Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Evolving Differences in the Presentation of Severe Asthma Requiring Intensive Care Unit Admission

Background: The prevalence of asthma in the community has been increasing. Asthma mortality has not followed the same pattern. Patients who present with a severe asthma exacerbation share many characteristics with patients who die from asthma. Objective: We examined the differences in the presentation of severe asthma in adults admitted to a medical intensive care unit (MICU) over a 10-year interval. Methods: We reviewed the records of the MICU at the Columbia Presbyterian Medical Center for all admissions with severe asthma for the period from January 2000 to December 2001. The data collected included the number of admissions per month, baseline characteristics, initial arterial pH and PCO2, length of ICU stay, and complications. These data were compared with similar data obtained over the period 1990–1991. Results: The number of MICU admissions per month for severe asthma decreased from 3.1 in 1990–1991 to 0.8 in 2000–2001. There was a trend toward a reduction in asthma severity as determined by a decrease in the initial arterial PCO2 from 80 ± 27 to 55 ± 23 mm Hg and an increase in pH from 7.1 ± 0.14 to 7.23 ± 0.14 (0.10 > p > 0.05 for both). There was 1 death from severe hypoxemia and respiratory acidosis in the earlier series and no asthma deaths in the later series. Conclusion: In our institution, there has been a decline in the number of patients with status asthmaticus requiring ICU admission over the past 10 years and a trend towards less advanced presentations with reduced levels of respiratory acidosis and decreased ICU length of stay. These changes may be related to improved medications, education, or access to care in the community.
Hospital computerized provider order entry adoption and quality: An examination of the United States.

BACKGROUND There is increasing national interest in advancing health information technology use in hospitals, but there is little research about the impact on quality in a nationally representative sample. PURPOSES The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between hospital health information technology adoption and quality. Specifically, we examined the relationship between hospital computerized provider order entry (CPOE) and quality. METHODOLOGY We used a retrospective cross-sectional approach with multiple regression to examine the relationship between hospital CPOE adoption and 10 quality measures from the Hospital Quality Alliance. We used control variables and a propensity score approach to control for confounding factors. FINDINGS Hospital CPOE adoption is positively and significantly associated with five of the quality measures. A significant negative relationship exists between hospital CPOE adoption and another quality measure. When we controlled for confounding factors using the propensity score approach, the significant relationships remain. PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS Strategic adoption of health information technology applications in hospitals along with careful and inclusive implementation of such systems is needed for optimal performance. Universal gains in quality are not guaranteed with CPOE adoption.
What Leads to Successful School Choice Programs? A Review of the Theories and Evidence

There is a large body of thorough research showing many positive benefits of school choice. However, many questions remain on how school choice works. Rigorous school choice experiments can only determine if access to school choice programs alters student outcomes; they cannot confidently identify the specific mechanisms that mediate various outcomes. Two commonly theorized mechanisms in school choice programs that lead to positive outcomes are (1) an increased access to higher-quality schools and (2) an improved match between schools and students. We examine the existing empirical evidence and the theoretical arguments for these two primary mechanisms. While there is evidence supporting both mechanisms, no studies are able to isolate the effect of quality schools independent of families selecting schools that match their preferences. Since the majority of this research is descriptive and has limited causal interpretation, theory is essential in guiding interpretation and policy implications. Theory suggests that people make choices based on what they believe to be the best match for their children, and those choices lead to incentives for individual schools to improve. We conclude with policy recommendations based on our summary of the literature.
The resettlement experiences in Canada of Chinese-Vietnamese refugees after the Vietnam war

Through six intensive and semi-structured interviews, this research paper examines the role social support networks may or may not have played in facilitating the resettlement experiences of Chinese-Vietnamese refugees living in Canada after the Vietnam War. It was observed that those who were privately-sponsored emphasized the instrumental role their benefactors played in assisting their successful resettlement, whereas those who were government-sponsored were forced to adopt a more independent mindset of forming their own social support systems. Regardless of sponsorship type, the notion of hard work was a commonality found amongst the participants. They arrived at the receiving country expecting and willing to accept conditions of underemployment and downward mobility. The effects of pre-migration enabling factors such as marital status and educational attainment are also acknowledged. Within a social support framework, theories of social capital and resiliency are used to analyze the lives of the participants after the traumatic experience of forced migration.
Comparison of a beta-lactam alone versus beta-lactam and an aminoglycoside for pulmonary exacerbation in cystic fibrosis.

UNLABELLED We determined whether a beta-lactam and an aminoglycoside have efficacy greater than a beta-lactam alone in the management of a pulmonary exacerbation in patients with cystic fibrosis. STUDY DESIGN Azlocillin and placebo or azlocillin and tobramycin were administered to 76 patients with a pulmonary exacerbation caused by Pseudomonas aeruginosa in a randomized double-blind, third-party monitored protocol. Improvement was assessed by standardized clinical evaluation, pulmonary function testing, sputum bacterial density, sputum DNA content, and time to the next pulmonary exacerbation requiring hospitalization. RESULTS No significant difference was seen between the 2 treatment groups in clinical evaluation, sputum DNA concentration, forced vital capacity, forced expiratory volume in second 1, or peak expiratory flow rate at the end of treatment (33 receiving azlocillin alone and 43 both antibiotics); adverse reactions were equivalent in each group. Sputum P. aeruginosa density decreased more with combination therapy (P =.034). On follow-up evaluation, an average of 26 days after the end of treatment, all outcome indicators had worsened in both groups. Time to readmission for a new pulmonary exacerbation was significantly longer in the group receiving azlocillin plus tobramycin (P <.001). Treatment-emergent tobramycin resistance occurred in both groups and was more frequent with combination therapy. CONCLUSION We conclude that the combination of a beta-lactam and an aminoglycoside produces a longer clinical remission than a beta-lactam alone and slightly better initial improvement.
Media reporting on ageing in rural and regional northern Queensland

Aim: To determine views about older Australians as portrayed in rural and regional print media in north Queensland and whether these views differ from those in metropolitan papers. Methods: A descriptive discourse analysis of newspaper articles published in north Queensland between 2011 and 2014. Relevance: Negative stereotyping of older people in the media has been identified as a significant social issue.These stereotypes can be self-fulfilling and limit expectations of ageing from an individual and societal perspective, promoting discriminatory practices and impacting health and social policy. Results: Negative ageing stereotypes are evident in regional papers and promote similar misconceptions as their metropolitan counterparts. Conclusionsof the work undertaken: This study identifies the need to challenge the negative stereotypes of older people within the media to foster healthy ageing in place. This is especially important in rural areas with a greater proportion of older Australians ageing within the community than urban areas.
Analysis of p53 and mdm‐2 expression in 18 patients with Sézary syndrome

Sézary syndrome is a leukaemic form of cutaneous T‐cell lymphoma which presents with multiple cytogenetic abnormalities and responds poorly to chemotherapy. Because of the importance of the p53 tumour suppressor in maintaining genomic stability and in sensitizing transformed cells to DNA damaging agents, we looked for alterations which may affect p53 functions in 18 patients with Sézary syndrome. Cytogenetic analysis suggested frequent p53 gene inactivation since 6/18 patients had loss of one copy of 17p. However, single‐strand conformational polymorphism (SSCP) revealed that p53 gene mutations are relatively rare, occurring in only two of 18 Sézary patients. Neither of these two patients was missing a copy of 17p. Possible abnormalities of p53 pathway function through mdm‐2 over‐expression were also investigated. Although all 18 patients had normal levels of mdm‐2 RNA, 4/18 over‐expressed mdm‐2 protein. One patient with advanced disease and the highest percentage of malignant cells overexpressed mdm‐2 protein and possessed a nonsense p53 gene mutation. The five patients with abnormalities of p53 or mdm‐2 were found to have significantly higher absolute lymphocyte counts and higher absolute numbers of Sézary cells (P = 0.021 and 0.027 respectively). In summary, molecular alterations of 17p and potential p53 pathway abnormalities are a common event in Sézary syndrome and appear to be associated with more advanced disease.
Adaptive output feedback compensation of variant actuator failures

This paper presents an adaptive output feedback control scheme for systems with uncertain actuator failures whose values are variant. An effective controller structure is developed for adaptive actuator failure compensation using a new parametrization scheme. A new failure compensation property is derived for such a scheme which leads to a linear parametrization of the bilinear parameters caused by plant and failure uncertainties. Desired plant-model matching, stable adaptation and asymptotic output tracking properties are established for the closed-loop control system in the presence of variant actuator failures. Simulation results verified the desired adaptive actuator failure compensation performance.
Moral Hazard: Experimental Evidence from Tenancy Contracts

We report results from a field experiment designed to estimate the effects of tenancy contracts on agricultural input choices, risk-taking, and output. The experiment induced variation in the terms of sharecropping contracts: some tenants paid 50% of output in compensation for land usage; others paid 25%; again others paid 50% of output and received cash, either fixed or stochastic. We find that tenants with higher output share utilized more inputs, cultivated riskier crops, and generated 60% more output relative to control. Cash transfers did not effect farm output. We interpret the increase in output as the incentive effect of sharecropping.
Isolation and characterization of a laccase-derepressed mutant of Neurospora crassa

Laccase from the ascomycete Neurospora crassa is an inducible secretory enzyme. Production of this enzyme is repressed in vegetative cultures but can be induced by treatment with low concentrations of cycloheximide. Isolation and characterization of a derepressed mutant, the lah-1 mutant, that is capable of producing laccase in vegetative cultures without induction by cycloheximide are described. The lah-1 mutation is mapped between nit-2 and leu-3 on linkage group I, and it behaved as a recessive mutation in a forced heterokaryon. No differences were detected biochemically or immunologically between the laccase protein produced by the lah-1 mutant in the absence of cycloheximide and that induced with cycloheximide in the wild-type strain. This suggests that both laccases (66 kilodaltons) are products of the same structural gene. Relative amounts of laccase in the culture filtrate of the lah-1 mutant were much higher than those induced with cycloheximide in the wild-type strain, demonstrating high efficiency of the lah-1 mutant in production and secretion of laccase. The time course of laccase production by the lah-1 mutant revealed that expression of 66-kilodalton laccase was repressed in conidia and derepressed during vegetative mycelial growth. This suggests that a multiple regulatory mechanism is involved in the production and/or maturation of Neurospora laccase. The lah-1 mutant may be useful for identifying genes that regulate expression of the laccase gene in N. crassa.
A spirit of urban capitalism: market cities, people cities, and cultural justifications

ABSTRACT Diverse urban theories discuss how economic processes shape conceptions of a city, but less research focuses on how pragmatic situations of urban life contribute to the characterisation of cities. We argue that pragmatic justifications reify socially constructed meanings of cities by creating a ‘spirit of urban capitalism. ’ This framework conceives of two spirits: the market city, which aligns with neoliberal assumptions, and the people city, which foregrounds a resident-focused model. Using case studies of Copenhagen and Houston, we showcase how these conceptions of cities are justified by elites and residents, and thereby build empirical scaffolding connecting urban economies and cultures.
A positive crossmatch in liver transplantation--no effect or inappropriate analysis? A prospective study.

BACKGROUND Controversy over the relationship of preformed lymphocytotoxic antibodies and liver graft outcome remains. Because graft loss associated with preformed lymphocytotoxic antibodies probably occurs early after transplant, analysis of long-term survival is of questionable value. We therefore prospectively analyzed the effect on short- and long-term graft survival of the presence of lymphocytotoxic alloantibody in 207 primary adult liver allograft recipients. METHODS Pretransplant serum was tested for donor-specific lymphocytotoxic antibodies and panel-reactive antibodies (PRA) using donor splenic lymphocytes and lymphocytes obtained for routine tissue typing. RESULTS A positive crossmatch was detected in 24 recipients (11.5%): T-cell positive in 11 recipients and B-cell positive in 13 recipients. PRA were detected in 68 of 179 recipients tested (37.4%). High T-cell PRA (>55%) was detected in 17 recipients, and high B-cell PRA was detected in 20 recipients. Low PRA (<15%) against T cells was detected in 19 recipients and against B cells in 24 recipients. Graft failures occurred in 5 of 24 (21%) crossmatch-positive recipients and in 7 of 172 (4%) crossmatch-negative recipients. Graft survival was significantly lower in crossmatch-positive recipients at 1 month after transplant (chi-square=10.3, P=0.00133) but not at 3 months or 1 year. Causes of early graft loss were associated with immunological mechanisms, whereas later losses were due to nonimmunological mechanisms. CONCLUSIONS Early graft loss may be increased in those recipients who are crossmatch positive. However, the logistical problems and consequences associated with allocation probably outweigh the benefits of prospective crossmatching.
Educating Students with Disabilities in Inclusive Schools: Results from Two Schools in Tanzania

The quest for equal access, participation and success in education for persons with disabilities is paramount in today’s global education context, and Tanzania is no exception. Since the ages of “denial” to “full inclusion”, educating students with disabilities in inclusive classrooms has had been responded differently by teachers and students alike across countries. Confronted by different challenges in their education, students with disabilities are to devise mechanisms to excel in such restrictive learning environments. Informed by interpretive research traditions with 59 purposefully selected participants, this paper explores challenges that students with disabilities are faced with and coping strategies used by these students in their schooling in two inclusive secondary schools in Tanzania. The findings indicate that, students with disabilities are faced with challenges which are teacher and environment-related. Consequently, the students with disabilities use complaints, assistance seeking, self-initiatives, isolation and despair, and assertiveness to cope with the challenges. The study concludes that; educational stakeholders should work collaboratively in order to lessen the impact of the restrictive nature of learning environments for students with disabilities. The paper recommends on improved teacher preparation and continued professional development in order to cater for the learning needs of students with disabilities in inclusive schools.
Prognostic Significance of DCC and p27Kip1 in Colorectal Cancer

The progression of colorectal cancer is a multistage process associated with specific molecular alterations. The stepwise accumulation of these multiple genetic mutations progressively results in the acquisition of neoplastic cell behavior. The genetic abnormalities associated with the expression of metastatic phenotype, therefore, may be of prognostic significance in the clinical treatment of colorectal cancer patients. In this study, the immunohistochemical expression of the deleted in colorectal cancer gene (DCC) and p27Kip1 was assessed in 168 paraffin-embedded, formalin-fixed tumors of patients with stage II and III colorectal cancer. Kaplan-Meier survival curves and log-rank statistics were used to analyze survival times after curative primary tumor resection, and Cox proportional hazards models were used to adjust the assessment of demographic and clinical covariates. Loss of DCC or p27Kip1 expression had no influence on survival in patients with stage II or III colorectal cancer. The 5-year survival rates of DCC-positive and DCC-negative tumors were 51.8% and 35.7% (P = 0.40), respectively. The 5-year survival rate of patients with p27Kip1-positive tumors was 47.9%, whereas the rate for patients with p27Kip1-negative tumors was 38.8% (P = 0.68). After adjustment for all evaluated variables, neither DCC or p27Kip1 was found to be a predictor of survival (risk ratio for DCC, 0.98; 95% confidence interval, 0.66-1.56; P = 0.92; risk ratio for p27Kip1, 0.87; 95% confidence interval, 0.58-1.29; P = 0.49). The present study demonstrated that the expression of neither DCC nor p27Kip1 was predictive in poor survival outcome in patients with stage II or III colorectal cancer.
High-Precision Disturbance Compensation for a Three-Axis Gyro-stabilized Camera Mount

This paper presents a compound control strategy for high-precision disturbance compensation in order to improve control accuracy of a three-axis gyro-stabilized camera mount. The influences of unknown disturbances are first analyzed, and the structural properties of the disturbances are given. For these disturbances that can be described by an exosystem, the internal model principle-based controllers are designed to eliminate the influences. For others, a general polynomial function is used to approximate them and a kind of proportional multiple-integral observer-based control method is adopted to estimate and compensate them. Finally, to verify the effectiveness and superiority of the compound control strategy, comparative experiments between the traditional methods and the proposed one have been carried out. Experiments with the proposed method demonstrate stronger disturbance rejection capability and better steady accuracy.
The effect of the dexamethasone, cytarabine, and cisplatin (DHAP) regimen on stem cell mobilization and transplant outcomes of patients with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma who are candidates for up-front autologous stem cell transplantation

Background/Aims Data on dexamethasone, cytarabine, and cisplatin (DHAP) as a mobilization regimen, compared to high-dose cyclophosphamide (HDC), for up-front autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT) in non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma (NHL) is limited. Methods Consecutive patients with aggressive NHL treated with cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, and prednisone (CHOP) or rituximab-CHOP who underwent chemomobilization using HDC or DHAP plus granulocyte-colony stimulating factor (G-CSF) for up-front ASCT were enrolled from three institutions between 2004 and 2014. Results Ninety-six patients (57 men) were included. Sixty-five patients (67.7%) received HDC; and 31 (32.3%), DHAP. The total CD34+ cells mobilized were significantly higher in patients receiving DHAP (16.1 vs. 6.1 × 106/kg, p = 0.001). More patients achieved successful mobilization with DHAP (CD34+ cells ≥ 5.0 × 106/kg) compared to HDC (87.1% vs. 61.5%, respectively; p = 0.011), particularly within the first two sessions of apheresis (64.5% vs. 32.3%, respectively; p = 0.003). Mobilization failure rate (CD34+ cells < 2.0 × 106/kg) was significantly higher in patients receiving HDC (20.0% vs. 3.2%, p = 0.032). On multivariate analysis, the DHAP regimen (odds ratio, 4.12; 95% confidence interval, 1.12 to 15.17) was an independent predictor of successful mobilization. During chemomobilization, patients receiving HDC experienced more episodes of febrile neutropenia compared to patients receiving DHAP (32.3% vs. 12.9%, p = 0.043). Conclusions The DHAP regimen was associated with a significantly higher efficacy for stem cell mobilization and lower frequency of febrile neutropenia. Therefore, DHAP plus G-CSF is an effective for mobilization in patients with aggressive NHL who were candidates for up-front ASCT.
Co‐Evolution of Exploration‐Exploitation Strategy and Weak‐Strong Ties Portfolios: A Longitudinal Case Study

This paper explores the interactive relationship between exploration&#8208;exploitation strategy and alliance portfolios evolution, through examining underlying motivations of the evolution of alliance portfolios along with firm strategy change. Based on a 20&#8208;year longitudinal case analysis on a leading Chinese pharmaceutical manufacturer, we establish a three&#8208;stage process model: (1) stage 1: under turbulent environment and with the consequent reduction in profitability, the firm implements exploration strategy and forms weak alliance portfolio; (2) stage 2: the firm transforms its strategy from exploration to exploitation and forms strong alliance portfolio; and (3) stage 3: as this single business firm transforms into a multibusiness firm, it tends to make a balance between exploration and exploitation strategy and form weak&#8208;strong alliance portfolio. Based on this process model, this study reveals the diverse motivations of alliance portfolios evolution along with firm strategy change, the interplay mechanisms between exploration&#8208;exploitation strategy and weak&#8208;strong ties portfolios, and the portfolio effects across businesses within a firm.