Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Lidocaine Blocking Concentrations for B- and C‐Nerve Fibers

Rabbit cervical sympathetic trunk contains myelinated preganglionic axons (B-fibers) and unmyelinated postganglionic axons (C-fibers). Using this nerve, we found B-fibers to be three times more sensitive than C-fibers to lidocaine blockade. At 38C and pH 7.5, 100 μM (-0.003 per cent) lidocaine depresses the B-fiber compound action potential by 50 per cent. In contrast, 300 μM (-0.009 per cent) lidocaine is necessary to halve the C-fiber potential amplitude. These in citro findings support clinical evidence that sympathetic block is more extensive than sensory block during spinal anesthesia.
Exploring capability maturity models and relevant practices as solutions addressing information technology service offshoring project issues*

Abstract This research investigated Capability Maturity Models (CMMs) / Capability Maturity Model Integration (CMMI) best practices and their effects on managing and mitigating critical issues associated with offshore development. Using a web-based survey, data were collected from 451 Information Technology (IT) and software development firms in the US. The results of the analysis show that IT companies applying CMM/CMMI models have fewer issues associated with IT offshoring. When US IT companies utilizing and incorporating different practices from Team Software Process (TSP) and People CMM into CMMI-DEV/SVC is CMMI for Development and Services (CMMI-DEV/SVC) and CMMI for Acquisition (CMMI-ACQ), they have fewer offshoring issues related to language barriers and cultural differences.
Dexamethasone stimulates osteogenic differentiation in vertebral and femoral bone marrow cell cultures: Comparison of IGF‐I gene expression

Osteoblast‐like cell cultures have been established from the marrow of adult rat vertebrae. We have simultaneously examined the response to dexamethasone (dex) treatment in cultures of young adult female vertebral and femoral marrow cells. Alkaline phosphatase (AP) activity was analyzed as well as the expression of mRNAs for osteocalcin (OC) and insulin‐like growth factor I (IGF‐I). The vertebral and femoral marrow cells were maintained for 7 days in primary culture with or without 10−8 M dex and then 6 days in secondary culture without dex or with 10−8 M or 10−7 M dex. All cells were examined on day 6 of secondary culture. Vertebral and femoral cultures each expressed the highest AP enzyme levels when grown with dex in primary culture (10−8 M) and secondary culture (10−7 M). Under all experimental conditions, vertebral cultures had lower AP enzyme activity than femoral cultures. When dex was omitted from secondary culture, OC gene expression was not detected in either vertebral or femoral passaged cells even if dex was present in primary culture. For dex conditions where OC was expressed, vertebral cultures had higher OC mRNA steady‐state levels than femoral cultures. IGF‐I gene expression was detected by Northern analysis in both vertebral and femoral secondary cultures. However, vertebral marrow cultures had much higher IGF‐I mRNA levels compared to femoral cultures whether or not dex was present in primary culture. These findings demonstrate that dex supports the differentiation of both vertebral and femoral adult marrow osteogenic cells into osteoblasts. Our results support the hypothesis that osteoblastic marrow cultures differ depending upon which location in the skeleton they are from and that there are skeletal site–dependent differences in the insulin‐like growth factor system components. J. Cell. Biochem. 71:382–391, 1998. © 1998 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Corticoid-induced growth hormone (GH) secretion in GH-deficient and normal children.

Acute administration of corticoids is a potent stimulus of GH secretion in man. To ascertain their mechanism and point of action as well as the suitability of this novel test in the diagnosis of GH-deficient states, normal controls and GH-deficient children were studied. They were selected based on auxological criteria and the GH response to provocative stimuli. The GH-deficient children presented a blunted GH (mean +/- SEM; microgram/L) discharge after insulin-induced hypoglycemia (2.9 +/- 0.4), propranolol-exercise (7.4 +/- 1.5), and clonidine (6.5 +/- 0.8) compared with values in the normal children (7.2 +/- 2.2, 15.8 +/- 2.4, and 15.6 +/- 1.8, respectively). As expected, GH-releasing hormone (GHRH)-induced GH discharge in GH-deficient children (33.2 +/- 4.9) was similar to that in the control children (35.1 +/- 6.0). Administration of 2 mg/m2 body surface dexamethasone, iv, to normal children induced, 3 h later, a mean GH peak of 14.1 +/- 1.2 micrograms/L. This was significantly higher that the corticoid-induced GH peak in GH-deficient children (6.7 +/- 1.1 micrograms/L). The corticoid-induced areas under the secretory curve were 1130 +/- 55 and 616 +/- 54 for the control and GH-deficient children, respectively. GH release in children after dexamethasone administration followed the pattern previously described for adults, i.e. there were no modifications of basal GH levels in the first 2 h, the GH peak appeared around the third hour, and the GH levels remained increased until the fourth hour after dexamethasone administration. Individually considered, practically all control children, but only 2 of 12 GH-deficient children, presented a dexamethasone-induced GH peak over the 10 micrograms/L level. In both normal and GH-deficient patients, corticoids appeared just as potent a stimulus as propranolol-exercise and clonidine, and more potent than hypoglycemia. This new stimulus showed a pattern similar to that of the hypothalamic stimuli, but clearly different with respect to the pituitary one (GHRH), suggesting that corticoids activate GH secretion by acting at hypothalamic level. In conclusion, acute administration of corticoids could be a suitable test in the diagnostic armamentaria of GH-deficient states.
The value of (18)F-FDG PET/CT in the assessment of active idiopathic retroperitoneal fibrosis.

PURPOSE The different stages in idiopathic retroperitoneal fibrosis (IRF) are generally assessed by assay of inflammatory markers and analysis of contrast-enhanced CT images of the retroperitoneal mass. We investigated the potential role of (18)F-FDG PET/CT in this clinical setting. METHODS (18)F-FDG uptake was assessed visually and semiquantitatively (using maximum standardized uptake values, SUVmax) in images of the abdominal mass in 22 patients prospectively enrolled from June 2008 to December 2010 who underwent a total of 33 PET/CT studies. The accuracy in discriminating active from inactive disease was calculated assuming as reference a biochemical instrumental evaluation of patients with IRF mostly based on the level of inflammatory indices and contrast enhancement (CE) of the mass at the time of each PET study. In particular, the relationship between SUVmax and CE, the latter calculated from the change in radiodensity (Hounsfield units) between the basal and postcontrast venous portal phases, was evaluated on a three-point scale (0 <20 HU, 1 20-30 HU, 2 ≥ 30 HU). SUVmax and CE scores were correlated with the erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) and C-reactive protein (CRP) levels. The value of PET/CT in assessing the variation of disease activity over time was also investigated by analysing the changes in metabolic volume (MV) of the retroperitoneal lesion between repeat patient studies. RESULTS PET/CT accurately discriminated (93.9 %) active from inactive disease. Significant agreement (p < 0.01) was observed between visual and semiquantitative analysis of (18)F-FDG uptake, and CE score. A significant correlation (p < 0.01) was found among SUVmax, CRP levels (rho = 0.54) and ESR (rho = 0.55). Corresponding variations in MV and CE score were observed in patients with multiple studies (p < 0.01; rho = 0.68). CONCLUSION (18)F-FDG PET/CT may be considered an alternative imaging method for the assessment of different stages of IRF.
Towards an Integrated Vulnerability and Resilience Analysis for Underground Infrastructures

The growing complexity of modern society is fostering great attention to the issue of the continuity of critical services and related infrastructures. The underlying processes and physical components of a specific service delivery (e.g. electric power or water) reveal many dependencies both technical and non technical. The paper presents an integrated methodology for vulnerability and resilience analysis for underground infrastructures, i.e. a societal risk analysis of the failures of underground services for an urban area. Based on the use of a hybrid approach, the proposed methodology breaks down the area under analysis into sub-areas and assesses the dependencies among sub-areas both in terms of interoperability, damage propagation of critical infrastructures and target zoned-description. The methodology demonstrates clear advantage in terms of resilience analysis, more consistent with the “zoned” nature of failures of the underground infrastructures. A case study, dealing with the interoperability and damage propagation analysis of the underground infrastructures of a Northern Italy town, will be presented for this purpose. A resilience analysis of the “system of systems” (i.e. multiple underground infrastructures) can be performed through the proposed methodology, evaluating the internal characteristics of the system able to mitigate or amplify the impact of local failures and thus the capability to assure service continuity after such failures. Finally a strategy for risk mitigation is proposed in order to maintain the minimum level of service.
Why Consumers Like Facebook Brands: The Role of Aspirational Brand Personality in Consumer Behavior

ABSTRACT In total, the top five brands on Facebook have more than 500 million fans through the “like” Facebook button feature and yet research shows that about only 1% engage with the top brands on Facebook. This suggests that individuals have other underlying reasons for liking brands' Facebook pages. To address the question of the latent motivations for liking brands on Facebook, a conceptual model proposing that individuals liked Facebook brands to achieve specific virtual identities was developed and tested. The results demonstrate the significance of brand personality in determining consumer behavior. Self-congruity was also revealed to be an important moderator in the relationships theorized between brand personality and consumers' online behavior. Theoretical and practical implications are outlined and discussed.
Absence of the musculocutaneous nerve with innervation of coracobrachialis, biceps brachii, brachialis and the lateral border of the forearm by branches from the lateral cord of the brachial plexus

Anomalies of the brachial plexus and its terminal branches are not uncommon. Variations in the course and branches of the musculocutaneous nerve have been noted (Clemente, 1985; Bergman et al. 1988) and its absence was reported by Le Minor (1990). Several anomalies were present in the left plexus of a 59‐y‐old Japanese man (Fig.). There were no anterior and posterior divisions of the middle trunk, although there were communications between the posterior, medial and lateral cords. The musculocutaneous nerve was absent (Le Minor, 1990) and the medial and lateral roots of the median nerve did not unite in the axillary fossa but in the upper arm about 5 cm distal to the lower border of latissimus dorsi (Adachi, 1928; Buch‐Hansen, 1955). The hitherto unreported findings were branches arising directly from the lateral cord to supply coracobrachialis, both heads of biceps brachii and brachialis. The lateral cutaneous nerve of the forearm was derived from the lateral cord with a small contribution from the medial root of the median nerve. Since there were communications between the posterior cord (a continuation of the middle trunk) and the medial and lateral cords, it is theoretically possibly, but not proven, that the root values of branches innervating the flexor muscles of the arm and forearm and the skin of lateral border of the forearm were normal.
Kloosterman sums for prime powers in P-adic fields

Soit K un corps de degre n sur Q p, le corps des nombres p-adiques, de degre residuel f, indice de ramification e et valuation de la differente d. Soient O l'anneau des entiers de K et P son unique ideal premier. Les applications trace et norme de K/Qp sont notees Tr et N, respectivement. Fixons q = p r , une puissance du nombre premier p, et η un caractere defini modulo q et d'ordre o(η). Ce caractere η s'etend naturellement a l'anneau des entiers p-adiques ℤ P ; precisement η(u) = η(u), ou ũ designe la classe residuelle de u modulo q, et de meme pour la racine de l'unite ζ q u = exp(2πiũ/q). Fixons un entier positif γ ≥ re-d pour lequel N(1+ P γ ) ⊆ 1 + qℤ p , de sorte que les sommes (todues) de Kloosterman R(η,z)= ∑ η(Nα)ζ q Tr α+z/Nα (z ∈ Z/qZ * ) (α∈(O/P γ )* sont bien definies. Salie a determine explicitement R(η, z) dans le cas classique n = 1 (donc K = Q p ) pour q = p r avec r > 1 et o(η) = 1 ou 2. Ici, je generalise le resultat de Salie dans le cas general n > 1 pour des caracteres η avec o(η)|p - 1 (et aussi o(η) = 2 quand p = 2), et pour tout γ ≥ re ― d > 1 sauf un petit nombre de valeurs exceptionnelles de r. Mon evaluation repose sur la determination recente et explicite par l'auteur des sommes de Gauss pour les puissances de nombres premiers dans les corps p-adiques, et des sommes d'exponentielles de la forme ∑χ (x) ax ζ q bx .
Toward an Ethical Standard for Coerced Mental Health Treatment: Least Restrictive or Most Therapeutic?

Mental health patients are denied authority over treatment decisions far more often than patients with other types of disorders. Only psychiatric patients are routinely subjected to clinical interventions that they have specifically refused. Treatment is often forced on these patients for the benefit of others as well as themselves, further complicating ethical consideration. In one survey of patients’ and nurses’ opinions of seclusion, both said that the other patients benefited more than the secluded patient. 1 Coerced treatment for a communal benefit is unique in healthcare outside of certain public health measures. Two issues must be balanced to develop a standard that ensures a sound ethical justification for restricting patients with mental disorders: a respect for the patient’s autonomy and a beneficent concern for the welfare of the individual. Currently, when a patient refuses treatment that a clinician determines is required and legally justified, regardless of the patient’s stated desires, the choice of intervention is guided by the least restrictive treatment alternative standard (LRAS). The LRAS has become ubiquitous in mental health practice because statutory and case law have consistently mandated the use of the LRAS in the choice of coerced treatment. 2 Despite the broad endorsement in law, many clinicians take a negative view of the LRAS. The standard of “most therapeutic” treatment, first suggested by Bachrach in 1980, has been repeat-edly offered in the clinical literature as a replacement for the LRAS. 3 Diverse legal and clinical perspectives can be merged by examining the ethical justifications for the restriction of liberty in coerced treatment combined with the practice of beneficence toward persons whose capacity to make autonomous decisions is impaired. In this article, the concepts of restriction and coercion
Male infertility: screening of azoospermia factor (azf) microdeletion in idiopathic infertile men

Genetic factors cause about 15% of male infertility and microdeletions of Y chromosome is one of the genetic causes in idiopathic infertile men. Azoospermia factors (AZFa, AZFb, and AZFc) on Yq long arm are most important for spermatogenesis. For analysis of microdeletions in the AZF regions by sequence-tagged-site (STS) PCR is important screening method for infertility. An attempt has been made to evaluate the frequencies of microdeletions of AZFa, AZFb, AZFc in idiopathic cases of azoospermic and oligozoospermic subjects. Total 160 subjects (90 oligozoospermia and 70 azoospermia) and 50 control subjects were analyzed in this study. DNA samples were analyzed for microdeletions of Y chromosome by PCR-screening of 18 STS markers from different locus of the AZFa, AZFb, AZFc on Yq and SRY on Yp. The semen analysis was done and infertile men showing normal karyotype only were included in the study. Plasma follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) and leutinizating hormone concentrations were determined to rule out hormonal abnormality. Out of 160 analyzed cases, 17 (10.6%) subjects showed partial deletion of AZF regions, of which deletion in AZFc region was the most common (58.8%) and it was followed by AZFb and AZFa. The four subjects were shown two or more STS primer deleted sites and overall frequency of Y chromosome microdeletion in our subjects is 10.6%. The sites and sizes of deletions varied among patients. No deletions observed in control subjects. The varied frequencies of Y microdeletions are reported in infertile men in Indian population. From the results of this study it can be suggest that the frequency of deletions may be affected by study sample size, selection criteria of subjects and different geographical region. So, the screening of Y microdeletions is necessary along with the chromosomal analysis in case of infertile men. Prafulla S. Ambulkar and Sunil S. Pande *
Information Systems Performance: The Role of Individual Efficacy Factors

Abstract Information Systems Development (ISD) projects are the vehicle for delivering information systems (IS) in organizations. However, the low success rate of ISD industry projects indicates that project performance warrants further investigation. The Social Cognitive Theory by Bandura has indicated self-efficacy to be an important predictor of performance where behavioral actions can lead to improvements. There was substantial evidence to support the role of self-efficacy in predicting performance; hence the objective of this study was to examine self-efficacy in ISD group projects. The research process of measuring student efficacy to performance achievement is expected to provide insights into understanding the proposed theory of ISD Efficacy. The knowledge gained can support the development of theories that contribute to understanding system development difficulties in the software industry. In this census survey respondents were third level IS major students at the University of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. This research has highlighted the significance of IS Confidence to individual performance.
Kidney Transplant Histology After One Year of Continuous Therapy With Sirolimus Compared With Tacrolimus

Analysis of 1-year surveillance biopsies was carried out for kidney transplant recipients participating in a randomized trial comparing tacrolimus- and sirolimus-based immunosuppression. The analysis was restricted to recipients remaining on assigned regimen throughout the first posttransplant year. Biopsies from 57 of 84 (68%) tacrolimus-randomized recipients were compared with 38 of 81 (47%) of sirolimus-randomized recipients, the discrepancy being explained by a higher rate of sirolimus discontinuation for non-graft-related complications. Included recipients from the two groups did not differ for baseline characteristics or 1-year iothalamate clearance. Histologic analysis indicated no differences between the groups for glomerular, arterial/arteriolar, or acute interstitial abnormalities. There were, however, significantly higher mean scores in the tacrolimus group for interstitial fibrosis and tubular atrophy with a trend toward higher estimated percent interstitial fibrosis. The results indicate that sirolimus may be associated with reduced early graft fibrosis compared with tacrolimus. This potential benefit is offset by lower success rate in maintaining the regimen and was not accompanied by superior glomerular filtration rate at 1 year.
The Impact of Internal Control Weaknesses on Pension Assumptions Manipulation

This study examines the effect of internal control weaknesses (ICWs) on managers’ choice of pension assumptions, using data disclosed under Sarbanes-Oxley Section 404 from 2004 to 2012. We hypothesize that firms with ICWs are better able to opportunistically set pension assumptions, such as the expected rate of return (ERR) and the discount rate (DR), which in turn help to report higher earnings or healthier balance sheets. First, we find that firms tend to report higher ERR and DR when they receive an adverse audit opinion on internal control. In addition, we find that the firms facing more incentives to manage the funding status of pension plan are likely to choose higher DR in response to the incentives. Next, we find that firms with ICWs are more likely to adjust their biased ERR when they receive an unqualified audit opinion on internal control. Finally, we find that market returns are significantly negative for the firms assuming higher ERR in the 3-day window around the disclosure of material weaknesses if the firms’ earnings are sensitive to the changed ERR.
Informational Value of Corporate Bond Rating Announcements in Malaysian Financial Markets

The informational value of bond rating announcements has been researched with mixed findings. Using data of daily stock returns for stocks traded on the Bursa Malaysia (formerly KLSE) between the years 2000 and 2009, this paper examines the informational content of corporate bond rating upgrade and downgrade announcements in the Malaysian context. Our initial findings show that although new information is perceived during rating change announcements, they are observed only for small (change of 1 notch) upgrade and big (change of 2 or more notches) downgrade rating announcements. Further analysis found that although the market perceives new information in these events, no net excess gains are recorded during the event window period in all except one rating change type. The findings indicate that the Malaysian financial market is efficient in the semi-strong form in incorporating new information.
Plasma vitamin A and E levels in patients with gastroesophageal cancer in Eastern Anatolia

Gastrointestinal system (GIS) cancers account for a significant percentage of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Free radicals may play a role in the development of GIS cancers at various stages. The goal of this study was to analyze the relationship between gastroesophageal cancer and plasma levels of vitamin A and vitamin E, a significant part of antioxidant defense. Materials and methods: Twenty-six patients with gastroesophageal cancer diagnosed by endoscopy and histopathologic examination and 26 healthy volunteer subjects were included in this study. Plasma vitamin A and vitamin E levels were determined by high-performance liquid chromatography using a commercially available kit. Results: Plasma vitamin A and vitamin E levels were significantly lower in the gastroesophageal cancer group (1.39 ± 0.137 µmol/L and 13.5 ± 1.29 µmol/L, respectively) than in the control group (2.79 ± 0.163 µmol/L and 21.29 ± 2.58 µmol/L, respectively). The difference was significant at P 0.05). Conclusion: Decreased plasma vitamin A and vitamin E levels, as important antioxidant components, may be contributory in the development of gastroesophageal cancer. Diets rich in antioxidant vitamins may be protective against the development of upper gastrointestinal tract disease.
Analysis of enclosure shielding properties dependence on aperture spacing and excitation parameters

In this paper an influence of aperture spacing and excitation parameters on shielding properties of enclosure is analyzed. Apertures are represented by two groups of two circular or two rectangular apertures placed on adjacent enclosure walls. The following effects are considered: change of distance between apertures either in horizontal or vertical directions and change of plane wave excitation parameters (polarization, elevation and azimuth). In addition, the impact of internal excitation, represented by a wire source inside the enclosure, on the outside environment is analysed for different apertures placement on front enclosure wall.