Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Modelling and Predicting Patient Recruitment in Multi-centre Clinical Trials

One of the main concerns in multi-centre clinical trials is how to enrol an adequate number of patients during a specific period of time. Accordingly, the sponsors are keen to minimise the recruitment time for cost effectiveness purposes. This research tended to concentrate on forecasting the patients’ accrual time for the pre-arranged number of sample size by simulating an on-going trial. The method was to model the data from the recruitment frequency domain and apply the estimations derived from the frequency domain to predict the time domain. Whereas previous papers did not concentrate on variations of recruiting over centres, this research assumed that patient arrivals followed the Poisson process and let the parameter of the process vary as a Gamma distribution. Consequently, the Poisson-gamma mixed distribution was confirmed as the promising model of the frequency domain. Then with the help of the relationship between the Poisson process and the exponential distribution, accrual time was predicted assuming that the waiting time between patients followed the Gamma-exponential distribution. As the result of the project, a trial was simulated based on the estimated values derived from completed trials. The first part of the prediction estimated the expected average number of patients per centre per month in an on-going trial. The second part, predicted the length of time (in months) to enrol specific number of patients in the simulated trial.
STUDIES ON HUMAN LEUKOCYTE MOTILITY

Leukocyte migration was studied in a microhematocrit system which permitted evaluation of the separate effects of leukocyte adhesiveness, intrinsic cell motility, and leukocyte clumping. Leukocyte adhesion to glass required the presence of magnesium ion, was totally independent of calcium ion, and was partially dependent on heat-labile plasma factors. Leukocyte migration was unimpaired by marked acidosis or by wide variations in sodium, potassium, or calcium concentrations. Marked impairment of individual leukocyte motility and increased leukocyte aggregation were observed after phagocytosis of particulate matter, suggesting a mechanism facilitating recruitment and retention of leukocytes at areas of microbial invasion.
A Synthetic Conjugate Polysaccharide Vaccine Against Haemophilusinfluenzae Type B

Verez-Bencomo V, Fernandez-Santana V, Hardy E, et al. Science . 2004;305:522–525 To demonstrate the safety and immunogenicity of synthetic glycoconjugate vaccine against Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib). Adults, children, and infants in Camaguey, Cuba. The authors established a large-scale good manufacturing protocol for the production of ∼100-g batches of polyribosylribitol phosphate (PRP), the Hib capsular polysaccharide. Synthetic PRP (sPRP) conjugated to protein was shown to be capable of binding antibody from the serum of children immunized with commercial Hib conjugate vaccine. sPRP conjugated to tetanus toxoid …
Highly birefringent photonic crystal fiber with ultra-flattened negative dispersion over S  +  C  +  L  +  U bands.

We present a new cladding design for photonic crystal fiber (PCF) on a decagonal structure to simultaneously achieve ultra-flattened large negative dispersion and ultrahigh birefringence. Numerical results confirm that the proposed PCF exhibits ultra-flattened large negative dispersion over the S+C+L+U wavelength bands and average dispersion of about -558.96 ps/nm/km with absolute dispersion variation of 9.7 ps/nm/km from 1460 to 1675 nm (215 nm bandwidth). Moreover, ultrahigh birefringence of 0.0299 is also achieved at a 1500 nm wavelength.
TRAINING RESPONSES OF TWO-YEAR-OLD QUARTER HORSES FED RAPIDLY FERMENTABLE CARBOHYDRATES

Two replicated experiments (Exp. 1: May 14 to June 8; Exp.2: June 25 to July 20) evaluated effects of feeding grain to 2-yr-old Quarter horses on behavior and physiological parameters during early stages of training. In each experiment, 6 different horses were allotted by sex and weight to 2 diets; hay only or hay plus 2.3 kg/d grain. Horses were group-housed with ad libitum access to grass/alfalfa hay and water, and were individually fed 1.15 kg grain or 40 g salt (placebo) at 0800 and 1600 for 7 d prior to and during training. The trainer was blind to diet assignments. Horses were trained 5 d/wk for 3 wk and scored (1 to 5) by the trainer daily on obedience (willingness to ride with a loose rein and little leg pressure), life (willingness to move at any desired speed), and direction (suppleness in the poll and loin), while an observer scored fearfulness. A heart monitor recorded minimum, maximum, and mean heart rate daily during training. Categorical data were transformed by subtracting the daily median as each horse’s score was relative to the other horses on that day. Data were analyzed as repeated measures (Proc Mixed of SAS) with horse as the experimental unit. In Exp. 1 grain did not affect (P = 0.83) obedience, while horses fed grain in Exp. 2 were less obedient during training (P = 0.02) than those not receiving grain. Horses fed grain showed greater (P = 0.05) fearfulness than horses fed hay alone. Life:direction (ideal is 1.0, > 1.0 indicates high self-preservation) was higher (P = 0.04) in horses fed grain than in those fed hay alone (1.29 vs. 1.08, respectively). Maximum heart rate was not affected (P = 0.21) by grain, while mean heart rate was higher (P = 0.03) for horses fed grain than hay alone (126 vs. 119 beats/min, respectively). Horses fed grain during training exhibited more selfpreservation behavior, increased mean heart rate, and an unbalanced life to direction ratio, which could inhibit training effectiveness.
Biaxial plantar process fractures of the distal phalanx in a horse

A mature horse was presented for investigation of severe acute hindlimb lameness with soft tissue swelling, a full thickness wound to the dorsal metatarsus and no other localising signs. Survey radiographs of the metatarsophalangeal region were unremarkable. Nuclear scintigraphy was required to reach a diagnosis of biaxial plantar process fractures of the distal phalanx, which to the authors’ knowledge is previously unreported. Flexed dorsal 45° lateral-plantaromedial and flexed dorsal 45° medial-plantarolateral oblique projections confirmed the diagnosis of both a type I and II fracture in the same foot. Treatment with cast immobilisation and corrective farriery was successful, and the horse became sound at six-month follow-up.
Hepatitis B Virus Seroprevalence and Serology Patterns in a Cohort of HIV Positive Individuals from Harare, Zimbabwe

Zimbabwe is highly endemic for hepatitis B virus (HBV) and also has high human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) prevalence rates which may result in HIV/HBV coinfection, and as HIV/HBV coinfection may affect the classical HBV serology patterns and cause interpretation challenges, we assessed the seroprevalence of HBV in HIV positive patients and determined their serology profiles. This was a cross-sectional study on 957 HIV positive specimens from treatment naive patients. HBV serology tests were done using enzyme immunoassays for the detection of HBV markers in human serum or plasma. Hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) prevalence was 17.1% (males 19.0%, females 15.8%). Previous and/or current HBV exposure was evident in 59.8% of the patients and hepatitis B e antigen markers were present in 103 (10.8%) specimens. There was high prevalence of unusual HBV patterns with 14.1% of total specimens showing an anti-HBc alone profile and an additional 4.3% HBsAg positive specimens that were anti-HBc negative.
A Re-Conviction Study of Special (High Security) Hospital Patients

Reliable patient re-conviction data after leaving high security hospitals are of public interest, but official statistics are without context and sometimes incomplete. Some patient sub-groups are rarely studied. Our study describes re-convictions for a complete national annual high security hospital discharge cohort. We hypothesized that: established community living would precede re-conviction and that more people with personality disorder would be re-convicted, with a higher rate, than people with other disorders, even allowing for community time. Cases were identified using the special hospitals' case register; follow-up data were from multiple records sources. Seventy-four patients (38 per cent) were convicted after discharge, 26 per cent of serious offences. All 10 multiple reoffenders (>9 offences) were men. Fourteen per cent of those re-convicted had offended during institutional residence. Median time to first community re-conviction was under two years. Logistic regression analysis confirmed that people with personality disorder were seven times more likely than people with mental illness to be convicted of a serious offence after discharge. Methodological procedures that maximize validity of findings are discussed.
A comparison of three procedures for administration of stress management training.

A Comparison of Three Procedures for Administration of Stress Management Training February, 1984 Tae-Hyun Moon, B.A., University of Delaware M.S., University of Massachusetts Ph.D., University of Massachusetts Directed by: Professor Marian MacDonald Thirty registered nurses participated in one of three different stress management programs, each lasting six weeks: 1) selfadministration of a program tailored specifically toward stressors often confronted by nurses (N=10); 2) weekly group meetings in addition to use of this nurse-tailored program (N=10); and 3) selfadministration of a standard, nontailored program (N=10). Data on sel f -reported anxiety and on ratings of stress made by (subjects') significant others were gathered at baseline, posttreatment, and at six week follow-up. Significant differences between the three groups were not evident on these measures. However, subjects who attended group meetings in addition to using the nurse-tailored program reported practicing their assignments significantly more often than did subjects who used the nurse-tailored program under sel f -admi ni stered conditions. In turn, the latter group reported practice behaviors significantly more often than did the group who
‘Our girth is plain to see’: An analysis of newspaper coverage of Australia's Future ‘Fat Bomb’

The news media plays an important role in making visible and shaping public understandings of health and health risks. In relation to overweight and obesity, it has been suggested that the media is more likely to engage in alarmist reporting in a climate in which it is taken for granted that obesity is an ‘epidemic’. This study analyses Australian media coverage of a report on overweight and obesity, Australia's Future ‘Fat Bomb’: a report on the long-term consequences of Australia's expanding waistline on cardiovascular disease, by one of Australia’s leading health and medical research institutes. Our study found that the report was consistently framed across media outlets as showing that Australia is the ‘fattest nation’ in the world, having overtaken the Americans. This is despite the fact that the Fat Bomb study did not include international comparisons and was based only on data from middle-aged Australians. Because reports of increasing rates of obesity had already been widely covered in the media, the press needed to find a new way of signifying the problem, which was provided by comments made by its lead author in publicising the report. Consistent with previous research, there was a notable absence of critical commentary on the study and a failure to test the claims of its lead author. We conclude that this reporting could have contributed to a policy environment in which the perceived threat of obesity is deemed to be so great that efforts to contain it may be subjected to less scrutiny than they warrant.
Burden of Malnutrition in a Tertiary Care Hospital in Baguio City

The objective of this study is to determine prevalence, risk factors, and prognostic impact of malnutrition. Nutritional state was assessed by Subjective Global Assessment (SGA) and body mass index (BMI). Risk factors for malnutrition and effect of malnutrition on morbidity, mortality, and length of hospital stay were analyzed. Prevalence of malnutrition on admission and on discharge was 73%. Risk factors significantly associated with malnutrition were severity of primary diagnosis (odds ratio [OR] = 3.42, 95% confidence interval [CI] = [2.26, 5.18], p < .0001), age (p < .001), and presence of comorbidities (OR = 1.67, 95% CI = [1.13, 2.46], p < .013). Malnourished patients had longer hospital stay (5.1 ± 4.9 days, p < .0001) and higher risk of dying (OR = 6.38, 95% CI = [1.14, 135.80], p < .030), and were more likely to be confined for more than 7 days (OR = 4.20, 95% CI = [1.89, 9.34], p < .001). The study concludes that malnutrition is prevalent on admission and discharge. Malnourished patients are older, suffer more serious disease, and have comorbidities. Complications risk is higher if malnourished.
Acesso, prática educativa e empoderamento de pacientes com doenças crônicas

Empowerment is a process whereby people achieve mastery over their lives, acquiring knowledge to make decisions about their health. Chronic diseases are increasingly common in the health service, requiring the attention of health professionals and empowering those affected by them. The scope of this study was to analyze the perceptions of users with chronic diseases and monitored by the Family Health Program with respect to empowerment. This was a qualitative study in which open interviews and systematic observations were conducted and NVIVO software was used for data analysis. Users indicate the existence of some geographical barriers in access to health, which caused fatigue, discouragement and low continuity of care. It was noted that adherence and practices of care were linked to differentiated service, based on trust and respect for the wishes of users. This includes healthcare guidance and education as key elements to encourage the practice of self-care. It is necessary to restructure the conduct of health professionals involved in the Family Health Strategy because its function is to promote health in a logical intersectoral and interdisciplinary manner.
Acute Effects of Different Warm-Up Protocols on Anaerobic Performance in Teenage Athletes

Although pre-event static stretching (SS) is an accepted practice in most youth programs, pre-event dynamic exercise (DY) is becoming popular. The purpose of this study was to examine the acute effects of pre-event SS, DY, and combined SS and DY (SDY) on vertical jump (VJ), medicine-ball toss (MB), 10-yard sprint (SP), and pro-agility shuttle run (AG) in teenage athletes (15.5 ± 0.9 years). Thirty athletes participated in three testing sessions in random order on three nonconsecutive days. Before testing, participants performed 5 min of walking/jogging followed by one of the following 10 min warm-up protocols: a) five static stretches (2 × 30 s), b) nine moderate-to-high-intensity dynamic movements (2 × 10 yards), or c) five static stretches (1 × 30 s) followed by the same nine dynamic movements (1 × 10 yards). Statistical analysis of the data revealed that performance on the VJ, MB, and SP were significantly (p < .05) improved after DY and SDY as compared with SS. There were no significant differences in AG after the 3 warm-up treatments. The results of this study indicate that pre-event dynamic exercise or static stretching followed by dynamic exercise might be more beneficial than pre-event static stretching alone in teenage athletes who perform power activities
Telephone counselling in Australia: Applications and considerations for use

This paper describes Australian counselling services which use the telephone as the medium for counselling delivery. It provides a background to telephone counselling and describes its uses as reported in the research and clinical literature. Special considerations in utilising the telephone to provide counselling are discussed. The paper also reviews the clinical and research literature to determine which counselling techniques are most applicable for use over the telephone.
Update on endodontic irrigating solutions

Successful root canal therapy depends on thorough debridement of pulpal tissue, dentin debris, and infective microorganisms. Currently, it is impossible to predictably eradicate intraradicular infection with mechanical instrumentation alone. Therefore, irrigants are required to be used as an important addition in the disinfection process. This chapter analyzes the main irrigating solutions used during the endodontic treatment and their actions and interactions among them. Explanation of their mechanism of action and effect on dentin structure and on biofilm is also described. A clinical protocol is proposed at the end of the chapter.
Determining rate of compliance with the American diabetes association recommendations in hospitalized patients

Background: Diabetes mellitus is a growing epidemic in the United States associated with significant economic costs, reduced quality of life, long-term complications, and high rates of morbidity and mortality. Purpose: This study determined the rate of compliance in hospitalized patients with the ADA treatment recommendations for diabetes management with regards to: blood glucose management, cholesterol management, stroke prevention, ACE-I/ARB utilization, and pneumococcal vaccination (PPV). Methodology: This retrospective, noninterventional, chart review took place at a 760 bed, tertiary care, teaching hospital. A computergenerated list of patients with diabetes ICD-9 codes 250.0 through 250.9 was obtained. All adult patients, 18 years old, consecutively discharged from a general medical unit, beginning April 1, 2006 were included until data on 100 patients were collected. Exclusion criteria included gestational diabetes, hospital admission < 3days, and death prior to discharge. The following measurements related to the study objectives were collected: blood glucose, cholesterol management, stroke prevention, ACE-I/ARB utilization, and PPV immunization. Results: Of the 100 patients reviewed, 96% had Type II DM; 24% had contraindications to at least one of their prescribed oral DM medications. Only 57% had HgA1c documented; of these, 56% were at goal. Only 42% had LDL cholesterol documented; of these, 76% were at goal. Appropriate stroke prevention was prescribed for 75% of patients; 69% were receiving appropriate ACE-I therapy; and 38% of eligible patients received PPV. Conclusions: A high percentage of hospitalized patients are not in full compliance with the ADA treatment guidelines.
DISRUPTIVE BEHAVIOUR AMONGST DOCTORS, MYTH OR REALITY?

BACKGROUND: Disruptive behavior in a medical setting is defined as objectionable or offensive interpersonal behavior that leads to disruption of professional activities in the workplace. 1 It has been observed that majority of doctors do not show disruptive behavior in their day today conduct and only few doctors are identified for their disruptive behavior. Special committee on professional conduct and ethics defines disruptive behavior in physicians as a berrant behavior manifested through personal interaction with physicians, hospital personnel, health care professionals, patients, family members or others which interferes with patient care or could reasonably be expected to interfere with the process of delivering quality care. 2 Common forms of disruptive behaviors generally seen amongst young doctors are use of abusive language, yelling or shouting at patients, colleagues and subordinate staff, showing in disciplined behavior and at times indulging in physical abuse.3-4STUDY DESIGN: Study was conducted at a tertiary care hospital where 614 health care professionals participated which included 108 doctors 432 nursing staff and 74 paramedical staff METHOD: Data collection was done by semi structured pretested questionnaire and was entered in Microsoft Excel and analyzed for frequency and percentages. RESULTS: 64 % doctor, 66% nursing staff and 50% of the paramedicals answered that they have seen doctors showing disruptive behavior at one time or the other. Not all the doctors show disruptive behavior but this type of aberrant behavior is seen mainly in2-3 percent of doctors only. While answering to the question as to the type of disruptive behavior, 57% health care professionals reported that commonest form of disruptive behavior noticed by them amongst doctors was yelling or shouting on junior staff, patients and colleagues. 47% answered that doctors with disruptive behavior do not follow laid down orders or protocols, 1%respondents reported that they have seen doctors showing cast discrimination amongst staff. Sexual remarks or physical abuse was reported by negligible number of respondents. CONCLUSION: Majority of health care professionals reported that problem of intimidating or disruptive behavior does exist in small minority of doctors and while working with such doctors it causes mental stress, frustration, inability to concentrate on work, fear to communicate, reduction in teamwork and relation with such doctors remain tense.
Physical Exercise is More Effective than HRT in Improving Lipid Profile Status in Postmenopausal Women

Disturbances of lipid profile in postmenopausal women may occur due to hormonal changes and physical inactivity which ultimately increases the risk of atherosclerosis, CHD and MI. Physical exercise may play a significant role in the management of dyslipidemia among postmenopausal women than HRT The study was carried out to compare and contrast between the effects of physical exercise and HRT in improving lipid profile status among postmenopausal women. This study was carried out in the Department of Physiology, Sir Salimullah Medical College, Dhaka, from 1st January, 2009 to 31st December, 2009. A total number of 90 postmenopausal women having age ranged from 50-60 years were included in the study. Among 90 postmenopausal women, 30 were performing regular physical exercise, 30 were receiving HRT and 30 were sedentary postmenopausal women without receiving HRT. Lipid profile such as TC, HDL-C, LDL-C, TG and fasting blood sugar of all the participants were estimated in Physiology laboratory, SSMC Mitford, Dhaka. The statistical analysis was done by using appropriate test as applicable. Mean serum TC, LDL-C and TG were significantly (p<0.001) higher and mean HDL-C was significantly (p<0.001) lower in sedentary postmenopausal women than those of postmenopausal women with regular physical exercise and postmenopausal women receiving HRT. Again, TC, LDL-C and TG were comparative higher in postmenopausal women receiving HRT than those of postmenopausal women with regular physical exercise and HDL-C were almost similar among these two groups of women. Conclusion: Physical exercise could be more effective than HRT in improving lipid profile status in postmenopausal women. DOI: http://dx.doi. org/10.3329/bjpp.v27i1-2.20068 Bangladesh J Physiol Pharmacol 2011; 27(1&2):9-12