Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Refinancing The College Dream Access Equal Opportunity And Justice For Taxpayers

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The Effect of Obesity on Neuraxial Technique Difficulty in Pregnant Patients: A Prospective, Observational Study

BACKGROUND: Practitioners often presuppose that obesity will increase neuraxial technique difficulty in pregnant patients, but few investigators have systematically examined this population for risk factors associated with difficult epidural or spinal needle placement. We designed this study to prospectively identify factors that predict neuraxial technique difficulty in pregnant patients. METHODS: Using a prospective, observational format, pregnant patients were examined for multiple potential risk factors for neuraxial technique difficulty, including current body mass index, ability to palpate spinous processes, maximum back flexion, scoliosis, and experience of the practitioner. Neuraxial technique difficulty was then assessed using two measures: 1) the number of needle passes needed to reach the desired space, and 2) the placement time from skin infiltration to either spinal injection or epidural catheter threading. Predictors of total needle passes were determined by fitting the data to a generalized linear model with negative binomial error. Predictors of neuraxial anesthetic time were determined by fitting a linear model to the log of neuraxial anesthetic placement time. A survival model was used to account for bias introduced when attending physicians intervened in resident physician procedures. RESULTS: Neuraxial procedures in 427 pregnant patients were studied. For both the number of needle passes and the neuraxial anesthetic placement time, the significant predictors of difficulty were the practitioner’s ability to palpate the patient’s bony landmarks and the patient’s ability to flex her back. Obesity, as measured by body mass index, was not an independent predictor of either end point. Obesity did, however, strongly predict both the ability to palpate landmarks and flex the back. CONCLUSIONS: Despite concerns that obesity may cause difficulty with neuraxial technique, some obese patients have surprisingly easy neuraxial block placements. When approaching any neuraxial anesthetic in a pregnant patient, and especially in the obese parturient, back flexion and landmark palpation predict neuraxial technique difficulty.
Investigation of transient forms of sulfur during biological treatment of spent caustic

ABSTRACT In the present study, the production of various transient forms of sulfur during biological oxidation of sulfidic spent caustics under haloalkaline conditions in a stirred tank bioreactor is investigated. Also, the effects of abiotic aeration (chemical oxidation), dissolved oxygen (DO) concentration and sodium concentration on forms of sulfur during biological treatment are demonstrated. Thioalkalivibrio versutus strain was used for sulfide oxidation in spent caustic (SC). The aeration had an important effect on sulfide oxidation and its final products. At DO concentrations above 2 mg l−1, majority of sulfide was oxidized to sulfate. Maximum sulfide removal efficiency (%R) and yield of sulfate production was obtained in Na+ concentration ranging from 0.6 to 2 M. Abiotic aeration, which is the most important factor of production of thiosulfate, resulted in the formation of an undesired product-polysulfide. However, abiotic aeration can be used as a pretreatment to biological treatment. In the bioreactor the removal efficiency was obtained as 82.7% and various forms of sulfur such as polysulfide, biosulfur, thiosulfate and sulfate was observed during biological treatment of SC.
Cascading Effects of the Loss of Apex Predatory Sharks from a Coastal Ocean

Impacts of chronic overfishing are evident in population depletions worldwide, yet indirect ecosystem effects induced by predator removal from oceanic food webs remain unpredictable. As abundances of all 11 great sharks that consume other elasmobranchs (rays, skates, and small sharks) fell over the past 35 years, 12 of 14 of these prey species increased in coastal northwest Atlantic ecosystems. Effects of this community restructuring have cascaded downward from the cownose ray, whose enhanced predation on its bay scallop prey was sufficient to terminate a century-long scallop fishery. Analogous top-down effects may be a predictable consequence of eliminating entire functional groups of predators.
Effects of Stability Balls on Children's On-Task Behavior, Academic Achievement, and Discipline Referrals: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

OBJECTIVE We used a randomized controlled design to investigate whether using stability balls during the school day was associated with higher levels of on-task behavior and academic achievement and fewer discipline referrals. METHOD Over 9 mo, students in 2 second-grade classrooms in a southeastern rural elementary school used stability balls as chairs while students in 2 control classrooms used chairs as usual. We collected measures of on-task behavior, standardized measures of literacy and mathematics achievement, and discipline referrals. RESULTS We found similar levels of on-task behavior and achievement in treatment and control classrooms and a downward trend in disruptive behaviors in treatment classrooms. CONCLUSION This study did not find use of stability balls for entire general education classrooms to be a practical use of resources for schools. More research with rigorous controlled designs is needed to support the use of stability balls for the general education population.
Inhibition of Penicillinase by Epigallocatechin Gallate Resulting in Restoration of Antibacterial Activity of Penicillin against Penicillinase-Producing Staphylococcus aureus

ABSTRACT The combination of epigallocatechin gallate (EGCg, a main constituent of tea catechins) with penicillin showed synergism against 21 clinical isolates of penicillinase-producing Staphylococcus aureus. Besides binding directly to peptidoglycan, the inhibition of penicillinase activity by EGCg is responsible for the synergism. EGCg inhibited the penicillinase activity in a dose-dependent fashion, with a 50% inhibitory concentration of 10 μg/ml.
The effects of excitatory amino acids on intracellular calcium in single mouse striatal neurons in vitro

Using microspectrofluorimetry and the calcium-sensitive dye fura-2, we examined the effect of excitatory amino acids on [Ca2+]i in single striatal neurons in vitro. N-methyl-D-aspartic acid (NMDA) produced rapid increases in [Ca2+]i. These were blocked by DL-2-amino-5- phosphonovaleric acid (AP5), by Mg2+, by phencyclidine, and by MK801. The block produced by Mg2+ and MK801 could be relieved by depolarizing cells with veratridine. When external Ca2+ was removed, NMDA no longer increased [Ca2+]i. Furthermore, the effects of NMDA were not blocked by concentrations of La3+ that blocked depolarization induced rises in [Ca2+]i. Substitution of Na+o by Li+ did not block the effects of NMDA. Concentrations of L-glutamate greater than or equal to 10(-6) M also increased [Ca2+]i. The effects of moderate concentrations of glutamate were blocked by AP5 but not by La3+ or by substitution of Na+ by Li+. The effects of glutamate were blocked by removal of external Ca2+ but were not blocked by concentrations of Mg2+ or MK801 that completely blocked the effects of NMDA. The glutamate analogs kainic acid (KA) and quisqualic acid also increased [Ca2+]i. The effects of KA were blocked by removal of external Ca2+ but not by La3+, Mg2+, MK801, or replacement of Na+ by Li+. Although AP5 was able to block the effects of KA partially, very high concentrations were required. These results may be explained by considering the properties of glutamate-receptor- linked ionophores. Excitatory amino acid induced increases in [Ca2+]i are consistent with the possibility that Ca2+ mediates excitatory amino acid induced neuronal degeneration.
Work week duration, work-family balance and difficulties encountered by female and male physicians: results from the French SESMAT study.

OBJECTIVE France encounters difficulties attracting physicians to work in hospitals. Organisation at work and at home may be at the heart of the problem for female as well as for male physicians. PARTICIPANTS A comprehensive questionnaire was filled out online by a representative sample of 1924 French hospital physicians. METHODS We conducted gender bivariate and multivariate analysis of the risk factors for burnout and intent to leave the profession(ITL). RESULTS ITL was declared by 17.4% of physicians. According to 41.3% of female physicians (FP), their profession was an obstacle to having children (versus 19.3% for male physicians (MP)). Major factors linked with burnout were Effort/Reward imbalance (FP adjOR = 5.09, MP adjOR = 5.93), Work-family conflicts (FP adjOR = 2.97, MP adjOR = 3.04), and Low quality of teamwork (FP adjOR = 1.82, MP adjOR = 2.68). Major factors linked with ITL were Low quality of teamwork (FP adjOR = 4.49, MP adjOR = 3.03), Patient-related burnout (FP adjOR = 2.10, MP adjOR = 2.35) and General burnout (FP adjOR = 1.85, MP adjOR = 1.45). CONCLUSIONS Excessive job demands are linked with burnout and with work-family conflicts, conducting to difficulties in organising one's life in order to have and raise children. Potential solutions include facilitating teamwork in order to reduce departure, which increase workload on those who stay increasing their work family conflict.
Co-Evolutionary Algorithms Based on Mixed Strategy

Inspired by evolutionary game theory, this paper modifies previous mixed strategy framework, adding a new mutation operator and extending to crossover operation, and proposes co-evolutionary algorithms based on mixed crossover and/or mutation strategy. The mixed mutation strategy set consists of Gaussian, Cauchy, Levy, single point and differential mutation operators; the mixed crossover strategy set consists of cuboid, two-points and heuristic crossover operators. The novel algorithms automatically select crossover and/or mutation operators from a given mixed strategy set, and improve the evolutionary performance by dynamically utilizing the most effective operator at different stages of evolution. The proposed algorithms are tested on a set of 21 benchmark problems. The results show that the new mixed strategies perform equally well or better than the best of the previous evolutionary methods for all of the benchmark problems. The proposed MMCGA has shown significant superiority over others.
Acute Effects Of Locomotor Training on Overground Walking Speed and H-Reflex Modulation in Individuals with Incomplete Spinal Cord Injury

Abstract Objective: The purpose of this study was to assess the effect of a single bout of a locomotor-training paradigm on overground walking speed and H-reflex modulation of individuals with incomplete spinal cord injury (SCI). Methods: Self-selected and maximum walking speeds and soleus H-reflexes (H/M ratios) during standing and stance and swing phases of walking (self-selected velocity) were obtained from 4 individuals with American Spinal Injury Association impairment classification D. Data were collected immediately before and after a single bout of locomotor training with body weight support on a treadmill. The pretraining H/M ratios of the SCI subjects were also compared with values from 4 able-bodied subjects who did not receive the intervention. Maximum H/M ratios while standing and during midstance and midswing phases of overground walking were considerably greater in the SCI subjects than in the control subjects. Results: After the single bout of training, self-selected and maximum overground walking speeds of the subjects with SCI increased by 26% and 25%, respectively. Furthermore, H-reflexes were significantly more depressed in the SCI subjects during overground walking (28% less during stance, 34% less during swing). Conclusions: Although preliminary, these findings indicate that a single bout of locomotor training produced immediate increases in walking velocity and acute neurophysiologic changes in individuals with incomplete SCI.
Detection with Distributed Sensors

The extension of classical detection theory to the case of distributed sensors is discussed, based on the theory of statistical hypothesis testing. The development is based on the formulation of a decentralized or team hypothesis testing problem. Theoretical results concerning the form of the optimal decision rule, examples, application to data fusion, and open problems are presented.
A Nationwide Epidemic of Influenza C Virus Infection in Japan in 2004

ABSTRACT During the period from January to July 2004, a total of 131 influenza C viruses were detected by cell culture or reverse transcription-PCR (RT-PCR) from specimens that were obtained from children with acute respiratory symptoms in 10 prefectures across Japan. Influenza C virus was identified most frequently in the Miyagi (1.4%, 45 of 3,226 specimens) and Yamagata (2.5%, 31 of 1,263 specimens) prefectures, and the frequency in this year was the highest since 1990. Phylogenetic analysis of the hemagglutinin esterase gene of the 13 strains isolated in nine prefectures revealed that genetically similar strains belonging to the Kanagawa/1/76-related lineage dominantly spread throughout Japan. During the 2004 influenza season, influenza C virus coexisted with epidemics of influenza A virus (H3 strain), and 12 cases were identified from patients who had been diagnosed with influenza-like illness (7 were detected by RT-PCR, and 5 were detected by culture). A comparison of specimens that were found positive by culture with those found positive only by RT-PCR shows that the amount of virus in PCR-positive specimens tended to be lower than in isolation-positive specimens. Although the mean peak temperature in patients in the PCR-positive group was slightly lower, there were no significant differences in characteristics between specimens (i.e., kind of specimen, period from onset to specimen collection, age distribution of patients, and severity of illness). These results suggest that an epidemic of influenza C virus occurred on a national scale during this period and that RT-PCR can be an effective supplemental tool for the evaluation of clinical and epidemiological information.
Baby O and the Withdrawal of Life-Sustaining Medical Treatment in the Devastated Neonate: A Review of Clinical, Ethical, and Legal Issues

The discontinuation of life sustaining medical treatment (LSMT) in severely and permanently impaired neonates, especially artificial nutrition and hydration (ANH) is subject to uncertainty and controversy. Definitive clinical guidelines are lacking, clinical research is limited, ethical disagreement is commonplace, and while case and statutory law provide legal underpinning for the practice in defined circumstances, uncertainty in this realm likely influences clinical practice. We use the case of a neurologically devastated neonate to highlight and review these arenas, and show how, using available legal, ethical, and clinical standards and practice, the case of Baby O was resolved, and to underline the need for further research in neonatal palliative care.
Death vs. Data Science: Predicting End of Life

Death is an inevitable part of life and while it cannot be delayed indefinitely it is possible to predict with some certainty when the health of a person is going to deteriorate. In this paper, we predict risk of mortality for patients from two large hospital systems in the Pacific Northwest. Using medical claims and electronic medical records (EMR) data we greatly improve prediction for risk of mortality and explore machine learning models with explanations for end of life predictions. The insights that are derived from the predictions can then be used to improve the quality of patient care towards the end of life.
SIL1, a causative cochaperone gene of Marinesco-Sjögren syndrome, plays an essential role in establishing the architecture of the developing cerebral cortex

Marinesco‐Sjögren syndrome (MSS) is a rare autosomal recessively inherited disorder with mental retardation (MR). Recently, mutations in the SIL1 gene, encoding a co‐chaperone which regulates the chaperone HSPA5, were identified as a major cause of MSS. We here examined the pathophysiological significance of SIL1 mutations in abnormal corticogenesis of MSS. SIL1‐silencing caused neuronal migration delay during corticogenesis ex vivo. While RNAi‐resistant SIL1 rescued the defects, three MSS‐causing SIL1 mutants tested did not. These mutants had lower affinities to HSPA5 in vitro, and SIL1‐HSPA5 interaction as well as HSPA5 function was found to be crucial for neuronal migration ex vivo. Furthermore time‐lapse imaging revealed morphological disorganization associated with abnormal migration of SIL1‐deficient neurons. These results suggest that the mutations prevent SIL1 from interacting with and regulating HSPA5, leading to abnormal neuronal morphology and migration. Consistent with this, when SIL1 was silenced in cortical neurons in one hemisphere, axonal growth in the contralateral hemisphere was delayed. Taken together, abnormal neuronal migration and interhemispheric axon development may contribute to MR in MSS.
The effects of social media use in undergraduate students

v List of Figures vii Chapter 1: Introduction 1 Purpose of the Study and Hypothesis 1 Definitions 2 Chapter 2: Literature Review 4 Chapter 3: Methodology 19 Participants 19 Materials 19 Design 20 Procedure 20 Chapter 4: Results 21 Chapter 5: Discussion 23 Summary 23 Limitations 23 Future Directions 23 Implications 24 References 25 Appendix: Survey 29
FAST TEXTURE-BASED TENSOR FIELD VISUALIZATION FOR DT-MRI

Diffusion tensor MRI (DT-MRI) provides useful connectivity information about neuronal tissue, but has several visualization challenges. The high dimensional nature of the data (a 3D volume image with a matrix at each voxel) requires some processing to visualize on conventional 2D display devices. In this paper we present a novel approach to visualizing the tensor-valued data. Our approach requires minimal preprocessing and can be implemented and run much faster than other existing texture-based approaches. This is accomplished by using a hybrid approach, which has similarities to existing glyph, particle and texture-based visualization techniques. The resulting image is formed by blending textured billboards which are rendered at the center of each voxel in the dataset. Color, texture orientation, texture frequency and animation are used to convey diffusion properties. Results are presented for a DT-MRI image of a human brain.
Double discounting of QALYs.

Quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs) calculated from time tradeoff (TTO) based preferences have a time preference component. To impose a conventional discount rate on these implicitly discounted QALYs introduces some degree of double discounting. The purpose of this study was to determine the magnitude of the double discounting effect and the effectiveness of a suggested method for avoiding double discounting in a TTO-based QALY model. Our analysis used holistic and composite preference scores obtained with the TTO technique in a prior study of four hypothetical treatment paths in type 2 diabetes. Discounted composite preference scores were significantly discrepant from holistic preference scores. Adjusting TTO-based quality weights prior to external discounting reduced the discrepancy only slightly. Since time preference effects may vary with health state context, the double discounting effect needs further investigation.
Protective Cytotoxic T-Cell Responses Induced by Venezuelan Equine Encephalitis Virus Replicons Expressing Ebola Virus Proteins

ABSTRACT Infection with Ebola virus causes a severe disease accompanied by high mortality rates, and there are no licensed vaccines or therapies available for human use. Filovirus vaccine research efforts still need to determine the roles of humoral and cell-mediated immune responses in protection from Ebola virus infection. Previous studies indicated that exposure to Ebola virus proteins expressed from packaged Venezuelan equine encephalitis virus replicons elicited protective immunity in mice and that antibody-mediated protection could only be demonstrated after vaccination against the glycoprotein. In this study, the murine CD8+ T-cell responses to six Ebola virus proteins were examined. CD8+ T cells specific for Ebola virus glycoprotein, nucleoprotein, and viral proteins (VP24, VP30, VP35, and VP40) were identified by intracellular cytokine assays using splenocytes from vaccinated mice. The cells were expanded by restimulation with peptides and demonstrated cytolytic activity. Adoptive transfer of the CD8+ cytotoxic T cells protected filovirus naïve mice from challenge with Ebola virus. These data support a role for CD8+ cytotoxic T cells as part of a protective mechanism induced by vaccination against six Ebola virus proteins and provide additional evidence that cytotoxic T-cell responses can contribute to protection from filovirus infections.
Degradation of atrazine and 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid by mycorrhizal fungi at three nitrogen concentrations in vitro

Nine mycorrhizal fungi and free-living saprophytic microorganisms were tested for their ability to degrade two chlorinated aromatic herbicides at two herbicide concentrations and three nitrogen concentrations. Radiolabelled 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) and 2-chloro-4-ethylamino-6-isopropylamino-s-triazine (atrazine) were used as substrates at concentrations of 1 and 4 mM. After 8 weeks, none of the cultures tested grew at 4 mM 2,4-D. However, when the 2,4-D concentration was reduced to 1 mM, Phanerochaete chrysosporium 1767 had the highest level of 2,4-D mineralization and degradation under all nitrogen conditions. All cultures tested grew at both atrazine concentrations. In all cases, the ericoid mycorrhizal fungus Hymenoscyphus ericae 1318 had the highest level of atrazine carbon incorporated into its tissue. In general, as the nitrogen concentration increased, the total herbicide degradation increased. All of the cultures, except for Rhizopogon vinicolor 7534 and Sclerogaster pacificus 9011, showed increased degradation at 4 mM compared with 1 mM atrazine. The ability to degrade these two herbicides thus appeared to be dependent on the fungus and the herbicide, with no correlation to fungal ecotype (mycorrhizal versus free living).
Measurement of the E-field distribution of a WLAN transmitter inside and outside a control consol

In this contribution the electric field distribution at a control consol is investigated in the presence of wireless LAN transmitters. The structure of the consol is assembled on bridges of modern vessels. The aim of this paper is to investigate which electric field strength has to be expected at electronic devices which are installed inside or upon the control consol while the wireless transmitter is installed directly outside the control consol. Therefore measurements and simulations have been performed. Furthermore, a suggestion for a continuative threshold for the IEC 60945 is given for the 2.4-GHz-ISM-band.