Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The Psychometric Properties of the Chinese Version of the Fatigue Scale for Children

Background: The availability of a valid and reliable instrument that accurately assesses the level of fatigue among childhood cancer survivors is a prerequisite for developing and evaluating interventions designed to reduce fatigue. There is a lack of such an instrument for use in the Hong Kong Chinese context. Objective: The aim of the study was to examine the psychometric properties of the Chinese version of the Fatigue Scale for Children. In particular, confirmatory factor analysis was conducted to examine its factorial structure. Methods: A convenience sample of 200 Hong Kong Chinese children surviving cancer was recruited in an outpatient clinic. The psychometric properties of the Chinese version of the Fatigue Scale for Children were assessed. Results: The content validity index was 0.83. There was a strong positive correlation between children’s level of fatigue and depressive symptoms (r = 0.53) and a strong negative correlation between children’s levels of fatigue and quality of life (r = −0.54). The mean levels of fatigue of the survivor group were significantly lower than those of those hospitalized with cancer, but significantly higher than those of their healthy counterparts. Confirmatory factor analysis indicated that there were 3 factors underlying the Chinese version of the Fatigue Scale for Children. Conclusion: The study adds further evidence that the Chinese version of the Fatigue Scale for Children can be used as a reliable and valid tool in assessing cancer-related fatigue among Chinese children who have survived cancer. Implications for Practice: The translated scale can be used to develop and evaluate appropriate fatigue reduction interventions.
[A new artificial intelligence tool for assessing symptoms in patients seeking emergency department care: the Mediktor application].

OBJECTIVES To analyze agreement between diagnoses issued by the Mediktor application and those of an attending physician, and to evaluate the usefulness of this application in patients who seek emergency care. MATERIAL AND METHODS Prospective observational study in a tertiary care university hospital emergency department. Patients with medical problems and surgical conditions (surgery and injuries) who did not require immediate emergency care responded to the Mediktor questions on a portable computer tablet. The software analyzed the answers and provided a list of 10 possible preliminary diagnoses in order of likelihood. The patient and the attending physician were blinded to the list to so that the usual care process would not be altered. The level of agreement between the physician's diagnosis and the Mediktor diagnosis was analyzed. RESULTS A total of 1015 patients were included; 622 cases were considered valid for study. Cases were excluded if the patients did not meet the inclusion criteria, they did not have a discharge diagnosis, they had a final diagnosis expressed as a symptom or their final diagnosis was not included in the Mediktor database. The physician's diagnosis (the gold standard) coincided with one of the 10 MEDIKTOR diagnoses in 91.3% of the cases, with one of the first 3 diagnoses in 75.4%, and with the first diagnosis in 42.9%. Sensitivity was over 92% and specificity over 91% in the majority of common diagnostic groups; the κ statistic ranged from 0.24 to 0.98. CONCLUSION The Mediktor application is a reliable diagnostic aid for the most prevalent problems treated in a hospital emergency department. The general public finds it easy to use.
Establishment of a Cytokine-Producing Anaplastic Large-Cell Lymphoma Cell Line Containing the t(2;5) Translocation: Potential Role of Cytokines in Clinical Manifestations

A permanent cell line, HSC-M1, was established from a child with advanced CD30 (Ki-1)+ anaplastic large-cell lymphoma (ALCL). Clinical features included irritability, fever, weight loss, tender lymphadenopathy, pneumonitis, neutrophilia, and bone marrow erythrophagocytosis. While HSC-M1 cells exhibited an immunophenotype characteristic of ALCL of T-cell lineage, the cell line also demonstrated features of monocyte-macrophage lineage. Cytogenetic and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analysis of the HSC-M1 cell line and involved bone marrow demonstrated the characteristic non-random chromosomal translocation t(2;5)(p23;q35). Reverse transcriptase PCR for mRNA expression of cytokines and cytokine receptors showed that HSC-M1 cells expressed the message for multiple cytokines and their receptors. Measurement of cytokine levels in serum samples using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays showed increased concentrations of several cytokines. The increased levels of some cytokines correlated with disease activity and clinical symptoms. Although spontaneous production by HSC-M 1 cells of some of these cytokines was demonstrated, the production of others was only detectable after stimulation with exogenous CD30 ligand. With few exceptions, there was good correlation between serum cytokine levels and cytokines produced by HSC-M1 cells. These findings indicate that cytokine production is a feature of ALCL cells and that some of the clinical manifestations in ALCL may result from cytokines produced by either the malignant or accessory cells.
REAL-TIME ON-LINE PERFORMANCE DIAGNOSTICS OF HEAVY-DUTY INDUSTRIAL GAS TURBINES S

This paper describes the results of real-time, on-line performance monitoring of two gas turbines over a period of five months in 1997. A commercially available software system is installed to monitor, analyze and store measurements obtained from the plant’s distributed control system. The software is installed in a combined-cycle, cogeneration power plant, located in Mass. , USA, with two Frame 7EA gas turbines in April 1997. Vendor’s information such as correction and part load performance curves are utilized to calculate expected engine performance and compare it with measurements. In addition to monitoring the general condition and performance of the gas turbines, user-specified financial data is used to determine schedules for compressor washing and inlet filter replacement by balancing the associated costs with lost revenue. All measurements and calculated information are stored in databases for real-time and historical trending and tabulating. The data is analyzed ex post facto to identify salient performance and maintenance issues.
Patients ’ general literacy skills according to level and score of the STOFHLAa and the REALMb

I nadequate health literacy is a major problem in the United States. Patients’ health literacy skills affect their ability to communicate with health care providers, adhere to health care regimens, access and navigate health care services, and manage health issues. Yet the Institute of Medicine estimated in 2004 that nearly half of all American adults (about 90 million people) have difficulty understanding and acting upon health information. Each year, inadequate health literacy results in approximately $73 billion in unnecessary health care costs. In order to facilitate effective and timely interventions that can promote a high quality, cost-efficient health care experience, health care providers are in need of a brief, effective tool for detecting inadequate health literacy among their patients. At present, there are validated tools for assessing health literacy, including the Short Test of Functional Health Literacy in Adults (STOFHLA) and the Rapid Estimate of Adult Literacy (REALM). Current tools, however, either take too long to administer or are potentially embarrassing to patients. Recent studies have attempted to create a brief and effective health literacy screening tool. Chew and colleagues developed 16 health literacy screening questions and administered them, along with the STOFHLA, to 332 participants. They found that, as determined by the STOFHLA, three of the new questions were effective at detecting inadequate health literacy, that these three questions were weaker at detecting inadequate/ marginal health literacy, and that no combination of the three questions was more effective at identifying inadequate health literacy than any of those individual questions. Wallace and colleagues administered the same three questions, along with the REALM, to 305 participants who differed demographically from the participants in Chew and colleagues’ study. Their results indicated that, as determined by the REALM, one of the questions was accurate in detecting limited and limited or marginal health literacy and was more accurate than any combination of the three questions. Later, Baker asserted that the inconsistencies between Chew and colleagues’ study and Wallace and colleagues’ study indicate a need for further research, while Parker and Kindig called for more research on the measurement of both individual and population-level health literacy skills. With these issues in mind, we developed the Brief Health Literacy Screening Tool (known as the BRIEF) and conducted a study to determine its efficacy. The BRIEF consists of the three questions evaluated by Chew and colleagues and Wallace and colleagues, along with a fourth question that we developed. We investigated the tool’s efficacy at detecting inadequate and inadequate/marginal health literacy in a VA ambulatory care setting by using the STOFHLA and the REALM as standards of actual health literacy. In this article, we present our findings and discuss how we have implemented the BRIEF within our own health care system.
Statin prescribing for primary prevention of cardiovascular disease: a cross-sectional, observational study.

BACKGROUND The updated (2014) National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guideline lowered the recommended threshold for statin prescription from 20% to 10% 10-year cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk. AIM To determine the characteristics of patients prescribed statins for primary prevention according to their CVD risk. DESIGN AND SETTING Cross-sectional study in primary care settings in the three east London CCGs (Newham, City and Hackney, and Tower Hamlets). METHOD Data were extracted from electronic health records of 930 000 patients registered with 137 of 141 general practices for a year ending 1 April 2014. RESULTS Of 341 099 patients aged 30-74 years, excluding those with CVD or diabetes, 22 393 were prescribed statins and had a 10-year CVD risk recorded. Of these, 9828 (43.9%) had a CVD risk ≥20%, 7121 (31.8%) had a CVD risk of 10-19%, and 5444 (24.3%) had a CVD risk <10%. Statins were prescribed to 9828/19 755 (49.7%) of those at ≥20% CVD risk, to 7121/37 111 (19.2%) of those with CVD risk 10-19%, and to 5444/146 676 (3.7%) of those with CVD risk <10%. Statin prescription below the 20% CVD risk threshold targeted individuals in the 10-19% risk band in association with hypertension, high serum cholesterol, positive family history, older age, and south Asian ethnicity. CONCLUSION This study confirms continuing undertreatment of patients at highest CVD risk (≥20%). GPs prescribed statins to only one-fifth of those in the 10-19% risk band usually in association with known major risk factors. Only 3.7% of individuals below 10% were prescribed statins.
Effect of 1-desamino-8-D-arginine vasopressin (DDAVP) on vasopressin release and blood pressure during hemorrhage.

Whether or not 1-desamino-8-D-arginine-vasopressin (DDAVP) reduces blood pressure or affects the release of arginine vasopressin (AVP) and renin is controversial, although evidence suggests AVP and renin are important in maintaining blood pressure during hemorrhage. We therefore investigated the effect of DDAVP on endogenous release of AVP and renin and on blood pressure during hemorrhage in dogs. In the control group the hemorrhage was performed at a rate of 0.4 ml.kg-1.min-1 for 40 min from the femoral artery. The plasma AVP concentration and renin activity (PRA) increased progressively in response to the hemorrhage, from 7.5 +/- 0.5 to 40.3 +/- 7.3 pg.ml-1, and from 11.8 +/- 1.5 to 20.5 +/- 4.2 ng.ml-1.h-1, respectively, while blood pressure decreased slightly. In the DDAVP group, intravenous infusion of DDAVP (2.5 ng.kg-1.min-1 for 40 min) and hemorrhage were simultaneously performed. The plasma DDAVP concentration increased progressively to 218 +/- 21.0 pg.ml-1. There was no significant difference, however, between the control and DDAVP groups in the response of AVP, PRA and blood pressure. The results suggested that DDAVP may not affect the release of AVP and renin or blood pressure during hemorrhage.
Mini-Review Dysmenorrhea in Adolescents and Young Adults : Etiology and Management

Dysmenorrhea is the most common gynecologic complaint among adolescent and young adult females. Dysmenorrhea in adolescents and young adults is usually primary (functional), and is associated with normal ovulatory cycles and with no pelvic pathology. In approximately 10% of adolescents and young adults with severe dysmenorrhea symptoms, pelvic abnormalities such as endometriosis or uterine anomalies may be found. Potent prostaglandins and potent leukotrienes play an important role in generating dysmenorrhea symptoms. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID) are the most common pharmacologic treatment for dysmenorrhea. Adolescents and young adults with symptoms that do not respond to treatment with NSAIDs for 3 menstrual periods should be offered combined estrogen/progestin oral contraceptive pills for 3 menstrual cycles. Adolescents and young adults with dysmenorrhea who do not respond to this treatment should be evaluated for secondary causes of dysmenorrhea. The care provider’s role is to explain about pathophysiology of dysmenorrhea to every adolescent and young adult female, address any concern that the patient has about her menstrual period, and review effective treatment options for dysmenorrhea with the patient.
Perceptron-based learning algorithms

A key task for connectionist research is the development and analysis of learning algorithms. An examination is made of several supervised learning algorithms for single-cell and network models. The heart of these algorithms is the pocket algorithm, a modification of perceptron learning that makes perceptron learning well-behaved with nonseparable training data, even if the data are noisy and contradictory. Features of these algorithms include speed algorithms fast enough to handle large sets of training data; network scaling properties, i.e. network methods scale up almost as well as single-cell models when the number of inputs is increased; analytic tractability, i.e. upper bounds on classification error are derivable; online learning, i.e. some variants can learn continually, without referring to previous data; and winner-take-all groups or choice groups, i.e. algorithms can be adapted to select one out of a number of possible classifications. These learning algorithms are suitable for applications in machine learning, pattern recognition, and connectionist expert systems.
Comparing Vertebral Body Reconstruction Implants for the Treatment of Thoracic and Lumbar Metastatic Spinal Tumors: A Consecutive Case Series of 37 Patients

Study Design Retrospective case series. Objective To compare different interbody reconstruction implants after corpectomy in metastatic spine tumors. Summary of Background Data Vertebral body reconstruction after corpectomy is common for patients with metastatic spine tumors. Although various implants are reported individually in the literature, no study to-date has compared them with one another directly. Methods Thirty-seven consecutive patients with metastatic tumors of the thoracic or lumbar spine underwent single or multilevel corpectomy with subsequent interbody reconstruction. Longevity of interbody graft was primarily evaluated in this study as defined by the need for any revision surgeries or complications after surgery. Data was collected retrospectively. Results Twenty-seven, 5, and 5 patients underwent reconstruction with metal implants, bone implants, and polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA), respectively. Twenty-three patients had metastatic tumor involvement of the thoracic spine and 14 patients had tumor involvement of the lumbar spine. Three patients (8.1%) required additional surgery: 1 wound infection, 1 hardware revision, and 1 for resection of an intradural, intramedullary tumor not identified at the first operation. Overall complication rate was 43.2% (16 patients) and 2 patients died within 30 days of their index spine surgery. Postoperative complication rates were more than double in the metal implant group (52%) compared with an equal number of complications in bone (20%) and PMMA (20%) implant group. The rate of revision surgery was highest in the bone group (40%) compared with none in the PMMA and only 3.7% in the metal interbody groups. Conclusions Vertebral body reconstruction after corpectomy for patients with metastatic tumors to the thoracic and lumbar spine can be performed effectively with metal, bone, or cement implants. Although metal implants are used in the majority of reconstruction cases, they seem to have a higher rate of overall complications, with bone interbody constructs showing a higher rate of revision surgery.
Effects of immediate recall trial on one-year delayed recall performance in Rey complex figure test

ABSTRACT This study aimed to examine the effects of the presence or absence of an immediate recall trial on university students’ (n = 39) performance on the one-year delayed recall test in the Rey complex figure test (RCFT). Participants were divided into two groups that took either one or two tests, respectively. In the first year, the participants in the two-test condition completed a copy trial and an immediate recall trial, whereas those in the one-test condition underwent the copy trial only. In the second year, all participants completed a delayed recall test. Those in the two-test condition showed significantly higher scores than those in the one-test condition on the one-year delayed recall test. Thus, we found that omitting the immediate recall trial caused a decline in performance on the one-year delayed recall test. The relevance of these findings to the relationship with testing effects (Roediger & Karpicke, 2006) was considered.
Rapid Sequential Processing in Dyslexic and Ordinary Readers

42 dyslexic and 42 ordinary readers were given a rapid sequential short-term memory task using materials adapted from the Illinois Test of Psycho-linguistic Abilities Visual Sequential Memory subtest. Dyslexic readers performed at a similar level to ordinary readers. In Study 2, the same readers were given a 10-piece form board to complete as quickly as possible. Dyslexic readers were significantly slower on this task. Since short-term memory was not a feature of the second task, it was reasoned that short-term memory problems were unlikely to be a feature of dyslexics' performances on rapid sequential processing tasks.
Induction of mRNA for Matrix Metalloproteinase 1 and Tissue Inhibitor of Metalloproteinases 1 in Human Skin in vivo by Solar Simulated Radiation¶

Abstract Repeated exposure to solar ultraviolet radiation results in premature skin aging due, in part, to the degradation of dermal collagen by fibroblast collagenase (matrix metalloproteinase 1 [MMP-1]). We have established TaqMan™ reverse transcription (RT) polymerase chain reaction (PCR) systems to quantify the messenger RNA (mRNA) expression of MMP-1 and its specific inhibitor TIMP-1 in human buttock skin exposed in vivo to solar simulated radiation (SSR). A time-course study (n = 6) with two minimal erythema doses (MED) of SSR showed maximal induction of MMP-1 and TIMP-1 at 24 h. A dose–response study (n = 6) sampled at 24 h revealed that doses of about 1 MED were necessary to induce expression of MMP-1 mRNA, and our data suggest that the response is saturated at about 2 MED. We also investigated SSR-induced gene expression in the dermis and epidermis separately (n = 5). MMP-1 was present in both tissues, but TIMP-1 was only detected in the dermis. In general, we could only measure MMP-1 mRNA in the nonirradiated control skin of volunteers who were smokers. We hypothesize very large interpersonal variation with MMP-1 induction compared with TIMP-1 which was detected in all the control sites. This suggests a lack of relationship between MMP-1 and TIMP-1 mRNA expression. The large donor variability for MMP-1 in all the studies demonstrates that it is important to analyze gene expression individually.
A Portfolio-Based Approach to Optimize Proof-of-Concept Clinical Trials

Improving proof-of-concept (PoC) studies is a primary lever for improving drug development. Since drug development is often done by institutions that work on multiple drugs simultaneously, the present work focused on optimum choices for rates of false positive (α) and false negative (β) results across a portfolio of PoC studies. Simple examples and a newly derived equation provided conceptual understanding of basic principles regarding optimum choices of α and β in PoC trials. In examples that incorporated realistic development costs and constraints, the levels of α and β that maximized the number of approved drugs and portfolio value varied by scenario. Optimum choices were sensitive to the probability the drug was effective and to the proportion of total investment cost prior to establishing PoC. Results of the present investigation agree with previous research in that it is important to assess optimum levels of α and β. However, the present work also highlighted the need to consider cost structure using realistic input parameters relevant to the question of interest.
Diencephalic regulation of respiration and arterial pressure during actual and fictive locomotion in cat.

The purpose of this study was to examine by experimentation the hypothesis that the respiratory and circulatory responses during exercise are attributable to command signals that emanate from the suprapontine brain. We studied the relations between locomotion (exercise) and phrenic nerve activity and arterial pressure in cats that walked or ran on a treadmill and in animals during fictive locomotion, i.e., locomotor activity in motor nerves to legs. Anesthetized cats with intact brains and unanesthetized decorticated cats were used. All preparations exhibited spontaneous actual and fictive locomotion. Electrical stimulation or microinjection of picrotoxin, a GABA antagonist, of the subthalamic locomotor areas always caused locomotion to develop. Phrenic nerve activity and arterial pressure increased in proportion to the level of locomotor activity despite control or ablation of feedback signals from chemoreceptors and vagal receptors. Similar relations were measured during fictive locomotion despite the absence of muscular contraction and limb movement and the lack of change in metabolic rate. These findings provide experimental support for the central command hypothesis for the genesis of the respiratory hyperpnea and increased cardiovascular function that occur during exercise. We believe that the command signals emanate from the subthalamic locomotor area of the diencephalon.