Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Flow-Independent Myocardial Ischemia Induced by Endothelin-1: An NADH Fluorescence Analysis

The endothelin-1 (ET-1) is known to cause myocardial ischemia; however, whether this effect is entirely dependent on vasoconstriction is uncertain. The aim of this study was to characterize the myocardial ischemia after the intracoronary administration of endothelin-1, and compare it with that induced by coronary stenosis. In the left anterior descending coronary artery of 15 dogs, a mild inflow reduction (30%) was produced for 10 minutes using intracoronary endothelin-1 (46 ± 33 pmol/min) or coronary stenosis. The hearts were rapidly cross-sectioned at short axial plane and freeze-clamped within 120 milliseconds using a specially developed device to visualize and quantify the area of ischemia (%IA) with NADH fluorescence photography. The %IA was larger in the endothelin-1 group than in the stenosis group (66 ± 23 versus 18 ± 18, P = 0.0005); furthermore, the ischemia was transmural in the ET-1 group, but limited to subendocardium in the stenosis group. ET-1 increased the coronary arterial resistance especially in subepicardial region and produced smaller ischemic foci in microcirculation. The mechanism of larger ischemia produced by ET-1 might depend on pro-ischemic effects on myocytes and vasoconstriction of the coronary microcirculation, predominantly in the subepicardium in vivo.
Synthesis, characterization, and assessment of cytotoxic, antiproliferative, and antiangiogenic effects of a novel procainamide hydrochloride-poly(maleic anhydride-co-styrene) conjugate

Poly(maleic anhydride-co-styrene) (MAST) was synthesized by a free-radical polymerization reaction. A bioactive molecule, procainamide hydrochloride (PH), was then conjugated to MAST. The conjugation product was named as MAST/PH. Structural characterization of MAST and MAST/PH was carried out by Fourier Transform Infrared and Nuclear Magnetic Resonance spectroscopy. Their molecular weights were determined by size-exclusion chromatography. A mechanism was then suggested for the conjugation reaction. The results of the cytotoxicity assay, employing a mouse fibroblast cell line (L929), indicated that MAST/PH had no cytotoxicity at concentrations 62 μg mL−1 (p > 0.05). Antiproliferative activities of MAST/PH and PH were determined by the BrdU cell proliferation ELISA assay, using C6 and HeLa cell lines. In the experiment, two anticancer chemotherapy drugs, cisplatin and 5-fluorouracil, were included as positive control. Antiproliferative activity results demonstrated that MAST/PH yielded the highest suppression profile (approximately 42%) at 20 μg/ml, while free PH exerted the same activity at 100 μg/ml. Interestingly, both MAST/PH and PH suppressed the proliferation of only one of the cell lines, C6 cells. Both cisplatin and 5-fluorouracil yielded approximately 60% antiproliferative activity on C6 cells at 20 and 100 μg/ml concentrations. Antiangiogenic capacity of both MAST and MAST/PH was also investigated by using the chicken chorioallantoic membrane assay. Results obtained indicated that while MAST/PH could be included into the category of good antiangiogenic substances, the activity score of MAST was within the weak category.
Ethanol intoxication prolongs post‐burn pulmonary inflammation: role of alveolar macrophages

In this study, the role and fate of AMs were examined in pulmonary inflammation after intoxication and injury. Clinical evidence has revealed that half of all burn patients brought to the emergency department are intoxicated at the time of injury. This combined insult results in amplified neutrophil accumulation and pulmonary edema, with an increased risk of lung failure and mortality, relative to either insult alone. We believe that this excessive pulmonary inflammation, which also parallels decreased lung function, is mediated in part by AMs. Restoration of lung tissue homeostasis is dependent on the eradication of neutrophils and removal of apoptotic cells, both major functions of AMs. Thirty minutes after binge ethanol intoxication, mice were anesthetized and given a 15% total body surface area dorsal scald injury. At 24 h, we found a 50% decrease in the total number of AMs (P < 0.05) and observed a proinflammatory phenotype on the remaining lung AMs. Loss of AMs paralleled a 6‐fold increase in the number of TUNEL+ lung apoptotic cells (P < 0.05) and a 3.5‐fold increase in the percentage of annexin V+ apoptotic cells in BAL (P < 0.05), after intoxication and injury, relative to controls. In contrast to the reduction in the number of cells, AMs from intoxicated and injured mice had a 4‐fold increase in efferocytosis (P < 0.05). In summary, these data suggest that loss of AMs may delay resolution of inflammation, resulting in the pulmonary complications and elevated mortality rates observed in intoxicated and burn‐injured patients.
[Frontal cortical infarction and contralateral postural and international tremor].

INTRODUCTION Movement disorders, when caused by ischemic stroke, may appear as initial manifestation or after a variable interval of time. Among postictal movement disorders tremor is an uncommon manifestation. Holmes' tremor, which is a mixed tremor, is the most frequent type of tremor after stroke. It is associated to infarcts of various localizations like mesencephalon, pons, cerebellum, and thalamus. Cortical infarct is exceptional as a cause of tremor. CASE REPORT A sixty-three-year-old woman, with hypertension, who, 2 weeks after a cortical infarct located in the precentral circunvolution of the left frontal lobe, presented with a postural and intention tremor of low frequency (4 Hz) and high amplitude at the right arm. Tremor is still present 2 years after stroke and it has improved partially after treatment with clonazepam. DISCUSSION Frontal cortical infarcts may cause a contralateral postural and intentional tremor. It usually appears after a time interval. Tremor physiopathology may be related, in these cases, to interruption of the inhibitory fronto-subcortical motor circuit.
Postmenopausal levels of sex hormones and risk of breast carcinoma in situ: Results of a prospective study

We report on a prospective study to assess the association of postmenopausal serum levels of sex hormones with subsequent risk of breast carcinoma in situ. We conducted a case‐control study nested within the cohort of the New York University Women's Health Study, a large prospective study documenting a positive association of circulating levels of estrogens and androgens with invasive breast cancer. The study included 69 cases of incident in situ carcinoma and 134 individually matched controls. No statistically significant trend of increasing risk with increasing level of any of the hormones was observed. Odds ratios (95% CIs) for the highest tertile relative to the lowest were 1.10 (0.51–2.39) for estradiol, 0.95 (0.41–2.19) for estrone, 1.63 (0.69–3.88) for testosterone, 0.99 (0.44–2.24) for androstenedione, 0.99 (0.45–2.20) for dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate and 0.81 (0.38–1.74) for sex hormone–binding globulin. Adjusting for potential confounders did not materially affect the results, nor did limiting the analysis to the 59 cases of ductal carcinoma in situ, the lesion thought to be the direct precursor of most invasive breast cancers. Our results are at variance with the positive associations observed in this same cohort with risk of invasive breast cancer. Possible explanations for our results include lack of power, an effect of sex hormones limited to the progression from in situ to invasive tumors, overrepresentation of indolent tumors or an effect of sex hormones on the induction of only a subset of in situ tumors, those that would develop into invasive tumors. © 2004 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Nonsteroidal anti‐inflammatory drugs in the treatment of osteoarthritis

Symptoms and disability vary considerably over time and among individuals with similar degrees of radiographic osteoarthritis. The results of recent clinical studies have reaffirmed that many patients prefer nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) to analgesics while also demonstrating that many individuals who have been receiving NSAIDs can manage without them. Certain but as yet poorly characterized patients appear to respond more favorably to treatment with NSAIDs. Thus, both chronic unquestioning use of NSAIDs and denial of NSAIDs to individuals with osteoarthritis are extreme and inappropriate approaches to treatment. Concerns about the gastrointestinal toxicity of NSAIDs remain, although strategies to prevent this toxicity provide some reassurance and should be considered for use in individuals who are at particular risk. These strategies include the use of NSAIDs that are selective inhibitors of the prostaglandin endoperoxide synthase II isoenzyme and are potentially less ulcerogenic or the coprescription of prostaglandin analogues or other ulcer-healing drugs. The costs and benefits of such approaches have yet to be established. Cartilage metabolism is adversely affected by certain NSAIDs in vitro, but the relevance of these observations remains unclear. In our view, the judicious use of NSAIDs in the treatment of osteoarthritis is acceptably safe and indicated in individuals in whom pain cannot be managed by simple analgesics and nonpharmacologic approaches.
Striking a deal on the F-35: multinational politics and US defence acquisition

Abstract Why does joint defence production of advanced weapons systems, which appears like a logical choice at first, become harder for both the primary production state and its allies to manage and justify as the acquisition process runs its course? To answer this question, we analyze the multinational politics of the F-35 JSF with a focus on how secondary states who have bought into the program are affected by domestic politics within the primary production state. We find that US congressional and bureaucratic politics, cuts to US defence spending, and a desire to retain tight control over the program has locked allies into a program with which they have little leverage. Potentially losing the ability to fight along side the US if they don’t follow through, coupled with inter-Alliance pressures, leaves secondary states who are involved with the F-35 program, vulnerable to the whims of US domestic politics.
Predictability of Spread of Epidural Anesthesia for Cesarean Section Using Incremental Doses of Lidocaine Hydrocarbonate with Epinephrine

The relationship between patient height and total volume of lidocaine hydrocarbonate (1.73%) with epinephrine, required to produce epidural anesthesia for Cesarean section, was studied. Volume of local anesthetic, time to maximum block, highest segmental block, and number of spinal segments blocked were recorded. The segmental dose requirement (SDR) was calculated. All the results from 9 “short” (< 5′2″) and 18 “tall” (> 5′2″) patients were compared. There were no intergroup differences between any of the measured variables, and a scatterplot showed no linear relationship between patient height and the volume of the local anesthetic used. The mean values obtained for volume of local anesthetic used in both subgroups were compared with suggested arbitrary volumes of 25 ml for “tall” patients and 18 ml for “short” patients, used as a single-dose through an epidural needle. Using a one-sample hypothesis test, a significant difference was seen in tall patients (16.0 ± 2.9 v 25; p < .001), but not in the short subgroup (15.9 ± 3.2 v 18; p < .082). Patient height is a poor predictor of the volume of lidocaine hydrocarbonate required for epidural anesthesia in pregnant women. Selecting an arbitrary volume of local anaesthetic for use as a single epidural dose may result in either an excessively high or inadequate segmental block. Well-controlled titration of local anesthetic through an epidural catheter is recommended for elective Cesarean section.
Relationship Between Corporate Governance, Management Ownership and Capital Structure: Evidence from Pakistan Stock Exchange

This study examines the linkage between corporate governance and company’s capital structure proxy as leverage for 100 non-financial Pakistani companies listed on Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) from 2009 to 2013. The corporate governance’s features used for this research comprised of BS (Board Size), BC (Board Composition), CEO/CHAIR Duality, MSH (Managerial Shareholding) and control variable ROA. For appropriate model selection, apply Chow, Breusch Pagan and Hausman test. The results of these three test suggests that best model for this study is Pooled OSL model. Correlation and regression analysis is used to determine relationship between Corporate Governance to Capital Structure. The empirical results show that 36% change in leverage is explained by independent variables of the study. The empirical results of this study show that BS and ROA is negative statistically significant while BC is positive statistically significant to leverage. Furthermore, the results show that the independent variables CEO Duality and MSH are statistically insignificant to Leverage. The average analysis from 2009 to 2013 indicates that these companies followed lower debt policy with larger board size and ROA and pursued higher debt policy with the higher percentage of non- executive directors on the board.
A Promise Fulfilled

Final Fantasy XIII: Lightning Returns ends on the note that the souls that Lightning saved are to be reborn into a new world. I had the feeling that Lightning kept her memories and was heading to see Serah, from the movie monologue. I also read somewhere that she was supposed to be calling her friends, thus meaning everyone was born as the age they were with all their memories. This is just a speculation from the cut scene at the end of the game and what I’ve read. So correct me if I’m wrong.
Show Me the Money: On Predicting Actual Purchases in Cross-National Sponsorship

The improvements in new media technologies in conjunction with the expansion of innovative opportunities for marketing and consuming sport have played direct roles in the globalization of sport. However, those in the Sport Management academic field are still trying to understand the effect of culture on sport consumer behavior. Guided by Hofstede’s cultural dimensions theory, the purpose of this study was to examine the sponsorship and cross-national relationships among the short-term/long-term orientation and individualism/collectivism cultural dimensions, attitude toward a sponsor, gratitude, purchase intentions, and actual purchases. Data were collected via longitudinal web surveys conducted with soccer fans from the United States, the United Kingdom, and India. The results from a structural equation model provided evidence that the individualism/collectivism cultural dimension had a significant effect on gratitude but not on actual purchases, and that the purchase intentions variable was a predictor of actual purchases.
Identification of Metal Dithiocarbamates as a Novel Class of Antileishmanial Agents

ABSTRACT Dithiocarbamates have emerged as potent carbonic anhydrase (CA) inhibitors in recent years. Given that CAs are important players in cellular metabolism, the objective of this work was to exploit the CA-inhibitory property of dithiocarbamates as a chemotherapeutic weapon against the Leishmania parasite. We report here strong antileishmanial activity of three hitherto unexplored metal dithiocarbamates, maneb, zineb, and propineb. They inhibited CA activity in Leishmania major promastigotes at submicromolar concentrations and resulted in a dose-dependent inhibition of parasite growth. Treatment with maneb, zineb, and propineb caused morphological deformities of the parasite and Leishmania cell death with 50% lethal dose (LD50) values of 0.56 μM, 0.61 μM, and 0.27 μM, respectively. These compounds were even more effective against parasites growing in acidic medium, in which their LD50 values were severalfold lower. Intracellular acidosis leading to apoptotic and necrotic death of L. major promastigotes was found to be the basis of their leishmanicidal activity. Maneb, zineb, and propineb also efficiently reduced the intracellular parasite burden, suggesting that amastigote forms of the parasite are also susceptible to these metal dithiocarbamates. Interestingly, mammalian cells were unaffected by these compounds even at concentrations which are severalfold higher than their antileishmanial LD50s). Our data thus establish maneb, zineb, and propineb as a new class of antileishmanial compounds having broad therapeutic indices.
Clinical outcomes of early weight‐bearing after arthroscopic microfracture during the treatment of osteochondral lesions of the talus

Background The time until weight‐bearing after arthroscopic microfracture when treating osteochondral lesions of the talus (OLT) is very important to the clinical outcomes of the operation. However, there have been no consistent opinions regarding the optimal time to start weight‐bearing postoperatively. Many opinions advocate that weight‐bearing should begin not earlier than the sixth or eighth week postoperatively, whereas others point out that earlier weight‐bearing could also obtain satisfactory outcomes. The purpose of our study was to evaluate the clinical outcomes of early weight‐bearing after arthroscopic microfracture during the treatment of OLT. Methods Fifty‐eight ankles in 58 patients with a single OLT <2 cm2 were retrospectively studied. All lesions were treated with arthroscopic debridement and microfracture under local anesthesia. After the operation, the patients were allowed to bear full weight under the protection of figure‐8‐shaped splints. The visual analog scale (VAS) for pain and the American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society (AOFAS) ankle—hindfoot scale were evaluated preoperatively and at six postoperative timepoints (1st day, 1st month, 3rd month, 6th month, 12th month, and 24th month). Patients were followed up for 24‐52 months (mean (34.97±7.33) months). Results All 58 patients achieved excellent recovery with significant relief of their symptoms. The VAS score decreased from 7.31±1.0 preoperatively to 0.95±0.76 at the 24th month follow‐up (P=0.000), whereas the AOFAS score improved from 53.53±8.57 preoperatively to 87.62±5.42 at the 24th month follow‐up (P=0.000). Conclusion The successful clinical outcomes of this study demonstrated that early weight‐bearing after the treatment of OLT with arthroscopic microfracture can be allowed.
Safety, Pharmacokinetics, and Antiretroviral Activity of Multiple Doses of Ibalizumab (formerly TNX-355), an Anti-CD4 Monoclonal Antibody, in Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1-Infected Adults

ABSTRACT Ibalizumab (formerly TNX-355) is a humanized monoclonal antibody that binds CD4, the primary receptor for human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1), and inhibits the viral entry process. A phase lb multidose study of the safety, pharmacokinetics, and antiviral activity of ibalizumab was conducted with 22 HIV-1-infected patients. Nineteen patients were randomized to receive either 10 mg/kg of body weight weekly (arm A) or a 10-mg/kg loading dose followed by 6 mg/kg every 2 weeks (arm B) intravenously for 9 weeks. Three patients were assigned to receive 25 mg/kg every 2 weeks for five doses (arm C). During the study, the patients remained off other antiretrovirals or continued a stable failing regimen. Treatment with ibalizumab resulted in substantial reductions in HIV-1 RNA levels (0.5 to 1.7 log10) in 20 of 22 subjects. In most patients, HIV-1 RNA fell to nadir levels after 1 to 2 weeks of treatment and then returned to baseline despite continued treatment. Baseline viral isolates were susceptible to ibalizumab in vitro, regardless of coreceptor tropism. Emerging resistance to ibalizumab was manifested by reduced maximal percent inhibition in a single-cycle HIV infectivity assay. Resistant isolates remained CD4 dependent and were susceptible to enfuvirtide in vitro. Complete coating of CD4+ T-cell receptors was correlated with serum ibalizumab concentrations. There was no evidence of CD4+ T-cell depletion in ibalizumab-treated patients. Ibalizumab was not immunogenic, and no serious drug-related adverse effects occurred. In conclusion, ibalizumab administered either weekly or biweekly was safe and well tolerated and demonstrated antiviral activity. Further studies with ibalizumab in combination with standard antiretroviral treatments are warranted.
Status of oxidative stress and antioxidant levels in smokers with breast cancer from western Nepal.

BACKGROUND Research indicates that oxidative stress induced by smoking plays a role in breast cancer. In view of these reports, we aimed to study th relationship between smoking and oxidative stress in breast cancer patients from the western region of Nepal. MATERIALS AND METHODS The study included a control group of 42 females (non-smoking healthy women) and a test group sudivided into Group I consisting of 46 female breast cancer patients who were smokers and Group II consisting of 42 non-smoking breast cancer patients. Detailed history of the patients was collected with the help of pre-test proforma. Plasma levels of malondialdehyde (MDA), total antioxidant activity (TAA) which represents total dietary antioxidants, vitamin C and α- tocopherol were estimated by standard methods. Statistical analysis was done using SPSS version 16. RESULTS The plasma MDA, TAA, vitamin C and α- tocopherol were 1±1.4nmol/ml, 918±207μmol/L, 1±0.24mg/dL and 0.94±0.31mg/dL in controls, 5±1.2nmol/ml, 458±166 μmol/L, 0.64±0.32mg/dL and 0.5±0.3mg/dL in Group-I and 2.56±1.2nmol/ml, 663±178 μmol/L, 0.78±0.2mg/dL and 0.77±0.2mg/dL in Group- II, respectively. Vitamin C, α- tocopherol and TAA (p=0.001) were significantly reduced whereas MDA (p=0.001) was significantly raised in Group-I when compared to controls and Group-II. CONCLUSIONS We observed a significant rise in oxidative stress and low levels of antioxidants in breast cancer patients with smoking habit. It is well known that free radicals facilitate the progression of breast cancer, possibly increasing the risk of progression to the next stage.
Repatriation: what do we know and where do we go from here

Abstract The unparalleled growth in multinational corporations in recent decades has witnessed a commensurate rise in the deployment of expatriates to foreign subsidiaries and their subsequent repatriation. However, despite considerable progress in our understanding of the expatriation phase of international assignments, the literature on repatriation remains fragmented and incomplete. Plagued with problematic re-adjustments, high turnover rates, and a range of other obstacles, there is an urgent need for an improved understanding of repatriation. This study systematically reviews the repatriation literature over the previous four decades, identifies its major themes, gaps and limitations, and provides a framework that consolidates the literature and prompts future work in several important new directions.
Concurrent Momentum and Contrarian Strategies: Evidence from Indonesia

This study aims to test the relative performance of contrarian and momentum strategies for middle-term and long-term horizons in the Indonesian capital market. The test is performed for constituents of the Kompas 100 index for the period 2009–2014. The results reveal that the superior performance of the momentum strategy in the intermediate term is sensitive to formation horizons. In the long term (over 24 months), however, the contrarian strategy is more profitable than the momentum strategy. It is also found that in concurrence with the findings of many studies of long-run return anomalies in developed countries, there is no relationship between the generated returns and value and size premiums.