Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The Efficacy and Safety of Bile Acid Binding Agents, Opioid Antagonists, or Rifampin in the Treatment of Cholestasis-Associated Pruritus

OBJECTIVES:The objective of this review was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of rifampin, opioid antagonists, or bile acid binding agents in the treatment of cholestasis-related pruritus (CAP) from available randomized controlled trial evidence.METHODS:In addition to a comprehensive gray literature search, the Cochrane Library, MEDLINE, EMBASE, PubMed, and Web of Science were searched. Only full-text RCTs in participants (>75% adult) with CAP on at least one of the three medications were included. The primary outcome was change in pruritus score, recorded as a continuous or dichotomous outcome. Two independent reviewers performed trial selection and quality assessment.RESULTS:From 487 citations, 12 RCTs were included. Rifampin (standardized mean difference [SMD] –1.62, 95% CI –3.05 to –0.18) and opioid antagonists (SMD –0.68, 95% CI –1.19 to –0.17) significantly reduced CAP. The two cholestyramine studies were too heterogeneous to pool. Although cholestyramine (P = 0.35) and rifampin (P = 0.96) were not associated with greater side effects compared with placebo, opioid antagonists were (number needed to harm = 2.6, 95% CI 1.4–25). CONCLUSIONS:The available RCTs are small, few in number, and use varying scales for measuring pruritus. Although both opioid antagonists and rifampin demonstrated a reduction in pruritus, there were insufficient data to judge the efficacy of cholestyramine. Opioid antagonists were associated with transient side effects in a significant proportion of patients. A longer well-designed randomized controlled trial is needed to confirm the efficacy of bile acid binding agents and accurately assess adverse events.
Capacity Bounds for Rayleigh/Lognormal MIMO Channels With Double-Sided Correlation

In this letter, both analytic upper bound and lower bound of ergodic capacity are presented for distributed multiple-input multiple-output (D-MIMO) systems operating on Rayleigh/Lognormal fading channels. In the analysis, it is assumed that receive correlation and transmit correlation exist simultaneously, and the numbers of receive and transmit antennas both are arbitrary. The determinant in the expression of ergodic capacity is expanded as a linear sum of determinants of quadratic forms. Then the moments of the determinants are determined. Thereby upper and lower bounds on the ergodic capacity are obtained. The bounds remain tight across the entire Signal-to-Noise ratio (SNR) regime. The validity of above conclusion is verified by computer simulation.
Effect of temperature on space charge trapping and conduction in cross-linked polyethylene

This paper presented the measurement results of space charge distribution and high field conduction in cross-linked polyethylene (XLPE) plate sample at various electric fields for a broad temperature range from 30 to 90 °C. The temperature effect on charge trapping and transport mechanism is discussed based on estimation of threshold characteristic and apparent mobility. It is shown that the threshold field for space charge accumulation apparently decreased with the temperature, probably associated with acceleration of charge injection and ionic dissociation. The apparent mobility of charges showed an exponential dependence on temperature, which indicates enhancement of charge detrapping and transfer rate at higher temperature. The field dependence of the space charge decreases with the temperature, results in more space charge accumulate at room temperature than at high temperature at certain high field. This behavior indicates that the space charge formation rate increases slower than the charge detrapping rate as the temperature increases. Besides, negative charge is always dominant in the sample at the measuring field and temperature range. This is probably due to stronger electron injection at XLPE-aluminum interface or more negative ion formed by dissociation of chemical species.
Immunohistochemical Analysis of a Dentigerous Cyst in a Dog

A dentigerous cyst is a cyst that encloses part or the entire crown of an impacted or late-erupting tooth and occurs with comparatively high frequency in humans. In animals, there are three different lesions that are similar to dentigerous cyst and this complexity has led to confusion. In order to clarify the dentigerous cyst most similar to that in humans especially with regard to characteristics of the lining epithelium, this report describes the clinical, pathological, and immunohistochemical features of a dentigerous cyst in a dog. Further, approaches to the surgical and dental management of this cyst in dogs are also discussed and the literature is reviewed. Extraction of an embedded right mandibular first premolar tooth and debridement of the dentigerous cyst soft tissue lining were performed in a 4-year-old female mixed-breed dog. Radiography showed a well-defined unilocular and radiolucent area associated with the crown of the unerupted tooth. Histologically, the unilocular cyst wall was mainly lined by non-keratinized stratified flattened epithelium. As in humans, canine dentigerous cyst can be appropriately treated by cyst enucleation after accurate diagnosis. The radiographic appearance of an unerupted tooth embedded in an osseous cyst wall is a significant characteristic finding. Moreover, non-keratinized epithelium is immunoreactive for amelogenin and ssDNA, which might be associated with deregulation of cell death in the lining epithelium, derived from odontogenic origin. When encountering any questionable lesions, an accurate diagnosis and immediate treatment can avoid malignant transformation.
Antibiotic prescribing patterns in out-of-hours primary care: A population-based descriptive study

Abstract Objective. To describe the frequency and characteristics of antibiotic prescribing for different types of contacts with the Danish out-of-hours (OOH) primary care service. Design. Population-based observational registry study using routine registry data from the OOH registration system on patient contacts and ATC-coded prescriptions. Setting. The OOH primary care service in the Central Denmark Region. Subjects. All contacts with OOH primary care during a 12-month period (June 2010–May 2011). Main outcome measures. Descriptive analyses of antibiotic prescription proportions stratified for type of antibiotic, patient age and gender, contact type, and weekdays or weekend. Results. Of the 644 777 contacts registered during the study period, 15.0% received an antibiotic prescription: 26.1% resulted from clinic consultations, 10.7% from telephone consultations, and 10.9% from home visits. The prescription proportion was higher for weekends (17.6%) than for weekdays (10.6%). The most frequently prescribed antibiotic drugs were beta-lactamase sensitive penicillins (34.9%), antibiotic eye drops (21.2%), and broad-spectrum penicillins (21.0%). Most antibiotic eye drops (73%) were prescribed in a telephone consultation. Most antibiotics were prescribed at 4–6 p.m. on weekdays. Young infants received most antibacterial eye drops (41.3%), patients aged 5–17 years and 18–60 years received most beta-lactamase sensitive penicillins (44.6% and 38.9%, respectively), while patients aged 60 + years received most broad-spectrum penicillins (32.9% of all antibiotic prescriptions). Conclusion. Antibiotics were most often prescribed in clinic consultations, but, in absolute terms, many were also prescribed by telephone. The high prescription proportion, particularly antibacterial eye drops for young infants, suggests room for improvement in rational antibiotic use.
Mobile Location Estimator in a Rough Wireless Environment Using Extended Kalman-Based IMM and Data Fusion

An extended Kalman-based interacting multiple model (EK-IMM) smoother is proposed for mobile location estimation with the data fusion of the time of arrival (TOA) and the received signal strength (RSS) measurements in a rough wireless environment. The extended Kalman filter is used for nonlinear estimation. The IMM is employed as a switch between the line-of-sight (LOS) and non-LOS (NLOS) states, which are considered to be a Markov process with two interactive modes. Combining extended Kalman filtering with the IMM scheme for accurately smooth range estimation between the corresponding base station (BS) and mobile station (MS) in the rough wireless environment, the proposed robust mobile location estimator, in association with data fusion, can efficiently mitigate the NLOS effects on the measurement range error. Simulation results illustrate that the performance of the proposed method has been significantly improved in the LOS/NLOS transition case. Moreover, the performance of the EK-IMM smoother with data fusion is also better than that with a single measurement used alone.
Assessment of health-related quality of life among adolescents with type 1 diabetes mellitus in Saudi Arabia.

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the health-related quality of life (HRQoL) for adolescents with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM). METHODS A cross-sectional study was conducted among 214 adolescents (13-18 years) with T1DM at the Diabetes Treatment Center, Prince Sultan Military Medical City, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia from June to September 2013. Respondents were selected by their availability during routine visits to outpatient clinics, and interviewed using the Arabic translated version of the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory 3.0 Diabetes Module (PedsQL 3.0 DM) independently. RESULTS Female gender, multiple daily injection (MDI), longer duration of T1DM (>7 years), diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) and adolescents with >7 HbA1c level had at least one poor HRQoL outcome. Multivariate linear regression analysis showed that age, treatment type (MDI), DKA, and >7 HbA1c were independent influencing factors for subscale diabetes symptoms, whereas >7 HbA1c was the independent influencing factor for treatment barriers and overall HRQoL. The DKA was the independent influencing factor for the subscale of worry, and female gender was the independent influencing factor for the subscale of communication. CONCLUSION Female gender, age, treatment type, >7 HbA1c, and DKA are the strongest determinants for lower HRQoL for at least one subscale of the PedsQL 3.0 DM.
Serological Antibodies in Inflammatory Bowel Disease: A Systematic Review

&NA; The diagnosis of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is traditionally based on a combination of clinical, endoscopic, histological, and radiological criteria. However, further testing is needed in cases of diagnostic uncertainty and in predicting disease course. This systematic review focuses on the potential for 10 serological antibodies to fill these roles: pANCA, ASCA, anti‐OmpC, anti‐CBir1, anti‐I2, ALCA, ACCA, AMCA, anti‐L, and anti‐C. We discuss their prevalence in IBD and health; their role in disease diagnosis and risk stratification; their stability over time; their presence in unaffected relatives; their association with genetic variants; and differences across ethnic groups. Serological antibodies have some role in primary diagnosis and in differentiating between Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis. In indeterminate colitis, preoperative measurement of serological antibodies can help to predict the likelihood of complications among patients undergoing pouch surgery. The combined presence and magnitude of a large panel of antibodies appear to be of value in predicting disease progression. There is currently insufficient evidence to recommend the use of antibody testing to predict responses to treatment or surgery in patients with IBD. (Inflamm Bowel Dis 2011;)
Approximation Schemes for Machine Scheduling with Resource (In-)dependent Processing Times

We consider two related scheduling problems: single resource-constrained scheduling on identical parallel machines and a generalization with resource-dependent processing times. In both problems, jobs require a certain amount of an additional resource and have to be scheduled on machines minimizing the makespan, while at every point in time a given resource capacity is not exceeded. In the first variant of the problem, the processing times and resource amounts are fixed, while in the second the former depends on the latter. Both problems contain bin packing with cardinality constraint as a special case, and, therefore, these problems are strongly NP-complete even for a constant number of machines larger than three, which can be proven by a reduction from 3-Partition. Furthermore, if the number of machines is part of the input, then we cannot hope for an approximation algorithm with absolute approximation ratio smaller than 3/2. We present asymptotic fully polynomial time approximation schemes (AFPTAS) for the problems: For any ε > 0, a schedule of length at most (1+ε) times the optimum plus an additive term of O(pmax log (1/ε)/ε) is provided, and the running time is polynomially bounded in 1/ε and the input length. Up to now, only approximation algorithms with absolute approximation ratios were known. Furthermore, the AFPTAS for resource-constrained scheduling on identical parallel machines directly improves the additive term of the best AFPTAS for bin packing with cardinality constraint so far.
Quantitative characterization of virus‐like particles by asymmetrical flow field flow fractionation, electrospray differential mobility analysis, and transmission electron microscopy

Here we characterize virus‐like particles (VLPs) by three very distinct, orthogonal, and quantitative techniques: electrospray differential mobility analysis (ES‐DMA), asymmetric flow field‐flow fractionation with multi‐angle light scattering detection (AFFFF‐MALS) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). VLPs are biomolecular particles assembled from viral proteins with applications ranging from synthetic vaccines to vectors for delivery of gene and drug therapies. VLPs may have polydispersed, multimodal size distributions, where the size distribution can be altered by subtle changes in the production process. These three techniques detect subtle size differences in VLPs derived from the non‐enveloped murine polyomavirus (MPV) following: (i) functionalization of the surface of VLPs with an influenza viral peptide fragment; (ii) packaging of foreign protein internally within the VLPs; and (iii) packaging of genomic DNA internally within the VLPs. These results demonstrate that ES‐DMA and AFFFF‐MALS are able to quantitatively determine VLP size distributions with greater rapidity and statistical significance than TEM, providing useful technologies for product development and process analytics. Biotechnol. Bioeng. 2009; 102: 845–855. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Length dependence of force generation exhibit similarities between rat cardiac myocytes and skeletal muscle fibres

According to the Frank–Starling relationship, increased ventricular volume increases cardiac output, which helps match cardiac output to peripheral circulatory demand. The cellular basis for this relationship is in large part the myofilament length–tension relationship. Length–tension relationships in maximally calcium activated preparations are relatively shallow and similar between cardiac myocytes and skeletal muscle fibres. During twitch activations length–tension relationships become steeper in both cardiac and skeletal muscle; however, it remains unclear whether length dependence of tension differs between striated muscle cell types during submaximal activations. The purpose of this study was to compare sarcomere length–tension relationships and the sarcomere length dependence of force development between rat skinned left ventricular cardiac myocytes and fast‐twitch and slow‐twitch skeletal muscle fibres. Muscle cell preparations were calcium activated to yield ∼50% maximal force, after which isometric force and rate constants (ktr) of force development were measured over a range of sarcomere lengths. Myofilament length–tension relationships were considerably steeper in fast‐twitch fibres compared to slow‐twitch fibres. Interestingly, cardiac myocyte preparations exhibited two populations of length–tension relationships, one steeper than fast‐twitch fibres and the other similar to slow‐twitch fibres. Moreover, myocytes with shallow length–tension relationships were converted to steeper length–tension relationships by protein kinase A (PKA)‐induced myofilament phosphorylation. Sarcomere length–ktr relationships were distinct between all three cell types and exhibited patterns markedly different from Ca2+ activation‐dependent ktr relationships. Overall, these findings indicate cardiac myocytes exhibit varied length–tension relationships and sarcomere length appears a dominant modulator of force development rates. Importantly, cardiac myocyte length–tension relationships appear able to switch between slow‐twitch‐like and fast‐twitch‐like by PKA‐mediated myofibrillar phosphorylation, which implicates a novel means for controlling Frank–Starling relationships.
Holocene re-colonisation, central-marginal distribution and habitat specialisation shape population genetic patterns within an Atlantic European grass species.

Corynephorus canescens (L.) P.Beauv. is an outbreeding, short-lived and wind-dispersed grass species, highly specialised on scattered and disturbance-dependent habitats of open sandy sites. Its distribution ranges from the Iberian Peninsula over Atlantic regions of Western and Central Europe, but excludes the two other classical European glacial refuge regions on the Apennine and Balkan Peninsulas. To investigate genetic patterns of this uncommon combination of ecological and biogeographic species characteristics, we analysed AFLP variation among 49 populations throughout the European distribution range, expecting (i) patterns of SW European glacial refugia and post-glacial expansion to the NE; (ii) decreasing genetic diversity from central to marginal populations; and (iii) interacting effects of high gene flow and disturbance-driven genetic drift. Decreasing genetic diversity from SW to NE and distinct gene pool clustering imply refugia on the Iberian Peninsula and in western France, from where range expansion originated towards the NE. High genetic diversity within and moderate genetic differentiation among populations, and a significant pattern of isolation-by-distance indicate a gene flow drift equilibrium within C. canescens, probably due to its restriction to scattered and dynamic habitats and limited dispersal distances. These features, as well as the re-colonisation history, were found to affect genetic diversity gradients from central to marginal populations. Our study emphasises the need for including the specific ecology into analyses of species (re-)colonisation histories and range centre-margin analyses. To account for discontinuous distributions, new indices of marginality were tested for their suitability in studies of centre-periphery gradients.
Effectiveness of N‐Acetylcysteine for the Prevention of Contrast‐Induced Nephropathy: A Systematic Review and Meta‐Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials

Background Conflicting results have been obtained in trials that have evaluated the prophylactic efficacy of N‐acetylcysteine (NAC) pretreatment in the prevention of contrast‐induced nephropathy (CIN). In this meta‐analysis of randomized controlled trials, we aimed to assess the effectiveness of NAC treatment for the prevention of CIN. Methods and Results PubMed, EMBASE, and the Cochrane Library were electronically searched from inception to January 2016 for all relevant studies. The weighted relative risk (RR) and corresponding 95% CI for incident CIN were estimated using random effects models. Standard methods for assessing statistical heterogeneity and publication bias were used. The study included 11 480 participants and 1653 cases of CIN. The incidence of CIN was 12.8% in the NAC group versus 16.0% in the control group (RR: 0.76, 95% CI: 0.66–0.88, P=0.0002). In the patients undergoing coronary angiography, the incidence of CIN in the NAC group versus the control group was 13.7% versus 17.2% (RR: 0.74, 95% CI: 0.63–0.87, P=0.0002); in those undergoing peripheral angiography, the incidence was 6.4% versus 5.8% (RR: 1.00, 95% CI: 0.42–2.40, P=1.00); in those undergoing computed tomography, the incidence was 7.7% versus 14.8% (RR: 0.51, 95% CI: 0.29–0.89, P=0.02). Conclusions Our meta‐analysis showed an inverse and significant association between NAC supplementation and risk of CIN in patients undergoing coronary angiography and computed tomography, while a protective role for NAC in patients undergoing peripheral angiography was not obvious.
Selected Characteristics of Research on Lesbian Women

Abstract This study examined characteristics of social science research that specifically included lesbians in their sample and was published from 1995-1997. A search of the PsycINFO data base identified 59 articles for analysis. Characteristics of the research that were examined included sampling issues, topics studied, and funding sources. Findings revealed: (1) snowball sampling and friendship networks were the most frequently used method of obtaining respondents; (2) lesbians were the only group studied in 22 (37.3%) of the studies; (3) family and relationships were the most frequently studied topics; and (4) 18 (30.5%) of the studies indicated receipt of at least one external funding source. Findings suggest that while lesbians are a population increasingly worthy of study, challenges remain in identifying respondents for participation in research.
Don't be deceived: Using linguistic analysis to learn how to discern online review authenticity

This article uses linguistic analysis to help users discern the authenticity of online reviews. Two related studies were conducted using hotel reviews as the test case for investigation. The first study analyzed 1,800 authentic and fictitious reviews based on the linguistic cues of comprehensibility, specificity, exaggeration, and negligence. The analysis involved classification algorithms followed by feature selection and statistical tests. A filtered set of variables that helped discern review authenticity was identified. The second study incorporated these variables to develop a guideline that aimed to inform humans how to distinguish between authentic and fictitious reviews. The guideline was used as an intervention in an experimental setup that involved 240 participants. The intervention improved human ability to identify fictitious reviews amid authentic ones.