Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
AIDS in Colorado Springs: is there an epidemic?

ObjectiveTo analyze trends and patterns of HIV infection in a medium-sized community in the United States. MethodsSurveillance for AIDS and HIV infection was conducted by private physicians, military and public clinics, and blood and plasma donation centers. HIV-positive individuals were contacted and asked to refer their sex and injection partners for HIV-antibody testing. Prostitutes, injecting drug users and their sex partners were studied. Selected physicians were surveyed to assess under-reporting. ResultsThe 740 HIV-infected adults (67 with documented seroconversion) included 506 with no evidence of AIDS, 58 living with AIDS, and 1 76 who had died. Of the 126 patients cared for by local physicians, 107 (85%) had been reported. No major changes in behavioral risk factors or increases in the number of HIV-infected individuals occurred between 1986 (128) and 1992 (95). ConclusionsCharacteristics of individuals at risk and incidence of HIV infection have remained stable from 1981 to 1992. Analysis of data from the comprehensive surveillance and control program established in Colorado Springs in response to the AIDS epidemic suggests that, unlike the nation's epicenters, HIV incidence in this location is neither widespread nor rapidly increasing. The age distribution of reported cases is slowly increasing, and the ratio of newly reported cases to deaths is declining, implying stable or decreasing incidence; deaths may soon exceed new cases. Using data routinely available to public health officials, we conclude that the epidemiologic picture of AIDS — like the clinical one —must be heterogenous, and that rational planning for the impact of AIDS should be based on the collection and analysis of local data.
Effect of Vortioxetine on Cardiac Repolarization in Healthy Adult Male Subjects: Results of a Thorough QT/QTc Study

This double‐blind, randomized, placebo‐ and positive‐controlled, parallel‐group study evaluated the effect of vortioxetine (Lu AA21004), an investigational multimodal antidepressant, on QT interval in accordance with current guidelines of the International Conference on Harmonisation (ICH‐E14). A total of 340 healthy men were randomized to receive 1 of 4 treatments for 14 days: (1) vortioxetine 10 mg once daily (QD), (2) vortioxetine 40 mg QD, (3) placebo QD, or (4) placebo QD on Days 1 through 13 followed by a single dose of moxifloxacin 400 mg (positive control). The primary endpoint was the largest time‐matched, baseline‐adjusted least‐squares (LS) mean difference for the individual‐corrected QT interval (QTcNi [linear]) between vortioxetine and placebo. Alternative QT correction formulas (i.e., Fredericia [QTcF], Bazett [QTcB], Framingham [QTcFm], and QTcNi [nonlinear]) were used as secondary endpoints. The upper bound of the 2‐sided 90% confidence interval around the LS mean difference from placebo for baseline‐adjusted QTcNi (linear), QTcF, QTcB, QTcFm, and QTcNi (nonlinear) did not exceed 10 ms at any time point after multiple doses of vortioxetine 10 mg (therapeutic) or 40 mg (supratherapeutic). Overall, the study results indicate that vortioxetine is unlikely to affect cardiac repolarization in healthy subjects.
Assortative mating and speciation as pleiotropic effects of ecological adaptation: Examples in moths and butterflies

Where divergent ecological adaptation also leads to assortative mating between populations, speciation is facilitated. We have extensively studied two examples from among the Lepidoptera, in which ecologically selected traits have pleiotropic effects on the mating system. Based on our understanding of mating behaviour and pleiotropy derived from these empirical examples, we here review pleiotropic effects in speciation and propose a classification depending on effects on the mating system. This classification helps us to interpret the way in which pleiotropy has led to assortative mating in nature, but will also, we hope, be of interest to theoreticians. Certain models of mating behaviour rarely considered in models of sympatric speciation seem to be those that are most empirically justifiable and also likely to be involved in speciation in the real world. We conclude that pleiotropy might be a rather more general route to speciation than previously supposed.
A 10-year survey of blood culture negative endocarditis in Sweden: Aminoglycoside therapy is important for survival

We estimated the prevalence of blood culture negative endocarditis (CNE) and described and analysed data with special attention to antibiotic treatment from patients with infective endocarditis (IE) reported to the Swedish endocarditis registry during the 10-y period 1995–2004. All 29 departments of infectious diseases in Sweden reported data to the registry. During the 10-y period, 2509 IE episodes (78% Duke definite) were identified in 2410 patients. 304 CNE episodes (25% Duke definite) were found. The proportion of CNE was measured to be 12% of all IE episodes. Fatal outcome occurred in 10.7% of all IE patients and in 5% of the CNE patients. The risk of dying was significantly increased in female (9%) compared to male (2%) CNE patients (OR 5.1). Mortality was significantly decreased in patients treated with an aminoglycoside (3%) versus patients without aminoglycoside therapy (13%), OR 0.2. In conclusion, the prevalence of CNE was 12% in Swedish IE patients in a 10-y survey. The mortality in IE was low (10.7%) and 4.6% for CNE. Women have higher mortality rates than men in CNE. CNE patients who received aminoglycoside therapy survived more frequently than CNE patients without this therapy.
The cross-domain correlates of subjective age in Chinese oldest-old

Objectives: This study examined subjective age and its cross-domain correlates in Chinese oldest-old. Method: We conducted a secondary data analysis using cross-sectional data drawn from the 2006 Sample Survey on the Aged Population in Urban/Rural China, which consisted of a sample of 860 community-dwelling Chinese older adults aged 85 years and above. Results: A small percentage (8%) of the oldest-old participants reported that they did not feel old. Binary logistic regression analyses revealed that urban living, better physical and self-reported cognitive functioning and mental health were all related to not feeling old, whereas chronological age was found to have no association with subjective age when controlling for indicators of physical and self-reported cognitive functioning. Conclusion: The findings revealed the key roles of functional limitations and mental health in the construction of subjective age in Chinese oldest-old. The possible cross-cultural similarity in the links of subjective age to mental health and physical functioning in later life suggests that maintaining a youthful subjective age may have adaptive value for the oldest-old and contribute to their successful aging.
A postmodern, constructivist and cooperative pedagogy for teaching educational psychology, assisted by computer mediated communications

Student reactions/evaluations were associated with di­ verse pedagogical structures including Cooperative Learning (CL), Computer Mediated Communication (CMC) and Writing Across the Curriculum (WAC) which were all used to deliver graduate instruction in Educational Psychology courses. The approach was predicated on the assumption that students authenti­ cally construct knowledge from their experiences within a social context of peer influence. Reflective writing in the context of a public forum in which stu­ dents were required to react to each other's writing en­ gaged students in a process of critical thinking. They were required to maintain an electronic journal which consisted of weekly narratives (postings to a "netnews group") which consisted of reflections on classroom activities and related readings. Classroom activities included the use of a writing activity described as a Dyadic Essay Confrontation (DEC). Students were re­ quired to react to a randomly determined partner's re­ flections within one week after the initial reflection. A final narrative reflection was required to be submitted to the newsgroup detailing a summary analysis of the constructed knowledge they had determined was brought about through this process. Their reflections and reactions and summary/conclusions comprised a major product for inclusion in an electronic portfolio which was submitted at the end of the class. The tech­ niques, as well as how this complex structure was im­ plemented, and, how students responded· to the elec­ tronic medium are discussed. Using a rationale derived from the WAC community that stresses integration of the writing process across the curriculum, the conclu­ sions focus on using CMC as an integral part of class­ room instruction. A Postmodern and Constructivist theoretical orientation is used to explain the positive student responses to this complex of authentic instruc­ tion.
Care coordination and telemedicine improves glycaemic control in ethnically diverse veterans with diabetes

We conducted a pilot study of a care-coordination programme involving daily monitoring and education of elderly diabetic veterans from different racial/ethnic groups. A telephone-based, in-home messaging device was used for patient monitoring and education. Sixty-nine patients were enrolled in the study and HbA1c values were obtained both before and after the telemedicine intervention in 41 of them. The mean HbA1c before enrolment was 7.6% and the mean value 9 months later was 7.3% (P = 0.09). The greatest fall in HbA1c occurred in African-Americans (0.65%, P = 0.05). The total number of hospital admissions decreased from 31 pre-enrolment to 25 post-enrolment (P = 0.0002). Bed days of care decreased from 368 to 149 (P = 0.0002). Care coordination, facilitated by telemedicine, appeared to improve glycaemic control in veterans with diabetes from diverse ethnic backgrounds, particularly African-Americans. This may reduce health-care resource utilization.
Optimizing Inpatient Glycemic Control with Basal-Bolus Insulin Therapy

Abstract Hyperglycemia is highly prevalent in the acute-care setting and is associated with an increased risk of morbidity and mortality. Evidence suggests that glycemic control in this population is suboptimal, due in part to continued use of nonphysiologic sliding-scale insulin strategies without scheduled basal insulin doses or prandial insulin with concomitant correction doses. Although the ineffectiveness and risks of sliding-scale insulin regimens have been criticized for decades, sliding-scale insulin is still the most commonly prescribed subcutaneous insulin regimen among inpatients. Improving inpatient management requires the use of scheduled basal-bolus insulin therapy that includes basal insulin, nutritional insulin, and supplemental, or correctional, insulin. Insulin analogs are the preferred insulins, as they provide a more physiologic action than human insulin regimens, are associated with a lower risk of hypoglycemia, and are more convenient to administer than human insulins. Standardized insulin protocols and subcutaneous insulin order sets are critical components of effective inpatient glycemic control. Although preliminary data have demonstrated that inpatient diabetes management programs involving basal-bolus insulin therapy are effective and well tolerated, more research is needed.
Effect of urethral plate characteristics on tubularized incised plate urethroplasty.

PURPOSE We determined outcomes of tubularized incised plate urethroplasty based on preoperative urethral plate configuration or width. MATERIALS AND METHODS Records of consecutive prepubertal boys undergoing tubularized incised plate distal hypospadias repair were reviewed. The urethral plate was characterized as flat, cleft or deep, and results in each group were noted. In addition, the width of the plate after separation from the glans wings before midline incision was measured in some patients, with outcomes determined according to those less than 8 mm versus 8 mm or greater. RESULTS Of 159 patients plate configuration was recorded in 143, widths in 48 and both in 46. Outcomes were determined at a mean of 8 months postoperatively. Overall, there were no cases of meatal stenosis and fistulas occurred in 3 patients (2%). No significant difference in results was predicted by plate configuration or width. CONCLUSIONS Tubularized incised plate urethroplasty for distal hypospadias repair has a low complication rate regardless of urethral plate configuration or width. Therefore, this procedure is potentially applicable in all cases of primary distal hypospadias.
The protective effect of taurine against thioacetamide hepatotoxicity of rats

Thioacetamide (TAA) administration (three consecutive intraperitoneal injections of 400 mg/kg at 24-h interval) to rats resulted in hepatic injury as assessed by the measurement of serum transaminase activities and histopathological findings. This treatment caused an increase in the levels of malondialdehyde (MDA), diene conjugates (DCs) and glutathione (GSH) and the activity ofsuperoxide dismutase (SOD), and a decrease in the levels of vitamins E and C and the activity of glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) in the liver of rats. Taurine administration (400 mg/kg, i.p., every 12 h and started 24 h prior to the first TAA injection) was found to decrease serum transaminase activities and hepatic lipid peroxidation without any significant change in hepatic antioxidant system. Histopathological findings also suggested that taurine has ameliorated effect on TAA-induced hepatic necrosis. These results indicate that taurine treatment, together with TAA administration, diminished the severity of the liver injury by decreasing oxidative stress due to its possible scavenger effect.
Individual Prognosis for Changes in Sperm Quality on the Basis of Perceived Stress

Background: In this study we examined whether stress has a negative influence on sperm quality. To investigate this issue we developed a scale assessing perceived stress resulting from infertility. Methods and Results: The Infertility Distress Scale was constructed based on the data of 158 infertility patients contacting an andrological clinic for the first time. The Infertility Distress Scale consists of items assessing self-reported stress, different appraisals of infertility and cognitive involvement in infertility. The scale was shown to have good psychometric properties. Changes in sperm quality were predicted by this scale for 69 patients. Changes in sperm concentration and sperm motility were predicted correctly 75.4 and 65.6% of the time, respectively. While these prediction accuracies were significantly better than chance prediction, the Infertility Distress Scale had no predictive value for changes in morphology. Conclusion: Results indicate that distress caused by infertility is a risk factor for a decrease in sperm quality.
The radiologic evaluation of imperforate anus. An approach correlated with current surgical concepts.

In 1930 Wangensteen and Rice (9) introduced the still widely used technic of obtaining upside-down abdominal roentgenograms in newborn infants with “imperforate anus. ” They made no measurement of any type, but merely employed the apparent distance between the rectal gas and anal dimple in planning surgical therapy. Subsequently, various measurements were devised including a distance of 1.5–2 cm between the rectal gas and anal marker; if this distance was exceeded, the perineal approach for correction was not used. Bony reference points were also considered (5), including the pubococcygeal line and ischial point (8); if the gas terminated above the pubococcygeal line, the perineal approach again was not advised. All these methods obviously were aimed at guiding the surgeon by placing patients into two major groups: those amenable to repair by the perineal route (“low”anomalies) and those not approachable solely from the perineum (“high” anomalies) (4, 6, 8). A basic assumption was implicit in all previous .
A rural HIV epidemic in Zimbabwe? Findings from a population-based survey

The aim of the study was to use population-based data from 689 adults to describe the socio-demographic, behavioural and biomedical correlates of HIV infection and aid identification of effective HIV control strategies for rural Zimbabwe. Dried blood spot and urine samples were collected for HIV and sexually transmitted disease (STD) testing and participants were interviewed on socio-demographic characteristics, sexual behaviour and experience of STD symptoms. HIV seroprevalence was 23.3% and was higher in females, divorcees, widows, working men, estate residents, and respondents reporting histories of STD symptoms. Female HIV seroprevalence rises sharply at ages 16-25. A third of sexually-active adults had experienced STD-associated symptoms but there were delays in seeking treatment. Herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2) and Trichomonas vaginalis are more common causes than syphilis, gonorrhoea, and chlamydia, and are strongly associated with HIV infection. Local programmes promoting safer sexual behaviour and fast and effective STD treatment among young women, divorcees and working men could reduce the extensive HIV transmission in rural communities.
Anesthesia for Pediatric Day-Case Dental Surgery: A Study Comparing the Classic Laryngeal Mask Airway With Nasal Trachea Intubation

BackgroundTo study sevoflurane inhalation general anesthesia using the laryngeal mask airway (LMA) and nasal endotracheal (ET) intubation to maintain the airway in pediatric day-case dental surgery. MethodsA total of 171 children aged 2 to 7 years received elective day-case dental surgical procedure under general anesthesia. Children were randomly grouped into LMA groups (L) and nasal ET intubation group (N). In L groups, LMA was inserted after induction of anesthesia using 8% sevoflurane and were allowed to breathe spontaneously. Rocuronium and remifentanil were given intravenously during 8% sevoflurane induction by nasal ET intubation in the N group . The time of anesthetic induction, maintenance, recovery, surgical access, and bispectral index score were recorded. Postoperative nausea and vomiting and the incidence of adverse events during induction and recovery period were also recorded. ResultsThe insertion time of LMA was significantly shorter than nasal ET (P < 0.05). The incidence of airway complications, the surgeons’ access, and bispectral index were not different between the 2 groups. However, recovery time was significantly shorter in group L (P < 0.05). The incidence of sore throat and postoperative nausea and vomiting (P < 0.01) were much less in group L as well. ConclusionsSevoflurane inhalation anesthesia through LMA is a safe and reliable method for pediatric day-case dental surgery.
Correlations between the ISAR Score and the ADL and IADL Indexes . Implications in Geriatric Nursing

A demographic shift has occurred in the last decades in developed countries that have resulted in a considerable rise in the number of elderly patients. In this study the Identification of Seniors at Risk (ISAR) index was correlated to the Activities of Daily Living (ADL) index and the Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (IADL) index, in order to evaluate the influence of the ISAR score on the ADL and IADL indexes. Forty elderly subjects were enrolled in this study. Of these, twenty were male and twenty were female. From each participant a questionnaire was administered, which contained the ISAR score, the ADL and the IADL indexes. Correlations between the ISAR index and the ADL and the IADL scores were all statistical significant (p<0.05 and p<0.001). These simple screening tools predict functional impairment in older subjects. It is also moderately predictive of subsequent functional decline after an initial assessment. The ISAR with the ADL and the IADL score seem to be positively correlated and to provide a valid proxy measure for assessing functional status in older patients.
Kinetics of Productive and Latent HIV Infection in Lymphatic Tissue and Peripheral Blood during Triple-Drug Combination Therapy with or without Additional Interleukin-2

Objective To study decay rates of productively and latently infected cells in peripheral blood and lymph nodes during triple antiretroviral therapy and the possible impact of interleukin-2 (IL-2) on viral kinetics. Methods: In this non-randomized study, nine antiretro-viral-naive HIV-positive patients received either saquinavir hard gel capsules 2400 mg three times daily (group I; four patients) or saquinavir soft gel capsules 1200 mg three times daily and IL-2 (group II), in both cases together with two nucleoside analogues. Plasma viraemia and lymphocyte subsets were analysed. Axillary lymph nodes were excised before and after 12 weeks of therapy. Lymph node sections were examined by in situ hybridization for HIV RNA, and productively infected cells were counted. Infection rates of FACS-sorted CD3, CD4 lymph node and peripheral blood mononuclear cells were determined by nested DNA PCR. Results Baseline plasma HIV RNA levels ranged from <25 to >1x106 copies/ml and remained undetectable throughout the study in one patient in group I. Plasma viraemia became undetectable after 3 months in four patients (three in group I). Productively infected cells were markedly reduced in the follow-up lymph node specimens. HIV DNA-positive CD4 T cells were reduced in lymphoid tissue and peripheral blood in all six evaluable patients. There were no significant differences between the groups in the clearance rates of plasma virus and of HIV DNA-positive cells. Conclusions Combined antiretroviral therapy rapidly suppressed active HIV replication in plasma and lymphoid tissue. Latently infected cells were cleared at a slower rate. Viral clearance did not appear to be markedly affected by additional IL-2 therapy.
The use of computer touch-screen technology for the collection of patient-reported outcome data in rheumatoid arthritis: comparison with standardized paper questionnaires.

OBJECTIVES To investigate the acceptability, feasibility, reliability and score agreement of collecting rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patient-reported outcome (PRO) data using an interactive touch-screen computer system. METHODS Eighty-seven RA patients completed both the touch-screen and conventional paper-administered set of questionnaires. For this purpose, we have developed a computerized touch-screen system, namely RHEUMATISM (RHEUMA Touch-screen Italian SysteM), to capture PRO data. Variables recorded include the following information: demographic data, VAS scores for pain, patient's and physician's assessment of global activity, and physician's assessment of general health status, 28-joint counts measuring tender and swollen joint, patient self-reported tender joint count, Recent-Onset Arthritis Disability index, and laboratory findings. In a further test-retest study, 35 patients were evaluated. RESULTS Although over half the patients had no prior computer experience, nearly all found the touch-screen easy to use. Moreover, 86% of the patients preferred the computer format to the paper format (2%) and 12% of subjects had no preference. The quality of the data collected with the touch-screen system was good, with no missed responses. Agreement between scores obtained with the two modes of administration was very good, with concordance correlation coefficients (CCCs) from 0.887 to 0.972. CCCs were similar in men and in women, in subjects with or without prior computer experience and in subjects below or above age 65. The electronic questionnaire had good test-retest reliability (CCCs from 0.836 to 0.907). CONCLUSIONS Computer touch-screen questionnaires were well accepted by RA patients, with good data quality, reliability and score agreement.