Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Mechanical ventilatory constraints in aging, lung disease, and obesity: perspectives and brief review.

Mechanical ventilatory constraints in aging, lung disease, and obesity; perspectives and brief review. Med. Sci. Sports Exerc. , Vol. 31, No. 1 (Suppl.), pp. S12-S22, 1999. One of the most difficult tasks of cardiopulmonary exercise testing is to determine the influence of ventilatory limitations on the ventilatory response to exercise. Currently there is no generally accepted method in which to quantify the magnitude of mechanical ventilatory constraints during exercise. Nor is there agreement on how to quantify maximal ventilatory capacity. To address these issues, this article focuses on the evaluation of mechanical ventilatory constraints during exercise and provides an overview of the mechanical ventilatory constraints that are encountered with aging, lung disease, and obesity.
Effects of castration on the mechanical response to motor nerve stimulation of the rat vas deferens [proceedings].

CLANACHAN, A.S. & MUIR, T.C. (1972). A technique for the study of muscle relaxants by stimulating the spinal motor nerve outflow in the pithed rat. Br. J. Pharmac. , 46, 514-516. COLEMAN, A.J., DOWNING, J.W. , LEARY, W.P., MOYES, D.G. & STYLES, M. (1972). The immediate cardiovascular effects of pancuronium, alcuronium and tubocurarine in man. Anaesthesia, 27, 415. DOMENECH, J.S. , GARCIA, R.C. , SASIAIN, J.M. R. , LOYOLA, A.Q. & OROZ, J.S. (1976). Pancuronium bromide: an indirect sympathomimetic agent. Br. J. Anaesth. , 48, 1143-1148. GILLESPIE, J.S. , MacLAREN, A. & POLLOCK, D. (1970). A method of stimulating different segments of the autonomic outflow from the spinal column to various organs in the pithed cat and rat. Br. J. Pharmac. , 40, 257-267. HUGHES, R. & CHAPPLE, DJ. (1976). Effects of nondepolarizing neuromuscular blocking agents on peripheral autonomic mechanisms in cats. Br. J. Anaesth. , 48, 59-67. IVANKOVITCH, A.D., MILETICH, DJ. , ALBRECHT, R.F. & ZAHED, B. (1975). The effect of pancuronium on myocardial contraction and catecholamine metabolism. J. Pharnn. Pharmac. , 27, 837-84 1.
Soil-applied zinc and copper suppress cadmium uptake and improve the performance of cereals and legumes

ABSTRACT The present study aimed to evaluate the effect of soil-applied Zn and Cu on absorption and accumulation of Cd applied through irrigation water in legume (chickpea and mung bean) and cereal (wheat and maize) crops. The results revealed that Cd in irrigation water at higher levels (2 and 5 mg L−1) significantly (p < 0.05) reduced the plant biomass while the soil application of Zn and Cu, singly or combined, favored the biomass production. Plant tissue Cd concentration increased linearly with the increasing application of Cd via irrigation water. While Cd application caused a redistribution of metals in grains, straw, and roots with the highest concentration of Cd, Zn, and Cu occurred in roots followed by straw and grains. Zinc addition to soil alleviated Cd toxicity by decreasing Cd concentration in plant tissues due to a possible antagonistic effect. The addition of Cu to the soil had no consistent effects on Zn and Cd contents across all crops. Inhibitory effects of Cd on the uptake and accumulation of Zn and Cu have also been observed at higher Cd load. Thus, soil-applied Zn and Cu antagonized Cd helping the plant to cope with its toxicity and suppressed the toxic effects of Cd in plant tissues, thus favoring plant growth.
The clinical-morphological profile of bone and joints tuberculosis - our experience in relation to literature data.

AIM The authors made a morphological assessment of musculoskeletal tissue samples from patients admitted in Surgical Departments of the Emergency County Hospital of Craiova, Romania, between 1990 and 2015, proved as presenting tuberculous lesions in the Department of Pathology of the same Hospital. MATERIALS AND METHODS The studied material consisted of bone, joint and sometimes muscle tissue fragments resulted from biopsies or surgical excisions from 54 cases coming out of 841 patients investigated in the above-mentioned period of time, where the established histological diagnosis was tuberculosis (TB). For diagnostic confirmation, Ziehl-Neelsen staining has been used as a rule but, in some cases, immunohistochemistry was also used. RESULTS TB lesions have prevailed in men and around the age of 50 despite the tissue involved (either bones or joints or both structures). Bone tissue, lower limb and right side of the body have been more frequently touched by the TB lesions. Axial bones (spine, ribs and hip bone) and knee joint have been the favorite sites. From morphological point of view, the inflammatory cellular population has been dominated by the epithelioid and giant Langhans cells that surrounded areas less or more extended of classical acidophilic fine granular necrosis. The fibrosis was observed more frequently around bone lesions, usually in an incipient phase. Overall, the granulomatous reaction was of reactive type but one should notice hyporeactive or areactive, disorganized reaction encountered quite often in bone or associated bone and joints lesions. CONCLUSIONS Osteoarticular tuberculosis (OATB) has a complex and dynamic clinical morphological picture, which is still partly known, described and understood especially in the field of morphological changes. Further detailed and integrative analysis of both clinical and morphological aspects is required so the suspicion of diagnosis at the admission becomes as soon as possible certitude.
Cooperative Communication over Underwater Acoustic Channels

As diverse and data-heavy underwater applications emerge, demanding requirements are further imposed on underwater wireless communication systems. Future underwater wireless communication networks might consist of both mobile and stationary nodes which exchange data such as control, telemetry, speech, and video signals among themselves as well as a central node located at a ship or onshore. The submerged nodes, which can, for example, take the form of an autonomous underwater vehicle/robot or diver, can be equipped with various sensors, sonars, video cameras, or other types of data acquisition instruments. Innovative physical layer solutions are therefore required to develop efficient, reliable, and high-speed transmission solutions tailored for challenging and diverse requirements of underwater applications. Building on the promising combination of multi-carrier and cooperative communication techniques, this dissertation investigates the fundamental performance bounds of cooperative underwater acoustic (UWA) communication systems taking into account the inherent unique characteristics of the UWA channel. We derive outage probability and capacity expressions for cooperative multi-carrier UWA systems with amplify-and-forward and decode-and-forward relaying. Through the derived expressions, we demonstrate the effect of several system and channel parameters on the performance. Furthermore, we investigate the performance of cooperative UWA systems in the presence of non-uniform Doppler distortion and propose receiver designs to mitigate the degrading Doppler effects.
Additive-free albumin nanoparticles of alendronate for attenuating inflammation through monocyte inhibition.

AIMS Particulated dosage forms of bisphosphonates, such as polymeric nanoparticles and liposomes, deplete circulating monocytes and attenuate inflammation. The aim of this work was to develop a novel formulation of albumin nanoparticles with no crosslinkers that encapsulate the bisphosphonate, alendronate and, further, to examine its bioactivity in vitro and in vivo. RESULTS The novel formulation was prepared by desolvation of human serum albumin in acidic pH induced by alendronate, which enables an electrostatic interaction between albumin and the acidic drug. The mean particle size of the negatively charged nanoparticle was 250-300 nm and drug-entrapment efficiency was 49%. The formulation can be filter sterilized and lyophilized for increased stability. Alendronate nanoparticles exhibited significant inhibitory effects on RAW264 macrophage growth and a significant attenuation of stenosis in rats. CONCLUSION It is concluded that bioactive nanoparticles of human albumin can be formulated without crosslinkers and potentially toxic additives.
The optimal cut-off point of C-reactive protein as an optional component of metabolic syndrome in Japan.

BACKGROUND C-reactive protein (CRP) independently predicts cardiovascular disease (CVD) and is considered to be part of metabolic syndrome (MS). The concentration of CRP are proposed to be <1.0 mg/L as low risk, 1.0 to 3.0 mg/L as intermediate risk, and >3.0 mg/L as high risk for CVD in Western society. METHODS AND RESULTS Apparently healthy 179 men and 166 women were categorized with modified National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel III criteria (body mass index > or = 25 in place of abdominal obesity) for defining MS. The cut-off points of CRP were evaluated for both MS defined by impaired fasting glucose criteria of > or = 110 mg/dl (MS110) and > or = 100 mg/dl (MS100), separately by sex. The optimal cut-off point of CRP was 0.65 mg/L in all subgroups. The sensitivity and specificity of this CRP value for male MS100, female MS100, male MS110, and female MS110 were 0.650 and 0.626, 1.000 and 0.771, 0.739 and 0.609, and 1.000 and 0.756, respectively. CONCLUSIONS The optimal cut-off point of CRP for MS might be 0.65 mg/L in Japan and this value can be useful in routine clinical practice and studies on MS.
The Stabilization of Postoperative Exo-drift in Intermittent Exotropia after Surgical Treatment

Purpose To investigate the long-term clinical course of intermittent exotropia after surgical treatment to determine whether and when postoperative exo-drift stabilizes, and the required postsurgery follow-up duration in cases of intermittent exotropia. Methods We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of patients diagnosed with intermittent exotropia who underwent surgical treatment between January 1992 and January 2006 at Yeungnam University Hospital and postoperatively performed regular follow-up examinations for up to 7 years. We also analyzed the difference in exo-drift stabilization, according to surgical procedure. Results A total of 101 patients were enrolled in the study. Thirty-one patients underwent lateral rectus recession and medial rectus resection (R&R) and 70 patients underwent bilateral lateral rectus recession (BLR). The postoperative angles of deviation increased significantly during the initial 36 months, but no subsequent significant changes were observed for up to 84 months. Follow-ups for 7 years revealed that more than 50% of the total amount of exo-drift was observed within the first postoperative year. In addition, the angles of deviation at 1 year correlated with those at 7 years postoperatively (Pearson correlation coefficient r = 0.517, p < 0.001). No significant exo-drift was observed after 36 months in patients who underwent BLR, whereas after 18 months in patients who underwent R&R. Conclusions The minimum postoperative follow-up required after surgical treatment to ensure stable results is 36 months. In particular, careful follow-up is necessary during the first postoperative year to detect rapid exo-drift. Patients who underwent BLR required a longer follow-up than those who underwent R&R to ensure stable postoperative alignment.
Effect of copper on hatching and development of larvae of the estuarine crab Chasmagnathus granulata (Decapoda, Brachyura)

Ovigerous females of the estuarine crab Chasmagnathus granulata were exposed to 0.05, 0.1, 0.5, and 3 mg/L of copper during the egg incubation period. Regarding egg loss, a higher effect was observed at higher copper concentrations: 80% of the females lost their eggs at 0.5 mg/L, whereas no hatching was seen in those exposed to 3 mg/L. A significant decrease was found in the number of hatched larvae in females exposed to 0.5 mg/L, as was a significant decrease in the duration of the incubation period. In addition, several morphological abnormalities were seen and observed. Hydropsy and atrophy of the dorsal spine, pleon, and maxillipeds occurred at the higher copper concentrations, as found in previous studies with other pollutants. Hyperpigmentation of the cephalothorax and pleon was the only abnormality observed at every concentration assayed. Hypopigmented eyes were also evident. This pathology showed that among all defects observed at 0.5 mg/L, hypopigmented eyes had the highest incidence and might be a specific response to copper.
Constitutively synthesized nitric oxide is a physiological negative regulator of mammalian angiogenesis mediated by basic fibroblast growth factor

We recently reported that the systemically administered nitric oxide synthase (NOS) inhibitor Nw‐nitro‐l‐arginine methyl ester, L‐NAME, administered before, during and after the angiogenic treatment stimulated angiogenesis induced by basic fibroblast growth factor, bFGF, in the rat. This suggests that suppression of constitutively expressed NOS, cNOS, plus inducible NOS, iNOS, and thus reduced production of nitric oxide, NO, was the stimulating factor. In those studies, the rat mesenteric‐window angiogenesis assay was used. Moreover, the systemic administration of a NO releaser inhibited bFGF‐mediated angiogenesis. Using the same experimental system, we have now studied whether the inhibition of cNOS alone in adult animals under physiological conditions, i.e. prior to the administration of the angiogenic stimulation with bFGF, affected the subsequent angiogenic response. cNOS constitute endothelial cell NOS (ecNOS) and neuronal NOS (nNOS). L‐NAME or its inactive enantiomer Nw‐nitro‐d‐arginine methyl ester, D‐NAME, were given continuously in the drinking water (1.0 g/L) during 14 days prior to the start of the treatment with bFGF. The treatment with L‐NAME significantly enhanced the subsequent angiogenic response. NO synthesized under physiological conditions by ecNOS in endothelial cells and platelets or nNOS in platelets may thus act as a first constitutional angiostatic factor in bFGF‐mediated mammalian angiogenesis.
Systemic vascular resistance during high-volume plasmapheresis in patients with fulminant hepatic failure: relationship with oxygen consumption.

BACKGROUND In patients with fulminant hepatic failure, systemic vascular resistance and blood pressure are often reduced. OBJECTIVE To determine whether systemic vascular resistance increases during high-volume plasmapheresis, which is assumed to eliminate endogenous vasodilatory substances from the bloodstream. DESIGN A prospective study. PATIENTS AND METHODS Ten patients [median age 48 (range 21-53) years] were admitted for liver transplantation. Systemic haemodynamic variables were determined using a catheter in a radial artery and a thermodilution catheter placed in a pulmonary artery. Ten (range 8-15) litres of fresh frozen plasma were exchanged, while body temperature [37.6 (range 36.6-38.4) degrees C], blood partial pressure of carbon dioxide [3.75 (range 3.30-4.50) kPa] and peak inspiratory ventilatory pressure [24 (range 20-26) mmHg] were kept constant. RESULTS Mean arterial pressure increased from 74 (range 61-110) to 96 (range 68-103) mmHg and cardiac index decreased from 5.2 (range 3.6-7.5) to 4.2 (range 3.4-6.6) l/min/m2. The systemic vascular resistance index increased from 662 (range 430-1270) to 1060 (range 621-1520) dyn s/cm5/m2. In contrast, the pulmonary vascular resistance index [42 (range 20-110) dyn s/cm5/m2) remained constant. As cardiac index decreased, oxygen delivery decreased from 939 (range 680-1496) to 745 (range 601-1189) ml/min/m2 with no effect on oxygen consumption [171 (87-231) ml/min/m2], as the arteriovenous oxygen extraction ratio increased from 17 (range 9-22) to 25 (range 8-31)% (P < 0.02). CONCLUSION In patients with fulminant hepatic failure, cardiac output, systemic vascular resistance and arterial blood pressure improved during high-volume plasmapheresis.
Epidemiology and Effect on Production Parameters of an Outbreak of Inclusion Body Hepatitis in Broilers

Abstract In 2007, an inclusion body hepatitis (IBH) outbreak affected several broiler farms in Mississippi. Results of logistic regression analyses showed significant associations between IBH occurrence and high enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay geometric mean titers for infectious bursal disease virus. However, there was no association between IBH occurrence and chicken infectious anemia virus status. Results of linear regression model analyses showed significant associations between IBH occurrence with average weight and with cost deviation. Broiler meat production cost was $0.0058/kg more expensive to produce when IBH occurred. Although feed conversion was higher with IBH occurrence, the association was not significant. IBH onset in the first farms affected occurred between 19 and 30 days of age, whereas in the last farms affected, IBH onset occurred as early as 10 days.
Methodological Issues in Cross‐Sectional and Panel Estimates of the Human Resource‐Firm Performance Link

Because companies differ in factors such as management ability that may lead to both high performance work systems and enhanced firm performance, conventional estimates of the effects of human resource (HR) management practices on firm performance may be biased upward. Alternatively, if HR management practices are measured with error, estimates of their effects on firm performance may be biased downward. We find that although longitudinal estimates that avoid the first source of bias are substantially smaller than cross-sectional estimates, the former are strongly influenced by errors in measuring HR management practices. Based on independent estimates of the measurement error, we calculate a range of estimates that correct for both biases. We estimate that a one standard deviation increase in our measure of high performance work systems raises the market value of the corporation by approximately $15,000 per employee.
Increased Superoxide Anion Production by Platelets in Hypercholesterolemic Patients

Summary Objectives The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between hypercholesterolemia and superoxide anion production. Background Experimental studies demonstrated that hypercholesterolemia is associated with enhanced cellular superoxide anion (O2 −) production. Aim of the study was to assess whether the same phenomenon occurs in humans. Methods Lipid profile and platelet O2 − production were measured in 28 patients with hypercholesterolemia, compared with 25 age- and sexmatched healthy subjects, and in 21 out of the 28 patients after 8-week treatment with 10 mg/day atorvastatin (a HMGCoA reductase inhibitor). In order to assess the mechanism by which LDL cholesterol interferes with platelet production of O2 −, human platelets were incubated with LDL cholesterol in the presence of either an inhibitor of the phospholipaseA2 enzyme, AACOCF3, or an inhibitor of NADH/NADPH oxidases, DPI. Results O2 − platelet generation was significantly higher (p <0.001) and significantly related to LDL cholesterol (p < 0.001 ) in patients as compared to controls. 8-week treatment with 10 mg/day atorvastatin significantly reduced both LDL cholesterol and O2 − platelet production. This effect was partially related to the cholesterol-lowering, in that three days of treatment with atorvastatin significantly decreased platelet O2 − production, while no significant change in LDL-cholesterol levels was observed. Platelets incubated with LDL cholesterol showed O2 − release by atorvastatin is partially related to cholesterol lowering effect, suggesting that other mechanisms could be responsible for the antioxidant activity of the drug. Condensed Abstract Platelets O2 − production is enhanced in patients with hypercholesterolemia and significantly correlated with LDL cholesterol. Treatment of hypercholesterolemic patients with atorvastatin inhibited platelet O2 − production through a mechanism which is partially dependent on its cholesterol lowering effect, indicating a non-lipid lowering antioxidant effect. In vitro incubation of platelets with LDL cholesterol enhanced O2 − production which was inhibited by inhibitors of phospholipase A2 and NADH/NADPH enzymes, suggesting that these pathways contribute to LDL-induced platelet O2– production.
Performance of reflectarray cells printed on liquid crystal film

In this paper we demonstrate that the anisotropic property of liquid crystal can be exploited to control the phase of signals that are reflected from a reflectarray cell. Numerical and measured results at X-band are used to compare the plane wave scattering from two reflectarray cells which are constructed on liquid crystal film of thickness 200 mum and 500 mum. The phase agility, bandwidth and reflection loss are shown to be dependent on both the thickness and the voltage controlled permittivity of the tunable substrate. A tunable phase range greater than 250deg is achieved over a 6.1% bandwidth.
Macro networks, collectives, and business processes: An integrated approach to organized crime

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An Emerging Trend in Tablet Technology:- Floating Tablets of Ranitidine HCl

The rationale of this research was to prepare a gastroretentive drug delivery system of Ranitidine HCL. Floating Drug delivery system used to target drug release in the stomach or to the upper part of the intestine. The oral delivery of Ranitidine is tested by preparing a non-disintegrating floating dosage form, which increase its absorption in the stomach by increasing the drug’s gastric residence time. The polymer PVC and Sodium bicarbonate was used as the gas–generating agents. Sodium bicarbonate causes the tablets to floats for more then 24hr. The prepared tablets were evaluated on their physicochemical properties and drug release characters. In-vitro release studies indicate that the Ranitidine release form the floating dosage form was uniform followed zero order release. A combination of sodium bicarbonate (70mg) and citric acid (15mg) was found to achieve Optimum in vitro buoyancy. The tablets with methocel K100 were found to float for longer duration of time as compared to formulations containing methocel K15M. The drug release from the tablets was sufficiently sustained. Keywords: Ranitidine; Floating tablets; Methocel
Nuclear factor of activated T cells—A transcription factor family as critical regulator in lung and colon cancer

Nuclear factor of activated T cells (NFAT) was first identified as a transcription factor which is activated upon T cell stimulation. Subsequent studies uncovered that a whole family of individual NFAT proteins exists with pleiotropic functions not only in immune but also in nonimmune cells. However, dysregulation of NFAT thereby favors malignant growth and cancer. Summarizing the recent advances in understanding how individual NFAT factors regulate the immune system, this review gives new insights into the critical role of NFAT in cancer development with special focus on inflammation‐associated colorectal cancer.