Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Determination of blood and urine manganese (Mn) concentrations and the application of static sensography as the indices of Mn-exposure among Mn-refinery workers.

Early detection of neurophysiological abnormalities is believed to be most effective for the early diagnosis of chronic manganism. The static sensography was applied during the periodical health examination and the significance of total distance of the postural sway (i. e. postural sway index) as a neurophysiological index was studied in relation to the blood and urine manganese concentrations. Sixty-six workers in a manganese (Mn)-refining factory, aged 29-59 (mean 47) years, were examined from 1984 to 1989. Mn-exposed workers had been engaged in alternating shifts and the mean duration of Mn exposure was 22.6 years before the health examination in 1984. Air-borne dust and Mn levels in the working environment were 0.07-2.74 mg/m3 and 0.02-0.46 mg/m3. The mean values of the parameters in Mn-exposed workers fluctuated as follows: blood Mn concentrations 19.1-26.9 micrograms/l [control; Mean 17.8 (Standard deviation 5.2) micrograms/l], urine Mn concentration 2.60-4.22 micrograms/g Creatinine [control; Geometric mean 1.16 (Geometric standard deviation 1.93) micrograms/g Creat. ] and postural sway index 51.4-94.6 cm/30 sec [control; Geometric mean 59.7 (Geometric standard deviation 1.4) cm/30 sec. ]. Although there were no significant correlations between the postural sway index and blood and urine manganese concentrations, the usefulness of this kind of simple neurophysiological test should be further investigated in combination with other established examinations.
The effect of dual ligand-targeted micelles on the delivery and efficacy of poorly soluble drug for cancer therapy

Abstract We prepared and evaluated transferrin (Tf) and monoclonal antibody (mAb) 2C5-modified dual ligand-targeted poly(ethylene glycol)–phosphatidylethanolamine micelles loaded with a poorly soluble drug, R547 (a selective adenosine triphosphate-competitive cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor) for enhancement of targeting efficiency and cytotoxicity in vitro and in vivo to A2780 ovarian carcinoma compared to single ligand-targeted micelles. Micellar solubilization significantly improved the solubility of R547 from 1 to 800 μg/mL. The size of modified and non-modified micelles was 13–16 nm. Flow cytometry indicated significantly enhanced cellular association of dual ligand-targeted micelles compared to single ligand-targeted micelles. Confocal microscopy confirmed the Tf receptor-mediated endocytosis of rhodamine-labeled Tf-modified micelles after staining the micelle-treated cells with the endosomal marker Tf–Alexa488. The optimized dual-targeted micelles enhanced cytotoxicity in vitro against A2780 ovarian cancer cells compared to plain and single ligand-targeted micelles. Interestingly, in vivo anti-tumor efficacy was more pronounced for the preparation with a single-targeting ligand (Tf). The specific combination Tf and mAb 2C5 did not yield the expected increase in efficacy as was observed in vitro. This observation suggests that the relationships between targeting ligands in vivo could be more complex than in simplified in vitro systems, and the results of the optimization process should always be verified in vivo.
Role of Nrf2, HO-1 and GSH in Neuroblastoma Cell Resistance to Bortezomib

The activation of Nrf2 has been demonstrated to play a crucial role in cancer cell resistance to different anticancer therapies. The inhibition of proteasome activity has been proposed as a chemosensitizing therapy but the activation of Nrf2 could reduce its efficacy. Using the highly chemoresistant neuroblastoma cells HTLA-230, here we show that the strong reduction in proteasome activity, obtained by using low concentration of bortezomib (BTZ, 2.5 nM), fails in reducing cell viability. BTZ treatment favours the binding of Nrf2 to the ARE sequences in the promoter regions of target genes such as heme oxygenase 1 (HO-1), the modulatory subunit of γ-glutamylcysteine ligase (GCLM) and the transporter for cysteine (x-CT), enabling their transcription. GSH level is also increased after BTZ treatment. The up-regulation of Nrf2 target genes is responsible for cell resistance since HO-1 silencing and GSH depletion synergistically decrease BTZ-treated cell viability. Moreover, cell exposure to all-trans-Retinoic acid (ATRA, 3 μM) reduces the binding of Nrf2 to the ARE sequences, decreases HO-1 induction and lowers GSH level increasing the efficacy of bortezomib. These data suggest the role of Nrf2, HO-1 and GSH as molecular targets to improve the efficacy of low doses of bortezomib in the treatment of malignant neuroblastoma.
A simplified PKU gene carrier detection test using fasting blood

By fluorometric analysis of fasting phenylalanine and tyrosine plasma levels, we could discriminate classic gene PKU carriers from non‐carriers with 99% confidence in 67 of 74 adults. Results on the remaining seven subjects were non‐discriminating. However, we could not determine their carrier status by other accepted testing parameters either (such as phenylalanine dosing). In contrast to the latter, our method: (1) allows for 90% of the population a relatively accurate but more benign test for carriers of the classical PKU gene (requiring only fluorometry on a single fasting blood specimen); (2) identifies the remaining 10% of the population who require the more cumbersome‐noxious testing by phenylalanine dosing.
Community pharmacists’ perceptions towards generic medicines and their opinions on future generic substitution policy implementation: A descriptive study from Jordan

The aim of this study was to explore Jordanian pharmacists’ perceptions towards generic medicines as well as to evaluate their opinions on generic substitution in order to introduce a future generic substitution policy in Jordan. A cross-sectional descriptive study involving community pharmacists in Amman-Jordan was undertaken, using a self-completed anonymous questionnaire. The sampling unit was community pharmacy, and the sampling frame was list of community pharmacies in Amman (N = 1252). Five hundred pharmacies were randomly selected to participate in this survey, and 294 pharmacists’ responses were collected giving a response rate of 58.8%. The majority of Jordanian pharmacists had a positive view on generic medicines in general with 87.7% of the respondents believing that a generic medicine is bio-equivalents to the originator. Two hundred and sixty-five pharmacists (90.1%) were in favour of implementing a compulsory generic prescribing policy. More than 80% of the pharmacists supported generic substitution in most cases. Generic substitution policy should be implemented; in addition, a formulary of interchangeable medicines must be developed to guide pharmacists’ decision making when performing generic substitution. Jordanian pharmacists were also in favour of introducing a compulsory generic prescribing legislation; however, such policy may have a negative impact on the local industry, as most of the produced medicines are branded generics.
IMMUNOTOXICITY OF SODIUM BROMATE IN FEMALE B6C3F1 MICE: A 28-DAY DRINKING WATER STUDY

Bromate is one of the water disinfection by-products (DBPs) produced during the process of ozonation. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the immunotoxic potential of sodium bromate (SB) in female B6C3F1 mice. SB was administered in the drinking water for 28 days at doses of 80–800 mg/l. There was no difference in drinking water consumption between the animals exposed to SB and the tap water controls. Exposure to SB did not produce any signs of overt toxicity. Furthermore, no significant differences were observed in body weight, body weight gain, or the weights of thymus, liver, kidneys or lungs. No gross pathological lesions were observed in SB-treated animals. However, animals exposed to SB had a significant increase in absolute (28%) and relative (26%) spleen weights. The erythrocyte count, hemoglobin, hematocrit, mean corpuscular volume (MCV), platelet count, total leukocyte count, and counts of differential leukocytes were unaffected by SB. A dose-related increase in reticulocytes was observed following exposure to SB with the greatest increase (78%) observed at the highest dose level. Overall, there were no changes in the absolute number of total T cells, CD4+CD8− T cells, CD4−CD8+ T cells, natural killer (NK) cells and macrophages. Exposure to SB did not affect the percentage of B cells, although a slight increase in absolute number of B cells at the dose of 600 mg/l was observed. There was no alteration in IgM antibody-forming cell (AFC) response, mixed leukocyte reaction (MLR) and NK cell activity after exposure to SB. When the activity of peritoneal macrophages, unstimulated or stimulated with IFN-γ and LPS, was evaluated using the cytotoxic/cytostatic assay of B16F10 tumor cells, the suppressive effect of macrophages on the proliferation of B16F10 tumor cells was decreased after exposure to SB. In conclusion, SB, when administered in the drinking water at doses from 80 mg/l to 800 mg/l, produced minimal toxicological and immunotoxic effects in female B6C3F1 mice.
Chromosomal damage induced by vanadium oxides in human peripheral lymphocytes

Fly ash, the inorganic residue resulting from the combustion of some fuels, may almost exclusively contain vanadium oxides, compounds which exert potential toxic effects on a wide variety of in vitro and in vivo biological systems. Because information related to the oxidation state responsible for inducing genotoxic effects is controversial, the aim of the present study was to evaluate the effects of three vanadium salts in vitro. Human peripheral lymphocyte cultures were exposed to 1, 2, 4, or 8 μg/mL of vanadium(III) trioxide, vanadium(IV) tetraoxide, or vanadium(V) pentoxide (V2O3, V2O4, or V2O5, respectively). These cultures were then screened for structural chromosomal aberrations, and mitotic index (MI) measurements were made. Cytogenetic evaluations showed that only V2O4 increased the percentage of aberrant cells (without gaps) and chromosome damage (including and excluding gaps), while all compounds led to a decrease in the MI. These results demonstrate that vanadium(III), vanadium(IV), and vanadium(V) are all capable of inducing cytotoxicity, but only oxidation state IV induces clastogenic effects.
Bayesian Persuasion with Multiple Receivers

This paper investigates the role of persuasion mechanisms in collective decision-making. A biased sender adopts a Bayesian persuasion mechanism to provide a committee of uninformed receivers with signals about the unknown state of the world. We compare public persuasion with private persuasion. We find that the sender can always reach the concave closure of the set of possible expected payoffs under public persuasion, regardless of the number of generated signals. The sender is weakly worse off under private persuasion. We also provide conditions under which the receivers' welfare from private persuasion dominates that from public persuasion. Moreover, voting fully aggregates receivers' private information in the state where the sender and receivers' preferences are perfectly aligned, while full information aggregation may fail in other states.
Differences in estimates of cisplatin-induced cell kill in vitro between colorimetric and cell count/colony assays

SummaryThe aim of this study was to evaluate some bioassays that are different in principle: cell counting, colony forming assay, 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl-tetrazolium bromide (MTT), sulforhodamine B (SRB), crystal violet, and alamarBlue, with respect to their ability to measure cisplatin-induced cell death of in vitro-cultivated squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (SCCHN). Cisplatin was applied in concentrations of 1.0, 5.0, 10.0, 50.0, and 100 μM. The cells were incubated for 1 h, and the cell survival was measured 5 d after treatment. We found the colorimetric assays and cell counting to be comparable. The colony forming assay indicated a higher degree of cell kill compared with the other techniques. Measurement of cell survival after treatment with cisplatin can be done by use of any of the above tested assays. However, the majority of SCCHN cell lines available do not form colonies easily, or at all. Therefore, comparing the chemosensitivity between such cell lines is limited to alternative assays. In this respect, any of the tested colorimetric assays can be used. However, they seem to underestimate cell kill. Cell counting is also an alternative. This technique, however, is time consuming and operator dependent, as in the case of manual counting, or relatively expensive when counting is performed electronically, compared with the colorimetric assays.
Agro-holdings in Russia: Temporary phenomenon or a prevailing business form?

Since the 1990s, in Russia, numerous large scale agro-holdings emerged, which link various farms, entities of the upstream and downstream sectors, and even totally unrelated industries. As all these affiliates are legally registered as independent units, there is only scant information about the holdings' overall performance. Based on a unique panel data set from Moscow and Belgorod regions, we investigated the growth trajectories of farms belonging to agro-holdings vis-a-vis independent farms by applying a quantile regression approach. Evidence points to little differences among general performance indicators of both types. Any advantages of affiliated farms appear to be due to extramural factors; i.e. it is all about how to link individual production units, thus benefiting from strong positioning in local and regional markets and making the most of the lobbied ties to the relevant politics. In sum, agro-holdings are assumed to remain as a model for organizing agricultural production.
Compact Four-Port Antenna Suitable for Portable MIMO Devices

In this letter, a compact four-port antenna structure with an area of 40 times 40 mm2 and constructed from inexpensive FR-4 printed circuit board is described. The antennas operate at 2.48 GHz, and in terms of wavelengths have a compact overall area of 0.33 lambdao times 0.33 lambdao and this would usually result in very strong mutual coupling between the four antenna ports. However, in our proposed structure, the mutual coupling between antenna elements is better than -10 dB. Although this is not low mutual coupling by some standards it is suitable for multiple-input-multiple-output (MIMO) communications in portable devices as verified by our experimental MIMO testbed capacity results. Furthermore measurements and characteristics of the antenna structures are provided.
Ultrastructure of the Thyroid Gland of the One‐humped Camel (Camelus dromedarius)

Follicular epithelium of the thyroid gland of the one‐humped camel was examined by light and electron microscopy. It consisted of a single type of epithelial cell which varied from flattened to columnar in shape. Follicular epithelial cells were characterized by the presence of markedly dilated cisternae of rough‐surfaced endoplasmic reticulum, well developed Golgi apparatus, abundant small vesicles (150 nm to 200 nm in diameter) in the apical cytoplasm, and electron‐dense colloid droplets measuring from 250 nm to 1600 nm. Follicular epithelial cells frequently showed apocrine secretion into colloidal lumens. Apocrine protrusions with smooth surface were dome‐like or balloon‐like structures and contained a fine granular matrix. These findings indicate that the morphological features of the follicular epithelial cells of the thyroid gland of the camel are essentially similar to those of mammals except for the presence of apocrine secretion, which is unique to the camel.
Insomnia symptoms as a risk factor for cessation failure following smoking cessation treatment

Abstract Insomnia symptoms are associated with smoking and may interfere with smoking cessation. Specifically, studies have shown that smoking-related sleep problems are associated with long-term smoking relapse, and longer sleep duration is associated with successful smoking cessation. However, it is currently unclear whether pre- or post-quit insomnia symptoms are associated with smoking cessation outcomes. As such, the current study aimed to extend previous findings by using a measure of insomnia symptoms as a predictor of smoking cessation failure by Month 3 following smoking cessation treatment. Additionally, we examined whether post-quit insomnia symptoms predicted cessation outcomes. Results indicated that pre-, but not post-quit insomnia, predicted smoking cessation failure by 3-month post-cessation, after covarying for depressive symptoms, anxiety sensitivity, alcohol use disorder severity, treatment condition, and number of cigarettes per day. These findings add to the literature on insomnia symptoms as a risk factor for difficulties with smoking cessation, and suggest it may be a worthy clinical target for smoking populations who are interested in quitting smoking.
The career success scale in nursing: psychometric evidence to support the Chinese version.

AIM The purpose of this study was to examine the psychometric properties of the 11-item Chinese version of the Career Success Scale. BACKGROUND Nurses play an important role in the healthcare system. Opportunities to achieve success and satisfaction from one's career affect the retention and stability of the nursing workforce. The Career Success Scale was originally developed in English and has been translated into Chinese. Psychometric testing of the Chinese Career Success Scale for measuring career success in nurses has not been performed. DESIGN A cross-sectional survey was conducted. METHOD A convenience sample of 1148 clinical nurses were recruited from 10 level-3 hospitals in Guangdong Province, mainland China, from December 2010-December 2011. RESULTS Results indicated that the Chinese Career Success Scale demonstrated good internal consistency and test-retest reliability. Principal component analysis supported the three-factor structure of the original instrument: Career Satisfaction, Perceived within Organization Competitiveness and Perceived External Organization Competitiveness. There were significant correlations among the three factors, which demonstrated the good construct validity of the Chinese version of this scale. CONCLUSION The Chinese Career Success Scale appears to be a reliable and valid instrument. It has the potential to be used to measure nurses' career success in mainland China. The findings will be useful for nurse leaders and policymakers in the evaluation of nurses' self-perceived career success and to develop strategies to promote nurse retention and career development.
Brand Loyalty and Barriers to Entry

It is generally believed that selling or promotional expenditures (abbreviated as advertising in what follows) are an important source of entry barriers. Bain [1, 281-82], for instance, concludes: "Thus product differentiation advantages of established firms loom larger than any other source of barriers to entry, and especially large as a source of high and very high barriers. This superiority of established firms typically hinges in important or major degree upon the susceptibility of buyers to persuasion through heavy advertising or other salespromotion effort. " It also seems to be generally believed that an important mechanism through which advertising erects these barriers is based upon its ability to create loyalty to the products of existing firms and thus to have dynamic effects on demand. This view has been summarized by Comanor and Wilson [3, 425]:
Late umbilical cord-clamping as an intervention for reducing iron deficiency anaemia in term infants in developing and industrialised countries: a systematic review

Abstract This review evaluates the potential of delayed cord-clamping for improving iron status and reducing anaemia in term infants and for increasing the risk of polycythaemia and hyperbilirubinaemia. We applied a strict search protocol to identify controlled trials of early vs late cord-clamping. Four trials from developing and four from industrialised countries were finally assessed. Two of the four studies from developing countries found a significant difference in infant haemoglobin levels at 2-3 months of age in favour of delayed cord-clamping. This difference was more marked when mothers were anaemic. Three of four studies from industrialised countries showed a significant difference in haematocrit levels in favour of delayed clamping. Although meta-analysis showed an increased risk for hyperbilirubinaemia of 12%, no studies reported the need to apply phototherapy or perform exchange transfusion. We conclude that delayed cord-clamping in term infants, especially those with anaemic mothers, increases haemoglobin concentration in infants at 2-3 months of age and reduces the risk of anaemia, without an associated increased risk of perinatal complications. In developing countries where fetal anaemia is common, the advantages of delayed cord-clamping might be especially beneficial.
Educational Equality for Gypsy, Roma and Traveller Children and Young People in the UK

The UK has a strong tradition of equality in education dating back to the 1944 Education Act. Laws such as the Race Relations (Amendment) Act 2000, the Human Rights Act 1998 and the Equality Act 2010 not only provide citizens with protection against discrimination but also impose duties on public authorities to promote equality and prevent discrimination. Since the Second World War, every child in England and Wales 2 has been entitled to free education between the ages of five and fifteen. 3 In 1972, the school leaving age was raised to 16, and in 2013 and 2015, the “participation age” 4 will rise to 17 and 18 respectively. 5 Parents are not obliged to send their children to school but they have a duty to ensure that children receive an efficient, full time education which is suitable to their age, ability, aptitudes and any special educational needs they might have. 6
Evaluation of Posttonsillectomy Hemorrhage and Risk Factors

BACKGROUND: A 13-year retrospective study was undertaken to determine the incidence of posttonsillectomy hemorrhage, to evaluate potential risk factors, and to assess the efficacy and safety of ambulatory tonsillectomy. METHODS: From January 1985 to December 1997, 4662 patients underwent tonsillectomy at our institution. Ninety patients with posttonsillectomy bleeding were identified. For each patient with posttonsillectomy bleeding, 2 nonbleeding control subjects were selected and matched by age and sex to evaluate potential risk factors. RESULTS: Age was the only factor found to be statistically significant among the bleeding patients and the control group. The highest incidence (3.61%) of posttonsillectomy hemorrhage occurred in patients 21 to 30 years of age. In our experience, secondary hemorrhage was more common than primary hemorrhage, presenting most frequently on postoperative days 5 to 7. CONCLUSIONS: The incidence of posttonsillectomy bleeding in this review was 1.93%, and about half (47%) of the patients with posttonsillectomy hemorrhage returned to the operating room for hemorrhage control. The highest incidence (3.61%) of posttonsillectomy hemorrhage occurred in patients 21 to 30 years of age. Patients with posttonsillectomy hemorrhage, regardless of management, had a 12% incidence of subsequent hemorrhage. We found no difference in the incidence of posttonsillectomy bleeding between outpatient and inpatient procedures.