Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Can the Iowa Satisfaction with Anesthesia Scale Be Used to Measure Patient Satisfaction with Cataract Care Under Topical Local Anesthesia and Monitored Sedation at a Community Hospital?

Patient satisfaction ratings provide a means to evaluate and monitor quality of health care. We tested the ability of the Iowa Satisfaction with Anesthesia Scale (ISAS) to measure satisfaction with cataract care under topical local anesthesia and monitored sedation given by an anesthesiologist at a community hospital. Three hundred six patients were administered the ISAS along with alternate ratings of quality of care and patient satisfaction. There were no incomplete questionnaires. The ISAS demonstrated reasonable reliability (Cronbach’s α = 0.68; test-retest = 0.48–0.67). The ISAS had excellent construct validity; ISAS scores were lower in patients who gave lower ratings of quality (4.98 versus 5.64), who had lower satisfaction visual analog scale scores (5.12 versus 5.65), who wanted changes in their care (4.76 versus 5.67), who had suggestions to improve care (5.08 versus 5.63), or who preferred more sedation (4.85 versus 5.66) (P < 0.0001). Our results indicate that the ISAS questionnaire is a feasible, reliable, and valid tool to measure patient satisfaction in patients undergoing cataract surgery under topical anesthesia and monitored sedation.
Obesity-related Overexpression of Fatty-acid Synthase Gene in Adipose Tissue Involves Sterol Regulatory Element-binding Protein Transcription Factors*

Elevated lipogenesis is a key determinant of exaggerated fat deposition in adipose tissue of obese Zucker rats. We previously delineated a region in the fatty-acid synthase promoter, which was responsible for obesity-related overexpression of the fatty-acid synthase (FAS) gene, by negatively regulating the activity of the downstream promoter in lean but not obese rat fat cells. The present study aimed to identify the transcriptional factors acting on this target region. First, functional analysis of mutated FAS promoter constructs in transiently transfected lean and obese rat adipocytes showed that the activity of the obesity-related region relied on the presence of a transcriptionally inactive sterol regulatory element at −150, which counteracted activation through the downstream E-box. Adenovirus-mediated overexpression of a dominant negative form of adipocyte determination and differentiation factor 1 (ADD1) was used to neutralize endogenous ADD1/ sterol regulatory element-binding protein (SREBP) transcriptional activity in fat cells, by producing inactive dimers unable to bind target DNA. With this system, we observed that overexpression of FAS in obese rat adipocytes was ADD1/SREBP-dependent. SREBP isoforms expression was assessed in lean and obese rat fat cells and showed no differences in the level of ADD1/SREBP1 mRNA. In addition, equivalent amounts of immunoreactive ADD1/SREBP1 were found in nuclear extracts from lean and obese rat fat cells. In contrast, immunoreactive SREBP2, which was very low in nuclear extracts from lean rats, was induced in obese rat fat cells. Finally, using in vitrobinding studies, we showed that SREBP2 was able to displace ADD1/SREBP1 binding from the sterol regulatory element (SRE) site. Thus, we propose a mechanism for obesity-related overexpression of FAS gene in rat adipocyte. ADD1/SREBP1-activated transcription proceeding from the E-box motif is counterbalanced by a negative SRE site acting by limiting the availability of ADD1/SREBP1 in normal fat cells. The negative effect of this site is abolished in obese rat adipocyte nuclei where SREBP2 is induced and can substitute for ADD1/SREBP1 binding to the inactive SRE. These results provide evidence for the implication of SREBPs in the dysregulation of adipocyte metabolism characteristic of the obese state.
Loss of heterozygosity on chromosomes 3, 9, 13, and 17, including the retinoblastoma locus, in uveal melanoma.

PURPOSE To identify tumor-suppressor loci that may contribute to the pathogenesis of uveal melanoma. METHODS Multiplex fluorescence microsatellite assays were performed on 27 uveal melanomas using markers at 3p25-p26, 3p14.2, 9p21-p23, 13q14, 13q12.3-q13, and 17p13, close to or within the von Hippel Lindau (VHL), fragile histidine triad (FHIT), p16/cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor 2 (CDKN2A), retinoblastoma (RB1), breast cancer 2 (BRCA2), and p53 tumor suppressor loci, respectively. Further markers on chromosomes 3 and 9 were analyzed individually. RESULTS Loss of heterozygosity (LOH) was identified in 63% of tumors, most frequently on chromosome 3 (52%), in association with epithelioid cells (P = 0.0002) and microvascular loops (P = 0.0008). In the majority of cases, LOH on chromosome 3 was detected at all informative markers. The second most common alteration was LOH at an RB1 intragenic marker (21% tumors), with retention of a more centromeric 13q marker (near BRCA2). The pattern of LOH on chromosome 9p was consistent with the involvement of a region telomeric to CDKN2A. LOH at TP53 was infrequent. CONCLUSIONS In the majority of cases, chromosome 3 LOH involves an entire chromosome homologue, which hampers identification of the relevant suppressor loci. This LOH correlates with the presence of microvascular loops and epithelioid cells, two of the recognized histologic indicators of poor prognosis. Data for chromosomes 13 and 9 support a role for RB1 in the pathogenesis of uveal melanoma but also raise the possibility of the involvement of additional loci close to RB1 and CDKN2A.
Effects of dimerization of the cell‐penetrating peptide Tat analog on antimicrobial activity and mechanism of bactericidal action

The cell‐penetrating peptide Tat (48–60) (GRKKRRQRRRPPQ) derived from HIV‐1 Tat protein showed potent antibacterial activity (MIC: 2–8 µM). To investigate the effect of dimerization of Tat (48–60) analog, [Tat(W): GRKKRRQRRRPWQ‐NH2], on antimicrobial activity and mechanism of bactericidal action, its dimeric peptides, di‐Tat(W)‐C and di‐Tat(W)‐K, were synthesized by a disulfide bond linkage and lysine linkage of monomeric Tat(W), respectively. From the viewpoint of a weight basis and the monomer concentration, these dimeric peptides displayed almost similar antimicrobial activity against six bacterial strains tested but acted more rapidly against Staphylococcus aureus on kinetics of bactericidal activity, compared with monomeric Tat(W). Unlike monomeric Tat(W), these dimeric peptides significantly depolarized the cytoplasmic membrane of intact S. aureus cells at MIC and induced dye leakage from bacterial‐membrane‐mimicking egg yolk L‐α‐phosphatidylethanolamine/egg yolk L‐α‐phosphatidyl‐DL‐glycerol (7:3, w/w) vesicles. Furthermore, these dimeric peptides were less effective to translocate across lipid bilayers than monomeric Tat(W). These results indicated that the dimerization of Tat analog induces a partial change in the mode of its bactericidal action from intracellular target mechanism to membrane‐targeting mechanism. Collectively, our designed dimeric Tat peptides with high antimicrobial activity and rapid bactericidal activity appear to be excellent candidates for future development as novel antimicrobial agents. Copyright © 2009 European Peptide Society and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Soluble interleukin‐2 receptor serum level as a predictor of locoregional control and survival for patients with head and neck carcinoma

The diagnosis and follow‐up of head and neck carcinoma patients are based exclusively on clinical staging, which cannot always predict clinical outcome accurately. Because oral squamous cell carcinomas produce interleukin (IL)‐6 and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)‐α and express IL‐2 receptors, the authors assessed the prognostic value of the serum levels of these markers.
Effectiveness of an interprofessional education model based on the transtheoretical model of behaviour change to improve interprofessional collaboration

ABSTRACT This study aimed to assess the effectiveness of an interprofessional education model (IPE) based on the transtheoretical model to improve the participants’ interprofessional collaborative practice. The study was conducted in Iran using a controlled before-and-after study design. The participants (n = 91) were the residents of emergency medicine and nurses of the emergency units from two teaching hospitals affiliated to Iran University of Medical Sciences. The participants in the intervention group (n = 40) were 22 residents and 18 nurses. The control group (n = 51) consisted of 20 residents and 31 nurses. The participants were classified based on their stage of readiness to change. The interventions were two-day workshops for each stage (i.e., attitude and intention). We used the Interprofessional Collaborator Assessment Rubric (ICAR) to assess the effectiveness of the developed model. The interprofessional collaboration of the participants in the intervention and control groups was assessed at four time points before and after the intervention in the real emergency unit environment. Student’s t-test and repeated measures analysis of variance (RM-ANOVA) were used to analyse the data. We used partial eta-squared (η2) for effect size calculations. The mean values of ICAR scores in the intervention and control groups were 95.63 ± 19.14 and 89.19 ± 16.11 before the intervention. The mean values of ICAR scores at 3 months after the intervention were 99.82 ± 22.32 and 88.29 ± 16.87 in the intervention and control groups, respectively. After 6 months, the mean values of ICAR scores of the intervention and control groups were 98.6 ± 23.40 and 87.98 ± 16.01, respectively. The results showed that the intervention had a medium educational effect size (partial η2 = 0.06) on performance of the participants. Our results showed that an IPE model that is tailored to the learners’ stage of readiness to change improves interprofessional collaboration in the participants. The developed model could be applied for improving interprofessional collaborative performance in other IPE programmes.
The dynamic properties of institutional reform: an analysis of US states

Abstract Decades of research show that economic freedom is highly correlated with desirable economic outcomes both internationally and locally. Yet we still know little about the transition from low to high levels of economic freedom, particularly for institutions under local control. This research shows that while economic freedom in the United States is decreasing with regard to institutions under national control, it is increasing with regard to institutions under state and local control. Economic freedom increases gradually among the states, driven primarily by increasing labor market freedom. Decreases in economic freedom, on the other hand, occur sharply, often following stark changes to state fiscal policies.
The Adenylate Cyclase Toxins

Cyclic AMP is a ubiquitous messenger that integrates many processes of the cell. Diverse families of adenylate cyclases and phosphodiesterases stringently regulate the intracellular concentration of cAMP. Any alteration in the cytosolic concentration of cAMP has a profound effect on the various processes of the cell. Disruption of these cellular processes in vivo is often the most critical event in the pathogenesis of infectious diseases for animals and humans. Many pathogenic bacteria secrete toxins to alter the intracellular concentration of cAMP. These toxins either disrupt the normal regulation of the host cell's adenylate cyclases/phosphodiesterases or they themselves catalyze the synthesis of cAMP in the host cell. The latter are known as the adenylate cyclase toxins. Four such toxins have been identified: the invasive adenylate cyclase of Bordetella pertussis, the edema factor of Bacillus anthracis, ExoY of Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and the adenylate cyclase of Yersinia pestis. These adenylate cyclase toxins enter the eukaryotic host cells and get activated by eukaryotic cofactors, like calmodulin, to trigger the synthesis of cAMP in these cells. By accumulating cAMP in the target cells, these toxins either modulate the cellular function or completely deactivate the cell for further function. The immune effector cells appear to be the primary target of these adenylate cyclase toxins. By accumulating cAMP in the immune effector cells, these adenylate cyclase toxins poison the immune system and thus facilitate the survival of the bacteria in the host.
Computer-based evaluation of gender identification and morphologic classification of tooth face and arch forms.

STATEMENT OF PROBLEM In prosthodontics, sex-related differences in tooth forms are assumed, and optimal esthetics is further assumed to be achieved only if the face, arch, and tooth forms are in harmony. However, there is no universally accepted rule or mathematical method to define these morphologic features. PURPOSE The purpose of this study was to evaluate whether anterior tooth from reflected gender and to question the hypothesis that there was a correlation among face, arch, and tooth forms on the basis of dentists' perceptions. MATERIALS AND METHODS Photographic records including full face, dental arch, and anterior tooth images of 60 dental students were made by use of digital photography. A database was arranged as a questionnaire for evaluation by prosthodontists who were asked to define the sex and morphologic features of the subjects by examining stored images of the subjects. Thirteen prosthodontists, all with at least 10 years of experience, served as experts and performed these evaluations twice at 2-week intervals. Kappa statistic was used to measure intraobserver and interobserver agreement. RESULTS The average correctly identified values in females and males were 53% and 58%, respectively. However, the proportions of females and males who were identified correctly and completely the same in both the first and second evaluations were 36% for females and 41% for males. According to the observations of the experts, face-to-arch form (54%) and face-to-tooth form (51%) correlations were higher than the tooth-to-arch form correlation. The overall correlation among face, arch, and tooth forms was 31%. The experts were in fair agreement in defining tooth forms. CONCLUSIONS The results of gender identification of the subjects showed that the experts were unsuccessful in distinguishing the actual sex by the visual assessment of anterior tooth segment alone, with a fair agreement between 2 evaluation sessions. There were also significant interobserver and intraobserver differences in classifying face, arch, and especially tooth forms. Furthermore, the correlation among these forms was not highly defined.
Impact of dental visiting trajectory patterns on clinical oral health and oral health-related quality of life.

BACKGROUND Previous studies have shown variation in long-term dental visiting but little is known about the oral health outcomes of such variation. OBJECTIVE The objective of this study is to determine the association of different dental visiting trajectories with dental clinical and oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) indicators. METHODS This study utilized data from the Dunedin Multidisciplinary Health and Development Study, a continuing longitudinal study of 1,037 babies born in Dunedin (New Zealand) between April 1, 1972 and March 31, 1973. Data presented here were collected at ages 15, 18, 26, and 32 years. Three categories of dental attendance were identified in earlier research, namely: regulars (n = 285, 30.9 percent of the cohort), decliners (441, 55.9 percent), and opportunistic users (107, 13.1 percent). RESULTS There was a statistically significant association between opportunistic dental visiting behavior and decayed missing and filled surfaces score (Beta = 3.9) as well as missing teeth because of caries (Beta = 0.7). Nonregular dental visiting trajectories were associated with higher Oral Health Impact Profile (OHIP-14) scores (Beta = 2.1) and lower self-rated oral health scores (prevalence ratio = 0.8). CONCLUSION Long-term, postchildhood dental attendance patterns are associated with oral health in adulthood, whether defined by clinical dental indicators or OHRQoL. Improving dental visiting behavior among low socioeconomic status groups would have the greatest effect on improving oral health and reducing oral health impacts.
Changes in Access, Utilization, and Quality of Care After Enrollment Into a State Child Health Insurance Plan

Background. There currently are few published data evaluating the effect of State Children's Health Insurance Programs on health care outcome measures in children. Colorado's Child Health Plan Plus (CHP+) is a non-Medicaid State Children's Health Insurance Program that began enrollment in April 1998. The objectives of this study were to compare reported (1) access to care, (2) utilization of health care, and (3) quality of care during the year before and the first year after enrollment into CHP+. Methods. We interviewed 480 randomly selected families by telephone 2 months after their first enrollment into CHP+ (September 1999 to January 2000) and, again, 1 year later. We used generalized linear models to examine the effect of enrollment on health care access, utilization, and quality while controlling for type of previous insurance, length of time uninsured before enrollment, race/ethnicity, and age. Results. Regarding access to care, the percentage of families who reported a usual site of preventive care did not change significantly, but families reported more often being able to see providers as soon as desired for routine care (incidence ratio [IR]: 2.03; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.37–3.02]), for care when sick or injured (IR: 2.77; 95% CI: 1.85–4.16), for specialty care (IR: 1.96; 95% CI: 1.16–3.32), and for all health care (IR: 2.35; 95% CI: 1.81–3.07). Unmet medical needs decreased after versus before enrollment for prescription medications (IR: 0.38; 95% CI: 0.26–0.55), mental health care (IR: 0.63; 95% CI: 0.40–0.97), prescription glasses (IR: 0.44; 95% CI: 0.29–0.65), and dental care (IR: 0.59; 95% CI: 0.47–0.76). Regarding utilization, the proportion who saw a provider for routine care in the past year increased (IR: 1.39; 95% CI: 1.06–1.83), but reported visits for sick, specialty, and emergency department care and hospitalizations did not increase. Regarding quality of care, the proportion who rated their health care as “best” increased (RI: 1.31; 95% CI: 1.04–1.66) after versus before enrollment. Conclusions. Families who were newly enrolled into CHP+ perceived dramatic increases in access to all types of care and decreases in unmet medical needs, no increase in utilization of emergency department or hospitalization services, and improved overall quality of care in the year after enrollment into CHP+.
Further investigations on ToF cameras distance errors and their corrections.

The distance calibration of the time of flight camera is a difficult task due to the errors produced by multi reflections of the light inside the camera body and outside. In any room the active light emitted by the camera is reflected by the walls and the objects in the scene. Thus the reflected light by the objects in the scene is the sum of this light and the direct light emitted by the camera. The distance information is affected by this indirect light. The calibration method we propose can be performed not only in laboratory condition but also in any conditions. The distance errors for all objects in the scene can be corrected if white or black tags (labels) are attached on objects.
Internalized Pseudomonas Exotoxin A can Exploit Multiple Pathways to Reach the Endoplasmic Reticulum

Receptor‐mediated internalization to the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and subsequent retro‐translocation to the cytosol are essential sequential processes required for the intoxication of mammalian cells by Pseudomonas exotoxin A (PEx). The toxin binds the α2‐macroglobulin receptor/low‐density lipoprotein receptor‐related protein. Here, we show that in HeLa cells, PEx recruits a proportion of this receptor to detergent‐resistant microdomains (DRMs). Uptake of receptor‐bound PEx involves transport steps both directly from early endosomes to the trans‐Golgi network (TGN) independently of Rab9 function and from late endosomes to the TGN in a Rab9‐dependent manner. Furthermore, treatments that simultaneously perturb both Arf1‐dependent and Rab6‐dependent retrograde pathways show that PEx can use multiple routes to reach the ER. The Rab6‐dependent route has only been described previously for cargo with lipid‐sorting signals. These findings suggest that partial localization of PEx within DRM permits a choice of trafficking routes consistent with a model that DRM‐associated toxins reach the ER on a lipid‐dependent sorting pathway whilst non‐DRM‐associated PEx exploits the previously characterized KDEL receptor‐mediated uptake pathway. Thus, unexpectedly, an ER‐directed toxin with a proteinaceous receptor shows promiscuity in its intracellular trafficking pathways, exploiting routes controlled by both lipid‐ and protein‐sorting signals.
Intergenerational care for and by children: Examining reciprocity through focus group interviews with older adults in rural Uganda

BACKGROUND Children’s wellbeing in sub-Saharan Africa depends on immediate family resources and capabilities, and on extended kin. Evidence suggests that older persons contribute extensively to children’s financial, social, psychosocial, and physical needs. Young people also provide care for older persons. Yet, most studies only capture one side of this relationship. OBJECTIVE We draw attention to intergenerational care relationship reciprocity and the likely impacts on children’s wellbeing. METHODS We analyze data from the Medical Research Council/Uganda Virus Research Institute annual population census (2015–2016) in rural Kalungu District to establish the likelihood of intergenerational care exchange at the household level. Focus group discussions (FGD) with persons aged 60-plus provide information on the types of exchanges and outcomes impacted by the presence/absence of intergenerational care. RESULTS Nearly a quarter of children (age 0–14) in our study site live in households with at least one person aged 60-plus; nearly four-fifths of persons aged 60-plus reside in a 1 Department of Health Sciences and Department of Women’s and Gender Studies, University of Missouri, USA. Email: Schatzej@health.missouri. edu. 2 Medical Research Council/Uganda Virus Research Institute and London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine Uganda Research Unit, Entebbe, Uganda and Department of Global Health and Development, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, UK. 3 Medical Research Council/Uganda Virus Research Institute and London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine Uganda Research Unit, Entebbe, Uganda. Schatz, Seeley & Zalwango: Intergenerational care for and by children 2004 http://www.demographic-research.org household with at least one child. The FGD data suggest that persons aged 60-plus spend considerable physical and financial resources supporting children in their networks, and simultaneously are dependent upon younger generations for various forms of support. CONCLUSIONS Older persons’ positive relationships with children in their care form a strong basis for the exchange of various types of support; when intergenerational tensions exist, reciprocal care may be less reliable. This intergenerational solidarity, or lack thereof, likely affects children’s wellbeing. CONTRIBUTION Effective new measures of reciprocal care dynamics are needed to understand the impacts on children’s wellbeing.