Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Resveratrol may reduce oxidative stress induced by platinum compounds in human plasma, blood platelets and lymphocytes

Resveratrol (trans-3,4′,5-trihydroxystilbene), a polyphenolic compound found in grapes and wine, has been shown to have anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant, anti-tumor and anti-platelet activities. Using different methods, we show that resveratrol reduces oxidative stress induced by cisplatin (cis-diamminedichloroplatinum II) and selenium–cisplatin conjugate ([NH3]2Pt(SeO3), Se-Pt) in human blood platelets, lymphocytes and plasma. Resveratrol decreased the production of 8-epi-prostaglandin F2 (a biomarker of lipid peroxidation) in control blood platelets and platelets treated with platinum compounds (10 μg/ml), and markedly reduced activities of different anti-oxidative enzymes (glutathione peroxidase, superoxide dismutase and catalase) in these cells. A combined action of resveratrol and Se-Pt evoked a significant decrease of DNA damage (measured by comet assay) in lymphocytes compared with cells treated with Se-Pt only. Resveratrol also caused a distinct reduction of total anti-oxidant level in plasma after incubation with platinum compounds. Therefore, anti-oxidative activity of resveratrol may diminish oxidative stress and damage to cellular biomolecules (lipids, proteins and DNA) induced by platinum compounds.
Spontaneous dyskinesia and parkinsonism in never-medicated, chronically ill patients with schizophrenia: 18-month follow-up

Background Spontaneous dyskinesia and parkinsonism have been reported in never-medicated patients with schizophrenia but there has been no previous study of the natural history of these conditions. Aims To determine the prevalence of spontaneous dyskinesia and parkinsonism in a group of never-medicated, chronically ill patients with schizophrenia on two occasions separated by an 18-month interval. Method Dyskinesia was assessed by the Abnormal Involuntary Movements Scale using Schooler and Kane criteria for its presence; parkinsonism by the Simpson and Angus scale; and mental state by the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale for schizophrenia. Results Thirty-seven patients were examined on two occasions. Nine (24%) had dyskinesia on both occasions, 12 (33%) on one occasion and 16 (43%) on neither occasion. Twenty-one (57%) had dyskinesia on at least one occasion. Thirteen patients (35%) had parkinsonism on at least one occasion. Conclusions Spontaneous dyskinesia and parkinsonism fluctuate over time. The former was found on at least one occasion in the majority of patients. It is an integral part ofthe schizophrenic disease process.
Solution of the Poisson equation with a thin layer of random thickness

The present article is dedicated to the numerical solution of the Poisson equation with a thin layer of different conductivity and of random thickness. We change the boundary condition to transform the boundary value problem given on a random domain into a boundary value problem on a fixed domain. The randomness is then contained in the coefficients of the new boundary condition. This thin coating can be expressed by a random Robin boundary condition which yields a third order accurate solution in the scale parameter of the layer's thickness. Based on the decay of the Karhunen-Loeve expansion of the random fluctuations of the layer’s thickness, we prove rates of decay of the derivatives of the random solution with respect to the stochastic variable. They are robust in the thickness parameter and enable the use of the quasi Monte-Carlo method or of the anisotropic stochastic collocation method for the computation of the boundary value problem's random solution. Numerical results validate our theoretical findings.
The QuantiFERON-TB Gold In-Tube Assay in Neuro-Ophthalmology

Background: Although QuantiFERON-TB Gold In-Tube (QFT-GIT) testing is regularly used to detect infection with Mycobacterium tuberculosis, its utility in a patient population with a low risk for tuberculosis (TB) has been questioned. The following is a cohort study analyzing the efficacy of QFT-GIT testing as a method for detection of active TB disease in low-risk individuals in a neuro-ophthalmologic setting. Methods: Ninety-nine patients from 2 neuro-ophthalmology centers were identified as having undergone QFT-GIT testing between January 2012 and February 2016. Patients were divided into groups of negative, indeterminate, and positive QFT-GIT results. Records of patients with positive QFT-GIT results were reviewed for development of latent or active TB, as determined by clinical, bacteriologic, and/or radiographic evidence. Results: Of the 99 cases reviewed, 18 patients had positive QFT-GIT tests. Of these 18 cases, 12 had documentation of chest radiographs or computed tomography which showed no evidence for either active TB or pulmonary latent TB infection (LTBI). Four had chest imaging which was indicative of possible LTBI. None of these 18 patients had symptoms of active TB and none developed active TB within the follow-up period. Conclusions: Based on our results, we conclude that routine testing with QFT-GIT in a low-risk cohort did not diagnose active TB infection. We do not recommend routine QFT-GIT testing for TB low-risk individuals, as discerned through patient and exposure history, ocular examination, and clinical judgment, in neuro-ophthalmology practice.
Time sequence of events leading to chromosomal aberration formation

Investigations have been carried out which have measured the influence of the repair polymerases on the yield of different types of chromosomal aberrations. The studies were mainly concerned with the effect of inhibiting the polymerases on the yield of aberrations. The polymerases fill in single strand regions, and the fact that their inhibition affects the yield of aberrations suggests that single strand lesions are influential in aberration formation.
Burnout and engagement, and its predictors in young veterinary professionals: the influence of gender

With the aim to assess levels of burnout and work engagement in junior veterinarians and identify predictors of burnout and work engagement in male and female veterinarians, 1760 veterinarians who had graduated in The Netherlands between 1999 and 2009, received an electronic questionnaire. Veterinarians numbering 860 (73 per cent females) participated. Levels of exhaustion, cynicism and work engagement were significantly lower compared to the norm group (a random sample of the Dutch working population). Male veterinarians were less exhausted and more engaged than female veterinarians. Exhaustion decreased over the years. Job demands positively related to exhaustion were work-home interference and workload. Job resources positively related to work engagement were opportunities for professional development and skills discretion (ie, the ability to use and develop skills on the job. Personal resources explained more of the variance in work engagement of female and male veterinarians (31 per cent and 42 per cent) than of the variance in exhaustion (19 per cent and 21 per cent) and cynicism (19 per cent and 10 per cent). Personal resources positively related to work engagement were self-efficacy and proactive behaviour. Relative importance analysis revealed differences between men and women in the importance of various job demands, job resources and personal resources in explaining burnout and engagement in young veterinary professionals.
Delivering Excellent Service: Lessons from the Best Firms

Delivering excellent service is a challenge for most organizations. While many aspire to it, the evidence from customer satisfaction surveys indicates that too few firms are able to deliver service excellence. On the other hand, some organizations consistently deliver excellent service. This article reviews ten lessons these benchmark service organizations have learned and shows how these organizations use them to meet and exceed the ever-rising expectations of their customers. These lessons can be emulated by any organization seeking such excellence.
Drooling in children with cerebral palsy: a qualitative method to evaluate parental perceptions of its impact on daily life, social interaction, and self-esteem

Research on the treatment of drooling applies measures such as salivary flow rate, qualitative observations of drooling severity in standardized situations, and anecdotal or one-dimensional parental and teacher reports. To assess drooling severity in a range of everyday conditions, and its impact on the daily life of children and their families, two parent questionnaires were constructed. Results of baseline measurements of 43 children with cerebral palsy showed that the questionnaires measured the variation in drooling severity across daily life conditions, and enabled evaluation of the impact of drooling on the ability to eat, drink and speak, on daily care, economic consequences, and social interactions. The section on the impact of drooling on self-esteem appeared not to be fully applicable for non-speaking children with a low developmental status. The questionnaires offer a qualitative method to evaluate parental perceptions of the impact of drooling and evaluate the effectiveness of interventions to reduce drooling.
Entrepreneurial Intentions of MBA Students – A Study in Hyderabad

There is a growing body of literature arguing that entrepreneurial intentions play a very relevant role in the decision to start a new firm. The importance of cognitive variables in understanding this personal decision has been highlighted by Baron (2004) or Shaver & Scott (1991), among other researchers. In their view, this cognitive focus provides additional insights into the complex process of entrepreneurship, over and above those offered by others. Given the impressive success of a cognitive approach in other fields (e.g., psychology, education), there are grounds for predicting that it may also yield positive results when applied to the field of entrepreneurship (Baron, 2004:237). This paper focuses on entrepreneurship education, entrepreneurship intensions among students, the entrepreneurial self-efficacy of the students and the perception / opinion of entrepreneurship among the students within an Indian setting. It is apparent that entrepreneurial intentions in India continue to face limitations in terms of societal pressures and self-efficacy constraints. Entrepreneurship education may mitigate these limitations for those respondents with entrepreneurial aspiration. In this way, entrepreneurship education can be positioned as an equalizer, possibly reducing the limiting effects of low self-efficacy and ultimately increasing the chances for successful venture creation by motivating the students to take an entrepreneurship course.
Risk factors for asthma among young adults in Melbourne, Australia

Abstract Asthma is more prevalent in Australia than in Europe or North America. As part of the European Community Respiratory Health Survey (ECRHS), we investigated exposure to risk factors for asthma among young adults in Melbourne. During this study, 553 randomly selected and 204 symptomatic participants aged between 20 and 44 years completed a detailed respiratory questionnaire, of whom 675 underwent measurement of bronchial hyperreactivity (BHR) by methacholine challenge and 745 had skin prick tests for atopy. Current asthma, defined as BHR and wheeze in the preceding 12 months, was present in 25.5% of those tested. A family history of asthma was a risk factor for current asthma (maternal asthma odds ratio [OR] 2.4, paternal asthma OR 2.1). Current smokers were 1.7 times more likely to have current asthma. A serious respiratory infection before 5 years of age increased the risk of current asthma 2.3‐fold. Atopy on skin testing was also strongly associated with current asthma (OR 5.9). The greatest risks were associated with positive skin tests to Cladosporium, house dust mite, cat and rye grass pollen. We conclude that female gender, maternal asthma, smoking, hayfever, early respiratory infection, occupational exposure and atopy are important risk factors for asthma in young adults.
Magnetic Resonance Imaging Findings in Pediatric Bilateral Vocal Fold Dysfunction

Objectives: We studied the findings of brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in infants with idiopathic congenital bilateral vocal fold dysfunction (CBVFD). Methods: We performed a retrospective investigation of a case series. Results: We identified 26 children (14 male, 12 female) over 11 years. Three children were excluded. Thirteen patients required airway interventions, including continuous positive airway pressure (4 patients), endotracheal intubation (1), and tracheostomy (8). The findings on brain MRI were abnormal in 8 patients (35%). Tracheostomy was required in 3 patients (38%) with abnormal MRI findings, as compared with 5 of 15 patients (33%) with normal MRI findings. The MRI abnormalities involved evidence of white matter injury (2), abnormal white matter signal (1), subdural blood (3), cerebral swelling (1), and perisylvian polymicrogyria (1). The cranial ultrasound findings were abnormal in 4 of 11 patients. The MRI findings were abnormal in 2 of 7 children in whom the cranial ultrasound findings were normal, and in 2 of the 4 patients in whom the cranial ultrasound findings were abnormal. Conclusions: The MRI abnormalities were nonspecific; however, they may indicate unrecognized perinatal intracranial injury as being related to CBVFD. In addition, MRI may reveal an underlying structural brain anomaly. Cranial ultrasound has poor sensitivity and specificity. Hence, MRI should be considered as part of the routine assessment of neonates with CBVFD.
Role of gamma interferon during infection with Plasmodium chabaudi chabaudi

A role has been proposed for inflammatory mediators such as gamma interferon (IFN-gamma) and reactive oxygen intermediates in the control of the blood stages of Plasmodium organisms. It was previously shown that IFN-gamma can be detected in the plasma of mice with a primary infection by Plasmodium chabaudi chabaudi (AS). We found that susceptible and other resistant mouse strains produced IFN-gamma, suggesting that susceptibility is not due to a defect in IFN-gamma production. Administration of IFN-gamma to intact C57BL/6 mice slightly decreased and partially delayed parasitemia, whereas in vivo depletion of IFN-gamma through injection of a "cocktail" of monoclonal antibodies against IFN-gamma exacerbated infection. Since CD4+ T cells are essential for the development of a protective immune response to P. chabaudi chabaudi, we tested whether CD4+ T cells are responsible for IFN-gamma production in vivo and whether exogenous IFN-gamma can replace the protective function of the CD4+ T cells. Mice depleted of CD4+ T cells were unable to produce IFN-gamma, but factors in addition to IFN-gamma may be important in parasite clearance.
Actual Share Repurchases, Price Efficiency, and the Information Content of Stock Prices

We examine the impact of actual share repurchases on stock prices using several measures of price efficiency and manually collected data on U.S. repurchases. We find that share repurchases make prices more efficient and reduce idiosyncratic risk. Further analyses reveal that the effects are primarily driven by repurchases in down markets. We conclude that share repurchases help to maintain accurate stock prices by providing price support at fundamental values. We find no evidence that managers use share repurchases to manipulate stock prices when selling their equity holdings or exercising stock options.
Molecular modeling of mu opioid receptor and its interaction with ohmefentanyl.

AIM To build up the structure model of mu opioid receptor, then combined with the receptor model, to investigate the action mechanism of ohmefentanyl on the receptor. METHODS Using the three-dimensional structure of bacteriorhodopsin as a template, we constructed mu opioid receptor model on computer. Ohmefentanyl was then docked into the supposed receptor binding sites. RESULTS A good ligand-receptor interaction model was achieved. The possible binding sites were found to be Asp147 and His319. The protonated N atom of ohmefentanyl form potent electrostatic and hydrogen-bonding interactions with residue Asp147 of the receptor, the O atom of the carbonyl group form weak electrostatic and hydrogen-bonding interactions with residue His319, and the two phenyl groups form pi-pi interactions with some aryl residues of the receptor around ligand. CONCLUSION The ligand-receptor interaction model should be helpful for rational design of novel analgesic.
The FIM™ Instrument in the United States and Italy: A Comparative Study

Tesio L, Granger CV, Perucca L, Franchignoni FP, Battaglia MA, Russell CF: The FIM™ instrument in the United States and Italy: A comparative study. Am J Phys Med Rehabil 2002;81:168–176. ObjectiveTo compare FIM™ instrument ratings between Italy and the United States. DesignThis study utilized 169,835 United States and 4,536 Italian FIM instrument records for stroke with the left side of the body affected, stroke with the right side of the body affected, and orthopedic conditions. ResultsCase-mix, patient age, and admission and discharge FIM instrument scores were similar. The delays between onset of disability and admission to rehabilitation and lengths of stay in rehabilitation were 2–4 times longer in Italy. In Italy, some 88–95% of the subjects were discharged to the community vs. 74–88% in the United States. Hierarchies of FIM instrument ratings across the motor and cognitive items were similar, but there were interesting differences. The hierarchical patterns showed that dressing, bathing, perineal hygiene, and tub or shower transfer were relatively more difficult in Italy compared with the Unites States, whereas walking was easier in Italy compared to the United States. ConclusionThe Italian health care payment system offers less incentive for early discharges from acute care and rehabilitation. In Italy, nursing homes are less accessible, whereas family support is more available. Apparently less intensive treatment is applied in Italy, where a minimum time per day for rehabilitation services is not mandatory for payment. Occupational therapy is not used in Italy and the focus is more on physical therapy.
Human Pharmacokinetics of Orally Administered (24 R)-Hydroxycalcidiol

To gain an insight in the regulation of (24R)-hydroxycalcidiol, we studied the pharmacokinetics of orally administered (24R)-hydroxycalcidiol in 6 healthy subjects without calcium supplementation, in 4 healthy subjects with calcium supplementation and in 6 patients with primary hyperparathyroidism. Various quantities related to calcium and vitamin D metabolism were also monitored. In the healthy subjects without calcium supplementation, the basal (24R)-hydroxycalcidiol concentration (Cb) in serum was 2.4 +/- 0.8 nmol/l (mean +/- SD, n = 5), the terminal serum half-time (t 1/2) 7.2 +/- 1.4 days, the production rate 0.05 +/- 0.01 nmol/kg.day, and the production rate/[calcidiol] ratio (1.5 +/- 0.4 x 10(-3) l/kg.day). In the healthy subjects studied, the serum concentration vs time curves exhibited a second maximum after administration, possibly due to binding by intestinal cells or (partial) uptake by the lymph system. In the calcium-supplemented healthy subjects, the pharmacokinetic quantities were not significantly different while the area under the serum concentration-time curve and the estimated bioavailability were significantly decreased. Basal concentration (Cb), production rate and the production rate/[calcidiol] ratio were significantly lower in patients with primary hyperparathyroidism but t 1/2 was unchanged. Exogenous (24R)-hydroxycalcidiol had no clear effect on calcium and vitamin D metabolism. In conclusion, a) exogenous (24R)-hydroxycalcidiol has no clear effect on calcium and vitamin D metabolism, b) clearance and production rate of (24R)-hydroxycalcidiol are not affected by calcium supplementation, c) bioavailability is lower in the calcium-supplemented state, d) basal concentration (Cb) and production rate are significantly decreased in patients with hyperparathyroidism.
An Open-Label Pilot Study of Methylphenidate in the Treatment of Cocaine Dependent Patients with Adult Attention Deficit/ Hyperactivity Disorder

Abstract A multi-site, open-label study of methylphenidate for treating patients with comorbid diagnoses of attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder and cocaine dependence was performed. Forty-one participants, who met DSM-IV criteria for adult attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder and cocaine dependence, were enrolled into this ten week outpatient study. The targeted total daily dose of methylphenidate was 60 mg (20 mg TID). Participants received individual substance abuse therapy throughout the trial. Safety measures included adverse events, vital signs, and electrocardiograms. Methylphenidate's efficacy was assessed by both objective and subjective measures. Seventy percent of the participants completed final study measures. Safety measures indicated that methylphenidate was well tolerated by the participants. Subjective efficacy measures suggested that participants evidenced improvement in both cocaine dependence and adult attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder symptoms. Quantitative benzoylecgonine indicated that only those participants categorized as being compliant showed improvement. A double-blind, placebo-controlled study of methylphenidate for this population may be warranted.
Perspectives on the Potential for Social Media to Improve Communication in Small Business–Bank Relationships

Relationships with the small business sector have traditionally been largely neglected by banking institutions. However, as a result of recent turmoil in the world's economy and the ongoing impact of the recession, banks find themselves in a quandary about how best to support those within the small firm sector in times of tight credit. With increasing regulation, market fragmentation and increased competition, banks face real challenges to improve communication and establish profitable and long-term relationships with their small firm clients. Through conceptual modelling and empirical research, this paper explores the small business– bank relationship and examines the extent to which social media may facilitate more effective communication in that relationship. A qualitative research methodology uncovers perceptions of both senior bank executives and small firm owner-managers with respect to the perceived value social media can bring to communication within the small firm–bank relationship. The findings indicate that bankers saw little merit in any communication opportunities afforded by social media, while the owner-managers could see great value in such new media channels for improved communication. Through theoretical modelling, the differences in perception were classified at the levels of context, content and competency. It is concluded that, while social media could add value to the small firm–bank relationship, the medium would be most effective when used in a secondary capacity to personal face-to-face relationship building.