Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The Effects of 23-Gauge Pars Plana Vitrectomy on Orbital Circulation Using Doppler Ultrasonography in Diabetic Macular Edema with Epiretinal Membrane and Taut Posterior Hyaloid

ABSTRACT Purpose: To evaluate using Doppler ultrasonography (DUS) how pars plana vitrectomy (PPV) affects orbital circulation in diffuse diabetic macular edema (DME) associated with either the epiretinal membrane (ERM) or taut posterior hyaloid (TPH). Methods: The sample included 46 eyes of 42 patients with DME associated with the ERM (n = 22, Group 1) or TPH (n = 24, Group 2). All participants received panretinal laser photocoagulation and antivascular endothelial growth factor injections preoperatively and underwent 23-gauge PPV combined with ERM or TPH removal and internal limiting membrane (ILM) peeling. Pre- and postoperative peak systolic velocity (PSV), end-diastolic velocity (EDV), and the resistivity index (RI) of the ophthalmic artery (OA), central retinal artery (CRA), posterior ciliary artery (PCA), and central retinal vein were measured with DUS. Results: Statistically significant decreases in the PSV and EDV of the OA, CRA, and PCA were detected in all groups. In Group 1, the PSV of the OA and CRA as well as the EDV and PSV of the PCA declined significantly. In Group 2, the EDV of the OA and both the PSV and EDV of the CRA and PCA decreased. Postoperatively, the CRA’s PSV and EDV were lower in Group 2, while the preoperative and postoperative RI of the CRA and preoperative RI of the PCA were greater in Group 2 than in Group 1. Changes in the CRA’s RI, PSV, and EDV were greater in Group 2 after surgery. Conclusions: 23-Gauge PPV combined with ERM or TPH removal and ILM peeling in DME reduces blood flow rates of both choroidal and retinal vessels. In eyes with TPH, the RIs of the CRA and PCA were significantly greater preoperatively and the changes in the CRA’s RI, PSV, and EDV were greater postoperatively. The removal of the TPH may play a role in regulating blood flow.
ANALISIS PENGARUH EARNING PER SHARE, DEBT TO EQUITY RATIO DAN RETURN ON EQUITY TERHADAP HARGA SAHAM PT UNILEVER INDONESIA Tbk.

The research aims to know the simultaneous and partial influences of variables such as earning per share, debt to equity ratio and return on equity of PT Unilever Indonesia Tbkrs stock price.The method of research is quantitative method with time series data and utilized analysis method of data is multiple linear regression analysis. The analysis result showed that simultaneously (a = 5%) independent variables, which are earning per share, debt to equity ratio and return on equity had influences of PT Unilever Indonesia Tbkrs stock price at significant level of adjusted R2 equaled 0.584. Partially, there are only two variables significantly influential of stock price PT Unilever Indonesia, Tbk which are earning per share and return on equity. Earning per share was a dominant variable that influenced stock price with level of significant 0.000.
Daily intake of heat-killed Lactobacillus plantarum L-137 enhances type I interferon production in healthy humans and pigs

We have previously reported that oral administration of heat-killed Lactobacillus plantarum L-137 (HK L-137) stimulates innate immunity for production of type I interferon (IFN) which subsequently augments host defense against influenza A virus infection in mice. We here examined the effect of HK L-137 intake on type I IFN in humans. Sixteen subjects were randomly assigned to receive a tablet containing 10 mg of HK L-137 or a matching tablet for 8 weeks and the serum levels of type I IFN were examined before and after the first or second dose of the trivalent inactivated influenza vaccine. There were no differences in the seroresponse rate, the seroprotection rate and the geometric mean Ab titers after either the first or second dose of vaccine between the HK L-137 group and the control group. On the other hand, the levels of IFN-β were significantly higher in the HK L-137 group than in the control group before vaccination although the vaccination conferred little additional induction of IFN-β. We further examined IFN-β gene expression in the whole blood cells of pigs fed on a diet containing HK L-137 and found that the IFN-β mRNA levels were significantly higher in the HK L-137 group than in the control group. The finding that daily intake of HK L-137 enhances type I IFN production and host defense against influenza A virus infection in mice may be applied to at least two additional species.
E-cadherin Differentially Regulates the Assembly of Connexin43 and Connexin32 into Gap Junctions in Human Squamous Carcinoma Cells*

It is as yet unknown how the assembly of connexins (Cx) into gap junctions (GJ) is initiated upon cell-cell contact. We investigated whether the trafficking and assembly of Cx43 and Cx32 into GJs were contingent upon cell-cell adhesion mediated by E-cadherin. We also examined the role of the carboxyl termini of these Cxs in initiating the formation of GJs. Using cadherin and Cx-null cells, and by introducing Cx43 and Cx32, either alone or in combination with E-cadherin, our studies demonstrated that E-cadherin-mediated cell-cell adhesion was neither essential nor sufficient to initiate GJ assembly de novo in A431D human squamous carcinoma cells. However, E-cadherin facilitated the growth and assembly of preformed GJs composed of Cx43, although the growth of cells on Transwell filters was required to initiate the assembly of Cx32. Our results also documented that the carboxyl termini of both Cxs were required in this cell type to initiate the formation of GJs de novo. Our findings also showed that GJ puncta composed of Cx43 co-localized extensively with ZO-1 and actin fibers at cell peripheries and that ZO-1 knockdown attenuated Cx43 assembly. These findings suggest that the assembly of Cx43 and Cx32 into GJs is differentially modulated by E-cadherin-mediated cell-cell adhesion and that direct or indirect cross-talk between carboxyl tails of Cxs and actin cytoskeleton via ZO-1 may regulate GJ assembly and growth.
Students' experiences of undergraduate Business Research and supervision at the National University of Lesotho

Department of Business Administration, National University of Lesotho, P.O. Roma 180, Lesotho *Corresponding Author’s Email: pmonyolo@yahoo.com Tel: +266 62 962 579 The research dissertation and its supervision have been described by researchers as the most advanced levels of learning and teaching respectively. In spite of the intrinsic value of research and its supervision, there are few studies that document the lived experiences of undergraduate students in these areas. Existing studies are dominated by the opinions and experiences of academic staff, and are primarily limited to the issues of research assessment. To our knowledge, there is paucity of research on the lived experiences of undergraduate students in Lesotho. The aim of this paper is to explicate the students’ lived experiences of undergraduate dissertation and its supervision at the National University of Lesotho (NUL). We used interpretive qualitative research to give ‘voice’ to the participants, and identified and interpreted key themes from interviews conducted over a period of two academic years. We specifically used data collected from 17 interviewees in six focus groups, 11 interviewees a year later, documentary analysis and observation over a period of two academic years. The interviews were unstructured, and took between 60 and 120 minutes. We ended the interviews once we realised that no new experiences were related by participants. The analysis of data resulted in nine themes. In general, students expressed positive views about dissertation as an important mode of learning and assessment; acknowledged the important role of research methodology course in undertaking research; found challenges in undertaking some parts of dissertation; and complained about supervisors who were not available, approachable, nurturing, organised, and did not communicate constructive feedback on timely basis using modern communication channels. While qualitative research findings cannot be generalised, we submit that understanding learner experiences can respectively benefit and inform undergraduate learning and supervision at universities.
Concise Review: Functional Definition of Endothelial Progenitor Cells: A Molecular Perspective

Since the discovery of endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) almost 2 decades ago, there has been great hope in their use in treating chronic ischemic disease. Unfortunately, to date, many of the clinical trials using EPCs have been hampered by the lack of clear definition of this cell population. Attributes of a progenitor population are self‐renewal and multipotentiality. Major progress has been achieved moving from a definition of EPCs based on a candidate cell surface molecule to a functional definition based essentially on self‐renewal hierarchy of endothelial colony‐forming cells (ECFCs). More recent work has seized on this functional characterization to associate gene expression signatures with the self‐renewal capacity of ECFCs. In particular, Notch signaling driving the quiescence of progenitors has been shown to be central to progenitor self‐renewal. This new molecular definition has tremendous translational consequences, because progenitors have been shown to display greater vasculogenic potential. Also, this molecular definition of EPC self‐renewal allows assessment of the quality of presumed EPC preparations. This promises to be the initial stage in progressing EPCs further into mainstream clinical use.
Corporate Volunteering: A Bibliometric Analysis from 1990 to 2015

This article describes a quantitative examination of corporate volunteering research in the form of a bibliometric analysis. Using author, journal, geography, epistemological, and industry data from 115 refereed and 445 non-refereed publications published during 1990–2015, we identify corporate volunteering as a rather young research field. Although the field has progressively developed, it is still limited in magnitude, with recent signs of stagnation. The current state is characterized by moderate publication and author activity rates, with a shift toward more peer-reviewed publications conducted in coauthorship, mostly in the disciplines of business, management, and ethics; a focus on financial services as well as the professional service sector; few high-impact studies; and a narrow geographic spread, with North America as the market leader and a rising interest in Western European countries. Findings on the field's prevalent research orientation further indicate a strong employee-centered focus emphasizing the underlying business case. However, in contrast to the overarching concept of corporate social responsibility research, a relatively large share of the corporate volunteering literature also addresses society-related issues, namely, corporates' relationship with non-profits.
Another look at value and momentum: volatility spillovers

This paper examines volatility interdependencies between value and momentum returns. Using U.S. data over the period 1926–2015, we document persistent periods of low and high volatility spillovers between value and momentum strategies. Moreover, we find that the intensity of the volatility spillovers may change substantially in very short periods of time and that these shifts in spillover intensity can be linked to prominent economic events and financial market turmoil. Our results further demonstrate that value returns increase and momentum returns decrease monotonically with increasing volatility spillovers between the two strategies. Given this linkage between spillover intensity and returns, we propose a simple trading strategy which utilizes a volatility spillover index for allocating funds between value and momentum portfolios. The proposed trading strategy outperforms value and momentum strategies and generates payoffs that are not subject to option-like behavior.
Bone marrow cell migration to the heart in a chimeric mouse model of acute chagasic disease

BACKGROUND Chagas disease is a public health problem caused by infection with the protozoan Trypanosoma cruzi. There is currently no effective therapy for Chagas disease. Although there is some evidence for the beneficial effect of bone marrow-derived cells in chagasic disease, the mechanisms underlying their effects in the heart are unknown. Reports have suggested that bone marrow cells are recruited to the chagasic heart; however, studies using chimeric mouse models of chagasic cardiomyopathy are rare. OBJECTIVES The aim of this study was to investigate the migration of bone marrow cells to the heart after T. cruzi infection in a model of chagasic disease in chimeric mice. METHODS To obtain chimerical mice, wild-type (WT) C57BL6 mice were exposed to full body irradiation (7 Gy), causing bone marrow ablation. Then, bone marrow cells from green fluorescent protein (GFP)-transgenic mice were infused into the mice. Graft effectiveness was confirmed by flow cytometry. Experimental mice were divided into four groups: (i) infected chimeric (iChim) mice; (ii) infected WT (iWT) mice, both of which received 3 × 104 trypomastigotes of the Brazil strain; (iii) non-infected chimeric (Chim) mice; and (iv) non-infected WT mice. FINDINGS At one-month post-infection, iChim and iWT mice showed first degree atrioventricular block with decreased heart rate and treadmill exercise parameters compared to those in the non-infected groups. MAIN CONCLUSIONS iChim mice showed an increase in parasitaemia, myocarditis, and the presence of amastigote nests in the heart tissue compared to iWT mice. Flow cytometry analysis did not detect haematopoietic progenitor cells in the hearts of infected mice. Furthermore, GFP+ cardiomyocytes were not detected in the tissues of chimeric mice.
Improving quality and efficiency of facility-based child health care through Integrated Management of Childhood Illness in Tanzania.

OBJECTIVES To assess the effect of Integrated Management of Childhood Illness (IMCI) relative to routine care on the quality and efficiency of providing care for sick children in first-level health facilities in Tanzania, and to disseminate the results for use in health sector decision-making. DESIGN Non-randomized controlled trial to compare child health care quality and economic costs in two intervention (>90% of health care workers trained in IMCI) and two comparison districts in rural Tanzania. PARTICIPANTS For quality measures, all sick children presenting for care at random samples of first-level health facilities; for costs, all national, district, facility and household costs associated with child health care, taking a societal perspective. RESULTS IMCI training is associated with significantly better child health care in facilities at no additional cost to districts. The cost per child visit managed correctly was lower in IMCI than in routine care settings: $4.02 versus $25.70, respectively, in 1999 US dollars and after standardization for variations in population size. CONCLUSION IMCI improved the quality and efficiency of child health care relative to routine child health care in the study districts. Previous study results indicated that the introduction of IMCI in these Tanzanian districts was associated with mortality levels that were 13% lower than in comparison districts. We can therefore conclude that IMCI is also more cost-effective than routine care for improving child health outcomes. The dissemination strategy for these results led to adoption of IMCI for nationwide implementation within 12 months of study completion.
Role of Residency Interview Preparatory Activities as a Determinant on Pharmacy Residency Match Rates

Purpose: Different strategies have been implemented to assist students in securing residency positions. The purpose of this study was to explore the impact of student participation in residency preparation activities on match rates. Methods: A retrospective observational study was conducted to explore the effect of participation in residency preparation activities and grade point average (GPA) on residency match rate. Match rates for students participating in the Residency Interview Preparation Seminar (RIPS) or mock interviews (ie, intervention group) were compared with students who participated in neither activity (ie, control group). Results: A total of 118 individuals were included in the comparison. Forty-eight students participated in RIPS (n = 29) or mock interviews (n = 19), while 70 students were in the control group. The intervention group had a statistically larger proportion of students securing residency than the control group (81% vs 57%; P = .009). Match rates between students enrolled in RIPS versus those in the mock interview group were not significant. No statistically significant differences were observed based on GPA. Conclusion: Students receiving additional preparation prior to interviews when seeking postdoctoral training were significantly more likely to obtain a residency position. In academic settings with limited resources, mock interviews may be preferred over comprehensive preparatory courses.
Primary antiphospholipid syndrome: functional outcome after 10 years.

OBJECTIVE To analyze the 10 year functional outcome of primary antiphospholipid syndrome (APS). METHODS We identified 39 patients with primary APS (35 female, 4 male) who developed a first thrombotic or pregnancy event before 1990. Patients meeting American College of Rheumatology criteria for systemic lupus erythematosus or other connective tissue disorders (secondary APS) were excluded. Medical records were reviewed for detailed histories and functional outcomes. RESULTS At 10 years' followup, 15 patients (38.4%) had organ damage in the form of hemiparesis (n = 8), dementia (n = 3), quadriplegia (n = 1), dilated cardiomyopathy-myocardial infarction (n = 1), vascular insufficiency-massive pulmonary infarction (n = 1), and endstage renal disease (n = 1). Eight patients (20.5%) with organ damage were unable to perform everyday activities important to their quality of life (functionally impaired). Causes of functional impairment were cognitive dysfunction (n = 3), cardiovascular disease (New York Heart Association Functional Classification Class IV) (n = 2), aphasia (n = 1), expressive aphasia (n = 1), and locked-in syndrome (n = 1). CONCLUSION Functional prognosis is poor in an important minority of primary APS patients with > 10 years of disease. One-third of primary APS patients had organ damage and one-fifth were functionally impaired.
Peroxynitrite‐Induced Cytotoxicity in PC12 Cells: Evidence for an Apoptotic Mechanism Differentially Modulated by Neurotrophic Factors

Abstract: Peroxynitrite is a powerful oxidant formed by the near‐diffusion‐limited reaction of nitric oxide with superoxide. Large doses of peroxynitrite (>2 mM) resulted in rapid cell swelling and necrosis of undifferentiated PC12 cells. However, brief exposure to lower concentrations of peroxynitrite (EC50 = 850 µM) initially (3–4 h) caused minimal damage to low‐density cultures. By 8 h, cytoplasmic shrinkage with nuclear condensation and fragmentation became increasingly evident. After 24 h, 36% of peroxynitrite‐treated cells demonstrated these features associated with apoptosis. In addition, 46% of peroxynitrite‐treated cells demonstrated DNA fragmentation (by terminal‐deoxynucleotide transferase‐mediated dUTP‐digoxigenin nick end‐labeling) after 7 h, which was inhibited by posttreatment with the endonuclease inhibitor aurintricarboxylic acid. Serum starvation also resulted in apoptosis in control cells (23%), the percentage of which was not altered significantly by peroxynitrite treatment. Although peroxynitrite is known to be toxic to cells, the present study provides a first indication that peroxynitrite induces apoptosis. Furthermore, pretreatment of cells with nerve growth factor or insulin, but not epidermal growth factor, was protective against peroxynitrite‐induced apoptosis. However, both acidic and basic fibroblast growth factors greatly increased peroxynitrite‐initiated apoptosis, to 63 and 70%, respectively. Thus, specific trophic factors demonstrate differential regulation of peroxynitrite‐induced apoptosis in vitro.
LIMITED ASSET MARKET PARTICIPATION AND DETERMINACY IN THE OPEN ECONOMY

The perception that inflation targeting (IT) runs a high risk of indeterminacy when a significant share of households are too poor to save is an artifact of the closed economy. In the open economy, the Taylor principle is generally valid for both contemporaneous and forward-looking IT. Active policy in contemporaneous IT guarantees determinacy, eccentric cases aside. In forward-looking IT, the scope for active policy is constrained by an upper bound on the Taylor coefficient. The upper bound is insensitive, however, to the share of poor, nonsaving households. Moreover, it can be increased substantially–to a level that does not bind–through reserve sales/purchases that limit exchange rate volatility.
Nonisolated ZVZCS Resonant PWM DC–DC Converter for High Step-Up and High-Power Applications

The demand for nonisolated high step-up dc-dc converters in applications such as dc backup energy systems for UPS, photovoltaic and fuel cell systems, and hybrid electric vehicles has been gradually increasing. This paper proposes nonisolated step-up dc-dc converters with an improved switching method. The proposed converter shows zero-voltage switching turn-on of the switches in continuous conduction mode as well as reduced turn- off switching losses owing to the switching method that utilizes Lr-Cr resonance in the auxiliary circuit. Also, as a result of the proposed switching method, the switching losses associated with diode reverse recovery become negligible even in the small duty cycle. The capacitance in the auxiliary circuit is significantly reduced compared to the pulsewidth modulation method. The duty cycle loss is further reduced resulting in increased step-up ratio. Experimental results from a 2-kW prototype of a two-phase interleaved version are also provided to validate the proposed concept.
Characteristics of a "weekend warrior": results from two national surveys.

PURPOSE Little is known about high volumes of irregular weekly physical activity, such as long periods of physical activity performed on weekends (e.g., by "weekend warriors"). The purpose of this paper is to describe the prevalence, estimated energy expenditure, and types of activities that are performed by adults who engage in irregular patterns of physical activity (1-2 d x wk(-1)) with > or = 150 min x wk(-1) of total time spent in activity. METHODS Two national datasets were analyzed to describe the proportion of the U.S. adult population who participate in irregular patterns of physical activity that are equivalent in total volume to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention/American College of Sports Medicine recommendations for physical activity, but with infrequent weekly participation. Data from the 2003 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System were used to classify weekend warriors as those who participate in 1-2 d x wk(-1) of moderate-intensity and vigorous-intensity physical activity totaling > or = 150 min x wk(1). The 1999-2004 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey was used to describe participation in transportation, household, and sports and exercise by weekend warriors. RESULTS Approximately 1-3% of U.S. adults were classified as weekend warriors by both surveys. The median energy expenditure did not vary by sex. Approximately 81% of weekend warriors participated in household or transportation activities, and 65% participated in sports or exercise. CONCLUSIONS These survey data indicate that relatively few adults participate in the weekend warrior pattern of activity on 1-2 d x wk(1) at volumes that approximate recommended levels.