Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Inpatient medical errors involving glucose-lowering medications and their impact on patients: review of 2,598 incidents from a voluntary electronic error-reporting database.

OBJECTIVE To describe characteristics of inpatient medical errors involving hypoglycemic medications and their impact on patient care. METHODS We conducted a cross-sectional analysis of medical errors and associated adverse events voluntarily reported by hospital employees and staff in 21 nonprofit, nonfederal health-care organizations in the United States that implemented a Web-based electronic error-reporting system (e-ERS) between August 1, 2000, and December 31, 2005. Persons reporting the errors determined the level of impact on patient care. RESULTS The median duration of e-ERS use was 3.1 years, and 2,598 inpatient error reports involved insulin or orally administered hypoglycemic agents. Nursing staff provided 59% of the reports; physicians reported <2%. Approximately two-thirds of the errors (1,693 of 2,598) reached the patient. Errors that caused temporary harm necessitating major treatment or that caused permanent harm accounted for 1.5% of reports (40 of 2,598). Insulin was involved in 82% of reports, and orally administered hypoglycemic agents were involved in 18% of all reports (473 of 2,598). Sulfonylureas were implicated in 51.8% of reports involving oral hypoglycemic agents (9.4% of all reports). CONCLUSION An e-ERS provides an accessible venue for reporting and tracking inpatient medical errors involving glucose-lowering medications. Results are limited by potential underreporting of events, particularly by physicians, and variations in the reporter perception of patient harm.
Karyological investigations on seven weevil species (Coleoptera, Curculionidae).

Karyological studies were carried out on seven Palaearctic weevils. The following chromosome numbers were found in individual species, i.e. Otiorhynchus niger (F.), Phyllobius viridearis (Laich.), Phyllobius scutellaris Redt. , Phyllobius calcaratus (F.), Polydrusus cervinus (L.), and Brachyderes incanus (L.) 2n = 22, n Male = 10 + Xyp, in Lixus elegantulus (Boh.) 2n = 22, n Male = 21 + Xyp. The heterochromosomes of all the examined species form, in the first meiotic metaphase, a typical parachute bivalent.
A model relating VHF-band backscatter to stem volume of coniferous boreal forest

A physical model is presented describing the backscatter from coniferous boreal forests in the lower VHF-band in terms of stem volume. By using measurements of mean amplitude in high-resolution SAR images (rather than intensity), a linear dependence on stem volume can be obtained. The model fits well with the measurements made using the coherent all radio band sensing (CARABAS) SAR in the southern boreal forest, indicating the possibility of retrieving stem volume, and hence biomass, with an accuracy similar to that reached by standard ground-based measurements. No saturation of the scattering is seen up to biomasses of 550 m/sup 3//ha.
The cytotoxicity of organophosphate flame retardants on HepG2, A549 and Caco-2 cells

ABSTRACT In order to elucidate the cytotoxicity of organophosphate flame retardants (OPFRs), three human in vitro models, namely the HepG2 hepatoma cells, the A549 lung cancer cells and the Caco-2 colon cancer cells, were chosen to investigate the toxicity of triphenyl phosphate (TPP), tributylphosphate (TBP), tris(2-butoxyexthyl) phosphate (TBEP) and tris (2-chloroisopropyl) phosphate (TCPP). Cytotoxicity was assayed in terms of cell viability, DNA damage status, reactive oxygen species (ROS) level and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) leakage. The results showed that all these four OPFRs could inhibit cell viability, overproduce ROS level, induce DNA lesions and increase the LDH leakage. In addition, the toxic effects of OPFRs in Caco-2 cells were relatively severer than those in HepG2 and A549 cells, which might result from some possible mechanisms apart from oxidative stress pathway. In conclusion, TBP, TPP, TBEP and TCPP could induce cell toxicity in various cell lines at relatively high concentrations as evidenced by suppression of cell viability, overproduction of ROS, induction of DNA lesions and increase of LDH leakage. Different cell types seemed to have different sensitivities and responses to OPFRs exposure, as well as the underlying potential molecular mechanisms.
The Problems and Approaches to Educational Planning in Nigeria: A Theoretical Observation

The Nigerian educational system has undoubtedly encountered a number of significant impediments in the last few decades and it continue to struggle with the implementation and assurance of educational and teaching quality because of lack of effective planning. A shortage of accurate statistical data, financial, qualified planners, poor national economic performance, unsuitable governing structures, political interference, and general instability have all contributed to low quality in educational planning. This paper looks at the meaning and context of educational planning and the planning process. The paper concludes that in spite of the increasing complexity of schools created by rising enrollments and problems of research, programs of study must be tailored to the ever-more complex needs of the society. Schools are established for the improvement of society and thus, socio-economic planners and educational planners need to cooperate in planning for the benefit of both the school and society. DOI: 10.5901/mjss.2013. v4n12p37
What is special about prosodic strengthening in Korean: Evidence in lingual movement in V#V and V#CV

The present study investigates effects of Boundary and Prominence (focus) on the /a/-to-/i/ tongue movement in Korean in two contexts: V#V and V#/m/V. Results show that the tongue movement at an IP boundary is larger, longer, and faster. Prominence effects show a relatively weaker but comparable pattern to the boundary effect, showing a larger, longer, and faster movement. The observed boundary-induced strengthening pattern in Korean is clearly different from that in English, implying that Korean, a language without constraints from the lexical stress system, has more freedom to strengthen articulation at prosodic junctures, creating strengthening patterns which are often encountered with prominence marking in English. Results also reveal that the presence of a consonant influences transboundary vocalic movement, and that the consonantal influence is further modulated by boundary strength. These results taken together are further discussed in terms of language-specificity of prosodic strengthening and its implications for the pi-gesture model.
Vasopressin and vasoactive intestinal peptide infused in the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus elevate plasma melatonin levels

Abstract: The connection between the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) and the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus (PVN) forms an important component of the melatonin rhythm‐generating system. However, the chemical identity of this projection is not known. To test the possible implication of the SCN peptides vasopressin (VP) and vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) in this projection, we performed microinfusions in the PVN during the first half of the dark period and subsequently monitored resulting plasma melatonin levels. Infusions for 7 hr of either VP or VIP, but not oxytocin, caused increased plasma melatonin levels in the middle of the dark period. These observations confirm the role of the PVN in the melatonin rhythm‐generating pathway and indicate that both VP and VIP released at the level of the PVN, and probably derived from the SCN, are able to influence peripheral plasma melatonin levels.
Tubal ligation, hysterectomy, and risk of ovarian cancer.

To the Editor. —Dr Hankinson and colleagues1report a strong inverse association between tubal ligation and ovarian cancer in which tubal ligation reduced the risk of ovarian cancer to about one-third that of the control group; simple hysterectomy was almost as effective. How can one explain this? The authors speculate that blood supply to the ovaries might be affected. Also, they mention that oral contraceptives also have been shown to reduce the risk of ovarian cancer.2Meanwhile, they report on the intriguing data implicating talc as a causative agent,3-5but do not highlight this evidence of the flow of carcinogenic and other agents from perineum to ovaries. Is it possible that tubal ligation prevents ovarian cancer simply by limiting the upward flow of yet-to-be-identified toxins? Are contraceptive foams and gels to be implicated? Were these materials studied in the Nurses' Health Study? Tubal ligation, hysterectomy, and oral
The characterisation of novel secreted Ly‐6 proteins from rat urine by the combined use of two‐dimensional gel electrophoresis, microbore high performance liquid chromatography and expressed sequence tag data

A proteomic study of rat urine was undertaken using two‐dimensional gel electrophoresis, microbore high performance liquid chromatographhy, mass spectrometry and N‐terminal sequencing. Five known urinary proteins were identified but two novel peptide fragments matched a large number of rat expressed sequence tags (ESTs) from a liver library. By combining protein chemical and nucleotide data, two 101‐residue open reading frames with 90% amino acid identity were determined, rat urinary protein 1 (RUP‐1) and RUP‐2. The data established signal peptide removal and provided evidence for N‐glycosylation. A third related sequence, rat spleen protein (RSP‐1) was confirmed from EST searches. These three proteins have been submitted to SWISS‐PROT as P81827, P81828 and Q9QXN2, respectively. A fourth novel homologue was found in porcine and bovine ESTs from embryo libraries. Alignment with known homologues showed conserved cysteine positions characteristic of a secreted subfamily of Ly‐6 proteins. In two cases, antineoplastic urinary protein and caltrin, these homologues have unverified functional annotations. The RUP sequences showed high scoring matches to three unrelated rat mRNAs subsequently established to be chimeric. Two of these share extended sectional identity to RUP‐1 but the third may represent another novel Ly‐6 homologue. These chimeras have caused serious annotation errors in secondary databases.
Vestibular pathology in otosclerosis temporal bone histopathological report

A histopathologic study of four temporal bones from two patients with vestibular pathology concurrent with otosclerosis is presented. The findings are as follows: 1. In each of the temporal bones, the otosclerotic focus was seen in apposition to the superior vestibular nerve with invasion of the cribriform area of the nerve in one of these ears; 2. there was vestibular nerve degeneration distal to these foci in all cases, worse in those nerve fibers close to the otosclerotic focus. In one case there was retrograde degeneration up to the area of Scarpa's ganglion; 3. three of the four temporal bones showed a marked degeneration of the sensory epithelium of the cristae of the lateral semicircular canals as well as loss of the subepithelial cells and neural elements; and 4. in all four temporal bones a basophilic deposit was found in the ampulated end of the posterior semicircular canal which may represent cupulolithiasis.
Cell-to-cell interaction of Streptococcus sanguis and Propionibacterium acnes on saliva-coated hydroxyapatite

Cell-to-cell interaction (coaggregation) between Propionibacterium acnes PK93 and Streptococcus sanguis DL1 was measured on saliva-coated hydroxyapatite beads (SHA) at bacterial concentrations between 1.3 X 10(6) and 6.7 X 10(8) cells per ml. Four hundredfold more DL1 than PK93 cells adhered to the saliva-coated beads, and the adherence of S. sanguis was proportional to cell input. SHA precoated with 3 X 10(8) DL1 cells bound 75 to 80% of available PK93 cells at all input amounts tested, up to an input of 8 X 10(7) cells. Adherence of PK93 to DL1-coated SHA approached saturation at an input of approximately 10(9) PK93 cells, when 1.5 X 10(8) bound. The coaggregation on SHA occurred either in buffer or saliva and was inhibited by N-acetylgalactosamine and by lactose; the attachment of DL1 to SHA was not inhibited by these sugars. S. sanguis 34 and heat-treated DL1 cells, neither of which form coaggregates with PK93, attached to SHA, but such cells did not bind PK93 cells. The findings of this study indicate that bacteria unable to attach to saliva-coated hydroxyapatite can indeed adhere to such a surface by strong lectin-mediated cell-to-cell interactions with bacteria already attached to the surface.
Analysis of cell inter-arrival from VBR video codecs

Most work in video traffic modelling has concentrated on the frame level and little work has been done to model the cell level traffic. The authors give the cell inter-arrival statistics for several sequences and used them in a multiplexer simulation to obtain cell loss results. Many models have assumed that the cell level traffic is Poisson. They show that the cell inter-arrival is not i.i. d. , but is correlated. This is due to the fact that in image coding the compression scheme is only applied locally. Thus, some correlation still remains in the cell stream produced. The cell loss obtained were larger than those from the uniform cell spacing and Poisson assumptions, and the cell burst loss length distribution was found to be approximated by a geometric distribution. <<ETX>>
A Psychometric Review of Measures Assessing Discrimination Against Sexual Minorities

ABSTRACT Discrimination against sexual minorities is widespread and has deleterious consequences on victims’ psychological and physical wellbeing. However, a review of the psychometric properties of instruments measuring lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) discrimination has not been conducted. The results of this review, which involved evaluating 162 articles, reveal that most have suboptimal psychometric properties. Specifically, myriad scales possess questionable content validity as (1) items are not created in collaboration with sexual minorities; (2) measures possess a small number of items and, thus, may not sufficiently represent the domain of interest; and (3) scales are “adapted” from measures designed to examine race- and gender-based discrimination. Additional limitations include (1) summed scores are computed, often in the absence of scale score reliability metrics; (2) summed scores operate from the questionable assumption that diverse forms of discrimination are necessarily interrelated; (3) the dimensionality of instruments presumed to consist of subscales is seldom tested; (4) tests of criterion-related validity are routinely omitted; and (5) formal tests of measures’ construct validity are seldom provided, necessitating that one infer validity based on the results obtained. The absence of “gold standard” measures, the attendant difficulty in formulating a coherent picture of this body of research, and suggestions for psychometric improvements are noted.
Lesions in Teichoic Acid Biosynthesis in Staphylococcus aureus Lead to a Lethal Gain of Function in the Otherwise Dispensable Pathway

ABSTRACT An extensive study of teichoic acid biosynthesis in the model organism Bacillus subtilis has established teichoic acid polymers as essential components of the gram-positive cell wall. However, similar studies pertaining to therapeutically relevant organisms, such as Staphylococcus aureus, are scarce. In this study we have carried out a meticulous examination of the dispensability of teichoic acid biosynthetic enzymes in S. aureus. By use of an allelic replacement methodology, we examined all facets of teichoic acid assembly, including intracellular polymer production and export. Using this approach we confirmed that the first-acting enzyme (TarO) was dispensable for growth, in contrast to dispensability studies in B. subtilis. Upon further characterization, we demonstrated that later-acting gene products (TarB, TarD, TarF, TarIJ, and TarH) responsible for polymer formation and export were essential for viability. We resolved this paradox by demonstrating that all of the apparently indispensable genes became dispensable in a tarO null genetic background. This work suggests a lethal gain-of-function mechanism where lesions beyond the initial step in wall teichoic acid biosynthesis render S. aureus nonviable. This discovery poses questions regarding the conventional understanding of essential gene sets, garnered through single-gene knockout experiments in bacteria and higher organisms, and points to a novel drug development strategy targeting late steps in teichoic acid synthesis for the infectious pathogen S. aureus.
The effect of sex preference on subsequent fertility in two provinces of China.

A demographer analyzed birth history data from women with at least 1 child living in Hebei and Shaanxi provinces in China, in 1985 to examine the effect of sex preference on the family building process at the micro- and macrolevel. Fertility fell greatly after implementation of the 1-child policy and China's extensive family planning program. Couples whose 3rd child was a daughter were more likely to have more children than those whose 3rd child was a son. Couples with 2 daughters tended to have a larger family size than all other combinations. Couples whose 1st born was a son and the 2nd born was a daughter had a larger family size than those whose 1st born was a daughter and the 2nd born a son. No evidence appeared that suggested that couples wanted at least 1 daughter. The probability of having another child if the couple's 1st born was not a son was greater than if the 1st born was a son, regardless of family size and province (e.g., for parity 4, 65.3% vs. 44.1% in Hebei and 67.2% vs. 47.9% in Shaanxi). Prior to 1979, date at 1st marriage had a significant negative effect on having a 3rd child (p .001) and accounted for more than 80% of the variation. Age at the birth of the 2nd child also had a significant negative effect (p .001) and explained the remaining variation. On the other hand, after 1979 in Shaanxi, age at 2nd birth accounted for more of the variance than did date of 1st marriage (60% vs. 40%). In Hebei, however, date of 1st marriage still had the most effect, but its effect was less (around 70%). Before 1979, sex composition explained at least 50% of the main effects on continuing childbearing (p .001), but after 1979 and the 1-child policy, it accounted for 71% in Hebei and 91% in Shaanxi. The family planning program did reduce demand for children, but increased preference for sons.
Multiple-Locus Variable-Number Tandem Repeat Analysis of Dutch Bordetella pertussis Strains Reveals Rapid Genetic Changes with Clonal Expansion during the Late 1990s

ABSTRACT Bordetella pertussis, the causative agent of whooping cough, has remained endemic in The Netherlands despite extensive nationwide vaccination since 1953. In the 1990s, several epidemic periods have resulted in many cases of pertussis. We have proposed that strain variation has played a major role in the upsurges of this disease in The Netherlands. Therefore, molecular characterization of strains is important in identifying the causes of pertussis epidemiology. For this reason, we have developed a multiple-locus variable-number tandem repeat analysis (MLVA) typing system for B. pertussis. By combining the MLVA profile with the allelic profile based on multiple-antigen sequence typing, we were able to further differentiate strains. The relationships between the various genotypes were visualized by constructing a minimum spanning tree. MLVA of Dutch strains of B. pertussis revealed that the genotypes of the strains isolated in the prevaccination period were diverse and clearly distinct from the strains isolated in the 1990s. Furthermore, there was a decrease in diversity in the strains from the late 1990s, with a remarkable clonal expansion that coincided with the epidemic periods. Using this genotyping, we have been able to show that B. pertussis is much more dynamic than expected.
Different progressions of hyperglycemia and diabetes among hyperuricemic men and women in the kinmen study.

OBJECTIVE A 7-year followup study among hyperuricemic subjects was conducted to investigate the association between longterm hyperuricemia and subsequent hyperglycemia and diabetes mellitus. The possible sex difference was also investigated. METHODS A total of 641 hyperuricemic subjects aged 30 years and over (391 men, 250 women) screened from the community-based Kinmen Study in 1991-92 (the baseline study) were followed in 1997-98, with 75% followup rate. Demographic, clinical, and biochemical data were collected in both baseline and followup periods. RESULTS After followup for 7 years, the distribution of plasma glucose concentrations changed moderately among male hyperuricemic subjects, but increased markedly among female subjects. The increase of uric acid levels during the followup period was correlated with subsequent diabetes only among hyperuricemic women. Moreover, a relatively higher incidence of diabetes was found in postmenopausal hyperuricemic women after 7-year followup. CONCLUSION Although the direct role and causality played by uric acid cannot be confirmed by this study, the findings, as applicable to a Chinese nondiabetic population, show that specific progressions of plasma glucose concentrations were significantly different between male and female hyperuricemic subjects. Hyperuricemia and persistent increase in uric acid levels among postmenopausal women should alert physicians to the possibility of subsequent hyperglycemia and diabetes.
Characterization and antifungal drug susceptibility of clinical isolates of Candida species

Candida species are responsible for a wide spectrum of infections in man. They can be isolated from most sites of a human body. These mycoses are most common in immunocompromised patients as opportunistic infections. Azoles have been used in treatment, prophylaxis and currently as maintenance therapy for candidiasis in these patients. The aim of the study was to characterize Candida species from clinical sources and determine their susceptibilities to azoles in Kenya. The study was conducted in 2009 in a mycology laboratory at Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI). A total of 50 isolates of Candida were characterized and correctly identified to species level by germ tube test, Pal’s agar, Chromogenic agar Candida, corn meal agar and Analytical Profile Index (API 20C AUX). 45 isolates were identified as Candida albicans, 1 as Candida glabrata, 1 as Candida famata and 3 as Candida parapsilosis. Susceptibilities of Candida species to fluconazole, posaconazole, itraconazole and clotrimazole were determined using Epsilometer-test and disc diffusion method. Their Minimum Inhibitory Concentrations (MIC’s) were correlated. In Epsilometer test, 78% of Candida species were susceptible to clotrimazole and posaconazole, 60% to fluconazole and 50% to itraconazole. In disc diffusion method, 92% Candida species were susceptible to clotrimazole, 74% to itraconazole, 78% to posaconazole and 46% to fluconazole. There were no significant differences in susceptibility between E-test and disc diffusion methods for clotrimazole, itraconazole and posaconazole which had low significance levels (p<0.002). Fluconazole had the greatest difference between the two methods (p=0.002) and a kappa value of 0.329. There is emerging fungal resistance to fluconazole and itraconazole therefore further investigations on fungal resistance and rational use of antifungal drugs is necessary.