Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The Acute Response of Practical Occlusion in the Knee Extensors

Loenneke, JP, Kearney, ML, Thrower, AD, Collins, S, and Pujol, TJ. The acute response of practical occlusion in the knee extensors. J Strength Cond Res 24(10): 2831-2834, 2010-Training at low intensities with moderate vascular occlusion results in increased muscle hypertrophy, strength, and endurance. Elastic knee wraps, applied to the proximal portion of the target muscle, might elicit a stimulus similar to the KAATSU Master Apparatus. The purpose of this study was to test the hypothesis that intermittently occluding the leg extensors with elastic knee wraps would increase whole-blood lactate (WBL) over control (CON). Twelve healthy men and women participated in this study (age 21.2 ± 0.35 years, height 168.9 ± 2.60 cm, and body mass 71.2 ± 4.16 kg). One repetition maximum (1RM) testing for the leg extensors was performed on a leg extension machine for the first trial, followed by occlusion (OCC) and CON trials. Four sets of leg extension exercise (30-15-15-15) were completed with 150-second rest between sets at 30% 1RM. Whole-blood lactate, heart rate (HR), and ratings of perceived exertion (RPEs) were measured after every set of exercise and 3 minutes postexercise. Data were analyzed using repeated-measures analysis of variance with statistical significance set at p ≤ 0.05. Whole-blood lactate increased in response to exercise (p = 0.01) but was not different between groups (OCC 6.28 ± 0.66 vs. CON 5.35 ± 0.36 mmol·L−1, p = 0.051). Heart rate (OCC 128.86 ± 4.37 vs. CON 119.72 ± 4.10 b·min−1) was higher with OCC from sets 2-4 (p ≤ 0.03), with no difference 3 minutes postexercise (p = 0.29). Rating of perceived exertion was higher with OCC after every set (OCC 15.10 ± 0.31 vs. CON 12.16 ± 0.50, p = 0.01). In conclusion, no differences exist for WBL between groups, although there was a trend for higher levels with OCC. The current protocol for practical occlusion did not significantly increase metabolic stress more than normal low-intensity exercise. This study does not support the use of knee wraps as a mode of blood-flow restriction.
Insights, Challenges, and Future Directions in Irinogenetics

Abstract: Irinotecan is widely used in the treatment of metastatic colorectal cancer and extensive small-cell lung cancer. Its use is limited by severe toxicities such as neutropenia and delayed-type diarrhea. Irinotecan is converted to its active metabolite SN-38. SN-38 is further metabolized to SN-38G by various hepatic and extrahepatic UGT1A isozymes, mainly UGT1A1. Impaired glucuronidation activity of the UGT1A1 enzyme has been linked with elevated levels of SN-38, leading to toxicities. UGT1A1*28 involves an extra TA repeat in the UGT1A1 promoter region and is the variant most frequently contributing to interpatient variability in irinotecan pharmacokinetics and toxicities. This information led to the revision of the irinotecan label by the US Food and Drug Administration. Recently, UGT1A1*6 seems to contribute to the risk of toxicity of irinotecan in Asian patients. The pharmacogenetics of irinotecan (irinogenetics) is one of few promising examples of the application of pharmacogenetics to individualized drug therapy. This review summarizes ongoing studies and unanswered questions on irinogenetics.
Quality Indicators for Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography

Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) is one of the most technically demanding and highestrisk procedures performed by gastrointestinal endoscopists. Hence, it requires significant focused training and experience to maximize success and safety (1, 2). ERCP has evolved from a purely diagnostic to a predominately therapeutic procedure (3). ERCP and ancillary interventions are effective in the nonsurgical management of a variety of pancreaticobiliary disorders, most commonly removal of bile duct stones and relief of malignant obstructive jaundice (4). The American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (ASGE) has published specific criteria for the training and granting of clinical privileges for ERCP (5, 6) The ASGE/American College of Gastroenterology task force has established the following indicators to aid in the recognition of ERCP examinations of high quality. The levels of evidence supporting these quality indicators were graded according to Table 1. Such indicators would permit the development of quality assurance programs and enable endoscopists who perform ERCP to share their personal quality measures with patients and other interested parties.
Phantom pain, anxiety, depression, and their relation in consecutive patients with amputated limbs: case reports

Parkes suggested that emotional factors are influential in patients' experience of prolonged pain in a phantom limb after amputation and concluded that this may be prevented if patients are encouraged to express grief over their loss.1 However, Katz and Melzack found no significant difference in standardised tests of psychological dysfunction between patients who experienced phantom pain and those who did not. They concluded that the pain is more likely to vary with the experience of preamputation pain, even retaining many of its characteristics.2 A review of the literature on measures used to diagnose psychopathology found that many measures include items that confound emotional distress with the physical disorder and thus overestimate it.3 We investigated whether people who had had arms or legs amputated experienced emotional distress, and …
Drive Parameter of Neutron-Optimized Dense Plasma Foci

A dense plasma focus is being studied as a source of fusion neutrons. Lee and Serban noticed ( IEEE Trans. Plasma Sci., vol. 24, no. 3, pp. 1101-1105, 1996) that neutron-optimized Mather-type plasma foci have an almost constant drive parameter I0/(a√(ρ0)). The origin of this parameter goes back to the 1960s. Recently, it has been pointed out that the constant value of the drive parameter means almost the same values of axial and radial velocities, ion temperatures, Alfvén velocities, and magnetic energy per unit mass. Several physical mechanisms were suggested to explain the constant characteristic velocities in plasma foci. This paper presents the relation between the drive parameter and the rise rate of a current. The dependence of the drive parameter on plasma focus geometry is also derived. The obtained results are illustrated by neutron-optimized plasma foci with significantly higher drive parameters. Possible consequences on plasma focus research are mentioned.
Apoptosis, Annexin A5 and Anti-Annexin A5 Antibodies in The Antiphospholipid Syndrome

Summary It has been proposed that apoptosis is one of the mechanisms involved in the generation of antiphospholipid antibodies. The presence of antiphospholipid antibodies is the main laboratory criterion for a definite diagnosis of the antiphospholipid syndrome. Annexinopathies are disorders characterized by deregulation of annexins expression levels and function. Annexin A5 has been used as an agent for molecular imaging techniques (visualization of phosphatidylserineexpressing apoptotic cells) in vitro and in vivo in animal models and in patients (injection of human recombinant anxA5 into the patient‘s circulation). Although the determination of titers of anti-annexin A5 antibodies is not mandatory for the diagnosis of the antiphospholipid syndrome, it was reported that patients with primary antiphospholipid syndrome with a history of recurrent abortions had elevated titers of antiannexin A5 antibodies, while the presence of thromboses was not associated with elevated levels of these antibodies Kratak sadržaj Apoptoza je predložena kao jedan od mehanizama uključenih u generisanje antifosfolipidnih antitela. Prisustvo antifosfolipidnih antitela glavni je laboratorijski kriterijum za dijagnozu definitivnog antifosfolipidnog sindroma. Anek sinopatije su poremečaji koji se karakterišu deregulacijom nivoa ekspresije aneksina i njihove funkcije. Aneksin A5 se koristio kao agens za tehnike molekularnog snimanja (vizuelizacija apoptotičnih ćelija koje ispoljavaju fosfati dilserin) in vitro i in vivo u animalnim modelima i kod pacijenata (injektovanje humanog rekombinantnog aneksina A5 u cirkulaciju). Iako određivanje titra antitela anti-aneksina A5 nije obavezno za dijagnozu antifosfolipidnog sindroma, prijavljeni su slučajevi pacijenata sa primarnim antifosfolipidnim sindromom i istorijom spontanih pobačaja koji su imali povišene titre antitela anti-aneksina A5, dok prisustvo tromboza nije bilo povezano sa povišenim nivoima ovih antitela.
Obstetric risk factors associated with placenta previa development: case-control study.

AIM To evaluate potential risk factors and perinatal outcome of pregnancies complicated with placenta previa in Croatian population of pregnant women recruited from the largest tertiary care perinatal center in Croatia. METHODS This retrospective case-control study included a total of 202 singleton pregnancies with placenta previa during a 10-year study period and 1,004 randomly selected simple singleton controls. Data on potential risk factors for placenta previa development were carefully extracted from medical records, reviewed, and compared with a control group of women. Data were statistically analyzed with chi-square test and Mann-Whitney U test, and crude odds ratio (OR) with 95% confidence interval (95% CI) were provided. RESULTS The incidence of placenta previa was 0.4%. Factors significantly associated with a placenta previa development were advanced maternal age (especially >34 years, even after adjustment for high parity), gravidity of 3 and more (OR, 4; 95% CI, 2.5-6.6), more than one previous delivery (OR, 2.76; 95% CI, 1.7-4.3), history of previous cesarean sections (OR, 2.0; 95% CI, 1.17-3.44), abortions (OR, 2.8; 95% CI, 2.04-3.83), and presence of various uterine abnormalities (OR, 8.5; 95% CI, 1.75-44.5). The risk was significantly increased after two previous cesarean sections (OR, 7.32; 95% CI, 2.1-25) and after one previous abortion (OR, 4.8; 95% CI, 2.7-8.3). No difference between the groups was found regarding the history of previous placenta previa, drug abuse, and male sex at birth. Smoking history was significantly less frequent in women with placenta previa than controls (16.3% vs 25.6%, chi-square=7.9, p=0.007). The main perinatal complication was preterm birth, with 14-fold higher risk in women with placenta previa. Preterm infants of mothers with placenta previa were more likely to have lower first- (6 vs 10, p<0.001) and fifth-minute median Apgar scores (8 vs 10, p<0.045). Term infants of mothers with placenta previa had significantly lower birth weight then their controls (3,300 vs 3,500 g, p<0.001). CONCLUSION The most important obstetric factors for placenta previa development were advanced maternal age especially >34 years, 3 or more previous pregnancies, parity of 2 and more, rising number of previous abortions, and history of previous cesarean section, but not child sex at birth, history of drug abuse and previous placenta previa. Smoking cigarettes was significantly less frequent in women with placenta previa. Preterm delivery still remains the greatest problem in pregnancies complicated with placenta previa.
“Taming” Rocks and Changing Landscapes

Cupmarks—artificial hemispherical depressions, often appearing in groups on bedrock surfaces—are found worldwide, often near Paleolithic sites and Holocene settlements. The term “bedrock mortars” expresses the interpretation that they were used for pounding/grinding collected plant foods. A re‐examination of the cupmarks near the site of Hatula, on the margin of the Judean Shephelah west of Jerusalem, rules out the traditional functional interpretation in this instance. Instead, the evidence suggests that these cupmarks are remnants of intensive quarrying aimed at extracting flint nodules from the conglomerate beneath the surface and that the quarry was exploited not only for nodules but for limestone slabs. The cupmarks were drilled during the Pre‐Pottery Neolithic A occupation of the site (ca. 9600–8000 Cal BC) and constitute a component of the Neolithic techno‐cultural tradition. Future research should enlarge the data set of cupmarks and furnish a better understanding of their role in the Pre‐Pottery Neolithic and beyond.
IS Application Capabilities and Relational Value in Interfirm Partnerships

This study examines how capabilities of information systems (IS) applications deployed in the context of interfirm relationships contribute to business performance. We propose that these capabilities augment the relational value that a firm derives from its business partners---channel partners and customer enterprises---in the context of the distribution channel. Two cospecialized relational assets are considered as key to realization of relational value---knowledge sharing and process coupling. Hypotheses linking two IS capabilities (IS flexibility and IS integration) to the relational asset dimensions, and ultimately to firm performance, are proposed. The research model is tested based on data collected through a survey of business units of enterprises embedded in customer and channel partner ties in the high-tech and financial services industries. We find that IS integration with channel partners and customers contributes to both knowledge sharing and process coupling with both types of enterprise partners, whereas IS flexibility is a foundational capability that indirectly contributes to value creation in interfirm relationships by enabling greater IS integration with partner firms. We find that two types of relational assets are significantly associated with business performance---knowledge sharing with channel partners and process coupling with customers---pointing to underlying mechanisms that differentially leverage resources of different types of channel partners. Implications for theory development and practice based on these findings are proposed.
Selection-Combining Diversity Performance of Actual Multielement Antenna Systems Using the Covariance Matrix Method

Until now, the application of the covariance matrix method for evaluating the selection-combining (SC) diversity performance is restricted to the case of actual antenna systems comprising two elements. In this letter, the method is extended in order to apply to multielement antenna (MEA) systems. The performance improvement is evaluated using the effective diversity gain (EDG). Usually, EDG is measured in terms of the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) enhancement at a specific outage probability. EDG, however, can also be measured in terms of the SNR reduction for achieving a specific average bit error rate (BER). Both EDG expressions are presented and evaluated for a compact MEA system comprising three printed inverted-F antennas (IFAs).
Mini-laparoscopic live donor nephrectomy: initial series.

PURPOSE To present the safety and surgical outcomes of the initial series of mini-laparoscopic live donor nephrectomy and graft outcomes in related recipients. MATERIALS AND METHODS From January 2012 through July 2012, fifty patients underwent minilaparoscopic live donor nephrectomy. Two 3.5 mm trocars were inserted above and lateral to the umbilicus for grasping and scissoring. One 5 mm trocar with a camera was inserted in the umbilicus and an 11 mm trocar was inserted through fascia from a 6-8 cm Pfannenstiel incision for bipolar coagulation, kidney extraction, and vascular clip applier. RESULTS Mean age of donors was 28 ± 4.2 (range, 21-39) years. Mean operative time from trocar insertion was 145.8 (range, 85-210) minutes. No major perioperative or postoperative complications occurred. The average decrease in hemoglobin level was 1.14 (range, 0.32-1.8) mg/dL and no one required blood transfusion. Mean warm ischemia time was 4.41 (range, 2.35- 9) minutes. Mean hospital stay was 2.2 (range, 2-5) days. Mean follow-up time of the recipients was 215 (range, 130-270) days. The mean serum creatinine level of the recipients at discharge time and the last follow-up visit was 1.38 mg/dL and 1.22 mg/dL, respectively. CONCLUSIONS While the primary purpose of this technique is to make donor nephrectomy less invasive and more cosmetic, it is also comfortable for the laparoscopist surgeons because it is nearly similar to standard laparoscopy. A randomized controlled trial with a large sample size, long-term follow-up, and comparison with standard laparoscopy are necessary to present more definitive data about this technique.
Apoptosis: a mechanism of immunoregulation during human schistosomiasis mansoni

People infected with schistosomes may present with a variety of clinical manifestations ranging from the relatively asymptomatic intestinal (INT) form to the hepatointestinal (HI) or hepatosplenic (HS) forms characterized by hepatomegaly and hepatosplenomegaly with severe portal hypertension, respectively. Flow cytometry analyses were used to evaluate the contribution of apoptosis in specific cell populations from schistosomiasis patients to the development of the different clinical forms of the disease. The results showed that cell death induced by combinations of specific antigen and cytokines corresponds with specific clinical presentations. It was shown that soluble egg antigen (SEA) increased the level of apoptosis only in T cells from INT patients. Stimulation with soluble lung worm antigen preparation (SLAP) did not induce significant differences in the levels of apoptosis in T cells from the patients with the different clinical forms of schistosomiasis. These results suggest for the first time that apoptosis plays an important role in the modulation of the anti‐SEA response in INT patients.
Occupational structure and socioeconomic inequality: a comparative study between Brazil and the United States

This paper explores how occupational structure is associated with economic inequality in Brazil in comparison to the United States. Changes in the Brazilian and American occupational structures between 1983 and 2011 are investigated in order to assess how closely they generate high socioeconomic inequalities. The effects of education, age, gender and race on occupational attainment are taken into account. Highlights of the results include: (1) a higher level of socioeconomic development in the American occupational structure, reflecting huge socioeconomic differences between these countries; (2) a tenuous convergence between the Brazilian and American occupational structures; (3) a significant decrease in the net impacts of education, age, gender and race on occupational attainment (i.e., reduced social stratification) in both countries. These results suggest the analytical worth of considering occupational structure as a significant intermediate variable affecting the level of socioeconomic inequality within a country over time, as well as between two countries at a given point in time.
A Functionally Distinct TATA Box Required for Late Progression through the Epstein-Barr Virus Life Cycle

ABSTRACT During EBV infection, lytic DNA replication activates late gene expression in trans via an uncharacterized pathway. In this study, we mapped the target of this regulatory cascade to a variant TATA box (TATTAAA) and the 3′ flanking region within the core promoter of the BcLF1 gene. The inherent late activity of this core promoter is, surprisingly, disrupted by a heterologous enhancer, suggesting that late gene expression is regulated through core promoter sequences located in a transcriptionally inert environment.
Novel CFTR Chloride Channel Activators Identified by Screening of Combinatorial Libraries Based on Flavone and Benzoquinolizinium Lead Compounds* 210

The flavonoid genistein and the benzo[c]quinolizinium MPB-07 have been shown to activate the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR), the protein that is defective in cystic fibrosis. Lead-based combinatorial and parallel synthesis yielded 223 flavonoid, quinolizinium, and related heterocyclic compounds. The compounds were screened for their ability to activate CFTR at 50 μmconcentration by measurement of the kinetics of iodide influx in Fisher rat thyroid cells expressing wild-type or G551D CFTR together with the green fluorescent protein-based halide indicator YFP-H148Q. Duplicate screenings revealed that 204 compounds did not significantly affect CFTR function. Compounds of the 7,8-benzoflavone class, which are structurally intermediate between flavones and benzo[c]quinoliziniums, were effective CFTR activators with the most potent being 2-(4-pyridinium)benzo[h]4H-chromen-4-one bisulfate (UCcf-029). Compounds of the novel structural class of fused pyrazolo heterocycles were also strong CFTR activators with the most potent being 3-(3-butynyl)-5-methoxy-1-phenylpyrazole-4-carbaldehyde (UCcf-180). A CFTR inhibitor was also identified. The active compounds did not induce iodide influx in null cells deficient in CFTR. Short-circuit current measurements showed that the CFTR activators identified by screening induced strong anion currents in the transfected cell monolayers grown on porous supports. Compared with genistein, the most active compounds had up to 10 times greater potency in activating wild-type and/or G551D-CFTR. The activators had low cellular toxicity and did not elevate cellular cAMP concentration or inhibit phosphatase activity, suggesting that CFTR activation may involve a direct interaction. These results establish an efficient screening procedure to identify CFTR activators and inhibitors and have identified 7,8-benzoflavones and pyrazolo derivatives as novel classes of CFTR activators.
Anti‐HPA‐5b‐induced neonatal alloimmune thrombocytopenia: antibody titre as a predictor

Anti‐HPA‐5b is the most commonly found platelet‐specific antibody among pregnant women, but it does not cause severe fetal–neonatal alloimmune thrombocytopenia in the majority of affected infants. However, as the sequelae of the affected children may become severe, it is necessary to identify the risk factors for neonatal alloimmune thrombocytopenia. Of 21 354 consecutive pregnant women, 138 [0·65%; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0·54–0·75%], corresponding to 13·2% of the 1049 HPA‐5b− women caculated by the gene frequency, were positive for anti‐HPA‐5b at the first trimester. Anti‐HPA‐5b was titrated in specimens obtained at the third trimester and antibody‐positive women and their neonates were HPA‐5 genotyped. Platelet counts in cord blood and 3 d after birth were assessed in the infants born to these mothers. Chi‐square analysis showed no significant relationship between the titres of maternal antibody to HPA‐5b and the number of pregnancies. There was a significant difference in platelet counts at d 3 between neonates who were compatible (267 × 109/l) or incompatible (220 × 109/l, P < 0·05) with maternal anti‐HPA‐5b. HPA‐5b antibody titres ≥ 64 were related to the development of thrombocytopenia (< 150 × 109/l) in neonates 1 d and 3 d after birth. A high titre (≥ 64) had a positive predictive value of 50% for thrombocytopenia 3 d after birth when the infant was HPA‐5b+ and a negative predictive value of 100%. These results indicate that a high titre (≥ 64) of anti‐HPA‐5b is associated with a higher risk of neonatal thrombocytopenia, even if anti‐HPA‐5b‐induced severe thrombocytopenia rarely develops.