Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Null and Opposing Effects of Asian Ginseng (Panax ginseng C.A. Meyer) on Acute Glycemia: Results of Two Acute Dose Escalation Studies

Objective: We have repeatedly reported that a batch of American ginseng with a specific ginsenoside (glycosidal saponin) profile decreases acute postprandial glycemia. We investigated whether Asian ginseng is able to replicate this glycemia-lowering efficacy in two separate acute dose escalation studies. Methods: Each study was conducted in a separate sample of 11 healthy subjects (gender:8M:3F and 6M:5F, age: 29 ± 2y and 27 ± 3y, BMI: 28.5 ± 2.1 kg/m2 and 26.9 ± 1.4 kg/m2) using a randomized, single-blind, placebo-controlled, multiple-crossover design. Treatments consisted of 0 (placebo), 1, 2, and 3 g of Asian ginseng for the first study and 0 (placebo), 3, 6, and 9 g Asian ginseng for the second study administered 40 minutes before a 75g-OGTT protocol with blood drawn at −40, 0, 15, 30, 45, 60, 90, and 120 minutes. Ginsenosides were analyzed by HPLC-UV. Results: Neither the main effect of pooled-treatment, nor dose, nor either factors interaction with time was significant for incremental plasma glucose and insulin. But the diagnostically and therapeutically relevant two-hour plasma glucose (2h-PG) value was significantly higher for pooled Asian ginseng treatment than placebo (5.46 ± 0.31 versus 4.99 ± 0.30 mmol/L, p = 0.050). Ginsenoside analyses showed that the Asian ginseng contained up to 96% lower and sevenfold higher quantities of various ginsenosides and their ratios than our previous efficacious batch of American ginseng. Conclusions: Asian ginseng showed both null and opposing effects on indices of acute postprandial plasma glucose and insulin. This is in contrast to our findings with American ginseng. One explanation may be the marked ginsenoside differences. Practitioners and consumers should be aware of ginseng’s variable effects.
Interprofessional education for medical and nursing students: evaluation of a programme

This paper reports and evaluates a programme of interprofessional education for final‐year medical students and fourth‐year undergraduate BSc nursing students. The programme was designed in the light of social psychological studies of intergroup behaviour (the contact hypothesis). Key features included opportunities to work as equals in pairs and small groups on shared tasks in a cooperative atmosphere. Topics included communication between nurses, doctors and patients, deliberate self‐harm by patients, and ethical issues in clinical care. A comprehensive evaluation of the effects of the programme on one cohort of 39 participants revealed that overall attitudes towards the other profession had improved. Participants reported increased understanding of the knowledge and skills, roles and duties of the other profession. The programme was positively evaluated by both groups of participants.
Cognitive Performance and Dehydration

No matter how mild, dehydration is not a desirable condition because there is an imbalance in the homeostatic function of the internal environment. This can adversely affect cognitive performance, not only in groups more vulnerable to dehydration, such as children and the elderly, but also in young adults. However, few studies have examined the impact of mild or moderate dehydration on cognitive performance. This paper reviews the principal findings from studies published to date examining cognitive skills. Being dehydrated by just 2% impairs performance in tasks that require attention, psychomotor, and immediate memory skills, as well as assessment of the subjective state. In contrast, the performance of long-term and working memory tasks and executive functions is more preserved, especially if the cause of dehydration is moderate physical exercise. The lack of consistency in the evidence published to date is largely due to the different methodology applied, and an attempt should be made to standardize methods for future studies. These differences relate to the assessment of cognitive performance, the method used to cause dehydration, and the characteristics of the participants. Key teaching points: This paper reviews the existing findings about the impact of dehydration in the main cognitive skills explored so far. Children and the elderly are the populations most vulnerable to dehydration. Healthy young adults are also at risk of a decrease in their cognitive performance when hydration is not adequate. Attention, psychomotor, and immediate memory skills, as well as assessment of the subjective state, are the brain capabilities most vulnerable to mild or moderate dehydration. The relationship between hydration and cognitive performance is an emerging area of study of undoubted practical interest in which much research still need to be carried out.
Behavioural Education Economics

The purpose of 'Behavioural education economics' is to understand the psychological factors influencing student performance and educational choices. One of the key insights of behavioural education economics is that educational decision making is characterised by choices which are usually not repeated and rely heavily on heuristics to solve complex choices in the absence of prior learning. At the heart of behavioural education economics is an understanding that academic outcomes are malleable. That investment decisions associated with education are primarily driven by non-cognitive behaviours and cognitive biases that affect participation in education and subsequently motivations to commit resources to these investments and maintain these choices over time. The focus of this paper will be on three key non-cognitive behaviours associated with choices in education that impact the quality of investments in education: self-control, self-efficacy and identity.
Positive HER-2 protein expression in circulating prostate cells and micro-metastasis, resistant to androgen blockage but not diethylstilbestrol

Introduction: HER-2 expression in prostate cancer is associated with a worse prognosis and is suggested to play a role in androgen resistance. We present a study of HER-2 expression in circulating tumor cells and micrometastasis in bone marrow and the effect of androgen blockage or DES in the presence of HER-2 expressing cells. Patients and Methods: A multicenter study of men with prostate cancer, treated with surgery, radiotherapy, or observation, and with or without hormone therapy. Mononuclear cells were separated from blood and bone marrow aspirate by differential centrifugation, touch preps were made from bone marrow biopsy samples. Prostate cells were detected using anti-PSA monoclonal antibody and standard immunocytochemistry. Positive samples were processed using Herceptest® to determine HER-2 expression. After 1 year, patients were re-evaluated and the findings of HER-2 expression and PSA change compared with treatment. Results: Total 199 men participated, and 97 had a second evaluation 1 year later, frequency of HER-2 expression in circulating tumor cells and micrometastasis was 18% and 21%, respectively. There was no significant difference in HER-2 expression in the pretreatment group, after radical surgery or radiotherapy or with biochemical failure. Men with androgen blockade had a significantly higher expression of HER-2 (58%) (P =0.001). Of the 97 men with a second evaluation, 56 were in the observation arm, 27 androgen blockade, and 14 DES. Use of androgen blockade or DES significantly reduced serum PSA levels in comparison with observation (P =0.001). However, there was a significant increase in HER-2 expression in patients with androgen blockade (P =0.05) en comparison with observation or DES treatment. No patient with observation or DES became HER-2 positive, en comparison 4/22 patients initially HER-2 negative became HER-2 positive with androgen blockade. Conclusions: The results suggest that HER-2 positive cells are resistant to androgen blockade. In an environment lacking androgens, HER-2 positive cells are selected and survive, while HER-2 negative cells are eliminated thus decreasing the serum PSA. The population of HER-2 positive cells proliferate producing androgen-independent disease. DES does not increase HER-2 expression possibly by stimulating beta-estrogen receptors and blocking HER-2 androgen receptor activation.
Financial depth, internet penetration rates and economic growth: country-panel evidence

ABSTRACT The article investigates causal relationships between internet penetration rates, financial depth and per capita economic growth in the Next-11 countries. Using panel vector autoregressive (VAR) approaches, our empirical results show that these variables are cointegrated. Moreover, we find bidirectional causality between internet penetration rates and economic growth, and between financial depth and economic growth in the short run.
Direct Inhibition of Cyclooxygenase-1 and -2 by the Kinase Inhibitors SB 203580 and PD 98059

The kinase inhibitors SB 203580 and PD 98059 have been reported to be specific inhibitors of the 38- and 42/44-kDa mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathways, respectively. In this study, the two inhibitors were found to decrease platelet aggregation induced by low concentrations of arachidonic acid, suggesting that they also interfere with the metabolism of arachidonic acid to thromboxane A2. In support of this, SB 203580 and PD 98059 inhibited the conversion of exogenous [3H]arachidonic acid to [3H]thromboxane in intact platelets. Measurement of platelet cyclooxygenase-1 activity following immunoprecipitation revealed that SB 203580 and PD 98059 are direct inhibitors of this enzyme. Both compounds were shown to inhibit purified cyclooxygenase-1 and -2 by a reversible mechanism. In addition, SB 203580 (but not PD 98059) inhibited platelet aggregation induced by prostaglandin H2 and the conversion of prostaglandin H2 to thromboxane A2 in intact platelets. SB 203580 also inhibited this pathway in platelet microsome preparations, suggesting a direct inhibitory effect on thromboxane synthase. These results demonstrate that direct effects of the two kinase inhibitors on active arachidonic acid metabolites have to be excluded before using these compounds for the investigation of MAPKs in signal transduction pathways. This is of particular relevance to studies on the regulation of cytosolic phospholipase A2 as these two MAPKs are capable of phosphorylating cytosolic phospholipase A2, thereby increasing its intrinsic activity.
Etiology and treatment of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

BACKGROUND To date all researchers conclude that the etiology of Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is not known. On the contrary, since August 2009, we believe that disease is of ischemic origin in the anterior surface of the medulla oblongata. MATERIAL AND METHOD We present our surgical experience into 45 patients with ALS (bulbar form in 36 cases and spinal form in 9). Preoperative MRI scans revealed microinfarcts in the medulla oblongata and/or cervical cord. During surgery we found: 1) poor quality of omentum in most cases; 2) degenerative changes in the cervical spine; 3) anatomical anomalies at the V4 segments of the vertebral arteries; 4) moderate to severe atherosclerosis at both V4 segments; 5) unilateral absence or stenosis in the anterior-ventral spinal arteries (AVSAs). All patients received omentum on the anterior, lateral and posterior surface of the medulla oblongata, and in 9 cases, an additional segment at the C5-C6 level. RESULTS Neurological improvement was better during the first days or weeks after surgery than in the following months or years, in all patients. However, 13 patients suffered neurological impairment in about 4 months later, due to greater deterioration of the cervical spine, by contrast, 7 patients with mild ALS have experienced neurological improvement by 80 to 100% during a follow-up of 4 and 6 years. CONCLUSIONS These results confirm that ALS is of ischemic origin in the intraparenchymal territory of the AVSAs and/or in anterior spinal artery caused by atherosclerosis and associated to anatomical variants in the V4 segments of the vertebral arteries. Because in contrast to this, its revascularization by means of omentum can cure (mild degree) or improve this disease.
The Loop Region Covering the Iron-Sulfur Cluster in Bovine Adrenodoxin Comprises a New Interaction Site for Redox Partners*

The amino acid in position 49 in bovine adrenodoxin is conserved among vertebrate [2Fe-2S] ferredoxins as hydroxyl function. A corresponding residue is missing in the cluster-coordinating loop of plant-type [2Fe-2S] ferredoxins. To probe the function of Thr-49 in a vertebrate ferredoxin, replacement mutants T49A, T49S, T49L, and T49Y, and a deletion mutant, T49Δ, were generated and expressed in Escherichia coli. CD spectra of purified proteins indicate changes of the [2Fe-2S] center geometry only for mutant T49Δ, whereas NMR studies reveal no transduction of structural changes to the interaction domain. The redox potential of T49Δ (−370 mV) is lowered by ∼100 mV compared with wild type adrenodoxin and reaches the potential range of plant-type ferredoxins (−305 to −455 mV). Substitution mutants show moderate changes in the binding affinity to the redox partners. In contrast, the binding affinity of T49Δ to adrenodoxin reductase and cytochrome P-450 11A1 (CYP11A1) is dramatically reduced. These results led to the conclusion that Thr-49 modulates the redox potential in adrenodoxin and that the cluster-binding loop around Thr-49 represents a new interaction region with the redox partners adrenodoxin reductase and CYP11A1. In addition, variations of the apparent rate constants of all mutants for CYP11A1 reduction indicate the participation of residue 49 in the electron transfer pathway between adrenodoxin and CYP11A1.
Education Abroad in China: Literature Review of Study Abroad Program Types, Outcomes and Benefits.

While there has been an increase in students studying abroad in China, this increase has not been seen in the respective number of articles published in scholarly journals on education abroad in China. This paper summarizes articles from journals on the types of education abroad programs in China, organized by topic, and by the outcomes and benefits of the programs as stated in the articles. The basis for this review is relevant literature from full-text journals published from 1975 to 2013. Of 213 returns from an online search, 25 were relevant for this literature review. The benefits and outcomes of education abroad in China culled from this literature review are compared to the list of ten main outcomes of study abroad programs presented by Parsons (2010). In addition, outcomes not listed by Parsons were identified. China’s rising importance in the global economy and politics today has increased its global stature and influence. China has transitioned from “. a veritable hermit state in the 1960s to a cultural lodestone in the early 21st century,” (Ding and Saunders, 2006, p. 3) and China has effectively used its “soft” power, promotion of Chinese language study and culture to improve its international standing (Ding & Saunders, 2006; Xinrong, 2011). Consider the following excerpt from the U.S. Department of State on China’s increasing importance to the United States: Citing the strategic importance of the U.S.-China relationship, in November 2009, President Barack Obama announced the “100,000 Strong” initiative, a national effort designed to increase dramatically the number and diversify the composition of American students studying in China. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton officially launched the initiative in May 2010 in Beijing. The Chinese government strongly supports the initiative and has already committed 10,000 “Bridge Scholarships” for American students to study in China. This initiative seeks to prepare the next generation of U.S. experts on China who will be charged with managing the growing political, economic and cultural ties between the United States and China. The initiative also seeks to develop specific opportunities and funding sources for underrepresented students to study in China. The increase in the numbers of U.S. students studying abroad in China has been dramatic. During the 2000/2001 academic year, 2,942 U.S. students studied abroad in China (Institute of International Education, 2003). During the 2010/2011 school year, this number increased to 14,596, making China the fifth most popular study abroad destination during this year for U.S.
Equilibria In Budget Participation

The objective of this paper is to extend principal-agency analysis to a problem which behavioral researchers in accounting have been studying for quite some time-the participation of managers in the budgeting process. My objective is to model the relationship between the principal (called the owner) and the agent (called the manager) so as to provide a rationale for budget participation. However, there are fundamental difficulties that may occur when a manager provides information that will influence his subsequent performance evaluation. Different approaches to handling these difficulties are considered, with the objective of discovering equilibrium levels of budget participation. The basic problem considered in this paper is similar to that in Townsend [1976] and Baiman and Demski [1978], but there are differences in the environments in which the analysis is conducted. At the end of the paper, I briefly compare my results with those found by other authors. The problem addressed here differs from the usual agency analysis in that I introduce the possibility of communication between the players in the principal/agent game. Although communication is allowed in team theory models like those used by Groves [1973] and Groves and Loeb [1975], they do not consider "effort aversion" on the part of the agent, which plays a significant role in the rationale for budget participation. Similarly, while behavioral researchers have been considering the effects of budget-participation on employee behavior, job satisfaction, performance evaluation, and so on, for many years (e.g., Argyris [1952], Becker
Efficacy of detoxification of deoxynivalenol-contaminated corn by Bacillus sp. LS100 in reducing the adverse effects of the mycotoxin on swine growth performance

Biodetoxification of mycotoxins is a novel strategy to control mycotoxicoses in animals. Bacillus sp. LS100, which transforms deoxynivalenol (DON) to a less toxic chemical de-epoxy DON (DOM-1), was evaluated for its efficacy in reducing the adverse effects of DON on swine growth performance. A feeding trial was conducted in growing pigs with four treatments: (1) corn meal without detectable DON served as control (Non-toxic Corn); (2) Fusarium-infected corn giving a toxic diet containing 5 µg DON g−1 (Toxic Corn); (3) Toxic Corn detoxified with Bacillus sp. LS100 giving a detoxified diet containing 5 µg DOM-1 g−1 (LS100-De-toxic Corn); (4) Non-toxic Corn treated with Bacillus sp. LS100 serving as bacterial control (LS100-Non-toxic Corn). During 9 days of exposure to the treatments, pigs on Toxic Corn showed a significant reduction in daily feed consumption, daily weight gain and feed efficiency by 29, 48 and 29%, respectively, compared to pigs on Non-toxic Corn. These parameters of the pigs fed LS100-De-toxic Corn diet were 45, 82 and 32% greater, respectively, than those of pigs fed Toxic Corn diet, and were similar to those pigs fed Non-toxic Corn and LS100-Non-toxic Corn diets. There were no significant differences between the treatments of LS100-Non-toxic Corn and Non-toxic Corn diets, implying that the bacterial isolate might not have significantly affected nutrition and palatability of the feed or had negative effects on the pig's feeding performance. The results have proved that microbial detoxification of DON in contaminated feed can eliminate negative effects of the mycotoxin, and the pre-feeding detoxification approach may be applied in the livestock industry.
T‐cell subpopulations in patients with monoclonal gammopathies: Essential monoclonal gammopathy, multiple myeloma, and Waldenstrom macroglobulinemia

T‐cell subsets defined by monoclonal antibodies (OKT3, OKT4, and OKT8) were analyzed in 117 patients with monoclonal gammopathies—69 multiple myeloma (MM) (30 untreated and 39 treated), 14 Waldenström's macroglobulinaemia (WM), and 34 essential monoclonal gammopathy (EMG) patients. The percentage and absolute numbers of total T‐lymphocytes (E+, OKT3+ cells) were within the normal range in all groups except for the treated MM patients, in which a decrease in the absolute number could be observed. The percentages of OKT4+ cells were significantly lower in MM (35 ± 1.7) than in EMG patients (43 ± 2) and controls (50 ± 2). In contrast, OKT8 cells correspondingly increased in MM (38 ± 1.6) compared with EMG patients (29 ± 1) and controls (27 ± 1). The OKT4/0KT8 ratio was lower in MM than that in EMG patients and controls (p < 0.01) and was shown to be one of the four most significant variables in a linear discriminant analysis used to distinguish between MM and EMG groups. The MM patients in clinical stage III as well as Bence‐Jones myeloma patients showed a more pronounced OKT4/0KT8 imbalance. The treatment did not influence the percent distribution of T‐cell Subpopulations.
COMPLETE AXILLARY DISSECTION: A TECHNIQUE THAT STILL HAS RELEVANCE IN CONTEMPORARY MANAGEMENT OF BREAST CANCER

Axillary lymph node status is an important prognostic indicator for women with breast cancer and axillary dissection provides accurate information regarding nodal status. In addition, local control of axillary disease and allocation of adjuvant systemic therapy are dependent on appropriate axillary surgery. The survival benefit of an axillary dissection remains controversial. We describe a technique of complete axillary clearance that includes levels I, II and III. In our experience this technique is associated with no additional morbidity to patients and incurs minimal prolongation of operative time compared with a level II dissection. Other operative descriptions of axillary surgery generally do not adequately describe a method that clearly and consistently identifies the boundaries, anatomical landmarks and neurovascular structures that traverse the axilla. This technique, with relative ease, allows the identification and preservation of these structures in their original anatomical planes and avoids the division of the pectoralis minor muscle. The assumption that routine level III axillary clearance, as opposed to level I or level II dissection, is associated with greater morbidity warrants further evaluation. No well‐conducted randomized trials have addressed this issue.
St Louis encephalitis virus establishes a productive, cytopathic and persistent infection of Sf9 cells.

The Sf9 cell line, commonly used for gene expression by recombinant baculovirus, has been productively infected by St Louis encephalitis (SLE) virus, a flavivirus. SLE viral infection produced a c.p.e. in the Sf9 cells characterized by giant cells and the presence of 10-fold fewer cells in the infected cultures after the first week of infection compared with uninoculated control cultures. Infected Sf9 cells expressed SLE viral antigens, and intracellular virus particles were observed by electron microscopy. Titres of cell-associated SLE virus rose slightly over an 8 week period, whereas titres of cell-free virus remained stable, suggesting that SLE virus establishes a productive and persistent infection of Sf9 cells. The SLE virus produced by the Sf9 cells could be neutralized by SLE virus-immune mouse ascitic fluid, and no evidence of escape mutants was detected. Sf9 cells persistently infected with SLE virus could be superinfected with a recombinant baculovirus and expressed recombinant antigen. The successful infection of Sf9 cells by SLE virus represents the first report of production of c.p.e. by SLE virus in insect cells under routine cell culture conditions and of the infection of Sf9 cells by a human pathogen.