Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Role of renal biomarkers as predictors of acute kidney injury in cardiac surgery

Cardiac surgery is unique in using cardiopulmonary bypass in various clinical scenarios. Injury of vital organs is unavoidable in the perioperative period. Acute kidney injury is a consequence of the systemic inflammatory response after bypass, emboli, ischemia, and low cardiac output states, reportedly occurring in 30%–40% of open heart surgeries. Acute kidney injury is associated with increased morbidity, mortality, and cost. Many preventive measures (off-pump procedures, decreased crossclamp time, pulsatile flow, adequate hydration) are taken in the perioperative period to avoid organ injury, but in vain. Traditionally, blood urea, serum creatinine, and creatinine clearance rate were applied for prediction of acute kidney injury. The recent emergence of biomarkers such as neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin, cystatin C, liver-type fatty acid binding protein, interleukin-18, kidney injury molecule-1, and tetrahydrobiopterin have helped in detecting acute kidney injury long before the rise of serum creatinine. These biomarkers can also be used as tools for predicting therapeutic effects in acute kidney injury and for monitoring drug toxicity. This review consolidates the knowledge of biomarkers and their application in acute kidney injury management.
Demographic Determinants of Participation in Strength Training Activities Among U.S. Adults

This study used a health services approach to examine the demographic correlates of participation in strength training activities among U.S. adults. The purpose of this study was to develop a profile of adults who participate in strength training activities and analyze the demographic factors that predict strength training participation. The study was a secondary data analysis employing a nonexperimental correlational design. Subjects for the study were derived from the data source, the 2003 National Health Interview Survey, a multistage probability survey that produced a U.S. representative sample of 29,783 adults capable of participating in strength training. The prevalence of strength training participation among adults was calculated, and a logistic regression equation was used to develop a multivariate model of factors that influence participation. Twenty-one percent of adults participated in strength training activities on at least 2 days of the week. In the regression, participation was associated with age, sex, ethnicity, marital status, level of education, and census region. The likelihood of participating in regular strength training activities was lower among older adults and women but higher with increasing levels of education and with participation in other aerobic type exercise. Strength training professionals should employ public health methodologies to promote continuation of this type of activity among those who were shown to participate regularly and to improve participation among those subgroups with lower levels of activity.
Physiological assessment of aerobic training in soccer

Physiological assessment of soccer training usually refers to the measurement of anatomical, physiological, biochemical and functional changes specific to the sport discipline (training outcome). The quality, quantity and organization of physical exercises (training process) are, on the other hand, usually described by the external work imposed by the coach on his or her athletes. In this review, we demonstrate that this approach is not appropriate in soccer, as training is often based on group exercises. The physiological stress (internal load) induced by such training often differs between individuals. Here, we present some physiological laboratory-based tests and field tests used to evaluate training outcomes in soccer, together with methods based on heart rate and perceived exertion to quantify internal load imposed during training. The integrated physiological assessment of both training outcome and process allows researchers: (1) to improve interpretation of physical tests used to verify the effectiveness of training programmes; (2) to evaluate the organization of the training load in order to design periodization strategies; (3) to identify athletes who are poor responders; (4) to control the compliance of the training completed to that planned by the coach; and (5) to modify the training process before the assessment of its outcome, thus optimizing soccer performance.
Disasters as Learning Experiences or Disasters as Policy Opportunities? Examining Flood Insurance Purchases after Hurricanes

Flood insurance is a critical risk management strategy, contributing to greater resilience of individuals and communities. The occurrence of disasters has been observed to alter risk management choices, including the decision to insure. This has previously been explained by learning and behavioral biases. When it comes to flood insurance, however, federal disaster aid policy could also play a role since recipients of aid are required to maintain insurance. Using a database of flood insurance policies for all states on the Atlantic and Gulf coasts of the United States between 2001 and 2010, this article uses fixed effects models to examine how take‐up rates respond to the occurrence of hurricanes and tropical storms, as well as disaster declarations and aid requirements. Being hit by at least one hurricane in the previous year increases net flood insurance purchases by 7.2%. This effect dies out by three years after the storm. A presidential disaster declaration for floods increases take‐up rates by 6.7%. When disaster aid grants are made available to households, take‐up rates increase by 5%; this accounts for the majority of the increase in policies after occurrence of a hurricane. When the models are estimated taking into account which policies are required by disaster aid, hurricanes are estimated to lead to only a 1.5% increase in voluntary purchases. This overlooked federal policy that disaster aid recipients insure is responsible for a majority of insurance purchases postdisaster.
A Review of the Impact of Phenylephrine Administration on Maternal Hemodynamics and Maternal and Neonatal Outcomes in Women Undergoing Cesarean Delivery Under Spinal Anesthesia

Phenylephrine is effective for the management of spinal anesthesia-induced hypotension in parturients undergoing cesarean delivery under spinal anesthesia. While ephedrine was previously considered the vasopressor of choice in obstetric patients, phenylephrine is increasingly being used. This is largely due to studies suggesting improved fetal acid-base status with the use of phenylephrine as well as the low incidence of hypotension and its related side effects with prophylactic phenylephrine regimens. This review highlights the effects of phenylephrine compared with ephedrine on maternal hemodynamics (arterial blood pressure, heart rate, and cardiac output), and occurrence of intraoperative nausea and vomiting. The impact of the administration of phenylephrine as a bolus for the treatment of established hypotension compared with its administration as a prophylactic infusion is discussed. This article also reviews the impact of phenylephrine compared with ephedrine on uteroplacental perfusion, and fetal outcomes such as neonatal acid-base status and Apgar scores. The optimum dosing regimen for phenylephrine administration is also discussed.
Bank Liquidity Management through the Issuance of Bonds in the Aftermath of the Global Financial Crisis

Abstract Next to deposits, European banks have historically largely used bank obligations such as covered bonds. Their US counterparties, on the contrary, heavily rely on securitization to fund mortgages. We assess how banks’ liquidity and funding position during and after the Global Financial Crisis (GFC) affects the decision to issue (private label) mortgage backed securities (MBS), covered bonds (CB) or senior unsecured bonds (SUB). Since the decisions to issue either instrument are not necessarily independent from each other, we estimate conditional probit and tobit models in order to account for the simultaneous nature of the issuances. We see that neither instrument plays any role in liquidity management during the GFC. In the post-GFC period, banks reach out to issuing MBS when facing short-term illiquidity. Banks could issue MBS as a way to comply with Basel III liquidity regulations. In turn, a bank’s decision to issue CB is not affected by bank’s liquidity and liquidity management occurs instead through managing the amount of CB. The issuance of SUB is also not affected by liquidity. Overall, the paper shows that only MBS have actively been issued as a response to liquidity shortages of banks’ balance sheets and shows that MBS and CB, which often are seen as alternative instruments, serve different purposes.
Superficial Medial Collateral Ligament Anatomic Augmented Repair Versus Anatomic Reconstruction

Background: When surgical intervention is required for a grade 3 superficial medial collateral ligament (sMCL) tear, there is no consensus on the optimal surgical treatment. Anatomic augmented repairs and anatomic reconstructions for treatment of grade 3 sMCL tears have not been biomechanically validated or compared. Hypothesis: Anatomic sMCL augmented repairs and anatomic sMCL reconstruction techniques will reproduce equivalent knee kinematics when compared with the intact state, while creating significant improvements in translational and rotational laxity compared with the sMCL sectioned state. Study Design: Controlled laboratory study. Methods: Eighteen match-paired, fresh-frozen cadaveric knees (average age, 52.6 years; range, 40-59 years) were each used to test laxity of an intact sMCL, a deficient sMCL, and either an anatomic augmented repair or an anatomic reconstruction. Knees were biomechanically tested in a 6 degrees of freedom robotic system, which included valgus rotation, internal and external rotation, simulated pivot shift, and coupled anterior drawer with external rotation. Results: Anatomic augmented repairs and anatomic reconstructions had significantly less medial joint gapping than the sectioned state at all tested flexion angles and showed significant reductions in valgus rotation compared with the sectioned state at all flexion angles. No significant differences between the anatomic augmented repair and anatomic reconstruction were found for any test performed. Despite the similar behavior between the 2 reconstruction groups, neither technique was able to reproduce the intact state. Conclusion: Anatomic sMCL augmented repairs and anatomic sMCL reconstructions were not significantly different when tested at time zero. Both the anatomic augmented repair and the anatomic reconstruction were able to improve knee stability and provide less than 2 mm of medial joint gapping at 0° and 20° of flexion. Clinical Significance: These results suggest that both an anatomic sMCL augmented repair and an anatomic sMCL reconstruction improve knee kinematics compared with a deficient sMCL and provide equivalent joint stability.
Effects of bromocriptine and haloperidol on prepulse inhibition: comparison of the acoustic startle eyeblink response and the N1/P2 auditory-evoked response in man

Experiments with animals have shown that D2 dopamine receptors are involved in regulating prepulse inhibition (PPI) of the acoustic startle reflex (suppression of the reflex response evoked by a loud sound by prior presentation of a low-intensity stimulus). Recently we found that PPI of the human eyeblink startle response could be suppressed by a D2 receptor agonist, bromocriptine, and that this suppression could be reversed by a D2 receptor-blocking neuroleptic, haloperidol.The present work attempted to replicate this finding and to extend it to PPI of the N1/P2 component of the auditory-evoked potential. Elevenhealthy males (18–30 years) participated in four sessions in which they received oral doses of placebo, bromocriptine 1.25 mg, haloperidol 3 mg and combined treatment with bromocriptine 1.25 mg + haloperidol 3 mg, according to a balanced double-blind protocol. Thirty-minute simultaneous recordings of the electromyographic (EMG) responses of the orbicularis oculi muscle of the right eye and the vertex auditory-evoked potentials took place 120 min after ingestion of haloperidol and/or 90 min after ingestion of bromocriptine. Sound stimuli (1-kHz) were presented in 60 trials separated by variable intervals (mean 25 sec): (i) 40 msec 115 dB (‘pulse alone’: 20 trials); (ii) 40 msec 85 dB (20 trials); (iii) 40 msec 85 dB, followed after 120 msec by 40 msec 115 dB (‘prepulse/pulse’: 20 trials). The amplitudes of the EMG and N1/P2 responses were not altered significantly by any of the treatments. Bromocriptine attenuated PPI of the EMG response significantly, this attenuation being absent following combined haloperidol/bromocriptine treatment. Neither bromocriptine nor haloperidol significantly altered PPI of the N1/P2 complex. Bromocriptine suppressed and haloperidol elevated serum prolactin levels, these changes being absent when the two drugs were given in combination. The results suggest that different mechanisms may be involved in regulating PPI of the eyeblink and the N1/P2 component of the auditory-evoked potential, and that D2 receptors may be involved in the former case, but not the latter.
Student Leadership TEAMs: A Leadership Empowerment Intervention for School (Re)Connectedness

ABSTRACT Schools face ongoing pressure to increase a sense of connectedness and prosocial behaviors among students, an especially challenging objective when working with marginalized youth. Leadership empowerment interventions can accomplish this while also building student self-efficacy, wellness, self-exploration, and social support. We draw from research on these interventions to examine a new team-focused leadership empowerment intervention (Student Leadership TEAMs; SLTs). Initial qualitative data from four second-grade students appears to support the conceptual basis of SLTs.
Characteristics of highly ranked applicants to general surgery residency programs.

IMPORTANCE With duty hour debates, specialization, and sex distribution changes in the applicant pool, the relative competitiveness for general surgery residency (GSR) is undefined. OBJECTIVE To determine the modern attributes of top-ranked applicants to GSR. DESIGN Validation cohort, survey. SETTING National sample of university and community-based GSR programs. PARTICIPANTS Data were abstracted from Electronic Residency Application Service files of the top 20-ranked applicants to 22 GSR programs. We ranked program competitiveness and blinded review of personal statements. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES Characteristics associated with applicant ranking by the GSR program (top 5 vs 6-20) and ranking by highly competitive programs were identified using t and χ2 tests and modified Poisson regression. RESULTS There were 333 unique applicants among the 440 Electronic Residency Application Service files. Most applicants had research experience (93.0%) and publications (76.8%), and 28.4% had Alpha Omega Alpha membership. Nearly half were women (45.2%), with wide variation by program (20.0%-75.0%) and a trend toward fewer women at programs in the South and West (38.0% and 37.5%, respectively). Men had higher United States Medical Licensing Examination Step 1 scores (238.0 vs 230.1; P < .001) but similar Step 2 scores (245.3 vs 244.5; P = .54). Using bivariate analysis, highly competitive programs were more likely to rank applicants with publications, research experience, Alpha Omega Alpha membership, higher Step 1 scores, and excellent personal statements and those who were male or Asian. However, the only significant predictors were Step 1 scores (relative risk [RR], 1.36 for every 10-U increase), publications (RR, 2.20), personal statements (RR, 1.62), and Asian race (RR, 1.70 vs white). Alpha Omega Alpha membership (RR, 1.62) and Step 1 scores (RR, 1.01) were the only variables predictive of ranking in the top 5. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE This national sample shows GSR is a highly competitive, sex-neutral discipline in which academic performance is the most important factor for ranking, especially in the most competitive programs. This study will inform applicants and program directors about applicants to the GSR program.
Wealth‐To‐Income Ratio and Stock Market Movements: Evidence from a Nonparametric Causality Test

We use a nonparametric causality-in-quantiles test to analyze the predictive ability of the wealth-to-income ratio (wy) for excess stock returns and their volatility. Our results reveal that the wealth-to-income ratio is nonlinearly related with excess stock returns, and hence, results from linear Granger causality tests cannot be deemed robust. When we apply the nonparametric causality-in-quantiles test, we find that the wealth-to-income ratio can predict excess stock returns over the majority of the conditional distribution, with the exception being the extreme ends, i.e. when the market is in deep bear or bull phases. However, the wealth-to-income ratio has no predictability for the volatility of excess stock returns.
Structural Change and the Dynamics of China-US Real Exchange Rate

We study the dynamics of the real exchange rate between China and the US since 1990. We first show that a standard Balassa-Samuelson model without structural change cannot account for the observed real exchange rate behaviour. We then extend the Balassa-Samuelson framework to a three-sector model with structural change and frictions in both capital and labour markets. We show that the model can quantitatively account for both the structural changes in the two countries and the behaviour of the real exchange rate between the two countries. Finally, we find that factor market frictions are crucial for understanding the structural changes and real exchange rate dynamics.
Mental time travel after trauma: The specificity and temporal distribution of autobiographical memories and future-directed thoughts

The present study investigated the relationship between trauma exposure and specificity and temporal distribution of autobiographical memories and future-directed thoughts. A group of sexual assault victims were compared with women without previous trauma exposure in relation to specificity of autobiographical memories, as measured by the Autobiographical Memory Task (AMT) and specificity of future-directed thoughts as measured by the Future Cueing Task (FCT). The temporal distribution of future-directed thoughts and autobiographical memories was studied by asking the participants to estimate when each memory reported on the AMT had occurred and when each future event reported on the FCT would occur. The results showed no difference between the trauma group and the controls on specificity of autobiographical memories and future-directed thoughts. In line with a review of Moore and Zoellner (2007), PTSD symptoms as measured by the Impact of Event Scale (IES) correlated negatively with specificity. Furthermore, we observed no difference in temporal distribution of future-directed thoughts or autobiographical memories between trauma exposed participants and controls.
Long-term outcomes of laser iridotomy in Vietnamese patients with primary angle closure

Background/aims To investigate the long-term outcomes of laser peripheral iridotomy (LPI) on controlling intraocular pressure (IOP) and progression of angle closure in Vietnamese. Methods Medical charts of Vietnamese patients who were diagnosed as having primary angle-closure suspect (PACS), primary angle closure (PAC) or primary angle-closure glaucoma (PACG), and who had received LPI at least 10 years prior, in a single private practice were reviewed. The main outcomes included use of further treatments after LPI, progression rate to another classification category and ocular characteristics associated with progression. Results 359 patients with a mean follow-up period of 11.8±1.6 years after the LPI were included in this study. The proportion of patients who required additional therapies (medical, laser or surgical) to control IOP were 7.1, 42.4 and 100% in the PACS, PAC and PACG groups, respectively. Fifty-three patients with PACS (22.2%) progressed to PAC; nine patients with PACS (3.8%) progressed to PACG; and five PAC patients (5.2%) progressed to PACG. Cataract surgery was a significant factor associated with PACS eyes without progression (p=0.019). Conclusions Further medications, laser or surgery are frequently required to control IOP after LPI for eyes with PAC, especially for eyes with PACG. Lens extraction seems to play a protective role in PACS eyes. Close follow-up after LPI remains necessary to prevent progression of disease.
Sealants in Dentistry: Outcomes of the ORCA Saturday Afternoon Symposium 2007

Sealants are a successful tool in caries prevention, but their role in preventive strategies after the caries decline has to be discussed. A survey of paediatric departments across Europe revealed that indications for pit and fissure sealants vary considerably, both nationally and internationally. Evidence for effectiveness of sealants in controlling caries in posterior teeth implies that sealants should be an integrated part of management of pit and fissure caries. Still, the indication for occlusal sealants seems to be shifting from primary prevention to a therapeutic decision for caries management of lesions in enamel and the outer part of the dentine. Sealants are also an interesting concept for caries management in approximal surfaces. Clinical trials suggest that novel techniques of sealing or infiltrating approximal lesions show promise. However, approximal sealing techniques are as complex to apply and time-consuming as approximal fillings. The article proposes guidelines for teaching on the use of sealants.
Intracranial pressure monitoring and case mix-adjusted mortality in intracranial hemorrhage

ObjectiveIntracranial pressure (ICP) monitoring is frequently used in intensive care treatment of patients with intracranial hemorrhage. Data demonstrating an improved outcome from this intervention are lacking. We analyzed standardized mortality ratios in patients with and without ICP monitoring to determine its efficacy. DesignA nonrandomized study of case records of consecutively admitted intensive care unit (ICU) patients with intracranial hemorrhage. SettingGeneral and medical ICU of a 900-bed tertiary-care hospital. PatientsA total of 225 patients with intracranial hemorrhage (mainly nontraumatic) admitted consecutively between April 1997 and March 2000. MeasurementsSimplified Acute Physiology Score (SAPS) II, diagnosis, age, sex, use of ICP monitoring, and in-hospital mortality rates were collected from the hospital’s ICU database. Expected mortality was provided by means of SAPS II. Standardized mortality ratios were calculated and compared in 119 patients with ICP monitoring and 106 patients without ICP monitoring. Main ResultsThe case mix-adjusted hospital mortality in the group with ICP monitoring was in the expected range (standardized mortality ratio, 1.09 [95% confidence interval (CI), 0.87–1.31]). Patients without ICP monitoring had a significantly higher standardized mortality ratio than expected (1.26 [95% CI, 1.06–1.46]). ConclusionsA beneficial effect of ICP monitoring in patients with intracranial hemorrhage may be reflected in an improved standardized mortality ratio.