Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Effects of method of translation of patient-reported health outcome questionnaires: a randomized study of the translation of the Rheumatoid Arthritis Quality of Life (RAQoL) Instrument for Sweden.

AIMS To compare two versions of a questionnaire translated using forward-backward (FB) translation and dual-panel (DP) methodologies regarding preference of wording and psychometric properties. METHODS The Rheumatoid Arthritis Quality of Life instrument was adapted into Swedish by two independent groups using FB and DP methodologies, respectively. Seven out of thirty resulting items were identical. Nonidentical items were evaluated regarding preference of wording by 23 bilingual Swedes, 50 people with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), and 2 lay panels (n = 11). Psychometric performance was assessed from a postal survey of 200 people with RA randomly assigned to complete one version first and the other 2 weeks later. RESULTS Preference did not differ among the 23 bilinguals (P = 0.196), whereas patients and lay people preferred DP over FB item versions (P < 0.0001). Postal survey response rates were 74% (FB) and 75% (DP). There were more missing item responses in the FB than the DP version (6.9% vs. 5.6%; P < 0.0001). Floor/ceiling effects were small (FB, 6.1/0%; DP, 4.4/0.7%) and reliability was 0.92 for both versions. Construct validity was similar for both versions. Differential item functioning by version was detected for five items but cancelled out and did not affect estimated person measures. CONCLUSIONS The DP approach showed advantages over FB translation in terms of preference by the target population and by lay people, whereas there were no obvious psychometric differences. This suggests advantages of DP over FB translation from the patients' perspective, and does not support the commonly held view that FB translation is the "gold standard. "
Breast conserving surgery for breast cancer: single institutional experience from Southern India.

CONTEXT In India, breast conservation rates vary anywhere from 11 to 34%. This is in contrast to western world where breast conservation rates exceed 70% for early breast cancer. AIMS The present study was conducted to analyze the results of breast conservation surgery (BCS) at our institute and compare with that of other facilities in world. SETTINGS AND DESIGN The study was a prospective, outcome analysis study. All patients who underwent BCS were included. Data pertaining to clinical, pathological characteristics and treatment related outcomes were recorded. MATERIALS AND METHODS The study comprised of retrospective collection of prospective data of 88 patients who underwent breast conservation treatment (BCT) till December 2009. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS USED The statistical analysis included Kaplan-Meier survival analysis for disease-free (DFS) and overall survivals (OS), and univariate analyses to assess each prognostic factor separately using SPSS 16.0 for windows. RESULTS Most common tumor location was upper outer quadrant and most common histology was infiltrating duct carcinoma. Median age was 45 years. Eighteen patients received preoperative chemotherapy to conserve the breast. Pathological complete response (pCR) in this subgroup was 39%. Majority had node negative disease and 42 tumors were hormone receptor positive. Median follow-up was 49 months. Two patients developed isolated local recurrences which were salvaged surgically. Seven patients had systemic disease of which 5 had simultaneously failed locally. Overall 5-year DFS was 89 %. CONCLUSIONS When given an option, patients with breast cancer do desire to conserve their breast.
A Social Score for Kwashiorkor: Explaining the Look in the Child's Eyes

Following the observation that many children with kwashiorkor had a deprived look in their eyes, the guardians of 107 children with kwashiorkor and 111 controls were interviewed about their home life, in a survey made at New Mulago Hospital, Kampala, between 1969 and 1972. A child's age, sex and tribe were found to have an influence on the nutritional state, therefore 50 of each group were matched for these variables.
Lactate and glucose interactions during rest and exercise in men: effect of exogenous lactate infusion

To test the hypothesis that lactate plays a central role in the distribution of carbohydrate (CHO) potential energy for oxidation and glucose production (GP), we performed a lactate clamp (LC) procedure during rest and moderate intensity exercise. Blood [lactate] was clamped at ≈4 mm by exogenous lactate infusion. Subjects performed 90 min exercise trials at 65 % of the peak rate of oxygen consumption (V̇O2,peak; 65 %), 55 % V̇O2,peak (55 %) and 55 % V̇O2,peak with lactate clamped to the blood [lactate] that was measured at 65 % V̇O2,peak (55 %‐LC). Lactate and glucose rates of appearance (Ra), disappearance (Rd) and oxidation (Rox) were measured with a combination of [3‐13C]lactate, H13CO3−, and [6,6‐2H2]glucose tracers. During rest and exercise, lactate Ra and Rd were increased at 55 %‐LC compared to 55 %. Glucose Ra and Rd were decreased during 55 %‐LC compared to 55 %. Lactate Rox was increased by LC during exercise (55 %: 6.52 ± 0.65 and 55 %‐LC: 10.01 ± 0.68 mg kg−1 min−1) which was concurrent with a decrease in glucose oxidation (55 %: 7.64 ± 0.4 and 55 %‐LC: 4.35 ± 0.31 mg kg−1 min−1). With LC, incorporation of 13C from tracer lactate into blood glucose (L → GNG) increased while both GP and calculated hepatic glycogenolysis (GLY) decreased. Therefore, increased blood [lactate] during moderate intensity exercise increased lactate oxidation, spared blood glucose and decreased glucose production. Further, exogenous lactate infusion did not affect rating of perceived exertion (RPE) during exercise. These results demonstrate that lactate is a useful carbohydrate in times of increased energy demand.
Clinicopathologic, Immunophenotypic, and Molecular Cytogenetic Fluorescence In Situ Hybridization Analysis of Primary and Secondary Cutaneous Follicular Lymphomas

Although primary cutaneous follicular lymphoma (FL) is considered a distinct variant of FL in the World Health Organization classification (“cutaneous follicle center lymphoma”), its biologic relationship to nodal FL remains controversial. The clinical, morphologic, immunophenotypic, and molecular cytogenetic features of 17 patients with primary cutaneous FL were studied and compared with 16 patients with secondary cutaneous FL. The head and neck region was the most frequent site at initial skin presentation in both the primary and secondary cases. Among the primary cases, 29% of the 31 biopsies were grade 1, 48% grade 2, 13% grade 3, and 10% grade 3 with diffuse large B-cell (DLBCL) areas. Among the secondary cases, 38% of the 29 skin biopsies were grade 1, 45% grade 2, 3% grade 3, and 7% grade 3 with DLBCL areas with two not evaluable. A floral-like pattern was observed in 32% of primary FL but only 5% of secondary cases. Histologic progression was found in 21% of patients. CD10 expression was demonstrated in 90% (27 of 30) of primary cases and 96% (22 of 23) of secondary cases. Bcl-6 was expressed in all cases tested. Bcl-2 expression was detected in 57% (17 of 30) of the primary cases (100% of grade 1, 43% of grade 2, 40% of grade 3), whereas all secondary cases were bcl-2 positive (P = 0.0002). The t(14;18) translocation was identified by interphase fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) in biopsies from 31% (4 of 13) of the patients with primary FL compared with 77% (10 of 13) of those with secondary lymphoma (P < 0.05). Seven of the 17 (41%) patients with primary disease had cutaneous relapse, including 1 who also developed nodal disease. Bcl-2 positivity was seen in 4 of these 7 patients. Eight of the 16 (50%) patients with secondary FL had cutaneous relapse. Primary and secondary cutaneous FL share many clinical and phenotypic features, but primary cases may have some distinctive morphologic features, more frequently lack bcl-2 protein, and often lack the t(14;18) translocation. These findings suggest that primary cutaneous FL are distinctive and often but not always have a pathogenesis different from most of nodal and secondary cutaneous FL.
Marginal abatement cost curves for REDD+ in Kalimantan, Indonesia and the potential role of cost-saving plantations

Tackling climate action through REDD+ implementation is a viable option to climate action planning. This study aims to develop a marginal abatement cost (MAC) based process that enables decision-makers to estimate economic cost of emissions abatement and understand the role of cost-saving plantations in climate change planning practices. Our research in Kalimantan, Indonesia shows that cost-saving plantations can contribute to 0.05 million ton CO2 sequestration in research area. Further analysis suggests that cost-effective plantations account for 86% of total carbon emissions. The application of MAC curves for REDD+ in our study provides insights to include the optimization of land utilization in support of leveraging financial resources for the implementation of REDD+ strategies.
The impact of vocal rehabilitation on quality of life and voice handicap in patients with total laryngectomy

Background: Health-related quality of life (HRQL) and voice handicap index (VHI) of laryngectomies seem to be relevant regarding voice rehabilitation. The aim of this study is to assess the impact on HRQL and VHI of laryngectomies, following voice rehabilitation. Materials and Methods: A retrospective study done at the Ear, Nose, and Throat Department of the Emergency County Hospital. Sixty-five laryngectomees were included in this study, of which 62 of them underwent voice rehabilitation. Voice handicap and QOL were assessed using the QOL questionnaires developed by the European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC); variables used were functional scales (physical, role, cognitive, emotional, and social), symptom scales (fatigue, pain, and nausea and vomiting), global QOL scale (pain, swallowing, senses, speech, social eating, social contact, and sexuality), and the functional, physical, and emotional aspects of the voice handicap (one-way ANOVA test). Results: The mean age of the patients was 59.22 (standard deviation = 9.00) years. A total of 26 (40%) patients had moderate VHI (between 31 and 60) and 39 (60%) patients had severe VHI (higher than 61). Results of the HRQL questionnaires showed that patients who underwent speech therapy obtained better scores in most scales (P = 0.000). Patients with esophageal voice had a high score for functional scales compared with or without other voice rehabilitation methods (P = 0.07), and the VHI score for transesophageal prosthesis was improved after an adjustment period. The global health status and VHI scores showed a statistically significant correlation between speaker groups. Conclusion: The EORTC and the VHI questionnaires offer more information regarding life after laryngectomy.
Healthcare costs and long-term outcomes after acute respiratory distress syndrome: A phase III trial of inhaled nitric oxide*

Objective:To determine the costs and long-term outcomes of acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) in previously healthy adults. To determine whether treatment with inhaled nitric oxide affects these costs and outcomes. Design:One-year follow-up of a randomized trial of inhaled nitric oxide. Hospital bills were collected, and follow-up was performed at hospital discharge, 6 months, and 1 year. Setting:Forty-six U.S. centers. Patients:Three hundred and eighty-five previously healthy adults with ARDS. Interventions:Subjects were randomized to 5 ppm inhaled nitric oxide or placebo gas. Measurements and Main Results:One-year survival was 67.8%, with no difference by treatment arm (67.3% vs. 68.3% for inhaled nitric oxide vs. placebo, p = .71). Hospital costs from enrollment to discharge were high and similar in the inhaled nitric oxide and placebo arms ($48,500 vs. $47,800, p = 0.8). There were also no differences in length of stay or Therapeutic Intervention Scoring System points. Almost half (43.4%) of subjects were discharged to another healthcare facility or to home with professional help, and 24.1% were readmitted in 6 months, with no differences between groups. At 1 year, survivors reported low quality of life with no differences by treatment arm (Quality of Well-Being score [range 0–1], 0.61 vs. 0.64 for inhaled nitric oxide vs. placebo, p = .11) and poor function with no differences by treatment arm (32.5% returned to ≤5 points of baseline Activities of Daily Living [range 0–100], 63.3% returned to ≤10 points, and the remaining 36.7% suffered a mean decrement of 27 points). Conclusions:ARDS, even in previously healthy adults, not only is followed by poor survival, quality of life, and function but also is associated with high costs of care and postdischarge resource use. Inhaled nitric oxide at 5 ppm had no effect on these outcomes.
Effect of Chemical Thromboprophylaxis on the Rate of Venous Thromboembolism After Treatment of Foot and Ankle Fractures

Background: Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is a well-documented complication in patients with lower limb fractures, but management guidelines for its prevention in isolated foot and ankle fracture patients are conflicting. The aim of this study was to conduct a multicenter, prospective cohort study to define the prevalence of VTE in patients with isolated foot and ankle fractures and determine whether routine prophylaxis is necessary in these patients. Methods: In a double-blind, placebo-controlled study, consecutive patients in 3 hospitals who met our criteria were enrolled. After randomization, patients received either thromboprophylaxis with low-molecular-weight heparin units (LMWH group) or placebo (placebo group) for a period of 2 weeks. All patients underwent routine ultrasonography 1 day preoperatively, 1 week postoperatively, and 1 month postoperatively. Demographic parameters were then collected and compared. Results: Of the 814 patients who met our criteria, 19 patients (2.3%, 95% confidence interval [CI], 0%-31.9%) were found to have objectively confirmed VTE, but none of the patients were symptomatic. Of the 411 patients in the LMWH group, 2 developed VTEs preoperatively and 4 postoperatively; of the 403 patients in the placebo group, 5 developed VTEs preoperatively and 8 postoperatively. The overall incidence of asymptomatic postoperative deep vein thrombosis (DVT) was 0.98% (95% CI 0%-20.3%) in the LMWH group and 2.01% (95% CI 0%-29.5%) in the placebo group without significant difference. Advanced age (odds ratio [OR] 1.050, 95% CI 1.014-1.088, P = .007) and high body mass index (OR 1.201, 95% CI 1.034-1.395, P = .016) were identified as risk factors in predicting occurrence of DVT. No fatal pulmonary emboli or major bleeding complication occurred in either group. Conclusion: Routine anticoagulant prophylaxis was not found to be necessary for patients with foot and ankle fractures, although further investigation with a properly powered study design is required to definitively determine which foot and ankle patients are best served by anticoagulation and which ones are not. Level of Evidence: Level II, prospective comparative study.
Political connections and audit report lag: Indonesian evidence

Purpose This paper aims to investigate the association between political connections and the audit report lag and whether related party transactions moderate the association between the two. Design/methodology/approach An ordinary least square regression is estimated whereby audit report lag is regressed on political connections, related party transactions and the interaction between the two. Data on the number and amounts of RPTs are hand-collected from audited financial reports. A firm-year observation is politically connected if at least one large shareholder (controlling at least 10 per cent of the votes directly or indirectly) or board member or commissioner is a current or former Member of Parliament, a minister or head of local government or closely related to a politician or party. Findings Findings show that the audit report lag is relatively short for politically connected firms but increases when such firms conduct both operating and loan-type related party transactions. This suggests that auditors understand the incentives for, and the implications of, related party transactions and hence exert additional audit efforts in scrutinizing financial statements: activities that will increase the audit report lag. Originality/value Although a large body of empirical research exists on the determinants of audit report lag, none has examined the impact of political connections. This paper further contributes to the auditing literature by documenting auditors’ evaluation of related party transactions in a developing country.
Diversificación y determinantes del desempeño bancario: una comparación internacional

This paper analyzes the determinants of bank performance between Latin American and U.S. institutional environment. For a sample of 111 banks of six Latin American countries and the United States over the period 1997-2010, our results show the existence of Los autores agradecen sugerencias de Jorge Gregoire (Universidad de Chile) y de Paolo Saona (Saint Louis University), así como los medios materiales que a nuestra disposición ha puesto el proyecto Fondecyt de Iniciación No 11110021. ESTUDIOS DE ADMINISTRACIÓN, VOL. 18, No 2 (2011), PP. 1-48 2 significant differences in bank performance between the two institutional settings. Specifically, U.S. banks show higher performance levels compared to Latin America, which may be explained by the greater administrative efficiency associated with total assets. On the other hand, our results show that the predominant Latin American diversification through non-traditional banking activities has a positive effect on the performance of banks.
Hybrid Energy Storage System Microgrids Integration for Power Quality Improvement Using Four-Leg Three-Level NPC Inverter and Second-Order Sliding Mode Control

Rising demand for distributed generation based on renewable energy sources (RES) has led to several issues in the operation of utility grids. The microgrid is a promising solution to solve these problems. A dedicated energy storage system could contribute to a better integration of RES into the microgrid by smoothing the renewable resource's intermittency, improving the quality of the injected power and enabling additional services like voltage and frequency regulation. However, due to energy/power technological limitations, it is often necessary to use hybrid energy storage systems (HESS). In this paper, a second-order sliding mode controller is proposed for the power flow control of a HESS, using a four-leg three-level neutral-point-clamped (4-Leg 3L-NPC) inverter as the only interface between the RES/HESS and the microgrid. A 3-D space vector modulation and a sequence-decomposition-based ac-side control allow the inverter to work in unbalanced load conditions while maintaining a balanced ac voltage at the point of common coupling. DC current harmonics caused by unbalanced load and the NPC floating middle point voltage, together with the power division limits, are carefully addressed in this paper. The effectiveness of the proposed technique for the HESS power flow control is compared to a classical PI control scheme and is proven through simulations and experimentally using a 4-Leg 3L-NPC prototype on a test bench.
Identification of Candida species in patients with oral lesion undergoing chemotherapy along with minimum inhibitory concentration to fluconazole

Background: Various species of Candida, especially Candida albicans was known as the most important etiological agent of fungal infections. Oral candidiasis is the most common fungal infection in patients undergoing chemotherapy. The purpose of this study was to identify Candida species from oral lesions of these patients and antifungal susceptibility of the clinical isolates. Materials and Methods: Among 385 patients with cancer, 55 (14.3%) showed oral lesions. Oral swabs were performed to identify the yeasts using direct smear and CHROMagar medium. Micro dilution method was prepared in different concentrations of fluconazole and minimum inhibitory concentration and minimum fungicidal concentration of each species were compared. Results: Oral candidiasis confirmed in 36 cases by direct examination and culture. C. albicans and non-albicans represented in 26 (72.2%) and 10 (27.8%) of the isolates, respectively. 76.5% of C. albicans and 23.5% non-albicans isolates were resistant to fluconazole. Data were shown that 62% and 30.7% of resistant strains of C. albicans were found in patient with gastrointestinal cancer and lymphoma respectively. Conclusion: Data were shown that C. albicans is the most commonly identified species in oral candidiasis and majority of fluconazole resistant C. albicans were found in patients with gastrointestinal cancer and lymphoma. Therefore, we recommend an alternative drug instead of fluconazole as a first line of treatment for these type of cancers and administration of fluconazole in patients undergoing chemotherapy should be prescribed in accordance with the type of cancer.
Dissipation and effects of chlortetracycline and tylosin in two agricultural soils: A field‐scale study in southern Denmark

Presently, thereis a basic lack of information concerning the accumulationof antibacterial agent residues in agricultural soils. In this field study, performed in southern Denmark, we assess the dissipation of chlortetracycline (CTC), and tylosin A (TYL A) as a function of time. Field soils were classified as a sandy loam soil (field A) and a sandy soil (field B) and each field was sampled on six occasions during the 155‐d experimental period from May to October 2000 for chemical analysis and counts of colony‐forming units (CFU) detecting the level of aerobic bacteria surviving antibiotic exposure. Colony‐forming units and TYL A were detected throughout the entire sampling period, with respective starting soil concentrations of 30 and 50 μg kg−1 soil declining to 1 and 5 μg kg−1 soil, on day 155. Compound half‐lives (95% confidence limits in parentheses) were estimated for both fields and T1/2 for CTC was 25 d (20–34) and 34 d (28–42) in fields A and B, respectively, and T1/2 for TYL A was 67 d (54–86) and 49 d (40–64) in fields A and B, respectively. No significant difference was determined between compound half‐lives on the two fields. The level of aerobic antibiotic‐resistant bacteria in the soil over time and soil fauna community was assessed in relation to application of manure containing antibacterial agents to the agricultural fields. The level of both CTC‐ and TYL‐resistant bacteria was affected in the soil by amendment of manure, but declined during the study to the same level as observed at the beginning.