Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Responder criteria for operant and cognitive-behavioral treatment of fibromyalgia syndrome.

OBJECTIVE To predict the effects of cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) and operant-behavioral therapy (OBT) in fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS). METHODS A total of 125 patients who fulfilled the American College of Rheumatology FMS criteria were randomly assigned to CBT (n = 42), OBT (n = 43), or attention placebo (AP; n = 40). The pretreatment to 12-month followup reliability change index was used to determine clinically meaningful changes in pain intensity and physical impairment. Multinominal logistic regression analyses were used to determine the predictors of improvement in pain intensity and physical impairment for the entire sample. Analyses of variance were computed to compare the characteristics of responders and nonresponders in each of the 3 interventions. RESULTS At the 12-month followup, 53.5%, 45.2%, and 5% of patients in the OBT, CBT, and AP groups, respectively, reported clinically meaningful improvements in pain intensity. Similarly, 58.1%, 38.1%, and 7.5% of patients treated with OBT, CBT, and AP, respectively, reported clinically significant improvements in physical impairment. Prior to treatment, the OBT physical impairment responders displayed significantly more pain behaviors, physical impairment, physician visits, solicitous spouse behaviors, and level of catastrophizing compared with nonresponders. The CBT physical impairment responders, compared with nonresponders, reported higher levels of affective distress, lower coping, less solicitous spouse behavior, and lower pain behaviors. CONCLUSION The results of this study suggest that pretreatment patient characteristics are important predictors of treatment response and may serve as a basis for matching treatments to patient characteristics. Prospective outcome studies are needed to confirm whether the tailoring of treatment actually leads to better outcomes for patients with FMS.
Sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca(2+)ATPase and cell contraction in developing rabbit heart.

The purpose of the present study was to determine whether age-related changes in the expression and function of the cardiac isoform of the sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca(2+)-ATPase (SERCA2a) play a role in SR Ca(2+)release and cell contraction. SERCA2a protein levels and subcellular localization were compared between fetal, neonatal, juvenile and adult New Zealand White rabbits. Studies of SERCA function in isolated myocytes were performed in situ by examining the rate of reloading of the SR Ca(2+)stores following caffeine-induced depletion. We found that significant quantities of SERCA2a were present early in immature heart and that SERCA2a expression reached adult levels within 15-30 days after birth. Furthermore, SERCA2a protein is present as a series of transverse striations within the cell as early as 1 day of age. In contrast to previous studies of SERCA in vitro, the SERCA protein function in situ was found to be comparable between neonatal and adult myocytes in maintaining SR Ca(2+)stores. These results indicate that the paucity of SR Ca(2+)release in immature ventricular cardiac myocytes is not the result of immaturity in SERCA2a expression.
Improving depressive symptoms among caregivers of patients with cancer: results of a randomized clinical trial.

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVES Determine the impact of a 16-week supportive nursing intervention on caregivers of patients with newly diagnosed cancer. DESIGN Randomized clinical trial. SETTING Two midwestern cancer treatment sites. SAMPLE Caregivers of newly diagnosed patients. Patients' mean age was 55.73 years; 55% had breast cancer, and 76% were female. Caregivers' mean age was 52.44 years, and 50% were female. 125 dyads consented to participate; 89 dyads completed the study. METHODS A nursing intervention was delivered to the experimental group that emphasized symptom monitoring/management, education, emotional support, coordination of services, and caregiver preparation to care. Nurses made a total of nine contacts, five in person and four by telephone, over 16 weeks. Centers for Epidemiological Studies-Depression (CES-D) and a symptom inventory were used. Medical record audits were conducted retrospectively. MAIN RESEARCH VARIABLES Patient and caregiver depression scores and patient symptom experience. FINDINGS Baseline caregiver depression and the number of patient symptoms at baseline, 9, and 24 weeks were significant predictors of caregiver depression at 9 and 24 weeks. However, no main effect of the experimental condition existed on caregiver depression. At the final observation, a nonsignificant inverse relationship was found between the number of interventions and depression scores for caregivers. CONCLUSIONS The intervention appeared to be more effective in slowing the rate of deterioration of depressive symptoms than in decreasing levels of depression in this sample of caregivers. Determining the effectiveness of this intervention in decreasing caregiver depression was difficult because caregivers with higher levels of depression were more likely to withdraw from the study. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING PRACTICE Nurses must be vigilant in monitoring caregivers for signs of depression and must intervene to provide emotional support and make appropriate referrals for follow-up care to promote positive outcomes for patients and caregivers.
A Re-Examination of the Value of the Olfactory Power Law Exponent

The exponent value of the psychophysical power law for olfactory intensity is re-examined by olfactometric methods over two levels of standard stimulus and two types of magnitude estimation procedure. Neither the method of measurement nor the level of the standard significantly influenced the exponent. A value of 0.80 was obtained, not significantly different from a value of 0.72 determined by category scaling methods by the same authors (1968). Both values are considerably greater than previous exponents reported by other workers; the present authors attribute the differences between studies to the degree of stimulus control available in the different methods of stimulus presentation.
Observations of aggressive and nonaggressive children on the school playground.

Naturalistic observations were made of 17 aggressive and 22 nonaggressive children in Grades 1 to 6, filmed with video cameras and remote microphones on school playgrounds. Observers coded interactive behaviors, affective valence, and play states. Aggressive children displayed more verbal and physical aggression, more prosocial behaviors, and higher rates of interaction than did nonaggressive children. The two groups spent similar time in solitary and group activities. Sequential analy ses indicated that peers made similar initiations to aggressive and nonaggressive children, but aggressive children were more likely to respond antisocially. Aggres sive children initiated more mixed behaviors (prosocial and antisocial) than did nonaggressive children. Implications of these observations for understanding peer interactions of aggressive children are discussed.
Design, Operation, and Modeling of a Membrane Photobioreactor to Study the Growth of the Cyanobacterium Arthrospira platensis in Space Conditions

A membrane photobioreactor was designed, implemented and used to grow the cyanobacterium Arthrospira platensis PCC 8005 in batch mode. Growth was followed directly by monitoring optical density and indirectly by measuring pressure increase due to the oxygen produced and separated from the liquid phase by diffusion through a hydrophobic membrane, and pH increase due to carbon consumption. When the pressure attained an upper limit, valves opened automatically, and the oxygen in the gas chamber was flushed out with nitrogen. As expected, two growth phases were observed, a short exponential phase followed by a linear phase, indicating limitation by light transfer. Growth rate during the second phase was measured easily and accurately, and consistency of optical density, pressure and pH data values was checked using a model of the system. Pressure measurement was found best suited to monitoring and measuring growth rate in space in terms of accuracy, precision and reliability.
Role of connexin genes in growth control.

During multistage carcinogenesis, multiple genetic changes progressively accumulate in a cell until it acquires a complete set of altered genes necessary for malignant phenotype expression (1). Those altered genes often found in human cancers are understandably those involved in cell growth control. Thus, so far, the most abundantly changed tumor-suppressor gene and oncogene in human cancers are the p53 and ras genes, respectively (2,3). The p53 gene plays a central role as a cell cycle checkpoint (4) and the ras is placed at the crossroads of signal transduction (5). In addition to those conventional genes involved in the control of cell cycle/signal transduction of individual cells, there is a second group of cell growth control genes whose job is to control growth so that individual cell growth is in harmony with surrounding homologues and partners. Since most cancer cells do not behave in harmony with their normal neighbors, it is not surprising that the function of those genes involved in such intercellular communication mechanisms are also disrupted in many tumors. Thus, in the past, several oncogenes have been identified as those genes involved in humoral (mediated by growth factors or hormones) intercellular communication such as c-erb, c-erb B2 and c-sis genes (6). More recently, however, it has become clear that cell-cell contact mediated intercellular communication plays a crucial role in cell growth control and acts as a tumor suppressive element (7,8).
Effects of polymeric formula vs elemental formula in neonatal piglets with short bowel syndrome.

BACKGROUND Intestinal adaptation is important for recovery in short bowel syndrome (SBS). This process is dependent on the presence of enteral nutrition (EN) and trophic factors, such as glucagon-like peptide-2 (GLP-2). In clinical practice, elemental formula is often used to feed neonates with SBS, whereas animal studies suggest polymeric formula promotes better intestinal adaptation. In neonatal piglet models of SBS, with or without ileum, we compared the elemental with the polymeric formula, including the effect on endogenous GLP-2. MATERIALS AND METHODS Forty-eight piglets underwent 75% mid-intestinal resection with jejunoileal anastomosis, 75% distal-intestinal resection with jejunocolic anastomosis (JC), or sham without resection. Parenteral nutrition (PN) started postoperatively, tapering as EN was increased, according to clinical criteria, based on diarrhea and weight. Within groups, piglets were randomized to an isocaloric/isonitrogenous elemental (amino acid) or polymeric (intact protein) diet. Plasma GLP-2 and histology for adaptation were measured at 14 days. RESULTS Within both SBS and control groups, no difference in adaptation was observed according to diet. A difference was observed only within the JC piglet group with regard to clinical outcomes. In these piglets, compared with elemental formula, the polymeric formula was associated with more diarrhea ( P = .023) and longer duration of PN support (P = .047). CONCLUSION An overall benefit of the polymeric formula over the elemental formula on gut adaptation was not observed. Furthermore, SBS piglets without ileum had less ability to tolerate polymeric formula, contributing to more days of PN support.
Increased Ocean Heat Convergence Into the High Latitudes With CO2 Doubling Enhances Polar‐Amplified Warming

We isolate the role of the ocean in polar climate change by directly evaluating how changes in ocean dynamics with quasi‐equilibrium CO2 doubling impact high‐latitude climate. With CO2 doubling, the ocean heat flux convergence (OHFC) shifts poleward in winter in both hemispheres. Imposing this pattern of perturbed OHFC in a global climate model results in a poleward shift in ocean‐to‐atmosphere turbulent heat fluxes (both sensible and latent) and sea ice retreat; the high latitudes warm, while the midlatitudes cool, thereby amplifying polar warming. Furthermore, midlatitude cooling is propagated to the polar midtroposphere on isentropic surfaces, augmenting the (positive) lapse rate feedback at high latitudes. These results highlight the key role played by the partitioning of meridional energy transport changes between the atmosphere and ocean in high‐latitude climate change.
Oxidation of oxymyoglobin to metmyoglobin with hydrogen peroxide: involvement of ferryl intermediate.

Hydrogen peroxide, one of the potent oxidants in muscle tissues, can induce very rapid oxidation of oxymyoglobin (MbO2) to metmyoglobin (metMb) with an apparent rate constant of 7.5 X 10(4) h-1 M-1 (i.e., 20.8 s-1 M-1) over the wide pH range of 5.5-10.2 in 0.1 M buffer at 25 degrees C. Its molecular mechanism, however, is quite different from that of the autoxidation of MbO2 to metMb. Kinetic analysis has revealed that the hydrogen peroxide oxidation proceeds through the formation of ferryl-Mb(IV) from deoxy-Mb(II), which is in equilibrium with MbO2, by a two-equivalent oxidation with H2O2. Once the ferryl species is formed, it reacts rapidly with another deoxy-Mb(II) in a bimolecular fashion so as to yield 2 mol of metMb(III). Under physiological conditions, the rate-determining step was the oxidation of the deoxy species by H2O2, its rate constant being estimated to be on the order of 3.6 X 10(3) s-1 M-1 at 25 degrees C. These findings leads us to the view that a good supply of dioxygen provides rather an important defense against the oxidation of myoglobin with hydrogen peroxide in cardiac and skeletal muscle tissues.
Toll-like receptors: a novel target for therapeutic intervention in intestinal and hepatic ischemia–reperfusion injury?

Importance of the field: Toll-like receptors (TLRs) are transmembrane proteins that act mainly as sensors of microbes, orchestrating an organism's defense against infections, while they sense also host tissue injury by recognizing products of dying cells. Ischemia–reperfusion injury (IRI) represents one of these tissue damage states in which TLR-mediated mechanisms might be implicated. Areas covered in this review: The most recent data on TLR signaling and the latest knowledge regarding the involvement of TLRs in the pathogenesis and progression of intestinal and hepatic IRI are presented. The potential effectiveness of TLR-modulating therapy in intestinal and liver IRI is also analyzed. What the reader will gain: A comprehensive summary of the data suggesting TLR involvement in intestinal and hepatic IRI. Knowledge required for developing TLR modulation strategies against intestinal and hepatic IRI. Take home message: TLRs play a significant role in both intestinal and hepatic IRI pathophysiology. Better understanding of TLR involvement in such processes may enable the invention of novel TLR-based therapies for IRI in the intestine and liver.
STREET VENDING IN AFRICAN CITIES: A SYNTHESIS OF EMPIRICAL FINDINGS FROM KENYA, COTE D'IVOIRE, GHANA, ZIMBABWE, UGANDA AND SOUTH AFRICA

This report is a synthesis of six case studies on street vending in Africa. The case studies re drawn from Kenya, Uganda, Zimbabwe, Ghana, Cote D'Ivoire and South Africa. The synthesis of the case studies arose out of a World Bank invitation to Women In Employment Globalising and Organising (WIEGO) to contribute to its forthcoming World Development Report (WDR) focusing on the theme Investment Climate. The main interest of the World Bank is the assessment of constraints to business growth in the informal economy. Those working in the informal economy work in unregulated and unprotected environments that are not conducive to business. The synthesis of the six case studies assesses the business/environment constraints for street vendors and the responses made by various stakeholders including the vendors themselves.
Development of a Pharmacist-Managed Lipid Clinic

OBJECTIVE: To describe the development of a pharmacist-managed lipid clinic within a primary care medical clinic and review its results after approximately 12 months of operation. METHODS: A pharmacist-managed lipid clinic was developed at Naval Medical Center San Diego. Administrative background, treatment algorithm development, operational issues, clinical activities, and barriers to the clinic are discussed. For intermediate outcomes, data from patients who had at least 1 intervention by the pharmacist and 1 follow-up lipid panel were analyzed for medication use, changes in lipid parameters, and percent reaching the low-density-lipoprotein (LDL) target goal. Modified National Cholesterol Education Program — Adult Treatment Panel II guidelines were used to determine the LDL goal. RESULTS: Following approximately 12 months of operation, the clinic received 204 referrals and consisted of 146 active patients. A brief study was conducted to assess clinical outcomes. Of 115 patients who were seen in the clinic and met inclusion criteria, 57% were receiving treatment with a hydroxymethylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase inhibitor (statin) and 17% were receiving fibrates; 17% of the patients were not receiving lipid-lowering medications. Relative to baseline, LDL cholesterol concentrations decreased 20%, high-density-lipoprotein cholesterol increased 11%, and triglycerides decreased 19%. Overall, LDL goals were reached in 77% of the patients. LDL goals were attained by 63%, 79%, and 93% of patients with targets of <100, <130, and <160 mg/dL, respectively. Results are compared with other studies regarding lipid goal attainment. CONCLUSIONS: A pharmacist-managed lipid clinic can be developed and integrated into a primary care medical clinic. Pharmacists can effectively manage lipid-lowering therapy, helping to achieve LDL goals.
Bacterial endocarditis due to a penicillin-tolerant group C streptococcus.

The group C streptococcus has frequently been associated with infections in animals. The organism has been recovered from the skin, nose, throat and vagina of healthy people,1'2 but it has also caused puerperal, skin and wound infections,34 tonsillitis,' glomerulonephritis,' cellulitis,7 pulmonary infection, urinary tract infection and bacteremia.8 Endocarditis due to group C streptococcus is rare in humans: only nine such cases have been reported in the literature. "8-12 We report here the first case in Canada of endocarditis due to the group C streptococcus.
Meta-Analytic Review of Leader-Member Exchange Theory: Correlates and Construct Issues

The leader-member exchange (LMX) literature is reviewed using meta-analysis. Relationships between LMX and its correlates are examined, as are issues related to the LMX construct, including measurement and leader-member agreement. Results suggest significant relationships between LMX and job performance, satisfaction with supervision, overall satisfaction, commitment, role conflict, role clarity, member competence, and turnover intentions. The relationship between LMX and actual turnover was not significant. Leader and member LMX perceptions were only moderately related. Partial support was found for measurement instrument and perspective (i.e., leader vs. member) as moderators of the relationships between LMX and its correlates. Meta-analysis showed that the LMX7 (7-item LMX) measure has the soundest psychometric properties of all instruments and that LMX is congruent with numerous empirical relationships associated with transformational leadership. Within the broad area of organizationa l leadership, leader-member exchange (LMX) theory has evolved into one of the more interesting and useful approaches for studying hypothesized linkages between leadership processes and outcomes. First proposed by Graeri and colleagues (Dansereau, Cashman, & Graen, 1973; Dansereau, Graen, & Haga, 1975; Graen, 1976; Graen & Cashman, 1975), LMX is distinguished from other leadership theories by its focus on the dyadic relationship between a leader and a member. Unlike traditional theories that seek to explain leadership as a function of personal characteristics of the leader, features of the situation, or an interaction between the two, LMX is unique in its adoption of the dyadic relationship as the level of analysis. Although the theory has been modified and expanded
Design and Validation of the VIDA Questionnaire, for Assessing InstrumentalActivities of Daily Living In Elderly People

The detection of frailty in a community setting requires tools that assess the early stages of functional decline. For this reason, it is important to have adequate scales to assess instrumental activities of daily living (IADL). The objective of this paper is to provide an overview of the development of a questionnaire (VIDA) for assessing IADL in elderly people in primary care settings and in the community, and its current level of validation. Using a Delphi study, 10 items were selected for the questionnaire, each with 3- or 4-point Likert scale response options, summing to a total score of 10 to 38 points. No gender bias was detected and the completion time was 3 to 5 minutes. The questionnaire has a high inter- and intrarater reliability, with intraclass correlation coefficients of 0.94 (95% CI: 0.88-0.97, p 0.40, except for the item “maintaining social relationships” which has a lower factor loading and correlation than the others. The VIDA questionnaire is relatively well correlated with other instruments assessing functioning (Lawton and Brody index and the Timed Up and Go test).
Prader-Willi syndrome and Angelman syndrome in cousins from a family with a translocation between chromosomes 6 and 15.

PRADER—WILLI syndrome represents the most common form of genetic obesity and is associated with mental retardation, short stature, sexual infantilism, and hypotonia1 2 3 4 5 6 (Table 1). In about 60 percent of affected persons a microscopically visible interstitial deletion in chromosome 15 (band ql2) is observed,2 , 3 , 7 8 9 10 and in up to 75 percent deletions can be found at the molecular level.11 122 13 14 DNA studies with polymorphic markers have indicated that in Prader-Willi syndrome the aberrant chromosome 15 is always of paternal origin,11 , 12 suggesting that the two parental chromosomes are differently imprinte1515 and that the presence of a gene or genes on the paternally .
The active engagement model of applied ethics as a structure for ethical reflection in the context of course-based service learning

ABSTRACT Purpose: The purpose of this case report is to explore the active engagement model as a tool to illuminate the ethical reflections of student physical therapists in the context of service learning in a developing country. Methods: The study participants were a convenience sample of six students. The study design is a case report using a phenomenological perspective. Data were collected from students’ narrative writing and semi-structured interviews. The steps of the active engagement model provided the structural framework for student responses. The analysis process included open coding, selective coding, and member checking. Results: Results showed the emergence of two main themes: 1) gathering rich detail and 2) developing independent moral identity. Students’ descriptions of their relationships were detailed and included explanations about the complexities of the sociocultural context. Independent and deliberate agency was evident by the students’ preparedness to be collaborative, to raise ethical questions, to identify ethically important aspects of their practice and to describe their professional roles. The students noted that the use of the model increased their engagement in the ethical decision-making process and their recognition of ethical questions. Conclusions: This case report illustrates attributes of the active engagement model which have implications for teaching ethical reflection: scaffolding for ethical reflection, use of narrative for reflection, reflection in action, and illumination of relevant themes. Each of these attributes leads to the development of meaningful ethical reflection. The attributes of this model shown by this case report have potential applications to teaching ethical reflection.