Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Effects of sustained moderate exercise on cholesterol, growth hormone and cortisol blood levels in three age groups of women.

OBJECTIVE The objective of this study was to determine the effects of sustained moderate exercise on cholesterol, cortisol, and growth hormone blood levels in women of three age groups. DESIGN A four-week exercise program followed by one week of no exercise. The exercise program consisted of 20 minutes of moderate exercise three times a week for four weeks. Venipuncture was performed weekly. SETTING The exercise and venipunctures took place in a large room with phone access and ample space to move. PARTICIPANTS A convenience sample of five pre-menopausal (20 to 30 years), 11 peri-menopausal (40 to 50 years), and 9 post-menopausal (60 to 85 years) healthy women participated in the study. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Paired samples t-tests were used to compare changes in cholesterol, growth hormone, and cortisol of individuals from week zero (pre-exercise) to week four (last exercise) to week five (one week post exercise). RESULTS There were no significant differences between pre-exercise and post-exercise growth hormone levels for post-menopausal women, however, there appeared to be a trend in growth hormone increase over time. There were no significant differences between pre-exercise and post-exercise cholesterol levels for any of the three age groups of women but trends for decreased cholesterol levels were observed in the peri-menopausal and post-menopausal women. Cortisol levels did not appreciably change in response to regular exercise. CONCLUSION Although this study did not generate definitive data there were trends toward the proposed hypotheses. Future studies may include increasing the number of participants, implementing a longer test period to validate exercise-induced increases in growth hormone and decreases in cholesterol levels, and employing insulin-like growth factor (IGF-1) as an indicator of growth hormone levels.
Normative Data for the Montreal Cognitive Assessment in Middle-Aged and Elderly Quebec-French People.

OBJECTIVE Given that aging is associated with higher risk of cognitive decline and dementia, improving early detection of cognitive impairment has become a research and clinical priority. The Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) is a screening instrument used to assess different aspects of cognition. Despite its widespread use, norms adjusted to the sociodemographics of Quebec-French people are not yet available. Such norms are however important because performance on neuropsychological tests varies according to sociodemographic variables including age, sex, and education. As such, the present study aimed to establish normative data for the MoCA in middle-aged and elderly Quebec-French population. METHOD For that purpose, 1,019 community-dwelling older adults aged between 41 and 98 were recruited. Participants from 12 recruiting sites completed the MoCA. Regression-based normative data were produced and cross-validated with a validation sample (n = 200). RESULTS Regression analyses indicated that older age, lower education level, and male sex were associated with poorer MoCA scores. The best predictive model included age (p < .001), education (p < .001), sex (p < .001), and a quadratic term for education (education X education; p < .001). This model explained a significant amount of variance of the MoCA score (p < .001, R2 = 0.26). A regression equation to calculate Z scores is presented. CONCLUSIONS This study provides normative data for the MoCA test in the middle-aged and elderly French-Quebec people. These data will facilitate more accurate detection and follow-up of the risk of cognitive impairment in this population, taking into account culture, age, education, and sex.
The effect of baseband impedance termination on the linearity of GaN HEMTs

This paper demonstrates the significant effect of baseband impedance termination on the linearity performance of a 10W GaN HEMT device driven to deliver a peak envelope power of approximately 40dBm. The paper also proposes a further refinement to a state-of-art active IF load-pull measurement system to allow the precise independent control of all significant baseband components generated as a result of the multi-tone excitation used. The presentation of specific baseband impedances has delivered a 20dBc and 17dBc improvement in IM3 and IM5 inter-modulation products respectively, relative to the case of a classical, ideal short circuit. As expected for this device, this was achieved by emulating appropriate negative impedances lying outside of the Smith chart, and when this observation is considered alongside the Envelope Tracking PA architecture, this raises the interesting possibility of significantly improving PA linearity using the very mechanisms that are employed to improve PA efficiency.
Automatic diet monitoring: a review of computer vision and wearable sensor-based methods

Abstract Food intake and eating habits have a significant impact on people’s health. Widespread diseases, such as diabetes and obesity, are directly related to eating habits. Therefore, monitoring diet can be a substantial base for developing methods and services to promote healthy lifestyle and improve personal and national health economy. Studies have demonstrated that manual reporting of food intake is inaccurate and often impractical. Thus, several methods have been proposed to automate the process. This article reviews the most relevant and recent researches on automatic diet monitoring, discussing their strengths and weaknesses. In particular, the article reviews two approaches to this problem, accounting for most of the work in the area. The first approach is based on image analysis and aims at extracting information about food content automatically from food images. The second one relies on wearable sensors and has the detection of eating behaviours as its main goal.
Frequent detection of rising cytomegalovirus antigenemia after allogeneic stem cell transplantation following a regimen containing antithymocyte globulin.

Cytomegalovirus (CMV) antigenemia assay enables a rapid, quantitative, and noninvasive monitoring of CMV infection, which is widely used as a sign for starting preemptive therapy with ganciclovir after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. Nichols et al[1][1] recently reported that
AmBisome (Liposomal Amphotericin B): A Comparative Review

AmBisome (NeXstar Pharmaceuticals, San Dimas, CA) is a unilamellar liposomal formulation of amphotericin B that was recently approved for use as empirical treatment for presumed fungal infections in febrile neutropenic patients and for aspergillosis, candidiasis, and cryptococcosis infections refractory to amphotericin B. It is a small closed microscopic sphere (<100 nm in diameter) with an inner aqueous core (i.e., a true liposome). AmBisome remains as an intact sphere in vitro and for prolonged periods of time in vivo during the processes of systemic transport and pharmacologic action. As a consequence of its size and in vivo stability, AmBisome has physiochemical properties and a pharmacokinetic profile that are considerably different from those of currently available lipid‐complexed amphotericin B formulations, with greatly increased area under the plasma concentration—time curve and much lower clearance at equivalent doses. AmBisome liposomes can be seen to accumulate at sites of fungal infection. Disruption of AmBisome liposomes occurs after attachment to the fungal cell wall and results in amphotericin B binding to fungal cell membrane ergosterol with subsequent cell lysis. AmBisome has been shown to penetrate the cell wall of both extracellular and intracellular forms of susceptible fungi.
Cardiovascular-Kidney Interactions in Health and Disease Peroxynitrite reduces the endothelium-derived hyperpolarizing factor component of coronary flow-mediated dilation in PECAM-1-knockout mice

Liu, Yanping, Aaron H. Bubolz, Yang Shi, Peter J. Newman, Debra K. Newman, and David D. Gutterman. Peroxynitrite reduces the endothelium-derived hyperpolarizing factor component of coronary flow-mediated dilation in PECAM-1 knockout mice. Am J Physiol Regul Integr Comp Physiol 290: R57–R65, 2006. First published September 15, 2005; doi:10.1152/ajpregu.00424. 2005. —Platelet endothelial cell adhesion molecule 1 (PECAM-1) is capable of transducing signals in endothelial cells exposed to shear; however, the biological consequences of this signal transduction are unknown. Because shear stress elicits flow-mediated dilation (FMD), we examined whether steady-state FMD in mouse coronary arteries (MCAs) is affected in the PECAM-1 knockout (KO) mouse. MCAs were isolated from wild-type (WT) or KO mice and prepared for videomicroscopy, histofluorescence, Western blotting, and immunohistochemistry. FMD was examined in the absence and presence of N -nitro-Larginine methyl ester (L-NAME) and L-NAME indomethacin (INDO). FMD was reduced in KO relative to WT MCAs, but the L-NAME-inhibitable portion of FMD was similar between the two. The INDO-sensitive component of FMD was diminished in KO MCAs. In contrast, the residual component of dilation, presumably because of endothelium-derived hyperpolarizing factor (EDHF), was abolished in KO MCAs. Histofluorescence showed relatively more superoxide (O2 ; oxy-ethidium fluorescence) and peroxide production (dihydrochlorofluorescene fluoresecence) in KO MCAs at rest. Flow augmented O2 and peroxide production in WT MCAs but had little effect on KO MCAs. Enhanced nitric oxide generation was observed in arteries from KO mice, accompanied with increased eNOS S1177 phosphorylation. In vessels from KO mice, treatment with ebselen decreased peroxynitrite (ONOO ) formation and improved the reduced FMD, largely due to restoration of the presumed EDHF component. These results suggest that PECAM-1 is necessary for normal FMD in the mouse coronary circulation. In the absence of this adhesion and signaling molecule, ONOO production is increased concomitant with a reduction in both the EDHF and INDO-sensitive components of FMD.
GASTROINTESTINAL , HEPATOBILIARY , AND PANCREATIC PATHOLOGY Role of Bile Acids in Liver Injury and Regeneration following Acetaminophen Overdose

opyright a 2013 American Society for Inve ublished by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved ttp://dx.doi. org/10.1016/j.ajpath. 2013.07. 012 Bile acids play a critical role in liver injury and regeneration, but their role in acetaminophen (APAP)e induced liver injury is not known. We tested the effect of bile acid modulation on APAP hepatotoxicity using C57BL/6 mice, which were fed a normal diet, a 2% cholestyramine (CSA)econtaining diet for bile acid depletion, or a 0.2% cholic acid (CA)econtaining diet for 1 week before treatment with 400 mg/kg APAP. CSA-mediated bile acid depletion resulted in significantly higher liver injury and delayed regeneration after APAP treatment. In contrast, 0.2% CA supplementation in the diet resulted in a moderate delay in progression of liver injury and significantly higher liver regeneration after APAP treatment. Either CSA-mediated bile acid depletion or CA supplementation did not affect hepatic CYP2E1 levels or glutathione depletion after APAP treatment. CSA-fed mice exhibited significantly higher activation of c-Jun N-terminal protein kinases and a significant decrease in intestinal fibroblast growth factor 15 mRNA after APAP treatment. In contrast, mice fed a 0.2% CA diet had significantly lower c-Jun N-terminal protein kinase activation and 12-fold higher fibroblast growth factor 15 mRNA in the intestines. Liver regeneration after APAP treatment was significantly faster in CA dietefed mice after APAP administration secondary to rapid cyclin D1 induction. Taken together, these data indicate that bile acids play a critical role in both initiation and recovery of APAP-induced liver injury. (Am J Pathol 2013, 183: 1518e1526; http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ajpath.2013.07.012)
Effects of α-linolenic acid-enriched diets on gene expression of key inflammatory mediators in immune and milk cells obtained from Holstein dairy cows

Immune system and inflammatory responses are affected by α-linolenic acid (αLA: 18:3 ω-3). The objective of this study was to determine the effects of αLA-enriched rations on gene expression of systemic (blood) and local (mammary gland) inflammatory markers in Holstein dairy cattle. Further, the effect of dietary treatments was evaluated on the concentration of αLA in serum phospholipids. Camelina (Camelina sativa) meal (containing 24·2% αLA) was fed at 0, 3, 6, and 9% (dry matter basis) replacing canola meal (rich in 18:1 ω-9) to provide rations with incremental concentrations of αLA. Lactating primiparous Holstein cows (n = 18) were randomly assigned to a treatment sequence in a 4 × 4 Latin square design. Each period lasted 16 d and milk and blood samples were collected during the final 2 d of each period. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) and milk cells (MC) were harvested, and RNA extracted and converted to complementary DNA for quantitative real time PCR analysis. The effect of dietary treatments (αLA) on the relative abundance of pro- and anti-inflammatory genes in the PBMC and MC was tested by the MIXED procedure of SAS. Expression of pro-inflammatory tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-α in MC was linearly reduced (up to 40%) as dietary αLA increased. Expression of pro-inflammatory markers interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-8, and TNF-α was reduced (29, 20, and 27%, respectively) in PBMC isolated from cows fed 6% camelina meal ration as compared with cows fed 0% (control). Expression of IL-6 was, however, increased with inclusion of camelina meal. Greater dietary αLA linearly increased serum phospholipids αLA contents, and when fed up to 6% DM down-regulated expression of some of the local (milk) and systemic (blood) pro-inflammatory markers in vivo.
Physiological, Perceptual, and Technical Responses to On-Court Tennis Training on Hard and Clay Courts

Abstract Reid, MM, Duffield, R, Minett, GM, Sibte, N, Murphy, AP, and Baker, J. Physiological, perceptual, and technical responses to on-court tennis training on hard and clay courts. J Strength Cond Res 27(6): 1487–1495, 2013—The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of court surface (clay vs. hard court) on technical, physiological, and perceptual responses to on-court tennis training. Four high-performance junior male players performed 2 identical training sessions on hard and clay courts, respectively. Sessions included both physical conditioning and technical elements as led by the coach. Each session was filmed for later notational analysis of stroke count and error rates. Furthermore, players wore a global positioning satellite device to measure distance covered during each session, while heart rate, countermovement jump distance, and capillary blood measures of metabolites were measured before, during, and after each session. Additionally, a respective coach and athlete rating of perceived exertion (RPE) were measured after each session. Total duration and distance covered during each session were comparable (p > 0.05; d < 0.20). Although forehand and backhands stroke volume did not differ between sessions (p > 0.05; d < 0.30), large effects for increased unforced and forced errors were present on the hard court (p > 0.05; d > 0.90). Furthermore, large effects for increased heart rate, blood lactate, and RPE values were evident on clay compared with hard courts (p > 0.05; d > 0.90). Additionally, although player and coach RPE on hard courts were similar, there were large effects for coaches to underrate the RPE of players on clay courts (p > 0.05; d > 0.90). In conclusion, training on clay courts results in trends for increased heart rate, lactate, and RPE values, suggesting that sessions on clay courts tend towards higher physiological and perceptual loads than hard courts. Furthermore, coaches seem effective at rating player RPE on hard courts but may underrate the perceived exertion of sessions on clay courts.
Interactions between hypercholesterolemia and hypertension: implications for therapy

Purpose of the reviewThe purpose of the present review is to summarize the available information that supports the therapeutic role for the concomitant and aggressive management of hypercholesterolemia and hypertension. Recent findingsA concomitant management of hypertension and high-plasma cholesterol has been suggested to significantly reduce the extent of cardiovascular complications. Hydroxymethylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase inhibitors (statins) have been demonstrated to be very effective in the treatment of patients with hypercholesterolemia where they reduce the rate of coronary and cerebrovascular complications. This benefit is largely extended to the hypertensive population. Very recently some studies have demonstrated the capacity of statins to improve blood pressure control in patients with hypertension and this effect, which has not been demonstrated for the other lipid-lowering drugs, could be very important in the clinical management of overall cardiovascular risk. SummaryThese findings confirm that the prevention of cardiovascular diseases should be based on the aggressive treatment of many different risk factors. This is particularly true for patients with hypertension and hypercholesterolemia for whom the negative interaction between risk factors could be effectively managed by an appropriate choice of both antihypertensive and lipid-lowering drugs.
RISK ANALYSIS IN CORPORATE MERGER DECISIONS IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES The Lipton-Lever Brothers Case in Nigeria

Universally, many business organizations have escaped being submerged in harsh and ever challenging scenarios of their economies when they successfully merged to form stronger commercial and industrial economic units. The primordial and sustained consideration/justification for this strategic option had been financial synergies and allied economies. In so far as these are very necessary, they are far from being sufficient. Other perspectives need to be explored to make the outcome of merger analyses more integrative and iterative. We, in our study, empirically examined the relatively most celebrated corporate merger in Nigeria, the “Lipton-Lever Brothers” amalgamation to underscore the imperativeness of risk minimization in proposed and going merger concerns. Aside the financial bounties, the beauty of that merger further manifested in significantly reduced risk and enhanced corporate health, with δ = 1.02 and Z = 2.89. We therefore recommend that these indices be objectively determined and considered, in addition to synergistic returns, when contemplating or evaluating corporate mergers.
Finite-Time Fuzzy Sampled-Data Control for Nonlinear Flexible Spacecraft With Stochastic Actuator Failures

This paper deals with the problem of finite-time sampled-data control for nonlinear flexible spacecraft described by Takagi–Sugeno (T–S) fuzzy model with stochastic actuator failures. Different from the existing literatures, T–S fuzzy approach is used to model the nonlinear behaviors of flexible spacecraft for its good approximation performance. A novel and general input model related to Markovian variables is developed to depict the stochastic actuator failures, which is capable of covering various faulty modes. With the aid of stochastic analysis and convex optimization techniques, a novel fault-tolerant fuzzy switching controller is designed to carry out the finite-time attitude stabilization for flexible spacecraft with the existence of stochastic failures and sampled-data inputs, and an optimal $H_\infty$ performance level is ensured simultaneously. Finally, a practical example with simulation results are provided to validate the effectiveness of the developed control strategy.
Maggots Do Not Survive in Pyoderma Gangrenosum

Application of maggots is well established in wound therapy. We report upon 2 patients with leg ulcers due to pyoderma gangrenosum who received immunosuppressive therapy and in whom a reduced survival of maggots (Lucilia sericata sp.) led to ineffectiveness of this therapy.
Pharmacist Designed and Nursing-driven Insulin Infusion Protocol to Achieve and Maintain Glycemic Control in Critical Care Patients

ABSTRACT The objective of the quality assessment was to develop and evaluate a modified nurse-driven insulin infusion protocol for intensive care unit patients and compare the hours needed to achieve a targeted glycemic range and duration within a goal range (80-110 mg/dL) to that of our traditional protocol. With our modified nurse-driven protocol, the median time to reach the goal for patients with diabetes was 11.5 hours versus 21.5 hours with the traditional protocol. Patients without diabetes reached the goal in 8 hours with the modified-nurse driven protocol versus 12 hours with the traditional protocol. Percentage of time within the goal improved from 14.6% to 20.7% for patients with diabetes and from 7% to 24.3% for patients without diabetes.
De Novo Formation of a Subnuclear Body

The mammalian cell nucleus contains structurally stable functional compartments. We show here that one of them, the Cajal body (CB), can be formed de novo. Immobilization on chromatin of both CB structural components, such as coilin, and functional components of the CB, such as the SMN complex, spliceosomal small nuclear ribonucleoproteins (RNPs), small nucleolar RNPs, and small Cajal body–specific RNPs, is sufficient for the formation of a morphologically normal and apparently functional CB. Biogenesis of the CB does not follow a hierarchical assembly pathway and exhibits hallmarks of a self-organizing structure.
A Comparison of Winter Short-term and Annual Average Radon Measurements in Basements of a Radon-prone Region and Evaluation of Further Radon Testing Indicators

AbstractThe primary objective of this study was to investigate the temporal variability between basement winter short-term (7 to 10 d) and basement annual radon measurements. Other objectives were to test the short-term measurement’s diagnostic performance at two reference levels and to evaluate its ability to predict annual average basement radon concentrations. Electret ion chamber (short-term) and alpha track (annual) radon measurements were obtained by trained personnel in Iowa residences. Overall, the geometric mean of the short-term radon concentrations (199 Bq m−3) was slightly greater than the geometric mean of the annual radon concentrations (181 Bq m−3). Short-term tests correctly predicted annual radon concentrations to be above the 148 Bq m−3 action level 88% of the time and above a 74 Bq m−3 level 98% of the time. The short-term and annual radon concentrations were strongly correlated (r = 0.87, p < 0.0001). The foundation wall material of the basement was the only significant factor to have an impact on the absolute difference between the short-term and annual measurements. The findings from this study provide evidence of a substantially lower likelihood of obtaining a false negative result from a single short-term test in a region with high indoor radon potential when the reference level is lowered to 74 Bq m−3.
DISCOUNT FACTORS AND THRESHOLDS: FOREIGN INVESTMENT WHEN ENFORCEMENT IS IMPERFECT

We consider a model that provides insight into the well-known Folk theorem in economics that when the discount factor β is sufficiently close to 1, expropriation will never occur. Although this Folk theorem is true in our model, our perspective is different. The discount factor β often is described as a “deep structural parameter” that is difficult to alter at a point in time. In contrast, we analyze the determinants of two thresholds β and β* that segment the unit interval on which β is defined into three subintervals. These subintervals correspond to the three possible equilibria for investment flows: autarky, underinvestment, and unconstrained optimal investment. These thresholds are of interest because they can be altered by specific policy interventions. As a consequence, even if β is small, some level of foreign investment can be supported. We construct measures of β for 40 countries, characterize β and β*, and discuss recent trends in investment flows.