Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Staff stress in hospice/palliative care: a review

A review of the research in the area of staff stress in hospice/palliative care since the start of the modern hospice movement shows that, while high stress was identified as a problem in the early days of the movement, later studies have shown that stress and burnout in palliative care are by no means universal. Staff stress and burnout in hospice/palliative care has been demonstrated to be less than in professionals in many other settings. However, other studies have noted suicidal ideation, increased alcohol and drug usage, anxiety, depression, and difficulty in dealing with issues of death and dying. It is hypothesized that part of the reason that stress may be lower than expected in some settings was the early recognition of the potential stress inherent in this field and the development of appropriate organizational and personal coping strategies to deal with the identified stressors. Staff in hospice/palliative care have been found to have increased stress when mechanisms such as social support, involvement in work and decision-making, and a realistic work-load are not available. The stress that exists in palliative care is due in large measure to organizational and societal issues, although personal variables were also found to have an influence. Suggestions are given for the direction of future research in the field.
Threshold Voltage Model for Short-Channel Undoped Symmetrical Double-Gate MOSFETs

A simple threshold voltage model of an undoped symmetrical double-gate MOSFET has been developed, based on an analytical solution of Poisson's equation for the potential distribution. The model has been verified by comparing the threshold voltage roll-off with the channel length with simulation results for different silicon thicknesses, gate oxide thicknesses, and drain voltage values. Good agreement between model and simulation results is obtained by calibrating the minimum carrier charge sheet density adequate to achieve the turn-on condition.
Investigation of Load Frequency Relief From Field Measurements and Its Impact on Contingency Reserve Evaluation

Any mismatch between load and generation (due to a generator or an interconnection trip) is intended to be balanced and stabilized by contingency reserve, which is also known as contingency Frequency Control Ancillary Services (FCAS) requirement. Load Frequency Relief (LFR), which represents the effect of frequency dependent loads on power system frequency excursion, is crucial for correctly evaluating contingency reserve requirement during generation dispatch to ensure an adequate frequency response. Over estimation of LFR can be accountable for less planned reserve during an economic dispatch that may cause undesirable frequency performance. On the other hand, under estimation of LFR can result in an excessive reserve and hence could unnecessarily increase system operational cost. Conventionally, LFR is considered as a fixed quantity during the evaluation of FCAS requirement. However, recent experience in the Australian power grid suggests that such an assumption may lead to an inaccurate outcome. To explore the above issue, this research investigates the LFR using field measurement data, which were captured at different locations of the southern states of Australia (e.g., Tasmania and Victoria). An approach is developed to identify the predominating factors affecting the LFR and subsequently a technique is proposed to appropriately determine contingency FCAS requirement.
Helicobacter hepaticus promotes azoxymethane‐initiated colon tumorigenesis in BALB/c‐IL10‐deficient mice

The BALB/c‐IL10 null mouse strain develops colitis and colitis‐associated adenocarcinomas, and is a model for idiopathic inflammatory bowel disease. We tested the hypotheses that (i) azoxymethane (AOM), a carcinogen that targets the colon, synergizes with the colonic inflammation inherent in the BALB/c‐IL10 null mouse resulting in an increase in incidence, multiplicity and/or progression of AOM‐induced tumors or colitis‐associated adenocarcinomas; and (ii) prior infection with Helicobacter hepaticus, a common enterohepatic bacterial pathogen in many research mouse colonies, increases the incidence, multiplicity and/or progression of AOM‐induced colon tumors or colitis‐associated adenocarcinomas in the BALB/c‐IL10 null mouse. We show that, within the timeframe examined, AOM‐induced colon tumors in the BALB/c‐IL10 null mouse were grossly and microscopically similar in appearance to AOM‐induced colon tumors in the wild type BALB/cJ mouse. No colitis‐associated adenocarcinomas were identified. Infection with H. hepaticus prior to AOM‐treatment also did not result in colitis‐associated adenocarcinomas but did result in a significant increase in the incidence of AOM‐induced colon tumors relative to AOM treatment alone. The AOM‐induced adenomas were predominantly exophytic and nodular or polypoid and localized to the distal colon. These results suggest that H. hepaticus promotes AOM‐induced tumorigenesis in the BALB/c‐IL10 null mouse. © 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Effects of Early Defoliation on Shoot Photosynthesis, Yield Components, and Grape Composition

The effectiveness of early leaf removal on high-yielding cultivars Sangiovese and Trebbiano ( Vitis vinifera L.) was investigated as a tool for reducing crop potential and for inducing looser clusters that are less susceptible to rot. Fruit set, cluster weight, berry number per cluster, berry size, and cluster compactness were reduced by all defoliation treatments as compared to non-defoliated shoots. Physiological assessment performed in a one-year study on Sangiovese indicated that prebloom removal of the six basal leaves elicited no difference between treatments in mean seasonal assimilation (A) per shoot (2.91 μmol s −1 for control against 2.81 μmol s −1 for the defoliated), a fact due to the offsetting action of more vigorous lateral shoot formation and higher A rates for both main and lateral leaves after veraison in the defoliated shoots. Grape composition was improved by defoliation (higher Brix in both cultivars and higher anthocyanins and phenolics in Sangiovese) as a result of more assimilates being available per unit of cropping and smaller berries characterized by an increased skin-to-pulp ratio. The three-year-study on Trebbiano also showed no carryover effects of defoliation on the following year’s bud differentiation and very few year x treatment interactions, suggesting the prevailing effects of leaf removal over variability because of climate. Overall, early defoliation may be an excellent tool for yield control, replacing time-consuming manual cluster thinning. A time-consistent response suggests that this practice may also improve grape composition.
Long-Term Field Trial to Control the Invasive Argentine Ant (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) with Synthetic Trail Pheromone

ABSTRACT Previous short-term experiments showed that trail following behavior of the Argentine ant, Linepithema humile (Mayr) (Hymenoptera: Formicidae), can be disrupted by a high concentration of synthetic trail pheromone component (Z)-9-hexadecenal. In this study, a long-term field trial was conducted in 100-m2 plots of house gardens in an urban area of Japan to see whether the control effect on Argentine ants can be obtained by permeating synthetic trail pheromone from dispensers. The dispensers were placed in the experimental plots during the ant's active season (April–November) for 2 yr with monthly renewal. To estimate Argentine ant population density, foraging activity of Argentine ants in the study plots was monitored by monthly bait surveys. Throughout the study period, Argentine ant foraging activity was suppressed in the presence of the dispensers, presumably via trail forming inhibition. In contrast, the level of foraging activity was not different between treatment and no-treatment plots when the dispensers were temporarily removed, suggesting that treatment with pheromone dispensers did not suppress Argentine ant density in the treatment plots. Population decline may be expected with larger-scale treatment that covers a significant portion of the ant colony or with improvement in the potency of the disruptant.
Tobacco brand appearances in movies before and after the master settlement agreement.

To the Editor: Product placement in movies has long been used to promote cigarette sales and brand awareness. The November 1998 Master Settlement Agreement (MSA) between state attorneys general and major tobacco companies prohibits payment for tobacco brand placement in movies. To evaluate whether the MSA has affected the number of tobacco brand appearances (TBAs) in movies, we analyzed the top 100 US box-office films per year for 1996-2003.
URANIUM(VI) BIOSORPTION BY DRIED ROOTS OF EICHHORNIA CRASSIPES (WATER HYACINTH)

Uranium uptake by dried roots of Eichhornia crassipes was rapid and the biomass could remove 54% of the initial uranium present within 4 min of contact time. The process was favored at pH 5–6 and was least influenced by temperature. Biosorption data fitted to both Langmuir and Freundlich isotherm. The maximum loading capacity obtained was 371 mg U/g dry biomass. Distribution coefficient of 9336 ml/g was observed at a residual concentration of 4.9 mg U/L. Uptake increased at higher dose of biomass and reached a plateau beyond the concentration of 6 g/L. The specific metal ion uptake decreased with increasing initial uranium concentration. Anions (0.1 M) inhibited the uptake and followed the trend acetate > sulphate > nitrate > chloride. However presence of carbonate had no effect on uranium biosorption.
On Supervised Metrics for Shape Segmentation

Segmentation is one of the most critical steps in image analysis. Also, the quantification of the error commited during this step is not a straightforward task. In this work, the performance of some comparison function or metrics are studied, when just one object appears in the analyzed regions. We develop a method for rank many validation measures of segmentation algorithms. It is based on thresholding a test image with a range of threshold and to find the middle threshold value when the performance measure is minimum or maximum. The performance is plotted and the first derivate is employed in the ranking construction. We have determined that RDE and MHD are two performance measures that show the best results (both are the most selective).
Bilateral simultaneous anterior ischaemic optic neuropathy associated with Sticky Platelet Syndrome

A 40-year-old man noticed blurred vision in his right eye which lasted 2 days and then improved. Four days later, he had central blurring of vision in his left eye which was noticed upon awakening. This progressed throughout the day until only a small temporal island of vision remained. He had a previous episode of left-sided numbness, weakness and headache 3 months prior, all of which resolved spontaneously. He was referred to the Neuro-Ophthalmology Clinic. Past medical and surgical history was unremarkable. …
New perspectives in tetracycline resistance

Until recently, tetracycline efflux was thought to be the only mechanism of tetracycline resistance. As studies of tetracycline resistance have shifted to bacteria outside the Enterobacteriaceae, two other mechanisms of resistance have been discovered. The first is ribosomal protection, a type of resistance which is found in mycoplasmas, Gram‐positive and Gram‐negative bacteria and may be the most common type of tetracycline resistance in nature. The second is tetracycline modification, which has been found only in two strains of an obligate anaerobe (Bacteroides). Recent studies have also turned up such anomalies as a tetracycline efflux pump which does not confer resistance to tetracycline and a gene near the replication origin of a tetracycline‐sensitive Bacillus strain which confers resistance when it is amplified.
Microenvironment Interactions in Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia: A Delicate Equilibrium Linking the Quiescent and the Proliferative Pool

Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) is the commonest form of leukemia in Europe and North America, and mainly, though not exclusively, affects older individuals. It has a very variable course, with survival ranging from months to decades [1]. It is a neoplastic disorder, characterized by progressive accumulation of monoclonal B lymphocytes, expressing CD5 and CD23 molecules and low amounts of surface membrane Ig and CD79b molecules [2]. About one-third of patients never requires treatment, has a long survival and dies of causes unrelated to CLL; in another third an initial indolent phase is followed by progression of the disease; the remaining third of patients has aggressive disease at the onset and requires early treatment [3]
Influences of Bathing and Hot Weather on the Pharmacokinetics of a New Transdermal Clonidine, M‐5041T

The influences of bathing and hot weather on plasma concentrations of clonidine were examined during application of a new transdermal clonidine system, M‐5041T, in eight healthy volunteers. An M‐5041T patch containing 6 mg of clonidine was applied on the right chest for 96 hours during winter with or without bathing (40°C for 5 minutes) and also during summer without bathing. Plasma concentrations and urinary excretion of clonidine were determined for a 160‐hour period after application. Plasma concentrations of clonidine in the winter trials did not differ significantly with or without bathing. Plasma drug concentration as a whole was significantly higher in the summer trial than in the winter trial, however. The maximum plasma concentration (Cmax), area under the plasma concentration‐time curve (AUC), and urinary excretion (Ae) of clonidine also tended to be higher in the summer trial. These results suggest that plasma levels of clonidine are higher after application of M‐5041T during hot weather. Although the period of bathing used in this study was short, the influence of bathing seems to be negligible.
Ikaros and GATA-1 Combinatorial Effect Is Required for Silencing of Human γ-Globin Genes

ABSTRACT During development and erythropoiesis, globin gene expression is finely modulated through an important network of transcription factors and chromatin modifying activities. In this report we provide in vivo evidence that endogenous Ikaros is recruited to the human β-globin locus and targets the histone deacetylase HDAC1 and the chromatin remodeling protein Mi-2 to the human γ-gene promoters, thereby contributing to γ-globin gene silencing at the time of the γ- to β-globin gene transcriptional switch. We show for the first time that Ikaros interacts with GATA-1 and enhances the binding of the latter to different regulatory regions across the locus. Consistent with these results, we show that the combinatorial effect of Ikaros and GATA-1 impairs close proximity between the locus control region and the human γ-globin genes. Since the absence of Ikaros also affects GATA-1 recruitment to GATA-2 promoter, we propose that the combinatorial effect of Ikaros and GATA-1 is not restricted to globin gene regulation.
Use of Biotelemetry to Define Physiology-Based Deterioration Thresholds in a Murine Cecal Ligation and Puncture Model of Sepsis

Objectives:Murine models of critical illness are commonly used to test new therapeutic interventions. However, these interventions are often administered at fixed time intervals after the insult, perhaps ignoring the inherent variability in magnitude and temporality of the host response. We propose to use wireless biotelemetry monitoring to define and validate criteria for acute deterioration and generate a physiology-based murine cecal ligation and puncture model that is more similar to the conduct of human trials of sepsis. Design:Laboratory and animal research. Setting:University basic science laboratory. Subjects:Male C57BL/6 mice. Interventions:Mice underwent cecal ligation and puncture, and an HD-X11 wireless telemetry monitor (Data Sciences International) was implanted that enabled continuous, real-time measurement of heart rate, core temperature, and mobility. We performed a population-based analysis to determine threshold criteria that met face validity for acute physiologic deterioration. We assessed construct validity by temporally matching mice that met these acute physiologic deterioration thresholds with mice that had not yet met deterioration threshold. We analyzed matched blood samples for blood gas, inflammatory cytokine concentration, cystatin C, and alanine aminotransferase. Measurements and Main Results:We observed that a 10% reduction in both heart rate and temperature sustained for greater than or equal to 10 minutes defined acute physiologic deterioration. There was significant variability in the time to reach acute deterioration threshold across mice, ranging from 339 to 529 minutes after cecal ligation and puncture. We found adequate construct validity, as mice that met criteria for acute deterioration had significantly worse shock, systemic inflammation (elevated tumor necrosis factor-&agr;, p = 0.003; interleukin-6, p = 0.01; interleukin-10, p = 0.005), and acute kidney injury when compared with mice that had not yet met acute deterioration criteria. Conclusions:We defined a murine threshold for acute physiologic deterioration after cecal ligation and puncture that has adequate face and construct validity. This model may enable a more physiology-based model for evaluation of novel therapeutics in critical illness.
Push–pull model of the primate photopic electroretinogram: A role for hyperpolarizing neurons in shaping the b-wave

Abstract Existing models of the primate photopic electroretinogram (ERG) attribute the light-adapted b–wave to activity of depolarizing bipolar cells (DBCs), mediated through a release of potassium that is monitored by Müller cells. However, possible ERG contributions from OFF-bipolar cells (HBCs) and horizontal cells (HzCs) have not been explored. We examined the contribution of these hyperpolarizing second-order retinal cells to the photopic ERG of monkey by applying glutamate analogs to suppress photoreceptor transmission selectively to HBC/HzCs vs. DBCs. ERGs of Macaca monkeys were recorded at the cornea before and after intravitreal injection of drugs. Photopic responses were elicited by bright 200–220 ms flashes on a steady background of 3.3 log scotopic troland to suppress rod ERG components. 2–amino-4–phosphonobutyric acid (APB), which blocks DBC light responses, abolished the photopic b–wave and indicated that DBC activity is requisite for photopic b–wave production. However, applying cis–2,3–piperidine dicarboxylic acid (PDA) and kynurenic acid (KYN), to suppress HBCs/HzCs and third-order neurons, revealed a novel ERG response that was entirely positive and was sustained for the duration of the flash. The normally phasic b–wave was subsumed into this new response. Applying n–methyl-dl-aspartate (NMA) did not replicate the PDA+KYN effect, indicating that third-order retinal cells are not involved. This suggests that HBC/HzC activity is critical for shaping the phasic b–wave. Components attributable to depolarizing vs. hyperpolarizing cells were separated by subtracting waveforms after each drug from responses immediately before. This analysis indicated that DBCs and HBC/HzCs each can produce large but opposing field potentials that nearly cancel and that normally leave only the residual phasic b–wave response in the photopic ERG. Latency of the DBC component was 5–9 ms slower than the HBC/HzC component. However, once activated, the DBC component had a steeper slope. This resembles properties known for the two types of cone synapses in lower species, in which the sign-preserving HBC/HzC synapse has faster kinetics but probably lower gain than the slower sign-inverting G-protein coupled DBC synapse. A human patient with “unilateral cone dystrophy” was found to have a positive and sustained ERG that mimicked the monkey ERG after PDA+KYN, indicating that these novel positive photopic responses can occur naturally even without drug application. These results demonstrate that hyperpolarizing second-order neurons are important for the primate photopic ERG. A “Push-Pull Model” is proposed in which DBC activity is requisite for b–wave production but in which HBC/HzC activity limits the amplitude and controls the shape of the primate photopic b–wave.
End-stage renal disease patients up nearly 19%

The number of patients being treated for end-stage renal disease (ESRD) has risen from 13.3 per 100 000 in 1997 to 15.8 per 100 000 in 2001, an increase of 18.8% in 5 years, according to the Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI). [Figure][1] figure Not only did the number
Efficacy of a standardized echinacea preparation (EchinilinTM) for the treatment of the common cold: a randomized, double‐blind, placebo‐controlled trial

Background: Recently, echinacea has regained popularity as one of the treatments chosen most commonly by consumers with the expectation that it will reduce the severity and duration of the common cold. However, the results from a limited number of clinical trials for this application have thus far been inconclusive. This incongruity may be the result of investigators utilizing poorly standardized echinacea products, likely devoid of sufficient quantities of active constituents necessary to exert a definitive clinical effect. Therefore, a formulation containing alkamides, cichoric acid, and polysaccharides at concentrations of 0·25, 2·5, and 25 mg/mL, respectively, was prepared from freshly harvested Echinacea purpurea plants (commercially available as Echinilin, Natural Factors Nutritional Products, Inc., Vancouver, BC, Canada). The objective of this study was to test the efficacy of this highly standardized formulation in reducing the severity and duration of symptoms of a naturally acquired common cold.
Innate production of interleukin‐10 and tumor necrosis factor affects the risk of multiple sclerosis

Multiple sclerosis (MS) typically presents with a relapsing‐remitting onset. This can be distinguished from primary progressive MS. Typical MS is characterized by a profound inflammatory reaction in which anti‐inflammatory cytokine interleukin‐10 (IL‐10) and pro‐inflammatory cytokine tumor necrosis factor (TNF) may play a pivotal role. We tested the hypothesis that patients with MS have a distinct innate cytokine production that contributes to the susceptibility for and outcome of MS. The innate cytokine production of patients was estimated as the average production of cytokines in lipopolysaccharide ‐stimulated whole‐blood cultures of 2 to 5 first‐degree healthy family members. A total of 126 family members of 50 patients with typical MS, 61 family members of 25 patients with primary progressive MS, and 129 control subjects of 54 families were enrolled in this study. We found that members of families with low IL‐10 and high TNF production had a fourfold increased risk of developing typical MS compared with members of families with high IL‐10 and low TNF production. Patients with MS were eightfold more likely to develop typical MS than primary progressive MS when they belonged to families with low IL‐10 and high TNF production. The presence of human leukocyte antigen–DR2 was associated with MS but not with TNF production. This study shows that typical MS is associated with an innate pro‐inflammatory cytokine profile in contrast to primary progressive MS. Ann Neurol 2000;48:641–646
Routine Use of a Commercial Test, GLABRATA RTT, for Rapid Identification of Candida glabrata in Six Laboratories

ABSTRACT When evaluated in six clinical laboratories from six countries with 1,174 fresh isolates, including 715 Candida glabrata and 459 non-C. glabrata strains, GLABRATA RTT (Fumouze Diagnostics, Levallois Perret, France) yielded an overall sensitivity and an overall specificity of 95.8 and 98.9%, respectively. The results were consistent from one laboratory to another. The five false-positive results corresponded to C. parapsilosis (n = 2), C. tropicalis, C. guilliermondii, and C. lusitaniae. GLABRATA RTT allows a rapid, cost-effective, and reliable presumptive identification of C. glabrata.