Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Splitting a Therapeutic Dose of Thioguanine May Avoid Liver Toxicity and Be an Efficacious Treatment for Severe Inflammatory Bowel Disease: A 2-Center Observational Cohort Study

Background:Thioguanine (TG) is a treatment for inflammatory bowel disease, but association with nodular regenerative hyperplasia has restricted its use. We conjectured that splitting a therapeutic daily dose of TG would be efficacious and should avoid liver toxicity. Methods:We report on 62 patients with severe inflammatory bowel disease not responding to prednisolone, conventional thiopurines, biologics, or calcineurin inhibitors. Patients were prescribed oral split-daily TG to avoid individual doses >0.3 mg/kg. Data on concomitant medication, clinical efficacy measured by Harvey–Bradshaw Index for Crohn's, or Simple Clinical Colitis Score for ulcerative/indeterminate colitis (UC), and some paired endoscopies were available. Safety was followed clinically and with bloods at 2 centers. All patients at the U.K. center had a liver biopsy or magnetic resonance imaging after 6 months. Twenty-one patients had serial ultrasounds at the Australian center. Results:At 6 months, 19/21 of patients with Crohn's disease and 27/38 with ulcerative colitis had improved clinical activity. At study end, 53% of patients maintained improved clinical activity of steroids. Median duration of TG was 8 (0.3–45) months, median dose was 0.6 (0.3–1) mg/kg per day. Previous thiopurine-related adverse reactions were not encountered. Twenty-nine patients withdrew because of loss to follow-up, medical adverse events, or surgery. Possible early nodular regenerative hyperplasia was found on liver biopsy in 1 patient who was heterozygote deficient for thiopurine methyltransferase; the TG dose was lowered. TG was discontinued in a patient with nodular regenerative hyperplasia and concomitant antiphospholipid syndrome. There was 1 successful term pregnancy; cord blood and breast milk TG were low. Conclusions:Split-dose TG seemed well tolerated and efficacious in this retrospective study of patients with difficult inflammatory bowel disease.
The effects of levothyroxine replacement or suppressive therapy on health status, mood, and cognition.

CONTEXT TSH-suppressive doses of levothyroxine (L-T4) have adverse effects on bone and cardiac function, but it is unclear whether central nervous system function is also affected. OBJECTIVE The aim of the study was to determine whether women receiving TSH-suppressive L-T4 doses have decrements in health status, mood, or cognitive function. DESIGN AND SETTING A cross-sectional comparison was made among three groups of women in an academic medical center research clinic. PATIENTS Twenty-four women receiving chronic TSH-suppressive L-T4 doses, 35 women receiving chronic replacement L-T4 doses, and 20 untreated control women participated in the study. INTERVENTIONS Subjects underwent testing at a single outpatient visit. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES We measured health status (SF-36), mood (Profile of Mood States, Symptom Checklist 90-R, Affective Lability Scale), and cognitive function (declarative memory [Paragraph Recall], working memory [N-back, Subject Ordered Pointing], motor learning [Pursuit Rotor, Motor Sequence Learning Test], and executive function [Letter Cancellation Test, Trail Making Test, Iowa Gambling Test]). RESULTS Women receiving TSH-suppressive or replacement L-T4 doses had decrements in health status and mood compared to healthy controls. These decrements were more pronounced in women receiving replacement, rather than suppressive, L-T4 doses. Memory and executive function were not affected in either treated group, compared to healthy controls. CONCLUSIONS Women receiving TSH-suppressive doses of L-T4 do not have central nervous system dysfunction due to exogenous subclinical thyrotoxicosis, but TSH-suppressed and L-T4-replaced women have slight decrements in health status and mood that may be related to self-knowledge of the presence of a thyroid condition or other uncharacterized factors. These mood alterations do not impair cognitive function.
Pharmacotherapy with Botulinum Toxin: Harnessing Nature's Most Potent Neurotoxin

Botulinum toxin (BTX), a potent biologic neurotoxin, commonly is associated with lethal outbreaks of food poisoning; however, it also plays a role as a therapeutic agent. Since the 1970s physicians have investigated BTX therapy in patients with neurologic disorders. The number of applications greatly expanded over the years to include certain focal dystonias (blepharospasm, torticollis, laryngeal dystonias, writer's cramp), strabismus, and a wide variety of other indications (gastrointestinal disorders, cosmetic wrinkle correction, spasticity, hyperhidrosis). BTX's safety and efficacy are reviewed.
Haze Correction for Contrast-Based Multispectral Pansharpening

In this letter, we show that pansharpening of visible/near-infrared (VNIR) bands takes advantage from a correction of the path-radiance term introduced by the atmosphere during the fusion process. This holds whenever the fusion mechanism emulates the radiative transfer model ruling the acquisition of the Earth’s surface from space, that is, for methods exploiting a contrast-based injection model of spatial details extracted from the panchromatic (Pan) image into the interpolated multispectral (MS) bands. Such methods are high-pass modulation (HPM), Brovey transform, synthetic variable ratio (SVR), University of New Brunswick pansharp, smoothing filter-based intensity modulation, and spectral distortion minimization. The path radiance should be estimated and subtracted from each band before the product by Pan is accomplished and added back after. Both empirical and model-based estimation techniques of MS path radiances are compared within the framework of optimized SVR and HPM algorithms. Simulations carried out on QuickBird and IKONOS data highlight that haze correction of MS before fusion is always beneficial, especially on vegetated areas and in terms of spectral quality.
Graphene quantum capacitors for high-Q tunable LC-tanks for RF ICs

We propose and characterize graphene quantum capacitors, tunable with voltage by the control of their charge density, for tunable LC tanks as essential building blocks for Radio-Frequency (RF) functions in densely integrated circuits. We fabricate and investigate their performance in RF, and we demonstrate quantum capacitances, Cq, in the range of pF with a tuning range of >1.3:1 within 1.25 V, with Q-factors up to 14.5 at 0.4 GHz. Our capacitors have a high capacitance density, up to 2.65 fF/μm2, which is 100× higher than the one of RF MEMS capacitors. Based on calibrated models and simulations, we demonstrate the potential to replace their semiconductor counterparts and RF MEMS capacitors in LC tanks, for key RF analog application.
The effects of corporate social responsibility toward green human resource management: The mediating role of sustainable environment

Abstract The perception of creating a sustainable environment by business entities is explored in this paper. The rising demand for Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) leads to the application of management tools of green human resource management. Most organizations have adapted human resource practices that encourage a green environment with a consideration of minimal environmental pollution and destruction of the environment. As part of a conservation motive, the human resource department has played a critical role of securing the environment via their normal official activities. As a result, the senior management of an organization also an obligation of ensuring that the employees are supported as they seek to meet the social, ecological and economic benefits from a green environment. The idea of having a green environment by the human resource department is an integral process that affects the activities of green selection and recruitment, performance appraisal method, the reward and pay system and a supportive green culture. The importance of green environment is emphasized in the paper as well as the efforts by different companies in maintaining a sustainable environment. The expected outcomes of Green Human Resource Management (GHRM) are evaluated and the setbacks expected when trying to achieve a green environment.
Short-term incentive effects of temporary full capital asset expensing

The Tax Relief, Unemployment Compensation Reauthorization, and Job Creation Act of 2010 (2010 Tax Relief Act) temporarily modified capital asset expensing provisions, increasing the allowed bonus depreciation percentage from 50% to 100%. The legislative intent of the provision was to encourage capital investment by firms, although prior research suggests that capital expenditures did not increase during the availability of 30% or 50% bonus depreciation. I find that the availability of 100% bonus depreciation significantly increases the likelihood that firms increase capital expenditures, as well as increases the magnitude of capital expenditures. Overall, my evidence highlights how temporary changes in capital asset expensing provisions affect firms’ behavior with respect to investment decisions and that the market reacts both positively and negatively to those decisions.
Coercion is Coercion? Reflections on Trends in the use of Compulsion in Treating Anorexia Nervosa

Objective: This paper explores similarities and differences between formal coercion and other forms of ‘strong persuasion’ in clinical decision-making about medical management of patients with severe anorexia nervosa. Method: The paper builds on findings from analysis of data from 117 successive admissions to an eating disorder facility, where an eating disorder was the primary diagnosis. Results: The study implications of particular interest in this paper are the findings that legal coercion into treatment was associated with three main indicators: the patient's past history (number of previous admissions), the complexity of their condition (the number of other psychiatric comorbidities), and current health risk (measured either by body mass index or the risk of re-feeding syndrome). Conclusions: We conclude that clinicians use legal coercion very sparingly in treating severe anorexia nervosa, distinguishing legal coercion from other forms of close clinical management of patients. While we agree with Monahan et al. and others that there are similarities between legal coercion and other forms of strong clinical management (or power), our results suggest that clinicians recognize the importance of maintaining, rather than blurring that distinction.
Knowledge, attitudes and practices regarding tuberculosis in two districts of Punjab, Pakistan.

SETTING Pakistan ranks eighth among the world's highest tuberculosis (TB) burden countries, and Punjab province accounts for 60% of TB cases nationally. OBJECTIVE To explore knowledge, attitudes and practices regarding TB in the general population of two districts of Punjab province, and the effect of socio-economic determinants. DESIGN In a cross-sectional survey, subjects aged > or =20 years were randomly selected using multistage cluster sampling and interviewed. A knowledge score was formulated based on nine questions. Bivariate analysis using the chi(2) test was employed to independently correlate socio-economic factors with understanding of disease and information sources. Attitudes, practices and information sources were also compared with TB knowledge. RESULTS Forty-two per cent of the surveyed population had good knowledge about TB, which was associated with better education, high income and good housing (all P < 0.001). Despite the fact that the majority (82.2%) knew about correct treatment, less than half (48.8%) were aware that diagnosis and treatment were free. Intended health-seeking behaviour was determined by better education (P = 0.011), good housing (P = 0.004) and good knowledge about TB (P < 0.001). Television (69.4%) and health workers (43.6%) were the main sources of information. CONCLUSION Socio-economic factors should be considered when designing communication strategies and prioritising TB prevention and control interventions.
Role of follistatin in muscle and bone alterations induced by gravity change in mice

Interactions between muscle and bone have been recently noted. We reported that the vestibular system plays crucial roles in the changes in muscle and bone induced by hypergravity in mice. However, the details of the mechanisms by which gravity change affects muscle and bone through the vestibular system still remain unknown. Here, we investigated the roles of humoral factors linking muscle to bone and myostatin‐related factors in the hypergravity‐induced changes in muscle and bone in mice with vestibular lesions (VL). Hypergravity elevated serum and mRNA levels of follistatin, an endogenous inhibitor of myostatin, in the soleus muscle of mice. VL blunted the hypergravity‐enhanced levels of follistatin in the soleus muscle of mice. Simulated microgravity decreased follistatin mRNA level in mouse myoblastic C2C12 cells. Follistatin elevated the mRNA levels of myogenic genes as well as the phosphorylation of Akt and p70S6 kinase in C2C12 cells. As for bone metabolism, follistatin antagonized the mRNA levels of osteogenic genes suppressed by activin A during the differentiation of mesenchymal cells into osteoblastic cells. Moreover, follistatin attenuated osteoclast formation enhanced by myostatin in the presence of receptor activator of nuclear factor‐κB ligand in RAW 264.7 cells. Serum follistatin levels were positively related to bone mass in mouse tibia. In conclusion, the present study provides novel evidence that hypergravity affects follistatin levels in muscle through the vestibular system in mice. Follistatin may play some roles in the interactions between muscle and bone metabolism in response to gravity change.
Huntingtin associated protein 1 and its functions

Huntington's disease (HD) is caused by a polyglutamine expansion in the protein huntingtin (Htt). Several studies suggest that Htt and huntingtin associated protein 1 (HAP1) participate in intracellular trafficking and that polyglutamine expansion affects vesicular transport. Understanding the function of HAP1 and its related proteins could help elucidate the pathogenesis of HD. The present review focuses on HAP1, which has proved to be involved in intracellular trafficking. Unlike huntingtin, which is expressed ubiquitously throughout the brain and body, HAP1 is enriched in neurons, suggesting that its dysfunction could contribute to the selective neuropathology in HD. We discuss recent evidence for the involvement of HAP1 and its binding proteins in potential functions.
Nonlinearity and Asymmetry in the Exchange Rate Pass‐Through: What Role for Nominal Price Stickiness?

This paper examines the importance of nominal rigidity for nonlinearity and asymmetry of exchange rate pass-through. For this purpose, we rely on company-level data of French importing firms. We find that the well established fact that "prices rise faster than they fall," which is characterized by the convex import price reaction function, lies primarily with the presence of nominal rigidity. Once price stickiness is controlled for, there is empirical evidence that the import price reaction function is rather concave if the linearity assumption can be rejected, indicating that firms aim primarily to protect their market share. (This abstract was borrowed from another version of this item.)
Pathobiology of Asian Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza H5N1 Virus Infections in Ducks

Abstract Ducks and other wild aquatic birds are the natural reservoir of type A influenza viruses, which normally are nonpathogenic in these birds. However, the Asian highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) viruses have evolved from producing no disease or mild respiratory infections in ducks to some strains producing severe systemic disease and mortality. To further understand the pathogenicity of these strains in ducks, we studied the gross and histologic lesions and tissue distribution of viral antigen in 2- and 5-wk-old white Pekin ducks infected with different Asian-origin H5N1 AI viruses. Seven of eight 2-wk-old ducks inoculated with A/Egret/HK/757.2/02 developed acute disease, including severe neurological dysfunction and death. However, this virus killed only two of eight 5-wk-old ducks. Two additional viruses, A/Vietnam/1203/04 and A/Crow/Thailand/04, also produced high mortality in 2-wk-old ducks. Microscopic lesions and AI viral antigen were observed most frequently in the nasal cavity, brain, heart, adrenal glands, and pancreas. Another virus, A/Thailand PB/6231/04, killed three of eight 2-wk-old ducks but did not induce neurological signs. Furthermore, older ducks infected with this virus did not present clinical signs or gross lesions, and their tissues showed very few microscopic lesions. All the viruses studied established systemic infections in both younger and older ducks, with viral replication in tissues correlating with the severity of the clinical signs. The differences in mortality induced by HPAI H5N1 viruses in ducks are reflected in the pathological findings and antigen distribution in tissues. However, the observed differences in pathology between ducks infected at different ages is unclear and may be associated with a variety of factors including the virus strain, host immune response, host cell maturation, and capacity to support viral replication.
Effect of Nitrate and Ammonium Nutrition of Nonnodulated Phaseolus vulgaris L. on Phosphoenolpyruvate Carboxylase and Pyruvate Kinase Activity.

Young bean plants (Phaseolus vulgaris L. var Saxa) were fed with 3.5 or 10 millimolar N in either the form of NO(3) (-) or NH(4) (+), after being grown on N-free nutrient solution for 8 days. The pH of the nutrient solutions was either 6 or 4. The cell sap pH and the extractable activities of phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase and of pyruvate kinase from roots and primary leaves were measured over several days.The extractable activity of phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase (based on soluble protein) from primary leaves increased with NO(3) (-) nutrition, whereas with NH(4) (+) nutrition and on N-free nutrient solution the activity remained at a low level. Phosphoenopyruvate carboxylase activity from the roots of NH(4) (+)-fed plants at pH 4 was finally somewhat higher than from the roots of plants grown on NO(3) (-) at the same pH. There was no difference in activity from the root between the N treatments when pH in the nutrient solutions was 6. The extractable activity of pyruvate kinase from roots and primary leaves seemed not to be influenced by the N nutrition of the plants.The results are discussed in relation to the physiological function of both enzymes with special regard to the postulated functions of phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase in C3 plants as an anaplerotic enzyme and as part of a cellular pH stat.
Mast cell chymase expression and mast cell phenotypes in human rejected kidneys.

BACKGROUND Mast cells (MCs) are known to participate in various types of chronic disease, but their role in chronic renal rejection is poorly understood. Recently, distinct phenotypes of MCs have been described in humans by the demonstration of one protease, chymase. Hence, we questioned whether chymase in MCs could play a role in the pathogenesis of renal rejection in humans. METHODS We investigated MC chymase expression and MC phenotypes, using immunohistochemical single- and double-staining techniques, in nephrectomy (N = 13) and biopsy (N = 8) specimens of human rejected kidneys. Tissue chymase levels were determined by enzymatic assay for chymase activity. We also examined the association between MC chymase expression and the degree of interstitial fibrosis in these renal allografts. RESULTS Based on chymase positivity, rejected kidneys were divided into two groups, a chymase-negative [Chy(-)] group and a chymase-positive [Chy(+)] group. Quantitative analysis showed that the number of chymase-positive MCs and tissue chymase levels were significantly higher in the Chy(+) group than in the Chy(-) group. Furthermore, the interstitial fibrotic area in the Chy(+) group was significantly larger than that in the Chy(-) group. Immunodouble staining analysis also demonstrated that a new MC phenotype, positive for chymase but negative for tryptase, was present in the human rejected kidney. CONCLUSIONS These results show that increased expression of chymase in MCs is related to the severity of interstitial fibrosis in human rejected kidneys.
Evaluation of the Role of Exogenous Estrogen in Postoperative Progress After Laser Skin Resurfacing

BACKGROUND Recent studies indicate that exogenous estrogens may promote wound healing. Many laser skin resurfacing (LSR) patients use hormone replacement therapy (HRT) or oral contraceptive pills (OCPs). OBJECTIVE To evaluate the effect of exogenous estrogen on LSR postoperative healing. METHODS This is a retrospective case control study of 44 female patients who underwent combination CO2/Er:YAG full-face LSR. Sixteen postmenopausal patients using oral HRT during procedure and follow-up were compared with 16 controls. Six premenopausal patients on estrogen-containing OCPs during the procedure and follow-up were compared with six controls. Case and control groups were matched by age, skin type, and treatment technique. Premenopausal and postmenopausal groups were compared. The variables evaluated included erythema, swelling, crusting, purpura, pain, pruritus, reepithelialization, complications, and patient assessment of outcome. RESULTS For premenopausal and postmenopausal women, there were no significant differences in outcome measures of postoperative morbidity between groups receiving and not receiving estrogen. The incidence of complications, time until re-epithelialization, and patient assessment of outcome were similar between groups. CONCLUSION Our findings suggest that exogenous estrogen in the form of HRT or OCPs does not clinically alter postoperative progress in combination CO2/Er:YAG LSR patients. Premenopausal women heal comparably to postmenopausal women after LSR.
Volatility Risk Pass-Through

We produce novel empirical evidence on the relevance of output volatility (vol) shocks for both currency and international quantity dynamics. Focusing on G-17 countries, we document that: (1) consumption and output vols are imperfectly correlated within countries; (2) across countries, consumption vol is more correlated than output vol; (3) the pass-through of relative output vol shocks onto relative consumption vol is significant, especially for small countries; and (4) consumption differentials vol and exchange rate vol are disconnected. We rationalize these findings in a frictionless model with multiple goods and recursive preferences featuring a novel and rich risk-sharing of vol shocks.