Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Epsilon aminocaproic acid reduces blood transfusion and improves the coagulation test after pediatric open-heart surgery: a meta-analysis of 5 clinical trials.

BACKGROUND Excessive postoperative blood loss after cardiopulmonary bypass is a common problem, especially in patients suffering from congenital heart diseases. The efficacy of epsilon aminocaproic acid (EACA) as a prophylactic treatment for postoperative bleeding after pediatric open-heart surgery has not been determined. This meta-analysis investigates the efficacy of EACA in the minimization of bleeding and blood transfusion and the maintenance of coagulation tests after pediatric open-heart surgery. METHODS A comprehensive literature search was performed to identify all randomized clinical trials on the subject. PubMed, Embase, the Cochrane Library, and the Chinese Medical Journal Network were screened. The primary outcome used for the analysis was postoperative blood loss. Secondary outcomes included postoperative blood transfusion, re-exploration rate and postoperative coagulation tests. The mean difference (MD) and risk ratio (RR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) were used as summary statistics. RESULTS Five trials were included in this meta-analysis of 515 patients. Prophylactic EACA was associated with a reduction in postoperative blood loss, but this difference did not reach statistical significance (MD: -7.08; 95% CI: -16.11 to 1.95; P = 0.12). Patients treated with EACA received fewer postoperative blood transfusions, including packed red blood cells (MD: -8.36; 95% CI: -12.63 to -4.09; P = 0.0001), fresh frozen plasma (MD: -3.85; 95% CI: -5.63 to -2.08; P < 0.0001), and platelet concentrate (MD: -10.66; 95% CI: -18.45 to -2.87; P = 0.007), and had a lower re-exploration rate (RR: 0.46; 95% CI: 0.23 to 0.92; P = 0.03). Prophylactic EACA also improved coagulation tests 6 hours after open-heart surgery. CONCLUSIONS Prophylactic EACA minimizes postoperative blood transfusion and helps maintain coagulation in pediatric patients undergoing open-heart surgery. Therefore, the results of this study indicate that adjunctive EACA is a good choice for the prevention of postoperative blood transfusion following pediatric cardiac surgery.
Randomized Field Trial of Vaginal Douching, Pelvic Inflammatory Disease and Pregnancy

Background. Several case-control studies have reported that women who use vaginal douche products are at increased risk for pelvic inflammatory disease. Women who douche regularly may do so for reasons related to their risk of acquiring a sexually transmitted infection, introducing confounding that is difficult to control in non-experimental studies. Methods. We conducted a multicenter randomized field trial with a 1-year follow-up period. The study comprised 1827 women age 18–34, with no current indication of pelvic inflammatory disease, who were regular users of a douche product and who had been treated recently for a sexually transmitted bacterial infection or bacterial vaginosis. Women were randomly assigned to use either a newly designed and marketed douche product or a soft cloth towelette, and were resupplied with product at each bimonthly follow-up visit. We measured the occurrence of pelvic inflammatory disease using a combination of clinical and laboratory indicators. We also recorded pregnancy occurrence among participants. Results. The risk of PID among women assigned to use the douche product, relative to that among women assigned to use the wipe product, was 1.05 (95% confidence interval = 0.57–1.9). Using an alternative, less sensitive definition of PID gave a risk ratio of 1.26 (0.62–2.6). The probability of becoming pregnant was 15% lower among women assigned to use a douche product, and 33% lower among women who douched more frequently (ratio = 0.67; 0.42–1.08). Conclusions. There was little or no indication of a greater risk of PID among women assigned to use the douche product. Douching may be related to a lower probability that a woman becomes pregnant.
Local recurrence after cystectomy and survival of patients with bladder cancer: a population based study in greater amsterdam.

PURPOSE We determined retrospectively in a population based study the survival of patients with bladder cancer and the local recurrence rate (LRR) after cystectomy. MATERIALS AND METHODS All patients with bladder cancer diagnosed between 1988 and 2001 (vital status updated until September 2003) were selected from the Amsterdam Cancer Registry, which covers a population of 2.84 million individuals. For all patients who underwent cystectomy between 1988 and 1997 at 18 participating hospitals information on local recurrence and vital status was collected from the medical records. RESULTS Five-year relative survival in all 8,321 bladder cancer cases combined was 75%. For clinical stage 0-a this was 99%, decreasing to 85% for stage 0-is and 82% for stage I, and to 44%, 28% and 9% for stages II to IV, respectively. Five-year relative survival after cystectomy was 81%, 44% and 23% for stages II to IV, respectively. The LRR after cystectomy was 19% in all 566 cases and all institutions combined. The LRR increased with higher pT stage and it achieved 11%, 23% and 31% for stages II to IV, respectively. It was slightly lower at oncological centers than at community hospitals (18% vs 20%, not significant). CONCLUSIONS Survival is higher than the European average but below the value in the United States. Only 1 of 3 stages II-III cases was treated with cystectomy. Relatively high stage specific survival is experienced after cystectomy despite local recurrence in 1 of 5 patients.
Towards a scalable environment for traffic information services

Providers of traffic information services face the challenge of an ever growing volume of traffic data. To use this traffic data to discover useful information about trends in traffic congestion an approach is required that can handle this volume. We have explored the enterprise architecture of such a provider of traffic information services to identify areas of improvement. These improvements lead to a more scalable environment where the traffic data can be analysed. To demonstrate the outcome of these improvements, a new information service is created in the form of an information dashboard, where behaviour of traffic congestion can be studied.
Fatty Acid Supply in Pregnant Women with Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus

Long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LCPUFAs) play an important role in the human body in building up cell membranes and in regulating their fluidity. The most important fatty acids are the essential n-3 fatty acid, alpha-linolenic acid (C18:3n-3, ALA) and the essential n-6 fatty acid, linoleic acid (C18:2n-6, LA), and their most important metabolites, docosahexaenoic acid (C22:6n-3, DHA) and arachidonic acid (C20:4n-6, AA). LCPUFAs are precursors of different eicosanoids, and their availability may be disturbed in several diseases. As insulin is one of the most potent activators of -6 desaturase enzyme, type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) is characterised by the diminished levels of n-3 LCPUFAs (Decsi et al., 2002, 2007; Szabo et al., 2010b).
The Bacteriological Diagnosis of Tuberculous Meningitis

emergency procedure. Since many conditions can produce a cellular and biochemical picture in the cerebrospinal fluid similar to that found in tuberculous meningitis, the essential laboratory procedure lies in the immediate and accurate demonstration of tubercle bacilli in the fluid. It was stressed by Cathie and MacFarlane (1950) and in the Ministry of Health Report on Streptomycin Trials (1950) that tubercle bacilli could be found in the direct films of a large percentage of cases if the necessary care were taken in the preparation of the film. Unfortunat! ly, technical methods are still being advocated (Cruickshank, 1951 ; Harvey, 1952) which, if generally applied, will result in a failure in many cases to demonstrate the organisms. It would therefore seem of some use to record a reliable method for the preparation of such films.
Divergent consequences arise from metallothionein overexpression in astrocytes: Zinc buffering and oxidant‐induced zinc release

Excessive accumulation of the heavy metal zinc is cytotoxic. As a consequence, cellular vulnerability to zinc‐induced injury may be regulated by the abundance of proteins that maintain intracellular free zinc concentrations ([Zn2+]i). In this study, we overexpressed the zinc‐binding protein metallothionein‐II (MT) in astrocytes to assess its impact as (1) an acute zinc buffering mechanism, and (2) an oxidant‐releasable zinc pool. Overexpression of MT in primary astrocyte cultures was accomplished using an adenoviral vector. Using the zinc‐sensitive fluorescent indicator mag‐fura‐2, we monitored [Zn2+]i after stimulating zinc influx or oxidant treatment. With MT overexpression, we observed an acute buffering effect manifested as a dampening of stimulus‐induced increases in [Zn2+]i. In contrast, we also saw enhanced zinc release with application of the sulfhydryl oxidizing agent 2,2′‐dithiodipyridine. These results indicate that overexpression of a zinc‐binding protein can quickly diminish [Zn2+]i following zinc influx, but elevate [Zn2+]i under conditions of oxidative stress, providing protective yet potentially endangering effects. © 2003 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Effects of Slow Freezing Procedure on Late Blastocyst Gene Expression and Survival Rate in Rabbit1

ABSTRACT Studies of embryo cryopreservation efficiency have focused mainly on technical and embryo factors. To determine how a slow freezing process affects embryo and fetal development, we studied in vivo development ability after the freezing procedure by assessing blastocyst development at Day 6, implantation, and birth rates. A transcriptional microarray study was also performed to compare gene expression of 6-day-old rabbit embryos previously frozen and transferred into recipient rabbit females to their in vivo counterparts. Our goal was to study which alteration caused by the freezing procedure still remained in late blastocyst stage just at the time when the implantation process began. A microarray specifically designed to study rabbit gene expression profiling was used in this study. Lower implantation and birth rates were obtained in frozen embryos than in the control group (29.9% and 25.7% vs 88.5% and 70.8% for frozen and control embryos, respectively). Likewise, differences were also observed in gene expression profiles. Compared to 6-day-old in vivo-derived embryos, viable frozen embryos presented 70 differentially expressed genes, 24 upregulated and 46 downregulated. In conclusion, our findings showed that the slow freezing process affected late blastocyst development, implantation, and birth rates and that the gene expression alterations identified at late blastocyst stage could be useful in understanding the differences in developmental potential observed and the deficiencies that might hinder implantation and fetal development.
Seasonal subsidence and rebound in Las Vegas Valley, Nevada, observed by Synthetic Aperture Radar Interferometry

Analyses of areal variations in the subsidence and rebound occurring over stressed aquifer systems, in conjunction with measurements of the hydraulic head fluctuations causing these displacements, can yield valuable information about the compressibility and storage properties of the aquifer system. Historically, stress‐strain relationships have been derived from paired extensometer/piezometer installations, which provide only point source data. Because of the general unavailability of spatially detailed deformation data, areal stress‐strain relations and their variability are not commonly considered in constraining conceptual and numerical models of aquifer systems. Interferometric synthetic aperture radar (InSAR) techniques can map ground displacements at a spatial scale of tens of meters over 100 km wide swaths. InSAR has been used previously to characterize larger magnitude, generally permanent aquifer system compaction and land subsidence at yearly and longer timescales, caused by sustained drawdown of groundwater levels that produces intergranular stresses consistently greater than the maximum historical stress. We present InSAR measurements of the typically small‐magnitude, generally recoverable deformations of the Las Vegas Valley aquifer system occurring at seasonal timescales. From these we derive estimates of the elastic storage coefficient for the aquifer system at several locations in Las Vegas Valley. These high‐resolution measurements offer great potential for future investigations into the mechanics of aquifer systems and the spatial heterogeneity of aquifer system structure and material properties as well as for monitoring ongoing aquifer system compaction and land subsidence.
Investigating the relationship among leadership styles, emotional intelligence and organization commitment on job performance: A study of salespeople in Thailand

The research aimed to study the relationship among leadership styles, organization commitment and emotional intelligence affected to salespeople’s job performance. The study examined the relationship through transformational and transactional leadership styles influenced job performance by mediating the effect of organization commitment and also explored the moderating role of emotional intelligence on the relationship between leadership styles and job performance. Results obtained from surveying a sample of 186 salespeople in Thailand showed that organization commitment was complete mediating the relationship between leadership styles and job performance. Similarly, the emotional intelligence of salespeople was moderating the relationship between leadership styles and job performance. Implications for research and practice of this finding will be discussed.
NEUROPATHOLOGIC FINDINGS IN CETACEANS STRANDED IN ITALY (2002–14)

Abstract: We summarized the neuropathologic findings in 60 cetaceans stranded along the Italian coastline from 2002 to 2014. The following neuropathologic changes were detected in 45% (27/60) of animals: nonsuppurative meningo-encephalitides (30%, 18/60), nonspecific lesions (12%, 7/60), suppurative encephalitis (2%, 1/60), and neoplasm (2%, 1/60). No histologic lesions were found in 47% (28/60) of the specimens. Five (8%, 5/60) samples were unsuitable for analysis. Analysis with PCR detected Brucella spp. , morbillivirus, and Toxoplasma gondii infection in one, six, and seven individuals, respectively. Immunohistochemical analysis confirmed positivity for morbillivirus and for T. gondii infection in three cases each. No evidence of the scrapie-associated prion protein PrPSc was detected. Our findings underscore the importance of an adequate surveillance system for monitoring aquatic mammal pathologies and for protecting both animal and human health.
Labor Market Dynamics and Analyst Ability

We examine whether brokerage firms can identify differences in innate ability when hiring analysts. When the local unemployment rate is high, there will be a larger pool of job candidates per analyst job. If brokerage houses are able to identify differences in ability, analysts hired during these challenging times should have higher ability than those hired at other times. Using local unemployment rate as a proxy for the supply of analysts, we find that analysts who are hired when the local unemployment rate is high are more likely to be elected all-star analysts, and obtain more all-star awards than analysts who are hired at other times. However, these high-ability analysts, who otherwise might not have chosen analysts as a profession, are more likely to leave the profession when local labor market conditions subsequently improve.
Parathyroid Hormone in Human Plasma: IMMUNOCHEMICAL CHARACTERIZATION AND BIOLOGICAL IMPLICATIONS.

Antigenic recognition of four anti-bovine parathyroid hormone antisera was characterized by their reactivity with bovine hormonal fragments (1-34, 1-13, 14-34, 19-34, 53-84) and human hormone extracted from parathyroid adenomas. All antisera were found to have antibody populations which recognized more than one antigenic determinant and all antisera differed in their specificity and reactivity for the fragments of bovine hormone. By modification of two antisera, GP-1 and GP-133, by preincubation with excess concentrations of 1-34 or 53-84 fragments, antigenic recognition was restricted to defined regions of the hormonal sequence.When assays using these modified antisera were applied to the study of hormones extracted from glands, greater immunochemical similarities were seen between bovine and human parathyroid hormone using assays that were specific for the measurement of amino-terminal portions of the hormones than of the carboxy-terminal portions.When assays using these antisera were applied to the study of endogenous parathyroid hormone in human plasma, the immunoreactive hormone in the general circulation was shown to substantially lack an amino-terminal portion of the sequence of the intact hormone, including an antigenic determinant requiring all or some of the 14-19 region. This deletion accounts, at least in part, for the immunochemical heterogeneity of plasma parathyroid hormone in man. Radioimmunoassay of fractions of peripheral plasma subjected to gel filtration confirms that the dominant form of the immunoreactive hormone in the general circulation of man is a hormonal fragment that is totally devoid of amino-terminal reactivity. Because of this deletion, it can be concluded that most of the immunoreactive parathyroid hormone in the general circulation of man must be biologically inactive.
The impact of perceived risk on willingness to buy in online markets

The Internet today has become far from obscure as economic agents have come to accept the vast amount of information and possibilities that can be achieved using the internet. The usage of the internet as a shopping medium has raised issues about perceived risks, which has greatly influenced consumer attitudes towards shopping online. The main purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of perceived risks by consumers on willingness to buy products online, using six perceived risk parameters: time, performance, financial, psychological and social, and physical risks. Specifically, the greater the risk perceived by consumers to be associated with a product advertised online, the less the willingness to purchase it online. Comparatively, the psychological risk model performed best among the alternative specifications in terms of statistical significance of the coefficients of the indicators of perceived risk and correctness of their signs. The study concludes by exploring managerial implications arising from the research and recommends among others, that risk reduction strategies will go a long way in increasing consumer confidence in online market.
Impact of neoadjuvant chemoradiation on the tumor burden before liver transplantation for unresectable cholangiocarcinoma

The very early experience with liver transplantation (LT) for cholangiocarcinoma (CC) was dismal because of the poor survival outcomes and the high recurrence rates. However, LT for CC in conjunction with neoadjuvant chemoradiation recently has shown encouraging results, although the data are extremely limited. At our institution between 2001 and 2008, 22 CC patients underwent protocol orthotopic LT at a median age of 45 years (range = 24‐63 years). At a median follow‐up of 601.5 days (range = 111‐1388 days), the median survival time of the cohort was 3.3 years. The 1‐, 2‐, and 3‐year Kaplan‐Meier survival probabilities were 90%, 70%, and 63%, respectively, whereas the historical 5‐year survival rates were 0% to 18% for intrahepatic CC and 23% to 26% for extrahepatic CC when patients underwent transplantation without neoadjuvant therapy. These encouraging survival rates for patients with this type of tumor, which is difficult to diagnose and treat, are no less significant when they are compared to the national 1‐ and 3‐year survival rates (86% and 68%, respectively) of patients undergoing deceased donor LT for malignant neoplasms of the liver (as reported by the United Network for Organ Sharing). In our series, disease recurrence was significantly associated with a larger residual tumor [6.3 versus 2.0 cm (mean values), P = 0.008] and with a shorter waiting time for LT after the chemoradiation protocol [18 versus 56 days (mean values), P = 0.04]. Our LT protocol for CC was found to be promising for patients with truly extrahepatic CC and for patients within stages I to IIB of the American Joint Committee on Cancer Staging system (100% survival at a median follow‐up of 2.2 years), but the results were notably poor for patients with stage III extrahepatic CC (median survival = 1.2 years). These observations highlight the need for accurate preoperative staging of CC for ideal LT recipient selection and the importance of a low tumor burden and a longer wait after neoadjuvant therapy. More effective chemoradiation regimens for reducing the tumor burden and the appropriate timing of LT after neoadjuvant chemoradiation require further research. Liver Transpl, 2012. © 2012 AASLD.
Retrospective Analysis of the Forensic Autopsy Cases of Psychiatric Patients

This paper describes a retrospective analysis dealing with the sudden natural or unnatural death of psychiatric patients using actual autopsy findings, clinical information and demographic status. More than 70% of the 141 patients had schizophrenia, mood disorders or substance-related disorders. Accidental deaths were the most common (34.8%) and followed by natural deaths (28.4%), suicide (22.7%) and homicide (9.2%). Nearly half of mentally retarded patients died natural deaths, whereas two-thirds of patients with substance-related disorders died accidental deaths and about one-third of patients with schizophrenia and mood disorders committed suicide. Furthermore, patients with substance-related disorders were significantly more likely to live alone than were patients with schizophrenia or mood disorders. Twenty-five cases died in hospitals or other healthcare facilities; it is noteworthy that in the 12 patients who died natural deaths the reported symptoms had been less severe than might be expected and correct clinical diagnosis was not made before death. The present findings should be useful for both forensic pathologists and clinical psychologists.
Effects of hydroxyethyl starch on hepatic production of cytokines and activation of transcription factors in lipopolysaccharide‐administered rats

Background: Hydroxyethyl starch (HES) is one of the most frequently used plasma substitutes. Some studies have indicated that HES may have anti‐inflammatory effects. The present in vivo study was performed to investigate the effects of HES on hepatic production of cytokines and activation of transcription factors in sepsis.
External knowledge sourcing from innovation cooperation and the role of absorptive capacity: empirical evidence from Norway and Sweden

Open innovation (OI) is an innovation paradigm which argues that firms should use external knowledge in order to succeed in the innovation process. It is currently unclear however how firms are able to source external knowledge from external actors when attempting to innovate. In this paper we examine the relationship between absorptive capacity and firms’ ability to enter into innovation cooperation with external actors. Our econometric results show that internal R&D, training and an educated workforce, as core aspects of firms’ absorptive capacity, are positively associated with (the intensity of) innovation cooperation. An implication is that external knowledge does not enter the firm freely. The costs firms must invoke in order to be able to source external knowledge in the OI context is considerable. Without investing in internal R&D, training and recruiting workers with good educational qualifications, firms may not be able to follow the open approach to innovation.