Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Depression, insomnia and sleep apnea in patients on maintenance hemodialysis

Depression and sleep disorders are more frequent in patients on maintenance hemodialysis (HD) than the general population, and are associated with reduced quality of life and increased mortality risk. The purpose of this study was to assess the prevalence of depression, sleep apnea, insomnia in patients on HD as well as depression in their primary caregiver and to correlate these with the demographic profile. A cross-sectional study was conducted among 69 patients on maintenance HD for more than 3 months. There was high p revalence of depression (47.8%), insomnia (60.9%), increased risk of sleep apnea (24.6%) and depression in caregiver (31.9%). Depression was significantly more in patients with low monthly income (P=0.03), those on dialysis for more than 1 year (P=0.001) and the unemployed (P=0.009). High-risk patients for sleep apnea tended to be males with low monthly income (P=0.02). Insomnia was significantly higher in patients who were on dialysis for more than 1 year (P=0.003).
Bone remodeling at implants with different configurations and placed immediately at different depth into extraction sockets. Experimental study in dogs.

OBJECTIVES This study evaluated the effect of implant macrodesign and position, related to the bone crest, on bone-to-implant contact (BIC) and crestal bone (CB) in immediate implants. MATERIAL AND METHODS The study comprised of six foxhound dogs in which 48 immediate implants were placed. Three types of implants from the same manufacturer with similar surface characteristics but different macrodesigns were randomly placed: Group A (external hex with no collar microthreads), Group B (internal hex and collar microrings), and Group C (internal conical connection and collar microrings). Half of the implants were placed leveled with the bone crest (control) and the remaining, 2 mm subcrestally (test). Block sections were obtained after 12 weeks and processed for mineralized ground sectioning. Statistical analysis consisted of nonparametric Friedman and Wilcoxon test. RESULTS All implants were clinically stable and histologically osseointegrated. Mean BIC percentage within the control group was as follows: A: 42.52 ± 8.67, B: 35.19 ± 18.12, and C: 47.46 ± 11.50. Within the test group: A: 47.33 ± 5.23, B: 48.38 ± 11.63, and C: 54.88 ± 11.73. Differences between each subgroup in the test and the control groups were statistically significant. BIC was statistically significantly higher in the test (50.588 ± 8.663) than in the control (43.317 ± 9.851) group. Within both groups, differences between group C and the other 2 were statistically significant. Distance from the implant shoulder to the buccal CB was statistically significantly larger in the control than in the test group and between subgroups B and C in the control and test groups. Within the test groups, relative bone gain was noticed. CONCLUSIONS Subcrestal immediate implant positioning may lead to a relatively reduced CB resorption and increased BIC. Implants macrodesign with crestal microrings may enhance BIC in post-extraction implants.
Accuracy of the New ICare Rebound Tonometer vs. Other Portable Tonometers in Healthy Eyes

Purpose. The ICare (Tiolat Oy, Helsinki, Finland) is a new portable tonometer that measures intraocular pressure (IOP) with a new rebound method, in which a very light probe is used to make momentary contact with the cornea in slow motion. The purpose of this study is to assess the accuracy of the ICare IOP measurements by comparing them against other portable tonometers: Perkins applanation tonometer and Tono-Pen XL digital tonometer (Medtronic Solan, Jacksonville, FL). Methods. Sixty-five young subjects were assessed with each of the tonometers. ICare tonometry was performed first, followed by Perkins applanation tonometry and Tono-Pen XL in a random order. Regression analysis was used to evaluate the relationship between the Perkins tonometer and the remaining tonometers used in this study. Tonometers were also compared by plotting the difference between the methods against the mean. The hypothesis of zero bias was examined by a paired t test and the 95% limits of agreement (LoA) were calculated. Results. ICare and Tono-Pen XL significantly overestimate IOP when compared with Perkins applanation tonometry. The mean of the difference between Perkins and ICare and Perkins and Tono-Pen XL was (mean ± standard deviation) −3.35 ± 2.28 mm Hg and −2.78 ± 2.53 mm Hg, respectively. The 95% LoA between Perkins tonometry and ICare tonometry were between −7.81 and +1.12 and between Perkins tonometry and Tono-Pen XL tonometry between −7.74 and +2.18. Conclusions. Compared with Perkins tonometry, the ICare tonometer allows clinicians to estimate IOP with a portable, rapid, and noninvasive method with similar reliability to that offered by Tono-Pen XL. Clinicians should be aware of the systematic overestimation of IOP with the ICare. Further research is needed to evaluate the performance of rebound tonometry in populations with higher IOP and assess the reliability of this technique in the early detection and follow up of glaucomatous patients.
Hemodialysis alters lipid profiles, total antioxidant capacity, and vitamins A, E, and C concentrations in humans.

Although hemodialysis (HD) is essential for end-stage renal disease patients, at the same time it causes oxidative stress and long-term pro-atherosclerotic effects. This study aimed to determine lipid profile as well as the total antioxidant capacity (TAC) and vitamins A, E, and C in HD patients. The study enrolled 31 patients (50.3 ± 14.9 years old) undergoing maintenance 4-hour HD three times per week with a polysulfone membrane dialyzer for a mean of 76.1 months (range, 7-120 months) and 31 healthy individuals (47.8 ± 13.9 years old). Lipid profiles were determined spectrophotometrically using commercially available kits. Total antioxidant capacity was determined by ferric reducing/antioxidant power assay, levels of vitamins A and E were assayed using high-pressure liquid chromatography, and the level of vitamin C was measured by a photometric method. Our results showed that before HD, the levels of TAC and vitamin A were significantly higher than in normal subjects, whereas the levels of high-density lipoprotein (HDL) and vitamin C were lower than in control subjects (P < .001). There was no significant difference between normal subjects and patients before dialysis regarding low-density lipoprotein (LDL) and vitamin E levels (P > .05). After HD, the levels of HDL-cholesterol, vitamins E and C, and TAC decreased significantly (P < .001), but the decreased level of vitamin A still remained higher than controls (P < .05), whereas the levels of LDL were significantly higher than controls (P < .001). In conclusion, alterations in the lipoprotein profiles and antioxidant markers following HD suggest an increased risk of atherosclerosis in these patients.
TAYLOR RULE AND DISCRETIONARY REGIMES IN THE UNITED STATES: EVIDENCE FROM A k-STATE MARKOV REGIME-SWITCHING MODEL

We examine U.S. monetary policies from 1973 to 2014 with the Taylor rule as a benchmark by utilizing a k-state Markov regime-switching model in which the number and the periods of the regimes are endogenously determined. The model relates the federal funds rate to real time output gaps and inflation forecast. It endogenously identifies the periods of Taylor rule regime and discretionary regimes, consistent with the U.S. experience. The Taylor rule regime also coincides with periods of lower variability in inflation and in real GDP growth.
Pharmacokinetics of fluconazole in cerebrospinal fluid and serum of rabbits: validation of an animal model used to measure drug concentrations in cerebrospinal fluid

Complete concentration-time data describing the pharmacokinetics of fluconazole in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) following a single dose are not available for humans or animals. We studied the pharmacokinetics of fluconazole with an indwelling intracisternal needle as described by R.G. Dacey and M.A. Sande (Antimicrob. Agents Chemother. 6:437-441, 1974). To determine whether the presence of an intracisternal needle alters pharmacokinetics in the CSF, we validated this model with uninfected rabbits by measuring pharmacokinetic constants following direct intracisternal and intravenous administration of fluconazole. Following direct injection, there was no alteration of elimination rates in the CSF with increasing sample number or time. Following intravenous administration, the penetration and kinetic constants were the same in individual animals from which multiple CSF samples were obtained as in a composite subject constructed by pooling virgin samples from different animals. The presence of the intracisternal needle did not alter CSF chemistry or leukocyte counts, and erythrocyte contamination was < 0.001%. While drug concentrations were measured by a microbiological assay, we also compared the sensitivity and reproducibility of a high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) assay with those of the microbiological assay. Following a single intravenous dose, the maximum concentration of the drug in serum, the time to maximum concentration of the drug in serum, the terminal elimination half-life in the CSF, and the percent penetration by fluconazole were 6.12 micrograms/ml, 1 h, 9.0 h, and 84.3%, respectively. We conclude that the sampling of CSF via an indwelling needle does not alter fluconazole pharmacokinetics, cause inflammation, or alter chemical parameters; that the microbiological assay is at least equivalent in sensitivity and reproducibility to the HPLC assay; and that robust parameters describing the pharmacokinetics of fluconazole are possible with this model.
Challenged and satisfied: the role of organisational ownership and employee involvement

Abstract This study aims to offer a more fine-grained approach to our understanding of the relationship between job stress and job satisfaction. Building on organisational theory and Job Demand-Control model, we investigated an important institutional characteristic – organisational ownership – as an additional moderator to influence the interactive effects of job demands and control upon job satisfaction. Using data collected from 1838 Chinese retail sector employees, we found that this three-way interaction was strongest for employees working in foreign-invested firms, who experienced higher employee involvement at work and perceived a high level of challenge-related stress. The relationship was weakest for employees in state-owned enterprises who reported low levels of both employee involvement and challenge-related stress. Our study constitutes an early attempt to assess the impact of institutional characteristics such as ownership on aspects of human resources management, and highlights the need for further research to recognise the importance of such characteristics as contextual factors that influence the effect of organisational practices and the work environment upon individual work-related outcomes. The paper’s concluding sections elaborate on the contributions our research makes both to theory as well as to the practicalities faced by human resource managers in contexts such as China.
Macronutrient intake and whole body protein metabolism following resistance exercise.

UNLABELLED The provision of carbohydrate (CHO) supplements following resistance exercise attenuated muscle protein (PRO) degradation (Roy et al. J. Appl. Physiol. 82:1882-1888, 1997). The addition of PRO may have a synergistic effect upon whole body protein balance by increasing synthesis (Biolo et al. Am. J. Physiol. 273:E122-E129, 1997). PURPOSE To determine if the macronutrient composition of a postexercise beverage would alter muscle anabolism and/or catabolism following resistance exercise. METHODS We provided isoenergetic CHO (1 g x kg(-1)) and CHO/PRO/FAT supplements and placebo (PL) immediately (t = 0 h) and 1 h (t = + 1 h) following resistance exercise (9 exercises/3 sets/80% 1 RM) to 10 young, healthy, resistance-trained males. Whole body leucine turnover was determined from L-[1-13C]leucine kinetics at approximately 4 h postexercise. RESULTS No differences were observed for urinary 3-methylhistidine or urea nitrogen excretion between the trials. Leucine flux was significantly elevated at approximately 4 h postexercise for both CHO/PRO/FAT (177.59+/-12.68 micromol x kg(-1) x h(-1)) and CHO (156.18+/-7.77 micromol x kg(-1) x h(-1)) versus PL (126.32+/-10.51 micromol x kg(-1) x h(-1)) (P < 0.01). Whole body leucine oxidation was elevated at approximately 4 h for CHO/PRO/FAT (29.50+/-3.34 micromol x kg(-1) h(-1)) versus CHO (16.32+/-2.33 micromol x kg(-1) x h(-1)) (P < 0.01) and PL (21.29+/-2.54 micromol x kg(-1) x h(-1)) (P < 0.05). Nonoxidative leucine disposal (NOLD) was significantly elevated at approximately 4 h for both CHO/PRO/FAT (148.09+/-10.37 micromol x kg(-1) x h(-1)) and CHO (139.86+/-7.02 micromol x kg(-1) x h(-1)) versus PL (105.03+/-8.97 micromol x kg(-1) x h(-1)) (P < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS These results suggest that consumption of either CHO or CHO/PRO/FAT immediately and 1 h following a resistance training bout increased NOLD as compared with a placebo.
Relation of number of positive lymph nodes to the prognosis of patients with primary gastric adenocarcinoma.

BACKGROUND--No nodal grouping category of gastric cancer has been universally accepted for the grading of the effectiveness of therapeutic regimens. AIMS--To establish an appropriate nodal grouping as a forecaster of distant disease and test its validity as a determinant in survival. PATIENTS--Five hundred and ten patients who underwent curative resections for gastric cancer were studied. METHODS--Retrospectively analyse the prognostic significance of the number of metastatic lymph nodes. RESULTS--A total of 17 176 lymph nodes with an average of 34 per specimen were removed, of which 2811 (16%) showed metastases. Among the 510 patients, 287 (56%) had lymph node metastases, with an average of 9.8 per metastatic case. The survival of all patients was related to their nodal status, an abrupt decrease in survival was seen between 0 and 1 and 4 compared with 5 or more modes while little difference in survival existed among 1, 2, 3, and 4, and among 5, 6, 7, and 8 positive nodes. Multivariate analysis showed that the number of positive nodes (1-4, 5-8 versus > or = 9; relative risk 2.2) and depth of cancer invasion (three levels; relative risk 1.9) were independently correlated with survival. The current nodal stage was not a prognostic factor. CONCLUSIONS--Gastric cancer patients with 0, 1 to 4, 5 to 8, and > 9 positive nodes may represent four appropriate prognostic groups and should be adopted for classification of nodal stage in gastric cancer.
Drinking to Cope Motivation as a Prospective Predictor of Negative Affect.

OBJECTIVE Consistent with research indicating that drinking to cope (DTC) motivation might exacerbate negative affective states within or immediately proximal to discrete drinking episodes, we examined whether yearly deviations in more global levels of DTC motivation prospectively predicted depressive and anxious affect over several weeks. METHOD College students (N = 521, 52% women) completed baseline measures of drinking motives, recent depression and anxiety symptoms, recent alcohol use, and alcohol use disorder symptoms on a secure website. Approximately 2 weeks after completing this survey, participants completed the 30-day daily diary portion of the study in which they reported on their current-day affective states. This yearly assessment burst in which participants completed a baseline survey and a daily diary assessment was repeated for 3 additional years. RESULTS We found that changes in DTC motivation were positively associated with changes in depressive and anxious affect in the subsequent month, after we controlled for changes in concurrent anxiety and depressive symptoms, drinking level, enhancement drinking motivation, and alcohol use disorder symptoms. CONCLUSIONS Our findings are consistent with the notion that DTC motivation confers a unique vulnerability for emotion dysregulation, and that drinking for such reasons possibly prolongs or exacerbates negative affective states.
Microenvironment-Sensitive Multimodal Contrast Agent for Prostate Cancer Diagnosis

Abstract : The goal of this work is to develop the materials and methods to non-invasively monitor the aggressiveness of prostate cancer. Prostate cancer is the second leading cause of death among men in the United States, yet no reliable diagnostic tools or effective therapies are currently available. There is increased focus on the development of tools for improved detection and monitoring of prostate cancer. In this work, we have developed magnetic nanoparticles that are able to detect and bind to PC3 prostate cancer cells. Using the particles' magnetic properties, they can be localized in the body using MRI. The addition of a fluorescent marker on the nanoparticle that is sensitive to proteolytic activity then provides a means to detect and quantify the aggressiveness of the cancer.
Nitazoxanide versus vancomycin in Clostridium difficile infection: a randomized, double-blind study.

BACKGROUND Vancomycin is the only US Food and Drug Administration-approved drug for treatment of Clostridium difficile infection (CDI). Metronidazole has been widely used for this purpose but may be inferior to vancomycin, especially for hospitalized patients with severe disease. We report a prospective, double-blind, randomized controlled trial comparing nitazoxanide with vancomycin for treatment of CDI. METHODS Fifty patients with CDI were randomized to receive vancomycin or nitazoxanide for 10 days. An initial response was considered to be the absence of all CDI symptoms between days 11 and 13, and a final response was considered to be lack of symptom recurrence by day 31. RESULTS One patient fulfilled an exclusion criterion and was removed from the study. Twenty-seven patients received vancomycin, and 23 received nitazoxanide; 23 and 18 patients, respectively, completed the full course of treatment. Initial responses occurred in 20 (74%) of 27 patients treated with vancomycin and in 17 (77%) of 22 patients treated with nitazoxanide (95% confidence interval, -24% to +28%). In those who completed therapy, response rates were 87% (20 of 23 patients) in the vancomycin group and 94% (17 of 18 patients) in the nitazoxanide group (95% confidence interval, -18% to +30%). Times to complete resolution of symptoms were similar in the 2 groups (P = .55). Two patients in the vancomycin group and 1 patient in the nitazoxanide group experienced relapse within 31 days after beginning treatment. Sustained response rates were 78% (18 of 23 patients) for the vancomycin group, and 89% (16 of 18 patients) for the nitazoxanide group (95% confidence interval, -18% to +35%). CONCLUSIONS The small sample precludes conclusions about noninferiority of nitazoxanide to vancomycin. Nevertheless, this is the first recent randomized controlled trial to compare any antimicrobial agent other than metronidazole with vancomycin. Results suggest that nitazoxanide may be as effective as vancomycin in treating CDI. TRIAL REGISTRATION ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT00384527.
The Value in Fundamental Accounting Information

We examine the role of fundamental accounting information in shaping portfolio performance. Using a conditional performance approach, we address the concern that the positive relationship between Piotroski’s F Score and ex post returns is due to risk compensation. Our results show that portfolios of firms with strong fundamental underpinnings generate significant positive and time-varying performance. One potential source of these performance gains is an under-reaction to public information (such as momentum and F Score) when information uncertainty (proxied by size, illiquidity, and idiosyncratic volatility) is high. In addition, conditional performance benefits seem prevalent in periods of high investor sentiment.
An integrated process and digitalization perspective on the shipping supply chain — A literature review

The maritime transport industry operates in an environment characterized by fluctuating fuel prices and low freight rates in a dynamic competitive market. Shipping companies must therefore adopt responsive supply chains whilst containing costs. This study investigates what extant literature can offer from an integrated digitalization and business process management perspective to enhance supply chain performance for shipping companies. The main themes identified in literature have been categorized according to their contributions to achieving responsive and efficient supply chains. Furthermore, the drivers of enhanced supply chain performance have been identified and an agenda for future research is proposed. This study therefore contributes to the research field of maritime transport by enfolding extant literature and guiding decision makers in their efforts to achieve responsive and adaptive shipping supply chains.
Nonlinear ℋ∞ control applied to the Personal Pendulum Car

This paper deals with the application of nonlinear ℋ∞ control techniques to a underactuted mechanical system, which is named as PPCar. A comparison between two nonlinear ℋ∞ control strategies is presented. The first one considers only the position and velocity errors in the cost vector. In the second one the integral position error is added with the objective to obtain the null steady-state error and a bounded linear velocity. The underactuted mechanical system formulation is extended here to the second controller. Simulation results are obtained to confirm that the proposed strategy improve the initial controller.
Critical mass matters: The long-term benefits of retail agglomeration for establishment survival in downtown Detroit and The Hague

This paper explores the long-term sensitivity of street-level retailers to agglomeration to corroborate its theorised benefits under current economic modelling. It does so by studying the annualised chance of closure of retailers as a function of the number of surrounding retailers, as well as how different types of retailers respond differently to agglomeration. A time fixed effect model is used to study the mortality rate of retailers over the period of a century. The study draws from a self-created database of retail establishment locations and types in Detroit, Michigan and The Hague, Netherlands between 1911 and 2011. The case study cities have been selected for their combination of similarities and differences. While downtown Detroit is infamous for its high vacancy and The Hague has been praised as a vibrant Dutch urban core, both cities have in fact suffered significant loss of retail activity over the past century, allowing for the study of retail closure under different socio-economic and cultural circumstances. The study demonstrates a significant sensitivity of retailers to agglomeration in both cities. The study also indicates a specifically high sensitivity to agglomeration in the case of comparison shops. Without a critical mass of peers, these retailers will face a significantly higher than average chance of closure. The sensitivity to agglomeration is remarkably similar between both case studies, urban cores which at first sight have experienced rather different fates over the past century. This cross-cultural similarity may point to a generalisability of the underlying mechanism of sensitivity to agglomeration.