Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Oscillatory interaction between bubbles and confining microvessels and its implications on clinical vascular injuries of shock-wave lithotripsy

This paper presents a detailed study of the oscillation characteristics of a bubble confined inside a deformable microvessel, whose size is comparable with the bubble size. The vessel's compliance is characterized by a nonlinear relation between the intraluminal pressure and the expansion ratio of the vessel radius, which represents the variation of the vessel stiffness with the pressure of the filling liquid. In this analysis, an initially spherical bubble evolves into an ellipsoid, and the asymmetric oscillation appears immediately after the driving pressure is applied and magnifies with oscillation cycles. Compared with the symmetric oscillation in an unconstrained environment, the vessel constraint makes the bubble contract significantly more and subsequently expand in a more violent rebound, inducing substantially larger peaks of the intraluminal pressure exerted on the vessel wall. A larger initial bubble/vessel radius ratio leads to not only a larger peak but also a higher oscillation frequency of the intraluminal pressure, which are the two most dominating parameters in determining the vessel's failure under cyclic loading. The numerical results have further shown that an increase of the vessel wall stiffness strengthens the asymmetric effect, i.e., a larger peak of the intraluminal pressure with a higher oscillation frequency, and so does a larger pre-existing pressure in the liquid filling the vessel. These findings imply that the asymmetric effect is one of the primary mechanisms for clinical injuries of capillary and small blood vessels and for the higher risk of pediatric and hypertension patients in shock wave lithotripsy.
Secondary Science Teachers' Metaphors: A Case Study, Part 2

Part 2 of this paper reports on a group of five science teachers' metaphors, their responses to the concepts presented on the Diploma in Education (Dip. Ed.) programme, and the changes in their selected methophors at the end of the programme. The analysis reveals that all the teachers' metaphors accommodated the contemporary ideas, such as student-centredness, lesson planning, and the reflective habit, to which they were exposed. There were no changes in the teachers' selection of metaphor at the end of the programme.
Pilot Study of 1650-G: A Simplified Cellular Vaccine for Lung Cancer

Introduction: Cancer immunotherapy is a conceptually attractive since it is highly specific and can deal with disseminated disease with minimal impact on normal tissues. Early phase clinical trials have well established the ability of a variety of immunotherapeutic approaches to induce antigen specific immune responses in lung cancer patients. Although no immunotherapy is likely to be a panacea, recent data from randomized phase IIB studies offer promise of therapeutic activity in both early and late stage lung cancer. Methods: This report describes early clinical experience with vaccine 1650-G, an allogeneic cellular vaccine using granulocyte macrophage colony stimulating factor as an adjuvant. This nonrandomized pilot study was conducted at four sites in the Commonwealth of Kentucky with primary objective of determining biological activity in a relevant patient population; the use of similar antigen source, immunization schedule, and immunological assessment facilitated comparison to DC vaccines previously tested by our group. Results: Data indicates 1650-G is safe and generated a robust and unequivocal immunological response in 6/11 of immunized patients. The relative frequency and kinetics of the response appears similar to that achieved with DC vaccines (1650+autologous DC). The fact that this vaccine could be transported and delivered to cancer patients in community cancer clinics also fulfills an important objective of our research. Conclusions: These findings provide critical foundation for further testing of this simple, and comparatively inexpensive multivalent NSCLC vaccine.
Quality effect of wheat-rye (1R) translocation in 'Pavon 76'

A growing interest exists in using wheat for producing both hard and soft wheat products. It would be desirable if 1RS translocations in hard wheat could produce flour suitable for soft wheat products. The objective of this study was to test the effects of centric translocations of chromosome 1 from different rye sources for end-use quality. The quality influences of the 1RS and 1RL translocations and 1R substitutions from different rye sources were studied in a set of hard spring wheat 'Pavon 76' (CIMMYT) lines in three environments in Georgia. The protein concentration of the 1RL translocations was the highest while the 1RS translocations showed no difference in protein concentration compared with that of controls. The 1RS translocations increased alkaline water retention capacity while the 1RL translocations reduced it. T 1DS.1RL was preferred for soft wheat products over other genotypes.
Relationship between chemokines and dendritic cells in human chronic periodontitis.

BACKGROUND The purpose of this study was to evaluate the relationship between chemokines and dendritic cells (DCs) in human chronic periodontitis (CP). METHODS Gingival samples were obtained from 23 individuals with CP, and six samples of normal mucosa (NM) overlapping the third molar were used to control for the chemokine levels. Periodontal examination was conducted. Immunohistochemistry was performed for Factor XIIIa(+) and cluster of differentiation (CD)1a(+) immature DCs and CD83(+) mature DCs. Levels of the CC chemokine ligand (CCL)2, CCL3, CCL5, CCL19, CCL20, and CXC chemokine ligand (CXCL)8 were measured in gingival tissues using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Inflammatory infiltrate, DCs, chemokines, classification of human CP, and clinical parameters were correlated and compared. RESULTS The expression of CCL2 and CCL20 was positively correlated with increased densities of CD1a(+) DCs. CCL3 and CXCL8 were positively related to the clinical attachment level. CCL3, CCL5, CCL19, and CXCL8 levels increased in the gingival samples of patients with CP compared with NM, whereas CCL20 levels increased in advanced CP compared with mild-moderate CP. CONCLUSIONS More CD1a(+) immature DCs are related to CCL2 and CCL20. CCL3 and CXCL8 chemokines are related to a greater severity of human CP.
The Dental Knowledge and Attitudes of Medical Practitioners and Caregivers of Pre-school Children in Macau IIM

Received September 22, 2005 Abstract The dental knowledge and attitudes of medical practitioners and caregivers of pre-school children in Macau were investigated. The caregivers of 353 children (2.8 ± 0.6 years) from seven nursery centers completed a questionnaire and their children's had their teeth examined. Thirty medical practitioners completed the same questionnaire prior to a dental health seminar. The dental knowledge and attitudes of the medical practitioners were found to be better than those of the caregivers. Topics, such as, "acid can cause caries"; "fluoridated water can prevent caries" and "primary teeth play a role in the development of the permanent teeth" were significantly associated with caries in the caregivers' children (p<0.05). It is hypothesised that the medical practitioners had not conveyed their dental knowledge to the caregivers early enough so as to prevent the occurrence of caries in their children.
Sepsis, Septic Shock, and Fatal Exertional Heat Stroke

Exertional heat stroke (EHS) is a clinical syndrome of hyperthermia, encephalopathy, and multiorgan dysfunction that can be irreversible and fatal. While prompt recognition and immediate, aggressive total body cooling can prevent progression of the clinical syndrome, even a short delay can exacerbate the effects of hyperthermia-induced changes. EHS is linked to an inflammatory response that is akin to the systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS). However because EHS is not a common problem in most hospital intensive care units and is not in the usual list of SIRS causes, it may be overlooked easily. Furthermore normalizing the body temperature of patients with EHS, especially when hyperthermia recognition and total body cooling are delayed, may not prevent SIRS and its clinical consequences. This narrative review focuses on the inflammatory response behind the pathway leading to EHS-associated organ pathology and recommends a new insight to possible clinical interventions beyond whole body cooling.
Competition and Compatibility with Open Source Software

We use Hotelling’s linear city model to study asymmetric competition between open source and proprietary software, where only one party the proprietary software producer aims at maximizing the profit. We focus on the different compatibility choices of the proprietary software, which lead to different network externality, and thus result in different profit for proprietary software producers. It is found that the best compatibility strategy depends on the market coverage conditions: when the market is fully covered, one-way compatibility is the best choice for the proprietary software. On the other hand, when the market is not fully covered, two-way compatibility becomes the best strategy. These results are not affected by the software quality. Furthermore, once the open source software begins to purse the maximum market share, being two-way compatibility is the best strategy for both open source and proprietary software. We also investigate the impact of the open source software. It is shown that the proprietary software producer does not favor its proprietary rival changes to open source software. Moreover, such change may not benefit the social welfare.
MABGEL 1: First Phase 1 Trial of the Anti-HIV-1 Monoclonal Antibodies 2F5, 4E10 and 2G12 as a Vaginal Microbicide

Background Monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) which potently neutralize a broad range of HIV isolates are potential microbicide candidates. To date, topical application of mAbs in humans and their stability in vaginal secretions has not been studied. Objectives To assess the pharmacokinetics and safety of the mAbs 2F5, 4E10 and 2G12 when applied vaginally in women. Design A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled phase 1 trial. Methods Twenty-eight healthy, sexually abstinent women administered 2.5 g of gel daily for 12 days containing either 10 or 20 mg/g of each mAb (MABGEL) or placebo. Main clinical evaluations and sampling occurred at baseline, 1, 8, and 24 hours post-1st dose and 12 and 36 hours post-12th dose. Results After adjustment for dilution factors, median levels of 2F5, 4E10 and 2G12 in vaginal secretions at 1 hour post high-dose MABGEL were 7.74, 5.28 and 7.48 mg/ml respectively. Levels of 2F5 and 4E10 declined exponentially thereafter with similar estimated half-lives (4.6 and 4.3 hours). In contrast, 2G12 levels declined more rapidly in the first 8 hours, with an estimated half-life of 1.4 hours during this period. There was no evidence of systemic absorption. There were no significant differences in local or systemic adverse event rates or vaginal flora changes (by qPCR) between active and placebo gel arms. Whilst at least 1 adverse event was recorded in 96% of participants, 95% were mild and none were serious. Conclusions Vaginal application of 50 mg of each mAb daily was safe over a 12 day period. Median mAb concentrations detected at 8 hours post dose were potentially sufficient to block HIV transmission.2G12 exhibited more rapid elimination from the human vagina than 4E10 and 2F5, likely due to poor stability of 2G12 in acidic human vaginal secretions. Further research is needed to develop mAb-based vaginal microbicides and delivery systems. Trial Registration ISRCTN 64808733 UK CRN Portfolio 6470
A longitudinal study of corporate social reporting in Singapore

This paper presents a longitudinal study of corporate social disclosures by publicly‐listed Singapore‐based companies in the banking, food and beverages, and hotel industries from 1986 to 1995. Annual reports of all the 33 companies in the three industries were examined and it was found that 16 of them did not have any social responsibility disclosures throughout the ten‐year period. Sentence‐by‐sentence content analysis of the annual reports of the remaining 17 companies was then conducted. The companies mainly disclosed information on human resources and community involvement. Starting from a low level, there was a steady increase in the amount of social information presented in annual reports during the late 1980s. The amount of disclosures, however, has remained steady since 1993. The two tobacco companies in the sample did have significantly larger amounts of social information disclosed. This last result supports the arguments of legitimacy theory.
liginosin B , a natural phloroglucinol derivative with ntidepressant-like activity , increases Na + , K +-ATPase activity in mice erebral cortex

Uliginosin B, a phloroglucinol isolated from Hypericum polyanthemum Klotzsch ex Reichardt, Hypericaceae, has antidepressant-like effect in the forced swimming test in rodents and inhibits monoamines neuronal reuptake without binding to their neuronal carriers. Studies showed the involvement of Na+,K+ATPase brain activity in depressive disorders, as well as the dependence of neuronal monoamine transport from Na+ gradient generated by Na+,K+-ATPase. This study aimed at evaluating the effect of uliginosin B on Na+,K+-ATPase activity in mice cerebral cortex and hippocampus (1 and 3 h after the last administration) as well as the influence of veratrine, a Na+ channel opener, on the antidepressant-like effect of uliginosin B. Mice were treated (p.o.) with uliginosin B single (10 mg/kg) or repeated doses (10 mg/kg/day, 3 days). Acute administration reduced the immobility in the forced swimming test and tail suspension test and increased Na+,K+-ATPase activity in cerebral cortex 1 h after treating, whereas the repeated treatment induced the antidepressant-like effect and increased the Na+,K+-ATPase activity at both times evaluated. None treatment affected the hippocampus enzyme activity. Veratrine pretreatment prevented uliginosin B antidepressant-like effect in the forced swimming test, suggesting the involvement of Na+ balance regulation on this effect. Altogether, these data indicate that uliginosin B reduces the monoamine uptake by altering Na+ gradient. © 2016 Sociedade Brasileira de Farmacognosia. Published by Elsevier Editora Ltda. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).
Measuring the Nonconscious Implicit Social Cognition on Consumer Behavior

Current research in psychology suggests that much of human behavior is infl uenced by uncontrolled, unobserved processes in memory (Bargh, 2002; Greenwald et al., 2002). Despite this increased attention to nonconscious processes within academic psychology, consumer research has largely neglected this nascent fi eld: reviews of the last fi ft een years of consumer behavior research report a focus on research methodologies that directly tap conscious beliefs, but which provide little insight into underlying implicit processes (Cohen & Chakravarti, 1990; Jacoby, Johar, & Morrin, 1998; Simonson Carmon, Dhar, Drolet, & Nowlis, 2001). As an example, research into the structure and function of attitudes has relied almost exclusively on explicit measures, encouraging the development of theories dependent on conscious evaluation and deliberation. Although these theories are essential to the advancement of the fi eld, they oft en neglect the potential role of nonconscious processes. Moreover, the validity of explicit measures is threatened if subjects do not possess an attitude prior to measurement, are unable to access an attitude in memory, or are unwilling to share that information (Dholakia & Morwitz, 2002; Dovidio & Fazio, 1992; Fazio, 1986; Fazio & Williams, 1986; Gur & Sackeim, 1979; Hawkins & Coney, 1981; Louie, Curren, & Harich, 2000; Orne, 1962; Taylor & Brown, 1994). In sum, explicit measures are an important component of any behavioral research program, but they oft en illuminate only a partial picture of consumers’ underlying cognitions.
Comparative Population Genetics of the Panicoid Grasses: Sequence Polymorphism, Linkage Disequilibrium and Selection in a Diverse Sample of Sorghum bicolor

Levels of genetic variation and linkage disequilibrium (LD) are critical factors in association mapping methods as well as in identification of loci that have been targets of selection. Maize, an outcrosser, has a high level of sequence variation and a limited extent of LD. Sorghum, a closely related but largely self-pollinating panicoid grass, is expected to have higher levels of LD. As a first step in estimation of population genetic parameters in sorghum, we surveyed 27 diverse S. bicolor accessions for sequence variation at a total of 29,186 bp in 95 short regions derived from genetically mapped RFLPs located throughout the genome. Consistent with its higher level of inbreeding, the extent of LD is at least severalfold greater in sorghum than in maize. Total sequence variation in sorghum is about fourfold lower than that in maize, while synonymous variation is fivefold lower, suggesting a smaller effective population size in sorghum. Because we surveyed a species-wide sample, the mating system, which primarily affects population-level diversity, may not be primarily responsible for this difference. Comparisons of polymorphism and divergence suggest that both directional and diversifying selection have played important roles in shaping variation in the sorghum genome.
Islet amyloid inhibitors improve glucose homeostasis in a transgenic mouse model of type 2 diabetes

Increasing evidence points to the cytotoxicity of islet amyloid polypeptide (IAPP) aggregates as a major contributor to the loss of β‐cell mass in type 2 diabetes. Prevention of IAPP formation represents a potential treatment to increase β‐cell survival and function. The IAPP inhibitory peptide, D‐ANFLVH, has been previously shown to prevent islet amyloid accumulation in cultured human islets. To assess its activity in vivo, D‐ANFLVH was administered by intraperitoneal injection into a human IAPP transgenic mouse model, which replicates type 2 diabetes islet amyloid pathology. The peptide was a potent inhibitor of islet amyloid deposition, resulting in reduced islet cell apoptosis and preservation of β‐cell area leading to improved glucose tolerance. These findings provide support for a key role of islet amyloid in β‐cell survival and validate the application of anti‐amyloid compounds as therapeutic strategies to maintain normal insulin secretion in patients with type 2 diabetes.
High-Dose Azithromycin versus High-Dose Amoxicillin-Clavulanate for Treatment of Children with Recurrent or Persistent Acute Otitis Media

ABSTRACT Infants and young children, especially those in day care, are at risk for recurrent or persistent acute otitis media (AOM). There are no data on oral alternatives to high-dose amoxicillin-clavulanate for treating AOM in these high-risk patients. In this double-blind, double-dummy multicenter clinical trial, we compared a novel, high-dose azithromycin regimen with high-dose amoxicillin-clavulanate for treatment of children with recurrent or persistent AOM. Three hundred four children were randomized; 300 received either high-dose azithromycin (20 mg/kg of body weight once a day for 3 days) or high-dose amoxicillin-clavulanate (90 mg/kg divided twice a day for 10 days). Tympanocentesis was performed at baseline; clinical response was assessed at day 12 to 16 and day 28 to 32. Two-thirds of patients were aged ≤2 years. A history of recurrent, persistent, or recurrent plus persistent AOM was noted in 67, 18, and 14% of patients, respectively. Pathogens were isolated from 163 of 296 intent-to-treat patients (55%). At day 12 to 16, clinical success rates for azithromycin and amoxicillin-clavulanate were comparable for all patients (86 versus 84%, respectively) and for children aged ≤2 years (85 versus 79%, respectively). At day 28 to 32, clinical success rates for azithromycin were superior to those for amoxicillin-clavulanate for all patients (72 versus 61%, respectively; P = 0.047) and for those aged ≤2 years (68 versus 51%, respectively; P = 0.017). Per-pathogen clinical efficacy against Streptococcus pneumoniae and Haemophilus influenzae was comparable between the two regimens. The rates of treatment-related adverse events for azithromycin and amoxicillin-clavulanate were 32 and 42%, respectively (P = 0.095). Corresponding compliance rates were 99 and 93%, respectively (P = 0.018). These data demonstrate the efficacy and safety of high-dose azithromycin for treating recurrent or persistent AOM.
2 IMPACT OF LAND-USE CHANGE AND URBANIZATION ON CLIMATE

The two most important anthropogenic activities that impact climate are the increase of greenhouse gases and the changes in land use. They both tend to produce surface warming so that their impacts are very difficult to separate. The impacts of changes in land use have generally been regarded as “noise” compared to impacts of increase of greenhouse gases. So far, the approach for “correcting” for urbanization effects on climate trend has been based on the comparison of observations in cities/suburbs with those in surrounding rural areas. The key of these methods has been to classify meteorological stations using either population data (Easterling et al, 1997) or satellite measurements (Gallo et al, 1999, Hansen et al, 2001). The estimated urban impacts over the US have been small (0.006C/dec. and 0.015C/dec.), and do not include the impact of other land-use changes such as those related to agriculture that can change the landscape over much larger areas.
Satisfaction with Family Physicians and Specialists and the use of Complementary and Alternative Medicine in Israel

Higher utilization of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) is commonly explained by dissatisfaction or disappointment with conventional medical treatment. To explore, at two points in time in Israel, the associations between six domains of satisfaction (attitude, length of visits, availability, information sharing, perceived quality of care and overall) with conventional family physicians' and specialists' services and the likelihood of consulting CAM providers. This is a secondary analysis of interviews, which were conducted with 2000 persons in 1993 and 2500 persons in 2000, representing the Israeli Jewish urban population aged 45–75 in those years. Bivariate and multivariate analyses were used in the investigation. In 1993, users of CAM were less satisfied than non-users with both family physicians' and specialists' care. Lower satisfaction with the attitude of, the amount of information sharing by and in general with family physicians, and with the length of visits and perceived quality of care of specialists were significantly associated with CAM use. In 2000, lower satisfaction with specialists' attitude, length of visits, availability and in general was significantly related to the use of CAM. Lower satisfaction with family physicians and specialists is significantly associated with consulting CAM providers. However, with CAM becoming a mainstream medical care specialty in its own, lower satisfaction with conventional medicine specialists becomes the most important factor.
Robust greedy algorithms for compressed sensing

The problem of sparse signal reconstruction in the presence of possibly impulsive noise is studied. The state-of-the-art greedy algorithms, Iterative Hard Thresholding (IHT), Orthogonal Matching Pursuit (OMP), and Compressive Sampling Matching Pursuit (CoSaMP) are robustified in order to cope with impulsive noise environments and outliers. We employ robust weighting of the residuals and replace the least-squares estimates by M-estimates of regression. Also a robust M-estimation based ridge regression is considered and shown to possess high potential when utilized in CS algorithms.