Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Obturator Nerve Block in Transurethral Resection of Bladder Tumor: A Comparison of Ultrasound-guided Technique versus Ultrasound with Nerve Stimulation Technique

Background: Obturator nerve (ON) stimulation during transurethral resection of lateral and posterolateral bladder wall tumor under spinal anesthesia may lead to obturator reflex, adductor contraction, and leg jerking with complications such as bleeding, bladder perforation, or incomplete tumor resection. Our study was carried out to obtain successful block of ON using ultrasound (US)-guided technique with or without nerve stimulation in patients undergoing transurethral resection of bladder tumor (TURBT) under spinal anesthesia. Aims: The aim of the study was to compare the effectiveness of two different techniques in blocking ON and adductor spasm during TURBT. Settings and Design: Prospective, randomized, double-blind study. Subjects and Methods: Sixty patients with American Society of Anesthesiologists Status II and III scheduled to undergo TURBT for lateral and posterolateral bladder wall tumor were enrolled. Group I (US group, n = 30) patients received 5 ml of bupivacaine 0.5% each at anterior, and posterior division of ON under real-time US visualization and Group II (US-NS group, n = 30) received the same amount of bupivacaine 0.5% for each division using US-guidance with nerve stimulation-assisted technique. Motor block onset time, block success and performance time, ease of performance of block, and complications were measured besides assessing patient and surgeon satisfaction into two groups. Statistical Methods Used: SPSS using two sample independent t-test and Pearson's Chi-square/Fisher's exact test. Results: Motor block onset was significantly faster in Group II (6.67 ± 2.40) than in Group I (12.39 ± 2.55). A success rate of 90% was achieved in Group II as compared to 76.7% in Group I with increased block performance time in Group II (4.47 ± 0.73 min) versus (2.10 ± 0.51 min) in Group I. A better patient and surgeon satisfaction were seen in Group II with combination of US and nerve stimulation technique. No complications were encountered. Conclusion: We conclude that both techniques are safe and easy to perform; however, nerve stimulation as an adjunct to US results in a faster onset of block with a higher success rate.
Dependence of IL-4, IL-13, and Nematode-Induced Alterations in Murine Small Intestinal Smooth Muscle Contractility on Stat6 and Enteric Nerves1

IL-4 and IL-13 promote gastrointestinal worm expulsion in part through effects on nonlymphoid cells, such as intestinal smooth muscle cells. The roles of Stat6 in IL-4-, IL-13-, and parasitic nematode-induced effects on small intestinal smooth muscle contractility were investigated in BALB/c wild-type and Stat6-deficient mice treated with a long-lasting formulation of recombinant mouse IL-4 (IL-4C) or IL-13 for 7 days. Separate groups of BALB/c mice were infected with Nippostrongylus brasiliensis or were drug-cured of an initial Heligmosomoides polygyrus infection and later reinfected. Infected mice were studied 9 and 12 days after inoculation, respectively. Segments of jejunum were suspended in an organ bath, and responses to nerve stimulation and to acetylcholine and substance P in the presence and absence of tetradotoxin, a neurotoxin, were determined. Both IL-4 and IL-13 increased smooth muscle responses to nerve stimulation in wild-type mice, but the effects were greater in IL-13-treated mice and were absent in IL-13-treated Stat6-deficient mice. Similarly, hypercontractile responses to nerve stimulation in H. polygyrus- and N. brasiliensis-infected mice were dependent in part on Stat6. IL-13, H. polygyrus, and N. brasiliensis, but not IL-4, also increased contractility to acetylcholine by mechanisms that involved Stat6 and enteric nerves. These studies demonstrate that both IL-4 and IL-13 promote intestinal smooth muscle contractility, but by different mechanisms. Differences in these effects correlate with differences in the relative importance of these cytokines in the expulsion of enteric nematode parasites.
FDI and poverty reduction in Botswana: A multivariate causality test

In this study, the causal relationship between foreign direct investment (FDI) inflows and poverty reduction is investigated in Botswana from 1980 to 2014. The study has used a trivariate causality model; and economic growth has been included as the intermittent variable between poverty reduction and foreign direct investment. In addition, three proxies of poverty have been used: 1) household consumption expenditure; 2) infant mortality rate; and 3) life expectancy. The study has used the autoregressive distributed lag (ARDL) bounds testing approach to cointegration and the ECM-based causality test to examine this linkage. The empirical results show that there is a distinct unidirectional causality from FDI to poverty reduction, but only in the short run, when household consumption expenditure is used as a proxy for poverty reduction. When infant mortality rate is used, the study finds bidirectional causality between FDI and poverty reduction ? both in the short run and the long run. However, when life expectancy is used as a poverty reduction proxy, no causal relationship is found to exist, irrespective of the time considered. Based on the results from this study, it can be concluded that the causal relationship between poverty reduction and FDI is sensitive to the proxy used to measure the level of poverty reduction and to the time-frame considered.
The pharmacokinetics of metoclopramide in man with observations in the dog.

1 The pharmacokinetics of metoclopramide have been studied in eight normal male volunteers. 2 The mean plasma beta half-life was 156.7 min after i.v. administration of 10 mg metoclopramide. 3 After oral dosing of 10 mg the mean half-life was 196.6 min and after 20 mg 317.5 min (P less than 0.05). 4 Bioavailability of a 10 mg oral dose of metoclopramide varied between 32 and 97%. 5 A major urinary metabolite was metoclopramide-N-4-sulphate and the amounts of conjugates appearing in urine to 24 h correlated significantly with the bioavailability. 6 In the dog the metabolic fate of metoclopramide is different to man with conjugation being a minor metabolic pathway. The half-life in the dog does not appear to be dose dependent. 7 The wide differences in bioavailability of metoclopramide in man may contribute to the unpredictable occurrence of side effects.
Antiphospholipid antibody levels in intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIg) preparations

The antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) is characterized by various clinical manifestations and by elevated levels of antiphospholipid antibodies. Passive induction of APS by infusion of these antibodies has been demonstrated in animal models. Intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIg) is one of the therapeutic options in APS. In this study, five commercially used preparations of IVIg were tested for the presence of elevated levels of cardiolipin,β-glycoprotein-I, phosphatidylserine, antinuclear, and double-stranded DNA autoantibodies, as well as for lupus anticoagulant activity. The absence of abnormal elevated levels of any of these autoantibodies in five different IVIg preparations provides additional evidence for the safety of IVIg use in APS.
Synchronization of Complex Dynamical Networks With Time-Varying Delays Via Impulsive Distributed Control

In this paper, the synchronization of complex dynamical networks (CDNs) with system delay and multiple coupling delays is studied via impulsive distributed control. The concept of control topology is introduced to describe the whole controller structure, which consists of some directed connections between nodes. The control topology can be designed either to be the same as the non-delayed coupling topology of the network, or to be independent of the intrinsic network topology. Based on the concept of control topology, an impulsive controller is designed to achieve the exponential synchronization of CDNs, and moreover, the exponential convergence rate can be specified. Illustrated examples have been given to show the effectiveness of the proposed impulsive distributed control strategy.
Treasury Market Frictions and Quantitative Easing

This paper describes the US Treasury Department auction process and discusses the theoretical and empirical supports for using Treasury auction data to infer supply effects of Treasury securities. As the mechanics of Treasury auctions and the Federal Reserve’s implementation of quantitative easing are similar, this research adds to our understanding of the effects of quantitative easing by inferring its potential supply effects from the supply effects of Treasury auctions. The inferred estimate is comparable to the findings of prior studies by D’Amico and King (2013) and others. Furthermore, the auction data implies time-varying supply effects that were stronger during the period of heightened market frictions due to the 2007-2008 financial crisis. This result suggests that as a financial market normalizes and financial frictions are reduced, the supply effects of quantitative easing wane. Thus, as markets return to normal after financial crises, quantitative policies to keep interest rates low require progressively higher amount of purchases.
CD137L-stimulated dendritic cells are more potent than conventional dendritic cells at eliciting cytotoxic T-cell responses

Dendritic cells (DCs) are highly potent initiators of adaptive immune responses and, as such, represent promising tools for immunotherapeutic applications. Despite their potential, the current efficacy of DC-based immunotherapies is poor. CD137 ligand (CD137L) signaling has been used to derive a novel type of DCs from human peripheral blood monocytes, termed CD137L-DCs. Here, we report that CD137L-DCs induce more potent cytotoxic T-cell responses than classical DCs (cDCs). Furthermore, in exploring several DC maturation factors for their ability to enhance the potency of CD137L-DCs, we found the combination of interferon γ (IFNγ) and the mixed Toll-like receptor (TLR)7/8 agonist R848, to display the highest efficacy in potentiating the T-cell co-stimulatory activity of CD137L-DCs. Of particular importance, CD137L-DCs were found to be more efficient than cDCs in activating autologous T cells targeting the cytomegalovirus (CMV)-derived protein pp65. Specifically, CD137L-DC-stimulated T cells were found to secrete higher levels of IFNγ and killed 2–3 times more HLA-matched, pp65-pulsed target cells than T cells activated by cDCs. Finally, in addition to stimulating CD8+ T cells, CD137L-DCs efficiently activated CD4+ T cells. Taken together, these findings demonstrate the superior potency of CD137L-stimulated DCs in activating CMV-specific, autologous T cells, and encourage the further development of CD137L-DCs for antitumor immunotherapy.
Electricity Supply and System losses in Ghana. What is the red line? Have we crossed over?

Electricity supply and sustainable economic development are two complementary forces. However, in Ghana, the capacity limitations in the electricity sector has restraint production levels threatening the sustainable development of the country. The aim of this study is to investigate the key drivers of electricity supply in Ghana. Specifically, we determine the red line in system losses and whether we have crossed over the red line. Further, the effects of pricing, climate change, investment, and economic growth are examined. We identified the major constraints to electricity supply as inefficient pricing, rising fuel cost, higher system losses, and climate change. Adopting the marginal cost pricing rule and reducing distribution losses below 5% will help improve electricity supply security significantly in the country. Further, achieving a sustained economic growth will help boost supply security as well as investing in renewable energies.
[Effects of reinforcing and reducing methods by twirling and rotating the needle on contents of CGRP and NO in rats with stress-induced hypertension].

OBJECTIVE To explore the different effects of reinforcing and reducing methods by twirling and rotating the needle on stress-induced hypertension and its mechanism. METHODS Sixty male Wistar rats were randomly divided into a nomal group (group A), a model group (group B), an acupuncture control group (group C), an acupuncture with reinforcing method group (group D)and an acupuncture with reducing method group (group E), 12 rats in each group. The model of stress-induced hypertension was established by foot-shock and noise stimulation in the other groups except group A. Group C was treated by acupuncture at left "Taichong" (LR 3) with no manipulation, group D with twirling reinforcement method and group E with twirling reducing method at the same acupoint, respectively, and group A and B with no acupuncture treatment. The contents of calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) and nitrogen monoxidum (NO) in blood plasma and hypothalamus after 7 days were observed. RESULTS After acupuncture treatment, the contents of CGRP in blood plasma and hypothalamus were (375.9 +/- 36.5) pg/mL and (213.6 +/- 50.1) pg/mg in group A, which were higher than (261.0 +/- 20.1) pg/mL and (156.0 +/- 21.8) pg/mg in group B , and (255.3 +/- 33.6) pg/mL and (154.3 +/- 47.3) pg/mg in group C (all P < 0.05), and (465.9 +/- 53.2) pg/mL and (250.74 +/- 47.7) pg/mg in group E higher than those in group C and (283.3 +/- 29.8) pg/mL and (164.6 +/- 47.4) pg/mg in group D (all P < 0.05), and there was no significant difference among group B, C and D (all P > 0.05). After acupuncture treatment, the contents of NO in blood plasma and hypothalamus were (43.7 +/- 5.5) micromol/L and (23.3 +/- 2.9) micromol/g in group B, (46.5 +/- 6.4) micromol/L and (23.1 +/- 3.3) micromol/g in group C, (45.8 +/- 6.7) micromol/L and (25.0 +/- 2.7) micromol/g in group D, which were all lower than (64.5 +/- 9.9) micromol/L and (30.7 +/- 1.6) micromol/g in group A (all P < 0.05), (55.9 +/- 4.6) micromol/L and (30.4 +/- 2.1) micromol/g in group E higher than those in group C and group D (all P < 0.05), and there was no significant difference among group B, C and D either (all P > 0.05). CONCLUSION Acupuncture with twirling reducing method can increase the contents of CGRP and NO in rats with stress-induced hypertension, thereby causing a fall in blood pressure, however, no significant influence with twirling reinforcing method. Reinforcing or reducing method by twirling and rotating the needle has different efficacy.
Loss of Plasticity in the D2-Accumbens Pallidal Pathway Promotes Cocaine Seeking

Distinct populations of D1- and D2-dopamine receptor-expressing medium spiny neurons (D1-/D2-MSNs) comprise the nucleus accumbens, and activity in D1-MSNs promotes, whereas activity in D2-MSNs inhibits, motivated behaviors. We used chemogenetics to extend D1-/D2-MSN cell specific regulation to cue-reinstated cocaine seeking in a mouse model of self-administration and relapse, and found that either increasing activity in D1-MSNs or decreasing activity in D2-MSNs augmented cue-induced reinstatement. Both D1- and D2-MSNs provide substantial GABAergic innervation to the ventral pallidum, and chemogenetic inhibition of ventral pallidal neurons blocked the augmented reinstatement elicited by chemogenetic regulation of either D1- or D2-MSNs. Because D1- and D2-MSNs innervate overlapping populations of ventral pallidal neurons, we next used optogenetics to examine whether changes in synaptic plasticity in D1- versus D2-MSN GABAergic synapses in the ventral pallidum could explain the differential regulation of VP activity. In mice trained to self-administer cocaine, GABAergic LTD was abolished in D2-, but not in D1-MSN synapses. A μ opioid receptor antagonist restored GABA currents in D2-, but not D1-MSN synapses of cocaine-trained mice, indicating that increased enkephalin tone on presynaptic μ opioid receptors was responsible for occluding the LTD. These results identify a behavioral function for D1-MSN innervation of the ventral pallidum, and suggest that losing LTDGABA in D2-MSN, but not D1-MSN input to ventral pallidum may promote cue-induced reinstatement of cocaine-seeking. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT More than 90% of ventral striatum is composed of two cell types, those expressing dopamine D1 or D2 receptors, which exert opposing roles on motivated behavior. Both cell types send GABAergic projections to the ventral pallidum and were found to differentially promote cue-induced reinstatement of cocaine seeking via the ventral pallidum. Furthermore, after cocaine self-administration, synaptic plasticity was selectively lost in D2, but not D1 inputs to the ventral pallidum. The selective impairment in D2 afferents may promote the influence of D1 inputs to drive relapse to cocaine seeking.
Causal Inference for a Population of Causally Connected Units

Abstract Suppose that we observe a population of causally connected units. On each unit at each time-point on a grid we observe a set of other units the unit is potentially connected with, and a unit-specific longitudinal data structure consisting of baseline and time-dependent covariates, a time-dependent treatment, and a final outcome of interest. The target quantity of interest is defined as the mean outcome for this group of units if the exposures of the units would be probabilistically assigned according to a known specified mechanism, where the latter is called a stochastic intervention. Causal effects of interest are defined as contrasts of the mean of the unit-specific outcomes under different stochastic interventions one wishes to evaluate. This covers a large range of estimation problems from independent units, independent clusters of units, and a single cluster of units in which each unit has a limited number of connections to other units. The allowed dependence includes treatment allocation in response to data on multiple units and so called causal interference as special cases. We present a few motivating classes of examples, propose a structural causal model, define the desired causal quantities, address the identification of these quantities from the observed data, and define maximum likelihood based estimators based on cross-validation. In particular, we present maximum likelihood based super-learning for this network data. Nonetheless, such smoothed/regularized maximum likelihood estimators are not targeted and will thereby be overly bias w.r. t. the target parameter, and, as a consequence, generally not result in asymptotically normally distributed estimators of the statistical target parameter. To formally develop estimation theory, we focus on the simpler case in which the longitudinal data structure is a point-treatment data structure. We formulate a novel targeted maximum likelihood estimator of this estimand and show that the double robustness of the efficient influence curve implies that the bias of the targeted minimum loss-based estimation (TMLE) will be a second-order term involving squared differences of two nuisance parameters. In particular, the TMLE will be consistent if either one of these nuisance parameters is consistently estimated. Due to the causal dependencies between units, the data set may correspond with the realization of a single experiment, so that establishing a (e.g. normal) limit distribution for the targeted maximum likelihood estimators, and corresponding statistical inference, is a challenging topic. We prove two formal theorems establishing the asymptotic normality using advances in weak-convergence theory. We conclude with a discussion and refer to an accompanying technical report for extensions to general longitudinal data structures.
The Influence of Country‐ and Firm‐Level Governance on Financial Reporting Quality: Revisiting the Evidence

This paper examines how firm&#8208;level governance and country&#8208;level governance interplay in shaping financial reporting quality. Using IFRS adoption as a source of variation in firms&#8217; reporting discretion, and a large sample of European firms that mandatorily switch to the new set of standards, we find that in countries with low enforcement and weak oversight over financial reporting, only firms with strong board&#8208;level corporate governance mechanisms experience an increase in financial reporting quality, consistent with firm&#8208; and country&#8208;level governance mechanisms being substitutes. However, in countries with high enforcement and strict oversight over financial reporting, firms with either strong or weak board&#8208;level governance mechanisms experience an increase in financial reporting quality, even if the increase is larger for the former group. Overall, our findings indicate that in the debate about the effects of governance on the quality of financial reporting, it is important to consider both country&#8208; and firm&#8208;level corporate governance mechanisms.
Role of nitric oxide in the local regulation of pulmonary vascular resistance in humans.

BACKGROUND Endothelium-derived nitric oxide (NO) may be an important mediator of vascular resistance in the pulmonary circulation. We tested the hypotheses that in conscious adults the endothelium, through NO production, is important in maintaining basal pulmonary vascular resistance and that it can increase NO production further in response to receptor-mediated stimulation, leading to further vasodilation. METHODS AND RESULTS Pulmonary arterial resistance vessel function was studied within the distribution of a segmental lower lobe pulmonary artery in eight conscious adults 37 to 76 years old who were undergoing cardiac catheterization. Segmental blood flow was determined with use of a Doppler-tip guide wire and quantitative angiography. Drugs were administered locally within the segmental artery through an infusion catheter. NG-Monomethyl-L-arginine (L-NMMA) was used as a specific inhibitor of NO production, whereas acetylcholine (ACh) was used to test receptor-mediated vasodilation. To demonstrate that vasodilation to ACh was NO dependent, ACh response was tested alone, in the presence of L-NMMA, and in the presence of a control constrictor phenylephrine. Basal pulmonary vascular resistance was NO dependent because L-NMMA infusion resulted in a dose-dependent decrease in local flow velocity (P < .005), with flow decreasing 33% at the highest dose of L-NMMA. ACh infusion resulted in a dose-dependent increase in flow velocity (P = .001). The ACh response was at least in part NO dependent because it was diminished by the presence of L-NMMA (P < .05). The effect of L-NMMA on the ACh response was not due to nonspecific preconstriction because L-NMMA diminished the ACh response significantly more than did the endothelium-independent constrictor phenylephrine (P < .05) despite comparable preconstriction. CONCLUSIONS In healthy conscious adults, (1) normal basal pulmonary resistance is maintained in part by continuous local production of NO and (2) the local NO production is responsive to receptor-mediated stimulation, leading to further vasodilation, and can be tested with ACh.
CEO'S Total Wealth Characteristics and Implications on Firm Risk

We study the connections between firm risk and the CEO’s personal wealth characteristics, using a unique dataset on CEO wealth and its components. Consistent with decreasing absolute risk aversion, we find that wealthier CEOs are associated with higher risk firms. Riskier firms tend to have CEOs whose wealth is more independent of the firm. We also find that CEOs with high personal portfolio betas run firms with higher betas. CEO’s tenure is negatively associated with firm risk measured either as beta, idiosynchratic risk, or volatility of accounting profitability. A possible interpretation is that risk-averse managers are better able to imprint their risk preferences on the firm over time. Stronger corporate governance weakens the connection between CEO wealth characteristics and firm risk. (Less)