Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Hypertension caused by chronic intermittent hypoxia – influence of chemoreceptors and sympathetic nervous system

Background The sleep apnea syndrome (SAS) is a common health problem with a 30% prevalence among patients with so-called essential hypertension. Objective Prompted by this epidemiologic link we tried to find out whether there is a cause–effect relationship between SAS and systemic hypertension. Design We developed an animal model to simulate defined aspects of the SAS. Rats were exposed to chronic repetitive hypoxia for 7 h per day and their blood pressure was measured by invasive methods. Results We found that 30 days of intermittent hypoxia sufficed for the development of a significant elevation of blood pressure. The co-exposure to hypoxia and hypercapnia had no additional effect. Surgical denervation of peripheral chemoreceptors prevented the increase in arterial blood pressure. Adrenal demedullation and chemical denervation of the peripheral sympathetic nervous system by 6-hydroxy dopamine also prevented the increase. Conclusions Our data imply that repetitive hypoxemia in SAS is probably the cause of the high prevalence of systemic hypertension in this population and that peripheral chemoreceptors and the sympathetic nervous system play important roles in this pathophysiologic process.
The peopling of Madeira archipelago (Portugal) according to HLA genes

The Madeira‐Porto Santo Archipelago was officially colonized in 1420 by Portuguese settlers. Its importance in Columbus’ information for the American discovery and for slave traffic across the Atlantic is unquestionable. Thus, a complex peopling may have given rise to a present‐day high admixture of ethnicities according to HLA genes. A sample of 173 healthy unrelated Madeirans was analysed and compared with 6986 HLA chromosomes from other worldwide populations. Genetic distances, neighbour‐joining dendrograms and correspondence analyses were used for comparisons. Southern European, North African (including Canary Islands), Jewish and Mediterranean typical HLA alleles were found and genetic distances from Madeirans to these populations were the closest ones. In addition A*24‐B*65‐DRB1*0102‐DQB1*0501 and A*68‐B*08‐DRB1*0301‐DQB1*0201 haplotypes were newly found in Madeira and not found in any other population. Jewish‐Armenian‐Middle East haplotype (A*33‐B*65‐DRB1*0102‐DQB1*0501) is one of the most common haplotypes; this haplotype is also present in Spaniards and North Africans. Quantitatively, Portuguese, North Africans (Algerians), Spaniards and Canary Islanders (in this order) are the most important parental populations to Madeirans. Results are discussed on the basis of the recorded historical peopling which does not show a noticeable African gene input in present‐day Madeiran population according to our data; one of the closest related populations found is the Canary Islanders, suggesting that Guanche (Canary Islands first inhabitants) slaves gene flow is still noticed at present, both in Madeira and in Canary Islands populations.
B RAIN EDEMA IN ACUTE LIVER FAILURE AND CHRONIC LIVER DISEASE : S IMILARITIES AND DIFFERENCES

Hepatic encephalopathy (HE) is a complex neuropsychiatric syndrome that typically develops as a result of acute liver failure or chronic liver disease. Brain edema is a common feature associated with HE. In acute liver failure, brain edema contributes to an increase in intracranial pressure, which can fatally lead to brain stem herniation. In chronic liver disease, intracranial hypertension is rarely observed, even though brain edema may be present. This discrepancy in the development of intracranial hypertension in acute liver failure versus chronic liver disease suggests that brain edema plays a different role in relation to the onset of HE. Furthermore, the pathophysiological mechanisms involved in the development of brain edema in acute liver failure and chronic liver disease are dissimilar. This review explores the types of brain edema, the cells, and pathogenic factors involved in its development, while emphasizing the differences in acute liver failure versus chronic liver disease. The implications of brain edema developing as a neuropathological consequence of HE, or as a cause of HE, are also discussed.
Comparison of the Effect of Renin Inhibition and Angiotensin‐Converting Enzyme Inhibition in Ovine Heart Failure

Summary The acute hemodynamic and hormonal effects of incremental doses of a specific ovine renin inhibitor (RI: EMD 52 297) and captopril were compared in an ovine model of heart failure. Both RI and captopril inhibited the renin-angiotensin II (ANG II) system, although the decrease in plasma aldosterone (ALDO) was significant only during captopril infusion. Both agents exhibited strong vasodilator properties with similar decreases in mean arterial pressure (MAP, maximum decrease: RI = −20.5 ± 2.2 mm Hg, p < 0.001; captopril = - 19.8 ± 1.7 mm Hg, p < 0.001) and left atrial pressure (LAP, maximum, decrease: RI = −6.8+1.5 mm Hg, p < 0.01; captopril = −6.9 ± 0.4 mm Hg, p < 0.01) along with a slight increase in cardiac output (CO, maximum increase: RI = 0.54 ± 0.11 L/min; captopril = 0.79 ± 0.26 L/min). The slope of the response between MAP and LAP was similar in all animals, indicating that the agents have a similar effect on cardiac preload and afterload. The similar hemodynamic actions of RI and captopril in this model of congestive heart failure suggest that beneficial effects are due to inhibition of ANG II. Thus, orally active renin inhibitors may offer a useful therapeutic alternative when side effects preclude use of angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors.
Ownership structure and dividend policy in Indonesia

Purpose This research aims to examine the effect of ownership structure on dividend policy using the Indonesian context. The most common ownership structure is concentrated in the hand of family owners except in the UK and USA (La Porta et al., 1998, 2000). Family owners hold more than half of the companies in Indonesia (Carney & Child, 2013; Claessens et al., 2000). Family firms play an important role in Indonesia. Another important characteristic that emerges is the rise of government- and foreign-controlled firms in Indonesia. Thus, this research also divides ownership concentration into family firms, government-controlled and foreign-controlled firms. Design/methodology/approach Samples of this research consist of dividend announcements during 2006-2012 in Indonesian Stock Exchange. This research excluded financial data because these have characteristics that are different non-financial sectors’ characteristics. The final sample of this research consists of a 710 firm-year observation. Findings The result of this research shows that ownerships have a positive effect on dividend payout. This research divides the sample into family-controlled firms, government-controlled firms (GOEs) and foreign-controlled firms. This research shows that government- and foreign-controlled firms have a positive impact on dividend payout. However, family firms have a negative effect on the dividend payout. Family firms pay lower dividends because they prefer to control it themselves. Family firms earn benefit from those resources, but at the expense of minority shareholders. Thus, family firms engage in expropriation to minority shareholders. Research limitations/implications This study focuses on ownership structure of Indonesian listed firm. This study does not analyze the impact of other corporate governance mechanism such as board structure on dividend decisions. The owner of the companies (family, government and foreign firm) has an opportunity to put their member as part of board members. However, this study does not analyze the impact of board structure on dividend decisions. Originality/value This study provides evidence that ownership concentration positively affects dividend payout. However, there is a different effect of ownership structure (family-controlled firms, GOEs and foreign-controlled firm). Government- and foreign-controlled have a positive effect; however, family-controlled firm have a negative effect on dividend payout. Therefore, this study provides evidence of the importance of ownership structure on dividend decision.
Discussion of 'Valuation: Accounting for Risk and the Expected Return'

In this article I discuss Penman (2016), titled “Valuation: Accounting for Risk and the Expected Return. ” Penman (2016) is important because it offers potential insights that can help us understand why the book-to-market ratio and other accounting-based variables may impact expected stock returns. It does so by considering the way accounting systems measure assets and income and how these systems deal with risk. My discussion mainly focuses on what Penman calls “Accounting for Risk” and the role of log-linear models in valuation.
Optimum detection of fading signals in impulsive noise

This paper deals with the synthesis and the analysis of optimum receivers to detect one out of M equally likely, equi-energy, fading signals in impulsive noise, modelled as a compound Gaussian, possibly correlated process. We show that the conventional coherent and incoherent detectors are still optimum, independent of the noise as well as the fading probability density functions. The performance analysis has been carried on with reference to the general case of arbitrarily distributed disturbance: in order to simplify the analysis, asymptotical expressions have been developed for high signal-to-noise ratios as well as high signal space dimensionality. Interestingly enough, this allows separating the effect of the noise spikyness from that of the fading law. Results indicate that, for deep fading, the noise marginal distribution does not dramatically affect the error probability, nor is it influential on the limit operating characteristics corresponding to infinite signal space dimensions. For non-fluctuating signals, instead, the noise distribution plays a primary role: spiky noise usually produces performance impairment; moreover, the limit performance in impulsive disturbance may exhibit marked deviations from the well-known stepwise shape which is typical of Gaussian channels. >
Lipid-altering efficacy and safety of simvastatin 80 mg/day: worldwide long-term experience in patients with hypercholesterolemia.

BACKGROUND AND AIM Clinical data suggesting that larger decreases in low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) result in greater reductions in coronary heart disease events have led to the establishment of aggressive LDL-C targets for the treatment of hypercholesterolemia. In view of this, the efficacy and safety of a new maximum dose of simvastatin, 80 mg, were evaluated in 9 studies involving 2819 hypercholesterolemic patients. This report focuses on the combined results from the 4 main or Pivotal studies in which a total of 1936 patients received simvastatin 40 or 80 mg for 36 to 48 weeks. METHODS AND RESULTS The Pivotal studies had similar randomized, multicenter, controlled, double-blind, parallel-group designs. Their combined results demonstrated a significant advantage in the LDL-C-lowering effect for the 80 mg dose. At week 24, the mean percentage reductions (95% confidence intervals) from baseline in LDL-C for the 40 and 80 mg groups were -39.8% (-40.9, -38.7) and -45.7% (-46.5, -45.0) respectively (p < 0.001, between groups), and larger reductions in total cholesterol and triglycerides were also observed in the 80 mg group. Both doses were well tolerated. No new or unexpected adverse events were observed and the overall clinical event profiles were similar in the two groups. Clinically significant hepatic transaminase increases (> 3 times the upper limit of normal/ULN) and myopathy (muscle symptoms plus creatine kinase increase > 10 times ULN) occurred infrequently with both doses. Simvastatin 80 mg had a comparable efficacy and safety profile in women and men as well as in non-elderly and elderly patients. CONCLUSIONS Simvastatin 80 mg provides additional LDL-C and triglyceride reductions compared to the 40 mg dose and has an excellent safety and tolerability profile.
Induction of the MexXY Efflux Pump in Pseudomonas aeruginosa Is Dependent on Drug-Ribosome Interaction

ABSTRACT MexXY is an inducible efflux system that contributes to the natural resistance of Pseudomonas aeruginosa to antibiotics. Experiments involving real-time PCR after reverse transcription in reference strain PAO1 showed concentration-dependent induction of gene mexY by various ribosome inhibitors (e.g., chloramphenicol, tetracycline, macrolides, and aminoglycosides) but not by antibiotics acting on other cellular targets (e.g., β-lactams, fluoroquinolones). Confirming a functional link between the efflux system and the translational machinery, ribosome protection by plasmid-encoded proteins TetO and ErmBP increased the resistance of a ΔmexAB-oprM mutant of PAO1 to tetracycline and erythromycin, respectively, as well as the concentrations of both drugs required to induce mexY. Furthermore, spontaneous mutations resulting in specific resistance to dihydrostreptomycin or spectinomycin also raised the minimal drug concentration for mexXY induction in strain PAO1. While strongly upregulated in a PAO1 mutant defective in gene mexZ (which codes for a putative repressor of operon mexXY), gene mexY remained inducible by agents such as tetracycline, chloramphenicol, and spectinomycin, suggesting additional regulatory loci for mexXY. Altogether, these data demonstrate physiological interplays between MexXY and the ribosome and are suggestive of an alternative function for MexXY beyond antibiotic efflux.
Characterization of CD8+ T Cell Function and Immunodominance Generated with an H2O2-Inactivated Whole-Virus Vaccine

ABSTRACT CD8+ T cells play an important role in protection against both acute and persistent viral infections, and new vaccines that induce CD8+ T cell immunity are currently needed. Here, we show that lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV)-specific CD8+ T cells can be generated in response to a nonreplicating H2O2-inactivated whole-virus vaccine (H2O2-LCMV). Vaccine-induced CD8+ T cell responses exhibited an increased ability to produce multiple cytokines at early time points following immunization compared to infection-induced responses. Vaccination with H2O2-LCMV induced the expansion of a narrow subset of the antigen-specific CD8+ T cells induced by LCMV strain Arm infection, resulting in a distinct immunodominance hierarchy. Acute LCMV infection stimulated immunodominance patterns that shifted over time or after secondary infection, whereas vaccine-generated immunodominance profiles remained remarkably stable even following subsequent viral infection. Vaccine-induced CD8+ T cell populations expanded sharply in response to challenge and were then maintained at high levels, with responses to individual epitopes occupying up to 40% of the CD8+ T cell compartment at 35 days after challenge. H2O2-LCMV vaccination protected animals against challenge with chronic LCMV clone 13, and protection was mediated by CD8+ T cells. These results indicate that vaccination with an H2O2-inactivated whole-virus vaccine induces LCMV-specific CD8+ T cells with unique functional characteristics and provides a useful model for studying CD8+ T cells elicited in the absence of active viral infection.
Validation of the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaires for Arabic‐speaking Populations

Information about quality of life in patients with cancer in Arab populations in 21 countries is inadequate. The objective of this study was to assess the psychometric properties of the Arabic version of the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) general quality of life questionnaire (QLQ‐C30) and of the breast cancer–specific questionnaire (QLQ‐BR23) in Arab breast cancer patients. The questionnaires were administered to 87 breast cancer patients 3 months after surgery. The mean age of patients was 48.6 years (SD: 9.9), 76% were married, all had staged disease (I, 9%; II, 46%; III, 44%; IV, 1%). The percentage of patients who underwent mastectomy and lumpectomy were 49% and 51%, respectively. Questionnaire reliability was assessed using Cronbach's alpha coefficient, in which the values were all >0.7, with the exception of cognitive function and pain in the QLQ‐C30 (Cronbach's alpha 0.67 and 0.51, respectively) and breast symptoms in the QLQ‐BR23 (Cronbach's alpha 0.50). The questionnaires' validity was confirmed using “known group comparisons,” which showed that the QLQ‐C30 discriminated between mastectomy and lumpectomy patients on the emotional and cognitive function scales (P < 0.001) and QLQ‐BR23 discriminated as well on the function scales and for systemic side effects (P < 0.001). For the most part, QLQ‐C30 and QLQ‐BR23 distinguished clearly between subgroups of patients differing in their Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale. In summary, the Arabic versions of the EORTC QLQ‐C30 and QLQ‐BR23 are reliable and valid tools for assessment of quality of life in Arab patients with cancer.
Anti-immigrant Anxieties in State Policy

The Great Recession of late 2007 through 2009 had profound negative economic impacts on the U.S. states, with 49 states experiencing revenue decreases in their 2009 budgets representing more than $67.2 billion USD. Also during this period, states enacted a record number of laws related to immigrants residing in their states. We make use of data from the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) to examine punitive immigration policy enactment from 2005 to 2012 and conduct a state comparative study using cross-sectional time-series analysis to examine the potential ways in which the economic recession and changing demographics in the states have impacted punitive state immigration policy making. We hypothesize that although anti-immigrant anxieties are driven in part by economic insecurity, they are also impacted by the presence of a large or growing proportion of racialized immigrants. We find that increases in state Hispanic populations and state economic stressors associated with the recession have both led to a greater number of enacted punitive state immigration policies. In addition, we find that changes in the non-Hispanic white populations in the states are also impacting the expression of anti-immigrant attitudes in state policy during this period.
INFLUENCE OF WORK ENVIRONMENT ON ORGANIZATIONAL PERFORMANCE IN GOVERNMENT

Work environment has both positive and negative effects on the psychological and welfare of employees. The Kenyan government acknowledges that over the years there has been poor performance in the public sector, thus hindering service delivery which affect the realization of sustainable economic growth. The general objective of the study was to establish the influence of work environment on organizational performance in government ministries in Kenya. The target population was drawn from 6 government ministries based on the performance contracting reports of 2012. The total population was 7913 and the sample size was 367 according to (Krecie and morgan 1970) table. Stratified random sampling technique was employed in selecting the sample. The study adopted descriptive research design and primary data was collected using a questionnaire in the selected government ministries. A pilot study was done to test the validity and reliability of the instrument for data collection. Data was analysed by SPSS version 21. The study employed quantitative analysis techniques and correlated and generated findings showing that the variables were significantly and positively influenced organizational performance in government ministries in Kenya. Psychosocial environment was the most significant factor and had a positive significant relationship at 5% level of significance. The study recommends that there is need to ensure effective policies to enhance organizational performance in government ministries in Kenya as established in the study.
The Role of Benchmarking Data in the Software Development and Enhancement Projects Effort Planning

One of the fundamental causes of low software development and enhancement projects success rate are improperly derived estimates for their costs and time. In the case of such projects the budget and time frame are determinated by the effort being spent on activities needed to deliver product, which would meet client's requirements. Objective and reliable effort estimation still appears to be a great challenge to the software engineering. In the author's opinion the main reason of that problem is effort estimation on the basis of resources, while such planning activity should ground on the required software product size, which determines work effort. But using suitable methods for software size estimation will not be sufficient as long as it does not take into account benchmarking data concerning similar projects having been completed in the past. This paper is aimed at indicating the important role of using reliable benchmarking data in order to obtain valuable effort estimates for software development and enhancement projects, including particularly the attempt to analyse usefulness of benchmarking data of general character.
A case study in the globalization of medical education: assisting overseas-born students at the University of Melbourne

Over the past decade there has been a remarkable increase in ethnic diversity among Australian medical students. This phenomenon has been driven by two forces: the disproportionate school-level academic success achieved by first-generation migrant and refugee-origin youth, and the rapid globalization of Australia's tertiary education system, in a context where reduced government funding has accelerated the development of ‘academic capitalism’ (Slaughter & Leslie, 1997). This paper briefly examines each trend, prior to exploring select pedagogical implications of these changes for the University of Melbourne, the destination of choice by 2001 for 30% of all international students electing to study medicine in Australia. Two key questions are addressed: (1) What are the potential problems in delivering Western-style medical education to culturally and linguistically disparate groups? ; (2) What model of international student support has been developed by the Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences at the University of Melbourne? The paper suggests the model may have potential relevance for other universities, in the context of the accelerating globalization of medical education.