Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Surgical treatment for pathologic fracture

AIM To evaluate epidemiology, prognosis and diagnostics in metastatic bone disease and identify risk factors for failure after operation for pathologic fracture. PATIENTS The study was based on patients treated for skeletal metastases, myeloma or lymphoma between 1986 and 1998 at the Oncology Service, Department of Orthopedics, Karolinska Hospital and on patients diagnosed with symptomatic skeletal metastases 1989-1994 in the Stockholm Region. EPIDEMIOLOGY 641 breast cancer patients were diagnosed with symptomatic skeletal metastases 1989-1994. Based upon 1100 new primary breast cancer cases yearly, the overall risk of developing symptomatic skeletal metastases was 10-15%. One out of 5 patients with skeletal metastases required surgical treatment for skeletal complications. PROGNOSIS The survival rate after surgical treatment for skeletal complications was 0.3 at 1 year and 0.008 at 3 years. Multivariate analysis based on 619 patients showed that complete pathologic fracture and soft tissue metastases were negative prognostic variables for 1-year survival after operation. Solitary skeletal metastasis, breast, prostate, kidney cancer, myeloma, and lymphoma were positive variables. DIAGNOSIS Fine Needle Aspiration Biopsy (FNAB) was assessed in 110 patients for diagnostic accuracy and to which extent information about primary site of the metastatic carcinoma could be gained. There were 80 patients with metastatic carcinoma, 14 with lymphoma, and 16 with myeloma. FNAB offered correct diagnosis in 9 of 10 patients and also provided guidance in the search for the primary lesions. Hence, 27 of 30 myeloma or lymphomas were diagnosed by FNAB and in half of the patients with metastatic carcinoma the site of the primary tumor could be ascertained. For patients with a suspected skeletal metastasis the search for the primary tumor may preferably start with FNAB. SURGICAL TREATMENT Risk factors for failure after operation for pathologic fractures were identified in 192 patients treated for 228 metastatic lesions of the long bones. 26 out of 228 procedures (11%) lead to failures necessitating reoperation. Long survival after surgery was the most important risk factor for failure of the reconstruction. Kidney cancer was the primary tumor associated with the highest rate of reoperations. Reoperations were more common in the femur than in the humerus. Reconstructions based on prosthetic as opposed to osteosynthetic devices appeared safer. There was a tendency for a high reoperation rate in hospitals with few treated patients. CONCLUSION To decrease the risk of reoperation, it is important to identify patients with a long expected survival. Patients with a good prognosis should be considered for wide resection and reconstruction as applied in primary malignant bone tumors.
Quality of life in women with gynecologic cancer in Turkey.

AIM The management of gynecological cancer patients mainly aims at prolonging survival but modern therapy focuses on good survival combined with a good quality of life (QoL). The aim of this study was to evaluate QoL and identify its associated factors in Turkish women with gynecologic cancer. METHOD The study included 119 women diagnosed with endometrial, cervical, ovarian or vulvar cancer and treated at the Gynecologic Oncology Department of Celal Bayar University Faculty of Medicine. The data were collected between January and June 2011. QoL was measured with EORTC QLQ-C30 version 3.0. Relationships between clinical and socio- demographic characteristics and QoL scores were analyzed using the Mann-Whitney U, Kruskal Wallis and t-tests. RESULT Global health status, physical and role function scores were found higher in women under the age of 60 years. Role function scores were found lower, and emotional and social scores were found to be higher in single women than in married women. Physical scores were found higher in women who had graduated from secondary school or above. Women with ovarian cancer had the highest while women with cervical cancer had the lowest global health score (65.3 ± 24.7 and 43.0 ± 24.1, respectively). Women with endometrial cancer were found to have better role function, and social well being than those with vulvar, cervical or ovarian cancer. Global, physical, role function, cognitive and social scores were found higher in women who had been treated with surgery. CONCLUSION Gynecological cancer and treatment processes cause significant problems that have negative effects on physical, emotional, social and role function aspects of QoL. Health care providers play a key role in the identification and treatment of the complications of cancer therapy. Minimizing the effect of the symptoms of gynecologic cancer may positively impact on patient QoL.
Kv3 voltage‐gated potassium channels regulate neurotransmitter release from mouse motor nerve terminals

Voltage‐gated potassium (Kv) channels are critical to regulation of neurotransmitter release throughout the nervous system but the roles and identity of the subtypes involved remain unclear. Here we show that Kv3 channels regulate transmitter release at the mouse neuromuscular junction (NMJ). Light‐ and electron‐microscopic immunohistochemistry revealed Kv3.3 and Kv3.4 subunits within all motor nerve terminals of muscles examined [transversus abdominus, lumbrical and flexor digitorum brevis (FDB)]. To determine the roles of these Kv3 subunits, intracellular recordings were made of end‐plate potentials (EPPs) in FDB muscle fibres evoked by electrical stimulation of tibial nerve. Tetraethylammonium (TEA) applied at low concentrations (0.05–0.5 mm), which blocks only a few known potassium channels including Kv3 channels, did not affect muscle fibre resting potential but significantly increased the amplitude of all EPPs tested. Significantly, this effect of TEA was still observed in the presence of the large‐conductance calcium‐activated potassium channel blockers iberiotoxin (25–150 nm) and Penitrem A (100 nm), suggesting a selective action on Kv3 subunits. Consistent with this, 15‐µm 4‐aminopyridine, which blocks Kv3 but not large‐conductance calcium‐activated potassium channels, enhanced evoked EPP amplitude. Unexpectedly, blood‐depressing substance‐I, a toxin selective for Kv3.4 subunits, had no effect at 0.05–1 µm. The combined presynaptic localization of Kv3 subunits and pharmacological enhancement of EPP amplitude indicate that Kv3 channels regulate neurotransmitter release from presynaptic terminals at the NMJ.
Sustainability Performance: A Comparative Analysis in the Polish Banking Sector

This article analyses the Polish banking sector’s involvement with sustainable development through a multidimensional evaluation applying the technique for order preference by similarity ideal solution (TOPSIS) method with different weight vectors. Our results highlight numerous shortcomings in the sustainability performance of commercial banking activities. In fact, there was backsliding during the analysed period (2015–2017), which suggests that supporting sustainability performance was not one of the priorities of the Polish banking sector. However, we found a dichotomy between national and foreign banks. The government-owned banks and national banks showed greater commitment to this issue than did the banks with foreign capital. This finding suggests that banks with foreign capital were not fully interested in sponsoring activities aimed at sustainable development.
Inheritance of Resistance to Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. kurstaki in Trichoplusia ni

ABSTRACT The genetic inheritance of resistance to a commercial formulation of Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. kurstaki was examined in a Trichoplusia ni colony initiated from a resistant population present in a commercial vegetable greenhouse in British Columbia, Canada. Progeny of F1 reciprocal crosses and backcrosses between F1 larvae and resistant (PR) and susceptible (PS) populations were assayed at different B. thuringiensis subsp. kurstaki concentrations. The responses of progeny of reciprocal F1 crosses were identical, indicating that the resistant trait was autosomal. The 50% lethal concentration for the F1 larvae was slightly higher than that for PS, suggesting that resistance is partially recessive. The responses of both backcross progeny (F1 × PR, F1 × PS) did not correspond to predictions from a single-locus model. The inclusion of a nonhomozygous resistant parental line in the monogenic model significantly increased the correspondence between the expected and observed results for the F1 × PR backcross but decreased the correspondence with the F1 × PS backcross results. This finding suggests that resistance to B. thuringiensis subsp. kurstaki in this T. ni population is due to more than one gene.
The effects of acupuncture point Pericardium 6 on hydromorphone-induced nausea and vomiting in healthy dogs.

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the effect of needling at acupuncture point Pericardium 6 on hydromorphone-induced nausea and vomiting. STUDY DESIGN Randomized controlled clinical study. ANIMALS Eighty-one mixed-breed, healthy dogs aged 1.8 ± 1.6 years and weighing 14.5 ± 5.6 kg, admitted for elective ovariohysterectomy (n = 75) or castration (n = 6). METHODS Dogs were randomly assigned to one of three groups: acupuncture at Pericardium 6 (AT, n = 27); alternative acupuncture at Lung 5 (ST, n = 27), and no acupuncture (CT, n = 27). During time 0-30 minutes (baseline), occurrences of hypersalivation, vomiting and licking were recorded. At 30 minutes, subjects were administered hydromorphone (0.1 mg kg(-1) ) in combination with acepromazine (0.03 mg kg(-1) ) intramuscularly. During time 30-45 minutes (post-injection), occurrences of hypersalivation, vomiting and licking were recorded by an observer unaware of group assignment. Groups were compared using a Kruskal-Wallis test followed by a Dunn's post-test, or Fisher's exact tests when appropriate. RESULTS There were no significant differences in age, weight or baseline observations among groups. Vomiting incidence post-injection was higher in the CT (20/27, 74.1%) and ST (22/27, 81.5%) groups than in the AT (10/27, 37.0%) group (p = 0.0129 and p = 0.002, respectively). The number of vomiting episodes [median (range)] after opioid administration was higher in the ST [1 (1-6)] than the AT [0 (0-2)] group (p = 0.0040). There were no differences in the median number of vomiting episodes between the ST and CT [1 (0-3)] or AT and CT groups. There were no differences in hypersalivation or licking among groups after hydromorphone-acepromazine administration. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE Pericardium 6 acupuncture reduced the incidence of hydromorphone-induced vomiting in healthy dogs. This cost-effective technique can improve patient well-being and comfort during the perioperative period.
Predictors of New Teacher Satisfaction in Urban Schools

This study addressed the problem of job satisfaction of new teachers in large urban school districts. Understanding what contributes to job satisfaction of new teachers has implications for retention strategies supporting cost-effective human capital management as well as for improving working conditions and performance in the educational accountability era. The study used personal characteristics, general job facets, and specific job facets as predictors. The full set of predictor variables explained 71% of the variance in new teacher job satisfaction. The study found that overall new teacher job satisfaction correlates with (a) preparedness, (b) leadership, (c) independence, (d) time, and (e) benefits. Addressing each correlate could likely increase new teacher job satisfaction and retention in the teaching profession particularly in the high-need, hard-to-staff schools. Implications for practice and research are discussed.
Spectrum of HNF1B mutations in a large cohort of patients who harbor renal diseases.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES Hepatocyte nuclear factor 1beta (HNF1beta) is a transcription factor that is critical for the development of kidney and pancreas. In humans, mutations in HNF1B lead to congenital anomalies of the kidney and urinary tract, pancreas atrophy, and maturity-onset diabetes of the young type 5 and genital malformations. DESIGN, SETTING, PARTICIPANTS, & MEASUREMENTS We report HNF1B screening in a cohort of 377 unrelated cases with various kidney phenotypes (hyperechogenic kidneys with size not more than +3 SD, multicystic kidney disease, renal agenesis, renal hypoplasia, cystic dysplasia, or hyperuricemic tubulointerstitial nephropathy not associated with UMOD mutation). RESULTS We found a heterozygous mutation in 75 (19.9%) index cases, consisting of a deletion of the whole gene in 42, deletion of one exon in one, and small mutations in 32. Eighteen mutations were novel. De novo mutations accounted for 66% of deletions and 40% of small mutations. In patients who carried HNF1B mutation and for whom we were able to study prenatal ultrasonography (56 probands), isolated hyperechogenic kidneys with normal or slightly enhanced size were the more frequent (34 of 56) phenotype before birth. Various other prenatal renal phenotypes were associated with HNF1B mutations, at a lesser frequency. Diabetes developed in four probands. Hyperuricemia and hypomagnesemia, although not systematically investigated, were frequently associated. CONCLUSIONS This large series showed that the severity of the renal disease associated with HNF1B mutations was extremely variable (from prenatal renal failure to normal renal function in adulthood) and was not correlated with the genotype.
In vitro regeneration of the tennessee coneflower (Echinacea tennesseensis)

SummaryTennessee coneflower [Echinacea tennesseensis (Beadle) Small] was regenerated from flower stalks, leaf sections from flowering plants, and hypocotyls and cotyledons from seedlings. Murashige and Skoog medium (MS) supplemented with naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA) at 0.54 μM and thidiazuron (TDZ) at 22.7 μM yielded the most shoots per leaf explant. NAA and 6-benzylaminopurine concentrations for optimal shoot regeneration from leaf, flower stalk, cotyledon and hypocotyl explants in MS media were 0.54 and 24. 6μM, respectively. All explant types generated shoots; however, those derived from leaves and flower stalks produced the highest number of shoots per explant and highest percentage of explants with shoots. Explants cultured on media containing high levels of NAA (5.4–27 μM) formed calluses but no adventitious shoot. Leaf explants responded to a wider range of NAA concentrations than the other explant types but shoots generated from flower stalks grew the fastest. While all cytokinins tested increased the number of shoots per explant, the number of shoots in media containing TDZ was increased by nearly threefold. Regenerated shoots from all explant types cultured on MS medium supplemented with 0.25 μM indole-3-butyric acid initiated roots within 4 wk; NAA was not effective for root induction. All vernalized plantlets developed into plants that were morphologically identical to the source material.
Measurement of Cervical Length in Pregnancy: Comparison Between Vaginal Ultrasonography and Digital Examination

Evaluation of the gravid cervix uteri is an important part of prenatal care, especially in the patient at risk for preterm birth. Seeking a method of cervical length measurement that could be used easily regardless of patient habitus, location of the cervix, and gestational age, we used a vaginal probe with a 240° scanning angle in gravidas at various gestational ages to test the theoretical advantages of the wide scanning angle. Among the first 201 examinations, cervical length was measured successfully in 99.5% of cases. This success rate compares favorably with those of abdominal sonography and vaginal sonography using the standard 90 scanning angle sector probes. We also compared this method with digital examination in a double-blind fashion. Only a fair degree of association between sonographic cervical measurements and measurements obtained by digital examination was found, reflected in a correlation coefficient of 0.49.
Eccentric calf muscle exercise produces a greater acute reduction in Achilles tendon thickness than concentric exercise

Objective: To investigate the acute effects of isolated eccentric and concentric calf muscle exercise on Achilles tendon sagittal thickness. Design: Within-subject, counterbalanced, mixed design. Setting: Institutional. Participants: 11 healthy, recreationally active male adults. Interventions: Participants performed an exercise protocol, which involved isolated eccentric loading of the Achilles tendon of a single limb and isolated concentric loading of the contralateral, both with the addition of 20% bodyweight. Main outcome measurements: Sagittal sonograms were acquired prior to, immediately following and 3, 6, 12 and 24 h after exercise. Tendon thickness was measured 2 cm proximal to the superior aspect of the calcaneus. Results: Both loading conditions resulted in an immediate decrease in normalised Achilles tendon thickness. Eccentric loading induced a significantly greater decrease than concentric loading despite a similar impulse (−0.21 vs −0.05, p<0.05). Post-exercise, eccentrically loaded tendons recovered exponentially, with a recovery time constant of 2.5 h. The same exponential function did not adequately model changes in tendon thickness resulting from concentric loading. Even so, recovery pathways subsequent to the 3 h time point were comparable. Regardless of the exercise protocol, full tendon thickness recovery was not observed until 24 h. Conclusions: Eccentric loading invokes a greater reduction in Achilles tendon thickness immediately after exercise but appears to recover fully in a similar time frame to concentric loading.
Design and Comparison of Two Six-Phase Hybrid-Excited Flux-Switching Machines for EV/HEV Applications

Multiphase flux-switching permanent-magnet (FSPM) machines inherit the merits of conventional FSPM machines and the common advantages of multiphase machines, e.g., low torque pulsations, a high torque density, and a high fault-tolerant capability. When a hybrid excitation is applied, postfault armature currents can be reduced by applying a positive field current (PFC). Hence, in this paper, based on both 2-D and 3-D finite-element analyses (FEAs), two six-phase hybrid-excited flux-switching (HEFS) machines with E-core and C-core stator laminations are designed, respectively. Iron bridges are adopted in each machine, and the influences on the performance are investigated. In addition, alternative-tooth-wound armature windings are employed in the C-core machine to obtain physical and magnetic isolations between armature phases. A comprehensive comparison of the two designs is carried out. Then, more attention is paid to fault-tolerant operating capabilities when an open-circuit fault occurs to only one phase and two phases of armature windings, respectively. The PFC can be applied in the C-core machine under fault-tolerant operating conditions; thus, the postfault armature current can be reduced while maintaining the torque output. Overall, the torque output can be effectively maintained in each HEFS machine during postfault operations. Finally, the FEA-based studies are validated by experimental measurements on two HEFS machine prototypes.
Nd:YAG (1064 nm) laser for the treatment of chronic periodontitis: a pilot study.

AIM To evaluate the clinical and microbiological effects of neodymium: yttrium-aluminum-garnet laser therapy as an adjunct to scaling and root planing during the hygienic phase. METHODS In eight patients, sites with a mean probing pocket depth (PPD) of ≥5 mm were treated by either scaling and root planing (n=28) (control) or by scaling and root planing and adjunctive laser therapy (n=28) (power: 5W). Re-evaluation was at 4-6 weeks. Thereafter, remaining pockets (mean PPD ≥5 mm) were eliminated by either laser surgery (power: 7 W) or gingivectomy (control). RESULTS At baseline, the mean PPD of sites originally presenting with a mean PPD ≥4 mm were 4.69 and 4.73 mm in the test and control sites, respectively. Six months following surgery, there was a similar average mean PPD reduction in the test (1.18 mm, P<0.01) and control sites (1.35 mm, P<0.01). Also, the reduction in bleeding on probing in both groups was statistically significant (P<0.01, paired t-tests). No statistically-significant differences between the test and control sites were found for any clinical or microbiological parameters at baseline, after initial, and 3 or 6 months' post-surgical therapy. CONCLUSION During the hygienic phase, neodymium: yttrium-aluminum-garnet (1064 nm) laser treatment yielded no superiority in clinical efficacy compared to conventional debridement. Laser gingivectomy resulted in similar treatment outcomes (mean PPD and bleeding on probing reduction), as did conventional gingivectomy.
Predictors of survival in patients with established cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma treated with sorafenib.

AIM To investigate in greater detail the efficacy and safety of sorafenib for the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in patients with established cirrhosis. METHODS From October 2009 to July 2012 patients with an established diagnosis of cirrhosis and HCC treated with sorafenib were consecutively enrolled. According to the Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer (BCLC) classification, patients were in the advanced stage (BCLC-C) or in the intermediate stage (BCLC-B) but unfit or unresponsive to other therapeutic strategies. Treatment was evaluated performing a 4-phase computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging scan every 2-3 mo, and analyzed according to the modified Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors. Sorafenib was administered at 800 mg/d, until radiological progression or occurrence of unacceptable adverse events (AEs). Univariate and multivariate analyses identified predictors of 16-wk clinical benefit and overall survival. RESULTS Forty-four patients were enrolled, 15 had intermediate HCC and 14 a Child-Pugh score of B7. AEs caused treatment interruption in 19 patients (43%), and median treatment duration was shorter in this subset (5 wk vs 19 wk, P < 0.001) and in the BCLC-C subgroup (13 wk vs 40 wk, P = 0.015). No significant differences in the reason for treatment interruption or in treatment duration were found comparing patients in Child-Pugh class A vs B or in patients older or younger than 70 years. After 16 wk of treatment, 18 patients (41%) had stable disease or partial response. Patients with viral infection or BCLC-C were at higher risk of disease progression. ECOG, extrahepatic spread, macrovascular invasion, alpha-fetoprotein or alkaline phosphatase levels at admission were independent predictors of overall survival. CONCLUSION In patients with cirrhosis and HCC treated with sorafenib, AEs are a common cause of early treatment withdrawal. Vascular invasion and extrahepatic spread condition early response to treatment and survival. Baseline biochemical parameters may be helpful to identify patients at higher risk of shorter overall survival.