Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Does Japanese Citrus Fruit Yuzu (Citrus junos Sieb. ex Tanaka) Fragrance Have Lavender-Like Therapeutic Effects That Alleviate Premenstrual Emotional Symptoms? A Single-Blind Randomized Crossover Study.

OBJECTIVE A majority of menstruating women experience some degree of regular recurrences of diverse symptoms-commonly known as premenstrual syndrome (PMS)-during the days before menstruation. Given the multifactorial etiology of PMS, no single treatment is universally recognized as effective, and many women turn to alternative modalities, including aromatherapy. The present study investigated therapeutic effects on premenstrual symptoms using fragrance from yuzu, a Japanese citrus fruit (Citrus junos Sieb. ex Tanaka), and aromatherapy, from the perspective of autonomic nervous system function. SUBJECTS Seventeen women in their 20s with subjective premenstrual symptoms. DESIGN A single-blind randomized crossover study. SETTINGS/LOCATION This study was performed at a laboratory in a university in Osaka, Japan. Subjects were examined on two separate occasions in the luteal phase. OUTCOME MEASURES Using two aromatic stimulation sources (yuzu and lavender used as the control), this experiment measured heart rate variability (HRV) reflecting autonomic nerve activity and the Profile of Mood States (POMS) as a psychologic index before and after aromatic stimulation. RESULTS A scant 10-min inhalation of the yuzu scent significantly decreased heart rate and increased high-frequency power of HRV, reflecting parasympathetic nerve activity, in the luteal phase. Additionally, POMS tests demonstrated that inhalation of the yuzu essential oil significantly decreased three negative subscales: tension-anxiety, anger-hostility, and fatigue-common premenstrual symptoms, together with a total mood disturbance as a global measure of affective state, as long as 35 min after the aroma stimulation. These premenstrual psychoneurophysiologic effects of yuzu fragrance did not differ from those of the effects of lavender. CONCLUSIONS The present study indicated that short-term inhalation of yuzu fragrance could alleviate premenstrual emotional symptoms, which, at least in part, is attributable to the improvement of parasympathetic nervous system activity. This study further implies that yuzu fragrance aromatherapy might serve as an anti-PMS modality, given its comparable psychoneurophysiologic effects to those of lavender, a representative relaxing scent.
Development, sensitivity and uncertainty analysis of LASH model

Many hydrologic models have been developed to help manage natural resources all over the world. Nevertheless, most models have presented a high complexity regarding data base requirements, as well as, many calibration parameters. This has brought serious difficulties for applying them in watersheds where there is scarcity of data. The development of the Lavras Simulation of Hydrology (LASH) in a GIS framework is described in this study, which focuses on its main components, parameters, and capabilities. Coupled with LASH, sensitivity analysis, parameter range reduction, and uncertainty analysis were performed prior to the calibration effort by using specific techniques (Morris method, Monte Carlo simulation and a Generalized Likelihood Uncertainty Estimation -GLUE) with a data base from a Brazilian Tropical Experimental Watershed (32 km2), in order to predict streamflow on a daily basis. LASH is a simple deterministic and spatially distributed model using long-term data sets, and a few maps to predict streamflow at a watershed outlet. We were able to identify the most sensitive parameters which are associated with the base flow and surface runoff components, using a reference watershed. Using a conservative threshold, two parameters had their range of values reduced, thus resulting in outputs closer to measured values and facilitating automatic calibration of the model with less required iterations. GLUE was found to be an efficient method to analyze uncertainties related to the prediction of mean daily streamflow in the watershed.
Incidence rate of recurrent Kawasaki disease and related risk factors: from the results of nationwide surveys of Kawasaki disease in Japan

To investigate the incidence of recurrent Kawasaki disease, and to discuss some of the potential risk factors, data of the 13th and 14th nationwide surveys of Kawasaki disease in Japan were analyzed. To calculate the rate of recurrence, 10 679 patients with 31 501.9 person‐years were observed. The mean observation period was 2.95 y. The rate of recurrence was 6.89 per 1000 person‐years, with a high incidence within the 12 mo following the first episode.
Comparison of Multivariate Regression and Artificial Neural Networks for Peak Urban Water-Demand Forecasting: Evaluation of Different ANN Learning Algorithms

For the past several years, Cyprus has been facing an unprecedented water crisis. Four options that have been considered to help resolve the problem of drought in Cyprus include imposing effective water use restrictions, implementing water-demand reduction programs, optimizing water supply systems, and developing sustainable alternative water source strategies. An important aspect of these initiatives is the accurate forecasting of short-term water demands, and in particular, peak water demands. This study compared multiple linear regression and three types of multilayer perceptron artificial neural networks (each of which used a different type of learning algorithm) as methods for peak weekly water-demand forecast modeling. The analysis was performed on 6 years of peak weekly water-demand data and meteorological variables (maximum weekly temperature and total weekly rainfall) for two different regions (Athalassa and Public Garden) in the city of Nicosia, Cyprus. 20 multiple linear regression models, 20 L.
The ethnic factor in state-labour relations: The case of Malaysia

Given the ethnic dimension of much conflict, it is time to acknowledge the ethnic factor in the field of employment, and the manner in which material conflicts can be articulated in identity terms. Identifications that transcend class, for example, in emphasising the commonality of ethnic identity, can serve not only to obscure intra-group class divisions under the veil of cultural closure, but also to foreclose the potential for inter-group class identification. Indeed, studies of employee relations in Europe often make little mention of ethnic diversity, despite the ethnic diversity within various countries. Studies of Asia, on the other hand, mainly focus on the relatively culturally homogeneous societies of South Korea and Japan. In most of these studies, the state (and capital) has often been seen as overly uniform and monolithic, rather than as shifting, transient and fragmented. Furthermore, the establishment and growth of first-and subsequent-generation citizens implies that a more nuanced analysis will be required of not only labour, but of the state (and capital) as well.
LINE VOLTAGE THD OPTIMIZATION USING CUCKOO OPTIMIZATION ALGORITHM BASED NEURAL NETWORK TRAINED WITH IMPERIALIST COMPETITION ALGORITHM

MTHD of output line voltage waveform in multilevel inverters is discussed in this paper. With MTHD the DC link values are set to predefined values and also the optimum switching angles are found, in order to reduce voltage THD and simultaneously generate the aimed fundamental component. In this study a method is given to find the optimum solutions using COA associated with ANNs trained with ICA. The nearest solutions provided by COA obtain a smooth data set that is desired for the ANNs training. In this study minimization of THD for constant and alterable DC sources is presented. To present the validity of the proposed approach, simulation and experimental results are provided for a test case 7-level multilevel inverter.
Influence of ABCB 1 C 3435 T and ABCG 2 C 421 A Gene Polymorphisms in Response to Imatinib Mesylate in Chronic Myeloid Leukemia Patients

Despite the excellent efficacy results of IM treatment in CML patients, resistance to IM has emerged as a significant problem. Genetic variations in genes involved in drug transportation might influence the pharmacokinetic and metabolism of IM. The genotype of a patient is increasingly recognized in influencing the response to the treatment. In this study, associations between IM response and 2 SNPs in genes involved in IM pharmacokinetics (ABCB1 C3435T, ABCG2 C421A) were investigated among 45 Malaysian CML patients undergoing IM treatment. The results showed the wild type CC genotypes were higher in CML patients showing IM resistant compared to IM good response CML patients with p = 0.004. Resistance was lower for patients homozygous for the A allele of C421A compared to patients with C allele (33% vs. 64%, p=0.0001). These preliminary results prompt us to suggest the possibility of exploring these SNPs as biomarkers to predict the response to IM in CML patients prior to IM treatment.
Standard form of the Boston Naming Test : Normative data for the Latin American Spanish speaking adult population

Objective: To generate normative data on the Boston Naming Test (BNT) across 10 countries in Latin America, with countryspecific adjustments for gender, age, and education, where appropriate. Method: The sample consisted of 3,779 healthy adults who were recruited from Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Cuba, El Salvador, Guatemala, Mexico, Paraguay, Peru, and, Puerto Rico. Each subject was administered the BNT as part of a larger neuropsychological battery. A standardized five-step statistical procedure was used to generate the norms. Results: The final multiple linear regression models explained between 3–32% of the variance in BNT scores. Although t-tests showed significant differences between men and women for Mexico, Argentina, Chile, Cuba, Guatemala, and Bolivia on the BNT, none of the six countries had an effect size larger than 0.3. As a result, gender-adjusted norms were not generated. Conclusions: This is the first normative multicenter study conducted in Latin America to generate norms for the BNT; this study will have substantial repercussions for the practice of neuropsychology throughout the global region.
Evaluation of a nurse-care management system to improve outcomes in patients with complicated diabetes.

OBJECTIVE This study evaluated the efficacy of a nurse-care management system designed to improve outcomes in patients with complicated diabetes. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS In this randomized controlled trial that took place at Kaiser Permanente Medical Center in Santa Clara, CA, 169 patients with longstanding diabetes, one or more major medical comorbid conditions, and HbA(lc) >10% received a special intervention (n = 84) or usual medical care (n = 85) for 1 year. Patients met with a nurse-care manager to establish individual outcome goals, attended group sessions once a week for up to 4 weeks, and received telephone calls to manage medications and self-care activities. HbA(lc), LDL, HDL, and total cholesterol, triglycerides, fasting glucose, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, BMI, and psychosocial factors were measured at baseline and 1 year later. Annualized physician visits were determined for the year before and during the study. RESULTS At 1 year, the mean reductions in HbA(lc), total cholesterol, and LDL cholesterol were significantly greater for the intervention group compared with the usual care group. Significantly more patients in the intervention group met the goals for HbA(1c) (<7.5%) than patients in usual care (42.6 vs. 24.6%, P < 0.03, chi(2)). There were no significant differences in any of the psychosocial variables or in physician visits. CONCLUSIONS A nurse-care management program can significantly improve some medical outcomes in patients with complicated diabetes without increasing physician visits.
Initial laparoscopic access in postmenopausal women: a preliminary prospective study

Objective: Estrogen loss at menopause has a profound influence on skin, with postmenopausal atrophy and loss of tone and elasticity. Because more than 50% of major laparoscopic complications occur during initial entry under the abdominal skin, the efficacy and the safety of two laparoscopic access techniques were compared in postmenopausal women. Methods: One hundred eighty-six postmenopausal women underwent laparoscopic surgery for simple ovarian cysts: 89 were assigned to direct optical access (DOA), abdominal entry (group I), and 97 to the classic closed Veress needle approach, pneumoperitoneum, and trocar entry (group II). The following parameters were compared: time needed for entry into the abdomen, occurrence of vascular and/or bowel injury, and blood loss. Results were analyzed using SAS software, considering P value less than 0.05 as significant. Results: No statistically significant differences were observed in the occurrence of major vascular and/or bowel injury between the two techniques (P > 0.05), whereas time for abdominal entry was significantly reduced in the DOA group, as well as the occurrence of minor vascular injuries (P < 0.05). Conclusions: Results of this preliminary comparison on the DOA and the Veress methods, commonly used by gynecologists, suggest that the visual entry system offers a statistical advantage over the closed Veress needle approach, in terms of time saving and limiting minor vascular injuries, thus enabling a safe and fast visually guided entry in postmenopausal women.
The ultrastructure of normal myogenesis in the limb of the mouse

The ultrastructure of myogenesis in the mouse hind limb has been studied from day 12 to birth. Mononucleated cells with myofilaments are small and infrequent during myogenesis and never line myotubes. Only mononucleated cells without myofilaments cover the myotubes and are involved in mass fusion. These mononucleated cells are pleomorphic and undifferentiated during early myogenesis. They have a heterochromatic nucleus and many accumulate mitochondria and lengthen during days 16‐18. After day 18 they are normally elongate with a heterochromatic nucleus and packed with free ribosomes. The multinucleated cell development may be divided into four stages. 1. Immature myotube (days 14‐15). Their fibrils are small, out of register and some poorly defined. Many myofilaments are not in rigid hexagonal alignment. The sarcoplasmic reticlum is simple and randomly oriented and triads are absent. Large clumps of glycogen occur between euchromatic nuclei which are in chain formation. 2. Mature myotube (days 16‐18). Small groups of fibrils show alignment. Glycogen granules and sarcoplasmic reticulum become numerous between fibrils. Triads are sparse and mitochondria cluster in subsarcolemmal regions and between nuclei. 3. Young myofibers are present by day 19. More fibrils are aligned and compact. The filaments are in a rigid hexagonal array, the glycogen is dispersed and nuclei are peripherally located and moderately heterochromatic. Triads are frequent but often obliquely oriented and mitochondria are elongate and numerous between fibrils. 4. Mature myofibers occur postnatally (2 weeks).
Regulation of Bacterial Drug Export Systems

SUMMARY The active transport of toxic compounds by membrane-bound efflux proteins is becoming an increasingly frequent mechanism by which cells exhibit resistance to therapeutic drugs. This review examines the regulation of bacterial drug efflux systems, which occurs primarily at the level of transcription. Investigations into these regulatory networks have yielded a substantial volume of information that has either not been forthcoming from or complements that obtained by analysis of the transport proteins themselves. Several local regulatory proteins, including the activator BmrR from Bacillus subtilis and the repressors QacR from Staphylococcus aureus and TetR and EmrR from Escherichia coli, have been shown to mediate increases in the expression of drug efflux genes by directly sensing the presence of the toxic substrates exported by their cognate pump. This ability to bind transporter substrates has permitted detailed structural information to be gathered on protein-antimicrobial agent-ligand interactions. In addition, bacterial multidrug efflux determinants are frequently controlled at a global level and may belong to stress response regulons such as E. coli mar, expression of which is controlled by the MarA and MarR proteins. However, many regulatory systems are ill-adapted for detecting the presence of toxic pump substrates and instead are likely to respond to alternative signals related to unidentified physiological roles of the transporter. Hence, in a number of important pathogens, regulatory mutations that result in drug transporter overexpression and concomitant elevated antimicrobial resistance are often observed.
Effect of stone motion on in vitro comminution efficiency of Storz Modulith SLX.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE During SWL, stone motion secondary to ventilatory motion can be as much as 50 mm. This is much larger than the 4- to 15-mm diameter of the focal regions on most clinical machines. The goal of this study was to determine the effect of stone motion on the fragmentation efficiency of a clinical lithotripter with a small (4-mm) focal spot. MATERIALS AND METHODS A model stone (6.5 x 7.5 mm) made of gypsum cement was used as an in vitro target for a Storz Modulith SLX lithotripter with a custom-designed waterbath. A motorized positioner was used to translate the stone in order to simulate ventilatory motion. The excursion was variable up to 48 mm (+/- 24 mm about the focus). After treatment by 400 shockwaves, the remnants (> 2 mm) were dried and weighed. RESULTS Fragmentation efficiency was reduced (P < 0.05) for motion of > or = 10 mm. Similar results were found with different energy levels and firing rates. The reduction in fragmentation efficiency was consistent with calculations of the time the stone was outside the focal region. CONCLUSIONS Clinically relevant stone motion has a dramatic effect on in vitro comminution. Motion of 10 mm led to a significant reduction in comminution, and for motion > 20 mm, it appeared that three-quarters of the shockwaves missed the stone. These data imply that ventilatory gating or stone tracking may result in fewer shockwaves being required for successful treatment with this lithotripter.
How Thrombus Model Impacts the In Vitro Study of Interventional Thrombectomy Procedures

Rationale and Objectives:Numerous experimental models are used to investigate the effectiveness of thrombectomy devices. We aimed to study the systematic effects of different in vitro thrombus models on the results of experimental thrombectomy and examined how thrombi formed in vitro and ex vivo differ. Methods:Three variables involved in human in vitro thrombogenesis were investigated: spontaneous or thrombin-induced clotting, age (1 or 5 days old), and storage temperature (4°C or 21°C). The fibrin content of in vitro and fresh or old ex vivo thrombi was measured by histologic studies. Ten experiments were performed with each of 8 different in vitro thrombus types using (1) ultrasound thrombolysis, (2) Oasis thrombectomy, (3) Amplatz thrombectomy, and (4) Straub-Rotarex catheters. Thrombus weight was measured after standardized treatment. Results:The fibrin content was markedly lower in all in vitro than in fresh and old ex vivo thrombi. In vitro thrombus type had no impact on the effectiveness of ultrasound thrombolysis and Amplatz thrombectomy. Thrombogenesis type affected Oasis and Straub-Rotarex catheter use. Storage temperature had a systematic impact on the outcome of Oasis thrombectomies. Conclusion:The fibrin content of in vitro thrombi differs substantially from that of fresh and old ex vivo human thrombi. Experimental conditions may systematically impact experimental evaluation of thrombectomy procedures. In vitro thrombi with thrombin-induced thrombogenesis should be favored for use in thrombectomy experiments.
Reduced ability to release adenosine by diabetic rat cardiac fibroblasts due to altered expression of nucleoside transporters

Adenosine produced by cardiac cells is known to attenuate the proliferation of cardiac fibroblasts (CFs), inhibit collagen synthesis, and protect the myocardium against ischaemic and reperfusion injury. Diabetic patients' hearts exhibit ventricular hypertrophy and demonstrate reduced tolerance to hypoxia or ischaemia. In this study, we characterize the effects of glucose and insulin on processes that determine the release of adenosine from CFs. We showed that during ATP depletion, rat CFs cultured in the absence of insulin release significantly less adenosine compared to cells grown in the presence of insulin. Moreover, under both conditions the quantity of released adenosine depends on glucose concentration. We demonstrate that this is due to altered expression of nucleoside transporters. High glucose (25 mm) induced 85% decrease in nucleoside transporter ENT1 mRNA levels. Decrease of the insulin level below 10−11m resulted in over 3‐fold increase in the nucleoside transporter CNT2 mRNA content. Measurements of adenosine transport in CFs cultured in the presence of 5 mm glucose and 10 nm insulin showed that the bidirectional equilibrative adenosine transport accounted for 70% of the overall adenosine uptake. However, cells grown in the presence of high glucose (25 mm) demonstrated 65% decrease of the bidirectional equilibrative adenosine transport. Experiments on CFs cultured in the absence of insulin showed that the unidirectional Na+‐dependent adenosine uptake rose in these cells more than 4‐fold. These results indicate that the development of diabetes may result in an increased uptake of interstitial adenosine by CFs, and reduction of the ability of these cells to release adenosine during ATP deprivation.
Effects of dietary lipids and Clostridium butyricum on the performance and the digestive tract of broiler chickens

The effects of two sources of dietary lipids and supplementation of Clostridium butyricum on performance and intestinal metabolism of broilers were investigated. In a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement, 168 one-day-old broiler chicks were divided into four treatment groups, and fed four diets with two lipid sources (soya bean oil or fish oil, at 25 g/kg and 30 g/kg in starter and grower diets respectively), and without or with supplementation of C. butyricum (1 · 109 colony forming units per kg diet). C. butyricum had no effect on broiler performance. At 20 and 40 d of age, the pH of caecal digesta and the relative length of caecum were decreased after supplementation of C. butyricum (p < 0.05). After this treatment, the activity of alkaline phosphatase was increased in jejunal mucosa at 40 d of age (p < 0.01). Furthermore, there were increases in populations of lactic acid bacteria and the concentrations of acetic acid, n-butyric acid, n-valeric acid and total short chain fatty acids in caecal digesta of birds fed C. butyricum (p < 0.05). A significant interaction between lipid source and C. butyricum was found in the pH of caecal digesta at 20 d of age (p < 0.01). The results of the present study indicated that dietary supplementation of C. butyricum maybe a benefit for gut health of broiler chickens.