Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Use of Granada Medium To Detect Group B Streptococcal Colonization in Pregnant Women

ABSTRACT Direct inoculation onto Granada medium (GM) in plates and tubes was compared to inoculation into a selective Todd-Hewitt broth (with 8 μg of gentamicin per ml and 15 μg of nalidixic acid per ml) for detection of group B streptococci (GBS) in pregnant women with 800 vaginal and 450 vaginoanorectal samples. Comparatively, GM was found to be as sensitive as the selective broth for the detection of GBS in vaginal specimens and more sensitive than selective broth for the detection of GBS in vaginoanorectal samples (96 versus 82%). The use of GM improved the time to reporting of a GBS-positive result by at least 24 h and reduced the direct cost of screening. We have also found that the inconvenience of anaerobic incubation of GM plates can be avoided when a cover slide is placed upon the inoculum, because aerobic incubation in GM plates with cover slides causes GBS to develop the same pigmentation that it develops with incubation under anaerobic conditions. These data support the routine use of GM plates or tubes as a more accurate, easier, and cheaper method of identification of GBS-colonized women compared to the enrichment broth technique.
An Evaluation of Variables Affecting the Stability and Performance of Down-Flow Anaerobic Fixed Bed Reactors Treating Piggery Wastewater

The influence of the most important variables on the stability and performance of down-flow anaerobic fixed bed reactors treating piggery wastewater after primary sedimentation was evaluated at HRT in the range of 1-6 d and influent substrate concentration in the range of 2 to 12 g TCOD l−1. The effect of HRT was more pronounced compared to that of influent strength. An increase in the HRT increased the process stability and process performance at different influent strengths. TCOD, SCOD, BOD5, TSS, organic nitrogen (N) and Orthophosphate (P) removals increased with the HRT, independently of the initial substrate concentration (S0 ). The increase in S0 brought about an increase in the attached biomass concentration (X) at the end of the experiment. Two empirical models based on the individual effect of HRT, X and S0 were evaluated and found to be adequate to describe the influence of these variables on the process performance. The first model took all the above-mentioned variables into consideration while the second model was simplified and based on the use of HRT as the only independent variable. The results obtained by using both models were found to be similar. This demonstrated that independently of the characteristics of the operation, the behaviour and performance of the reactors were comparable. The methane yield coefficient was found to be 0.337l methane g−1 TCOD removed.
The collagen meniscus implant

Lesions in the meniscus occur particularly in young, active patients in the nonvascularized area which, consequently have a bad intrinsic healing capacity. This has a large impact on the mobility and function of the knee joint. Lesions, and partial lesions, lead to the progression of osteoarthritis over time in a large proportion of patients. The only clinical treatment for severe cases so far is an allograft donor meniscus, which is used mostly in patients with severe osteoarthritis with a completely destroyed meniscus. However, this technique still has to be considered as experimental and, thus, is not yet used on a routine basis. Various technical solutions have been advocated to repair meniscus lesions. One solution is to perform a partial meniscectomy and insert a collagen meniscus implant (CMI) at the site of the lesion. However, the initial mechanical properties of the collagen scaffold are inferior to the native meniscus. Therefore, it is only possible to perform a CMI implantation if the peripheral rim of the meniscus is still intact. Histology of preclinical and clinical biopsies of the implanted CMI demonstrated a repopulation of the scaffold by fibrous tissue and in time a remodeling of the fibrous tissue into fibrocartilaginous-like tissue. Based on histology, the ingrowth of new tissue into the CMI might occur by a process of synovial overgrowth, but other mechanisms of revitalization are also possible. Although some clinical studies demonstrated improvement in outcome scores, the number of patients was small in all studies and the positive effect on the prevention of progression of osteoarthritis was not compared with control groups.
Space, Selection, and Surveillance: Setting Boundaries with BLyS1

The BLyS family of ligands and receptors governs B cell homeostasis by controlling survival, differentiation, and lifespan. This family consists of multiple receptors and ligands, allowing independent regulation of different B cell subsets by varying the combination and levels of receptors expressed. Multiple downstream signaling pathways are implicated in these activities, reflecting this receptor complexity as well as cross-talk with other B cell signaling systems. BLyS levels are associated with multiple forms of humoral autoimmunity and can modulate tolerogenic elimination at the transitional checkpoint. BLyS responsiveness thus balances peripheral selection against cell numbers, providing an elastic system that varies selective stringency based on homeostatic demands.
The Distal Approach for Anterolateral Plate Fixation of the Tibia: An Anatomic Study

Objectives: To determine what anatomic structures are at risk when placing plates from distal to proximal along the anterolateral border of the tibia. Design: Cadaveric dissection study. Setting: The Zimmer Institute, Warsaw, Indiana. Methods: A laboratory investigation was performed using 10 matched limbs (5 right and 5 left) of 5 fresh, frozen, nonpreserved cadaveric specimens. Dissections were carried out to identify the relationships between the plate/screw contructs and (1) the superficial peroneal nerve (SPN) and the pedicle containing the deep peroneal nerve and the anterior tibial vessels (DPN/ATV). Results: The SPN was always visualized in the subcutaneous tissues of the distal incision. The DPN/ATV courses along the posterior half of the tibial shaft proximally and crosses the distal third of the plate as it transitions to an anterior position The pedicle crosses and covers the tibia in a consistent region 40 to 110 mm proximal to the ankle joint. Conclusions: The distal anterolateral approach can be used to place plates along the anterolateral border of the tibia. The SPN is always seen in the distal incision and is not at risk. The structures at risk are the deep peroneal nerve and the anterior tibial vessels as they course from a posterior position proximally to a more anterior position distally.
Immunohistochemistry as First-line Screening for Detecting Colorectal Cancer Patients at Risk for Hereditary Nonpolyposis Colorectal Cancer Syndrome: A 2-antibody Panel May be as Predictive as a 4-antibody Panel

The utility of immunohistochemical detection of DNA mismatch repair proteins in screening colorectal cancer for hereditary nonpolyposis colorectal cancer (HNPCC) is being widely investigated. Currently, in both research and clinical settings, a 4-antibody panel that includes the 4 most commonly affected proteins (MLH1, MSH2, MSH6, and PMS2) is being used generally. On the basis of the biochemical properties of these proteins, we hypothesized that a 2-antibody panel, comprising MSH6 and PMS2, would be sufficient to detect abnormalities in all 4 proteins. We tested this hypothesis on a series of 232 colorectal carcinoma samples derived from 2 patient cohorts: (1) a prospectively accrued series of patients who were judged to carry a higher-than-average risk for HNPCC based on the revised Bethesda guidelines (n=190); and (2) a retrospective series of patients who were 40 years of age or younger (n=42). Immunohistochemical stains were regarded as negative (protein lost), when there was no nuclear labeling in tumor cells (with positive internal control). Overall, 70 of the 232 tumors demonstrated loss of at least one protein. The most common abnormality was concurrent loss of MLH1 and PMS2 (observed in 17% of the cases), followed by concurrent loss of MSH2 and MSH6 (6%). All MLH1 and MSH2-abnormal cases were also abnormal for PMS2 and MSH6, respectively, whereas 9 of 50 (18%) PMS2 and 6 of 20 (30%) MSH6-abnormal cases showed only isolated loss of PMS2 or MSH6 (with normal staining for MLH1 and MSH2). As such, our findings provide evidence that a 2-antibody panel (PMS2 and MSH6) is as effective as the current 4-antibody panel in detecting DNA mismatch repair protein abnormalities. Such a cost-effective approach carries significant implication, as immunohistochemistry is being widely used as first-line screening for HNPCC.
Impact of gastro-oesophageal reflux disease symptoms on COPD exacerbation

Background: The association between gastro-oesophageal reflux disease (GORD) and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) exacerbation has so far remained unclear. Objective: To prospectively establish the clinical significance of GORD symptoms on exacerbation. Methods: 82 patients with COPD and 40 age matched controls were enrolled in this study. Symptoms were evaluated by a questionnaire using the Frequency Scale for the Symptoms of GORD (FSSG). Patients with COPD were prospectively surveyed for 6 months, and episodes of exacerbation were identified using a diary based on modified Anthonisen’s criteria. Exhaled breath condensate (EBC) pH was measured in both groups, and induced sputum was evaluated in patients with COPD. Results: Positive GORD symptoms were reported in 22 (26.8%) patients with COPD and in five (12.5%) controls (p = 0.10). The frequency of exacerbations was significantly associated with the FSSG score (p = 0.03, r = 0.24, 95% CI 0.02 to 0.43). Multiple regression analysis revealed that GORD symptoms were significantly associated with the occurrence of exacerbations (p<0.01; relative risk 6.55, 95% CI 1.86 to 23.11). EBC pH was inversely correlated with FSSG score in both groups (p = 0.01, r = –0.37, 95% CI –0.55 to −0.14 in patients with COPD, and p<0.01, r = –0.45, 95% CI –0.67 to −0.16 in control subjects). Conclusions: GORD symptoms were identified as an important factor associated with COPD exacerbation.
Acute leukemia and myelodysplasia in patients with a Philadelphia chromosome negative chronic myeloproliferative disorder treated with hydroxyurea alone or with hydroxyurea after busulphan

Eighty‐three patients with various chronic myeloproliferative disorders [polycythemia vera (PV), essential thrombocytosis (ET), idiopathic myelofibrosis (IMF)] were analyzed for the occurrence of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and myelodysplasia (MDS) during treatment with hydroxyurea (HU) alone or HU following treatment with busulphan (BU). A total of 58 patients (29 PV, 14 ET, 12 IMF, 3 unclassified) had been treated with HU. Thirty‐five of these patients had been treated with HU alone whereas 18 patients had received both HU and BU. The follow‐up period was 7.8 years. Twenty‐five patients had not been treated with HU. In this patient group, 4 patients had been treated with BU. The follow‐up period was 10.5 years. In the HU‐treated group (n = 58) 7 patients developed AML and 5 patients MDS. Five of the 12 patients had been treated with HU alone, and 4 patients had received both HU and BU. In the non‐HU‐treated group (n = 25) 1 patient with PV developed acute myeloid leukemia (AML). This patient had only been treated with phlebotomies. It is concluded that treatment with HU is leukemogenic, with an incidence of AML and MDS of approximately 14% when used alone. The incidence is markedly increased to about 30% when HU is preceded by treatment with BU. HU is not recommended for use in younger patients, in whom non‐leukemogenic agents such as α‐interferon and anagrelide should be used instead. Am. J. Hematol. 74:26–31, 2003. © 2003 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Glutathione S-transferase M1 polymorphism and esophageal cancer risk: An updated meta-analysis based on 37 studies.

AIM To evaluate the relationship between glutathione S-transferase M1 (GSTM1) polymorphism and susceptibility to esophageal cancer (EC). METHODS A comprehensive search of the United States National Library of Medicine PubMed database and the Elsevier, Springer, and China National Knowledge Infrastructure databases for all relevant studies was conducted using combinations of the following terms: "glutathione S-transferase M1", "GSTM1", "polymorphism", and "EC" (until November 1, 2014). The statistical analysis was performed using the SAS software (v.9.1.3; SAS Institute, Cary, NC, United States) and the Review Manager software (v.5.0; Oxford, England); crude odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were used to assess the association between the GSTM1 null genotype and the risk of EC. RESULTS A total of 37 studies involving 2236 EC cases and 3243 controls were included in this meta-analysis. We observed that the GSTM1 null genotype was a significant risk factor for EC in most populations (OR = 1.33, 95%CI: 1.12-1.57, P heterogeneity < 0.000001, and I (2) = 77.0%), particularly in the Asian population (OR = 1.53, 95%CI: 1.26-1.86, P heterogeneity < 0.000001, and I (2) = 77.0%), but not in the Caucasian population (OR = 1.02, 95%CI: 0.87-1.19, P heterogeneity = 0.97, and I (2) = 0%). CONCLUSION The GSTM1 null polymorphism may be associated with an increased risk for EC in Asian but not Caucasian populations.
Posttraumatic stress, depression, and health among older adults in primary care.

OBJECTIVE The authors examined 1) rates of trauma and posttraumatic stress (PTS) in older adults in primary care; 2) factors related to more posttraumatic stress symptoms; and 3) the influence of posttraumatic stress and depression on health perceptions and negative health behaviors (i.e., suicidal ideation, smoking, and at-risk drinking). METHODS As part of participation in a study at the Philadelphia VAMC and the University of Pennsylvania, a random subset (N = 2,718) of older adults (age > or = 65 years) with scheduled primary care visits were screened concerning demographics, the General Health Questionnaire-12, suicidal thoughts, alcohol consumption, cigarette smoking, perceived health status, PTS, and cognitive impairment. RESULTS The rate of trauma in older adult primary care patients was high in both the VA (37%) and university-based clinics (24%). Many older adults reported interference from at least one of the three posttraumatic stress items assessed (VA, 18%; university-based primary care, 8%). In a model including demographic factors, higher PTS and depression were uniquely related to more negative health perceptions. In a model including demographic factors, both higher PTS and depression were uniquely related to higher likelihood of suicidal ideation. In contrast, PTS no longer contributed to a model of smoking once depression was included. Neither PTS nor depression significantly contributed to a model of at-risk drinking. CONCLUSIONS Trauma and posttraumatic stress are frequent and significant problems for older adults in primary care. Both posttraumatic stress and depression are related to more negative health perceptions and higher likelihood of suicidal ideation.
Polar lipid composition of the leaves and seeds from the tea plant (Camellia sinensis L).

Thin-layer chromatography has been used to separate, identify and quantitatively estimate the polar lipids in tea leaves and seeds. Young shoots have been found to contain a higher concentration of phosphatidyl ethanolamine and phosphatidyl choline than older leaves, which have a high concentration of galactolipids. Seeds contain a high concentration of phosphatidyl choline.
Channel reordering and prefetching schemes for efficient IPTV channel navigation

As Internet Protocol Television (IPTV) has become one of the major Internet applications, IPTV users increase rapidly and hundreds of channels emerge to satisfy users' demands. However, the increased number of channels makes users difficult to find their desired channels. Along with this problem, the channel zapping time of IPTV incurs serious user-perceived delay. To alleviate these problems, this paper presents hybrid schemes that combine channel prefetching and reordering schemes. Specifically, adjacency and popularity based prefetching schemes are combined with popular channel reordering schemes and their performances are simulated under various conditions. Experimental results show that the proposed schemes reduce the channel seek time by up to 44.7% when up-down channel selection interfaces are used.
New graduates' perceptions of clinical practice.

This study describes the stresses and challenges experienced by graduate nurses in clinical practice during their initial orientation period and examines the relationship of social support to these stresses. Thirty-five graduate nurses completed a modified Pagana Clinical Stress Questionnaire and social support measure during their orientation period. The graduates experienced a moderate degree of stress in their orientation. Stresses identified most frequently were: lack of experience as a nurse, interactions with physicians, lack of organizational skills and new situations and procedures. Although orientation was stressful, when describing emotions experienced during this period, graduates reported positive emotions most frequently. Pearson correlation revealed no significant relationship between social support and stress. Significant correlations were found, however, between social support and stimulation in clinical practice (r = 57, p = .001) and development of self-confidence (r = 39, p = .029). Findings highlighted the important role of the preceptor during orientation.
BP: Statistical Review of World Energy 2011

Multinational corporation BP is now issuing the 60th Statistical Review, which contains data on world energy production and consumption. The influence of renewed economic growth in energy consumption is considered. The dynamics of individual energy markets: crude oil, petroleum, natural gas is analyzed. The prospects for coal, hydro and nuclear power, as well as the possibility of using renewable energy sources are investigated.
Tempo and Mode of Transposable Element Activity in Drosophila

The evolutionary dynamics of transposable element (TE) insertions have been of continued interest since TE activity has important implications for genome evolution and adaptation. Here, we infer the transposition dynamics of TEs by comparing their abundance in natural D. melanogaster and D. simulans populations. Sequencing pools of more than 550 South African flies to at least 320-fold coverage, we determined the genome wide TE insertion frequencies in both species. We suggest that the predominance of low frequency insertions in the two species (>80% of the insertions have a frequency <0.2) is probably due to a high activity of more than 58 families in both species. We provide evidence for 50% of the TE families having temporally heterogenous transposition rates with different TE families being affected in the two species. While in D. melanogaster retrotransposons were more active, DNA transposons showed higher activity levels in D. simulans. Moreover, we suggest that LTR insertions are mostly of recent origin in both species, while DNA and non-LTR insertions are older and more frequently vertically transmitted since the split of D. melanogaster and D. simulans. We propose that the high TE activity is of recent origin in both species and a consequence of the demographic history, with habitat expansion triggering a period of rapid evolution.
Authentic leadership, organisational citizenship behaviour and intention to leave: The role of psychological capital

The Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic and its associated health, social and economic consequences placed a renewed focus on healthcare. Although the South African Department of Health (DoH) has set out to improve the status of public healthcare services (Gilson & Daire, 2011; World Health Organization [WHO], 2013), healthcare institutions remain hampered by inequitable distribution of resources (Health Systems Trust, 2018). In addition to a lack of resources, public healthcare employees are burdened with staff shortages, high workloads and long working hours (Health Systems Trust, 2018; Maphumulo & Bhengu, 2019), even more so during pandemics. These burdens result from high turnover rates in an overstretched public healthcare sector (Lee, Chiang, & Kuo, 2019; Trinchero, Borgonovi, & Farr-Wharton, 2014), which may threaten both the quality of healthcare services (Lee et al., 2019) and the achievement of the DoH’s goals. Despite the challenges encountered in this sector, public healthcare employees are expected to ‘go the extra mile’.
Novel MPDZ/MUPP1 transgenic and knockdown models confirm Mpdz's role in ethanol withdrawal and support its role in voluntary ethanol consumption

Association studies implicate multiple PDZ domain protein (MPDZ/MUPP1) sequence and/or expression in risk for alcoholism in humans and ethanol withdrawal (EW) in mice, but confirmation has been hindered by the dearth of targeted genetic models. We report the creation of transgenic (MPDZ‐TG) and knockout heterozygote (Mpdz+/−) mice, with increased (2.9‐fold) and decreased (53%) target expression, respectively. Both models differ in EW compared with wild‐type littermates (P ≤ 0.03), providing compelling evidence for an inverse relationship between Mpdz expression and EW severity. Additionally, ethanol consumption is reduced up to 18% (P = 0.006) in Mpdz+/−, providing the first evidence implicating Mpdz in ethanol self‐administration.
Effect of 16-hour duty periods on patient care and resident education.

OBJECTIVE To measure the effect of duty periods no longer than 16 hours on patient care and resident education. PATIENTS AND METHODS As part of our Educational Innovations Project, we piloted a novel resident schedule for an inpatient service that eliminated shifts longer than 16 hours without increased staffing or decreased patient admissions on 2 gastroenterology services from August 29 to November 27, 2009. Patient care variables were obtained through medical record review. Resident well-being and educational variables were collected by weekly surveys, end of rotation evaluations, and an electronic card-swipe system. RESULTS Patient care metrics, including 30-day mortality, 30-day readmission rate, and length of stay, were unchanged for the 196 patient care episodes in the 5-week intervention month compared with the 274 episodes in the 8 weeks of control months. However, residents felt less prepared to manage cross-cover of patients (P = .006). There was a nonsignificant trend toward decreased perception of quality of education and balance of personal and professional life during the intervention month. Residents reported working fewer weekly hours overall during the intervention (64.3 vs 68.9 hours; P = .40), but they had significantly more episodes with fewer than 10 hours off between shifts (24 vs 2 episodes; P = .004). CONCLUSION Inpatient hospital services can be staffed with residents working shifts less than 16 hours without additional residents. However, cross-cover of care, quality of education, and time off between shifts may be adversely affected.