Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Repair of Steps and Gaps in Articular Fracture Models

To examine the healing of surface defects in articular fractures, gaps measuring 0.5 mm wide and 2 mm deep were created in 0.5-mm coronal step-offs on the medial femoral condyles of 16 rabbits, and identical gaps without step-offs were created in another set of 13 rabbits. Evaluation of repair was done 6, 12, and 24 weeks postoperatively. Histologically, subchondral bone restoration of gaps in step-offs was complete by 24 weeks, whereas restoration was incomplete in most gap-only lesions. Bone density measured by peripheral quantitative computed tomography was normal in gaps in step-offs by 24 weeks, but values were less than in controls in the gap-only group. A moderate degree of degeneration was detected only at the high sides of step-off + gap lesions. The joint surface was restored by fibrous cartilage that showed gradually improving maturity in all defects, however, real integration with adjacent original cartilage did not occur. Immunohistologic examination showed decreasing collagen Type I and increasing Type II staining intensity in repair tissue of both types of lesions. These observations suggest that minor surface gaps and steps of articular fractures may regenerate without inducing severe early joint degeneration. However, certain repair features make the long-term outcome of these defects uncertain.
Air pollution and respiratory disease in children: What is the clinically relevant impact?

Acute exposure to air pollution is associated with increased respiratory symptoms and decreases in lung function in children. Most of the respiratory symptoms are nonspecific and not severe. However, lower respiratory symptoms and extra use of bronchodilators may be increased by about one third with exposure to peak levels of ozone in children with asthma. Sensitivity to air pollution does not seem to be determined by the severity of preexisting asthma and there is no indication that new cases of asthma are induced by ozone exposure. However, hospital and outpatient admissions for children with preexisting asthma may be increased in the range of 20% with acute exposure to ambient ozone peaks and possibly with increased sulfur dioxide. This indicates a significant impact of acute effects of air pollution on respiratory health in children, and an increase in the use of medical resources which will vary with the local exposure level and duration. Chronic exposure to increased levels of respirable particles, SO2 and NO2 are associated with up to threefold increases in nonspecific respiratory symptoms such as chronic cough, but not with asthma. Exposure to high traffic flow has been found to lead to significant increases in respiratory symptoms, while no clear effect on the inception of asthma has been documented. Although these symptoms are usually not severe, they will contribute to an increased use of pediatric health care facilities. It appears unlikely that long-term exposure to pollutants or irritants is responsible for the secular increase in asthma and allergy observed in Western countries. Whether exposure to car traffic is a significant risk factor for acute asthma or its inception remains to be clarified.
Influence of internet and social media presence on small, local banks’ market power

ABSTRACT We study the impact of Internet and social media presence on the market power of small, local banks in Poland. We observe that small banks, which generally embraced new distribution and communication channels considerably later than the large commercial banks, had to forego a portion of their market power to defend market shares or reach new customers. The size of the market power sacrifice was greater when small banks competed against numerous banks within their local markets and particularly substantial when they were outnumbered mostly by large commercial banks.
SLC13A5 is the second gene associated with Kohlschütter–Tönz syndrome

Background Kohlschütter–Tönz syndrome (KTZS) is a rare autosomal-recessive disease characterised by epileptic encephalopathy, intellectual disability and amelogenesis imperfecta (AI). It is frequently caused by biallelic mutations in ROGDI. Here, we report on individuals with ROGDI-negative KTZS carrying biallelic SLC13A5 mutations. Methods In the present cohort study, nine individuals from four families with the clinical diagnosis of KTZS and absence of ROGDI mutations as well as one patient with unexplained epileptic encephalopathy were investigated by clinical and dental evaluation, parametric linkage analysis (one family), and exome and/or Sanger sequencing. Dental histological investigations were performed on teeth from individuals with SLC13A5-associated and ROGDI-associated KTZS. Results Biallelic mutations in SLC13A5 were identified in 10 affected individuals. Epileptic encephalopathy usually presents in the neonatal and (less frequently) early infantile period. Yellowish to orange discolouration of both deciduous and permanent teeth, as well as wide interdental spaces and abnormal crown forms are major clinical signs of individuals with biallelic SLC13A5 mutations. Histological dental investigations confirmed the clinical diagnosis of hypoplastic AI. In comparison, the histological evaluation of a molar assessed from an individual with ROGDI-associated KTZS revealed hypocalcified AI. Conclusions We conclude that SLC13A5 is the second major gene associated with the clinical diagnosis of KTZS, characterised by neonatal epileptic encephalopathy and hypoplastic AI. Careful clinical and dental delineation provides clues whether ROGDI or SLC13A5 is the causative gene. Hypersensitivity of teeth as well as high caries risk requires individual dental prophylaxis and attentive dental management.
Adult intussusception: is associated bowel gangrene common?

INTRODUCTION Adult intussusception is a rare clinical entity in contrast to pediatric intussusception. Varied and non-specific clinical features, delayed presentation, and lack of awareness among attending surgeons to consider it as differential diagnosis complicates the clinical course of the disease. METHODS A retrospective study was conducted in a tertiary care teaching hospital in north India. Nine adult patients who presented with intussusception over a period of six years were analyzed. Their clinical profile, management and underlying pathology were studied. RESULTS Five out of nine patients had acute presentation while remaining four presented with subacute/chronic symptoms. Median duration of presentation was 8 days (range 2-180 days). Clinical diagnosis of intussusception was considered in only one patient. Ultrasonography clinched the diagnosis in all four patients who presented with subacute/chronic symptoms. Ileo-ileal intussusception was present in five patients, with one having associated jejuno-jejunal intussusception. Other four patients had ileo-colic intussusception. Seven of the 9 patients (77%) were found to have associated bowel gangrene. Resection of the bowel segment having intussusception was done in all patients. Five patients had associated benign intestinal pathology while idiopathic intussusception was present in four patients. CONCLUSION The patients presented in the series are distinct from cases reported earlier in literature in term of late presentation, manifesting as acute intestinal obstruction, high frequency of associated intestinal gangrene, and absence of associated intestinal malignancy. Patients presenting with features of intestinal obstruction and abdominal lump should be subjected to urgent imaging studies to examine the possibility of intussusception. The high frequency of bowel gangrene encountered in patients of adult intussusception mandates prompt surgical intervention soon after diagnosis.
Thyroid Function and Body Weight Programming by Neonatal Hyperthyroidism in Rats - The Role of Leptin and Deiodinase Activities

Several authors have shown that secondary hypothyroidism was programed by neonatal thyroxine (T4) treatment. However, the associated changes of body weight (BW) were less studied, especially those related to the body fat proportion. Here, we have evaluated the effect of neonatal thyroxine treatment on BW, fat proportion, serum leptin, and thyroid function of 60-day-old rats. Wistar rats were treated with thyroxine (50 microg/100 g BW, ip) (T) or saline (S), during the first 10 days of life. BW, nose-rump length (NRL), and food consumption were monitored for 60 days, when the animals were sacrificed. Thyroid function was evaluated by thyroid radioiodine uptake (RAIU), serum T3, T4, TSH, and liver mitochondrial alpha-glycerophosphate dehydrogenase (mGPD) and type 1 and 2 deiodinases (D1 and D2) activities, which are thyroid hormone-dependent enzymes. T animals showed lower food intake, BW and NRL, but higher total fat mass (+33%) and serum leptin (+46%). They also showed lower serum T3 (-23%), T4 (-32%), TSH (-36%), RAIU (-29%) and mGPD activity (-22%). Hypothalamic and pituitary D2 activities were higher (+24% and 1.4 fold, respectively), while brown adipose tissue (BAT) D2 and skeletal muscle D1 activities were lower (-30% and -62%, respectively). Thus, neonatal hyperthyroidism programs for a higher fat proportion and hyperleptinemia, which can explain the lower food intake. The TH-dependent enzymes activities changed accordingly, except for the decrease in BAT D2, which may be due the role played by the hyperleptinemia. Finally, the decrease in peripheral deiodination may contribute to a lower me-tabolic rate that may increase the adiposity.
Liquidity default, liquidity management and smooth dividends policy

ABSTRACT Our article models liquidity financing constraints with the real options framework. By conducting a comprehensive investigation of the effects of shocks to liquidity constraints on the firm’s optimal investment, financing and dividend policies, our model highlights the importance of liquidity management and extends the liquidity management approach to hedge liquidity default risk. We find that being concerned about liquidity default risk will significantly change a firm’s behaviours, including those related to investment and the optimal capital structure. A firm that is concerned about its liquidity default risk will become more cautious: it will choose to delay investment and have higher leverage when internal liquidity is very low, but choose earlier investment and lower leverage when liquidity is high enough. The dividends policy can alleviate risks from both the external market and internal project volatility and provides an alternative explanation for the ‘smooth dividends policy puzzle’ commonly reported in empirical research.
The Content of Preferential Trade Agreements

Abstract Preferential trade agreements are an important feature of the global trade system. Several questions, ranging from the rationale for preferential arrangements to their impact on members, non-members and the broader multilateral trade system, are at the forefront of academic and policy debates in trade policy. This paper presents a new database that offers a detailed assessment of the content of preferential arrangements, examining the coverage and legal enforceability of provisions regulating a large set of policy areas. The database provides information on 279 agreements signed by 189 countries between 1958 and 2015. The analysis of the data confirms one of the key insights in the literature: preferential trade agreements are becoming deeper over time. A growing number of these treaties regulate an extended set of policies, frequently with legally enforceable provisions, in areas under the current World Trade Organization mandate and in areas outside the current World Trade Organization mandate, especially competition policy, investment, movements of capital, and intellectual property rights protection. Accounting for the changing scope of preferential trade agreements is essential to gain a more complete and accurate understanding of where the global trading system is going and how its governance can be improved.
Effects of Etravirine on the Pharmacokinetics of the Integrase Inhibitor S/GSK1265744

ABSTRACT HIV integrase inhibitors such as raltegravir and elvitegravir halt HIV progression, but treatment-emergent resistance and cross-resistance have been observed. The nonnucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor etravirine (ETR) may be used in combination with integrase inhibitors in patients with drug resistance. This single-center, open-label, two-period, single-sequence crossover study evaluated the effects of ETR coadministration on the pharmacokinetic profile of S/GSK1265744, an investigational integrase inhibitor in phase 2 studies. Healthy subjects received 30 mg of S/GSK1265744 alone once daily for 10 days (period 1) and in combination with 200 mg of ETR twice daily for 14 days (period 2). Serial plasma samples for pharmacokinetic analyses were collected on day 10 during period 1 and on day 14 during period 2. All treatments were well tolerated. Etravirine had no effects on S/GSK1265744 geometric mean ratios of the area under the curve from time zero until the end of the dosing interval (1.01; 90% confidence interval [CI], 0.956 to 1.06), of the maximum observed plasma concentration (1.04; 90% CI, 0.987 to 1.09), or of the plasma concentration at the end of the dosing interval (0.999; 90% CI, 0.942 to 1.06). Etravirine pharmacokinetics (PK) parameters observed following coadministration with S/GSK1265744 were in the range of historical values reported for ETR alone in healthy subjects. These results indicate that 30 mg of S/GSK1265744 for 10 days as monotherapy followed by an additional 14 days in combination with ETR was well tolerated in healthy subjects and that no dose adjustment of S/GSK1265744 is required when it is coadministered with ETR.
Functional distribution of alpha 1- and alpha 2-adrenergic receptors in the coronary microcirculation.

BACKGROUND The goal of this study was to determine the functional distribution of alpha 1- and alpha 2-adrenergic receptors in the epicardial coronary microcirculation. This goal was accomplished by intracoronary administration of the selective alpha 1-adrenergic agonist phenylephrine and the selective alpha 2-adrenergic agonist BHT-933 during measurements of coronary microvascular diameters in the beating heart. METHODS AND RESULTS Experimental measurements were made under conditions with intact vasomotor tone and during coronary hypoperfusion (i.e., under conditions with autoregulatory mechanisms intact and blunted, respectively). Administration of selective alpha 1- and alpha 2-adrenergic antagonists, prazosin and SKF 104078, respectively, confirmed that the agonists were preferentially activating the desired adrenergic receptor subtype because the vasoconstrictor effects of the agonists were completely blocked by the appropriate antagonist. With baseline coronary vasomotor tone intact, phenylephrine caused constriction (8 +/- 3% decrease in diameter, p less than 0.05) of small coronary arteries (vessels greater than 100 microns in diameter) but did not produce constriction of coronary arterioles (vessels less than 100 microns in diameter). During coronary hypoperfusion, phenylephrine caused constriction (p less than 0.05) of both small coronary arteries and arterioles, 6 +/- 2% and 11 +/- 3% decreases in diameter, respectively. BHT-933 did not cause significant changes in microvascular diameters under control conditions but substantially and selectively decreased arteriolar diameters during hypoperfusion (24 +/- 6% decrease in diameter, p less than 0.05). CONCLUSIONS In the intact, autoregulating coronary circulation, coronary arterioles escape from the effects of adrenergic activation but coronary arteries do not; rather, they can exhibit alpha 1-adrenergic coronary vasoconstriction. During coronary hypoperfusion, when autoregulatory adjustments are blunted, coronary arterioles are sensitive to both alpha 1- and alpha 2-adrenergic agonists, demonstrating significant constrictor responses. Also, the magnitude of coronary alpha 2-adrenergic arteriolar constriction (24% decrease in diameter) is significantly greater than that of alpha 2-adrenergic constriction (11% decrease in diameter) (p less than 0.05). Thus, alpha 1- and alpha 2-adrenergic activation produce different constrictor effects in the coronary microcirculation under baseline conditions when autoregulatory adjustments are intact and during coronary hypoperfusion when autoregulation is blunted. The data suggest that alpha 2-adrenergic receptors are preferentially distributed in arterioles, whereas alpha 1-adrenergic receptors are located throughout the coronary microcirculation. Importantly, the data also suggest that intrinsic autoregulatory adjustments in tone (i.e., autoregulatory escape) can override either alpha 1- or alpha 2-adrenergic constriction in coronary arterioles.
Relationship of Lifestyle with Academic Achievement in Nursing Students.

INTRODUCTION A healthy lifestyle is one of the main factor in maintaining the health of people in society. With regard to the role of youth and students in public health, they must complete and follow a training program on lifestyle related factors. One of the main aim of the training centres is to improve the academic achievement of students. AIM This study was designed to determine the correlation of lifestyle with academic achievement in nursing students. MATERIALS AND METHODS This was a cross-sectional study, wherein all nursing students of School of Borujen Nursing were selected by census sampling. Data gathering tool was Walker's lifestyle questionnaire which was modified for the purpose of the study. To evaluate the educational status of students, final grade point average was considered as an indicator of academic achievement. To analyze the data, SPSS version 16.0, and descriptive and analytical tests were used. RESULTS The results indicated that most subjects (61.01%) displayed moderate levels of lifestyle. Pearson's correlation coefficient showed the significant positive relationship between lifestyle and academic achievement (p=0.03 and r=0.628). CONCLUSION To improve the academic achievement of students, in addition to the cognitive abilities-perception, their lifestyle should also be considered. Therefore, it is suggested to incorporate lifestyle education in the curriculum of nursing students so as to improve their lifestyle.
Development of a contact width sensor for tactile tele-presentation of softness

This paper presents a tele-presentation system for tactile softness. Tactile softness was estimated at a remote site, which was then reproduced at a master site, by focusing on change of contact width between a fingertip and an object. To realize the tele-presentation system, a new contact width sensor was developed based on an optical principle. The sensor was designed to have a soft structure to resemble human fingers. The prototype sensor was evaluated for five different samples. The result showed that the sensor could discriminate five samples from the contact width variation, although one pair of samples showed only a slight difference. The tele-presentation system that integrates the developed contact width sensor and a newly designed softness display was developed and evaluated. The evaluation result showed that a user can discriminate softness of a remote object using this system, although the perceived softness feelings did not perfectly match the real feelings of the remote objects, which would be due to insufficient optimization of the contact width sensor. This would be improved by improving the sensor to have a similar dimensions and stiffness as real human fingers, which will be addressed in our future work.
Contrasting Actions of Intrathecal U50, 488H, Morphine, or [D-Pen sup 2, D-Pen sup 5] Enkephalin or Intravenous U50, 488H on the Visceromotor Response to Colorectal Distension in the Rat

Background Visceral sensations are an important component of many clinical pain states. It is apparent that intrathecal pain relief may be more effective if appropriate combinations of drugs rather than a single agent can be used. The purpose of this study was to examine the relative contribution of opioid receptor subtypes to visceral antinociception using colorectal distension as a visceral pain model.
Serenoa repens (Permixon®) inhibits the 5α‐reductase activity of human prostate cancer cell lines without interfering with PSA expression

The phytotherapeutic agent Serenoa repens is an effective dual inhibitor of 5α‐reductase isoenzyme activity in the prostate. Unlike other 5α‐reductase inhibitors, Serenoa repens induces its effects without interfering with the cellular capacity to secrete PSA. Here, we focussed on the possible pathways that might differentiate the action of Permixon from that of synthetic 5α‐reductase inhibitors. We demonstrate that Serenoa repens, unlike other 5α‐reductase inhibitors, does not inhibit binding between activated AR and the steroid receptor‐binding consensus in the promoter region of the PSA gene. This was shown by a combination of techniques: assessment of the effect of Permixon on androgen action in the LNCaP prostate cancer cell line revealed no suppression of AR and maintenance of PSA protein expression at control levels. This was consistent with reporter gene experiments showing that Permixon failed to interfere with AR‐mediated transcriptional activation of PSA and that both testosterone and DHT were equally effective at maintaining this activity. Our results demonstrate that despite Serenoa repens effective inhibition of 5α‐reductase activity in the prostate, it did not suppress PSA secretion. Therefore, we confirm the therapeutic advantage of Serenoa repens over other 5α‐reductase inhibitors as treatment with the phytotherapeutic agent will permit the continuous use of PSA measurements as a useful biomarker for prostate cancer screening and for evaluating tumour progression. © 2004 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
The Politician and His Banker - How to Efficiently Grant State Aid

Politicians should spend money as efficiently as possible. But what is the best method of granting state aid to firms? We use a theoretical model with firms that differ in their success probabilities and compare different types of direct subsidies with indirect subsidies through bank loans. We find that, for a large range of parameters, subsidies through banks entail higher social welfare than direct subsidies, avoiding windfall gains to entrepreneurs and economizing on screening costs. For selfish politicians, subsidizing a bank has the additional advantage that part of the screening costs are born by private banks. Consequently, from a welfare perspective, politicians use subsidized banks inefficiently often.
Variability of Plasma Lipids in Response to Emotional Arousal

&NA; Although plasma lipid levels are assumed to reflect the individual's constitutional or nutritional status, many studies have found that plasma lipids are noticeably influenced by short‐term emotional arousal. Sixty such studies are reviewed. These studies span a remarkable breadth of stressful situations, such as from viewing disturbing films to taking examinations or participating in military training courses. Free fatty acid levels were almost invariably elevated in the context of a stressful event. Most studies also found that cholesterol increased from 8 to 65% above baseline under stressful conditions. In some individuals cholesterol levels may be highly labile. There was no consistent pattern of triglyceride response to emotional arousal. This area, although imaginatively studied 20 years ago, has been relatively ignored in recent years. The availability of more sophisticated techniques for studying psychological stress, neuroendocrine response, and lipid metabolism makes this topic a fertile area for further study.