Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Variations in the calpain-10 gene are associated with the risk of type 2 diabetes and hypertension in northern Han Chinese population.

BACKGROUND Calpain-10 (CAPN10) has been identified as a susceptibility gene in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and insulin resistance. The present study aimed to identify the effects of genetic variations in the CAPN10 gene on the development of type 2 diabetes and hypertension in northern Han Chinese population. METHODS We performed a case-control study and genotyped single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP)-44, -43, -19 and -63 of CAPN10 gene in 1046 subjects from the northern China, including 493 patients with T2DM and hypertension and 553 age- and gender-matched normal healthy controls. RESULTS Univariate analysis showed that the four polymorphisms were not independently associated with T2DM and hypertension. However, the frequency distributions of SNP-44 allele C (allele 2) (17.89% vs 9.80%, P = 0.0016) and genotype CC (22) (4.21% vs 1.01%, P = 0.0059) in obese patients (body mass index > or = 30 kg/m2) were different from those in non-obese patients. Logistic regression analyses revealed that carriers of the 1112/1221 diplotype had a significantly lower odds ratio for diabetes and hypertension (OR = 0.399, 95% CI, 0.196 - 0.814, P = 0.0115). The 1112/1121 diplotype associated with significantly increased risk of type 2 diabetes in Mexican-American was not associated with the increased risk in Chinese. CONCLUSION These results suggested that CAPN10 gene variations might play roles in the risk of diabetes and hypertension in northern Han Chinese population.
Angiotensin II induces cardiac phenotypic modulation and remodeling in vivo in rats.

Cardiac phenotypic modulation and remodeling appear to be involved in the pathophysiology of cardiac hypertrophy and heart failure. We undertook this study to examine whether angiotensin II (Ang II) in vivo, independent of blood pressure, contributes to cardiac phenotypic modulation and remodeling. A low dose (200 ng/kg per minute) of Ang II was continuously infused into rats by osmotic minipump for 24 hours or 3 or 7 days to examine the effects on the expression of cardiac phenotype-related or fibrosis-related genes. This Ang II dose caused a small and gradual increase in blood pressure over 7 days. Left ventricular mRNAs for skeletal alpha-actin, beta-myosin heavy chain, atrial natriuretic polypeptide, and fibronectin were already increased by 6.9-, 1.8-, 4.8-, and 1.5-fold, respectively, after 24 hours of Ang II infusion and by 6.9-, 3.3-, 7.5-, and 2.5-fold, respectively, after 3 days, whereas ventricular alpha-myosin heavy chain and smooth muscle alpha-actin mRNAs were not significantly altered by Ang II infusion. Ventricular transforming growth factor-beta 1 and types I and III collagen mRNA levels did not increase at 24 hours and began to increase by 1.4-, 2.8-, and 2.1-fold, respectively, at 3 days. An increase in left ventricular weight occurred 3 days after Ang II infusion. Treatment with TCV-116 (3 mg/kg per day), a nonpeptide selective angiotensin type 1 receptor antagonist, completely inhibited the above-mentioned Ang II-induced increases in ventricular gene expressions and weight. Hydralazine (10 mg/kg per day), which completely normalized blood pressure, did not block cardiac hypertrophy or increased cardiac gene expressions by Ang II. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Researcher's experiences about their publication in ISI journals: A qualitative study in Isfahan University of Medical Sciences

BACKGROUND: As one of the indicators of actual growth and scientific development capacity of countries, the importance of the research is steadily increasing. Knowing that success depends on the work done by researchers so identified identify these barriers and pave the way for one of the concerned authorities of their research. METHODS: This qualitative study using analysis of the theme. Semi-structured interviews were used to collect the data. Participants include people who are experienced and knowledgeable in the field. Sampling was purposeful and continued until data saturation. The criteria of “reliability”, “trustworthiness”, “reliability” and “significant consolidation” of data were considered. RESULTS: Data analysis led to the extraction of code 600, 5, and 35 issues were Zyrmvzv. Five topics including motivation, success factors, barriers and problems, reflections and strategies, respectively. CONCLUSION: Discussion interest, innovation, the ability to apply research methods, specializes in the research literature and English language skills of researchers successfully in printing paper. Creating strong incentives to improve the material and spiritual encouragement and removal of obstacles, increase the amount of scientific publications and its opposite, although the force can cause increased production of scientific publications, but the negative consequences of such unhealthy competition and robbery also will follow. As a result, universities have to go through proper planning and management in the areas of research and teaching more responsible to pay it.
Cancellation of elective operations on the day of intended surgery in a Hong Kong hospital: point prevalence and reasons.

OBJECTIVE To determine the point prevalence of elective surgical case cancellations and the reasons. DESIGN Cross-sectional study. SETTING Teaching hospital, Hong Kong. PATIENTS; Operating theatre records of elective surgery cancellations from 1 January 2009 to 31 December 2009 were retrospectively reviewed. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES. Cancellation of scheduled elective surgery on the day of surgery and the corresponding reasons. RESULTS Of 6234 cases scheduled, 476 were cancelled, which yielded a point prevalence of 7.6%, with a 95% confidence interval of 7.0-8.3%. The highest number of cancellations occurred in patients scheduled for major general surgical procedures (n=94, 20%), major urological procedures (n=64, 13%), major orthopaedic surgery (n=38, 8%), and ultra-major cardiothoracic surgery (n=29, 6%). The most common category for cancellation was facility (73%), followed by work-up (17%), patient (10%), and surgeon (1%). No available operating room time due to overrun of the previous surgery was the most common reason for case cancellation (n=310). Compared to general surgery, the odds of no available operating time was significantly less in orthopaedics (odds ratio=0.26; 95% confidence interval, 0.17-0.39), otolaryngology (0.25; 0.13-0.46), neurosurgery (0.36; 0.16-0.70), paediatrics (0.53; 0.31-0.87), gynaecology (0.18; 0.11-0.29), ophthalmology (0.19; 0.07-0.41), and dentistry (0.10; 0.00-0.60). CONCLUSIONS. Case cancellations were mainly due to facility factors, such as no operating room time being available. The odds of having no operating room time available varied between surgical specialties.
Dopamine (D2) receptor regulation of intracellular calcium and membrane capacitance changes in rat melanotrophs.

1. Indo‐1 microfluorimetry and patch clamp techniques were used to study the decrease in cytosolic [Ca2+] ([Ca2+]i) caused by dopamine (D2) receptor activation and the calcium dependence of membrane capacitance changes in single rat melanotrophs. 2. [Ca2+]i decreased when extracellular calcium was removed or when the calcium channel blockers nickel (2 mM) or cadmium (100 microM) were applied by bath perfusion. 3. Quinpirole, a dopamine (D2) receptor agonist, reduced [Ca2+]i by 55 +/‐ 9 nM and hyperpolarized membrane potential by 29 +/‐ 9 mV simultaneously. 4. Quinpirole‐induced [Ca2+]i decrease required deactivation of voltage‐dependent calcium channels. Voltage clamping the membrane potential at ‐25 mV prevented the quinpirole‐induced [Ca2+]i decrease. Nickel (2 mM) reduced [Ca2+]i without hyperpolarization and precluded additional [Ca2+]i decrease by quinpirole. 5. Membrane capacitance measurement of secretion rates in cells dialysed with buffered calcium solutions showed that secretion began at approximately 400 nM Cai2+. 6. Melanotrophs have IP3‐sensitive calcium stores, but no caffeine‐sensitive calcium stores. Calcium released from IP3‐sensitive calcium stores also stimulated secretion. 7. Secretion in melanotrophs is modulated by protein kinase activators. cAMP (200 microM) enhanced secretion at [Ca2+]i > 1000 nM. Phorbol myristate acetate (PMA; 200 nM) enhanced secretion at [Ca2+]i < 400 nM, but not in the absence of calcium. 8. Dopamine receptor activation can reduce secretion by reducing the calcium influx through calcium channels with hyperpolarization of the membrane potential. However downregulation of either cAMP or protein kinase C activity may also contribute to the decrease in secretion.
Analysis of state aid policy to stimulate innovation and internationalization in Lithuanian animation industry

Research background: In order to achieve systematic development and growth of creative industries, instead of its being a random process, effective cultural policy tools need to be implemented. This task is greatly burdened by the fact that creative industries are a heterogeneous concept. Evidence suggests that indirect state aid is one of the most effective ways to stimulate growth and development of audiovisual segment. Lithuanian indirect state aid case suggests that there is still a great deal of confusion and misconception with the implementation and exploitation of this tool. Purpose of the article: To analyze how effectively indirect state aid is constructed to stimulate growth and development of the Lithuanian animation industry. Methods: This paper uses two methods to gather data. The first one is a quantitative questionnaire design to evaluate the overall situation of Lithuanian animation industry. The second method involves qualitative semi-structured interviews to collect specific data about Lithuanian film tax incentive from representatives of government institutions that administrate local fiscal incentive scheme and representatives of audiovisual industries. Findings & Value added: Results show that although Lithuanian film tax incentive can be considered as a successful cultural policy tool that brought a noticeable inward investment to the local film industry and economy in general, it had no positive effect on the local animation industry. The gathered evidence suggests that indirect aid tool should be constructed with more of surgical precision for each industry, rather than a fit-for-all cultural policy tool.
Performance measurement for option portfolios in a stochastic volatility framework

Measuring the performance of stock portfolios that include options is challenging due to options' nonlinearity in the underlying, their exposure to volatility risk, and their time decay. Our contribution to the literature is twofold: First, we provide a theoretically rigorous derivation of the time-variable factor loadings in a two-factor model under stochastic volatility according to [Heston, S.L. , A closed-form solution for options with stochastic volatility with applications to bond and currency options. Rev. Financ. Stud. , 1993, 6, 327–343. ]. Within this setting, the portfolio returns are explained by the market and an additional option factor, i.e. a portfolio of standard options exposed to volatility risk. We show that (i) any option factor is suitable to perfectly explain the portfolio behavior if simple returns are considered in instantaneous time and that (ii) the option factor's loading equals the fraction of the volatility elasticities of the portfolio and of the option factor while the option factor's underlying elasticity enters the factor loading of the underlying. Second, we analyze the behavior of option factors in practical applications, where time is discrete and factor loadings are estimated in a single regression over a certain time horizon. We show how the bias of (Jensen) alpha and its sign depend on the skewness of market returns. For several option factors from the literature, we conduct a simulation study to analyze their suitability to reduce this bias. As the results are disappointing, we propose a two-step procedure for choosing an adequate factor.
Prospective clinical trial of dental implants in persons with ectodermal dysplasia.

STATEMENT OF PROBLEMS Ectodermal dysplasia is a hereditary condition in which hypodontia is the second most frequently occurring sign. Hypodontia is associated with lack of development of the alveolar ridge and results in less volume of bone for support of conventional prostheses. Minimal development of the alveolar ridge can affect the bone volume available for the placement of dental implants. PURPOSE This clinical trial evaluated the survival of implants placed in individuals with a form of ectodermal dysplasia and severe hypodontia. MATERIAL AND METHODS Two hundred sixty-four titanium endosteal dental implants were placed in 51 subjects: 37 males and 14 females between the ages of 8 and 68 (mean age 20.5 years, median age 16.5 years). Two hundred forty-three implants were placed in the anterior mandible, and 21 were placed in the anterior maxilla with a 2-stage surgical protocol. Either fixed-detachable dentures or bar-clip overdentures were provided. Subjects were followed up for 0 to 78 months after second-stage surgery. Kaplan-Meier survival rates and curves were produced to describe the survival of the implants for the different age groups and implant locations. Repeated-measures Cox regression models were used to evaluate the hazard ratios for age and location, with alpha=. 05 as the criteria for significance. RESULTS Of the 243 implants placed in the anterior mandible, 221 (91%) survived. Of the 21 implants placed in the anterior maxilla, 16 (76%) survived. Fourteen of the 51 (27%) subjects had a failed implant. All but 2 failures occurred before or at second-stage surgery. Implant-supported prostheses were provided for all patients. CONCLUSION Within the limitations of this study, the results support the continued use of endosteal dental implants in this patient population with appropriate precautions in the maxilla.
A armadilha da baixa complexidade em Minas Gerais: o desafio da sofisticação econômica em um estado exportador de commodities

Minas Gerais has dealt for decades with the challenge of economic sophistication. In an attempt to build paths for its economy’s transformation, the Government of Minas Gerais launched the Dataviva platform, allowing economic complexity’s approach to be used in the context of public development policies. This article aims to contribute to this debate by analyzing the economic complexity of the Brazilian states from 2002 to 2014, focusing on Minas Gerais. The research reveals that Minas’ economy is stuck in a “low complexity trap”, which requires a close collaboration between the public and private sectors for the discovery and investment in activities that contribute to economic sophistication.
Oxidative Stress Underlies the Mechanism for Ca2+-induced Permeability Transition of Mitochondria

Recent studies demonstrated that the generation of intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) was enhanced prior to the onset of mitochondrial membrane permeability transition (MPT), a critical step for the induction of DNA fragmentation and apoptosis. Although Ca2+ induces typical MPT that involves depolarization and swelling of mitochondria and finally releases cytochrome c into cytosol, the mechanism by which ROS induce MPT remains unclear. In the presence of inorganic phosphate, Ca2+ increased the oxygen consumption and ROS production by isolated mitochondria as determined by a chemiluminescence (CHL) method using L-012. Ca2+ increased the generation of H2O2 by some mechanism that was inhibited by cyclosporin A but not by superoxide dismutase (SOD) and trifluoperazine. Ca2+ decreased the content of free thiols in adenine nucleotide translocase (ANT) in mitochondrial membranes with concomitant increase in ROS generation. The presence of cyclosporin A, trifluoperazine, or SOD inhibited the Ca2+-induced increase of L-012 CHL and decrease in the free thiols of ANT. These results indicate that Ca2+ increases the generation of ROS which oxidize the free thiol groups in mitochondrial ANT, thereby inducing MPT to release cytochrome c.
JUSTICE, TRUST, AND TEAM PERFORMANCE A Comparison of Leader Selection Methods on the Development of Team Trust

Throughout the past few decades, organizations have shifted from a management mandated, top down approach to a more collaborative, team based, horizontal structure (Miles & Snow, 1992). As a result, work teams are on the rise, which has led to an increase in leadership roles within organizations. The relationships between procedural justice and trust in leadership, and trust in leadership and performance are well established in current literature. The former relationship, however, has been analyzed only at the individual level. Given the prevalence of teams in academic and applied settings, it is imperative to understand how this relationship exists, if at all, at the team level. Thus, the aim of this study is to examine and establish the procedural justice, trust in leadership, and team performance relationship at the team level. Additionally, this study indirectly examines the impact of the leader selection process on procedural justice perceptions, and its ensuing influence on trust in leadership and team performance. Data was collected from 252 participants encompassing 60 teams with appointed group leaders engaged in a semester long Strategic Management group project. After removing data from teams with two or fewer individuals responding, the final sample used for analyses included 132 participants encompassing 47 teams. Data collection occurred at two time points during the semester. Time 1 data collection occurred during weeks 9 and 10 of the 16-week semester, and time 2 data collection occurred during weeks 15 and 16. Measures targeting participants’ procedural justice perceptions regarding the leader JUSTICE, TRUST, AND TEAM PERFORMANCE 6 selection method were collected, as well as participants’ trust in their team leader; these measures were aggregated to the team level. Mediated regression was used to analyze the data. This study hypothesized that trust in leadership would mediate the relationship between procedural justice and team performance, and trust in leadership would lead to increased team performance. Contrary to expectations, however, the aforementioned hypotheses did not receive support. Theoretical and practical implications regarding the findings are detailed further in the discussion section. JUSTICE, TRUST, AND TEAM PERFORMANCE 7
Electroconvulsive Therapy: Predictors and Trends in Utilization From 1976 to 2000

Background: Use of electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) may have changed during the last decades due to advances in psychopharmacology and organizational changes of psychiatric care. Objectives: To identify predictors for receiving ECT for the first time and to describe temporal trends in ECT utilization. Methods: A register-based case-control study. The sample included 2010 cases treated with ECT between 1976 and 2000 and 148,284 controls. Results: Predictors for receiving first ECT were unipolar affective disorders, long admissions, and no previous admissions. Significantly fewer patients with bipolar and schizoaffective disorders received the treatment in 2000 compared with 1976. Conclusions: Unipolar affective disorders, long duration of admissions, and no history of previous admissions are strong predictors of receiving first ECT. Despite a decrease in available inpatient beds, the treatment is used in 5.5% of admissions, and during the last 15 years of the study period, ECT utilization has been remarkably stable.
Short-Term Supplementation with Plant Extracts Rich in Flavonoids Protect Nigrostriatal Dopaminergic Neurons in a Rat Model of Parkinson's Disease

Objective: Antioxidants from plants were known to reduce the oxidative stress by scavenging free radicals, chelating metal ions and reducing inflammation. As increased oxidative stress was implicated in the nigrostriatal dopaminergic neuronal loss in Parkinson's disease (PD), we have assessed whether the plant extracts protects the nigrostriatal dopaminergic neurons in the animal model of PD. Methods: Male adult Sprague-Dawley rats were treated orally between 10am–11am each day with the extracts from tangerine peel, grape seeds, cocoa and red clover for four days. One hour after the final dosing, the left medial forebrain bundle was lesioned by infusing the dopaminergic neurotoxin 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA; 12μg) under anaesthesia. Seven days post-lesion, the number of dopaminergic cells in the substantia nigra pars compacta and the levels of dopamine and its metabolites 3, 4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid (DOPAC) and homovanillic acid (HVA) in the striata were quantified and compared with the vehicle-treated groups. Results: Compared to the unlesioned side, 6-OHDA lesions significantly reduced the number of dopaminergic cells and the levels of dopamine and its metabolites DOPAC and HVA in the vehicle-treated animals. Pretreatment of animals with extracts of tangerine peel (rich in polymethoxylated flavones; 35 mg/kg/day), cocoa-2 (rich in procyanidins; 100 mg/kg/day) and red clover (rich in isoflavones; 200 mg/kg/day) significantly attenuated the 6-OHDA-induced dopaminergic loss. However, no significant protection was seen in animals supplemented with red and white grape seeds (rich in catechins; 100 mg/kg/day), and cocoa-1 (rich in catechins; 100 mg/kg/day). Conclusions: Pre-treatment of plant extracts rich in polymethoxylated flavones, procyanidins and isoflavones but not catechins protected the nigrostriatal dopaminergic neurons in the rat model of PD.
Bilateral Autogenous Breast Reconstruction Using Perforator Free Flaps: A Single Center’s Experience

The authors present a single center’s experience in bilateral breast reconstruction using perforator free flaps. The aim of this study was to show their indications, surgical technique, and results. A series of 53 patients underwent this procedure between February of 1996 and October of 2002. The surgical procedures were performed on patients with bilateral breast cancer (11 patients), patients with unilateral breast cancer and contralateral prophylactic mastectomy (22 patients), patients who had undergone bilateral prophylactic mastectomy (18 patients), a patient with Poland’s syndrome, and a patient whose aesthetic breast augmentation had failed. Primary and secondary bilateral breast reconstructions were done in 18 and four patients, respectively. Eighteen patients who had earlier undergone breast reconstruction with implants had a tertiary breast reconstruction. Combined reconstruction (primary with secondary and primary with tertiary reconstruction) was done in 13 patients. Ninety-eight deep inferior epigastric perforator flaps and eight superior gluteal artery perforator flaps were used. The average operative time was 10 hours (range, 8 to 14.5 hours) for the simultaneous bilateral reconstruction. Total flap necrosis occurred in two cases (one deep inferior epigastric perforator flap and one superior gluteal artery perforator flap). Partial flap necrosis was not encountered, and fat necrosis was found in one deep inferior epigastric perforator flap (1 percent). Two pulmonary infections, one deep vein thrombosis, and one cardiac arrhythmia occurred as postoperative complications. The mean hospital stay was 9 days (range, 6 to 20 days). Abdominal bulging was reported in one patient. There were no recurrent disease or cancer manifestations, with an average follow-up of 3.5 years. This series clearly shows that perforator flaps are reliable and useful tools for bilateral breast reconstruction. This technique decreases the donor-site morbidity and offers an excellent aesthetic and long-term outcome and high patient satisfaction.