Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Effect of Cilostazol on Cerebral Vasospasm and Outcome in Patients with Aneurysmal Subarachnoid Hemorrhage: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Trial

Background: Several clinical studies have indicated the efficacy of cilostazol, a selective inhibitor of phosphodiesterase 3, in preventing cerebral vasospasm after aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH). They were not double-blinded trial resulting in disunited results on assessment of end points among the studies. The randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study was performed to assess the effectiveness of cilostazol on cerebral vasospasm. Methods: Patients with aneurysmal SAH admitted within 24 h after the ictus who met the following criteria were enrolled in this study: SAH on CT scan was diffuse thick, diffuse thin, or local thick, Hunt and Hess score was less than 4, administration of cilostazol or placebo could be started within 48 h of SAH. Patients were randomly allocated to placebo or cilostazol after repair of a ruptured saccular aneurysm by aneurysmal neck clipping or endovascular coiling, and the administration of cilostazol or placebo was continued up to 14 days after initiation of treatment. The primary end point was the occurrence of symptomatic vasospasm (sVS), and secondary end points were angiographic vasospasm (aVS) evaluated on digital subtraction angiography, vasospasm-related new cerebral infarction evaluated on CT scan or MRI, and clinical outcome at 3 months of SAH as assessed by Glasgow Outcome Scale, in which poor outcome was defined as severe disability, vegetative state, and death. All end points were evaluated with blinded assessment. Results: One hundred forty eight patients were randomly allocated to the cilostazol group (n = 74) or the control group (n = 74). The occurrence of sVS was significantly lower in the cilostazol group than in the control group (10.8 vs. 24.3%, p = 0.031), and multiple logistic analysis showed that cilostazol use was an independent factor reducing sVS (OR 0.293, 95% CI 0.099-0.568, p = 0.027). The incidence of aVS and vasospasm-related cerebral infarction were not significantly different between the groups. Poor outcome was significantly lower in the cilostazol group than in the control group (5.4 vs. 17.6%, p = 0.011), and multiple logistic analyses demonstrated that cilostazol use was an independent factor that reduced the incidence of poor outcome (OR 0.221, 95% CI 0.054-0.903, p = 0.035). Severe adverse events due to cilostazol administration did not occur during the study period. Conclusions: Cilostazol administration is effective in preventing sVS and improving outcomes without severe adverse events. A larger-scale study including more cases was necessary to confirm this efficacy of cilostazol.
Pharmacological Induction of Fetal Hemoglobin: Why Haven't We Been More Successful in Thalassemia?

Abstract: The first studies of the pharmacological induction of fetal hemoglobin were conducted in patients with sickle cell disease and thalassemia. Although hydroxyurea was approved by the FDA for the treatment of sickle cell disease in 1996, no similar pharmacological agent(s) has been approved for the treatment of patients with thalassemic disorders. The small‐scale studies of the induction of fetal hemoglobin in thalassemia have been generally disappointing. The aim of this report is to provide a critical analysis of the factors that may be responsible for our failure to develop an effective fetal hemoglobin induction therapy for patients with thalassemia. We also describe several areas for future investigation that may be critically important for the development of an effective therapy for thalassemia.
Shape analysis of the proximal humerus in orthograde and semi‐orthograde primates: Correlates of suspensory behavior

“Suspensory locomotion” is an expression that encompasses a series of specialized forms of locomotion that mainly orthograde primates use to achieve below‐branch traveling. It implies a number of features in the entire body associated with the use of the forelimb in overhead positions. The glenohumeral joint is one of the main joints involved in effective suspensory locomotion, being subject to a delicate balance between the high degree of mobility and stabilization needed to successfully engage in suspensory behaviors. Here, we present a 3D geometric morphometric study that explores the form of the proximal humerus of six orthograde and semi‐orthograde genera (Hylobates, Pongo, Pan, Gorilla, Ateles, and Lagothrix) and a pronograde genus, Colobus, to determine to what extent suspensory locomotor requirements are driving the shape of this epiphysis. Results show the presence of a morphocline related to degree of suspension in the shape of the articular surface, with highly suspensory taxa (i.e., Hylobates) exhibiting particular morphological traits at the articular surface that provide a greater range of circumduction. The placement and orientation of the rotator cuff muscles' insertion sites on the tubercles appear associated with the divergent forces operating at the joint in quadrupedal or above‐head use of the hand. Am. J. Primatol. 77:1–19, 2015. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Adaptive hydrophobic and hydrophilic interactions of mussel foot proteins with organic thin films

Significance Two popular perceptions about the much-mimicked adhesion of mussels are (i) the adhesion depends entirely on 3, 4-dihydroxyphenylalanine (Dopa) groups (benzene derivatives with two H-bonding prongs) and (ii) Dopa can stick to all surfaces. This study shows that both perceptions are incorrect: using three Dopa-containing mussel foot proteins (Mfps) on two chemically different self-assembled monolayers (SAM), we found the highest adhesion on the nonpolar (i.e., hydrophobic) SAMs was exhibited by the Mfp with the most hydrophobic side chains, not the most Dopa. Furthermore, increasing the spacing between the H-bond acceptors in the SAMs prevented the double-pronged H-bonding of Dopa side chains to polar SAMs. These findings clarify the roles of hydrophobic and hydrophilic interactions in both biological and nonbiological adhesion. The adhesion of mussel foot proteins (Mfps) to a variety of specially engineered mineral and metal oxide surfaces has previously been investigated extensively, but the relevance of these studies to adhesion in biological environments remains unknown. Most solid surfaces exposed to seawater or physiological fluids become fouled by organic conditioning films and biofilms within minutes. Understanding the binding mechanisms of Mfps to organic films with known chemical and physical properties therefore is of considerable theoretical and practical interest. Using self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) on atomically smooth gold substrates and the surface forces apparatus, we explored the force–distance profiles and adhesion energies of three different Mfps, Mfp-1, Mfp-3, and Mfp-5, on (i) hydrophobic methyl (CH3)- and (ii) hydrophilic alcohol (OH)-terminated SAM surfaces between pH 3 and pH 7.5. At acidic pH, all three Mfps adhered strongly to the CH3-terminated SAM surfaces via hydrophobic interactions (range of adhesive interaction energy = −4 to −9 mJ/m2) but only weakly to the OH-terminated SAM surfaces through H- bonding (adhesive interaction energy ≤ −0.5 mJ/m2). 3, 4-Dihydroxyphenylalanine (Dopa) residues in Mfps mediate binding to both SAM surface types but do so through different interactions: typical bidentate H-bonding by Dopa is frustrated by the longer spacing of OH-SAMs; in contrast, on CH3-SAMs, Dopa in synergy with other nonpolar residues partitions to the hydrophobic surface. Asymmetry in the distribution of hydrophobic residues in intrinsically unstructured proteins, the distortion of bond geometry between H-bonding surfaces, and the manipulation of physisorbed binding lifetimes represent important concepts for the design of adhesive and nonfouling surfaces.
Analysis of a serial circuit with two memristors and voltage source at sine and impulse regime

In the present paper the structure and principle of action of Williams's memristor are described. There are presented its basic parameters and the basic physical dependencies are confirmed. The analysis described here considers linear drift model of Williams's memristor. A SIMULINK model of circuit with two memristors is build with obtained formulae and Kirchhoff's voltage law. The basic results by the simulations organized in MATLAB and SIMULINK environment are given in graphical form. These results are associated with distortions of plateaus of impulses at different ratios between resistances of “opened” and “closed” states of Williams's memristor - ROFF and RON. There are given also interpreting of results, which confirms that a memristor with high ratio r is better than a memristor with small value of r. In conclusion there are given basic deductions and perspectives for future applications of memristor circuits.
Living with diabetes during transition to adult life – Relationships, support of self-management, diabetes control and diabetes care

The transition to adult care �or adolescents �ith dia�e� tes is a complex issue, and several studies have sho�n that one o� the important �arriers to success�ul transi� tions is the health care system itsel�. Adolescence is also a vulnera�le time in li�e as many o� the patterns o� sel��care �ehaviour are set �hich coincides �ith a struggle �or independence �rom adults. The overall aim o� this thesis �as to illuminate main concerns related to the transition o� adolescents/ emerging adults �ith type 1 dia�etes to adult li�e and adult dia�etes care and to gain a deeper understanding o� ho� care pro� viders, patients and their parents handle this situation.
Integrated Metabolo-Transcriptomics Reveals Fusarium Head Blight Candidate Resistance Genes in Wheat QTL-Fhb2

Background Fusarium head blight (FHB) caused by Fusarium graminearum not only causes severe losses in yield, but also reduces quality of wheat grain by accumulating mycotoxins. Breeding for host plant resistance is considered as the best strategy to manage FHB. Resistance in wheat to FHB is quantitative in nature, involving cumulative effects of many genes governing resistance. The poor understanding of genetics and lack of precise phenotyping has hindered the development of FHB resistant cultivars. Though more than 100 QTLs imparting FHB resistance have been reported, none discovered the specific genes localized within the QTL region, nor the underlying mechanisms of resistance. Findings In our study recombinant inbred lines (RILs) carrying resistant (R-RIL) and susceptible (S-RIL) alleles of QTL-Fhb2 were subjected to metabolome and transcriptome profiling to discover the candidate genes. Metabolome profiling detected a higher abundance of metabolites belonging to phenylpropanoid, lignin, glycerophospholipid, flavonoid, fatty acid, and terpenoid biosynthetic pathways in R-RIL than in S-RIL. Transcriptome analysis revealed up-regulation of several receptor kinases, transcription factors, signaling, mycotoxin detoxification and resistance related genes. The dissection of QTL-Fhb2 using flanking marker sequences, integrating metabolomic and transcriptomic datasets, identified 4-Coumarate: CoA ligase (4CL), callose synthase (CS), basic Helix Loop Helix (bHLH041) transcription factor, glutathione S-transferase (GST), ABC transporter-4 (ABC4) and cinnamyl alcohol dehydrogenase (CAD) as putative resistance genes localized within the QTL-Fhb2 region. Conclusion Some of the identified genes within the QTL region are associated with structural resistance through cell wall reinforcement, reducing the spread of pathogen through rachis within a spike and few other genes that detoxify DON, the virulence factor, thus eventually reducing disease severity. In conclusion, we report that the wheat resistance QTL-Fhb2 is associated with high rachis resistance through additive resistance effects of genes, based on cell wall enforcement and detoxification of DON. Following further functional characterization and validation, these resistance genes can be used to replace the genes in susceptible commercial cultivars, if nonfunctional, based on genome editing to improve FHB resistance.
Data-efficient control policy search using residual dynamics learning

In this work, we propose a model-based and data efficient approach for reinforcement learning. The main idea of our algorithm is to combine simulated and real rollouts to efficiently find an optimal control policy. While performing rollouts on the robot, we exploit sensory data to learn a probabilistic model of the residual difference between the measured state and the state predicted by a simplified model. The simplified model can be any dynamical system, from a very accurate system to a simple, linear one. The residual difference is learned with Gaussian processes. Hence, we assume that the difference between real and simplified model is Gaussian distributed, which is less strict than assuming that the real system is Gaussian distributed. The combination of the partial model and the learned residuals is exploited to predict the real system behavior and to search for an optimal policy. Simulations and experiments show that our approach significantly reduces the number of rollouts needed to find an optimal control policy for the real system.
Effect of Moisture Content and Temperature on Respiration Rate of Rice

ABSTRACT One cause of yellowing or stackburn of rice may be elevated respiration rates caused by storage at either high moisture content (MC) or temperature. The effect of MC and temperature on the respiration rate of Oryza sativa L. ‘Bengal’ and ‘Cypress’ rice harvested in the fall of 1998 was investigated. For respiration rate measurement of rough rice at different temperatures, rice samples at high, medium, and low MC were sealed in quart jars and equilibrated to temperatures of 20–80°C. The respiration rate was quantified by measuring the rate of CO2 accumulation in the free air space. To determine the effect of MC on respiration rate, rough rice was tested at 12–25% MC. Respiration was greatly affected by MC and temperature. The response of respiration to temperature was dependent on MC and varied between rice cultivars. Respiration rates increased as MC increased from ≈15 to 25%. Maximum respiration was at 50°C when MC was high (20–25%). At 15% MC, respiration increased from 20 to 70°C, while respir.
The Anthelmintic Effect of Pistacia khinjuk Against Protoscoleces of Echinococcus granulosus

4 Abstract: Echinococcus granulosus is a widespread worm which causes echinococcusis or cystic hydatid disease in humans and animals such as sheep and goats. Surgery and chemotherapy are used for treatment of echinococcusis. Main drugs for treatment (Albendazole and Mebendazole) have side effects. Some species of Pistacia have been used in folk medicine. Pistacia khinjuk is one of endemic Pistacia in Iran. ethyl alcohol, chloroform, ethyl acetate extract and essential oil P. khinjuk were examined for their anthelmintic activity against protoscoleces of E. granulosus at three concentrations (128, 256, 512 µg/ml). The essential oil of P. khinjuk was analysed by GC/MS and 36 components were indentified. The essential oil of this plant showed antihelminthic effect against protoscoleces of E. granulosus. But ethyl alcohol, chloroform, ethyl acetate extracts of P. khinjuk did not show significant anthelmintic activity. In conclusion, the results of this study indicate in vitro anti-echinococcal activity of the essential oil of P. khinjuk. Further studies should be carried out for in vivo anti-echinococcal effect of this plant.
Children and adults' understanding and use of sound-symbolism in novel words

Sound-symbolism is the inherent link between the sound of a word and its meaning. The aim of this thesis is to gain an insight into the nature of sound-symbolism. There are five empirical chapters, each of which aims to uncover children and adults’ understanding of sound-symbolic words. Chapter 1 is a literature review of sound-symbolism. Chapter 2 is a cross-linguistic developmental study looking at the acquisition of sound-symbolism. Chapter 3 looks at childrens use of sound-symbolism in a verb-learning task. Chapter 4 looks at childrens use of sound-symbolism when learning and memorising novel verbs. Chapter 5 consists of two experiments looking at what exact part of a word is sound-symbolic. This study compared different types of consonants and vowels, across a number of domains in an attempt to gain an understanding of the nature of sound-symbolism. Chapter 6 looks at the potential mechanisms by which sound-symbolism is understood. This study is a replication of previous research, which found that sound-symbolic sensitivity is increased when the word is said and not just heard. There are therefore a total of five empirical chapters each of which attempts to look at the nature of sound-symbolic meaning from a slightly different angle.
Early loading of non-submerged titanium implants with a sandblasted and acid-etched surface. 5-year results of a prospective study in partially edentulous patients.

OBJECTIVES The aim of this prospective cohort study was to evaluate the success rate of titanium screw-type implants with the sandblasted and acid-etched (SLA) surface loaded early, after 6 weeks of healing. MATERIAL AND METHODS A total of 104 implants were inserted into posterior sites of 51 partially edentulous patients exhibiting bone densities of class I-III. After a healing period of 6 weeks, all implants were functionally loaded with cemented crowns or fixed partial dentures. The patients were recalled at 3, 12, 24, 36, 48 and 60 months for clinical and radiographic examination. RESULTS One implant failed to integrate during healing, and three implants were lost to follow-up and were considered drop-outs. The remaining 100 implants showed favorable clinical and radiographic findings at the 5-year examination. The peri-implant soft tissues were stable over time; the mean probing depths and mean attachment levels did not change during the follow-up period. None of the radiographs exhibited signs of continuous peri-implant radiolucency, which confirmed ankylotic stability for all 100 implants. The measurement of the bone crest levels (DIB values) indicated stability as well. Based on strict success criteria, all 100 implants were considered successfully integrated, resulting in a 5-year success rate of 99%. CONCLUSION This prospective study using an early loading protocol with 6 weeks of healing demonstrated that titanium implants with the SLA surface can achieve and maintain successful tissue integration with high predictability for at least 5 years of follow-up in selected patients and sites.
Ethical leadership: the socially responsible use of power

Powerful leaders can have a substantial impact on the lives of followers and the fate of groups, organizations, and even societies. The potential for beneficial use or misuse of power has led researchers to focus on the ethical aspects of leadership. A recent series of unprecedented media scandals regarding ethical lapses of high-level business managers has placed the ethical aspects of leadership at the forefront of everyone's attention. Despite this growing interest, however, there is very little theoretically driven research that examines which types of leader behavior should be seen as ethical. Moreover, although preliminary research on ethical leadership suggests positive effects of such leadership (e.g., Brown et al. 2005), it does not yet explain when and why ethical leadership has its effects. Finally, why some people in a leadership situation choose to behave in a principled and ethical manner whilst others (at times) do not, is not yet sufficiently clear. Here, we deal with these points from a power and influence perspective. The use of power and leadership are intertwined concepts, the power to influence others forms a part of most definitions of leadership. Thus, not surprisingly, the power concept contributes to our understanding of ethical leadership in important ways. First, the socially responsible use of power is a key element of ethical leadership, and, in this chapter, we discuss ethical leadership from this perspective.
Broadcasting and multicasting in cut-through routed networks

This paper addresses the one-to-all broadcasting problem, and the one-to-many broadcasting problem, usually simply called broadcasting and multicasting, respectively. In this paper, we study these problems under both line model, and cut-through model. The former assumes long distance calls between non neighboring processors. The latter completes the line model by taking into account the use of a routing function. It is known that one can find time optimal broadcast and multicast protocols in the line model in polynomial time. We present a new time optimal broadcasting and multicasting algorithm in the line model. This algorithm efficiently uses the bandwidth of the network. Moreover, it also applies to the cut-through model as soon as the routing function generates shortest paths only.
Froid: Optimization of Imperative Programs in a Relational Database

For decades, RDBMSs have supported declarative SQL as well as imperative functions and procedures as ways for users to express data processing tasks. While the evaluation of declarative SQL has received a lot of attention resulting in highly sophisticated techniques, the evaluation of imperative programs has remained naive and highly inefficient. Imperative programs offer several benefits over SQL and hence are often preferred and widely used. But unfortunately, their abysmal performance discourages, and even prohibits their use in many situations. We address this important problem that has hitherto received little attention. We present Froid, an extensible framework for optimizing imperative programs in relational databases. Froid's novel approach automatically transforms entire User Defined Functions (UDFs) into relational algebraic expressions, and embeds them into the calling SQL query. This form is now amenable to cost-based optimization and results in efficient, set-oriented, parallel plans as opposed to inefficient, iterative, serial execution of UDFs. Froid's approach additionally brings the benefits of many compiler optimizations to UDFs with no additional implementation effort. We describe the design of Froid and present our experimental evaluation that demonstrates performance improvements of up to multiple orders of magnitude on real workloads.
Analysis of the effect of alternating home and away field advantage during the Six Nations Rugby Championship

The aim of this study was to analyse the effect of alternating home and away field advantage on selected performance indicators during the Six Nations Rugby Championship (2005-2009). The sample consisted of (n=75) games played over five seasons of the championship were analysed. The following factors were taken into account: the final match result, number of points scored, number of tries scored, number of drop goals, number of conversions, number of passes and number of possessions kicked. The results of the study indicated that: (i) in general, there is a tendency that teams that are playing at home achieve better results, except for the 2005 season (ii) performance indicators of the game showed statistically significant differences; (iii) the results further indicated that 50% or more of the total points scored are when they play at home. In conclusion, the study indicated that there is a tendency in the Six Nation Rugby Championship (2005-2009) teams will obtain favourable results when they play at home.