta‐analyses pooling continuous outcomes can use mean differences (MD), standardized MD (MD in pooled standard deviation units, SMD), or ratio of arithmetic means (RoM). Recently, ratio of geometric means using ad hoc (RoGM ad hoc) or Taylor series (RoGM Taylor) methods for estimating variances have been proposed as alternative effect measures for skewed continuous data. Skewed data are suggested for summary measures of clinical parameters restricted to positive values which have large coefficients of variation (CV). Our objective was to compare performance characteristics of RoGM ad hoc and RoGM Taylor to MD, SMD, and RoM. We used empiric data from systematic reviews reporting continuous outcomes and selected from each the meta‐analysis with the most and at least 5 trials (Cochrane Database [2008, Issue 1]). We supplemented this with simulations conducted with representative parameters. Pooled results were calculated using each effect measure. Of the reviews, 232/5053 met the inclusion criteria. Empiric data and simulation showed that RoGM ad hoc exhibits more extreme treatment effects and greater heterogeneity than all other effect measures. Compared with MD, SMD, and RoM, RoGM Taylor exhibits similar treatment effects, more heterogeneity when CV ≤0.7, and less heterogeneity when CV > 0.7. In conclusion, RoGM Taylor may be considered for pooling continuous outcomes in meta‐analysis when data are skewed, but RoGM ad hoc should not be used. However, clinicians' lack of familiarity with geometric means combined with acceptable performance characteristics of RoM in most situations suggests that RoM may be the preferable ratio method for pooling continuous outcomes in meta‐analysis. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Mixed-Disulfide Folding Intermediates between Thyroglobulin and Endoplasmic Reticulum Resident Oxidoreductases ERp57 and Protein Disulfide Isomerase

ABSTRACT We present the first identification of transient folding intermediates of endogenous thyroglobulin (Tg; a large homodimeric secretory glycoprotein of thyrocytes), which include mixed disulfides with endogenous oxidoreductases servicing Tg folding needs. Formation of disulfide-linked Tg adducts with endoplasmic reticulum (ER) oxidoreductases begins cotranslationally. Inhibition of ER glucosidase activity blocked formation of a subgroup of Tg adducts containing ERp57 while causing increased Tg adduct formation with protein disulfide isomerase (PDI), delayed adduct resolution, perturbed oxidative folding of Tg monomers, impaired Tg dimerization, increased Tg association with BiP/GRP78 and GRP94, activation of the unfolded protein response, increased ER-associated degradation of a subpopulation of Tg, partial Tg escape from ER quality control with increased secretion of free monomers, and decreased overall Tg secretion. These data point towards mixed disulfides with the ERp57 oxidoreductase in conjunction with calreticulin/calnexin chaperones acting as normal early Tg folding intermediates that can be “substituted” by PDI adducts only at the expense of lower folding efficiency with resultant ER stress.
Global Price Dispersion: Are Prices Converging or Diverging?

This paper documents significant time-variation in the degree of global price convergence over the last two decades. In particular, there appears to be a general U-shaped pattern with price dispersion first falling and then rising in recent years, a pattern which is remarkably robust across country groupings and commodity groups. This time-variation is difficult to explain in terms of the standard gravity equation variables common in the literature, as these tend not to vary much over time or have not risen in recent years. However, regression analysis indicates that this time-varying pattern coincides well with oil price fluctuations, which are clearly time-varying and have risen substantially since the late 1990s. As a result, this paper offers new evidence on the role of transportation costs in driving international price dispersion.