Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Traumatic ulnar translocation of the carpus: early recognition and treatment

This study evaluated the clinical outcomes and radiographic features of surgically treated traumatic ulnocarpal translocation in nine patients (ten cases). All ligament and fracture repairs were completed within 2 months of injury. Seven cases were examined at a mean of 6.5 years, and information in three cases was obtained from medical records at a mean of 13 months after injury. At final evaluation, the mean disabilities of the arm, shoulder, and hand score was 6 (range, 0–16), and the mean Mayo modified wrist score was 76 (range, 40–100). Ulnocarpal translocation was evident in nine of the injured wrists, six of which showed arthritis, and in four of the uninjured wrists. Ulnar variance measured negative in nine cases and neutral in one case. Pre-existing medial alignment of the carpus and ulnar minus variance may predispose to traumatic ulnocarpal translocation. Early injury repair does not assure restoration of radiocarpal alignment or prevent joint deterioration; however, these changes do not always portend a suboptimal result.
Implantable left ventricular assist devices.

Congestive heart failure affects about 1 percent of adults in the United States1 and is a contributing factor in over 250,000 deaths annually.2 It is diagnosed in 400,000 Americans each year3 and is the primary diagnosis for over 900,000 hospitalizations per year.4 In 1990 the age-adjusted death rate from congestive heart failure was 106.4 per 100,000,5 more than that from breast cancer and the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome combined.6,7 The median survival after diagnosis is 1.7 years in men and 3.2 years in women, with a 5-year survival rate of less than 50 percent.8 Even though medical therapies have improved .
Homocysteine concentrations in patients with diabetes mellitus – relationship to microvascular and macrovascular disease

Increased circulating levels of homocysteine are seen in patients with homocysteinuria [1], patients with homozygosity for the thermolabile variant of methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase [2], or individuals with dietary deficiency of folate and or cyanocobalamin [3–5]. Patients with homocysteinuria display early onset of atherosclerosis and manifest venous and arterial thrombosis [6–9]. Homocysteine is not present in food but is generated from methionine [10–12]. The transformation of methionine to homocysteine occurs via a demethylation pathway, which provides a methyl group with glycocyamine in the creation of creatine [12]. Homocysteine is a sulfydryl amino acid that is considered to play an important role in vascular injury resulting in the development of peripheral and coronary arterial disease. High levels of homocysteine are believed to promote the formation of oxidation products such as homocysteine and homocysteine disulfides, as well as homocysteine thiolactone, which can damage endothelial cells by excessive sufation of collagen. This in turn promotes the development of thrombosis and arteriosclerosis. Diabetes mellitus is a clearly recognized risk factor of the development of atherosclerosis, which is two to three times more frequent than in the normal non-diabetic population [13]. Homocysteine levels in patients with diabetes mellitus have been reported as either low or elevated compared to control non-diabetic groups. This review summarizes recent literature on homocysteine levels in patients with diabetes mellitus and the potential role of homocysteine in the development of macroand microvascular disease in diabetic patients.
Communication in general practice: differences between European countries.

BACKGROUND Based on differences in national health care system characteristics such as the gatekeeping role of GPs (at the macrolevel) and on diverging GP and patient characteristics (at the microlevel), communication may differ between countries. Knowledge of the influence of these characteristics on doctor-patient communication will be important for setting European health care policies. OBJECTIVES Our objectives were (i) to compare doctor-patient communication in general practice between European countries; and (ii) to investigate the influence of the gatekeeping system and GP and patient characteristics on doctor-patient communication in general practice. METHODS Fifteen patients per GP (in total 2825 patients) of 190 GPs in six European countries were included. Participating countries were The Netherlands, Spain, the UK (gatekeeping countries), Belgium, Germany and Switzerland (non-gatekeeping countries). Data were collected by means of patient and GP questionnaires and observation of videotaped consultations, and analysed by one-way and multilevel, multivariate analysis. RESULTS Differences in communication between countries were found in: affective and instrumental behaviour; biomedical and psychosocial talk; GPs' patient-directed gaze; and consultation length. The study showed that GPs' gatekeeping role (with registered patients) was less important for doctor-patient communication than was expected. Patient characteristics such as gender, age, having psychosocial problems, and familiarity between the doctor and the patient were the most important in explaining differences in communication. CONCLUSION The gatekeeping role of GPs is hardly important in explaining doctor-patient communication. The relationship is more complex than expected. Patient and GP characteristics are more important. Cultural factors should be included in future studies.
Changes in the mean platelet volume levels after bloodstream infection have prognostic value.

OBJECTIVE Thrombocytopenia is frequently observed during bloodstream infection (BSI); however, little is known about the trends in platelet size during BSI. The aim of this study was to investigate trends in platelet indices during BSI and to determine the relationship between the mean platelet volume (MPV) levels and the prognosis of BSI patients. METHODS We conducted a four-year retrospective study to assess the trends in the platelet indices and the clinical features of BSI. We enrolled 350 patients with positive blood cultures and measured the platelet indices during five periods: 30 to seven days before onset (1st period); within one day of onset (2nd period); three to five days after onset (3rd period); seven to 10 days after onset (4th period); and 14 to 19 days after onset (5th period). The end point was defined as 30-day mortality. RESULTS Among the BSI patients, the average platelet count decreased during BSI (29.4 *10(9)/L to 24.0 *10(9)/L, p<0.001), while the average MPV level increased (7.33 fL to 7.89 fL, p<0.001). The degree of MPV elevation in the nonsurvivors (n=25) was lower than that observed in the survivors (n=325) between the 1st and 2nd periods (0.00 fL vs. 0.35 fL, p=0.006), whereas between the 2nd and 3rd periods, the degree of MPV elevation in the nonsurvivors was higher than that observed in the survivors (0.74 fL vs. 0.19 fL, p=0.03). MPV elevation after BSI was identified to be a negative prognostic factor for BSI (odds ratio: 1.82; 95% confidence interval: 1.00-3.32; p=0.027). CONCLUSION Changes in the MPV levels after BSI may therefore be a useful prognostic marker for BSI.
Cycle affects imidacloprid efficiency by mediating cytochrome P450 expression in the brown planthopper Nilaparvata lugens

Circadian clocks influence most behaviours and physiological activities in animals, including daily fluctuations in metabolism. However, how the clock gene cycle influences insects' responses to pesticides has rarely been reported. Here, we provide evidence that cycle affects imidacloprid efficacy by mediating the expression of cytochrome P450 genes in the brown planthopper (BPH) Nilaparvata lugens, a serious insect pest of rice. Survival bioassays showed that the susceptibility of BPH adults to imidacloprid differed significantly between the two time points tested [Zeitgeber Time 8 (ZT8) and ZT4]. After cloning the cycle gene in the BPH (Nlcycle), we found that Nlcycle was expressed at higher levels in the fat body and midgut, and its expression was rhythmic with two peaks. Knockdown of Nlcycle affected the expression levels and rhythms of cytochrome P450 genes as well as susceptibility to imidacloprid. The survival rates of BPH adults after treatment with imidacloprid did not significantly differ between ZT4 and ZT8 after double‐stranded Nlcycle treatment. These findings can be used to improve pesticide use and increase pesticide efficiency in the field.
New technologies in superconducting cavity fabrication

Besides the progressive achievement of higher and higher accelerating fields, the drastic reduction in resonator production costs is compulsorily for the feasibility of building more and more powerful particle accelerators. If costly and time-consuming electron beam welds can be avoided, a significant saving in manufacturing costs can be achieved by seamless cavities produced by means of simple and cheap fabrication techniques. The paper reviews the status of those new forming techniques, such as hydroforming or spinning, under development in several laboratories and suitable for prototype fabrication and, at least in principle, applicable to mass scale production.
Success of a Smoking Cessation Program among Smoking Relatives of Patients with Serious Smoking-Related Pulmonary Disorders

The aim of the study was to investigate the success of a smoking cessation program among the smoking relatives of patients with serious smoking-related disorders and to determine whether having a relative with such a disorder influences the rate of success of the program. The relatives of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and lung cancer who wanted to quit smoking were included in the smoking cessation program (group I, n = 34). During the same period, the same number of subjects with relatives free of any smoking-related diseases were included as a control group (group II, n = 34). Intensive behavioral therapy and motivational support was given to all subjects. Nicotine replacement therapy was administered to 10 subjects (29.4%) in group I and 14 subjects (41.2%) in group II. The subjects were evaluated in the 1st, 2nd, 4th, 8th and 12th week and subsequently every 3 months for a year in the outpatient clinic and proactive telephone interviews were performed periodically. In group I, 23.5% of subjects had a relative with COPD, 61.8% had relatives with lung cancer, and 14.7% had relatives with both COPD and lung cancer. The rate of quitting smoking was 79.4 and 73.5% on the 15th day and 41.2 and 38.2% at the end of the 1st year in groups I and II, respectively (p > 0.05). We observed that having a relative with serious smoking-related disorders did not motivate smokers to quit smoking.
Outcome of 93 patients with relapse or progression following allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation

Relapse/progression after allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (allo‐HCT) remains the major cause of treatment failure. In this study, the subsequent clinical outcome was overviewed in 292 patients with leukemia/myelodysplastic syndrome who received allo‐HCT. Among them, 93 (32%) showed relapse/progression. Cohort 1 was chosen to receive no interventions with curative intent (n = 25). Cohort 2 received reinduction chemotherapy and/or donor lymphocyte infusion (n = 48), and Cohort 3 underwent a second allo‐HCT (n = 20). Sixty‐three patients received reinduction chemotherapy, and 27 (43%) achieved subsequent complete remission (CR). The incidence of nonrelapse mortality (NRM) was similar among the three cohorts (4, 15, and 5%). The 1‐year overall survival (OS) after relapse was significantly better in patients with a second HCT (58%) than in others (14%, Cohorts 1 and 2; P <.001). However, the 2‐year OS did not differ between the two groups, which suggests that it is difficult to maintain CR after the second HCT. Multivariate analysis showed that reinduction chemotherapy, CR after intervention, second HCT, and longer time to post‐transplant relapse were associated with improved survival. In conclusion, for patients with relapse after allo‐HCT, successful reinduction chemotherapy and a second HCT may be effective for prolonging survival without excessive NRM. However, effective measures to prevent disease progression after a second HCT clearly need to be developed. Am. J. Hematol. 2009. © 2009 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Normalized enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for determining immunoglobulin G antibodies to cytomegalovirus

A normalized enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for the determination of immunoglobulin G antibodies to cytomegalovirus is described. The rapid assay involves three 30-min incubations and permits the quantitation of antibody levels with a single-specimen dilution in conjunction with a reference antibody preparation. The results obtained with the normalized enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay correlated closely with the results of complement fixation titrations and another commercially available enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The specificity of the procedure was further demonstrated by viral absorption, using cytomegalovirus from two different sources and other viral antigen preparations, including rubella and influenza. The reproducibility of the normalized test results is good and allows for greater uniformity of reporting on a day-to-day basis, as well as between laboratories.
Long‐term Effects of Physical Exercise on Working Capacity and Pulmonary Function in Cystic Fibrosis

ABSTRACT. Seven patients with cystic fibrosis aged 6 to 20 were enrolled for 30 months in a daily exercise program. After 12 months conventional chest physiotherapy was withdrawn. Patients with low initial Shwachman scores improved as regards maximal working capacity. Spirometric data and volume of trapped gas indicated opening of closed airways. We suggest that physical exercise in general should be the basis of pulmonary therapy in cystic fibrosis. Other forms of physiotherapy are advisable when hard physical exercise is not feasible.
Investigating the effectiveness of washing cantaloupe melon rind in preventing the transference of surface E. coli into melon flesh

Cantaloupe melon was the source of a lethal outbreak of Listeria in 2011. This research investigated whether washing a contaminated cantaloupe rind was sufficient in preventing the transferring of Escherichia coli. Hence, the null hypothesis for this study was that there is no association between washing a contaminated cantaloupe melon and the presence of the contamination in the flesh. In this study, 10 cantaloupes were used to produce a sample size of 20 per washed and unwashed treatments. Each of the samples was transferred to EC broth to determine the presence and absence of Escherichia coli (E. coli), the indicator organism that acted as the “outbreak contaminant. ” The results showed 100% of the unwashed melons and 80% of the washed melons to have E. coli transferred into the flesh. A Chi Square analysis produced a p-value of 0.035. The study determined that there was a statistically significant association between washing a melon and the presence of E. coli in the melon flesh. The author recommends washing melon rind as a means to prevent foodborne illness caused by surface contaminants.
The Complete Amomum kravanh Chloroplast Genome Sequence and Phylogenetic Analysis of the Commelinids

Amomum kravanh is an important edible and medicinal herb, the dried fruits of which are widely used in traditional herbal medicine as cardamom. We sequenced and analyzed the complete chloroplast (cp) genome of A. kravanh with herbgenomics technologies. The size of the A. kravanh cp genome was 162,766 bp, which consisted of long (LSC; 87,728 bp) and short (SSC; 15,390 bp) single-copy regions, separated by a pair of inverted repeats (IRs; 29,824 bp). The genome encoded 114 unique genes, including 80 protein-coding genes, 30 tRNAs and four rRNAs. A total of 299 simple sequence repeats (SSRs) were identified in the A. kravanh cp genome, which provides an effective method to study species identification and population genetics of the medicinal plant. Moreover, one complement, 12 forward, 12 palindrome and two reverse repeats were detected. Comparative cp genome sequence analysis of four Zingiberaceae species indicated that their intergenic spacers are highly divergent, although the gene order, gene content and genome structure differed only minimally. In particular, there was a remarkable expansion of the IR regions in the A. kravanh cp genome. Phylogenetic analysis strongly supported a sister relationship between A. kravanh and Alpinia zerumbet. This study identified the unique characteristics of the A. kravanh cp genome and might provide valuable information for future studies aiming for Amomum identification, and provide insights into the taxonomy of the commelinids.
In vitro activities of antimicrobial cationic peptides; melittin and nisin, alone or in combination with antibiotics against Gram-positive bacteria

Abstract The in vitro activities of two antimicrobial cationic peptides, melittin and nisin alone and in combination with frequently used antibiotics (daptomycin, vancomycin, linezolid, ampicillin, and erythromycin), were assessed against clinical isolates of methicillin-susceptible Staphylococcus aureus, methicillin-resistant S. aureus and Enterococcus faecalis. Using the broth microdilution method, minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) ranges of melittin and nisin against all strains were 2–8 μg/ml and 2–32 μg/ml respectively. In combination studies performed with the microdilution checkerboard method using a fractional inhibitory concentration index of ⩽0·5 as borderline, synergistic interactions occurred more frequently with nisin–ampicillin combination against MSSA and nisin–daptomycin combination against E. faecalis strains. The results of the time-killing curve analysis demonstrated that the concentration dependent rapid bactericidal activity of nisin, and that synergism or early synergism was detected in most strains when nisin or melittin was used in combination with antibiotics even at concentrations of 0·5×MIC.
A randomized, double‐blind, placebo‐controlled multicenter trial evaluating topical zinc oxide for acute open wounds following pilonidal disease excision

The purpose of this randomized, double‐blind, placebo‐controlled multicenter trial was to compare topical zinc oxide with placebo mesh on secondary healing pilonidal wounds. Sixty‐four (53 men) consecutive patients, aged 17–60 years, were centrally randomized to either treatment with 3% zinc oxide (n=33) or placebo (n=31) by concealed allocation. Patients were followed with strict recording of beneficial and harmful effects including masked assessment of time to complete wound closure. Analysis was carried out on an intention‐to‐treat basis. Median healing times were 54 days (interquartile range 42–71 days) for the zinc and 62 days (55–82 days) for the placebo group (p=0.32). Topical zinc oxide increased (p<0.001) wound fluid zinc levels to 1,540 (1,035–2,265) μM and decreased (p<0.05) the occurrence of Staphylococcus aureus in wounds. Fewer zinc oxide (n=3) than placebo‐treated patients (n=12) were prescribed postoperative antibiotics (p=0.005). Serum‐zinc levels increased (p<0.001) postoperatively in both groups but did not differ significantly between the two groups on day 7. Zinc oxide was not associated with increased pain by the visual analog scale, cellular abnormalities by histopathological examination of wound biopsies, or other harmful effects. Larger clinical trials will be required to show definitive effects of topical zinc oxide on wound healing and infection.
Bringing Values Back In The Adequacy of the European Social Survey to Measure Values in 20 Countries

The Schwartz (1992) theory of basic human values has promoted a revival of empirical research on values. The semi-annual European Social Survey (ESS) includes a new 21-item instrument to measure the importance of the 10 basic values of the theory. Representative national samples in 20 countries responded to the instrument in 2002-3. We briefly describe the theory and the ESS instrument and assess its adequacy for measuring values across countries. Using multiple-group confirmatory factor analyses, augmented with mean-structure information, we assess the configural and measurement (metric) invariance of the values-necessary conditions for equivalence of the meaning of constructs and scalar invariance-a precondition for comparing value means across countries. Only if such equivalence is established can researchers make meaningful and clearly interpretable cross-national comparisons of value priorities and their correlates. The ESS values scale demonstrates configural and metric invariance, allowing researchers to use it to study relationships among values, attitudes, behavior and socio-demographic characteristics across countries. Comparing the mean importance of values across countries is possible only for subsets of countries where scalar invariance holds.
Speech- and Text-driven Features for Automated Scoring of English Speaking Tasks

We consider the automatic scoring of a task for which both the content of the response as well its spoken fluency are important. We combine features from a text-only content scoring system originally designed for written responses with several categories of acoustic features. Although adding any single category of acoustic features to the text-only system on its own does not significantly improve performance, adding all acoustic features together does yield a small but significant improvement. These results are consistent for responses to open-ended questions and to questions focused on some given source material.
On How the Feasibility Study Is Influenced by an ICT Project&#146;s Main Trigger

In this paper we make a first attempt at examining the role of an ICT project’s main trigger on the nature of the feasibility study. More specifically, the impact of the trigger on the prioritization, selection and evaluation of an ICT investment project is studied. A better insight into this relationship contributes to the improvement of ICT governance. In total, 12 large ICT projects within the bank and insurance industry were examined, using a grounded theory approach. 45 stakeholders were interviewed and project documentation was inspected. Our results clearly demonstrate that an ICT project’s main trigger functions as a moderating variable in the feasibility process, that is, it has an impact on the nature of the selection and the justification process. Hence, the trigger influences the thoroughness of both on the evaluation of the acceptability of a project and the assessment of the priorities between proposed projects.