Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Placental Morphometry in Relation to Birth Weight of Full Term Newborn Babies.

Background: In obstetrics the relationship of birth weight and the perinatal outcome has long been appreciated, however an often neglected parameter is the placental changes. Placenta is a vital organ for maintaining pregnancy and promoting normal foetal development. Foetal outcome is adversely influenced by pathological changes observed in placenta. Objectives: To assess the morphology of placenta in normal and low birth weight babies. To correlate the morphometric analysis with birth weight between the two groups. Study design: Cross-sectional descriptive study. Study setting: Department of Anatomy, Chalmeda Anandrao Institute of Medical Sciences, Karimnagar, Andhra Pradesh from January to June 2011. Methods: Total 374 human placentae from uncomplicated pregnancies were studied for the morphology and compared between low birth weight babies and normal weight babies. Results: The morphometric parameters of placenta like, weight, volume were significantly lower in low birth weight group compared to normal group. Placental weight and placental volume had significant correlation with the birth weight of new born. Conclusion: The placental weight increased according to the birth weight. Placental parameters and its ratio to birth weight were significantly associated with some adverse pregnancy outcomes.
Number of screens for overdetection as an indicator of absolute risk of overdiagnosis in prostate cancer screening

As with wide‐spread use of prostate cancer (Pca) screening with prostate‐specific antigen testing, overdetection has increasingly gained attention. The authors aimed to estimate absolute risk of overdetection (RO) in Pca screening with various interscreening intervals and ages at start of screening. We estimated age‐specific preclinical incidence rates (per 100,000 person‐years) for progressive cancer (from 128 for age group 55–58 years to 774 for age group 67–71 years) and nonprogressive cancer (from 40 for age group 55–58 years to 66 for age group 67–71 years), the mean sojourn time (7.72 years) and the sensitivity (42.8% at first screen and 59.8% at the second screen) by using a multistep epidemiological model with data from the Finnish randomized controlled trial. The overall number of screens for overdetection (NSO) was 29 (95% confidence interval (CI): 18, 48) for screenees aged 55–67 years, equivalent to 3.4 (95% CI: 2.1, 5.7) overdetected Pcas per 100 screenees. The NSO decreased from 63 (95% CI: 37, 109) at the first screen to 29 (95% CI: 18, 48) at the third screen and from 43 (95% CI: 36, 52) for age 55 years to 25 (95% CI: 8, 75) at age 67 years at the first screen. In conclusion, around 3.4 cases for every 100 screened men would be overdetected during three screen rounds (∼ 13 years of follow‐up) in the Finnish randomized controlled trial. Elucidating the absolute RO under various scenarios makes contribution for evaluating the benefit and harm of Pca screening.
Guess-Work and Reasonings on Centennial Evolution of Surface Air Temperature in Russia: Is it Possible to Build Bifurcation Diagrams Based on Extra-Short Local Observations?

Since the bifurcation analysis remains the basic tool to inquire into nonlinear system dynamics, then, theoretically, the bifurcation analysis should be widely used to estimate the evolution of the climate dynamics at a certain geographic point over the last centenary. But it does not occur in practice. A viewpoint how to estimate such evolution is proposed and discussed in the paper. The viewpoint can be briefly formulated as the following: the extra-short timescale, plus the novel conceptual model, plus the modified bifurcation diagrams. So, first, only the data of instrumental measurements (hereafter observations) are used to build the bifurcation diagram, correspondingly, the timescale is restricted by the maximal duration of the reliable observations. In particular, 130-years time series of the land surface air temperature in Russia are analyzed in the paper. Second, the conceptual model (HDS-model) to describe the annual warming–cooling cycle dynamics similar to the dynamics of the hysteresis regulator with double synchronization (HDS-regulator) is introduced. Correspondingly, the local climate dynamics is considered as the dynamics of the system with a variable structure. The main advantage of HDS-model is the possibility to describe quite simply the rich variety of the observable temperature evolution based on the known nonlinear phenomena by the combinations of C-bifurcations (or, in other words, border-collision bifurcations) between three conjugate periodical processes with the same period but different orders of structural changes. Then HDS-hypothesis on the climate dynamics is proposed, where the local temperature evolution is considered under the competition between both amplitude and time quantizations within the Sun–Earth–Moon system. Processing the observations follows the SUC-logic conceptions on the experimental bifurcation analysis that allows to untangle the intricate nonlinear nonstationary behavior of a local climate system by using both special sections (S) and units (U) in a certain consequence (C). As a result, the modified bifurcation diagrams to show the temperature evolution in local climate systems are built under the variation of several bifurcation parameters. The diagrams exhibit intermittency phenomena of high activity in the European part of Russia at least. Generally speaking, HDS-hypothesis gives the good approximation to answer the question whether the observable changes in the local climate dynamics are qualitative and, if yes, in what meaning?
War and Peace in the Global Village

From the Publisher: War and Peace in The Global Village is a collage of images and text that sharply illustrates the effects of electronic media and new technology on man. Marshall McLuhan wrote this book thirty years ago and following its publication predicted that the forthcoming information age would be "a transitional era of profound pain and tragic identity quest". Marshall McLuhan illustrates the fact that all social changes are caused by introduction of new technologies. He interprets these new technologies as extensions or "self-amputations of our own being", because technologies extend bodily reach. McLuhan's ideas and observations seem disturbingly accurate and clearly applicable to the world in which we live. War and Peace in the Global Village is a meditation on accelerating innovations leading to identity loss and war.
Monitoring of West Nile Virus Infections in Germany

West Nile virus (WNV) is a flavivirus that is maintained in an enzootic cycle between ornithophilic mosquitoes, mainly of the Culex genus, and certain wild bird species. Other bird species like ravens, jays and raptors are highly susceptible to the infection and may develop deadly encephalitis, while further species of birds are only going through subclinical infection. The objective of this study was to continue in years 2009–2011 the serological and molecular surveillance in wild birds in Germany (see Vector Borne Zoonotic Dis. 10, 639) and to expand these investigations for the first time also to sera from domestic poultry and horses collected between 2005 and 2009. All three cohorts function as indicators for the endemic circulation of WNV. The presence of WNV‐specific antibodies was detected in all samples by virus neutralization test (VNT), indirect immunofluorescence test (IFT) and/or enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The presence of WNV genomes was monitored in relevant sera using two qRT‐PCRs that amplify lineage 1 and 2 strains. A total of 364 migratory and resident wild bird serum samples (with emphasis on Passeriformes and Falconiformes) as well as 1119 serum samples from domestic poultry and 1282 sera from horses were analysed. With the exception of one hooded crow, antibody carriers were exclusively found in migratory birds, but not in resident birds/domestic poultry or in local horses. Crows are facultative, short‐distance winter migrants in Germany. WNV‐specific nucleic acids could not be demonstrated in any of the samples. According to these data, there is no convincing evidence for indigenous WNV infections in equines and in wild/domestic birds in Germany. However, since a few years, WNV infections are endemic in other European countries such as Austria, Hungary, Greece and Italy, a state‐of‐the‐art surveillance system for the detection of incursions of WNV into Germany deems mandatory.
Herbal products: behaviors and beliefs among Italian women

The use of phytotherapy is growing worldwide, but the popular perception is that this kind of approach is natural and therefore safer than traditional medicine; for this reason the use is frequently not communicated to the doctor. Instead, even if many herbal remedies are benign in nature, some of these therapies have potentially harmful side effects or adverse interactions with other medications. So, the purpose of our study was to analyze the behavior patterns and decision‐making modalities about herbal remedy use among a sample of Italian women.
Delay discounting, self-control, and substance use among adult drug court participants

The current study examined the relationship between two measures of impulsiveness and the odds of substance use among a sample of participants on an Australian drug court (n=80). Participants completed a computer-based delay discounting task, a paper-based delay discounting task, and a questionnaire-based measure of self-control. The delay discounting tasks measured individual differences in the value attributed to distal outcomes, which is one aspect of impulsive behavior that has been found to be over-represented among illicit drug users. The relationship between the measures of impulsiveness and the odds of substance use was assessed by fitting longitudinal panel regression models with adjustment for informative treatment dropout. Consistent with previous research, drug court participants were found to have higher discount rates (i.e. were more impulsive) than a noncriminal population of university students (n=101). Drug court participants also discounted delayed gains more than delayed losses. Delay discounting was not significantly associated with the odds of substance use on the drug court program. There was a positive relationship between the survey-based measure of impulsivity and the mean substance use frequency. The authors conclude that impulsivity is correlated with substance use among drug court participants but not when measuring impulsivity using a delay discounting paradigm.
Bad News: The Predicament of Native American Mythology

This article holds that native American communities generally did not produce and maintain stories of white and Indian relations, in other words, the sort of stories that loom large in the writings of ethnohistorians. What the communities traditionally produced instead were myths and mythologies about an ancient Edenic time before normal human procreation and marriage. The article also holds that the main influence on the content of mythologies was neighboring mythologies, such that each people’s telling of ancientness was a parody, but a compassionate one, of its neighbors’ tellings. The commitments to parody and to Edenic content hamper these mythologies in today’s cultural world. The tellings were wonderful, but now they are past.
Intracellular and Extracellular Carbonic Anhydrases Cooperate Non-enzymatically to Enhance Activity of Monocarboxylate Transporters*

Background: Monocarboxylate transporters (MCTs) mediate the shuttling of high-energy metabolites between different cells. Results: Transport activity of MCTs is augmented by intracellular and extracellular carbonic anhydrases (CAs). Conclusion: Intracellular and extracellular CAs can work in concert to ensure rapid shuttling of metabolites across the cell membrane. Significance: CAs play a pivotal role as regulators of metabolite transport in different tissues. Proton-coupled monocarboxylate transporters (MCTs) are carriers of high-energy metabolites such as lactate, pyruvate, and ketone bodies and are expressed in most tissues. It has previously been shown that transport activity of MCT1 and MCT4 is enhanced by the cytosolic carbonic anhydrase II (CAII) independent of its catalytic activity. We have now studied the influence of the extracellular, membrane-bound CAIV on transport activity of MCT1/4, heterologously expressed in Xenopus oocytes. Coexpression of CAIV with MCT1 and MCT4 resulted in a significant increase in MCT transport activity, even in the nominal absence of CO2/HCO3−. CAIV-mediated augmentation of MCT activity was independent of the CAIV catalytic function, since application of the CA-inhibitor ethoxyzolamide or coexpression of the catalytically inactive mutant CAIV-V165Y did not suppress CAIV-mediated augmentation of MCT transport activity. The interaction required CAIV at the extracellular surface, since injection of CAIV protein into the oocyte cytosol did not augment MCT transport function. The effects of cytosolic CAII (injected as protein) and extracellular CAIV (expressed) on MCT transport activity, were additive. Our results suggest that intra- and extracellular carbonic anhydrases can work in concert to ensure rapid shuttling of metabolites across the cell membrane.
Takayasu arteritis: surgical interventions

Purpose of reviewOpen and endovascular surgery remains important in the management of Takayasu arteritis. This review summarizes the indications and approaches available, the evidence for them and recent advances. Recent findingsThe outlook in Takayasu arteritis has improved over the last decade, reflecting earlier diagnosis, increased use of noninvasive imaging and combination immunotherapy. This is likely to be reflected in a reduced requirement for vascular intervention in the next decade. An important role remains for open surgery, which is effective, well tolerated and improves long-term survival in those with severe disease. Primary angioplasty offers a less invasive option for specific arterial sites, although restenosis rates are higher. Interventional outcomes are significantly improved by adequate pre and postoperative immunosuppression to render arteritis inactive. Stent placement should be reserved predominantly for primary and secondary angioplasty failures. The role of drug-eluting stents is not yet established. Preliminary evidence suggests that stent grafts represent an important noninvasive option. SummaryVascular intervention remains important for the treatment of stenosed and occluded arteries leading to organ ischaemia or hypertension, and for aneurysmal disease. Endovascular stent grafts are likely to be increasingly deployed, and targeted biologic therapies may reduce the need for vascular intervention.
INFLUENCE OF STRATEGIC COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE ON COOPERATION PERFORMANCE

The purpose of this study was to find solutions for problems related to the cooperation performance when connected with Strategic competitive advantage. This study was theoretical review, especially about the effect of Strategic competitive advantage on the cooperation performance. Competitive advantage is the ability of a company to achieve economic benefits in respect of the profits that can be achieved by a competitor in the market in the same industry. Companies that have a competitive advantage always had the ability to understand the changes in the structure of the market and is able to choose an effective marketing strategy. The results showed that Strategic competitive advantage have a significant effect on cooperation performance. Furthermore it was found that Strategic competitive advantage has implication for cooperation performance.
Global Partial Likelihood for Nonparametric Proportional Hazards Models

As an alternative to the local partial likelihood method of Tibshirani and Hastie and Fan, Gijbels, and King, a global partial likelihood method is proposed to estimate the covariate effect in a nonparametric proportional hazards model, λ(t|x)=exp{ψ(x)}λ0(t) . The estimator, ψˆ(x), reduces to the Cox partial likelihood estimator if the covariate is discrete. The estimator is shown to be consistent and semiparametrically efficient for linear functionals of ψ(x) . Moreover, Breslow-type estimation of the cumulative baseline hazard function, using the proposed estimator ψˆ(x) , is proved to be efficient. The asymptotic bias and variance are derived under regularity conditions. Computation of the estimator involves an iterative but simple algorithm. Extensive simulation studies provide evidence supporting the theory. The method is illustrated with the Stanford heart transplant data set. The proposed global approach is also extended to a partially linear proportional hazards model and found to provide efficient estimation of the slope parameter. This article has the supplementary materials online.
Nephroprotective and antioxidant activities of Salacia oblonga on acetaminophen-induced toxicity in rats

Salacia oblonga, a woody climbing plant belonging to the family Celastaceae, is widely distributed in India and other southeast Asian countries. The genus Salacia have been used particularly for the treatment of diabetes, obesity, gonorrhoea, rheumatism, pruritus and asthma. Acetaminophen (APAP), used as an analgesic drug, produces liver and kidney necrosis in mammals at high doses. The aim of this study was to investigate the nephroprotective and antioxidant activities of the ethanol extract of Salacia oblonga (EESO) at the two dose levels of 250 and 500 mg/kg bw on APAP-induced toxicity in rats. The results showed that APAP significantly increases the levels of serum urea, creatinine, and reduces levels of uric acid concentration. The EESO reduces these by increasing anti-oxidative responses as assessed by biochemical and histopathological parameters. In conclusion, our results suggest that the EESO possesses nephroprotective and antioxidant effects against APAP-induced nephrotoxicity in rats.
Effect of Cytochrome P450 polymorphism on the action and metabolism of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors

Introduction: The aim of this article is to review the field of clinically relevant pharmacogenetic effects of cytochrome P450 polymorphisms on metabolism, kinetics, and action of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). Areas covered: The relevant literature in humans on the implications of genetic variation on SSRI drug exposure, drug safety, and efficacy was systematically evaluated. There is a large amount of evidence on the influences of CYP polymorphisms on the pharmacokinetics of SSRIs. Regulatory agencies have issued warnings or advice considering dose adjustments in the presence of affected metabolic phenotypes for several SSRIs. Evidence-based dose adjustments for drugs dependent on CYP genotype are available to clinicians. However, few data on the relationship between genetically determined elevated plasma concentrations of SSRIs and specific side effects or therapeutic failure are currently available. Expert opinion: Genetic polymorphisms in CYP2D6 and CYP2C19 exert large influences on the individual exposure to SSRIs, leading to the aim to achieve similar concentration time courses in different metabolizer phenotypes. The implementation of a stratified approach to medication with SSRIs in different metabolic phenotypes on a rational basis will require new studies assessing the association between clinical outcomes (such as adverse reactions) and genetically determined elevated plasma concentrations.
COMPARAÇÃO ENTRE FORÇA MÁXIMA MUSCULAR ISOMÉTRICA E DINÂMICA EM TRES DIFERENTES ANGULOS DO EXERCÍCIO SUPINO

Introducao: O treinamento de forca pode ser utilizado com o intuito de incrementar a funcao neuromuscular, podendo ser observadas adaptacoes na forca maxima, reconhecidas pelas comunidades medicas e cientificas como fundamental para promocao de saude e aprimorando da qualidade de vida. Objetivo: Verificar a relacao entre a forca dinâmica e a forca isometrica no exercicio de supino (horizontal, inclinado e declinado) em homens adultos praticantes de musculacao de uma academia na cidade de Perdoes, Minas Gerais. Metodologia: Participaram do estudo 11 individuos do sexo masculino (3,7 ± 3,2 anos; 75,1 ± 12,6 kg; 173,7 cm; 9,8 ± 3,6 %G) treinados com experiencia em musculacao. Foram aplicados testes de 1RM para avaliar a forca dinâmica, e o teste isometrico com o auxilio de uma celula de carga. Na analise estatistica entre os diferentes ângulos de supino e as diferentes manifestacoes de forca adotou-se o teste T para amostras pareadas (p < 0,05). Resultados: Os resultados obtidos nos testes dinâmicos e isometricos nos exercicios de supino foram: supino horizontal dinâmico (93,45 ± 27,62 Kg) com supino horizontal isometrico (162,59 ± 17,68 Kg), supino inclinado dinâmico (80,18 ± 19 Kg) com supino inclinado isometrico (155 ±11,35 Kg), supino declinado dinâmico (100,36 ± 25,67 Kg) com supino declinado isometrico (163,81±14,97 Kg). Conclusoes: De acordo com os resultados apresentados neste presente trabalho podemos afirmar que houve uma diferenca significativa entre os resultados obtidos para cada supino (horizontal, inclinado e declinado) em relacao aos testes de forca dinâmica e isometrica. Por tanto, creditamos que a causa dessa alta diferenca entre cargas e resultante das variaveis antropometricas e biomecânicas que interferem diretamente na realizacao dos movimentos. Entretanto os exercicios isometricos podem ser utilizados alem de pessoas em reabilitacao neuromuscular tambem para aquelas que almejam uma melhor ativacao dos musculos envolvidos nos exercicios
Molecular dynamics of leucine and dopamine transporter proteins in a model cell membrane lipid bilayer

The dopamine transporter (DAT) operates via facilitated diffusion, harnessing an inward Na+ gradient to drive dopamine from the extracellular synaptic cleft to the neuron interior. The DAT is relevant to central nervous system disorders such as Parkinson disease and attention‐deficit hyperactivity disorder and is the primary site of action for the abused psychostimulants cocaine and amphetamines. Crystallization of a DAT homolog, the bacterial leucine transporter LeuT, provided the first reliable 3‐D DAT template. Here, the LeuT crystal structure and the DAT molecular model have been combined with their respective substrates, leucine and dopamine, in lipid bilayer molecular dynamics simulations toward tracking substrate movement along the protein's substrate/ion permeation pathway. Specifically, movement of residue pairs that comprise the “external gate” was followed as a function of substrate presence. The transmembrane (TM) 1 arginine‐TM 10 aspartate strut formed less readily in DAT compared with LeuT, with or without substrate present. For LeuT but not DAT, the addition of substrate enhanced the chances of forming the TM 1‐10 bridge. Also, movement of the fourth extracellular loop EL‐4 in the presence of substrate was more pronounced for DAT, the EL‐4 unwinding to a degree. The overall similarity between the LeuT and DAT molecular dynamics simulations indicated that LeuT was a legitimate model to guide DAT structure‐function predictions. There were, nevertheless, differences significant enough to allow for DAT‐unique insights, which may include how cocaine, methylphenidate (Ritalin, NIDA Drug Supply, Rockville, MD), and other DAT blockers are not recognized as substrates even though they can access the primary substrate binding pocket. Proteins 2010. © 2009 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.