Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The effect of of glucocorticoids on grain dust-induced airway disease.

STUDY OBJECTIVES To determine the effect of glucocorticoids on grain dust-induced airflow obstruction and airway inflammation. DESIGN Randomized controlled trial. SETTING University hospital. PARTICIPANTS Health volunteers. INTERVENTIONS Two randomized, placebo-controlled trials, each studying 10 healthy volunteers who were pretreated with either triamcinolone acetonide (Azmacort) oral inhaler 4 puffs twice daily (800 microg daily) for 7 consecutive days or IV hydrocortisone (3 microg/kg/min) as a 14-h continuous infusion, then subjected to a controlled inhalation exposure to corn dust extract (CDE) (endotoxin exposure dose of 3 microg/kg). A single-blind, crossover study design was performed for each trial enrolling 10 healthy, lifetime nonsmokers, with no history of lung disease or environmental exposure to grain dust. MEASUREMENTS AND RESULTS Following each inhalation exposure to CDE, spirometry was performed at regular intervals and BAL was performed at 4 h. Both treatment and placebo groups demonstrated significant decrements in spirometry and increments in BAL cellularity following CDE inhalation compared with placebo. Inhaled steroid treatment resulted in a significantly higher FEV1 only at the 2-h time point following CDE inhalation with no significant differences observed in the BAL total cell concentration or cellular differential compared with placebo. IV hydrocortisone treatment resulted in a significantly higher FEV1 and FVC between 2 and 4 h after CDE inhalation, as well as significant reductions in the BAL total cell, macrophage, and eosinophil concentrations. Interestingly, the concentration of tumor necrosis factor-alpha and interleukin-8 in the BAL fluid was also decreased following treatment with IV glucocorticoids. CONCLUSIONS These results demonstrate that glucocorticoids, administered IV and perhaps by inhalation, have a mildly protective effect on airflow obstruction and airway inflammation induced by inhalation of grain dust.
The Geriatric Mental State (GMS) used in the community: replication studies of the computerized diagnosis AGECAT

Synopsis Three studies are reported using the Geriatric Mental State in one of its community forms on a total of 647 subjects aged over 65 and living in their own homes. The concordance between the computer diagnosis AGECAT and psychiatrists' diagnosis is at least as good in these replication samples as in the original studies (Copeland et al. 1986). AGECAT has been shown to be useful for epidemiological surveys and as a diagnostic guide for non-medical interviewers.
Slow Transit Constipation: A Review of a Colonic Functional Disorder

Constipation is a common gastrointestinal complaint that can cause significant physical and psychosocial problems. It has been categorized as slow transit constipation, normal transit constipation, and obstructed defecation. Both the definition and pathophysiology of constipation are unclear, but attempts to describe each of the three types have been made. Slow transit constipation, a functional colonic disorder represents approximately 15 to 30% of constipated patients. The theorized etiologies are disorders of the autonomic and enteric nervous system and/or a dysfunctional neuroendocrine system. Slow transit constipation can be diagnosed with a complete history, physical exam, and a battery of specific diagnostic studies. Once the diagnosis is affirmed and medical management has failed, there are several treatment options. Biofeedback, sacral nerve stimulation, segmental colectomy, and subtotal colectomy with various anastomoses have all been used. Of those treatment options, a subtotal colectomy with ileorectal anastomosis is the most efficacious with the data to support its use.
End-to-End convolutional neural network-based voice presentation attack detection

Development of countermeasures to detect attacks performed on speaker verification systems through presentation of forged or altered speech samples is a challenging and open research problem. Typically, this problem is approached by extracting features through conventional short-term speech processing and feeding them to a binary classifier. In this article, we develop a convolutional neural network-based approach that learns in an end-to-end manner both the features and the binary classifier from the raw signal. Through investigations on two publicly available databases, namely, ASVspoof and AVspoof, we show that it yields systems comparable to or better than the state-of-the-art approaches for both physical access attacks and logical access attacks. Furthermore, the approach is shown to be complementary to a spectral statistics-based approach, which, similarly to the proposed approach, does not use prior assumptions related to speech signals.
Postnatal development and properties of ultimobranchial follicles in the rat thyroid

Mature ultimobranchial follicles in the Fischer rat thyroid are characterized by being lined by two or more layers of cells (U cells) and by having an abundance of desquamated cells in the lumen. Such follicles, of variable size and shape, were found in almost every lobe in rats at least 30 days old. They were usually in the interior of the lobe in contact with perivascular connective tissue. Ultimobranchial follicles with multiple layers of cells were not observed in the two‐day‐old rat indicating that these follicles are an example of postnatal development. The most common precursor in the rat was a follicle, relatively large compared with the usual thyroid follicle, containing some cells or debris. Other precursor structures included narrow tubes, sheets or spheroids of cells characteristically having little cytoplasm. Intermedlate forms between these precursors and mature ultimobranchial follicles were recognized. Cells were desquamated while nucleated, and, later, the nuclei disappeared. Thus, in some follicles non‐nucleated debris accumulated. Many follicles were composed of mixed populations of cells, both typical thyroid epithelium and U cells. The relative abundance of the two cell types varied markedly as did the proportions of colloid and cell debris.
Placebo‐controlled study of montelukast and budesonide on short‐term growth in prepubertal asthmatic children

Inhaled corticosteroids and anti‐leukotriene agents are widely used in the treatment of pediatric asthma. Although data on the effect of corticosteroids on growth are available, there are few such data on anti‐leukotriene agents. The aim of this study was to assess the influence of montelukast on short‐term lower leg growth rate (LLGR) in prepubertal children with asthma.
Reduction, classification and ranking of motion analysis data: an application to osteoarthritic and normal knee function data

There are certain major obstac les to using motion analysis as an aid to clinical decision making. These include: the difficulty in comprehending large amounts of both corroborating and conflicting information; the subjectivity of data interpretation; the need for visualization; and the quantitative comparison of temporal waveform data. This paper seeks to overcome these obstacles by applying a hybrid approach to the analysis of motion analysis data using principal component analysis (PCA), the Dempster–Shafer (DS) theory of evidence and simplex plots. Specifically, the approach is used to characterise the differences between osteoarthritic (OA) and normal (NL) knee function data and to produce a hierarchy of those variables that are most discriminatory in the classification process. Comparisons of the results obtained with the hybrid approach are made with results from artificial neural network analyses.
The effect of mirtazapine in panic disorder: an open label pilot study with a single-blind placebo run-in period

In this open label pilot study, we studied the efficacy of mirtazapine (Remeron) in panic disorder. Twenty-eight patients with a DSM-IV diagnosis of panic disorder, with or without agoraphobia (10 males/18 females), were included and 19 patients completed the study. The 15-week trial started with a 3-week single-blind placebo run-in period. After this run-in period, the 12-week active treatment phase started. As primary efficacy measures, we studied the decrease in the number of full symptom panic attacks and the number of patients completely free of panic during the last 3 weeks of the study. Seventy-four percent of the patients were considered responders, according to a decrease of at least 50% in panic attack frequency. All primary and secondary efficacy measures showed a significant improvement from the second week of active treatment onwards to endpoint. The main side-effects were different from the usual side-effects in selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) (initial drowsiness, weight gain and pain in the legs). The results of this open label study in panic disorder suggest that mirtazapine seems to be a fast and effective treatment alternative for SSRIs in panic disorder.
Significance and Outlook of Preoperative Serum Interleukin-1ÃŽÂ² and Interleukin-6 as Prognostic Factors in Esophageal Cancer

Objective: We evaluated various cytokines in patients with esophageal cancers to elucidate the relationship between the Th1/Th2 balance and the patients’ prognosis. Materials and Methods: Various serum cytokines of preoperative 98 patients, who subsequently underwent radical esophagectomy between September 2005 and December 2006, were quantitatively measured by Cytometric Bead Array (CBA) system. The cytokines include Th1/Th2 balance related 14 cytokines-IL-1α, IL-1β, IL-2, IL-4, IL-5, IL-6, IL-7, IL-8, IL-10, IL-12p70, IL-13, IL-17A, INFγ and IgE. Multivariable analysis was performed using the Cox proportional hazard model. The survival rates based on CRP values were analyzed by the Kaplan-Meier method. Eight clinical pathological factors of the tumors, which are regarded as relevant prognostic factors: diameter, histological type, invasion type, vascular invasion, venous invasion, depth of the invation (T factor), regional lymph nodal status (N factor) and intramural metastasis (IM) and the 14 cytokines were evaluated by the multivariable analysis. Results: The multivariable analysis showed that T factors (p=0.001), N factors (p=0.002), IL-1β (p=0.003) and IL-6 (p=0.021) were significantly related to the worse prognosis. The two cytokines are known as inflammatory cytokines and they theoretically induce the production of acute inflammatory proteins, including C-reactive protein (CRP). We hereby evaluated the preoperative serum CRP values of the same patients. By means of ROC analysis (Youden index), the cut off value of the serum CRP was determined as 0.25 mg/dl and the survival rates were analyzed by the Kaplan-Meier method. The high CRP group (CRP ≥ 0.25 mg/dl) showed significantly poorer prognosis than low CRP group (<0.25 mg/dl) (p=0.027; Log-rank test). Conclusion: Out study showed that the inflammatory cytokines, IL-1β and IL-6, are significant prognostic factors of the patients with esophageal cancers and the Th1/Th2 balance in the patients of poorer prognosis may be shifted toward Th2-dominant side.
MECONIUM STAINED AMNIOTIC FLUID AND ITS NEONATAL OUTCOME IN A RURAL TERTIARY CARE CENTER NEAR MATHURA

The presence of meconium stained amniotic fluid (MSAF) is a sign of fetal compromise. It is associated with significant neonatal morbidity and mortality. MSAF is frequently associated with high cesarean rate, prolonged labour,low APGAR scores, increased rate of birth asphyxia; increased NICU admission, meconium aspiration syndrome and neonatal death. The aim of this prospective study is to correlate the effect of meconium stained amniotic fluid on neonatal outcome. Keywords: Meconium stained amniotic fluid, Neonatal morbidity and mortality, NICU.
Genetic component and oral clefting – an overview

Cleft lip and palate is a congenital defect which a rises from the interplay of multiple genetic and en vironmental factors. Dysmorphogenesis and abnormal growth is the most ex ci ing of the challenges we face today as we strive to understand how environmental influences interact with and caus e changes in the expression of the genetic factors g verning the behavior of those cells which will give rise to the entire human body, and especially the face and pal atal regions. The treatment of defective genes is very much a part of the current clinical agenda dealing with craniofac ial defects. The basic scientist, the dysmorphologist, the clinician, and, importantly, those with natural or acquired cranio facial defects have gained significant advantage from the critical use of available information coming from classical and experimental studies of human morphogenesis. These advantages will conti nue to increase as laboratory scientists and clinic ia scholars move rapidly together into the world of molecular and ge ne biology. This article highlight the overview of genes that are possibly responsile for the formation of Cleft lip with or without cleft palate.
Update on Geographic Atrophy in Age-Related Macular Degeneration

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the main cause of legal blindness in older patients in developed countries, and geographic atrophy (GA) represents the advanced form of dry AMD. Although it accounts for one third of the cases of late AMD and is responsible for 20% of the cases of severe visual loss due to the disorder. GA currently lacks effective treatment, whereas antiangiogenic therapies have been shown to be successful in managing choroidal neovascularization, the other form of late AMD. Recent advances in GA epidemiology, etiology, genetics, and imaging techniques have renewed the interest in this entity, which is a cause of progressive visual loss even in treated patients with neovascular AMD. This knowledge has triggered many clinical trials targeting different molecules shown to be associated with the disease, and it is hoped that this research will translate into effective drugs for GA in the near future.
Determinación de los ciclos de conducción de un vehículo categoría M1 para la ciudad de Cuenca

En este proyecto tecnico se determino el Ciclo de Conduccion para la ciudad de Cuenca a traves de un vehiculo privado, para determinar del ciclo, se determinaron las rutas de prueba, se obtuvieron muestras con un dispositivo GPS y finalmente por medio del criterio de ponderaciones de todos los datos, se consiguio el ciclo representativo para la Ciudad.
Proliferation and differentiation of direct co-culture of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells and pigmented cells from the ciliary margin

Damage of retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) is the major consequence of glaucoma and regeneration of RGCs is extremely difficult once the damage has occurred. Retinal stem cells (RSCs) are considered an ideal choice for RGC regeneration. Pigmented cells from the ciliary margin (PCMs) have great retinal differentiation potential and may be an ideal RSC candidate. However, the ciliary margin is too small, so the number of cells that can be obtained is limited. Bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (BMMSCs) are another type of stem cell that have been previously investigated for RGC regeneration. BMMSCs expand sufficiently, whereas the retinal differentiation of BMMSCs is insufficient. The aim of the present study was to investigate whether the co-culture of PCMs and BMMSCs may combine the advantages of both cell types to establish a novel and effective stem cell source for RGC regeneration. Primary rat PCMs and BMMSCs were isolated and co-cultured. Cell growth was observed by an inverted microscope and proliferation was monitored by an MTT assay. Cell cycle analysis was performed by using a flow cytometer, while the expression of the photoreceptor-specific homeobox gene (cone-rod homeobox, Crx) was determined by reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction and western blot analysis. In addition, retinal differentiation was confirmed by immunofluorescence staining of major markers of retinal differentiation, including rhodopsin, visual system homeobox 2 and heparin sulfate. The co-cultured cells expanded successfully, in a similar way to BMMSCs. In addition, the expression of Crx and retinal markers were significantly upregulated following BMMSC and PCM co-culture. The results of the present study demonstrated that the co-culture of BMMSCs and PCMs may be used as a source of RSCs.
The Play Pyramid : A Play Classification and Brainstorming Tool for Toy Design

Toy designers may benefit from a universal classification system to communicate and brainstorm new toy concepts. Being able to classify types of play may also help a designer in determining whether a potential toy product has play value. We have defined four categories of play (Construction, Fantasy, Sensory, Challenge) loosely based on Piaget’s four stages of cognitive development. These four categories can be viewed as the vertices of a tetrahedron which we call the Play Pyramid. The Play Pyramid can be used to plot new ideas for toys to relate them to current toys with similar play value. This is helpful in understanding play affordances perceived by different target users. The Play Pyramid can also be used in brainstorming; by taking a toy idea and moving it around inside the Pyramid, the concept can take on new and unforeseen types of play.
BiNoCHS: Bimodal network-on-chip for CPU-GPU heterogeneous systems

CPU-GPU heterogeneous systems are emerging as architectures of choice for high-performance energy-efficient computing. Designing on-chip interconnects for such systems is challenging; CPUs typically benefit greatly from optimizations that reduce latency, but rarely saturate bandwidth or queueing resources. In contrast, GPUs generate intense traffic that produces local congestion, harming CPU performance. Congestion-optimized interconnects can mitigate this problem through larger virtual and physical channel resources. However, when there is little traffic, such networks become suboptimal due to higher unloaded packet latencies and critical path delays. We argue for a reconfigurable network that can activate additional channels under high load/congestion and shut them off when the network is unloaded. However, these additional resources consume more power, making it difficult to statically provision a power budget for the network. We introduce BiNoCHS, a reconfigurable voltage-scalable on-chip network for heterogeneous systems. Under CPU-dominated low-traffic conditions, BiNoCHS operates at nominal-voltage and high clock frequency with a topology optimized for low hop count, maximizing CPU performance. Under high-traffic GPU and mixed workloads, it transitions to a near-threshold mode, activating additional routers/channels and non-minimal adaptive routing to resolve congestion. Our evaluation shows that BiNoCHS improves CPU/GPU performance by 57% / 34% over a latency-optimized network under congested conditions, while improving CPU performance by 28% over high-bandwidth design in unloaded conditions.
Experimental Investigation of Radiation Properties of Waveguides Filled with Uniaxial Single Negative Metamaterials

Basic radiation properties of a rectangular waveguide filled with anisotropic, either mu-negative (MNG) filling or epsilon-negative (ENG) filling are investigated experimentally. Two antennas based on waveguides filled with double-ring resonators (an MNG filling) and thin wires (an ENG filling) were designed, manufactured and measured in 8 GHz band. It was found that although these waveguides may in principle operate at frequencies arbitrarily lower than cut-off frequency they do radiate into free space. However, the radiation pattern and directivity are similar to those of equivalent apertures with uniform current distribution. Thus, the anisotropic single-negative (SNG) metamaterial filling cannot beat out the fundamental relations between antenna size and directivity. The resonant MNG filling offers narrowband operation and high degree of miniaturization, but (at the present state of the art) inherent losses cause poor gain (lower than 0 dB). On contrary, the non-resonant wire-based ENG filling offers low loss and broad bandwidth, but technological constraints limit lowest operating frequency (i.e. a degree of miniaturization)
Depression During Pregnancy: Review of Epidemiological and Clinical Aspects in Developed and Developing Countries

Contrary to general belief, gestation is not always characterized by joy and accomplishments. Many women experience sadness or anxiety in these periods of their lives. Gestation and postpartum (puerperium) are periods of woman s life which involve many physical, hormonal, psychic and social insertion changes which can have a direct effect on her mental health (Camacho et al., 2006). The changes caused by the newborn arrival are not limited to psychological and biochemical variables but also involve socioeconomic factors, especially in societies in which women are active in the labor market, contributing to the family income, and pursuing diverse professional and social interests (Maldonado, 1997). The scientific literature indicates that in the gestational-postpartum period is the phase with the highest prevalence of mental disorders of women s life, particularly in the first and third quarters of gestation and during the first 30 days of postpartum (Botega & Dias, 2006). The intensity of these mental health alterations depend and are regulated by interaction of multiple factors, including organic, family, marital, social, cultural aspects and the pregnant woman’s personality (Falcone et al., 2005). Approximately one fifth of pregnant women and women in puerperium present symptoms of depression (Limlomwongse & Liabsuetrakul, 2006). Most of these women are not diagnosed neither adequately treated (Andersson et al, 2003). Depression is the most prevalent mental disorder during pregnancy and the puerperium period (Bennett et al., 2004) and is associated with risk factors such as a psychiatric history, financial hardships, low education level, teenage pregnancy, lack of social support, stressful events and a history of domestic violence. There is evidence that pre-natal depression is not only more common, but it constitutes the main risk factor for postpartum depression. Indeed, in many cases it is the continuation of the depression that started during pregnancy (Alami et al., 2006; Andersson et al., 2006; Da Costa et al., 2000; Heron et al., 2004; Josefsson et al., 2001; Lovisi et al., 2005; Patel et al., 2003; Rich-Edwards et al., 2006; Ryan et al., 2005). Current studies suggest that gestational depression needs to be addressed in a more consistent manner. Although there is a consensus that the factors that affect the relationship
Effectiveness of Cognitive-Behavioral Group Therapy on Craving, Depression& anxiety among the Opiate abusers under MMT

Objectives: This study aimed at evaluating the effectiveness of cognitive-behavioral group therapy on craving, symptoms of depression and anxiety among the patients under MMT. Method: In this experimental study, 36 opiate addicts under MMT were selected out of all the patients referring to Iranian National Center of Addiction Studies on a judgmental sampling method and were randomly allocated to two experimental and control groups. In experimental group, a total sum of 8 sessions (one session per week) of cognitive behavioral group therapy were delivered. The main theme of these sessions were efficient management of craving, negative mood and anxiety. Data were gathered with different questionnaires including the questionnaire of demographic data, RPS for craving assessment, BDI-II for depression and BAI for anxiety. Different methods of statistical analysis were implemented. Results: The results indicated that post test and follow-up scores of craving index were decreased significantly (p<0.05). Depression and Anxiety scores showed significant decrease as well.