Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
DES Overview: A Historical and Current Review of Pivotal Clinical Trial Programs

The focus of this chapter is drug-eluting stents (DES) for the treatment of coronary artery disease (CAD). The clinical trial programs for the main DES approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of CAD are presented. CAD is the leading cause of death in both men and women around the world. In the United States alone, there is a coronary event that occurs every 25 seconds and someone will die from a coronary event every minute (Roger et al., 2011). The current treatment options for ischemic CAD include medications, percutaneous interventions, and surgery to perform coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). According to the American Heart Association (AHA) 2011 Statistics Update, the total number of percutaneous coronary interventions (PCI) procedures performed in 2007 was 1,178,000 compared to 408,000 CABG operations. With risk factors like obesity and diabetes prevalence increasing globally, the number of CAD interventions will likely continue to rise in the future and require more specialized treatment options for more complex lesions and patient populations.
Attenuation of early and late phase allergen-induced bronchoconstriction in asthmatic subjects by a 5-lipoxygenase activating protein antagonist, BAYx 1005.

BACKGROUND: The cysteinyl leukotrienes (LTC4, LTD4 and LTE4) have been implicated in the pathogenesis of allergen-induced airway responses. The effects of pretreatment with BAYx 1005, an inhibitor of leukotriene biosynthesis via antagonism of 5-lipoxygenase activating protein, on allergen-induced early and late asthmatic responses has been evaluated. METHODS: Eight atopic subjects with mild asthma participated in a two period, double blind, placebo controlled, cross-over trial. Subjects were selected on the basis of a forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1) of > 70% predicted, a methacholine provocative concentration causing a 20% fall in FEV1 (PC20) of < 32 mg/ ml, a documented allergen-induced early response (EAR, > 15% fall in FEV1 0-1 hour after allergen inhalation) and late response (LAR, > 15% fall in FEV1 3-7 hours after allergen inhalation), and allergen-induced airway hyperresponsiveness (at least a doubling dose reduction in the methacholine PC20 30 hours after allergen inhalation). During the treatment periods subjects received BAYx 1005 (500 mg twice daily) or placebo for 3.5 days; treatment periods were separated by at least two weeks. On the third day of treatment, two hours after administration of medication, subjects performed an allergen inhalation challenge and FEV1 was measured for seven hours. RESULTS: Treatment with BAYx 1005 attenuated the magnitude of both the allergen-induced early and late asthmatic responses. The mean (SE) maximal fall in FEV1 during the EAR was 26.6 (3.3)% during placebo treatment and 11.4 (3.3)% during treatment with BAYx 1005 (mean difference 15.2 (95% confidence interval (CI) 9.4 to 21.00) with a mean protection afforded by BAYx 1005 of 57.1%. The mean (SE) maximal fall in FEV1 during the LAR was 19.8 (5.7)% during placebo treatment and 10.7 (4.4)% during BAYx 1005 treatment (mean difference 9.2 (95% CI 1.4 to 17.0) with a mean protection afforded by BAYx 1005 of 46.0%. The area under the time response curve (AUC0-3) was also reduced after treatment with BAYx 1005 compared with placebo by 86.5%. h (mean difference 26.3 (95% CI 17.1 to 38.5)) and the AUC3-7 by 59.6%. h (mean difference 26.9 (95% CI-3.8 to 57.6)). CONCLUSIONS: These results show that antagonism of 5-lipoxygenase activating protein can attenuate allergen-induced bronchoconstrictor responses and support an important role for the cysteinyl leukotrienes in mediating these asthmatic responses.
Kiswahili or English: A Policy Analysis of Language Instruction in Tanzania

In many multilingual countries, the language instruction in classrooms is a continuous debate. Kiswahili is widely used in East Africa, however English is the language of instruction in secondary and tertiary education. In the United Republic of Tanzania, primary school is instructed in Kiswahili and then it abruptly switches to English in secondary school. Many students find the transition from primary to secondary school difficult for many reasons, including the language transition to English. As a result, nearly 1.5 million students are not enrolled in lower secondary school. Tanzania’s current president, John Magufuli, has made education a priority by introducing a new education and training policy. This new policy declares 10 years of free compulsory basic education while incorporating the change of language instruction in secondary and tertiary education to Kiswahili. This paper is a policy analysis course-linked capstone focused on controversial language policies in Tanzania. The purpose of this research is to identify the relationship between Tanzania’s language policy and the effects on students in secondary school. It also explores the history of post-colonization, gives an overview of the current state of the policy, examines other countries’ practices by comparing statistical findings, and discusses the reality of challenges faced by current Tanzanian students. This paper concludes stating that language instruction is just one of many challenges within Tanzania’s education system. The usage of either language has the potential to be successful, however it depends on policy implementation, access to resources, and the quality of teaching. KISWAHILI OR ENGLISH iv Table of
The Role of Law in EU Foreign Policy‐Making: Legal Integrity, Legal Spillover, and the EU Policy of Differentiation Towards Israel

Little systematic effort has been made to examine the role of law and its implications for EU foreign policy-making. Addressing this research gap, we identify key legal dynamics that operate in supranational policies, but have increasingly led to legal ‘spillovers’, both institutionally and discursively, into the Common Foreign and Security Policy. We illustrate the relevance of these dynamics for the case of EU–Israeli relations. Since the late 1990s, legal inconsistencies in EU–Israeli co-operation have been addressed by the Commission via soft law, by various MEPs via parliamentary questions, and by the European Court of Justice (ECJ). Simultaneously, external actors like NGOs and corporations have used the EU's legal infrastructure to confront the EU with the fact that its de facto relations have not lived up its de jure position. Over time and also as a consequence of the Lisbon Treaty, even the Council found it difficult to ignore non-compliance with its own legal position.
Nicotine‐evoked transmitter release from synaptosomes: functional association of specific presynaptic acetylcholine receptors and voltage‐gated calcium channels

It has previously been shown that nicotine‐evoked dopamine release from rat striatal synaptosomes and nicotine‐evoked norepinephrine release from hippocampal synaptosomes are mediated by distinct nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) subtypes. In the present study, the functional association of these nicotinic receptors with specific subtypes of voltage‐gated calcium channels was examined. Cd2+ (200 µm), as well as ω‐conotoxin MVIIC (5 µm), blocks ∼85% of nicotine‐evoked dopamine release from striatal synaptosomes, indicating a major involvement of calcium channels. Furthermore, the toxin‐susceptibility suggests that these calcium channels contain α1A and/or α1B subunits. Inhibition of nicotine‐evoked dopamine release by conotoxins α‐MII and ω‐GVIA is additive and indicates that presynaptic α3β2 nAChRs are functionally coupled to α1A, but not α1B, calcium channel subtypes. Conversely, insensitivity to α‐AuIB and sensitivity to ω‐MVIIC indicate that non‐α3β2/α3β4‐containing nAChRs are functionally coupled to α1B‐containing calcium channels. In contrast, Cd2+ blocks only 65% of nicotine‐evoked norepinephrine release from hippocampal synaptosomes, indicating that a substantial fraction of this release occurs through mechanisms not involving calcium channels. This Cd2+‐insensitive component of release is blocked by α‐AuIB and therefore appears to be triggered by Ca2+ flowing directly through the channels of presynaptic α3β4 nAChRs. Thus, these data indicate that different presynaptic termini can have distinctive functional associations of specific nAChRs and voltage‐gated calcium channels.
The Bioactive Extract of Pinnigorgia sp. Induces Apoptosis of Hepatic Stellate Cells via ROS-ERK/JNK-Caspase-3 Signaling

The activation of hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) is a significant phenomenon during the pathogenesis of liver disorders, including liver cirrhosis and fibrosis. Here, we identified that the extract from a gorgonian coral Pinnigorgia sp. (Pin) induced apoptosis of HSC-T6 cells. Pin inhibited the viability of HSC-T6 cells and increased their subG1 population, DNA fragmentation, caspase-3 activation, and reactive oxygen species (ROS) production in a concentration-dependent manner. The Pin-induced ROS generation and apoptotic effects were significantly reversed by a thiol antioxidant, N-acetylcysteine (NAC). Additionally, Pin induced ERK/JNK phosphorylation and pharmacological inhibition of ERK/JNK rescued the Pin-induced cell death. Pin-activated ERK/JNK were significantly reduced after the administration of NAC; however, the inhibition of ERK/JNK failed to change the Pin-induced ROS production. Similarly, pinnigorgiol A, a pure compound isolated from Pin, elicited ROS production and apoptosis in HSC-T6 cells. The pinnigorgiol A-induced apoptosis was retrained by NAC. Together, it appears that Pin leads to apoptosis in HSC-T6 cells through ROS-mediated ERK/JNK signaling and caspase-3 activation. Pinnigorgiol A serves as a bioactive compound of Pin and may exhibit therapeutic potential by clearance of HSCs.
Chemical composition of different varieties of grain sorghum.

Five varieties differing in endosperm texture and pericarp thickness were grown at College Station, Texas, in 1970. Grain starch in the waxy type, TX615, consisted of 100% amylopectin, but in the other varieties it was 30% amylose and 70% amylopectin. NSA740, with a predominantly floury endosperm, had the highest protein content. The content of minor fatty acids varied among varieties. TX615 had a higher chromium, iron and nickel content than the other varieties. Contents of copper and zinc also varied. NSA740 and the high-tannin variety GA615 had half the free sugars content of the other varieties. The distribution of tannins in four protein fractions separated by a modified procedure described elsewhere [see PBA 50, 10231] was compared in GA615 and in a variety with moderate tannin content. The protein content of the analogous fractions varied between the varieties
The intersection between class and gender and its impact on the quality of employment in Chile

This study explores the impact of the intersection between class and gender on the quality of employment in Chile. The method used to measure social class position is based on the work of Erik O. Wright, while, for the quality of employment, a multidimensional measurement was used, including one index for objective working conditions and two indices for subjective ones (motivation on the job and the perception of control over work processes). The results demonstrate that class and gender give rise to significant differences in objective and subjective job quality. However, the data also indicate that gender (more specifically, the fact of being female) does not necessarily amplify the class-based inequalities observed in the labour market. Drawing on these findings, a number of thoughts about how the class/gender intersection operates in the Chilean labour market are shared in the final section of this study.
Therapeutic foot health education for patients with rheumatoid arthritis: a narrative review.

PURPOSE Foot health interventions such as foot orthoses for people with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) reduce pain, improve function and improve overall quality of life. Additionally, patient education (PE) is considered essential in achieving good outcomes with interventions such as foot orthoses, footwear and self-care. The aim of this literature review was to identify evidence in relation to the content, use and delivery of PE in the management of RA foot problems. METHODS An electronic search of the following databases was performed: PubMed, CINAHL, AMED, Medline and the Cochrane Library, between March 2000 and March 2010. In order to be included, studies had to be published in English, involve adults (>18 years) with RA, and assist in answering the research question. No publications regarding PE for the management of foot health-related problems in RA were found. However, other key terms emerged that embraced PE for people with RA and informed a further search. Thirty-two papers met the inclusion criteria and were reviewed with regard to the subject area, content of the paper, methodological issues and their key findings. RESULTS The present review provides evidence for the effectiveness of PE for people with RA delivered via a staged approach, with the content and timing of education provision being driven by the needs of the patient. CONCLUSIONS The effect of PE delivered from a podiatric context needs to be explored, and the nature and requirements of PE for individuals with RA-related foot problems from a patient and practitioner perspective requires investigation. Alternative and innovative ways of providing PE and, potentially, self-management need to be investigated and defined.
Institutional report - Thoracic oncologic Surgical resection for oral tongue cancer pulmonary metastases

b Abstract The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of surgical resection of oral tongue cancer (OTC) pulmonary metastases. Between 1977 and 2003, 23 OTC patients who developed 1-3 pulmonary metastases underwent metastasectomy. There were 14 men and nine women with a median age at the time of first metastasectomy of 56 years. All patients had advanced squamous cell OTC with synchronous or metachronous regional lymph node metastases. The median tumor-free interval after the last OTC treatment was 12 months. Five patients underwent pneumonectomy, three bilobectomy, 13 lobectomy, and two wedge resection. Two patients underwent a second pulmonary metastasectomy. One patient continues to survive, without recurrence 19 years after metastasectomy. Another patient was alive with disease at 24 months after metastasectomy but was lost to follow-up. Twenty-two out of 23 patients developed systemic metastases. The median interval to systemic recurrence after lung resection was 4.1 months, and 21 out of 23 patients died of OTC (median, 9.5 months) after metastasectomy. Most patients who underwent pulmonary metastasectomy died of the disease within two years of metastasectomy. Even for patients with a solitary metastasis, surgical metastasectomy is not a recommended treatment option. 2010 Published by European Association for Cardio-Thoracic Surgery. All rights reserved.
A clinical evaluation of 10 percent vs. 15 percent carbamide peroxide tooth-whitening agents.

BACKGROUND Agents with carbamide peroxide, or CP, in various concentrations are widely prescribed for at-home tooth whitening. It is not clear, however, if the more concentrated gels will whitening teeth to a greater extent, as no controlled clinical trials have been reported. The authors conducted a double-blind study of human subjects to evaluate whether a 15 percent CP tooth-whitening system was more effective than a 10 percent CP system, and to determine if tooth sensitivity increased with use of the higher concentration. METHODS The authors recruited 57 subjects with maxillary anterior teeth of shade A3 or darker (as gauged against a value-oriented shade guide). The subjects were 18 to 65 years of age and in good general and dental health. After matching the subjects by sex and age, the authors randomly assigned them to either a control group, which used a 10 percent CP whitening agent, or an experimental group, which used a 15 percent CP agent. RESULTS The results indicated that there was no significant difference in shade change between the groups after one week of treatment (t = 1.455, P = .05), but there was a significant difference at the end of the treatment period (t = 2.303, P < .05), as well as two weeks after treatment concluded (t = 2.248, P < .05). There was no significant difference in sensitivity (t = 1.399, P > .05). CONCLUSIONS There was a significant difference in color change between the 10 percent CP and 15 percent CP groups at the end of the study period. There was no significant difference in level of tooth sensitivity between the two groups, and the incidence was equal; there was, however, a significant difference in variability of tooth sensitivity between the two groups. CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS If performed under the careful guidance of a dentist, at-home whitening is an effective treatment, regardless of whether 10 percent CP or 15 percent CP is used. There may be added color change and varying sensitivity with the use of 15 percent CP.
A systematic review of Internet‐based supportive interventions for caregivers of patients with dementia

Because of the expected increase in the number of dementia patients, the unlikelihood of a cure in the near future, and the rising cost of care, there is an increasing need for effective caregiver interventions. Internet interventions hold considerable promise for meeting the educational and support needs of informal dementia caregivers at reduced costs. The current study aims to provide an overview of the evidence for the effectiveness, feasibility, and quality of Internet interventions for informal caregivers of people with dementia.
Prevention of acute graft‐versus‐host disease by humanized anti‐CD26 monoclonal antibody

CD26 (DPP4) is a T cell costimulatory molecule as well as T cell activation marker, and CD26+ T cells are accumulated in inflamed tissues, such as rheumatoid synovitis and autoimmune thyroiditis. In the present study, we found accumulation of CD26+ T cells in graft‐versus‐host disease (GVHD) target organs. To expand our in vitro findings to an in vivo system, we examined CD26‐dependent organ injury in a xenogeneic GVHD (x‐GVHD) murine model. Following intraperitoneal injection of human peripheral blood mononuclear cells into non‐obese diabetic severe combined immunodeficiency/γc−/− mice (hu‐PBL‐NOG mice), the mice exhibited the onset of GVHD symptoms associated with the presence of CD26high human lymphocytes in the peripheral blood and GVHD target tissues. Administration of humanized anti‐human CD26 monoclonal antibody (mAb) decreased x‐GVHD severity and prolonged survival in hu‐PBL‐NOG mice without loss of engraftment of human T cells, while increasing doses of CTLA4‐ immunoglobulin fusion protein diminished engraftment of human lymphocytes. Importantly, anti‐CD26 mAb treatment preserved the graft‐versus‐leukaemia effects in studies using cotransplantation of P815 murine leukaemic cells. In addition, CD26+ lymphocytes infiltrated the GVHD patients' target tissues. Altogether, our data indicate a role for CD26 in the regulation of GVHD and point to CD26 as a novel target for therapeutic intervention in this disease.
Maturation medium supplements affect transcript level of apoptosis and cell survival related genes in bovine blastocysts produced in vitro

The aim of the present study was to investigate whether protein or macromolecule supplements to in vitro maturation media affect transcript abundance of seven genes (Bax, Bcl2, Hsp70, IGF1, IGF1R, IGF2, and IGF2R) in oocytes and blastocysts. Cumulus–oocyte complexes aspirated from slaughterhouse ovaries were matured in TCM199 medium supplemented either with 10% FBS, 6% fatty acid free BSA (fafBSA) or 4% PVP40, then inseminated and cultured in vitro for 9 days. Transcript abundance analysis was carried out on immature and in vitro matured oocytes, as well as on blastocysts. Total RNA was isolated from pools of oocytes and embryos, reverse transcribed into cDNA and subjected to transcript analysis by real‐time PCR. No transcript of IGF1 gene was detected either in oocytes or in blastocysts. Maturation conditions significantly affected transcript levels of investigated loci in blastocysts but not in matured oocytes, with one exception. Only relative abundance (RA) of IGF2 gene was higher in oocytes matured with fafBSA. Moreover, oocyte maturation with fafBSA elevated transcript abundance of IGF1R, IGF2, and IGF2R genes in resulting blastocysts, whereas Hsp70 transcription was stimulated by FBS supplementation. Thus, under described conditions, fafBSA may be the optimal supplement to IVM medium due to higher transcript level of growth factor coding genes accompanied by a lower transcript level of Hsp70. Mol. Reprod. Dev. © 2006 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Cellular distribution of a feminizing microsporidian parasite: a strategy for transovarial transmission

The cellular distribution of a vertically transmitted, feminizing microsporidian was followed in its host Gammarus duebeni. In adult females the parasite was restricted to gonadal tissue, in particular primary and secondary follicle cells. Spores were diplokaryotic with a thin spore wall and a short polar filament, characteristics typical of ‘early’ spores involved in autoinfection. The diplokaryotic life-cycle, absence of spore groupings and of a pansporoblast membrane typify the genus Nosema. However, the unusual globular polaroplast of the spore and restriction of this stage to host ovarian tissue have not previously been described in Nosema. Sporogony occurred only in follicle cells adjacent to developing oocytes and was in synchrony with the process of vitellogenesis. Oocytes were infected after formation of intracellular connections with follicle cells but harboured only vegetative stages of the parasite. Parasites were associated with the perinuclear cytoplasm and, in developing embryos, segregated to daughter cells along the axis of the spindle. In juvenile animals there was no evidence of pathology linked with feminization and the parasite was found at low density in cells under the cuticle. The parasite is highly adapted to transovarial transmission with an efficient mechanism of oocyte infection and no evidence of pathology.
The academic experiences of Grade 12 top achievers in maintaining excellence in first-year university programmes

This article reports on a study focusing on the academic experiences of top achievers in maintaining excellence in first-year university programmes. The study investigated in particular the academic experiences of Grade 12 top achievers from Mpumalanga, South Africa, at various universities. A mixed methods approach was used to collect data, making use of a convenience sample of (n = 14). Data was generated using a closed-ended questionnaire, students’ academic records and standardised individual interviews conducted with eleven students. The results indicate that academic excellence in the first year is influenced by self-discipline, self-motivation, interest in the course, self-confidence, academic preparedness, effort and the belief students have about themselves. The investigation revealed that, generally, top achievers’ academic performance in the first year denoted what Viljoen and Deacon (2013, 242) term ‘academic fit’. The findings of the study emphasise the significant influence of positive ‘compelling forces’ at universities that assist first-year students in adapting to the university environment.