Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Changes in Dutch opinions on active euthanasia, 1966 through 1991.

THE NETHERLANDS appears to have a worldwide reputation for tolerant policies on controversial issues such as abortion, drug abuse, and euthanasia. In a comparative survey of 15 countries, including the United States and Canada, the Dutch had by far the most permissive orientation. 1 "Tolerant" in this context has positive connotations for some and negative for others, who interpret this tolerance as a loss of fundamental values that inevitably leads to a disintegration of society. Policies must have at least some basis in public opinion and in opinions of the relevant professional groups, especially in an extremely value-laden topic such as active euthanasia. Euthanasia involves such values as the sanctity of life and human self-determination, as well as medical-professional ethics that may be seen as more or less derived from such values. In this article, we examine the development of public opinion on the issue of active euthanasia and the
Comparison of Switching and Biofilm Formation between MTL-Homozygous Strains of Candida albicans and Candida dubliniensis

ABSTRACT Candida albicans and Candida dubliniensis are highly related species that share the same main developmental programs. In C. albicans, it has been demonstrated that the biofilms formed by strains heterozygous and homozygous at the mating type locus (MTL) differ functionally, but studies rarely identify the MTL configuration. This becomes a particular problem in studies of C. dubliniensis, given that one-third of natural strains are MTL homozygous. For that reason, we have analyzed MTL-homozygous strains of C. dubliniensis for their capacity to switch from white to opaque, the stability of the opaque phenotype, CO2 induction of switching, pheromone induction of adhesion, the effects of minority opaque cells on biofilm thickness and dry weight, and biofilm architecture in comparison with C. albicans. Our results reveal that C. dubliniensis strains switch to opaque at lower average frequencies, exhibit a far lower level of opaque phase stability, are not stimulated to switch by high CO2, exhibit more variability in biofilm architecture, and most notably, form mature biofilms composed predominately of pseudohyphae rather than true hyphae. Therefore, while several traits of MTL-homozygous strains of C. dubliniensis appear to be degenerating or have been lost, others, most notably several related to biofilm formation, have been conserved. Within this context, the possibility is considered that C. dubliniensis is transitioning from a hypha-dominated to a pseudohypha-dominated biofilm and that aspects of C. dubliniensis colonization may provide insights into the selective pressures that are involved.
Validation of the systemic lupus erythematosus activity questionnaire in a large observational cohort.

OBJECTIVE To examine the reliability, construct validity, and responsiveness of the Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Activity Questionnaire (SLAQ) in a large observational cohort of persons with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). METHODS We evaluated the reliability of the SLAQ using Cronbach's alpha and principal factor analysis and ascertained construct validity by studying the association of the SLAQ with other clinically relevant, validated patient assessments of health. We estimated responsiveness by calculating standardized response means and analyzing the association of changes in SLAQ scores with changes in other patient assessments of health. RESULTS The SLAQ had excellent reliability, as reflected by Cronbach's alpha (0.87) and principal factor analysis (one factor accounted for 92% of the variance). SLAQ scores were strongly correlated with other health indices, including the Short Form 12 Physical Component Summary and the Short Form 36 Physical Functioning subscale. Scores were significantly higher for respondents reporting a flare, more disease activity, hospitalization in the last year, concurrent use of immunosuppressive medication, and work disability. The SLAQ demonstrated a small to moderate degree of responsiveness; standardized response means were 0.66 and -0.37 for those reporting clinical worsening and improvement, respectively. Across a range of other patient assessments of disease status, the SLAQ had a response in the direction predicted by these other measures. CONCLUSION The SLAQ demonstrates adequate reliability, construct validity, and responsiveness in our large, community-based cohort and appears to represent a promising tool for studies of SLE outside the clinical setting.
Identification of Ochratoxin a sources during cocoa post-harvest processing : influence of harvest quality and climatic factors

Dans le cadre d'un programme d'etude des sources de contamination par l'ochratoxine A et de sa presence dans les feves de cacao, les resultats obtenus en Cote d'Ivoire et au Togo suggerent que la presence d'OTA est liee aux pratiques de travail post-recolte et aux conditions climatiques. Le but de notre etude etait de completer ces travaux en identifiant plus precisement les facteurs qui favorisent l'apparition d'OTA durant la phase post-recolte et plus particulierement durant la recolte, l'ouverture des cabosse, et durant les phases de fermentation et de sechage. Quatre essais ont ete realises dans une exploitation cacaoyere de decembre 2003 methodes de travail utilisees par les petits cacaoculteurs ont fait l'objet d'une etude. Cinq categories de cabosses ont ete etablies pour etudier les facteurs de qualite phytosanitaire de la recolte : Les cabosses saines, Les cabosses pourries (pourriture brune et autres maladies de ce type), Les cabosses laissees a secher sur l'arbre (cabosses momifiees), Les cabosses endommagees par les insectes (mirides et autres), Les cabosses endommagees physiquement de l'exterieur (attaque de rongeurs, secateur ou emondoir) Chaque echantillon etait compose de chaque categorie de cabosses. Apres avoir ete entreposes pendant 7 jours, les echantillons ont ete mis en tas pour la fermentation en utilisant deux methodes : celle des cacaoculteurs et la methode standard. Cette experience a ete repetee quatre fois. Les resultats montraient clairement que la presence d'OTA etait beaucoup plus elevee dans les feves provenant des cabosses endommagees physiquement que dans les feves provenant des autres groupes de cabosses. Les feves provenant des cabosses physiquement endommagees (blessees ou pourries) presentaient le plus grand risque de contamination par l'OTA. Les conditions meteorologiques durant la principale saison seche en Afrique de l'Ouest, et particulierement l'action de l'harmattan en fevrier, ont une incidence significative sur la production d'OTA (fait deja etabli en 2002/2003 et confirme en 2003/2004). Ces resultats permettent de mieux identifier les stades critiques de contamination du cacaoyer par l'OTA au champ. Ils suggerent que des mesures de prevention pourraient etre prises de l'etape du ramassage des cabosses jusqu'aux etapes de fermentation et de sechage. D'autres etudes seront necessaires pour confirmer ces resultats. D'autres possibilites de recherche sont envisagees, notamment sur les conditions liees au developpement et a la toxigenicite de la microflore presente sur les cabosses recoltees durant la phase de contamination. (Resume d'auteur)
Appendix stump closure with endoloop in laparoscopic appendectomy.

AIM To address the question of the appendix stump closure in laparoscopic appendectomy and evaluate the incidence of intraoperative and postoperative complications after application of endoloops. MATERIAL OF STUDY Data included age and gender, ASA score, co-morbid illness, prior abdominal surgery, clinical presentation, operative time, conversion rate and reasons for conversion, postoperative morbidity and mortality rates, pathologic diagnosis, and length of hospital stay. RESULTS Laparoscopic appendectomy with stump closure using endoloops was performed in 35 consecutive patients. Postoperative complications occurred in three patients. The mean postoperative hospital stay was 2 days. The perioperative mortality rate was 0%. DISCUSSION The treatment of appendiceal stump closure in laparoscopic appendectomy represents the main technical aspect and it is an important step for its potentially serious postoperative complications due from an inappropriate management. Endostapling, hem-o-lok clips and intracorporeal knotting are the most commonly recommended methods. All alternatives have advantages and disadvantages against the different clinical stages of acute appendicitis, and it should be noted that the different forms of appendiceal stump closure have never been assessed in prospective randomized studies. CONCLUSIONS From our experience we can confirm that the endoloop can be safely used and should be the preferred modality in treating the appendiceal stump, especially for low-grade appendicitis. Alternative methods should be used in case of phlegmonous or gangrenous appendicitis, perityphlitic abscess or simultaneous operation for Meckel's diverticulum. Knowledge about and appropriate use of all of them are important for a safe and more cost-effective procedure. KEY WORDS Appendiceal stump closure, Laparoscopic appendectomy.
On source coding with side information via a multiple-access channel and related problems in multi-user information theory

A simple proof of the coding theorem for the multiple-access channel (MAC) with arbitrarily correlated sources (DMCS) of Cover-El Carnal-Salehi, which includes the results of Ahlswede for the MAC and of Slepian-Wolf for the DMCS and the MAC as special cases, is first given. A coding theorem is introduced and established for another type of source-channel matching problem, i.e., a system of source coding with side information via a MAC, which can be regarded as an extension of the Ahlswede-Korner-Wyner type noiseless coding system. This result is extended to a more general system with several principal sources and several side information sources subject to cross observation at the encoders in the sense of Han. The regions are shown to be optimal in special situations. Dueck's example shows that this is in general not the case for the result of Cover-El Gamal-Salehi and the present work. In another direction, the achievable rate region for the module-two sum source network found by Korner-Marton is improved. Finally, some ideas about a new approach to the source-channel matching problem in multi-user communication theory are presented. The basic concept is that of a correlated channel code. The approach leads to several new coding problems.
Molecular Mechanisms Contributing to the Growth and Physiology of an Extremophile Cultured with Dielectric Heating

ABSTRACT The effect of microwave frequency electromagnetic fields on living microorganisms is an active and highly contested area of research. One of the major drawbacks to using mesophilic organisms to study microwave radiation effects is the unavoidable heating of the organism, which has limited the scale (<5 ml) and duration (<1 h) of experiments. However, the negative effects of heating a mesophile can be mitigated by employing thermophiles (organisms able to grow at temperatures of >60°C). This study identified changes in global gene expression profiles during the growth of Thermus scotoductus SA-01 at 65°C using dielectric (2.45 GHz, i.e., microwave) heating. RNA sequencing was performed on cultures at 8, 14, and 24 h after inoculation to determine the molecular mechanisms contributing to long-term cellular growth and survival under microwave heating conditions. Over the course of growth, genes associated with amino acid metabolism, carbohydrate metabolism, and defense mechanisms were upregulated; the number of repressed genes with unknown function increased; and at all time points, transposases were upregulated. Genes involved in cell wall biogenesis and elongation were also upregulated, consistent with the distinct elongated cell morphology observed after 24 h using microwave heating. Analysis of the global differential gene expression data enabled the identification of molecular processes specific to the response of T. scotoductus SA-01 to dielectric heating during growth. IMPORTANCE The residual heating of living organisms in the microwave region of the electromagnetic spectrum has complicated the identification of radiation-only effects using microorganisms for 50 years. A majority of the previous experiments used either mature cells or short exposure times with low-energy high-frequency radiation. Using global differential gene expression data, we identified molecular processes unique to dielectric heating using Thermus scotoductus SA-01 cultured over 30 h in a commercial microwave digestor. Genes associated with amino acid metabolism, carbohydrate metabolism, and defense mechanisms were upregulated; the number of repressed genes with unknown function increased; and at all time points, transposases were upregulated. These findings serve as a platform for future studies with mesophiles in order to better understand the response of microorganisms to microwave radiation.
Persistent Ductus Arteriosus in the Brown-Norway Inbred Rat Strain

Persistent ductus arteriosus (PDA) is a common cardiovascular anomaly in children caused by the pathologic persistence of the left sixth pharyngeal arch artery. The inbred Brown-Norway (BN) rat presents with increased vascular fragility due to an aortic elastin deficit resulting from decreased elastin synthesis. The strikingly high prevalence of PDA in BN rats in a pilot study led us to investigate this vascular anomaly in 12 adolescent BN rats. In all BN rats, a PDA was observed macroscopically, whereas a ligamentum arteriosum was found in adult controls. The macroscopic appearance of the PDA was tubular (n = 2), stenotic (n = 8), or diverticular (n = 2). The PDA had the structure of a muscular artery with intimal thickening. In the normal closing ductus of the neonatal controls, the media consisted of layers of smooth muscle cells (SMCs) intermingled with layers of elastin. The intima was thin and poor in elastin. By contrast, the media of PDA in BN rats elastin lamellae were absent and the intima contained many elastic fibers. The abnormal distribution of elastin in the PDA of BN rats suggests that impaired elastin metabolism is related to the persistence of the ductus and implicates a genetically determined factor that may link the PDA with aortic fragility.
Pharmacologic and nutritional treatment of mild hypertension: changes in cardiovascular risk status.

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the 6-month change in cardiovascular (coronary heart disease) risk as a function of diet and drug therapy for mild hypertension. DESIGN Collaborative randomized, controlled clinical trial to assess the efficacy of alternative regimens in treating mild hypertension. SETTING Three university-based tertiary care centers-the Trial of Antihypertensive Interventions and Management (TAIM). PATIENTS Six hundred and ninety-two men and women ages 21 to 65 years with diastolic blood pressure between 90 and 100 mm Hg and weight between 110% and 160% of ideal weight. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS Patients stratified by clinical center and race were randomized into diet (usual, low sodium-high potassium, weight loss) and drug (placebo, chlorthalidone, and atenolol) groups resulting in nine diet plus drug combinations. The cardiovascular risk at 6-month follow-up was estimated relative to baseline in 692 participants using the Framingham Study model. Due to the blood pressure reduction, cardiovascular risk declined from baseline for all treatment groups (except the usual diet plus chlorthalidone group because of increased cholesterol levels). The relative cardiovascular risk at 6 months compared to baseline ranged from 0.83 in the weight loss plus atenolol subgroup to 1.03 in the usual diet plus chlorthalidone subgroup. The active drug plus weight loss groups showed the lowest relative cardiovascular risk at 6 months. CONCLUSIONS Mild hypertension was generally reduced to desirable levels within 6 months by monotherapy. Evaluating blood pressure changes together with the risk factors indicated a differential effect on overall cardiovascular risk depending on the diet and drug used. Dietary therapy, particularly weight reduction, was important adjunctive treatment in reducing overall cardiovascular risk.
Acromioclavicular joint dislocation associated with fracture of the ipsilateral acromial base : a case report and review of the literature

Acromial fracture associated with ipsilateral acromioclavicular (AC) joint dislocation is rare in adults and has not been reported previously. A 42-year-old woman presented to the emergency department and was diagnosed with a type III acromial fracture on initial radiographic assessment. Open reduction internal fixation was selected and performed immediately based on the diagnosis. However, the postoperative X-rays revealed AC joint dislocation (type III) that was not apparent on the initial assessment. The pattern of injury involved disruption of the AC and coracoclavicular ligament complex. The decision to re-operate was made based on these findings, and the dislocation was reduced and fixed. Acromial base fractures may make it difficult to accurately diagnose concomitant dislocations. The findings underline the importance of careful evaluation of X-rays and suggest the use of additional imaging in cases of doubt. We also review the literature and important aspects in the management of such cases.
A Multiple Comparison Procedure for Populations with Unequal Variances

This article investigates an exact method that extends Dunnett’s method on the multiple comparisons with a control (MCC) to the case of unequal error variances when the ratios of population variances of k new treatments to that of the control group are known from previous experience. The advantages of the proposed method is illustrated through an example. The simulation results show that the typical methods assuming the equal variance will have inated error rate and may lead to erroneous inference. In addition, two approximate approaches are proposed to provide the simultaneous condence
The pharmacist and the EHR

The adoption of electronic health records (EHRs) across the United States has impacted the methods by which health care professionals care for their patients. It is not always recognized, however, that pharmacists also actively use advanced functionality within the EHR. As critical members of the health care team, pharmacists utilize many different features of the EHR. The literature focuses on 3 main roles: documentation, medication reconciliation, and patient evaluation and monitoring. As health information technology proliferates, it is imperative that pharmacists’ workflow and information needs are met within the EHR to optimize medication therapy quality, team communication, and patient outcomes.
Adherence to National Asthma Education and Prevention Program’s “How Asthma-Friendly Is Your School?” Recommendations

School health policies and programs provide the framework for a safe and supportive environment for students with asthma. School Health Policies and Programs Study 2006 data were examined to assess whether schools nationwide have policies and programs consistent with the “How Asthma-Friendly Is Your School? ” checklist from the National Asthma Education and Prevention Program. Adherence to some of the recommendations on the checklist was high. For example, 80% or more of schools allowed students to carry and self-administer asthma medications, and obtained and kept asthma action plans. For other recommendations, however, far fewer schools had the recommended polices or programs; most notably, less than one third of schools had a full-time Registered Nurse. Improvements in many school policies and programs are needed so that students have a safe and supportive school environment to help them control their asthma while away from home.
Pamidronate in children with osteogenesis imperfecta: histomorphometric effects of long-term therapy.

CONTEXT Intravenous pamidronate treatment is beneficial to children and adolescents with osteogenesis imperfecta (OI), but the effects of prolonged therapy are not well characterized. OBJECTIVE The objective of this study was to assess the effect of long-term pamidronate treatment on the bone tissue of children and adolescents with OI. DESIGN This is an observational study on OI patients receiving iv pamidronate for more than 4 yr. SETTING The study was carried out in a pediatric metabolic bone research unit. PATIENTS Patients were 25 moderately to severely affected OI patients (seven girls) aged 1.4-15.3 yr at baseline. INTERVENTION Intervention was cyclical iv pamidronate at a dose of 9 mg/kg.yr. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Iliac bone biopsy and lumbar spine bone mineral density measures were obtained at treatment start, after 2.7 +/- 0.5 yr (mean +/- sd), and after 5.5 +/- 0.7 yr of therapy. RESULTS Average areal bone mineral density increased by 72% in the first half of the observation period, but by only 24% in the second half. Mean cortical width and cancellous bone volume increased by 87 and 38%, respectively, between baseline and the first time point during treatment (P < 0.001 for all changes). Thereafter, cortical width did not change significantly, but there was a trend (P = 0.06) toward higher cancellous bone volume. Average bone formation rate on trabecular surfaces decreased by 70% after pamidronate treatment was initiated and showed a trend (P = 0.08) toward a further decline in the second part of the study interval. CONCLUSION The gains that can be achieved with pamidronate treatment appear to be largely realized in the first 2-4 yr.
Epidemiology of U.S. Army cold weather injuries, 1980-1999.

BACKGROUND Cold weather injuries (CWI) are of great military concern due to their wide-ranging impact on military readiness. Previous short-term studies have identified CWI to be more prevalent in African-Americans, infantrymen, and lower-ranking soldiers. The purpose of this cross-sectional study was to determine the occurrence of CWI hospitalizations in the U.S. Army from 1980 to 1999, and to identify possible trends, high-risk groups and/or activities. METHODS The U.S. Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine Total Army Injury and Health Outcomes Database was searched for hospitalizations with ICD-9-CM codes for frostbite, hypothermia, immersion foot, chilblains, and other. Information concerning each soldier included: gender, age, ethnicity, rank, occupation, type of injury, home of record, duty station, principle diagnosis, trauma code, and cause of injury. Data was available on the demographic composition of the Army, by year, and was used as the denominator when calculating the frequency of occurrence. RESULTS During the study period there were 2143 hospitalizations due to CWI. African-American men and women were injured approximately 4 times and 2.2 times as often as their Caucasian counterparts, respectively. Trauma and cause of injury codes indicate that about 80% of all CWI hospitalizations result on-duty and during organized training. The yearly rate of CWI hospitalization has declined from 38.2/100,000 in 1985 to 0.2/100,000 in 1999. CONCLUSIONS Our data are consistent with previous research concerning the increased rate of CWI among African-Americans though further investigation appears warranted. The occurrence of most CWI during on-duty training suggests preventability. The decline in the overall rate of CWI hospitalizations is multifactorial.