Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Why don't emergency department patients have advance directives?

OBJECTIVES In 1997 the authors determined that only 27% of their adult ED patients had advance directives (ADs). The purpose of this follow-up study was to determine the reasons why their adult ED patients do not have ADs. METHODS This prospective study enrolled patients from a convenience sample of representative shifts in the ED selected over a three-month period. Survey questions included demographic information, whether the patients had a life-threatening medical problem, whether they had an AD, with whom they had discussed their ADs, and the reasons why they did not have an AD. We excluded those who refused participation or who were incapacitated (i.e., any patient with a condition that precluded him or her from answering the questionnaire himself or herself, such as an altered level of consciousness, dementia, mental retardation, or inability to understand English). RESULTS Four hundred seventy-six subjects were enrolled during the study period from an ED census of 816 adult patients. Three hundred forty patients were not included in the study for the following reasons: inability to complete the survey, refusal to participate, or not being approached by the interviewers. Of those enrolled, 77% of the patients did not have an AD (females, 73%; males, 80%). The most frequent reasons given for not having an AD were: 40% never thought about it, 24% preferred family to make the decision, and 23% were procrastinating. Factors jointly predictive of having an AD were older age, having a specialist, having a life-threatening medical problem, and not being Catholic. Patients who had ADs were discussing their ADs with their primary care physicians (PCPs) only 5% of the time. CONCLUSION Many patients, even when they have life-threatening medical problems, do not have an AD, and several reasons for this have been identified. Few of these ED patients who had ADs had discussed them with their physicians. Further studies should assess whether more physician intervention would increase the percentage of patients who have ADs.
A Vector Impedance Meter Method to Characterize Multiconductor Transmission-Line Parameters

For analyzing and simulating the behavior of multiconductor transmission lines, a measurement of the transmission-line parameters is needed. In this paper, an accurate method for measuring the full capacitance, inductance, resistance, and shunt-resistance matrices by a vector impedance meter is described. The method has been applied for frequencies in a range from 20 kHz up to 30 MHz.
Expression of vesicular glutamate transporter 1 immunoreactivity in peripheral and central endings of trigeminal mesencephalic nucleus neurons in the rat

The major neuronal components of the trigeminal mesencephalic nucleus (Vmes) are primary afferent neurons that convey proprioceptive information from the cranioorofacial regions. In the present study, we examined expression of vesicular glutamate transporters (VGLUTs), VGLUT1 and VGLUT2, in the primary afferent neurons of the Vmes (Vmes neurons) in neonatal and adult rats. VGLUT1 immunoreactivity was detected in the cell bodies of Vmes neurons in neonatal rats younger than 11 days old, but not in older rats. However, in situ hybridization signals for VGLUT1 mRNA were detected in both neonatal and adult rats. No VGLUT2 immunoreactivity was detected in Vmes neurons of neonatal or adult rats. VGLUT1 immunoreactivity was also seen in the peripheral sensory endings on the equatorial regions of intrafusal fibers of muscle spindles in the masseter muscles in both neonatal and adult rats. In adult rats injected with cholera toxin B subunit (CTb) into the masseter nerve, central axon terminals of Vmes neurons were identified on masseter motoneurons within the trigeminal motor nucleus (Vm) by transganglionically and retrogradely transported CTb. VGLUT1‐immunopositive axon terminals in close apposition to CTb‐labeled Vm motoneurons were also detected by dual‐immunofluorescence histochemistry for VGLUT1/CTb. Electron microscopy after dual immunolabeling for VGLUT1/CTb by the VGLUT1/immunoperoxidase and CTb/immunogold‐silver methods further revealed synaptic contact of VGLUT1‐ and CTb‐immunopositive axon terminals upon CTb‐labeled neuronal profiles within the Vm. These data indicate that VGLUT1 is expressed in both the central axon terminals and the peripheral sensory endings of Vmes neurons, although no VGLUT1 immunoreactivity was detectable in the cell bodies of Vmes neurons in adult rats. J. Comp. Neurol. 498:129–141, 2006. © 2006 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Resistance to fipronil in Drosophila simulans: influence of two point mutations in the RDL GABA receptor subunit

The Eyguières 42 strain of Drosophila simulans, obtained by laboratory selection, displayed ∼ 20 000‐fold resistance to the insecticide fipronil. Molecular cloning of the cDNA encoding the RDL GABA receptor subunit of this strain revealed the presence of two mutations: the Rdl mutation (A301G) and an additional mutation in the third transmembrane domain (T350M). In order to assess the individual and combined roles of the two mutations in fipronil resistance, the functional properties of wild‐type, A301G, T350M and A301G/T350M homomultimeric RDL receptors were compared by expression in Xenopus oocytes. In wild‐type receptors, the inhibition of GABA (EC30)‐induced currents by fipronil and picrotoxin was enhanced by repeated GABA applications. The A301G mutation nearly abolished this effect, decreased the sensitivity to fipronil and picrotoxin and increased the reversibility of inhibition. The T350M mutation also reduced the sensitivity to both antagonists. Of the four receptor variants tested, the double mutant showed the highest resistance to fipronil, following repeated GABA applications. In conclusion, the present study emphasizes new aspects of the pharmacological alterations induced by the Rdl mutation and shows that resistance to GABA receptor‐directed insecticides may implicate a mutation distinct from Rdl.
Efficacy of griseofulvin and itraconazole in the treatment of experimentally induced dermatophytosis in cats.

To evaluate the efficacy of itraconazole and griseofulvin in the treatment of Microsporum canis infection, 15 juvenile cats were infected by topical application of 10(5) live M canis macroconidia to the skin of the lateral part of the trunk, and an occlusive bandage was applied. After 3 weeks, cats were randomly assigned to 1 of 3 treatment groups (n = 5 each): cats in the first group received griseofulvin (50 mg/kg of body weight, PO, q 24 h); the second group received itraconazole (10 mg/kg, PO, q 24 h); and the third group (control) received an equivalent volume of vehicle (without drug, PO, q 24 h). Treatment continued for 100 days, or until mycologic cure (lack of dermatophyte isolation on 3 consecutive weekly fungal cultures) was achieved. Infection in all cats peaked in severity at week 6 after inoculation, then gradually resolved over the next 11 weeks. The itraconazole-treated group was the first to achieve a cure, after receiving 56 days of treatment, followed by the griseofulvin-treated group at 70 days. None of the cats in the control group reached mycologic cure after 100 days of treatment. As early as day 14 of treatment, the griseofulvin- and itraconazole-treated groups had significantly (P < 0.05) lower mean infection scores, compared with those in the control group. Significant differences in the mean infection scores between the itraconazole- and griseofulvin-treated groups were not found. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Tale of rudimentary horn pregnancy: case reports and literature review

Abstract Rudimentary horn pregnancy (RHP) is a rare form of pregnancy in a rudimentary uterine horn with a reported incidence of 1 in 76,000 and 1 in 150,000. A significant number of cases is diagnosed only following rupture of the RHP with an estimated maternal mortality rate of 0.5%. Early diagnosis can help in planning management before its rupture and allows for surgical treatment using laparoscopy.
Financial Stability, Growth and Macroprudential Policy

Many emerging market economies have used macroprudential policy to mitigate the risk of financial crises and the resulting output losses. However, macroprudential policy may reduce economic growth in good times. This paper introduces endogenous growth into a small open economy model with occasionally binding collateral constraints in order to study the impact of macroprudential policy on financial stability and growth. In a calibrated version of the model, I find that optimal macroprudential policy reduces the probability of crisis by two thirds at the cost of lowering average growth by a small amount (0.01 percentage point). Moreover, macroprudential policy can generate welfare gains equivalent to a 0.06 percent permanent increase in annual consumption.
Progressive motor neuron impairment in an animal model of familial amyotrophic lateral sclerosis

Mutations of Cu,Zn superoxide dismutase cause an autosomal dominant form of familial amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. An animal model of the disease has been produced by expressing mutant human SOD1 in transgenic mice (G93A). In order to quantify the dysfunction of the motor unit in transgenic mice, electromyographic recordings were performed during the course of the disease. The first alterations in neuromuscular function appeared between P63 and P90. The deficits became even more striking after P100; compound muscle action potentials in the hindlimb decreased by 80% of initial value. Spontaneous fibrillation potentials were measured in more than 50% of transgenic mice. The number of motor units in the gastrocnemius muscle was progressively reduced over time, down to 18% of the control value at P130. Moreover, distal motor latencies increased after P120. These data suggest that the initial dysfunctions of motor unit are related to a severe motor axonal degeneration, which is followed at later periods by myelin alteration. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Explanatory Style as a Mechanism of Disappointing Athletic Performance

Two university varsity swimming teams took the Attributional Style Questionnaire (ASQ) at the start of the season. Swimmers with a pessimistic explanatory style went on to show more unexpected poor performances during competition than optimistic swimmers. We then tested the purported mechanism of this effect by experimentally simulating defeat, giving each swimmer falsely negative times. Performance deteriorated for those swimmers with a pessimistic explanatory style for bad events on their next swim, whereas performance for those swimmers with an optimistic style did not.
Soluble glycoprotein V as a quality marker of platelet concentrates stressed by transportation

BACKGROUND: Despite ongoing improvements in storage conditions for platelet concentrates (PCs) for clinical use, leukoreduced platelets (PLTs) undergo subtle changes that are partly due to PLT activation. As PLTs are activated, the expression of P‐selectin (CD62P) increases, and soluble glycoprotein V (sGPV) is released. GPV, part of the GPIbIXV complex, has been suggested as a marker of PLT activation.
Integrating Situational and Dispositional Determinants of Job Satisfaction: Findings From Three Samples of Professionals

Job satisfaction can be conceptualized as a function of situational conditions, personal characteristics, and interactions between both groups of variables. The authors compared the relative predictive power of these determinants in 3 samples of professionals (total N = 1,065). Perceived job characteristics (qualification possibilities, social support, stress, autonomy, participatory leadership) uniquely explained 7-22% of the variance in job satisfaction, and dispositional factors (Big Five, occupational self-efficacy, work centrality, mastery goals) uniquely explained 8-12% of the variance. Dispositional influences were partially mediated by perceived job characteristics. Interactions between situational and dispositional factors were of little significance. The authors concluded that perceived job characteristics (especially autonomy and participatory leadership) are important determinants of job satisfaction, and neuroticism is an important determinant as well. Highly educated professionals' job satisfaction also seems to be driven by qualification possibilities.
Lay persons' and professionals' nutrition-related vocabularies and their matching to a general and a specific thesaurus

This study examines the differences between expressions used by lay persons and professionals in nutrition-related questions and answers, and to what degree General Finnish Ontology (GFO) and a medical thesaurus (FinMeSH) cover these expressions. Fifty question—answer pairs were collected in an electronic answering service. Nutrition-related concepts and their expressions with their semantic relations were identified. The vocabularies of lay persons and professionals were found to be quite similar. This hints that a special consumer health vocabulary in the field of nutrition is not needed. GFO covered 32% of all expressions in questions and 37% of expressions in answers. FinMeSH covered 33% of expressions in both groups. The overlapping match of the thesauri was low, 25% in both questions and in answers. GFO and FinMeSH were found to be poor tools for supporting users in expressing nutrition-related information needs. GFO seemed not to form a covering bridge to FinMeSH.
How Effective are Pay-for-Performance Incentives for Physicians? - A Laboratory Experiment

Recent reforms in health care have introduced a variety of pay-for-performance programs using financial incentives for physicians to improve the quality of care. Their effectiveness is, however, ambiguous as it is often difficult to disentangle the effect of financial incentives from the ones of various other simultaneous changes in the system. In this study we investigate the effects of introducing financial pay-for-performance incentives with the help of controlled laboratory experiments. In particular, we use fee-for-service and capitation as baseline payment schemes and test how additional pay-for-performance incentives affect the medical treatment of different patient types. Our results reveal that, on average, patients significantly benefit from introducing pay-forperformance, independently of hether it is combined with capitation or fee-for-service incentives. The magnitude of this effect is significantly influenced by the patient type, though. These results hold for medical and non-medical students. A cost-benefit analysis further demonstrates that, overall, the increase in patient benefits cannot overcompensate the additional costs associated with pay-for-performance. Moreover, our analysis of individual data reveals different types of responses to pay-for-performance incentives. We find some indication that pay-forperformance might crowd out the intrinsic motivation to care for patients. These insights help to understand the effects caused by introducing pay-for-performance schemes.
Alcohol intake in social housing and in isolation before puberty and its effects on voluntary alcohol consumption in adulthood.

We assessed the effects of alcohol exposure in social and isolation housing before puberty on the alcohol consumption later in adulthood. From 25 to 35 days of age, Wistar male rats were exposed to either (a) continuous isolation; (b) continuous social housing; (c) continuous isolation, but placed in social housing during 12 hr every other day; or (d) continuous social housing, but placed in isolation during 12 hr every other day (SOIS group). All males were exposed to 8% ethanol as the only available liquid 12 hr/day every other day in this prepubescent period and to continuous free-choice access to 8% ethanol or water in both social and isolation housing when adulthood was reached. Alcohol consumption before puberty was higher in the group permanently housed in isolation. Both voluntary alcohol intake and preference for alcohol in adulthood also were higher during the isolation than in the social condition in all groups, except in the SOIS group. Alcohol consumption was higher in the SOIS group than in the other groups only during social condition in adulthood. Food intake decreased during the social interaction of the groups that changed their condition from isolated to social or from social to isolated. Results support that (a) isolation facilitates alcohol consumption, and (b) rearing characteristics associated to alcohol intake at an early age can play an important role in later alcohol intake.
Class I and class II ganglion cells of rabbit retina: A structural basis for X and Y (brisk) cells

Morphological studies of rabbit retina have identified ganglion cells resembling “alpha” cells but none resembling cat “beta” cells. Four distinct types of class I cell, similar to alpha cells, were identified, each narrowly stratified and differing from the other three principally in the level of dendritic branching. These four levels of dendritic branching flank the two starburst/cholinergic amacrine cell substrata that mark the middle of sublaminae a and b. Compared with the other three, class Ia2 cells are the largest in cell body and dendritic field size, are sometimes homotypically dye coupled, and have slightly broader dendritic stratification. Class Ia2 and the slightly smaller class Ib2 cells form a paramorphic pair. Compared with class I cells, class II cells have smaller dendritic fields; a greater tendency to “tufted” dendritic branching, as shown in the companion paper; branching at one of three levels of the IPL; and similarly narrow stratification. Class IIa and class Ia1 cells branch at the same level, as do class IIb1 and class Ib1 cells. Class IIb2 cells branch slightly nearer the ganglion cell layer than class Ib2 cells and costratify with “blue‐ON” cone bipolar cells. The class IIa and IIb2 cells form a paramorphic pair, whereas class IIb1 cells appear to be unpaired. The four types of class I cell probably correspond to ON‐ and OFF‐center brisk‐transient, fast‐movement and slow‐movement cells, whereas the three types of class II cell probably correspond to ON‐ and OFF‐center brisk‐sustained and color‐coded ON‐center X cells. J. Comp. Neurol. 478:323–346, 2004. © 2004 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Recent Conceptual Consequences of Loop Quantum Gravity. Part I: Foundational Aspects.

Conceptual consequences of recent results in loop quantum gravity are collected and discussed here in view of their implications for a modern philosophy of science which is mainly understood as one that totalizes scientific insight so as to eventually achieve a consistent model of what may be called fundamental heuristics on an onto-epistemic background which is part of recently proposed transcendental materialism. This enterprise is being understood as a serious attempt of answering recent appeals to philosophy so as to provide a conceptual foundation for what is going on in modern physics, and of bridging the obvious gap between physics and philosophy. This present first part of the paper deals with foundational aspects of this enterprise, a second part will deal with its holistic aspects.
Predicting Registered Nurse Job Satisfaction and Intent to Leave

Background Nurse job dissatisfaction has been the primary predictor of intent to leave; however, although many predictors of job satisfaction have been identified, little is known about the influence of variable nurse attitudes, such as psychological empowerment and hardiness, on job satisfaction. Objective The purpose of this study was to investigate the relative influence of nurse attitudes, context of care, and structure of care on job satisfaction and intent to leave. Methods A nonexperimental, predictive design evaluated these relationships in a nonrandom sample of 90 registered staff nurses using instruments with known psychometric properties. Results The major predictor of intent to leave was job dissatisfaction, and the major predictor of job satisfaction was psychological empowerment. Predictors of psychological empowerment were hardiness, transformational leadership style, nurse/physician collaboration, and group cohesion. Conclusions Results supported the influence of nurse attitude on job satisfaction relative to other contributing factors.
Perisaccadic Parietal and Occipital Gamma Power in Light and in Complete Darkness

Our objective was to determine perisaccadic gamma range oscillations in the EEG during voluntary saccades in humans. We evaluated occipital perisaccadic gamma activity both in the presence and absence of visual input, when the observer was blindfolded. We quantified gamma power in the time periods before, during, and after horizontal saccades. The corresponding EEG was evaluated for individual saccades and the wavelet transformed EEG averaged for each time window, without averaging the EEG first. We found that, in both dark and light, parietal and occipital gamma power increased during the saccade and peaked prior to reaching new fixation. We show that this is not the result of muscle activity and not the result of visual input during saccades. Saccade direction affects the laterality of gamma power over posterior electrodes. Gamma power recorded over the posterior scalp increases during a saccade. The phasic modulation of gamma by saccades in darkness—when occipital activity is decoupled from visual input—provides electrophysiological evidence that voluntary saccades affect ongoing EEG. We suggest that saccade-phasic gamma modulation may contribute to short-term plasticity required to realign the visual space to the intended fixation point of a saccade and provides a mechanism for neuronal assembly formation prior to achieving the intended saccadic goal. The wavelet-transformed perisaccadic EEG could provide an electrophysiological tool applicable in humans for the purpose of fine analysis and potential separation of stages of ‘planning’ and ‘action’.
System Cost Modeling : Estimating Manufacturing Cost in Large Complex Systems +

This paper proposes a methodology, Systems Cost Modeling (SCM), to evaluate the cost of complex systems with a large number of individual components and subsystems. Simple characteristics associated with each component are used as inputs to parametric estimates of fixed and variable costs, as well as process use time of relevant resources. These estimates are then used to calculate individual component costs, which are then aggregated to the relevant system level. SCM focuses, not on obtaining accurate evaluations of component manufacturing cost, but rather on providing reliable calculations of the overall system cost and enable a robust analysis of the influence of key external parameters such as volume or factor input costs on total cost behavior. To show the use and validity of the SCM, an application of the methodology to the calculation of the supply chain costs for a set of stamped parts is presented.
A New Functional Screening System for Identification of Regulators for the Generation of Amyloid β-Protein*

Presenilin (PS) is essential for γ-cleavage, which is required for the generation of amyloid β-protein (Aβ) from the β-amyloid precursor protein. However, it remains to be clarified how γ-cleavage is regulated. To elucidate the regulation of PS-mediated γ-cleavage, we developed a new functional screening method for identifying cDNA that enhances γ-cleavage. This screening system utilizes our own developed cell line, where the expression of cDNA that enhances γ-cleavage confers puromycin resistance. The cDNA library is retrovirally delivered to the above-mentioned cell line, allowing the identification of our target cDNAs by a combination of puromycin resistance selection and Aβ assay screening. With this screening method, we isolated several cDNAs enhancing γ-cleavage, including the previously reported Herp. Here we also demonstrate that Rab1A, identified with this screening, can be a regulator of Aβ generation. Thus, our established screening method is a powerful tool for identifying multiple regulators involved in γ-cleavage in the Aβ generation pathway, including modulators of γ-secretase activity or the intracellular trafficking of factors necessary for γ-cleavage.