Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The Complications of Pancreatectomy

This paper analyses the early postoperative complications after 285 pancreaticoduodenectomies performed during the past 15 years in the Surgical University Clinic, Mannheim. There were 235 partial (Whipple) and 52 total pancreatectomies performed for pancreatic and periampullary tumors (181 patients) and complicated chronic pancreatitis (104 patients). A total of 92 complications requiring relaparotomy in 42 patients ended fatally in nine patients. The overall operative and hospital mortality rate was 3.1%. The most frequent and most dangerous were complications at or around the pancreaticojejunal anastomosis, which occurred 25 times with five deaths. Postoperative hemorrhage was seen in 16 patients; endoscopic treatment in four patients and operation in 12 patients was successful in stopping the bleeding in all but one patient. Eight biliary fistulae either ceased spontaneously (3 patients) or after operative reintervention (5 patients) without any mortality. Control of these complications depends on four lines of approach: (1) before operation: optimal preparation of the jaundiced patient including endoscopic transpapillary decompression of the common duct; (2) during operation: a meticulous and standardized technique is mandatory; (3) after operation: continous observation in the surgical intensive care unit is essential for the timely detection of possible complications; and (4) early reintervention can salvage the great majority of these patients with deleterious complications.
One minute static stretch of plantar flexors transiently increases H reflex excitability and exerts no effect on corticospinal pathways

What is the central question of this study? What mediates neural responses following static stretching, and how long do these influences last? What is the main finding and its importance? This study shows that 1 min of static stretching inhibits the tendon tap reflex and facilitates the H reflex without influencing motor‐evoked potentials. The results indicate that at least two different mechanisms mediate neural responses after static stretching.
Knowledge management activities in social enterprises: lessons for small and non-profit firms

Purpose This paper aims to explore what social enterprises (SEs) in the UK know and how they acquire, convert, apply and protect this knowledge. This will enable them to manage their knowledge effectively and, hence, improve their practices and maximise the creation of social, environmental and economic value. Design/methodology/approach This study follows a qualitative approach, comprising 21 interviews with founders and senior members of SEs in the UK. Findings The results show that the investigated SEs have knowledge management (KM) practices similar to the already identified in SMEs, associated with informality, reliance on external sources and focus on socialisation activities, but they have unique challenges on managing their knowledge related to their hybrid mission, to include social and economic objectives and their closed relationship with stakeholders. Research limitations/implications As there is limited research on KM practices in SEs; they were defined based on previous studies in large, private and public companies. Therefore, not all practices may be included. This research is a starting point in the study of KM in SEs. Practical implications This study identifies knowledge activities that enable the creation of social, environmental and economic value in SEs. This allows SEs, small firms and non-profit organisations to review their current practices and develop plans for their further improvement. Originality/value This paper is one of the first empirical studies exploring KM practices in SEs, highlighting their informal nature as well as their impact in and on the enterprise.
Identification of Biphenylcarboxylic Acid Derivatives as a Novel Class of Bone Resorption Inhibitors

A novel class of biphenylcarboxylic acid derivatives are described that inhibit osteoclastic bone resorption in vitro by promoting osteoclast apoptosis and that prevent ovariectomy‐induced bone loss in vivo. The compounds act by a novel mechanism that seems to be distinct from existing antiresorptive drugs.
Involuntary Unemployment in a Neoclassical Growth Model with Public Debt and Human Capital

Abstract Even more than eight decades since the publication of Keynes’ “General Theory of Employment, Interest, and Money” modern macroeconomists disagree on the notion of “underemployment equilibrium” with so-called “involuntary unemployment”. While the majority of macro theorists trace involuntary unemployment back to frictions and rigidities in the adaptation of wages and output prices to market imbalances, a minority position holds that even under perfectly flexible output prices and wage rates involuntary unemployment might occur. Morishima in “Walras’ Economics” and more recently Magnani presume that contrary to the majority view aggregate investment is not perfectly flexible but governed by “animal spirits” of investors. The aim of the present paper is to integrate the Morishima-Magnani approach into a Diamond-type overlapping generations’ (OLG) model with internal public debt subsequently extended by human capital accumulation. It turns out that in spite of perfectly flexible real wage and interest rate involuntary unemployment occurs in intertemporal general equilibrium when aggregate investor sentiments are too pessimistic regarding the rentability of investment in real capital. In the model extended by human capital a higher public debt to output ratio decreases unambiguously involuntary unemployment, if initially the endogenous output growth rate is higher than the real interest rate.
Category specific access dysphasia.

In this study we report our investigations of the residual auditory-verbal comprehension skills of a global dysphasic who had sustained a major left hemisphere infarction. Clinically V.E. R. 's capacity for propositional speech and her comprehension of the simplest verbal instructions appeared to be absent. Nevertheless using matching-to-sample techniques it was possible to demonstrate the selective preservation (foods, animals and flowers) and the selective impairment (objects) of specific semantic categories. Furthermore there was evidence from analyses of response consistency and presentation rate effects that her deficit was primarily one of access to the full semantic representation of words. We suggest that this access impairment arose because the system had become refractory, such refractoriness being category specific.
Thrombin generation in plasma of healthy adults and children: Chromogenic versus fluorogenic thrombogram analysis

Summary Coagulation tests and coagulation factor assays have been complemented recently with experimental tests to measure the total amount of thrombin formed.We have presently analyzed thrombin generation of healthy adult and paediatric plasma samples via a fluorogenic and a chromogenic method.The chromogenic method was performed on the fully automated Behring Coagulation System® (BCS®) and fluorogenic assays via Calibrated Automated Thrombography ® (CAT),after coagulation induction by various tissue factor (TF) concentrations.Sample distribution and variability were analyzed for the four main coagulation parameters, derived via computerized curve analysis in each method. Results for both methods were correlated.At the recommended TF concentration (300 pM), thrombin generation via BCS was less variable than via CAT (1–6 pM), but at comparable TF concentrations (1–6 pM), the CAT sensitivity was higher than that of BCS. Inhibition of intrinsic coagulation with the anti-factor VIII antibody BO2C11 revealed that the BCS detected extrinsic coagulation exclusively, at all TF concentrations tested. In contrast, at low TF concentrations (1 and 2.5 pM), via CAT, intrinsic coagulation pathway amplification was measured. At standardizedTF concentrations (300 pM in BCS vs. 2.5 pM in CAT), different reference values between adults and children were found, for all parameters, except Tmax. In adult samples, the best correlation between both methods was observed for ETPCAT versus ETPBCS and for Peak heightCAT versus CmaxBCS, when thrombin generation was exclusively extrinsic (300 pM in BCS vs. 6 pM in CAT). In conclusion, differential thrombin generation characteristics in BCS and CAT are relevant for their clinical applicability.
Education and health in Europe

ABSTRACT The productive and allocative theories predict that education has positive impact on health: the more educated adopt healthier life styles and use more efficiently health inputs, and this explains why they live longer. We find partial support for these theories with an econometric analysis on a large sample of Europeans aged above 50 documenting a significant and positive correlation among education years, life styles, health outputs and functionalities. We however find confirmation for an anomaly already observed in the United States, namely the more educated are more likely to contract cancer. Our results are robust when controlling for endogeneity and reverse causality in IV estimates with instrumental variables related to quarter of birth and neighbours’ cultural norms.
Parvalbumin Immunoreactive Neurons in the Main Olfactory Bulb of the House Musk Shrew, Suncus murinus

The distribution, morphological features, and postnatal development of parvalbumin (PV) immunoreactive neurons in the main olfactory bulb (MOB) of the house musk shrew, Suncus murinus, were studied to report for the first time on PV positive bulbar interneurons in the order Insectivora. In adult animals, PV neurons are distributed in the glomerular layer (GL), the external plexiform layer (EPL), the internal plexiform layer (IPL) and the granule cell layer (GCL) of the MOB. These neurons were identified as a subpopulation of periglomerular cells and perinidal cells [Alonso et al., 1995] in the GL and at the GL-EPL border, respectively, and as bipolar and multipolar neurons in the EPL and four types of the interneurons (horizontal cells, Cajal cells, Golgi cells, and bitufted cells) in the layers deeper than the mitral cell layer. During development of PV neurons, neurons exhibiting extremely faint PV immunoreactivity first appeared in the GCL at postnatal day 14 and increased markedly in number and intensity of their PV immunoreactivity from postnatal days 14 to 28. At postnatal day 21, PV neurons were identified as periglomerular cells in the GL, perinidal cells at the GL-EPL border, and morphologically unidentifiable neurons in the EPL, IPL and GCL. At postnatal day 28, PV neurons exhibited a nearly adult pattern with respect to distribution and structural features. The present results strongly suggest that a wide variety of PV positive neurons in the MOB of the house musk shrew may develop postnatally.
P-wave Dispersion is Increased in Pregnancy Due to Shortening of Minimum Duration of P: Does This Have Clinical Significance?

Most pregnant women complain of palpitation, and various kinds of arrhythmias can be observed during pregnancy. We investigated P-wave and QT dispersion during pregnancy. Healthy pregnant women (n = 162) and healthy age-matched, non-pregnant women (n = 150) were included. We performed electrocardiography and transthoracic echocardiography and determined serum oestradiol levels in both groups, and performed Holter monitoring in the pregnant group only. Resting heart rate, P-wave dispersion, left ventricular diastolic diameter, left atrial diameter and serum oestradiol levels in the pregnant group were significantly higher than in the control group. Minimum P-wave duration was shorter in the control group than in the pregnant group; however, there was no statistically significant difference in maximum P wavelength and corrected QT dispersion between the groups. No atrial fibrillation was detected in the pregnant group during Holter monitoring. Shortening of the minimum P-wave duration leads to increased P-wave dispersion during pregnancy. In contrast to other pathologies with increased P-wave dispersion, paroxysmal atrial fibrillation is absent in pregnant women; this may be a result of the stable maximum P wavelength that is present during pregnancy.
Understanding the mechanisms of the relationship between shared values and service delivery performance of frontline employees

Abstract Service firms strive to encourage their frontline employees (FLEs) to develop attitudes that support excellent service delivery. Anchored in the conservation of resources (COR) theory, this study aims to understand the mechanisms through which shared values influence FLEs’ service delivery performance. The study contributes to the HRM literature by developing and testing a conceptual framework among FLEs in the British hospitality industry. Findings reveal that shared values as a key workplace resource enhance the service delivery performance of FLEs through the following key intervening mechanisms: perceived organizational support, emotional exhaustion, job satisfaction, and affective organizational commitment. Findings further demonstrate a direct relationship between shared values and emotional exhaustion and an indirect relationship between emotional exhaustion and service delivery performance via affective organizational commitment and job satisfaction. Managerial implications and suggestions for future research are presented.
Planar cross-polarized transition to a circular waveguide feed for a 61 GHz dielectric antenna

This paper presents a novel concept for a planar cross-polarized transition to a 61 GHz dielectric lens antenna. The transition to the circular waveguide antenna feed consists of a combination of a microstrip line and a slot line. Each of these planar waveguides excites the H11 mode in the circular waveguide with a 90± polarization angle to one another. The developed double layer transition topology was realized on a Rogers 5880 substrate employing the microstrip line on the top and the slot line on the bottom layer. The concept was implemented and tested on a circular waveguide-fed dielectric lens antenna for a 61 GHz radar system. Experimental results show a transition loss of around -2 dB for the microstrip and -3 dB for the slot line feed with excellent crosstalk suppression greater than 40 dB for the two polarization channels. The bandwidth of the built crosspolarized transition is greater than 10 GHz. The results prove that the novel transition concept is very well suited for compact, broadband and low cost polarimetric millimeter-wave radar systems.
PKCα-dependent activation of RhoA by syndecan-4 during focal adhesion formation

Syndecan-4 is a ubiquitously expressed transmembrane heparan sulphate proteoglycan acting in concert with integrins in the formation of focal adhesions and stress fibres. Signalling events studied thus far suggest the formation of a ternary complex between syndecan-4, phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate and protein kinase C α (PKCα). Syndecan-4 clustering at the cell surface has also been associated with RhoA-dependent signalling, but the relationship between PKCα and RhoA has not been resolved. Here we present evidence that syndecan-4, PKCα and RhoA are in a linear pathway necessary for the formation and maintenance of stress fibres in primary rat embryo fibroblasts. Inhibition of PKCα activity through the use of specific pharmacological inhibitors, a dominant-negative construct, or siRNA downregulation of protein levels, attenuated focal adhesion formation and the maintenance of stress fibres. However, these effects could be bypassed through independent activation of RhoA with lysophosphatidic acid, but not by clustering of syndecan-4 with ligand. Furthermore, inhibition of PKCα could block the increase in the GTP levels of RhoA induced by clustering of syndecan-4 at the cell surface. All these data point to a mechanism whereby syndecan-4 signals to RhoA in a PKCα-dependent manner and PKCα directly influences RhoA activity.
Effects of Zoledronate on Mortality and Morbidity after Surgical Treatment of Hip Fractures

We aimed to evaluate the effects of intertrochanteric femoral fractures on mortality, morbidity, and cost of zoledronate treatment in elderly patients treated by osteosynthesis. Based on Evans classification, 114 patients with unstable intertrochanteric femoral fractures were treated with osteosynthesis. After the surgical treatment of intertrochanteric fractures, the treatment group (M/F, 24/32; mean age, 76.7 ± SD years) received zoledronate infusion, and the control group (M/F, 20/38; mean age, 80.2 ± SD years) received placebo. Postoperative control visits were performed at 6-week, 3-month, 6-month, and 12-month time points. Functional level of patients was evaluated by the modified Harris hip score and Merle d'Aubigné hip score. By 12 months, the mean HHS in treatment and control groups was 81.93 and 72.9, respectively. For time of death of the patients, mortality was found to be 57.1% (16/28) on the first 3 months and 92.9% (26/28) on the first six months. The mortality rate in the treatment and control groups was 14.3% (8/56) and 34.5% (20/58), respectively. The use of zoledronic acid after surgical treatment of intertrochanteric femoral fractures in osteoporotic elderly patients is a safe treatment modality which helps to reduce mortality, improves functional outcomes, and has less side effects with single dose use per year.
Molecular Cloning of MIS, a Myeloid Inhibitory Siglec, That Binds Protein-tyrosine Phosphatases SHP-1 and SHP-2*

We describe the molecular cloning and characterization of a novel myeloid inhibitory siglec, MIS, that belongs to the family of sialic acid-binding immunoglobulin-like lectins. A full-length MIS cDNA was obtained from murine bone marrow cells. MIS is predicted to contain an extracellular region comprising three immunoglobulin-like domains (V-set amino-terminal domain followed by two C-set domains), a transmembrane domain and a cytoplasmic tail with two immunoreceptor tyrosine-based inhibitory motif (ITIM)-like sequences. The closest relative of MIS in the siglec family is human siglec 8. Extracellular regions of these two siglecs share 47% identity at the amino acid level. Southern blot analysis suggests the presence of one MIS gene. MIS is expressed in the spleen, liver, heart, kidney, lung and testis tissues. Several isoforms of MIS protein exist due to the alternative splicing. In a human promonocyte cell line, MIS was able to bind Src homology 2-containing protein-tyrosine phosphatases, SHP-1 and SHP-2. This binding was mediated by the membrane-proximal ITIM of MIS. Moreover, MIS exerted an inhibitory effect on FcγRI receptor-induced calcium mobilization. These data suggest that MIS can play an inhibitory role through its ITIM sequences.
Atypical Tubule Hyperplasia and Renal Tubule Tumors in Conventional Rats on 90-Day Toxicity Studies

Bilateral, multicentric renal tubule tumors were found in 4 rats at the termination of 3 separate 90-day toxicity studies during the safety evaluation of 3 unrelated chemicals. The 3 studies were conducted at 2 separate locations, but the rats used were obtained from the same commercial source. The rat strains were Fischer-344 (1 male and 1 female case) and Sprague-Dawley (2 female cases). Three of the renal tumor cases were from either the high-dose or mid-dose treatment groups, and 1 case was an untreated control. The tumors were accompanied by multiple foci of atypical tubule hyperplasia but only in the tumor-bearing rats. There were no lesions associated with renal tumor pathogenesis in any of the remaining treated or untreated animals in the 3 studies. In addition, there was no indication of nephrotoxicity in the treated or untreated animals. Tumor morphology was characterized by a generally vacuolated appearance, eosinophilia, cytoplasmic and nuclear pleomorphism, and conspicuously hypertrophied nucleoli. The renal tubule tumors in these 90-day studies were compared to hereditary renal tubule tumors occurring in the Eker rat, a Long-Evans derivative with a genetic predisposition to this tumor type. The multiplicity of renal tubule tumors, early age of onset, and tumor morphology described in the cases from the 90-day studies were very similar to those characterizing the hereditary renal tumor model. The following evidence demonstrates that the 4 cases of renal tubule tumor developing in young rats in the course of 90-day studies were of spontaneous origin and not compound-induced: the tumors could not be reproduced by the test compound in a repetition of the 90-day toxicity study in which 2 of the cases occurred; pertinent renal lesions, including atypical hyperplasia, were seen only in tumor-bearing rats; there was an absence of nephrotoxicity in any of the treated rats and an absence of a dose-response relationship for the observed kidney alterations; 1 case was found in an untreated rat. The striking similarity of the tumors in these 4 cases to hereditary renal tumors occurring spontaneously in Eker rats suggests that the 90-day kidney alterations described here may be compatible with a genetic defect. As an alternative explanation, the possibility of a viral etiology was also considered.
The Variable Stiffness Actuator vsaUT-II: Mechanical Design, Modeling, and Identification

In this paper, the rotational variable stiffness actuator vsaUT-II is presented. This actuation system is characterized by the property that the apparent stiffness at the actuator output can be varied independently from its position. This behavior is realized by implementing a variable transmission ratio between the internal elastic elements and the actuator output, i.e., a lever arm with variable pivot point position. The pivot point is moved by a planetary gears mechanism, which acquires a straight motion from only rotations, thereby providing a low-friction transmission. The working principle details of the vsaUT-II are elaborated and the design is presented. The actuator dynamics are described by means of a lumped parameter model. The relevant parameters of the actuator are estimated and identified in the physical setup and measurements are used to validate both the design and the derived model.
Trends and challenges of the emerging technologies toward interoperability and standardization in e-health communications

Information exchange has experienced a paradigm shift due to the appearance of wireless transport technologies. A wide variety of technologies have been proposed recently with different characteristics for diverse application environments. Such emerging technologies can be applied - depending on their specific features - to different e-health use cases. Additionally, some of those technologies have already adopted a path to medical device interoperability, while others are on their way to enable that potential. Hence the need to perform an overview of such technologies, which can be useful when designing interoperable, wireless-enabled e-health solutions. This article therefore reviews the emerging technologies that can be incorporated into the complex e-health information communication ecosystem and details the transport technologies that have adopted a specialized medical profile for ISO/IEEE 11073 interoperability such as USB, Bluetooth, and ZigBee. Discussion is focused on the expected path of novel emerging technologies toward ISO/IEEE 11073-compliant medical device interoperability. As a result, this article provides an up-to-date guideline for designers of standard-compliant wireless-enabled e-health architectures, helping in the selection of the appropriate technology for their designs.