Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Human Milk in the Modern World

This book is the first comprehensive account os the role of human milk in modern world and views and the problems from many angles. The recognitions of the importance of breast-feeding in the Western countries where, the authors argue, there is a need for a change in the education of mothers-to-be as well as in government and health service policies. The book will be essential to everyone, medical or non-medical, who recognizes the importance of well-fed and physically and psychologically healthy children-in particular, nutritionists, paediatricians, obstetricians, and midwifes
Costs, mortality likelihood and outcomes of hospitalized US children with traumatic brain injuries

Primary objective: To examine the hospitalization costs and discharge outcomes of US children with TBI and to evaluate a severity measure, the predictive mortality likelihood level. Research design: Data from the 2006 Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project Kids’ Inpatient Database (KID) were used to report the national estimates and characteristics of TBI-associated hospitalizations among US children ≤20 years of age. The percentage of children with TBI caused by motor vehicle crashes (MVC) and falls was calculated according to the predictive mortality likelihood levels (PMLL), death in hospital and discharge into long-term rehabilitation facilities. Associations with the PMLL, discharge outcomes and average hospital charges were examined. Results: In 2006, there were an estimated 58 900 TBI-associated hospitalizations among US children, accounting for $2.56 billion in hospital charges. MVCs caused 38.9% and falls caused 21.2% of TBI hospitalizations. The PMLL was strongly associated with TBI type, length of hospital stay, hospital charges and discharge disposition. About 4% of children with fall or MVC related TBIs died in hospital and 9% were discharged into long-term facilities. Conclusion: The PMLL may provide a useful tool to assess characteristics and treatment outcomes of hospitalized TBI children, but more research is still needed.
Traumatic brain injuries in the construction industry

Objective: This study analyses factors associated with work-related traumatic brain injury (TBI), specifically in the construction industry in Ontario, Canada. Methods: This cross-sectional study utilized data extracted from the Ontario Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB) records indicating concussion/intracranial injury that resulted in days off work in 2004–2005. Results: Analyses of 218 TBI cases revealed that falls were the most common cause of injury, followed by being struck by or against an object. Mechanisms of injury and the temporal profile of injury also varied by age. For instance, a significantly higher proportion of injuries occurred in the mornings for young workers compared to older workers. Conclusions: The results of this study provide important information for prevention of TBI which suggest important age-specific strategies for workers in the construction industry.
Pediatric cardio-autonomic response to variable effort after severe traumatic brain injury

Abstract Aim: To assess heart rate (HR) and heart rate variability (HRV) at rest, during exercise and during the recovery phase post-exercise in children at the chronic phase post-severe TBI as compared to age-matched typically-developed (TD) controls. Setting: Out-patient clinic. Participants: Ten children (two girls, eight boys), 3–5 years post-severe TBI, aged 7–11 years with residual deficits and 20 TD children matched for age. Interventions: HR and HRV were determined at rest, during step test for 3 minutes, during walking on a treadmill for 6 minutes and during the recovery periods post-exercise sessions. Main outcome measures: HR and HRV parameters. Results: Children post-TBI demonstrated higher mean HR values and lower HRV at rest compared to controls (p < 0.05). During exercise a significant increase in HR and significant decrease in HRV was noted in both groups. A significant interaction was noted (p < 0.01); HR and HRV parameters in response to exercise and to exercise cessation were significantly lower among children post-TBI as compared to the controls. Conclusions: The findings of this study show that, in children, post-severe TBI at the chronic phase, the cardiac autonomic system is less efficient at rest and less adaptive to exercise and activity as compared to TD children.
Quantifying pupillary asymmetry through objective binocular pupillometry in the normal and mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) populations

Abstract Introduction: Little is known about human inter-ocular pupillary asymmetry (IOPA). Thus, the purpose of the present investigation was to assess objectively static and dynamic IOPA in normals and in individuals with mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI). Methods: The pupillary light reflex (PLR) was assessed in an adult population of normals and in those with mTBI using the Neuroptics DP-2000 binocular pupillometer. Four stimulus conditions were used to optimize the assessment. Two aspects of the pupil were assessed: baseline diameter prior to light stimulation and the dynamic amplitude of constriction following light stimulation. Results: There was no statistical difference in either the static or dynamic IOPA between the two groups. Thus, the data were combined for a better global parameter estimate. The mean average static IOPA was 0.26 mm (SD = ± 0.20 mm) or 4.17% (± 3.29%). The mean average dynamic IOPA was dependent on the light stimulus condition, with the average across all four test conditions being 0.11 mm (± 0.10 mm) or 1.84% (± 1.70%). Discussion: The inter-ocular pupillary effects of mTBI appear to be symmetrical rather than asymmetrical in nature. The findings provide clinicians and researchers a useful quantitative guideline to assess normal vs abnormal static and dynamic inter-ocular pupillary asymmetry (IOPA) in these two populations.
Changes in functional connectivity of the brain associated with a history of sport concussion: A preliminary investigation

ABSTRACT Objective: There is evidence of long-term clinical consequences associated with a history of sport concussion. However, there remains limited information about the underlying changes in brain function. The goal of this study was to identify brain regions where abnormal resting-state function is associated with chronic concussion, for athletes without persistent symptoms. Methods: Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) was performed on a group of athletes with prior concussion (n = 22) and a group without documented injury (n = 21). Multivariate predictive modelling was used to localize reliable changes in brain connectivity that are associated with a history of concussion and with clinical factors, including number of prior concussions and recovery time from last injury. Results: No significant differences were found between athletes with and without a history of concussion, but functional connectivity was significantly associated with clinical history. The number of prior concussions was associated with most extensive connectivity changes, particularly for elements of the visual attention network and cerebellum. Conclusion: The findings of this preliminary study indicate that functional brain abnormalities associated with chronic concussion may be significantly dependent on clinical history. In addition, elements of the visual and cerebellar systems may be most sensitive to the long-term effects of sport concussion.
Clinical evaluation of post-operative cerebral infarction in traumatic epidural haematoma

ABSTRACT Background: Patients with traumatic epidural haematoma, undergoing the prompt and correct treatment, usually have favourable outcomes. However, secondary cerebral infarction may be life-threatening condition, as it is difficult to be identified before neurological impairment occurs. Objective: To evaluate the clinical data of patients with traumatic EDH and assess potential risk factors for post-operative cerebral infarction. Methods: The clinical data of patients with traumatic EDH were collected and analysed retrospectively. Results: The univariate analysis revealed 10 potential risk factors (the haematoma location, volume, the largest thickness and mid-line shift, basal cisterns compression, traumatic subarachnoid haemorrhage, pupil dilatation, pre-operative Glasgow Coma Scale score, ∆GCS and intraoperative brain pressure) for cerebral infarction with statistically significant difference. Of these factors, haematoma volume and basal cistern compression turned out to be the most significant risk factors through final multivariate logistic regression analysis. Conclusion: The findings of this study can provide predictive factors for development of cerebral infarction and information for clinical decision-making and future studies.
The association between the failure of dental implants and cigarette smoking.

Abstract This paper reviews the outcome of 2,194 Branemark implants placed in 540 patients by one of the authors over a 6-year period. The overall failure rate of 5.92% is consistent with other studies; however, when patients were subdivided into smokers and nonsmokers, it was found that a significantly greater percentage of failures occurred in smokers (11.28%) than in nonsmokers (4.76%) (P < .001). These differences were significant for all areas except the posterior mandible. While failure rates decreased with increasing implant length, failure rates for each implant length were consistently higher in smokers than in nonsmokers. The possible mechanisms of failure in smokers are discussed, and a protocol for cessation of smoking around the time of surgery is proposed.
Development and validation of an LC-MS/MS method for the determination of a novel thienoquinolin urea transporter inhibitor PU-48 in rat plasma and its application to a pharmacokinetic study.

A specific, sensitive and stable high-performance liquid chromatographic-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) method was developed and validated for the quantitative determination of methyl 3-amino-6-methoxythieno [2,3-b]quinoline-2-carboxylate (PU-48), a novel diuretic thienoquinolin urea transporter inhibitor in rat plasma. In this method, the chromatographic separation of PU-48 was achieved with a reversed-phase C18 column (100 × 2.1 mm, 3 μm) at 35°C. The mobile phase consisted of acetonitrile and water with 0.05% formic acid added with a gradient elution at flow rate of 0.3 mL/min. Samples were detected with the triple-quadrupole tandem mass spectrometer with multiple reaction monitoring mode via electrospray ionization source in positive mode. The retention time were 6.2 min for PU-48 and 7.2 min for megestrol acetate (internal standard, IS). The monitored ion transitions were mass-to-charge ratio (m/z) 289.1 → 229.2 for PU-48 and m/z 385.3 → 267.1 for the internal standard. The calibration curve for PU-48 was linear over the concentration range of 0.1-1000 ng/mL (r2 > 0.99), and the lower limit of quantitation was 0.1 ng/mL. The precision, accuracy and stability of the method were validated adequately. The developed and validated method was successfully applied to the pharmacokinetic study of PU-48 in rats.
Improving self-improvement?

This paper asks the question ‘Is school self-improvement improving or is it something that has been tried and tested and has failed? ’. In an attempt to answer this question, particular attention is paid to some of the international research literature on school self-review and evaluation, two commonly used self-improvement strategies. Approaches to self-evaluation in England and Wales and how these compare with developments elsewhere are also examined. The conclusion reached is that school self-improvement is an essential complement to external improvement initiatives if schools are to become more effective. However, more needs to be done to ensure that self-improvement is sufficiently rigorous and systematic if it is to make a difference where it matters most, namely in bringing about improvements in the quality of teaching and learning in classrooms. The paper concludes by suggesting that a way in which this can be achieved is through a multi-dimensional approach to self-improvement. Three types of self-evaluation are identified and described. Used in combination they enable a school to make a direct connection between improvements within and beyond the classroom and pupils' progress and achievement.
Non‐osseous calcaneonavicular coalition in the Portuguese prehistoric population: report of two cases

This paper reports articular surface defects detected in three foot bones. These were exhumed from Portuguese collective burial places, Hipogeu de Sao Paulo II (artificial cave, Almada) and Necropole da Serra da Roupa (shelter, Columbeira) dated to the Late Neolithic and Chalcolithic periods. Other aetiologies were presented, but non-osseous calcaneonavicular coalition proved to be the most probable explanation for the unusual morphology detected in two calcanei and one navicular bone. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Is It My Fibromyalogia, Doctor?

‘‘Your patient is in room seven,’’ the clerk said, as our rheumatology consult team entered the triage area of our Medical Center Hospital emergency unit. With a quick glance, I recognized the name on the chart from our indigent rheumatology clinic. We had just begun to review the note written by Dr. , the emergency unit resident physician in charge of her case, when he came over to explain why he had called for an opinion. ‘‘Twenty-four year old, basically healthy young woman except for a history of fibromyalgia [syndrome, FMS]. She came in yesterday afternoon complaining of shortness of breath that started about a week ago. It finally got her worried enough to come in, but I can’t find anything wrong with her. Her vital signs have been completely normal. There was no wheezing, cyanosis, or fever. She wasn’t hyperventilating. The arterial blood gases were normal, chest x-ray was clear, and the ventilation-perfusion scan was really low probability for a PE [pulmonary embolism]. We considered a PE because she said that her legs always hurt. The Homan’s sign was hard to interpret, but there were no palpable cords
Dizziness-related disability following mild–moderate traumatic brain injury

ABSTRACT Objective: To investigate the associations between dizziness-related disability after mild- moderate Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) and personal factors, injury-related factors and post-injury functioning using the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) as a framework. Methods: Baseline assessments for a Randomised Controlled Trial (RCT) were obtained for 65 patients (mean age 39.2 years; SD 12.9 years; 70.8% women) who had dizziness and reduced balance 2–6 months after injury. The severity of the brain injury, physical and psychological self-reported symptoms and results from the performance based tests were used as independent variables. The main outcome measure (dependent variable) was the Dizziness Handicap Inventory (DHI). Results: Multivariate analyses showed that, the dizziness-related disability was predicted by pre-injury comorbidities (p ≤ 0.05) and was associated with self-reported vertigo symptoms (p < 0.001), reduced performance-based balance (p ≤ 0.05) and psychological distress (p ≤ 0.05). These factors accounted for 62% of the variance in DHI. Conclusion: Dizziness and balance problems after mild-moderate TBI appear to be complex biopsychosocial phenomena. Assessments linked to the ICF domains of functioning might contribute to a broader understanding of the needs of these patients. Further, prospective clinical studies with non-dizzy control groups are needed to investigate dizziness-related disability after TBI.
A novel tool for naturalistic assessment of behavioural dysregulation after traumatic brain injury: A pilot study

ABSTRACT Objective: This study aimed to develop a novel tool for measuring behavioural dysregulation in adults with traumatic brain injury (TBI) using objective data sources and real-world application and provide preliminary evidence for its psychometric properties. Research Design: Fourteen adults with TBI receiving services at a local brain injury rehabilitation programme completed multiple assessments of behaviour and followed by a series of challenging problem-solving tasks while being video recorded. Trained clinicians completed post-hoc behavioural assessments using the behavioural dysregulation ratings scale, and behavioural event data were then extracted for comparison with self-report measures. Results: Subject matter experts in neurorehabilitation were in 100% agreement that preliminarily, the new tool measured the construct of behavioural dysregulation. Construct validity was established through strong convergence with ‘like’ measures and weak correlation with ‘unlike’ measures. Substantial inter-rater reliability was established between two trained clinician raters. Conclusions: This study provides preliminary evidence supporting the use of a new precision measurement tool of behaviour in post-acute TBI that has the capability to be deployed naturalistically where deficits truly manifest. Future large-scaled confirmatory psychometric trials are warranted to further establish the utility of this new tool in rehabilitation research.
Primary hemiarthroplasty in old patients with displaced femoral neck fracture: a 1-year follow-up of 103 patients aged 80 years or more

103 patients with displaced femoral neck fractures (Garden 3-4) treated with primary hemiarthroplasty in the Department of Orthopedics, Malmo University Hospital, Sweden 1998-1999 were followed in a prospective, consecutive study for 1 year. Inclusion criteria were age of at least 80 years, signs of mental changes and/or residence in an institution. The control group consisted of 69 patients with internal fixation (Hansson hook pins). The arthroplasty group required more blood transfusions, a longer operation and had more superficial infections. No differences were detected as regards other complications, length of hospital stay, in-hospital mortality or ability to return home. The 1-year mortality rates were similar in the arthroplasty (29/103) and control groups (28/69). Within 1 year, we found a lower failure rate in the arthroplasty group (6/103) than in the control group (18/69). In the arthroplasty group, 2/103 had dislocations. Of the surviving arthroplasty patients at 12 months, 31/74 could walk as well as before the fracture and 55/74 had no pain. We recommend primary hemiarthroplasty for demented and/or institutionalized patients over 80 years with displaced femoral neck fractures.
Response priming patterns differ with interstimulus interval duration

Priming paradigms make it possible to study the nature of response preparation before the onset of movement. One way to examine this process is through manipulation of the interstimulus interval (ISI). The timing of the prime and target presentation has been shown to have distinct effects on reaction time patterns, in both healthy and neurologically impaired individuals, during cognitive task switching paradigms and semantic priming studies. What is unclear, however, are the effects of ISI durations on response priming paradigms. In the present study, ISIs of five durations were manipulated within a speech response priming paradigm to investigate reaction time patterns in 25 healthy adults. Results suggested that ISIs have a significant influence on the magnitude of the priming effect. Brief ISIs, with a putatively high sensitivity to reprogramming, resulted in robust priming effects. Long ISIs, thought to be influenced by attentional factors, resulted in priming effects of lesser magnitude.
Blood flow as a technology in percutaneous absorption: The assessment of the cutaneous microcirculation by laser Doppler and photoplethysmographic techniques

Optical techniques for blood flow measurement were first introduced more than 60 years ago with the innovation of photoplethysmography (1), substantiated and expanded by Hertzman (2). Laser Doppler techniques came forth 40 years later (3), followed by the manufacture of commercial devices (4,5), and consequently photoplethysmography was put aside. These optical methodologies enable tracing of the movement of red blood cells in the skin. This is useful in following percutaneous penetration, when the penetrant has an effect on blood vessels or on blood flow. In addition, physiology and anatomy of the skin can be studied, as well as pathology. Moreover, laser Doppler flowmetry (LDF) measurements are applicable in the evaluation of internal diseases and conditions that affect the skin microvasculature. The diverse application areas of the technique include tissues other than the skin, like the buccal, nasal, or rectal mucosa, as well as the intestine through an endoscope, and kidney, liver, or lung intraoperatively. This chapter exclusively deals with cutaneous laser Doppler flowmetry (LDF) and reviews only investigations where this method was used to measure skin blood flow. In each field of LDF investigation, knowledge has broadened in the last few years. In view
A linguistic communication measure for monitoring changes in Chinese aphasic narrative production

This study investigated the usefulness of the Cantonese Linguistic Communication Measure (CLCM) in monitoring changes of narrative production in five Chinese adults with aphasia in the period of spontaneous recovery (SR group) and four who underwent anomia therapies (Tx group). Language samples elicited from a picture description task were collected among SR participants at regular intervals within the first 6 months post‐onset and among Tx participants before and after treatment. Results showed that the CLCM indices could reflect changes of language production in these individuals over time. The changes of index values were consistent with the expectations of performance during early stages after stroke for the SR participants and treatment outcomes of the Tx participants. While the CLCM has previously been shown to be useful in measuring aphasic narratives on a single occasion, this study has provided further evidence of its capability to monitor changes of language production over time.
Osteochondral Allograft Transplantation

Articular cartilage injuries are known to be associated with an increased incidence of degenerative arthritis. As a result, numerous ways have been explored as a method to treat articular cartilage defects. Unfortunately, no one technique has been found to be superior in all situations. Osteochondral allografts are appealing in that they prove a normal articular cartilage matrix and are not limited by the size or configuration of the defect. Their success in treating osteochondral defects (OCD) and post-traumatic lesions has been impressive even in long-term follow-up. Although rare, disease transmission and immune reject are justifiable concerns with their use. With all factors considered osteochondral allografts are an excellent option when treating lesions of 2 cm2 or greater.
Characteristics of communication among Japanese children with autism spectrum disorder: A cluster analysis using the Children’s Communication Checklist-2

ABSTRACT Some overlap has been suggested among the subtypes of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in children. The Japanese version of the Children’s Communication Checklist-2 (CCC-2) is a useful measure for identifying profiles in relation to communication impairments in children with ASD. The aim of this study was to investigate whether the CCC-2 could identify subtypes in relation to communication impairments in Japanese children with ASD. The study participants were 113 children with ASD but without intellectual disabilities aged 3–12 years. Parents were given the Japanese version of the CCC-2 and asked to rate their children, who were then classified into two groups based on statistical analysis. Significant differences were found between clusters in mean CCC-2 subscales. These results suggest that one subtype was associated with low language competence and strong characteristics of autism, while the other was associated with relatively high language competence and milder characteristics of autism.