Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Plasma N-terminal Proatrial Natriuretic Factor can Predict Normal Pulmonary Capillary Wedge Pressure in Cardiac Transplant Recipients

Background –Plasma N-terminal proatrial natriuretic factor (proANP) is closely related to atrial filling pressure, but this may be distorted in heart transplant recipients. Objective –The aim of this study was to examine the usefulness of proANP as a non-invasive marker of cardiac filling pressure in transplanted patients with normal to moderately elevated serum creatinine (s-creatinine). Methods –Blood was sampled at rest for analysis of proANP from 220 patients 1-13 (median 4) years after orthotopic heart transplantation undergoing routine diagnostic catheterization. Results –In multivariate analysis proANP was significantly positively related to s-creatinine, mean pulmonary capillary wedge pressure (PCWP) and time after transplantation and negatively related to haemoglobin and cardiac index. All the patients with proANP below 1140 pmol/l had normal PCWP (<13 mmHg). The area under the receiver-operating characteristic curve for proANP for the detection of PCWP S 13 mmHg was 0.81. The positive predictive value of proANP for detection of increased PCWP was very low. Conclusion –A low proANP had a 100% negative predictive value for increased atrial pressure but the low positive predictive value makes proANP unsuitable as an indicator of increased atrial pressures in heart transplanted patients.
Dissolution of cholesterol gallstones by chenodeoxycholic acid.

Abstract Seven women with gallstones were given 0.75 to 4.5 g per day of chenodeoxycholic acid, a primary bile acid, to promote micellar solubilization of cholesterol in bile. In Case 1 three stones that had remained unchanged in size during six years of observations disappeared after six months of treatment. A single stone in Case 2 and multiple calculi in Cases 3 and 4 progressively grew smaller during 14 to 22 months of chenodeoxycholic acid administration. Gallstone size did not change in the other three. Chenodeoxycholic acid and total bile acid pool sizes (measured in two patients), which were reduced before therapy, were markedly expanded by chenodeoxycholic acid, and the ratio of bile acids and lecithin to cholesterol in bile increased in all patients. Liver function and morphology remained normal; moderate dose-related diarrhea occurred. Chenodeoxycholic acid may offer medical treatment for cholesterol cholelithiasis in man.
Mycobacterium tuberculosis multi‐drug‐resistant strain M induces IL‐17+IFNγ– CD4+ T cell expansion through an IL‐23 and TGF‐β‐dependent mechanism in patients with MDR‐TB tuberculosis

We have reported previously that T cells from patients with multi‐drug‐resistant tuberculosis (MDR‐TB) express high levels of interleukin (IL)‐17 in response to the MDR strain M (Haarlem family) of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (M. tuberculosis). Herein, we explore the pathways involved in the induction of Th17 cells in MDR‐TB patients and healthy tuberculin reactors [purified protein derivative healthy donors (PPD+ HD)] by the M strain and the laboratory strain H37Rv. Our results show that IL‐1β and IL‐6 are crucial for the H37Rv and M‐induced expansion of IL‐17+interferon (IFN)‐γ– and IL‐17+IFN‐γ+ in CD4+ T cells from MDR‐TB and PPD+ HD. IL‐23 plays an ambiguous role in T helper type 1 (Th1) and Th17 profiles: alone, IL‐23 is responsible for M. tuberculosis‐induced IL‐17 and IFN‐γ expression in CD4+ T cells from PPD+ HD whereas, together with transforming growth factor (TGF‐β), it promotes IL‐17+IFN‐γ– expansion in MDR‐TB. In fact, spontaneous and M. tuberculosis‐induced TGF‐β secretion is increased in cells from MDR‐TB, the M strain being the highest inducer. Interestingly, Toll‐like receptor (TLR)‐2 signalling mediates the expansion of IL‐17+IFN‐γ– cells and the enhancement of latency‐associated protein (LAP) expression in CD14+ and CD4+ T cells from MDR‐TB, which suggests that the M strain promotes IL‐17+IFN‐γ– T cells through a strong TLR‐2‐dependent TGF‐β production by antigen‐presenting cells and CD4+ T cells. Finally, CD4+ T cells from MDR‐TB patients infected with MDR Haarlem strains show higher IL‐17+IFN‐γ– and lower IL‐17+IFN‐γ+ levels than LAM‐infected patients. The present findings deepen our understanding of the role of IL‐17 in MDR‐TB and highlight the influence of the genetic background of the infecting M. tuberculosis strain on the ex‐vivo Th17 response.
Kinetic parameters for OH nightglow modeling consistent with recent laboratory measurements

Abstract : An improved kinetic model for the Meinel bands of OH has been constructed from rate constants and Einstein A coefficients derived in recent laboratory experiments. Using a semiempirical parameterization of the state-to-state rate constants for OH(v) quenching by O2, the absolute OH(v) nightglow radiances are modeled to within the accuracies of the atmospheric constituent concentrations and the radiometric calibrations. Collisional quenching is found to be predominantly multiquantum at high v but single-quantum at low v.
Girl Talk: development of an intervention for prevention of HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases in adolescent females.

The number of adolescent females between the ages of 13 and 19 who are contracting sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) is rising at an alarming rate. Although the issue of STDs has been overshadowed by continued public debate over adolescent pregnancy and childbearing, it demands attention. Particularly concerning is the fact that STDs increase the likelihood of transmitting HIV (N.E. MacDonald et al., 1990). To offset the growing incidences of STDs among female adolescents, gender-specific interventions are needed. Following is a description of the theoretical underpinnings that informed and guided the development of a gender-specific intervention titled Girl Talk. A two-stage creation and review process was used to design this 2.5-hr, four-session intervention. An overview of the quasi-experimental design that compared a nonequivalent comparison and two intervention groups (peer led and adult led) is presented. Baseline characteristics of the three groups are reported. Also described is how participant feedback and a design content analysis are used to evaluate the appropriateness of the intervention for adolescent females.
Skewed autonomy-relatedness in preadolescents' conceptions of their relationships with mother, father, and best friend.

Healthy adaptation within all close relationships--whether with parents, friends, or romantic partners--involves striking a balance between connectedness to and independence from the relationship partner. For some individuals, adaptation within one or more relationships is skewed, or characterized by either an excessive concern for closeness that impedes autonomy (preoccupied stance) or an excessive concern for autonomy that inhibits closeness (avoidant stance). In this study with boys and girls aged 9-14 years, children who reported a preoccupied or avoidant stance toward their mother displayed increased social impairment in the peer group over time. There were predictable associations among children's stances toward mother, father, and best friend. Children resembled their best friend in relationship stance. The study illustrates the advantages of applying common relationship constructs (e.g., autonomy-relatedness) to the study of diverse close relationships.
Sensory overload: A concept analysis

In the context of mental disorders sensory overload is a widely described phenomenon used in conjunction with psychiatric interventions such as removal from stimuli. However, the theoretical foundation of sensory overload as addressed in the literature can be described as insufficient and fragmentary. To date, the concept of sensory overload has not yet been sufficiently specified or analyzed. The aim of the study was to analyze the concept of sensory overload in mental health care. A literature search was undertaken using specific electronic databases, specific journals and websites, hand searches, specific library catalogues, and electronic publishing databases. Walker and Avant's method of concept analysis was used to analyze the sources included in the analysis. All aspects of the method of Walker and Avant were covered in this concept analysis. The conceptual understanding has become more focused, the defining attributes, influencing factors and consequences are described and empirical referents identified. The concept analysis is a first step in the development of a middle-range descriptive theory of sensory overload based on social scientific and stress-theoretical approaches. This specification may serve as a fundament for further research, for the development of a nursing diagnosis or for guidelines.
Novel staging protocol for non-small-cell lung cancers according to MRP-1/CD9 and KAI1/CD82 gene expression.

PURPOSE The transmembrane-4 superfamily (TM4SF) is a recently discovered family of genes. Of the TM4SF members, MRP-1/CD9, KAI1/CD82, and ME491/CD63 have been reported to modulate tumor progression or metastasis. In this study, we investigated the relationships between these three genes, MRP-1, KAI1, and ME491, in patients with non-small-cell lung cancers (NSCLCs). Moreover, we assessed the prognostic value of evaluating the expressions of MRP-1, KAI1, and ME491 simultaneously in NSCLCs. PATIENTS AND METHODS One hundred seventy-two patients up to stage IIIB NSCLC underwent radical surgery during the period of January 1991 through June 1994. Using a quantitative reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) analysis, we studied the expression of MRP-1, KAI1, and ME491 genes in these patients. RESULTS We found that 109 patients (63.4%) had MRP-1-positive tumors and 42 patients (24.4%) had KAl1-positive tumors. Conversely, all 172 patients expressed ME491. No relationship was found between MRP-1 expression and KAI1 expression. We classified these patients into three groups. The 36 patients who were positive for both MRP-1 and KAI1 were defined as group A; the 79 patients with reduced expression of either MRP-1 or KAI1 were defined as group B, and the remaining 57 patients with reduced expression of both MRP-1 and KAI1 were defined as group C. This new classification was correlated with nodal status, tumor status, and pathologic stage (P = .0056, P = .0003, and P < .0001, respectively). In NSCLC patients, the 5-year survival rate of group A patients was significantly better than that of group B patients and much better than that of group C patients (86.8%, 53.9%, and 31.5%, respectively; P < .0001). Cox multivariate regression analysis showed that this new classification in NSCLCs was a significant prognostic factor, as was the nodal status (P < .0001). CONCLUSION Our results suggest that a low MRP-1 and KAI1 expression by tumors of the lung may be associated with poor prognosis. It is conceivable that the evaluation for MRP-1 and KAI1 expression may identify node-negative lung cancer patients who are at high risk for early disease recurrence, and thus need intensive adjuvant therapy.
BRITISH AND PRC GOVERNMENT POLICY: CAREERS IN THE MIDST OF POLITICAL CHANGE

On the expiration of the 99‐year lease, on 30 June 1997, Hong Kong will revert to the control of China and become a special administrative region (SAR) under Chinese Sovereignty. Civil servants in the British colony will continue to play a vital role to ensure the smooth transfer of sovereignty in 1997. In the period of political change, they are facing a number of critical issues that may affect their careers and morale. Sources of discontent include: slow growth in the number of civil servants; in some cases even a reduction in size through privatization; pension payment beyond 1997; the localization process; career path and tension between specialisst and generalists; and increasing conflict between the upper and lower grade civil servants. Increasing intervention from the PRC Government makes the job of civil servants more difficult. Discusses views from civil servants concerning their careers.
The power of asymmetric unit root tests under threshold and consistent-threshold estimation

The asymmetric unit root tests of Enders and Granger (Journal of Business and Economic Statistics, 16, 304–11, 1998) are examined using consistent threshold estimation and the original two-step procedure. In contrast to earlier studies, the ability of the tests to jointly reject the unit root and symmetry hypotheses is examined, thus permitting a fuller analysis of the tests' properties. Whilst the threshold autoregressive test is found to have little power in either its consistent or original forms, the consistent momentum-threshold autoregressive test is found to exhibit high power against a range of plausible alternatives when using newly derived critical values.
It’s Been A Hard Day’s Night: The Concentration and Intensification of Work in Late Twentieth-Century Britain

This paper presents evidence on trends in work pressure in late twentieth-century Britain. The main findings are: (1) Average hours of work levelled off at the start of the 1980s, following a long historic fall, but have not increased since. However, the dispersion of hours has increased, and working hours have been concentrated into fewer households. (2) Work effort has been intensified since 1981. Intensification was greatest in manufacturing during the 1980s, and in the public sector during the 1990s. (3) Between 1986 and 1997 there have been substantial increases in the number of sources of pressure inducing hard work from employees. Copyright Blackwell Publishers Ltd/London School of Economics 2001.
A Critical Investigation of the Use and Effectiveness of Interpretive Services

With increasing concern for the environment, there has been a strong interest in ecotourism in Hong Kong, culminating in the opening of the Hong Kong Wetland Park (HKWP) by the local government in 2005. Since the HKWP uses various on-site interpretive services to help to convey education and conservation messages on environmental issues, through the use of a recent survey this paper aims to examine and analyze their use and effectiveness in achieving the intended purpose. The questionnaire was completed by 206 visitors and reveals that experiential facilities, interpretive signs and exhibition materials are the three most frequently used services. Although guided interpretive tours have received the highest satisfaction rating and are considered the most effective means of conveying educational and conservation messages, the survey found that this service is still unknown to many visitors and more public exposure is recommended. Interestingly, in terms of the goal of the wetland park's ability to convey an educational message to its patrons, the survey has also found a significant difference in success rate between visitors with a desire for knowledge and visitors merely enjoying a leisurely activity.
Performance Spillover Effects in Entrepreneurial Networks: Assessing a Dyadic Theory of Social Capital

We study how social capital induces performance spillover effects in an industry network of entrepreneurs building their own hydroelectric micro–power plants. Most of them are farmers and novices living in rural areas. There is a link between social capital and performance at firm level. By expanding the level of analysis to dyads, we find that entrepreneurs lacking social capital can compensate for this through cohesion with colleagues rich in social capital. Entrepreneurs can also benefit by mimicking the networking patterns of successful colleagues, gaining access to equivalent resources developed in the niche.
ANALISIS PENGARUH MEKANISME TATA KELOLA PERUSAHAAN DAN MANAJEMEN LABA TERHADAP LIKUIDITAS PASAR SAHAM

The aim of this study is to examine the influence of corporate governance mechanisms and earnings management on trading volume . The population of this study is manufacturing companies listed on the Indonesia Stock Exchange from 2009 to 2011. Sampling is done by using purposive sampling method. Sample of this study is composed of 177 companies during the 3-years observation. Hypotesis are tested by the use of multiple regression analysis. The results showed that board independence and earnings management has no significant effect on trading volume, while public ownership has significant effect on trading volume. Higher public ownership tends to higher the trading volume.
What Difference Does it Make? Additionality in the Public Support of R&D in Large Firms

The concept of additionality has been widely used in rationalizing public support for R&D. In simplest terms, it measures the extent to which public support stimulates new R&D activity as opposed to subsidising what would have taken place anyway. To be used effectively as a policy instrument, however, additionality should encompass not just the direct but the behavioural effects of government support. Also, for large firms in particular, additionality should be viewed in the context of the R&D project portfolio and of corporate technology strategy.
Reporting of non-communicable disease research in low- and middle-income countries: a pilot bibliometric analysis.

OBJECTIVE The paper identifies the relative amount of research devoted to non-communicable disease in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). DESIGN A bibliometric analysis of a subset of journals published in LMICs was performed. MEASUREMENTS Seventy-six peer-reviewed journals focused on general medicine or public health published in 46 LMICs and indexed from 1998 to 2003 in MEDLINE. A total of 24 journals were selected, 4 journals from each of 6 LMIC regions. Searches were refined using 18 non-communicable disease topics with 7,012 articles identified for analysis. RESULTS More than 40% of articles in LMIC regions focused on non-communicable disease research. The percentage was highest in Eastern Europe/Central Asia (47%) and lowest in Latin America (36%). The percentage of articles published in Sub-Saharan Africa (38%) did not differ significantly from that of Latin America or South Asia. Cardiovascular disease and cancer led the list of the top ten most-indexed published topics by region. CONCLUSIONS Even in regions rampant with infectious diseases, some capability exists to conduct research on non-communicable diseases. Greater attention should be paid to the conduct and support of such research in LMICs, which will benefit these countries and may yield clues to lower-cost solutions to the burden of these diseases worldwide.
Cross-modal Association between Auditory and Visuospatial Information in Mandarin Tone Perception in Noise by Native and Non-native Perceivers

Speech perception involves multiple input modalities. Research has indicated that perceivers establish cross-modal associations between auditory and visuospatial events to aid perception. Such intermodal relations can be particularly beneficial for speech development and learning, where infants and non-native perceivers need additional resources to acquire and process new sounds. This study examines how facial articulatory cues and co-speech hand gestures mimicking pitch contours in space affect non-native Mandarin tone perception. Native English as well as Mandarin perceivers identified tones embedded in noise with either congruent or incongruent Auditory-Facial (AF) and Auditory-FacialGestural (AFG) inputs. Native Mandarin results showed the expected ceiling-level performance in the congruent AF and AFG conditions. In the incongruent conditions, while AF identification was primarily auditory-based, AFG identification was partially based on gestures, demonstrating the use of gestures as valid cues in tone identification. The English perceivers’ performance was poor in the congruent AF condition, but improved significantly in AFG. While the incongruent AF identification showed some reliance on facial information, incongruent AFG identification relied more on gestural than auditory-facial information. These results indicate positive effects of facial and especially gestural input on non-native tone perception, suggesting that cross-modal (visuospatial) resources can be recruited to aid auditory perception when phonetic demands are high. The current findings may inform patterns of tone acquisition and development, suggesting how multi-modal speech enhancement principles may be applied to facilitate speech learning.
Is Cirrhosis a Contraindication to Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy?

Laparoscopic cholecystectomy is the gold standard treatment for the vast majority of patients with symptomatic cholelithiasis. Although cirrhotic patients are twice as likely to develop gallstones as compared with noncirrhotic patients, cirrhosis has historically been considered a relative, if not absolute, contraindication to laparoscopic cholecystectomy. More recently a number of authors have reported on the safety of laparoscopic cholecystectomy in cirrhotic patients. We reviewed our patients retrospectively and assessed the safety of laparoscopic cholecystectomy in cirrhotic patients as compared with noncirrhotics at a large liver transplant center. A retrospective longitudinal cohort study was conducted of all laparoscopic cholecystectomies performed by our surgical group between August 2002 and April 2011. Of 63 patients undergoing laparoscopic cholecystectomy, 32 (51%) were cirrhotic. Of the 30 for whom a Child score could be calculated, 11 (34%) were Child A, 14 (44%) were Child B, and five (16%) were Child C. The morbidity rate was 33 per cent and mortality rate was 2 per cent. Length of stay, conversion rates, 30-day readmission rates, and morbidity and mortality rates were not significantly different between the cirrhotic and noncirrhotic groups. There was a trend toward higher complication rates in Child C cirrhotics. Our results indicate that laparoscopic cholecystectomy can be performed with acceptable morbidity and mortality in carefully selected cirrhotic patients.
Nitric oxide synthesis inhibitors induce airway hyperresponsiveness in the guinea pig in vivo and in vitro. Role of the epithelium.

The administration by aerosol of the nitric oxide (NO) synthesis inhibitors, N omega-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME) or Ng-monomethyl-L-arginine (L-NMMA), to spontaneously breathing anesthetized guinea pigs resulted in a significant enhancement of lung resistance (RL) after increasing intravenous doses of histamine. The maximal response was increased (p < 0.01) by 126% (L-NAME) and 282% (L-NMMA) compared with the control groups. This effect was inhibited by giving an aerosol of the NO precursor L-arginine (L-Arg) but not by its inactive enantiomer D-arginine (D-Arg). Perfusion through the lumen of guinea pig tracheal tubes in vitro with nitric oxide synthesis inhibitors (120 microM) resulted in a significant increase in basal tone, suggesting a role for NO in the maintenance of basal tone. In addition, the histamine concentration-response curve was significantly shifted upward: the maximal response was increased (p < 0.01) by 335% (L-NAME) and 250% (L-NMMA) compared with the control group. This effect was concentration dependently inhibited by coincubation with L-Arg (120, 200, and 400 microM), but not with D-Arg (200 microM). Furthermore, removal of the epithelium resulted in an upward shift in the histamine concentration-response curve: the maximal response was increased by 185%. However, incubation with L-NAME did not further increase tracheal responsiveness to histamine, but addition of L-Arg (360 microM), when a plateau was reached, relaxed the tissues to control values. Nitric oxide synthesis inhibition did not change the responsiveness of intact tissues in vitro after intraluminal stimulation with leukotriene D4, serotonin, or the cholinergic agonist arecoline. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)