Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Fluoroscopically Guided Nasoenteric Feeding Tube Placement Versus Bedside Placement

In debilitated patients, establishment of adequate nutritional status is important to decrease morbidity and mortality. The objective of this study is to compare the relative benefits and costs of bedside placement of enteric feeding tubes to fluoroscopic placement. We did a 4-year retrospective study of 328 nasoenteric feeding tube placements. Radiology department computer and chart reviews were done to identify patients, determine the time to successful placement of the tube, and define when adequate nutritional intake was obtained through the enteric feeding tube. We evaluated relative costs, time to placement, repeat rate, and complications. Our findings show that fluoroscopic placement of nasoenteric tubes had fewer complications and allowed earlier feeding. For patients in whom immediate nutritional supplementation is needed and for whom the risk of aspiration is high, fluoroscopically placed feeding tubes are more cost effective, quicker, and more successful than blind bedside placement.
Transcriptional Regulation of a BMP‐6 Promoter by Estrogen Receptor α

The effects of 17β‐estradiol (E2) and ICI 182,780 (ICI) on activity of a BMP‐6 promoter were compared in osteoblast‐like and breast cancer cells transiently transfected with ERα. E2 but not ICI stimulated BMP‐6 reporter activity in breast cancer cells, whereas the opposite was observed in osteoblast‐like cells, associated with lack of AF‐2 dependence of the response, and absent intranuclear localization of ERα, suggesting the involvement of a distinct ERα‐dependent response mechanism in osteoblasts.
An analytic theory for power law detection of bursty targets in multiplicative noise

A detection problem is formulated for a bursty target in multiplicative noise. A power law detector is considered for this problem, with the detector exponent matched to the burstiness of the target. A simple analytic theory is related for the detector exponent: a theory applicable, in particular, to the family of gamma-Weibull multiplicative noise models.
Autophagy enhanced the radioresistance of non-small cell lung cancer by regulating ROS level under hypoxia condition

Abstract Purpose: Tumor resistance towards radiation has been a big obstacle in the poor prognosis of lung cancer. It has been reported that hypoxia and autophagy partly contribute to this resistance. However, there is controversy over whether autophagy plays a positive role in cancer therapy or not. We aim to find out the specific mechanism of radiation resistance. Materials and methods: A549 cells were treated with conditioned medium (CM) under 12 h hypoxia or normoxia before irradiation, followed by the measurement of clonogenic survival, reactive oxygen species (ROS), signal of mitochondria and autophagy flux. In some experiments, the A549 cells were respectively transfected with LC3 small interfering RNA (siRNA), or treated with Earle’s Balanced Salt Solution (EBSS). Results: We found that hypoxia enhanced cell radioresistance by increasing the induction of autophagy. And after hypoxia stress, the number of mitochondria was reduced but the cellular ROS level was enhanced. It was significant that autophagy may enhance cell radioresistance by reducing ROS during hypoxic treatment. Conclusions: We elucidated the possible mechanisms of autophagy in regulating cancer cell death or survival. These results supply a new opinion about the intrinsic factor of radioresistance of hypoxia tumors.
Gain-of-Function Mutations in the Extracellular Domain of KIT Are Common in Canine Mast Cell Tumors

In the current study, we examined the types and frequency of KIT mutations in mast cell tumors from 191 dogs. Sequencing of reverse transcription-PCR products revealed alterations in 50 (26.2%) of the dogs. Most mutations were in exon 11 (n = 32), and of these, most were internal tandem duplications (n = 25) between residues 571 and 590. Within exon 11, there were two hotspots for mutations at codons 555-559 and 571-590. In addition, nine dogs had mutations in exon 8 and eight had mutations in exon 9. We selected the two most common mutants and two representative exon 11 mutants for further analysis. When expressed in Ba/F3 cells, they were constitutively tyrosine phosphorylated and induced growth factor–independent cell proliferation. AG1296, a tyrosine kinase inhibitor, dose dependently inhibited both the tyrosine phosphorylation of these mutants and their induction of growth factor–independent proliferation. This study shows that activating mutations in not only exon 11 but also exons 8 and 9 are common in canine mast cell tumors. These results also show that Ba/F3 cells can be used for the direct characterization of canine KIT mutants, eliminating the need to make equivalent mutations in the mouse or human genes. (Mol Cancer Res 2008;6(7):1137–45)
Examining the Functioning and Reliability of the Family Medicine Milestones.

BACKGROUND The Family Medicine (FM) Milestones are a framework designed to assess development of residents in key dimensions of physician competency. Residency programs use the milestones in semiannual reviews of resident performance from entry toward graduation. OBJECTIVE To examine the functioning and reliability of the FM Milestones and to determine whether they measure the amount of a latent trait (eg, knowledge or ability) possessed by a resident or simply indicate where a resident falls along the training sequence. METHODS This study utilized the Rasch Partial Credit model to examine academic year 2014-2015 ratings for 10 563 residents from 476 residency programs (postgraduate year [PGY] 1 = 3639; PGY-2 = 3562; PGY-3 = 3351; PGY-4 = 11). RESULTS Reliability was exceptionally high at 0.99. Mean scores were 3.2 (SD = 1.3) for PGY-1; 5.0 (SD = 1.3) for PGY-2; 6.7 (SD = 1.2) for PGY-3; and 7.4 (SD = 1.0) for PGY-4. Keyform analysis showed a rating on 1 item was likely to be similar for all other items. CONCLUSIONS Our findings suggest that FM Milestones seem to largely function as intended. Lack of spread in item difficulty and lack of variation in category probabilities show that FM Milestones do not measure the amount of a latent trait possessed by a resident, but rather describe where a resident falls along the training sequence. High reliability indicates residents are being rated in a stable manner as they progress through residency, and individual residents deviating from this rating structure warrant consideration by program leaders.
A Matter of Perspective: How Experience Shapes Preferences for Redistribution

We investigate in a laboratory experiment if the experience of economic failure or success shapes people’s preferences for redistribution beyond self-interest. Subjects generated a high or a low income either through a lottery or through an effort-based tournament. A sub-set of subjects could then redistribute the income of another sub-set of subjects. We find that individuals who lost the tournament (lottery) redistribute significantly more than all the other types of distributors when the inequality is generated by the tournament (lottery). The effect still holds when controlling for self-selection into different outcomes of the tournament and can be explained by in- or out-group bias and a self-serving bias in responsibility attribution. These findings have implications for public policies and for the design of compensation schemes in organizations.
Visible light photoluminescence in Bi2O3-B2O3-SiO2 glasses

Optical absorption and photoluminescence properties of the borosilicate glasses containing bismuth were investigated. The visible light emission near 655nm was obtained by excitation with the high power xenon lamp at 450 nm. Absorption appeared at 500 and 700nm and photoluminescence were found to decrease with the increase of bismuth content.
IL-33-Induced Cytokine Secretion and Survival of Mouse Eosinophils Is Promoted by Autocrine GM-CSF

Eosinophils are major effector cells during allergic responses and helminth infections. Recent studies further highlight eosinophils as important players in many other biological processes. Therefore it is important to understand how these cells can be modulated in terms of survival and effector function. In the present study we investigated how eosinophils respond to the alarmin IL-33. We show that IL-33 promotes eosinophil survival in a ST2- and MyD88-dependent manner. IL-33-mediated protection from apoptosis was dependent on autocrine GM-CSF release. In addition, GM-CSF increased the IL-33-induced secretion of IL-4 and IL-13 from eosinophils. Unexpectedly, this effect was further enhanced by cross-linking of Siglec-F, a proposed inhibitory and apopotosis-inducing receptor on eosinophils. Co-culture experiments with eosinophils and macrophages revealed that the IL-33-induced release of IL-4 and IL-13 from eosinophils was required for differentiation of alternatively activated macrophages (AAMs). The differentiation of AAMs could be further increased in the presence of GM-CSF. These results indicate that cross-talk between Siglec-F and the receptors for IL-33, LPS and GM-CSF plays an important role for efficient secretion of IL-4 and IL-13. Deciphering the molecular details of this cross-talk could lead to the development of new therapeutic option to treat eosinophil-associated diseases.
What Drives Shareholder Reaction and Wealth Effect in Block Trades? Evidence from the Warsaw Stock Exchange

ABSTRACT The main objective of this article is to present the determinants of shareholder reaction to block trades and their wealth effect on the Warsaw Stock Exchange. The positive abnormal returns obtained for the entire sample indicate that block trades create shareholder value. Shareholders reacted positively to block trades without a control transfer in the Polish market, and their reaction was stronger than in the US market. Abnormal returns of block trades concluded at a discount were twice as high as those for the entire sample. Moreover, cross-border block trades had a negative impact on shareholder value creation, as did financial investors as an acquirer. However, cumulative average abnormal returns (CAARs) were driven up by the relative power of minority shareholders (ocean) prior to the transaction. The absolute size of the block acquired by an investor was also observed to have a positive impact on price rises and abnormal returns.
Comparative Bioavailability Study with Two Pantoprazole Delayed-released Tablet Formulations Administered with and without Food in Healthy Subjects

Summary Objective: To assess the comparative bioavailability of two formulations (40 mg delayed-released [DR] tablet; test and reference) of pantoprazole (CAS 102625-70-7) in healthy volunteers of both sexes, with and without food. Methods: The study was conducted using an open, randomized, two-period crossover design with a 1-week washout interval, in two groups, with and without food. Plasma samples were obtained for up to 24 h post dose. Plasma pantoprazole concentrations were analyzed by liquid chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS-MS) with positive ion electrospray ionization using multiple reactions monitoring (MRM). From the pantoprazole plasma concentration vs. time curves, the pharmacokinetic parameters AUClast and Cmax were obtained, with and without food. Results: The limit of quantification was 5 ng/mL for plasma pantoprazole analysis. The geometric mean and 90% confidence interval CI of test/reference percent ratios were, without and with food, respectively: 104.6540% (90.8616%–120.5401%) and 99.9708% (90.9987%–l09.8275%) for Cmax, 95.6634% (85.2675%–107.3267%) and 89.3500% (83.6630%–95.4237%) for AUClast. Conclusion: Since the 90% CI for AUClast and Cmax ratios were within the 80–125% interval proposed by the US FDA, it was concluded that pantoprazole 40 mg DR tablet (test formulation) with and without food was bioequivalent to the reference 40 mg DR tablet for both the rate and extent of absorption.
Differences in oxygen metabolism of phagocytosing monocytes and neutrophils.

The oxidative metabolism of monocytes and polymorphonuclear leukocytes from human peripheral blood was studied in resting and phagocytosing cells. Monocytes, like neutrophils, showed an increase in oxygen consumption during phagocytosis with a concurrent release of superoxide anions and hydrogen peroxide. Both oxygen products are highly reactive agents with potential bactericidal activity. Neutrophils consumed two and a half times as much oxygen, generated about twice as much superoxide, and released five times as much hydrogen peroxide as monocytes did. Monocytes generated superoxide and hydrogen peroxide at equivalent rates.Antimycin A, a specific mitochondrial respiratory chain inhibitor, depressed the oxygen consumption of monocytes by congruent with70% but had no effect on neutrophil respiration. Therefore, the oxygen consumed by phagocytosing monocytes appeared to be metabolized in two distinct processes: congruent with30% of the oxygen is converted to hydrogen peroxide, whereas the remaining 70% is metabolized via the mitochondrial respiratory chain. The release of superoxide and hydrogen peroxide was unaffected by antimycin in either cell type. Phagocytosis of zymosan particles by monocytes was nearly abolished by antimycin, whereas no effect was noted with neutrophils. Thus, phagocytosis appears to be highly dependent on oxidative phosphorylation in monocytes but not in polymorphonuclear leukocytes. Moreover, in monocytes treated with antimycin, an addition of opsonized zymosan particles induced stimulation of the oxidative metabolism without occurrence of ingestion.
Epidemiology and Risk Factors for Hospital-Acquired Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus Among Burn Patients

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is a substantial source of morbidity among burn patients. The objectives of this study were to determine the feasibility and efficacy of surveillance cultures and isolation precautions on limiting the transmission of MRSA among burn patients and to determine risk factors for the development of hospital-acquired MRSA (HA-MRSA). All patients admitted to the burn service from January 2007 to June 2009 were screened by nasal swab culture on admission and weekly thereafter. Other sites were cultured based on clinical suspicion. Patients with MRSA were immediately placed on isolation precautions. Community-acquired MRSA (CA-MRSA) and HA-MRSA were defined as identification of the organism <72 hours from admission (CA-MRSA) or ≥72 hours after admission (HA-MRSA). Charts were retrospectively analyzed to identify risk factors for development of HA. Screening compliance was 100%. Seventy MRSA cases were identified in 752 admissions (9% incidence), including 30 cases of CA-MRSA and 40 cases of HA-MRSA. Over the 30-month study period, HA-MRSA incidence decreased according to a significant linear trend. Independent risk factors for the development of HA-MRSA on multivariate analysis included length of stay >7 days (odds ratio [OR] 12.0, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.6–91), TBSA affected >10% (OR 6.1, CI 2.6–14.2), age >30 years (OR 4.9, CI 2.0–12.0), and inhalation injury (OR 3.5, CI 1.0–11.7). Surveillance cultures with isolation precautions are practical and effective for preventing HA-MRSA among burn patients. Older patients with prolonged hospital stays, large wounds, and inhalation injury are at greatest risk.
EphA family gene expression in the developing mouse neocortex: Regional patterns reveal intrinsic programs and extrinsic influence

Parcellation of the mammalian cerebral cortex into distinct areas is essential for proper cortical function; however, the developmental program that results in the genesis of distinct areas is not fully understood. We examined the expression of members of the EphA family—the EphA receptor tyrosine kinases and the ephrin‐A ligands—within the developing mouse cerebral cortex, with the aim of characterizing this component of the molecular landscape during cortical parcellation. We found that specific embryonic zones, such as the ventricular, subventricular, intermediate, subplate, and marginal zones, as well as the cortical plate, were positive for particular EphA genes early in corticogenesis (E12–E15). Along with this zone‐selective expression, several genes (EphA3, EphA4, EphA5) were evenly expressed along the axes of the developing cortex, whereas one family member (EphA7) was expressed in a distinct anteroposterior pattern. Later in corticogenesis (E16–E18), other EphA family members became selectively expressed, but only within the cortical plate: EphA6 was present posteriorly, and ephrin‐A5 was expressed within a middle region. At birth, patterning of EphA gene expression was striking. Thus, we found that the expression of a single EphA gene or a combination of family members can define distinct embryonic zones and anteroposterior regions of the neocortex during development. To examine whether cellular context affects the patterning of EphA expression, we examined gene expression in embryonic cortical cells grown in vitro, such that all cellular contacts are lacking, and in Mash‐1 mutant mice, in which thalamocortical connections do not form. We found that the expression patterns of most EphA family members remained stable in these scenarios, whereas the pattern of ephrin‐A5 was altered. Taken together, this work provides a comprehensive picture of EphA family expression during mouse corticogenesis and demonstrates that most EphA expression profiles are cell intrinsically based, whereas ephrin‐A5 is plastically regulated. J. Comp. Neurol. 456:203–216, 2003. © 2003 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Targeted Local Support Vector Machine for Age-Dependent Classification

We develop methods to accurately predict whether presymptomatic individuals are at risk of a disease based on their various marker profiles, which offers an opportunity for early intervention well before definitive clinical diagnosis. For many diseases, existing clinical literature may suggest the risk of disease varies with some markers of biological and etiological importance, for example, age. To identify effective prediction rules using nonparametric decision functions, standard statistical learning approaches treat markers with clear biological importance (e.g., age) and other markers without prior knowledge on disease etiology interchangeably as input variables. Therefore, these approaches may be inadequate in singling out and preserving the effects from the biologically important variables, especially in the presence of potential noise markers. Using age as an example of a salient marker to receive special care in the analysis, we propose a local smoothing large margin classifier implemented with support vector machine (SVM) to construct effective age-dependent classification rules. The method adaptively adjusts age effect and separately tunes age and other markers to achieve optimal performance. We derive the asymptotic risk bound of the local smoothing SVM and perform extensive simulation studies to compare with standard approaches. We apply the proposed method to two studies of premanifest Huntington’s disease (HD) subjects and controls to construct age-sensitive predictive scores for the risk of HD and risk of receiving HD diagnosis during the study period. Supplementary materials for this article are available online.
Effects of transformational leadership on turnover intentions in IT SMEs

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine the impact of transformational leadership (TL) on building trust and hence, its influence on the commitment level of the employees to achieve the desired work outcomes. It also examined whether transformational leaders were able to psychologically empower employees so as to increase their commitment level and thus reduce the employee turnover intentions (TIs) in the small- and medium-sized (SME) IT companies operating in Delhi NCR, India. Design/methodology/approach Data were collected from 420 employees (168 females and 252 males) of SME IT companies operational in Delhi NCR, India. They responded to questions about their leader’s TL and their own psychological empowerment (PE), commitment and trust. Findings The findings of the study show that transformational leaders were able to create a higher level of PE and trust amongst their employees. Further, it was also found that this led to an increase in their commitment level and hence, a decrease in their TI. The findings of the study also suggest that trust, commitment and PE act as mediators. Research limitations/implications Limited sample size is a possible limitation of the study. One more limitation of the study is the data collection method, i.e. through survey. It was self-reported, taking only the perspective of the employees; it may not be a completely accurate response. Practical implications With TL, leaders can psychologically empower followers to do things in a better way and can develop trust in employees resulting in high commitment; highly committed employees in turn reduce the TIs. If followers do not have faith in their own capability, it may not be possible for them to complete their job effectively. Originality/value This study adds to the existing literature; it clarifies the process by which transformational leaders enhance followers’ meaning in life through PE and develop trust resulting in high commitment.
Asthma Prevalence among Inner-City Asian American Schoolchildren

Objective. Though asthma has been studied in many inner-city populations in the United States, there have been no studies specifically on Asian American immigrants. The authors conducted a cross-sectional survey of the prevalence of asthma among schoolchildren at the Josiah Quincy Elementary School, located in Boston Chinatown. Roughly 62% of the students in the school are Asian American. Methods. The authors utilized the Brief Asthma Pediatric Screen (BAPS), a five-question instrument that was validated through the Chicago public schools. The survey was administered to kindergarten through fifth grade students. Results. Of the 606 respondents (69.9% of the students), 16% had previously diagnosed asthma and 3% had possible undiagnosed asthma. Asthma was more prevalent in boys than in girls (relative risk [RR] 1.75; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.20, 2.56). In addition, the respondents who lived in Chinatown were less likely to have been diagnosed with asthma (RR 0.59; 95% CI 0.39, 0.90), as were those with Asian surnames (RR 0.65; 95% CI 0.44, 0.97). Conclusion. Although this study was preliminary, our results suggest that asthma rates are substantial among inner-city Asian immigrant children, but possibly lower than for other inner-city children.
Is the North Atlantic Oscillation a Breaking Wave

Abstract Given the recent observational evidence that the positive (negative) phase of the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) is the remnant of anticyclonic (cyclonic) wave breaking, this study uses a multilevel primitive equation model to investigate important dynamical attributes of the above wave breaking behavior. For this purpose, a hierarchy of different basic states (two- and three-dimensional) and initial perturbations are used. With the three-dimensional climatological flow as the basic state, it is found that initial perturbations located equatorward (poleward) and upstream of the climatological Atlantic jet lead to wave breaking similar to that of the positive (negative) NAO phase. Consistently, analysis of observational data indeed shows that the Pacific storm track is displaced equatorward (poleward) prior the onset of the positive (negative) NAO phase. This result suggests that the latitudinal position of the Pacific storm track plays an important role for determining the phase of the NAO. Sen.