Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The Influence of Indemnification by Workers' Compensation Insurance on Recovery From Acute Backache

Study Design A prospective observational cohort was recruited from 208 randomly selected North Carolina practices. Objective To compare the course of compensation claimants with gainfully employed patients not so insured from the time when they first sought care for acute back pain. Summary of Background Data The human and financial cost attributable to disabling chronic low back pain indemnified by workers' compensation programs continues to escalate. We explored the antecedents to this phenomenon. Method Consecutive patients with acute low back pain were interviewed by telephone within 1 week of first seeking care and in follow-up calls after 2, 4, 8, 12, and 24 weeks to monitor functional and work status. Results Of the 1633 patients enrolled, 505 were insured by workers' compensation. These were compared with 861 who had been employed on any job for pay within 3 months of the onset of their backache but whose care was not so underwritten. Those with compensable back pain were more likely to categorize their tasks as physically demanding and had taken more time off work in the month before the baseline interview (p = 0.02). Recovery of the sense of wellness they enjoyed before this episode of back pain was delayed (Cox Model: Hazard Ratio = 0.822; p < 0.001; confidence interval: 0.733, 0.923), but recovery of function or return to work was not. This delay was independent of type of health care and perception of task demand and beyond that which could be ascribed to the quality of back pain. Conclusion Each of these associations is a reproach to the fashion in which workers' compensation insurance for regional back pain serves the ethic that is its raison d'etre.
Cellular Localization of Transforming Growth Factor-f3 Expression In Bleomycin-Induced Pulmonary Fibrosis

Bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis is associated with increased lung transforming growth factor-"l (TGF-(3) gene expression, but celular localization of the source of this expression has not been unequivocally established. In this study, lungfibrosis was induced in rats by endotracheal bleomycin injection on day 0 and, on selected days afterwards, lungs were harvested for in situ hybridization, immunohistochemical and histochemical analyses for TGF-. 31 mRNA and protein expression, and ceUl identification. The results show that control lungs express essentially no de-tectable TGF-13, mRNA or protein in the parenchyma. Before day 3 after bleomycin treatment, scattered bronchiolar epithelial cells, mononuclear cells, and eosinophils expressed elevated levels of TGF-f31. Between days 3 and 14, there was a major increase in the number of eosinophils, myofibroblasts, andfibroblasts strongly expressing TGF-f31 mRNA and protein. TGF- 13 -producing cells were predominantly localized within areas of injury and active fibrosis. After day 14, the intensity andnumber of TGF-f61-expressing ceUs significantly declined and were predominantlyfound infibroblasts in fibrotic areas. The expression of TGF-,l1protein was generally coincident with that for mRNA with the exception of bronchiolar epithelial cells in which strong protein expression
The effects of frusemide on racing times of Standardbred pacers.

Seven hundred and eighty-eight Standardbred pacers competing in 8378 races at one racetrack were analysed to determine the effects of the administration of prerace frusemide on racing times (RT). Frusemide was administered i.v. 4 h before the race to pacers diagnosed with exercise-induced pulmonary haemorrhage (EIPH). Of the pacers, starting in the 1997 racing season, 32.5% received prerace frusemide. This study demonstrated that administration of frusemide prior to racing significantly decreased RT. There was an overall significant decrease (P<0.00001) in RT of 0.67 s. The overall RT for horses, geldings, and females, were mean +/- s.e 117.91 +/- 0.06, 118.20 +/- 0.03 and 118.86 +/- 0.04, respectively. RT progressively decreased until age 6 and increased thereafter. Horses, geldings and females ran a mean of 0.46, 0.31 and 0.74 s faster, respectively, with prerace administration of frusemide. This decrease in RT following prerace administration was most pronounced in younger pacers. In this study, a greater percentage of older pacers received prerace frusemide; however, the effect of frusemide on RT was decreasing with age. Prerace venous acid-base screening was performed in 2729 of the pacers competing. Pennsylvania Harness Racing Commission Regulations disqualify Standardbreds from racing with a base excess of over 10 and 12 mmol/l for Standardbreds without and with prerace administration of frusemide. The prerace venous acid-base levels were not significantly related to RT and, for those Standardbreds also sampled following the race, there was no correlation between pre- and postrace acid-base status.
Prevalence of qnr genes in Salmonella in France.

OBJECTIVES To detect the qnrA, qnrB and qnrS genes among Salmonella isolates received at the French National Reference Centre for Salmonella in Paris, France. METHODS Antibiotic susceptibility was determined by disc diffusion for 499 Salmonella isolates including 320 Salmonella Typhimurium, 100 Salmonella Enteritidis and 79 Salmonella Hadar collected in 2002. Amplification with specific primers of qnrA, qnrB and qnrS genes was performed for all Salmonella Typhimurium, Salmonella Enteritidis and Salmonella Hadar isolates resistant to quinolones and for 17 additional isolates that produced expanded-spectrum beta-lactamases (ESBLs). RESULTS Prevalence of quinolone resistance was 3.75%, 11% and 79.7% for Salmonella Typhimurium, Salmonella Enteritidis and Salmonella Hadar serovars, respectively. A single isolate (0.2%) was qnrA-positive (QnrA1 determinant) being a Salmonella serovar Concord carrying also the ESBL gene bla(CTX-M-15). This strain was probably from East Africa. No qnrB or qnrS genes were identified. CONCLUSIONS Whereas plasmid-mediated quinolone resistance of the Qnr type is emerging in Enterobacteriaceae worldwide, it remains rare in Salmonella in France.
9-Anilinoacridines as potential antileishmanial agents

A number of 1'-substituted 9-anilinoacridines were evaluated for their activities against promastigote and amastigote forms of Leishmania major and for their toxicities to human Jurkat leukemia cells. Several compounds possessing 1'-NH-alkyl substituents produced more than 80% growth inhibition of macrophage-infected L. major amastigotes at or below a concentration of 1 microM. 1'-Hexylamino-9-anilinoacridine (compound 14) was the least toxic compound to human Jurkat cells, while it retained strong antileishmanial activity. There was a general trend for the more lipophilic compounds to show the greatest antileishmanial activity, whereas 3,6-di-NH2 substitution of the acridine nucleus reduced or eliminated activity. Some structure-activity relationships of the various compounds are discussed.
Late onset eating disorders in Spain: clinical characteristics and therapeutic implications.

OBJECTIVE The literature on later age of onset (LAO) in women with eating disorders is scarce. We compared the severity of eating disorders, eating disorder subtype, and personality profiles in a clinical sample of consecutively assessed women with eating disorders with later age of onset (LAO, > = 25 years) to women with typical age of onset (TAO, <25 years). METHOD All eating disorder patients met the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders Fourth Edition (DSM-IV) criteria and were admitted to the Eating Disorder Unit of the University Hospital of Bellvitge in Barcelona, Spain. Ninety-six patients were classified as LAO and 759 as TAO. ASSESSMENT Measures included the Eating Attitude Test-40 (EAT-40), Eating Disorders Inventory-2 (EDI-2), Bulimic Investigatory Test Edinburgh (BITE), Symptom Checklist Revised (SCL-90-R), and the Temperament and Character Inventory-Revised (TCI-R), as well as other clinical and psychopathological indices. RESULTS LAO individuals reported significantly fewer weekly vomiting episodes, fewer self-harming behaviours, less drug abuse, and lower scores on the BITE symptoms, the EDI-2 drive for thinness, and the TCI-R harm avoidance scales than TAO individuals. Conversely, the LAO group reported more current and premorbid obesity than the TAO group. CONCLUSION LAO eating disorder patients in this sample presented with milder symptomatology and less extreme personality traits. Premorbid obesity may be more relevant to LAO than TAO eating disorders and should be routinely assessed and considered when planning treatment.
Transcriptional control, translation and function of the products of the five open reading frames of the Escherichia coli nir operon

Five open reading frames designated nirB, nirD, nirE, nirC and cysG have been identified from the DNA sequence of the Escherichia coli nir operon. Complementation experiments established that the NirB, NirD and CysG polypeptides are essential and sufficient for NADH‐dependent nitrite reductase activity (EC 1.6.6.4). A series of plasmids has been constructed in which each of the open reading frames has been fused in‐phase with the p‐galactosidase gene, lacZ. Rates of β‐galactosidase synthesis during growth in different media revealed that nirB, ‐D, ‐E and ‐C are transcribed from the FNR‐dependent promoter, p‐nirB, located just upstream of the nirB gene: expression is co‐ordinately repressed by oxygen and induced during anaerobic growth. Although the nirB, ‐D and ‐C open reading frames are translated into protein, no translation of nirE mRNA was detected. The cysG gene product is expressed from both p‐nirB and a second, FNR‐independent promoter, p‐cysG, located within the nirC gene.
Real World Application of CCT Tools: How Reflection, Dialogue Processes and Action Research were used to promote organizational change and student success in Re-Engagement Work

I started the CCT program while also beginning a new role as a Dropout Recovery Specialist, working in partnership with a local school district. I work with students who have dropped out or are at risk of dropping out explore alternative options to finish their high school diploma or an equivalent. As the newest member of the center, the transition into a new organization created an internal struggle in finding my place. I was also seeing opportunities to improve current routines and practices as demands from district partners were increasing. Overwhelmed by the challenges before me, I was struggling to determine a place to start. This project explores how tools learned from the CCT program supported my transition into a new environment and supported me in promoting organizational change and collaboration within the center, and inspired my personal growth and reflection as an outcome of this program. Three tools have been integral to this process: regular reflection, dialogue processes and action research. Throughout this synthesis, I demonstrate the process of utilizing and implementing these tools for myself and my team, the progress to date, and the implications for work in the future.
Electroanatomical Characterization of Atrial Microfibrosis in a Histologically Detailed Computer Model

Fibrosis is thought to play an important role in the formation and maintenance of atrial fibrillation (AF). The propensity of fibrosis to increase AF vulnerability depends not only on its amount, its texture plays a crucial role as well. While the detection of fibrotic tissue patches in the atria with extracellular recordings is feasible based on the analysis of electrogram fractionation, as used in clinical practice to identify ablation targets, the classification of fibrotic texture is a more challenging problem. This study seeks to establish a method for the electroanatomical characterization of the fibrotic textures based on the analysis of electrogram fractionation. The proposed method exploits the dependence of fractionation patterns on the incidence direction of wavefronts which differs significantly as a function of texture. A histologically detailed computer model of the right atrial isthmus was developed for testing the method. A stimulation protocol was conceived which generated various incidence directions for any given recording site where electrograms were computed. A classification method is derived then for discriminating three types of fibrosis, no fibrosis (control), diffuse, and patchy fibrosis. Simulation results showed that electrogram fractionation and amplitudes and their dependence upon incidence direction allow a robust discrimination between different classes of fibrosis. Finally, to minimize the technical effort, sensitivity analysis was performed to identify a minimum number of incidence directions required for robust classification.
Nigeria's Democracy: The Trilemma of Herdsmenism, Terrorism and Vampirism

Since the ‘invention’ of democracy by the Greek City States in the first half of the 5 th Century B.C. and its popularisation after the American War of Independence in the 17 th century, democracy has remained the most famous form of government. Indeed, today, the presence or absence of democracy in a country seems to be the ‘standard’ by which such a country is measured – while countries that practise democracy are patted on the back; those that do not are pelted with all sorts of negative descriptions and categorisations. This outward approval or disapproval has taken centre stage to the extent that little or no attention is paid to the analysis of the content and context of a country’s democracy. Yet, this is important for at least three reasons: one, it will help to show how people in the sidelines in a specific geo-polity perceive democracy. Two, it will most probably reveal that not all forms of government operating in the garb of a constitution properly qualify as democracy. Three, and perhaps most important, a study of the content and context of a country’s democracy would reveal the type of democracy being practised by it – whether it is surface democracy, pseudo- or quasi-democracy or the rule by many for many. This study examines the content and context of Nigeria’s democracy with specific reference to its ‘trilemma’ and argues that Nigeria’s democracy is assailed by three ‘isms’. The study concludes that Nigeria’s brand of democracy is a system which enables rule by the few for the few and that this has drained many Nigerians of psychic energy and socio-economic strength. Keywords: Nigeria, democracy, Africa, vampirism, Boko Haram, herdsmen
The disposition and effects of two doses of dichloroacetate in adults with severe falciparum malaria.

1 Dichloroacetate (DCA) is a promising treatment for lactic acidosis complicating severe malaria. The pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics and toxicity of dichloroacetate were evaluated in 11 patients with severe malaria, and their lactate responses compared with nine control patients in an open-label prospective study. 2 Intravenous DCA (46 mg kg-1 infused in 30 min) or saline placebo was given on admission to the study, and 12 h later, as an adjunct to standard quinine treatment. 3 An open one-compartment model with the following parameters described the pharmacokinetics of DCA after one dose (mean [s.d.]): V = 0.44(0.2) 1 kg-1; CL = 0.13 [0.027] 1 h-1 kg-1; Cmax = 106[28] mg1-1; t1/2 = 3.4(2.2) h. After two doses of DCA (n = 9) the pharmacokinetic parameters were similar to those after the first dose. 4 DCA decreased venous plasma lactate concentrations by 42% of baseline values 8 h after admission, normalized arterial pH from a mean(s.d.) of 7.367(0.063) to 7.39(0.1), and decreased the calculated base deficit from 9.2(7.3) mEq 1-1 to 6.4(10.4) mEq 1-1. In control patients lactate concentrations fell by approximately 14% of baseline concentrations (P < 0.02 compared with DCA recipients). Venous lactate concentrations fell a further 16% from baseline values after the second dose of DCA but this change was not significantly different from controls. There was no electrocardiographic or other evidence of toxicity associated with DCA. 5 These data suggest that a single intravenous infusion of DCA rapidly reduces hyperlactataemia in patients severely ill with malaria, and that DCA should be evaluated further as an adjunct to conventional antimalarial and supportive measures for such patients with lactic acidosis.
Interrelationship between vitamin A, iodine and iron status in schoolchildren in Shoa Region, Central Ethiopia

A total of 14740 schoolchildren in seven provinces of Shoa Administrative Region in Central Ethiopia were surveyed for the prevalence of goitre, xerophthalmia and anaemia. Haemoglobin and packed cell volume were assessed in 966 children in one province while an in-depth study was conducted on 344 children in the same province and two others. Goitre, xerophthalmia (Bitot's spots) and clinical anaemia were observed in 34·2, 0·91 and 18·6% respectively of the children. Most biochemical variables were within the normal range while those of haemoglobin (Hb), mean corpuscular Hb concentration (MCHC) and urinary I excretion were lower, and mean corpuscular volume, mean corpuscular Hb (MCH), and immunoglobulins G and M were higher. Hb was strongly correlated with retinol. ferritin, MCHC, MCH, packed cell volume and erythrocyte count while retinol formed a triad with transthyretin (TTR) and retinol-binding protein (RBP) which were all correlated with one another. Total and free thyroxin and total and free triiodothyronine were positively correlated as were the concentrations of the total and free hormones. Thyrotropin (TSH) was negatively correlated with total and free thyroxin and positively correlated with free triiodothyronine. Thyroxin and triiodothyronine in both free and combined forms were all correlated with thyroxin-binding globulin which in turn was negatively correlated with the triad retinol, RBP and TTR. The triad was also negatively correlated with C-reactive protein. Urinary I excretion was positively associated with total thyroxin and negatively associated with TSH. The anaemia found was not nutritional in origin but due to the effect of infestation with intestinal parasites and malaria.
Global Assessment of Organic Contaminants in Farmed Salmon

The annual global production of farmed salmon has increased by a factor of 40 during the past two decades. Salmon from farms in northern Europe, North America, and Chile are now available widely year-round at relatively low prices. Salmon farms have been criticized for their ecological effects, but the potential human health risks of farmed salmon consumption have not been examined rigorously. Having analyzed over 2 metric tons of farmed and wild salmon from around the world for organochlorine contaminants, we show that concentrations of these contaminants are significantly higher in farmed salmon than in wild. European-raised salmon have significantly greater contaminant loads than those raised in North and South America, indicating the need for further investigation into the sources of contamination. Risk analysis indicates that consumption of farmed Atlantic salmon may pose health risks that detract from the beneficial effects of fish consumption.
First-Person Point-of-View–Augmented Reality for Central Line Insertion Training: A Usability and Feasibility Study

Introduction The value of simulation in medical education and procedural skills training is well recognized. Despite this, many mannequin-based trainers are limited by the inability of the trainee to view the internal anatomical structures. This study evaluates the usability and feasibility of a first-person point-of-view–augmented reality (AR) trainer on needle insertion as a component of central venous catheter placement. Methods Forty subjects, including medical students and anesthesiology residents and faculty, participated. Augmented reality glasses were provided through which the relevant internal anatomical landmarks were projected. After a practice period, participants were asked to place the needle in the mannequin without the benefit of the AR-projected internal anatomy. The ability of the trainees to correctly place the needle was documented. Participants also completed a short survey describing their perceptions of the AR technology. Results Participants reported that the AR technology was realistic (77.5%) and that the ability to view the internal anatomy was helpful (92.5%). Furthermore, 85% and 82.1%, respectively, believed that the AR technology promoted learning and should be incorporated into medical training. The ability to successfully place the needle was similar between experienced and nonexperienced participants; however, less experienced participants were more likely to inadvertently puncture the carotid artery. Conclusions Results of this pilot study demonstrated the usability and feasibility of AR technology as a potentially important adjunct to simulated medical skills training. Further development and evaluation of this innovative technology under a variety of simulated medical training settings would be an important next step.
Antagonism of EG-VEGF Receptors as Targeted Therapy for Choriocarcinoma Progression In Vitro and In Vivo

Purpose: Choriocarcinoma (CC) is the most malignant gestational trophoblastic disease that often develops from complete hydatidiform moles (CHM). Neither the mechanism of CC development nor its progression is yet characterized. We recently identified endocrine gland–derived vascular endothelial growth factor (EG-VEGF) as a novel key placental growth factor that controls trophoblast proliferation and invasion. EG-VEGF acts via two receptors, PROKR1 and PROKR2. Here, we demonstrate that EG-VEGF receptors can be targeted for CC therapy. Experimental Design: Three approaches were used: (i) a clinical investigation comparing circulating EG-VEGF in control (n = 20) and in distinctive CHM (n = 38) and CC (n = 9) cohorts, (ii) an in vitro study investigating EG-VEGF effects on the CC cell line JEG3, and (iii) an in vivo study including the development of a novel CC mouse model, through a direct injection of JEG3-luciferase into the placenta of gravid SCID-mice. Results: Both placental and circulating EG-VEGF levels were increased in CHM and CC (×5) patients. EG-VEGF increased JEG3 proliferation, migration, and invasion in two-dimensional (2D) and three-dimensional (3D) culture systems. JEG3 injection in the placenta caused CC development with large metastases compared with their injection into the uterine horn. Treatment of the animal model with EG-VEGF receptor's antagonists significantly reduced tumor development and progression and preserved pregnancy. Antibody-array and immunohistological analyses further deciphered the mechanism of the antagonist's actions. Conclusions: Our work describes a novel preclinical animal model of CC and presents evidence that EG-VEGF receptors can be targeted for CC therapy. This may provide safe and less toxic therapeutic options compared with the currently used multi-agent chemotherapies. Clin Cancer Res; 23(22); 7130–40. ©2017 AACR.