Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Medical management of neurofibromatosis 1: a cross-sectional study of 383 patients.

BACKGROUND The morbidity and mortality caused by neurofibromatosis 1 are a result of complications that may involve any of the body systems. Two models of management have been proposed for the detection of various complications in specialized neurofibromatosis clinics: investigation protocols (including extensive imaging and analysis of 24-hour urinary catecholamine levels); or clinical follow-up without imaging. OBJECTIVE Our purpose was to validate the strategy of clinical follow-up (without routine imaging and 24-hour urinary catecholamine levels). METHODS We retrospectively compared the number of treated complications during 2 successive periods from our database: screening investigations from November 1988 to June 1995 and clinical examination from July 1995 to June 2000. RESULTS The number of treated complications during the 2 periods was not statistically different (27/166 vs 28/217; Fisher's exact test, P =.39). CONCLUSION Screening investigations added little to clinical follow-up. Indeed, routine clinical examination can easily identify complications that require treatment in adult patients with neurofibromatosis 1.
Regulation of Glutamate Dehydrogenase and Glutamine Synthetase in Avocado Fruit during Development and Ripening

The activity, protein, and isoenzymic profiles of glutamate de-hydrogenase (GDH) and glutamine synthetase (GS) were studied during development and ripening of avocado (Percea americana Mill. cv Hass) fruit. During fruit development, the activity and protein content of both GDH and GS remained relatively constant. In contrast, considerable changes in these enzymes were observed during ripening of avocado fruit. The specific activity of GDH increased about 4-fold, coincident with a similar increase in GDH protein content and mRNA levels. On the other hand, GS specific activity showed a decline at the end of the ripening process. On the isoenzymic profile of GDH, changes in the prevalence of the seven isoenzymes were found, with a predominance of the more cathodal isoenzymes in the unripe and of the most anodal isoenzymes in the ripe fruit. Two-dimensional electrophoresis revealed that avocado fruit GDH consists of two subunits whose association gives rise to seven isoenzymes. The results support the view that the predominance of the more anodal isoenzymes in the overripe fruit was due to the accumulation of the [alpha]-polypeptide.
Placental transfer of IgG subclasses in a Japanese population

Abstract Background: Maternal immunoglobulin G (IgG), transferred across the placenta to the fetus during intrauterine life, is an important component of the neonatal immunological defence mechanisms against infection. There is controversy with respect to differences in placental transfer of the different IgG subclasses, and no definite data are available on a Japanese population. Therefore, we investigated placental transfer of IgG subclasses in a Japanese population.
Cyclic GMP-dependent Protein Kinase Regulates the Expression of Thioredoxin and Thioredoxin Peroxidase-1 during Hormesis in Response to Oxidative Stress-induced Apoptosis*

Human neuroblastoma cells, SH-SY5Y, contain relatively low levels of thioredoxin (Trx); thus, they serve favorably as a model for studying oxidative stress-induced apoptosis (Andoh, T., Chock, P. B., and Chiueh, C. C. (2001) J. Biol. Chem. 277, 9655–9660). When these neurotrophic cells were subjected to nonlethal 2-h serum deprivation, their neuronal nitric oxide synthase and Trx were up-regulated, and the cells became more tolerant of oxidative stress, indicating that NO may protect cells from serum deprivation-induced apoptosis. Here, the mechanism by which NO exerts its protective effects was investigated. Our results reveal that in SH-SY5Y cells, NO inhibits apoptosis through its ability to activate guanylate cyclase, which in turn activates the cGMP-dependent protein kinase (PKG). The activated PKG is required to protect cells from lipid peroxidation and apoptosis, to inhibit caspase-9 and caspase-3 activation, and to elevate the levels of Trx peroxidase-1 and Trx, which subsequently induces the expression of Bcl-2. Furthermore, active PKG promotes the elevation of c-Jun, phosphorylated MAPK/ERK1/2, and c-Myc, consistent with the notion that PKG enhances the expression of Trx through its c-Myc-, AP-1-, and PEA3-binding motifs. Elevation of Trx and Trx peroxidase-1 and Mn(II)-superoxide dismutase would reduce H2O2and O 2 ⨪ , respectively. Thus, the cytoprotective effect of NO in SH-SY5Y cells appears to proceed via the PKG-mediated pathway, andS-nitrosylation of caspases plays a minimal role.
Enhancing organisation effectiveness through human, relational and structural capital: an empirical analysis / Amrizah Kamaluddin, Rashidah Abdul Rahman

The research deepens the understanding of the role of intellectual capital in creating corporate wealth from the perspective of a developing nation like Malaysia. A different economic set up where there exists different technological advancements (Chen, Cheng and Hwang, 2005) and differences in views on the metaphors of knowledge between the West and Asia (Andriessen and Boom, 2007) suggests that, a different implication of intellectual capital may exist. Thus, the research contributes to the intellectual capital literature of the ASEAN countries where culture, politics, economics and social environment provide a different perspective and challenges. Resource-based theory views, intellectual capital as the resources of wealth creation, vital to firm financial performance and the key driver to achieve sustained competitive advantages (Riahi- Belkaoui, 2003; Tayles, 2004). The current research investigates the relationship of Malaysian listed companies’ intellectual capital with organisation effectiveness. Based on the results through questionnaire survey of 155 Malaysian companies’ managers, it was found that among the intellectual capital components, structural and relational capital significantly influence the organisation’s effectiveness with structural capital as the strongest predictor. This reveals that structural capital, which comprises investment enhancement in technology, processes and systems, coupled with relational capital which includes customer-oriented and market driven activities, are imperative in determining high performance and competitive advantage
Visible body modifications and future employment

It is important to investigate male and female college students’ perceptions on visible body modifications (VBM) in relation to future employment given the uncertain economy and how VBM can be a risk factor in obtaining employment (Kramer, 2006). This nonrandom pilot study examined the perceptions of 79 college students regarding VBM and the effect those modifications have on future employment. It was hypothesized that female college students would report considering VBM to a greater extent regarding future employment. Data was analyzed using: frequencies, crosstabulations, mean comparisons, independent t-tests, along with Cronbach’s Alpha reliability analysis. The results indicated one significant gender difference in support of the hypothesis. College career specialists need to focus on male college students who consider the employment consequences of VBM less than females. Implications for future research would include a larger, random, and more diverse sample to be able to generalize to the larger population of college students.
Community-level socio-economic status and cognitive and functional impairment in the older population.

BACKGROUND This study aimed to determine if people living in communities with higher socio-economic deprivation are at an increased risk of cognitive and functional impairment even after controlling for the effects of individual socio-economic status. METHODS We analysed cross-sectional data from the Medical Research Council Cognitive Function and Ageing Study which consists of a community-based sample of Cambridgeshire, Gwynedd, Newcastle, Nottingham and Oxford. The study included 13 004 men and women aged 65 years and over who were randomly selected from Family Health Services Authority computerized records after being stratified to ensure equal numbers of those aged 75 years and over and those under 75 years. The outcome measures were cognitive impairment (Mini-Mental State Exam 0-21) and functional impairment (Instrumental Activities of Daily Living and/or Activities of Daily Living disability). RESULTS Individuals living in more deprived areas, as measured by the Townsend deprivation score, were found to have a higher prevalence of cognitive impairment [odds ratio (OR) (most deprived versus least deprived quintile) = 2.3; 95% confidence interval (CI)1.8-3.0; P < 0.001] and functional impairment [OR (most deprived versus least) = 1.6; 95% CI 1.4-1.9; P < 0.001] after controlling for age, sex, centre effects, education and social class. CONCLUSIONS There is a significantly higher prevalence of cognitive impairment and functional impairment in elderly individuals living in socio-economically deprived areas regardless of their own socio-economic status. This evidence is of relevance for informing public health policy and those allocating resources for the long-term care of the elderly.
Does experience matter? Implications for community consultation for research in emergency settings

ABSTRACT Background: Community consultation (CC) is required for research in emergency settings using an exception from informed consent (EFIC) in the United States, but uncertainty persists regarding best CC practices. There is ongoing debate about whom to include in CC, specifically, whether to prioritize geographically defined communities or individuals with connections to the condition. Understanding the impact of personal disease experience on views of EFIC research is important for designing CC and interpreting its results. Methods: This study was a secondary analysis of surveys administered to 2612 participants at 12 sites in CC events conducted for ProTECT III: Progesterone for Traumatic Brain Injury, a Phase III, randomized trial conducted using EFIC. Key survey domains included personal traumatic brain injury (TBI) experience, demographic information, and acceptance of both hypothetical personal enrollment under EFIC and the use of EFIC in general in ProTECT III. Descriptive statistics and multivariable regression models were used to explore relationships between key domains. Results: TBI patients, those with family members/loved ones with TBI, and those who knew someone else with TBI were slightly more accepting of hypothetical personal enrollment under EFIC (adjusted odds ratio [OR] 1.14 [0.78–1.67], 1.54 [1.17–2.02], and 1.51 [1.19–1.92], respectively) and use of EFIC in general (adjusted OR 1.17 [0.83–1.64], 1.39 [1.08–1.77], and 1.06 [0.86–1.31], respectively) than those without this. In a subgroup analysis based on race, white participants with any disease experience had higher levels of acceptance of EFIC, as expected. However, there was numerically lower acceptance of personal and general EFIC enrollment among black participants with closer TBI connections. Conclusions: Personal TBI experience was associated with increased acceptance of EFIC research for that condition, except among black participants. Heterogeneity of the effect of personal disease experience on EFIC views further supports inclusion of individuals with relevant disease experience in CC and highlights the importance of engaging minority participants.
Pandemic-related health behavior: repeat episodes of influenza-like illness related to the 2009 H1N1 influenza pandemic

SUMMARY The Houston Health Department (HHD) in Texas tracks influenza-like illness (ILI) in the community through its Influenza Sentinel Surveillance Program, which began in 2008. After the influenza A(H1N1) pandemic (pH1N1) in 2009, investigators sought to assess the feasibility of this program as a non-traditional data source for tracking and monitoring care-seeking activities. Through the process of characterizing and describing patients who had ‘return visits’, or who were considered the heaviest ILI-related care-utilizers, the investigators sought to understand the strengths and limitations of this data source. Data used for this study were obtained from a multispecialty clinic in Houston, Texas between August 2008 and January 2011 across three phases: pre-pH1N1, pH1N1, and post-pH1N1. The data, which comprised of 4047 patient visits, yielded 150 return visits. We found an increase in the number of visits for ILI and proportion of return visits during the pandemic phase (pH1N1), as well as differences in the likelihood of a return visit between genders and age groups. More broadly, the findings of this study provide important considerations for future research and expose important gaps in using surveillance data to assess sick-role behaviors.
Accuracy of Tomo-PIV data for a turbulent round jet

Tomographic-PIV experiment were performed in the far field of an axi-symmetric round jet (ReD ≈ 3000) to measure three dimensional velocity fields in a volume of the flow. These 3D data enable the computation of all nine components of the velocity gradient tensor (VGT) at each point in the flow field. The statistical results of Tomo-PIV along the axial direction were assessed by performing a separate set of two-dimensional twocomponent PIV experiments in a ”side-view” plane along the jet axis. This ”side-view” plane enabled a comparison between the streamwise and spanwise velocities with the Tomo-PIV results as well as components of turbulence intensities in the streamwise and spanwise directions and Reynolds shear stress. A study is also conducted to study the consequences of the divergence error in Tomo-PIV. A proposed correction to the divergence error and the implication of this for studying the properties of the VGT are considered. Introduction Access to the 3D velocity field can help to understand the dynamics and the physical structures of turbulent flows. Although direct numerical simulations (DNS) has been the main source of good instantaneous 3 dimensional information of the flow, the quality of data obtained from experimental techniques such as particle tracking velocimetry [10], Dual-plane stereoscopic PIV (DSPIV) [8, 5], Holographic particle image velocimetry [11, 15], scalar image velocimetry [14] and tomographic particle image velocimetry (Tomo-PIV) [4] have improved significantly during last two decades. In present study, Tomo-PIV has been performed in the turbulent region of a round jet in order to measure three components of velocity in a volume of the turbulent flow as well as nine components of the velocity gradient tensor. In this method, several simultaneous views of the illuminated particles are used to reconstruct the light intensity distribution by means of optical tomography. 3D cross-correlation of two intensity volumes corresponding to the double frame exposures give three dimensional displacements vectors. The results are presented from quantitative assessments for the accuracy of velocity gradient component fields obtained from Tomo-PIV measurements in the turbulent round jet. Based on the velocity gradient measurements, divergence error can be analyzed and compared with the DSPIV of Ganapathisubramani et al. (2007), [6]. Furthermore the single point statistics can be compared with the results of the traditional planar PIV measurements, which is the technique of reference in this paper.
Expertise: is it a gift or a curse? Evidence from the New Zealand health care sector

ABSTRACT This study investigates whether highly skilled health care providers are at a disadvantage because they attract difficult cases, by examining all publicly funded patient discharges in New Zealand over 1999–2011. Using a patient's transfer status and the complication and co-morbidity level as the measures of task difficulty, the effects of task difficulty on three performance indicators commonly used in practice, the length of hospital stay and the probabilities of 30-day mortality and readmission, are calculated. The results confirm that the disadvantage does exist, but certain providers do better in the presence of such disadvantage. Even among highly skilled providers, the variance in performance is large. The results also suggest that specialisation may be beneficial, as transferred cases treated by highly skilled providers have better outcomes. In particular, the provider treating the most complex cases in the country achieves the best outcomes for transferred patients.
Today I Got a Million, Tomorrow, I Don't Know: On the Predictability of Cryptocurrencies by Means of Google Search Volume

Abstract We evaluate the usefulness of Google search volume to predict returns and volatility of multiple cryptocurrencies. The analysis is based on a new algorithm which allows to construct multi-annual, consistent time series of Google search volume indices (SVIs) on various frequencies. As cryptocurrencies are actively traded on a continuous basis and react very fast to new information, we conduct the analysis initially on a daily basis, lifting the data imposed restriction faced by previous research. In line with the literature on financial markets, we find that returns are not predictable while volatility is predictable to some extent. We discuss a number of reasons why the predictive power is poor. One aspect is the observational frequency which is therefore varied. The results of unpredictable cryptocurrency returns hold on higher (hourly) and lower (weekly) frequencies. Volatility, in contrast, is predictable on all frequencies and we document an increasing accuracy of the forecast when the sampling frequency is lowered.
Ultrastructural Observations on Inflammatory Angiogenesis in Gastric Carcinomas with Massive Neutrophil Infiltration

Neutrophils are traditionally thought of as terminal effectors of inflammatory reaction, but experimental studies suggest that they play a direct role in the inflammatory angiogenesis of tumors. Thus, further evidence in humans is required regarding the mechanisms by which neutrophils induce tumor angiogenesis. In this study, 4 cases of human gastric carcinomas with massive neutrophil infiltration were studied by light and electron microscopy, focusing on the inflammatory angiogenesis in the tumor stroma. At light microscopy, the tumors were advanced gastric carcinomas in which various degrees of tubular differentiation were present. Under an electron microscope, pericytes exhibited two major differentiated states with distinct ultrastructural features: a contractile phenotype and a synthetic phenotype. The contractile phenotype was characterized by abundant microfilaments. Synthetic pericytes contained abundant rough endoplasmic reticulum, lipid bodies, and numerous membrane-bound vesicles. These ultrastructural findings extend concept of contractile/synthetic phenotype modulation, originally described in smooth muscle cells, to tumor microvascular pericytes. Tumor microvasculature was also characterized by abortive or slit-like lumina, endothelial cell mitoses, and replicating basement membranes. These qualitative and observational transmission electron microscopy findings provide additional morphological evidence of active inflammatory angiogenesis in gastric carcinomas with massive neutrophil infiltration.
Emission and life-cycle assessment of alternative-fuel buses: a case study of the Delaware Authority of Regional Transit

ABSTRACT The Energy Policy Act of 1992 motivated transit agencies to utilize alternative-fuel transit buses in addition to their popular diesel buses. Transit agencies have planned to add a significant number of alternative-fuel buses to their current transit fleets. This study is to inform policy makers who may allocate public funds for alternative-fuel bus projects to make a smarter decision in this regard. For each of the eight alternative-fuel buses, technologies introduced by the ACT, fuel efficiency, life-cycle cost (LCC) and emission are estimated and compared with the available information for the ultralow-sulfur diesel (ULSD) fuel buses. A case study in the State of Delaware is presented to demonstrate how the proposed approaches can be employed to evaluate the relative importance of the most viable alternative-fuel transit buses according to the predefined set of criteria. The results show that buses propelled by hybrid-diesel engine have the least LCC and emissions and are the most suitable alternative for the ULSD buses in the short- and midterm.
Interventions to Improve Adherence to Self-administered Medications for Chronic Diseases in the United States

BACKGROUND Suboptimum medication adherence is common in the United States and leads to serious negative health consequences but may respond to intervention. PURPOSE To assess the comparative effectiveness of patient, provider, systems, and policy interventions that aim to improve medication adherence for chronic health conditions in the United States. DATA SOURCES Eligible peer-reviewed publications from MEDLINE and the Cochrane Library indexed through 4 June 2012 and additional studies from reference lists and technical experts. STUDY SELECTION Randomized, controlled trials of patient, provider, or systems interventions to improve adherence to long-term medications and nonrandomized studies of policy interventions to improve medication adherence. DATA EXTRACTION Two investigators independently selected, extracted data from, and rated the risk of bias of relevant studies. DATA SYNTHESIS The evidence was synthesized separately for each clinical condition; within each condition, the type of intervention was synthesized. Two reviewers graded the strength of evidence by using established criteria. From 4124 eligible abstracts, 62 trials of patient-, provider-, or systems-level interventions evaluated 18 types of interventions; another 4 observational studies and 1 trial of policy interventions evaluated the effect of reduced medication copayments or improved prescription drug coverage. Clinical conditions amenable to multiple approaches to improving adherence include hypertension, heart failure, depression, and asthma. Interventions that improve adherence across multiple clinical conditions include policy interventions to reduce copayments or improve prescription drug coverage, systems interventions to offer case management, and patient-level educational interventions with behavioral support. LIMITATIONS Studies were limited to adults with chronic conditions (excluding HIV, AIDS, severe mental illness, and substance abuse) in the United States. Clinical and methodological heterogeneity hindered quantitative data pooling. CONCLUSION Reduced out-of-pocket expenses, case management, and patient education with behavioral support all improved medication adherence for more than 1 condition. Evidence is limited on whether these approaches are broadly applicable or affect longterm medication adherence and health outcomes. PRIMARY FUNDING SOURCE Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.