Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
How to facilitate decisions about surplus embryos: patients' views.

BACKGROUND In Victoria, Australia, legislation governing fertility treatment provides that surplus human embryos must not be stored for longer than 5 years. Couples must then choose one of three options: discard, donate to research or donate to another infertile couple. Previous research suggests that many people find these decisions difficult and emotionally distressing. This study aims to elucidate the nature of these difficulties and to identify ways in which the decision-making process could be facilitated. METHODS This project used a combination of qualitative research methods. In total, 42 people agreed to participate in either a structured interview or a group discussion. All participants had completed IVF treatment and had surplus embryos in storage. The aim of the interviews was to discuss participants' decision making regarding their surplus embryos. Data were thematically analysed. RESULTS Most participants described the decision-making process as difficult and emotional. Findings indicate that participants could be assisted by more information about each of their current options, and opportunities to talk to others in similar situations. Many responded positively to the idea of having more options, including choice about which research projects to donate to (directed research), and about the recipients of their donated embryos (directed donation). CONCLUSIONS This study suggests that there are practical ways to assist people in making decisions about their surplus embryos, which could be easily implemented. In addition, the study demonstrated interest in the possibility of directed donation to other couples.
Étude des processus de construction d'algorithmes et de programmes par les petits enfants à l'aide de jouets programmables

L'objectif du travail est l'etude des processus de construction d'algorithmes et de programmes par les enfants de l'ecole maternelle en utilisant des jouets programmables. Dans ce cadre, nous avons concu et implemente des scenarios pedagogiques dont l'objectif est le developpement des concepts preliminaires d'algorithmique et de programmation par les enfants de cet âge. Par une analyse detaillee de la maniere avec laquelle une centaine d'enfants de 4 a 6 ans concoivent, verbalisent et executent des algorithmes en utilisant le jouet programmable Bee-Bot nous essayons d'eclaircir certaines questions par rapport a la construction des concepts preliminaires de programmation. Nos resultats montrent que les enfants dans leur majorite construisent des algorithmes sequentiels avec plusieurs commandes (de six a douze). Le debogage devient un processus habituel car le tiers des enfants procede a des corrections effectives de leur programme. Enfin, les enfants mettent en route plusieurs strategies de programmation.
Advances in Brief Rhabdomyosarcoma Spheroids with Central Proliferation and Differentiation1

A novel type of multicellular spheroids was established and character ized with regard to growth behavior, proliferation, and differentiation. The spheroids were grown from clonal rat rhabdomyosarcoma cells using the spinner flask technique. The cell aggregates showed several unique properties that were different from those observed in most of the spher oids investigated to date. These properties include a non-Gompertzian volume growth; the coexistence of undifferentiated mononuclear cells and of differentiated, myotube-like giant cells with numerous nuclei; a rela tively homogeneous intraspheroidal distribution of proliferating mononuclear cells with thymidine labeling even in the center of spheroids > 1 mm; the absence of necrosis in such large spheroids, and the accumulation of myotube-like cells in the center of these spheroids instead. There was a decrease in the overall proliferative activity of the mononuclear cells with increasing proportion of giant cells in the rhabdomyosarcoma spheroids.
Agreement between self-reported sleep patterns and actigraphy in fibromyalgia and healthy women.

OBJECTIVES To examine the agreement between objective (accelerometer) and subjective measures of sleep in fibromyalgia women (FW) and healthy women (HW). To identify explanatory variables of the discrepancies between the objective and subjective measures in FW and in HW. METHODS 127 diagnosed FW and 53 HW filled the Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire (FIQ) and wore the SenseWear Pro Armband (SWA) for 7 days in order to assess sleep over the last week. Participants completed the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) when the SWA was returned. RESULTS The SWA showed greater total duration (74 vs. 88 min/day) and average duration (7 vs. 9 min) of wake after sleep onset in FW compared with HW. The PSQI showed poorer sleep quality in all the variables studied in FW than in HW (all, p<0.001), except time in bed. There was a lack of inter-method agreement for total sleep time, sleep time without naps and sleep latency in FW. Age and educational status explained the inter-method mean difference in sleep time in FW. High discrepancy in sleep time between the SWA and the PSQI was related to higher FIQ scores (p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS The objective measure only showed higher frequency and average duration of wake after sleep onset in FW compared with HW. The agreement between the SWA and the PSQI measures of sleep were poor in the FW group. Age, educational level and the impact of fibromyalgia might be explanatory variables of the inter-method discrepancies in FW.
Lamotrigine augmentation in schizophrenia and schizoaffective patients with obsessive-compulsive symptoms

Obsessive-compulsive symptoms (OCS) are clinically important phenomena in schizophrenia patients. Lamotrigine has a modulating effect on glutamatergic neurotransmission relevant to pathophysiology of both schizophrenia and OCD. Efficacy and tolerability of lamotrigine in schizophrenia and schizoaffective patients with comorbid OCS were evaluated. In an 8-week, open-label trial, lamotrigine (25 mg/day for 1 week, 50 mg for 2 weeks, 100 mg for 2 weeks, 200 mg for 3 weeks) was added to ongoing psychotropic drug regimens in schizophrenia (N = 5) and schizoaffective disorder (N = 6) patients with clinically significant OCS [Yale-Brown Obsessive-Compulsive Scale (Y-BOCS) score > 16]. The Y-BOCS score for nine completers decreased significantly from baseline to week 8 (22.9 ± 6.1 vs 17.4 ± 3.6; t = 2.33, df = 1, P = 0.033). Five patients, all with schizoaffective disorder, were responders (≥35% decrease in Y-BOCS score). No significant changes were detected in schizophrenia symptom severity. Depressive symptoms, assessed with the Calgary Depression Rating Scale, improved significantly (6.4 ± 1.5 vs 4.0 ± 2.5; t = 3.19, df = 1, P = 0.013); this change positively correlated with OCS improvement (r = 0.69, P = 0.04). Lamotrigine was safe and well tolerated. Explicit evaluation of therapeutic efficacy of adjunctive lamotrigine in schizoaffective disorder patients with comorbid OCS merits further investigation.
Infant oral health care: beliefs and practices of American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry members.

PURPOSE The purpose of this study was to survey American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD) members about their beliefs and practices regarding the age 1 dental visit. METHODS A 31-item survey was mailed to 1,500 randomly selected AAPD members to assess their beliefs and practices regarding the age 1 dental visit and prenatal dental counseling. Descriptive analyses and chi-square tests were done to analyze the data. RESULTS Five hundred fifty-four (~37%) surveys were returned; 496 (91%) respondents agreed with the AAPD Policy on the Dental Home, while 490 (~90%) respondents performed age 1 dental evaluations. The most commonly cited reason respondents gave for not performing infant evaluations was "parents do not see the value. " Eighty-five (~15 %) respondents provided prenatal dental counseling to members in their community, and 250 (~51%) who performed infant oral evaluations inquired about parents' dental history. Younger, more recently trained pediatric dentists were more likely to agree with the policy compared to older, more experienced pediatric dentists. CONCLUSIONS Most respondents agreed with the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry's Policy on the Dental Home and performed infant oral evaluations. Few respondents (15%) provided prenatal dental counseling to individuals/groups in their community.
Is folklore use of Euphorbia helioscopia devoid of toxic effects?

Abstract Objective: To evaluate acute toxic effects of Euphorbia helioscopia in order to assure the safety and usefulness of herbal remedy. Materials and methods: The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) for chemical testing guidelines No. 425 for acute oral toxicity testing were followed in this study. Mice were divided into three groups (n = 5). Group I served as control. Groups II and III were administered methanol extract of E. helioscopia leaves and latex orally at dose of 2000 mg/kg, respectively. Then, all the animals were observed for two weeks. Blood sampling was done by cardiac puncture after 14 days from each group for biochemical analysis. Histopathology was performed to find out any microscopic lesion in vital organs. Results and discussion: LD50 was found greater than 2000 mg/kg. There was decrease in cholesterol, triglycerides, LDL and VLDL levels of latex and leaves with methanol extract-treated animals, with respect to control indicating plant’s hypolipidemic effect. On macroscopic examination, no lesions were found on vital organs, such as liver, heart and kidney; and normal architecture was observed on microscopic examination. Conclusion: On the basis of results, it was concluded that methanol extract of E. helioscopia leaves and latex were devoid of toxic effects in acute toxicity study.
Troop Size and Human‐Modified Habitat Affect the Ranging Patterns of a Chacma Baboon Population in the Cape Peninsula, South Africa

Differences in group size and habitat use are frequently used to explain the extensive variability in ranging patterns found across the primate order. However, with few exceptions, our understanding of primate ranging patterns stems from studies of single groups and both intra‐ and inter‐specific meta‐analyses. Studies with many groups and those that incorporate whole populations are rare but important for testing socioecological theory in primates. We quantify the ranging patterns of nine chacma baboon troops in a single population and use Spearman rank correlations and generalized linear mixed models to analyze the effects of troop size and human‐modified habitat (a proxy for good quality habitat) on home range size, density (individuals/km2), and daily path length. Intrapopulation variation in home range sizes (1.5–37.7 km2), densities (1.3–12.1 baboons/km2), and daily path lengths (1.80–6.61 km) was so vast that values were comparable to those of baboons inhabiting the climatic extremes of their current distribution. Both troop size and human‐modified habitat had an effect on ranging patterns. Larger troops had larger home ranges and longer daily path lengths, while troops that spent more time in human‐modified habitat had shorter daily path lengths. We found no effect of human‐modified habitat on home range size or density. These results held when we controlled for the effects of both a single large outlier troop living exclusively in human‐modified habitat and baboon monitors on our spatial variables. Our findings confirm the ability of baboons, as behaviorally adaptable dietary generalists, to not only survive but also to thrive in human‐modified habitats with adjustments to their ranging patterns in accordance with current theory. Our findings also caution that studies focused on only a small sample of groups within a population of adaptable and generalist primate species may underestimate the variability in their respective localities. Am. J. Primatol. 74:853‐863, 2012. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
2-Chlorobenzene-1,4-diaminium bis(dihydrogenphosphate)

The asymmetric unit of the title salt, C6H9ClN2 2+·2H2PO4 −, contains two dihydrogenphosphate anions and one 2-chlorobenzene-1,4-diaminium dication. The H2PO4 − anions are interconnected through strong O—H⋯O hydrogen bonds to form two-dimensional infinite layers parallel to (001). The organic entities are anchored to the inorganic layers through N—H⋯O hydrogen bonds, and through weak C—Cl⋯O halogen bonds [3.159 (2) Å, 140.48 (7)°]. No π–π stacking interactions between neighboring aromatic rings or C—H⋯π interactions towards them are observed. Minor disorder is observed for the Cl atom and one hydroxy group [minor-component occupancy = 3.29 (9)%].
Exposure assessment of dioxins/furans consumed in dairy foods and fish

Dioxins/furans are ubiquitous environmental contaminants whose primary route of human exposure occurs via the consumption of fatty foods of animal origin. The US FDA conducted a market basket survey of dairy products and commercial fish and shellfish to obtain data on levels of 17 dioxin/furan congeners (2, 3, 7, 8- congeners) in the US. The dairy products sampled included various cheeses (American, cheddar, Swiss, cottage), ice cream, yogurt, butter, and milk. The finfish and shellfish (molluscs and crustacea) sampled are those marine species consumed in the greatest amounts and include canned tuna, shrimp, cod, blue crab, and oysters. Catfish was sampled because it is the dominant aquaculture species. Samples were collected in 1995/96 and analysis for 17 dioxin/furan congeners was performed by high-resolution gas chromatography following extraction and clean-up. Limits of detection (LOD) and quantitation (LOQ) for each congener in each food were reported. Point estimates of exposure were calculated using a 3-day (1-day diary plus 2-day recall) food consumption survey for eaters-only and for the general population (USDA/CSFII, 1989-92). Toxicity equivalency factors (TEFs) developed by the World Health Organization (1997) were used to derive overall dioxin/furan toxicity equivalents (TEQ) for each sample food. Mean estimates of TEQ exposure for each food were derived using five values for nondetects (ND 0; ND 1/2 LOD or LOQ; ND = LOD or LOQ) on both a total sample and eaters-only basis. Using zero and the LOD provide lower and upper bounds on the range of estimated exposure, respectively. The bounds on mean dioxin intakes (pg/person/ day) calculated for consumers of specific foods were estimated as follows (using zero or LOD for nondetects): butter (0.5–11), cheese (1.6–3.2), ice cream (4–19), yogurt (0.8–28), catfish (148Z–150), fish (other than catfish) (0.03–9), crustacea (32–35), mollusks (16.1–16.6), and shrimp (0.09–4.5). Exposure estimates derived by the five ND-methods are strongly dependent on the LOD and LOQ and represent upper bound estimates of exposure. Uncertainty in the exposure estimates is reduced with refinements in the analytical method.
A randomized trial of nortriptyline for smoking cessation.

BACKGROUND Smoking cessation rates with current therapy are suboptimal. One class of drugs that may improve cessation is the tricyclics. OBJECTIVE To add nortriptyline hydrochloride to a behavioral smoking cessation program to enhance cessation rates and reduce withdrawal symptoms. SUBJECTS AND METHODS We conducted a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial at an affiliated Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center and an Army Medical Center. Subjects were aged 18 through 70 years, smoked 10 or more cigarettes per day, and were without current major depression. Nortriptyline hydrochloride or matched placebo was started at 25 mg before bed 10 days prior to quit day and titrated to 75 mg/d or to the maximal tolerated dose. The behavioral intervention consisted of 2 group sessions and 12 individual follow-up visits. Withdrawal symptoms were measured using a daily diary, and smoking cessation was defined as self-reported abstinence, expired carbon monoxide of 9 ppm or less, and a 6-month urine cotinine level of less than 50 ng/mL. RESULTS A total of 214 patients were randomized (108 to nortriptyline and 106 to placebo). There was a significant reduction in several withdrawal symptoms including anxious/tense, anger/irritability, difficulty concentrating, restlessness, and impatience by day 8 after quit day in the nortriptyline group. The cessation rate at 6 months was 15 (14%) of 108 and 3 (3%) of 106, respectively (P = .003; absolute difference, 11%; 95% confidence interval, -18% to -4%). Nortriptyline caused frequent adverse effects, including dry mouth (64%) and dysgeusia (20%). CONCLUSIONS We conclude that nortriptyline led to an increased short-term cessation rate compared with placebo. In addition, there were significant, but relatively small, reductions in withdrawal symptoms. Nortriptyline may represent a new therapeutic approach to smoking cessation.
Joint timing and frequency synchronization for IEEE 802.16 OFDM systems

In this paper we present joint timing and frequency synchronization algorithms for IEEE 802.16 orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) systems. It is found that the proposed integer frequency offset (IFO) estimation can tolerate large IFO experienced by the 802.16 OFDM systems and is insensitive to timing error. For multipath channel, the fine timing synchronization provides not only the accurate position of incoming frame but also the positions of several paths that have large power. These positions can be used to locate the FFT window properly to eliminate inter-symbol interference (ISI). Simulation results demonstrate that the proposed joint timing and frequency synchronization algorithms have good performance even at low signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) in multipath environment with large frequency offset
NOVEL PROTEINS COMPRISING THE STRAMENOPILE TRIPARTITE MASTIGONEME IN OCHROMONAS DANICA (CHRYSOPHYCEAE) 1

Two‐dimensional (2‐D) protein analysis of the mastigoneme fraction of the chromophyte alga Ochromonas danica E. G. Pringsh. showed the presence of several component proteins of the tubular mastigoneme. Adding to the reported gene Ocm1, three new genes (Ocm2, Ocm3, and Ocm4) belonging to the Ocm gene family were isolated using degenerate primers designed from predicted Ocm1 amino acid sequences. The predicted polypeptides encoded by Ocm2, Ocm3, and Ocm4 were smaller in size than Ocm1. However, they shared four highly conserved, cysteine‐rich, epithelial growth factor (EGF)‐like motifs, potentially involved in protein–protein interaction. In addition, Ocm2, Ocm3, and Ocm4 showed homology to the SIG protein family in the centric diatom Thalassiosira weissflogii (Grunow) Fryxell et Hasle, which is up‐regulated during early stages of sexual reproduction. Immunofluorescence analysis with a polyclonal antibody against the partial amino acid sequences of Ocm2, Ocm3, and Ocm4 showed that Ocm2 and Ocm3 were located in the basal segment region of mastigonemes attached on the surface of the anterior flagellum, and that Ocm4 was located within the tubular shaft portion similar to Ocm1.
The effect of perceived health status on patient satisfaction.

OBJECTIVE To examine the effect of perceived health status on three components of patient satisfaction. METHODS The Household Component of the 1999 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey for people 35-64 years of age was used to examine the effect of perceived health status on patient satisfaction measured in terms of access to care, provider quality and quality of care. Descriptive statistics and multivariate regression were used to describe the subjects and to examine the relationship between patient satisfaction and perceived health status controlling for patient demographic factors, health factors and provider characteristics. All analyses used STATA 8.0 which is designed to analyze weighted data. RESULTS A total of 4,417 patients (71% women) met the inclusion criteria for the study. Patients who rated their health excellent or good scored higher on the three dimensions of patient satisfaction. Higher scores on one or more components of patient satisfaction were associated with being older, married, better educated and having higher income, health insurance and good mental health. Seeing the health-care provider for an old problem resulted in lower levels of patient satisfaction. Provider characteristics significantly related to patient satisfaction were listening to the patient, being a specialist, seeing patients in an office setting and being located in the South. CONCLUSIONS This study has shown that patient satisfaction is influenced by a person's self-perceived health status and other personal characteristics that are external to the delivery of health care. These findings suggest that patient satisfaction data should be used judiciously because a significant portion of the variation may be attributed to factors endogenous to the patient and therefore are not amenable to provider intervention.
The feasibility of introducing solar ovens to rural women in Maphephethe

Vorige navorsing het bewys dat die potensiaal vir die bemagtiging van baie landelike vroue in ‘n beter manier van beide kook en die versameling van brandhout le. Die vele huishoudelike pligte van vroue kan so verlig word. ‘n Sonkookprojek is na aanleiding van hierdie bevinding in Maphephethe, ‘n landelike gemeenskap omtrent 80 km wes van Durban, geinisieer. Die doel met die projek was drievoudig: om die sonoondtegnologie in die gebied bekend te stel, om ‘n kookprofiel op te stel ten einde die geskiktheid van sonkookmetodes vir die plaaslike omstandighede te bepaal, en om die mense te leer hoe om eenvoudige, goedkoop sonoonde te bou. Formele vraelyste, fokusgroepe en informele gesprekke is gebruik om die data in te samel en om die nuwe tegnologie aan die gemeenskap bekend te stel. Die resultate dui daarop dat sonkook in Maphephethe moontlik is, alhoewel sekere aspekte aandag moet geniet en die tegnologie daarvolgens aangepas moet word. Die geslagstereotipes wat aan tegnologieoordrag verbonde is, is bespreek, en ‘n pad vorentoe is aangewys om die tegnologie meer aanvaarbaar te maak.
A High-Order Model for Fast Estimation of Electromagnetic Absorption Induced by Multiple Transmitters in Portable Devices

In the development of 5G communication systems, multiantenna transmitting architectures and millimeter-wave operating frequency bands are effective ways to improve the communication data rate. In order to estimate the electromagnetic exposure under multiantenna transmitters installed in portable devices working in long-term evolution (LTE) and millimeter-wave bands, this paper generalizes a low-order model to higher orders based on the Fourier series expansion for a fast and accurate evaluation and prediction of electromagnetic absorption (EA) as a function of the phase difference among multiple transmitters. Several numerical and experimental examples are given to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed high-order model in multiple LTE, 5G, and millimeter-wave communication bands. With the excellent capability of calculating and predicting EA with a low error, this high-order model can be used to improve the bio-electromagnetic performances of multiantenna portable devices when combined with other communication technologies.