Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Cessation of clopidogrel before major abdominal procedures.

OBJECTIVE To determine whether timing of clopidogrel bisulfate cessation influences outcome after abdominal operations. METHODS A review was performed of 104 patients receiving clopidogrel who underwent abdominal operations between March 2003 and March 2009. Patients were grouped by last clopidogrel use: group A (<7 days) and group B (≥7 days). RESULTS Of 104 patients, 43 were in group A and 61 were in group B. Overall, 6 deaths occurred (group A, 5 patients [12%] vs group B, 1 [2%]; P = .03) and 27 patients required intensive care unit admission (group A, 16 patients [37%] vs group B, 11 [18%]; P = .03). Twenty-one patients developed a postoperative bleeding complication; 19 complications were managed by blood transfusion and 2 required reoperation. Group A vs group B had significantly increased rates of postoperative bleeding requiring blood transfusion (13 patients [30%] vs 8 [13%]; P = .03). No significant difference in postoperative bleeding resulting in reoperation or mortality was demonstrated. Timing of clopidogrel cessation within 7 days did not affect postoperative bleeding risk. Eighty-nine patients (86%) underwent elective operations (group A, 30 patients [70%] vs group B, 59 [97%]; P < .001). While elective patients in group A vs those in group B demonstrated a trend toward increased risk of postoperative bleeding requiring transfusion (7 patients [23%] vs 8 [14%]; P = .25), no significant difference in intensive care unit admission (group A, 6 patients [20%] vs group B, 9 [15%]; P = .31) or mortality (1 [3%] vs 1 [2%]; P = .62) was demonstrated. CONCLUSIONS While clopidogrel use within 7 days of an operation significantly increased the risk of postoperative bleeding, most bleeding episodes were successfully managed by transfusion without an increase in bleeding-related mortality or necessity for reoperation. After controlling for operative urgency, no significant difference in mortality or intensive care unit admission was demonstrated in patients undergoing elective procedures. High-risk patients undergoing elective operations may not require preoperative clopidogrel cessation. When clopidogrel cessation is warranted, 7 days before the procedure is recommended. Perioperative risk does not vary by timing of cessation within 7 days of an operation.
Party Splits, Not Progressives

The choice of proportional representation (PR) is rarely included in work on American local politics. Yet we have long known that 24 cities adopted the single transferable vote form of PR from 1915 to 1948. Breaking with a machine–reform dichotomy that dominates the PR historiography, I investigate two partisan hypotheses about PR’s origins. One concerns the emergence of third parties. A second involves splits in ruling parties. In at least 15 cases, PR choice involved an alliance of convenience between ruling-party defectors and local minority parties. Evidence includes narratives on the partisanship of elite PR backers, comparison of case history and precinct-level referendum outcomes for three similar cities, and aggregate data on big-city charter change referenda from 1900 to 1950. New in this article is comparison of PR adopters with non-adopters. Party splits in places with sizable out-parties emerge as a distinctly American path to proportional electoral rules.1
Who Are Medical Marijuana Patients? Population Characteristics from Nine California Assessment Clinics

Abstract Marijuana is a currently illegal psychoactive drug that many physicians believe has substantial therapeutic uses. The medical literature contains a growing number of studies on cannabinoids as well as case studies and anecdotal reports suggesting therapeutic potential. Fifteen states have passed medical marijuana laws, but little is known about the growing population of patients who use marijuana medicinally. This article reports on a sample of 1,746 patients from a network of nine medical marijuana evaluation clinics in California. Patients completed a standardized medical history form; evaluating physicians completed standardized evaluation forms. From this data we describe patient characteristics, self-reported presenting symptoms, physician evaluations, other treatments tried, other drug use, and medical marijuana use practices. Pain, insomnia, and anxiety were the most common conditions for which evaluating physicians recommended medical marijuana. Shifts in the medical marijuana patient population over time, the need for further research, and the issue of diversion are discussed.
Functions of Rac GTPases during Neuronal Development

The small GTPases of the Rho family are important regulators of the actin cytoskeleton and are critical for several aspects of neuronal development including the establishment of neuronal polarity, extension of axon and dendrites, neurite branching, axonal navigation and synapse formation. The aim of this review is to present evidence supporting the function of Rac and Rac-related proteins in different aspects of neuronal maturation, based on work performed with organisms including nematodes, Drosophila, Xenopus and mice, and with primary cultures of developing neurons. Three of the 4 vertebrate Rac-related genes, namely Rac1, Rac3 and RhoG, are expressed in the nervous system, and several data support an essential role of all 3 GTPases in distinct aspects of neuronal development and function. Two important points emerge from the analysis presented: highly homologous Rac-related proteins may perform different functions in the developing nervous system; on the other hand, the data also indicate that similar GTPases may perform redundant functions in vivo.
Enhanced Flatband Voltage Recovery in Hardened Thin MOS Capacitors

The short-term recovery of hardened pyrogenic SiO2 MOS capacitors exposed to pulsed electron-beam irradiation was studied as a function of oxide thickness between 200 and 1000 Å. Two sets of samples were studied: one set grown to a single thickness and then etched back to various thicknesses, and the other set grown for different lengths of time to varying thicknesses. In both cases, the recovery time was observed to vary approximately as the fourth power of oxide thickness. This anomalous superlinear dependence of recovery time on the SiO2 thickness agrees with the predictions of the stochastic model of hole transport based on a continuous-time random walk. Combining the highly field activated character of hole transport in SiO2 with the thickness dependence reported here demonstrates that very significant gains in the short-term recovery speed can be made by reducing the oxide thickness and/or increasing the oxide field.
Investigation of Metallized Source/Drain Extension for High-Performance Strained NMOSFETs

Extrinsic source/drain series resistance (R SD) is becoming inevitably dominant in state-of-the-art CMOS technologies as the intrinsic device resistance continues to scale with channel length dictated by the Moore's Law. As a result, advanced scaling techniques to achieve a lower intrinsic device resistance become less effective, particularly for NMOSFETs. With an attempt to better understand R SD impacts and identify the next key technology enabler, high-performance strained NMOSFETs featuring metallized (NiSi) source/drain extension (M-SDE) are investigated due to its cost-effective process and good short-channel scalability. The spacing between metallized extension and gate electrode edge is shown to play a very important role in R SD reduction and can significantly affect the electrical characteristics of M-SDE NMOSFETs. Tradeoff between R SD reduction and device integrity like junction leakage and reliability is found when the extension-to-gate edge spacing is modulated. On the other hand, by optimizing the NiSi-to-gate edge spacing, M-SDE NMOSFETs exhibit a higher on-current (I ON) and a higher strain sensitivity while maintaining comparable drain-induced barrier lowering, subthreshold swing, I OFF , and hot-carrier reliability as compared with the conventional SDE devices.
Integrating primary and secondary care: the case of Christchurch South Health Centre.

AIMS To study health services utilisation linkages and methodological issues in integrating primary and secondary care services for a defined general practice population (Christchurch South Health Centre, CSHC). METHODS The Centre supplied national health index (NHI) linked data on date of birth, gender and community services card (CSC) status for 10,174 patients, and data on primary care. Secondary care providers supplied NHI linked data on specialist outpatients, emergency department usage for 1996 to 1998, and waiting lists. The Health Funding Authority (HFA) supplied NHI linked data on inpatient/daypatients for 1996 and 1997. Data were also obtained relating to community support services and long-term care. Rates of hospital utilisation for the Centre's population were standardised for comparison with national and Christchurch figures using age, gender and CSCs. Overall per capita expenditure was calculated for this population. RESULTS Patients with CSCs constituted 31.2% of the practice population, but generated 60.8% of bed-days. Patients with high use health cards (HUHCs) constituted 8.6% of the population, but generated 42.4% of bed-days. This group was at high risk of hospitalisation over a wide range of disease categories. Standardised rates of hospital utilisation were significantly lower for the Centre's older patients, especially for bed-days, than both national and Christchurch figures. Only a small proportion of referrals to specialist outpatients, 28.2% in 1998, was from the Centre's general practitioners (GPs), the remainder being generated internally within the specialist services. The overall expenditure per capita on the Centre's population was $1012, which was substantially less than expected in comparison with national figures. CONCLUSION The study demonstrates the importance of primary care factors in the utilisation of secondary care, especially acute hospitalisation in older patients. This needs further study as it could provide important insights into ways of reducing acute admissions. If there is to be more effective management of the primary/secondary care interface, more research and development effort is needed into the characteristics of patients at high risk of referral and admission, and how inappropriate secondary care can be averted.
Helping alliance and outcome in psychotherapy: What predicts what in routine outpatient treatment?

Abstract This naturalistic longitudinal study analyzed the reciprocal dependency of the helping alliance and symptom outcome over the course of mid- and long-term outpatient psychotherapy as practiced in routine care in Germany. Patient-rated helping alliance and symptom distress were assessed repeatedly over a 2-year period in a sample of 259 outpatients in psychodynamic, cognitive–behavioral, and psychoanalytic psychotherapy. Hierarchical linear models showed that initial symptom distress negatively predicted subsequent quality of the helping alliance but not vice versa. Only initial symptom distress affected symptom status at the last treatment session. These results raise doubts about the helping alliance being a strong predictor of outcome and indicate that other patient and therapist variables might be more important for treatment success.
Subdivisions of primary motor cortex based on cortico-motoneuronal cells

We used retrograde transneuronal transport of rabies virus from single muscles of rhesus monkeys to identify cortico-motoneuronal (CM) cells in the primary motor cortex (M1) that make monosynaptic connections with motoneurons innervating shoulder, elbow, and finger muscles. We found that M1 has 2 subdivisions. A rostral region lacks CM cells and represents an “old” M1 that is the standard for many mammals. The descending commands mediated by corticospinal efferents from old M1 must use the integrative mechanisms of the spinal cord to generate motoneuron activity and motor output. In contrast, a caudal region of M1 contains shoulder, elbow, and finger CM cells. This region represents a “new” M1 that is present only in some higher primates and humans. The direct access to motoneurons afforded by CM cells enables the newly recognized M1 to bypass spinal cord mechanisms and sculpt novel patterns of motor output that are essential for highly skilled movements.
Transcriptional Regulation of Rat Scavenger Receptor Class B Type I Gene*

The scavenger receptor class B type I (SR-BI) mediates the selective transport of lipids from high density lipoprotein to cells and plays an important role in the reverse uptake of cholesterol to the liver and in the delivery of substrates for steroidogenesis in steroidogenic organs. We report here on the isolation and characterization of the upstream promoter region of the rat SR-BI gene. The transcription start site for rat SR-BI was mapped, and DNA sequence analysis revealed the presence of binding sites for the Sp1 family in the proximal 5′-flanking region. Analysis of deletion mutants with different 5′ lengths revealed that the region between −121 and −90 base pairs from the transcription start site is essential for the efficient transcription of SR-BI. Both Sp1 and Sp3 bind to three GC boxes in the region (−141 to −1 base pairs) in a sequence-specific manner. Mutations in any of the GC boxes decreased efficient transcription from this promoter in MA-10 mouse Leydig tumor cells. The overexpression of Sp1 or Sp3 protein enhanced the rat SR-BI promoter activity. These results indicate that Sp1 family members of transcription factors are essential for transcription of the rat SR-BI gene.
Almost output regulation of LFT systems via gain-scheduling control

ABSTRACT Output regulation of general uncertain systems is a meaningful yet challenging problem. In spite of the rich literature in the field, the problem has not yet been addressed adequately due to the lack of an effective design mechanism. In this paper, we propose a new design framework for almost output regulation of uncertain systems described in the general form of linear fractional transformation (LFT) with time-varying parametric uncertainties and unknown external perturbations. A novel semi-LFT gain-scheduling output regulator structure is proposed, such that the associated control synthesis conditions guaranteeing both output regulation and disturbance attenuation performance are formulated as a set of linear matrix inequalities (LMIs) plus parameter-dependent linear matrix equations, which can be solved separately. A numerical example has been used to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed approach.
HIV infection does not disproportionately affect the poorer in sub-Saharan Africa

Background:Wealthier populations do better than poorer ones on most measures of health status, including nutrition, morbidity and mortality, and healthcare utilization. Objectives:This study examines the association between household wealth status and HIV serostatus to identify what characteristics and behaviours are associated with HIV infection, and the role of confounding factors such as place of residence and other risk factors. Methods:Data are from eight national surveys in sub-Saharan Africa (Kenya, Ghana, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Tanzania, Lesotho, Malawi, and Uganda) conducted during 2003–2005. Dried blood spot samples were collected and tested for HIV, following internationally accepted ethical standards and laboratory procedures. The association between household wealth (measured by an index based on household ownership of durable assets and other amenities) and HIV serostatus is examined using both descriptive and multivariate statistical methods. Results:In all eight countries, adults in the wealthiest quintiles have a higher prevalence of HIV than those in the poorer quintiles. Prevalence increases monotonically with wealth in most cases. Similarly for cohabiting couples, the likelihood that one or both partners is HIV infected increases with wealth. The positive association between wealth and HIV prevalence is only partly explained by an association of wealth with other underlying factors, such as place of residence and education, and by differences in sexual behaviour, such as multiple sex partners, condom use, and male circumcision. Conclusion:In sub-Saharan Africa, HIV prevalence does not exhibit the same pattern of association with poverty as most other diseases. HIV programmes should also focus on the wealthier segments of the population.
ANALISIS PENGARUH KARAKTERISTIK BANK DAN INFLASI TERHADAP NET INTEREST MARGIN Studi Kasus Pada Bank Konvensional Yang Terdaftar Di Bursa Efek Indonesia Tahun 2006-2010

This paper investigates the influence of bank’s characteristics and inflation on commercial bank’s interest margins in Indonesia for the 2006-2010 period. The empirical results suggest that bank-specific characteristics, in particular bank capitalization and efficiency have a positive and significant impact on bank’s net interest margins. The bank size and liquidity have a negative and significant impact on bank’s net interest margins. We also find that inflation has a negative and significant impact on net interest margin (at level 10%). Key words : bank interest margin, panel data, Indonesia.
Candy consumption in childhood is not predictive of weight, adiposity measures or cardiovascular risk factors in young adults: the Bogalusa Heart Study.

BACKGROUND There are limited data available on the longitudinal relationship between candy consumption by children on weight and other cardiovascular risk factors (CVRF) in young adults. The present study investigated whether candy consumption in children was predictive of weight and CVRF in young adults. METHODS A longitudinal sample of children 10 years (n = 355; 61% females; 71% European-Americans, 29% African-Americans) who participated in cross-sectional surveys from 1973 to 1984 (baseline) and in one of two surveys (follow-ups) as young adults [19-38 years; mean (SD) = 23.6 (2.6) years] in Bogalusa, LA, were studied. Dietary data were collected using 24-h dietary recalls at baseline and at one follow-up survey; a food frequency questionnaire was used in the other follow-up survey. Candy consumers were those consuming any amount of candy. Candy consumption was calculated (g day(-1) ) from baseline 24-h dietary recalls, and was used as a covariate in the adjusted linear mixed models. Dependent variables included body mass index (BMI) and CVRF measured in young adults. RESULTS At baseline, 92% of children reported consuming candy [46 (45) g day(-1)]; the percentage decreased to 67% [20 (30) g day(-1)] at follow-up. No longitudinal relationship was shown between baseline candy consumption and BMI or CVRF in young adults, suggesting that candy consumption was not predictive of health risks later in life. CONCLUSIONS The consumption of nutrient rich foods consistent with dietary recommendations is important, although modest amounts of candy can be added to the diet without potential adverse long-term consequences to weight or CVRF. Additional studies are needed to confirm these results.
Serial Analyses of C‐Reactive Protein and Myeloperoxidase in Acute Coronary Syndrome

C‐reactive protein (CRP) and myeloperoxidase (MPO) are involved in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis, mainly during periods of instabilization. This study aims to test the hypothesis that patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) maintain a persistent inflammatory state, and that this is associated with long‐term mortality.
Midwives' experience of using videoconferencing to support parents who were discharged early after childbirth

Videoconferencing was used to support parents who were discharged early after childbirth. In a one-year pilot study, 23 videoconferences took place between midwives and parents at home. To ensure good picture quality, a high-speed, 10 Mbit/s broadband connection was used. We used a combination of quantitative and qualitative research methods to describe the participants' experience. Seven midwives with experience of supporting nine couples/new parents completed a questionnaire. The 20 responses (87%) showed that the main reason for contact was routine and the most frequent advice concerned breastfeeding. The quality of sound and picture were judged to be good and very good, respectively. The experience of communicating with the parents via videoconferencing was also investigated through semi-structured interviews. Analysis of the interviews revealed that videoconferencing was: easy to handle and useful for making assessments; a valuable and functional complement to usual practice; almost like a real-life encounter. The results suggest that videoconferencing may be a useful tool in postpartum care.
Up‐regulation of activated macrophages in response to degeneration in the taste system: Effects of dietary sodium restriction

Dietary sodium restriction combined with unilateral chorda tympani nerve section leads to a rapid and specific decrease in neurophysiological taste responses to sodium in the contralateral, intact chorda tympani (Hill and Phillips [1994] J. Neurosci. 14:2904–2910). Previous work demonstrated that dietary sodium restriction may induce these early functional deficits by inhibiting immune activity after denervation (Phillips and Hill [1996] Am. J. Physiol. 271:R857–R862). However, little is known about the leukocyte response to denervation of taste buds in fungiform papillae. In the current study, it was hypothesized that T cells and macrophages are increased in the tongue after unilateral denervation in control‐fed but not sodium‐restricted animals. Adult, specified pathogen‐free rats received unilateral chorda tympani nerve section or sham section followed by dietary sodium restriction or maintenance on control diet. At day 1, 2, 5, 7, or 50 postsectioning, immunostaining was used to detect the percentage of staining for activated macrophages, the number of αβ T cells, and the number of δγ epithelial T cells in the tongue. The number of lingual T cells did not significantly differ between treatment groups following denervation. However, there was a dramatic bilateral increase in ED1+ staining for activated macrophages in control‐fed rats that peaked at day 2 postsectioning. In contrast, sodium‐restricted rats did not show an increase in activated macrophages above baseline at any time postsectioning. Further analysis of extralingual macrophages indicated that the deficit in immune activity in sodium‐restricted rats is localized to the tongue and is not widespread. A model for immune modulation of taste receptor cell function is proposed based on these novel findings. J. Comp. Neurol. 479:43–55, 2004. © 2004 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Lumbar Lordosis: Effects of Sitting and Standing

Study Design. The effect of sitting versus standing posture on lumbar lordosis was studied retrospectively by radiographic analysis of 109 patients with low back pain. Objective. To document changes in segmental and total lumbar lordosis between sitting and standing radiographs. Summary of Background Data. Preservation of physiologic lumbar lordosis is an important consideration when performing fusion of the lumbar spine. The appropriate degree of lumbar lordosis has not been defined. Methods. Total and segmental lumbar lordosis from L1 to S1 was assessed by an independent observer using the Cobb angle measurements of the lateral radiographs of the lumbar spine obtained with the patient in the sitting and standing positions. Results. Lumbar lordosis averaged 49° standing and 34° sitting from L1 to S1, 47° standing and 33° sitting from L2 to S1, 31° standing and 22° sitting from L4 to S1, and 18° standing and 15° sitting from L5 to S1. Conclusion. Lumbar lordosis while standing was nearly 50% greater on average than sitting lumbar lordosis. The clinical significance of this data may pertain to: 1) the known correlation of increased intradiscal pressure with sitting, which may be caused by this decrease in lordosis; 2) the benefit of a sitting lumbar support that increases lordosis; and 3) the consideration of an appropriate degree of lordosis in fusion of the lumbar spine.