Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Predental students' attitudes toward and perceptions of the dental profession.

The purpose of this study was to assess reasons students seek a career in dentistry, their perceptions of the dental school admissions process, and their expectations of the profession. Of 155 predental students participating in a dental school simulation course offered at a Nevada dental school, 152 participated in this study (68.4 percent [n=104] male, and 31.6 percent [n=48] female). When asked when they made the decision to pursue a career in dentistry, 52 percent (n=79) said they decided in college, while 33.6 percent (n=51) made the decision in high school. A slight majority of the respondents (52.6 percent; n=80) identified their family dentist as having the greatest influence in their decision. Nearly half (47.8 percent; n=64) expected to pursue a career in general dentistry, while the next largest subgroup expected to pursue orthodontics (16.4 percent; n=22). A significant majority of the respondents (72.8 percent; n=110) perceived the dental school admissions process to be fair. Males were significantly more likely to identify themselves as competitive applicants than did females (chi(2)=9.644; p<. 01). Approximately half (47.4 percent; n=72) anticipate earning between $100,000 and $199,999 within five years after graduation, with 50.7 percent (n=77) anticipating working between thirty-five and forty hours a week. By understanding the applicant pool and their perceptions, admissions committees can better prepare to attract the applicants they desire.
The Paradox of Law Enforcement in Immigrant Communities

Frustrated by federal inaction on immigration reform, several U.S. states in recent years have proposed or enacted laws designed to stem the flow of illegal immigrants into the United States and to facilitate their removal. An underappreciated implication of these laws is the potential alienation of immigrant communities—even law-abiding, cooperative individuals—from the criminal justice system. The ability of the criminal justice system to detect and sanction criminal behavior is dependent upon the cooperation of the general public, including acts such as the reporting of crime and identifying suspects. Cooperation is enhanced when local residents believe that laws are enforced fairly. In contrast, research reveals that cynicism of the police and the legal system undermines individuals’ willingness to cooperate with the police and engage in the collective actions necessary to socially control crime. By implication, recent trends toward strict local enforcement of immigration laws may actually undercut public safety by creating a cynicism of the law in immigrant communities. Using data from a 2002 survey of New York City residents, this study explores the implications of perceived injustices perpetrated by the criminal justice system for resident willingness to cooperate with the police in immigrant communities.
Anti-thrombotic action of clopidogrel and PlA1/A2 polymorphism of β3 integrin in patients with coronary artery disease not being treated with aspirin

Summary Individual variability in response to clopidogrel is known but its mechanism is poorly understood. We examined the relationship between glycoprotein IIIa polymorphism PlA1/A2 and anti-thrombotic actions of clopidogrel. Clopidogrel (75 mg/d; 2 weeks) was administered to 48 normolipemic patients with coronary artery disease. Bleeding time, thrombin generation at the site of microvascular injury, platelet function under high shear, using PFA-100 with ADP cartridge, and platelet surface activation markers (P-selectin and fibrinogen binding sites on GPIIb/IIIa complex detected by PAC-1 antibody), were studied both before and after clopidogrel treatment. Both unstimulated and low-dose (0.02 μM and 1 μM) in vitro ADP-stimulated platelets were examined. GP IIIa polymorphism was assessed by polymerase chain reaction and restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis. We identified 32 PlA1/A1 homozygotes, 15 PlA1/A2 heterozygotes and one PlA2/A2 homozygote. Clopidogrel significantly prolonged bleeding time in all subjects, but this effect was greater in PlA2 carriers (p<0.01). Furthermore, clopidogrel only depressed thrombin generation at the site of microvascular injury (p<0.01) in PlA2 patients and prolonged closure time measured in vitro by PFA-100 (p<0.05). At baseline spontaneous expression of PAC-1 and P-selectin was higher in PlA2 subjects as compared to PlA1 homozygotes (p<0.05 for both antigens). Clopidogrel lowered the expression of both markers affecting more PlA2 carriers, so that the difference in binding PAC-1 antibody between platelets from PlA1 and PlA2 carriers disappeared, while the difference in P-selectin expression slightly diminished. Anti-thrombotic effects of clopidogrel are more pronounced in CAD patients carrying the PlA2 allele than in PlA1 homozygotes.
Optimal coded sequence design for radar using fractional oppositional particle swarm optimization

Polyphase coded radar signals is one of the most important and usually used in MIMO Radar systems. Polyphase coded radar signals with good orthogonal properties having low autocorrelation and a low crosscorrelation property is a nonlinear multivariable optimization problem. The proposed technique yield polyphase waveforms with orthogonal properties which effectively removes the interference issues faced by radars and also help in attaining high radar resolution. The oppositional concept is included in the initial population selection in the PSO algorithm and fractional calculus is used for modifying the velocity updation equation in PSO. Peak Sidelobe Ratio (PSLR) and Integrated Energy Sidelobe ratio (ISLR) of the polyphase waveforms are incorporated in the fitness function defined for the PSO. The experimental analysis based on different phases, different sequence lengths, different code set and different cost function are carried out. In all cases, the proposed technique has achieved good results.
Outcomes of African American kidney transplant recipients treated with sirolimus, tacrolimus, and corticosteroids

Background. African American kidney transplant recipients generally exhibit poor long-term graft survival compared with other ethnic groups. The combination of sirolimus, tacrolimus, and corticosteroids has proven to be effective in reducing rejection episodes in high-risk organ and islet cell transplant recipients but has not yet been tested in a large number of African American patients. Methods. The outcomes of 56 African American adult, primary kidney transplant recipients treated with corticosteroids, sirolimus, and tacrolimus targeted to relatively low trough blood levels were compared with those of a concurrent group of 65 white patients treated with steroids, mycophenolate mofetil, and tacrolimus targeted to relatively high blood levels. Induction antibody therapy was not routinely used in either group. Results. The incidence of acute rejection in the first 3 posttransplantation months was 7.1% in African Americans and 16.9% in whites (P =NS). Actuarial 2-year patient, graft, and rejection-free graft survival rates were equivalent in the two groups. Posttransplantation diabetes mellitus occurred in 36% of the African American patients, despite similar doses of corticosteroids and lower trough levels of tacrolimus, compared with 15% of white patients (P =0.024). Conclusions. The combination of corticosteroids, sirolimus, and relatively low doses of tacrolimus results in acute rejection, graft survival, and patient survival rates equivalent to those achieved in white patients receiving steroids, mycophenolate mofetil, and relatively high doses of tacrolimus, even without the routine use of induction antibody therapy. Posttransplantation diabetes mellitus remains a problem for African Americans receiving this combination of immunosuppressants, despite relatively low tacrolimus blood levels.
CLINICAL, VIROLOGICAL AND EPIDEMIOLOGICAL ASSESSMENT OF 2009 INFLUENZA A (H1N1) PANDEMIC IN A BELGIAN UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL

Abstract Background: Recommendations were applied before and during the Belgian pandemic (2009) H1N1 influenza wave at a university hospital (420 beds), for optimizing isolation processes and therapeutic management of possible and confirmed infected cases. Methods: All patients presenting to the Emergency Department (ED) between August 1st and December 31st 2009 were screened for ILI symptoms, and were isolated for clinical assessment in case of positive screening. Patients categorized as possible influenza cases and who required hospitalization were isolated in dedicated wards. Specific diagnostic algorithms were implemented. Medical charts were retrospectively reviewed and matched with results of the microbiology laboratory. Patient’s characteristics were analyzed, the contribution of laboratory diagnosis on therapy and lengh of stay (LOS) in isolation was also assessed. Results: 310 patients out of 6068 had a positive screening for ILI, of these, 265 were retained as possible influenza cases and 139 required hospitalization. Twentyeight children (8 requiring hospitalization) and 20 hospitalized adult patients had confirmed influenza infection. Five adult patients were admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU), 3 requiring extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO). There was no death related to the new influenza strain. The majority of confirmed patients were diagnosed during the Belgian epidemic wave, with a sensitivity of antigen detection of 50% in children and 35% in adults comparatively to real-time PCR (RT-PCR). Conclusions: The impact of (2009) H1N1 pandemic influenza remained limited, except for ICU patients requiring ECMO. Implementation of screening, isolation, and virological diagnosis processes led to significant improvement of patient management.
FEA-Based Calculation of Performances of IPM Machines with Five Topologies for Hybrid- Electric Vehicle Traction

— The paper presents a detailed calculation of characteristic of five different topology permanent magnet machines for high performance traction including hybrid -electric vehicles using finite element analysis (FEA) method. These machines include V-shape single layer interior PM, W-shape single-layer interior PM, Segment interior PM and surface PM on the rotor and with distributed winding on the stator. The performance characteristics which include the back-emf voltage and its harmonic, magnet mass, iron loss and ripple torque are compared and analyzed. One of a 7.5kW IPM prototype was tested and verified finite-element analysis results. The aim of the paper is given some guidance and reference for machine designer which are interested in IPM machine selection for high performance traction application.
Performance Investigation of Neural-Network-Based Unified Power-Quality Conditioner

The application of artificial intelligence is growing fast in the area of power electronics and drives. The artificial neural network (ANN) is considered as a new tool to design control circuitry for power-quality (PQ) devices. In this paper, the ANN-based controller is designed for the current control of the shunt active power filter and trained offline using data from the conventional proportional-integral controller. A digital-signal-processor-based microcontroller is used for the real-time simulation and implementation of the control algorithm. An exhaustive simulation study is carried out to investigate the performance of the ANN controller and compare its performance with the conventional PI controller results. The system performance is also verified experimentally on a prototype model developed in the laboratory.
Optimal Tapering Factor for Maximum Bandwidth RF Cascaded Amplifiers

Designing wide-band amplifiers has become one of the important issues in wireless and optical high performance system-on-chip applications. In this paper, we present a newly developed analytical tapering factor that determines the optimal size of each stage of the cascaded amplifier. The utilization of our developed tapering factor can lead to a significant improvement in the amplifier bandwidth as compared with the standard cascaded amplifier unity tapering factor
Are elderly people with comorbidities involved adequately in medical decision making when hospitalised ? A cross-sectional survey

Background: Medical decision making has long been in focus, but little is known of the preferences and conditions for elderly people with co-morbidities to participate in medical decision making. The main objective of the present study was to investigate the preferred and the actual degree of control, i.e. the role elderly people with co-morbidities wish to assume and actually had with regard to information and participation in medical decision making during their last stay in hospital. This study was a cross-sectional survey including three Swedish hospitals with acute admittance. The participants were patients aged 75 years and above with three or more diagnoses according to the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-10) and three or more hospitalisations during the last year. Methods: We used a questionnaire combined with a telephone interview, using the Control Preference Scale to measure each participant’s preferred and actual role in medical decision making during their last stay in hospital. Additional questions were asked about barriers to participation in decision making and preferred information seeking role. The results are presented with descriptive statistics with kappa weights. Results: Of the 297 elderly patients identified, 52.5% responded (n = 156, 46.5% male). Mean age was 83.1 years. Of the respondents, 42 of 153 patients said that they were not asked for their opinion (i.e. no shared decision making). Among the other 111 patients, 49 had their exact preferred level of participation, 37 had less participation than they would have preferred, and 23 had more responsibility than they would have preferred. Kappa statistics showed a moderate agreement between preferred and actual role ( w = 0.57; 95% CI: 0.45-0.69). Most patients wanted to be given more information without having to ask. There was no correlation between age, gender, or education and preferred role. 35% of the patients agreed that they experienced some of the various barriers to decision making that they were asked about: 1) the severity of their illness, 2) doctors with different treatment strategies, 3) difficulty understanding the medical information, and 4) difficulty understanding doctors who did not speak the patient’s own language. Conclusions: Physicians are not fully responsive to patient preferences regarding either the degree of communication or the patient’s participation in decision making. Barriers to participation can be a problem, and should be taken into account more often when dealing with hospitalised elderly people.
Four-Channel Electromyography of the Facial Nerve in Vestibular Schwannoma Surgery: Sensitivity and Prognostic Value for Short-Term Facial Function Outcome

Objective: To evaluate the short-term facial prognostic value of a four-channel facial electromyographic device in vestibular schwannoma surgery. Study Design: Eighty-nine vestibular schwannomas operated on and intraoperatively monitored by a four-channel facial electromyographic device between October 2002 and September 2003 were included in this prospective study. Detection was performed in frontal, orbicularis oculi, orbicularis oris, and platysma muscles. Main Outcome Measure: Facial function grading at postoperative Days 1, 8, 30, and 180 (House-Brackmann classification). Setting: Tertiary referral center. Results: Postoperative facial function at Day 180 was assessed as Grade 1 or 2 in 80%, as Grade 3 or 4 in 16%, and as Grade 5 or 6 in 4% (n = 80). The postoperative facial function was related to the intraoperative nerve stimuli thresholds (range, 0.01-3 mA for a response > 100 μV) near the brainstem and the proximal-to-distal ratio of the stimulation threshold. A proximal threshold between 0.01 and 0.04 mA had a positive predictive value of 94% for good facial function (Grade 1 or 2). The proximal threshold was lower in patients with improving or stable facial function in comparison with those with a delayed deterioration between Days 8 and 30. The stimulation threshold at the adhesion zone was related to the immediate facial function outcome. The maximal electromyographic response was detected in the frontal muscle or the platysma in 27% of cases and in orbicularis oris and oculi in 73% of cases. Conclusion: A four-channel device may enhance electromyographic sensitivity. Determination of stimulation threshold below 0.05 mA yields facial prognostic information.
The effect of coffee consumption on blood pressure and the development of hypertension: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Context: Coffee is one of the most widely consumed beverages worldwide and is known to acutely raise blood pressure (BP), but the effects of chronic consumption on BP is unclear. Objectives: To conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis of available randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and cohort studies to assess the effect of chronic coffee consumption on BP and the development of hypertension. Data sources: Ovid, MEDLINE (from 1948), EMBASE (from 1988), and all of Web of Science and Scopus. Study selection: RCTs and cohort studies of at least 1-week duration that assessed BP and/or the incidence of hypertension in coffee consumers compared with a control group that consumed less or no coffee. Data extraction: Two authors independently reviewed abstracts and full-text articles for inclusion. Data were abstracted using standardized forms. Risk of bias in the RCTs was examined using the method described in the Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions. Quality of the cohort studies were assessed using the Newcastle–Ottawa quality assessment scale for cohort studies. Data synthesis: Six hundred and ten articles were retrieved and a total of 15 (10 RCTs and five cohort studies) met inclusion criteria. Meta-analysis of RCTs demonstrated a pooled weighted difference in mean change in SBP of −0.55 mmHg [95% confidence interval (CI) −2.46 to 1.36) and DBP −0.45 mmHg (95% CI −1.52 to 0.61). Meta-analysis of the cohort studies demonstrated a pooled risk ratio for developing hypertension of 1.03 (95% CI 0.98–1.08). Conclusion: Low-quality evidence did not show any statistically significant effect of coffee consumption on BP or the risk of hypertension. Given the quality of the currently available evidence, no recommendation can be made for or against coffee consumption as it relates to BP and hypertension.
Inhibition of lung metastases in mice bearing a malignant fibrosarcoma by treatment with liposomes containing human C-reactive protein.

Recent studies suggest an immune modulator role for C-reactive protein (CRP). We have tested the effect of CRP in a tumor system designed for study of metastases. Fibrosarcoma T241 was implanted on one hind foot of syngeneic C57BL/6 mice. After 17 days, the tumor-bearing feet were amputated, and i.v. therapy of liposomes containing CRP or control reagents was started. Examination of the lungs on Day 35 showed that CRP:liposome-treated animals had significantly fewer and smaller metastases as compared with those in the control groups. Moreover, 38% of the animals in the former groups were completely free of metastases as compared with 0 to 2% of the controls. Significantly, enhanced survival was also noted in the CRP liposome-treated group. CRP may have biological response modifier" function of value in cancer therapy.
ELECTROMYOGRAPHIC KINESIOLOGY OF THE HAND: MUSCLES MOVING THE LONG FINGER.

Electromyography and electrogoniometry were used to study movements of the normal long finger in the reported experiments. Two twenty-eight-micra wire electrodes were placed in each of the muscles driving the long finger. Electromyograms were recorded on one channel of a mirror-galvanometer oscillograph. Joint-displacement curves (electrogoniograms) for the proximal interphalangeal and metacarpophalangeal joints were recorded simultaneously through specially constructed electrogoniometers. Electromyograms and electrogoniograms were compared to discover the time relationships between muscle contraction, as evidenced by electromyographic activity, and finger motion, as shown by the joint-displacement curves. Each of the six muscles moving the long finger was tested in ten subjects, in seven test exercises. Because of the vagaries previously encountered in the behavior of the flexor digitorum superficialis, this muscle was tested with each subject's wrist joint in three different positions: extension, neutral, and flexion. The findings of this study help to elucidate the roles of the extrinsic and intrinsic muscles in controlling the finger. It was found that the interosseus-lumbricalis mechanism cannot be considered a functional unit; it includes two separate kinesiological entities—the interossei and lumbricalis. The interossei participate in interphalangeal extension only when the metacarpophalangeal joint is flexing or held flexed; the lumbricalis always takes part in interphalangeal extension. Neither the interossei nor the lumbricalis is active during closing of the full hand. This implies that the lumbricalis and flexor digitorum profundus are not synergists during hand closure. The extensor digitorum communis is active whenever the metacarpophalangeal joint is extending or is held extended. It also participates in many flexion movements of the metacarpophalangeal joint, apparently acting as a brake. The flexor digitorum profundus is the most consistently active flexor of the finger. It is sometimes joined by the flexor digitorum superficialis when the wrist is flexed. The flexor digitorum superficialis has its maximum action when the hand is being closed or held closed without flexion of the distal interphalangeal joint.
Incidence of hypophosphataemia in patients on parenteral nutrition

OBJECTIVE - To determine the effect of parenteral nutrition on plasma phosphate levels and to evaluate the incidence of refeeding hypophosphataemia. SUBJECTS AND SETTING - 250 adult patients started consecutively on parenteral nutrition (PN) were monitored at The Royal Surrey County Hospital, a 530-bed, non-teaching, secondary care trust incorporating medical and surgical care, paediatrics, intensive care, maternity services and a regional cancer centre. DESIGN - Data on plasma levels of magnesium and phosphate, relevant interventions performed and nutrition outcomes was collated by the Trust Nutrition Support Team. RESULTS - 36 patients (15 per cent) were found to be hypophosphataemic before commencing PN. 86 patients (34.4 per cent) developed refeeding hypophosphataemia within seven days after commencing PN. It was considered severe (less than 0.5mmol/L phosphate) in 10.8 per cent. Refeeding hypophosphataemia reached a nadir at three days and recovered in over 75 per cent of patients within 10 days without intervention. Cancer patients appear to be at greater risk than non-cancer patients for developing refeeding hypophosphataemia. Plasma magnesium levels did not mimic phosphate levels. CONCLUSION - Recognition of hypophosphataemia and the development of guidelines for its management in the care of PN patients are important.