Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Preferences for Psychosocial Interventions Among Newly Diagnosed Cancer Patients from a Multiethnic Population

Abstract This article addresses preferences for psychosocial interventions in newly diagnosed cancer patients in a multiethnic sample consisting of Americans of European, Filipino, Native Hawaiian, and Japanese ancestry. Patients who were diagnosed with cancer four to six months before the study were identified through consecutive registrations on the Hawai‘i Tumor Registry. Data were collected through personal interviews using a standardized questionnaire. Among 194 patients who participated in the study, 162 (84%) reported experiencing cancer-related stress. Although few patients had participated in supportive interventions, there was considerable interest in these techniques. Most patients had received information about diagnosis and treatment, but only 10% had received information about psychological counseling. When preferences for supportive interventions were linked with demographic characteristics (e.g., gender, age, and ethnicity), the most consistent finding was higher levels of interest among Filipino patients. Additional research examining ethnic differences in preferences for psychosocial support is warranted. Because of the potential for greater use of behavioral therapies by patients, educating providers about the availability, efficacy, and patients’ interest in such interventions is needed.
Digital governance and public value creation at the state level

Digital government has been a key component on government reform strategies during the last years. Unfortunately, few research exists reporting on the impacts of electronic government in terms of the final outcomes. By using a model that links digital governance characteristics tovalue creation, this paper explores the impacts of electronic governance on competitiveness, government efficiency, and number of electronic transactions. We used panel data analysis to test eighteen hypotheses. Results support only one of the 18 hypotheses, and four of the hypothesis resulted statistically significant in the opposite direction. Results suggest that citizens use digital government mainly to complete electronic transactions with government. Our results also suggest that, at least at the initial stages, having two delivery channels have a negative impact on government efficiency, and against common belief, they have no impact on the competitiveness of a region. Finally, our results show that most of the value is explained by contextual variables used for control purposes. We believe that these results challenge, at least partially, some of the current guiding principles and beliefs in conducting digital governance research, and suggest the need of better theories to explain public value creation through digital governance.
Febrile seizures and mesial temporal sclerosis: No association in a long-term follow-up study

where certainly other neurologists used cinematography at the time of Van Gehuchten and later. I concluded with a plea for lost or forgotten neurologic archival films and since then, several important cinematographic archival documents have come to light. I am interested to learn about the neurologic films made by Negro and Omegna in Turin and a more comprehensive presentation would be welcome. The association of a neurologist with an art director illustrates the new development in scientific and medical cinematography around 1908–1909, with the emergence of a professional and institutionalized practice. A similar evolution was observed in France, with the scientific producer Jean Comandon (1877–1970). His medical thesis, dedicated to the diagnosis of syphilis by ultramicroscopy, led him to develop a microcinematographic appliance. In this endeavor, he had technical support from Charles Pathé and his team. This initiated Comandon’s long career dedicated to scientific cinematography, which ended at the Institut Pasteur where he was in charge of the scientific cinematography laboratory. His production was diverse, from investigative films using microscopy or x-rays to productions intended for teaching and popularization. He produced more than 100 medical films dedicated to nervous diseases and aimed at medical studies. They were produced in collaboration with the Swiss neurologist Edouard Long and later with the French André Thomas, among others.6,7 In the Bulletin de la Sémia,8 where the Negro films were described,4 the discovery of a Portuguese Film Archive was reported, including two nitrate copies of the cinematographic lectures made by Eugéne-Louis Doyen and published by the Éclipse society in 1906 and 1911. When I wrote my article,1 most of the pioneering films made by Doyen were considered lost. With these copies, the turbulent beginnings of medical cinematography will come to life again. The films have not yet been examined, as they are first being restored. They may include the first neurosurgical films, as Doyen is known to have had a great interest in neurosurgery and to have presented at least one film about crainiotomy, as early as 1898. The complete story of the beginnings of medical cinematography has certainly not yet been pieced together. I look forward to the unfolding of this fascinating panorama.
Nephrotoxic Tubular and Interstitial Lesions: Morphology and Classification

Nephrotoxic renal injury, and especially drug nephrotoxicity is now a common cause of acute renal failure. The most common patterns of renal injury produced by nephrotoxins, tubular damage, and interstitial nephritis, are discussed here. Toxic agents which are primarily tubular toxins include certain antibiotics, cis-platinum, anesthetics, and radiocontrast agents. In tubules injured by toxins, alterations range from subtle ultrastructural abnormalities to extensive tubular necrosis. Mechanisms of tubular injury include direct tubular cell toxicity, and alterations in intrarenal blood flow producing secondary tubular damage. Other commonly used therapeutic agents, including the penicillins, other antibiotics, and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory agents, produce renal dysfunction by inducing interstitial nephritis. Long-term analgesic abuse is associated with a particularly striking interstitial damage with frank papillary necrosis. Criteria for differentiating primary tubular injury with inflammation and primary interstitial nephritis with tubular injury are discussed. Individual commonly-used therapeutic agents are considered in some detail, with discussion of both clinical and morphological aspects of drug nephrotoxicity.
Long-term Results of Scandinavian Total Ankle Replacement

Background: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the long-term results of the Scandinavian Total Ankle Replacement (STAR) implant in a single center. Methods: Between 1997 and 2002, 34 consecutive ankles were replaced with the STAR ankle prosthesis and reviewed in 2016. Patients were followed both radiologically and clinically; clinical outcomes were measured with the Kofoed ankle score and subjective measurements. The median follow-up period was 159 months (13.3 years; range, 13-202 months). Results: The implant survival rate was 93.9% (95% confidence interval [CI], 92.2%-86.7%) at 5 years, 86.7% (95% CI, 69.3%-96.2%) at 10 years, and 63.6% (95% CI, 30.8%-89.0%) at 15 years. A total of 15 ankles (44%) had been revised: 2 by fusion, 3 by further replacement, 5 by insert exchange, and 5 by bone grafting for marked osteolysis. The improvements in the Kofoed ankle score and Kofoed ankle score for pain were statistically significant at every postoperative evaluation point compared to the preoperative values (all P < .0001), and subjective patient satisfaction was high. Conclusion: Our results were satisfactory and in agreement with previously reported findings of STAR implants. Level of Evidence: Level IV, retrospective case series.
Population-based analysis of morbidity and mortality following surgery for intractable temporal lobe epilepsy in the United States.

OBJECTIVE To assess the morbidity of temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) surgery on a nationwide level in order to address reservations regarding the morbidity of anterior temporal lobectomy (ATL) for TLE despite class I evidence demonstrating the superiority of ATL over continued medical therapy. DESIGN Retrospective cohort study. SETTING The Nationwide Inpatient Sample from 1988 to 2003 was used for analysis. PATIENTS Only patients who were admitted for ATL for TLE (International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification codes 345.41 and 345.51; primary procedure code, 01.53) were included. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Morbidity and mortality. Analysis was adjusted for several variables including patient age, race, sex, admission type, primary payer for care, income in zip code of residence, and hospital volume of care. RESULTS Multivariate analyses revealed that the overall morbidity (postoperative morbidity and/or adverse discharge disposition) following ATL for TLE was 10.8%, with no mortality. Private insurance decreased postoperative morbidity (odds ratio [OR] = 0.52; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.28-0.98; P = .04) and adverse discharge disposition (OR = 0.31; 95% CI = 0.12-0.81; P = .02). Increased patient age increased postoperative morbidity (OR = 1.04; 95% CI = 1.01-1.07; P = .03) and adverse discharge disposition (OR = 1.08; 95% CI = 1.02-1.13; P = .004). Neither sex, income, race, nor hospital volume was predictive of postoperative morbidity. The degree of medical comorbidity directly correlated with the incidence of postoperative morbidity. CONCLUSIONS Morbidity following ATL for TLE is low throughout the United States regardless of sex, race, insurance status, or income. Younger age and private insurance status are independently predictive of reduced postoperative morbidity. In patients with low medical comorbidity, ATL for TLE is safe, with low morbidity and no mortality.
Binding of Bone Sialoprotein, Osteopontin and Synthetic Polypeptides to Hydroxyapatite

The phosphorylated acidic glycoproteins bone sialoprotein (BSP) and osteopontin (OPN) bind to hydroxyapatite (HA) crystals and may be involved in the regulation of bone mineralization. The HA-binding properties of these proteins have been attributed to glutamic acid-rich sequences in BSP and aspartic acid-rich sequences in OPN. The present study examines the roles of these polycarboxylate sequences in the binding of BSP and OPN to HA. Porcine BSP, OPN and the synthetic polypeptides poly-L-glutamic acid [Poly(Glu)] and poly-L-aspartic acid [Poly(Asp)] were labeled with fluorescein isothiocyanate and their binding to HA determined by fluorimetry. From the binding isotherms, dissociation constants (KDs) for all the reagents tested were determined to be in the micromolar range. The saturation binding capacities of HA for Poly(Glu), Poly(Asp), BSP and OPN were similar (500–600 μg/m2). To investigate the role of glutamic acid-rich and aspartic acid-rich sequences in the binding to HA of BSP and OPN, respectively, competitive binding studies with Poly(Glu) and Poly(Asp) were performed. Poly(Glu) was able to displace a maximum of 100% of Poly(GIu), 81% of OPN, 68% of BSP and 65% of Poly(Asp). Poly(Asp) was able to displace a maximum of 100% of Poly(Glu), 99% of Poly(Asp), 95% of OPN and 89% of BSP. These results are consistent with the view that BSP and OPN bind to HA via their polycarboxylate sequences, but suggest a complex mode of interaction between polyelectrolytes and ionic crystals.
Contribution of autolysin to virulence of Streptococcus pneumoniae

Insertion-duplication mutagenesis was used to construct an autolysin-negative derivative of Streptococcus pneumoniae. This derivative was obtained by first transforming the nonencapsulated strain Rx1 with a derivative of the vector pVA891 carrying a 375-base-pair TaqI DNA fragment from the middle of the autolysin structural gene. DNA was extracted from the resultant erythromycin-resistant, autolysin-negative rough pneumococcus and used to transform S. pneumoniae D39, a virulent type 2 strain. Several erythromycin-resistant transformants were obtained from two independent experiments, and none of these transformants produced autolysin. Southern blot analysis confirmed that the autolysin gene in these transformants had been interrupted by the plasmid-derived sequences. The autolysin-negative mutants showed markedly reduced virulence for mice compared with that of strain D39; intranasal and intraperitoneal 50% lethal doses were increased 10(2)- and 10(5)-fold, respectively. Autolysin production was reinstated in one of the mutants by back-transformation with the cloned autolysin gene, with the concomitant loss of erythromycin resistance; the virulence of this isolate for mice was indistinguishable from that of D39. The importance of autolysin in pathogenesis was confirmed by immunization-challenge studies. Mice immunized with purified autolysin survived significantly longer than did control mice after intranasal challenge with strain D39. This study provides direct evidence that the pneumococcal autolysin contributes to virulence and identifies it as a potential vaccine antigen.
Why Do Firms Really Issue Convertible Bonds? Evidence from the Field

We conduct interviews with financial managers in Australia, Canada, the U.K., and the U.S. to study the question why companies issue convertible bonds. We also use the responses of the executives to check the validity of the practitioners’ motives and four theories of convertible bonds: risk shifting of Green (1984), management-investor differences in opinion of Brennan and Schwartz (1988), backdoor equity of Stein (1992), and sequential financing of Mayers (1998). results suggest that for the vast majority of the firms, convertible bonds are chosen because of the lower cost of financing (in terms of both interest cost and covenants) compared to straight debt, and convertible bonds are preferred to equity because of managers’ perceived equity undervaluation and share dilution. Managers time the issuance of convertible bonds based on the demand of the investors and the misvaluation of the firms’ debt and equity. The executives’ responses indicate that managers understand the pitfalls of the convertible instrument rather than naively treating it as cheap debt or cheap equity. The evidence lends considerable support to the theory of management-investor differences in opinion about firm’s risk, but yields very little support to the theories of risk shifting, sequential financing, or backdoor equity. The interviews also reveal many other insights, such as: convertible bond issues are strongly influenced by market demand, especially from hedge funds; the purpose of call spread overlay in combination with convertible debt is related to reducing share dilution arising from equity undervaluation; cash settlement is tied to both share dilution avoidance and earnings smoothing; and warrant-bond loans are not equivalent to convertible bonds. These findings offer fresh directions for future large sample quantitative research on the motives and characteristics of convertible bonds.
Influence of cigarette smoking on hormone and lipid metabolism in women in late reproductive stage

Background The aim of the study was to analyze lipid and hormone metabolism, body mass index (BMI), and age parameters in late reproductive stage women in relation to cigarette smoking. Methods The study enrolled 345 healthy late reproductive stage women living in Poland; 13.33% were smokers. The first part of the study assessed lipid metabolism (total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein [HDL], low-density lipoprotein [LDL], and triglycerides) and hormone metabolism (estradiol [E2], follicle-stimulating hormone [FSH], and anti-Müllerian hormone [AMH] levels) in women in the early phase of the follicular menstrual cycle. The second part of study was carried out using the diagnostic survey method, with a standardized questionnaire (Primary Care Evaluation of Mental Disorders [PRIME-MD]) and the authors’ own research tools. Results The women were aged 42.3±4.5 years (mean ± SD). The BMI (24.8±4.04 kg/m2) did not differ significantly between the groups. The women who smoked cigarettes had a statistically significantly (p<0.05) lower level of HDL as well as higher LDL and triglyceride levels (p<0.05). Differences were also shown in hormone levels: non-smoking participants had statistically significantly higher levels of E2 and FSH (p<0.05). In the group of non-smoking women, age was a predictor exerting a significant positive impact on the levels of total cholesterol, LDL, triglycerides, and AMH (p<0.05). BMI contributed to a decline in HDL and triglyceride levels. In the group of smoking women, age significantly positively influenced the level of E2, and negatively influenced AMH. BMI was associated with a significant decrease in the HDL level. Conclusion Smoking cigarettes affects the physical health of women in late reproductive stage through negative influences on lipid and hormone metabolism, among other factors. Age is an unmodifiable factor adversely affecting both lipids and hormones. Higher BMI has a negative influence on lipid metabolism in both groups of women in this study.
Possible ways for efficiency improvement of thermoelectric materials

Various properties which influence zT can be improved by using modern technology for creation special submicron structures inside homogeneous thermoelectrics. Barriers for electrons with /spl epsiv/</spl mu/ can be used to increase thermopower. Modulation doping can be used to increase mobility. Due to diffusion these structures can be used only in materials for TE refrigeration especially Be/sub 1-x/Sb/sub x/ alloys. At high T the best thermoelectrics with zT>100 is electron gas in vacuum due to full absence of lattice thermal conductivity. Even after taking into account the losses due to radiation and electrical lead to emitter the thermionic converter can have zT/spl ges/20. In 1992 V. Nemchinsky and I presented to XI Int. Conf. on Thermoelectrics (Arlington, Texas) a paper [1] based on our calculations published in 70-ths in the Russian Confidential Journal on Energy Conversion. We discussed possibility to increase the figure of merit (zT) by introducing into a TE material special barriers for low energy electrons to increase Heltier coefficient (II=/spl alpha/T) that is entropy current accompanying the charge current. But, neither V Nemchinsky nor I could attend ICT92. This year I am in a position to come back to the discussion of the problem: how to increase zT by using new microelectronics technology for goal-directed improvements of homogeneous TE materials?
Triple negative , basal-like and BRCA 1-associated breast cancers – what ’ s the difference and should anyone care ? Triple negative , basal-like and BRCA 1-associated breast cancers – what ’ s the difference and should anyone care ?

Breast carcinoma is common in women and forms an integral part of the BRCA familial cancer syndromes. As breast cancer is considered a heterogeneous disease, clinicians have traditionally relied on clinical and morphologic findings, as well as hormone receptor/HER-2 status for prognostic and predictive categorisation of tumours. Recently, breast cancer subclassification has been aided by the discovery of various gene expression profiles, compiled after simultaneous examination of multiple tumour biomarker genes. Basal-like breast cancer was delineated using this methodology and demonstrates significant overlap with so-called triple negative and BRCA1-associated breast carcinomas. This article describes the pathology and biology of these three groups of tumours and examines the relationship between them. Therapeutic implications are also briefly discussed. Slavik T, MBChB(Pret), MMed(Path), FC(Path)SA Ampath Pathology Laboratories, Pretoria, South Africa Correspondence to: Dr Tomas Slavik, e-mail: slavikt@ampath.co.za
THE IMPACT OF GENERAL AND FIRM-SPECIFIC COORDINATION EXPERIENCE ON TEAM PERFORMANCE: EVIDENCE FROM THE ELECTRONIC GAMES INDUSTRY

Team managers accrue valuable team-specific coordination experience and skills when they work together repeatedly and develop team familiarity. However, team composition often changes from one project to another, hampering the development of team familiarity and limiting its impact on team performance. We propose that coordination skills, like other facets of human capital, may be both general and firm-specific, and accordingly, that they develop through general and firm-specific forms of coordination experience. In particular, we argue that general coordination skills result from teaming experience, that is, general experience working with others; and that firm-specific coordination skills result from same-firm experience, that is, experience working with the same firm’s coordination routines. Using data on teams working on electronic games released in the U.S. between 1995 and 2007, we investigate whether these forms of coordination experience improve firm performance. We find that both teaming experience and same-firm experience are positively associated with the commercial success of electronic games. In addition, we find that the benefits of these forms of coordination experience extend to teams with all levels of familiarity. Our results have implications for the theory of learning and coordination in teams and for the practice of team design in projectbased organizations.
Heart valve prosthesis selection in patients with end-stage renal disease requiring dialysis: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Context There is little evidence guiding heart valve prosthesis selection in patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) on dialysis. Objectives To perform: 1) a systematic review of studies examining valve replacement in patients with ESRD on dialysis; and 2) a quantitative meta-analysis comparing survival and valve-related outcomes following valve replacement with bioprostheses versus mechanical prostheses in this population. Data sources English studies published from 1990 onwards. Study selection Studies were included in the meta-analysis if they compared bioprostheses with mechanical prostheses in patients with ESRD on dialysis. Data extraction Extracted summary estimates included the hazard ratio (HR) for death, and the odds ratio (OR) for developing valve-related complications due to the use of bioprostheses versus mechanical prosthesis. Results Twelve studies published from 1997 to 2010 were included in this review, of which 9 were used in the meta-analysis. No evidence of publication bias was detected. The aortic valve was the most common valve replaced in these studies (4339/6350), although 11 of the 12 studies also included mitral or multiple valve replacements. No difference in survival was observed between valve types (bioprostheses versus mechanical prostheses hazard ratio 1.3, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.0-1.9, p=0.09). However, valve replacement with bioprostheses was associated with fewer valve-related complications compared to mechanical prostheses (odds ratio 0.4, 95% CI 0.2-0.7, p=0.002). Conclusions A meta-analysis of the published literature demonstrates no survival difference following valve replacement with either bioprostheses or mechanical prosthesis in patients with ESRD on dialysis. Bioprosthetic valve replacement was associated with fewer valve-related complications. Although this meta-analysis cannot discriminate between the sites of valve implant, these data can likely be extended to include at least aortic valve replacement.