Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Enhancement of oral bioavailability of atorvastatin calcium by self-emulsifying drug delivery systems (SEDDS)

The aim of the present study was to formulate a self-emulsifying drug delivery system of atorvastatin calcium and its characterization including in vitro and in vivo potential. The solubility of atorvastatin calcium was determined in various vehicles such as Captex 355, Captex 355 EP/NF, Ethyl oleate, Capmul MCM, Capmul PG-8, Gelucire 44/14, Tween 80, Tween 20, and PEG 400. Pseudoternary phase diagrams were plotted on the basis of solubility data of drug in various components to evaluate the microemulsification region. Formulation development and screening was carried out based on results obtained from phase diagrams and characteristics of resultant microemulsion. Prepared formulations were tested for microemulsifying properties and evaluated for clarity, precipitation, viscosity determination, drug content and in vitro dissolution. The optimized formulation further evaluated for particle size distribution, zeta potential, stability studies and in vivo potential. In vivo performance of the optimized formulation was evaluated using a Triton-induced hypercholesterolemia model in male Albino Wistar rats. The formulation significantly reduced serum lipid levels as compared with atorvastatin calcium. Thus studies illustrated the potential use for the delivery of hydrophobic drug such as atorvastatin calcium by oral route.
Neointimal hyperplasia in early arteriovenous fistula failure.

BACKGROUND Hemodialysis vascular access dysfunction currently is a huge clinical problem. Although arteriovenous fistulas (AVFs) are the preferred form of permanent dialysis access, they continue to have significant problems with early AVF failure. Although inadequate dilatation of the venous segment was believed to have a role in early AVF failure, the exact pathogenesis of early AVF failure is unknown despite the magnitude of the clinical problem. STUDY DESIGN Case series. SETTING & PARTICIPANTS Hemodialysis patients. OUTCOMES & MEASUREMENTS Stenotic venous segments from 4 patients with early AVF failure were subjected to a detailed histological, morphometric, and immunohistochemical analysis. RESULTS All 4 patients had significant luminal stenosis, primarily as a result of eccentric neointimal hyperplasia. This was confirmed through morphometric analysis, which documented intima-media area and thickness ratios that were greater than unity. Cellular phenotyping studies showed that the majority of cells within the region of neointimal hyperplasia were myofibroblasts, with smaller numbers of contractile smooth muscle cells. LIMITATIONS We described only a limited number of specimens. CONCLUSIONS We show for the first time that aggressive neointimal hyperplasia is present in venous segment specimens from patients with early AVF failure. Future therapies to address this problem will need to target this pathogenetic pathway.
The buzz on buzz.

Word-of-mouth promotion has become an increasingly potent force, capable of catapulting products from obscurity into runaway commercial successes. Harry Potter, collapsible scooters, the Chrysler PT Cruiser, and The Blair Witch Project are all recent examples of the considerable power of buzz. Yet many top executives and marketing managers are misinformed about the phenomenon and remain enslaved to some common myths. In her article, author Renée Dye explores the truth behind these myths. Myth 1: Only outrageous or edgy products are buzz-worthy. That's simply not true. The most unlikely products, like prescription drugs, can generate tremendous buzz. Myth 2: Buzz just happens. Not so, says Dye. Buzz is increasingly the result of shrewd marketing tactics in which companies seed a vanguard group, ration supplies, use celebrity endorsements, leverage the power of lists, and initiate grassroots marketing. Myth 3: The best buzz-starters are your best customers. Often, a counterculture has a greater ability to start buzz. Myth 4: To profit from buzz, you must act first and fast. In fact, copycat companies can reap substantial profits if they know when and when not to jump in. Myth 5: The media and advertising are needed to create buzz. When used either too early or too much, the media and advertising can squelch buzz before it ignites. As globalization and brand proliferation continue, writes Dye, buzz may come to dominate the shaping of markets. Indeed, companies that are unable to control buzz may soon find the phenomenon controlling them.
Are Questions from the Italian National Health Survey Adequate to Measure Prevalence of Smoking Among Teens

Objectives. Studies on the prevalence of smoking among Italian adolescents have generated inconsistent estimates. Notably, the Italian National Health Survey (INHS) generates relatively lower estimates than estimates reported in other studies. The INHS asks adults and adolescents if they are smokers or nonsmokers. Research has shown that adolescent smoking is unstable compared to that of adults, and that adolescents may acquire their identity as smokers only after smoking becomes more established. We hypothesized that the INHS prevalence estimates of adolescent smoking could be improved by adding questions on smoking behavior. Methods. During the school year 1993–1994, 471 participants responded to a brief survey on smoking experiences. We compared the prevalence of smoking behavior with the prevalence of smoking identity of participants (mean age = 16.18) who attended five high schools in two Northern Italian cities, Padova and Bergamo. Results. Measures of smoking behavior generated higher prevalence estimates than did measures of identity, particularly among occasional smokers. Conclusions. The INHS should add behavioral measures of smoking to maximize the accuracy of prevalence estimates.
Letter to the editor: Specificity of Zika virus ELISA: interference with malaria.

We evaluated the specificity of this test on convalescent samples of 10 PCR-confirmed dengue patients (n = 3 DENV-1, n = 4 DENV-2, n = 2 DENV-3 and n = 1 DENV-4) with high IgM antibody ratios and a positive (n = 9) or negative (n = 1) result for IgG antibodies. We also tested the assay on 10 samples with high titres of neutralising antibodies against yellow fever virus and on five samples positive for rheumatoid factor. Except for one borderline result (ratio between 0.8 and 1.1) of ZIKV IgM in the convalescent sample from a patient infected with DENV-1 after a stay in Thailand, all results for ZIKV IgM and IgG were negative.
Home Modifications and Ways of Living Well

People living with a disability or illness and health care professionals often have different perspectives on what needs to be done, and why, in order to create a life they can recognize as good. Focusing on home modifications, I explore the enactment of diverging perspectives on the desired good. I show how one couple living with the effects of motor neuron disease in Wales tried to create a way of living. Drawing from a narrative-based study, I explore what happens when there is an interaction of different perspectives of what is considered to be a desirable outcome. I argue that the construction of some expectations as needs, and others as desires, serves to subjugate people to certain technologies. These technologies are those deemed necessary, following a neo-liberal language of cost-effectiveness where desires can be seen as liabilities.
Middle ear pressure in preschool age children: influence of respiratory illness, season, and picornavirus or bacteria in the nasopharynx

Conclusion. Middle ear pressure was affected by respiratory illness and season; picornavirus (without illness) or pathogenic bacteria in the nasopharynx had no or minor effect. Objective. To examine the effect of respiratory illness, season, and nasopharyngeal microbial flora on middle ear pressure. Subjects and methods. Thirteen children were followed longitudinally with daily recording of respiratory symptoms, weekly tympanometry, and weekly testing of nasal aspirate/washes for Streptococcus pneumoniae, Hemophilus influenzae, Moraxella catarrhalis by culture and for picornavirus by RT-PCR. Results. Abnormal middle ear pressure was present at 47% of 473 weekly visits by 11 preschool age (≤5years) vs 28% of 212 visits by 2 school age children. Symptomatic illness predicted abnormal middle ear pressure (63% of 107 ill visits in preschoolers vs 43% of 366 well visits, p<0.004). Abnormal tympanometry in preschoolers at well visits rose from 26% (80 visits) in summer to 54% (100 visits) in spring (p≤0.03). No increase in abnormal tympanometry occurred during 18 picornavirus infections without illness. The presence of one or more of the bacterial species at ill or well visits had no effect on middle ear pressure except for a 12% increase (p=0.008) in abnormal tympanometry associated with H. influenzae at well visits in preschoolers.
Human Resource Management Practices in the Multinational Company: A Test of System, Societal, and Dominance Effects

Does the use of HRM practices by multinational companies (MNCs) reflect their national origins or are practices similar regardless of context? To the extent that practices are similar, is there any evidence of global best standards? The authors use the system, societal, and dominance framework to address these questions through analysis of 1,100 MNC subsidiaries in Canada, Ireland, Spain, and the United Kingdom. They argue that this framework offers a richer account than alternatives such as varieties of capitalism. The study moves beyond previous research by differentiating between system effects at the global level and dominance effects arising from the diffusion of practices from a dominant economy. It shows that both effects are present, as are some differences at the societal level. Results suggest that MNCs configure their HRM practices in response to all three forces rather than to some uniform global best practices or to their national institutional contexts.
Construction of isogenic gonococci with variable porin structure: effects on susceptibility to human serum and antibiotics

Protein I (PI) is the most abundant protein on the gonococcal cell surface and besides its porin function it may have important properties contributing to pathogenicity. By allelic exchange using cloned PI genes from FA19 (PIA) and MS11 (PIB) and a selectable marker introduced closely downstream of these genes, we constructed sets of isogenic gonococcal strains that differ only in their PI gene. Analysis revealed that PI has a major effect on stable resistance to normal human serum, and a slight effect on low‐level resistance to antibiotics. All PIA/B hybrids were hypersusceptible to serum, suggesting a possible explanation for why such hybrids do not occur in nature.
Effects of clinically relevant concentrations of glucosamine on equine chondrocytes and synoviocytes in vitro.

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the effects of glucosamine on equine articular chondrocytes and synoviocytes at concentrations clinically relevant to serum and synovial fluid concentrations. SAMPLE POPULATION Articular cartilage and synovium with normal gross appearance from metacarpophalangeal and metatarsophalangeal joints of 8 horses (1 to 10 years of age). PROCEDURES In vitro chondrocyte and synoviocyte cell cultures from 8 horses were treated with glucosamine (0.1 to 20 microg/mL) with or without interleukin-1 (IL-1; 10 ng/mL) for 48 hours. Negative control cultures received no glucosamine or IL-1, and positive control cultures received only IL-1. Cultures were assayed for production of proteoglycan (via media containing sulfur 35 (35S)-labeled sodium sulfate and Alcian blue precipitation), prostaglandin E2 (PGE2; via a colorimetric assay), cyclooxygenase-2 (via real-time reverse-transcriptase PCR assay), microsomal PGE2 synthase (mPGEs; via real-time reverse-transcriptase PCR assay), and matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-13 (via a colorimetric assay). RESULTS Glucosamine had no impact on proteoglycan production or MMP-13 production under noninflammatory (no IL-1) or inflammatory (with IL-1) conditions. Glucosamine at 0.1 and 0.5 microg/mL significantly decreased IL-1-stimulated production of mPGEs by chondrocytes, compared with that of positive control chondrocytes. Glucosamine at 0.1 and 5 microg/mL significantly decreased IL-1-stimulated production of mPGEs and PGE2, respectively, compared with that of positive control synoviocytes. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE Glucosamine had limited effects on chondrocyte and synoviocyte metabolism at clinically relevant concentrations, although it did have some anti-inflammatory activity on IL-1-stimulated articular cells. Glucosamine may have use at clinically relevant concentrations in the treatment of inflammatory joint disease.
The relationship between mammographic density and duration of hormone therapy: effects of estrogen and estrogen-progestin.

BACKGROUND The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of duration of hormone therapy (HT) and treatment regimens on mammographic density. METHODS A retrospective study was carried out of of 467 post-menopausal women who received estrogen or estrogen-progestin and had regular mammographic density determination by the Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System between 1994 and 2001. RESULTS The fraction of women using HT who had an increase in mammographic density became more important over time. Further analysis of the effects of regimens after 4 years of HT shows that the increase in mean density was much greater in women receiving combined HT than in those receiving estrogen alone. The incidence of increased mammographic density showed significantly progressive increases over the duration of combined HT from 7.5 to 22.4%. CONCLUSIONS Although most women using HT maintained breast density at pre-treatment levels, there is a note of caution for women using long-term HT, especially those using combined estrogen-progestin.
Insiders' Protection of Organizational Information Assets: Development of a Systematics-Based Taxonomy and Theory of Diversity for Protection-Motivated Behaviors

Protecting information from a variety of security threats is a daunting organizational activity. Organization managers must recognize the roles that organization insiders have in protecting information resources rather than solely relying upon technology to provide this protection. Unfortunately, compared to negative insider behaviors, the extant literature provides sparse coverage of beneficial insider activities. The few beneficial activities in the literature represent only a small portion of the diverse collection of insiders' protective actions. This research focuses on protection-motivated behaviors (PMBs), which are volitional behaviors enacted by organization insiders to protect (1) organizationally relevant information and (2) the computer-based information systems in which the information is stored, collected, disseminated, and/or manipulated from information security threats. Based on systematics, we propose a six-step methodology of qualitative and quantitative approaches to develop a taxonomy and theory of diversity for PMBs. These approaches integrate the classification techniques of multidimensional scaling (MDS), property fitting (ProFit), and cluster analyses. We leverage these techniques to identify and display how insiders collectively classify 67 unique PMBs and their homogeneous classes. Our taxonomy provides researchers and practitioners a comprehensive guide and common nomenclature for PMBs. Our methodology can be similarly used to create other theories of diversity.
A study of stress in medical students at Seth G.S. Medical College.

BACKGROUND It is usually observed that medical students undergo tremendous stress during various stages of the MBBS course. There is a high rate of suicide among them. METHODS To determine incidence of stress and factors controlling stress in medical students at various stages of MBBS course at Seth G S Medical college, 238 students (First year 98, Second 76, Third 64) were asked to complete a questionnaire on personal data (gender, stay at hostel, mode of travel, time spent in travel every day, medium of study in school, place of school education.), Stress inducing factors, Zung's depression scale, ways of coping, stress relievers, perceived social support and personality type. Statistical tests used were ANOVA, critical ratio and Student's 't' test. RESULTS Majority of medical students (175/238--73%) perceived stress. Stress was found to be significantly more in Second and Third MBBS students rather than First MBBS levels (p < 0.05). Stress was not found to differ significantly on the basis of sex, stay at hostel, model of travel, time spent in travel every day, medium of study in school, place of school education. Stress was found to be significantly more in students having more than 95% of marks at 12th Standard as compared to others. Academic factors were greater perceived cause of stress in medical students. There was no significant difference in the students at different levels of MBBS regarding academic factors and social factors as a stress inducing factors. Physical factors were found to be significantly more in Second and Third MBBS students as compared to First MBBS students. Emotional factors were found to be significantly more in First MBBS students as compared to Second & Third MBBS students. Stress was more common in medical students who have dominant strategy of coping as positive reappraisal, accepting responsibility and planful problem solving. Stress was less common in medical students at Seth G S Medical College who have dominant strategy of coping as escaping and distancing from difficult situation. Family and Friend as perceived social supports were more in Second MBBS than First MBBS medical students. Stress was not found to be significantly more in students having their personality factor contributing to stress (Type A--52/67) as compared to others (Type B--123/171). This indicates that the stress was not trait oriented but was process oriented (p = NS). CONCLUSION Stress in medical students is common and is process oriented. It is more in second and third year. Academic factors are greater perceived cause of stress in medical students at Seth G S medical college. Emotional factors are found to be significantly more in First MBBS. It is dependent on person's ways of coping and social support.
THE ACS LCID PROJECT. III. THE STAR FORMATION HISTORY OF THE CETUS dSph GALAXY: A POST-REIONIZATION FOSSIL

We use deep HST/ACS observations to calculate the star formation history (SFH) of the Cetus dwarf spheroidal (dSph) galaxy. Our photometry reaches below the oldest main-sequence turnoffs, which allows us to estimate the age and duration of the main episode of star formation in Cetus. This is well approximated by a single episode that peaked roughly 12 ± 0.5 Gyr ago and lasted no longer than about 1.9 ± 0.5 Gyr (FWHM). Our solution also suggests that essentially no stars formed in Cetus during the past 8 Gyr. This makes Cetus’ SFH comparable to that of the oldest Milky Way dSphs. Given the current isolation of Cetus in the outer fringes of the Local Group, the dominant old population implies that Cetus is a clear outlier in the morphology–Galactocentric distance relation that holds for the majority of the Milky Way dwarf satellites. Our results also show that Cetus continued forming stars until z≃ 1, long after the universe was reionized, and that there is no clear signature of the epoch of reionization in Cetus’ SFH. We briefly discuss the implications of these results for dwarf galaxy evolution models. Finally, we present a comprehensive account of the data reduction and analysis strategy adopted for all galaxies targeted by the LCID (Local Cosmology from Isolated Dwarfs) project. We employ two different photometry codes (DAOPHOT/ALLFRAME and DOLPHOT), three different SFH reconstruction codes (IAC-pop/MinnIAC, MATCH, and COLE), and two stellar evolution libraries (BaSTI and Padova/Girardi), allowing for a detailed assessment of the modeling and observational uncertainties.
Student evaluations of teaching: effects of the Big Five personality traits, grades and the validity hypothesis

The purpose of the current study was to examine whether the Big Five personality traits and expected student grades relate to student evaluations of teachers and courses at the college level. Extraversion, openness, agreeableness and conscientiousness were found to be personality traits favoured in instructors, whereas neuroticism was not. A significant correlation was found between the students’ expected grades in the course and student evaluations of the course, but not the evaluations of the instructor. When the effect of students’ perceived amount of learning was taken into account, no significant effect of grades was found on teacher ratings. Personality explained variance in teacher and course evaluations over and above grades and perceived learning.
IMPLICATIONS OF THE USE OF GENETIC TESTS IN PSYCHIATRY, WITH A FOCUS ON MAJOR DEPRESSIVE DISORDER: A REVIEW

Advances in technology have enabled research to link many genetic markers to specific disease risk. This has led to the commercialization of genetic tests across a wide range of medical disorders. Public interest in one's own future health and an increasing desire for autonomy over one's health care have facilitated a large and growing market for such genetic tests to be sold direct to the consumer (DTC). Amidst a plethora of tests for a broad range of medical conditions, DTC genetic tests currently include a number of tests related to risk for various psychiatric illnesses including major depressive disorder (MDD), bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, and obsessive‐compulsive disorder and also for prediction of individual response to psychotropic medication. Although a large number of studies show that there is strong public interest in genetic susceptibility testing for psychiatric disorders, little is known about the impact on individuals of receiving the results of genetic tests. Moreover, the low predictive power and uncertain clinical validity and utility of DTC genetic tests for psychiatric disorders have led to both controversy and difficulties of interpretation of results. This review summarizes the rationale for using genetic risk tests in psychiatry, as an intervention for protective cognitive and behavioral change, and to predict medication response, with a focus on MDD. Since genetic risk information has the potential to influence major life‐changing health decisions, there is an imperative to ensure that there is an appropriate evidence base to support the use of such genetic tests.
Are Cells Viable at Gigapascal Pressures?

Sharma et al . ([1][1]) claimed that Shewanella oneidensis , which lives in habitats at pressures of around 0.1 megapascals (MPa), is viable at pressures well above 100 MPa. This result stands in marked contrast to all previous studies, which have found viability, defined ([2][2]) as growth and