Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Needlestick Injuries among Nurses.

BACKGROUND Needlestick injuries (NSIs) are among the most important occupational injuries for health care workers (HCWs). In Iran, the problem of exposure to contaminated blood among nursing personnels has not well documented. The aim of this study was to determine the incidence of needlestick injuries in population of nurses in Shahroud Imam Hossein Hospital, northern Iran. METHODS A self-administrated questionnaire was completed by 180 nurses in September and October 2005 for their NSIs experience in the past year. In this study, needlestick injury was defined as percutaneous injury caused by hollow-borne needles, suturing needles, scalpel blades and lancets. RESULTS The case incidence of NSIs was 63.3% (114/180). The total number of episodes of NSIs among respondents was 220 (range: 1-5 episodes) with incidence rate of episodes i.e. 1.2 per person/year. 12.8% of nurses had not been vaccinated against hepatitis B virus (HBV). The causal devices in 105 cases (92.1%) were hollow-borne needles and the main causes of percutaneous injuries with hollow-bore needles were recapping (32.4%) and manipulating needles in patients (18.1%). The majority (51.8%) of injuries occurred after use and before disposal of the objects. CONCLUSION Nurses working in Imam Hossein Hospital are frequently exposed to blood-borne infection. NSIs were highly prevalent in these nurses therefore more intensive education programs should be directed at nurses to increase their awareness of and compliance with universal precautions (UP). We recommend a surveillance system and a center for managing injured persons.
Dissecting the molecular mechanisms of cancer through bioinformatics‐based experimental approaches

Cancer is a disease of aberrant gene expression characterized by inappropriate (temporal or quantitative) expression of positive mediators of cell proliferation in conjunction with diminished expression of negative mediators of cell growth. Alteration of the normal balance of these positive and negative mediators leads to the abnormal growth of cells and tissues that typify neoplastic disease. Development of a better understanding of the genetic and epigenetic mechanisms that induce neoplastic transformation and drive the cancer phenotype is essential for continued progress towards the design of practical molecular diagnostics and effective treatment strategies. Over the past decades, molecular techniques that facilitate the assessment of gene expression, identification of gene mutations, and characterization of chromosome abnormalities (numeric and structural) have been established and applied to cancer research. However, many of these techniques are slow and labor‐intensive. More recently, high‐throughput technologies have emerged that generate large volumes of data related to the genetics and epigenetics of cancer (or other disorders). These advances in molecular genetic technology required the development of sophisticated bioinformatic tools to manage the large datasets generated. The combination of high‐throughput molecular assays and bioinformatic‐based data mining strategies has significantly impacted our understanding of the molecular pathogenesis of cancer, classification of tumors, and now the management of cancer patients in the clinic. This article will review basic molecular techniques and bioinformatic‐based experimental approaches used to dissect the molecular mechanisms of carcinogenesis. J. Cell. Biochem. 101:1074–1086, 2007. © 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Prediction of Physical Activity Intention and Behavior in a Longitudinal Sample of Adolescent Girls

The purpose of the present study was to investigate a theory of planned behavior model for the prediction of physical activity in adolescent girls using a 1-yr. longitudinal design. A secondary purpose was to examine the moderating influence of intention stability and past behavior on intention-behavior relationships. Participants were 236 12- to 13-year-old adolescent girls who completed measures of the theory of planned behavior and physical activity participation (3-Day Physical Activity Recall) across a 1-yr. interval. The standard theoretical variables predicted intentions, as intention, past behavior, and perceived behavioral control predicted behavior. The temporal stability of intentions and past behavior moderated relationships between intention and behavior. An autoregressive path model showed that intention and perceived behavioral control predicted changes in physical activity and physical activity predicted changes in intention, affective attitude, and perceived behavioral control. This study supports the use of the theory of planned behavior in gaining an understanding of the physical activity intention and behavior of adolescent girls.
Painful Coitus: A Review of Female Dyspareunia

The literature on female dyspareunia is reviewed with an emphasis on description and classification, incidence and prevalence, etiological factors, and treatment approaches. The research is found to be plagued with methodological problems and characterized by a persistent dichotomization of issues into physiological and psychological categories. A systematized and integrated approach to the study of coital pain is proposed.
Glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor differentially stimulates ret mutants associated with the multiple endocrine neoplasia type 2 syndromes and Hirschsprung's disease.

Ret is a receptor tyrosine kinase involved in several neoplastic and developmental diseases affecting the thyroid gland and tissues of neuroectodermal origin. Different ret mutations are associated with different disease phenotypes. Gain-of-function of ret is caused by gene rearrangements in thyroid papillary carcinomas and by point mutations in multiple endocrine neoplasia (MEN) type 2A syndrome (MEN2A), in familial medullary thyroid carcinoma (FMTC), and in the more severe MEN2B syndrome. Conversely, Hirschsprung's disease (HSCR) is associated with loss of function of ret. Recently, it has been shown that glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF), by binding to the accessory molecule GDNFR-alpha, acts as a functional ligand of Ret and stimulates its tyrosine kinase and biological activity. To ascertain whether the biological effects of ret mutations are modulated by GDNF, we have investigated the responsiveness to GDNF of ret mutants in cell lines coexpressing GDNFR-alpha and MEN2A-, MEN2B-, FMTC-, or HSCR-associated ret mutants. Here, we show that triggering of GDNF affected only ret/MEN2B, i.e. it stimulated ret/MEN2B mitogenic and kinase activities, as well as its ability to phosphorylate Shc, a bona fide Ret substrate. In contrast, ret mutants associated with MEN2A or FMTC (carrying Cys634 or Cys620 mutations) were unresponsive to GDNF. HSCR mutations, by affecting either the extracellular or the intracellular Ret domain, impaired responsiveness to GDNF. These data suggest that the phenotype of human diseases caused by ret mutations can be differentially influenced by GDNF.
Social responsibility disclosure in Islamic banks: a comparative study of Indonesia and Malaysia

Purpose - This paper aims to explore social responsibility reporting of full-fledged Islamic banks in two developing countries, namely, Indonesia and Malaysia. Corporate social responsibility (CSR) has become an important aspect of business society. As such, companies have shown a growing interest in reporting their social and environmental initiatives. Design/methodology/approach - Content analysis of the annual reports for three full-fledged local Islamic banks in Indonesia and three Islamic banks in Malaysia was carried out for the period of 2007-2011. Findings - Results of the study revealed that CSR disclosure of Islamic banks has generally grown both in Malaysia and Indonesia. More specifically, it was found that workplace and community dimensions were the most highly disclosed areas by the Islamic banks in both countries. Research limitations/implications - The current study provides a cross-cultural perspective on social responsibility disclosure in Islamic banks across two countries. The study is limited by investigating a five-year time frame. Practical implications - By discussing the findings according to the stages of growth model for CSR, the authors suggest that Islamic banks can enhance their responsiveness, and transform their role from being CSR reporters of social responsibility to responders. Originality/value - While the tenets of CSR have a lot in common with Islamic moral law (
The PedsQL™ in pediatric cancer

The Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory (PedsQL) is a modular instrument designed to measure health‐related quality of life (HRQOL) in children and adolescents ages 2–18 years. The PedsQL 4.0 Generic Core Scales are multidimensional child self‐report and parent proxy‐report scales developed as the generic core measure to be integrated with the PedsQL disease specific modules. The PedsQL Multidimensional Fatigue Scale was designed to measure fatigue in pediatric patients. The PedsQL 3.0 Cancer Module was designed to measure pediatric cancer specific HRQOL.
Real Interest Rates over the Long Run

Long-term interest rates have a crucial influence on virtually all major financial decisions faced by households, businesses and governments. This paper reviews several decades of data on long-term rates internationally, explores several factors that determine them and discusses implications of this evidence. {{p}} The data indicate declining long-term rates since the 1980s, converging internationally at very low levels. This implies that the rate decline is not due to the Great Recession or to the early 2000s downturn. It further suggests a higher likelihood than before of hitting the zero bound on nominal interest rates as well as sustained rate convergence as global financial integration proceeds. {{p}} Furthermore, evidence of a downward trend in global fixed investment, coupled with the main finding of declining long-term interest rates, suggests that forces leading to declining global investment demand may be more important than those leading to increased saving in explaining current trends in long-term rates.
Enacting death in the intensive care unit: medical technology and the multiple ontologies of death

This article explores various ways health personnel enact death in connection with mechanical ventilation treatment withdrawal in the intensive care unit (ICU) at Trondheim University Hospital. The main focus is on sedated terminal patients who undergo mechanical ventilator treatment withdrawal and relatives’ presence at this time. Mol’s (2002) praxiographic orientation of the actor-network approach is followed while exploring this medical practice. Utilizing this interdisciplinary science and technology studies approach this article describes what Timmermans and Berg (2003) have called ‘ technology-in-practice’. Thus the main focus of the analysis is on medical interventions, and enactments of death within medical practice. The article argues against a ‘social essentialist’ approach to medical technology, which views technology as a passive force empowered by social relations. It explores how various enactments of death are intrinsically linked with and shaped by the use of medical technology within clinical practice. A praxiographic inquiry into how death is enacted carefully takes notice of how medical practice and techniques make death audible, tangible, visible, knowable and real. Mol’s praxiographic approach also enables a description of how the multiple enactments of death connect within end-of-life care through various forms of coordination. This article is based on interviews with 28 nurses and two physicians in a Norwegian intensive care unit.
Teacher Characteristics and Their Effects on Student Test Scores: A Systematic Review

It has become widely accepted that teachers are important in facilitating student learning. Hundreds of empirical studies have tried to explain differences in student performance by evaluating the impact of particular teacher characteristics. Yet, this topic has not been the subject of a systematic review for more than 10 years, even though most of the empirical evidence has emerged over the past decade. This study provides an up-to-date review, drawing on empirical findings from several countries and distinguishing between acquired and sociodemographic teacher characteristics. This review confirms the existing consensus that subject-related degrees and knowledge, and not general teacher certifications, are positively related to student performance and particularly so for Master's degrees in math and science. A new insight is that recent findings point out that teacher experience continues to contribute to student test scores throughout a teacher's career, instead of merely the first few years. An important future research avenue would be to examine which mechanisms can explain these teacher characteristic effects.
Shape memory alloys for medical applications

Abstract The shape memory alloys exhibit a number of remarkable properties, which open new possibilities in engineering and more specifically in biomedical engineering. The most important alloy used in biomedical applications is NiTi. This alloy combines the characeristics of the shape memory effect and superelasticity with excellent corrosion resistance, wear characteristics, mechanical properties and a good biocompatibility. These properties make it an ideal biological engineering material, especially in orthopaedic surgery and orthodontics. In this work the basis of the memory effect lies in the fact that the materials exhibiting such a property undergo a thermoelastic martensitic transformation. In order to understand even the most elementary engineering aspects of the shape memory effect it is necessary to review some basic principles of the formation and the characteristics of the martensitic phase. The different properties of shape memory, superelasticity, two-way shape memory, rubber-like behaviour and a high damping capacity are reviewed. Some applications proposed in recent years are described and classified according to different medical fields.
Comparing State and District Test Results to National Norms: Interpretations of Scoring "Above the National Average.".

Norm-referenced test results reported by states and school districts and factors related to those scores were studied through mail and telephone surveys of 15 states and a nationally representative sample of 153 school districts to determine the degree to which "above average" results were being reported. Part of the stimulus for this study came from the report by J. J. Cannell and the Friends of Education community group that brought the issue to national attention. Analyses support Cannell's general :inding that it is more common for a state or district to obtain test results above the national average, but they also lead to some less spectacular conclusions. Evidence provides strong support for the conclusion that norms for grades 1 through 8 from the late 1970s or early 1980s were often easier than more recent norms. A substantial portion of Cannell's "Lake Wobegon" effect may be due to the use of old norms. There is ample evidence that scores on norm-referenced tests have been rising for grades 1 through 8 in recent years, but evidence for an actual increase in achievement is equivocal. Making valid inferences about achievement from test scores has always been difficult, but it is complicated by the current demands of accountability and the use of standardized tests as its primary indicators. Seven tables and 19 figures are provide(1. A 39-item list of references is included. Seven appendices contain sample letter and data collection form for state testing program ectors; an interview guide; a table indicating the number of d. _ricts available by cells in the sampling design; sample letters, data collection forms, and questionnaires sent to districts; tables indicating the district subsample for telephone interviews; grades tested by districts returning data; and stem-and-leaf distributions of district students scoring above the national median in reading and mathematics. (SLD) ' Center tor Research on Evaluation. Standards, and Student Testing U S DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION orh,. of 1 dm 41.0,1 Finsparfn 6.110 ,,,ivovoment Ot)J.ATIONAI RI SOURCt iNF OF4MATION ei AlER (IMO Th.t, JO. unitint has opve, repl0dko.P.1 111% ,e; e . e0 11,1. 110. %011 01 olutu. /qt.011 Cmg. -emu . 1 M.not hile midi. 1.1 . rnimovt 'NprOduct.or 0,,ev.tv P.,n'S 01 'or* II, 00.0,S %Idled n thl noni (10 not N. ( essitni, rpipersp10 ot WI poyili01, 01 0001 COMPARING STATE AND DISTRICT TEST RESULTS TO NATIONAL NORMS: INTERPRETATIONS OF SCORING "ABOVE THE NATIONAL AVERAGE" CSE Technical Report 308 Robert L. Linn, M. Elizabeth Graue, Nancy M. Sanders University of Colorado UCLA Center for Research on Evaluation, Standards, and Student Testing 2 NIIMOINNINILAINENOINIIII11 COMPARING STATE AND DISTRICT TEST RESULTS TO NATIONAL NORMS: INTERPRETATIONS OF SCORING "ABOVE THE NATIONAL AVERAGE" CSE Technical Report 308 Robert L. Linn, M. Elizabeth Graue, Nancy M. Sanders University of Colorado UCLA Center for Research on Evaluation, Standards, egnd Student Testing
Nonsyndromic cleft lip and palate: Complex genetics and environmental effects

Nonsyndromic cleft lip and palate (CL/P) is a common craniofacial malformation with a complex genetic component. Attempts at identifying susceptibility loci via family and case‐control studies have proved inconsistent. It is likely that initial predictions of the complex interactions involved in facial development were underestimated. The candidate gene list for CL/P is getting longer and the need for an impartial, systematic screening technique, to implicate or refute the inclusion of particular loci, is apparent. Large‐scale multi‐centre collaborations will also be necessary if we are to pursue the avenues of gene‐environment interactions, which have opened up over recent years. So we are faced with the question ‘Can this complex trait be too complex? ’
Selection of Nucleic Acid Aptamers Targeting Tumor Cell-Surface Protein Biomarkers

Aptamers are nucleic acids referred to as chemical antibodies as they bind to their specific targets with high affinity and selectivity. They are selected via an iterative process known as ‘selective evolution of ligands by exponential enrichment’ (SELEX). Aptamers have been developed against numerous cancer targets and among them, many tumor cell-membrane protein biomarkers. The identification of aptamers targeting cell-surface proteins has mainly been performed by two different strategies: protein- and cell-based SELEX, when the targets used for selection were proteins and cells, respectively. This review aims to update the literature on aptamers targeting tumor cell surface protein biomarkers, highlighting potentials, pitfalls of protein- and cell-based selection processes and applications of such selected molecules. Aptamers as promising agents for diagnosis and therapeutic approaches in oncology are documented, as well as aptamers in clinical development.
Microenvironment-Derived IL-1 and IL-17 Interact in the Control of Lung Metastasis

Inflammatory cytokines modulate immune responses in the tumor microenvironment during progression/metastasis. In this study, we have assessed the role of IL-1 and IL-17 in the control of antitumor immunity versus progression in a model of experimental lung metastasis, using 3LL and B16 epithelial tumor cells. The absence of IL-1 signaling or its excess in the lung microenvironment (in IL-1β and IL-1R antagonist knockout [KO] mice, respectively) resulted in a poor prognosis and reduced T cell activity, compared with WT mice. In IL-1β KO mice, enhanced T regulatory cell development/function, due to a favorable in situ cytokine network and impairment in APC maturation, resulted in suppressed antitumor immunity, whereas in IL-1R antagonist KO mice, enhanced accumulation and activity of myeloid-derived suppressor cells were found. Reduced tumor progression along with improved T cell function was found in IL-17 KO mice, compared with WT mice. In the microenvironment of lung tumors, IL-1 induces IL-17 through recruitment of γ/δ T cells and their activation for IL-17 production, with no involvement of Th17 cells. These interactions were specific to the microenvironment of lung tumors, as in intrafootpad tumors in IL-1/IL-17 KO mice, different patterns of invasiveness were observed and no IL-17 could be locally detected. The results highlight the critical and unique role of IL-1, and cytokines induced by it such as IL-17, in determining the balance between inflammation and antitumor immunity in specific tumor microenvironments. Also, we suggest that intervention in IL-1/IL-17 production could be therapeutically used to tilt this balance toward enhanced antitumor immunity.
Establishment of a biochemically active intestinal ecosystem in ex-germfree rats

A time course study for the establishment of some biochemical microbial intestinal functions was undertaken in ex-germfree rats conventionalized, i.e., colonized with conventional flora, in three different ways: untreated (group 1); contact with visitor rats (group 2); inoculated with intestinal contents from conventional rats (group 3). The first two groups of rats were inoculated with the intestinal contents from conventional rats after being out of the germfree isolators for 4 weeks. The biochemical parameters studied were degradation of mucin, inactivation of tryptic activity, conversion of cholesterol to coprostanol and of bilirubin to urobilinogen, degradation of beta-aspartylglycine, and formation of short-chain fatty acids. The results showed that the way in which the microbes were introduced and the microbial biochemical functions themselves were of importance. In several cases, social contacts, i.e., contact with visitor rats, were just as effective for the functionally adequate establishment of microbial intestinal functions as was inoculation with intestinal contents from conventional rats. Some of the biochemical parameters studied were established after a few days, whereas the establishment of others was markedly delayed. When inoculated after 4 weeks, all rats in the first two groups were colonized with conventional flora within 1 week. The results indicate that the model system described is suitable when studying buildup mechanisms in intestinal ecosystem(s).
Carnitine and glucuronic acid conjugates of pivalic acid.

The [1-14C]pivaloyloxyethyl ester of methyldopa administered to man and cynomolgus monkeys resulted in the elimination in the urine of 14C-pivalic acid metabolites. Pivaloyl glucuronide and pivaloyl carnitine were identified as the major radioactive urinary metabolites in monkey urine and human urine, respectively. N.m. r. analysis indicated that pivaloyl carnitine had a cyclic structure. Although the role of carnitine is in the transport of fatty acids across mitochondrial membranes, it may also function in the conjugation of carboxylic acid xenobiotics in humans.