Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Ultrasound associated with caffeine increases basal and beta-adrenoceptor response in adipocytes isolated from subcutaneous adipose tissue in pigs

Background: The topical use of caffeine has been indicated for the lipodystrophies treatment as it promotes increased lipolysis. Ultrasound (US) is often used in cutaneous diseases, esthetic conditions, and as a skin permeation enhancer. Objective: We investigate the lipolytic response of adipocytes isolated from subcutaneous adipose pigs tissue subjected to treatment with topical application of phonophoresis associated with caffeine. Method: We treated dorsal regions of pigs (Landrace × Large White, 35 days, 15 kg, n = 6) daily for 15 days with gel, gel + US [3 MHz, continuous, 0.2 Wcm2, 1 min/cm2, in total 2 min], gel + caffeine (5%w/w), and gel + caffeine + US. We used a fifth untreated region as control. Twenty-four hours after the last application, we isolated the adipocytes of each treated area and quantified the basal and stimulated lipolytic responses to isoprenaline. The results, in μmol glycerol/106cells/60 min, were analyzed with analysis of variance or ANOVA followed by Newman–Keuls test. The value of p < 0.05 was indicative of statistical difference. Results: Only the adipocytes isolated from the area treated with caffeine + US showed increased basal lipolysis (0.76 ± 0.26; p = 0.0276) and maximal isoprenaline stimulation (0.38 ± 0.15, p = 0.0029) compared with the other areas. Conclusion: The results demonstrate that increased lipolysis of caffeine + US is due to an increase in basal and beta-adrenoceptor response by caffeine, and caffeine's effect is local, avoiding unwanted effects.
Impact of Hall effect on energy decay in magnetohydrodynamic turbulence

We examine numerically the influence of Hall effect corrections to Ohm's law upon the decay of homogeneous compressible magnetohydrodynamic turbulence and conclude that there are no significant differences in global decay rate associated with the Hall effect. This affirms expectations that energy decay is controlled by the large‐scale eddies.
Photo-infrared pulsed bio-modulation (PIPBM): a novel mechanism for the enhancement of physiologically reparative responses.

OBJECTIVE The present manuscript describes the non-invasive, long-range, energy transport of a singular infrared pulsed laser device (IPLD) and the upstream components of the original action mechanism, designated photo-infrared pulsed bio-modulation (PIPBM). BACKGROUND DATA Major strides have been taken in recent years towards scientifically acceptable clinical applications of low-energy lasers. Nevertheless, challenges still abound. For instance, the range of potential target tissues for laser therapy in medicine has been, until now, limited by the optical penetration of the beam or to sites accessible by fiberoptics. In addition, much needs to be learned about the action mechanisms of pulsed lasers, which can induce unique biological effects. METHODS We present a review of the IPLD laser technology and the PIPBM mechanism. RESULTS The studies reviewed suggest that the PIPBM enhances physiologically reparative processes in a non-toxic and selective manner through the activation and modulation of chaotic dynamics in water. These, in turn, lead not only to local, but also long-distance (systemic) effects. CONCLUSIONS Though additional studies are necessary to fully explore the biological effects of the PIPBM induced by the IPLD, this mechanism may have multiple potential applications in medicine that are the subject of active current and future investigations.
Effect of Transformational Leadership on Followers' Affective and Normative Commitment: Culture as Moderator

Using a sample of 98 employees working in U.S., India, and China, the study shows that affective and normative commitment are positively related to transformational leadership. Normative commitment is higher in India-China combined than in the U.S. Transformational leadership is positively related to normative commitment in India and China but not in the U.S. and to affective commitment in the U.S. and India but not in China.
Electrocardiogram signal denoising using non-local wavelet transform domain filtering

Electrocardiogram (ECG) signals are usually corrupted by baseline wander, power-line interference, muscle noise etc. Numerous methods have been proposed to remove these noises. However, in case of wireless recording of the ECG signal it gets corrupted by the additive white Gaussian noise (AWGN). For the correct diagnosis, removal of AWGN from ECG signals becomes necessary as it affects the diagnostic features. The natural signals exhibit correlation among their samples and this property has been exploited in various signal restoration tasks. Motivated by that, in this study we propose a non-local wavelet transform domain ECG signal denoising method which exploits the correlations among both local and non-local samples of the signal. In the proposed method, the similar blocks of the samples are grouped in a matrix and then denoising is achieved by the shrinkage of its two-dimensional discrete wavelet transform coefficients. The experiments performed on a number of ECG signals show significant quantitative and qualitative improvements in denoising performance over the existing ECG signal denoising methods.
Characteristics, management and prognosis of elderly patients in the Euro Heart Survey on atrial fibrillation

Background and aims: Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most frequent sustained arrhythmia of elderly patients, in whom it determines an increase in morbidity and mortality. Aim of this study was to assess age-related differences in the characteristics, management and prognosis of patients with AF in European cardiology practices. Methods: The Euro Heart Survey on AF was an observational study sponsored by the European Society of Cardiology. Patients were enrolled between 2003 and 2004 in 182 hospitals of 35 countries. For the purposes of this study, they were categorized into three age-groups: <65 (n=2124), 65–80 (n=2534) and >80 years (n=671). Follow-up was closed in 2005. Results: Compared with general population estimates, patients >80 years were underrepresented in the Euro Heart Survey. The oldest patients were less likely to be enrolled by university or specialized centers, to receive extensive diagnostic testing, and to receive oral anticoagulation despite a worse stroke risk profile. Furthermore, the oldest patients less often received rhythm control therapy, even when presenting with palpitations and non-permanent AF. During 1 year follow-up, elderly patients more often suffered a myocardial infarction, new onset heart failure and major bleedings. They had higher all-cause and cardiovascular mortality. Conclusions: Elderly patients with AF are less often referred to the cardiologist and, based on current guidelines, are inadequately studied and treated, compared to younger counterparts. Education on evidence-based management and the design of randomized controlled trials specifically targeting the elderly, should improve the management and prognosis of this frail segment of the AF population.
Parameningeal rhabdomyosarcoma in pediatric age: results of a pooled analysis from North American and European cooperative groups.

BACKGROUND Parameningeal (PM) site is a well-known adverse prognostic factor in children with localized rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS). To identify risk factors associated with outcome at this site, we pooled data from 1105 patients treated in 10 studies conducted by European and North American cooperative groups between 1984 and 2004. PATIENTS AND METHODS Clinical factors including age, histology, size, invasiveness, nodal involvement, Intergroup Rhabdomyosarcoma Study (IRS) clinical group, site, risk factors for meningeal involvement (MI), study group, and application of radiotherapy (RT) were studied for their impact on event-free and overall survival (EFS and OS). RESULTS Ten-year EFS and OS were 62.6 and 66.1% for the whole group. Patients without initial RT showed worse survival (10-year OS 40.8% versus 68.5% for RT treated patients). Multivariate analysis focusing on 862 patients who received RT as part of their initial treatment revealed four unfavorable prognostic factors: age <3 or >10 years, signs of MI, unfavorable site, and tumor size. Utilizing these prognostic factors, patients could be classified into different risk groups with 10-year OS ranging between 51.1 and 80.9%. CONCLUSIONS While, in general, PM localization is regarded as an adverse prognostic factor, the current analysis differentiates those with good prognosis (36% patients with 0-1 risk factor: 10-year OS 80.9%) from high-risk PM patients (28% with 3-4 factors: 10-year OS 51.1%). Furthermore, this analysis reinforces the necessity for RT in PM RMS.
Primary and Radiation-induced Breast Angiosarcoma: Clinicopathologic Predictors of Outcomes and the Impact of Adjuvant Radiation Therapy

Background:Mammary angiosarcoma (AS) is an aggressive malignancy with high recurrence rates and poor overall survival. Limited data exist to guide treatment. We aimed to identify patterns of failure in the context of adjuvant radiation and to identify prognostic indicators to better guide management. Methods:Thirty-five patients with breast AS at UPMC Magee Women’s Hospital from June 1994 to March 2011 were retrospectively reviewed. Pathology was rereviewed for 22 patients by an expert breast pathologist using an objective scoring system, partly based on the Rosen grading scheme. All patients completed R0 resection, with 14 of them receiving adjuvant radiotherapy (RT) (82% of which represented reirradiation for radiation-induced AS). Results:At a median follow-up of 20 months (range, 3 to 178 mo), the primary mode of failure was local with 32% local first failure. Tumor size >5 cm, radiation-induced etiology, and the omission of adjuvant RT were important prognostic factors of tumor control and survival. Histopathology including necrosis, number of mitotic figures, endothelial tufting, solid/spindle cell foci, and the combined scoring system were prognostic for recurrence patterns. Conclusions:Breast AS has high rates of local failure despite R0 resection, which may be improved with adjuvant RT, even in the reirradiation setting. Histopathology is prognostic for recurrence patterns.
Feasibility of a clinical trial to assess the effect of dietary calcium v. supplemental calcium on vascular and bone markers in healthy postmenopausal women

Abstract Whether supplemental Ca has similar effects to dietary Ca on vascular and bone markers is unknown. The present trial investigated the feasibility of applying dietary and supplemental interventions in a randomised-controlled trial (RCT) aiming to estimate the effect of supplemental Ca as compared with dietary Ca on vascular and bone markers in postmenopausal women. In total, thirteen participants were randomised to a Ca supplement group (CaSuppl) (750 mg Ca from CaCO3+450 mg Ca from food+20 µg vitamin D supplement) or a Ca diet group (CaDiet) (1200 mg Ca from food+10 µg vitamin D supplement). Participants were instructed on Ca consumption targets at baseline. Monthly telephone follow-ups were conducted to assess adherence to interventions (±20 % of target total Ca) using the multiple-pass 24-h recall method and reported pill count. Measurements of arterial stiffness, peripheral blood pressure and body composition were performed at baseline and after 6 and 12 months in all participants who completed the trial (n 9). Blood and serum biomarkers were measured at baseline and at 12 months. Both groups were compliant to trial interventions (±20 % of target total Ca intake; pill count ≥80 %). CaSuppl participants maintained a significantly lower average dietary Ca intake compared with CaDiet participants throughout the trial (453 (sd 187) mg/d v. 1241 (sd 319) mg/d; P<0·001). There were no significant differences in selected vascular outcomes between intervention groups over time. Our pilot trial demonstrated the feasibility of conducting a large-scale RCT to estimate the differential effects of supplemental and dietary Ca on vascular and bone health markers in healthy postmenopausal women.
Basilar dolichoectasia and the spontaneous intradural vertebral artery dissection

Abstract Object: Basilar dolichoectasia (BD) is an atherosclerotic, a distinct arteriopathy or a chronic-phase dissection characterized by elongation and dilation of the basilar artery. Spontaneous intradural vertebral artery dissection (siVAD) is an important cause of stroke in young and middle-aged people. It is hypothesized that the BD and the siVAD might partially share aetiologies and this study aimed to examine the relationship. Methods: This study compared clinical and radiological characteristics in 93 patients with siVAD with 93 controls. Ectasia was defined as basilar artery diameter >4.5 mm and dolichosis, as either basilar artery bifurcation above the suprasellar cistern or lateral to the margin of the clivus or dorsum sellae. The BD was defined if both ectasia and dolichosis were simultaneously observed. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed using variables that were marginally or significantly associated with siVAD on univariate analysis (p < 0.20). Results: Multivariate analysis showed siVAD patients have higher proportions of hypertension (OR = 2.4; 95% CI = 1.3–4.6; p = 0.007) and BD (OR = 3.7; 95% CI = 1.1–12; p = 0.036). Conclusions: The present study suggested that BD was related to the siVAD. A randomized study from multi-institutions with an adequate sample size is needed to make a strong argument about the association between BD and siVAD.
A CMOS-Process-Compatible ZnO-Based Charge-Trap Flash Memory

ZnO-based charge-trap Flash technology using a resistive switching mechanism is demonstrated for next-generation nonvolatile memory. This device consists of metal/ZnO/nitride/oxide/silicon in order to make use of the electrical transport in the ZnO resistive switching layer. Compared to the previous devices with perovskite oxide materials used as a conduction path, the proposed device shows faster switching speeds (10 ns/100 μs), lower operation voltages ( ±7 V) for the program/erase ( P/E) states, and higher endurance (106 P/E cycles), along with comparable retention properties.
Changes in patients' symptoms and gastric emptying after Helicobacter pylori treatment.

AIM To investigate the changes in clinical symptoms and gastric emptying and their association in functional dyspepsia (FD) patients. METHODS Seventy FD patients were enrolled and divided into 2 groups Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori)-negative group (28 patients), and H. pylori-positive group (42 patients). Patients in the H. pylori-positive group were further randomly divided into groups: H. pylori-treatment group (21 patients) and conventional treatment group (21 patients). Seventy two healthy subjects were selected as the control group. The proximal and distal stomach area was measured by ultrasound immediately after patients took the test meal, and at 20, 40, 60 and 90 min; then, gastric half-emptying time was calculated. The incidence of symptoms and gastric half-emptying time between the FD and control groups were compared. The H. pylori-negative and conventional treatment groups were given conventional treatment: domperidone 0.6 mg/(kg/d) for 1 mo. The H. pylori-treatment group was given H. pylori eradication treatment + conventional treatment: lansoprazole 30 mg once daily, clarithromycin 0.5 g twice daily and amoxicillin 1.0 g twice daily for 1 wk, then domperidone 0.6 mg/(kg/d) for 1 mo. The incidence of symptoms and gastric emptying were compared between the FD and control groups. The relationship between dyspeptic symptoms and gastric half-emptying time in the FD and control groups were analyzed. Then total symptom scores before and after treatment and gastric half-emptying time were compared among the 3 groups. RESULTS The incidence of abdominal pain, epigastric burning sensation, abdominal distension, nausea, belching, and early satiety symptoms in the FD group were significantly higher than in the control group (50.0% vs 20.8%; 37.1% vs 12.5%; 78.6% vs 44.4%; 45.7% vs 22.2%; 52.9% vs 15.3%; 57.1% vs 19.4%; all P < 0.05). The gastric half-emptying times of the proximal end, distal end, and the whole stomach in the FD group were slower than in the control group (93.7 ± 26.2 vs 72.0 ± 14.3; 102.2 ± 26.4 vs 87.5 ± 18.2; 102.1 ± 28.6 vs 78.3 ± 14.1; all P < 0.05). Abdominal distension, belching and early satiety had an effect on distal gastric half-emptying time (P < 0.05). Abdominal distension and abdominal pain had an effect on the gastric half-emptying time of the whole stomach (P < 0.05). All were risk factors (odds ratio > 1). The total symptom score of the 3 groups after treatment was lower than before treatment (P < 0.05). Total symptom scores after treatment in the H. pylori-treatment group and H. pylori-negative group were lower than in the conventional treatment group (5.15 ± 2.27 vs 7.02 ± 3.04, 4.93 ± 3.22 vs 7.02 ± 3.04, All P < 0.05). The gastric half-emptying times of the proximal end, distal end, and the whole stomach in the H. pylori-negative and H. pylori-treatment groups were shorter than in the conventional treatment group (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION FD patients have delayed gastric emptying. H. pylori infection treatment helps to improve symptoms of dyspepsia and is a reasonable choice for treatment in clinical practice.
Mealybugs and the spread of grapevine leafroll-associated virus 3 (GLRaV-3) in a New Zealand vineyard

The spread of grapevine leafroll-associated virus 3 (GLRaV-3) through a newly planted block of Merlot and Chardonnay grapevines in a commercial vineyard was measured between 1998 and 2003. The population changes of the mealybug vector (Pseudococcus longispinus) were recorded over the same period in 12–17-year-old GLRaV-3-infected grapevines immediately adjacent to two sides of the new block. Relationships between the spread of GLRaV-3 and mealybug numbers were examined. Mealybugs developed through three generations a year and populations were low for 4 of the 6 years. Numbers were usually higher in the 12–17-year-old Sauvignon Blanc vines and adjacent young 1–6-year-old Merlot vines than in the 12–17-year-old Breidecker and adjacent young 1–6-year-old Chardonnay vines on the other side of the block. However, GLRaV-3 spread more rapidly in young Chardonnay vines than in young Merlot vines. New infections in both Merlot and Chardonnay initially occurred at random, but newly infected vines were more often clustered from 2002 to 2003, and especially in Merlot. Most newly infected Chardonnay were recorded in the years following the highest numbers of mealybugs, in 1997–98 and 2000–01, but the disease spread more gradually in the Merlot. The data indicated that GLRaV-3 did not spread into the new block when third generation mealybug populations in adjacent infected vines were lower than ∼5 mealybugs/leaf. Three methods for virus transmission by mealybug were proposed: one method was from natural, crawling dispersal of infected mealybugs, leading predominantly to within-row, vine-to-vine transmission; another method was from human-assisted movement of mealybug crawlers (such as on vineyard machinery) leading to random but localised infection on a within- or between-block scale; and a third method was through aerial dispersal of infectious mealybugs, resulting in random infections of vines and particularly operating on a between-block or between-vineyard scale. Infection in any vineyard probably occurs by all three methods, mediated by the poorly understood, and possibly site- and grape variety-specific, transmission ecology that underpins the mealybug-virus-vine relationships.
Effect of PNF stretching training on the properties of human muscle and tendon structures

The purpose of this study was to investigate the influence of a 6‐week proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation (PNF) stretching training program on the various parameters of the human gastrocnemius medialis muscle and the Achilles tendon. Therefore, 49 volunteers were randomly assigned into PNF stretching and control groups. Before and after the stretching intervention, we determined the maximum dorsiflexion range of motion (RoM) with the corresponding fascicle length and pennation angle. Passive resistive torque (PRT) and maximum voluntary contraction (MVC) of the musculo‐articular complex were measured with a dynamometer. Muscle‐tendon junction (MTJ) displacement allowed us to determine the length changes in tendon and muscle, and hence to calculate stiffness. Mean RoM increased from 31.1 ± 7.2° to 33.1 ± 7.2° (P = 0.02), stiffness of the tendon decreased significantly in both active (from 21.1 ± 8.0 to 18.1 ± 5.5 N/mm) and passive (from 12.1 ± 4.9 to 9.6 ± 3.2 N/mm) conditions, and the pennation angle increased from 18.5 ± 1.8° to 19.5 ± 2.1° (P = 0.01) at the neutral ankle position (90°), only in the intervention group, whereas MVC and PRT values remained unchanged. We conclude that a 6‐week PNF stretching training program increases RoM and decreases tendon stiffness, despite no change in PRT.
Dual time point 2-[18F]fluoro-2′-deoxyglucose positron emission tomography in chronic bacterial osteomyelitis

ObjectiveQuantitative dual time point imaging with [18F]fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (18F-FDG PET) has recently been found to be more accurate than single time point scanning in the discrimination between benign lesions and malignancy in various conditions. In our study we investigated glucose metabolism in chronic bacterial osteomyelitis (COM) by using 18F-FDG PET and a dual time protocol. MethodsSeventeen non-diabetic patients with histopathologically proven COM and four non-diabetic patients with malignant bone disease were prospectively investigated with dual time 18F-FDG PET. All lesions were detected by their increased 18F-FDG uptake 30 and 90 min after injection of 370 MBq of 18F-FDG. The maximum and mean lesional standardized uptake values (SUVmax and SUVmean) after 30 and 90 min were determined. ResultsThe median SUVmax and SUVmean values of all osteomyelitic lesions at 30 min were 1.85 (range, 0.45–3.45) and 1.1 (range, 0.21–1.99), respectively. The median SUVmax and SUVmean values of all malignant lesions at 30 min were 3.19 (range, 2.31–4.7) and 2.82 (range, 2.4–3.71), respectively. At 90 min the median SUVmax and SUVmean of all osteomyelitic lesions were 1.78 (range, 0.4–2.93) and 1.1 (range, 0.18–1.72), respectively. At the same time point the median SUVmax and SUVmean of all malignant lesions were 4.1 (range, 3.52–5.32) and 3.34 (range, 2.81–4.12), respectively. In osteomyelitis the SUVmax and SUVmean between 30 and 90 min post-injection remained stable or decreased in 16/17 patients. In these patients a median decrease of 6% for SUVmax (range, 1–31%) and a median decrease of 8.5% for SUVmean (range, 0–24%) was observed. Changes of SUVmax and SUVmean between 30 and 90 min were highly significant (P<0.05). In one patient SUVmax and SUVmean increased over the time. The histology of this patient revealed multiple foreign body granulomas in addition to a mononuclear infiltrate. In malignant lesions the SUVmax and SUVmean between 30 and 90 min post-injection increased. ConclusionOur preliminary results indicate that dynamic dual time point 18F-FDG PET provides a characteristic pattern in chronic osteomyelitis similar to inflammatory processes in other locations. This pattern may be of value in the differentiation between COM and malignant bone lesions.