Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Small fiber pathology—a culprit for many painful disorders?

Abstract Small fiber neuropathies (SFNs) are a subgroup of sensory neuropathies that almost exclusively affect thinly myelinated A-delta or unmyelinated C-nerve fibers. Patients with SFN typically report acral burning pain, paresthesias, and dysesthesias, and sometimes itch manifesting particularly at toes and feet. Although neurological examination and standard neurophysiological assessment are normal to only marginally abnormal, special small nerve fiber tests may show functional, electrical, and morphological small fiber pathology. Interestingly, the application of small nerve fiber assessment tools has revealed similar findings also in other painful and nonpainful disorders, such as the complex regional pain syndrome, postherpetic neuralgia, or fibromyalgia syndrome. The diversity in clinical presentation, however, already implies that different pathophysiological mechanisms underlie small nerve fiber degeneration and regeneration in these disorders. This review aims at presenting current knowledge on small nerve fiber research and at intensifying the awareness for SFN vs small fiber pathology as a chance to learn about small nerve fiber pathophysiology.
The Role of Ia Antigens in T Cell Activation

The major histocompatibility complex (MHC) encodes a series of genes that control or regulate a variety of immime functions. Of particular interest to this laboratory is the critical importance of MHC products in the regulation of the interaction between immunocompetent cells. In this report we will review our recent studies which have dealt with the role of I-region associated (Ia) antigens and with the function of the immune response (Ir) genes in the activation of T lymphocytes by antigen-pulsed macrophages.
Differential effects of weight bias experiences and internalization on exercise among women with overweight and obesity

This study investigated the effects of experiences with weight stigma and weight bias internalization on exercise. An online sample of 177 women with overweight and obesity (Mage = 35.48 years, MBMI = 32.81) completed questionnaires assessing exercise behavior, self-efficacy, and motivation; experiences of weight stigmatization; weight bias internalization; and weight-stigmatizing attitudes toward others. Weight stigma experiences positively correlated with exercise behavior, but weight bias internalization was negatively associated with all exercise variables. Weight bias internalization was a partial mediator between weight stigma experiences and exercise behavior. The distinct effects of experiencing versus internalizing weight bias carry implications for clinical practice and public health.
Preservation of Estuarine Sediments for Lipid Analysis of Biomass and Community Structure of Microbiota

Various methods were tested for preserving estuarine sediments in the field before biochemical analysis of the microbiota. Total microbial biomass was determined as lipid phosphate (LP), and the fatty acids of the microbial lipids were used as indicators of community structure. Control samples were sieved to remove macroinvertebrates and plant materials and were extracted immediately in the field. Other samples were preserved both before and after sieving and stored for 5 days before analysis. Freezing resulted in a 50% decline in LP and significant decreases in many fatty acids. Refrigeration resulted in a 19% decrease in LP but no change in the fatty acids. Samples preserved with Formalin before sieving exhibited no significant change in LP but substantial increases in many fatty acids, which were probably derived from the macroinvertebrates. Sieved samples preserved with Formalin showed a 17 to 18% decline in LP but no change in the fatty acids. Ideally, samples should be sieved and extracted immediately in the field. However, short-term refrigeration and longer-term preservation of sieved samples with Formalin may be acceptable compromises.
Evaluation of the quality of the general health information webpages in Spain: influence of page source

The Internet, regardless of whether or not it is reliable, is considered the main source of health information. However, the lay-user does not know which sources offer good quality information. The main objective of the present study, therefore, was to evaluate the quality of Spanish health-related webpages, and to determine whether the webpage source influences this quality. To this end, 36 webpages were selected through the PageRank® system. The webpages from all the Regional Health Services of Spain (19 sites) were also included. The quality evaluation, which was carried out by applying the Andalusian Health Quality Agency Test, indicated that the quality information offered by Spanish webpages is very low, since no site reached the maximum score. In addition, several important aspects, including those related with personal data management and the updating of information, were not considered by most of the evaluated pages. In summary, this work shows that quality of the health information webpages in Spain is generally low, and draws particular attention to certain responsibilities, that are not met by most evaluated webpages, including sites from the Regional Health Services.
Long-term safety profile of tolvaptan in autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease patients: TEMPO Extension Japan Trial

Aim The aim of this trial (ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT01280721) was to investigate the long-term safety profile of tolvaptan in Japanese patients with autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD). Methods This open-label multicenter trial was conducted to examine adverse drug reactions (ADRs) related to tolvaptan up to an additional 3 years in 135 Japanese patients who participated in the Tolvaptan Efficacy and Safety in Management of Autosomal Dominant Polycystic Kidney Disease and its Outcomes (TEMPO) 3:4 trial at doses of 60–120 mg/d. Blood samples were collected at baseline; at weeks 1, 2, and 3; at month 3; and every 3 months thereafter. Results In total, 134/135 (>99%) patients experienced ADRs. The most frequent ADRs were thirst (77.0%), pollakiuria (57.0%), polyuria (37.8%), and hyperuricemia (14.8%). Any unexpected ADRs were not reported in this trial. Most ADRs occurred early during treatment. Fourteen patients (10.4%) experienced hepatic events, and 8 (5.9%) experienced >3-fold increases above the upper limits of normal in serum alanine aminotransferase or aspartate aminotransferase levels between 3 and 9 months following tolvaptan initiation, which recovered after drug interruption. Of the 8 patients, 7 (5.2%) were previously allocated to the placebo arm in the TEMPO 3:4 trial and 4 (3.0%) discontinued due to the hepatic events. One patient (0.7%) was previously allocated to tolvaptan and experienced similar events in the TEMPO 3:4 trial. None of the hepatic ADRs met Hy’s Law laboratory criteria. Conclusion ADRs observed in this extension trial were similar to those identified in the TEMPO 3:4 trial and hepatic events were not progressive.
Intestinal Permeability of Lamivudine Using Single Pass Intestinal Perfusion

The intestinal transport of lamivudine, a nucleotide reverse transcriptase inhibitor, was investigated using the single pass intestinal perfusion technique in male Wistar rats. Single pass intestinal perfusion was performed in small intestine at a flow rate of 0.20 ml/min. Lamivudine exhibits a high intestinal permeability over the length of the small intestine indicative of compounds that are well absorbed. The Peff of lamivudine is in the range of drugs with high intestinal permeability and high fraction of dose absorbed indicating that lamivudine readily crosses the intestine. This also suggests that lamivudine belongs to biopharmaceutics classification system class I and is a good candidate for biopharmaceutics classification system based biowaiver. The permeability values obtained from this study may be useful in models of exposure assessment.
Independent Directors and Corporate Litigation

In this paper, we examine the effects of board structure on a wide variety of corporate litigation. We use a unique hand-collected dataset of corporate law suits and the 2002 NYSE/NASDAQ exchange listing requirements, as an exogenous shock to board independence, to empirically examine the monitoring effectiveness of board independence using a difference-in-difference framework. We find that an increase in board independence is associated with a significant reduction in multiple types of corporate litigation, beyond shareholder class action lawsuits. While this evidence is consistent with stronger monitoring by independent directors we also find evidence that greater board independence can inhibit a board’s ability to monitor internal actions. Specifically, we find evidence that mandatory increases in board independence, which reduces a board’s knowledge of firm-specific information, can make a firm more susceptible to product liability, employment and labor litigation. The evidence is consistent with the greater monitoring role independent directors provide, but also their limitations when it comes to monitoring in firms where firm-specific information is more important.
WHICH OF THE CARDIAC NATRIURETIC PEPTIDES IS MOST EFFECTIVE FOR THE TREATMENT OF CONGESTIVE HEART FAILURE, RENAL FAILURE AND CANCER?

1 Cardiac natriuretic peptides consist of a family of six peptide hormones that are synthesised by three separate genes and then stored as three separate prohormones (i.e. 126 amino acid atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP), 108 amino acid B‐type natriuretic peptide (BNP) and 103 amino acid C‐type natriuretic peptide (CNP) prohormones). The ANP prohormone contains four peptide hormones: long‐acting natriuretic peptide (LANP), vessel dilator, kaliuretic peptide and ANP. 2 Currently, the only natriuretic peptide available commercially to treat congestive heart failure (CHF) is BNP (Nesiritide/Natrecor; SCIOS, Sunnyvale, CA, USA), which causes a small increase in the urine volume of 90 38 mL/h compared with 67 27 mL/h and no significant natriuresis, but has beneficial haemodynamic effects in acute CHF individuals. These haemodynamic effects probably contribute to the side‐effects of BNP in patients with acute CHF with a 27% incidence of hypotension and possibly to 22% worsening of renal function, defined as an increase in serum creatinine of 0.5 mg/dL, associated with a worse prognosis. A review of clinical trials suggests a twofold increased risk of death at 30 days post‐nesiritide treatment, a finding that needs further investigation. 3 The best of the natriuretic peptides for treating chronic CHF is the vessel dilator, which increases urinary flow up to 13‐fold and sodium excretion up to fourfold, without the previously mentioned side‐effects. The natriuretic and diuretic effects of vessel dilators last 6 h, which would allow them to be used on a four times per day basis in treating chronic CHF. 4 Atrial natriuretic peptide does not cause significant improvement in acute renal failure (ARF) in humans. The only natriuretic peptide that significantly improves ARF is the vessel dilator. Even when ARF has been established for 2 days before treatment in an ischaemic ARF animal model, vessel dilator decreases serum creatinine from 8.2 0.5 to 0.98 0.12 mg/dL in 6 days. At day 6 of ARF, mortality decreases to 14% (from 88%) without the vessel dilator. After 6 days of treatment with the vessel dilator, the proximal and distal tubules regenerate. 5 In cancer, vessel dilator, LANP, kaliuretic peptide and ANP at 1 mmol/L, decrease up to 97% of human breast, pancreatic and prostate adenocarcinoma cells, as well as small cell and squamous cell lung cancer cells within 24 h. In vivo, vessel dilator, LANP and kaliuretic peptide completely stop the growth of human pancreatic adenocarcinomas in athymic mice and decrease their tumour volume by 49, 28 and 11%, respectively in 1 week.
A survey among breast cancer survivors: treatment of the climacteric after breast cancer

Aim To evaluate the prevalence and type of menopausal treatments used by breast cancer survivors. To assess factors that impaired the quality of life of these patients. Material and methods A questionnaire assessing quality of life was sent to 325 breast cancer patients. A 66% valid response rate was obtained. Among these responses, 169 women were postmenopausal. The following results concern these patients only. Results Forty-five women were using some treatment to alleviate certain menopausal symptoms (26.6%). More than half of the patients used no therapy to alleviate menopausal symptoms, either because they had no symptoms (n = 43; 25.4%), they feared breast cancer recurrence (n = 24; 14.2%), they were advised not to use a treatment (n = 27; 16%), it had been shown to be inefficient (n = 5; 3%), or because of contraindication (n = 3; 1.8%). In this survey, 62.3% of postmenopausal women affected by breast cancer suffered from hot flushes (n = 94), of which half were severe (n = 46). Among women suffering from hot flushes, a third used various products to alleviate their symptoms (n = 30). Younger women suffered more often from vasomotor symptoms than did older women (p < 0.000). Current users of aromatase inhibitors suffered more from sexual disorders than did non-users (p < 0.001). They had more often an unsatisfactory sexual life (p < 0.01), more vaginal dryness (p = 0.01) and a decreased libido (p < 0.02) compared to non-users. Conclusion More than 50% of postmenopausal women suffered from climacteric symptoms such as hot flushes, but few were taking a treatment to alleviate these symptoms.
Flow cytometric analysis of basophil numbers in chronic urticaria: basopenia is related to serum histamine releasing activity

Background and Objective Peripheral blood basophils are reduced in some chronic urticaria patients when counted with granule stains. Approximately 30% of patients with severe chronic urticaria have functional autoantibodies which release histamine from healthy donor basophils in vitro but the relationship between basophil numbers in vivo and serum histamine releasing activity has not been studied.
A study on the knowledge and adoption level of improved Sericulture practices by the farmers of Chittoor district.

The introduction of new Sericultural technology initiated the transformation of Indian Sericulture and there by created a large potential for increasing sericulture production in India. Andhrapradesh is the Second largest producer of raw silk (6054 MT) after Karnataka. The productivity of sericulture depends on the extent of which, farmers adapt new sericultural innovations. Adaption of improved technologies plays a major role in improving the productivity of any agriculture activity. Hence, the present study was conducted to know the impact of knowledge on the adoption of new technologies in sericulture by the seri farmers in chittoor district, which is the major mulberry growing districts in Andhrapradesh . Data was collected based on pre prepared questionnaire in sixteen villages of chittoor district with the objective to appraise the levels of knowledge on sericultural technologies and adoption of recommended sericultural practices. The study revealed that 6.6 % of the respondents was higher educated , 35.5% respondents were up to secondary level,32.2% respondents were primary educated and the remaining 25.5% farmers were illiterates. The knowledge on mulberry cultivation practices was high especially on variety (100%), spacing(100%) and adoption level also high(60 &40%). Knowledge on fertilizer application and also adoption was low (47.5%(F)40%(P)12.5%(N)) level and the adoption level also low (37.5%(F)32.5%(P)20%(N)). Silkworm rearing practices studies shows that the knowledge was high (92.5%(F)7.5%(P))and adoption also high(80%(P),20%(P))and on disinfection knowledge level was (70%(F),30%(p)) and adaption was low(62.5%(F),5%(P),12.5%(N) .
The Information Content of the Deferred Tax Valuation Allowance: Evidence from Venture Capital Backed IPO Firms

This study examines the deferred tax disclosures of a sample of venture capital backed IPOs with net operating loss (NOL) carryforwards. I find that 82 percent of these firms record an allowance that reduces the associated deferred tax asset to zero. I show that the size of a firm’s NOL, and proxies for its expectation of future taxable income, have significant predictive power for the magnitude of the valuation allowance, and that the allowance sends a strong negative signal about future book income. Both of these results indicate that the valuation allowance does provide information about an IPO firm’s economic fundamentals. I propose a new explanation for the presence of the allowance: the ownership change limitation, which can cause firms to record an allowance independent of their expectations about future earnings. I find firms take this limitation into account when recording the allowance, and that controlling for it can enhance the allowance’s signal regarding future income.
Caring in residential aged-care. Qualitative findings from an e-cohort sub-study.

AIM The aim of this e-cohort sub-study was to explore and describe nurses' understandings of 'caring' in residential aged-care. BACKGROUND The quality of the work environment is an important issue for recruitment, retention and workforce planning. Knowledge about the people in and the place that is the residential aged-care facility may assist with the problems surrounding the recruitment and retention of nurses in the workforce. DESIGN Qualitative electronic cohort sub-study. METHODS This paper presents the qualitative research findings from an electronic cohort sub-study of 58 registered and enrolled nurses working in the residential aged-care sector in 2007. Data were collected through an open ended question and a qualitative content analysis was used to generate the core categories. RESULTS The concept of caring was grounded in and constrained by, the everyday reality of the nurses in the study. Organisational imperatives for the completion of documentation necessary for accreditation and funding combined with under-staffing restricted the time available for caring practices. Some nurses represented residential care faculties as devoid of care, others as a place where the resident was central to their work and care. The staff perceived of themselves as an ageing workforce in need of rejuvenation and resourcing. CONCLUSION The concept of caring is manifest in nurses' language as they describe their workplace, the residents, themselves and the structures that impact on what they do. Good caring manifests itself when the residents are central to the business of the aged care facility. However, nurses in this study describe a range of restrictive factors impeding caring practices and diminishing workforce morale and motivation to create environments that can truly be called a 'home-away-from-home' and one that all people would find acceptable. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE These findings have implications for aged-care sector recruitment, retention and workforce planning within residential aged-care facilities.
Th1‐mediated experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis is CXCR3 independent

Drugs that block leukocyte trafficking ameliorate multiple sclerosis (MS). Occurrences of opportunistic infection, however, highlight the need for novel drugs that modulate more restricted subsets of T cells. In this context, chemokines and their receptors are attractive therapeutic targets. CXCR3, a Th1‐associated chemokine receptor, is preferentially expressed on T cells that accumulate in MS lesions and central nervous system (CNS) infiltrates of mice with experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE). Surprisingly, mice genetically deficient in either CXCR3 or CXCL10 succumb to EAE following active immunization with myelin antigens. EAE is mediated by a heterogeneous population of T cells in myelin‐immunized mice. Hence, disease might develop in the absence of CXCR3 secondary to the compensatory action of encephalitogenic CCR6+ Th17 cells. However, in the current study, we show for the first time that blockade or genetic deficiency of either CXCR3 or of its primary ligand has no impact on clinical EAE induced by the adoptive transfer of highly polarized Th1 effector cells. Our data illustrate the fact that, although highly targeted immunotherapies might have more favorable side effect profiles, they are also more likely to be rendered ineffective by inherent redundancies in chemokine and cytokine networks that arise at sites of neuroinflammation.
Vision change after sheet transplant of fetal retina with retinal pigment epithelium to a patient with retinitis pigmentosa.

OBJECTIVE To report the subjective and objective improvement in vision in a patient with autosomal dominant retinitis pigmentosa after transplantation of a sheet of fetal neural retina together with its retinal pigment epithelium. DESIGN A sheet of fetal neural retina with its retinal pigment epithelium was transplanted into the subretinal space under the fovea unilaterally in a patient with retinitis pigmentosa with visual acuity of 20/800 in the treated eye. Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study visual acuity testing, scanning laser ophthalmoscope, tissue typing of the donor and recipient, fluorescein angiography, multifocal electroretinogram, multifocal visually evoked potential, and clinical examination were used. RESULTS No clinical evidence of rejection was observed. There was no retinal edema or scarring. The transplant sheet lost its pigmentation by 6 months. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES A change in visual acuity from 20/800 to 20/400 (7 months), 20/250 (9 months), and 20/160 (1 year) was observed by Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study visual acuity testing. Independently, scanning laser ophthalmoscope testing at a different institution at 9 months showed a visual acuity of 20/270 at a 40 degrees field of view. CONCLUSION This study indicates that fetal retina transplanted with its retinal pigment epithelium can survive 1 year without apparent clinical evidence of rejection and show continued improvement in Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study visual acuity.
The Geography of Risk Capital

We use the relative pricing of pairs of emerging market (EM) sovereign bonds issued in both dollars and euros to study capital markets frictions during periods of financial distress. While there is no evidence of mispricing before 2007, during the 2007–2008 crisis we document a persistent anomaly that resulted in segmented EM bond markets. The sign of mispricing varies cross-sectionally, depending on the domestic currency of funding banks, and its magnitude depends on the degree of fragility in wholesale funding markets. Neither liquidity nor short-selling constraints can account for this anomaly. We document the impact of non-conventional policy interventions.
Natural infection of triatomines (Hemiptera: Reduviidae) by trypanosomatids in two different environments in the municipality of Ouro Preto do Oeste, State of Rondônia, Brazil.

INTRODUCTION This study analyzed the occurrence and the contamination of triatomines by trypanosomatids in Orbignya speciosa (babassu) specimens in the State of Rondônia, Brazil, in two different environments (pasture and woods). METHODS Capture of triatomines on babassus and microscopic search for trypanosomatids in their digestive tube were carried out. RESULTS Four hundred ninety-four (494) specimens were captured (Rhodnius prolixus and R.robustus), of which 35.6% of the triatomines were positive for trypanosomatids. CONCLUSIONS The high index of natural infection along with the abundance of triatomines points out to the necessity to create an epidemiological surveillance system to monitor vector-borne transmission and deepen the studies on the ecology of such vectors in the Amazon.