Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
International Journal of Biological & Medical Research Oxidative Stress and Antioxidant Status in Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis

Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) is a multifactorial autoimmune disease affecting around 1% of the world's population leading to autoimmune arthritis. Though the exact etiology of RA remains unknown, various environmental and biological triggers have been suspected. The most important factor which is implicated in the pathogenesis of RA is oxidative stress. However the exact relationship between antioxidants and lipid peroxidation is not yet known in patients of RA. Hence the case control study was conducted in 50 patients of rheumatoid arthritis (Group II) diagnosed by criteria's recommended by American Rheumatology Association were compared with age and sex matched 50 normal healthy controls (GroupI). Malondialdehyde (MDA) a marker of oxidative stress, antioxidant enzymes Glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and Superoxide dismutase (SOD) were measured by enzymatic spectrophotometric method. MDA levels was significantly increased (p< 0.01) in RA patients as compared to controls. The concentrations of GPx and SOD were significantly lower in RA patients as compared to normal healthy adults. Our findings indicate that oxidative stress does occur in patients RA patients. Treatment with antioxidant therapy to limit the disease process of RA patients needs to be assessed.
Colonic resection in trauma: colostomy versus anastomosis.

OBJECTIVES The management of colonic trauma is well established for simple injuries with primary repair, and ileocolostomy for right-sided injuries that undergo colonic resection. Segmental colon resection for injuries to the left colon can be managed with either an end colostomy or primary anastomosis. A retrospective review was performed to evaluate the outcome and complications associated with colonic resection for trauma to determine the risk factors associated with anastomotic leakage. METHODS A retrospective review included patients undergoing colonic resection for trauma. The patients were stratified into colostomy, ileocolostomy, and colocolostomy groups. Patient demographics and colon-related complications were collected. Comparison between the colostomy and colocolostomy groups was performed to determine the difference in outcome. The outcome of right-sided colon injuries managed by either an ileocolonic or colocolonic anastomosis was compared. Analysis was performed to identify the factors associated with an increased risk of anastomotic leakage. RESULTS One hundred forty patients over a 66-month period were included in the analysis. Overall, 41% (57 of 140) of patients developed a colon-related complication; 28% (39 of 140) of patients developed an abscess. Overall, the anastomotic leak rate was 13% (7 of 56) in the colocolostomy group, 4% (2 of 56) in the ileocolostomy group. Right-sided colon injuries managed with a colocolonic anastomosis had a higher incidence of anastomotic leakage than ileocolonic anastomosis, i.e., 14 versus 4% respectively. Of the seven patients who developed a leak from a colocolonic anastomosis, two patients died (29%). Univariate analysis identified an Abdominal Trauma Index Score > or = 25 (p = 0.03) or hypotension in the emergency department (p = 0.001) to be associated with increased risk of developing an anastomotic leak from a colocolonic anastomosis. CONCLUSION Colonic injuries that are managed with resection are associated with a high complication rate regardless of whether an anastomosis or colostomy is performed. Colonic resection and anastomosis can be performed safely in the majority of patients with severe colonic injury, including injuries to the left colon. For injuries of the right colon, an ileocolostomy has a lower incidence of leakage than a colocolonic anastomosis. For injuries to the left colon, there remains a role for colostomy specifically in the subgroups of patients with a high ATI or hypotension, because these patients are at greater risk for an anastomotic leak. The role of resection and primary anastomosis versus colostomy in colonic trauma requires further investigation.
Comparative study of plateletpheresis using Baxter CS 3000 plus and Haemonetics MCS 3P

Platelet concentrates made from cell separators are used more frequently due to less donor exposure and leucodepletion. This retrospective study was done to compare plateletpheresis done on two cell separators: Baxter CS 3000 plus and Haemonetics MCS 3p. Plateletpheresis procedures, done from January 1997 to April 2002, were included in the study. One hundred and seven procedures were done on Haemonetics MCS 3p using SDP protocol, 49 procedures were done on Haemonetics MCS 3p using PLP protocol, and 107 were done on Baxter CS 3000 plus. Pre‐procedure donor's platelet count and haemoglobin were comparable in all the groups. Platelet yield was comparable in PLP (6.44 × 1011 platelets) and SDP (5.27 × 1011) protocols, but significantly less in Baxter (4.05 × 1011 platelets, P < 0.001 for PLP and P < 0.05 for SDP). Efficiency of platelet removal was statistically significantly different in all the groups (P < 0.0001), however it was more in PLP (PLP‐55.02%, SDP‐47.38%, Baxter 38.98%). A significant number of products (19.51%) of Baxter failed to comply platelet count of product ≤2,435 × 109/l compared to 5.13% in PLP and 1.23% in SDP group; 36.96% of units from PLP and 28% from SDP qualified for split products compared to 1.18% of Baxter. PLP protocol of Haemonetics MCS 3p gives better platelet yield compared to Baxter CS 3000 plus and SDP protocol of Haemonetics MCS 3p. J. Clin. Apheresis 19:137–141, 2004. © 2004 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Factors Influencing the Physically Active Leisure of Children and Youth: A Qualitative Study

A phenomenological framework guided data collection and analysis of the prevalent influences on attitudes and behaviors of elementary, junior, and secondary school students towards their physically active leisure. Twenty-two students participated in individual in-depth interviews. Parental influence and outdoor play effected choice and level of physically active leisure for elementary students. Opportunities for organized and non-structured physically active leisure and friends were significant for junior students. Academic responsibilities and organized physically active leisure were influential for secondary students. Common threads were parental influence and the belief that the students were too old to start new activities. These findings highlight the importance of providing opportunities in safe environments for children and youth to participate in a variety of structured and non-structured forms of physically active leisure.
Diagnostic and prognostic value of a disintegrin and metalloproteinase-17 in patients with gliomas

A disintegrin and metalloproteinase-17 (ADAM17) has been shown to regulate numerous proteins involved in the cell cycle, as well as tumor oncogenes. The expression pattern of ADAM17 in glioma patients, however, is unclear. In the present study, the expression pattern and prognostic significance of ADAM17 was investigated in patients with glioma. A total of 60 glioma specimens and eight normal control samples were obtained. Immunohistochemical and western blot analyses were used to examine the expression of ADAM17. In addition, the association of ADAM17 expression with the clinicopathological parameters and the survival rates of the glioma patients was analyzed. The results showed that ADAM17 was upregulated in the high-grade glioma tissues compared with that in the low-grade and normal brain tissues of the glioma patients, and that the level increased with ascending World Health Organization tumor grade (P<0.05). Furthermore, the survival rate of the patients with ADAM17-positive tumors was lower compared with the patients with ADAM17-negative tumors. These results indicated that the overexpression of ADAM17 was correlated with a high tumor grade and a poor prognosis in patients with glioma. ADAM17 may have an important oncogenic function in glioma progression, and is a potential diagnostic and therapeutic target.
Short-Term Coral Bleaching Is Not Recorded by Skeletal Boron Isotopes

Coral skeletal boron isotopes have been established as a proxy for seawater pH, yet it remains unclear if and how this proxy is affected by seawater temperature. Specifically, it has never been directly tested whether coral bleaching caused by high water temperatures influences coral boron isotopes. Here we report the results from a controlled bleaching experiment conducted on the Caribbean corals Porites divaricata, Porites astreoides, and Orbicella faveolata. Stable boron (δ11B), carbon (δ13C), oxygen (δ18O) isotopes, Sr/Ca, Mg/Ca, U/Ca, and Ba/Ca ratios, as well as chlorophyll a concentrations and calcification rates were measured on coral skeletal material corresponding to the period during and immediately after the elevated temperature treatment and again after 6 weeks of recovery on the reef. We show that under these conditions, coral bleaching did not affect the boron isotopic signature in any coral species tested, despite significant changes in coral physiology. This contradicts published findings from coral cores, where significant decreases in boron isotopes were interpreted as corresponding to times of known mass bleaching events. In contrast, δ13C and δ18O exhibited major enrichment corresponding to decreases in calcification rates associated with bleaching. Sr/Ca of bleached corals did not consistently record the 1.2°C difference in seawater temperature during the bleaching treatment, or alternatively show a consistent increase due to impaired photosynthesis and calcification. Mg/Ca, U/Ca, and Ba/Ca were affected by coral bleaching in some of the coral species, but the observed patterns could not be satisfactorily explained by temperature dependence or changes in coral physiology. This demonstrates that coral boron isotopes do not record short-term bleaching events, and therefore cannot be used as a proxy for past bleaching events. The robustness of coral boron isotopes to changes in coral physiology, however, suggests that reconstruction of seawater pH using boron isotopes should be uncompromised by short-term bleaching events.
Effects of the Renin Inhibitor A‐64662 in Monkeys and Rats with Varying Baseline Plasma Renin Activity

The efficacy of the potent, primate selective renin inhibitor A-64662 was studied in monkeys and rats with varying baseline plasma renin activity (PRA) to elucidate the relationship between PRA and the hypotensive response induced by this compound. The effect of a single bolus of vehicle or A-64662 at 0.001, 0.01,0.1,1.0, and 10.0 mg/kg i.v. was compared in 30 normal and 30 saltdepleted, anesthetized monkeys (n=5/dose). Baseline mean arterial pressure (MAP) was similar among all groups, but baseline PRA was elevated in salt-depleted monkeys. A-64662 induced a comparable dose-related fall in MAP, affecting the magnitude and duration of action, accompanied by inhibition of PRA, the duration of which was dose-related in both the normal and salt-depleted groups. However, the minimum effective doses required to reduce MAP by approximately 10% were 0.01 mg/kg for the salt-depleted monkeys and 0.1 mg/kg for the normal monkeys. In a second study, three consecutive boluses of vehicle or A-64662 at 0.1, 1.0, and 10.0 mg/kg were administered to anephric monkeys, human renin–infused anephric monkeys, and normal monkeys (n=4/group). A dose of 0.1 mg/kg was ineffective, but the 1.0 mg/kg dose lowered MAP by 11 ± 3% (mean ± SE)inthe anephric monkeys. The infusion of renin into anephric monkeys restored the efficacy of A-64662 at the 0.1 and 1.0 mg/kg doses to responses comparable to those of the normal monkeys. A-64662 at 10.0 mg/kg caused a similar fall in MAP of 50 to 60% in anephric, renin-infused anephric, and normal monkeys in the absence of detectable PRA. A-64662, which is inactive against rat renin in vitro, was given as a 1.0 mg/kg i.v. bolus followed by a 0.1 mg/kg/min infusion and was without effect on MAP and PRA in sham-operated and two-kidney, one clip conscious rats (n=6/group). We conclude that 1) PRA is involved, at least in part, in mediating the observed hypotension and 2) A-64662 may exert actions secondary to its effect on PRA.
Lateralities in Normal Children Ages 3 to 8 and Their Role in Cognitive Performances

The presence and type of correlations between laterality and cognitive skills in normal adults or children remains controversial. This study examines relations between different lateralities, that is, handedness, footedness, eyedness, parental left-handedness, asymmetry of hand skill on a computerized version of the Peg-Moving Task (CPMT) proposed by Annett (1985), and different verbal and nonverbal skills assessed by 13 tasks in 254 normal children, aged 3 to 8 years. Results showed increasing performances with increasing dextrality on the CPMT for 2 tasks involving phonology (Phonological Fluency and Reading Nonwords), 2 tasks involving visual memory and visuospatial skills, and for finger localization. Footedness, eyedness, and parental left-handedness had no significant effect on cognitive performance. The pattern of performance according to the sinistrality-dextrality continuum was highly variable from one cognitive task to the other. The previously mentioned results suggest that relative hand skill is a better correlative of cognitive performance than the usual measures of handedness. Further study is needed to specify the pattern of associations.
Ethnicity and Prenatal Health Promotion Content

Prenatal care health promotion education is an important strategy for reducing perinatal health disparities. The purposes of this study were to (a) identify differences between the health promotion content women wanted to discuss and the content women reported discussing and (b) determine whether ethnicity was related to health promotion content. A cross-sectional study used face-to-face interviews to obtain data about 159 Mexican American and African American pregnant women's prenatal experience. Women wanted more health promotion content than they discussed. Despite wanting information about more health promotion topics than African American women. Mexican American women discussed fewer topics. Ethnicity, number of topics women wanted to discuss, whether a woman had a primary provider, and type of prenatal provider model were also related to content.
Evidence for the recent horizontal transfer of long terminal repeat retrotransposon.

The evolutionary dynamics existing between transposable elements (TEs) and their host genomes have been likened to an "arms race. " The selfish drive of TEs to replicate, in turn, elicits the evolution of host-mediated regulatory mechanisms aimed at repressing transpositional activity. It has been postulated that horizontal (cross-species) transfer may be one effective strategy by which TEs and other selfish genes can escape host-mediated silencing mechanisms over evolutionary time; however, to date, the most definitive evidence that TEs horizontally transfer between species has been limited to class II or DNA-type elements. Evidence that the more numerous and widely distributed retroelements may also be horizontally transferred between species has been more ambiguous. In this paper, we report definitive evidence for a recent horizontal transfer of the copia long terminal repeat retrotransposon between Drosophila melanogaster and Drosophila willistoni.
Patterns and computer game design innovation

How can we help people design well-formed and innovative games? The design Patterns of Christopher Alexander is one methodology that has been proposed to assist in the design of well-formed artifacts. However, most work on gamedesign Patterns to date has opted either for "best practice" style Patterns - or for an alternative model of Patterns to support game innovation. This paper describes initial work to develop materials to help developers identify and formulate "best practice" game design Patterns - and to use the resulting Patterns as part of creating innovative games.
Cardiovascular autonomic dysregulation and fatigue in multiple sclerosis

Both cardiovascular disturbances and fatigue are frequent in multiple sclerosis (MS). We investigated their relationship in 84 MS patients (mean age 39.9+8.9 years) using five established autonomic tests and three different fatigue questionnaires. 64.2% of the patients were categorised as being fatigued. Fatigue perception was weakly related to EDSS. Moderate cardiovascular disturbances were found in 16.6% of the patients, and 10.7% had severe cardiovascular autonomic abnormalities. Cardiovascular dysfunction was slightly related to age and to EDSS. In 19.4% of all patients signs of autonomic failure and fatigue were co-existent. Using correlation analysis, we found only weakly significant correlation coefficients between some single autonomic test parameters and fatigue scores, which were confounded by age effects. The analysis of dichotomised data revealed slightly significant differences in fatigue experience between patients with and without abnormalities regarding the handgrip test and the Valsalva reaction. Thus, autonomic disturbances might contribute to fatigue symptoms in a MS subgroup, but the overall influence of the autonomic cardiovascular regulation towards fatigue experience seems to be of minor relevance.
Designing and Evaluating High Speed Elliptic Curve Point Multipliers

Point Multiplication (PM) is considered the most computationally complex and resource hungry Elliptic Curve Cryptography (ECC) related mathematic operation. The design of PM hardware accelerators follows approaches that have a trade off between utilized hardware resources and computation speed. In this paper, the above trade-off and its relation with the operations of the GF(2k) defining the Elliptic Curve (EC) is highlighted and investigated. Following this direction, a point operation design methodology based on the parallelization and scheduling of GF(2k) operations is proposed. This design approach is adapted to the PM employed GF(2k) multiplication algorithm and associated implementation in an effort to increase PM accelerator speed with an acceptable cost on chip covered area (hardware resources). Using the proposed methodology, two PM accelerator hardware architectures were proposed based on bit serial and bit parallel GF(2k) multipliers that, when implemented in FPGA technology, proved to be very fast in comparison to other similar works.
Longitudinal Associations Between Executive Functions and Intelligence in Preschool Children

Executive functions (EFs) and intelligence were examined concurrently and longitudinally in 126 preschool children. EF was assessed using the Flexible Item Selection Task (FIST) and the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function–Preschool Version (BRIEF-P). Children’s intelligence was assessed using the Verbal and Performance subtests from Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence–Third Edition (WPPSI-III). Results showed a significant association between verbal and nonverbal intelligence with both the FIST and the BRIEF-P. The BRIEF-P working memory scale showed the strongest relation with EF and intelligence at both time points. Results are discussed in terms of differential association between intelligence and components of EF.
High performance work systems and performance: The role of adaptive capability

High performance work systems (HPWS) represent a systematic and integrated approach of managing human resources toward the alignment of HR functions and the achievement of firm strategy. The relationship of HPWS with firm performance has been extensively examined, though the mechanism underlying HPWS—performance relationship is not well researched, especially at the organizational level. Based on the dynamic capabilities perspective, this study examines a model with adaptive capability as the mediator in the relationship between HPWS and firm performance, aiming to understand how HPWS is positively associated with organizational outcomes. Institutional environment as a contextual factor that influences the relationship between adaptive capability and performance is also examined. Empirical results from a sample of Chinese firms indicated that HPWS—firm performance linkage was partially mediated by adaptive capability. In addition, the effect of HPWS on adaptive capability was stronger for firms in an institutional environment with location advantage than firms in other environments.
Foreign language anxiety and English achievement in Taiwanese undergraduate English-major students: an empirical study

This paper investigated the effect of foreign language anxiety on Taiwanese university students’ English achievement. To understand the perplexing nature of foreign language anxiety which Taiwanese students may have, this study aims to contribute to the limited literature examining the psychological reactions to language anxiety in Taiwanese undergraduate English-major students. This study employed a survey design that involved the collection of quantitative data to answer the research question. A total of 101 undergraduate English-major students participated in this study. Results of the present study suggested that Group A students (the students whose English achievement fall in the top 1/3 of all participants) experienced lower levels of foreign language anxiety than Group B students (the students whose English achievement fall in the middle 1/3 of all participants) and Group C students (the students whose English achievement fall in the bottom 1/3 of all participants), while Group B students had less foreign language anxiety than Group C stduents. The results highlighted that foreign language anxiety is an important predictor of university English-major students’ English achievement. This study also presented an insight for foreign language educators to further understand students and help them through their anxiety. It is hoped that increasing and extensive knowledge of foreign language anxiety will help both university EFL instructors and EFL learners. Ultimately, the empirical findings of the current study will have a beneficial impact on the students affected by foreign language anxiety.
Matching bias in the selection task.

A previous study (Evans, 1972) found that subjects tend to match rather than alter named values when constructing verifying and falsifying cases of conditional rules. It was suggested that this tendency (‘matching bias’) might account for the responses normally observed in Wason's (1968, 1969) ‘selection task’. This suggestion was tested by giving subjects the selection task with conditional rules in which the presence and absence of negative components was systematically varied, to see whether subjects consistently attempted to verify the rules (Wason's theory) or whether they continued to choose the matching values despite the presence of negatives, which would reverse the logical meaning of such selections. Significant matching tendencies were observed on four independent measures, and the overall pattern, with matching bias cancelled out, gave no evidence for a verification bias, indicating instead that the logically correct values were most frequently chosen.
Growth temperature ranges of Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato strains.

Three strains of Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato, representing three human pathogenic genomospecies (B31, B. burgdorferi sensu stricto; BR14, B. garinii; BR75, B. afzelii) were grown in BSK-H medium at different temperatures and the spirochaetal cells were counted by dark-field microscopy after 0, 4, 8, 16 and 48 days. Approximate optimum (minimum-maximum) temperatures for the in-vitro growth were found to be 33 degrees C (22-39 degrees C) in strain B31, 35 degrees C (20-40 degrees C) in strain BR75 and 37 degrees C (20-41 degrees C) in strain BR14. Maximum, optimum and minimum growth temperatures seem to be important characteristics of B. burgdorferi s.l. strains, with relevance for the symptomatology, epidemiology and epizoology of Lyme borreliosis.