Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Treatment with the angiogenesis inhibitor endostatin: a novel therapy in rheumatoid arthritis.

OBJECTIVE An endostatin that inhibits angiogenesis dependent tumor growth is being tested as an antitumor agent. The neoangiogenesis condition of cancer is essentially identical to that of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Thus antiangiogenic treatment has potential for treatment of RA. We investigated the effects of human recombinant endostatin on human RA synovial tissue by use of a novel model of RA, in which human RA tissue is grafted into SCID mice (SCID-HuRAg). METHODS Ten or 50 mg/kg of human recombinant endostatin was administered by percutaneous direct intrasynovial injection in each of 7 SCID-HuRAg mice. We examined the volume of the grafted tissue mass and the histological changes 7 days after endostatin administration. Six control mice received phosphate buffered saline in the same manner. RESULTS The grafted synovial volume of SCID-HuRAg mice was significantly decreased by endostatin administration. The number of inflammatory cells (macrophages and lymphocytes) was also significantly reduced in a dose dependent manner. The number of vessels that were counted by von Willebrand factor VIII and type IV collagen positive cells was decreased, although apoptotic cells were increased in RA synovia. CONCLUSION The results suggest that antiangiogenesis treatment using endostatin represents a potential new therapeutic strategy for RA.
Right hemisphere mediation of verbal learning and memory in acquired right hemisphere speech dominant patients

Abstract Forty-eight patients with temporal lobe epilepsy completed measures of narrative recall and list learning prior to surgery. The intracarotid amytal procedure (IAP) established that 13 patients were right hemisphere dominant for speech and 35 (18 left foci, 17 right foci) were left hemisphere dominant. Hippocampal volumetric neuron densities were measured after surgery. The left hippocampal neuron densities in subfields CA3 and the hilar area were significantly correlated with list learning ability and percent retention for narrative recall only for left hemisphere speech dominant patients with left seizure foci. No significant correlations between measures of neuron volume and memory were found for the left hemisphere speech dominant patients with right seizure foci or the right hemisphere speech dominant patients with left seizure foci. This suggests that the right hemisphere of right speech dominant patients mediates verbal memory as well as speech. This conclusion is supported by patterns of correlations among measures of verbal memory that differed for patients undergoing resection of the dominant hemisphere versus those undergoing resection of the nondominant hemisphere. However, it is premature to conclude that the cerebral organization of cognitive functions of right hemisphere speech dominant patients is equivalent albeit reversed from that of left hemisphere speech dominant patients. Right hemisphere speech dominant patients with left temporal foci differed from left hemisphere speech dominant patients with right temporal foci with respect to the patterns of correlations between measures of verbal memory and intelligence as well as the level of intellectual ability that they demonstrated. (JINS, 1995, 1, 554–560.)
MR colonography with limited bowel preparation: patient acceptance compared with that of full-preparation colonoscopy.

PURPOSE To prospectively evaluate participants' experience and preference of magnetic resonance (MR) colonography with limited bowel preparation compared with full-preparation colonoscopy in participants at increased risk for colorectal cancer. MATERIALS AND METHODS This study had institutional review board approval; all participants gave written informed consent. In this multicenter study, consecutive participants undergoing conventional colonoscopy because of a personal or family history of colorectal cancer or adenomatous polyps underwent MR colonography 2 weeks prior to colonoscopy. They all followed a low-fiber diet and were given lactulose and an oral contrast agent (fecal tagging with gadolinium) 2 days before colonography. Before imaging, spasmolytics were administered intravenously, and a water-gadolinium chelate mixture was administered rectally for distention of the colon. Breath-hold T1- and T2-weighted sequences were performed in the prone and supine positions. Participant experience in terms of, for example, pain and burden was determined by using a five-point scale and was evaluated with a Wilcoxon signed rank test; participant preference was determined by using a seven-point scale and was evaluated with the chi2 statistic after dichotomizing. RESULTS Two hundred nine participants (77 women, 132 men; mean age, 58 years; range, 23-84 years) were included. One hundred forty-eight participants received sedatives (midazolam) and/or analgesics (fentanyl) during colonoscopy. Participants rated the MR colonography bowel preparation as less burdensome (P<.001) compared with the colonoscopy bowel preparation (10% and 71% of participants rated the respective examinations moderately to extremely burdensome). Participants also experienced less pain at MR colonography (P<.001) and found MR colonography less burdensome (P<.001). Immediately after both examinations, 69% of participants preferred MR colonography, 22% preferred colonoscopy, and 9% were indifferent (P<.001, 69% vs 22%). After 5 weeks, 65% preferred MR colonography and 26% preferred colonoscopy (P<.001). CONCLUSION Participants preferred MR colonography without extensive cleansing to colonoscopy immediately after both examinations and 5 weeks later. Experience of the bowel preparation and of the procedure was rated better.
Temporal Stability of Occupational Interest Inventories

Test-retest reliability data gathered from 83 sources (62 independent samples) were analyzed using a multiple-regression method to estimate the effects of several factors on the temporal stability of occupational interest inventories. Seven self-report inventories were examined—the Act Interest Inventory, the Career Assessment Inventory, the California Occupational Preference System Interest Inventory, the Jackson Vocational Interest Survey, the Ohio Vocational Interest Survey, the Strong Vocational Interest Blank, and the Strong-Campbell Interest Inventory, Form T325 of the Strong Vocational Interest Blank. Samples encompassed a wide range of subjects. Subjects' ages and retest intervals were significant predictors of reliability. Number of items and homogeneity had anomalous relations with stability. Subjects' sex and sample size did not significantly affect reliability. A summary table provides expected reliability coefficients tabulated for combinations of age by test-retest interval.
Pro-cyclical fiscal policy in Brazil: long- and short-term relationships using cointegration and error correction model (2005-2015)

This article analyses the nature of the fiscal rule in Brazil, during the period from January 2005 to April 2015, by using a VEC model. The main findings indicate that Brazil's fiscal policy is a pro-cyclical one regarding public debt and inflation, thus contributing to understand why the public debt/GDP ratio presents a unit root over the last years. Moreover, it means that fiscal reactions were not consistent with the inflation targeting regime in Brazil.
Financial Literacy and Financial Wellbeing of Public Sector Employees: A Critical Literature Review

There is a great concern from researchers, government, and professional bodies about how consumers, households, students and employees manage their finances. A great number of people from both developed and developing countries are reported to be financially illiterate. Employees today are facing serious challenges in financial decision making that seems to emanate from the changes in financial markets and in social security pension schemes. They have access to financial literacy sessions at their workplaces yet this is not always reflected in the kind of lives they live. This provokes the question ‘does a more financially literate employee enjoy better financial wellbeing than a less literate person? ’ The current study therefore seeks to critically review the literature to establish the documented relationship between financial literacy and financial wellbeing and possible intervening and moderating variables. The existing literature gaps are identified and recommended for further research. The results from the literature review indicate that financial literacy and financial wellbeing are defined and measured differently. Additionally, there seem to be a positive relationship between financial literacy and financial wellbeing but this relationship is intervened and moderated by financial decisions and demographic factors respectively.
Variation in acceptance of common oral antibiotic suspensions

Palatability of oral antibiotic suspensions is important and may be a substantial factor in determining compliance in young pediatric patients. Because no comparative systematic data are available, we undertook the present study to assess the acceptance of and compliance with oral antibiotic suspensions commonly used in Israel. During a 4-month period lists of children receiving oral antibiotic suspensions were obtained from 3 major pediatric clinics, and parents were contacted by telephone 10 to 14 days after initiation of therapy, at which time information on age, sex, main disease, prescribed drugs and duration of treatment was obtained. Information regarding acceptance, side effects and compliance was obtained from 11 questions with graded scores. In the study 546 children received one of the following drugs: amoxicillin (n = 222); cefaclor (n − 142); cefuroxime axetil (n = 107); trimethoprim/sulfamethozazole (n = 75). No major differences in background data were noted; more than 50% of each group had acute otitis media. Seventy-three percent of the cefaclor group reported acceptance of the drug with “pleasure” or “without problems” vs. 60, 55 and 20% for amoxicillin, trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole and cefuroxime axetil, respectively, whereas “resentment” or “refusal” was reported in 11, 16, 26 and 56%, respectively (P < 0.0001). Mothers reported to be generally “satisfied” or “extremely satisfied” with the drug in 89, 81, 74 and 67% with cefaclor, amoxicillin, trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole and cefuroxime axetil, respectively, and 85, 77, 73 and 67% of the children, respectively, received the drug for the entire prescribed course (P < 0.001). Our data demonstrate that marked variations exist in acceptance and compliance of oral antibiotic suspensions with children. These findings should influence the choice of drugs for young pediatric patients with common infections.
Molecular dynamics-derived conformation and intramolecular interaction analysis of the N-acetyl-9-O-acetylneuraminic acid-containing ganglioside GD1a and NMR-based analysis of its binding to a human polyclonal inununoglobulin G fraction with selectivity for O-acetylated sialic acids

Abstract The influence of 9-O-acetylation of GD1a, yielding GD1a (eNeu5,9Ac2 with a 9-O-acetylated sialic acid moiety linked to the outer galactose residue, on the spatial extension and mobility of the carbohydrate chain and on recognition by a natural human antibody is analysed. To study a potential impact of the O-acetyl group on the overall conformation of the carbohydrate chain, molecular dynamics (MD) simulations of oligosaccharide chain fragments of increasing length starting from the non-reducing end have been carried out for the first time in this study. They revealed a considerable loss in chain flexibility after addition of the internal N-acetylneuraminic acid onto the chain. Besides MD calculations with different dielectric constants, the conformational behaviour of the complete oligosaccharide chain of the 9-O-acetylated GD1a ganglioside was simulated in the solvents water and dimethyl sulfoxide. These solvents were also used in NMR measurements. The results of this study indicate that 9-O-acetylation at the terminal sialic acid does not influence the overall conformation of the ganglioside. An extended interaction analysis of energetically minimized conformations of GD1a (eNeu5,9Ac2) and GD1a, obtained during molecular dynamics simulations, allowed assessment of the influence of the different parts of the saccharide chains on spatial flexibility. Noteworthy energetic interactions, most interestingly between the 9-O-acetyl group and the pyranose ring of N-acetylgalactosamine, were ascertained by the calculations. However, the strength of this interaction does not force the ganglioside into a conformation, where the 9-O-acetyl group is no longer accessible. Binding of GD1a (eNeu5,9Ac2) to proteins, which are specific for 9-O-acetylated sialic acids, should thus at least partially be mediated by the presence of this group. To experimentally prove this assumption, a NMR study of 9-O-acetylated GD1a in the presence of an affinitypurified polyclonal IgG fraction from human serum with preferential binding to 9-O-acetylated sialic acid was performed. The almost complete disappearance of the intensity of the 9-O-acetyl methyl signal of the GD1a (clearly indicates that the assumed interaction of the 9-O-acetyl group with the human protein takes place.
A proposed model linking inflammation to obesity, diabetes, and periodontal infections.

BACKGROUND Obesity is an important risk factor for diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and periodontal disease. Adipocytes appear to secrete proinflammatory cytokines which may be the molecules linking the pathogenesis of these diseases. We evaluated the relationship between obesity, periodontal disease, and diabetes mellitus insulin resistance as well as the plasma levels of tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFalpha) and its soluble receptors (sTNFalpha) to assess the relationship of inflammation to obesity, diabetes, and periodontal infections. METHODS The relationship between periodontal disease, obesity, and insulin resistance was examined in the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES III). In a population of 12,367 non-diabetic subjects, the variable body mass index (BMI) was used as an assessment of obesity and periodontal disease was assessed by mean clinical attachment loss. The plasma levels of TNFalpha and sTNFalpha were assessed in subsets of 1,221 adults from Erie County, New York, who represented the highest and lowest quartile of BMI. These subjects had extensive periodontal and medical evaluations. RESULTS In the NHANES III portion of the study, BMI was positively related to severity of periodontal attachment loss (P <0.001). Weighted multiple logistic regressions showed that this relationship is likely mediated by insulin resistance, since overweight individuals (with BMI >or=27 kg/m2) with high levels of insulin resistance (IR) exhibited an odds ratio of 1.48 (95% confidence interval 1.13 - 1.93) for severe periodontal disease as compared to overweight subjects with low IR. In the Erie County adult population, the highest levels of TNFalpha and sTNFalpha receptors were found in those individuals in the highest quartile of BMI. A positive correlation of TNFalpha levels with periodontal disease was found only in those in the lowest quartile of BMI. CONCLUSIONS Obesity is a significant predictor of periodontal disease and insulin resistance appears to mediate this relationship. Furthermore, obesity is associated with high plasma levels of TNFalpha and its soluble receptors, which in turn may lead to a hyperinflammatory state increasing the risk for periodontal disease and also accounting in part for insulin resistance. Further studies of the molecular basis of insulin resistance and its relationship to diabetes, periodontal disease, and obesity are necessary to fully test the hypothesis that adipocyte production of proinflammatory cytokines is a pathogenic factor linking obesity to diabetes and periodontal infections.
An optimal body mass index range associated with improved immune reconstitution among HIV-infected adults initiating antiretroviral therapy.

BACKGROUND Higher body mass index (BMI) was associated with slower human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) disease progression before the availability of effective antiretroviral therapy (ART), but the relationship between pretreatment BMI and CD4(+) lymphocyte recovery on ART is not well described. METHODS We conducted an observational cohort study of HIV-infected, ART-naive adults starting treatment at a clinic affiliated with Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee. We assessed the relationship between pretreatment BMI and CD4(+) lymphocyte count change from baseline to 12 months in all subjects, among those with plasma HIV-1 RNA levels <400 copies/mL for ≥ 6 months and those with <10% change in weight during follow-up. Linear regression models were adjusted for age, sex, race, protease inhibitor usage, year of ART initiation, and baseline CD4(+) lymphocyte count and HIV-1 RNA level. RESULTS A total of 915 patients met inclusion criteria; 78% were male, and their median age, BMI, and CD4(+) lymphocyte count were 39 years, 24 kg/m², and 171 cells/μL, respectively. The CD4(+) lymphocyte increase at 12 months was greatest among patients with a pretreatment BMI of ~25-30 kg/m² and diminished above and below this range (P = .03). Similar patterns were observed in the subgroup analyses. Among patients with a pretreatment CD4(+) lymphocyte count < 200 cells/μL, a BMI of ~25 kg/m² was associated with the highest odds of reaching a CD4(+) lymphocyte count > 350 cells/μL at 12 months (P = .05). CONCLUSIONS 12-month immune reconstitution on ART was highest among patients commonly classified as overweight, suggesting there may be an optimal BMI range for immune recovery on ART.
Time-domain channel estimation for wideband millimeter wave systems with hybrid architecture

Millimeter wave (mmWave) systems will likely employ large antennas at both the transmitter and receiver for directional beamforming. Hybrid analog/digital MIMO architectures have been proposed previously for leveraging both array gain and multiplexing gain, while reducing the power consumption in analog-to-digital converters. Channel knowledge is needed to design the hybrid precoders/combiners, which is difficult to obtain due to the large antenna arrays and the frequency selective nature of the channel. In this paper, we propose a sparse recovery based time-domain channel estimation technique for hybrid architecture based frequency selective mmWave systems. The proposed compressed sensing channel estimation algorithm is shown to provide good estimation error performance, while requiring small training overhead. The simulation results show that using multiple RF chains at the receiver and the transmitter further reduces the training overhead.
Phototherapy in Pediatric Patients

Abstract: The treatment of children with psoriasis, atopic dermatitis (AD), pityriasis lichenoides, and scleroderma poses a therapeutic problem because all therapeutic options are associated with numerous side effects. Therefore ultraviolet A and B (UVA and UVB) phototherapy is presented as a possible alternative to some of these therapies, primarily topical and systemic corticosteroids, in children. Our results in treating children with phototherapy and psoralen plus UVA (PUVA) bath phototherapy over the past 5 years are reported. UVB therapy (TL01) was used in 20 psoriatic children (6 boys, 14 girls; ages 6–14 years) during the stage of disease exacerbation and in 9 children (3 boys, 6 girls; ages 8–16 years) with pityriasis lichenoides. Combined UVA/UVB phototherapy was applied in 21 AD children (7 boys, 14 girls; ages 4–15 years). Photochemotherapy with local application of a PUVA bath was used in six children (2 boys, 4 girls; ages 9–16 years) with circumscribed scleroderma and in one girl with systemic scleroderma. All children received short courses of phototherapy with either no maintenance or short maintenance. All three therapeutic protocols resulted in a certain degree of improvement in most of the study patients. None of the patients exhibited any early phototherapy side effects. We conclude that phototherapy and PUVA bath are valuable and safe therapeutic options for selected children who do not respond to other treatments.
The Effect of Phase Cancellation on Estimates of Calcaneal Broadband Ultrasound Attenuation in Vivo

Broadband ultrasonic attenuation (BUA) is a clinically-accepted measurement for prediction of osteoporotic fracture risk. Typical clinical BUA measurements are performed with phase-sensitive receivers and, therefore, can be affected by phase cancellation. In order to separate the effects of conventional attenuation (absorption plus scattering) From phase cancellation, BUA was measured on phantoms with acrylic wedge phase aberrators and on 73 women using both phase sensitive (PS) and phase insensitive (PI) reception. A clinical bone sonometer with a two-dimensional (2-D) receiver array was used. PI BUA measurements on phantoms with acrylic wedge phase aberrators were found to be far more resistant to phase cancellation than PS BUA measurements. In data from 73 women, means and standard deviations for BUA measurements were 81.4 plusmn21.4 dB/MHz (PS) and 67.2plusmn 9.7 dB/MHz (PI). The magnitude of the discrepancy between PS BUA and PI BUA tended to increase with bone mineral density (BMD).
Testicular Regression in Response to Food Restriction and Short Photoperiod in White-Footed Mice (Peromyscus leucopus) Is Mediated by Apoptosis1

Abstract Short day lengths or reduced food availability are salient cues for small mammals that breed seasonally. Photoperiod-mediated gonadal regression in white-footed mice (Peromyscus leucopus) is a slow, orderly process that involves testicular apoptosis. Testicular regression in response to restricted caloric intake is relatively rapid, and it is generally reversed quickly by ad libitum (ad lib) feeding. To determine the contribution of apoptotic cell death during food restriction, and to examine possible interactions with photoperiod, mice housed in long (16L:8D) or short (8L:16D) photoperiods were fed either ad lib or 70% of their average ad lib intake. Testes were removed at 2, 4, 6, or 8 wk of experimental treatment. Apoptotic activity was determined by in situ TUNEL labeling and assessment of DNA laddering. Significant (P < 0.05) gonadal regression in response to short days was first detected at 8 weeks in mice fed ad lib. Food-restricted, long-day mice also showed significant testicular regression at 8 wk. Combined exposure to short day lengths and food restriction resulted in significant testicular regression at 6 wk (P < 0.05). TUNEL labeling was slightly, though significantly, elevated in germ cells at 2 and 4 wk in long-day food-restricted mice (P < 0.05). TUNEL labeling was also elevated in short-day food-restricted males at these early times but then increased nearly 5-fold at 6 and 8 wk in these mice (P < 0.001). DNA laddering confirmed elevated apoptosis. Overall apoptotic activity negatively correlated with paired testis mass, plasma testosterone, and spermatogenic index measurements in both ad lib and food-restricted males. Few histological markers of necrotic cell death were observed in any group. Taken together, these results suggest that testicular regression in response to limited caloric intake or short days is mediated by apoptosis.