Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Evaluation of the Protective Effect of NMDA/Non-NMDA Receptor Antagonists Against Ethambutol Induced Retinal Toxicity
Using ERG in Wistar Rats.

To study the protective effect of NMDA and non-NMDA receptor antagonists against ethambutol (EMB) induced retinal toxicity in Wistar rats using flash electroretinogram (ERG). Rats were randomized into four groups: Group-1 received vehicle. Group-2 received oral EMB (200 mg/kg/day). Group-3 and 4 were fed with oral EMB along with memantine (MEM) (1 mg/kg, ip) and trimetazidine (TMZ) (3mg/kg, ip) respectively. All treatments were continued up to 28 days. ERG was recorded at 0 and 21st day using green and white lights. Ethambutol and 2, 2’ ethylene diimino dibutyric acid (EDBA) levels were quantified in rat body fluids and tissues using LC-MS/MS. A higher rate of rat mortality was observed between 21st and 28th day, 21st day considered for ERG recording among groups. Ethambutol did not cause any significant change in ‘a’-wave amplitude of rat ERG but caused a predictable decrease in ‘b’-wave amplitude of the rat ERG on the 21st day. Memantine treatment showed a significant (P=0.029) protection against the fall of ‘b’-wave amplitude on 21st day. Interestingly, we found that plasma levels of EMB in memantine treated rats were significantly reduced when compared to the positive control group. Memantine reversed the effects of EMB on ‘b’-wave of rat ERG suggests its protective role. We suggest MEM may be considered as a possible preventive treatment modality for EMB induced vision toxicity warranting further clinical investigations.
F-EEAODV: Fuzzy Based Energy Efficient Reactive Routing Protocol in Wireless Ad-hoc Networks

—Wireless ad-hoc networks are the self organizable, self-maintained and ad-hoc by nature. Due to high mobility of nodes, the energy of a node is most important parameter in respect of network lifetime. Routing in such a network is a big challenge.In this paper, we have proposed a fuzzy based scheme for enhancing the efficiency of AODV in wireless ad-hoc networks. Next hop selection is performed on the basis of node energy, its neighbour node enrgy, node degree. Thus next hop selection is taken by considering a number of parameters including number of hops. As we are considering energy based parameters for next hop selection, the lifetime of nodes and network is improved. Each node is embedded with a fuzzy controller system through which output parameter chance is calculated. Based on this chance value next hop selection is carried out.We have compared the proposed routing protocol FEEAODV with AODV, DSR, and DSDV routing protocols. Simulation work is carried out using NS-2. The simulation results taken by NS-2 shows that our proposed scheme outperforms as compared to AODV in respect of throughput, end-to-end delay, propagation delay.
Anesthetic Management of Patients on ECMO

The management of a patient placed on extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) is a team effort. The anesthesiology team plays an integral part during cannulation and oftentimes as well during decannulation. In addition, the management of a patient taken to the operating room on ECMO requires a degree of expertise. This chapter will review monitors, echocardiography, medications, fluid and blood management protocols, and ventilation strategies to help the anesthesiology team provide best care for this patient population. 5‐year retrospective study of 20 hepari‐ patients on correlation between aPTT, and thromboe‐ Analysis poor correlation between aPTT, ACT and INTEM clotting time unfractionated heparin infusion 50% of patients normal INTEM tracings an elevated aPTT, the sensitivity of INTEM clotting time to heparin dosing. on INTEM clotting times for heparin dosing could heparin overdosing due to the of normal INTEM clotting times therapeutic aPTT in heparinized patients. a role in ECMO patients, for heparin dose to evaluate the balance in these complex patients. algorithms for cardiac surgery patients
Can Early Dynamic Positron Emission Tomography/Computed Tomography Obviate the Need for Postdiuresis Image in 68Ga-PSMA-HBED-CC Scan for Evaluation of Prostate Adenocarcinoma?

Introduction: Forced diuresis technique is often adopted to wash out the high amount of urinary radioactivity that masks the foci of abnormal uptake in the pelvic region on 68Ga-PSMA-HBED-CC positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) scan in prostate cancer (PC) patients. However, this method is time-consuming, makes the patient non/less compliant, and is not feasible in patients with renal dysfunction. We hypothesized that early dynamic imaging can obviate the need for a postdiuresis view as the urinary activity is expected to be low at the time. Materials and Methods: A total of 20 biopsy-proven PC patients who were referred to our department for a 68Ga-PSMA PET/CT for staging/restaging were prospectively studied. Dynamic PET/CT was done with on table intravenous (i.v.) injection of 2–3 mCi (74–111 MBq) of the radiotracer. Dynamic images were acquired over the pelvis with a frame time of 1 min for 10 min. Static images of 2 min/bed position were acquired between 45 and 60 min p.i. The patients were then administered i.v. furosemide and encouraged water intake and frequent urination. A static view of pelvic region was acquired at 5 min/bed at 120 min p.i. A three-dimensional volume of interest (3D-VOI) was plotted on the primary lesion, bladder, involved nodes if any, pelvic bones at involved and uninvolved sites, gluteal muscles, and artery. The sentence seems fine. This was to generate the Time activity curve for analysis. Results: Nine patients were referred for staging and 11 for restaging. Mean age of 20 patients was 64.6 years, and median prostate-specific antigen level was 21.4 ng/ml (range: 0.05–2180). Prostatic lesion was present in 20 patients, nodal involvement in 8, and bone involvement in 10 patients. Median maximum standardized uptake value (SUVmax) of the prostatic lesion (P) showed an ascending trend: 5.31 at 5 min, 10.65 at 60 min, and 10.52 at 120 min p.i. At the same time, median SUVmax of the bladder (B) also progressed steeply and then decreased postdiuresis: 1.01 at 5 min, 24.6 at 60 min, and 6.88 at 120 min. Despite forced diuresis, the bladder activity remained higher than that during early dynamic imaging. Median prostate-to-bladder (P/B) ratio was highest during early dynamic imaging at 5 min p.i. was 5.17, while at 60 min, P/B ratio was 0.42 (P = 0.002) and, at 120 min, it was 1.27 (P = 0.009). Further, all the nodal and bone lesions were clearly visualized on early dynamic images. Conclusion: The study results suggest that early dynamic imaging performs better than a postdiuresis view in terms of delineation of prostatic and regional lesions on 68Ga-PSMA scan. Further, it saves time and the patients are more compliant to this technique.
The Marginal Product of Climate

We develop an empirical approach to value changes to a climate in terms of total market output given optimal factor allocations in general equilibrium. Our approach accounts for unobservable heterogeneity across locations as well as the costs and benefits of adaptation in climates of arbitrary dimension. Importantly, we demonstrate that the Envelope Theorem implies the marginal product of a long-run climate can be exactly identified using only idiosyncratic weather variation. We apply this method to the temperature climate of the modern United States and find that, despite evidence that populations adapt, the marginal product of temperature has remained unchanged during 1970-2010, with high temperatures having low net value. Integrating marginal products recovers a value function for temperature, describing the causal effect of non-marginal climate changes net of adaptive re-optimization. We use this value function to consider the influence of temperature in the current cross-section and a future climate change scenario.
A survey of East Palaearctic Gnaphosidae (Aranei). 9. New data on the Parasyrisca potanini-group from Central Asia

Parasyrisca Schenkel, 1963 is a Holarctic genus of ground spiders with 52 valid species, 51 distributed in the Palaearctic and one in the Western Nearctic [World Spider Catalog, 2017]. Almost all species inhabit the alpine zone in high mountains. Some species live at very high altitudes, up to 3500 m in the Caucasus, 3300 m in South Siberia, and 4900 m in the Pamirs [Ovtsharenko et al., 1995; Fomichev, 2015]. Moreover two Parasyrisca species are known in the Subarctic (in the Magadan Region) at 63°N latitude [Ovtsharenko, Marusik, 1988, 1996]. Only three species are known from lowland or low mountains habitats: P. arrabonica Szinetár et Eichardt, 2009 from Hungary, P. marusiki Kovblyuk, 2003 from Crimea and P. golyakovi Marusik et Fomichev, 2016 from the western Altai Mountains (South Siberia). The majority of species are local endemics found only in one mountain range [Ovtsharenko et al., 1995]. Ovtsharenko et al. [1995] assigned all Parasyrisca species into four species groups: potanini, vinosa, guzeripli and breviceps. The most species-rich group, potanini, encompasses 36 species. During expeditions to the Dzhungarian Alatau Mountains in Southeastern Kazakhstan, the Mongolian Altai in Western Mongolia, and the Russian part of the Altai we collected males and females of three undescribed species of Parasyrisca as well as the previously unknown female of P. volynkini Fomichev, 2016. The goal of this paper is to describe the three new species and the female of P. volynkini. ABSTRACT: Both sexes of three new species of Parasyriscaare described from Eastern Kazakhstan and Western Mongolia: P. kosachevi sp.n. , P. sulaki sp.n. , and P. tronovorum sp.n. All new species were collected in highlands at elevations from 2700 to 3700 m. The female of P. volynkini Fomichev, 2016 from the Altai Mountains (South Siberia, Russia) is described for the first time. Descriptions, differential diagnoses, illustrations, and maps of distribution records are provided. The distribution and species composition of the all four Parasyrisca groups (potanini, vinosa, guzeripli, and breviceps) are discussed. How to cite this article: Fomichev A.A. , Marusik Yu.M. , Sidorov V.V. 2018. A survey of East Palaearctic Gnaphosidae (Aranei). 9. New data on the Parasyrisca potanini-group from Central Asia // Arthropoda Selecta. Vol.27. No.2. P.155–168. doi: 10.15298/ arthsel. 27.2. 07
Use of annual surveying to identify technology trends and improve service provision

Objective At an academic health sciences library serving a wide variety of disciplines, studying library users’ technology use provides necessary information on intersection points for library services. Administering a similar survey annually for five years generated a holistic view of users’ technology needs and preferences over time. Methods From 2012 to 2016, the University of Florida Health Science Center Library (HSCL) annually administered a sixteen-to-twenty question survey addressing health sciences users’ technology awareness and use and their interest in using technology to engage with the library and its services. The survey was distributed throughout the HSC via email invitation from liaison librarians to their colleges and departments and advertisement on the HSCL home page. Results Smartphone ownership among survey respondents was nearly universal, and a majority of respondents also owned a tablet. While respondents were likely to check library hours, use medical apps, and use library electronic resources from their mobile devices, they were unlikely to friend or follow the library on Facebook or Twitter or send a call number from the catalog. Respondents were more likely to have used EndNote than any other citation management tool, but over 50% of respondents had never used each tool or never heard of it. Conclusions Annual review of survey results has allowed librarians to identify users’ needs and interests, leading to incremental changes in services offered. Reviewing the aggregate data allowed strategic consideration of how technology impacts library interactions with users, with implications toward library marketing, training, and service development.
Early Prediction of Response to Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy Using Dynamic Contrast-Enhanced MRI and Ultrasound in Breast Cancer

Objective To determine the diagnostic performance of dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (DCE-MRI) and DCE ultrasound (DCE-US) for predicting response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) in breast cancer patients. Materials and Methods This Institutional Review Board-approved prospective study was performed between 2014 and 2016. Thirty-nine women with breast cancer underwent DCE-US and DCE-MRI before the NAC, follow-up DCE-US after the first cycle of NAC, and follow-up DCE-MRI after the second cycle of NAC. DCE-MRI parameters (transfer constant [Ktrans], reverse constant [kep], and leakage space [Ve]) were assessed with histograms. From DCE-US, peak-enhancement, the area under the curve, wash-in rate, wash-out rate, time to peak, and rise time (RT) were obtained. After surgery, all the imaging parameters and their changes were compared with histopathologic response using the Miller-Payne Grading (MPG) system. Data from minor and good responders were compared using Wilcoxon rank sum test, chi-square test, or Fisher's exact test. Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis was used for assessing diagnostic performance to predict good response. Results Twelve patients (30.8%) showed a good response (MPG 4 or 5) and 27 (69.2%) showed a minor response (MPG 1–3). The mean, 25th, 50th, and 75th percentiles of Ktrans and Kep of post-NAC DCE-MRI differed between the two groups. These parameters showed fair to good diagnostic performance for the prediction of response to NAC (AUC 0.76–0.81, p ≤ 0.007). Among DCE-US parameters, the percentage change in RT showed fair prediction (AUC 0.71, p = 0.023). Conclusion Quantitative analysis of DCE-MRI and DCE-US was helpful for early prediction of response to NAC.
MAJOR ELEMENT CHEMISTRY OF METAMORPHIC AND GRANITIC ROCKS OF THE YANAI DISTRICT IN THE RYOKE BELT

granites and the younger intrusive ones. He concluded that the thermal metamorph ism was accompanied by the introduction of alkali-alumina emanations and produced the progressive metamorphic series: biotite schist-banded gneiss-migmatite-gra nite. Nureki (1960) described structural features of various scale of the Ryoke metamorphic rocks in this district and dis cussed the metamorphic history of these rocks. As mentioned above, several detailed petrological and structural investigations on the rocks of this district have been done, however, the chemical studies on these rocks are scarce. Thirty-two whole-rock samples are analyzed chemically for the first step of the present writer's geochemical, mainly oxygen isotopic, investigation of the meta morphic and granitic rocks of this district and the results are presented in this paper. The analytical procedure here adopted is based on the systematic method proposed by Oki et al. (1962) using an ion exchange column. Alkalies are separated from each other and determined volumetrically. H2O+ is calculated from the weight loss by igni tion.
APTIDÃO FUNCIONAL E QUALIDADE DE VIDA DE IDOSOS FREQUENTADORES DE UMA UNIVERSIDADE ABERTA DA MAIOR IDADE

O objetivo desta pesquisa foi avaliar a aptidao funcional e a qualidade de vida de idosos participantes de uma Universidade Aberta da Maior Idade. A amostra foi composta de 189 idosas e 50 idosos. A aptidao funcional foi avaliada atraves do Senior Fitness Test e a qualidade de vida atraves do questionario WHOQOL-OLD. Para as comparacoes realizadas entre os grupos foi utilizado o teste de Mann-Whitney para amostras independentes com nivel significância de p<0,05. Os resultados mostraram que a aptidao funcional das idosas estava na media ou acima da media e os idosos abaixo da media na maioria dos testes. O escore de 66,16% mostrou que a amostra de idosos estava satisfeito com a qualidade de vida geral. Em conclusao, a amostra de idosos que participam da Universidade Aberta da Maior Idade apresenta aptidao funcional satisfatoria e estao satisfeitos com a qualidade de vida.
Social Rationality, Semi-Modularity and Goal-Framing: What Is It All About?

Abstract Human beings are not general problem solvers. Their mental architecture is modular and the microfoundations for the social sciences have to take that into consideration. Modularity means that there are hardwired and softwired functionally specific subroutines, such as face recognition and habits that make the individual particularly sensitive to a narrow range of information from both inside and outside. Goals are the most important creators of modules that contain both hard- and softwired submodules. Goals determine what we attend to, what information we are sensitive to, what information we neglect, what chunks of knowledge and what concepts are being activated at a given moment, what we like and dislike, what criteria for goal achievement are being applied, etc. Overarching goals govern large classes of submodules, and therefore the social sciences have to deal especially with these overarching goals. Three such overarching goals are identified: hedonic, gain, and normative goals. At every given moment one of them is focal (a goal-frame) and self-regulation is the process by which humans balance the dominance of goal-frames. In turn, self-regulation (here seen as the heart of ‘social rationality’), depends much on social circumstances that are open to sociological investigation.
The Association between Information Technology Investments and Audit Risk

ABSTRACT: Advances in information technology (IT) have changed the way that companies conduct business, prepare their financial statements, and have their financial statements audited. On one hand, IT decreases audit risk by improving operation and internal control effectiveness, which may decrease inherent and internal control risk. On the other hand, the complexity of IT introduces unconventional risks for companies and their auditors, especially by creating challenges for auditors when auditing the effectiveness of internal controls and detecting accounting irregularities. Thus, the relationship between clients' IT investments and audit risk deserves research attention. Using IT data of U.S. firms from 2000 to 2009, we find that IT investments are positively related to audit fees (and abnormal audit fees), the probability of auditors' issuance of a going-concern opinion, and the likelihood of auditors' Type II errors. Furthermore, we find that auditor tenure moderates the relationship between IT invest.
Twitter-Based Dissemination of Corporate Disclosure and the Intervening Effects of Firms' Visibility: Evidence from Australian-Listed Companies

ABSTRACT: This paper investigates the effect of dissemination of corporate disclosure via Twitter. In particular, the study is focused on listed companies in Australia that employed Twitter as a secondary dissemination channel for corporate announcements in 2008–2013. Based on a sample of 3,516 announcements at the Australian Stock Exchange (ASX) related to 109 listed companies, the research employs the Investor Recognition Hypothesis to investigate the effect of Twitter activity on the information asymmetry proxied by abnormal spread (SpreadAbn). The findings show that there is a negative association between SpreadAbn and tweets posted by a firm during the announcement period. Further analysis shows that this association is stronger for firms less visible through business press or financial analyst coverage. The study concludes that while corporate announcements are publicly available through the ASX platform, dissemination of corporate announcements through Twitter allows companies to attract investors.
Influenza Vaccination in Type 2 Diabetes Patients: Coverage Status and Its Determinants in Southwestern Saudi Arabia

Despite the significant role of seasonal influenza vaccination in preventing and minimizing the serious complications of influenza infection in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) patients, unsatisfactory compliance still exists for vaccination. Study objectives were to explore the vaccination status and determinants in T2DM patients in southwestern Saudi Arabia. A cross-sectional study on a representative sample of T2DM patients in Abha city, southwestern Saudi Arabia, was conducted. Data for sociodemographic characteristics, clinical criteria, vaccination status, vaccination motivators and barriers and seasonal influenza knowledge were collected. Out of 353 T2DM patients included in the study, seasonal influenza vaccination coverage was 61% in year 2017. A significant factors associated with non-vaccination were; poor influenza and its vaccine knowledge (OR = 4.31, 95% CI: 2.73–6.80), illiteracy (OR = 1.93, 95% CI: 1.11–3.37), and more than 10 years disease duration (OR = 2.07, 95% CI: 1.11–3.87). Presence of family history of DM and ischemic heart comorbidity minimized the possibility of non-vaccination (OR = 0.54 and 0.28 respectively). Healthcare givers’ advice was the most reported vaccination motivator (84.7%) while; fear of vaccine side effects was the most stated barrier (73%). In conclusion, influenza vaccination rate among T2DM in the present study is less than the recommended level. Continuous primary health care center-based educational programs should be implemented to aware and encourage influenza vaccination among T2DM patients.
CAN: Enhancing Sentence Similarity Modeling with Collaborative and Adversarial Network

The neural networks have attracted great attention for sentence similarity modeling in recent years. Most neural networks focus on the representation of each sentence, while the common features of a sentence pair are not well studied. In this paper, we propose a Collaborative and Adversarial Network (CAN), which explicitly models the common features between two sentences for enhancing sentence similarity modeling. To be specific, a common feature extractor is presented and embedded into our CAN model, which includes a generator and a discriminator playing a collaborative and adversarial game for common feature extraction. Experiments on three benchmark datasets, namely TREC-QA and WikiQA for answer selection and MSRP for paraphrase identification, show that our proposed model is effective to boost the performance of sentence similarity modeling. In particular, our proposed model outperforms the state-of-the-art approaches on TREC-QA without using any external resources or pre-training. For the other two datasets, our model is also comparable to if not better than the recent neural network approaches.