Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Risk factors for developing postthymectomy myasthenic crisis in Thymoma Patients.

OBJECTIVE The objective of this study is to investigate the risk factors for developing postthymectomy myasthenic crisis in thymoma patients. PATIENTS AND METHODS Patients with thymoma received thymectomy from January 2001 to December 2014 were reviewed and included in this retrospective study in Lishui People's Hospital. Seventy-seven patients were included in this study. For the 77 cases, 66 patients not developing postthymectomy myasthenic crisis were considered as a control group, and other 11 subjects developing postthymectomy myasthenic were considered as the case group. The potential risk factors such age, gender, Osseman stage, Masaoka, pyridostigmine bromide, and et al. were compared between case and control group firstly by Chi-square test or Student's t-test and then by logistic regression test. RESULTS Eleven patients developed postthymectomy myasthenic with the incidence of 14.3%; logistic regression analysis indicates that pyridostigmine bromide >360 mg/day administration (OR = 21.2, P < 0.05), postsurgery pulmonary infection (OR = 8.3, P < 0.05) and myasthenic crisis prior surgery (OR = 3.2, P < 0.05) were the independent risk factors for developing postthymectomy myasthenic crisis in thymoma patients. CONCLUSION Thymoma patients with a large dosage of pyridostigmine bromide administration, postsurgery pulmonary infection and myasthenic crisis prior surgery were easy to have postthymectomy myasthenic crisis.
Peak Expiratory Flow in Normal Subjects

The relationship between peak expiratory flow (PEF), age, and height has been studied in 202 men and 199 women in south-west London. Strict criteria of “normality” were employed in the selection of the subjects. Multiple regression techniques were used to determine the form of the relationship for each sex. The findings have been compared with those of other authors, and possible reasons for differences include smoking, residence in a polluted area, and incorrect performance of the test.
Efficacy and safety of a monoclonal antibody recognizing interleukin-8 in COPD: a pilot study.

STUDY OBJECTIVE To investigate the efficacy and safety of a fully human monoclonal antibody recognizing the chemokine interleukin (IL)-8 in patients with COPD. DESIGN Randomized, double-blind, parallel-group, placebo-controlled trial. SETTING Eighteen clinics/hospitals in the United States. PATIENTS One hundred nine patients with stable COPD. INTERVENTIONS Three IV infusions of either monoclonal antibody recognizing IL-8 (800-mg loading dose; 400-mg subsequent doses) or active buffer solution administered monthly over a 3-month period. MEASUREMENTS AND RESULTS The differences in the transition dyspnea index (TDI) total score, the primary outcome measure, between fully human monoclonal IgG(2) antibody directed against IL-8 and placebo were 0.8, 1.0, 0.8, and 0.3 at week 2 (p = 0.046) and months 1 to 3, respectively. At all time points, the proportion of patients achieving >/= 1 point improvement in the TDI was greater for the monoclonal antibody group compared with the placebo group: 28% vs 11% at week 2 (p = 0.028). There were no significant differences observed for lung function, health status, 6-min walking distance, and adverse events between groups. CONCLUSIONS The results of this phase 2 study suggest that neutralization of IL-8 with monoclonal antibody therapy may improve dyspnea in patients with COPD. These results support the further investigation of monoclonal antibody therapy targeting IL-8 for the treatment of this disease.
Allergic contact dermatitis from the essential oil of French marigold (Tagetes patula) in an aromatherapist

4. Cuypers J M C, Hoedemaker Ph J, Nater J P, De Jong M C J M. The histopathology of fiberglass dermatitis in relation to von Hebra's concept of eczema. Contact Dermatitis 1975: 1: 88-95. 5. Bjornberg A, Lowhagen G-B. Patch testing with mineral wool (rockwool). Acta Dermato-venereologica 1977: 57: 257-260. 6. Menne T. The prevalence of nickel allergy among women. Dermatosen in Beruf und Umwelt 1978: 26: 123-125. 7. Valbjorn 0, Skov P. Influence of indoor climate Contact Dermatitis 1990: 23: 55
Analysis of current controllers for voltage-source inverter

Current-controlled pulsewidth modulated (PWM) inverters are widely used in high-performance AC drives because they give high dynamic responses in such systems. This paper presents a comparative study of several current controllers. Particular attention is paid to the hysteresis controller and the ramp-comparator controller, due to their simplicity and widespread use. An improved ramp comparator is proposed in which the current error signals are compared to three 120/spl deg/ phase-shifted triangular waveforms. This eliminates the zero voltage vector applied to the inverter and reduces the inherent amplitude and phase errors. Computer simulations are used to compare the performances. Fast Fourier transform technique is used to show the power spectrum of the current waveforms. Experimental results validate the simulated performances.
The Effects of Domain Choice on Summer Precipitation Simulation and Sensitivity in a Regional Climate Model

Abstract Recent results show disagreement between global and limited-area models as to the role of soil moisture feedback during the summer of 1993 in the central United States. July precipitation totals increase by 50% in the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts global model when soil moisture is initialized “wet,” but two separate regional modeling groups [University of Utah Limited Area Model group and National Center for Atmospheric Research Regional Climate Model (RegCM) group] have found very different responses to soil moisture, indicating that drier soil moisture conditions might actually lead to increased precipitation via an increase in convective instability and an enhancement of the low-level jet from the Gulf of Mexico. To further evaluate the sensitivity results of RegCM in this context, a new suite of simulations, driven by analyses of observations for May–July of 1988 and 1993 is performed. The model domain is larger than in the previous experiments and the sensitivity of pre.
Characterization of CD8+ T‐cell responses in HIV‐1‐exposed seronegative commercial sex workers from Nairobi, Kenya

CD8+ T‐lymphocyte responses are crucial to the control of HIV‐1; therefore, studying the CD8+ immune response in a naturally resistant population could provide valuable insights into an effective anti‐HIV response in healthy uninfected individuals. Approximately 5–10% of the women in the Pumwani Commercial Sex Worker cohort in Nairobi, Kenya, have been highly exposed to HIV‐1 yet remain HIV‐IgG‐seronegative and HIV‐PCR negative (HIVES). As IFN‐γ production correlates to cytotoxic function, the CD8+ T‐lymphocyte IFN‐γ response to HIV p24 peptides was compared in HIVES and HIV‐infected (HIV+) individuals. Almost 40% of the HIVES had a CD8+ IFN‐γ+ response that was five times lower in magnitude than that of the HIV+ group. The breadth of the response in HIVES was very narrow and focused primarily on one peptide that is similar to the protective KK10 peptide. In the HIV+ group, low peripheral CD4+ counts negatively influenced the number of CD8+ cells producing IFN‐γ, which may undermine the ability to control HIV. Overall, many of the HIVES women possess a HIV‐1 p24‐specific CD8+ IFN‐γ response, providing evidence to the specificity needed for an effective HIV vaccine.
Phosphorylation Is Not Required for Dynamin-dependent Endocytosis of a Truncated Mutant Opioid Receptor*

Opioid receptors are regulated within minutes after activation by G protein-coupled receptor kinase-mediated phosphorylation and dynamin-dependent endocytosis. We addressed the question of whether phosphorylation is required for opioid receptor endocytosis by examining a functional, truncated mutant δ opioid receptor (DOR344T), which is missing phosphorylation sites located in the carboxyl-terminal cytoplasmic domain. DOR344T receptors expressed in Chinese hamster ovary cells remained predominantly in the plasma membrane, even in the presence of saturating concentrations of agonist, consistent with previous studies demonstrating strongly inhibited endocytosis of truncated receptors in this cell type. In marked contrast, DOR344T receptors expressed at similar levels in human embryonal kidney (HEK) 293 cells exhibited rapid, ligand-induced internalization either in the presence of peptide (DADLE) or alkaloid (etorphine) agonist. Quantitative assays using ELISA and flow cytometric techniques indicated that DOR344T receptors were endocytosed in HEK293 cells with similarly rapid kinetics as full-length DOR (t½ < 10 min), and both full-length DOR and DOR344T mutant receptors were endocytosed by a dynamin-dependent mechanism involving clathrin-coated pits. Nevertheless, DOR344T receptors failed to undergo any detectable constitutive or agonist-induced phosphorylation in the same cells in which dynamin-dependent endocytosis was observed. These findings establish the first example of a G protein-coupled receptor that does not require phosphorylation to undergo dynamin-dependent endocytosis, and they suggest that significant cell type-specific differences exist in the biochemical requirements for ligand-induced concentration of opioid receptors in clathrin-coated pits.
Reverse Transcription Loop-Mediated Isothermal Amplification for the Detection of Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome Virus

Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) is an important pathogen of swine. The objective of the current study is to investigate the feasibility of using reverse transcription loop-mediated isothermal amplification (RT-LAMP) for the detection of PRRSV. The RT-LAMP is a recently described DNA amplification technique reported to be simple, inexpensive, fast, and accurate. The RT-LAMP reaction was set up using 2 sets of primers that were designed to detect North American and European strains of PRRSV and performed successfully in a simple heat block. The specificity of the amplified product was demonstrated by restriction analysis. The RT-LAMP was able to detect 5 different PRRSV isolates. However, the limit of detection ranged between 10 2 and 10 4 50% tissue culture infective dose/ml. The RT-LAMP was further evaluated using serum samples from animals of known infection status. The ability of RT-LAMP to detect PRRSV in serum from acutely infected animals was evaluated with 114 serum samples from 18 experimentally inoculated boars. Forty-nine of these samples tested positive by RT-LAMP, while 94 were positive by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). The diagnostic specificity, evaluated with 100 known negative serum samples, was estimated as 99%. The feasibility of RT-LAMP to detect PRRSV was demonstrated in the current study. The RT-LAMP reaction could be performed in just 1 hr with a simple and inexpensive heat block. However, the sensitivity of this technique was significantly lower than that of RT-PCR.
The Strategic Implications of Web Technologies: A Process Model of How Web Technologies Enhance Organizational Performance

The lack of knowledge on 1) how Web technologies support the business strategies of an organization and 2) how Web technologies enhance organizational performance are gaps in the existing literature that may account for the inability of the majority of Web-based firms to leverage their investments in Web technologies. To address these knowledge gaps, a theoretical lens is constructed from five core logics in organizational literature that represent the different possible ways of enhancing organizational performance. Applying the lens to analyze the case of a successful Singaporean dotcom, the ways through which Web technologies enhance organizational performance are identified. Specifically, our study reveals that the process through which Web technologies enhance organizational performance is contingent on the state of the organizational environment. When the environment is in a state of equilibrium, Web technologies can enhance organizational performance by facilitating the attainment of competitive advantage through three distinct mechanisms: the logics of positioning, leverage, and opportunity. Conversely, when the environment is in a state of revolution, Web technologies can give rise to performance gains by supporting the attainment of legitimacy through two distinct mechanisms: the logics of optimality and social congruence.
An update of Coenzyme Q10 implications in male infertility: Biochemical and therapeutic aspects

This review is focused upon the role of coenzyme Q10 in male infertility in the light of a broader issue of oxidative damage and antioxidant defence in sperm cells and seminal plasma. Reactive oxygen species play a key pathogenetic role in male infertility besides having a well‐recognized physiological function. The deep involvement of coenzyme Q10 in mitochondrial bioenergetics and its antioxidant properties are at the basis of its role in seminal fluid. Following the early studies addressing its presence in sperm cells and seminal plasma, the relative distribution of the quinone between these two compartments was studied in infertile men, with special attention to varicocele. The reduction state of CoQ10 in seminal fluid was also investigated.
Preserved inhibitory effect of recurrent hypoglycaemia on the male gonadotrophic axis

Objective Hypoglycaemia‐induced decreases in male LH and testosterone concentrations are possibly mediated by activation of the hypothalamus–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) axis or by an increase in PRL. As counterregulatory stress hormone release is attenuated during recurrent hypoglycaemia, we questioned whether the gonadotrophic axis and PRL adapt similarly.
Human Insulinomas Show Distinct Patterns of Insulin Secretion In Vitro

Insulinomas are β-cell tumors that cause hypoglycemia through inappropriate secretion of insulin. Characterization of the in vitro dynamics of insulin secretion by perifused fragments of 10 human insulinomas permitted their subdivision into three functional groups with similar insulin content. Group A (four patients with fasting and/or postprandial hypoglycemic episodes) showed qualitatively normal responses to glucose, leucine, diazoxide, tolbutamide, and extracellular CaCl2 omission or excess. The effect of glucose was concentration dependent, but, compared with normal islets, insulin secretion was excessive in both low- and high-glucose conditions. Group B (three patients with fasting hypoglycemic episodes) was mainly characterized by large insulin responses to 1 mmol/L glucose, resulting in very high basal secretion rates that were inhibited by diazoxide and restored by tolbutamide but were not further augmented by other agents except for high levels of CaCl2. Group C (three patients with fasting hypoglycemic episodes) displayed very low rates of insulin secretion and virtually no response to stimuli (including high CaCl2 concentration) and inhibitors (CaCl2 omission being paradoxically stimulatory). In group B, the presence of low-Km hexokinase-I in insulinoma β-cells (not in adjacent islets) was revealed by immunohistochemistry. Human insulinomas thus show distinct, though not completely heterogeneous, defects in insulin secretion that are attributed to the undue expression of hexokinase-I in 3 of 10 patients.
Experimental seizure-threshold testing with fluorthyl.

A method is described for testing rats in groups of up to four using both first myoclonic jerk and sustained convulsion as endpoints in each animal. A niinirnum of individual handling of the animals is required, and large numbers can be tested by one Person. Thresholds are independent of weight over a wide range of weights, beyond which a small inverse relation may exist. Starvation lowers thresholds, but only after a large change in weight. There is no prominent difference between the sexes. Extracerebral factors such as airflow, blood flow and flurothyl diffusion across tissue boundaries theoretically can influence the measurement. A consistent result of repeated testing is a fall in thresholds, the first jerk sooner than the sustained convulsion. This is shown to be related to seizures rather than specific for flurothiyl. A possible explanation for it is anoxic damage to the brain or the blood-brain barrier. With modification of endpoint criteria, testing of nurshing rats, adult mice and adult guinea pigs is practical, but these animals respond differently to daily testing: Rats under approximately 4 to 6 weeks of age do not display a clear decline; in mice the two endpoints fall. but at the same rate; in guinea pigs there is a rise rather than a fall.
Endothelin-1 Is Involved in Mechanical Stress-induced Cardiomyocyte Hypertrophy (*)

We have recently shown that mechanical stress induces cardiomyocyte hypertrophy partly through the enhanced secretion of angiotensin II (ATII). Endothelin-1 (ET-1) has been reported to be a potent growth factor for a variety of cells, including cardiomyocytes. In this study, we examined the role of ET-1 in mechanical stress-induced cardiac hypertrophy by using cultured cardiomyocytes of neonatal rats. ET-1 (1010M) maximally induced the activation of both Raf-1 kinase and mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinases at 4 and 8 min, respectively, followed by an increase in protein synthesis at 24 h. All of these hypertrophic responses were completely blocked by pretreatment with BQ123, an antagonist selective for the ET-1 type A receptor subtype, but not by BQ788, an ET-1 type B receptor-specific antagonist. BQ123 also suppressed stretch-induced activation of MAP kinases and an increase in phenylalanine uptake by approximately 60 and 50%, respectively, but BQ788 did not. ET-1 was constitutively secreted from cultured cardiomyocytes, and a significant increase in ET-1 concentration was observed in the culture medium of cardiomyocytes after stretching for 10 min. After 24 h, an 3-fold increase in ET-1 concentration was observed in the conditioned medium of stretched cardiomyocytes compared with that of unstretched cardiomyocytes. ET-1 mRNA levels were also increased at 30 min after stretching. Moreover, ET-1 and ATII synergistically activated Raf-1 kinase and MAP kinases in cultured cardiomyocytes. In conclusion, mechanical stretching stimulates secretion and production of ET-1 in cultured cardiomyocytes, and vasoconstrictive peptides such as ATII and ET-1 may play an important role in mechanical stress-induced cardiac hypertrophy.
The control of dense real-time discrete event systems

The authors introduce dense real-time into the supervisory control of discrete event systems. They give conditions for the existence of a controller. If the plant and specification behaviors are represented by timed automata, there is a supremal controllable sublanguage of the specification language for a subclass of synthesis problems. The synthesized supervisor is polynomial in the number of automata states and exponential in the timing information. <<ETX>>
Anterior Kidney of the Yellow Mystus, Hemibagrus filamentus (Fang and Chaux, 1949)

There is no available report on histological observation of the anterior kidney of the yellow mystus Hemibagrus filamentus (Fang and Chaux, 1949). Thus, the histology of the anterior kidney of specimens from the Tapee river, Chawang district, Nakhon Si Thammarat province, Thailand, was investigated under a light microscope in this study. The results revealed that the anterior kidney of H. filamentus consists of 3 distinct parts; pro, mid and hind anterior kidneys. Based upon different observations of the excretory portion and tissue types, this presented study is considered to be the first such report from Thailand. The pro-anterior kidney comprises of interregnal and exclusively hematopoietic tissues. The mid-anterior kidney is moderately composed of hematopoietic tissue and an increase of the melanomacrophage center (MMC) with renal tubules. The last part of is the anterior kidney, which contains mainly renal tubules with a lesser amount of interstitial hematopoietic, which an increase in the glomerulus.
Neuropsychological Profile of Patients with Parkinson’s Disease without Dementia

Cognitive deficits are often associated with Parkinson’s disease (PD), although their prevalence in PD patients without dementia is still unknown. In order to describe the neuropsychological profile of PD patients without dementia, a sample of 103 PD patients was compared with a control group consisting of 38 healthy elderly subjects. Psychometric assessment consisted of the Mini Mental State Examination, the Dementia Rating Scale and a battery of neuropsychological tests. The Beck Depression Inventory was used to assess depression in PD patients. Dementia was diagnosed in 27 patients. Among non-demented subjects, 34 (45%) had no cognitive impairment and 42 (55%) had a mild cognitive impairment. Subjects with mild cognitive impairment were older, had a later onset of the disease, and more severe motor symptoms than cognitively intact subjects. Identification of mild cognitive impairment is important, since these symptoms are important for patient management and may also facilitate to determine prognosis.
A Phase II Trial of Epirubicin, Oxaliplatin, and Capecitabine (EOX) as First-Line Chemotherapy in Advanced Gastric Cancer: A Chinese Single-Center Experience

Objective: This study aimed at evaluating the efficacy and safety of epirubicin, oxaliplatin, and capecitabine (EOX) in advanced gastric cancer (AGC) patients in the Chinese population. Patients and Methods: Patients with previously untreated advanced measurable gastric cancer received epirubicin (50 mg/m2, day 1), oxaliplatin (130 mg/m2 2-hour infusion, day 1) and capecitabine (625 mg/m2 orally, twice daily, days 1–21) every 3 weeks.Results: Of 48 enrolled patients, 47 were evaluable for efficacy and 48 for toxicity. A median of five cycles (range 1–8) was administered. The overall response rate was 51.1% (95% CI 36–66) with two complete responses, 22 partial responses, 16 stable diseases, and 7 progressions. Median progression-free survival was 6.5 months (95% CI 5.6–7.4) and median overall survival was 10.4 months (95% CI 8.8–12.0). Grade 3–4 neutropenia and anemia were observed in 22.9 and 6.3% of patients, respectively. Grade 3–4 nonhematological toxicities included alopecia (18.9%), nausea (8.3%), vomiting (6.3%), diarrhea (6.3%), hand-foot syndrome (4.2%) and neurological toxicity (2.1%). Conclusion: In our experience, the EOX regimen was highly effective, well tolerated and conveniently delivered as first-line chemotherapy for AGC patients in the Chinese population.