Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Advances in cataract surgery: preserving the corneal endothelium

Purpose of review Cataract surgery is known to lead to some degree of corneal endothelial cell loss (ECL). The purpose of this review is to describe how recent technological advancements such as femtosecond laser-assisted cataract surgery (FLACS) affect corneal endothelium during cataract surgery. Recent findings It has been suggested that FLACS may reduce the amount of required ultrasound energy used in cataract surgery, a factor known to be directly related to ECL. Several recent studies demonstrate either no difference or less ECL with FLACS than with standard phacoemulsification 1–3 months after surgery. However, results at 6 months show comparable ECL between the two techniques. Other recent advancements in surgical technique, such as biaxial microincision surgery, result in similar ECL rates to that of standard phacoemulsification. The use of ultraviolet light in the newly developing light-adjustable intraocular lenses does not increase ECL. Studies show either similar results or less ECL with the use of the newer viscous–dispersives when compared with other viscoelastic devices. Other aspects such as the use of intracameral injections have no adverse effects on corneal endothelium. Summary Newly emerging cataract surgical techniques cause comparable ECL to that of conventional phacoemulsification. Femtosecond laser-assistance may reduce ECL, but likely only in the early postoperative period. Further studies are needed to better elucidate short and long-term effects of FLACS on the corneal endothelium. Viscous dispersives may offer equal or increased protection of the corneal endothelium during surgery compared with viscoelastic devices currently in wide use, but further studies are required to support these results.
Emotion Regulation Promotes Persistence in a Residential Substance Abuse Treatment

Emotion regulation at treatment entry was evaluated among 115 patients in an inner-city substance use residential facility who either persisted (N = 94) or discontinued treatment (N = 21). Emotion regulation capacity including emotional clarity and the ability to engage in goal-directed behavior despite emotional distress, as well as lower scores on a measure of trait-negative emotionality, were associated with treatment persistence, whereas motivational variables were not. Findings indicate the importance of regulating negative emotions for treatment engagement among substance abusers.
Costly and Unprofitable Speculation: Evidence from Trend-Chasing Chinese Short-Sellers and Margin-Traders

China launched a pilot scheme in March 2010, removing bans on short-selling and margin trading for stocks on a designated list. We find that stocks experience negative return when added to the list, and that the removal of bans increases stock return volatility but decreases price efficiency when the market goes up. We then investigate the trading motivations of Chinese investors utilizing panel data of daily short-selling and margin-trading volume. Surprisingly, we find that stocks heavily sold short earn higher future returns, whereas stocks heavily purchased on margin underperform subsequently. Trading in the opposite direction produces significant profits. Chinese investors appear to trade heavily based on technical analysis, and neither short-sellers nor margin-traders possess superior information or skills. We argue that short-sellers speculate in high volatility following divergent opinions, resulting in lower price efficiency, whereas margin-traders speculate in low volatility and destabilize the market. (144 words)
Sampling‐based exploration of folded state of a protein under kinematic and geometric constraints

Flexibility is critical for a folded protein to bind to other molecules (ligands) and achieve its functions. The conformational selection theory suggests that a folded protein deforms continuously and its ligand selects the most favorable conformations to bind to. Therefore, one of the best options to study protein‐ligand binding is to sample conformations broadly distributed over the protein‐folded state. This article presents a new sampler, called kino‐geometric sampler (KGS). This sampler encodes dominant energy terms implicitly by simple kinematic and geometric constraints. Two key technical contributions of KGS are (1) a robotics‐inspired Jacobian‐based method to simultaneously deform a large number of interdependent kinematic cycles without any significant break‐up of the closure constraints, and (2) a diffusive strategy to generate conformation distributions that diffuse quickly throughout the protein folded state. Experiments on four very different test proteins demonstrate that KGS can efficiently compute distributions containing conformations close to target (e.g., functional) conformations. These targets are not given to KGS, hence are not used to bias the sampling process. In particular, for a lysine‐binding protein, KGS was able to sample conformations in both the intermediate and functional states without the ligand, while previous work using molecular dynamics simulation had required the ligand to be taken into account in the potential function. Overall, KGS demonstrates that kino‐geometric constraints characterize the folded subset of a protein conformation space and that this subset is small enough to be approximated by a relatively small distribution of conformations. Proteins 2012. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Alleviation of parkinsonism by antagonism of excitatory amino acid transmission in the medial segment of the globus pallidus in rat and primate

Recent experimental data has made possible the description of the pathophysiological circuitry that mediates parkinsonism. This work has shown that dopamine‐denervated striatal cells discharge abnormally and that this ultimately causes cells in the medial segment of the globus pallidus to become abnormally overactive. The main driving force behind the overactive cells in the medial pallidal segment appears to be excess activity in the afferent pathway to it from the subthalamic nucleus. This pathway is known to use an excitatory amino acid (EAA) as its transmitter. It was therefore hypothesized that local blockade of EAA transmission in the medial segment of the globus pallidus should reverse parkinsonism. This hypothesis was tested in rat and primate models of parkinsonism by the direct injection of the EAA antagonist, kynurenic acid, into the medial segment of the globus pallidus. The results demonstrate that this procedure can reverse parkinsonism in a dose‐dependent manner, and suggest that manipulation of EAA transmission in the medial segment of the globus pallidus may have therapeutic potential for treating parkinsonism.
Bacterial survival rate on tooth- and interdental brushes in relation to the use of toothpaste.

BACKGROUND, AIMS Previous studies indicated that oral hygiene aids can play a rôle in the intra-oral translocation of pathogens. The survival rate of cariogenic and periodontopathogenic species on toothbrushes, with and without toothpaste, and interdental brushes was presently investigated. MATERIAL AND METHODS 12 periodontitis patients had their interdental spaces professionally cleaned with interdental brushes and their teeth with new toothbrushes with or without different dentifrices. Each time brushes were rinsed with tap water and stored dry at room temperature. At different time intervals an interdental brush or 4 tufts from a toothbrush were processed for vitality staining and selective and non-selective culturing procedures. RESULTS Immediately after rinsing, a toothbrush without toothpaste harboured 10(7), 10(8) and 10(7) colony forming units (CFU) of respectively aerobic, anaerobic and black pigmented species. An insignificant decrease occurred the first 24 hours and after 48 hours still 10(4) CFU of aerobic and anaerobic species could be cultured. No periodontopathogen remained detectable at 8 hours, except for Fusobacterium nucleatum. The proportion of vital bacteria decreased in 48 hours from 50% to 30%. Comparable results were obtained for interdental brushes. The bacterial survival rate on toothbrushes was significantly reduced by the use of a detergent containing toothpaste by 2 log at baseline, another 2 log at 4 hours and an extra log more at 8 hours for aerobic and anaerobic species. A toothpaste without detergent only had an insignificant bactericidal effect. CONCLUSION Toothpaste detergents decrease the survival rate of pathogenic species on a toothbrush and can thus limit the risk for bacterial translocation.
Application and Revision of the Kansas Marital Satisfaction Scale for Use with Korean Couples

To apply the Kansas Marital Satisfaction Scale to Korean couples, one item about the parenting role was added to the original scale. Using survey data from 350 married couples from the urban area of Seoul, Korea, this study investigated the availability of the original and revised forms in Korea. Values of internal consistency of responding, means, standard deviations and Pearson rs for both scales were remarkably consistent in the Korean sample and were good assessments of key dimensions of the marital process of Korean couples with children.
What do older people experiencing loneliness think about primary care or community based interventions to reduce loneliness? A qualitative study in England

Abstract Loneliness in later life is a common problem with poor health outcomes. However, interventions to prevent or ameliorate loneliness have a weak evidence base. The views of older people experiencing or at risk of loneliness in the community are important in identifying features of potential support, but have been little studied. Twenty‐eight community dwelling people, aged 65 and over who reported being ‘lonely much of the time’ or identified as lonely from the de Jong Gierveld six‐item loneliness scale in a larger study, participated in in‐depth interviews, between June 2013 and May 2014. Views and experiences on seeking support from primary care and community based one‐to‐one and group based activities, including social and shared interest groups, were explored. Interviews were recorded and transcribed. Thematic analysis was conducted by a multidisciplinary team, including older people. Using two different measures of loneliness enabled a spectrum of loneliness experience to be explored. Two‐thirds of the participants were the ‘younger old’ and all were able to leave their homes independently. Older people with characteristics of loneliness were generally knowledgeable about local social and community resources but, for the majority, community and primary care based services for their loneliness were not considered desirable or helpful at this point in their lives. However, group based activities with a shared interest were thought preferable to one‐to‐one support (befriending) or groups with a social focus. Descriptions of support as being for loneliness and specific to older people discouraged engagement. Older people experiencing or at risk of loneliness did not consider that primary care has a role in alleviating loneliness because it is not an illness. They thought primary care practitioners lack understanding of non‐physical problems and that a good relationship was necessary to discuss sensitive issues like loneliness. For many, loneliness was a complex and private matter that they wished to manage without external support.
Broadband Microwave Crossover Using Combination of Ring Resonator and Circular Microstrip Patch

The design of a novel wideband microwave crossover is presented. The proposed structure is fully compatible with microstrip circuits as it is printed on one side of a single-layer substrate. The structure is made up of a circular microstrip patch connected to a ring resonator. The operation of the presented design is explained by deriving the equivalent circuit model using the second-order even-odd mode excitations. The derived model is verified by full-wave electromagnetic simulations. A prototype is designed, developed, and tested. The results show a crossover with more than 18 dB of isolation, less than 0.5 dB insertion loss, and less than 0.25 ns deviation in the group delay across the band from 2.15 GHz to 3.35 GHz (44% fractional bandwidth).
Clinical, Electrocardiographic, and Laboratory Findings in Children With Amitriptyline Intoxication

Background: Amitriptyline is one of the major tricyclic antidepressants, and the data on amitriptyline poisoning in children are limited. Objectives: To present our experiences with amitriptyline poisoning in children, particularly with regard to its effects on electrocardiogram (ECG) and relation with clinical status. Methods: Clinical, laboratory, and electrocardiographic findings in 52 children admitted with amitriptyline poisoning were reviewed. Patients were divided into 2 groups according to age, as 6 years or younger (group A) and older than 6 years (group B). Results: Mean age was 4.6 ± 3.0 years. Thirty-one patients were male, and 41 were 6 years or younger. Ingested amitriptyline dose was known in 23 patients (range, 2.3 mg/kg-27 mg/kg). The most frequent findings were lethargy (76.9%), sinus tachycardia (57.7%), and coma (48.1%). Four patients had a history of convulsion. The most common laboratory abnormalities were hyponatremia (26.9%) and leukocytosis (25%). Elevated transaminase levels were observed in 4 patients. In ECG, 11 (22.4%) patients had QTc prolongation and in 4 (8.2%) of them, it was significant. In 4 patients (8.2%), the QRS duration was 100 ms or longer and in 15 patients, the R wave in aVR was 3 mm or longer. The frequencies of clinical, laboratory, and electrocardiographic findings were similar between the 2 age groups (P > 0.05). No clinically apparent arrhythmias were observed. The positive predictive value of a widened QRS was 100% in terms of coma. None of the patients with an R wave in aVR of less than 3 mm developed convulsion; thus, the negative predictive value of an R wave in aVR of 3 mm or longer was 100% in terms of convulsion. Conclusions: Amitriptyline poisoning may result in severe toxicity. Frequencies of clinical, laboratory, and ECG findings were similar in the 2 age groups. Amitriptyline overdose results in some ECG changes that can possibly help to predict the results of poisoning. Absence of an R wave in aVR of 3 mm or longer predicts seizures with a high negative predictive value, and a QRS duration of 100 or longer ms predicts coma with a high positive predictive value.
The effects of the menopause on insulin sensitivity, secretion and elimination in non‐obese, healthy women

Abstract. We have carried out intravenous glucose tolerance tests with measurement of plasma glucose, insulin and C‐peptide concentrations on 66 premeno‐pausal and 92 postmenopausal non‐obese Caucasian women. After adjustment for the effects of a number of possible confounding variables, including age and body mass index, there was little difference between pre and postmenopausal women in glucose and insulin concentrations either fasting or in response to intravenous glucose. Mathematical modelling analysis of the resultant plasma concentration profiles was used to obtain measures of insulin sensitivity, secretion and elimination, and non‐insulin dependent glucose disposal. We found reciprocal differences in mean insulin sensitivity (increased by 50%) and non‐insulin dependent glucose disposal (decreased by 30%). Plasma C‐peptide response and pancreatic insulin secretion were markedly lower in the postmenopausal group (‐ 35% and ‐50% respectively). However, the rate constant for insulin elimination was also lower in these women. As a result, intravenous glucose tolerance test plasma insulin concentrations were not significantly different between the two groups. We conclude that, despite the occurrence of little or no variation in plasma glucose and insulin concentrations, the menopause is associated with significant changes in insulin metabolism.
Evolution of longitudinally extensive transverse myelitis in an aquaporin-4 IgG-positive patient

A 36-year-old woman presented with hemiplegia and loss of pain and temperature sensation 1 day after the subacute onset of intractable vomiting. Paresthesia followed. She was tetraplegic at day 12. Initial MRI revealed a lesion in the medulla oblongata, involving primarily the area postrema (figure). The lesion progressively extended into the upper cervical cord. Forebrain MRI was normal. CSF contained 11 leukocytes/mm3. Brainstem tumor and multiple sclerosis were early diagnostic considerations. Aquaporin-4 immunoglobulin (Ig)G was detected in serum. This case supports the concept that fenestrated capillaries in the area postrema are an important initial CNS entry site for pathogenic neuromyelitis optica–IgG in neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorders.1,2
Development of the Pharmacy Safety Climate Questionnaire: a principal components analysis

Objective: To develop, and examine the component structure and internal consistency, of a questionnaire designed to assess safety climate in the community pharmacy setting. Methods: 998 pharmacists working in community pharmacies in England completed the questionnaire. Item selection was determined by principal components analysis (PCA) which also defined the underlying structure of the questionnaire. Scales were constructed from the items that loaded on components and were tested for internal consistency using Cronbach α scores. Pearson correlation coefficients were used to examine inter-component correlations. Results: A 34-item Pharmacy Safety Climate Questionnaire (PSCQ) was extracted through PCA; seven components were retained which represented the model of choice, and explained 58.3% of the data variance. The components were: investigating and learning from incidents; staffing and management; perceptions of the causes of incidents and reporting; team working; communication; commitment to patient safety; and education and training about safety. The internal consistency for the components was high; Cronbach α scores ranged from 0.67 to 0.88. Conclusions: The PSCQ demonstrated good psychometric properties in terms of its face validity, component structure and internal consistency. Community pharmacies can use this new tool to measure staff attitudes relating to seven safety climate domains, to compare themselves with other pharmacies, to prompt interventions to improve the prevailing safety climate within their organisation, and to measure the effectiveness of these interventions.
A Tamper Detection Method for RFID Tag Data

Recently, system designers, especially in the field of product life-cycle management system start considering use of user memory bank of UHF RFID tags. By storing most useful life-cycle data onto a tag, user can access to the data even without access to back-end databases. One of the major issues to make use of the user memory bank is detection of memory tampering. Although technology vendors start introducing new functionalities such as fine grained locking along with high capacity user memory, these tags with new functionalities require new non-standardized air protocol to operate - require modified version of reader/writers. Also, these tags are usually more expensive. In this paper, we introduce a novel approach to this problem: tag side write journaling mechanism and "Tag memory cloaking," which protect the journal by using. Tag private memory region, which is only readable and not writable from external devices such as a reader/writer, but writable by tag itself. Also, any write to the user memory automatically add journal entry - offset and length of the write - into the tag private memory region. Later, a user can check existence of overlapped writes to user memory by checking the journal records. Since we have not modified any of air protocol, standard compliant read/writer can fully capable of all of our proposed operations: write to the tag, read, then detect unusual modification to user memory area. We have implemented the functionality to programmable battery assisted passive tag (BAP), then validated the method with several standard compliant reader/writers.
Pubertal gynecomastia: years of progress – the Hacettepe experience

Abstract Gynecomastia is defined as an enlargement of the male breast. Although it is commonly seen during puberty, it is often overlooked by many physicians. As adolescent medicine specialists, we believe there is a gap in the literature concerning both the etiology and maybe more importantly the care of these adolescents. Thus, we have been dedicated to conducting research on this topic. The aim of this review article was to evaluate the studies concerning pubertal gynecomastia that took place at the Division of Adolescent Medicine, Hacettepe University, published between the years 2003 and 2016. The review covers in detail both the short- and long-term effectivity and safety of tamoxifen used for the treatment of pubertal gynecomastia. As the exact basis for the pathogenesis of gynecomastia remains unknown, we also evaluate three studies that aimed to answer this question. We additionally review a study that aimed to assess the psychological distress and effect on body image that gynecomastia may have on the adolescent male. An important contribution this review article adds to the literature is as a conclusion to all the studies performed, we present the ‘Hacettepe indications for tamoxifen treatment for pubertal gynecomastia’. These indications will aid physicians when considering treating these patients.
Auditor Demographic Factors and Dimensions of Auditors’ Skepticism in Jordan

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the auditor demographic factors that can influence the level of skepticism dimensions in Jordan. One important contribution is it validates the skepticism dimensions in Jordan. Different from the majority prior studies on auditor skepticism, this study investigates auditors’ demographical factors that influence the level of skepticism dimensions. This study uses a survey approach on auditors in Jordan and received one hundred and twelve responses. Regression analysis was used to find relationships between demographic factors and skepticism dimensions. The result confirms that those who have experience with fraud is positively related to skepticism dimensions. The result could be driven by specific Jordanian context, such as business environment, business culture and political issues. Furthermore, the study is limited to Jordanian context. We cannot confirm the ineffectiveness of training in improving the dimensions of auditor skepticism because examination on training materials is not made and beyond the scope of this study.
Efficacy of Antirabies IgG and IgY on Protection of Mice against Experimental Viral Infection as a Model for Emergency Intervention

Aim: Preparation of anti-rabies IgY in chicken egg yolk in addition to preparation of antirabies IgG in rabbits and evaluate their efficacy in protection against rabies infection in emergency cases simulated in mice. Materials and Methods: Fifteen, 35week-old, Rhode Island Red (RIR) hens were used for preparation of anti-rabies IgY from egg yolk. It was found that the obtained IgY had a concentration of 2.32 g/dl. In addition, ten Bosket rabbits of about 3kg bodyweight were used for preparation of anti-rabies IgG which was found to have a concentration of 3.42g/dl. Both of chicken egg yolk IgY and rabbit IgG were found to be safe when they are inoculated intraperitoneally in mice. Results: Serum neutralization test revealed that IgY and IgG had rabies antibody titers of 64 and 128 respectively. The tow preparations were tested for determination of their potency in experimentally infected mice with rabies virus on daily intervals post infection.