Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The Role of Physical Environment in Supporting Person-centered Dining in Long-Term Care

The physical environment of dining rooms in long-term care facilities is increasingly recognized as an important catalyst in implementing a culture based on person-centered care philosophy. Mealtimes are important opportunities to support residents' personhood in care facilities. This article presents a critical review of the literature on evidence-based physical environmental interventions and examines their implications for creating a more person-centered dining environment, specifically for residents with dementia. The review identifies the role of a supportive dining environment to foster: a) functional ability, b) orientation, c) safety and security, d) familiarity and home-likeness, e) optimal sensory stimulation, f) social interaction, and g) privacy and personal control. It is clear from this review that there is a growing body of research to support the importance of certain physical environmental features in the dining context that can foster positive resident outcomes. The evidence indicates that well-designed physical settings play an important role in creating a person-centered dining environment to support best possible mealtime experience of residents. Gaps in the literature and directions for future research are discussed.
Excellent Results of Postoperative Radiotherapy for Endometrial Stromal Sarcoma of Low-Grade Malignancy

Endometrial stromal sarcoma of low-grade malignancy (ESSL) is a rare neoplasm, and neither preoperative diagnostic procedures nor standard therapy have yet been established. We treated 3 cases of ESSL in the past 27 years, and we report here one of these cases that was classified as stage III (according to the FIGO classification of endometrial carcinoma). Postoperative radiotherapy was used to treat a residual tumor, and the patient showed a complete response.
Multiband pyramidal antenna for radio navigation and telemetry systems

A novel multi-band pyramidal antenna combining radio navigation and MicroSAT telemetry applications was recently introduced by the authors. This flexible antenna provides independent and easily adjustable operating frequency design. Furthermore, the radiation patterns of this pyramidal antenna are relatively similar at the different operating frequencies. One key element of this radiating structure is its cutoff waveguide placed underneath the antenna ground plane in order to improve input ports impedance matching while minimizing the antenna rear radiation level. This paper further describes the above-mentioned antenna and gives its latest improvements.
Dual mechanisms for nitric oxide control of large arteries in the estuarine crocodile Crocodylus porosus

SUMMARY In reptiles, accumulating evidence suggests that nitric oxide (NO) induces a potent relaxation in the systemic vasculature. However, very few studies have examined the source from which NO is derived. Therefore, the present study used both anatomical and physiological approaches to establish whether NO-mediated vasodilation is via an endothelial or neural NO pathway in the large arteries of the estuarine crocodile Crocodylus porosus. Specific endothelial nitric oxide synthase (NOS) staining was observed in aortic endothelial cells following nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate-diaphorase (NADPH-d) histochemistry and endothelial NOS immunohistochemistry (IHC), suggesting that an endothelial NO pathway is involved in vascular control. This finding was supported by in vitro organ bath physiology, which demonstrated that the relaxation induced by acetylcholine (10-5 mol l-1) was abolished in the presence of the NOS inhibitor, N-omega-nitro-l-arginine (l-NNA; 10-4 mol l-1), the soluble guanylyl cyclase inhibitor, 1H-[1,2,4]oxadiazolo[4,3-a]quinoxalin-1-one (ODQ; 10-5 mol l-1), or when the endothelium was removed. Interestingly, evidence for a neural NO pathway was also identified in large arteries of the crocodile. Neural NOS was located in perivascular nerves of the major blood vessels following NADPH-d histochemistry and neural NOS IHC and in isolated aortic rings, l-NNA and ODQ, but not the removal of the endothelium, abolished the relaxation effect of the neural NOS agonist, nicotine (3×10-4 mol l-1). Thus, we conclude that the large arteries of C. porosus are potentially regulated by NO-derived from both endothelial and neural NOS.
Screening for Wilms tumor in children with Beckwith-Wiedemann syndrome or idiopathic hemihypertrophy.

BACKGROUND Children with Beckwith-Wiedemann syndrome and idiopathic hemihypertrophy (BWS/HH) are at increased risk for developing Wilms tumor and screening with abdominal sonography is frequently recommended. However, there is a paucity of published data supporting this strategy. The purpose of this study was to determine whether sonographic screening at intervals of 4 months or less reduced the proportion of late-stage Wilms Tumor (WT) in children with BWS/HH. PROCEDURE A case series analysis was employed to compare the proportion of late-stage (stage III or IV) Wilms tumor in patients with BWS/HH who were screened with sonography (n = 15) to the proportion of late-stage Wilms tumor in unscreened patients with BWS/HH (n = 59). Patients were identified from the BWS Registry and from previously published studies. Screened patients had sonograms at intervals of 4 months or less. RESULTS None of the 12 screened children with Wilms tumor had late-stage disease, whereas 25 of 59 (42%) of unscreened children had late-stage Wilms tumor, a difference that was statistically significant (P < 0.003). Three children had false positive screening studies. They were operated on for suspected Wilms tumor but the lesions proved to be complicated renal cysts (n = 2) or nephroblastomatosis (n = 1). CONCLUSIONS This study suggests that children with BWS/HH may benefit from screening sonograms at intervals of 4 months or less. However, false positive screening exams may result in unnecessary surgery. Given the rarity of BWS/HH, a larger, prospective international screening study is necessary to determine if the benefits of screening outweigh the risks.
Zostavax: a subcutaneous vaccine for the prevention of herpes zoster

Introduction: Herpes zoster (HZ) occurs as a reactivation of dormant varicella zoster virus (VZV), and occurs more frequently in the aging population or the immunocompromised due to waning cell-mediated immunity. Up to 1 million cases of HZ are reported annually in the USA with an estimated 10 – 30% of the population being affected by shingles in their lifetime. HZ is a debilitating illness, and while mortality is low, morbidity remains a significant cause for concern with prevention efforts aimed at reducing VZV reactivation and its complications. The HZ vaccine was approved by the US Food and Drug Administration for individuals aged 50-years or older. However, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention's Advisory Committee for Immunization Practices recommends the vaccine in individuals aged 60-years or older. Areas covered: Recent literature investigating the efficacy and indications of live attenuated zoster vaccine. Expert opinion: Live attenuated zoster vaccine is safe and efficacious in preventing HZ and decreasing the morbidity associated with postherpetic neuralgia. The vaccine is FDA approved in individuals aged 50-years or older but further studies are warranted to investigate the vaccine's efficacy in immunosuppressed and immunocompromised patients.
[Bronchoalveolar lavage for diagnosing pneumonia in mechanically ventilated patients].

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the diagnostic role of bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) in mechanically ventilated patients with suspected pneumonia and to describe the clinical outcome in the different kinds of pneumonia in critically ill patients. DESIGN Descriptive study. SETTING A 17-bed medical and surgical intensive care unit. PATIENTS Mechanically ventilated patients admitted to the ICU from November 2003 to March 2006 with suspected pneumonia who underwent bronchoscopy with BAL. INTERVENTIONS BAL was performed by fiberoptic bronchoscopy with three aliquots of 50 ml sterile normal saline. Recovered BAL fluid was pro-cessed for microbiologic analysis. MAIN VARIABLES OF INTEREST Age, APACHE II score within the first 24 hours of admission, time on mechanical ventilation, ICU length of stay, mortality, and isolated bacteria were analyzed. RESULTS A total of 96 cases of suspected pneumonia with BAL were recruited, including 4 groups: community associated pneumonia (CAP), 12 cases, early-onset ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP), 26 cases, late-onset ventilator-associated pneumonia, 43 cases, and immunocompromised patients, 15 cases. BAL was positive (> 10000 ufc/ml) in 40 (41.7%) patients (2, 16, 17 and 5 patients with CAP, early-onset VAP, late-onset VAP and immunocompromised, respectively). Mortality was 33.3%, 26.9%, 25.6% and 73.3% in CAP, early-onset VAP, late-onset VAP and immunocompromised patients respectively. CONCLUSIONS The low incidence of positive BAL in the CAP group supports using BAL only for particularly severe, selected cases. Mortality was very high in the immunocompromised patients. In the light of our personal experience, BAL is most useful in the diagnosis of pneumonia in the group of patients with VAP.
Expression and Characterization of a Novel Structural Protein of Human Cytomegalovirus, pUL25

ABSTRACT Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) UL25 has recently been found to encode a new structural protein that is present in both virion and defective viral particles (C. J. Baldick and T. Shenk, J. Virol. 70:6097–6105, 1996). In the present work a polyclonal antibody was raised against a prokaryotic pUL25 fusion protein in order to investigate the biosynthesis and localization of the UL25 product (pUL25) during HCMV replication in human fibroblasts. Furthermore, pUL25 was transiently expressed in its native form and fused to the FLAG epitope, in COS7 and U373MG cells, in order to compare the properties of the isolated protein and that produced during infection. Immunoblotting analysis revealed a group of polypeptides, ranging from 80 to 100 kDa, in both transfected and infected cells; in vivo labeling experiments with infected cells demonstrated they are posttranslationally modified by phosphorylation. The transcriptional analysis of the UL25 open reading frame combined with the study of pUL25 biosynthesis showed true late kinetics for this protein in infected human fibroblasts. By indirect immunofluorescence both recombinant and viral pUL25 were detected exclusively in the cytoplasm of transfected or infected cells. Interestingly, pUL25 was shown to localize in typical condensed structures in the perinuclear region as already observed for other HCMV tegument proteins. Colocalization of ppUL99 in the same vacuoles suggests that these structure are endosomal cisternae, which are proposed to be a preferential site of viral particle envelopment. Our data suggest that pUL25 is most likely a novel tegument protein and possibly plays a key role in the process of envelopment.
Role of endoplasmic reticular stress in aortic endothelial apoptosis induced by intermittent/persistent hypoxia

Background Accumulated evidence shows that hypoxia can induce endothelial apoptosis, however the mechanism is still unknown. We hypothesized whether intermittent or persistent hypoxia could induce endoplasmic reticular stress, leading to endothelial apoptosis. Methods Twenty‐four 8‐week male Sprague Dawley (SD) rats were divided into three groups: normoxia (NC) group, intermittent hypoxia (IH) group and persistent hypoxia (PH) group. TUNEL staining was performed to detect aortic arch endotheliar apoptosis, and immunohistochemistry for BIP, CHOP and caspase12 to test protein expression; human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) of the line ECV304 were cultured (with or without taurodeoxycholic acid (TUDCA) 10 mmol/L, 100 mmol/L) and divided into four groups: NC group (20.8% O2 for 4 hours), PH1 group (5% O2 for 4 hours), PH2 group (5% O2 for 12 hours) and IH group (20.8% O2 and 5% O2 alternatively for 8 hours). Annexin V‐fluorescein‐isothiocyanate/propidium iodide flow cytometry was used to assess apoptosis in each group. The expressions of GRP78, CHOP and caspase12 were detected by real‐time quantitative reverse‐transcription PCR. Result Intermittent and persistent hypoxia could increase the rate of endothelium apoptosis and the expressions of GRP78, CHOP and caspase12 compared with the control, induction by intermittent hypoxia was slightly higher than persistent hypoxia. In the HUVEC experiment, TUDCA significantly reduced apoptosis and the expressions of GRP78, CHOP and caspase12. Conclusion Hypoxia, especially intermittent, can induce endothelial cell apoptosis possibly through endoplasmic reticulum stress pathway, which can be attenuated by taurodeoxycholic acid.
An Empirical Investigation of the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award Causal Model

The objective of this research is to test the theory and causal performance linkages implied by the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award (MBNQA). The survey instrument used a comprehensive set of 101 questions that were directly tied to specific criteria in the 1995 MBNQA Criteria. Results reported here represent the first published article that tests the MBNQA performance relationships and causal model using comprehensive measurement and structural models. In general, our research concludes that (1) The underlying theory of the MBNQA is supported that “leadership drives the system that causes results”; (2) Leadership is the most important driver of system performance; (3) Leadership has no direct effect on Financial Results but must influence overall performance “through the system”; (4) Information and Analysis is statistically the second most important Baldrige category; (5) the Baldrige category, Process Management, is twice as important when predicting customer satisfaction as when predicting financial results; and (6) a modified “within system” set of five Baldrige causal relationships is a good predictor of organizational performance.
The Effect of Cold Air Cooling on 585 nm Pulsed Dye Laser Treatment of Port‐Wine Stains

BACKGROUND The use of cryogen spray cooling in the course of dye laser treatment of port-wine stains has established itself in recent years because of its good analgesic and epidermally protective effects. The disadvantages of this kind of evaporative cooling are the cost and, in the case of dichlorodifluoromethane, the effects on the ozone layer. Cold air is an innovative cooling method that costs nearly nothing to use, is environmentally friendly, and can be easily adapted to existing laser systems. OBJECTIVE To examine and evaluate cold air cooling as an alternative method of cooling in laser treatment. METHODS In a prospective study, 13 patients (9 female, 4 male) with port-wine stains were treated with a pulsed dye laser (λ = 585 nm, τp = 450 μsec). In every case, either the entire area or a sample area of the port-wine stain was treated with cold air cooling on 50% of the surface and without on the other 50%. Clearance, analgesia, and adverse and concomitant effects were assessed. RESULTS In nine patients (69%) there were similar results in terms of clearance. In four cases, better lightening results (in two patients) and worse lightening results (in two other patients) were achieved in the area treated with cold air. Nine of the patients (69%) felt that the laser impulses accompanied by cold air were significantly less painful. Adverse effects (purpura, erythema, edema) and concomitant effects (hypopigmentation, hyperpigmentation, scars) were much less marked in the cooled areas. CONCLUSION Cold air is a safe and effective alternative to cryogen spray cooling. It is easy to use, economical, and environmentally friendly. Continuing studies are necessary to determine if there are interactions which affect the tissue.
Transpedicular Grafting After Short-Segment Pedicle Instrumentation for Thoracolumbar Burst Fracture: Calcium Sulfate Cement Versus Autogenous Iliac Bone Graft

Study Design. A retrospective clinical and radiographic study was performed. Objective. To compare 2 grafting materials of anterior augmentation for thoracolumbar burst fractures: transpedicular cancellous bone (TPCB) grafting and transpedicular calcium sulfate grafting and to decide whether calcium sulfate cement can replace autogenous cancellous bone applied in anterior vertebral body augmentation after posterior short-segment instrumentation. Summary of Background Data. Additional TPCB grafting was developed as an alternative to prevent early implant failure. However, the results are inconsistent and donor-site complications are a major concern. Calcium sulfate has been offered as a bone substitute for treating patients with metaphysis fractures or bone defect, but the results of application in spinal surgeries are uncertain. Methods. Fifty-one patients with a single-level thoracolumbar burst fracture for treatment with short-segment pedicle screw fixation were enrolled in the study. Fractures in group 1 patients were reinforced with TPCB (n = 31), and fractures in group 2 patients were augmented with transpedicular calcium sulfate cement (TPCSC; n = 20). All patients were followed-up at least 2 years after surgery. Radiographic parameters and clinical outcomes were compared between the 2 groups. Results. The 2 groups were similar in age, sex, fracture levels, preoperative neurologic status distribution, and the associated injuries. The TPCB group had a longer period of follow-up (52.7 ± 4.9 vs. 28.6 ± 3.5 months, P < 0.001). Blood loss and operation time were less in the TPCSC group (247.5 ± 164.2 vs. 600.0 ± 403.1 mL, P = 0.001 and 161.7 ± 28.5 vs. 227.2 ± 43.6 minutes, P < 0.001). Radiographic parameters and clinical outcomes were similar in both groups. The TPCSC group had no surgical complication, but the TPCB group revealed 2 cases with wound infection after surgery. The failure rate, defined as an increase of 10° or more in loss of correction or implant failure, was also not significantly different (TPCB = 9.6% and TPCSC = 15%; P = 0.565). All patients with partial neurologic deficits initially improved at the final follow-up. Conclusion. Additional TPCB grafting after posterior short-segment instrumentation remains a reliable surgical method for correcting and maintaining sagittal alignment and vertebral body height in thoracolumbar burst fractures. Calcium sulfate cement also proved to be an effective bone substitute used in spinal surgeries for patients with thoracolumbar burst fractures.
Precalcitonin and C-reactive protein as markers in response to antibiotic treatment in ventilator-associated pneumonia in intensive care unit-hospitalized patients

Background: Pneumonia due to ventilator is a prevalent nosocomial infection associated with high morbidity and mortality. This study aimed to determine the change in serum levels of precalcitonin (PCT) and C-reactive protein (CRP) in response to antibiotic treatment in patients hospitalized in intense care unit (ICU) suffering from ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP). Materials and Methods: This is an analytical and descriptive study performed in 2013 in Ayatollah Kashani Medical Training Center, Isfahan, Iran. The statistical sample includes patients hospitalized in ICU in 2013 suffering from VAP. In this study, 50 patients suffering from VAP were selected, and PCT and CRP levels were measured in them before antibiotic therapy and every 48 h until the end of therapy. The collected data were analyzed by SPSS software. Results: CRP and PCT levels were high before the beginning of antibiotic therapy in all patients suffering from VAP and their CRP level had an increasing trend until 4 days after the beginning of therapy; however, from the 4th day, it turned into decreasing trend. PCT serum level was higher than normal before the treatment and until 48 h after the therapy, and then it was found to have a decreasing trend. According to variance analysis test with repetition of observations, the mean level of mentioned markers had a meaningful difference before the beginning of antibiotic therapy until the end of antibiotic therapy (P < 0.001). Conclusion: CRP and PCT serum levels can be used as an instrument for determining the effect of antibiotic therapy in patients with VAP.
Selective reductions in plasma Abeta 1-42 in healthy elderly subjects during longitudinal follow-up: a preliminary report.

OBJECTIVE Longitudinal changes in plasma beta amyloid protein 1-42 and 1-40 (Abeta42 and Abeta40) levels and possible relationships with cognitive decline and apolipoprotein (APOE) genotype were studied in healthy elderly individuals. METHODS Authors determined cognitive level and plasma Abeta40 and Abeta42 levels twice, approximately 4 years apart, in 34 elderly subjects. RESULTS Analyses revealed a selective reduction in Abeta42 levels at follow-up, which were not modulated by the epsilon4 allele. Greater reductions and higher baseline plasma Abeta42 levels were associated with reductions in cognitive scores. CONCLUSIONS Alterations in plasma Abeta42 levels may be associated with subtle cognitive decline in elderly subjects without dementia.
Classification of partial discharge sources by the characterization of the pulses waveform

Partial discharges phenomenon (PD) is one of the most relevant degradation modes that affects in the gradual deterioration of the insulation elements in high voltage (HV) electrical systems, thus PD measurement is essential for their condition assessment. In the last decades on-line PD measurements have become a common technique for assessing the insulation condition of installed HV installations, although in on-line tests it is difficult to perform accurate diagnoses due to the existence of high levels of background noise and in many cases of more than one source of pulse-shaped signals. In order to overcome the difficulties mentioned, this paper proposes a method for the classification of PD signals based on a mathematical modeling. With the proposed model, representative parameters associated to the waveform of each pulse acquired are calculated so that they can be separated in different clusters. Furthermore, this mathematical model enables the reconstruction, generally with a reasonable accuracy, of the measured signals in HV installations. This approach permits to save the pulse data of a test with a low requirement of memory capacity in comparison with other approaches, that need to save all samples of each recorded pulse to visualize them and for further analysis or post-processing.
Oil price and the development of financial intermediation in developing oil-exporting countries: Evidence from Nigeria

Abstract This study examines the relationship between crude oil price and financial sector intermediary development in Nigeria over the period 1975–2011, using the autoregressive distributed lag approach to cointegration analysis. Four measures of financial intermediary development are used including an index of financial intermediary development constructed from three indicators of financial intermediary development using principal component analysis. The results show that crude oil price is a key driver of financial intermediary development in Nigeria. A positive and significant long run relationship between financial intermediary development and crude oil price coexists with a negative short run relationship. The results show that even if we control for economic growth, inflation and trade openness, crude oil price still has significant influence on the development of financial intermediation in Nigeria. The findings of this study have important policy implications for financial intermediary development in Nigeria and other developing oil-exporting countries.