Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Lithium as an adjunct to radioactive iodine for the treatment of hyperthyroidism: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND Radioactive iodine (RAI) is commonly used in the treatment of hyperthyroidism but is not uniformly successful. Lithium increases thyroidal iodine retention without reducing iodide uptake, increasing the radiation dose to the thyroid when administered with RAI. Although these actions suggest that adjuvant lithium may increase the efficacy of RAI, its role as an adjunct to RAI remains contentious. OBJECTIVE To evaluate the safety and efficacy of adding lithium to RAI to treat hyperthyroidism. METHODS Relevant studies were identified by a search of Medline and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials. To be included, a study had to be a controlled trial comparing the effect of RAI alone to RAI with lithium in the treatment of hyperthyroidism. Relevant data were extracted and meta-analyses were performed. RESULTS Of the 75 identified studies, 6 met the inclusion criteria; 4 of these studies were interventional and 2 were observational trials. Meta-analysis of the observational trials (N = 851), both of which were retrospective cohort studies, showed significant improvement in the primary outcome (i.e., cure rate) with adjunctive lithium (odds ratio [OR], 1.92; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.24 to 2.96). The combined interventional trials (N = 485) also showed an improvement in cure rate, but the difference did not reach statistical significance (OR, 1.28; 95% CI, 0.85 to 1.91). Adjunctive lithium reduced time to cure and blunted thyroid hormone excursions after RAI. Lithium-related side effects were infrequent and usually mild. CONCLUSION The observational trials demonstrated significant improvement in the cure rate of hyperthyroidism when lithium is added to RAI. The improvements shown in the interventional trials did not reach statistical significance due to the effect of a single, large negative trial.
An evolutionary algorithm coupled with the Hooke-Jeeves algorithm for tuning a chess evaluation function

In a previous paper presented at CEC'2011, we reported the implementation of a chess engine based on evo- lutionary programming with a selection mechanism that relied on grandmaster's chess games. The objective was to decide the virtual players that would pass to the following generation. Here, we use these same techniques to adjust a larger number of weights (29 in this work instead of the 5 used in the previous one). The aim was to improve the rating of our chess engine. We also introduce here the use of a local search scheme based on the Hooke-Jeeves algorithm, which is adopted to adjust the weights of the best virtual player obtained in the evolutionary process. As our results indicate, this produced a further improvement in the rating of our chess engine. As in our previous work, the material values of the additional pieces considered here are similar to the values known from chess theory.
Outcome Trajectories among Homeless Individuals with Mental Disorders in a Multisite Randomised Controlled Trial of Housing First

Purpose: Housing First (HF) has been shown to improve housing stability, on average, for formerly homeless adults with mental illness. However, little is known about patterns of change and characteristics that predict different outcome trajectories over time. This article reports on latent trajectories of housing stability among 2140 participants (84% followed 24 months) of a multisite randomised controlled trial of HF. Methods: Data were analyzed using generalised growth mixture modeling for the total cohort. Predictor variables were chosen based on the original program logic model and detailed reviews of other qualitative and quantitative findings. Treatment group assignment and level of need at baseline were included in the model. Results: In total, 73% of HF participants and 43% of treatment-as-usual (TAU) participants were in stable housing after 24 months of follow-up. Six trajectories of housing stability were identified for each of the HF and TAU groups. Variables that distinguished different trajectories included gender, age, prior month income, Aboriginal status, total time homeless, previous hospitalizations, overall health, psychiatric symptoms, and comorbidity, while others such as education, diagnosis, and substance use problems did not. Conclusion: While the observed patterns and their predictors are of interest for further research and general service planning, no set of variables is yet known that can accurately predict the likelihood of particular individuals benefiting from HF programs at the outset.
Correlates of Syphilis Seroreactivity Among Pregnant Women: The HIVNET 024 Trial in Malawi, Tanzania, and Zambia

Objectives: The objectives of this cross-sectional study were to determine correlates of syphilis seroprevalence among HIV-infected and -uninfected antenatal attendees in an African multisite clinical trial, and to improve strategies for maternal syphilis prevention. Results: A total of 2270 (86%) women were HIV-infected and 366 (14%) were HIV-uninfected. One hundred seventy-five (6.6%) were syphilis-seropositive (7.3% among HIV-infected and 2.6% HIV-uninfected women). Statistically significant correlates included geographic site (odds ratio [OR] = 4.5, Blantyre; OR = 3.2, Lilongwe; OR = 9.0, Lusaka vs. Dar es Salaam referent); HIV infection (OR = 3.3); age 20 to 24 years (OR = 2.5); being divorced, widowed, or separated (OR = 2.9); genital ulcer treatment in the last year (OR = 2.9); history of stillbirth (OR = 2.8, one stillbirth; OR = 4.3, 2–5 stillbirths); and history of preterm delivery (OR = 2.7, one preterm delivery). Conclusion: Many women without identified risk factors were syphilis-seropositive. Younger HIV-infected women were at highest risk. Universal integrated antenatal HIV and syphilis screening and treatment is essential in sub-Saharan African settings.
Changing Immigrant Characteristics and Pre-Landing Canadian Earnings: Their Effect on Entry Earnings over the 1990s and 2000s

Abstract:Au cours des années 1990 et 2000, plusieurs des caractéristiques des immigrants arrivés au Canada ont changé, dont le degré de scolarité, la catégorie d’admission, la région d’origine et le niveau d’expérience de travail acquise au Canada avant l’arrivée ; ces changements sont en partie attribuables aux modifications apportées aux politiques de sélection des immigrants. Dans cet article, nous nous demandons si ces changements ont influencé l’évolution des revenus des immigrants. Nos résultats montrent que, si l’on neutralise l’effet des fluctuations cycliques, les revenus initiaux de l’ensemble des nouveaux immigrants et des demandeurs principaux de la catégorie économique n’ont que peu changé au cours des années 1990 et 2000. Cela est dû aux effets inverses de divers phénomènes, certains influençant les revenusà la hausse et d’autresà la baisse. Les changements les plus importants dans les caractéristiques des immigrants qui ont entraîné une tendanceà la hausse des revenus initiaux sont, durant les années 1990, la hausse du niveau de scolaritéà l’arrivée, et, durant les années 2000, l’augmentation de la proportion des immigrants qui avaient une expérience de travail canadienne avant de s’installer au pays. Cette dernière caractéristique explique aussi l’avantage dont ont profité les candidats des provinces en matière de revenus par rapport aux immigrants de la catégorie des travailleurs qualifiés. Ces observations ont des implications en matière de politiques publiques, et nous en discutonsà la fin.Abstract:During the 1990s and 2000s, the characteristics of new immigrants to Canada changed significantly across several dimensions, including education, admission class, source region, and pre-landing Canadian work experience, owing at least partly to changes in immigration selection policies. This article examines whether these changes affected earnings trends among immigrants. Among all new immigrants and economic principal applicants, aside from cyclical fluctuations, entry earnings changed little over the 1990s and 2000s. This stability was the result of competing influences, some that tended to increase earnings and some that tended to reduce them. The key changes in immigrant characteristics that put upward pressure on entry earnings were the rising educational attainment in the 1990s and a large increase in the share of immigrants with high pre-landing Canadian earnings during the 2000s. The latter characteristic also accounted for the earnings advantage of provincial nominees over skilled worker immigrants. The policy implications of the results are discussed.
Randomized, prospective trial of noninvasive positive pressure ventilation in acute respiratory failure.

Recent studies suggest that noninvasive positive pressure ventilation (NPPV) administered by nasal or oronasal mask avoids the need for endotracheal intubation, rapidly improves vital signs, gas exchange, and sense of dyspnea, and may reduce mortality in selected patients with acute respiratory failure, but few controlled trials have been done. The present study used a randomized prospective design to evaluate the possible benefits of NPPV plus standard therapy versus standard therapy alone in patients with acute respiratory failure. Patients to receive NPPV were comfortably fitted with a standard nasal mask connected to a BiPAP ventilatory assist device (Respironics, Inc., Murrysville, PA) in the patient flow-triggered/time-triggered (S/T) mode, and standard therapy consisted of all other treatments deemed necessary by the primary physician, including endotracheal intubation. The need for intubation was reduced from 73% in the standard therapy group (11 of 15 patients) to 31% in the NPPV group (5 of 16 patients, p < 0.05). Among chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients, the reduction was even more striking, with 8 of 12 (67%) control patients requiring intubation compared with 1 of 11 (9%) NPPV patients (p < 0.05). Heart and respiratory rates were significantly lower in the NPPV group than in control patients within 1 h, and PaO2 was significantly improved in the NPPV group for the first 6 h. Dyspnea scores and maximal inspiratory pressures were better in the NPPV than in control patients at 6 h, and nurses and therapists spent similar amounts of time at the bedside for both groups. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Detection of in vitro demineralization of primary teeth using quantitative light-induced fluorescence (QLF).

INTRODUCTION With the advent of remineralizing therapies and the new, conservative approach to restoration placement, interest in detecting and monitoring subclinical, precavitated lesions has increased. The increased understanding of clinicians about the processes of primary and secondary prevention and the detection of lesions to which these therapies may be applied, is one of the current goals in caries management. Quantitative light-induced fluorescence (QLF) is a new method for the detection of very early caries. OBJECTIVES To determine the ability of QLF to detect and longitudinally monitor in vitro enamel demineralization. To present the device to the paediatric community and present future in vivo uses of the device. DESIGN An in vitro study with combined in vivo pilot. SAMPLE AND METHODS Twelve previously extracted, caries free, primary molars were selected and prepared. Two teeth were randomly selected as controls. Teeth were prepared by gentle pumicing and coating in an acid-resistant nail-varnish, except for an exposed window on the buccal surface. QLF baseline images were taken and the teeth then exposed to a demineralizing solution. Teeth were removed at regular intervals (24, 48, 72, 96, 120, and 144 h), air-dried and QLF images taken. QLF images were analysed by a single, blinded examiner (to control, to length of exposure). Mineral loss, as measured by DeltaQ, was recorded. RESULTS Demineralization was noted in all experimental teeth by 48 h, and within 24 h in six teeth. The QLF successfully monitored the increase in mineral loss over time (P < 0.05). The detected lesions were not visible clinically until 144 h and then in only the most severe lesions. No demineralization was detected by QLF in control teeth. The device was user- and patient-friendly in vivo, detecting subclinical lesions. CONCLUSION Detection of very early mineral loss and subsequent monitoring of this loss is possible in primary teeth using QLF. The device is well suited to use in paediatric dentistry and offers applications for both clinicians and researchers. The determination of the status of carious lesions (active/inactive) will be possible with readings taken at recall appointments.
Medical and socioenvironmental predictors of hospital readmission in patients with congestive heart failure.

BACKGROUND Patients with chronic congestive heart failure (CHF) require frequent rehospitalization because of the exacerbation of CHF. It is of clinical importance to determine predicting factors for readmission to reduce this likelihood. Previous studies have focused primarily on the demographic and medical characteristics in selected subsets of patients. Therefore, within a broad cohort of consecutively hospitalized patients, we sought to identify not only demographic and medical predictors but also socioenvironmental factors associated with readmission. METHODS We assessed demographic (age, sex), medical (etiology of CHF, New York Heart Association functional class, left ventricular ejection fraction, previous admission for CHF, length of hospital stay, comorbidity, and medications), and socioenvironmental variables (occupation, financial resources, living alone, and follow-up visits) in 230 patients discharged with a diagnosis of CHF and recorded hospital readmission. RESULTS Within 1 year after discharge, 81 patients (35%) were readmitted. Five variables, including poor follow-up visits (odds ratio [OR] 4.9, 95% CI 2.0-11.8), previous admission for CHF (OR 3.3, 95% CI 1.8-6.1), no occupation (OR 2.6, 95% CI 1.2-5.5), longer hospital stay (OR 3.2, 95% CI 1.2-8.5), and hypertension (OR 2.0, 95% CI 1.1-3.7), were identified as significant independent predictors for readmission by multivariate logistic regression analysis. CONCLUSIONS Our independent predictors of readmission support the importance of medical and socioenvironmental factors in the deterioration of CHF. Therefore interventions to decrease readmission should also target social management in all hospitalized patients.
GENDER DIFFERENCES AND ENTREPRENEURIAL MUNIFICENCE: THE PURSUIT OF INNOVATIVE NEW VENTURES

Much of the literature on gender differences in entrepreneurship focuses on entrepreneurial propensity and access to resources. This study takes a step further to explore gender differences in the type of new ventures pursued. Specifically, we investigate whether there is a gender difference in the pursuit of innovative vs. imitative new ventures. Additionally, we examine whether perceptions of the entrepreneur’s environment influence the pursuit of innovative new ventures for female vs. male entrepreneurs. Utilizing PSED data, we find there is no significant difference between genders in the pursuit of innovative new ventures. However, entrepreneurial munificence (i.e., having friends who have started their own business and perceived support of financial institutions) matters for female-led businesses in their pursuit of innovative new ventures. These findings have major implications for building effective entrepreneurial ecosystems.
Prevalence of anxiety and depressive symptoms in adolescents with asthma: A meta‐analysis and meta‐regression

To cite this article: Lu Y, Mak K‐K, van Bever HPS, Ng TP, Mak A, Ho RC‐M. Prevalence of anxiety and depressive symptoms in adolescents with asthma: A meta‐analysis and meta‐regression. Pediatr Allergy Immunol 2012: 23: 707–715.
Effective Intervention With Ergonomics, Antivibration Gloves, and Medical Surveillance to Minimize Hand–Arm Vibration Hazards in the Workplace

Medical surveillance was used in the workplace to determine and monitor the level of hand–arm vibration syndrome (HAVS) and carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) present in workers exposed to upper extremity vibration. Ergonomic intervention in the form of new tools with lower vibration levels and the use of International Standards Organizaiton (ISO) 10819 antivibration gloves were associated with a decrease in the pathologic findings and symptoms in these workers. Workers without such intervention were more likely to show progression of symptoms and findings. These findings suggest that ergonomic intervention can be effective in controlling the workplace hazard of tool vibration.
Parameterized All-Digital PLL Architecture and its Compiler to Support Easy Process Migration

In this paper, we propose a parameterized digitally controlled oscillator that can produce oscillating-clock signal with the tunable frequency covering an entire designated range. Moreover, we formulate the all-digital phase-locked loop optimization process as a search problem, during which we can find a good configuration that not only meets the user-defined requirement but also achieves a smaller area and lower power consumption than a typical manual design. The silicon measurement results show that this is indeed a promising new alternative for analog phase-locked loops, especially for advanced nanometer technologies.
Depression and Diabetes among Low-Income Hispanics: Design Elements of a Socio-Culturally Adapted Collaborative Care Model Randomized Controlled Trial

Objective: This article describes design elements of the Multifaceted Depression and Diabetes Program (MDDP) randomized clinical trial. The MDDP trial hypothesizes that a socioculturally adapted collaborative care depression management intervention will reduce depressive symptoms and improve patient adherence to diabetes self-care regimens, glycemic control, and quality-of-life. In addition, baseline data of 387 low-income, 96% Hispanic, enrolled patients with major depression and diabetes are examined to identify study population characteristics consistent with trial design adaptations. Methods: The PHQ-9 depression scale was used to identify patients meeting criteria for major depressive disorder (1 cardinal depression symptom + a PHQ-9 score of > 10) from two community safety net clinics. Design elements included sociocultural adaptations in recruitment and efforts to reduce attrition and collaborative depression care management. Results: Of 1,803 diabetes patients screened, 30.2% met criteria for major depressive disorder. Of 387 patients enrolled in the clinical trial, 98% had Type 2 diabetes, and 83% had glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) levels ≥ 7%. Study recruitment rates and baseline data analyses identified socioeconomic and clinical factors that support trial design and intervention adaptations. Depression severity was significantly associated with diabetes complications, medical comorbidity, greater anxiety, dysthymia, financial worries, social stress, and poorer quality-of-life. Conclusion: Low-income Hispanic patients with diabetes experience high prevalence of depressive disorder and depression severity is associated with socioeconomic stressors and clinical severity. Improving depression care management among Hispanic patients in public sector clinics should include intervention components that address self-care of diabetes and socioeconomic stressors.
Changes in D‐serine levels and localization during postnatal development of the rat vestibular nuclei

The patterns of development of the vestibular nuclei (VN) and their main connections involving glutamate neurotransmission offer a good model for studying the function of the glial‐derived neuromodulator D‐serine in synaptic plasticity. In this study we show that D‐serine is present in the VN and we analyzed its distribution and the levels of expression of serine racemase and D‐amino acid oxidase (D‐AAO) at different stages of postnatal (P) development. From birth to P21, high levels of D‐serine were detected in glial cells and processes in all parts of the VN. This period corresponded to high expression of serine racemase and low expression of D‐AAO. On the other hand, in the mature VN D‐serine displayed very low levels and was mainly localized in neuronal cell bodies and dendrites. This drop of D‐serine in adult stages corresponded to an increasing expression of D‐AAO at mature stages. High levels of glial D‐serine during the first 3 weeks of postnatal development correspond to an intense period of plasticity and synaptogenesis and maturation of VN afferents, suggesting that D‐serine could be involved in these phenomena. These results demonstrate for the first time that changes in D‐serine levels and distribution occur during postnatal development in the central nervous system. The strong decrease of D‐serine levels and the glial‐to‐neuronal switch suggests that D‐serine may have distinct functional roles depending on the developmental stage of the vestibular network. J. Comp. Neurol. 497:610–621, 2006. © 2006 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
MSH2-Dependent Germinal CTG Repeat Expansions Are Produced Continuously in Spermatogonia from DM1 Transgenic Mice

ABSTRACT Myotonic dystrophy type 1 is a neuromuscular affection associated with the expansion of an unstable CTG repeat in the DM protein kinase gene. The disease is characterized by somatic tissue-specific mosaicism and very high intergenerational instability with a strong bias towards expansions. We used transgenic mice carrying more than 300 unstable CTG repeats within their large human genomic environment to investigate the dynamics of CTG repeat germinal mosaicism in males. Germinal mosaicism towards expansions was already present in spermatozoa at 7 weeks of age and continued to increase with age, suggesting that expansions are continuously produced throughout life. To determine the precise stage at which germinal expansions occur during spermatogenesis, we sorted and collected the different germ cell types produced during spermatogenesis from males of different ages and analyzed the CTG repeat mosaicism in each fraction. Strong mosaicisms towards expansions were already observed in spermatogonia before meiosis. In transgenic Msh2-deficient mice, germinal instability of the CTG repeats (only contractions) also occurs premeiotically. No significant difference in mosaicism was detected between spermatogonia and spermatozoa, arguing against continued expansions during postmeiotic stages. This indicates that germinal expansions are produced at the beginning of spermatogenesis, in spermatogonia, by a meiosis-independent mechanism involving MSH2.