Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Surviving antioxidant supplements.

An association between healthy diet and good health has been noted since Hippocrates (460 – 377 bc) — and in fact long before (1). Our diet provides numerous vitamins and trace elements that are essential to good health. Observational studies have shown that there is a positive association between a healthy diet, especially high intake of fruits and vegetables, and delayed aging, reduced risk of cancer, and reduced risk of cardiovascular diseases (2 , 3). Fruits and vegetables contain numerous micronutrients, including ␤-carotene (a precursor of vitamin A), vitamin C, vitamin E, and selenium. These organic components have antioxidant potential and are defined as essential micronutrients (4). Because our body cannot synthesize them, they must be consumed. In spite of intensive research, it is still not clear exactly which specifi c dietary constituents of fruits and vegetables might be benefi cial. Antioxidant vitamins and elements have attracted most attention in this regard. It is assumed that antioxidants may prevent oxidative damage to cellular components, a potentially important function given that oxidative stress might play a role in aging and the pathogenesis of number of diseases, including cardiovascu-lar diseases and cancer, the leading causes of death in high-income countries (5). Hypotheses as to the role played by oxidative stress in human disease have stimulated interest in the preventive potential of anti-oxidant supplements. Worldwide, institutions have been created to study antioxidants, and many resources have been allocated to this area. Consumption of antioxidant supplements in high-income countries has become widespread — it is estimated that about one-third of adults in high-income countries consume antioxidant supplements (6). A large number of primary or secondary prevention randomized trials have been conducted to assess the benefi ts and harms of antioxidant supplements versus placebo or no intervention. Systematic reviews and meta-analyses of these randomized trials have not demonstrated that ␤-carotene, vitamin A, and vitamin E in the administered dosages lead to decreased mortality, and some analyses have suggested the possibility of increased mortality (7 – 11). As to vitamin C and selenium, the verdict is still out (11). There are several possible explanations for the potential negative effect of antioxidant supplements. Reactive oxygen species in moderate concentrations are essential mediators of reactions by which the body gets rid of unwanted cells. Thus, if administration of antioxidant supplements decreases free radicals, it may interfere with essential defensive mechanisms for ridding the organism of damaged cells, including …
Association between personal health record enrollment and patient loyalty.

OBJECTIVES To examine the association between patient loyalty, as measured by member retention in the health plan, and access to My Health Manager (MHM), Kaiser Permanente's PHR, which is linked to its electronic health record, KP HealthConnect. DESIGN We conducted a retrospective cohort observational quality improvement project from the third quarter of 2005 to the fourth quarter of 2008 for approximately 394,000 Kaiser Permanente Northwest members. METHODS To control for self-selection bias, we used propensity scores to perform exact 1-to-1 matching without replacement between MHM users and nonusers. We estimated retention rates of the matched data and assessed the association between MHM use and retention versus voluntary termination. We also estimated odds ratios of significant variables impacting member retention. RESULTS The probability of remaining a member or being involuntarily terminated versus voluntary termination was 96.7% for users (95% confidence interval [CI], 96.6%-96.7%) and 92.2% for nonusers (95% CI, 92.1%-92.4%; P <.001). In the logistic model, MHM use was a significant predictor; only tenure and illness burden were stronger predictors. Users were 2.578 (95% CI, 2.487%-2.671%) times more likely to choose to remain members than were nonusers. The impact was more substantial among newer members. CONCLUSIONS MHM use was significantly associated with voluntary membership retention. An indicator of patient loyalty, retention is critical to healthcare organizations.
Morality and expert systems: problem solving in medical team meetings

The article derives from a study of inter-professional and collaborative medical problem solving, an activity in which moral issues are invariably implied, if not explicitly stated. Data come from fieldwork in the thoracic ward of a Norwegian hospital. Focus is on a regular inter-professional meeting called ‘the thoracic meeting’. This meeting functions as an expert system characterised by socially distributed cognition. The work of the expert system is communicatively accomplished and moral dimensions appear as characteristics of the problem-solving talk. Three cases or sequences of talk from institutionalised collaborative medical problem-solving work are presented. Each of them displays moral aspects of medical practice. The first case concerns the question of in whose interest decisions are made. Are they made in the patient's best interest, the institution's best interest or in the professional practitioners' best interest? The second case regards the interaction order, which is seen as a normative or moral order that characterise sequences of collaborative problem-solving talk. It has to do with discursive dominance, discursive tactics and adherence to the norms of interaction order. The third case shows that turning medical problems into moral problems may be used as a discursive tactic to manage professional and institutional problems. The cases show the comprehensiveness of moral issues in medical problem solving in such expert systems as the thoracic meeting.
Transplantation of Flk‐1+ human bone marrow‐derived mesenchymal stem cells promotes angiogenesis and neurogenesis after cerebral ischemia in rats

Transplantation of bone marrow‐derived mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) is a potential therapy for cerebral ischemia. Although BMSCs‐induced angiogenesis is considered important for neurological functional recovery, the neurorestorative mechanisms are not fully understood. We examined whether BMSCs‐induced angiogenesis enhances cerebral tissue perfusion and creates a suitable microenvironment within the ischemic brain, which in turn accelerates endogenous neurogenesis and leads to improved functional recovery. Adult female rats subjected to 2 h middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) were transplanted with a subpopulation of human BMSCs from male donors (Flk‐1+ hBMSCs) or saline into the ipsilateral brain parenchymal at 3 days after MCAO. Flk‐1+ hBMSCs‐treated rats exhibited significant behavioral recovery, beginning at 2 weeks after cerebral ischemia compared with controls. Moreover, rats treated with Flk‐1+ hBMSCs showed increased glucose metabolic activity and reduced infarct volume. Flk‐1+ hBMSCs treatment significantly increased the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor and brain‐derived neurotrophic factor, promoted angiogenesis, and facilitated cerebral blood flow in the ischemic boundary zone. Further, Flk‐1+ hBMSCs treatment enhanced proliferation of neural stem/progenitor cells (NSPCs) in the subventricular zone and subgranular zone of the hippocampus. Finally, more NSPCs migrated toward the ischemic lesion and differentiated to mature neurons or glial cells with less apoptosis in Flk‐1+ hBMSCs‐treated rats. These data indicate that angiogenesis induced by Flk‐1+ hBMSCs promotes endogenous neurogenesis, which may cause functional recovery after cerebral ischemia.
Pulse pressure is associated with plasma amyloid-&bgr; transport dysfunction

Objective: Increased pulse pressure (PP) has been implicated in the development and progression of Alzheimer's disease in middle-aged and elderly adults. Considering the close relationship between peripheral amyloid-&bgr; clearance and brain amyloid-&bgr; deposition, we investigated the potential association between PP and plasma amyloid-&bgr; transport function. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, a total of 1118 participants underwent a health assessment and quantification of plasma amyloid-&bgr; and amyloid-&bgr; transporter expression. Relationships between plasma levels of amyloid-&bgr;1–40, amyloid-&bgr;1–42, soluble low-density lipoprotein receptor-related protein-1 (sLRP1), soluble receptor for advanced glycation end products (sRAGE), and PP were determined using multiple linear regressions. Results: PP was a significant determinant of amyloid-&bgr;1–40 level (&bgr; = 0.059, P = 0.036) and log-transformed sRAGE (&bgr; = −0.002, P = 0.029) independent of age, sex, body mass index, pulse rate, mean arterial pressure, blood glucose, blood lipids, lifestyle, and medical history. Additionally, log-transformed soluble low-density lipoprotein receptor-related protein-1 and log-transformed sRAGE were positively associated with plasma amyloid-&bgr;1–40 level (&bgr; = 3.610, P < 0.001; &bgr; = 2.573, P = 0.001). Similar associations were observed between log-transformed sRAGE and plasma amyloid-&bgr;1–42 level (&bgr; = 1.350, P = 0.022). Conclusion: An elevation in PP is associated with increased plasma amyloid-&bgr;1–40 and decreased log-transformed sRAGE among individuals not taking antihypertensive medication. The underlying mechanism of this effect may be relevant to peripheral amyloid-&bgr; clearance.
Purification and characterization of a rat liver enzyme catalyzing N-deacetylation of mercapturic acid conjugates.

An enzyme catalyzing N-deacetylation of both S-aryl- and S-aralkylmercapturic acids has been purified about 1000-fold from rat liver cytosol. The enzyme is distinct from N-acetyl-beta-alanine deacylase [EC 3.5. 1.21], epsilon-acyllysine deacylase [EC 3.5. 1.17], acylase I [EC 3.5. 1.14], and acylase II [EC 3.5. 1.15] but resembles acylase III with regard to the substrate specificity. The KM value for N-acetyl-S-(p-nitrobenzyl)-L-cysteine was 0.38 mM at optimum pH (8.5) in Tris/HCl buffer. The molecular weight of the purified deacetylase determined by gel-filtration was 145,000 +/- 10,000.
Reasoning about the disclosure of success and failure to friends among children in the United States and China.

Children's reasoning about individuals' willingness to disclose their successes and failures was investigated among 194 6- to 11-year-olds in the United States and China. In Study 1, participants showed a valence-matching effect, in which they predicted that individuals would be more likely to disclose their performance to an audience of friends if the friends' level of achievement was similar rather than dissimilar. This effect was weaker among children from China, who were more likely to justify their responses with reference to the implications for learning together or improving future performance. Results of Study 2 suggest that for children from the United States, the disclosure of successful performance to a friend who has performed poorly is seen as implicitly conveying the message "I'm better than you," whereas for children from China the message is "I can help you to do better. " Results are interpreted with reference to cultural values and expectations about helping others to learn.
Study of Carbon NanoTube Field Effect Transistors for NEMS

The recent developments of Carbon NanoTube Field Effect Transistor (CNTFET) technology indicate the perspective of the Nanoelectromechanical systems (NEMS). Carbon nanotubes (CNT) are ideal candidates for NEMS due to their chemical and physical structures, low masses and exceptional stiffness. Study of NEMS devices in the light of quantum mechanics requires understanding the interplay between the physical, geometrical and electrical parameters of the system (Dang et al., 2006). An analytical representation of (CNT) based field effect transistor is developed for high frequency NEMS applications to examine the characteristics observed from the fabricated devices. The analytical models enable us to gain deep insights of the device performance and behavior. The developed analytical model of CNTFETs represents its viability into transistor applications for NEMS switches, RF circuits, memory cells, field emission displays, biomedical instruments etc (Polash & Huq, 2008). The metal-nanotube contacts in the CNTFETs are treated as Schottky barriers and analyzed by means of a ballistic model (Natori et al., 2005). The famous Landauer formula is used to calculate the conductance of the tube by relating the energy dependant transmission probability within the tight binding approximation of the CNTFET (Datta, 2000). Transmission function of the CNT is expressed in terms of the Green’s functions of the conductors and the coupling of the conductor leads. The Green’s function is incorporated with the transfer Hamiltonian approach to calculate the tunneling currents. The nonequilibrium Green’s function transport equation is solved iteratively along with a 2D Poisson equation to improve the numerical convergence. The charge density is calculated by integrating the 1D universal density-of-states along with the source-drain Fermi-Dirac distribution function over energy within the energy gap of the CNT. The calculations show that the proposed device can perform stable operation at high current levels (670 A/m). Upper limits of device characteristics are considered for the model. Degradation in measured data is observed due to the limitations in device fabrication technology and imperfect contact placement on the CNT. Commercialization of CNTs NEMS/sensors is a great challenge due to the price and size of such measuring equipments (Fujita et al., 2007) . When small bias current is used, resistance measurement of CNTs sensor becomes difficult and high accuracy current source and analogue to digital converter (ADC) are required to maintain a reasonable signal to noise ratio (SNR). Controlled growth of CNT is yet to be 21
Distribution and coverage of A- and B-type horizontal cells stained with Neurobiotin in the rabbit retina

Abstract Both A- and B-type horizontal cells in the rabbit retina were labeled by brief in vitro incubations of the isolated retina in the blue fluorescent dye 4,6–diamino-2–phenylindole. Intracellular injection of Lucifer Yellow into the somata revealed the morphology of the individual cells. Dye-coupling with Lucifer Yellow was seen only between A-type horizontal cells. By contrast, injection of the tracer Neurobiotin showed dye-coupling between both A- and B-type horizontal cells. There also appeared to be coupling between the axon terminals of B-type horizontal cells. The extensive dye-coupling seen following injection of Neurobiotin into a single horizontal cell soma can be used to obtain population counts of each cell type. Staining of large numbers of each cell type across the retina showed that each type increased in number and declined in dendritic diameter as the visual streak was approached, such that relatively constant coverage across the retina was maintained. In the visual streak, A-type horizontal cells numbered 555 cells/mm2 and averaged 120 μm in diameter, compared to 1375 cells/mm2 and 100 μm for B-type horizontal cells. In the periphery, the A- and B-types numbered 250 cells/mm2 and 400 cells/mm2, respectively. The average diameters of the dendritic trees at these locations were 225 μm for the A-type and 175 μm for the B-type. Coverage across the retina averaged almost six for A-type horizontal cells and 8–10 for the B-type. A-type horizontal cells in the visual streak whose elliptical dendritic fields were shown by Bloomfield (1992) to correlate physiologically with orientation bias were shown to be dye-coupled to cells with symmetrical dendritic fields.
Job and organizational determinants of nursing home employee commitment, job satisfaction and intent to turnover

The purpose of this study was to examine whether job characteristics, the work environment, participation in quality improvement activities and facility quality improvement environment predicted employee commitment and job satisfaction in nursing homes, and whether those same predictors and commitment and satisfaction predicted turnover intention. A total of 6584 nursing home employees from 76 nursing homes in a midwestern state participated. A self-administered questionnaire was used to collect the data. The results supported the hypotheses that job and organizational factors predicted commitment and satisfaction while commitment and satisfaction predicted turnover intentions. The implications for retaining nursing home employees are discussed.
Developmental expression and comparative genomic analysis of Xenopus cardiac myosin heavy chain genes

Myosin heavy chains (MHC) are cytoskeletal motor proteins essential to the process of muscle contraction. We have determined the complete sequences of the Xenopus cardiac MHC genes, α‐MHC and ventricular MHC (vMHC), and have characterized their developmental expression profiles. Whereas α‐MHC is expressed from the earliest stages of cardiac differentiation, vMHC transcripts are not detected until the heart has undergone chamber formation. Early expression of vMHC appears to mark the cardiac conduction system, but expression expands to include the ventricle and outflow tract myocardium during subsequent development. Sequence comparisons, transgenic expression analysis, and comparative genomic studies indicate that Xenopus α‐MHC is the true orthologue of the mammalian α‐MHC gene. On the other hand, we show that the Xenopus vMHC gene is most closely related to chicken ventricular MHC (vMHC1) not the mammalian β‐MHC. Comparative genomic analysis has allowed the detection of a mammalian MHC gene (MyH15) that appears to be the orthologue of vMHC, but evidence suggests that this gene is no longer active. Developmental Dynamics 233:1287–1293, 2005. © 2005 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Review of meningococcal vaccines with updates on immunization in adults

Meningococcal disease is a serious and global life-threatening disease. Six serogroups (A, B, C, W-135, X, and Y) account for the majority of meningococcal disease worldwide. Meningococcal polysaccharide vaccines were introduced several decades ago and have led to the decline in the burden of disease. However, polysaccharide vaccines have several limitations, including poor immunogenicity in infants and toddlers, short-lived protection, lack of immunologic memory, negligible impact on nasopharyngeal carriage, and presence of hyporesponsiveness after repeated doses. The chemical conjugation of plain polysaccharide vaccines has the potential to overcome these drawbacks. Meningococcal conjugate vaccines include the quadrivalent vaccines (MenACWY-DT, MenACWY-CRM, and MenACWY-TT) as well as the monovalent A and C vaccines. These conjugate vaccines were shown to elicit strong immune response in adults. This review addresses the various aspects of meningococcal disease, the limitations posed by polysaccharide vaccines, the different conjugate vaccines with their immunogenicity and reactogenicity in adults, and the current recommendations in adults.
Association of parental history of type 2 diabetes mellitus with leptin levels in Jordanian male youths.

OBJECTIVE To investigate the association between high level serum leptin in male youths in relation to parental history of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and body mass index (BMI). METHODS This cross-sectional study was carried out at the Department of Medical Technology, Applied Science University, Amman, Jordan during the period from January to April 2009. One hundred and sixteen Jordanian male nursing students aged 18-24 years were divided into 4 groups according to parental history of T2DM and BMI. Fasting blood samples were measured for blood glucose, lipid profile, and serum leptin. RESULTS Serum leptin levels in overweight and obese male youth diabetic patients with parental history of T2DM were significantly higher than in those overweight and obese without parental history (p<0.001). Of the 116 subjects, 83 (71.6%) had a positive parental history of T2DM. Compared with other groups, significant (p<0.001) elevation was observed in the mean cholesterol and triglyceride levels of obese T2DM. No significant differences were detected in high-density lipoprotein, low-density lipoprotein, and blood glucose levels among all study groups. CONCLUSION High levels of leptin in overweight and obese Jordanian male youths were more likely associated with a positive parental family history of T2DM than BMI factor.
A note on extending Bondy's meta-conjecture

A graph of order n ≥ 3 is said to be pancyclic if it contains a cycle of each length from 3 to n. A chord of a cycle is an edge between two nonadjacent vertices of the cycle. A chorded cycle is a cycle containing at least one chord. We define a graph of order n ≥ 4 to be chorded pancyclic if it contains a chorded cycle of each length from 4 to n. In this article, we prove the following: If G is a graph of order n ≥ 4 with degG(x) + degG(y) ≥ n for each pair of nonadjacent vertices x, y in G, then G is chorded pancyclic, or G = Kn/2,n/2, or G is one particular small order exception. We also show this result is sharp, both in terms of the degree sum condition and in terms of the number of chords we can guarantee exist per cycle. We further extend Bondy’s meta-conjecture on pancyclic graphs to a meta-conjecture on chorded pancyclic graphs. M. CREAM ET AL. /AUSTRALAS. J. COMBIN. 67 (1) (2017), 463–469 464
Usamljenost i preferirana samoća kao prediktori samoprocjene zdravlja odraslih

zdravlja sudionika ovoga istraživanja. Summary Numerous studies have found self-rated health to be a valid indicator of objective health status of adults. The self-rated health can be affected by many factors, such as sociodemographic characteristics, presence of a chronic condition, health behaviors, personality, social support, loneliness, solitude, etc. The main aim of this study was to test sex and age differences in self-rated health, and to determine the contribution of loneliness and preferred solitude to the explanation of individual differences in self-rated health, after controlling the influence of some sociodemographic variables, in appropriate, non-clinical sample of adults. Three hundred adults, 25 to 75 years of age, from different regions of Croatia participated in the research. The short version of UCLA Loneliness Scale and Adapted Scale of Preferred Solitude were administered, while the self-rated health was assessed by a single question ("How would you rate your current health? "). Contrary to some previous findings, the results of our research demonstrated that men and women do not differ significantly regarding their self-rated health. The older adults rated their health as a significantly worse than younger and middle-aged adults. Loneliness correlated significantly and negatively, although relatively low, with self-rated health. After controlling the contribution of some sociodemographic variables, loneliness contributed very modestly, although significantly, to the explanation of self-rated health variance. Solitude did not correlate significantly with self-rated health, so the contribution of solitude to the explanation of this criterion variable was not significant. We concluded that loneliness, and particularly solitude, do not have a greater role in the explanation of self-rated health of the participants in this study.