Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Shari’ah Governance and Islamic Banks Performance: Evidence from South Asia

: Shari’ah governance provide strike conformity with Islamic businesses ethics and the expectation of its customers which aim at improving ﬁrms performance and societal welfare to eliminate poverty in the global setting. The purpose of this study is to investigate the impact of Shari’ah governance on Islamic banks (IBs) performance of 31 IBs of 4 countries of South Asia for the period of 2010-2016 and developed a CG index for IBs. Two types of analysis were performed; descriptive statistics and panel random eﬀects model. It was found that IBs of Bangladesh gets higher ICG scores due to their larger Shari’ah boards, corporate boards, board independence and board meetings compare to others countries. The results of the model show that larger Shari’ah and corporate boards are value enhancing. The study suggests that considering the progressive stage and complexity of competition of IBs with historically mature and ﬁnancial sound CBs, larger boards with strategic vision may provide IBs the competitive edge in the market.
Neurohistopathological findings after continuous intrathecal administration of morphine or a morphine/ bupivacaine mixture in cancer pain patients

Background: As the number of terminal cancer patients receiving continuous intrathecalinfusion of opioids and local anesthetics for relief of pain increases, we decided to investigate the post‐mortem findings of the spinal cord, meninges and nerve roots of patients after continuous intrathecal administration of morphine and combined with bupivacaine.
Phase II trial of preoperative chemotherapy for breast cancer: Japan Breast Cancer Research Network (JBCRN)-02 trial.

BACKGROUND Neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) is one of the main strategies for patients with locally advanced breast cancer. In our previous study, biological markers such as estrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PgR), and HER2 were essential predictors of the effectiveness of NAC to help individualize treatment. This study examined the effect of NAC on the disease-free survival (DFS) of breast cancer patients. Furthermore, the study was expanded by adding Ki-67 as a biological marker, and examined the correlation between Ki-67 and the prognosis. PATIENTS AND METHODS Between September 2005 and September 2007, 43 patients with breast cancer received NAC and surgery. Four cycles of DC (doxorubicin: 60 mg/m(2) and cyclophosphamide: 500 mg/m(2)) were administered intravenously (i.v.) on day 1 every 21 days, followed by 12 cycles of paclitaxel i.v. (80 mg/m(2)) every 7 days, prior to surgery. The primary endpoint was the pathological complete response (pCR) rate and the secondary endpoint was DFS; the pCR rate was estimated for each groups stratified by the presence or absence of different factors (PcR, ER/PgR, and Ki-67). RESULTS The clinical response (cCR+cPR) rate was 81.0%, and the pCR rate was 25.6%. The pCR rate was 75, 50, 9 and 0% in HER2(+)/ER(-), HER2(+)/ER(+), HER2(-)/ER(-), and HER2(-)/ER(+) patients, respectively. The 4-year DFS rate was estimated at 78% for all patients. The HER2 status was an independent predictor of pathological complete response (pCR). The DFS rate of patients with lower Ki-67 values (<15%) was higher than that of patients with higher Ki-67 values (≥15%). The treatment-related adverse events were manageable: the majority were mild, but five patients experienced grade 3 (neutropenia and sensory neuropathy) adverse events. CONCLUSION DC followed by weekly paclitaxel is an active and manageable preoperative regimen for breast cancer patients. HER2 overexpression may be a good predictive marker of pCR, and the Ki-67 value after NAC may be a prognostic factor for DFS.
Does the US Economy Face a Long Run Trade Off between Inflation and Unemployment

As average inflation expectations anchored at the inflation target since 2000 in the USA, the long run Phillips curve may have become downward sloping. Since the great recession 2008-2009, the US economy has experienced an average of 0.22% points of undershooting of the inflation target over the period 2008Q1-2017Q4. This study finds that the long run Phillips curve for the USA has become flatter since 2008. Our estimates show that the US economy faced 1.6% points of higher average unemployment than what would have been the case if average inflation had been equal to the target. This is a significant unemployment cost resulting from both a flatter long run Phillips curve and an undershooting of the inflation target. Our findings suggest that the US economy has been facing a long run trade off between inflation and unemployment since the financial crisis.
DC Voltage Variation Based Autonomous Control of DC Microgrids

System control for dc microgrids with variable generations and energy storage is proposed in this paper. An autonomous three-level control strategy is proposed for dc microgrids with selective slack terminal(s) assigned to each operation level. The system operational status is acknowledged via the common dc voltage and the transitions between different operational levels are triggered by its variation. A four-terminal sample dc microgrid system with a grid-connected voltage-source converter, a wind turbine, an energy storage system, and dc loads are established and a specific control scheme is outlined to demonstrate the proposed strategy during various operating conditions, such as load step, generation fluctuation, islanding, grid reconnection, load shedding, and generation curtailment. The control strategy and the specific scheme are validated by experimental results conducted on a prototype dc microgrid system.
The role of serotonin and its receptors in activation of immune responses and inflammation

Serotonin or 5‐hydroxytryptamine (5‐HT) is a neurotransmitter and hormone that contributes to the regulation of various physiological functions by its actions in the central nervous system (CNS) and in the respective organ systems. Peripheral 5‐HT is predominantly produced by enterochromaffin (EC) cells of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. These gut‐resident cells produce much more 5‐HT than all neuronal and other sources combined, establishing EC cells as the main source of this biogenic amine in the human body. Peripheral 5‐HT is also a potent immune modulator and affects various immune cells through its receptors and via the recently identified process of serotonylation. Alterations in 5‐HT signalling have been described in inflammatory conditions of the gut, such as inflammatory bowel disease. The association between 5‐HT and inflammation, however, is not limited to the gut, as changes in 5‐HT levels have also been reported in patients with allergic airway inflammation and rheumatoid arthritis. Based on searches for terms such as ‘5‐HT’, ‘EC cell’, ‘immune cells’ and ‘inflammation’ in pubmed.gov as well as by utilizing pertinent reviews, the current review aims to provide an update on the role of 5‐HT in biological functions with a particular focus on immune activation and inflammation.
Sulfate Burial Constraints on the Phanerozoic Sulfur Cycle

More than a Dash of Sea Salt The cycling of major elements, such as sulfur, in the oceans depends on a number of processes, from bacterial respiration of organic matter to venting of gases from hydrothermal vents on the seafloor. Over geologic time, sediment deposited on the seafloor preserves chemical records of major changes in sulfur cycling and seawater chemistry (see the Perspective by Hurtgen). Halevy et al. (p. 331) observed swings in sulfur isotopes in a stratigraphic database covering North America and the Caribbean that, when modeled, corresponded to variable evaporite preservation and high turnover of sedimentary pyrite. Wortmann and Paytan (p. 334) modeled the two most recent major swings in sedimentary sulfur isotopes over the last 130 million years and suggest that short periods of rapid fluxes in sulfur cycling were at least in part caused by the growth and dissolution of evaporite deposits. Sulfur isotopes from the stratigraphic record constrain evolving mass fluxes into sulfate-bearing evaporite sediments. The sulfur cycle influences the respiration of sedimentary organic matter, the oxidation state of the atmosphere and oceans, and the composition of seawater. However, the factors governing the major sulfur fluxes between seawater and sedimentary reservoirs remain incompletely understood. Using macrostratigraphic data, we quantified sulfate evaporite burial fluxes through Phanerozoic time. Approximately half of the modern riverine sulfate flux comes from weathering of recently deposited evaporites. Rates of sulfate burial are unsteady and linked to changes in the area of marine environments suitable for evaporite formation and preservation. By contrast, rates of pyrite burial and weathering are higher, less variable, and largely balanced, highlighting a greater role of the sulfur cycle in regulating atmospheric oxygen.
The myosin II ATPase inhibitor blebbistatin prevents thrombin-induced inhibition of intercellular calcium wave propagation in corneal endothelial cells.

PURPOSE Thrombin inhibits intercellular Ca(2+) wave propagation in bovine corneal endothelial cells (BCECs) through a mechanism dependent on myosin light chain (MLC) phosphorylation. In this study, blebbistatin, a selective myosin II ATPase inhibitor, was used to investigate whether the effect of thrombin is mediated by enhanced actomyosin contractility. METHODS BCECs were exposed to thrombin (2 U/mL) for 5 minutes. MLC phosphorylation was assayed by immunocytochemistry. Ca(2+) waves were visualized by confocal microscopy with Fluo-4AM. Fluorescence recovery after photobleaching (FRAP) was used to investigate intercellular communication (IC) via gap junctions. ATP release was measured by luciferin-luciferase assay. Lucifer yellow (LY) uptake was used to investigate hemichannel activity, and Fura-2 was used to assay thrombin- and ATP-mediated Ca(2+) responses. RESULTS Pretreatment with blebbistatin (5 microM for 20 minutes) or its nitro derivative prevented the thrombin-induced inhibition of the Ca(2+) wave. Neither photo-inactivated blebbistatin nor the inactive enantiomers prevented the thrombin effect. Blebbistatin also prevented thrombin-induced inhibition of LY uptake, ATP release and FRAP, indicating that it prevented the thrombin effect on paracrine and gap junctional IC. In the absence of thrombin, blebbistatin had no significant effect on paracrine or gap junctional IC. The drug had no influence on MLC phosphorylation or on [Ca(2+)](i) transients in response to thrombin or ATP. CONCLUSIONS Blebbistatin prevents the inhibitory effects of thrombin on intercellular Ca(2+) wave propagation. The findings demonstrate that myosin II-mediated actomyosin contractility plays a central role in thrombin-induced inhibition of gap junctional IC and of hemichannel-mediated paracrine IC.
Auditing the technology used to measure blood pressure

Patient management requires accurate blood pressure measurement, but there is concern about the accuracy of the equipment. Makes and types of sphygmomanometers and sizes of their associated cuffs used in hospital wards and outpatient departments were recorded and calibration checked. Half the sphygmomanometers were oscillometric, 32% aneroid and 18% mercury. There were faults in 30% of the aneroid devices and 32% of the mercury devices, mostly of cuffs, hoses and connectors. Of the aneroid devices 18% had calibration errors (mostly of only 4 mmHg at pressures above 200 mmHg). Nearly 90% of the aneroid devices had only one cuff size available, suggesting that miss-cuffing might be a serious cause of inaccurate blood pressure measurements. Many oscillometric devices had no evidence of compliance with validation standards. Sphygmomanometers and their cuffs and hoses should be regularly checked. Clinical staff can carry out many of the checks.
Can Panton Valentine Leukocidin Gene And Clindamycin Susceptibility Serve As Predictors of Community Origin of MRSA From Skin and Soft Tissue Infections?

INTRODUCTION Community associated Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (CA-MRSA) strains have begun to replace Hospital Associated MRSA (HA-MRSA) strains in hospital settings all over the world. With the epidemiological distinctions between these strains beginning to become ill-defined, the categorisation of a strain as CA-MRSA or HA-MRSA is dependent on molecular methods to detect the presence of SCCmec (Staphylococcal Cassette Chromosome mec) elements. However other markers like the presence of Panton Valentine Leukocidin toxin (pvl) genes or Clindamycin susceptibility may also be associated with community origin of MRSA. AIM To determine the prevalence of CA-MRSA among MRSA strains isolated from skin and soft tissue infections and to evaluate the usefulness of Panton Valentine Leukocidin and Clindamycin susceptibility as markers of community origin of MRSA. MATERIALS AND METHODS One hundred isolates of MRSA from skin and soft tissue were studied for the presence of SCCmec IV and V genes and Panton valentine leukocidin gene by Polymerase chain reaction. Inducible clindamycin resistance was screened for using the D-test. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS USED Fischer's exact test. A p-value <0.05 was considered significant. RESULTS Eighteen out of 100 MRSA strains were found to be CA-MRSA based on presence of SCCmecV. The proportion of Panton Valentine Leukocidin gene carriage among CA- MRSA as compared to HA-MRSA was found to be statistically significant (p<0.0001). Among the CA-MRSA strains, 94.4% were found to be susceptible to Clindamycin as against only 13.4% of the HA-MRSA strains (p<0.0001). The odds of an MRSA strain being CA-MRSA if it was both Clindamycin susceptible and PVL gene positive was calculated to be 68.25 (p<0.0001). CONCLUSION Both Clindamycin susceptibility and pvl gene carriage were found to be independent predictors of community origin of MRSA, but taken together the association was highly significant.
Pharmacokinetics of meloxicam in rabbits after oral administration of single and multiple doses.

OBJECTIVE To determine the pharmacokinetics of meloxicam (1 mg/kg) in rabbits after oral administration of single and multiple doses. ANIMALS 6 healthy rabbits. PROCEDURES A single dose of meloxicam (1 mg/kg, PO) was administered to the rabbits. After a 10-day washout period, meloxicam (1 mg/kg, PO) was administered to rabbits every 24 hours for 5 days. Blood samples were obtained from rabbits at predetermined intervals during both treatment periods. Plasma meloxicam concentrations were determined, and noncompartmental pharmacokinetic analysis was performed. RESULTS The mean peak plasma concentration and area under the plasma concentration-versus-time curve extrapolated to infinity after administration of a single dose of meloxicam were 0.83 μg/mL and 10.37 h•μg/mL, respectively. After administration of meloxicam for 5 days, the mean peak plasma concentration was 1.33 μg/mL, and the area under the plasma concentration-versus-time curve from the time of administration of the last dose to 24 hours after that time was 18.79 h•μg/mL. For single- and multiple-dose meloxicam experiments, the mean time to maximum plasma concentration was 6.5 and 5.8 hours and the mean terminal half-life was 6.1 and 6.7 hours, respectively. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE Plasma concentrations of meloxicam for rabbits in the present study were proportionally higher than those previously reported for rabbits receiving 0.2 mg of meloxicam/kg and were similar to those determined for animals of other species that received clinically effective doses. A dose of 1 mg/kg may be necessary to achieve clinically effective circulating concentrations of meloxicam in rabbits, although further studies are needed.
TP53 and ovarian cancer

Ovarian cancer represents the fourth most frequent type of cancer among females and is the leading cause of death from gynecological cancer in the western world. This review describes gene alterations in ovarian cancer. Specific emphasis is placed on genetic alterations and the prevalence of TP53 (p53) gene alterations in the distinct biological ovarian tumors (benign, borderline, and malignant) and histological subtypes (serous, mucinous, endometrioid, clear cell), as well as in BRCA1‐associated hereditary ovarian cancer. Although multi‐modality treatment regimens, including cytoreductive surgery and cisplatin‐containing combination chemotherapy, have usefully prolonged survival, the overall cure rate of the disease has not changed dramatically. Ovarian cancer is difficult to eradicate completely by surgery and many patients have only a partial response to postoperative chemotherapy and/or many will develop chemotherapy resistance. All these important factors contribute to the poor prognosis of ovarian cancer patients. In this review, the putative prognostic or predictive value of TP53 in ovarian cancer is addressed. Hum Mutat 21:285–291, 2003. © 2003 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Pregabalin in Patients With Inadequately Treated Painful Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy: A Randomized Withdrawal Trial

Objectives:This study used a randomized withdrawal design to evaluate the efficacy of pregabalin versus placebo for pain relief in patients with painful diabetic peripheral neuropathy inadequately treated by other therapies. Methods:A total of 665 patients received pregabalin in a 6-week single-blind phase. Two hundred ninety-four patients who achieved a ≥30% pain response were randomized to receive pregabalin or placebo in a double-blind phase for a further 13 weeks. The primary endpoint was the change in mean pain score from single-blind baseline to double-blind endpoint for pregabalin versus placebo (last observation carried forward [LOCF]). Secondary endpoints included a baseline observation carried forward (BOCF) analysis of mean pain score; time to loss of pain response; and other assessments of pain, sleep, function, and quality of life (QOL). Results:Pregabalin numerically improved all measures assessed during the single-blind phase. At the end of the double-blind withdrawal phase, there was no significant difference in the primary endpoint of mean pain score (LOCF) between pregabalin and placebo (least squares mean difference, −0.32), although there was a significant difference in the BOCF analysis (least squares mean difference, −0.51). Pregabalin was associated with a significantly longer time to loss of pain response versus placebo during double-blind treatment, and some aspects of sleep and QOL also showed significant improvements with pregabalin. Discussion:This is the first reported placebo-controlled trial of pregabalin in patients with inadequately treated painful diabetic peripheral neuropathy. Although the primary endpoint was not met, pregabalin was associated with clinically relevant improvements versus placebo in this difficult-to-treat population.
Rethinking teaching excellence in Australian higher education

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore: why the concept of teaching excellence has been uncritically accepted into the lexicon of university management; and how it has been used to co-opt university teaching staff into supporting the myth that teaching quality can be maintained as financial support for teaching has declined. Design/methodology/approach This paper is conceptual and analytical rather than empirical and a critical management perspective is adopted. Findings Per capita funding of university teaching has declined steadily. The concept of teaching excellence has been used to distract attention away from discussions about funding and the conditions required to promote good teaching in universities. The construction of teaching excellence as an attribute of individual teachers has co-opted university teachers into supporting the illusion that teaching quality can be maintained, despite falling organisational support and decreased funding. Research limitations/implications Teaching in universities can only be improved through changes to the management approach and maintenance of per capita funding, and ultimately democratisation of universities. This will require changes to the regulatory framework, and national policy. Practical implications The author concludes that teaching excellence is unhelpful as a concept. Instead the focus of discussion needs to return to ensuring that the necessary conditions for responsive teaching are in place. Social implications Democratise the workplace and management methods; adopt matrix management structures; Rebalance to focus on social benefit and public good. Originality/value This paper uncovers tensions, contradictions and missing elements in current policy and concludes with suggestions for change.
Use of renal risk drugs in hospitalized patients with impaired renal function--an underestimated problem?

BACKGROUND Inappropriate use of drugs in patients with renal impairment (RI) may be harmful and may have deleterious effects. We aimed to investigate the use of renal risk drugs in such patients in general hospitals and to analyse the relationship to demographic factors, risk factors and occurrence of drug-related problems (DRPs). METHODS Patients admitted to departments of internal medicine and rheumatology in five general hospitals were included. We recorded demographic data, drugs used, drugs described to be a risk in RI (renal risk drugs), relevant medical history, laboratory data and clinical/pharmacological risk factors. We used levels of glomerular filtration rates, calculated by the Modification of Diet in Renal Disease formula to classify patients into five stages of renal function. DRPs were recorded and assessed in multidisciplinary hospital team discussions. RESULTS Of the 808 included patients, 293 (36%) had normal renal function (stage 1), 314 (39%) had mild RI (stage 2), 160 (20%) had moderate RI (stage 3), 35 (4%) had severe RI (stage 4) and six (0.7%) had kidney failure (stage 5). Mean number of drugs used per patient in patients with RI (stages 3, 4 and 5) and patients evaluated to have adequate renal function relative to drug therapy (stages 1 and 2): on admission 6.2 vs 4.1; started in hospital 4.3 vs 3.9 and total number of renal risk drugs 6.1 vs 4.5. All but six patients with RI stages 3, 4 and 5 used two or more renal risk drugs. 124 (62%) of the patients with RI stages 3, 4 and 5 had DRPs linked to the renal risk drugs, and 26% of the renal risk drugs were associated with DRPs. The most common drug classes associated with DRPs were antibacterials, antithrombotic agents, angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors, opioids and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). CONCLUSIONS Among patients admitted to general hospitals, a considerable proportion had renal impairment. In patients with reduced renal function, renal risk drugs were widely used and often in combination. DRPs were frequently associated with the use of renal risk drugs.