Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The reliability of point‐of‐care prothrombin time testing. A comparison of CoaguChek S® and XS® INR measurements with hospital laboratory monitoring

The development of point‐of‐care (POC) testing devices enables patients to test their own international normalized ratio (INR) at home. However, previous studies have shown that when compared with clinical laboratory values, statistically significant differences may occur between the two methods of INR measurement. The aim of this study was to evaluate the accuracy of the CoaguChek S® and XS® POC meters relative to clinical laboratory measurements. As part of a randomized, crossover patient self‐testing (PST) study at Cork University Hospital, patients were randomized to 6 months PST or 6 months routine care by the anticoagulation management service. During the PST arm of the study, patients measured their INR at home using the CoaguChek S® or XS® POC meter. External quality control was performed at enrolment, 2 months and 4 months by comparing the POC measured INR with the laboratory determined value. One hundred and fifty‐one patients provided 673 paired samples. Good correlation was shown between the two methods of determination (r = 0.91), however, statistically significant differences did occur. A Bland–Altman plot illustrated good agreement of INR values between 2.0 and 3.5 INR units but there was increasing disagreement as the INR rose above 3.5. Eighty‐seven per cent of all dual measurements were within the recommended 0.5 INR units of each other. This study adds to the growing evidence that POC testing is a reliable and safe alternative to hospital laboratory monitoring but highlights the importance of external quality control when these devices are used for monitoring oral anticoagulation.
Stages of tuberculous meningitis: a clinicoradiologic analysis.

OBJECTIVE To determine the frequencies and percentages of various clinicoradiologic variables of tuberculosis meningitis (TBM) with reference to British Medical Research Council (BMRC) staging of the disease. STUDY DESIGN A case series. PLACE AND DURATION OF STUDY Department of Neurology, Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre, Karachi, from October 2010 to September 2011. METHODOLOGY The study included 93 adult patients with the diagnosis of tuberculous meningitis (TBM) at the study place. Patients were divided in three groups according to British Medical Research Council (BMRC) staging of TBM. Different clinical and radiological findings were analyzed at different stages of the disease. Data was analyzed using SPSS (Statistical Package of Social Sciences) version 11.0. RESULTS A majority of patients were found to be in stage-II disease at the time of admission. History of illness at the time of admission was more than 2 weeks in 50% of stage-I patients but around 80% in stage-II and stage-III patients. Neck stiffness was the most commonly reported finding in all stages. Cranial nerve palsies were higher in stage-III (75%) than in stage-II (43%) and in stage-I (24%) patients. Hydrocephalus and basal enhancement was the most frequently reported radiographic abnormalities. CONCLUSION Duration of illness and cranial nerve palsies are important variables in the diagnosis of TBM stages and if TBM is suspected, empiric treatment should be started immediately without bacteriologic proof to prevent morbidity and mortality.
Adsorption Behavior of Multicomponent Protein Mixtures Containing α1−Proteinase Inhibitor with the Anion Exchanger, 2‐(Diethylamino) ethyl‐Spherodex

The equilibrium binding behavior of α1‐proteinase inhibitor (α1‐PI) in the presence of human serum albumin (HSA) has been determined in packed bed systems with the anion exchanger, 2‐(diethylamino) ethyl (DEAE) ‐Spherodex. Experimental data derived for the individual proteins were compared with the corresponding data obtained from batch adsorption studies as well as studies in which mixtures of these two proteins were loaded at different concentration ratios onto columns of the same anion exchange adsorbent. The results confirm that α1‐PI has a greater affinity for the anion exchanger, although competitive adsorption was observed as the inlet concentration of HSA was increased. Under these conditions, decreased binding capacities and lower dynamic adsorption rates were observed for α1‐PI with the DEAE‐Spherodex anion exchange adsorbent. The results are discussed in terms of the influence which various contaminants that occur in multicomponent mixtures of proteins from human plasma can have on the equilibrium binding characteristics of a target protein with weak or strong ion exchange adsorbents under conditions approaching concentration overload in preparative chromatographic systems. These investigations have also addressed, as the first part of an iterative approach for the simulation of the adsorption behavior of multicomponent mixtures of human plasma proteins with ion exchange and affinity chromatographic adsorbents, the ability of noncompetitive and competitive Langmuirean models to simulate the adsorption of α1‐PI in the presence of different concentrations of HSA to DEAE‐Spherodex.
Adsorption of arsenic to magnetite nanoparticles: Effect of particle concentration, pH, ionic strength, and temperature

Little work has been conducted on the adsorption of arsenic to the mixed iron [Fe(II)/(III)] oxide magnetite and the effect that environmental parameters, such as pH, ionic strength, and temperature, have on adsorption. Magnetite nanoparticles are unique because of their affinity for both arsenate and arsenite and increased adsorption capacity from their bulk counterparts. This article shows the effect of various magnetite nanoparticle concentrations on arsenic adsorption kinetics. The adsorption data show the ability of the magnetite nanoparticles to remove arsenate and arsenite from solution in both synthetic and natural waters, and the data fit a first‐order rate equation. Because of the increased surface area of these particles, less than 1 g/L of magnetite nanoparticles was needed. The results suggest that arsenic adsorption to the nanoparticles was not significantly affected by the pH, ionic strength and temperature in the ranges tested, which are typical of most potable water sources.
Exploring the biophysical evidence that mammalian two‐pore channels are NAADP‐activated calcium‐permeable channels

Nicotinic acid adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NAADP) potently releases Ca2+ from acidic intracellular endolysosomal Ca2+ stores. It is widely accepted that two types of two‐pore channels, termed TPC1 and TPC2, are responsible for the NAADP‐mediated Ca2+ release but the underlying mechanisms regulating their gating appear to be different. For example, although both TPC1 and TPC2 are activated by NAADP, TPC1 appears to be additionally regulated by cytosolic Ca2+. Ion conduction and permeability also differ markedly. TPC1 and TPC2 are permeable to a range of cations although biophysical experiments suggest that TPC2 is slightly more selective for Ca2+ over K+ than TPC1 and hence capable of releasing greater quantities of Ca2+ from acidic stores. TPC1 is also permeable to H+ and therefore may play a role in regulating lysosomal and cytosolic pH, possibly creating localised acidic domains. The significantly different gating and ion conducting properties of TPC1 and TPC2 suggest that these two ion channels may play complementary physiological roles as Ca2+‐release channels of the endolysosomal system.
Corporate Governance as a Viable System: The Role of Intra and Inter-Systemic Relationships

Governance is the set of structural features needed to effectively manage a company oriented toward the creation of value. Starting by considering an organization as a viable system, whose ability to survive depends on actions by the governing board and the pressure and expectations expressed by the various super-systems, it is possible to answer the following questions: what is meant by corporate system governance? Under what conditions is such governance effective? The answer to these questions starts from framing the problem within a systemic approach to corporate governance.
GMSC-Derived Exosomes Combined with a Chitosan/Silk Hydrogel Sponge Accelerates Wound Healing in a Diabetic Rat Skin Defect Model

Background: Delayed wound healing in diabetic patients is one of the most challenging complications in clinical medicine, as it poses a greater risk of gangrene, amputation and even death. Therefore, a novel method to promote diabetic wound healing is of considerable interest at present. Previous studies showed that injection of MSC-derived exosomes has beneficial effects on wound healing. In current studies, we aimed to isolate exosomes derived from gingival mesenchymal stem cells (GMSCs) and then loading them to the chitosan/silk hydrogel sponge to evaluate the effects of this novel non-invasive method on skin defects in diabetic rats. Methods: GMSCs were isolated from human gingival connective tissue and characterized by surface antigen analysis and in vitro multipotent differentiation. The cell supernatant was collected to isolate the exosomes. The exosomes were characterized by transmission electron microscopy, Western blot and size distribution analysis. The chitosan/silk-based hydrogel sponge was prepared using the freeze-drying method and then structural and physical properties were characterized. Then, the exosomes were added to the hydrogel and tested in a diabetic rat skin defect model. The effects were evaluated by wound area measurement, histological, immunohistochemical and immunofluorescence analysis. Results: We have successfully isolated GMSCs and exosomes with a mean diameter of 127 nm. The chitosan/silk hydrogel had the appropriate properties of swelling and moisture retention capacity. The in vivo studies showed that the incorporating of GMSC-derived exosomes to hydrogel could effectively promote healing of diabetic skin defects. The histological analysis revealed more neo-epithelium and collagen in the hydrogel-exosome group. In addition, the hydrogel-exosome group had the highest microvessel density and nerve density. Conclusions: The combination of GMSC-derived exosomes and hydrogel could effectively promote skin wound healing in diabetic rats by promoting the re-epithelialization, deposition and remodeling of collagen and by enhancing angiogenesis and neuronal ingrowth. These findings not only provide new information on the role of the GMSC-derived exosomes in wound healing but also provide a novel non-invasive application method of exosomes with practical value for skin repair.
The influence of different implant materials on human gingival fibroblast morphology, proliferation, and gene expression.

PURPOSE The aim of this study was to investigate the cellular response of human gingival fibroblasts (HGFs) cultured on smooth or rough zirconia (Zr) or titanium (Ti) disks. MATERIALS AND METHODS Disks fabricated from four different materials--smooth Zr (Zr-S), rough Zr (Zr-R), smooth Ti (Ti-S), and rough Ti (Ti-R)--were used, and surface roughness was analyzed by atomic force microscopy. After HGFs were cultured on these disks, cell morphology was examined by scanning electron microscopy, cell proliferation activity was evaluated by a monotetrazolium assay, and gene expression levels of various collagens and integrins were measured by real-time polymerase chain reaction. RESULTS The Ti-R disks were the roughest, followed by Zr-R, Ti-S, and Zr-S, in that order. The cells cultured on the Zr-S and Ti-S disks appeared to be more aligned with the fine irregularities at later time points, whereas the cells cultured on the Zr-S showed the weakest spreading compared to the other surfaces after 3 hours of culture. With respect to proliferation, cells proliferated significantly faster on the Zr-S surface than on the other surfaces. Gene expression of integrin α2 at 3 hours and integrin α5 and type I collagen at 48 hours on Zr-S was significantly up-regulated compared to Ti. Conversely, the expression of integrins β1 and β3 and type III collagen was significantly decreased on Zr-S at 1 hour compared to the other materials. CONCLUSION These data indicate that different surface materials and topographies may induce a distinct HGF morphology, proliferation, and gene expression.
Asian Professional Discourse Communities: Pedagogical Focus on Speech Forms for Oral Performance

The aim of this paper is to introduce four areas of pedagogical importance for English for Specific Purposes (ESP), particularly in terms of training for oral performances. These are: 1) transitional phrases 2) opening / closing gambits 3) strategic competence in dynamic speech events and 4) academic and formulaic lexical phrases. These four areas were selected after comparing discrete features of both effective and less effective English performances by non-native Englishspeaking medical professionals observed at international medical conferences held in Asia. The results of this field study suggest that specialist terminology is not an area that demands explicit pedagogical addressing and that absolute formal accuracy in English speech is not a decisive factor in performance efficacy for professionals within the Asian region. The resulting suggestions should help ESP teachers prioritize lesson contents to enable learners to deliver more effective oral performances within their respective professional and academic discourse communities.
Quantitative theory of hydrophobic effect as a driving force of protein structure

Various studies suggest that the hydrophobic effect plays a major role in driving the folding of proteins. In the past, however, it has been challenging to translate this understanding into a predictive, quantitative theory of how the full pattern of sequence hydrophobicity in a protein shapes functionally important features of its tertiary structure. Here, we extend and apply such a phenomenological theory of the sequence‐structure relationship in globular protein domains, which had previously been applied to the study of allosteric motion. In an effort to optimize parameters for the model, we first analyze the patterns of backbone burial found in single‐domain crystal structures, and discover that classic hydrophobicity scales derived from bulk physicochemical properties of amino acids are already nearly optimal for prediction of burial using the model. Subsequently, we apply the model to studying structural fluctuations in proteins and establish a means of identifying ligand‐binding and protein–protein interaction sites using this approach.
Translating with Examples: A New Approach to Machine Translation

This paper proposes Example-Based Machine Translation (EBMT). EBMT retrieves similar examples (pairs of source texts and their translations) from the database, adapting the examples to translate a new source text. This paper compares the various costs of EBMT and conventional Rule-Based Machine Translation (RBMT). It explains EBMT's new features which RBMT lacks, and describes its configuration and the basic computing mechanism. In order to demonstrate EBMT's feasibility, the translation of Japanese noun phrases of the form "N1 no N2" to English noun phrases is explained in detail. Translation of other parts of Japanese sentences, including "da" sentences , aspect, and idiomatic expressions, as well as the integration of EBMT with RBMT are discussed.
An Assessment of the Impact of Exchange Rate Deregulation and Structural Adjustment Programme on Cotton Production and Utilization in Nigeria

At Nigeria’s independence, agriculture was the mainstay of the economy. It provided employment, food, raw materials for industry and foreign exchange. However, within 20 years of Independence the country became unable to cope with the overall needs of its food and raw materials. Increased foreign exchange earnings from the export of crude oil were implicated as leading to the neglect and subsequent decline in the performance of the Nigerian agricultural sector. The Structural Adjustment Programme SAP was adopted to restructure and diversify the productive base of the economy in such a way as to reduce dependency on the oil sector and imports. One of the key policy strategies designed to achieve the Nigeria's SAP goals was the adoption of a market-determined exchange rate. This paper set out to assess the impact of exchange rate deregulation and SAP on cotton production and utilization in Nigeria. Time series data on aggregate cotton production, Naira’s average cross exchange rates with the US dollar and average capacity utilization rate of textile manufacturers in Nigeria for the period 1973-2007 were collected and analysed using Multiple-regression and the student’s t test technique. Findings includes: exchange rate deregulation per se has no significant effect on cotton production in Nigeria; more cotton was produced in Nigeria during the post-SAP period; the average capacity utilization of domestic textile industry in Nigeria during the pre-SAP period was higher than during the post-SAP period. Based on the findings of the study some noteworthy lessons were highlighted.
Glycemic, Insulinemic, and Appetite Responses of Patients With Type 2 Diabetes to Commonly Consumed Breads

Purpose The purpose of this study was to identify the breads most commonly consumed by adults with type 2 diabetes (T2DM) and then examine the postprandial glycemic, insulinemic, and appetite responses that these breads elicit. Methods One hundred people with T2DM were surveyed to identify the varieties of bread they most frequently consumed. According to a randomized crossover design, 11 fasting participants with T2DM consumed 50 g of available carbohydrate from 4 breads. Glucose and insulin concentrations and appetite ratings were determined over 270 minutes. Results Three commonly consumed varieties (white, whole wheat buttermilk, whole grain) identified in the survey—plus a lower-glycemic-index “control” bread (pumpernickel rye)—were tested in the second phase. Despite perceived differences between “brown” and “white” breads, the white, whole wheat buttermilk, and wholegrain breads promoted similar glycemic and insulinemic responses. Pumpernickel bread resulted in a significantly lower peak glucose (P < .01) than all other breads and a lower peak insulin (P < .001) than white or wholegrain bread. Similar appetite responses were found with all 4 breads. Conclusions Adults with T2DM are choosing a variety of breads with perceived differential effects on glycemic, insulinemic, and appetite responses. Appreciable benefits, however, are not conferred by the commonly consumed breads. If breads known to promote favorable metabolic responses are unavailable, the primary emphasis in education should be placed on portion control. Conveying this information to patients is crucial if nutrition education is to achieve its aim of empowering individuals to manage their diabetes through their food choices.
Developmental trajectory for production of prosody: lexical stress contrastivity in children ages 3 to 7 years and in adults.

PURPOSE Accurate production of lexical stress within English polysyllabic words is critical for intelligibility and is affected in many speech-language disorders. However, models of speech production remain underspecified with regard to lexical stress. In this study, the authors report a large-scale acoustic investigation of lexical stress production in typically developing Australian English-speaking children ages 3-7 years ( n = 73) compared with young adults ( n = 24). METHOD Participants named pictures of highly familiar strong-weak and weak-strong polysyllabic words. Of 388 productions, 325 met criteria for acoustic measurement. Relative vowel duration, peak intensity, and peak f (0) over the first two syllables were measured. Result Lexical stress was marked consistently by duration and intensity but not f (0). Lexical stress on strong-weak words was adultlike by 3 years. All 3 measures showed significant differences between adults and children for weak-strong words still present at 7 years. CONCLUSION Our findings suggest that protracted development of weak-strong stress production reflects physiological constraints on producing short articulatory durations and rising intensity contours. Findings validate treatment that is centered on strong-weak stress production for children ≥ 3 years with dysprosody. Although intervention for the production of weak-strong words may be initiated before age 7 years, reference to normative acoustic data is preferable to relying on perceptual judgments of accuracy.
Correlates of human immunodeficiency virus cervicovaginal shedding among postmenopausal and fertile-aged women

ObjectiveThe aims of this study were to compare the intensity of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-RNA genital shedding among postmenopausal (PM) and fertile-aged (F) women and to investigate the association between viral shedding and gynecological features, HIV plasma viral loads, and other markers of HIV disease progression. MethodsWe interviewed 146 HIV-infected women (73 PM/73 F) in search of gynecological complaints and signs and symptoms of HIV disease and obtained additional information concerning HIV infection by medical chart review. Cervicovaginal lavages (CVLs) were collected for assessment of HIV shedding. Laboratory analyses included CD4+ cell counts, HIV-RNA quantitation in plasma and CVL, and screening for concurrent genital infections. ResultsHIV-RNA genital shedding was detected in 16.4% of PM and 21.9% of F women (P = 0.400), and the intensity of HIV shedding did not differ between both groups (means—PM: 1.4log/mL; F: 1.4log/mL; P = 0.587). Three women (2 PM/1 F) exhibited viral shedding in the absence of detectable viremia. HIV plasma viral loads correlated with HIV shedding in both groups. In multivariable analysis, HIV plasma viral loads were independently associated with HIV shedding in both groups. Moreover, the intensity of shedding was independently associated with vaginal pH, tumor necrosis factor &agr; concentrations in CVL, and HIV plasma viral loads. ConclusionsDespite significant changes that occur in the vaginal mucosa of PM women, HIV cervicovaginal shedding was not significantly influenced by this state in our cohort. In contrast, increased vaginal pH and genital inflammation, evidenced by increased tumor necrosis factor &agr; concentrations in CVL and HIV plasma viral loads, were independently associated with the intensity of HIV shedding in PM and F women.
Severe subcutaneous generalized edema in a patient with dermatomyositis

Subcutaneous generalized edema associated with dermatomyositis (DM)/polymyositis (PM) is extremely rare. Herein we report a case of severe subcutaneous generalized edema complicating DM. A 78-year-old woman was hospitalized in our department because of massive edema in the four limbs. Elevated muscle enzymes, heliotrope rash, results of electromyography, and muscle biopsy confirmed the diagnosis of DM. The absence of other diseases that could cause the symptoms indicated that massive edema was correlated with the pathophysiology of DM. Although myopathy and edema responded well to oral prednisolone, dysphagia persisted. We conclude that subcutaneous generalized edema can occur during the course of DM/PM, and subcutaneous vasculopathy may be involved in the pathogenesis of DM/PM.
Australia-New Zealand Currency Union: A Structural Approach

This paper compares an Australia-New Zealand currency union to a purely fl oating exchange rate regime in the context of a structural, two-country open economy model. Micro-foundations support policy assessment by facilitating direct calculation of household welfare. Analysis focuses on changing business cycle volatilities; the role of risk is not considered. At benchmark calibration currency union is welfare reducing for both Australia and New Zealand. Sensitivity analyses reveal these results to be qualitatively robust over alternative degrees of shock correlation and shock transmission.