Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The Impact of Cataract Surgery on Health Related Quality of Life in Kenya, the Philippines, and Bangladesh

Purpose: To assess the impact of cataract surgery on vision related quality of life (VRQoL) and generic health related quality of life (HRQoL) in Kenya, Bangladesh and the Philippines. Methods: A multi-center intervention study was conducted. At baseline 651 cases aged ≥50 years with visually impairing cataract (corrected visual acuity (VA) <6/24) and 561 age- gender-matched controls with normal vision (VA>6/18) were interviewed about VRQoL (using the World Health Organization/ Prevention of Blindness and Deafness 20-item Visual Functioning Questionnaire [WHO/PBD VF20]) and generic HRQoL (EuroQol). Cases were offered free/subsidized cataract surgery. Approximately 1 year later participants were re-interviewed. Results: Response rate at follow up was 84% for operated cases and 80% for controls. At baseline, cases had significantly poorer VRQoL scores, were more likely to report problems with the EuroQol 5D five descriptive (EQ−SD) domains (mobility, daily activities, self-care, pain, depression/anxiety) and had significantly poorer self-rated health compared to controls. At follow up VRQoL scores of operated cases improved significantly to approximately equal those of controls. Effect sizes were large (> 0.8) regardless of pre-operative VA. Poor outcome from surgery (VA < 6/60) was associated with smaller VRQoL gains. Among operated cases frequency of reported problems with all the EQ-5D reduced significantly compared to baseline in Kenya and the Philippines, and in mobility, daily activities and self-care in Bangladesh. Self-rated health scores increased significantly in each country. HRQoL of controls remained stable from baseline to follow up. Conclusion: This study among adults undergoing cataract surgery in 3 different low-income settings found evidence of improved VRQoL and generic HRQoL to approximately equal that of controls with normal vision.
How Seed Size and Wate r Stress Effect the Seed Germination and Seedling Growth in Wheat Varieties

Water stress has adverse impacts on crop growth, yield and quality parameters thus, considered among serious constraints to agriculture production. Under depleting natural resources, environmental fluctuation and increased risk of epidemic outbreak, the task of sufficient wheat production has become a serious problem. In this study, effect of seed size and water stress was analyzed in three wheat varieties (PBW-154, UP-2338, and UP-2425). Three seed size classes (large, medium, small) of each wheat variety were kept under four water stress levels. It was observed that the shoot length and root length were highly sensitive to water stress and showed minimum growth at highest water stress level. The comparison of varieties, seed size classes and water stress levels showed that in terms of seedling growth variety UP-2338 was more resistant to water stress as compared to other varieties, whereas in terms of germination variety PBW-154 was more resistant. Variety UP-2425 showed maximum reduction in seed germination with increasing water stress (33.3% at -15 bar stress level). Among seed size, large sized seeds showed highest seed germination (91.9%) followed by medium (89.7%) and small (82.8%) sized seeds.
Physician-assisted suicide and euthanasia in Washington State. Patient requests and physician responses.

OBJECTIVES To estimate how often physicians receive requests for physician-assisted suicide and euthanasia and to describe a case series of patient requests for physician-assisted suicide and euthanasia, including physician responses to these requests. DESIGN A mailed, anonymous two-part questionnaire. PARTICIPANTS A total of 828 physicians returned questionnaires sent to 1453 potential respondents, for a response rate of 57%. Questionnaires were mailed to random sample (25%) of primary care physicians and all physicians in selected medical subspecialties in Washington State. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES The frequency of explicit patient requests for physician-assisted suicide and euthanasia reported by physicians and individual case descriptions of patient characteristics, physician perceptions of patient concerns, and physician responses to patient requests. RESULTS In the past year, 12% of responding physicians received one or more explicit requests for physician-assisted suicide, and 4% received one or more requests for euthanasia. These physicians provided 207 cases descriptions. The diagnoses most often associated with requests were cancer, neurological disease, and the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). The patient concerns most often perceived by physicians were worries about loss of control, being a burden, being dependent on others for personal care, and loss of dignity. Physicians provided assistance more often to patients with physical symptoms. Physicians infrequently sought advice from colleagues. Of 156 patients who requested physician-assisted suicide, 38 (24%) received prescriptions, and 21 of these died as a result. Of 58 patients who requested euthanasia, 14 (24%) received parenteral medication and died. CONCLUSIONS Patient request for physician-assisted suicide and euthanasia are not rare. As perceived by physicians, the most common patient concerns at the time these requests are made are nonphysical. Physicians occasionally provide these practices, even though they are currently illegal in Washington State. Physicians do not consult colleagues often about these requests. These findings raise the question of how to ensure quality in the evaluation of patient requests for physician-assisted death.
Robust approximation and identification in H∞

Robust approximation and identification of stable shiftinvariant systems is studied in the H∞ sense using a stable perturbation set-up. Issues of model set selection tion are addressed using the n-width concept: a concrete result establishes a priori knowledge for which a certain rational model set is optimal in the n-width sense. A general construction of interest to identification theory using ϵ-nets provides near-optimal identification methods tuned to the a priori knowledge about the system. A notion of robust convergence is defined so that any untuned identification method satisfying it has a generic well-posedness property for systems in the disk algebra. The existence of robustly convergent identification methods based on any complete model set in the disk algebra is established. It is also shown that the classical Fejér and de la Vallée-Poussin polynomial approximation operators provide robustly convergent identification methods. Furthermore, a result is given for optimal Hankel norm model reduction from experimentally obtained models.
beta-Glucuronidase activities of intestinal bacteria determined both in vitro and in vivo in gnotobiotic rats

The beta-glucuronidase activities of bacterial strains isolated from the rat intestinal tract were studied both in vitro in culture media and in vivo in the intestinal contents of gnotobiotic rats. Only 50 of 407 strains tested were found to be positive in vitro. They belonged to the three genera Clostridium, Peptostreptococcus, and Staphylococcus. The in vitro-negative strains were also negative in vivo. The beta-glucuronidase activities of the beta-glucuronidase activities of the positive strains were generally greater in vivo than in vitro. The highest in vivo activities were found in the intact bacterial cells and in the soluble fractions prepared from disrupted pellets. There was a discrepancy between the activities obtained from both conventional and gnotobiotic rats harboring selected positive strains, suggesting that the main beta-glucuronidase-positive strains have not yet been isolated from the intestines of conventional rats.
Seeing is as Good as Doing

Given the privileged status claimed for active learning in a variety of domains (visuomotor learning, causal induction, problem solving, education, skill learning), the present study examines whether action-based learning is a necessary, or a suffi cient, means of acquir- ing the relevant skills needed to perform a task typically described as requiring active learning. To achieve this, the present study compares the effects of action-based and observation-based learning when controlling a complex dynamic task environment (N = 96). Both action- and observation-based individuals learn either by describing the changes in the environment in the form of a conditional statement, or not. The study reveals that for both active and observational learners, advantages in performance (p < .05), accuracy in knowledge of the task (p < .05), and self-insight (p < .05) are found when learning is based on inducing rules from the task environment. Moreover, the study provides evidence suggesting that, given task instructions that encourage rule-based knowledge, both ac- tive and observation-based learning can lead to high levels of problem solving skills in a complex dynamic environment.
Rapamycin Inhibits Anal Carcinogenesis in Two Preclinical Animal Models

The incidence of anal cancer is increasing especially among HIV-infected persons in the HAART era. Treatment of this cancer is based upon traditional chemoradiotherapeutic approaches, which are associated with high morbidity and of limited effectiveness for patients with high-grade disease. The mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) pathway has been implicated in several human cancers, and is being investigated as a potential therapeutic target. In archival human anal cancers, we observed mTOR pathway activation. To assess response of anal cancer to mTOR inhibition, we utilized two newly developed mouse models, one in which anal cancers are induced to arise in HPV16 transgenic mice and the second a human anal cancer xenograft model. Using the transgenic mouse model, we assessed the preventative effect of rapamycin on neoplastic disease. We saw significant changes in the overall incidence of tumors, and tumor growth rate was also reduced. Using both the transgenic mouse and human anal xenograft mouse models, we studied the therapeutic effect of rapamycin on preexisting anal cancer. Rapamycin was found to significantly slow, if not stop, the growth of both mouse and human anal cancers. As has been seen in other cancers, rapamycin treatment led to an activation of the MAPK pathway. These results provide us cause to pursue further the evaluation of rapamycin as a therapeutic agent in the control of anal cancer. Cancer Prev Res; 3(12); 1542–51. ©2010 AACR.
A Survey of Malocclusion and the Need for Orthodontic Treatment in a Shropshire School Population

Occlusal features and the need for orthodontic treatment are difficult to assess objectively. Methods of assessment which have been devised for public health purposes are different from those which are needed for clinical purposes. A study was carried out on 1000 children, aged 11 to 12 years, to assess certain occlusal features and the need for orthodontic treatment in clinical terms, and to determine which occlusal features brought about the need for treatment. The criteria for assessment are defined. The population was found to have a high prevalence of dental arch crowding and of Class 2 dental arch relationship. The features were each present in more than half the population. Other findings regarding occlusal features are outlined. There was little difference between the sexes for the occlusal and aetiological features studied. No orthodontic treatment was found to be necessary in 40·1 per cent of the population. Treatment by planned extraction of teeth only was necessary in 22·0 per cent, and active tooth movement with appliances, either with or without extraction of teeth, in 37·9 per cent. Crowding of the dentition and Class 2 dental arch relationship were found to be the main cause of the need for orthodontic treatment. In this population, more than 50 per cent of the necessary appliance treatment would be involved in treating Class 2 Division 1 occlusion. There were no significant differences between the sexes in the need for orthodontic treatment.
A new paradigm for developmental biology

SUMMARY It is usually thought that the development of complex organisms is controlled by protein regulatory factors and morphogenetic signals exchanged between cells and differentiating tissues during ontogeny. However, it is now evident that the majority of all animal genomes is transcribed, apparently in a developmentally regulated manner, suggesting that these genomes largely encode RNA machines and that there may be a vast hidden layer of RNA regulatory transactions in the background. I propose that the epigenetic trajectories of differentiation and development are primarily programmed by feed-forward RNA regulatory networks and that most of the information required for multicellular development is embedded in these networks, with cell–cell signalling required to provide important positional information and to correct stochastic errors in the endogenous RNA-directed program.
Capital accumulation, asset values and imperfect product market competition

We study the dynamics of an oligopolistic industry in which N firms produce a homogenous product and strategically invest in physical capital. Firms play a Markov game for which we derive equilibrium investment strategies. Since we assume nonlinear demand and cost structures, analytical results can only be found for a special case of our model. General insights into equilibrium investment strategies are derived through a numerical solution procedure. Using a projection method, we compute investment policy functions for different adjustment costs associated with capacity expansion. Equilibrium strategies are characterized by two distinct effects. First, there is a deterrence effect, i.e. firms decrease their investment levels with an increase in the rivals' capital stocks. Second, there is a preemptive role of capital. Firms overinvest and build up a large stock of capacity to deter the rival from expanding.
Hydrodynamic effects on BHK cells grown as suspended natural aggregates

Baby hamster kidney (BHK) cell aggregates grown in stirred vessels with different working volumes and impeller sizes were characterized. Using batch cultures, the range of agitation rates studied (25–100 rpm) led to aggregates with maximum sizes of 150 μm. Necrotic centers were not observed and cell specific productivity was independent of aggregate size. High cell viability was found for both single and adherent cells without an increase in cell death when agitation rate was increased. The increase in agitation rate affected aggregates by reducing their size and increasing their concentration and cell concentration in aggregates, while increasing the fraction of free cells in suspension. The experimental relationship between aggregate size and power dissipation rate per unit of mass was close to −1/4, suggesting a correlation with a critical turbulence microscale; this was independent of vessel scale and impeller geometry over the range investigated. Viscous stresses in the viscous dissipation subrange (below Kolmogoroff eddies) appear to be responsible for aggregate breakage. Under intense agitation BHK cells grown in the absence of microcarriers existed as aggregates without cell damage, whereas cells grown on the surface of microcarriers were largely reduced. This is a clear advantage for scaleup purposes if aggregates are used as a natural immobilization system in stirred vessels. © 1995 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Evaluation of the relationship between score results of APACHE-IV scoring system and mortality rate of patients admitted to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of the burn section

Introduction: The study aimed to evaluate APACHE-IV scoring system and functionality of this system in prognostic evaluation of burn patients admitted to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of the burn section of Shahid Motahari Hospital in Tehran. Methods: First the scores for APACHE-IV scoring system have been calculated on specific software on the first day of admission of patients who have been hospitalized to the ICU for burns of Shahid Motahari hospital; other clinical information of the patient such as level of burn (TBSA%), depth or degree of burns, causes of burns, the location of anatomical condition of burns, presence or absence of airway burns and underlying disease have been recorded in specific form and scoring results for APACHE-IV scoring system have been compared with actual values of mortality. Results: 210 patients have been studied. The average age of male patients was 39.9 ± 15.9 years and the average age of female patients was 39 ± 16.4 years. The average age of deceased patients was 37.9 ± 18.8 versus 39 ± 16.4 years (mean age of the survived patients). Comparing Average score of APACHE-IV in died and survived patients strongly have been reported to be statistically significant. Also studying the relationship of obtained scores from APACHE-IV scoring system in most of the studied variables showed that this correlation have been strongly significant in younger than 50 years old groups. Conclusion: It can be concluded that APACHE-IV scoring system can be used as a risk evaluation method in burn patients; however, for obtaining the best results and extraction of clinically reliable scores, effective criteria associated with burns, especially the area of burns and burns of airway with calculating value and influence of each of these criteria should be considered in the mortality of patients.
Optical-field-ionized plasma x-ray lasers.

A tabletop x-ray laser scheme involving lasing to the ground state of an ion following optical-field-induced ionization by a high-intensity short-pulse laser is studied. The role of the ground state in reducing the saturation intensity is calculated to be larger for H-like ions as compared with the effect in Li-like ions. Energy efficiencies of order 10{sup {minus}5} are calculated for the 3{ital d}{sub 5/2-}2{ital p}{sub 3/2} transition at 98 A in Li-like Ne. The efficiency calculations are based on a driving laser with an intensity of 3{times}10{sup 17} W/cm{sup 2}, a wavelength of 0.25 {mu}m, a pulse duration of 100 fsec, and an input energy of 25--100 mJ. A correction to the standard stimulated Raman scattering growth rate is given for a finite laser pulse. Use of short pulses is shown to be sufficient to control heating from stimulated Raman scattering in Li-like Ne. Extending the scheme to shorter wavelengths (e.g., Li-like Al at 52 A) is difficult because of reduced efficiencies and excessive electron heating from Raman scattering.
GH and Cortisol Response to Glucagon Administration in Short Children

Objective: To establish whether there is a link between GH status and glucose response to glucagon and to identify determinants of maximum GH and cortisol concentrations. Methods: 95 children referred for assessment of short stature, slow growth or suspected hypothalamo-pituitary dysfunction were assigned to normal, organic GH-deficient or non-organic GH-deficient groups on the basis of history, GH response and MRI findings. Results: Baseline glucose and glucose nadir were related to age in normal children, but the glucose response to glucagon was not linked to GH status. Peak GH response was positively related to age in prepubertal children and peak cortisol was inversely related to age. Conclusions: GH status is not a major determinant of the glucose response to glucagon. There is a relationship between age and the GH/cortisol response in short normal children.
Self and Nation: A Comparison of Americans' Beliefs Before and After 9/11

This study compared the responses of Americans surveyed before (N = 198) and after (N = 208) the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks in regard to their beliefs about their personal worlds, their American national group, and their perceptions of the American national group's shared beliefs about itself. Examining the five belief domains highlighted by Eidelson and Eidelson (2003)—that is, vulnerability, injustice, distrust, superiority, and helplessness—we found that (a) compared to the pre-9/11 sample, post-9/11 respondents reported stronger group-level beliefs or perceptions about vulnerability, injustice, distrust, and superiority and a weaker group-level belief or perception about helplessness and (b) at the personal world level, post-9/11 respondents scored higher on beliefs about vulnerability and lower on beliefs about injustice and distrust than their pre-9/11 counterparts.
Metabolic consequences of functional complexes of mitochondria, myofibrils and sarcoplasmic reticulum in muscle cells

SUMMARY Regulation of mitochondrial respiration both by endogenous and exogenous ADP in the cells in situ was studied in isolated and permeabilized cardiomyocytes, permeabilized cardiac fibers and `ghost' fibers (all with a diameter of 10–20 μm) at different (0–3 μmoll-1) free Ca2+ concentrations in the medium. In all these preparations, the apparent Km of mitochondrial respiration for exogenous ADP at free Ca2+ concentrations of 0–0. 1μ moll-1 was very high, in the range of 250–350μ moll-1, in contrast to isolated mitochondria in vitro (apparent Km for ADP is approximately 20μ moll-1). An increase in the free Ca2+ concentration (up to 3 μmoll-1, which is within physiological range), resulted in a very significant decrease of the apparent Km value to 20–30 μmoll-1, a decrease of Vmax of respiration in permeabilized intact fibers and a strong contraction of sarcomeres. In ghost cardiac fibers, from which myosin was extracted but mitochondria were intact, neither the high apparent Km for ADP (300–350 μmoll-1) nor Vmax of respiration changed in the range of free Ca2+ concentration studied, and no sarcomere contraction was observed. The exogenous-ADP-trapping system (pyruvate kinase + phosphoenolpyruvate) inhibited endogenous-ADP-supported respiration in permeabilized cells by no more than 40%, and this inhibition was reversed by creatine due to activation of mitochondrial creatine kinase. These results are taken to show strong structural associations (functional complexes) among mitochondria, sarcomeres and sarcoplasmic reticulum. Inside these complexes, mitochondrial functional state is controlled by channeling of ADP, mostly via energy- and phosphoryl-transfer networks, and apparently depends on the state of sarcomere structures.
Low 25(OH)D3 levels are associated with total adiposity, metabolic syndrome, and hypertension in Caucasian children and adolescents.

OBJECTIVES Evidence of the association between vitamin D and cardiovascular risk factors in the young is limited. We therefore assessed the relationships between circulating 25-hydroxyvitamin D(3) (25(OH)D(3)) and metabolic syndrome (MetS), its components, and early atherosclerotic changes in 452 (304 overweight/obese and 148 healthy, normal weight) Caucasian children. METHODS We determined serum 25(OH)D(3) concentrations in relation to MetS, its components (central obesity, hypertension, low high-density lipoprotein (HDL)-cholesterol, hypertriglyceridemia, glucose impairment, and/or insulin resistance (IR)), and impairment of flow-mediated vasodilatation (FMD) and increased carotid intima-media thickness (cIMT) - two markers of subclinical atherosclerosis. RESULTS Higher 25(OH)D(3) was significantly associated with a reduced presence of MetS. Obesity, central obesity, hypertension, hypertriglyceridemia, low HDL-cholesterol, IR, and MetS were all associated with increased odds of having low 25(OH)D(3) levels, after adjustment for age, sex, and Tanner stage. After additional adjustment for SDS-body mass index, elevated blood pressure (BP) and MetS remained significantly associated with low vitamin D status. The adjusted odds ratio (95% confidence interval) for those in the lowest (<17 ng/ml) compared with the highest tertile (>27 ng/ml) of 25(OH)D(3) for hypertension was 1.72 (1.02-2.92), and for MetS, it was 2.30 (1.20-4.40). A similar pattern of association between 25(OH)D(3), high BP, and MetS was observed when models were adjusted for waist circumference. No correlation was found between 25(OH)D(3) concentrations and either FMD or cIMT. CONCLUSIONS Low 25(OH)D(3) levels in Caucasian children are inversely related to total adiposity, MetS, and hypertension.