Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Increased endothelin‐1 levels of BAL fluid in patients with pulmonary sarcoidosis

Objective and background: Pulmonary fibrosis in sarcoidosis is a significant cause of morbidity and mortality. Various factors have been intensely studied to define the pathogenesis of lung fibrosis in sarcoidosis. Endothelin (ET) consists of three isoforms and is known for its potent vasoconstrictor properties. ET plays an important role in the fibroproliferative process of interstitial lung diseases.
Peplomycin, a bleomycin derivative, induces myofibroblasts in pulmonary fibrosis

To analyse the mechanism by which a bleomycin derivative, peplomycin (PLM) induces pulmonary fibrosis, we investigated differentiation of rat pulmonary fibroblasts to myofibroblasts (MF). In intraperitoneally PLM (5 mg/kg/day)‐injected rats, the peripheries of lungs adjacent to the pleura revealed advanced fibrosis with a small number of α‐smooth muscle actin (α‐SMA)‐positive MF, which ultrastructurally possessed abundant microfilaments and cellular organelles. In the fibrotic tissue, the expression of α‐SMA‐mRNA was detected by in situ reverse transcription‐polymerase (RT‐PCR). The message was strong just after a 2‐week administration of PLM then decreased thereafter, although fibrosis advanced. When pulmonary fibroblasts were separated from saline‐injected rats (N‐Fib) and cultivated for 7 days in the presence of 5 mg/mL PLM, α‐SMA protein was weakly expressed, while the majority of pulmonary fibroblasts separated from PLM‐injected rats (P‐Fib) became positive for α‐SMA in 7‐day cultivation and the expression of α‐SMA in P‐Fib was strongly increased by cultivation in the presence of PLM and transforming growth factor‐β (TGF‐β), but not basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) or platelet‐derived growth factor (PDGF), although the cell proliferation was most strongly enhanced by bFGF and only slightly by PLM and TGF‐β. The α‐SMA‐positive cells expressed vimentin, but only weakly expressed desmin. Additionally, P‐Fib generated larger amounts of TGF‐β and bFGF than were generated by N‐Fib. These results indicate that PLM induces pulmonary fibrosis by differentiating fibroblasts to α‐SMA‐positive MF, and that bFGF and TGF‐β play each critical role in the different phases of PLM‐induced pulmonary fibrosis by inducing fibroblast proliferation and transformation, respectively.
Nearly defect-free Ge gate-all-around FETs on Si substrates

The p-channel triangular Ge gate-all-around (GAA) FET with fin width (W<inf>fin</inf>) of 52nm and L<inf>g</inf> of 183nm has I<inf>on</inf>/I<inf>off</inf> =10<sup>5</sup>, SS= 130mV/dec, and I<inf>on</inf>=235 µA/µm at −1V. Performance can be further improved if superior gate stack than EOT=5.5 nm and D<inf>it</inf>=2×10<sup>12</sup> cm<sup>−2</sup>eV<sup>−1</sup> is used. A novel process to etch away the high defect Ge near Ge/Si interface from blanket Ge grown on SOI can solve the loading effect in the selective growth, achieve better gate control by GAA with larger effective width (W<inf>eff</inf>) than rectangular fin, and have low punch-through current through the Si substrate due to the oxide under the Ge channel and the valence band discontinuity at the Ge S/D and Si interface. By dislocation removal, the defect-free Ge channel can be formed on nothing.
The Effect of Nicotine on Spinal Fusion

Study Design An animal model of posterior lateral intertransverse process fusion healing in the face of systemic nicotine. Objectives To evaluate the effect of systemic nicotine on the success of spinal fusion and its effect on the biomechanic properties of a healing spinal fusion in an animal model. Summary of Background Data Clinical observations suggested that cigarette smoking interferes with the healing of bony fusion. No direct link has been made to implicate nicotine as a cause for impaired healing of spinal fusions or fractures. Methods Twenty-eight adult female New Zealand white rabbits underwent single level lumbar posteriar lateral intertransverse process fusion using autologous iliac bone graft. Animals were randomly assigned to either receive systemic nicotine or receive no nicotine. Animals were killed 35 days after surgery. Manual testing of the fusion mass was performed to determine the fusion status. Each fusion mass underwent biomechanic testing. Results Fifty-six percent of the control animals were judged to have solidly fused lumbar spines, and there were no solid fusions in the nicotine group (P = 0.02). The mean relative fusion strength in the control group was greater (P = 0.09) than in the nicotine group. For the comparable stiffness figures, the control group was greater than the nicotine group (P= 0.08). Conclusions This animal model established a direct relationship between the development of a nonunion in the presence of systemic nicotine. The results suggested that bone formed in the face of systemic nicotine may have inferior biomechanic properties.
Sulfamate formation is a major route for detoxification of 2-amino-3-methylimidazo[4,5-f]quinoline in the rat.

The major biliary metabolite of 2-amino-3-methylimidazo[4,5-f]quinoline (IQ) in the rat was identified as the sulfamate derivative, N-[3-methylimidazo[4,5-f]quinolin-2-yl] sulfamic acid. Identification was accomplished primarily by u.v. , 1H-n.m. r. and mass spectrometry of the material isolated from bile and confirmed by comparison with material synthesized by reaction of chlorosulfonic acid with IQ. The sulfamate was shown to be non-mutagenic in bacterial forward mutation assays. Greater than 20% of an administered dose of IQ could be recovered from feces (17%) and urine (5%) as the sulfamate. Very little unmetabolized IQ was recovered in bile, urine, or feces. Thus, the unusual process of N-sulfation is a major contributor to the detoxification and elimination of IQ in the rat.
Predictors of physician use of inpatient electronic health records.

OBJECTIVES To predict adoption (80% rate of use) of an electronic health record (EHR) by admitting physicians using a heuristic model. METHODS Administrative data collected for 326 physicians who admitted at least 10 patients to 3 hospitals during the 6 months following EHR activation represented more than 80% of the total admissions. Functions evaluated included computerized physician order entry (CPOE), electronic history and physical (EH and P), and electronic discharge summary (EDS). Independent variables included hospital size, physician alignment, physician group size, use of an office EHR, age, sex, specialty, volume, hospital based, inpatient to outpatient ratio, and loyalty. RESULTS CPOE adoption was more likely (P <.01) for physicians who were employed, male, and had a high inpatient ratio, a lower patient volume, and a community hospital setting. EH and P and EDS adoption were more likely for physicians with financial alignment and a large academic hospital setting. CONCLUSIONS Personal factors (loyalty, age, sex) were generally not predictive. Organizational factors (hospital setting, financial alignment) were most predictive of adoption. Study results may help administrators improve EHR installations.
Quotas, Productivity, and Prices: The Case of Anchovy Fishing

I exploit a 2009 reform that introduced individual fishing quotas (catch shares) for Peruvian anchovy – the largest fishery in the world – to assess the causal impact of production quotas on within-firm productivity and market prices. Unique features of the data allow me to create two alternative counterfactuals: (i) anchovy fishing operations in a region of the country that was mandated to implement quotas with a delay, and (ii) variation in quota allocations across ships. I find that quotas do not increase within-asset or within-firm productivity in quantities. Instead, a 200% increase in anchovy prices benefits extraction firms through higher revenues, consistent with two mechanisms enacted by individual fishing quotas: more orderly industry operations reducing excess supply and an increase in bargaining power of extraction firms with respect to fish-processing. Several market characteristics across geographies differentially affect market prices after the quota regime. Supplementary evidence on fewer operational infractions, higher product quality, and a lower banking delinquency observed during the quota regime suggests the existence of efficiency gains rather than purely rent transfers.
Teaching vaginal breech delivery and external cephalic version. A survey of faculty attitudes.

OBJECTIVE To ascertain current faculty attitudes regarding teaching of vaginal breech delivery (VBD) and external cephalic version (ECV). STUDY DESIGN A questionnaire was sent to obstetrics and gynecology residency programs. Respondents were queried regarding demographic parameters, resident and practice experience, and attitudes toward teaching these procedures. RESULTS Fifty-four (96%) surveys were returned. Sixteen (30%) respondents were female and 38 (70%) male. Sixteen (30%) completed residency prior to 1980, 17 (32%) during the 1980s and 21 (48%) during the 1990s. Nineteen (35%) trained locally. Forty-seven (87%) received training in VBD during residency. Thirty-five (65%) received training in ECV. Thirty-two (60%) had performed VBDs in practice. However, only 18 (33%) continued to perform this procedure. During the proceeding three years, they reported performing an average of five VBDs per chief resident per year. Thirty-seven (69%) performed ECV in clinical practice. The 17 who did not indicated that they referred to others. They reported performing an average of 15 ECVs per chief resident per year. Fifty-two (96%) thought residents should still be taught VBD. All faculty thought that residents should be taught ECV. None of the above parameters exerted a statistically significant effect on these opinions. CONCLUSION There was nearly universal faculty support for continuing to teach VBD to residents. However, only one-third of faculty members currently perform this procedure. There do not appear to be sufficient numbers of VBDs to teach this procedure utilizing a "hands on" approach. There is universal support for teaching ECV. There appear to be both enough individuals with experience and enough procedures to accomplish this education.
How Do Transplant Surgeons Accomplish Optimal Portal Venous Flow During Living-Donor Liver Transplantation? Noninvasive Measurement of Indocyanine Green Elimination Rate

Background. Balancing donor safety and graft volume is difficult. We previously reported that intentional modulation of portal venous pressure (PVP) during living-donor liver transplantation (LDLT) is crucial to overcoming problems with small-for-size grafts; however, detailed studies of portal venous flow (PVF) and a reliable parameter are still required. Patients and Methods. The elimination rate (k) of indocyanine green (ICG) was measured in 49 adult LDLT recipients. PVP was controlled during LDLT, with a target of <20 mm Hg. ICG reflects hepatocyte volume and effective PVF. The kICG value is divided by the graft weight to calculate PVF. Recipients were divided into 2 groups: those with severe and/or fatal complications within 1 month after LDLT and those without. Results. Survival rates and postoperative profiles were significantly different between the 2 groups. Univariate analysis showed significant differences in ABO blood group, final PVP, final kICG, and the final kICG/graft weight value; however, multivariate analysis showed that only the kICG/graft weight value was significant. The cutoff level for the final kICG/graft weight value for predicting successful LDLT was 3.1175 × 10−4/g. Conclusion. Accurate evaluation and monitoring of optimal PVF during LDLT should overcome the use of small-for-size grafts and improve donor safety and recipient outcomes.
Prognostic significance of E-cadherin–catenin complex in epithelial ovarian cancer

Objective: To clarify the prognostic role of E-cadherin and β- and γ-catenins, and their relation to CD44 in epithelial ovarian carcinoma. Methods: The expression of E-cadherin and β- and γ-catenins was analysed immunohistochemically in 305 primary epithelial ovarian cancers and 44 metastases, and related to CD44 expression, clinicopathological factors, and the patients’ survival. Results: Reduced cell surface expression of E-cadherin, β-catenin, and γ-catenin was particularly frequent in serous and endometrioid histological types. Reduced cell surface expression of E-cadherin and β-catenin was also associated with poor differentiation. Nuclear positivity of β-catenin was associated with high CD44 expression, endometrioid histology, and local stage of the tumour, whereas nuclear γ-catenin expression was associated with serous histology and poor differentiation. In the univariate analysis, preserved cell surface β-catenin expression in the whole study material and nuclear expression of β- and γ-catenins in the subgroup of endometrioid ovarian cancers were predictors of better 10 year disease related survival. Preserved cell surface expression of E-cadherin and β-catenin predicted favourable recurrence-free survival. These statistical significances were not retained in multivariate analysis. Conclusions: The correlation between nuclear β-catenin and CD44 indicates that β-catenin may regulate the transcription of CD44 in epithelial ovarian cancer. E-cadherin–catenin complex members are associated with the prognosis of patients with epithelial ovarian cancer, but these univariate associations were not strong enough to compete for significance with the traditional clinicopathological factors.
Discordance of Vaginal Agenesis in Monozygotic Twins

Three patients with vaginal agenesis are reported. Each has a normal monozygotic twin. The embryology of the Mullerian system and the familial occurrence of vaginal agenesis and vaginal septa arc reviewed. Vaginal agenesis associated with other congenital defects in siblings, as reported by others, is probably caiued by an autosomal recessive gene. Discordance of vaginal agenesis in identical twins, as reported here, makes an exclusively genetic etiology unlikely
Regional innervation of the heart in the goldfish, Carassius auratus: A confocal microscopy study

The intracardiac nervous system represents the final common pathway for autonomic control of the vertebrate heart in maintaining cardiovascular homeostasis. In teleost fishes, details of the organization of this system are not well understood. Here we investigated innervation patterns in the heart of the goldfish, a species representative of a large group of cyprinids. We used antibodies against the neuronal markers zn‐12, acetylated tubulin, and human neuronal protein C/D, as well as choline acetyltransferase, tyrosine hydroxylase, nitric oxide synthetase, and vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP) to detect neural elements and their transmitter contents in wholemounts and sections of cardiac tissue. All chambers of the heart were innervated by choline acetyltransferase‐positive axons, implying cholinergic regulation; and by tyrosine hydroxylase‐containing axons, implying adrenergic regulation. The mean total number of intracardiac neurons was 713 ± 78 (SE), nearly half of which were cholinergic. Neuronal somata were mainly located in a ganglionated plexus around the sinoatrial valves. Somata were contacted by cholinergic, adrenergic, nitrergic, and VIP‐positive terminals. Putative pacemaker cells, identified by immunoreactivity for hyperpolarization activated, cyclic nucleotide‐gated channel 4, were located in the base of the sinoatrial valves, and this region was densely innervated by cholinergic and adrenergic terminals. We have shown that the goldfish heart possesses the necessary neuroanatomical substrate for fine, region‐by‐region autonomic control of the myocardial effectors that are involved in determining cardiac output. J. Comp. Neurol. 522:456–478, 2014. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Analysis of the mitotic effect of Annona muricata leaf extracts on Allium cepa root tip cells

There has been a growing interest in medicinal plants by the locals of the Pacific Islands since it is readily available. Annona muricata, commonly called soursop is one of such plants which is popular because it is being used to treat initial stages of cancer due to its antioxidant properties. This study investigated various extraction methods which could be used to compare and see the effectiveness of each on the chromosomes. The cytotoxicity and genotoxicity effect were studied using Allium cepa root tip cells. Eight onion bulbs were subjected to the treatment groups which were made using methanol, water and hexane extracts of A. muricata. Three different concentrations from each extraction solvent were used. The A. cepa root tip cells were subjected for 24 h to three different leaf extractions after left to grow in water. Concentrations of 12.5, 25 and 50 g/L were used. After the treatment, onion bulbs were put back in water to recover. Hence, 5 root tips from each bulb were removed (before treatment, treatment and recovery) with cells undergoing mitosis counted under 400x of a compound microscope. All studied concentrations of A. muricata methanol extract showed significant (p≤0.05) drop in the mean mitotic index when compared with control (mean MI reduced by 9.9, 44.4 and 54.2% for 12.5, 25 and 50 g/L respectively). A. muricata water extract also showed significant differences at 12.5 g/L where mitotic index (MI) was reduced by 8.6%. At 25 g/L, the reduction was by 35.3% and by 42.8% at 50 g/L. Drastic effect (p≤0.05) was observed with the soursop-hexane extract that reduced the MI significantly in 12.5 g/L by 5.0% and by 29.7% at 25 g/L. A huge reduction in MI was observed at 50 g/L where MI declined by 72.8%. Chromosomal aberrations were also observed which indicates the genotoxicity of the extracts. All the extraction methods contributed significantly towards the drop in total MI. Compounds in the extracts is mitodepressive. Key words: Allium cepa, Annona muricata, chromosome aberration, cytotoxicity, mitosis, mitotic index.
Will the Personalization of Online Social Networks Foster Opinion Polarization

Pundits and scholars warned that the personalization of the web and in particular of online social networks fosters interaction between likeminded users and amplifies the polarization of political opinions. We criticize, however, that this warning is based on one particular polarization model and that an alternative and equally prominent theory implies the exact opposite effect, predicting that personalization fosters consensus rather than polarization. We develop a general modeling framework to compare the predictions of the competing models. Using agent-based modeling, we formally demonstrate that the two theories make contradicting predictions and study the conditions of polarization. In conclusion, we call for empirical research on the competing assumptions of the two models, discussing major roadblocks and novel methods to overcome them.
Responsible Innovation:From Concept to Practice

At a time when the limits on human progress are ever-decreasing and the consequences of human actions have never been so critical to predict and manage, the responsible nature of innovations has acquired a whole new importance. Firms now need to find the appropriate balance between achieving positive growth and performance while integrating the concept of responsible innovation at the very core of innovation strategies and processes. Based on extensive academic research and illustrated by multiple case studies and examples, this book will help understand the challenges and issues of responsible innovation for leaders and managers. It will also provide a process for implementing responsible innovation into an organization while improving performance sustainably. Contents: Introduction The Emergence of the Responsible Innovation Concept The Uncertain Nature of the Innovation Environment A Global Integration of Responsible Innovation into Organizations Policy Case for Responsible Innovation Responsible Innovation within Research and Education Achieving Responsible Innovation and Optimizing on Performance Conclusion Readership: Students and academics in innovation studies; managers and leaders handling innovation activities in organizations.
Impediments to successful ERP implementation process

Purpose – As the number of organizations that have implemented enterprise resourceplanning (ERP) systems unsuccessfully increase, it is necessary to establish the impediments in ERP implementations and the extent to which these impact the success of ERP projects. This study aims to identify the critical impediments that large organizations face in the implementation of ERP systems, and the impact of these impediments on overall success of ERP projects by a survey of Fortune 500 organizations.Design/methodology/approach – A survey was prepared based on 47 impediments identified from previous ERP implementation studies.Findings – This study finds that most of critical impediments are from functional coordination problems related to inadequate support from functional units and coordination among functional units, the project management related to business process change, and change management related to resistance of users. In this study, impediments are categorized based on project phases, and differences i.
Emerging Markets Queries in Finance and Business The Efficient Market Hypothesis: review of specialized literature and empirical research

The concept of efficiency is central to finance. For many years, academics and economics have studied the concept of efficiency applied to capital markets, efficient market hypothesis (EMH) being a major research area in the specialized literature. There are many opposite views regarding the EMH, some of them rejecting it, other supporting it. But how it all started and the way studies evolved during the last decade is very important. This survey examines the growing body of empirical research on efficient market hypothesis. The conclusion of this article is that testing for market efficiency is difficult and there is a high possibility that, because of changes in market / economic conditions, new theoretical model should be developed to take into consideration all changes. As a reasons, it is important to continue the empirical studies to decide if capital markets are or are not informational efficient.
Children With Intellectual Disability and Hospice Utilization: The Moderating Effect of Residential Care

Background: Children with intellectual disability commonly lack access to pediatric hospice care services. Residential care may be a critical component in providing access to hospice care for children with intellectual disability. Objective/Hypothesis: This research tested whether residential care intensifies the relationship between intellectual disability and hospice utilization (ie, hospice enrollment, hospice length of stay), while controlling for demographic characteristics. Methods: Multivariate regression analyses were conducted using 2008 to 2010 California Medicaid claims data. Results: The odds of children with intellectual disability in residential care enrolling in hospice care were 3 times higher than their counterparts in their last year of life, when controlling for demographics. Residential care promoted hospice enrollment among children with intellectual disability. The interaction between intellectual disability and residential care was not related to hospice length of stay. Residential care did not attenuate or intensify the relationship between intellectual disability and hospice length of stay. Conclusions: The findings highlight the important role of residential care in facilitating hospice enrollment for children with intellectual disability. More research is needed to understand the capability of residential care staff to identify children with intellectual disability earlier in their end-of-life trajectory and initiate longer hospice length of stays.