Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The role of lumbar spine radiography in the outcomes of patients with simple acute low back pain

Objectives: To test the hypothesis that radiography of the lumbar spine in patients with simple acute low back pain (LBP) is not associated with improved patient outcomes. Methods: A small randomized unblinded controlled trial in patients with simple acute low back pain with duration of less than 12 weeks. This study was held in the outpatient Department of Rheumatology, Dr Saiful Anwar Hospital from May to September 2003. Intervention was usual care with lumbar spine radiography versus usual care without lumbar spine radiography. The outcome measures are Roland score, visual analogue scale for pain, EuroQol-5 dimensions including the health status scale, at 3-weeks after treatment. Statistical analysis with Mann–Whitney U-test, χ2 test or Fisher's exact test with odds ratio. Analysis were performed using SPSS V. 10.0 for Windows. Results: During the 5 months of the study, 101 patients with LBP fulfilled the criteria of study presented at the Dr Saiful Anwar Hospital. Of the 101 patients, 75.2% patients completed the study. The intervention group significantly had a lower overall health status scale [70 (50, 80) vs. (80 (70, 90); Z = −2.28; P = 0.02] and slightly higher Roland and pain scores, [6.5 (2, 10) vs. 4.5 (2, 7); Z = −1.17; P = 0.25] and [4 (2, 6) vs. 3 (2, 5); Z = −1.82; P = 0.07], respectively. Conclusions: Radiography of the lumbar spine in patients with simple acute low back pain is not associated with improved patient functioning or severity of pain. Indeed, the overall health status of those who had a lumbar spine X-ray appeared to be worse than those who did not.
Teratologic and other embryotoxic effects of β‐aminopropionitrile in rats

Increased resorption rates and decreased fetal weight were produced by intubating pregnant rats with various single (35001–4000 mg/kg) or multiple (2500–3000 mg/kg) doses of β-aminopropionitrile (BAPN) during days 8–17 of gestation. The most embryotoxic gestational intervals were those that included day 15. Resorption (55% ) and ectocardia and/or gastroschisis (16%) resulted when 2500 mg/kg BAPN was administered on days 14–15, whereas no gross congenital malformations occurred when BAPN was administered before day 14. Higher doses of BAPN, such as 5000 m/kg, resulted mainly in fetal resorptions; 2500 mg/kg or greater on day 16 caused only cleft palate in most fetuses. Severe degrees of kyphoscoliosis, bony curvatures, and exostoses at muscleinsertion sites were observed when BAPN was given after day 16. The pathogenesis of these malformations is compatible with the known biochemical effect of BAPN — inhibition of crosslinking of both collagen and elastin — and in doing so: (a) could decrease the tensile strength of the anterior chest wall or abdominal wall to produce ectocardia and/or gastroschisis; (b) interfere with palate closure; and (c) produce osteolathyritic effects late in gestation which resemble the skeletal effects caused postnatally in young weanling animals given this agent.
The effect of buserelin on plasma lipid and lipoprotein concentration during treatment of endometriosis

The plasma changes of lipid and lipoprotein concentrations in patients with endometriosis were evaluated before treatment, every two months during 6 months course of medical treatment with buserelin and one month thereafter. In this study 103 patients with endometriosis laparoscopically diagnosed and staged according to the revised American Fertility Society (AFS) classification were given buserelin 800 pgr/day intra-nasally during a course of 6 months of medical treatment. Plasma levels of triglycerides, total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein (LDL), very low density lipoprotein (VLDL) and high-density lipoprotein (HDL) concentrations were obtained in intervals mentioned above. Body weight was also followed. Buserelin had no adverse effects on serum lipoprotein concentrations and on body weight. [Turk J Med Res 1995; 13(2): 71-73)
Impact of "Seguro Popular" on Prenatal Visits in Mexico, 2002-2005: Latent Class Model of Count Data with a Discrete Endogenous Variable

We employ a latent class model to assess the impact of Mexico's Seguro Popular ("SP") program on the number of prenatal visits in a cross-sectional sample of 4,381 women who gave birth during 2002-2005. We specify an ordered probit model to permit a pregnant woman's probability of membership in one of three latent classes to depend on observed covariates. In the ordered probit model, enrollment in SP is explicitly treated as an endogenous variable. We model the number of prenatal visits, conditional upon membership in a particular latent class, as a Poisson regression. We employ the EM algorithm to reduce the computational burden of model estimation. At any iteration of the algorithm, the parameters of the model of latent class membership can be estimated separately from the parameters of the model of prenatal care utilization. We find that enrollment in SP was associated with a mean increase in 1.65 prenatal visits during pregnancy. Approximately 59 percent of this treatment effect is the result of increased prenatal care among women in the first latent class, that is, women who had with little or no access to care. The remaining 41 percent of the treatment effect is the result of a shift in membership from the second to the third latent class, which we interpret as increased recognition of complications of pregnancy prior to labor and delivery. Our model has a better fit and predicts a larger impact of SP than alternative models that relax the assumption of endogeneity, do not impose ordering on the latent classes, or incorporate only two latent classes. Our findings are consistent with prior work on the favorable impact of SP on maternal health (Sosa-Rubi, Galarraga, Harris 2009).
The main methodological issues in costing health care services: A literature review

The Healthbasket project seeks to offer evidence on the basket of services offered by the health system in nine member states, and the costs and prices associated with those services. A specific objective of the project is “to identify what are the existing possibilities for and limitation to [cost] comparison and recommend the minimum data required to furnish meaningful international comparison in the future. ” To that end, work programme WP7 assesses the costing methodologies for inpatient and outpatient health services at the micro-level. The aim of the WP7 subproject is to provide a comprehensive review best practice in cost assessment by examining the scientific literature on methodologies for calculating health service costs. This review examines published scientific literature about the methodologies used to estimate the costs associated with the delivery of a particular service at the micro-level in both in-patient and out-patient settings. In addition, the review summarises the scientific literature on methodologies used in international comparative studies of health service costs at the micro-level, including in-patient and outpatient settings.
PENGARUH KEBIJAKAN PEMERINTAH, PARTISIPASI MASYARAKAT DAN KEWIRAUSAHAAN TERHADAP KUALITAS DESTINASI WISATA PURA TAMAN AYUN

Bali is a barometer of the Indonesian tourism, various objects and tourist attraction offered from natural tourism objects, cultural tourism and special interest. Cultural uniqueness and religinya capable to attract tourists to come and back again to Bali. Cultural Tourism is now considered as one of the industrial segment of tourism development most quickly. This is based on the existence of a new trend or tendency among tourists to find something unique and authentic from a culture. Cultural Tourism is believed to have the benefits of positive economic and social culture. The type of this tourism can provide economic benefits to local communities. The empowerment and community involvement in the development of the tourism will make the community will participate in maintaining the culture and nature them so that at the end of the development of sustainable tourism will be reached. The more local communities benefit from tourism, then the higher their concerns in order to participate to maintain and keep the nature conservation, preservation of local culture and actively control the future of the business tourism service. The goals in this research is to analyze the influence of government policy, community participation and entrepreneurship on the quality of the tourism destination Pura Taman Ayun.
Intraocular lenses in cataract and refractive surgery

SECTION 1: Introduction SECTION 2: Cataract Surgery and Intraocular Lens Complications SECTION 3: Secondary Intraocular Lenses in Aphakia SECTION 4: Intraocular Lens Complications SECTION 5: Phakic Intraocular Lenses SECTION 6: Refractive Cataract Intraocular Lens Surgery and Future Developments
Sterilization of women by nurse-midwives in Thailand.

As a result of trails aimed at evaluating the performance of postpartum tubal ligation by trained nurse-midwives the Thai Cabinet has approved the use of such personnel for postpartum sterilization under medical supervision. This program scheduled to be implemented in 1985 is expected to help meet the great demand for female sterilization. Over 150000 female sterilizations were performed in the country in 1980. Trainees will be nurse-midwives 25-35 years of age who have been working as operating room assistants for at least 1 year and are willing to serve in provincial hospitals for at least 2 years after completion of their training. In a 1979 pilot study the performance of 5 nurse-midwives who had been trained for 12 weeks to perform postpartum tubal ligation by minilaparotomy incision under local anesthesia was compared to that of 3 physicians. Although nurse-midwives averaged 18 minutes of operating time/procedure compared to 12 minutes for physicians postoperative morbidity was similar in the 2 groups. Next a large-scale field study was conducted to assess the performance of nurse-midwives in this area under normal conditions in maternal and child health centers. Provincial hospitals successfully operated on 3549 women in a 1-year period obtaining results that compared well with those of physicians. 3457 (97.4%) of sterilization acceptors reported full satisfaction with the nurse-midwives and indicated they would recommend tubal ligation to their friends. Physicians in the 18 participating hospitals in this field trial were surveyed about their attitudes toward the nurse-midwife training program. In general obstetrician-gynecologists who played a major role in the program expressed a higher level of satisfaction with it than other physicians. Physicians noted that the nurse-midwife program will free doctors to perform other tasks.
Distribuição da altura uterina ao longo da gestação em uma coorte brasileira: comparação com a curva de referência do Centro Latino-Americano de Perinatologia

PURPOSE: to describe, in participants of the Brazilian Study of Gestational Diabetes (EBDG), the percentile distribution of uterine height by gestational age and to validate the use of percentiles of the chart derived by the "Centro Latino-Americano de Perinatologia" (CLAP), used as reference in predicting abnormal fetal growth. METHODS: the EBDG is a cohort study of 5564 pregnant women older than 19 years, followed through and after delivery. Interviews and standardized anthropometry were performed at baseline between 20-28 weeks. Medical records covering prenatal and delivery periods were then reviewed following a standardized approach. Analyses pertain to 3539 women with gestational age confirmed by ultrasound. Diagnostic properties of the 10th and the 90th percentiles of both charts (EBDG and CLAP) as predictors of abnormal neonatal weight were determined. RESULTS: uterine height was higher in EBDG than in the CLAP chart at every gestational week, being 1-4 and 2-6 cm greater, at the 10th and 90th percentiles respectively. The CLAP 10th percentile classified as small the uterine heights of only 0.3 to 1.7% of Brazilian women, while the 90th percentile classified as large the uterine heights of 42 to 57% of the sample. The sensitivity of CLAP percentile 10 in the prediction of small for gestational age varied from 0.8 to 6% and the specificity of CLAP percentile 90 in the prediction of large for gestational age, from 46 to 61%. CONCLUSIONS: the CLAP uterine height reference chart does not reflect the current uterine growth pattern of pregnant Brazilians, limiting its clinical applicability in the detection of abnormal fetal growth, especially intrauterine growth restriction.
Drug use and risk behaviours among injecting drug users.

This study focused primarily on patterns of drug use, injecting practices, risk behaviours for infectious disease, and experiences with treatment and health services among injecting drug users (IDUs) in Northern Ireland. The data for the study were collected through semi-structured interviews conducted between December 2003 and September 2004. Sample criteria included 1) 18 years or older and 2) injection of one or more drugs (excluding insulin or other medication that was prescribed for injection) within the 30 days prior to the interview. Various strategies were used to recruit respondents for an interview and the findings are based on interview data collected from 90 respondents who met the study criteria.
Mechanisms of vasodilatation in early pregnancy : studies in instrumented conscious rats and isolated rat arteries

• A submitted manuscript is the version of the article upon submission and before peer-review. There can be important differences between the submitted version and the official published version of record. People interested in the research are advised to contact the author for the final version of the publication, or visit the DOI to the publisher's website. • The final author version and the galley proof are versions of the publication after peer review. • The final published version features the final layout of the paper including the volume, issue and page numbers.
Enhancing the Administration of an Early Intervention Educational Programme Through Technology; Exploring Usage, Acceptance and Attitudes

The study aimed to investigate information technology use, attitudes and acceptance before and after the introduction of technology-based work practices in a community-based educational initiative. A convenience sample of Home Visitors was recruited, and a composite survey was used to collect data on participant use, attitudes and acceptance of technology prior to and following the implementation of the new system. Correlations and paired sample T-tests were used to analyse data. A total of 21 Home Visitors completed the survey at baseline and again at one academic year follow-up. Several factors were identified as potentially important in relation to Home Visitor use of technology which included aspects of both attitude (anxiety dependence) and acceptance (needs satisfaction, support availability and use intention). Paired-sample T-tests revealed little change in participant use of technology, which was high from the outset. Anxiety dependence, a component of attitude, was significantly greater at follow-up in comparison with baseline levels. No significant differences were observed in pre-post self-reported acceptance of technology. These findings serve as a guide for community-based organisations considering a move toward technology-mediated work practices.
Laparoscopic Management of Phrenic Endometriosis

Introduction Extrapelvic endometriosis is a rare condition typically associated with variable symptomatology and complex diagnosis. Case report: Here, we report a rare case of phrenic endometriosis manifested insidiously in a woman of reproductive age after a prolonged history of endometriosis with several surgical interventions, including laparoscopic bowel resection a few months ago. The patient presented with menstrual-related, cyclical, right upper abdominal pain. Results Accurate surgical inspection during the laparoscopic procedure enabled the identification and full resection of a deep infiltrating endometriotic lesion growing from the peritoneum into the phrenic tissue, which was suspected by symptomatology. No pulmonary complications were detected before or after surgery except for a small right-sided pneumothorax, which did not require drainage and disappeared spontaneously after five days. Conclusions The rare case reported here emphasizes the importance of a very exact conversation with the patient before surgery, a systematic and accurate surgical exploration for the diagnosis, and the successful laparoscopic treatment of a symptomatic phrenic disease in a woman with a longstanding history of endometriosis.
Textbook of small animal surgery

(Abbreviated):Surgical Biology. Surgical Methods. Skin and Adnexa. Body Cavities and Hernias. Gastrointestinal System. Respiratory System. Cardiovascular System. Hemolymphatic System. The Nervous System. Eye and Adnexa. Reproduction System. Ear. Musculoskeletal System. Oncology. Anesthetic Considerations in Surgery. Dentistry. Appendix. Normal Laboratory Values.
Laparoscopic versus open splenectomy in dogs

In the last few years, the use of laparoscopy in veterinary medicine has expanded and consequently so was the need for studies that establish the advantages, disadvantages and possible complications of each procedure. The purpose of the current study was to describe a laparoscopic splenectomy technique and the alterations due to this access, and compare it to the open procedure in dogs. A total of 15 healthy female mongrel dogs were used, with mean weight of 17.4±2.5kg. The animals were distributed into three groups: Group IA of open splenectomy (laparotomy) using double ligation of the vessels of the splenic hilum with poliglicolic acid, Group IB of open splenectomy (laparotomy) with bipolar electrocoagulation of the splenic hilum, and Group II of laparoscopic access with bipolar electrocoagulation of the splenic hilum. Operative time, blood loss, size of incisions, complications during and after surgery were evaluated. Other parameters included pain scores, white blood cell (WBC) counts and postoperative serum concentrations of alanine aminotransferase (ALT), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), creatine kinase (CK), C-reactive protein (CRP), glucose and cortisol. No differences were found in the evaluation of parameters between both open splenectomy techniques employed. Laparoscopic access presented significant differences (p<0,05) when compared with open surgery: Longer operative time, smaller abdominal access, decrease in blood loss, lower concentrations of CRP, higher levels of CK and ALP, and lower scores in the pain scale. Laparoscopic surgery showed fewer complications of the surgical wound. No significant differences were observed between groups in the postoperative temperature, WBC, ALT, cortisol and glucose concentrations. In conclusion, the laparoscopic technique is useful for splenectomy in dogs, being advantageous in terms of blood loss, surgical stress and surgical wounds. However, it expends more operative time and causes transitory increase in hepatic and muscular enzymes.
Assessing factors influencing food choice among 10-16-year-old schoolboys. A pilot study with a stacking box method

A new «stacking box» method to study food choice is presented. Participants are required to select pictures of foods from a large selection according to differing instructions. The applicability of the stacking box methodology to increase understanding of factors affecting food choice decisions among schoolchildren was investigated. Forty-four school boys from three different age groups were instructed to choose foods for breakfast according to different instructions; for example, «Make up a breakfast you usually eat» and «Make up a breakfast your parents would like you to eat». They were also asked for reasons behind their food choices. Milk, margarine, bread and breakfast cereal choices given in response to differing instructions were compared two by two using a non-parametric method. Evident systematic components in disagreement of choices could be adequately explained. Aspects of taste, availability and habit dominated among reasons for choices for a usually eaten breakfast.
Delivery of drugs using tamarind gum and modified tamarind gum: A review

Tamarind seed polysaccharide is an emerging excipient, which is being used and investigated for the preparation of various dosage forms. Functionalization of tamarind gum (TG) enhances the properties of native tamarind polysaccharide like degradability, hydration, viscosity and swelling. Due to these excellent properties, researchers investigated the application of modified TG in various drug delivery systems. TG and modified TG are found to be appropriate for the designing of oral, nasal, ophthalmic, colonic and topical drug delivery systems. Moreover, they are used in the preparation of hydrogel-based drug delivery systems and novel drug delivery systems such as nanoparticles. Considering the above facts, additional research work is required to confirm the pharmaceutical uses of TG and modified TG in drug delivery. The current review deals with a comprehensive and valuable discussion on pharmaceutical applications of TG and modified TG.
Prioritizing Program Elements: A Pretesting Effort to Improve Software Quality

Improving the efficiency of a testing process is a challenging task. Prior work has shown that often, a small number of bugs account for the majority of the reported software failures; and often, most bugs are found in a small portion of the source code of a program. First, prioritizing the code elements according to their criticality and then conducting testing, will promote to reveal the important bugs at the early phase of testing. Keeping it in view, we propose an efficient test effort prioritization method that give a chance to the tester to focus more on the parts of the source code that are highly influenced towards the system failures or in which, the failures have high impact on the system. We consider five important factors such as influence towards system failures, average execution time, structural complexity, severity, and business value associated with a component and estimates the criticality of the component within a system. We have experimentally proved that our proposed test effort prioritization approach is effective in revealing important bugs at the early phase of testing as it is linked to external measure of defect severity and business value, internal measure of frequency, complexity, and coupling.