Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Protective Effect of Spin Trap Agent, N - tert -butyl-α-phenylnitrone on Hyperoxia-induced Oxidative Stress and Its Potential As a Nitric Oxide Donor

We have previously suggested that the spin trap agent, N - tert -butyl- f -phenylnitrone (PBN) can function not only as an antioxidant but also as a nitric oxide (NO) donor. To characterize the pharmacological activities of PBN against oxidative damage, we examined the effect of PBN on NO generation under hyperoxic conditions. The formation of NO in mice exposed to 95% oxygen was determined using a NOx analyzer and electron spin resonance (ESR). Levels of NOx, an oxidative product of NO, increased in the blood of mice under these conditions. However, the increase was returned to a normal level by the NOS (nitric oxide synthase) inhibitor, L-NMMA, indicating that the NO was formed via a biosynthetic pathway. In addition, ESR spectra of the liver and brain of control and experimental mice that were measured using Fe(DETC) 2 as an NO trap reagent showed strong ESR signals from NO complexes in the livers of mice exposed to 95% oxygen. When examining the effect of PBN in mice, PBN reduced the NOx formation in the blood under the same hyperoxic conditions. In addition, the ESR intensity of the NO complex was weaker in the PBN-treated mice than in the non-treated mice, showing that PBN possess anti-inflammatory properties. However, under a normal atmosphere, NOx and ESR analyses showed that NO levels increased in PBN-treated mice but not in control mice. These findings suggested that PBN functions as an NO donor under specific physiological conditions. PBN appears to protect against hyperoxia-induced NO toxicity by anti-inflammatory action rather than by serving as an NO donor.
The Effects of English Language Learning on the Perception and Value of Regional and National Identity in Colombia.

AbstractThe link between language and identity is an essential concept in modern sociolinguistics and applied linguistics. While the relationship between target language and target language identity has been amply studied, the relationship between foreign language learning and original national and regional identity has yet to be explored. This study was a quantitative survey applied to 400 people with different levels of EFL instruction in Ibague, Colombia that sought to determine the nature of the relationship between EFL and variations in the worth and perception of regional and national identity over time of exposure to EFL. The findings were that EFL instruction over time increased the perceived worth of Colombian national identity significantly while slightly increasing the positive perception of regional (Tolimense) identity over the course of three years.Key words: Identity, second language learning, national identityResumenEl vinculo entre el lenguaje y la identidad es un concepto esencial en la sociolinguistica y la linguistica aplicada. Mientras la relacion entre el idioma estudiado y la identidad del idioma estudiado has sido estudiada ampliamente, la relacion entre el aprendizaje de una lengua extranjera y la identidad nacional/regional original aun requiere exploracion. Este estudio uso una encuesta aplicada a 400 personas con niveles diferentes de aprendizaje de ingles en Ibague, Colombia para determinar la naturaleza de la relacion entre el aprendizaje de ingles y cualquier cambio en la identidad nacional/regional durante el tiempo de exposicion al aprendizaje de ingles. Los hallazgos indicaron que la instruccion en ingles incremento significativamente el valor percibido de la identidad nacional colombiana y dio un incremento pequeno a la percepcion positiva de la identidad regional (Tolimense) durante el transcurso de tres anos.Palabras clave: Identidad, aprendizaje de lengua extranjera, identidad nacionalAbstraitLe lien entre le langage et l'identite est un concept essentiel dans la sociolinguistique moderne et la linguistique appliquee. Bien que la relation entre la langue cible et l'identite du langage cible ait ete largement etudiee, la relation entre l'apprentissage des langues etrangeres et l'identite nationale et regionale originale n'a pas encore ete exploree. Cette etude a ete une enquete quantitative appliquee a 400 personnes ayant des niveaux differents d'instruction EFL a Ibague, en Colombie, qui ont cherche a determiner la nature de la relation entre EFL et les variations de la valeur et de la perception de l'identite regionale et nationale au cours de l'exposition a l'EFL. Les resultats ont ete que l'enseignement EFL au fil du temps a augmente considerablement la valeur percue de l'identite nationale colombienne tout en augmentant legerement la perception positive de l'identite regionale (Tolimense) au cours de trois ans.Mots cles: Identite, apprentissage de la langue seconde, identite nationale
Diagnostic yield of cystoscopy in the evaluation of recurrent urinary tract infection in women

Due to a paucity of evidence‐based guidelines, anecdotal practice patterns often dictate clinical management of recurrent urinary tract infection (UTI) in women. Our aim was to identify pathologic findings of the urinary tract through cystoscopy and imaging in women with recurrent UTI, and to determine if specific risk factors are associated with a higher rate of abnormal findings.
Many Hands Lighter Work? Deciphering the Relationship between Adverse Working Conditions and Organization Citizenship Behaviours in Small and Medium‐Sized Enterprises During a Severe Economic Crisis

What is the relationship between adverse working conditions and employees’ organizational citizenship behaviour (OCB) in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) operating under a severe economic crisis? To address this question, a survey of 312 front-line workers was undertaken in 62 Greek SMEs − an instrumental setting where the current deterioration of working conditions is acute. Our contribution is twofold. First, we develop and test a scale for measuring adverse working conditions. Second, we decipher the extent to which such conditions relate to organizational and individual aspects of OCB, considering job satisfaction's mediating role. Through this research we extend the OCB literature within the context of SMEs operating under severe economic crisis and highlight the implications for managing human resources in SMEs, a sector conspicuous for its socio-economic significance and its vulnerability during economic downturns.
Is increased D2 receptor availability associated with response to stimulant medication in ADHD

The purpose of this study was to estimate striatal dopamine (D2) receptor availability in non‐drug treated children with attention‐deficit‐hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) before and after methylphenidate therapy, and to examine correlations between severity of symptoms and response rates to stimulant medication with levels of striatal D2 receptor binding. Nine children (six males, three females; mean age 9.8 years, SD 2.3 years) with ADHD participated. All underwent iodobenzamide (123I IBZM) brain SPECT within 2 hours following intravenous injection of 123I IBZM before and 3 months after methylphenidate therapy. A semiquantitative approach was used to generate indices of specific D2 receptor binding in the basal ganglia. Specific binding ratios at baseline were higher than the previously reported specific binding values obtained in studies using young healthy adults. D2 availability reduced significantly (paired t‐test, p<0.05) as a function of methylphenidate therapy in patients with ADHD in all four regions of the striatum. When the relation between therapy response and D2 availability was investigated, we observed that the higher the baseline D2 levels were, the higher the response rate was (detected as the percentage reduction of hyperactivity scores and Conners Teacher Rating Scale scores), while no such trend was observed between the initial D2 binding levels and the response in attention‐deficit scores. Results indicate that in non‐drug treated children with ADHD, higher D2 receptor availability is observed at baseline which is down‐regulated back to reported near‐normal values after methylphenidate therapy. The effect of methylphenidate on D2 receptor levels in patients with ADHD is similar to that observed in healthy adults; a down‐regulation phenomenon within 0 to 30%. In addition, initially higher values of D2 availability seem to indicate better response to methylphenidate therapy in ADHD.
The histological structure of dog knee menisci with comments on its possible significance.

Knee-joint menisci are poorly understood terminologically, structurally and functionally in spite of their almost universal occurrence in mammals and their considerable clinical significance in man. A study was therefore undertaken of dog knee menisci utilizing several histological techniques. Terminologically, it is proposed that the part of the meniscus extending between the anterior and posterior horns and exclusive of them be called the meniscal "body. " Structurally, the horns and body differ in anumber of ways. The horns are oval in cross section, the body triangular. Hyalinized areas are much more frequent in the body than in the horns. The collagen of the horns is organized into discrete bundles that are separated from one another by loose connective tissue septa, while that of the body is arranged in a "herringbone" pattern; no septa are present in the body. Finally, the meniscal horns are richly supplied with blood vessels are nerves (including large myelinated fibers which apparently terminate in the horns) while the body is almost completely devoid of blood vessels and nerves. Functionally, it is hypothesized that knee-joint menisci may serve important sensory functions.
Age-related variability in the presentation of symptoms of major depressive disorder

Background The heterogeneous aetiology of major depressive disorder (MDD) might affect the presentation of depressive symptoms across the lifespan. We examined to what extent a range of mood, cognitive, and somatic/vegetative depressive symptoms were differentially present depending on patient's age. Method Data came from 1404 participants with current MDD (aged 18–88 years) from two cohort studies: the Netherlands Study of Depression and Anxiety (NESDA) and the Netherlands Study of Depression in Older Persons (NESDO). Associations between age (per 10 years) and 30 depressive symptoms as well as three symptom clusters (mood, cognitive, somatic/vegetative) were assessed using logistic and linear regression analyses. Results Depression severity was found to be stable with increasing age. Nevertheless, 20 (67%) out of 30 symptoms were associated with age. Most clearly, with ageing there was more often early morning awakening [odds ratio (OR) 1.47, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.36–1.60], reduced interest in sex (OR 1.42, 95% CI 1.31–1.53), and problems sleeping during the night (OR 1.33, 95% CI 1.24–1.43), whereas symptoms most strongly associated with younger age were interpersonal sensitivity (OR 0.72, 95% CI 0.66–0.79), feeling irritable (OR 0.73, 95% CI 0.67–0.79), and sleeping too much (OR 0.75, 95% CI 0.68–0.83). The sum score of somatic/vegetative symptoms was associated with older age (B = 0.23, p < 0.001), whereas the mood and cognitive sum scores were associated with younger age (B = −0.20, p < 0.001; B = −0.04, p = 0.004). Conclusions Depression severity was found to be stable across the lifespan, yet depressive symptoms tend to shift with age from being predominantly mood-related to being more somatic/vegetative. Due to the increasing somatic presentation of depression with age, diagnoses may be missed.
Does Temperament Underlie Infant Novel Food Responses?: Continuity of Approach-Withdrawal From 6 to 18 Months.

This study investigated whether temperamental approach-withdrawal underlies infants' responses to novel foods. Data were drawn from a longitudinal study of mother-infant dyads (n = 136). Approach-withdrawal responses to novel foods and novel toys were coded when infants were 6 and 12 months of age. When infants were 18 months of age, approach-withdrawal behaviors, positive affect, and negative affect were used in a latent profile analysis to identify groups of toddlers who exhibited similar responses to novelty. As predicted, novel food and novel toy responses were concurrently associated at 12 months and followed a similar developmental pattern across the 1st year. Furthermore, novel food acceptance at 12 months of age, but not 6 months, predicted greater toddler approach.
Internal migration in China, 1950–1988

This paper examines the long-term patterns of migration within China between 1950 and 1988. The analysis uses data from China S 1988 211,000 Fertility and Birth Control Survey, which asks respondents about their most recent interprovincial move. The results suggest that long-term migration patterns can be explained by political and economic changes in China. We argue that the approaches we introduce can offer significant insight into long-term migration patterns for countries where historical data on migration are unavailable or unreliable.
Hematopoietically expressed homeobox is a target gene of farnesoid X receptor in chenodeoxycholic acid–induced liver hypertrophy

Farnesoid X receptor (FXR/Fxr) is a bile acid–regulated nuclear receptor that promotes hepatic bile acid metabolism, detoxification, and liver regeneration. However, the adaptive pathways under conditions of bile acid stress are not fully elucidated. We found that wild‐type but not Fxr knockout mice on diets enriched with chenodeoxycholic acid (CDCA) increase their liver/body weight ratios by 50% due to hepatocellular hypertrophy. Microarray analysis identified Hex (Hematopoietically expressed homeobox), a central transcription factor in vertebrate embryogenesis and liver development, as a novel CDCA‐ and Fxr‐regulated gene. HEX/Hex was also regulated by FXR/Fxr and CDCA in primary mouse hepatocytes and human HepG2 cells. Comparative genomic analysis identified a conserved inverted repeat‐1–like DNA sequence within a 300 base pair enhancer element of intron‐1 in the human and mouse HEX/Hex gene. A combination of chromatin immunoprecipitation, electromobility shift assay, and transcriptional reporter assays demonstrated that FXR/Fxr binds to this element and mediates HEX/Hex transcriptional activation. Conclusion: HEX/Hex is a novel bile acid–induced FXR/Fxr target gene during adaptation of hepatocytes to chronic bile acid exposure. (HEPATOLOGY 2009.)
Speech perception in noise: Exploring the effect of linguistic context in children with and without auditory processing disorder

Abstract Objective: The objective of this study was to investigate whether the speech perception problems in noise of children with auditory processing disorder (APD) stem from an auditory or a higher order dysfunction. Design: A repeated measures design comparing the sentence key word recognition scores of children with APD and a control group was used. Four sentence lists from the Test de phrases dans le bruit (TPB) were presented with a babble masker at four different signal-to-noise ratios. The TPB is a Canadian French adaptation of the speech perception in noise test. Study Sample: Ten participants between 9–12 years with APD participated in this study, as well as ten age- and gender-matched children with no sign of APD. Results: Group analyses revealed that children with APD had poorer overall sentence key word recognition scores than the control group. Analysis of the difference scores between the high and low predictability sentences indicated that the benefit derived from linguistic context is similar between the groups. However, individual patterns of results revealed different profiles within the APD group. Conclusion: Further study using a larger sample is warranted to deepen our understanding of the nature of APD and identify characteristic profiles to enable better tailoring of therapeutic programs. Sumario Objetivo: El objetivo de este estudio fue investigar cuándo los problemas de percepción del habla en ruido, en niños con trastornos del procesamiento auditivo (APD), son producto de una disfunción auditiva o de niveles superiores. Diseño: Repetición de mediciones para comparar las puntuaciones de reconocimiento de palabras clave en una oración, entre niños con APD y los de un grupo control. Estudio: Se presentaron cuatro listas de oraciones del Test de Phrases dans le Bruit (TPB – Prueba de frases en ruido-) en presencia de balbuceo enmascarante, a cuatro diferentes relaciones señal/ruido. El TPB es una adaptación al Francés del Canadá, de la prueba de Percepción del Habla en Ruido. Muestra: Participaron en este estudio diez niños con APD entre 9-12 años y 10 niños sin signos de APD, pareados por edad y sexo. Resultados: El análisis de grupos reveló que los niños con APD tienen puntuaciones generales más pobres en el reconocimiento de palabras clave en oraciones, que los del grupo control. El análisis de las diferencias entre las puntuaciones de las oraciones de mayor o menor predictabilidad, indicaron que el beneficio que se deriva del contexto lingüístico es similar entre los dos grupos. Sin embargo, los patrones de resultados individuales, revelan diferentes perfiles en el grupo de niños con APD. Conclusiones: Se justifican estudios adicionales usando una muestra más amplia, para profundizar nuestro conocimiento sobre la naturaleza de los APD y para identificar perfiles característicos que nos permitan la mejor individualización de programas terapéuticos.
Cytokine Expression Profile in Idiopathic Inflammatory Myopathies

Cytokines have been shown to be potent inducers of major histocompatibility complexes (MHC) class I and II as well as of cell adhesion molecules in muscle tissue cultures, indicating that cytokines may play a role in mediating muscle fiber damage in inflammatory myopathies. We found in 21 cases of autoimmune myositis various amounts of inflammatory cells expressing interleukin (IL)-1α and -β, IL-2, IL-4, tumor necrosis factor (TNF) -α and -β, and interferon (IFN)-γ and its receptor. Muscle fibers displayed enhanced expression of IL-lα and -β IL-2, and TNF-α. Upregulation of cytokines was strongest at sites of cellular infiltration typical for the respective myositis subtype. There was no correlation between the cytokine expression and the grade of inflammation. To a lesser extent, cytokines were also present in Duchenne muscular dystrophy expressed by muscle fibers positive for TNF-α and by phagocytic mononuclear cells. Expression of cytokines by the muscle fiber may enable the muscle fiber to induce and mediate the process of autoimmunization and antigen-expression by itself without primary presence of inflammatory cells. Cytokine-expressing muscle fibers may enhance the cytolytic potential of cytotoxic cells and the muscle fiber may serve as source and target
Lamotrigine‐induced toxic epidermal necrolysis treated with intravenous cyclosporin: A discussion of pathogenesis and immunosuppressive management

There is growing evidence that the final common pathway of toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN) is mediated by the cellular immune system which targets drug altered epithelial antigens. This provides a rationale for immunosuppressive therapy. The ideal regimen for quickly turning off epidermal damage in TEN has not yet been determined and the use or benefit of routine immunosuppression remains highly controversial. This article reviews recent advances in the pathogenesis of TEN along with the theoretical benefits of early immunosuppressive treatment in severe cases, specifically utilizing cyclosporin. We describe a 29‐year‐old woman with TEN due to the anticonvulsant lamotrigine whose successful management included intravenous cyclosporin. The extension of her lesions ceased within 24 hours of initiating cyclosporin (day 7 of her admission). Complications included: scarring alopecia; Enterococcus faecalis septicaemia due to an infected central line; and ulceration and squamous metaplasia of conjunctivae, The potential role of lamotrigine as a cause of TEN is discussed.
VPIN and the China’s Circuit-Breaker

The market microstructure theory and high-frequency trading analyze as quantitative investment’s frontier and hot issue is popular in China in recent years, but China’s stock index futures introduced later, so there are not much academic attention. This paper measures the probability of informed trading in China’s stock index futures market by VPIN method. The empirical results show that the VPIN can not only monitor the probability of the informed trading market of IF 300, IH 50 and IC 500, but also play an early warning role before the “circuit-breaker”. Tracking VPIN values allows the liquidity providers to control their position risk, and regulators can monitor the liquidity quality of the market, limit transactions in advance or tighten market controls.
Infectious diseases in sub-Saharan African immigrant children in Madrid, Spain

Background. Immigration flow from developing countries to European countries is growing continually, but data about imported infectious diseases in immigrant children are few. Methods. Descriptive and retrospective study of 125 sub-Saharan African children <14 years of age attending a tropical medicine referral unit in Madrid, Spain, between 1989 and 2001. Results. Of the 125 children 79% had 1 or more symptoms. The remaining 21% (26 cases) were asymptomatic and were screened for infectious diseases. Of them 57.7% (15 cases) had 1 or more infectious diseases. Significant association (P < 0.05) was found between fever and malaria, between cutaneous pruritus and filariasis and between eosinophilia and filariasis and intestinal helminthiasis. Seventy-nine percent had infectious pathology and 33.3% were infected by 3 or more agents. Fifty-six (44.8%) cases of malaria were diagnosed: 7 (12.5%) were asymptomatic; 43 (76.8%) were caused by Plasmodium falciparum and 5 (8.9%) were mixed malarial infections. Intestinal parasitic infection was diagnosed in 44 (49.4%) of the 89 cases investigated. No significant difference existed between gastrointestinal symptoms and the presence of intestinal parasites (P > 0.05). Thirty-nine (21.9%) cases of filariasis were diagnosed. Hepatitis B serology was performed in 75 children: 24 (32%) were cured hepatitis B (antibody-positive only); 5 (6.6%) were hepatitis B surface antigen-positive; and 1 of 59 cases (1.7%) was hepatitis C-positive. The prevalence of latent tuberculosis infection was 12.9% (7 of 54 purified protein derivative skin tests performed). Conclusions. The high infection rates of some diseases in immigrant children point to the need for screening sub-Saharan African children.
Isolation and characterization of Borrelia burgdorferi from blood of a bird captured in the Saint Croix River Valley

Field investigations were conducted to further evaluate the role of birds in the maintenance and dissemination of Borrelia burgdorferi. Blood specimens were taken from 39 passerine birds of 17 species captured during June 1991 at the Saint Croix National Riverway in Wisconsin, and one isolate, WI91-23, was cultured from an adult song sparrow (Melospiza melodia). This isolate was shown to be infectious for Peromyscus leucopus and Mesocricetus auratus (golden hamster). Isolate WI91-23 was confirmed as B. burgdorferi by immunofluorescence assay by using species-specific anti-OspA monoclonal antibodies H3TS and H5332 and anti-OspB antibody H5TS. Isolate WI91-23 was compared with Borrelia anserina Es, Borrelia hermsii MAN-1, and other B. burgdorferi strains (ATCC 53210, CT-1, and Catharus fuscescens [veery] liver 10293). Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis of in situ-lysed spirochetes revealed that the DNA plasmid profile of WI91-23 was most similar to those of plasmids from B. burgdorferi and most different from those of plasmids from B. anserina and B. hermsii. Sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis analysis indicated that the protein profile of WI91-23 was like that of other B. burgdorferi strains studied, with dominant proteins corresponding to OspA and OspB, and that it differed from the protein profiles of B. anserina and B. hermsii. These findings indicate that passerine birds may serve as reservoirs for B. burgdorferi.