Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Cholelithiasis in Children with Sickle Cell Disease in Ouagadougou Pediatric Hospital

Introduction: Sickle cell disease (SCD) causes chronic hemolysis which is a risk factor for cholelithiasis. Its development may lead to severe and life-threatening complications. Objective: Determine the prevalence of cholelithiasis, the conditions of diagnosis and related factors. Materials and Method: We retrospectively reviewed records of 110 patients with sickle cell disease followed up in Charles de Gaulle University Pediatric Hospital from January 2003 to December 2013, including 103 patients who had abdominal ultrasonography. Results: Cholelithiasis prevalence was 24.3%. The mean age of patients was 10.8 years, (range 3 to 15 years). Sex ratio was 2.1. In 88% cases, cholelithiasis was diagnosed based on the characteristic symptoms of right hypocondrial pain, fever and icterus. Most factors associated with cholelithiasis were as follows: age above 10 years (OR = 4), occurrence of at least three (03) vaso-occlusive crises per year (OR = 7.6), history of blood transfusion (OR = 8), right hypochondrial pain (OR = 4.5) and icterus (OR = 15). Only 20% of patients suffering from a symptomatic cholelithiasis underwent laparoscopic cholecystectomy and results were conclusive. Conclusion: Patients with sickle cell disease, especially those aged above 10, should be routinely tested for cholelithiasis using abdominal ultrasonography at least once a year. Because of the difficulties in managing evolutive complications in case of an emergency in our context, we advocate laparoscopic cholecystectomy of any cholelithiasisas soon as it is diagnosed in children with sickle cell disease.
Characterization and Electromagnetic Studies on NiZn and NiCuZn Ferrites Prepared by Microwave Sintering Technique

The low-temperature sintered NiZn and NiCuZn ferrites with the composition of Ni0.40Zn0. 60Fe2O4 and Ni0.35Cu0. 05Zn0.60 Fe2O4 were respectively synthesized by the microwave sintering method. These powders were calcined, compacted and sintered at 950℃ for 30 min. X-ray diffraction (XRD) patterns of the samples indicate the formation of single-phase cubic spinel structure. The grain size was estimated from SEM images which increase with CuO addition. The X-ray density is higher than the bulk density in both the ferrites. The temperature variation of the initial permeability of these samples was carried out from 30℃ to 250℃. The NiCuZn ferrite had higher initial permeability than that of the NiZn ferrite, which could be attributed to the microstructure. Saturation magnetization increases from 40 emug/g (NiZn) to 47 emug/g (NiCuZn). The dielectric constant and dielectric loss tangent of NiZn and NiCuZn ferrite samples decreases with increase in frequency exhibiting normal ferrimagnetic behavior. The NiCuZn ferrite had better electro- magnetic properties than the NiZn ferrite.
Short- and long-term results of transcatheter embolization for massive arterial hemorrhage from gastroduodenal ulcers not controlled by endoscopic hemostasis.

BACKGROUND AND AIM Severe bleeding from gastrointestinal ulcers is a life-threatening event that is difficult to manage when endoscopic treatment fails. Transcatheter embolization has been suggested as an alternative treatment in this situation. The present study reports on the efficacy and long-term outcomes of transcatheter embolization after failed endoscopic treatments were assessed in high operative- risk patients. METHODS A retrospective review of 60 consecutive emergency embolization procedures in hemodynamically unstable patients (41 men, 19 women; mean [+/-SD] age 69.4+/-15 years) was conducted. Patients were referred for selective angiography between 1999 and 2008 after failed endoscopic treatment of massive bleeding from gastrointestinal ulcers. Mean follow-up was 22 months. RESULTS Embolization was feasible and successful in 57 patients. Sandwich coiling of the gastroduodenal artery was used in 34 patients, and superselective occlusion of the terminal feeding artery (with glue, coils or gelatin particles) was used in 23 patients. Early rebleeding occurred in 16 patients and was managed with endoscopy (n=8), reembolization (n=3) or surgery (n=5). No major embolization-related complications occurred. Sixteen patients died within 30 days after embolization (including three who died from rebleeding) and 11 died thereafter. No late bleeding recurrences were reported. CONCLUSIONS Selective angiographic embolization is safe and effective for controlling life-threatening bleeding from gastroduodenal ulcers. The procedure usually obviates the need for emergency surgery in these high-risk patients. Survival depends chiefly on underlying conditions.
Ginkgo May Sensitize Ovarian Cancer Cells to Cisplatin

Ginkgolide B (GB), the primary active component of Ginkgo biloba extracts, may have antitumor properties. The objective of this study was to determine the effects and possible mechanisms of GB in ovarian cancer cells. In this study, human ovarian cancer cell lines (SKOV3 and CAOV3) were treated with different concentrations of GB alone or in combination with Cis-diaminodichloroplatinum (CDDP). An MTT (3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide) assay was performed to determine cell viability. The apoptosis rates of cells were measured by flow cytometric analysis. The expression of apoptosis-associated and proliferation-associated proteins was detected by Western blot. The cytotoxicity of GB was analyzed using a lactate dehydrogenase assay. Treatment with 100 µM GB for 3 days significantly inhibited SKOV3 and CAOV3 cell proliferation by 57.3% and 63.1% compared with control cells, respectively, as determined by MTT assay. Similarly, the apoptotic cell population was increased when treated with GB in a dose-dependent manner both in SKOV3 and CAOV3 cells. These effects were characterized by the upregulation of p21, p27, cleaved capase-3, and cleaved caspase-8 and downregulation of cyclin D1. In addition, a combined treatment of low concentrations of GB and CDDP showed an additive effect on the inhibition of SKOV3 cell proliferation. Furthermore, GB had significantly less cytotoxicity than CDDP in normal human ovarian surface epithelial cells. This study suggests that GB can be proposed as an effective antiproliferative and apoptosis-inducing agent with interesting translational application in ovarian cancers, used in addition to conventional chemotherapy.
Work Environment Structure and Psychological Ownership: The Mediating Effects of Control

Current theorists on the psychology of possession highlight control as an important route in the development of feelings of ownership. In the present article, the authors hypothesized that the extent to which individuals experience control over their job and work environment is positively associated with feelings of ownership for their job and the organization. The authors used supervisory report data on work environment structure and self-reports on experienced control and psychological ownership to test for the mediating effects of experienced control in the relationship between the work environment structure and psychological ownership. The authors found that experienced control mediates the relationship between 3 sources of work environment structure—technology, autonomy, and participative decision making—and psychological ownership of the job and (to a lesser extent) the organization. The authors proposed implications of the findings and directions of further research.
Business Cycle Effects of Credit Shocks in a DSGE Model with Firm Defaults

This paper proposes a theoretical framework to analyze the relationship between credit shocks, firm defaults and volatility, and to study the impact of credit shocks on business cycle dynamics. Firms are identical ex ante but differ ex post due to different realizations of firm-specific technology shocks, possibly leading to default by some firms. The paper advances a new modelling approach for the analysis of firm defaults and financial intermediation that takes account of the financial implications of such defaults for both households and banks. Results from a calibrated version of the model suggest that, in the steady state, a firm’s default probability rises with its leverage ratio and the level of uncertainty in the economy. A positive credit shock, defined as a rise in the loan-to-deposit ratio, increases output, consumption, hours and productivity, and reduces the spread between loan and deposit rates. The effects of the credit shock tend to be highly persistent, even without price rigidities and habit persistence in consumption behavior.
Off-Pump CABG for Mulitvessel Coronary Artery Disease-Safe Incorporation into Surgical Practice

Introduction: Since its revival two decades ago development of the surgical technique, along with evidence and clinical outcomes of off-pump coronary artery bypass surgery (OPCAB) were brought into focus. Methods: We report a single surgeon, single center experience of the first 37 consecutive patients undergoing off-pump surgery. Patients were selected for OPCAB (study group) individually and matched retrospectively to a control group of 113 patients performed over an identical time frame. Data were retrieved from a hospital data base (TOMCAT). Results: Mean Logistic European System of Cardiac Operative Risk Stratification (EuroSCORE) was slightly higher in the off-pump group (3.8% versus 2.9%). One patient died during the study and this was in the off-pump CAB group (OPCAB-30 day mortality 2.7%). Operating time was slightly shorter in the off-pump group (3 hours 28 minutes versus 3 hours 49 minutes, p = 0.15). After exclusion of outliers, total hospital stay was significantly shorter for off-pump cases (mean 6.8 days versus 8.37 days), while Intensive Care Unit (ICU) stay (1.2 versus 1.4 days) and ventilation time were only slightly shorter (9.35 hours versus 10.6 hours) for off-pump cases. Chest tube drainage was significantly lower in the off-pump group (484 ml versus 744 ml, p = 0.04) with correspondingly slightly lower transfusion requirements and significantly increased discharge haemoglobin concentrations in OPCAB. There was one cerebrovascular accident (CVA) in the off-pump group and none in the on-pump group. Conclusion: In this study we show short term outcomes for introduction of off-pump into surgical technique. Length of ICU stay, ventilation times, chest tube drainage, transfusion re0 quirements and pre-discharge haemoglobin concentration all appeared superior in the off pump group. The off-pump technique was safely introduced into the surgeon`s service with relatively little mortality. Experience of surgeon was considered advantageous for fast adaption of the technique. However, numbers were too small to make strong inferences. With practice more patients should benefit from the technique.
Voluntary exercise rescues deficits in spatial memory and long‐term potentiation in prenatal ethanol‐exposed male rats

Prenatal ethanol exposure can lead to long‐lasting impairments in the ability to process spatial information in rats, as well as produce long‐lasting deficits in the ability of animals to exhibit long‐term potentiation, a biological model of learning and memory processing. Conversely, we have recently shown that both spatial memory and long‐term potentiation can be enhanced in animals that are given access to a running wheel in their home cage. In the present study, Sprague–Dawley rat dams were given one of three diets throughout gestation: (i) a liquid diet containing ethanol (35.5% ethanol‐derived calories); (ii) a liquid diet, isocaloric to the ethanol diet, but with maltose‐dextrin substituting for the ethanol derived calories and (iii) an ad libitum diet of standard rat chow. At weaning (28 days) animals were housed individually in either a standard rat cage, or a cage that contained a running wheel. Adult offspring were tested on a two trial version of the Morris water maze beginning at postnatal day 60, for five consecutive days. Following this, the capacity of the perforant path to dentate gyrus pathway to sustain long‐term potentiation was examined in these animals using theta‐patterned conditioning stimuli. Our results demonstrate that prenatal ethanol exposure can produce pronounced deficits in both spatial memory and long‐term potentiation, but that allowing animal's access to voluntary exercise can attenuate these deficits to the point that those exposed to ethanol prenatally can no longer be differentiated from control animals. These findings indicate that voluntary exercise may have therapeutic benefits for individuals that have undergone prenatal ethanol exposure.
Effects of piperine on antioxidant pathways in tissues from normal and streptozotocin‐induced diabetic rats

Using diabetes mellitus as a model of oxidative damage, this study investigated whether subacute treatment (10mg/kg/day, intraperitoneally for 14 days) with the compound piperine would protect against diabetes‐induced oxidative stress in 30‐day streptozotocin‐induced diabetic Sprague‐Dawley rats. Liver, kidney, brain, and heart were assayed for degree of lipid peroxidation, reduced and oxidized glutathione (GSH and GSSG, respectively) content, and activities of the free‐radical detoxifying enzymes catalase, superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase, and glutathione reductase. Piperine treatment of normal rats enhanced hepatic GSSG concentration by 100% and decreased renal GSH concentration by 35% and renal glutathione reductase activity by 25% when compared to normal controls. All tissues from diabetic animals exhibited disturbances in antioxidant defense when compared with normal controls. Treatment with piperine reversed the diabetic effects on GSSG concentration in brain, on renal glutathione peroxidase and superoxide dismutase activities, and on cardiac glutathione reductase activity and lipid peroxidation. Piperine treatment did not reverse the effects of diabetes on hepatic GSH concentrations, lipid peroxidation, or glutathione peroxidase or catalase activities; on renal superoxide dismutase activity; or on cardiac glutathione peroxidase or catalase activities. These data indicate that subacute treatment with piperine for 14 days is only partially effective as an antioxidant therapy in diabetes. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Biochem Mol Toxicol 14:329–334, 2000
Rapid gastric emptying of a liquid meal in long‐term Type 2 diabetes mellitus

Both delayed and accelerated gastric emptying rate (GER) have been reported in patients with diabetes mellitus. Delayed GER has been attributed to autonomic neuropathy in established diabetes but rapid GER was demonstrated in early Type 2 diabetes. The aim of the study was to investigate rapid gastric emptying in a group of people with long‐duration Type 2 diabetes. GER of a radiolabelled liquid meal was studied scintigraphically in 20 Type 2 patients with a mean (± SEM) duration of diabetes 13 (±1) years. The 50 % emptying time (t50) for the liquid meal was shorter in diabetic patients (29.6 ± 2.1 min) than in controls (39.2 ± 1.9 min; p<0.0005). Accelerated emptying (t50 value below the shortest t50 of controls) was evidenced in 14/ 20 patients and delayed emptying (t50 value exceeding the upper t50 of controls) in none. Patients with accelerated GER were comparable for BMI, diabetes duration, HbA1c and fasting glycaemia to those with normal GER. Rapid GER for liquids was found in the presence or absence of autonomic neuropathy. Seven of the patients with rapid emptying of the liquid meal were reassessed using a solid meal. Only one patient demonstrated rapid emptying of the solid meal, which was normal in 3 and delayed in 3 patients. In conclusion, accelerated GER can be found in long‐term Type 2 diabetes but there is no concordance between GER of a liquid and a solid meal. Copyright © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Acute whole-body cooling for exercise-induced hyperthermia: a systematic review.

OBJECTIVE To assess existing original research addressing the efficiency of whole-body cooling modalities in the treatment of exertional hyperthermia. DATA SOURCES During April 2007, we searched MEDLINE, EMBASE, Scopus, SportDiscus, CINAHL, and Cochrane Reviews databases as well as ProQuest for theses and dissertations to identify research studies evaluating whole-body cooling treatments without limits. Key words were cooling, cryotherapy, water immersion, cold-water immersion, ice-water immersion, icing, fanning, bath, baths, cooling modality, heat illness, heat illnesses, exertional heatstroke, exertional heat stroke, heat exhaustion, hyperthermia, hyperthermic, hyperpyrexia, exercise, exertion, running, football, military, runners, marathoner, physical activity, marathoning, soccer, and tennis. DATA SYNTHESIS Two independent reviewers graded each study on the Physiotherapy Evidence Database (PEDro) scale. Seven of 89 research articles met all inclusion criteria and a minimum score of 4 out of 10 on the PEDro scale. CONCLUSIONS After an extensive and critical review of the available research on whole-body cooling for the treatment of exertional hyperthermia, we concluded that ice-water immersion provides the most efficient cooling. Further research comparing whole-body cooling modalities is needed to identify other acceptable means. When ice-water immersion is not possible, continual dousing with water combined with fanning the patient is an alternative method until more advanced cooling means can be used. Until future investigators identify other acceptable whole-body cooling modalities for exercise-induced hyperthermia, ice-water immersion and cold-water immersion are the methods proven to have the fastest cooling rates.
Reliability of the chin tuck neck flexion test for assessing endurance of short neck flexors in healthy individuals

Abstract Objectives: The aim of the study was to examine of the intra-rater reliability of the chin tuck neck flexion (CTNF) test for assessing the endurance of neck flexors. Materials and methods: The study was performed at the Cardiorespiratory laboratory of the Physiotherapy Department, School of Health and Caring Professions, TEI Lamia, Greece. Twenty healthy volunteers (males/females: 9/11, age: 22.2 ± 1.7 y ears) with no known musculoskeletal, cardiovascular, pulmonary, neurological, or psychiatric disorder were recruited. The participants were positioned in a supine position and were asked to raise their head 2.5 cm above the plinth and to maintain this position for as long as possible without losing craniocervical or cervical flexion. This test was repeated three times with 5-min intervals between the trials. Results: The results showed that this test could discriminate between neck flexor endurance in men and women. However, although the test seems to be highly reliable (ICC: 0.81–0.88), it presents unsatisfactory standard error of measurement (SEM: 10.7–14.7 s) and smallest detectable differences (SDD: 80.5–110.9%). Furthermore, subgroup analysis showed the test seems to be more reliable for women (ICC: 0.93–0.94) than for men (ICC: 0.68–0.8), but the SEM and SDD values for them remain unsatisfactory (SEM: 4.4–5.3 s, SDD: 57.5–63.99%). Conclusions: Due to high reproducibility and discriminant validity, clinicians and researchers might want to consider using the CTNF test for the assessment of neck flexor endurance. However, they should seek alternative measurement tools when they want to avoid a large measurement error.
An Empirical Study of the Determinants of Profit Forecast by Tunisian Managers

The aim of this paper is to empirically explain differences in levels of publication of forecast information observed in a sample of companies by a number of characteristics of these companies (such as the level of debt, age, size or level of profitability of companies observed). On the basis of a data relating to 50 Tunisian firms listed in the Tunisian Stock Exchange in 2010, our findings shows that profitable companies belonging to high-tech sectors and involve insiders in the decision provide more detailed and credible than other forward-looking statements.
A Low Delay Cross-Layer MAC Protocol for k-Covered Event Driven Wireless Sensor Networks

In general, in <inline-formula><tex-math notation="LaTeX">$k$</tex-math></inline-formula>-covered wireless sensor networks (WSNs), whenever an event occurs, <inline-formula><tex-math notation="LaTeX">$M\;\left(\geq k \right)$</tex-math></inline-formula> sensor nodes, lying in the communication range (CR) of each other, have data packets to send in the same cycle. In the existing cross-layer contention-based synchronous MAC protocols, very few nodes can forward their data packet in the same cycle when <inline-formula><tex-math notation="LaTeX">$M$</tex-math></inline-formula> nodes, with data packets to send, lie in the CR of one another. This results in a drastic increase in the end-to-end transmission delay (E2ETD) with increasing <inline-formula><tex-math notation="LaTeX">$M$</tex-math></inline-formula>. In this article, we propose a low delay, cross-layer contention-based synchronous MAC (LDCMAC) protocol for event driven WSNs. LDMAC increases the number of nodes that can forward their data packet in the same cycle when <inline-formula><tex-math notation="LaTeX">$M$</tex-math></inline-formula> nodes, with data packet to send, lie in the CR of one another. We evaluate LDCMAC through NS-2.35 simulations and compare its performance with the CL-MAC protocol. Results suggest that LDCMAC significantly outperforms CL-MAC in terms of E2ETD and packet delivery ratio (PDR).
Studying the Status of Internet Addiction among High School Students in the Southeast of Iran : A Descriptive Study

Introduction: Internet addiction is one of the major problems of the modern world that has involved all walks of life and especially students. Studying the rate and the way of dealing with this problem seems to be necessary. Methods: This cross-sectional, descriptive study was carried out on a sample of 190 high school students (out of 210) in Nikshahr, a town in southeast of Iran, from November 2014 to May 2015. The participants were selected using the simple random sampling method. The only inclusion criterion was voluntary and conscious consent. The required data were collected using a standard questionnaire consisting of two parts of demographic information (age, gender, and educational grade) and Standard Young's Internet Addiction Test that its validity and reliability had been previously demonstrated in various studies. The data were statistically analyzed in SPSS-22 software. Results: The rate of answering to questions was 90%. According to the results, the mean and standard deviation of participants’ age was 17.9±2.1 and most of them were in the range of 12-19. Girls accounted for the majority of participants (109 students, 57.4%). In terms of educational grade, most of participants (68 students, 35.8%) were studying in the third grade of high school. Mean score of Internet addiction for the studied sample was obtained 70.2, reflecting an intense reliance on the Internet. Most participants (98 students, 51.1%) had an intense reliance on the Internet. Conclusion: Given the superiority of prevention over treatment and considering the fact that Internet addiction is a health problem for the younger generation and the future-builders of a society, taking measures such as training the students and adolescents on correct use of the Internet and increasing the information and awareness of patents about computer and the Internet for exercising proper supervision and restriction on their children seems to be necessary.