Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Informed consent in clinical practice: a descriptive cross-sectional study of patient perceptions at the National Hospital, Sri Lanka.

179 Informed consent, an important component of medical ethics, is based on the principle of autonomy and enables patients to participate in decisions pertaining to their health [1]. Although consent is considered to be implied when a patient seeks treatment, the doctor is ethically and legally bound to obtain consent before clinical examination, investigations and interventions [2]. There has been growing interest in medical ethics worldwide during the latter half of the 20th century with debates on vegetative states, euthanasia and clinical trials [3]. Medical ethics is now incorporated into undergraduate and postgraduate medical curriculums, and professional medical bodies have recognised its importance by laying down ethical guidelines for practitioners [4]. Studies done worldwide to assess patients’ views regarding informed consent give varying results but the majority show that patients still prefer a passive role. This study aims to describe the awareness of Sri Lankan patients on the necessity to obtain informed consent . The study was done in a single institution (National Hospital of Sri Lanka) over a period of two months (1 December 2004 – 31 January 2005). A small sample (101) participated in the research. Self-administered questionnaires, pretested and validated, were distributed among 25 inpatients and 76 outpatients using a stratified randomised sampling based on inpatients and outpatient statistics of the hospital. Ninety seven completed the questionnaire, and 4 were excluded because of incomplete responses. Seventy five (77.3%) of the 97 patients included in the study expressed the need to obtain consent in clinical investigations and interventions. Table 1 presents the views of 95 patients on patient participation in clinical decision making. When Chi-square analysis was used, no significant differences were found in the awareness of the necessity to obtain informed consent between men and women, and inpatient and outpatient groups. However, those who had an education level > GCE Ordinary Level were significantly more aware of the necessity to obtain informed consent (p < 0.05). The results of this study indicate that the majority of patients are aware of the need for informed consent in clinical investigations and interventions. A significant
The Negative Signaling Molecule SH2 Domain-containing Inositol-Polyphosphate 5-Phosphatase (SHIP) Binds to the Tyrosine-phosphorylated β Subunit of the High Affinity IgE Receptor*

The SH2 domain-containing inositol-polyphosphate 5-phosphatase, SHIP, associates with FcγRIIB and negatively regulates both B-cell and mast cell function. We report here that SHIP was tyrosine-phosphorylated after high affinity IgE receptor (FcεRI) aggregation in rat basophilic leukemia RBL-2H3 cells. The tyrosine phosphorylation of SHIP was an early event after receptor aggregation and was present in cells deficient in the protein-tyrosine kinase Syk. Furthermore it was not secondary to the increase of intracellular calcium or the activation of protein kinase C. SHIP was precipitated by immobilized phosphorylated synthetic peptides based on the immunoreceptor tyrosine-based activation motif (ITAM) of the β but not the γ subunit of the high affinity IgE receptor. Tyrosine phosphorylation of SHIP and its association with the tyrosine-phosphorylated β subunit of FcεRI could play an important role in down-regulating receptor-mediated signal transduction in mast cells. Thus, whereas the activation molecule Syk associates with the γ subunit ITAM, the β subunit ITAM binds the negative signaling molecule SHIP. Therefore, unlike B cells where the antigen receptor and coreceptors such as FcγRIIB or CD22 each recruits molecules with opposite effects, the FcεRI contains subunits which recruit molecules that activate and inhibit signal transduction.
Absence of XMRV Retrovirus and Other Murine Leukemia Virus-Related Viruses in Patients with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

ABSTRACT Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) is a multisystem disorder characterized by prolonged and severe fatigue that is not relieved by rest. Attempts to treat CFS have been largely ineffective primarily because the etiology of the disorder is unknown. Recently, CFS has been associated with xenotropic murine leukemia virus-related virus (XMRV) as well as other murine leukemia virus (MLV)-related viruses, though not all studies have found these associations. We collected blood samples from 100 CFS patients and 200 self-reported healthy volunteers from the same geographical area. We analyzed these in a blind manner using molecular, serological, and viral replication assays. We also analyzed samples from patients in the original study that reported XMRV in CFS patients. We did not find XMRV or related MLVs either as viral sequences or infectious viruses, nor did we find antibodies to these viruses in any of the patient samples, including those from the original study. We show that at least some of the discrepancy with previous studies is due to the presence of trace amounts of mouse DNA in the Taq polymerase enzymes used in these previous studies. Our findings do not support an association between CFS and MLV-related viruses, including XMRV, and the off-label use of antiretrovirals for the treatment of CFS does not seem justified at present.
Analysis of Dynamic Variation on a Combined Control Strategy for a Five-Level Double Converter

We have studied a three-phased five-level double converter for high power induction motors, which consist of a three-phase five-level rectifier and three-phase five-level inverter. In this paper, a novel control strategy with a combination of the pulse amplitude modulation (PAM) in the high-speed area and pulse width modulation (PWM) in the low-speed is proposed. The strategy can reduce the loss of switching devices in the inverter circuit and the harmonic distortion of the inverter output current waveform, and allows high power induction motors to achieve higher efficiency and smooth drive. These high performances are confirmed by simulation results
The Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology Functional Equivalence and Spatial Path Memory

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Hydrodynamic Contributions to Multimodal Guidance of Prey Capture Behavior in Fish

Water movements, of both abiotic and biotic origin, provide a wealth of information of direct relevance to the guidance of prey capture behavior. To gather hydrodynamic information, fish have sensors of two basic types: those scattered over the surface of the body known as superficial neuromasts and similar sensors embedded in subdermal lateral line canals. Recently, the anatomical dichotomy between superficial and canal neuromasts has been matched by demonstrations of a corresponding functional dichotomy. Prey detection and localization are evidently mediated by canal neuromasts, whereas superficial neuromasts are more sensitive to water flows over the surface of the fish and participate in the orientation to water currents, a behavior known as rheotaxis. However, rheotaxis in combination with chemosensory inputs can also guide fish to their prey. Thus there is evidence that both lateral line sub-modalities either alone or in concert with other senses play a role in prey capture. Are there circumstances where prey capture requires integration of information from both lateral line sub- modalities? Recent evidence shows that fish are capable of tracking other fish on the basis of the hydrodynamic trails left behind by their swimming motion. Pharmacological and physical ablation of lateral line end organs shows that indeed integration of information from both sub-modalities is required for the complex hydrodynamic task of natural prey capture in the dark. Furthermore, these experiments provide an excellent demonstration of the integration of hydrodynamic, chemosensory, tactile and visual information for the multimodal guidance of prey capture behavior.
Absorptive Capacity Configurations in Supply Chains: Gearing for Partner-Enabled Market Knowledge Creation

The need for continual value innovation is driving supply chains to evolve from a pure transactional focus to leveraging interorganizational partner ships for sharing information and, ultimately, market knowledge creation. Supply chain partners are (1) engaging in interlinked processes that enable rich (broad-ranging, high quality, and privileged) information sharing, and (2) building information technology infrastructures that allow them to process information obtained from their partners to create new knowledge. This study uncovers and examines the variety of supply chain partnership configurations that exist based on differences in capability platforms, reflecting varying processes and information systems. We use the absorptive capacity lens to build a conceptual framework that links these configurations with partner-enabled market knowledge creation. Absorptive capacity refers to the set of organizational routines and processes by which organizations acquire, assimilate, transform, and exploit knowledge to produce dynamic organizational capabilities. Through an exploratory field study conducted in the context of the RosettaNet consortium effort in the IT industry supply chain, we use cluster analysis to uncover and characterize five supply chain partnership configurations (collectors, connectors, crunchers, coercers, and collaborators). We compare their partner-enabled knowledge creation and operational efficiency, as well as the shortcomings in their capability platforms and the nature of information exchange. Through the characterization of each of the configurations, we are able to derive research propositions focused on enterprise absorptive capacity elements. These propositions provide insight into how partner-enabled market knowledge creation and operational efficiency can be affected, and highlight the interconnected roles of coordination information and rich information. The paper concludes by drawing implications for research and practice from the uncovering of these configurations and the resultant research propositions. It also highlights fertile opportunities for advances in research on knowledge management through the study of supply chain contexts and other interorganizational partnering arrangements.
Identification of adrenal insufficiency in pediatric critical illness*

Objective: To determine physicians' beliefs and practices regarding adrenal dysfunction in pediatric critical illness. Design: Cross-sectional mail survey. Setting: Canada. Participants: All members of the Canadian Pediatric Endocrine Group and all physicians identified as practicing pediatric intensive care medicine in any of 16 tertiary care teaching centers in Canada. Interventions: Three pediatric intensive care physicians and three pediatric endocrinologists reviewed the questionnaire before administration to ensure clarity. We asked participants to report their views on the following: a) the frequency of adrenal insufficiency in pediatric critical illness; b) diagnosis/definition of adrenal insufficiency in pediatric critical illness; and c) the use of empirical glucocorticoids in fluid/vasopressor-resistant hypotension in pediatric critical illness. Measurements and Main Results: Forty-six of 57 (80.7%) endocrinologists responded, with 43 participating (75.4%). Among intensivists, 59 of 70 (84.3%) responded with no refusals. Of intensivists, 81.4% believe that adrenal insufficiency occurs sometimes or often in critically ill pediatric intensive care unit patients, whereas 41.8% of endocrinologists believe adrenal insufficiency occurs never or rarely in these patients. Six definitions of adrenal insufficiency were proposed (varying cortisol level vs. peak/increment of cortisol in response to corticotropin), with no consensus on the definition of adrenal insufficiency from the endocrinologists or intensivists. Half (50.9%) of intensivists said they would sometimes or often empirically treat hypotensive pediatric patients with glucocorticoids, whereas 81.0% of endocrinologists would occasionally or never recommend glucocorticoids on this basis. Conclusions: There is no consensus among pediatric intensivists or endocrinologists as to how often adrenal insufficiency occurs in pediatric critical illness or how to diagnose this condition. Despite this lack of consensus, however, many pediatric intensivists would empirically treat hypotensive patients who they suspect may have adrenal insufficiency. Prospective studies are required to determine the definition, frequency, and appropriate treatment of adrenal insufficiency in critically ill pediatric patients.
More (old and new) misunderstandings of collostructional analysis: On Schmid and Küchenhoff (2013)

Abstract Ever since the first studies introducing collostructional analysis in general and collexeme analysis in particular, these methods have been widely used for the analysis of constructions’ semantic and functional characteristics. However, the more recent past has seen two publications, Bybee (2010) and Schmid and Küchenhoff (2013), which criticized several aspects of these methods. This paper briefly recaps my response to Bybee (2010) (published as Gries 2012) as a prelude to its main contribution, viz a rebuttal of various claims and problems of Schmid and Küchenhoff (2013).
A Random Crawl Through the # Twittersphere : Sampling Large Online Social Networks for Information Diffusion Modeling

Large, highly interconnected, online social networks span the globe and disseminate information in a fraction of the time it would take other communication networks. Given the myriad ways in which online social networks can be used, creating accurate, predictive models for the spread of information across them is a valuable, but difficult task. To model a process on the entirety of a very large, dynamic network is usually computationally expensive, and often prohibitive. This project aims to analyze multiple sampling methods and create a prototypic network on which the information diffusion process can be modeled. A Markov Chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) method, particularly a Metropolis-Hastings algorithm, was best at preserving the network characteristics while scaling down the network to a much smaller, more tractable size. Simple epidemiological models typically used to model the spread of infectious diseases were utilized to model the spread of information among Twitter users.
Multi-parameter model based advanced process control

Advanced Process Control (APC) plays an important role in the modern semiconductor fab. Using non-linear multiple input multiple output (MIMO) control models we significantly improve positive process outcomes. However, non-linear models also impose greater computing requirements, creating computing bottleneck on the fab-wide scale, especially for the wafer-to-wafer control. Low latency computing grids and advanced control optimization techniques solve for the computational problems.
The number of digital straight lines on an N×N grid

The number of digital straight lines on an N*N grid is shown. A digital straight line is equivalent to a linear dichotomy of points on a square grid. The result is obtained by determining a way of counting the number of linearly separable dichotomies of points on the plane that are not necessarily in general position. The analysis is easily modified to provide a simple solution to a similar problem considered by C. Berenstein and D. Lavine (1988) on the number of digital straight lines from a fixed starting point. >
Hyperthyroidism during pregnancy.

DIAGNOSIS and treatment of hyperthyroidism are especially difficult when the patient is pregnant. The euthyroid pregnant woman may display "classic" clinical features of hyperthyroidism, and the diagnosis may be further complicated by tests that indicate altered thyroid function. When hyperthyroidism is diagnosed, any therapeutic maneuver must take the fetus into account. Studies of hyperthyroidism during pregnancy have focused on several questions. Is thyroid function increased in the normal pregnant woman? Does thyroid hormone cross the placenta in important amounts? Should the pregnant woman with hyperthyroidism be treated medically or surgically? Is intellectual development normal in the offspring of women treated .
Mortality in end-stage renal disease: a reassessment of differences between patients treated with hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis.

Recent registry studies comparing mortality between peritoneal dialysis (PD) and hemodialysis (HD) patients show conflicting results. The purpose of this study is to determine whether previously published results showing higher mortality for patients treated with PD versus HD in the United States continue to hold true over the period 1987-1993. National mortality rates for PD and HD were extracted from the U.S. Renal Data System (USRDS) annual reports for the cohort periods: 1987-1989, 1988-1990, 1989-1991, 1990-1992, and 1991-1993. Using Poisson regression, death rates per 100 patient years were compared between PD and HD for each cohort period controlling for age, gender, race, and cause of end-stage renal disease (diabetes versus nondiabetes). When incident patients and patients with a prior transplant were included in the analysis, starting with the 1989-1991 cohort, we found little or no difference in the relative risk (RR PD:HD) of death between PD and HD (1987-1989: RR = 1.17, P < 0.001; 1988-1990: RR = 1.12, P < 0.001; 1989-1991: RR = 1.06, P = NS; 1990-1992: RR = 1.06, P = NS; 1991-1993: RR = 1.08, P = 0.043). After a test for goodness-of-fit, separate analyses for diabetic patients and nondiabetic patients were done to examine unexplained variation in death rates. For nondiabetic patients, there was less than a 1% difference in the adjusted 1-yr survival between PD and HD from 1989-1993 (1989-1991: RR = 1.05, P = NS; 1990-1992: RR = 1.04, P = NS; 1991-1993: RR = 1.07, P < 0.01). Among diabetic patients, the PD:HD death rate ratio varied significantly according to gender and age. For the average male diabetic patient, there was little or no difference in risk between PD and HD from 1989-1993 (1989-1991: RR = 1.02, P = NS; 1990-1992: RR = 1.05, P = NS; 1991-1993: RR = 1.08, P < 0.01). For diabetic patients under the age of 50, those treated with PD had a significantly lower risk of death than those treated with HD (1989-1993: 0.84 < or = RR < or = 0.89, P < 0.005). Over the same period, female diabetic patients treated with PD had a higher risk, on average, than HD (1.18 < or = RR < or = 1.19, P < 0.001) as did diabetic patients over the age 50 (1.28 < or = RR < or = 1.30, P < 0.001). Unlike previously published results that were restricted to prevalent-only patients, this national study of both prevalent and incident patients found little or no difference in overall mortality between PD and HD. The recent trends in mortality likely reflect the inclusion of incident patients, but they may also reflect changes in case-mix differences and/or improved PD practice. Additional incident-based studies that allow for additional case-mix adjustments are needed to better compare outcomes between HD and PD.
Analysis of the Physical Properties of Hydrate Sediments Recovered from the Pearl River Mouth Basin in the South China Sea: Preliminary Investigation for Gas Hydrate Exploitation

Laboratory based research on the physical properties of gas hydrate hosting sediment matrix was carried out on the non-pressurized hydrate-bearing sediment samples from the Chinese Guangzhou Marine Geological Survey 2 (GMGS2) drilling expedition in the Pearl River Mouth (PRM) basin. Measurements of index properties, surface characteristics, and thermal and mechanical properties were performed on ten sediment cores. The grains were very fine with a mean grain size ranging from 7 to 11 μm throughout all intervals, which provide guidance for the option of a screen system. Based on X-ray Computed Tomography (CT) and SEM images, bioclasts, which could promote hydrate formation, were not found in the PRM basin. However, the flaky clay might be conducive to hydrate formation in pore spaces. The measured sediment thermal conductivities are relatively low compared to those measured at other mines, ranging from 1.3 to 1.45 W/(m·K). This suggests that thermal stimulation may not be a good option for gas production from hydrate-bearing sediments in the PRM basin, and depressurization could exacerbate the problems of gas hydrate reformation and/or ice generation. Therefore, the heat transfer problem needs to be considered when exploiting the natural gas hydrate resource within these areas. In addition, the results of testing the mechanical property indicate the stability of hydrate-bearing sediments decreases with hydrate dissociation, suggesting that a holistic approach should be considered when establishing a drilling platform. Both the heat-transfer characteristic and mechanical property provide the foundation for the establishment of a safe and efficient production technology for utilizing the hydrate resource.
Is swimming exercise or cold exposure for rats?

Rats were trained by daily swimming sessions (up to 3 h per day) for at least 6 weeks in water at 30, 36 and 38 degrees C. After this training, the adaptive changes obtained were compared with those typical of cold-acclimated (cold-specific changes) and running-trained (training-specific changes) rats. The most typical training-specific change, an increased activity of oxidative muscle enzymes was negligible for swimming-trained rats, while the lowered activity of muscle lactate dehydrogenase was evident for all trained groups. Cold-specific changes, such as increased food intake, increased calorigenic response to injected noradrenaline, an increase both in mass and metabolic capacity of brown adipose tissue, and maintenance of the stores of ascorbic acid and muscle glycogen during cold exposure, were observed for rats trained at 36 and 30 degrees C. The cold tolerance test in cold air did not make any distinct difference between the rats trained at different water temperatures, while in cool water the 30 degrees C -swimmers were clearly superior to other groups, that is, their cooling rate was slowest. Other adaptive changes were found, to a variable extent, for all trained groups. These included loss of body fat, cardiac hypertrophy, reduced urinary catecholamine excretion after test swimmings either in cold or warm water, increased tail-skin temperature response to isoprenaline, and a higher tail-skin temperature in response to cold. Generally, however, the adaptive changes observed for 30- and 36 degrees C-swimmers were similar, while the changes observed for 38 degrees C-swimmers were different. The latter group neither displayed any cardiac enlargement nor any cold-specific changes. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)