Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Ginsenosides Rb1and Rg3protect cultured rat cortical cells from glutamate‐induced neurodegeneration

Certain natural products and Asian herbal remedies have been used in Asia to attenuate neurodegenerative diseases, including senile dementia. We have examined derivatives of several natural products for potential neuroprotective activity in an in vitro test system. In the present study, we assayed a number of compounds that were isolated from Panax ginseng C.A. Meyer (Araliaceae) for an ability to protect rat cortical cell cultures from the deleterious effects of the neurotoxicant, glutamate. We found that ginsenosides Rb1 and Rg3 significantly attenuated glutamate‐induced neurotoxicity. Brief exposure of cultures to excess glutamate caused extensive neuronal death. Glutamate‐induced neuronal cell damage was reduced significantly by pretreatment with Rb1 and Rg3. Ginsenosides Rb1 and Rg3 inhibited the overproduction of nitric oxide, which routinely follows glutamate neurotoxicity, and preserved the level of superoxide dismutase in glutamate‐treated cells. Furthermore, in cultures treated with glutamate, these ginsenosides inhibited the formation of malondialdehyde, a compound that is produced during lipid peroxidation, and diminished the influx of calcium. These results show that ginsenosides Rb1 and Rg3 exerted significant neuroprotective effects on cultured cortical cells. Therefore, these compounds may be efficacious in protecting neurons from oxidative damage that is produced by exposure to excess glutamate. J. Neurosci. Res. 53:426–432, 1998. © 1998 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Development of Robust Current 2-DOF Controllers for a Permanent Magnet Synchronous Motor Drive With Reaction Wheel Load

This paper develops robust 2-DOF current and torque control schemes for a permanent magnet synchronous motor (PMSM) drive with satellite reaction wheel load. A DSP-based experimental PMSM-driven reaction wheel system is established, and the key motor parameters are estimated for realizing the proposed control schemes. In the proposed current control schemes, the traditional 2-DOF controller is augmented with an internal model feedback resonant controller or a robust tracking error cancellation controller (RECC). Comparative performance and error analyses of these two proposed control schemes are given. Accordingly, an improved robust 2-DOF current control scheme combining the resonant controller and the RECC is further proposed. The resonant controller enhances the transient and steady-state tracking of the sinusoidal current, simultaneously rejecting the back electromotive force. A similar robust tracking control for the observed torque can be designed, which exhibits quick transient response. Effectiveness of the proposed controls and the driving performance of the whole reaction wheel are evaluated experimentally.
Different pathways in irritant contact eczema?

The epidermal response to 2 different irritants, nonanoic acid (NAA) and sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS), was investigated with 2 different methods. NAA 80% and SLS 4% were applied under occlusion for up to 24 h. Elemental changes were determined in cryosections by x‐ray microanalysis. Compared to unexposed skin a significantly higher sodium/potassium ratio was found after 6 h in NAA‐exposed skin and a lower ratio in SLS‐exposed. At 24 h both substances had induced similar changes, compatible with a cell injury. The findings demonstrate a time‐dependent NAA and SLS response, With reverse transcription potymerase chain reaction, the mRNA expression of interleukin‐1 alpha (IL‐1α;), ‐1beta (IL.‐1β), ‐6 (1L‐6), and ‐8 (IL‐8). tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFα) and granulocyte macrophaye colony stimulating factor (GM‐CSF) in shave biopsies from irritated and unexposed skin was studied at 0. 4, 8 and 24 h NAA, but not SLS. induced an increase in mRNA expression for IL‐6. mRNA‐expression for GM‐CSF was increased after SLS exposure, but not after NAA. These findings indicate a time and substance dependent different in the up‐regulation of m‐RNA different cytokines in epidermis during the first 24 h of the irritant reaction. This might he the effect of differences in the irritants action on the cell membranes, which is also reflected by the differences found in the elemental content at 6 h.
Electrical properties of commercial concentric EMG electrodes

Five electrical characteristics—impedance, broadband noise generation, line interference sensitivity, signal distortion, and common‐mode conversion—were measured in five electromyographic (EMG) concentric needle electrodes (CNEs) from each of six commercial manufacturers. Untreated CNEs showed considerable variation in impedance and broadband noise characteristics, both within and among manufacturers. Electrolytic treatment reduced impedances by a factor between 1.5 and 4.0 and lessene within manufacture variability Average post‐treatment impedances at 100Hz ranged from 31 to 436 kOhms, reflecting in part the range of core surface areas. Treatment also reduced the broadband noise to the level of the instrumentation noise for all but the highest impedance CNEs. Distortion and common‐mode conversion were negligible for the lowest impedance CNEs. Line interference from a nearby power cord was completely suppressed only by those CNEs with fully shielded cables, and then only when the electromyographer also was grounded; there was no measurable benefit when the shield was driven, as opposed to grounded. We conclude that (1) there are consistent differences in the properties of CNEs from different manufacturers, reflecting differences in materials, design, and construction; (2) electrolytic treatment temporarily improves the performance of all CNEs, and tends to lessen the differences among them, most likely through a surface electrochemical effect; and (3) both active and passive cable shields are effective in reducing extraneous line interference.
Wall Street Analysts as Investor Relations Officers

This paper examines the practice of hiring financial analysts as investor relations officers (IRO). We posit that analysts-turned-IROs (AIROs) have a competitive advantage in communicating with investors, thereby lowering the effort expended by the investment community to process corporate disclosures. Using a unique manually-collected dataset on the employment history of IROs (compiled from LinkedIn, Capital IQ, RelationshipScience.com, and appointment press releases), we show that disclosure readability in 8-K and 10-K filings improves and that companies are more likely to host analyst/investor days after hiring former analysts as IROs. Most importantly, we find increases in analyst following, institutional investors, and stock liquidity after hiring a former analyst as IRO. We conclude that both a disclosure and a network channel are at play in the relation between AIROs and increased interest from the investment community. Overall, our findings suggest that firms benefit from hiring Wall Street analysts as IROs.
Clinical and Pathological Predictive Factors in Women with Adult-type Granulosa Cell Tumor of the Ovary

Granulosa cell tumor (GCT) is a rare neoplasm hallmarked by a very indolent course and late recurrences. Although numerous clinical and pathological parameters have been implicated as prognostic factors for GCT, their role remains controversial. We performed a retrospective study at our institution where we identified 48 patients with GCT from our tumor registry. Demographic and clinical course information was recorded from the medical record. Twenty of 48 formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded blocks were retrieved from archived specimens. Pathological parameters such as nuclear atypia, mitotic count, Ki-67 index using immunohistochemistry, and quantitative DNA ploidy were performed. DNA aneuploidy by quantitative method was associated with patients' overall survival. The degree of nuclear atypia, mitotic count, Ki-67 index, and DNA aneuploidy was not predictive of tumor recurrence. Multi-institutional collaboration is imperative to create a comprehensive national database for investigation into ways that may better indicate prognosis in these patients.
Exploring the role of education in the economy of the Northern Territory

Given its large land mass and small population, the Northern Territory (NT) has an economic structure very different from that of the rest of Australia. The main sectors that contribute to the economy of the NT include construction, mining and defence. The national reform agenda of the Australian government has identified education and training as critical factors in increasing national productivity as well as opportunities for individual workers. While some studies have focused on how educational outcomes influence socio-economic disparities between Indigenous and non-Indigenous population groups at the national level, only few studies have focused on the NT. Consequently, the work undertaken for this thesis aims to fill this gap in the literature. Specifically, I have focused on the role of education, which also contributes to human capital growth, in the NT, and have empirically examined (i) the link between government spending on education and economic growth in the NT, as well as Australia as a whole, and (ii) how the effect on income of educational qualifications varies across the regions of Australia, particularly to observe if there is a premium on education in the NT. Existing studies that explore the role of education on economic performance have focused either on macroeconomic or microeconomic aspects, while this study explores both. ; Submitted in the fulfilment of the requirements of the degree of Doctor of Philosophy, University of the Sunshine Coast, 2018.
Homology, homoplasy and cusp variability at the enamel–dentine junction of hominoid molars

Evolutionary studies of mammalian teeth have generally concentrated on the adaptive and functional significance of dental features, whereas the role of development on phenotypic generation and as a source of variation has received comparatively little attention. The present study combines an evolutionary biological framework with state‐of‐the‐art imaging techniques to examine the developmental basis of variation of accessory cusps. Scholars have long used the position and relatedness of cusps to other crown structures as a criterion for differentiating between developmentally homologous and homoplastic features, which can be evaluated with greater accuracy at the enamel–dentine junction (EDJ). Following this approach, we collected digital models of the EDJ and outer enamel surface of more than 1000 hominoid teeth to examine whether cusp 5 of the upper molars (UM C5) and cusps 6 and 7 of the lower molars (LM C6 and LM C7) were associated each with a common developmental origin across species. Results revealed that each of these cusps can develop in a variety of ways, in association with different dental tissues (i.e. oral epithelium, enamel matrix) and dental structures (i.e. from different cusps, crests and cingula). Both within and between species variability in cusp origin was highest in UM C5, followed by LM C7, and finally LM C6. The lack of any species‐specific patterns suggests that accessory cusps in hominoids are developmentally homoplastic and that they may not be useful for identifying phylogenetic homology. An important and unanticipated finding of this study was the identification of a new taxonomically informative feature at the EDJ of the upper molars, namely the post‐paracone tubercle (PPT). We found that the PPT was nearly ubiquitous in H. neanderthalensis and the small sample of Middle Pleistocene African and European humans (MPAE) examined, differing significantly from the low frequencies observed in all other hominoids, including Pleistocene and recent H. sapiens. We emphasize the utility of the EDJ for human evolutionary studies and demonstrate how features that look similar at the external surface may be the product of different developmental patterns. This study also highlights the importance of incorporating both developmental and morphological data into evolutionary studies in order to gain a better understanding of the evolutionary significance of dental and skeletal features.
Performance Analysis of Cooperative Communication Systems with Imperfect Channel Estimation

This paper investigates the effects of channel estimation errors on the symbol-error-rate (SER) performance of a cooperative communication system operating in an amplify-and-forward (AF) mode. A pilot symbol assisted modulation scheme with linear minimum mean square estimation (LMMSE) is used for the channel estimation. An accurate and easy-to-evaluate SER expression is presented for uncoded cooperative communication systems with quadrature amplitude modulation (QAM) and phase-shift keying (PSK) constellations. Numerical simulations are conducted to verify the correctness of the proposed analytical formulation. It is shown that the performance loss caused by channel estimation errors increases mainly with the normalized maximum Doppler frequency.
Adherence is not a barrier to successful antiretroviral therapy in South Africa

Objective: to determine adherence of an indigent African HIV‐infected cohort initiating antiretroviral therapy (ART); to identify predictors of incomplete adherence (< 95%) and virologic failure (> 400 HIV RNA copies/ml). Design: Prospective monitoring of adherence in a poor HIV‐positive cohort, attending a public sector hospital and receiving ART through phase III studies. Methods: Adherence to ART was determined over 48 weeks by counting tabletreturns. Logistic regression models including age, WHO HIV stage, home language, socio‐economic status, complexity and type of regimen were fitted to determine predictors of incomplete adherence and virologic failure at 48 weeks. Results: 289 patients were recruited between January 1996 and May 2001. Median (mean) adherence of the cohort was 93.5% (87.2%). Three times daily dosing [risk ratio (RR), 3.07; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.40–6.74], speaking English (RR, 0.41; 95% CI, 0.21–0.80) and age (RR, 0.97; 95% CI, 0.94–0.99) were independent predictors of incomplete adherence. Socio‐economic status, sex and HIV stage did not predict adherence. Independent predictors of virologic failure included baseline viral load (RR, 2.57; 95% CI, 1.57–4.22) and three times daily dosing (RR, 2.64; 95% CI, 1.23–5.66), incomplete adherence (RR, 1.92; 95% CI, 1.10–3.57), age (RR, 0.96; 95% CI, 0.92–0.99) and dual nucleoside therapy (RR, 2.69; 95% CI, 1.17–6.15). Conclusion: The proportion of individuals achieving viral suppression matched results from the developing world. Speaking the same language as site staff and simplified dosing frequency were beneficial. Socio‐economic status had no impact on adherence and should not be used as a limitation to ART access.
Left internal mammary artery usage in coronary artery bypass grafting: a measure of quality control.

INTRODUCTION Over the last two decades, many studies have shown better long-term patency rates and survival in patients under-going coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) with left internal mammary artery (LIMA) to the left anterior descending artery (LAD). World-wide, LIMA is accepted as the 'gold standard' for surgical revascularisation and its usage has been steadily increasing. PATIENTS AND METHODS Between April 1997 and September 2001, a total of 4406 consecutive patients underwent coronary artery bypass grafting with revascularisation to the left anterior descending artery. RESULTS Of the study group, 4047 (91.8%) patients received LIMA to LAD, leaving 359 (8.2%) who did not. Six sub-groups of patients in whom LIMA usage was significantly less were the elderly (> 70 years of age), females, diabetics, patients having emergency CABG, poor left ventricular (LV) function (ejection fraction [EF] < 30%) and patients with respiratory disease. CONCLUSIONS Although the current focus in the UK is on mortality rates, we believe that it will not be long before this will also include the incidence of major morbidity after CABG such as stroke, myocardial infarction (MI), renal failure and sternal wound problems. We also believe that we should now consider LIMA usage as a marker of quality control after CABG.
Spectrin subtypes in mammalian brain: an immunoelectron microscopic study

Spectrin is a major cytoskeletal component of the brain. At least 2 distinct spectrin subtypes are found in mammalian brain: brain spectrin(240/235) and brain spectrin(240/235E). In the present study spectrin subtypes were localized in the adult mouse brain by immunoelectron microscopy using antibodies that recognize each subtype. Brain spectrin(240/235E) was concentrated in neuronal cell bodies, dendrites, and postsynaptic terminals. It was also prominently associated with the plasma membrane, microtubules, filaments, mitochondria, endoplasmic reticulum, and nuclear envelope, and it appeared to interconnect structural elements within the cell. Brain spectrin(240/235E) also was localized to the plasma membrane, nuclear envelope, and cytoplasmic organelles of glial cell bodies. Brain spectrin(240/235) was detected in axons and presynaptic elements, where it was associated with the plasma membrane, microtubules, filaments, synaptic vesicles, and mitochondria. These results show that spectrin is distributed throughout the cytoplasm of neural cells, the location of spectrin is dependent on subtype, and the cytoplasmic surface of plasma membrane and organelles contains an extensive and intricate spectrin meshwork.
How Well Can Physicians Estimate Mortality in a Medical Intensive Care Unit?

The accuracies of physicians' predictions of mortality for 523 patients in a medical intensive care unit were compared with estimates derived from a logistic model. The model utilized a popular severity-of-illness measure, the APACHE II. Accuracy was assessed through its components resolution (discrimination) and calibration. Physicians could better discriminate survivors from nonsurvivors, as measured by the area under the receiver operating char acteristic curve (0.89 for physicians vs 0.83 for APACHE II model, p <0.001) and by resolution (0.103 for physicians vs 0.130 for APACHE II model, p <0.001). Overall, the APACHE 11 model was better calibrated (0.003 for APACHE II vs 0.021 for physicians, p <0.001). While the APACHE II model was better calibrated in the central probability ranges, physicians could more accurately identify those most likely to die. Decisions on withholding or with drawing treatment are being made daily in intensive care units based on physicians' sub jective prognostic estimates. At least for experienced physicians at a major medical center, these estimates are comparable in accuracy to quantitative models. Key words: intensive care unit; prognosis; severity of illness; quantitative models; decision making. (Med Decis Making 1989;9:125-132)
Dynamic Correlations between Intrinsic Connectivity and Extrinsic Connectivity of the Auditory Cortex in Humans

The arrival of sound signals in the auditory cortex (AC) triggers both local and inter-regional signal propagations over time up to hundreds of milliseconds and builds up both intrinsic functional connectivity (iFC) and extrinsic functional connectivity (eFC) of the AC. However, interactions between iFC and eFC are largely unknown. Using intracranial stereo-electroencephalographic recordings in people with drug-refractory epilepsy, this study mainly investigated the temporal dynamic of the relationships between iFC and eFC of the AC. The results showed that a Gaussian wideband-noise burst markedly elicited potentials in both the AC and numerous higher-order cortical regions outside the AC (non-auditory cortices). Granger causality analyses revealed that in the earlier time window, iFC of the AC was positively correlated with both eFC from the AC to the inferior temporal gyrus and that to the inferior parietal lobule. While in later periods, the iFC of the AC was positively correlated with eFC from the precentral gyrus to the AC and that from the insula to the AC. In conclusion, dual-directional interactions occur between iFC and eFC of the AC at different time windows following the sound stimulation and may form the foundation underlying various central auditory processes, including auditory sensory memory, object formation, integrations between sensory, perceptional, attentional, motor, emotional, and executive processes.
Functional motions can be extracted from on‐lattice construction of protein structures

The three‐dimensional structure of a 1509‐residue protein‐hemagglutinin is reconstructed on a simple cubic lattice by retaining all lattice sites that fall within close proximity of the X‐ray coordinates. Coarse‐grained normal modes analysis is performed using these lattice sites as the nodes of an elastic network. The collective deformations of the protein can still be extracted from such a structure that just mimics the overall shape of the protein but not its mass distribution. These results emphasize that the overall shape rather than the details of the protein fold determines the dynamical domains in proteins. Thus, low‐resolution protein structures, even those constructed on a regularly spaced lattice, can provide insights about the functionally important global dynamics around the native state. Proteins 2003. © 2003 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
High copeptin concentrations in umbilical cord blood after vaginal delivery and birth acidosis.

CONTEXT The pituitary-secreted nonapeptide arginine-vasopressin (AVP) is unstable and therefore unsuited for diagnostic use, but its secretion can be estimated by measuring copeptin, the C-terminal portion of the AVP precursor (pro-AVP). OBJECTIVE Our objective was to investigate perinatal factors affecting copeptin concentrations in infants at birth and at 3 d of life. DESIGN AND SETTING We conducted a prospective cross-sectional study at a tertiary university hospital. PATIENTS Copeptin plasma concentrations were evaluated in 177 infants at birth, including 117 paired arterial/venous umbilical cord and 102 venous blood samples obtained at 3 d of life. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE Copeptin concentrations were determined by a C-terminal pro-AVP luminescence immunoassay. RESULTS Arterial umbilical cord copeptin concentrations were consistently higher than matched venous ones (median 18 vs. 10 pmol/liter, P < 0.001), but both values were closely related (R(s) = 0.825; P < 0.001), and both were negatively related to arterial umbilical cord pH (R(s) arterial/venous = -0.578/-0.639; P < 0.001). Although exceedingly high copeptin concentrations were observed after vaginal birth in umbilical cord arterial [median (5-95% range) = 1610 (85-5000) pmol/liter] and venous [793 (6-4836) pmol/liter] plasma, copeptin concentrations were low after primary cesarean section [arterial/venous = 8 (3-907)/5 (5-504) pmol/liter]. Postnatal body weight loss was associated with increased copeptin concentrations at d 3 (R(s) = 0.438; P < 0.001) and was inversely related to copeptin concentrations at birth (R(s) = -0.289 and -0.309; both P = 0.001). CONCLUSION Vaginal birth is associated with a large release of copeptin that exceeds all values published so far, including those in critically ill adult patients with shock or brain injury. Thus, vaginal birth is arguably the most intense stressor in life.