Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Both glimepiride and high-dose metformin are important for sustained glucose lowering in Japanese type 2 diabetes patients on glimepiride-sitagliptin-metformin therapy: subanalysis of a single-center, open-label, randomized study.

BACKGROUND In a previous single-center, open-label randomized 3-month study of triple oral antidiabetes drug (OAD) therapy, we investigated factors affecting the glycemic control afforded by sitagliptin, high-dose metformin, and low-dose glimepiride. Patients were prospectively assigned to either Group 1 (50% reduction in metformin) or Group 2 (discontinuation of glimepiride) and compared. The results showed that the glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) levels of patients in Group 2 deteriorated more than those in Group 1, whereas HbA1c levels were maintained in some patients in both groups. MATERIALS AND METHODS To determine the factors associated with maintenance of HbA1c under this triple OAD regimen, data from the prospective study were further analyzed. RESULTS In both Groups 1 and 2, the baseline HbA1c level was higher in patients with HbA1c ≥7.0% after 3 months of treatment than those with an HbA1c level of <7.0%. A generalized linear model revealed that high-dose metformin was associated with a deterioration of HbA1c levels in Group 2. CONCLUSIONS Together, the findings indicate that glimepiride and high-dose metformin are important for sustained glycemic control in triple OAD therapy with sitagliptin, metformin, and sulfonylurea.
A speed distance-based classification system for injury prevention and research in international and domestic youth baseball players.

BACKGROUND An objective classification system for studying youth baseball players in the U.S.A. was published in 1996. Professional baseball is composed of greater than 25% international players a majority of whom come from five countries. Many youth baseball players are injured in early years play, both in the U.S.A. and internationally. There is no international classification system to study youth baseball pitching injuries, biomechanics, or maturation, but one is needed in order to compare and combine pitchers in multi-center studies. Uniform domestic and international pre-injury normative data is optimum. Ideally, data collection should be practical requiring inexpensive equipment and limited time demands. HYPOTHESIS The mathematical model, developed in 1996 on 853 boys and validated on 114 boys in the Mid-Atlantic Region, U.S.A. , is internationally applicable, allowing easy classification of youth baseball pitchers and levels throughout the world. METHODS Seven-hundred-twenty-one international pitchers, ages 8-14, threw five full-speed pitches recorded with a calibrated radar gun and four maximum distance throws on a marked field. Demographics included age, height, weight, and years pitched. Collection sites included foreign national baseball clubs (Dominican Republic, Venezuela, Puerto Rico, Japan and the Philippines), the Mexican national youth tournament, and a multinational tournament (Brazil, Peru and Colombia). The mathematical model developed in 1996 was used to generate predicted distances for this sample for comparison with actual distances. In addition to the overall analysis, adequate sample sizes were available for comparing predicted and actual distances by country for four of the countries. RESULTS The correlation between predicted distance using the mathematical model and actual distance was 0.90. The mean of the international players was 1-2 standard deviations above the USA mean for speed and one standard deviation above the mean for distance. There was no systematic over or under prediction indicating that both relative and absolute fit for the model was excellent. CONCLUSIONS The mathematical model developed in 1996 on U.S.A. baseball players is robustly generalizable to international youth baseball pitchers. CLINICAL RELEVANCE Pre-injury distance/speed data allows for classification of youth baseball player of multiple levels between the ages of 8-14. International and regional comparisons are now possible for multi-center studies in order to better define risk factors, compare studies, and combine data based upon pre-injury maximum long toss data. Data collection requires only a field, a few balls, and a tape measure.
Inhaled aztreonam lysine for chronic airway Pseudomonas aeruginosa in cystic fibrosis.

RATIONALE The effectiveness and safety of aztreonam lysine for inhalation (AZLI) in patients with cystic fibrosis (CF) on maintenance treatment for Pseudomonas aeruginosa (PA) airway infection was evaluated in this randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study. OBJECTIVES To evaluate the safety and efficacy of inhaled aztreonam lysine in controlling PA infection in patients with CF. METHODS After randomization and a 28-day course of tobramycin inhalation solution (TIS), patients (n = 211; > or =6 yr; > or =3 TIS courses within previous year; FEV(1) > or = 25% and < or =75% predicted values) were treated with 75 mg AZLI or placebo, twice or three times daily for 28 days, then monitored for 56 days. The primary efficacy endpoint was time to need for additional inhaled or intravenous antipseudomonal antibiotics. Secondary endpoints included changes in respiratory symptoms (CF Questionnaire-Revised [CFQ-R] Respiratory Scale), pulmonary function (FEV(1)), and sputum PA density. Adverse events and minimum inhibitory concentrations of aztreonam for PA were monitored. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS AZLI treatment increased median time to need for additional antipseudomonal antibiotics for symptoms of pulmonary exacerbation by 21 days, compared with placebo (AZLI, 92 d; placebo, 71 d; P = 0.007). AZLI improved mean CFQ-R respiratory scores (5.01 points, P = 0.02), FEV(1) (6.3%, P = 0.001), and sputum PA density (-0.66 log(10) cfu/g, P = 0.006) compared with placebo; no AZLI dose-response was observed. Adverse events reported for AZLI and placebo were comparable and consistent with CF lung disease. Susceptibility of PA to aztreonam at baseline and end of therapy were similar. CONCLUSIONS AZLI was effective in patients with CF using frequent TIS therapy. AZLI delayed time to need for inhaled or intravenous antipseudomonal antibiotics, improved respiratory symptoms and pulmonary function, and was well tolerated. Clinical trial registered with www.clinicaltrials. gov (NCT 00104520).
Molecular therapy for melanoma: Useful and not useful targets

Melanoma in its advanced stages is a devastating disease. The foremost reasons are: (I) In its early stages of progression, melanoma is often not recognized and thus, patients may linger later than they should before being proven to have melanoma. (II) Despite substantial efforts at early detection and/or prevention, the worldwide incidence of melanoma continues. (III) To date, no chemotherapy or immunotherapy has proven more than marginally effective in advanced disease. A major focus of melanoma research over the past few years has been the search for genes/proteins that might be useful targets for molecular therapy of advanced melanoma. However, there is not yet a large body of information as to which of these genes/ proteins, identified as being upregulated with progression to advanced melanoma, and/or expressing at high levels in primary and/or metastatic melanoma, constitute good targets for molecular therapy for this disease. Furthermore, given the extreme resistance of melanoma to standard regimens of treatment, it is very likely that it will require targeting more than a single gene/protein. However, at present, it is far from clear which combination of genes/proteins, and equally important, which molecular pathways that are “drivers” rather than “passengers” for this malignancy, should be targeted in order to halt melanoma progression and thereby, significantly extend the overall survival of patients with advanced melanoma. In this review, we summarize information regarding status of expression of molecules found to correlate with progression to advanced melanoma, and we discuss which of these genes/proteins may be useful targets for molecular therapy of melanoma.
Changes in dynamic sensitivity of primary endings of muscle spindle afferents induced by DOPA.

In the spinal unanesthetized cat, muscle spindle afferents from primary endings originating in the tenuissimus muscle were studied during a ramp stretch to the muscle with intact efferent nerve supply before and after an intravenous injection of DOPA. It was demonstrated that the peak and mean frequency during stretch was decreased after DOPA, when there also occurred firing during release of stretch. The results indicate that there is after DOPA a decreased spontaneous activity in dynamic y-motoneurones and a concomitant increase in static fusi-motor activity. The findings support the idea that descending noradrenergic fibres control, in a reciprocal fashion, the spontaneous activity in static and dynamic y-motoneurones to flexors.
A 65 nm, 850 MHz, 256 kbit, 4.3 pJ/access, ultra low leakage power memory using dynamic cell stability and a dual swing data link

This paper presents a 65nm, 256 kbit SRAM memory which achieves both ultra low leakage power and very low active energy consumption at a speed of 850 MHz. Used techniques include divided word and bitlines, local write sense amplifiers, dynamic cell stability and a distributed decoder. In addition, three novel techniques are proposed which decrease power consumption even further. High threshold voltage cells reduce leakage and improve stability. Dual swing signalling on the global bitlines reduces energy without compromising robustness. The decoder uses a new type of dynamic gate to increase speed. The design was fabricated in a low power 65nm CMOS process. Measured performance for this 256 kbit SRAM with 32 bit wordlength is 4.3pJ per access and 25.2 μW leakage power at a speed of 850 MHz.
Green tea polyphenol (−)‐epigallocatechin‐3‐gallate inhibits cyclooxygenase‐2 expression in colon carcinogenesis

Tea, one of the most widely consumed beverages worldwide, has been shown to have anti‐cancer activity in various cancers including colon cancer. It has been demonstrated that overexpression of the inducible isoform of cyclooxygenase (COX‐2) occurs during colon tumorigenesis and inhibition of COX‐2 by non‐steroidal anti‐inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) is chemopreventive. To determine whether the anti‐cancer effect associated with green tea impacted COX‐2 expression levels, human colorectal cancer cell lines HT‐29 and HCA‐7, were treated with (−)‐epigallocatechin‐3‐gallate (EGCG), the most abundant and effective polyphenol of green tea. EGCG significantly inhibited constitutive COX‐2 mRNA and protein overexpression. The inhibitory effects of EGCG on signaling pathways controlling COX‐2 expression were examined. We observed that EGCG downregulated the ERK1/2 and Akt pathways in colon cancer cells. The effect of EGCG on COX‐2 expression resulted in decreased COX‐2 promoter activity via inhibition of nuclear factor κB (NF‐κB) activation. EGCG also promoted rapid mRNA decay mediated through the COX‐2 3′untranslated region (3′UTR). In conclusion, these data suggest that inhibition of COX‐2 is a mechanism for the anti‐proliferative effect of green tea and emphasizes the role that dietary factors have as anti‐cancer agents. © 2006 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Single-laboratory validation of a GC/MS method for the determination of 27 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in oils and fats

A protocol for the measurement of 27 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in vegetable oils by GC/MS has undergone single-laboratory validation. PAHs were measured in three oils (olive pomace, sunflower and coconut oil). Five samples of each oil (one unfortified, and four fortified at concentrations between 2 and 50 µg kg−1) were analysed in replicate (four times in separate runs). Two samples (one unfortified and one fortified at 2 µg kg−1) of five oils (virgin olive oil, grapeseed oil, toasted sesame oil, olive margarine and palm oil) were also analysed. The validation included an assessment of measurement bias from the results of 120 measurements of a certified reference material (coconut oil BCR CRM458 certified for six PAHs). The method is capable of reliably detecting 26 out of 27 PAHs, at concentration <2 µg kg−1 which is the European Union maximum limit for benzo[a]pyrene, in vegetable oils, olive pomace oil, sunflower oil and coconut oil. Quantitative results were obtained that are fit for purpose for concentrations from <2 to 50 µg kg−1 for 24 out of 27 PAHs in olive pomace oil, sunflower oil and coconut oil. The reliable detection of 2 µg kg−1 of PAHs in five additional oils (virgin olive oil, grapeseed oil, toasted sesame oil, olive margarine and palm oil) has been demonstrated. The method failed to produce fit-for-purpose results for the measurement of dibenzo[a,h]pyrene, anthanthrene and cyclopenta[c,d]pyrene. The reason for the failure was the large variation in results. The likely cause was the lack of availability of 13C isotope internal standards for these PAHs at the time of the study. The protocol has been shown to be fit-for-purpose and is suitable for formal validation by inter-laboratory collaborative study.
Microsurgical anatomic features and nomenclature of the paraclinoid region.

OBJECTIVE We describe the detailed microsurgical anatomic features of the clinoid (C5) segment of the internal carotid artery (ICA) and surrounding structures, clarify the anatomic relationships of structures in this region, and emphasize the clinical relevance of these observations. Furthermore, because the nomenclature of the paraclinoid region is confusing and lacks standardization, this report provides a glossary of terms that are commonly used to descibe the anatomic features of the paraclinoid region. METHODS The region surrounding the anterior clinoid process was observed in 70 specimens from 35 formalin-fixed cadaveric heads. Detailed microanatomic dissections were performed in 10 specimens. Histological sections of this region were obtained from the formalin-fixed cadaveric specimens. RESULTS The clinoid segment of the ICA is the portion that abuts the clinoid process. This portion of the ICA can be directly observed only after removal of the clinoid process. The dura of the cavernous sinus roof separates to enclose the clinoid process. The clinoid segment of the ICA exists only where this separation of dural layers is present. Because the clinoid process does not completely enclose the ICA in most cases, the clinoid segment is shaped more like a wedge than a cylinder. The outer layer of the dura (dura propria) is a thick membrane that fuses with the adventitia of the ICA to form a competent ring that separates the intradural ICA from the extradural ICA. The thin inner membranous layer of the dura loosely surrounds the ICA throughout the entire length of its clinoid segment. The most proximal aspect of this membrane defines the proximal dural ring. The proximal ring is incompetent and admits a variable number of veins from the cavernous plexus that accompany the ICA throughout its clinoid segment. CONCLUSION The narrow space between the inner dural layer and the clinoid ICA is continuous with the cavernous sinus via an incompetent proximal dural ring. This space between the clinoid ICA and the inner dural layer contains a variable number of veins that directly communicate with the cavernous plexus. Given the inconstancy of the venous plexus surrounding the clinoid ICA, we think that categorical labeling of the clinoid ICA as intracavernous or extracavernous cannot be justified.
The role of environmental education in compulsory education: The case of mathematics textbooks

School plays an important role in the formation of children’s positive attitudes towards the environment. Mathematics textbooks also play an important role in environmental education, because environmental problems have two distinct features: the quality and the quantity of environmental resources. It is well known that as students go higher in their education they often show a negative attitude toward mathematics. One possible reason for this is that mathematics contains many abstract concepts. Another reason is that students think that mathematics has nothing to do with their everyday needs. In this study research is conducted on the frequency of environmental topics in selected Greek mathematics textbooks. The results show that there are some environmental topics, but the way they appear does not help students forming positive attitudes towards the environment. Environmental education, Greek school curriculum, environmental topics, school programs, mathematics textbooks
A New Routing Algorithm for a Class of Rearrangeable Networks

This paper presents a routing algorithm for a class of multistage interconnection networks. Specifically, the concatenation of two Omega networks which has 2 log/sub 2/ N stages is treated. It is shown that this kind of asymmetric Omega+Omega network can be converted into a symmetric Omega/sup -1spl times/Omega network or a symmetric Omega/spl times/Omega/sup -1/ network. However, they have butterfly connections between the two center stages. A general algorithm is developed which routes a class of symmetric networks. The algorithm routes the network from center stages to outer stages at both the input and the output sides simultaneously. The algorithm presented is simpler and more flexible than the well-known looping algorithm in that it can be applied adaptively according to the structure of the network. It can be applied to routing the Omega-based networks regardless of the center-stage connection patterns, i.e., straight, skewed straight, simple butterfly or skewed butterfly as long as the networks are symmetric. The sufficient conditions for proper routing are shown and proved. In addition, an example is shown to demonstrate the algorithm. >
Experimental alteration of limb posture in the chicken (Gallus gallus) and its bearing on the use of birds as analogs for dinosaur locomotion

Extant birds represent the only diverse living bipeds, and can be informative for investigations into the life‐history parameters of their extinct dinosaurian relatives. However, morphological changes that occurred during early avian evolution, including the unique adoption of a nearly horizontal femoral orientation associated with a shift in center of mass (CM), suggest that caution is warranted in the use of birds as analogs for nonavian dinosaur locomotion. In this study, we fitted a group of white leghorn chickens (Gallus gallus) with a weight suspended posterior to the hip in order to examine the effects on loading and morphology. This caused a CM shift that necessitated a change in femoral posture (by 35° towards the horizontal, P < 0.001), and resulted in reorientation of the ground reaction force (GRF) vector relative to the femur (from 41° to 82°, P < 0.001). Despite similar strain magnitudes, an overall increase in torsion relative to bending (from 1.70 to 1.95 times bending, P < 0.001) was observed, which was weakly associated with a tendency for increased femoral cross‐sectional dimensions (P = 0.1). We suggest that a relative increase in torsion is consistent with a change in femoral posture towards the horizontal, since this change increases the degree to which the bone axis and the GRF vector produce mediolateral long‐axis rotation of the bone. These results support the hypothesis that a postural change during early avian evolution could underlie the allometric differences seen between bird and nonavian dinosaur femora by requiring more robust femoral dimensions in birds due to an increase in torsion. J. Morphol. 240:237–249, 1999. © 1999 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Impact of eating disorders on quality of life of women during the perimenopausal period

Eating disorders pose a serious medical, clinical and social problem. In the recent years cases of the lack of appetite are more often diagnosed in reference to middle-aged and elderly women. A situation like this may result from an existing disease process, a continuation of experiencing such problems in the past, and also a reflection of the trends being created by the modern media advocating the need for keeping a woman’s physical attractiveness in her late adulthood. It happens more and more often that the effort to reduce weight achieve a slimmer look is taken by women in their 50s, and even 60s. There is also an existing view that eating disorders among elderly women appear in a close connection to psychical disorders. Many women perceive menopause as a loss and a sign of an oncoming old age, thus they are focused mainly on negative emotions in this period of life. On the basis of depression-like disorders, there appear problems with controlling and maintaining the body mass. Although the scale of the phenomenon has still a limited range and character, its significant impact on life quality of women's population in the menopausal period justifies the execution of the current review of the subject literature in this matter.
Direct effect of dasatinib on proliferation and cytotoxicity of natural killer cells in in vitro study

Lymphocytosis predominantly due to natural killer (NK) cells has been reported in nearly a half of chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) patients who were being treated with dasatinib. Besides, dasatinib‐treated patients with lymphocytosis have a better prognosis than patients without lymphocytosis. In order to elucidate the effects of dasatinib on the proliferation of lymphocyte subset, dasatinib was added to the culture of peripheral blood mononuclear cells with IL‐2 (lymphokine‐activated killer culture) or a low dose of IL‐2 with zoledronate (γδ T‐cell culture). In both culture conditions, NK cells were increased in both percentage and absolute number in the culture with dasatinib compared with control culture without dasatinib. The increase of NK cells was dose dependent of dasatinib in the range of 2–25 nM. NK cell cytotoxicity of cultured cells with dasatinib was demonstrated to be superior to control cells without dasatinib in cytotoxicity assay using EGFP‐transfected K562 cells as target cells. The present study suggested that lymphocytosis in dasatinib‐treated CML patients is at least partly associated with a direct effect of dasatinib to stimulate the proliferation of NK cells. Favourable prognosis in patients with dasatinib‐induced lymphocytosis might be associated with the effects of dasatinib to potentiate NK cytotoxicity in vivo. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Exercise Training After Lung Transplantation Improves Participation in Daily Activity: A Randomized Controlled Trial

The effects of exercise training after lung transplantation have not been studied in a randomized controlled trial so far. We investigated whether 3 months of supervised training, initiated immediately after hospital discharge, improve functional recovery and cardiovascular morbidity of patients up to 1 year after lung transplantation. Patients older than 40 years, who experienced an uncomplicated postoperative period, were eligible for this single blind, parallel group study. Sealed envelopes were used to randomly allocate patients to 3 months of exercise training (n = 21) or a control intervention (n = 19). Minutes of daily walking time (primary outcome), physical fitness, quality of life and cardiovascular morbidity were compared between groups adjusting for baseline assessments in a mixed models analysis. After 1 year daily walking time in the treated patients (n = 18) was 85 ± 27 min and in the control group (n = 16) 54 ± 30 min (adjusted difference 26 min [95%CI 8–45 min, p = 0.006]). Quadriceps force (p = 0.001), 6‐minute walking distance (p = 0.002) and self‐reported physical functioning (p = 0.039) were significantly higher in the intervention group. Average 24 h ambulatory blood pressures were significantly lower in the treated patients (p ≤ 0.01). Based on these results patients should be strongly encouraged to participate in an exercise training intervention after lung transplantation.