Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A patient-centred approach toward surgical wait times for colon cancer: a population-based analysis.

BACKGROUND Administrative wait times reflect the time from the decision to treat until surgery; however, this does not reflect the total time a patient actually waits for treatment. Several factors may prolong the wait for colon cancer surgery. We sought to analyze the time from the date of surgical consultation to the date of surgery and any events within this time frame that may extend wait times. METHODS We retrospectively reviewed the cases of all adult patients in Ontario aged 18-80 years with diagnosed colon cancer who did not receive neoadjuvant therapy and underwent resection electively between Jan. 1, 2002, and Dec. 31, 2009. Wait times were measured from the date of surgical consultation to the date of surgery. We chose a wait time of 28 days, reflecting local administrative targets, as a comparative benchmark. We performed univariate and multivariate analyses to identify variables contributing to a waits longer than 28 days. Variables were analyzed in continuous linear and logistic regression models. RESULTS We included 10 223 patients in our study. The median wait time from initial surgical consultation to resection was 31 (range 0-182) days. Age older than 65 years had a negative impact on wait time. Preoperative services, including computed tomography, cardiac consultation, echocardiography, multigated acquisition scan, magnetic resonance imaging, colonoscopy and cardiac catheterization also significantly increased wait times. Wait times were longer in rural hospitals. CONCLUSION Preoperative services significantly increased wait times between initial surgical consultation and surgery.
Alterations of seminal and hormonal parameters: An extrahepatic manifestation of HCV infection?

AIM To evaluate the possible influences of HCV infection and relative antiviral treatment on seminal parameters and reproductive hormonal serum levels. METHODS Ten male patients with HCV-related chronic hepatitis and 16 healthy male volunteers were studied. In all subjects seminal parameters (nemaspermic concentration, progressive motility, morphology) and hormonal levels were determined. Seminal parameters and inhibin B, follicle-stimulating hormone, luteinizing hormone, total and free testosterone, estradiol, prolactine in patients were measured after six and twelve months of antiviral combined (interferon+ribavirin) treatment. RESULTS Patients before treatment showed a significantly lower nemaspermic motility and morphology as well as lower inhibin B and free testosterone levels than controls. Inhibin B levels in cases were improved six and 12 mo after treatment in five responders (161.9+/-52.8 pg/mL versus 101.7+/-47.0 pg/mL and 143.4+/-46.1 pg/mL versus 95.4+/-55.6 pg/mL, respectively). Hormonal pattern of patients did not significantly change after treatment, with the exception of estradiol levels with an initial reduction and an overall subsequent increment (19.7+/-6.4 pg/mL versus 13.6+/-5.0 pg/mL versus 17.3+/-5.7 pg/mL). However in 1-year responders a significant increment of free testosterone (14.2+/-2.54 pg/mL versus 17.1+/-2.58 pg/mL) occurred. An impairment of nemaspermic morphology occurred, while other seminal parameters did not change significantly during antiviral treatment. CONCLUSION Patients with HCV infection show worse spermatic parameters than controls, suggesting a possible negative influence of virus on spermatogenesis, with further mild impairment during antiviral treatment. However therapy could improve the spermatic function, as suggested by the increased inhibin B levels and improved hormonal pattern in responders. Further studies are needed to confirm these preliminary intriguing results.
Medical Students' Experiences of Moral Distress: Development of a Web-Based Survey

Purpose To develop an instrument for measuring moral distress in medical students, measuring the prevalence of moral distress in a cohort of students, and identifying the situations most likely to cause it. Moral distress, defined as the negative feelings that arise when one knows the morally correct thing to do but cannot act because of constraints or hierarchies, has been documented in nurses but has not been measured in medical students. Method The authors constructed a survey consisting of 55 items describing potentially distressing situations. Responders rated the frequency of these situations and the intensity of distress that they caused. The survey was administered to 106 fourth-year medical students during a three-week period in 2007; the response rate was 60%. Results Each of the situations was experienced by at least some of the 64 respondents, and each created some degree of moral distress. On average, students witnessed almost one-half of the situations at least once, and more than one-third of the situations caused mild-to-moderate distress. The survey measured individual distress (Cronbach alpha = 0.95), which varied among the students. Whereas women witnessed potentially distressing situations significantly more frequently than did men (P = .04), men tended to become more distressed by each event witnessed (P = .057). Conclusions Medical students frequently experience moral distress. Our survey can be used to measure aspects of the learning environment as well as individual responses to the environment. The variation found among student responses warrants further investigation to determine whether students at either extreme of moral distress are at risk of burnout or erosion of professionalism.
Hybrid path planning for nonholonomic mobile robot based on steering control and improved distance propagating

A hybrid path planner combining global optimization and quick obstacle avoidance is proposed for nonholonomic mobile robot path planning in partially known environments. This method can not only effectively plan a global optimal path using the prior environment information, but also quickly avoid the unknown obstacles based on the laser scanning. Using grid point sequence to represent the workspace, a global path planner based on the improved distance propagating method can generate a series of sub-goal-points to the target which are far from the obstacles. According to the information of the laser scanning, the steering control method is used as the local path planner to implement real-time obstacle avoidance. Experiment results in the clustered indoor scenes show the method's effectiveness and practicability.
Sagittal Profiles of the Spine in Scoliosis Associated With an Arnold-Chiari Malformation With Or Without Syringomyelia

The sagittal spine of children with Arnold-Chiari I malformation with or without syringomyelia and associated scoliosis (ACS) has been poorly studied. A retrospective review of scoliosis secondary to ACS from three centers was undertaken. Sagittal and coronal plane variables were measured from standing radiographs. There were 30 ACS children (19 girls, 11 boys) with an average curve of 50 ± 20° and age of 11.2 ± 3.2 years. Syringomyelia was present in 26 (87%). The scoliosis was thoracic in 25, thoracolumbar in 3 and lumbar in 2; 18 curves were right and 12 were left. A positive correlation was noted between cervical lordosis (CL) and thoracic kyphosis (TK). The 30 children with ACS scoliosis were compared with 26 children with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AID). The ACS group had more left curves (40% vs. 0%, P = 0.0002), more boys (37% vs. 8%, P = 0.01), and was younger (11.3 ± 3.7 years vs. 14.2 ± 1.8 years, P = 0.004). TK and CL were increased in ACS (TK: 40 ± 13° vs. 30 ± 13°, P = 0.005; CL: 16 ± 21° vs. −5 ± 12°, P < 0.0001). The ACS and AID groups were subdivided by CL >0° and <0°. In the ACS group, 19% (5 of 21) had CL <0°, in the AID group 77% (20 of 26) had CL <0° (P = 0.0001). When cervical lordosis is >0° or thoracic kyphosis is >40° (Cobb method), the clinician should strongly suspect the presence of an Arnold-Chiari I malformation with or without syringomyelia.
Evaluation and characterization of new α-L-rhamnosidase-producing yeast strains.

A total of thirty yeast strains were isolated from a whey beverage and screened for α-L-rhamnosidase enzyme production. Of these, only four isolates were capable of producing the α-L-rhamnosidase enzyme by hydrolyzing naringin. Scanning electron microscopy images showed that the morphology of the yeast isolate (isolate No. 84) producing the greatest enzyme, changed from oval to filamentous in the presence of naringin. On the basis of morphological and molecular characterization (ITS sequencing), these four isolates were identified as Clavispora lusitaniae-84, Clavispora lusitaniae-B82, Candida sp. -86 and Candida hyderabadensis-S82). Fermentation parameters and the biochemical characterization of the α-L-rhamnosidase-producing yeast isolates were studied based on carbon substrate utilization profiles using BIOLOG phenotype microarray plates. Intra-species genetic diversity among the isolates was evaluated by whole genome analysis with repetitive DNA sequences (ERIC, REP and BOX) based DNA fingerprinting. On the basis of these results, it was found that these isolates of yeast producing L-rhamnosidase have a great potential application for beverage quality enhancement, and can build a strong foundation of α-L-rhamnosidase-producing yeast strains in the debittering of citrus juice.
Establishment of a New Human Pneumococcal Standard Reference Serum, 007sp

ABSTRACT Lot 89SF has been the reference standard serum pool used in pneumococcal enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs) since 1990. In 2005, it was estimated that there remained between 2 and 5 years' supply of lot 89SF. Since lot 89SF was the reference standard used in the evaluation of the seven-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine Prevnar (PCV7), the link to clinical efficacy would be severed if stocks became completely depleted. Furthermore, demonstration of immune responses comparable to those elicited by PCV7 is a licensure approach used for new pneumococcal conjugate vaccines, so a replacement reference standard was required. A total of 278 volunteers were immunized with the 23-valent unconjugated polysaccharide vaccine Pneumovax II, and a unit of blood was obtained twice within 120 days following immunization. Plasma was prepared, pooled, and confirmed to be free from hepatitis B virus (HBV), hepatitis C virus (HCV), and HIV. The pooled serum was poured at 6 ml per vial into 15,333 vials and lyophilized. Immunological bridging of 007sp to 89SF was used to establish equivalent reference values for 13 pneumococcal capsular serotypes (1, 3, 4, 5, 6A, 6B, 7F, 9V, 14, 18C, 19A, 19F and 23F) by five independent laboratories. Antibody concentrations in 007sp were established relative to the lot 89SF reference preparation using the WHO reference ELISA. Subsequently, 12 existing WHO calibration sera had concentrations reassigned for 13 pneumococcal serotypes using new serum 007sp as the reference, and these were compared to concentrations relative to the original reference serum. Agreement was excellent for the 12 WHO calibration sera. The 007sp preparation has replaced 89SF as the pneumococcal reference standard. Sufficient quantity of this new preparation is available such that, with judicious use, it should be available for at least 25 years.
HMGB1 B box increases the permeability of Caco-2 enterocytic monolayers and impairs intestinal barrier function in mice.

BACKGROUND & AIMS High mobility group (HMG) B1 is a nonhistone nuclear protein that was recently identified as a late-acting mediator of lipopolysaccharide-induced lethality in mice. The proinflammatory actions of HMGB1 have been localized to a region of the molecule called the B box. METHODS To determine whether HMGB1 or B box are capable of causing derangements in intestinal barrier function, we incubated cultured Caco-2 human enterocytic monolayers with recombinant human HMGB1 or a 74-residue truncated form of the protein consisting of the B box domain. RESULTS Both HMGB1 and B box increased the permeability of Caco-2 monolayers to fluorescein isothiocyanate-labeled dextran (FD4) in a time- and dose-dependent fashion. The increase in permeability was reversible following removal of the recombinant protein. Exposure of Caco-2 cells to B box resulted in increased expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase messenger RNA and increased production of NO. When we used various pharmacologic strategies to inhibit NO production or scavenge NO or peroxynitrite (ONOO(-)), we abrogated B box-induced hyperpermeability. Administration of B box to wild-type mice increased both ileal mucosal permeability to FD4 and bacterial translocation to mesenteric lymph nodes. These effects were not observed in inducible nitric oxide synthase knockout mice. CONCLUSIONS These data support the view that HMGB1 and B box are capable of causing alterations in gut barrier function via a mechanism that depends on the formation of NO and ONOO(-).
Protein kinase C-beta 1 gene variants are not associated with autism in the Irish population

Some evidences indicate that protein kinase C-beta 1 (PRKCB1) gene may be a predisposition locus of autism. A recent study reported evidence of association between autism and two haplotypes made up of six noncoding single nucleotide polymorphisms in the PRKCB1. To attempt replication of their findings, we examined the same six single nucleotide polymorphisms of PRKCB1 in 171 Irish autism trios. The haploview program was used to calculate D′ as a measure of linkage disequilibrium. The transmission disequilibrium test for single nucleotide polymorphism markers and haplotypes was carried out using the TDTPHASE and PDTPHASE from the UNPHASED version 2.404 programs. Transmission disequilibrium test analysis showed no evidence of association for any of the six single nucleotide polymorphisms at the PRKCB1 that we studied, or any of their haplotypes. Our data do not support the finding that the PRKCB1 gene variants contribute risk for the development of autism.
Hodgkin-lymphoma-derived cells show high sensitivity to dactinomycin and paclitaxel

Depending on stage and risk factors, up to 30% of patients with advanced Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) progress or relapse. Patients with pleural effusions have a particularly poor prognosis and this stage of HL is regularly resistant to chemotherapy. All currently available HL cell lines are derived from late stage HL patients. In the present study we measured the sensitivity of these HL lines against the 26 most frequently used cytostatic drugs. We used a novel fluorescent short-term survival assay where the cell was incubated with the drugs for 4 days. The precise number of differentially stained live and dead cells was determined using a custom-built automated laser confocal fluorescent microscope. We found that HL cells, independently of their origin, showed very similar sensitivity patterns for several of the drugs. All HL cell lines were highly sensitive to dactinomycin, paclitaxel and etoposide. Our data suggest that the inclusion of dactinomycin and paclitaxel into chemotherapy protocols against late stage Hodgkin lymphoma with pleural effusion may be justified.
Lack of mecA transcription in slime-negative phase variants of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus epidermidis

Five phase variants (PV1 to PV5) of the well-characterized, slime-producing, methicillin-resistant, pathogenic strain of Staphylococcus epidermidis sensu strictu RP62A (ATCC 35984) were isolated by the Congo red agar method. In comparison with the parent strain, the phase variants showed a different colonial morphology on Congo red agar, a strongly reduced adherence capacity, and decreased levels of resistance to methicillin, oxacillin, and penicillin. All phase variants yielded biochemical reaction patterns and profiles in pulsed-field gel electrophoresis identical to those of parent strain RP62A, indicating a common origin. All phase variants proved to have the capacity to shift back to the original phenotype of parent strain RP62A. A search for the resistance mechanisms of strain RP62A revealed beta-lactamase production and the presence of mecA in PV1 to PV5 as well as parent strain RP62A. In Northern blots of total staphylococcal RNA, the phase variants showed no detectable mecA-specific transcription product, whereas parent strain RP62A revealed a strong signal, indicating that mecA transcription is not the mechanism responsible for the decreased methicillin resistance phenotype of phase variants PV1 to PV5.
Improvement of channel capacity on MIMO antenna systems with antenna pattern selection

Although MIMO (multi-input multi-output) has attracted attention as an efficient communication technology for high frequency use, the channel capacity of MIMO systems depends primarily on radio propagation. Therefore, development of a MIMO antenna system that can obtain high channel capacity in a variety of propagation environments is important. This paper focuses on antenna pattern selection (APS system) by providing multiple directional patterns that can be switched to each antenna element of the receiver according to the propagation environment.
Novel full‐spectral flow cytometry with multiple spectrally‐adjacent fluorescent proteins and fluorochromes and visualization of in vivo cellular movement

Flow cytometric analysis with multicolor fluoroprobes is an essential method for detecting biological signatures of cells. Here, we present a new full‐spectral flow cytometer (spectral‐FCM). Unlike conventional flow cytometer, this spectral‐FCM acquires the emitted fluorescence for all probes across the full‐spectrum from each cell with 32 channels sequential PMT unit after dispersion with prism, and extracts the signals of each fluoroprobe based on the spectral shape of each fluoroprobe using unique algorithm in high speed, high sensitive, accurate, automatic and real‐time. The spectral‐FCM detects the continuous changes in emission spectra from green to red of the photoconvertible protein, KikGR with high‐spectral resolution and separates spectrally‐adjacent fluoroprobes, such as FITC (Emission peak (Em) 519 nm) and EGFP (Em 507 nm). Moreover, the spectral‐FCM can measure and subtract autofluorescence of each cell providing increased signal‐to‐noise ratios and improved resolution of dim samples, which leads to a transformative technology for investigation of single cell state and function. These advances make it possible to perform 11‐color fluorescence analysis to visualize movement of multilinage immune cells by using KikGR‐expressing mice. Thus, the novel spectral flow cytometry improves the combinational use of spectrally‐adjacent various FPs and multicolor fluorochromes in metabolically active cell for the investigation of not only the immune system but also other research and clinical fields of use. © 2015 The Authors. Cytometry Part A Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of ISAC
Enhancement of post-ultraviolet killing in Escherichia coli K-12 through the action of gyrase inhibitors: evidence for associated gyrase-recBC deoxyribonuclease function

This work in conjunction with the results presented in an earlier report (M. A. Purdy and K. L. Yielding, Antimicrob. Agents Chemother. 10:182--184, 1976) showed the following. (i) Nalidixic acid and novobiocin could inhibit post-ultraviolet and post-X-ray survival, implicating gyrase function in deoxyribonucleic acid repair. (ii) The inhibition of post-ultraviolet survival requires the action of functional recBC deoxyribonuclease. (iii) Structural changes in the gyrase could (a) cause recBC mutants to exhibit enhancement of post-ultraviolet killing in the presence of novobiocin, (b) increase the ultraviolet sensitivity of recBC mutants, and (c) enhance the thermal lability of a recBCts mutant.
Comparative Evaluation of Flow for Pharmaceutical Powders and Granules

The objective of the present work was to carry out a systematic evaluation of flow of pharmaceutical powders and granules using compendial and non-compendial methods. Angle of repose, bulk density, tapped density, Carr’s compressibility index, and Hausner ratios were evaluated. Additionally, flow was characterized using a powder rheometer in which a sensitive force transducer monitors the forces generated as a result of the sample displacement. The critical attributes such as cohesivity index, caking strength, and flow stability were determined for samples. The samples consisted of different grades of magnesium stearate powder including bovine, vegetable, and food grade, physical mixture powder blend consisting of a model formulation, granules prepared by various methods including slugging, high shear granulator, and fluid bed dryer. Lubricant efficiency was also determined for granules lubricated with various concentrations of magnesium stearate. It was observed that the compendial methods were often non-discriminating for minor variations in powder flow. The additional characterization such as cohesivity, and caking strength were helpful in understanding the flow characteristics of pharmaceutical systems. The flow stability test determined that the powders were not affected by the test conditions on the rheometer. The non-compendial tests were discriminating to even minor variations in powder flow.
Selected Human Physiological Responses During Extreme Heat: The Badwater Ultramarathon

Abstract Brown, JS and Connolly, DA. Selected human physiological responses during extreme heat: The Badwater Ultramarathon. J Strength Cond Res 29(6): 1729–1736, 2015—The purpose of this article was to examine various physiological responses during an ultramarathon held in extreme heat. Our investigation was conducted at The Badwater Ultramarathon, a nonstop 217-km run across Death Valley, CA, USA. This study recruited 4 male athletes, average age of 43 (±SD) (±7.35), (range) 39–54 years. All 4 subjects successfully completed the race with a mean finish time of 36:20:23 hours (±SD) (±3:08:38) (range) 34:05:25–40:51:46 hours, and a mean running speed of 6.03 km·h−1 (±SD) (±0.05), (range) 5.3–6.4 km·h−1. The anthropometric variables measured were (mean, ±SD) mass 79.33 kg (±6.43), height 1.80 m (±0.09), body surface area 1.93 m2 (±0.16), body mass index 24.38 kg·m−2 (±1.25), fat mass 13.88% (±2.29), and body water 62.08% (±1.56). Selected physiological variables measured were core body temperature, skin temperature, heart rate, breathing rate, and blood pressure. Rate of perceived intensity, rate of thermal sensation, and environmental factors were also monitored. Our study found (mean and ±SD) core body temperature 37.49° C (±0.88); skin temperature 31.13° C (±3.06); heart rate 106.79 b·min−1 (±5.11); breathing rate 36.55 b·min−1 (±0.60); blood pressure 128/86 mm Hg (±9.24/4.62); rate of perceived intensity 5.49 (±1.26); rate of thermal sensation 4.69 (±0.37); daytime high temperature of 46.6° C, and a mean temperature of 28.35° C. Our fastest finisher demonstrated a lower overall core body temperature (36.91° C) when compared with the group mean (37.49° C). In contrast to previous findings, our data show that the fastest finisher demonstrates a lower overall core body temperature. We conclude that it may be possible that a time threshold exists whereby success in longer duration events requires an ability to maintain a lower core body temperature vs. tolerating a higher core body temperature.