Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Digoxin concentrations in the serum and myocardium of digitalised patients.

Summary: In an attempt to evaluate the serum digoxin concentration as a guide to digitalis treatment, serum and myocardial concentrations were measured in 27 patients undergoing cardiac surgery. Myocardial samples were taken from the right atrium immediately prior to institution of cardiopulmonary bypass; blood was taken in the previous 1–2 hours. Digoxin was extracted from the myocardial sample using a methanol/ water technique, which allowed a yield of 95%± 7%. Digoxin estimations were carried out using radioimmunoassay, with antibody raised in rabbits to a digoxinbovine serum albumin conjugate. No digoxin activity was found in the myocardium of six patients who were not being treated with the drug. In the 21 patients under treatment with digoxin, serum concentration averaged 1.2 ng/ml (range 0.64-2.3) and myocardial concentration averaged 76.5 ng/g (range 30–175). The ratio of myocardial to serum concentration averaged 70:1 (range 25:1 to 128:1) with standard deviation (SD) 28:1. The ratios of myocardial digoxin concentration to serum digoxin concentration exhibited a normal distribution in that 67% of the patients fell within ± 1 SD and 95% of the patients fell within ± 2 SD of the mean. Serious post-operative ventricular arrhythmias were noted in three of four patients with myocardial digoxin concentrations over 100ng/g but in only two of 23 patients with myocardial concentrations less than 100 ng/g.
Generation and properties of new fastest linearly independent transforms over GF(2) with reordering

Several fastest linearly independent (LI) transforms over GF(2) as well as their properties have been presented in recent papers. The transforms are able to provide more effective representations than the Reed-Muller transform for some binary functions. In this paper, new fastest LI transforms are introduced which are obtained by multiplying the factorized transform matrices of the previously defined fastest LI transforms in different orderings. This way of generation ensures that the new transforms have the same computational costs as the original fastest LI transforms and that they possess fast forward and inverse transforms. Properties of the new transforms are also investigated and their experimental results for some binary benchmark functions are given. From comparison of experimental results, it is shown that the new transforms are useful as they are able to give polynomial expansions with smaller number of nonzero spectral coefficients than those of the original fastest LI transforms for most binary benchmark functions.
Modulation of eosinophil activation in vitro by a nicotinic receptor agonist

Nicotinic receptor agonists decreased the infiltration of eosinophils into the lung and airways in a mouse model of asthma. To better understand the mechanisms implicated in this anti‐inflammatory phenomenon, the expression of nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) and the effect of dimethylphenylpiperazinium (DMPP), a nonselective nAChR agonist, on human blood eosinophils were studied. The expression of α‐3, ‐4, and ‐7 nAChR subunits on human blood eosinophils was measured by cell ELISA and immunocytochemistry. mRNA expression for all three subunits was evaluated by quantitative RT‐PCR. The effect of DMPP on leukotriene C4 (LTC4) and matrix metalloproteinase‐9 (MMP‐9) production, eosinophil migration, and intracellular calcium mobilization was measured. The results show that the α‐3, ‐4, and ‐7 nAChR subunits and mRNAs are expressed by blood eosinophils. In vitro treatment of these cells with various concentrations of DMPP reduced platelet‐activating factor (PAF)‐induced LTC4 production significantly. DMPP (160 μM) decreased eotaxin, and 5‐oxo‐6,8,11,14‐eicosatetranoic acid induced eosinophil migration through Matrigel by 40.9% and 55.5%, respectively. This effect was reversed by the nAChR antagonist mecamylamine. In addition, DMPP reduced MMP‐9 release and the inositol 1,4,5‐triphosphate‐dependent intracellular calcium increase provoked by PAF. Taken together, these results indicate that functional nAChRs are expressed on eosinophils and that nAChR agonists down‐regulate eosinophil function in vitro. These anti‐inflammatory effects could be of interest in the treatment of allergic asthma.
Dual-parameter optimisation of the elastic properties of skin

This paper presents a procedure for characterising the mechanical properties of skin using stochastic inverse identification. It is based on the minimisation of a cost function relative to the comparison between experimental suction experiments and their corresponding finite element models. Two different models are compared: a classical single-layer approach and a dual-layer medium which account for both the dermis and the hypodermis. Finite element results are used to construct the pre-optimisation database which is required for the inverse analysis. To compare the calculations, the entire identification is based on a dual-parameter optimisation procedure: for the single-layer approach a quadratic hyperelastic constitutive equation is used, whereas for the dual-layer medium a simple neo-Hookean potential is used. Theoretical conclusions, which are developed first, are then compared with actual case studies.
Occupational exposure to the municipal solid waste workers in Chandigarh, India

Manual handling of municipal solid waste is of serious concern owing to emerging occupational risks. Considering this, health risks of municipal solid waste workers involved in street sweeping, waste collection, waste processing and rag picking were assessed in Chandigarh, India, using an interview schedule as a study tool. Result shows that the waste worker profession is mainly dominated by males, except in rag pickers, and with a lower literacy rate. Age distribution shows that 16% of waste collectors and 11% of rag pickers were below 18 years of age. Daily income of the waste workers ranges from ₹100 to ₹200. It was observed that 22.2% of waste collectors, 43.2% of street sweepers and 25.5% of rag pickers do not use any type of protective gears owing to their casual attitude, which results in various types of injuries. The major occupational health issues reported by various categories of waste workers were respiratory disorders, injuries and allergies having prevalence of 12.3%–17.6%, 4.9%–44.4% and 35.3%–48.9%, respectively. Waste workers are vulnerable to occupational health hazards and hence there is a need to safeguard them through formulation of new laws and policies.
Protein-nucleic acid complexes and the role of mass spectrometry in their structure determination

Mass spectrometry is now established as a powerful tool for the study of the stoichiometry, interactions, dynamics, and subunit architecture of large protein assemblies and their subcomplexes. Recent evidence has suggested that the 3D structure of protein complexes can be maintained intact in the gas phase, highlighting the potential of ion mobility to contribute to structural biology. A key challenge is to integrate the compositional and structural information from ion mobility mass spectrometry with molecular modelling approaches to produce 3D models of intact protein complexes. In this review, we focus on the mass spectrometry of protein-nucleic acid assemblies with particular attention to the application of ion mobility, an emerging technique in structural studies. We also discuss the challenges that lie ahead for the full integration of ion mobility mass spectrometry with structural biology.
Differentiation of Cognitive Abilities as a Function of Level of General Intelligence: A Latent Variable Approach

Differentiation of cognitive abilities at different levels of general ability in same-aged subjects was tested by a latent variable approach in a multiple-groups design. Eighteen-year old conscripts (n = 14,720) representing the whole range of general ability in the male population, except for the mentally retarded, were tested by the Swedish Enlistment Battery. The sample of subjects was divided into 8, 16 and 32 groups according to level of general ability (G), and the amount of variance due to the ability factors Crystallized intelligence (Gc) and General visualization (Gv) was studied over the G levels. Variance contributed by Gc and Gv increased as the level of G increased. This effect was, however, not observed up through the highest levels of G, probably due to deficiencies in the measurement properties of the Gc and Gv tests at the highest G levels. Theoretical and methodological implications of the results are discussed, as are the consequences for the assessment of specific cognitive abilities at different levels of general ability.
The N-Oxide Metabolite Contributes to Bladder Selectivity Resulting from Oral Propiverine: Muscarinic Receptor Binding and Pharmacokinetics

We characterized contribution of N-oxide metabolites [1-methyl-4-piperidyl diphenylpropoxyacetate N-oxide (M-1) and 1-methyl-4-piperidyl benzilate N-oxide (M-2)] to the binding of muscarinic receptors in relation to the pharmacokinetics of propiverine in rats. The in vitro muscarinic receptor binding activity of M-2 was equipotent to that of propiverine, whereas M-1 was much less active. After the oral administration of propiverine (24.8–248 μmol/kg), there was relatively selective and longer-lasting binding of muscarinic receptors in the rat bladder compared with the submaxillary gland as shown by a significant increase in the apparent dissociation constant (Kd) for specific binding of [N-methyl-3H]scopolamine ([3H]NMS). In addition, the intravesical instillation of M-2 produced a significant increase in Kd for specific [3H]NMS binding in the rat bladder. Extremely high concentrations of M-1 and M-2 were detected in plasma after the oral administration of propiverine. The concentration of unbound M-2 was much higher than that of M-1 and propiverine in the rat plasma. The sum of maximal plasma unbound propiverine equivalents (Cmax) after the oral administration of propiverine at doses of 24.8, 74.3, and 248 μmol/kg was 66.0, 303, and 509 nM, respectively. The sum of corresponding area under the time-concentration curve from 0 to 12 h was 194, 2123, and 4645 nM · h, respectively. In fact, the unbound concentration of M-2 comprised more than 90% of sum of unbound propiverine equivalents in the plasma. After oral treatment with propiverine, the bladder showed the highest concentration of M-2, indicating specific distribution of this metabolite into the target organ. Thus, M-2 may contribute greatly to the relatively selective and long-lasting occupation of bladder muscarinic receptors after oral administration of propiverine.
Relation Between Intelligence And Other Cognitive Abilities Of Monolinguals And Bilinguals

The present study was conducted to assess the relation of cognitive abilities of monolinguals and bilinguals to intelligence. The sample of 200 monolinguals (100 and 100 girls) and 200 bilinguals (100 and 100 girls) was selected from different schools of Amritsar city. Different measures of intelligence, problem solving ability, concept formation and creativity were administered on the subjects. The data collected was further subjected to correlational analysis; the results indicated that both bilinguals and monolinguals showed high and positive correlation of intelligence with measure of creativity (i.e. Fluency, Flexibility, Originality and Elaboration) except verbal flexibility in case of bilinguals and figural originality in terms of monolinguals. Whereby bilinguals showed a positive relation between intelligence and problem solving abilities and monolinguals do not. Both the linguistic groups showed the similar relation between intelligence and conceptual development.
The Financial Implications of Supply Chain Changes

We examine how a firm’s bankruptcy affects the bank financing costs of its key suppliers. We do so by using an extensive, hand-collected data set that captures the supply chain relationships of bankrupt firms over the time period 1990–2009. Looking at a sample of more than 2,000 loan contracts, we compare the average borrowing cost of suppliers in the two years prior to the bankruptcy of a key customer to the average cost in the two years following the announced bankruptcy. We find the average loan spreads increase by roughly 20% following the customer’s announced bankruptcy. These effects are even stronger if the bankrupt firm is operating within a distressed industry or when there is a strong supplier–customer relationship. We also find that the structure of lending agreements significantly changes in the aftermath of a client bankruptcy. More specifically, we find that the number of covenants increases and the lead banker(s) take an increasingly important role in the period following the client’s bankruptcy. Taken together, the results of this study provide new insights into the financial implications of supply chain changes. This paper was accepted by Uday Rajan, finance .
Solving the vaginal birth after cesarean dilemma.

T National Institutes of Health Consensus Development Conference on Cesarean Childbirth in 1981 and the first official publication on vaginal birth after cesarean (VBAC) from the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists in 1982 concluded from the available evidence that carefully selected patients should be permitted a trial of labor after cesarean birth.1,2 Over the next decade, VBAC was embraced by physicians and patients. Some health maintenance organizations and insurance companies made trial of labor after cesarean mandatory. However, the original conservative criteria were extended, sometimes inappropriately, and reports of catastrophic outcomes from uterine rupture began to appear. Litigation and large medical–legal settlements became a reality when a newborn died or was neurologically impaired. In response, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists’ Practice Bulletin in 1999 and those published subsequently have advised a more cautious approach. Specifically, they recommend that physicians providing VBAC should be “immediately available. ”3 “Immediate availability” was not defined, but one study showed that there were no long-term neurological sequelae from uterine rupture when the fetus was delivered within 18 minutes.4 Although all guidelines have been well intentioned, each new set resulted in unintended consequences. Today, the VBAC issue remains contentious and unresolved. Many hospitals no longer allow VBAC because they are unable to provide the level of response recommended, and some insurance carriers prohibit physicians from performing VBAC. Consequently, trial of labor after cesarean is now denied to many women who strongly desire this option and to physicians who want to provide it. The March 2010 National Institutes of Health conference has focused attention again on VBAC, and the report is published on p. 1279.5 Several key points were presented by speakers during this conference. First, the overall risk for perinatal mortality and morbidity with trial of labor is similar to that for any nulligravid woman in labor. Second, trial of labor is held to a higher standard than other obstetric care. There is no “immediate availability” mandate for other acute obstetric emergencies with similar potential adverse neonatal outcomes such as severe abruption or umbilical cord prolapse. Third, it is clear from staffing studies that it is impossible now and in the future to provide 24/7 in-house obstetric and anesthesiology coverage to all hospitals in the United States (and around the world) that provide delivery services. Where do we go from here? In my view, VBAC is essentially a uterine-rupture issue. What level of risk is acceptable, and who decides? Currently, hospitals, insurance companies, and plaintiff attorneys decide or strongly influence whether VBAC is an option. Instead, the patient should be allowed to make that choice after she has been informed of the facts and has See related articles on pages 1267 and 1279.
Phase equilibria in the lysozyme-ammonium sulfate-water system.

Ternary phase diagrams were measured for lysozyme in ammonium sulfate solutions at pH values of 4 and 8. Lysozyme, ammonium sulfate, and water mass fractions were assayed independently by UV spectroscopy, barium chloride titration, and lyophilization respectively, with mass balances satisfied to within 1%. Protein crystals, flocs, and gels were obtained in different regions of the phase diagrams, and in some cases growth of crystals from the gel phase or from the supernatant after floc removal was observed. These observations, as well as a discontinuity in protein solubility between amorphous floc precipitate and crystal phases, indicate that the crystal phase is the true equilibrium state. The ammonium sulfate was generally found to partition unequally between the supernatant and the dense phase, in disagreement with an assumption often made in protein phase equilibrium studies. The results demonstrate the potential richness of protein phase diagrams as well as the uncertainties resulting from slow equilibration.
Parasitoid wasp usurps its host to guard its pupa against hyperparasitoids and induces rapid behavioral changes in the parasitized host

Some parasites have an ability to fabricate the behavior of their host and impel the host to guard parasites' offspring, which is popularly called as bodyguard manipulation. Psalis pennatula larva parasitized by a braconid parasitoid wasp Microplitis pennatula exhibits some behavioral changes including the guarding of the parasitoid pupa from its natural enemies. We hypothesized that these behavioral change exhibited by the parasitized host larva are induced by the parasitoid and can be considered as an example of bodyguard manipulation. Even though hyperparasitoids are the more specialized natural enemy of parasitoids than predators, very few studies tested the success of guarding parasitoid pupa against hyperparasitoids. This study analyzed the success of guarding behavior of the parasitized host against hyperparasitoids. The onsets of parasite-induced phenotypic alterations (PIPAs) in the parasitized host were inspected to analyze whether these behavioral changes in the host larva manifests gradually or abruptly. The study concludes that parasitized host larva defends the parasitoid pupa from hyperparasitoids and the PIPAs in the parasitized host develops abruptly only after the egression of parasitoid prepupa.
Indigenous children and receipt of hospital dental care in Australia.

OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to investigate dental procedures received under hospital general anaesthetic by indigenous and non-indigenous Australian children in 2002-2003. METHODS Separation data from 1297 public and private hospitals were obtained from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare National Hospital Morbidity Database for 2002-2003. The dependant variable was the admission rate of children receiving four categories of dental care (i.e. extraction, pulpal, restoration or other). The explanatory variables included sex, age group, indigenous status and location (i.e. major city, regional or remote). Rates were calculated using estimated resident population counts. RESULTS The sample included 24 874 children aged from 2 to 14 years. Some 4.3% were indigenous (n = 1062). Admission rates for indigenous and non-indigenous children were similar, with indigenous males having 1.2 times the admission rate of indigenous females (P < 0.05). Indigenous children aged < 5 years had 1.4 times the admission rate of similarly aged non-indigenous children (P < 0.001) and 5.0 times the admission rate of 10-14-year-old indigenous children (P < 0.001). Remote-living indigenous children had 1.5 times the admission rate of their counterparts in major cities or regional areas (P < 0.001), and 1.4 times the admission rate of remote-living non-indigenous children (P < 0.01). The extraction rate of indigenous males was 1.3 times that of non-indigenous males (P < 0.01), and 1.2 times that of indigenous females (P < 0.05). Pre-school indigenous children had 2.2 times the extraction rate of similarly aged non-indigenous children (P < 0.001), and 5.3 times that of indigenous 10-14-year-olds (P < 0.001). The extraction rate of remotely located indigenous children was 1.5 times that of indigenous children in major cities (P < 0.01), and 1.8 times that of remote-living non-indigenous children (P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS In certain strata - particularly males, the very young and those in remote locations - indigenous children experienced higher rates of extractions than non-indigenous children when undergoing care in a hospital dental general anaesthetic setting.
A case-control study examining association between infectious agents and acute myocardial infarction.

BACKGROUND Coronary heart disease is multi-factorial in origin and its burden is expected to rise in developing countries, including India. Evidence suggests that the inflammation caused by infection is associated with the development of atherosclerosis and heart disease. An increasing number of clinical and experimental studies point to a contribution of various infectious organisms to the development of atherosclerosis in humans. Acute myocardial infarction (AMI) is associated with atherosclerosis. OBJECTIVES The objective of the following study is to study the association between Helicobacter pylori, Chlamydia pneumoniae and C-reactive protein (CRP) with AMI. MATERIALS AND METHODS This group-matched case-control study was carried out in Government Medical College, Nagpur, Maharashtra, India. The study compared the risk of occurrence of AMI (outcome) if subjects were ever-infected with H. pylori or C. pneumoniae; and their CRP positivity (exposure). Incident cases of myocardial infarctions in a tertiary care hospital were included as cases. RESULTS The study recruited 265 cases and 265 controls and detected an odds ratio (OR) of 2.50 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.69-3.70) and an OR of 2.50 (95% CI: 1.71-3.65) for C. pneumoniae and H. pylori, respectively. Raised CRP levels had an OR of 3.85 (95% CI: 2.54-5.87). CONCLUSION Although our study indicates the role of infections in the etiology of AMI in study population, the relative public health impact of these agents in the overall prevalence of AMI needs urgent research attention.
Assessment in anatomy

From an educational perspective, a very important problem is that of assessment, for establishing competency and as selection criterion for different professional purposes. Among the issues to be addressed are the methods of assessment and/or the type of tests, the range of scores, or the definition of honour degrees. The methods of assessment comprise such different forms such as the spotter examination, short or long essay questions, short answer questions, true-false questions, single best answer questions, multiple choice questions, extended match questions, or several forms of oral approaches such as viva voce examinations.Knowledge about this is important when assessing different educational objectives; assessing educational objectives from the cognitive domain will need different assessment instruments than assessing educational objectives from the psychomotor domain or even the affective domain.There is no golden rule, which type of assessment instrument or format will be the best in measuring certain educational objectives; but one has to respect that there is no assessment instrument, which is capable to assess educational objectives from all domains of educational objectives.Whereas the first two or three levels of progress can be assessed by well-structured written examinations such as multiple choice questions, or multiple answer questions, other and higher level progresses need other instruments, such as a thesis, or direct observation.This is no issue at all in assessment tools, where the students are required to select the appropriate answer from a given set of choices, as in true false questions, MCQ, EMQ, etc. The standard setting is done in these cases by the selection of the true answer.