Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Dietary medicinal herbs improve growth performance, fatty acid utilization, and stress recovery of Japanese flounder

Some effects of dietary medicinal herbs mixture (HM), Massa medicata fermentata, Crataegi fructus, Artemisia capillaries, and Cnidium officinale, in the proportions 2∶2∶1∶1 were identified in juvenile Japanese flounder Paralichthys olivaceus. In an 8-week feeding trial, fish were fed with 0.1, 0.3, 0.5, and 1.0% HM in a moist diet composed of horse mackerel and an artificial diet in equal parts. Fish fed the diets with 0.3, 0.5, and 1.0% HM showed higher weight gain and feed efficiency than fish in 0.1 and 0% HM feed groups. No significant differences were found in survival, feed intake, final carcass proximate composition, hemoglobin and hematocrit levels, plasma total cholesterol level, and alanine aminotransferase activity among the dietary treatments. Fish fed with 0.3, 0.5, and 1.0% HM showed higher total carcass unsaturated fatty acid content and docosahexaenoic acid (22∶6n−3) level, and plasma high density lipoprotein-cholesterol level, but lower carcass saturated fatty acid content and plasma aspartate aminotrasferase activities than the control group. Moreover, a 10-min air exposure test with five times repeat, and an anesthesia test for 2 min with 200 p.p.m. 2-phenoxyethanol, also revealed lower mortality and lower recovery time in 0.3, 0.5, and 1.0% HM groups than the control group at the end of the trial. These results indicate that the medicinal herb mixture is useful to improve growth, fatty acid utilization, and stress recovery in the Japanese flounder.
Temporary abdominal closure: long-term outcomes.

BACKGROUND Temporary abdominal closure (TAC) is an invaluable tool in the armamentarium of surgeons caring for critically ill and injured patients. The objective of this study was to determine the incidence of abdominal wall hernias and intestinal obstructions in patients who underwent TAC. METHODS A retrospective review of the medical records of patients who underwent TAC from September 2000 to December 2007 was completed. Patients were stratified by technique and indication for TAC. Statistical analysis included analysis of variance, χ(2), Fisher's exact test, Wilcoxon rank sum test, Kruskal-Wallis test, and Kaplan-Meier analysis. RESULTS One hundred seventeen patients underwent TAC during the study period. Nine patients were excluded from the analysis. For the remaining 108 patients, 30-day mortality was 17%. Definitive fascial closure was accomplished in 91% of patients. Median time to closure was 3 days. Seventy-six (70%) patients survived ≥6 months after definitive fascial or skin-only closure. Median follow-up was 34.5 months. Intestinal obstructions developed in 11% of patients. Abdominal wall hernias developed in 30% of patients with definitive fascial closure. No differences were observed for rates of abdominal wall hernias or intestinal obstructions based on preoperative body mass index, TAC indication, or TAC technique (temporary skin, bridge, or vacuum-assisted device closure). CONCLUSION Successful definitive fascial closure was achieved in 91% of patients after TAC. Abdominal wall hernias and intestinal obstructions were associated with longer median time to closure and increased ventilator days. No associations with indications for TAC, temporary closure techniques, or definitive closure methods were demonstrated.
Alterations in the gut microbiome of children with severe ulcerative colitis

Background: Although the role of microbes in disease pathogenesis is well established, data describing the variability of the vast microbiome in children diagnosed with ulcerative colitis (UC) are lacking. This study characterizes the gut microbiome in hospitalized children with severe UC and determines the relationship between microbiota and response to steroid therapy. Methods: Fecal samples were collected from 26 healthy controls and 27 children hospitalized with severe UC as part of a prospective multicenter study. DNA extraction, polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification of bacterial 16S rRNA, and microarray hybridization were performed. Results were analyzed in GeneSpring GX 11.0 comparing healthy controls with children with UC, and steroid responsive (n = 17) with nonresponsive patients (n = 10). Results: Bacterial signal strength and distribution showed differences between UC and healthy controls (adjusted P < 0.05) for Phylum, Class, Order, Family, Genus, and Phylospecies levels with reduction in Clostridia and an increase in Gamma‐proteobacteria. The number of microbial phylospecies was reduced in UC (266 ± 69) vs. controls (758 ± 3, P < 0.001), as was the Shannon Diversity Index (6.1 ± 0.23 vs. 6.49 ± 0.04, respectively; P < 0.0001). Steroid nonresponders harbored fewer phylospecies than responders (142 ± 49 vs. 338 ± 62, P = 0.013). Conclusions: Richness, evenness, and biodiversity of the gut microbiome were remarkably reduced in children with UC compared with healthy controls. Children who did not respond to steroids harbored a microbiome that was even less rich than steroid responders. This study is the first to characterize the gut microbiome in a large cohort of pediatric patients with severe UC and describes changes in the gut microbiome as a potential prognostic feature. (Inflamm Bowel Dis 2012)
Ambiguity in Privacy Policies and the Impact of Regulation

Website privacy policies often contain ambiguous language that undermines the purpose and value of privacy notices for site users. This paper compares the impact of different regulatory models on the ambiguity of privacy policies in multiple online sectors. First, the paper develops a theory of vague and ambiguous terms. Next, the paper develops a scoring method to compare the relative vagueness of different privacy policies. Then the theory and scoring are applied using natural language processing to rate a set of policies. The ratings are compared against two benchmarks to show whether government-mandated privacy disclosures result in notices that are less ambiguous than those emerging from the market. The methodology and technical tools can provide companies with mechanisms to improve drafting, enable regulators to easily identify poor privacy policies, and empower regulators to more effectively target enforcement actions.
Identification of Three Different Types of Smokers Who Are Not Motivated to Quit: Results From a Latent Class Analysis

Objective: The majority of smokers are not motivated to quit within 30 days. We examined whether these smokers are a homogeneous group, hypothesizing that subtypes of unmotivated smokers could be identified. Method: Included were 500 smokers not ready to quit within 30 days who completed an online survey assessing variables known to be associated with quitting. Results: Latent Class Analysis revealed 3 unmotivated smoker subtypes. “Health-Concerned Smokers,” (HCS; n = 166) had a significantly greater proportion of previous smoking-related illness and high risk perceptions. “Smokers with Psychosocial Barriers” (SPB; n = 192) had a significantly greater proportion of younger smokers, partners who smoked, other household smokers, and children. “Unconvinced Smokers” (UCS; n = 142) had the lowest proportion of those who: were motivated and confident to quit, had smoking-related illnesses, and perceived the risks of smoking and benefits of quitting. UCS had the highest proportion with optimistic bias, and no prior quit attempts. A greater proportion of HCS had high motivation to quit versus SPB and UCS. In model validation, 60.6% of UCS said they “never plan to quit” versus 31.8% of SPB and 22.3% of HCS; SPB and HCS had lower odds of never planning to quit versus UCS. Of those who plan on quitting at some point, 75.2% of HCS and 62.6% of SPB plan on quitting within 1 year, versus 46.4% of UCS; the cumulative odds of planning to quit later were higher among UCS. Conclusions: Smokers who are not motivated to quit are not a homogeneous group; tailored intervention approaches and targeted messages might be needed to motivate quitting.
Effect of race/ethnicity on risk, presentation and course of connective tissue diseases and primary systemic vasculitides

Purpose of reviewUnderstanding the effects of race/ethnicity on the risk and expression of systemic rheumatic diseases has potential clinical implications and provides insight into their etiopathogeneses. This review summarizes knowledge of the effects of race/ethnicity on the following nine conditions: antineutrophil cytoplasm antibody (ANCA)-associated vasculitis (AAV), Behçet's disease, dermatomyositis/polymyositis, Henoch-Schönlein purpura, Kawasaki disease, large-vessel vasculitis (LVV), primary Sjögren's syndrome (pSS), systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and systemic sclerosis (SSc). Recent findingsDistinct racial/ethnic patterns have emerged for most of the conditions considered here. Areas of progress include the finding that the two AAVs, granulomatosis with polyangiitis (Wegener's) (GPA) and microscopic polyangiitis, exhibit distinct racial/ethnic susceptibilities in disease risk. In addition, nonwhites, with known high risk of SLE and SSc, may also be at a high risk for pSS and have more severe disease. Evidence is accumulating that nonwhites are rarely affected by the LVV giant-cell arteritis. Race/ethnicity-specific genetic risk factors were recently detected for GPA. SummaryEpidemiologic data have allowed discerning the racial/ethnic profiles for many of the considered systemic rheumatic conditions. Future challenges will be to unravel the genetic, environmental and/or socio-econonomic determinants of the observed racial/ethnic disparities. More research is needed to clarify the impact of race/ethnicity on the AAV Churg-Strauss syndrome, dermatomyositis/polymyositis and Takayasu arteritis.
ULTRAVIOLET LIGHT INDUCES DOUBLE‐STRAND BREAKS IN DNA OF CULTURED HUMAN P3 CELLS AS MEASURED BY NEUTRAL FILTER ELUTION

Neutral filter elution at pH 7.2 and 9.6 was used to measure the induction of DNA lesions in human P3 teratocarcinoma cells by monochromatic 254‐, 270‐, 313‐, 334‐, 365‐, and 405‐nm radiation and by 60gamma rays. In this assay DNA double‐strand breaks (dsb) increase the rate of elution of DNA from cell lysates on a filter. Yields of dsb as measured by this procedure were determined by using a calibration of the assay that correlates elution parameters with number of dsb caused by disintegration of 125I incorporated into the DNA. Analysis of fluence responses obtained by using the calibrated assay indicated that the number of dsb induced per dalton of DNA as measured by this assay is proportional to the square of the fluence at all the energies of radiation studied, implying that the induction of these lesions may be a two‐hit event. Analysis of the relative efficiencies for the induction of dsb by ultraviolet radiation, corrected for quantum efficiency, revealed a spectrum that coincided closely with that for the induction of single‐strand breaks (ssb) in the same cells, having a close fit with the spectrum of nucleic acid in the UVC and UVB region below 313 nm, and a shoulder in the UVA region. It was calculated, however, that there may be too few ssb for dsb to result from randomly distributed closely opposed ssb.
Asymptomatic pancreatic cystic neoplasms: maximizing survival and quality of life using Markov-based clinical nomograms.

BACKGROUND & AIMS The natural history and management of pancreatic cysts, especially for branch duct intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasms (BD-IPMNs), remain uncertain. We developed evidence-based nomograms to assist with clinical decision making. METHODS We used decision analysis with Markov modeling to compare competing management strategies in a patient with a pancreatic head cyst radiographically suggestive of BD-IPMN, including the following: (1) initial pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD), (2) yearly noninvasive radiographic surveillance, (3) yearly invasive surveillance with endoscopic ultrasound, and (4) "do nothing. " We derived probability estimates from a systematic literature review. The primary outcomes were overall and quality-adjusted survival. We depicted the results in a series of nomograms accounting for age, comorbidities, and cyst size. RESULTS Initial PD was the dominant strategy to maximize overall survival for any cyst greater than 2 cm, regardless of age or comorbidities. In contrast, surveillance was the dominant strategy for any lesion less than 1 cm. However, when measuring quality-adjusted survival, the do-nothing approach maximized quality of life for all cysts less than 3 cm in patients younger than age 75. Once age exceeded 85 years, noninvasive surveillance dominated. Initial PD did not maximize quality of life in any age group or cyst size. CONCLUSIONS Management of pancreatic cysts can be guided using novel Markov-based clinical nomograms, and depends on age, cyst size, comorbidities, and whether patients value overall survival vs quality-adjusted survival. For patients focused on overall survival, regardless of quality of life, surgery is optimal for lesions greater than 2 cm. For patients focused on quality-adjusted survival, a 3-cm threshold is more appropriate for surgery except for the extreme elderly.
The impact of variability in ultrasound settings on the measured echolucency of the carotid intima–media

Background: B-mode ultrasound measurements of the echolucency of the carotid intima–media may hold information on cardiovascular risk. The information obtained from this measurement may depend on which gain settings are used. We studied the effect of gain settings on echolucency measurements and its consequences on risk factor relations and treatment effects. Methods: We used two approaches. In the first, we examined the relationship between calibration, gain and common grey-scale median (GSM) from repeated ultrasound images obtained from four healthy individuals at gain settings ranging from −20 to 20 dB. In the second, we evaluated the effect of gain settings on the relation of risk factors and statin treatment with common GSM, using images from 325 participants of the Measuring Effects on Intima–Media Thickness: an Evaluation of Rosuvastatin (METEOR) study with documented gain settings. Echolucency of the carotid intima–media was measured from ultrasound images using PaintShop Pro and Artery Measurement Software and expressed as GSM. Results: In healthy individuals, common GSM increased with increments in gain setting, primarily when the measurements were not calibrated. In the METEOR study sample, age and sex were significantly related to gain setting. The risk factor relations with common GSM were of the same magnitude and direction after adjustment for gain setting. Furthermore, adjustment for gain setting did not alter the rates of GSM change over time. Conclusion: Extreme variability in gain settings has a major impact on the echolucency measurements of the far wall common carotid intima–media. Calibration should be used to adjust for these effects of gain settings. Variability in gain settings, however, seems limited in real practice and did not change the direction and magnitude of the relations under study. However, as age and sex are major determinants of gain settings, adjustment for or stratification by age and sex is recommended in studies into echolucency of the carotid intima–media in situations in which gain settings are unknown.
The Consequences of Electronic Health Record Adoption for Physician Productivity and Birth Outcomes

The authors use a mixed-methods approach to investigate how the integration of electronic health records between ambulatory and hospital practices affected physician productivity and birth outcomes at a large health network. Physicians and staff were interviewed during a five-year staged integration of electronic health records, and a direct measure of physician productivity, relative value units, was analyzed concurrently with several measures of birth outcomes. The regression analyses show an 11% reduction in total productivity following the installation of the new system at primary-care sites. The qualitative findings indicate the reduction is attributable to the additional time physicians and staff needed to learn new processes, adopt work practice changes, and develop coordination. Nevertheless, users value the additional integration, especially as information flows back to the ambulatory practices from the hospital. This is supported by increases in treatment intensity over time and a 37% reduction in the severity of adverse birth events.
Treatment of immature and mature Fasciola hepatica infections in sheep with triclabendazole

A new benzimidazole anthelmintic, triclabendazole (CGA-89317) was found to be highly efficient against mature and early immature Fasciola hepatica infections in sheep. At the dose rate of 2.5 mg/kg the efficiency was 90 and 98 per cent against flukes aged eight and 12 weeks respectively. At 5 mg/kg the drug was 92 and 98 per cent efficient against flukes aged four and eight weeks respectively and 100 per cent against 12-week-old flukes. An efficiency of 93 and 98 per cent was achieved against one-week-old flukes and 99 to 100 per cent against flukes aged two to four weeks at 10 mg/kg. At this dose rate the drug had 100 per cent efficiency against six-week-old flukes. If the dose was increased to 15 mg/kg, 98 per cent efficiency was achieved one day after infection. Triclabendazole was equally efficient when administered orally or by intraruminal or intra-abomasal injection. The maximum tolerated dose of 200 mg/kg was established.
Variation in antifungal prophylaxis strategies in lung transplantation

Abstract: We conducted a survey of 50 lung transplant centers across the world to evaluate the variation in antifungal prophylaxis practices. These 50 centers performed 63% of the world's lung transplants reported in 2001. Eighty‐six percent (43/50) of the centers responded to the survey. Sixty‐nine percent (30/43) of centers used universal antifungal prophylaxis. Aerosolized amphotericin B deoxycholate (AmBd) alone or in combination with itraconazole was used at 56% (24/43) of centers. The median duration of prophylaxis with aerosolized AmBd and itraconazole was 30 and 90 days, respectively. Seventy‐four percent of the centers surveyed agreed to participate in future research prophylaxis protocols, which they felt should include both diagnostic and therapeutic arms. Our survey is the first documentation of the international variation in antifungal prophylactic strategies in lung transplant recipients, and underscores the need for multicenter, randomized trials of antifungal prophylaxis in lung transplant recipients.
Implementation of Grid-connected Single-phase Inverter Based on FPGA

Exploiting the capability of an FPGA, a digital current controller of a single-phase inverter for grid interface is designed and implemented. A Proportional and Resonant (PR) controller realized in a parallel structure in the FPGA is used to reduce the harmonic current to ac grid. The harmonic compensators based on the PR controller are implemented up to the 19th order. The size of the LCL filter has been extremely reduced because the switching frequency is increased to 100 kHz. The validity of the FPGA based grid-connected single-phase inverter has been evaluated by experimental results.
MC-CDMA Transmission with Blanking Nonlinearity for Impulsive Noise Power-Line Communication Channels

In this paper we investigate the application of multi-carrier code division multiple access (MC- CDMA) in impulsive noise power-line channels. In order to improve system performance, impulsive noise blanking is utilized at the receiver's front-end. For comparison-sake, three families of spreading codes are considered here, namely, pseudonoise (PN), Walsh-Hadamard (WH) and poly- phase (PP) sequences. Probability of blanking error P_b and output signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) performances are adopted to characterize the achievable gains. The results reveal that the proposed scheme is able to achieve considerable improvements in terms of P_b and output SNR performance. It is also shown that PP-based MC- CDMA yields the best overall performance with a 1.2 dB SNR gain relative to blanking-based orthogonal frequency division multiple access systems.
Impression Cytology of the Conjunctival Epithelium after Antiglaucomatous Treatment with Latanoprost

Purpose To study nongoblet and goblet epithelial conjunctival cells after several treatment periods with latanoprost, a prostaglandin analogue. Methods Twelve patients (20 eyes) were studied before the onset of treatment and after 1, 3, and 6 months of latanoprost use. Impression cytology was carried out to analyze cellular density and morphologic parameters such as minimum and maximum diameter and area. Results Nongoblet epithelium cell density did not change over the treatment period. The density of goblet cells increased after 1 month of use, but returned to initial cell density after longer treatment periods. Nongoblet epithelial cells underwent a significant reduction in size after 1, 3, and 6 months of treatment. In addition, the minimum/maximum diameter ratio suggested that after 1 month there were some changes in shape (a slight elongation) when compared to cells of untreated patients. Nevertheless, after longer treatment periods, the cells regained their original shape. No changes in size were observed in goblet cells, except for a slight decrease in maximum diameter after 6 months of treatment, which suggests that the cells became more rounded. Conclusions The density of nongoblet epithelial cells does not change after different treatment periods with latanoprost. However, their size decreases and after short treatment periods their shape also undergoes changes. The density of goblet cells increases after 1 month of treatment, but decreases again after longer periods. Their size does not undergo any modification, although there is a variation in shape after 6 months of treatment.
U.S.Mexico cross-border workforce training needs:survey implementation

Abstract: Background: Since the tragic events experienced on September 11, 2001, and other recent events such as the hurricane devastation in the southeastern parts of the country and the emergent H1N1season, the need for a competent public health workforce has become vitally important for securing and protecting the greater population. Objective: The primary objective of the study was to assess the training needs of the U.S. Mexico border states public health workforce. Methods: The Arizona Center for Public Health Preparedness of the Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health at The University of Arizona implemented a border-wide needs assessment. The online survey was designed to assess and prioritize core public health competencies as well as bioterrorism, infectious disease, and border/binational training needs. Results: Approximately 80% of the respondents were employed by agencies that serve both rural and urban communities. Respondents listed 23 different functional roles that best describe their positions. Approximately 35% of the respondents were primarily employed by state health departments, twenty-seven percent (30%) of the survey participants reported working at the local level, and 19% indicated they worked in other government settings (e.g. community health centers and other non-governmental organizations). Of the 163 survey participants, a minority reported that they felt they were well prepared in the Core Bioterrorism competencies. The sections on Border Competency, Surveillance/Epidemiology, Communications/Media Relations and Cultural Responsiveness, did not generate a rating of 70% or greater on the importance level of survey participants. Conclusions: The study provided the opportunity to examine the issues of public health emergency preparedness within the framework of the border as a region addressing both unique needs and context. The most salient findings highlight the need to enhance the border competency skills of individuals whose roles include a special focus on emergency preparedness and response along the US-Mexico border.