Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Gender Based Occupational Health Hazards among Paramedical Staff in Pubic Hospitals of Jhelum

This study provides insight into gender based occupational health hazards among paramedical staff in public hospitals of Jhelum. Quantitative technique was used to find out the gender differences in exposure to occupational health hazards. 120 paramedics were taken as sample (male=60, female=60). Study was consisted of two phases, Phase I for development of questionnaire and Phase II to testament of hypothesis and fulfillment of objectives. Self designed questionnaire consisting of thirty eight items, divided in two sub categories, psychological and physiological was used for data collection. The Alpha reliability of questionnaire was . 754. Although both physiological and psychological factors are influencing paramedical staff’s health but physiological health hazards are influencing paramedic’s health more as compared to psychological health hazards. Hypothesis was supported by findings that females are facing more occupational health hazards as compare to males. Females are more exposed to psychological (stress, tension, and depression) as compare to physiological hazards. There is a significant affect of age on experiencing occupational health hazards while experience itself has no significant effect on occupational health hazards exposure.
A Cross-Sectional Comparison of Health Literacy Deficits Among Patients With Chronic Kidney Disease

Inadequate health literacy in people with chronic kidney disease (CKD) is associated with poorer disease management and greater complications. There are limited data on the health literacy deficits of people with CKD. The aim of this study was to investigate the types and extent of health literacy deficits in patients with CKD using the multidimensional Health Literacy Management Scale (HeLMS) and to identify associations between patient characteristics and the domains of health literacy measured by the HeLMS. Invitations to participate were sent to patients with CKD attending the renal unit of a regional Australian hospital. These patients included predialysis, dialysis (peritoneal and hemodialysis), and kidney transplant patients. This study identified that inadequate health literacy—especially in the domains relating to attending to one's health needs, understanding health information, social support, and socioeconomic factors—was common. Male gender and education level were significantly associated with inadequate health literacy. The type and extent of health literacy deficits varied among CKD groups, and transplant patients had more deficits than other CKD patient groups. This study provides useful information for health professionals treating patients with CKD, especially with regard to the design of self-management interventions and health information.
Prefrontal neuropsychological impairment and illness duration in Schizophrenia: a study of 204 patients in Hong Kong

Previous studies investigating the progression of neuropsychological impairment in schizophrenia have yielded conflicting results. We compared prefrontal neuropsychological function and other cognitive performance in a larger sample of schizophrenic patients with different duration of illness. The inclusion of a normal control group also allowed the effect of age to be taken into account. Performance in the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST) and semantic fluency were both impaired at an early stage in the illness and did not significantly deteriorate as the illness duration increased. Against this background there was preliminary evidence for deterioration in verbal memory function. The data support a lack of progression in prefrontal dysfunction and in most other cognitive domains.
Childhood Maltreatment and Perinatal Mood and Anxiety Disorders

Perinatal mood and anxiety disorders (PMADs) compromise maternal and child well-being and may be influenced by traumatic experiences across the life course. A potent and common form of trauma is childhood maltreatment, but its specific impact on PMADs is not well understood. A systematic review was undertaken to synthesize empirical literature on the relationship between maternal histories of childhood maltreatment and PMADs. Of the 876 citations retrieved, 35 reports from a total of 26,239 participants met inclusion criteria, documenting substantial rates of childhood maltreatment and PMADs. Robust trends of association were observed between childhood maltreatment and perinatal depression, as well as post-traumatic stress disorder, but findings for anxiety were less consistent. Examining multivariate results suggested that childhood maltreatment predicts PMADs above and beyond sociodemographic, psychiatric, perinatal, and psychosocial factors, but may also be partially mediated by variables such as later victimization and moderated by protective early relationships. Future research should test mediating and moderating pathways using prospective cohorts, expanding to cross-cultural settings and other disorder outcomes. Treatment and prevention of childhood maltreatment and its sequelae may help mitigate risk for perinatal psychopathology and its impact on maternal and child outcomes.
Laparoscopic double cholecystectomy

A 70-year-old male underwent an optical urethrotomy in 2010 for treatment of a dense 3-cm anastomotic urethral stricture. His history is significant for Gleason 9 T2b prostate cancer treated with an uncomplicated prostatectomy in 1998 and external beam radiotherapy in 2003 secondary to local recurrence. His urethral catheter was removed day 3 post-optical urethrotomy. He developed right groin pain radiating to the inner thigh and had difficulty weight bearing on the right leg over the subsequent days. His symptoms intermittently worsened and he presented 5 weeks post-optical urethrotomy to the emergency department with a fever, right groin pain and inability to walk. His C-reactive protein was elevated at 137 mg/L and a urine culture positive for pseudomonas aeruginosa. A contrast-enhanced computed tomography scan of his abdomen and pelvis revealed a hypoechoic lesion in his obturator externus muscle. An initial bone scan showed no area of increased uptake to suggest osteomyelitis. On day 3 of admission, a magnetic resonance imaging showed an extensive collection within the right obturator externus measuring 3.7 ¥ 2.1 cm as well as osteomyelitis of the pubis (Fig. 1). Ultrasound-guided drainage of the collection aspirated 3 mL of purulent material which grew Pseudomonas aeuroginosa. Optical urethrotomy is considered a safe and effective treatment for urethral strictures. The most common complications are fever, bleeding, urinary tract infection, epididymitis, urinary incontinence, urinary extravasation and recurrence of stricture. We postulate that a disruption of the anatomical planes secondary to radiotherapy resulted in the extravasation of urine, from a breach in the corpus spongiosum at time of urethrotomy, into the superficial perineal space which then tracked deep to Colles’ fascia into the medial compartment of the thigh. Pyomyositis is a rare but possible complication of optical urethrotomy, with patients previously treated with local radiotherapy at particular risk.
Diagnosis of renal artery stenosis: feasibility of combining MR angiography, MR renography, and gadopentetate-based measurements of glomerular filtration rate.

OBJECTIVE Our aim was to evaluate the feasibility of combining in a single test (1) structural evaluation of renal arteries with MR angiography, (2) functional evaluation of global glomerular filtration rates calculated on the basis of plasma disappearance of gadopentetate dimeglumine, and (3) renographic analysis of individual kidneys based on the dynamic changes in signal intensity that occur after administration of gadopentetate dimeglumine. SUBJECTS AND METHODS We used unenhanced MR angiography to measure patency of the renal arteries in 10 healthy volunteers and in 10 patients with renal artery stenosis. Calculations of global glomerular filtration rate were based on measurements of plasma disappearance of gadopentetate dimeglumine as shown by MR relaxometry. For renography with gadopentetate dimeglumine, we generated curves that showed changes in signal intensity in both kidneys over time; intrarenal kinetics were studied by measuring the time of arrival of gadopentetate dimeglumine in the cortex and outer medulla of the kidney. Conventional angiograms, measurements of global glomerular filtration rate based on plasma disappearance of 99mTc-DTPA, and 99mTc-DTPA renograms were used as reference standards. We compared the two different methods of determining global glomerular filtration rates by computing the correlation coefficient of the linear regression of rates derived from studies with gadopentetate dimeglumine versus rates derived from studies with 99mTc-DTPA. RESULTS In all volunteers, renal arteries were well visualized, and global glomerular filtration rates based on plasma clearance of gadopentetate dimeglumine were normal. In nine of 10 patients, correlation was good between findings on MR angiograms and findings on conventional arteriograms. Finding were discordant in one patient because the patient moved during the MR angiography. For all six patients studied, correlation was good between measurements of global glomerular filtration rates based on plasma clearance of gadopentetate dimeglumine and those based on clearance of 99mTc-DTPA (r = 98%). CONCLUSION Our results suggest the potential of magnetic resonance for a comprehensive approach for detection of renal artery stenosis. This novel approach provides structural evaluation of renal arteries with unenhanced MR angiography. MR renography is done and global glomerular filtration rates are determined by using MR relaxometry after injection of contrast material. Corticomedullary transit times can be determined on the basis of the dynamic changes in signal intensity that occur after administration of gadopentetate dimeglumine.
The Superior Vena Cava Syndrome: Clinical Characteristics and Evolving Etiology

Abstract: Malignancy is the most common cause of the superior vena cava (SVC) syndrome. With the increasing use of intravascular devices, the incidence of the SVC syndrome arising from benign etiologies is increasing. We reviewed the etiology and outcome of 78 patients with SVC syndrome over 5 years. Malignancy was the etiology in 60% of the cases, and bronchogenic carcinoma was the most common malignancy. Small cell and non-small cell lung cancer accounted for 17 (22%) and 19 (24%) cases, respectively, but a higher percentage of patients with small-cell lung cancer developed the syndrome (6% vs 1%). Lymphoma and germ cell tumors were other significant malignant causes (8% and 3% of cases, respectively). An intravascular device was the most common etiology in benign cases (22 of 31 cases; 71%), with fibrosing mediastinitis the second most common benign etiology (6 cases). The most frequent signs and symptoms were face or neck swelling (82%), upper extremity swelling (68%), dyspnea (66%), cough (50%), and dilated chest vein collaterals (38%). Dyspnea at rest, cough, and chest pain were more frequent in the patients with malignancy. Procedures performed for diagnostic or treatment purposes did not increase morbidity or mortality. Abbreviations: SVC = superior vena cava.
Impact of diabetes mellitus on mortality associated with pneumonia and influenza among non-Hispanic black and white US adults.

OBJECTIVES This study assessed the impact of diabetes on mortality associated with pneumonia and influenza among non-Hispanic Black and White US adults. METHODS Data were derived from the National Mortality Followback Survey (1986) and the National Health Interview Survey (1987-1989). RESULTS Regardless of race, sex, and socioeconomic status, people with diabetes who died at 25 to 64 years of age were more likely to have pneumonia and influenza recorded on the death certificate than people without diabetes who died at comparable ages (odds ratio [OR] = 4.0, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 2.3, 7.7). For those 65 years and older, the risk remained elevated among Whites with diabetes (OR = 2.2, 95% CI = 1.7, 2.7) but not among Blacks with diabetes (OR = 1.0, 95% CI = 0.6, 1.7). It was estimated that about 17,000 (10.3%) of the 167,000 deaths associated with pneumonia and influenza that occurred in 1986 were attributable to diabetes. CONCLUSIONS The impact of diabetes on deaths associated with pneumonia and influenza is substantial. Targeted immunizations among people with diabetes may reduce unnecessary deaths associated with pneumonia and influenza.
The Removal of Tunnel Vibration Induced Corruption in Aero-Optical Measurements

Wavefront measurements of a turbulent boundary layer were performed at the University of Notre Dame. Optical access windows to the tunnel were instrumented with 16 accelerometers to measure the tunnel-induced vibrations in the optical windows. A combination of spectral Proper Orthogonal Decomposition (POD) and Linear Stochastic Estimation (LSE) were used to remove vibration induced effects in the wavefronts. Through a combination of Tip/Tilt removal and LSE-POD filtering, a reduction of greater than 85% in OPDRMS was observed. A brief optimization study on accelerometer number requirements showed that even instrumenting each optical access window with a single accelerometer provided substantial improvement in vibration-induced error reduction. Wavefront statistics, including spectra, correlation lengths, and OPDRMS for LSE-POD filtered measurements of a M = 0.35 turbulent boundary layer were calculated. The resulting statistics were shown to be in good agreement with previous studies of subsonic turbulent boundary layers.
Mutations affecting hepadnavirus plus-strand DNA synthesis dissociate primer cleavage from translocation and reveal the origin of linear viral DNA

Hepadnaviruses replicate their circular DNA genomes via reverse transcription of an RNA intermediate. The initial product of reverse transcription, minus-strand DNA, contains two copies of a short direct repeat (DR) sequence, termed DR1 and DR2. Plus-strand DNA synthesis initiates at DR2 on minus-strand DNA, using as a primer a short, DR1-containing oligoribonucleotide derived by cleavage and translocation from the 5' end of pregenomic RNA. To clarify the sequence requirements for plus-strand primer cleavage and translocation, we have constructed mutants of the duck hepatitis B virus bearing base changes in or around the DR1 sequence in the primer. A point mutation at the terminal nucleotide of DR1 has a striking phenotype: normal levels of duplex viral DNA are produced, but nearly all of the DNA is linear rather than circular. Mapping of the 5' end of plus-strand DNA reveals that primer cleavage occurs with normal efficiency and accuracy, but the primer is not translocated to DR2; rather, it is extended in situ to generate duplex linear DNA. Other mutations just 3' to DR1 similarly affect primer translocation, although with differing efficiencies. Linear DNA found in wild-type virus preparations has the same fine structure as the mutant linears described above. These results indicate that (i) plus-strand primer cleavage and translocation are distinct steps that can be dissociated by mutation, (ii) lesions in sequences not included in the primer can severely inhibit primer translocation, and (iii) elongation of such untranslocated primers is responsible for the variable quantities of linear DNA that are found in all hepadnaviral stocks.
Dietary Salt Intake and Coronary Atherosclerosis in Patients With Prehypertension

High dietary salt intake is known to contribute to hypertension and cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases. The authors investigated the association between dietary salt intake and development of hypertension or cardiovascular disease (CVD) in 243 patients with prehypertension. After a median follow‐up of 4.53 years (range, 3.1–8.7), 123 (50.6%) patients developed hypertension and 71 (29.2%) experienced cardiovascular events, including fatal and nonfatal myocardial infarctions. Adjusted hazard ratios for patients with a high salt diet (≥6 g/d) were 1.57 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.17–3.31; P=.018) for hypertension and 1.97 (95% CI, 1.08–2.27; P=.011) for CVD. Multivariable‐adjusted analyses of subgroups showed a significant association between salt intake and CVD, but no such association was found in patients younger than 60 years, women, or patients with normal weight or normal cholesterol level. These results provide further research of prevention of hypertension and CVD in prehypertension.
Anatomical factors in prostatitis.

Summary The intrinsic anatomy of the prostate and the sphincter mechanism of the urethra allows more objective consideration of the aetiology of prostatitis and its pathology. The pathological anatomy provides a further reason for the anomalies in the characteristics of the EPS and the difficulty of cure in some cases. It furthermore provides support for a transurethral approach to surgical cure in the cases which advance to this stage.
Surveillance of Hospital-Acquired Infection in England, Germany, and The Netherlands Will International Comparison of Rates Be Possible?

Abstract Three national surveillance systems for nosocomial infection have been developed independently and implemented successfully in England, Germany, and The Netherlands. All three are based on the American National Nosocomial Infections Surveillance System and have adopted a surveillance strategy that is targeted at specific infections or groups of patients for limited time periods. Case-finding methods, the minimum data set, and analysis of data are similar and could be standardized easily. Resolution of the differences in the definitions of infection, the study population, and follow-up should make possible the international comparison of infection rates. Such comparisons may identify differences in healthcare practices between countries and suggest areas for improvement.
Deranged liver blood flow patterns in the detection of liver metastases

Hepatic flow scintigraphy has been used to evaluate 150 patients with gastrointestinal carcinoma. A normal range has been obtained on a group of 23 healthy volunteers. The flow scintigraphic findings have been correlated with the presence of metastases at the time of primary surgical therapy. The group of patients with livers ostensibly clear of metastases have been followed up over a one‐year period. At one year the specificity of the investigation is 72 per cent with a sensitivity of 96 per cent. We conclude that flow scintigraphy is capable of not only detecting established hepatic metastases, but will also identify patients harbouring occult metastatic disease.
Comparison of toxicity tests on human skin and epidermoid (A431) cells using free fatty acids as test substances

Several in‐vivo methods can be used to determine the ability of chemical compounds to induce skin irritancy. In this study we estimated in vivo the capacity of several free fatty acids to induce skin irritancy and compared the results with those found in in vitro tests. Skin irritancy induced by free fatty acids (chain lengths: C6, C7, C9, C10, C11, C13 and C18) was evaluated in humans by means of laser‐Doppler flowmetry (LDF) and visual scoring (VS). Both methods demonstrated that the toxic effect of free fatty acids determined by LDF and VS increased from C6 through C11 and decreased again for C13 and C18. The cytotoxic effect of these free fatty acids on cells was measured in vitro by incubation of human epidermoid cells (A431) with these compounds. It was determined by measuring: (a) the number of dead cells by‐inclusion of Trypan blue (TB); and (b) the number of living cells by mitochondrial metabolism of 3‐[4,5‐dimethylthiazole‐2‐y1]‐2,5 diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT).
Neuroendocrine Impacts of Endocrine-Disrupting Chemicals in Birds: Life Stage and Species Sensitivities

Assessing potential risk associated with exposure to endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDC) has been difficult due to species specific variation in vulnerability and to both short- and long-term effects produced by EDC. In precocial birds, embryonic exposure to EDC impacts sexual differentiation of neuroendocrine systems and behavior. Often, detectable nonlethal effects of EDC diminish as the organism matures such that the chronic impact of EDC may appear relatively innocuous by the time an individual is sexually mature. In addition, studies have not addressed lifetime effects of EDC exposure on birds. Consequently, it is difficult to assess chronic effects of nonlethal exposure on the fitness of an individual and whether there is a potential risk to a wild population. Assessing behavioral and neuroendocrine consequences of exposure is complicated by individual and species variation in sensitivity as well as exposure to complex mixtures. Our studies are designed to examine effects of individual EDC administered to the embryo as well as in a multigenerational dietary study in which birds received low doses of the pesticide methoxychlor (MXC). The influence of dietary MXC exposure was also compared between Japanese quail and northern bobwhite quail. The effects of dietary exposures to 0.5, 5, or 10 ppm that are relatively environmentally low were determined. The selection of these doses was to mimic levels that might be encountered in the field and higher doses that might potentially reveal effects of exposure at relatively low exposures. These doses were also based on the regulations by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency that mandate a limit 0.04 ppm MXC in drinking water, with a limit of no more than 0.05ppm in water that children drink. Further there is a limit of 1–100 ppm for crops and other food for human and livestock consumption; bottled water has a 0.1 ppm limit for MXC content. Our data are discussed in the context of applicability of toxicological yardsticks, including the toxic equivalent (TEQ) and neurotoxic equivalent (NEQ) as predictive indices for short- and long-term outcomes to nonlethal concentrations of EDC. Other approaches have been developed to address inconsistencies in effects and incorporate diverse data into potency estimates. Perhaps it is time to develop a more inclusive estimation method for endocrine and neuroendocrine effects. An endocrine disruption index (EDI) would (1) complement other indices, (2) focus on endocrine disruption, and (3) include effects beyond those mediated by the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) for a comparative assessment of nonlethal EDC effects.