Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
DEFICIENCIES IN PATHOLOGICAL REPORTING OF COLORECTAL CANCER IN VICTORIA

Background: Colorectal cancer (CRC) pathological reporting deficiencies have been shown to be common, with deviations from the suggested minimum dataset. Information from both surgeon and pathologist is necessary for a complete report. These deficiencies have been shown to be correctable with the use of synoptic reporting. We carried out an audit on a random sample of CRC pathological reports from the first 6 months of 2004 in Victoria, Australia, with the aim of documenting current CRC pathological reporting deficiencies.
Applying Positive Deviance for Improving Compliance to Adolescent Anemia Control Program in Tribal Communities of India

Background: Positive deviance (PD) is an asset-based social and behavior change communication strategy, utilizing successful outliers within a specific context. It has been applied to tackling major public health problems but not adolescent anemia. Objective: The study, first of its kind, used PD to improve compliance to adolescent anemia control program in Jharkhand, India, where anemia prevalence in adolescent girls is 70%, and program compliance is low. Methods: With leadership of state government, the study was designed and implemented by a multidisciplinary 42 member PD team, in Khunti district, in 2014. Participatory appraisals were undertaken with 434 adolescent girls, 18 frontline workers, 15 teachers, and 751 community leaders/parents/relatives. Stakeholders were interviewed to identify positive deviants and PD determinants across 17 villages. Results: Perceived benefits of iron folic acid tablet and nutritional care during adolescence are low. Positive deviants exist among adolescent girls (26 of 434), villages (2 of 17), and schools (2 of 17). Positive deviant adolescent girls consumed variety of iron-rich foods and in higher frequency, consumed iron folic acid tablets, and practiced recommended personal hygiene behaviors. Deviant practices in schools included supervision of students during tablet distribution among others. Conclusion: Government-led PD approach uncovered local solutions and provided a forum for government functionaries to listen to and dialogue with, and an opportunity to adapt the program according to the needs of the affected communities, who are missing partners in program design and management.
Ropivacaine continuous wound infusion versus epidural morphine for postoperative analgesia after cesarean delivery: a randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND The infusion of local anesthetic in the surgical wound is helpful in the multimodal management of postoperative pain. We hypothesized that local anesthetic wound infusion after cesarean delivery would provide better pain control than epidural morphine analgesia. METHODS Healthy, term women scheduled for elective cesarean delivery were included in this assessor-blinded, randomized study. Patients were randomly assigned to receive analgesia through a multiorifice wound catheter placed below the fascia and connected to a 5 mL/h ropivacaine 2 mg/mL infusion or an epidural bolus of morphine 2 mg every 12 hours. Both analgesic regimens were continued for 48 hours. The primary outcome was pain at rest at 24 hours postoperatively using the verbal rating score for pain (0-10 scale). Pain intensity, rescue analgesia consumption, and side effects were assessed at 2, 6, 24, and 48 hours after cesarean delivery by an observer blinded to group allocation. Three months after discharge, patient satisfaction, residual pain, and surgical wound complications were assessed. RESULTS Fifty-eight women participated in the study. At 24 hours, the median rest verbal rating score for pain was 0 (interquartile range: 0-0) in the continuous infusion group and 3 in the epidural morphine group (interquartile range: 2-3; 95% confidence interval of difference: 1-3 units; P < 0.001). The median scores of the 2-, 6-, and 48-hour pain assessments at rest were also lower in the continuous wound infusion group than in the epidural morphine group, and at 2, 6, and 24 hours with movement (P < 0.001). The incidence of nausea, vomiting, pruritus, and urinary retention was significantly lower in the wound infusion group and time to recovery of bowel function was shorter. During the 48-hour follow-up evaluation, the median number of nurse visits attributed exclusively to the analgesic regimen was 1 (interquartile range: 1-2) in the continuous wound infusion group and 8 (interquartile range: 7-10) in the epidural morphine group (95% confidence interval of difference: 6-8 visits; P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS Continuous wound infusion with ropivacaine for 48 hours after cesarean delivery was associated with better analgesia, a lower incidence of side effects, less need for nursing care, and shorter duration of stay compared with epidural morphine analgesia.
On the Hypothesized Physiological Correspondence between Perceptual and Imagery Processes

This research examined some aspects of the interaction between imagery and perception of 16 male and 84 female undergraduate students in psychology. The data indicate that, when a subject is imagining with open eyes, a modification in the external stimulation of the retina, produced by covering the eyes, strongly modifies the imaginative activity. The majority of the subjects observed a loss of mental image. In 54% of the subjects the loss of image was provoked by covering only one of the two eyes. Other subjects presented interesting alterations of the mental image. The observed differences among subjects are interpreted by hypothesizing a correspondence between perceptual and imaginative styles that could employ common neurophysiological structures at central and perhaps peripheral levels.
Cloning, sequencing, and expression in Escherichia coli of the D-hydantoinase gene from Pseudomonas putida and distribution of homologous genes in other microorganisms

Pseudomonas putida DSM 84 produces N-carbamyl-D-amino acids from the corresponding D-5-monosubstituted hydantoins. The gene encoding this D-hydantoinase enzyme was cloned and expressed in Escherichia coli. The nucleotide sequence of the 1.8-kb insert of subclone pGES19 was determined. One open reading frame of 1,104 bp was found and was predicted to encode a polypeptide with a molecular size of 40.5 kDa. Local regions of identity between the predicted amino acid sequence and that of other known amidohydrolases (two other D-hydantoinases, allantionase and dihydroorotase) were found. The D-hydantoinase gene was used as a probe to screen DNA isolated from diverse organisms. Within Pseudomonas strains of rRNA group I, the probe was specific. The probe did not detect D-hydantoinase genes in pseudomonads not in rRNA group I, other bacteria, or plants known to express D-hydantoinase activity.
Cardio-facio-cutaneous and Noonan syndromes due to mutations in the RAS/MAPK signalling pathway: genotype–phenotype relationships and overlap with Costello syndrome

Cardio-facio-cutaneous (CFC) syndrome, Noonan syndrome (NS), and Costello syndrome (CS) are clinically related developmental disorders that have been recently linked to mutations in the RAS/MEK/ERK signalling pathway. This study was a mutation analysis of the KRAS, BRAF, MEK1 and MEK2 genes in a total of 130 patients (40 patients with a clinical diagnosis of CFC, 20 patients without HRAS mutations from the French Costello family support group, and 70 patients with NS without PTPN11 or SOS1 mutations). BRAF mutations were found in 14/40 (35%) patients with CFC and 8/20 (40%) HRAS-negative patients with CS. KRAS mutations were found in 1/40 (2.5%) patients with CFC, 2/20 (10%) HRAS-negative patients with CS and 4/70 patients with NS (5.7%). MEK1 mutations were found in 4/40 patients with CFC (10%), 4/20 (20%) HRAS-negative patients with CS and 3/70 (4.3%) patients with NS, and MEK2 mutations in 4/40 (10%) patients with CFC. Analysis of the major phenotypic features suggests significant clinical overlap between CS and CFC. The phenotype associated with MEK mutations seems less severe, and is compatible with normal mental development. Features considered distinctive for CS were also found to be associated with BRAF or MEK mutations. Because of its particular cancer risk, the term “Costello syndrome” should only be used for patients with proven HRAS mutation. These results confirm that KRAS is a minor contributor to NS and show that MEK is involved in some cases of NS, demonstrating a phenotypic continuum between the clinical entities. Although some associated features appear to be characteristic of a specific gene, no simple rule exists to distinguish NS from CFC easily.
Examining Human Decision Making in Automated Combat Identification Systems using Signal Detection Theory

The purpose of this research was to examine the effects of combat identification systems on a soldier’s engagement decision. The research investigated changes in target identification performance and response biases across different simulated battlefield and aid conditions. These conditions were manipulated by changing the costs of making an error and the availability of an aid. Signal detection theory served as the basis for this study and its analytical model. 19 university students were recruited to interact with a combat identification simulation and were asked to identify and engage targets in six experiment blocks presented in a random order. Target identification performance results indicated a significant effect of aid condition, but not in cost of errors. Participants always made fewer errors in the presence of an aid, regardless of the costs of error. In addition, response bias results revealed no significant effects of aid condition, cost of error, or the interaction of both factors. Generally, results indicated that the response bias for all conditions was not significantly different from the optimal value, illustrating that participants adjusted their response bias appropriately. This research has implications for the design of operation briefings and engagement training for soldiers. Findings from this research can be used to help military personnel better understand the effects of combat identification systems on their decision making, thereby improving the level of reliance in these systems, which can contribute to a reduction in the risk of friendly fire incidents. Acknowledgements We would like to express our deepest gratitude to everyone who made it possible for us to complete this thesis. We would, in particular, like to thank our supervisor Professor Greg A. Jamieson for offering us the opportunity to work on this project and for all the advice and knowledge that he so openly shared with us. We would also like to gratefully thank Lu Wang for her continued support and guidance, especially during the first few months while working on the thesis. It was a privilege to have learned from her. We owe many thanks to her. Lastly, we would like to thank our family and friends for their continued love and support.
Prospective Study of Short Stature and Newly Diagnosed Asthma in Women

The authors tested the hypothesis that short stature predicts adult-onset asthma independent of obesity among women in the Nurses' Health Study. Height, weight, and physician-diagnosed asthma were assessed with validated questionnaire items. Proportional hazard models adjusted separately for weight and body mass index. The rate of newly diagnosed asthma was 1.55 times greater in the shortest versus the tallest quintile after adjustment for weight (95% CI, 1.26–1.91). After adjustment for body mass index, the rate ratio was 1.16 (95% CI, 0.94–1.42). Short stature predicted adult-onset asthma in a large cohort of women, but this association was not independent of obesity.
Single and Multiple-Dose Pharmacokinetics of Meloxicam After Oral Administration to the Rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus)

Abstract The nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) meloxicam is a very popular anti-inflammatory, analgesic, and antipyretic agent used in veterinary medicine. To determine the pharmacokinetics of this NSAID in rabbits following a single dose and 10-day period of dosing, eight clinically normal, 8-mo-old New Zealand white rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus) were administered 0.2 mg/kg meloxicam p.o. daily. Pharmacokinetic analysis of the meloxicam was determined via noncompartmental analysis. After oral administration, mean ± standard deviation values for area under the curve were 1.8 ± 0.50 and 2.1 ± 0.55 µg × h/ml, and maximum plasma concentrations were 0.17 ± 0.06 and 0.24 ± 0.07 µg/ml for Day 1 and Day 10, respectively. The half-life was approximately 8 hr. Administration of meloxicam at a dosage of 0.2 to 0.3 mg/kg p.o. every 24 hr is suggested. Although a higher dose may be required for optimum effects, this would require efficacy and safety studies in this species. Meloxicam administered at 0.2 mg/kg p.o. daily for 10 day was well tolerated by the rabbits.
Homologue Ndi 1 p Displays Respiration-restricted Apoptotic Activity and Is Involved in Chronological Aging

Apoptosis-inducing factor (AIF) and AIF-homologous mitochondrion-associated inducer of death (AMID) are both mitochondrial flavoproteins that trigger caspase-independent apoptosis. Phylogenetic analysis suggests that these two proteins evolutionarily diverge back from their common prokaryote ancestor. Compared with AIF, the proapoptotic nature of AMID and its mode of action are much less clarified. Here, we show that overexpression of yeast AMID homologue internal NADH dehydrogenase (NDI1), but not external NADH dehydrogenase (NDE1), can cause apoptosislike cell death, and this effect can be repressed by increased respiration on glucose-limited media. This result indicates that the regulatory network of energy metabolism, in particular the cross-talk between mitochondria and the rest of the cell, is involved in Ndi1p-induced yeast cell apoptosis. The apoptotic effect of NDI1 overexpression is associated with increased production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in mitochondria. In addition, NDI1 overexpression in sod2 background causes cell lethality in both fermentable and semifermentable media. Interruption of certain components in the electron transport chain can suppress the growth inhibition from Ndi1p overexpression. We finally show that disruption of NDI1 or NDE1 decreases ROS production and elongates the chronological life span of yeast, accompanied by the loss of survival fitness. Implication of these findings for Ndi1p-induced apoptosis is discussed.
Cultural Impact on SAD: Social Anxiety Disorder among Ethiopian and Former Soviet Union Immigrants to Israel, in Comparison to Native-born Israelis.

BACKGROUND Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD) is linked to social norms and role expectations which are culture dependent, such as the construal of one's self as independent or interdependent in relation to others. The current study is the first to examine SAD symptoms among Ethiopian and former Soviet Union immigrants to Israel compared to a sample of native Israelis. We investigated the relationship between SAD, ethnicity and independent/ interdependent self-construals. METHODS A total of 261 students (151 native-born Israelis, 60 Ethiopian immigrants and 50 students from the former USSR) were administrated the Liebowitz Scale (LSAS), the Self-construal Scale (SCS), Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) and a socio-demographic questionnaire. RESULTS Ethiopians exhibited highest SAD scores while no differences were found between the FSU immigrants and native-born Israelis. Additionally, Ethiopians and native-born Israeli students exhibited similar high interdependence scores. Finally, SAD scores were predicted by gender, origin, independent and interdependent self-construals. CONCLUSION Immigration per se is not a universal risk factor of SAD and ethnological-cultural factors do contribute specifically to SAD. A possible psychological mediator between culture and the susceptibility to SAD are the interdependence and independent self-construals. When treating immigrants, clinicians and health care providers are advised to consider the effect of cultural influence on the mental well-being and integration process of immigrants in to their host country.
Evaluation of postoperative antibiotics after non-perforated appendectomy.

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the role of postoperative antibiotics in reducing surgical site infections after appendectomy for non-perforated appendicitis. METHODS The randomised controlled trial was conducted at Khyber Teaching Hospital, Peshawar, Pakistan, from November 11, 2012, to May 30, 2014, and comprised patients of emergency appendectomy for non-perforated appendicitis who were divided into groups A and B. Group A received a single dose of cefuroxime sodium and metronidazole half-an-hour before induction, while Group B received one more dose of the same antibiotics postoperatively. Both groups were followed for 6 weeks. SPSS 20 was used for statistical analysis. RESULTS Of the 390 patients in the study, 192(49.2%) were in Group A and 198(50.7%) in Group B. Number of surgical site infections was 15(7.8%) in Group A and 18(9.1%) in Group B (p=0.65). Mean hospital stay of 3.32±0.4 days and 3.59±0.46 days was observed for Group A and B, respectively, (p<0.001). CONCLUSIONS A single pre-operative dose of cefuroxime and metronidazole had the same efficacy in preventing surgical site infections in cases of non-perforated appendicitis as when the same regimen was repeated post-operatively.
The Specificities of Four Yeast Dihydrouridine Synthases for Cytoplasmic tRNAs*[boxs]

Dihydrouridine is a highly abundant modified nucleoside found widely in tRNAs of eubacteria, eukaryotes, and some archaea. In cytoplasmic tRNA of Saccharomyces cerevisiae, dihydrouridine occurs exclusively at positions 16, 17, 20, 20A, 20B, and 47. Here we show that the known dihydrouridine synthases Dus1p and Dus2p and two previously uncharacterized homologs, Dus3p (encoded by YLR401c) and Dus4p (YLR405w), are required for all of the dihydrouridine modification of cytoplasmic tRNAs in S. cerevisiae. We have mapped the in vivo position specificity of the four Dus proteins, by three complementary approaches: determination of the molar ratio of dihydrouridine in purified tRNAs from different dus mutants; microarray analysis of a large number of tRNAs based on differential hybridization of uridineand dihydrouridine-containing tRNAs to the complementary oligonucleotides; and the development and use of a novel dihydrouridine mapping technique, employing primer extension. We show that each of the four Dus proteins has a distinct position specificity: Dus1p for U16 and U17, Dus2p for U20, Dus3p for U47, and Dus4p for U20a and U20b.
Efficacy and safety of a biodegradable polymer Cobalt‐Chromium sirolimus‐eluting stent (EXCEL2) in treating de novo coronary artery disease: A pooled analysis of the CREDIT II and CREDIT III trials

Background: The safety and efficacy of the second‐generation biodegradable polymer Cobalt‐Chromium sirolimus‐eluting stent (EXCEL2) in daily clinical practice remains unknown. Additionally, to meet the China Food and Drug Administration requirements, we conducted an objective performance criterion study from the CREDIT II and CREDIT III trials.
Perioperative Pain, Psychological Distress, and Immune Function in Men Undergoing Prostatectomy for Cancer of the Prostate

Prostate cancer is a leading malignancy in men, and prostatectomy is widely used for its treatment. Psychological distress and pain are commonly experienced in the perioperative period, and both can contribute to suppression of the immune response to cancer. This study evaluated perioperative pain, psychological distress, and immune function in men undergoing prostatectomy. Men were evaluated prior to surgery, 1 and 2 days postoperatively and 4—6 weeks postoperatively. Compared to cancer-free men, the prostatectomy group reported increased perceived stress, depression, confusion, and anxiety prior to surgery. During the 2 postoperative days, mood disturbance and anxiety persisted and were accompanied by mild elevations in pain and reduced vigor. At 4—6 weeks postoperative, mood, pain, and immune function were similar to those of the cancer-free group; however, the prostatectomy group continued to report significant elevations in anxiety. Natural killer cell activity (NKCA) was significantly reduced on Day 1 after prostatectomy, but by postoperative Day 2, NKCA returned to a level similar to that of the cancer-free group. The reduction in NKCA was not accompanied by changes in circulating immune cells, demonstrating that this reduction represented a functional change in NKCA. No correlations between immune variables and pain or psychological variables were found, suggesting that the postoperative reduction in NKCA was likely the result of the physical stress of the surgical experience. Suppression of immune defenses during the critical postoperative period can place cancer patients at risk for nascent tumor seeding. Additional interventions are needed to reduce this risk.
Expression of the simian epstein‐barr virus‐encoded latent membrane protein‐1 in malignant lymphomas of SIV‐infected rhesus macaques

During the course of simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) infection, nearly 15% of rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta) and up to 40% of cynomolgus macaques (Macaca fascicularis) developed SIV‐associated non‐Hodgkin's lymphomas. Most of these malignant lymphomas harbored lymphocryptoviruses, which are closely related to the human Epstein‐Barr virus (EBV; Herpesvirus M. mulatta and Herpesvirus M. fascicularis). To characterize the oncogenic role of simian EBV infection for lymphomagenesis during SIV infection, expression of the EBV‐encoded latent membrane protein‐1 (LMP‐1) was analyzed in malignant lymphomas of SIV‐infected rhesus macaques. Nine seropositive rhesus macaques suffering from B‐cell lymphomas during the late phase of SIV infection were euthanized. Latency stages of EBV infection within malignant lymphomas and simian EBV‐infected lymphoblastoid cell lines (LCL8664, H50) were characterized by analyzing expression of the EBV‐encoded nuclear antigens EBNA‐1, EBNA‐2, and small RNAs EBER1/2. In parallel, the presence of viral LMP‐1 transcripts was assessed by reverse transcription‐polymerase chain reaction (RT‐PCR) and in situ hybridization. Results were compared with findings in AIDS‐associated malignant lymphomas in two patients infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)‐1. Rhesus macaques developed high‐grade B‐cell lymphomas of the centroblastic (five of nine), immunoblastic (two of nine), centroblastic‐centrocytic (one of nine), and Burkitt‐like (one of nine) subtypes within 18–29 months postinfection with SIVmac251/32H. The presence of Herpesvirus M. mulatta was detected in eight of nine cases. Transcription of the viral oncogene LMP‐1 could be demonstrated within the simian EBV‐infected cell lines as well as in four of nine SIV‐associated malignant lymphomas. These four cases and both of the HIV‐1–related non‐Hodgkin's lymphomas expressed the full spectrum of latent EBV gene products (LMP‐1, EBER1/2, EBNA‐1, EBNA‐2) and were thus classified as latency type III stages of EBV infection. Simian EBV infection was demonstrated in 90% of lymphomas in SIV‐infected rhesus macaques. Analysis of LMP‐1 expression suggests an important role for this viral oncogene in the pathogenesis of both SIV and HIV‐1–associated malignant lymphomas. J. Med. Virol. 65:114–120, 2001. © 2001 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.