Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Excess mortality among blacks and whites in the United States.

BACKGROUND Although the general relations between race, socioeconomic status, and mortality in the United States are well known, specific patterns of excess mortality are not well understood. METHODS Using standard demographic techniques, we analyzed death certificates and census data and made sex-specific population-level estimates of the 1990 death rates for people 15 to 64 years of age. We studied mortality among blacks in selected areas of New York City, Detroit, Los Angeles, and Alabama (in one area of persistent poverty and one higher-income area each) and among whites in areas of New York City, metropolitan Detroit, Kentucky, and Alabama (one area of poverty and one higher-income area each). Sixteen areas were studied in all. RESULTS When they were compared with the nationwide age-standardized annual death rate for whites, the death rates for both sexes in each of the poverty areas were excessive, especially among blacks (standardized mortality ratios for men and women in Harlem, 4.11 and 3.38; in Watts, 2.92 and 2.60; in central Detroit, 2.79 and 2.58; and in the Black Belt area of Alabama, 1.81 and 1.89). Boys in Harlem who reached the age of 15 had a 37 percent chance of surviving to the age of 65; for girls, the likelihood was 65 percent. Of the higher-income black areas studied, Queens--Bronx had the income level most similar to that of whites and the lowest standardized mortality ratio (men, 1.18; women, 1.08). Of the areas where poor whites were studied, Detroit had the highest standardized mortality ratios (men, 2.01; women, 1.90). On the Lower East Side of Manhattan, in Appalachia, and in Northeast Alabama, the ratios for whites were below the national average for blacks (men, 1.90; women, 1.95). CONCLUSIONS Although differences in mortality rates before the age of 65 between advantaged and disadvantaged groups in the United States are sometimes vast, there are important differences among impoverished communities in patterns of excess mortality.
User-perceived performance of Web-browsing and interactive data in HFC cable access networks

Using analysis and simulation, we study the performance of Web-browsing and interactive data applications as perceived by the users of shared packet access networks. We use end-to-end page delays to characterise the user experience, and introduce a measure called equivalent circuit rate (ECR). The ECR for a user of a shared packet access network is the dedicated access circuit bit rate required to achieve the same user experience. Our analysis uses a simple closed queueing network model. The theoretical results agree well with simulations of TCP-based Web browsing workloads sharing an HFC cable data channel. We show that the mean page delay, ECR, and the number of users that can be supported are described using simple parameters that scale very well for different user and network rates. Our work also provides an effective comparison of shared and dedicated access at the application level.
Measurement of Microbial Cells by Optical Density

“Microbiology Topics” discusses various topics in microbiology of practical use in validation and compliance. We intend this column to be a useful resource for daily work applications. Reader comments, questions, and suggestions are needed to help us fulfill our objective for this column. Please send your comments and suggestions to column coordinator Scott Sutton at scott. sutton@microbiol.org or journal coordinating editor Susan Haigney at shaigney@advanstar.com.
Variability in Risk-Adjusted Sepsis Mortality: How Much Is Too Much?

1530 www.ccmjournal. org July 2015 • Volume 43 • Number 7 Thomas L. Higgins, MD, MBA, MCCM Baystate Medical Center Medicine Springfield, MA; and Tufts University School of Medicine Boston, MA Variability in Risk-Adjusted Sepsis Mortality: How Much Is Too Much? * 10. Elrod JW, Calvert JW, Morrison J, et al: Hydrogen sulfide attenuates myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury by preservation of mitochondrial function. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2007; 104:15560–15565 11. Snijder PM, de Boer RA, Bos EM, et al: Gaseous hydrogen sulfide protects against myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury in mice partially independent from hypometabolism. PLoS One 2013; 8:e63291 12. Halliwell B: The antioxidant paradox. Lancet 2000; 355:1179–1180 13. Stoppe C, Schälte G, Rossaint R, et al: The intraoperative decrease of selenium is associated with the postoperative development of multiorgan dysfunction in cardiac surgical patients. Crit Care Med 2011; 39:1879–1885 14. Alhazzani W, Jacobi J, Sindi A, et al: The effect of selenium therapy on mortality in patients with sepsis syndrome: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Crit Care Med 2013; 41:1555–1564 15. Sakr Y, Maia VP, Santos C, et al: Adjuvant selenium supplementation in the form of sodium selenite in postoperative critically ill patients with severe sepsis. Crit Care 2014; 18:R68 16. Berger MM, Chioléro RL: Antioxidant supplementation in sepsis and systemic inflammatory response syndrome. Crit Care Med 2007; 35:S584–S590 17. Forceville X: The effect of selenium therapy on mortality in patients with sepsis syndrome: simple selenium supplementation or real (5 H2O)·Na2SeO3 pharmacological effect? *. Crit Care Med 2013; 41:1591–1592 18. Radermacher P, Haouzi P: A mouse is not a rat is not a man: species-specific metabolic responses to sepsis – a nail in the coffin of murine models for critical care research? Intensive Care Med Exp 2013; 1:7 19. Baumgart K, Wagner F, Gröger M, et al: Cardiac and metabolic effects of hypothermia and inhaled hydrogen sulfide in anesthetized and ventilated mice. Crit Care Med 2010; 38:588–595 20. Petrosillo G, Di Venosa N, Moro N, et al: In vivo hyperoxic preconditioning protects against rat-heart ischemia/reperfusion injury by inhibiting mitochondrial permeability transition pore opening and cytochrome c release. Free Radic Biol Med 2011; 50:477–483
The Presence of Salt and a Curing Agent Reduces Bacteriocin Production by Lactobacillus sakei CTC 494, a Potential Starter Culture for Sausage Fermentation

ABSTRACT The specific conditions in the batter of raw fermented sausages may reduce the efficiency of bacteriocin-producing starter cultures. In this work, using in vitro fermentation, we found that sodium chloride and sodium nitrite interfere with the growth ofLactobacillus sakei CTC 494, an organism which produces the antilisterial bacteriocin sakacin K. Because sakacin K production follows primary metabolite kinetics, a decrease in cell formation resulted in a decrease in sakacin K production as well. Sodium chloride dramatically influenced bacteriocin production by decreasing both biomass production and specific bacteriocin production. Sodium nitrite, however, had no effect on specific bacteriocin production and decreased bacteriocin production only because of its effect on cell growth. Moreover, sodium nitrite enhanced the toxic effect of lactic acid on bacterial growth.
Drivers of soil fungal communities in boreal forests

Boreal forests harbour diverse fungal communities with decisive roles in decomposition and plant nutrition. Difficulties in studying soil fungi have limited knowledge about how fungal communities are shaped. The objective of this thesis was to study factors influencing soil fungal communities, aiming for increased understanding of their effect on environmental processes. Using next generation sequencing, responses of fungal communities to their physical-chemical environment, and responses of ectomycorrhizal (ECM) fungi to logging, were investigated. In a trenching experiment, this technology, combined with measurements of decomposition and vertical nitrogen distribution, enabled evaluation of direct and indirect involvement of ECM fungi in humus decomposition. Fungal community composition was found to be significantly related to soil fertility, with ascomycetes dominating in less fertile forests, whereas basidiomycetes increased under more fertile conditions. ECM fungi were found to more or less disappear with complete clear-cutting and reestablishment of ECM diversity took several decades. However, a clear positive relationship between the amount of retention trees and ECM fungal species richness and abundance was found. By excluding ECM fungi, nitrogen limitation of saprotrophic fungi was released, increasing litter decomposition rates. However, this effect was overshadowed by an almost complete loss of oxidative enzyme activities in deeper humus layers, associated with removal of ECM fungi by trenching. Our results indicate ECM fungi to be the principal decomposers of boreal forest humus layers. This, together with the predictability of soil fungal communities, reinforces the importance and ability of integrating rhizosphere microorganisms, in particular ECM fungi, in forest ecosystem models.
A Molecular Approach to Apoptosis in the Human Heart During Brain Death

Background. Brain death induces changes in tissues and organs destined for transplant at the cell, molecular, and endocrine level including cell death through apoptosis. This study was designed to examine apoptotic damage in cardiac tissue obtained from brain dead donors. Methods. Fifty tissue specimens from the left ventricles of individual donors were processed to evaluate changes in the expression levels of five genes involved in apoptosis (BAX, BCL2, CASPASE 3, CYTOCHROME C, and FAS) using the real time-polymerase chain reaction technique. Expression levels were quantified by the relative standard method and results normalized to the levels recorded for the endogenous control peptidylprolyl isomerase A. The HIF1 gene was also determined to check for the possibility of hypoxic damage. Control ventricular tissue specimens were obtained from patients undergoing mitral valve replacement. Results. Using a mixed linear model it was determined that the sample type (donor vs. control patient) significantly affected (P 0.0001) expression levels of the genes examined reflected by their Ct values. Three of the genes (BAX, CASPASE 3, and FAS) showed significantly higher (Student’s t test, P 0.05) expression levels (4.89-, 7.85-, and 12.14-fold endogenous control values, respectively) in donors compared with control patients (2.31-, 2.64-, and 3.57-fold endogenous control values, respectively) indicating the activation of apoptosis during brain death. Conclusion. Our findings suggest the possibility of using antiapoptosis agents to prevent cardiac injury and improve posttransplant behavior.
All Our Children Learning

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Treatment of Comminuted Talar Neck Fractures With Use of Minifragment Plating

Objectives: To assess the healing and radiographic outcomes of displaced and comminuted talar neck fractures treated with medial position screws augmented with lateral minifragment plate fixation. Design: Retrospective case series. Setting: Two level I trauma centers. Patients: The records of 26 patients with displaced and comminuted talar neck fractures who underwent open reduction and internal fixation with medial-sided position screws augmented with lateral minifragment plates. Intervention: Surgery consisted of medial and lateral approaches to the talus, fixation with a laterally placed minifragment plate, and screw construct augmenting sagittal-plane-oriented, medial-sided position screws. Main Outcome Measurements: The incidences of nonunion, malunion, avascular necrosis, post-traumatic arthritis, and symptomatic implants. Results: Nonunion occurred in 3/26 (11.5%) displaced and comminuted talar neck fractures. There were no instances of malunion. Avascular necrosis developed in 7/26 (27%) cases. Post-traumatic arthritis was the most common complication affecting 10/26 (38%) tali. The subtalar joint was most commonly affected. There were no instances of hardware removal due to symptomatic medial impingement. Conclusions: Lateral minifragment plate fixation augmenting medially placed sagittal plane position screws provides a length stable construct that prevents talar neck shortening and malunion. Medial position screws can help avoid secondary surgeries for removal of symptomatic implants due to medial impingement as is common with medially based minifragment plates. This fixation strategy should be considered in the setting of displaced and comminuted talar neck fractures. Level of Evidence: Therapeutic Level IV. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.
Does governance make a difference to corporate performance in the financial crisis? UK Evidence

This paper examines the effectiveness of internal corporate governance mechanisms for improving the performance of financial firms in the UK. Using Generalised Methods of Moments (GMM) estimates that control for dynamic endogeneity, this study shows that firm performance as measured by Total Shareholder Returns (TSR) and Return on Equity (ROE) is negatively associated with the level of non-compliance with the UK Corporate Governance Code. The study also finds that having a higher number of internal controls is most effective monitoring mechanism and is positively associated with firm performance. However, against our expectations, board independence represented by the number of non-executive directs (NEDs) is the least effective monitoring mechanism and is negatively associated with the performance of firms. The study also shows that directors’ share ownership is an effective incentive mechanism for aligning their interests with shareholders as it is positively associated with firm performance. However, results of the study suggest that directors’ remuneration is negatively associated with performance. Finally, the study provides evidence which indicates that board size impact the performance of firms differently in different time periods. As proposed by agency theory the study provides evidence that shows the positive impact of effective monitoring and incentive alignment for performance. It also provides support for the resource dependence view that directors are a critical resource during difficult economic times.
Benefits of Teaching Medical Students How to Communicate with Patients Having Serious Illness

Innovative approaches are needed to teach medical students effective and compassionate communication with seriously ill patients. We describe two such educational experiences in the Yale Medical School curriculum for third-year medical students: 1) Communicating Difficult News Workshop and 2) Ward-Based End-of-Life Care Assignment. These two programs address educational needs to teach important clinical communication and assessment skills to medical students that previously were not consistently or explicitly addressed in the curriculum. The two learning programs share a number of educational approaches driven by the learning objectives, the students' development, and clinical realities. Common educational features include: experiential learning, the Biopsychosocial Model, patient-centered communication, integration into clinical clerkships, structured skill-based learning, self-reflection, and self-care. These shared features - as well as some differences - are explored in this paper in order to illustrate key issues in designing and implementing medical student education in these areas.
A 5.8‐kDa component of manuka honey stimulates immune cells via TLR4

Honey is used as a therapy to aid wound healing. Previous data indicate that honey can stimulate cytokine production from human monocytes. The present study further examines this phenomenon in manuka honey. As inflammatory cytokine production in innate immune cells is classically mediated by pattern recognition receptors in response to microorganisms, bacterial contamination of honey and the effect of blocking TLR2 and ‐4 on stimulatory activity were assessed. No vegetative bacteria were isolated from honey; however, bacterial spores were cultured from one‐third of samples, and low levels of LPS were detected. Blocking TLR4 but not TLR2 inhibited honey‐stimulated cytokine production significantly. Cytokine production did not correlate with LPS levels in honey and was not inhibited by polymyxin B. Further, the activity was reduced significantly following heat treatment, indicating that component(s) other than LPS are responsible for the stimulatory activity of manuka honey. To identify the component responsible for inducing cytokine production, honey was separated by molecular weight using microcon centrifugal filtration and fractions assessed for stimulatory activity. The active fraction was analyzed by MALDI‐TOF mass spectroscopy, which demonstrated the presence of a number of components of varying molecular weights. Additional fractionation using miniaturized, reverse‐phase solid‐phase extraction resulted in the isolation of a 5.8‐kDa component, which stimulated production of TNF‐α via TLR4. These findings reveal mechanisms and components involved in honey stimulation of cytokine induction and could potentially lead to the development of novel therapeutics to improve wound healing for patients with acute and chronic wounds.
EPIRETINAL MEMBRANES IN NEOVASCULAR AGE-RELATED MACULAR DEGENERATION: Effect on Outcomes of Anti-vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Therapy

Purpose: To iatients with neovascular age-related macular degenernvestigate the role of epiretinal membrane (ERM) on outcomes of anti-vascular endothelial growth factor therapy in pation (nAMD). Methods: This study is a retrospective observational case series and was conducted at the Gazi University School of Medicine, Ankara, Turkey. The reports of the patients with a diagnosis of new-onset nAMD, who were aged at least 50 years and treated with intravitreal anti-vascular endothelial growth factors (ranibizumab or bevacuzimab) between October 2010 and September 2013 in our retina clinic, were reviewed for the vitreomacular interface changes. Results: The study included 90 eyes of 90 patients with nAMD. The mean age of the patients was 70 ± 7.5 years, with 35 (38.9%) being male and 55 (61.1%) being female. According to the examinations with optical coherence tomography and B-mode ultrasonography, 43 patients had “concurrent” vitreomacular adhesion (30 focal, 13 broad; Group 1). Twenty-nine patients had complete posterior vitreous detachment (Group 2) and 18 patients (Group 3) had ERM. The number of injections was highest for the patients with ERM (Group 3), and this difference was statistically significant (P < 0.001). The mean interval between injections and the mean longest interval were shorter in Group 3 (P < 0.05). Conclusion: The presence of ERM in association with nAMD seems to increase the number of anti-vascular endothelial growth factor injections and decrease the injection intervals for the treatment of nAMD. Although the anatomical and functional results are similar in eyes with or without ERM, the increased need for anti-vascular endothelial growth factors may mean that these membranes may decrease the penetration of the drugs through these membranes, which may act as a physical barrier. Additionally, increased inflammation in patients with ERM probably requires more frequent injections.
Neurolinguistic Programming Training, Trait Anxiety, and Locus of Control

Training in the neurolinguistic programming techniques of shifting perceptual position, visual-kinesthetic dissociation, timelines, and change-history, all based on experiential cognitive processing of remembered events, leads to an increased awareness of behavioral contingencies and a more sensitive recognition of environmental cues which could serve to lower trait anxiety and increase the sense of internal control. This study reports on within-person and between-group changes in trait anxiety and locus of control as measured on the Spielberger State-Trait Anxiety Inventory and Wallston, Wallston, and DeVallis' Multiple Health Locus of Control immediately following a 21-day residential training in neurolinguistic programming. Significant within-person decreases in trait-anxiety scores and increases in internal locus of control scores were observed as predicted. Chance and powerful others locus of control scores were unchanged. Significant differences were noted on trait anxiety and locus of control scores between European and U.S. participants, although change scores were similar for the two groups. These findings are consistent with the hypothesis that this training may lower trait-anxiety scores and increase internal locus of control scores. A matched control group was not available, and follow-up was unfortunately not possible.
Performance Analysis of MAC with DCF on CCH and Reservation for Multi-Channel for IEEE 802.11p/1609.4 WAVE Networks

Abstract We propose and analyze a MAC Protocol for multiple service channels (SCHs) based on reservation by distributed coordination function (DCF) on control channel (CCH) for IEEE 802.11p and IEEE 1609.4 wireless access in vehicular environments (WAVE) networks. Specifically each user sends a request for service (RFS) packet to the Road-Side Unit (RSU) on the CCH by DCF method in order to reserve one SCH over which a data file is transmitted at a once. We construct a Markov Chain to find collision probability of RFS packet. We obtain probability of successful delivery and head-of-line (HOL) delay of RFS packet, and service time of data file.
Plankton dynamics in an estuarine plume: a mesocosm 13C and 15N tracer study

Flows of carbon and nitrogen in a natural phytoplankton assemblage from the plume of the Scheldt estuary were followed during and after a light-induced bloom by measuring changes in concentrations and stable isotope ratios in mesocosms after addition of 13C (as bicarbonate or glucose) and 15N (as ammonium or nitrate). Addition of 13C-bicarbonate showed a strong coupling between algal primary production and bacterial secondary production, while addition of 13C-glucose revealed bacteria as a carbon source for eukaryotes. Tracing the 13C into mesozooplankton, we identified selective grazing on algae during the phytoplankton bloom, transfer of carbon from bacteria to mesozooplankton and opportunistic feeding strategies after the bloom. Nitrogen labeling confirmed carbon labeling findings, identified bacteria rather than mesozooplankton as ammonium regenerators and allowed quantification of nitrification.
Peritoneal Fluid Volume and 17β-Estradiol and Progesterone Concentrations in Ovulatory, Anovulatory, and Postmenopausal Women

Data on the volume of peritoneal fluid and the concentrations of estradiol (17β-estradiol) and progesterone during the normal menstrual cycle of 158 women are reported and compared with data obtained from women with anovulatory cycles (N = 16), women using hormonal contraceptives (N = 40), and postmenopausal women (N = 6). During the menstrual cycle, the volume of peritoneal fluid increased significantly after ovulation and remained high for at least 10 days, whereas only small quantities were found in women taking oral contraceptives and in women after menopause. During the follicular phase, estradiol and progesterone concentrations in peritoneal fluid were in the same range as the levels in serum. After ovulation (days 14 to 16), the ratios of the hormonal levels in peritoneal fluid and serum, respectively, were 10 for estradiol and 63 for progesterone. The concentrations of estradiol and progesterone in peritoneal fluid were much higher than in serum for at least 1 week after ovulation. The comparison between the different groups suggests that variations in peritoneal fluid during the menstrual cycle are directly related to cyclic ovarian activity. This particular hormonal environment of the ovocyte in vivo has to be considered in future studies on female infertility that focus on maturation and fertilization in vitro.