Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Elevated Plasma-Free Cortisol Concentrations and Ratios Are Associated With Increased Mortality Even in the Presence of Statin Therapy in Patients With Severe Sepsis*

Background:Dissociation between plasma-free cortisol and total cortisol profiles exists in critical illness. Data on plasma-free cortisol are based on either calculated values or immunoassay-based measurements. Both have significant limitations. Statins have been advocated as a therapy in sepsis. Whether they impact on plasma cortisol through inhibition of cholesterol synthesis is unclear. Objectives:In patients enrolled into a randomized trial of statins in sepsis (n = 250), we examined the association of mass spectrometry measured plasma-free cortisol, plasma-free cortisol/plasma total cortisol ratios, and outcome and the impact of concomitant statin therapy on cortisol profiles in 80 steroid naïve patients. Patients:Two hundred twenty serial measurements of plasma-free cortisol, plasma total cortisol, and interleukin-6 were collected from 80 patients (43 placebo and 37 statins). Data from 10 volunteers were used as controls. Measurements and Main Results:Data are presented as median and interquartile range. Compared with controls, in severe sepsis, baseline plasma total cortisol was elevated two-fold (463 nmol/L [284–742 nmol/L] vs 245 nmol/L [200–299 nmol/L], p < 0.001), plasma-free cortisol 20-fold (75 nmol/L [20–151 nmol/L] vs 5 nmol/L [5–7 nmol/L], p < 0.001), and plasma-free cortisol/plasma total cortisol ratio six-fold (0.15 vs 0.02, p = 0.058). Baseline interleukin-6 was elevated at 121 pg/mL (65–611 pg/mL). In severe sepsis, there were no differences in plasma total cortisol (p = 0.66), plasma-free cortisol (p = 0.77), and interleukin-6 (p = 0.29) between statins and placebo groups. Plasma-free cortisol, plasma total cortisol, and plasma-free cortisol/plasma total cortisol were positively correlated with interleukin-6 (p = 0.0001, p < 0.0004, and p < 0.001, respectively) and day 90 mortality (p = 0.03, p = 0.03, and p = 0.058, respectively). Elevated plasma-free cortisol/plasma total cortisol ratios were associated with increased length of stay (p = 0.04). Baseline plasma-free cortisol, plasma total cortisol, and plasma-free cortisol/plasma total cortisol ratios were higher in nonsurvivors as compared with survivors (174 nmol/L [77–329 nmol/L] vs 57 nmol/L [17–122 nmol/L], p = 0.016; 890 nmol/L [333–1,430 nmol/L] vs 408 nmol/L [269–681 nmol/L], p = 0.035; and 0.19 [0.13–0.29] vs 0.14 [0.07–0.20]; p = 0.054, respectively). Conclusions:In severe sepsis, plasma-free cortisol increase is 10-fold greater than that of plasma total cortisol. Both are similarly associated with inflammatory response and mortality. Elevated plasma-free cortisol/plasma total cortisol ratios were associated with increased length of stay. Statin therapy does not influence the plasma cortisol profiles in patients with severe sepsis.
How My Product Works and How it Looks: Effects of Functional and Aesthetic Co‐Creation and the Role of Product Expertise

While past research has successfully shown that co-creation increases both customers' and companies' value, the possible effects of different types of co-creation have broadly been neglected. This study investigates the influence of the extent of functional and aesthetic co-creation on customers' quality perceptions of the co-created product and the mediating role of customers' satisfaction with the co-creation process. Results from a field study show that the extent of aesthetic co-creation positively influences customers' quality perceptions of the co-created product through satisfaction with the co-creation process, while no direct effects exist for the extent of functional co-creation. Further, customers' level of product expertise positively moderates the relationship between the extent of functional co-creation and customers' quality perceptions of the co-created product through satisfaction with the co-creation process, while no moderating effect exists for the extent of aesthetic co-creation. The findings contribute significantly to both co-creation theory and practice.
How to infer reliable diploid genotypes from NGS or traditional sequence data: from basic probability to experimental optimization

The use of diploid sequence markers is still challenging despite the good quality of the information they provide. There is a common problem to all sequencing approaches [traditional cloning and sequencing of PCR amplicons as well as next‐generation sequencing (NGS)]: when no variation is found within the sequences from a given individual, homozygozity can never be asserted with certainty. As a consequence, sequence data from diploid markers are mostly analysed at the population (not the individual level) particularly in animal studies. This study aims at contributing to solve this. Using the Bayes theorem and the binomial law, useful results are derived, among which: (i) the number of sequence reads per individual (or sequencing depth) which is required to ensure, at a given probability threshold, that some heterozygotes are not considered erroneously as homozygotes, as a function of the observed heterozygozity (Ho) of the locus in the population; (ii) a way of estimating Ho from low coverage NGS data; (iii) a way of testing the null hypothesis that a genetic marker corresponds to a single and diploid locus, in the absence of data from controlled crosses; (iv) strategies for characterizing sequence genotypes in populations minimizing the average number of sequence reads per individual; (v) a rationale to decide which are the variations that one needs to consider along the sequence, as a function of the sequencing depth affordable, the level of polymorphism desired and the risk of sequencing error. For traditional sequencing technology, optimal strategies appear surprisingly different from the usual empirical ones. The average number of sequence reads required to obtain 99% of fully determined genotypes never exceeds six, this value corresponding to the worst situation when Ho equals 0.6. This threshold value of Ho is strikingly stable when the tolerated proportion of nonfully resolved genotypes varies in a reasonable range. These results do not rely on the Hardy–Weinberg equilibrium assumption or on diallelism of nucleotidic sites.
Candidemia and the susceptibility pattern of Candida isolates in blood.

OBJECTIVE Candida species has become one of the most common blood isolates as well as one of the leading causes of nosocomial bloodstream infections. The purpose of our study was to determine the prevalence of Candida species among our bloodstream infecting organisms and the susceptibility pattern of the Candida isolates to antifungal agents. METHODS A prospective study was carried out in the Division of Microbiology, King Khalid National Guard Hospital, Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia of all positive blood cultures for Candida species. The study took place from 1st January 1998 to March 2002. Identification and susceptibility pattern of isolates were determined by the Candifast technique to amphotericin B, fluconazole, nystatin, Flucytosine, econazole, ketoconazole and miconazole. RESULTS Over a 2-year period, 17,916 blood cultures were performed in our hospital. There were 2,972 positive cultures, of which 83 (2.8%) patients had Candida species isolated from their bloodstream. Of these, 38 (46%) were Candida albicans (C.albicans). The remaining 45 strains were made up of Candida tropicalis 9 (10.8%); Candida parapsilosis 9 (10.8%); Candida species 9 (10.8%); Candida guilliermondi 6 (7.2%); Candida krusei 5 (6%); Candida glabrata 4 (4.8%); Candida pseudotropicalis 2 (2.4%) and Trichosporon species 1 (1.2%). All Candida species were susceptible to amphotericin B. However, only 18 (47%) out of 38 C.albicans were susceptible to fluconazole, while only 8 (17.7%) of 45 non-C.albicans strains were susceptible to this drug. CONCLUSION The susceptibility of C.albicans to fluconazole in our hospital using the Candifast method is very low (47%). These results need to be confirmed by carrying out the Etest or the NCCLS M27-A method to confirm the true susceptibilities of Candida strains in our locality.
The Information Commitments toward Web Information among Medical Students in Taiwan

The purpose of this study was to investigate medical students’ information commitments toward online web medical information. The sample consisted of 534 volunteer medical university students with internet experience from 6 medical universities in Taiwan. This study used the Information Commitment Survey (ICS) for an investigation of medical students’ standards of judging online information, and their search strategies on the Web. The results showed that the ICS was deemed to be sufficiently reliable for assessing medical students’ information commitments toward Web-based information. It was also found that gender difference existed in the students’ usage of certain searching strategies. Another finding was that students with more Internet experience tended to utilize the ‘elaboration’ searching strategy while being oriented towards employing quite ‘mixed’ standards for judging online information. The results also revealed that medical students held less sophisticated information commitments than university students in general, particularly when comparing to the female students. The findings strongly suggest that medical students need additional training for using the Internet to seek information and that medical educators implementing Internet-assisted instructional activities need to find some methods to help medical students, especially the female students, to develop more sophisticated information commitments.
Real exchange rate persistence and the excess return puzzle: The case of Switzerland versus the US

Summary The PPP puzzle refers to the wide swings of nominal exchange rates around their long-run equilibrium values whereas the excess return puzzle represents the persistent deviation of the domestic-foreign interest rate differential from the expected change in the nominal exchange rate. Using the I(2) cointegrated VAR model, much of the excess return puzzle disappears when an uncertainty premium in the foreign exchange market, proxied by the persistent PPP gap, is introduced. Self-reinforcing feedback mechanisms seem to cause the persistence in the Swiss-US parity conditions. These results support imperfect knowledge based expectations rather than so-called “rational expectations”.
Travel plans for new developments: a global review

ABSTRACT A travel plan is a mechanism for delivering a package of transport measures at a site to manage car use and encourage the use of more sustainable forms of transport. In recent years, travel plans have been required for new infill and greenfield developments through the land-use planning and approvals process, predominantly in the United Kingdom, the United States, continental Europe and Australia. This paper contributes to the literature by providing a global review of travel plans for new developments. The results show that while travel plans for new developments share a common set of elements with those for pre-existing sites, differences within each element are notable, particularly in the types of travel plan measures adopted, processes for managing the travel plan, and approaches to monitoring and review. Results of previous evaluations have varied considerably, although most have reported a reduction in car driver trips of 10–20 percentage points. Despite this, most evaluations lack rigour, with a paucity of robust evidence. Key success factors identified by the literature, such as the provision of an explicit policy supporting the role of travel plans, should be embedded within the travel planning process where possible to ensure best outcomes for new developments.
Airborne and dietary allergens in atopic eczema: a comprehensive review of diagnostic tests

Aeroallergens and food allergens are relevant eliciting factors of atopic eczema. This article focuses on the methods used for diagnosis in patients with suspected allergy to airborne or dietary allergens and who are suffering from atopic eczema. In addition to classical tests of IgE‐mediated hypersensitivity (intracutaneous or in vitro testing), the role of provocation procedures is described. For aeroallergens, the atopy patch test yields the most specific results with regard to clinical history as compared with classical methods. For food allergens and pseudoallergic reactions to additives, this holds true for the double‐blind, placebo‐controlled food challenge. The methods and their limitations are discussed from a practical point of view.
RISQUES SANITAIRES DES PRODUITS DE LA CONTREBANDE SUR LA VIE DES POPULATIONS D’ABIDJAN

Cet article a pour objectif d’exposer les risques sanitaires que representent les marchandises de contrebande sur la vie des Abidjanais. L’hypothese sous-tend que les marchandises de contrebande representent de veritables dangers sanitaires pour notre population cible qui les consomme a leur risque et peril, pouvoir d’achat oblige. Nous avons utilise la methode dialectique pour mieux elucider les differents antagonismes des enquetes, comme outils de recueil des informations nous avons eu recourt aux entretiens et a l’administration de questionnaire autour de trois (3) rubriques la premiere sur l’etendue des risques pris par le consommateur en face des produite, la seconde sur la connaissance des dangers sur la sante et l’hygiene de vie et la derniere sur les differents choix effectue par le consommateur Abidjanais pendant son marche. Les resultats obtenus nous indiquent que le consommateur Abidjanais prend des risques en ce sens que sur les 200 participants de notre echantillon L10 participants soit 55%, achetent et consomment les marchandises sans tenir compte de leurs origines, leur purete et qualite.
Path Analysis for Adherence to Pelvic Floor Muscle Exercise Among Women With Urinary Incontinence

This study developed and tested the accuracy of a model designed to predict adherence to a pelvic floor muscle exercise regimen by Taiwanese women with urinary incontinence. The sample was composed of 106 women treated for urinary incontinence at urban hospitals in central and northern Taiwan from April 2000 to March 2003. All participants had practiced prescribed pelvic floor muscle exercises for at least 6 weeks at the time they completed study measures, which included adherence to pelvic floor muscle exercise, self-efficacy for the exercise, knowledge of the exercise, attitudes toward the exercise, dyadic cohesion, perceived benefits of the exercise, and severity of urine loss. After stepwise multiple regression analysis, a path analysis was conducted, with significant paths retained as modifiers. Self-efficacy for pelvic floor muscle exercise strongly and directly affected adherence to the exercise regimen. Attitudes toward the exercise, dyadic cohesion, and perceived benefits of the exercise affected adherence when mediated by self-efficacy for pelvic floor muscle exercise. Severity of urine loss also directly affected adherence. Exercise knowledge affected neither self-efficacy nor adherence. The model fit the data and accounted for 40% of adherence variance. Findings affirm the significant role of self-efficacy in predicting adherence to pelvic floor muscle exercise. Thus, self-efficacy for exercise can be an indicator for nurses to tailor exercise-training programs for women with urinary incontinence. Nurses can use the study findings to develop interventions to increase women's adherence to the exercise.
Soap Operas and Talk Shows on Television are Associated with Poorer Cognition in Older Women

Background: No information exists regarding whether a favorite television category choice affects attention, memory, or cognition among older women. Methods: Cross-sectional data from a population-based community sample of 289 older cognitively and physically intact women who were surveyed about television use. The cognitive battery included measures of psychomotor speed, executive attention, immediate and delayed verbal memory, and global cognition. Results: Talk shows (P < 0.05) or soap operas (P < 0.05) as a favorite television category were consistently associated with poorer scores on all cognitive outcomes in both unadjusted and adjusted analyses. Clinically significant cognitive impairment across domains were associated with watching talk shows (OR = 7.3; 95% CI = 1.9, 28.4) and soap operas (OR = 13.5; 95% CI = 3.7, 49.5). Conclusions: Clinical interviews can incorporate questions about television viewing habits. Endorsements of talk shows or soap operas as frequent and favored television programming may identify those at risk for cognitive impairment and targets for further cognitive screening.
A Critical Insight into Europe´s Criminalisation of Human Smuggling : SIEPS Policy Paper

Despite being framed as a recent phenomenon, human smuggling practices have existed for a long time and have historically been tied to border crossing regulations and controls. What is relatively new however is the criminalisation of human smuggling. Since the 1990s human smuggling is increasingly penalised and criminalised in Western Europe. As a result of this, a shift in popular discourse around human smuggling is notable. Human smugglers today are generally perceived as ‘evil criminals’ who undermine states’ ability to manage migration and who need to be punished. This policy brief provides an overview of how smuggling has been framed over time in the European Union, and questions what the effects are of criminalising human smuggling for the protection of international migrants, dependent on smugglers for their mobility.
Physiologic, Biochemical, and Histologic Correlates Associated with Tidal Liquid Ventilation

Tidal liquid ventilation (TLV) with perfluorochemical fluid (PFC) has been successfully used experimentally for up to 4 h. However, no studies of prolonged TLV have been reported. We hypothesized that full-term newborn lambs can safely and effectively be liquid-ventilated for up to 24 h. To test this hypothesis, 17 lambs were liquid-ventilated; 7 for 4 h, 5 for 12 h, and 5 for 24 h. Arterial blood samples were obtained for PFC uptake, lipid analysis, and blood gas measurements. Tissues were obtained for histologic and biochemical analysis. Arterial blood gas and mean arterial blood pressure were as follows(mean ± SEM): pH 7.48 ± 0.04; PaCO2 30.6 ± 2.8; PaO2 424 ± 17; mean arterial pressure 76 ± 16 mm Hg. PFC blood levels increased rapidly to a mean of 5.2 ± 3.9 μg/mL. PFC tissue levels increased significantly (p < 0.01) from 260± 45 μg/g at 4 h to 400 ± 140 μg/g at 12 h. There was no further increase in PFC tissue levels by 24 h (456 ± 181 μg/g). There was a significant difference in PFC concentration as a function of tissue (p < 0.01). Furthermore, there was a significant correlation (r = 0.88; p < 0.01) between the amount of PFC and lipid in blood and tissue. Microscopic examination of the lungs demonstrated no evidence of barotrauma. These data demonstrate that prolonged TLV can be safe and efficacious for up to 24 h in full-term newborn lambs.
Coral Reefs Under Climate Change and Ocean Acidification: Challenges and Opportunities for Management and Policy

Carbon emissions in an industrialized world have created two problems for coral reefs: climate change and ocean acidification. Climate change drives ocean warming, which impacts biological and ecological reef processes, triggers large-scale coral bleaching events, and fuels tropical storms. Ocean acidification slows reef growth, alters competitive interactions, and impairs population replenishment. For managers and policymakers, ocean warming and acidification represent an almost paradoxical challenge by eroding reef resilience and simultaneously increasing the demand for reef resilience. Here, I address this problem in the context of challenges and potential solutions. Management efforts can compensate for reduced coral reef resilience in the face of global change, but to a limited extent and over a limited time frame. Critically, a realistic perspective on what sustainability measures can be achieved for coral reefs in the face of ocean warming and acidification is important to avoid setting unachievabl.
Coevolutionary interactions with parasites constrain the spread of self‐fertilization into outcrossing host populations

Given the cost of sex, outcrossing populations should be susceptible to invasion and replacement by self‐fertilization or parthenogenesis. However, biparental sex is common in nature, suggesting that cross‐fertilization has substantial short‐term benefits. The Red Queen hypothesis (RQH) suggests that coevolution with parasites can generate persistent selection favoring both recombination and outcrossing in host populations. We tested the prediction that coevolving parasites can constrain the spread of self‐fertilization relative to outcrossing. We introduced wild‐type Caenorhabditis elegans hermaphrodites, capable of both self‐fertilization, and outcrossing, into C. elegans populations that were fixed for a mutant allele conferring obligate outcrossing. Replicate C. elegans populations were exposed to the parasite Serratia marcescens for 33 generations under three treatments: a control (avirulent) parasite treatment, a fixed (nonevolving) parasite treatment, and a copassaged (potentially coevolving) parasite treatment. Self‐fertilization rapidly invaded C. elegans host populations in the control and the fixed‐parasite treatments, but remained rare throughout the entire experiment in the copassaged treatment. Further, the frequency of the wild‐type allele (which permits selfing) was strongly positively correlated with the frequency of self‐fertilization across host populations at the end of the experiment. Hence, consistent with the RQH, coevolving parasites can limit the spread of self‐fertilization in outcrossing populations.
Drying of thin colloidal films

When thin films of colloidal fluids are dried, a range of transitions are observed and the final film profile is found to depend on the processes that occur during the drying step. This article describes the drying process, initially concentrating on the various transitions. Particles are seen to initially consolidate at the edge of a drying droplet, the so-called coffee-ring effect. Flow is seen to be from the centre of the drop towards the edge and a front of close-packed particles passes horizontally across the film. Just behind the particle front the now solid film often displays cracks and finally the film is observed to de-wet. These various transitions are explained, with particular reference to the capillary pressure which forms in the solidified region of the film. The reasons for cracking in thin films is explored as well as various methods to minimize its effect. Methods to obtain stratified coatings through a single application are considered for a one-dimensional drying problem and this is then extended to two-dimensional films. Different evaporative models are described, including the physical reason for enhanced evaporation at the edge of droplets. The various scenarios when evaporation is found to be uniform across a drying film are then explained. Finally different experimental techniques for examining the drying step are mentioned and the article ends with suggested areas that warrant further study.