Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Obstetrical Healthcare Personnel's Attitudes and Perceptions on Maternal Vaccination with Tetanus-Diphtheria-Acellular Pertussis and Influenza

Objectives. To assess perceptions of obstetrical healthcare personnel (HCP) regarding routine delivery of Tdap and influenza vaccines to pregnant and postpartum women and identify perceived barriers to vaccination. Methods. Anonymous Web-based survey of obstetricians and nurses caring for pregnant and/or postpartum women. Results. We contacted 342 HCP and received 163 (48%) completed surveys (33/142 (23%) obstetricians, 130/200 (65%) nurses). Among obstetricians, 72% and 63% thought it was “beneficial” to immunize postpartum women against influenza and pertussis, respectively. Only 8% reported vaccinating >75% of pregnant women in their care against influenza. Similarly, <1% of obstetricians reported vaccinating against pertussis. Of all HCP surveyed, 92% and 58% were familiar with ACIP recommendations for influenza and pertussis, respectively. Reported perceived barriers included patient refusal to be vaccinated, reimbursement difficulties, and discomfort in providing vaccine education. Ninety-four percent of respondents agreed that standing orders would be helpful to ensure postpartum vaccination. Conclusions. HCP were less familiar with ACIP recommendations for Tdap compared to influenza vaccines. Substantial discrepancy existed between perceived benefit of vaccination and reported immunization practices. Most identified barriers could be addressed with provider training; however, other barriers require review and changes in systematic policies related to vaccine reimbursement.
Research: The Struggle for Understanding

summary The struggle to understand research is an ongoing process. Keeping up with the literature and taking from various studies important points that will help dictate the choices made for practice is the essence of a scientifically-based strength and conditioning program. This takes both vigilance and effort in keeping up with the scientific literature and the new findings on topics of importance to your program.
Carbohydrate mouth rinse does not affect performance during a 60-min running race in women

ABSTRACT This study examined the effect of carbohydrate mouth rinsing on endurance running performance in women. Fifteen female recreational endurance runners, who used no oral contraceptives, ran two races of 1-h duration on an indoor track (216-m length) at 18:00 h after an 8-h fast with a 7-days interval between races, corresponding to the 3rd-10th day of each premenopausal runner’s menstrual cycle, or any day for the postmenopausal runners. In a double-blind random order, participants rinsed their mouth with 25 ml of either a 6.4% carbohydrate (RCHO) or a placebo solution (RP). No fluid was ingested during exercise. Serum 17β-Εstradiol (P = 0.59) and Progesterone (P = 0.35) did not differ between treatments. There was no difference in 1-hour running performance (RCHO: 10,621.88 ± 205.98 m vs. RP: 10,454.00 ± 206.64 m; t = 1.784, P = 0.096). Furthermore, the mean percentage effect (±99%CI) of RCHO relative to RP, 1.67% (−1.1% to 4.4%), and Cohen’s effect size (d = 0.21) support a trivial outcome of RCHO for total distance covered. In conclusion, carbohydrate mouth rinsing did not improve 60-min track running performance in female recreational runners competing in a low ovarian hormone condition, after an 8-h fast and when no fluid was ingested during exercise.
RATE OF APPOSITION OF ENAMEL AND DENTIN, MEASURED BY THE EFFECT OF ACUTE FLUOROSIS

Recent findings on the effect of fluorosis on the growing teeth of lower animals paved the way for this quantitative study of the rate of apposition of human enamel and dentin. REVIEW OF THE DENTAL EFFECTS OF FLUOROSIS Historical Summary . —For many years a type of hypoplasia of the enamel known as mottled enamel was a challenging problem to members of the dental profession. The condition was endemic and characterized by a destructive chalky opacity and pitting of the enamel. Black and McKay, 1 in 1916, first attempted to elucidate the underlying cause of this dental defect, and they were instrumental in initiating the large amount of research that followed. In 1931 Churchill suggested and Smith and her associates 2 established by experiments on animals that chronic fluoride intoxication was the direct cause of mottled teeth. Churchill arrived at his discovery by a direct approach, when he analyzed the water
Gluteus medius function and low back pain; is there a relationship?

Direct reflex inhibition and atrophy of muscle in response to joint dysfunction is well documented. Inhibitory phenomenon influencing musculature more remote from an injured area is more complex. Experimental evidence involving peripheral joints suggests there is a neurophysiological pathway which influences muscle activity in the absence of actual muscle injury. Joint injury in the lumbar spine has been shown to alter reflex muscle activity in local segments. Clinical observation of individuals with low back pain suggests a relationship between the side of symptoms and compromised gluteus medius function. The purpose of this presentation is to investigate the link between low back pain and altered gluteus medius function as a form of indirect reflex inhibition.
ActivPAL™ determined sedentary behaviour, physical activity and academic achievement in college students

ABSTRACT The aim of this study was to examine relationships between activPAL™-determined sedentary behavior (SB) and physical activity (PA) with academic achievement. A total of 120 undergraduates (N = 57 female; 20.6 ± 2.3 years) participated in the study. Academic achievement was measured as the grade point average obtained from all completed courses. Participants wore on the right tight an activPAL™ for 7 days to determine total sedentary time, total number of sedentary breaks, sedentary bouts, standing time, light and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA). Separate multiple linear regression models were performed to examine associations between SB variables and academic achievement. Light PA, MVPA, total sedentary time, total standing time, or total number of sedentary breaks were not related to academic achievement. Independently of PA, the amount of time spent in sedentary bouts of 10-20min during weekdays was positively related to academic achievement. Given that college students spend the majority of their workday in environments that encourage prolonged sitting, these data suggest that interruptions in prolonged periods of sitting time every 10-20min via short breaks may optimize cognitive operations associated with academic performance.
Neoplasias mamárias em cadelas: influência hormonal e efeitos da ovario-histerectomia como terapia adjuvante

The mammary neoplasms comprises aproximatel 50% ofthe diagnosed tumor s m the bitch. Although female sexual honnones play a fundamental role in the development of these tumors in mammals, the value of the suppression hormonal (ovariohysterectomy) as an adjuvam treatment remains controversial. There are still arguments on whether the ovariohysterectomy after diagnosis of the tumor possesses influences lhe growth and progression of the tumor on the affected gland or on other mammary glands. The objective ofthis review is to discuss some aspects related to the hormonal influence in the pathogenesis of the canine tumor, as well as the therapeutic value ofspaying. when accomplished in the moment ofthe mastectomy.
Comparative Effectiveness Evidence From the Spine Patient Outcomes Research Trial: Surgical Versus Nonoperative Care for Spinal Stenosis, Degenerative Spondylolisthesis, and Intervertebral Disc Herniation

Study Design. Cost-effectiveness analysis of a randomized plus observational cohort trial. Objective. Analyze cost-effectiveness of Spine Patient Outcomes Research Trial data over 4 years comparing surgery with nonoperative care for three common diagnoses: spinal stenosis (SPS), degenerative spondylolisthesis (DS), and intervertebral disc herniation (IDH). Summary of Background Data. Spine surgery rates continue to rise in the United States, but the safety and economic value of these procedures remain uncertain. Methods. Patients with image-confirmed diagnoses were followed in randomized or observational cohorts with data on resource use, productivity, and EuroQol EQ-5D health state values measured at 6 weeks, 3, 6, 12, 24, 36, and 48 months. For each diagnosis, cost per quality-adjusted life year (QALY) gained in 2004 US dollars was estimated for surgery relative to nonoperative care using a societal perspective, with costs and QALYs discounted at 3% per year. Results. Surgery was performed initially or during the 4-year follow-up among 414 of 634 (65.3%) SPS, 391 of 601 (65.1%) DS, and 789 of 1192 (66.2%) IDH patients. Surgery improved health, with persistent QALY differences observed through 4 years (SPS QALY gain 0.22; 95% confidence interval, CI: 0.15, 0.34; DS QALY gain 0.34, 95% CI: 0.30, 0.47; and IDH QALY gain 0.34, 95% CI: 0.31, 0.38). Costs per QALY gained decreased for SPS from $77,600 at 2 years to $59,400 (95% CI: $37,059, $125,162) at 4 years, for DS from $115,600 to $64,300 per QALY (95% CI: $32,864, $83,117), and for IDH from $34,355 to $20,600 per QALY (95% CI: $4,539, $33,088). Conclusion. Comparative effectiveness evidence for clearly defined diagnostic groups from Spine Patient Outcomes Research Trial shows good value for surgery compared with nonoperative care over 4 years.
THE NOUN/VERB DISSOCIATION IN LANGUAGE PRODUCTION: VARIETIES OF CAUSES

Abstract We report the performance of two patients who presented with complementary deficits in naming nouns relative to verbs: EA performed far worse with nouns than verbs, while MR performed worse with verbs than nouns. The two patients' grammatical category-specific deficits could not easily be explained in terms of damage to specific types of semantic knowledge prototypically associated with nouns (visual properties) and verbs (action features). One of the two patients, MR, also presented with a selective deficit in processing verbal as opposed to nominal morphology, in line with her impairment in naming verbs. The other patient, EA, showed no impairment in producing nominal and regular verbal morphology. The contrasting patterns of grammatical category-specific deficits in naming and morphological processing, along with other recently reported patterns, are interpreted as providing support for the claim that semantic and grammatical properties independently contribute to the organisation of lexical processes in the brain.
When is the best time to fix fractures?

The best time to operate on a fracture is governed in part by the nature of the fracture itself. It is also influenced by the premorbid condition of the patient and by the degree that associated injuries have disrupted normal processes. It is likely that some patients have a period of increased physiological risk for intervention, during which a second insult will result in further harm. The picture is not yet fully clear but relates to variations in the inflammatory response to trauma. One consistent lesson appears to resonate throughout the published literature. The most predictable risk factor for iatrogenic physiological disturbance is transfer to the operating theatre before adequate resuscitation of the patient has taken place.
Medium spiny neurons of the neostriatal matrix exhibit specific, stereotyped changes in dendritic arborization during a critical developmental period in mice

In mice, the matrix compartment of the striatum (caudate/putamen) undergoes major developmental changes during the second postnatal week, including the establishment of corticostriatal and nigrostriatal afferents, the maturation of parvalbumin‐positive interneurons and the appearance of perineuronal nets. It is not known if any of these events influence the dendritic structure of medium spiny neurons, the principal output cells of the striatum. To determine whether any measurable changes in the dendrites of matrix medium spiny neurons occur during this important developmental period, we labeled individual cells at different time points flanking the second postnatal week. These cells exhibit distinct dendritic morphologies from the earliest postnatal time points examined. Furthermore, our data show that the dendritic arbors of these neurons change in length, branch points, diameter and tortuosity, regardless of morphological type. The increase in dendritic length is accompanied by a decrease in the number of branch points that occur in different, but consistent, parts of the dendritic arbor. All of these changes are most pronounced during the second postnatal week, coinciding with a number of developmental events considered important for consolidating circuitry within the striatal matrix. Our results further support the critical importance of this early postnatal period in striatal development.
Neuropsychological evidence for a spatial bias in visual short-term memory after left posterior ventral damage

For the first time, we report a spatial bias in visual short-term memory (VSTM) after left medial and inferior occipito-temporal damage. Our patient D.M. showed a spatial bias in report from VSTM, being more accurate at reporting stimuli presented in her left than her right visual field (Experiment 1). This spatial bias could not be attributed to a visual field deficit (Experiment 2) and was based on the relative rather than the absolute locations of the stimuli (Experiment 3). It was reduced when the transfer of items to VSTM was facilitated—for example, by grouping stimuli (Experiment 4) or by reducing the number of items to be remembered (Experiment 5). The spatial bias was attenuated when items moved from right to centre or left to centre, and D.M. was cued to report the item that would have been on the right or left, had the movement continued (Experiment 6). We conclude that posterior ventral damage can impair both the consolidation of new information in VSTM and the explicit report of consolidated information from VSTM.
Rates and Causes of Mortality Associated With Spine Surgery Based on 108,419 Procedures: A Review of the Scoliosis Research Society Morbidity and Mortality Database

Study Design. A retrospective review of a prospectively collected database. Objective. To assess rates and causes of mortality associated with spine surgery. Summary of Background Data. Despite the best of care, all surgical procedures have inherent risks of complications, including mortality. Defining these risks is important for patient counseling and quality improvement. Methods. The Scoliosis Research Society Morbidity and Mortality database was queried for spinal surgery cases complicated by death from 2004 to 2007, including pediatric (younger than 21 yr) and adult (21 yr or older) patients. Deaths occurring within 60 days and complications within 60 days of surgery that resulted in death were assessed. Results. A total of 197 mortalities were reported among 108,419 patients (1.8 deaths per 1000 patients). Based on age, rates of death per 1000 patients for adult and pediatric patients were 2.0 and 1.3, respectively. Based on primary diagnosis (available for 107,996 patients), rates of death per 1000 patients were as follows: 0.9 for degenerative (n = 47,393), 1.8 for scoliosis (n = 26,421), 0.9 for spondylolisthesis (n = 11,421), 5.7 for fracture (n = 6706), 4.4 for kyphosis (n = 3600), and 3.3 for other (n = 12,455). The most common causes of mortality included: respiratory/pulmonary causes (n = 83), cardiac causes (n = 41), sepsis (n = 35), stroke (n = 15), and intraoperative blood loss (n = 8). Death occurred prior to hospital discharge for 109 (79%) of 138 deaths for which this information was reported. The specific postoperative day (POD) of death was reported for 94 (48%) patients and included POD 0 (n = 23), POD 1–3 (n = 17), POD 4–14 (n = 30), and POD >14 (n = 24). Increased mortality rates were associated with higher American Society of Anesthesiologists score, spinal fusion, and implants (P < 0.001). Mortality rates increased with age, ranging from 0.9 per 1000 to 34.3 per 1000 for patients aged 20 to 39 years and 90 years or older, respectively. Conclusion. This study provides rates and causes of mortality associated with spine surgery for a broad range of diagnoses and includes assessments for adult and pediatric patients. These findings may prove valuable for patient counseling and efforts to improve the safety of patient care.
Ph.D. in biochemistry with research in education

In my earlier commentary, Ph.D. in Biochemistry Education? [1], I stated, ‘‘As far as I know, there are no Ph.D. programs in biochemistry education. ’’ Thus I am delighted that a recent graduate of a Ph.D. program in biochemistry with research in education and two colleagues have exposed my ignorance in their commentary, Ph.D. in Biochemistry (Education)! [2]. Moreover, their response provides an opportunity to highlight this topic and hopefully provoke further reflection and discussion. The authors make two claims about my earlier commentary:
Correlation of Vertebral Strength Topography With 3-Dimensional Computed Tomographic Structure

Study Design. Biomechanical and radiographical study. Objective. To test the hypothesis that stiffness and strength at discrete sites of human lumbar vertebrae depend on the 3-dimentional structure and density of the vertebral-body bone elements, and can be evaluated using models based on vertebral bone characteristics obtained from quantitative computed tomogrphy. Summary of Background Data. We have not found published methods that allow in vivo evaluation of bone mechanical properties at discrete sites of vertebral body applicable for clinical use. We hypothesize that human lumbar vertebral strength topography depends on the local 3-dimensional structural features of the bone structure, and that the stiffness and strength can be evaluated at discrete sites using models based on data obtained from quantitative computed tomographic (CT) images. Methods. Forty-eight vertebrae (8 L1, 8 L2, 8 L3, 10 L4, and 14 L5) from 14 cadaveric subjects (9 men and 5 women; age, 43–99 yr) were studied. Stiffness (modulus of elasticity) and strength (maximum load and maximum tolerable pressure) were defined by an indentation test at 11 discrete sites on the cranial and caudal surfaces of each vertebral endplate. Before the indentation test radiography, dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry, micro-CT, and conventional-CT (con-CT) of the vertebrae were performed. Micro-CT characteristics of cortical and cancellous bones of 18 vertebrae were measured at each region of interest defined by a 3-dimensional coordinate system. The most informative indices regarding endplate strength were selected by correlation analysis. Predictive models of local stiffness and strength were created using selected indices obtained by micro-CT and con-CT (40 vertebrae) images. Results. Local stiffness and strength of the tested specimens were highly variable. Endplate thickness and density in combination with adjacent trabecular bone density, existence of endplate defects, and subject's age were good predictors of local stiffness and strength, applicable for con-CT. Polynomial multiple regression of these characteristics provides the best correlation with stiffness (r2 = 0.82; P < 0.001) and strength (r2 = 0.74). Conclusion. Stiffness and strength at discrete sites of human lumbar vertebrae depend on the superficial vertebral bone structure and density and can be evaluated using models based on quantitative analysis of micro-CT and con-CT images.
Training-induced improvement of noncanonical sentence production does not generalize to comprehension: evidence for modality-specific processes

The presence or absence of generalization after treatment can provide important insights into the functional relationship between cognitive processes. The aim of the present study was to investigate the relationship between the cognitive processes that underlie sentence comprehension and production in aphasia. Using data from seven participants who took part in a case-series intervention study that focused on noncanonical sentence production [Stadie et al. (2008). Unambiguous generalization effects after treatment of noncanonical sentence production in German agrammatism. Brain and Language, 104, 211–229], we identified patterns of impairments and generalization effects for the two modalities. Results showed (a) dissociations between sentence structures and modalities before treatment, (b) an absence of cross-modal generalization from production to comprehension after treatment, and (c), a co-occurrence of spared comprehension before treatment and generalization across sentence structures within production after treatment. These findings are in line with the assumption of modality-specific, but interacting, cognitive processes in sentence comprehension and production. More specifically, this interaction is assumed to be unidirectional, allowing treatment-induced improvements in production to be supported by preserved comprehension.
Cognitive dysfunction and depression in Parkinson’s disease: what can be learned from rodent models?

Parkinson’s disease (PD) has for decades been considered a pure motor disorder and its cardinal motor symptoms have been attributed to the loss of dopaminergic (DAergic) neurons in the substantia nigra pars compacta and to nigral Lewy body pathology. However, there has more recently been a shift in the conceptualization of the disease, and its pathological features have now been recognized as involving several other areas of the brain and indeed even outside the central nervous system. There are a corresponding variety of intrinsic non‐motor symptoms such as autonomic dysfunction, cognitive impairment, sleep disturbances and neuropsychiatric problems, which cannot be explained exclusively by nigral pathology. In this review, we will focus on cognitive impairment and affective symptoms in PD, and we will consider whether, and how, these deficits can best be modelled in rodent models of the disorder. As only a few of the non‐motor symptoms respond to standard DA replacement therapies, the quest for a broader therapeutic approach remains a major research effort, and success in this area in particular will be strongly dependent on appropriate rodent models. In addition, better understanding of the different models, as well as the advantages and disadvantages of the available behavioural tasks, will result in better tools for evaluating new treatment strategies for PD patients suffering from these neuropsychological symptoms.