Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
IL‐8 enhances the angiogenic potential of human bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells by increasing vascular endothelial growth factor

The beneficial effects of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are mediated partly by the paracrine production of cytoprotective and trophic factors. Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is released from MSCs as a paracrine trophic factor and contributes to the therapeutic effects of the stem cell by regulating angiogenesis and promoting revascularization in injured tissues. Interleukin‐8 (IL‐8), an inflammatory chemokine with potent proangiogenic properties, is upregulated in the ischemic brain and has been shown to promote homing of bone marrow‐derived cells to injured sites. However, the effect of IL‐8 on MSCs paracrine function remains unknown. We found that IL‐8 induced VEGF production and phosphorylation of Akt and ERK. Both effects could be blocked by inhibitors (LY294002, PD098059) or siRNA‐mediated silencing of Akt and ERK in human bone marrow MSCs (hBM‐MSCs). IL‐8‐induced VEGF production in hBM‐MSCs significantly increased tube formation on Matrigel compared with basal secreted VEGF. In a rat stroke model, administration of IL‐8‐treated hBM‐MSCs decreased the infarction volume and increased angiogenesis in the ischemic boundary zone compared with hBM‐MSC treatment alone. In conclusion, IL‐8 stimulates VEGF production in hBM‐MSCs in part via the PI3K/Akt and MAPK/ERK signal transduction pathways and that administration of IL‐8‐treated hBM‐MSCs increases angiogenesis after stroke. This approach may be used to optimize MSC‐based therapies for numerous diseases including stroke, myocardial ischemia, and spinal cord injury.
Functional assessment of coronary artery stenosis by Doppler derived absolute and relative coronary blood flow velocity reserve in comparison with 99mTc MIBI SPECT

OBJECTIVE To determine the relation between the relative and absolute coronary blood flow velocity reserve (CFVR) compared with the results of 99mTc MIBI single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT). METHODS In 37 patients with one vessel disease, 99mTc MIBI SPECT was performed before angioplasty, two to three weeks after angioplasty, and at six months’ follow up. CFVR was measured distal to the stenosis (dCFVR) as well as in a reference coronary artery before angioplasty, immediately after angioplasty, and at late follow up. Relative CFVR (rCFVR) was calculated as the ratio between dCFVR and CFVR measured in the reference coronary artery. The optimal thresholds for reversible perfusion defects were calculated using receiver operating characteristic curves. RESULTS The agreement for the full range of coronary artery stenosis (n = 107, mean (SD) diameter stenosis 48 (28)%, range 0–98%) between dCFVR (cut off value 1.9) and rCFVR (cut off value 0.65) with 99mTc MIBI SPECT was 81% and 85%, respectively. In intermediate lesions (n = 49, diameter stenosis range 30–75%) the agreement between dCFVR (cut off value 2.0) and 99mTc MIBI SPECT was 72%, which increased to 78% using the rCFVR (cut off value 0.65). There was a strong linear relation between dCFVR and rCFVR (r = 0.93, p < 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS A best cut off value for dCFVR of 1.9 corresponds with a best cut off value of 0.65 for rCFVR, within the full range of coronary narrowings. Intracoronary blood flow velocity analysis could obviate the need for additional myocardial perfusion scintigraphy in the majority of patients.
The Effects of Prosthetic Foot Roll-Over Shape Arc Length on the Gait of Trans-Tibial Prosthesis Users

The Shape&Roll prosthetic foot was used to examine the effect of roll-over shape arc length on the gait of 14 unilateral trans-tibial prosthesis users. Simple modifications to the prosthetic foot were used to alter the effective forefoot rocker length, leaving factors such as alignment, limb length, and heel and mid-foot characteristics unchanged. Shortening the roll-over shape arc length caused a significant reduction in the maximum external dorsiflexion moment on the prosthetic side at all walking speeds (p < 0.001 for main effect of arc length), due to a reduction in forefoot leverage (moment arm) about the ankle. Roll-over shape arc length significantly affected the initial loading on the sound limb at normal and fast speeds (p = 0.001 for the main effect of arc length), with participants experiencing larger first peaks of vertical ground reaction forces on their sound limbs when using the foot with the shortest effective forefoot rocker arc length. Additionally, the difference between step lengths on the sound and prosthetic limbs was larger with the shortest arc length condition, although this difference was not statistically significant (p = 0.06 for main effect). It appears that prosthesis users may experience a drop-off effect at the end of single limb stance on prosthetic feet with short roll-over shape arc lengths, leading to increased loading and/or a shortened step on the contralateral limb.
Business Cycles, Political Connectedness, and Firm Performance in China

In this paper I examine the impact of firms’ political connectedness on firm performance in private listed Chinese firms in the manufacturing sector, exploiting a policy shock, that is, the 4-trillion-yuan ($586-billion) economic stimulus plan in 2009 in response to the 2008 financial crisis. I use the difference-in-difference (DID) method to estimate the impact of political connectedness, comparing the change of firm performance in association with the stimulus between politically connected firms and non-connected ones. I find that political connectedness, particularly executives or directors being political delegates, enable firms to have better access to bank credit but have no direct impact on firm sales. Moreover, the two types of political connectedness, being political delegates or former officials, have different impact on firm profitability.
Race, Gender and Interuniversity Athletics: Black Female Student Athletes in Canadian Higher Education

Despite the documented history of women’s athletics and minority students’ participation in Canadian post-secondary institutions, little is known about minority female student- athletes and their experiences within Canadian higher education. Thus, the aim of this study is to gather data on the experiences of Black female undergraduates who participate in athletics, to gain an understanding of their experiences as students, as athletes, and as Black women. The main research question is: What are the university experiences (academic, athletic, and social) of Black female student-athletes at four Canadian universities? This study will employ an intersectional framework to examine how race, gender, athleticism and the student role intersect to shape the student experience. This investigation utilizes a mixed method approach. The poster presentation will provide a brief overview of the background, purpose, significance, conceptual framework and the proposed methodology.
Assessing problems of cancer patients: psychometric properties of the cancer inventory of problem situations.

Evaluated the psychometric properties of the Cancer Inventory of Problem Situations (CIPS), a cancer-specific survey instrument designed to assess day-to-day problems and rehabilitation needs of cancer patients. A heterogeneous group of 479 cancer patients participated in the research. The substructure of the CIPS was investigated using factor-analytic techniques. The CIPS was factored into 31 clinically useful subscales. Further analyses led to five higher order factors representing the physical, psychosocial, medical interaction, marital, and sexual problem areas characteristic of cancer and its treatment. Internal consistency of all the scales was high (mean alpha = .81). The test-retest reliability and validity of the instrument were also studied in a sample of 120 patients. Analyses of items, subscales, higher order factors, and total CIPS scores suggest excellent reliability. The pattern of correlations of the CIPS with other measures (psychological distress; physical, marital, and sexual functioning; and quality of life) provided preliminary evidence of concurrent, discriminant, and convergent validity. The CIPS appears to have sound psychometric properties and fills an important gap in the assessment of cancer patients for both clinical and research purposes.
Chronic Inflammation in Peritoneal Dialysis: The Search for the Holy Grail?

Mortality and morbidity in chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients are unacceptably high. The annual mortality rate due to cardiovascular disease (CVD) is approximately 9%, which, for the middle-aged person, is at least 10- to 20-fold higher than for the general population. Classic risk factors for CVD are highly prevalent in CKD patients, but they cannot fully account for the excessive rate of CVD in this population. Instead, it has become increasingly clear that nontraditional risk factors, such as systemic inflammation, may play a key role in the development of atherosclerosis. It is well established that inflammatory markers are very powerful predictors of high CVD morbidity and mortality not only in the general population, but particularly in CKD patients. Signs of a sustained low-grade inflammation, such as increased levels of C-reactive protein (CRP), are present in the majority of stage 5 CKD patients, even in patients in clinically stable condition, and they are also commonly observed after the initiation of dialysis therapy. Dialysis therapy — hemodialysis as well as peritoneal dialysis (PD) — may itself contribute to systemic inflammation. Local intraperitoneal inflammation can also occur in patients treated with PD. These local effects may result in a low-grade inflammation, caused by the bioincompatibility of conventional glucose-based dialysis fluids, to intense inflammation associated with peritonitis. Given these circumstances, it is reasonable to hypothesize that strategies aiming to reduce inflammation are potentially important and novel, and could serve to reduce CVD, thereby lowering morbidity and mortality in patients with CKD. In this review we provide information supporting the hypothesis that systemic inflammation is tightly linked to the most common complications of CKD patients, in particular those on PD, and that local inflammation in PD may contribute to various related complications. The aims of this review are to discuss the reasons that make inflammation an attractive target for intervention in CKD, the particular aspects of the inflammation–CVD axis during PD treatment that are likely involved, and possible means for the detection and management of chronic inflammation in PD patients.
Activation of the retrotrapezoid nucleus by posterior hypothalamic stimulation

The retrotrapezoid nucleus (RTN) contains chemically defined neurons (ccRTN neurons) that provide a pH‐regulated excitatory drive to the central respiratory pattern generator. Here we test whether ccRTN neurons respond to stimulation of the perifornical hypothalamus (PeF), a region that regulates breathing during sleep, stress and exercise. PeF stimulation with gabazine increased blood pressure, phrenic nerve discharge (PND) and the firing rate of ccRTN neurons in isoflurane‐anaesthetized rats. Gabazine produced an approximately parallel upward shift of the steady‐state relationship between ccRTN neuron firing rate and end‐tidal CO2, and a similar shift of the relationship between PND and end‐tidal CO2. The central respiratory modulation of ccRTN neurons persisted after gabazine without a change in pattern. Morphine administration typically abolished PND and reduced the discharge rate of most ccRTN neurons (by 25% on average). After morphine administration, PeF stimulation activated the ccRTN neurons normally but PND activation and the central respiratory modulation of the ccRTN neurons were severely attenuated. In the same rat preparation, most (58%) ccRTN neurons expressed c‐Fos after exposure to hypercapnic hyperoxia (6–7% end‐tidal CO2; 3.5 h; no hypothalamic stimulation) and 62% expressed c‐Fos under hypocapnia (∼3% end‐tidal CO2) after PeF stimulation. Under baseline conditions (∼3% end‐tidal CO2, hyperoxia, no PeF stimulation) few (11%) ccRTN neurons expressed c‐Fos. In summary, most ccRTN neurons are excited by posterior hypothalamic stimulation while retaining their normal response to CNS acidification. ccRTN neurons probably contribute both to the chemical drive of breathing and to the feed‐forward control of breathing associated with emotions and or locomotion.
Young hospital doctors after night duty: their task‐specific cognitive status and emotional condition

Summary: Sleep deprivation is an unpleasant burden of young hospital doctors during their medical training. It may disrupt the balance between coping strategies available to them and the professional demands encountered. Impaired medical care offered by sleep‐deprived juniors may be a consequence. Valid research work on this subject is rare and surprisingly contradictory. Therefore, we evaluated the task‐specific cognitive status and emotional condition of 40 young hospital doctors (27 men and 13 women, 29.9 ± 2.9 years of age) at the University of Tuebingen, all of whom were in the beginning of their academic career. Subjects were tested twice acting as their own control, once at 8.00 am after a night off duty (OD) (at least 6 hours of uninterrupted sleep), and once at a similar time after a night on call (OC) being in the hospital for 24 hours. Standardized and reliable psychometric tests thought to represent daily routine medical function were performed. On‐call activities were recorded by means of a sleep diary, whereas a questionnaire interrogated aspects of private and professional life. Neuropsychological function deteriorated significantly: number connection test (per cent of norms ± SD, 103.2 ± 9.8 OC vs 107.8 ± 10.5 OD, F = 27.7, P < 0.001), things‐to‐do list (correct items ± SD, 6.7 ± 1.2 OC vs 7.4 ± 1.5 OD, F = 12.7, P < 0.01), Vienna reaction timer (per cent of norms ± SD, 95.6 ± 9.0 OC vs 97.7 ± 10.4 OD, F = 4.8, P < 0.05), Stroop test (T‐values ± SD, 59.7 ± 6.3 OC vs 64.6 ± 7.1 OD, F = 37.1, P < 0.001), ECG test (correct responses ± SD, 38.3 ± 7.3 OC vs 43.4 ± 6.5 OD, F = 45.2, P < 0.001) and status of mood (T‐value ± SD, 60.3 ± 9.0 OC vs 54.0 ± 6.6 OD, F = 19.6, P < 0.001). Cognitive function and mood status of young hospital doctors after a night on call decrease considerably. In view of the special vulnerability of medical trainees to occupational stress all efforts are warranted to reduce sleep deprivation in the medical profession.
Glutamine: role in critical illness and ongoing clinical trials

Purpose of review This review will assess recent clinical and mechanistic data examining glutamine's ability to reduce morbidity and mortality in critical illness. Recent findings Updated metaanalysis data reveal a significant benefit of glutamine supplementation on mortality, length of stay, and infectious morbidity in critical illness. Recent data support glutamine's use in critically ill patients requiring parenteral nutrition and new data reveal safety and efficacy in head-injured patients. Further, new findings on glutamine's beneficial effect on insulin resistance in critical illness will be reviewed. Recent laboratory data have clarified a number of key mechanistic pathways by which glutamine may improve outcome in critical illness. Summary Severe glutamine deficiencies occur rapidly in critical illness. The magnitude of glutamine deficiency is correlated with ICU mortality. Further, metaanalysis reveals glutamine reduces morbidity and mortality in critical illness. It is likely that our new understanding of the molecular pathways by which glutamine acts will lead to insight on how best to utilize glutamine as a nutritional therapy. Presently, randomized, multicenter clinical trials utilizing glutamine as both nutritional replacement and pharmacologic intervention, independent of nutritional needs, are ongoing.
Monocular vs. Stereoscopic Measurement of Cup-To-Disc Ratios

Stereoscopic viewing of the optic nerve head and cup has been reported to provide more reliable cup-to-disc (C/D) ratio estimates. We investigated the variability in C/D ratio estimates among three experienced optometric clinicians using conventional direct ophthalmoscopy and indirect biomicroscopy with the Volk 90 D lens. The pupils of 21 subjects were dilated and the discs assessed randomly by each examiner for the determination of the C/D ratio. Analysis of variance indicates that the two methods are not significantly different from each other when comparing interexaminer reliability. However, for a particular examiner, one method may be more effective than the other.
Increased Labor Productivity, Stronger Business Environment-Transforming the Economy, Saudi Arabia

The economic growth cannot depend on the oil revenues and the spending on the public to fuel their economy due to the change in the global market and demographic changes. The oil shocks regulated by the international capital markets determine the current and future transformations of any oil producing country. This paper examines the impact of increased labor productivity in transforming the economy of Saudi Arabia. Saudi Arabia is among the countries that depend on oil revenue for the stability of its economy. However, due to the recent changes in demographics and oil prices, the country is facing crises in the country. Moreover, the country forecasts a population increase, so the need to come up with labor intensive projects by 2030 to absorb the upcoming working class. The research will derive the relationship between labor induced productivity and its ability to transform the Saudi Arabia economy.
Erythrocyte Zinc Protoporphyrin Is Elevated With Prematurity and Fetal Hypoxemia

Objective. To examine the utility of red blood cell (RBC) zinc protoporphyrin/heme ratio (ZnPP/H) as an indicator of fetal iron status, because unfavorable neurodevelopmental outcomes have been associated with poor iron status at birth, as indicated by low serum ferritin, and because few reliable indicators of fetal and early neonatal iron status exist. Methods. Consecutively studied preterm and term fetuses at delivery included the following groups: (1) control nonhypoxic, (2) fetuses with intrauterine growth retardation (IUGR), and (3) fetuses of insulin-treated mothers (FDM). We hypothesized (1) that rapid growth velocity associated with an accelerated erythropoiesis among normal fetuses will lead to reduced iron delivery to a rapidly expanding RBC mass and higher umbilical cord blood RBC ZnPP/H and (2) that fetuses that are exposed to pathologic hypoxemia will experience an additional increase in erythropoiesis and higher cord ZnPP/H. ZnPP/H was determined on saline-washed cord blood erythrocytes by hematofluorometry and was examined for its relationship with clinical factors and cord blood laboratory measurements indicative of tissue oxygenation (plasma erythropoietin [EPO] and reticulocyte count) and iron status (plasma ferritin and erythrocyte indices). Statistical testing included 1-way analysis of variance, 2-way analysis of variance with covariates, simple linear regression, and multiple regression analysis. Results. Among control group subjects, gestational age at birth was inversely correlated with RBC ZnPP/H and reticulocyte count and positively correlated with ferritin and EPO. Relative to control subjects, IUGR and FDM fetuses at specified gestational age groupings had higher ZnPP/H, lower plasma ferritin, and higher plasma EPO. Statistical modeling of the relationship between ZnPP/H and plasma ferritin among all study groups demonstrated significant impacts of gestational age, plasma EPO, maternal hypertension, and maternal smoking. Conclusions. The inverse association of fetal ZnPP/H with gestational age at birth among control subjects is attributable to erythropoietic stimulation likely as a result of increasing growth velocity at the earliest gestational ages. The relatively higher ZnPP/H observed among fetuses in the IUGR and FDM groups likely is attributable to increased erythropoietic activity secondary to pathologic hypoxemia. Decreased placental iron transfer may also have limited iron availability and contributed to elevated ZnPP/H in the IUGR group. These data support the concept that increased erythropoietic activity and/or limited iron transport may place infants of diabetic mothers and infants with growth retardation at risk for developing systemic iron deficiency later in infancy and in early childhood.
Mutual information for intrapartum fetal heart rate analysis

The analysis of the temporal dynamics in intrapartum fetal heart rate (FHR), aiming at early detection of fetal acidosis, constitutes an intricate signal processing task, that continuously receives significant research efforts. Entropy and entropy rates, envisaged as measures of complexity, often computed via popular implementations referred to as Approximate Entropy (ApEn) or Sample Entropy (SampEn), have regularly been reported as significant features for intrapartum FHR analysis. The present contribution aims to show how mutual information enhances characterization of FHR temporal dynamics and improves fetal acidosis detection performance. To that end, mutual information is first connected to ApEn and SampEn both conceptually and with respect to estimation procedure. Second, mutual information, ApEn and SampEn are computed on a large (≃ 1000 subjects) and documented database of FHR data, collected in a French academic hospital. Reported results show that the use of mutual information permits to significantly outperform ApEn and SampEn for acidosis detection, during any stage of labor.
4 ANALISIS PENGARUH VOLATILITAS ARUS KAS, TINGKAT UTANG, SIKLUS OPERASI, DAN UKURAN PERUSAHAAN TERHADAP PERSISTENSI LABA

Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk menguji dan menemukan bukti empiris mengenai pengaruh volatilitas arus kas, tingkat utang, siklus operasi dan ukuran perusahaan terhadap persistensi laba. Sampel yang digunakan dalam penelitian ini adalah perusahaan pertambangan yang terdaftar di Bursa Efek Indonesia (BEI) selama periode 2012-2014. Total sampel adalah 10 perusahaan. Data dikumpulkan dengan menggunakan metode purposive sampling. Analisis penelitian ini menggunakan regresi berganda. Hasil penelitian ini menunjukkan bahwa tingkat utang dan ukuran perusahaan berpengaruh positif terhadap persistensi laba sedangkan volatilitas arus kas dan siklus operasi berpengaruh negatif terhadap persistensi laba. Kata Kunci: volatilitas arus kas, tingkat utang, siklus operasi, ukuran perusahaan, persistensi laba This research is aimed to examine and find out empirical evidence of the influence of cash flow volatility, leverage, operating cycle, and firm size on earnings persistence. Samples used in this research are mining copanies listed in Indonesia Stock Exchange (BEI) durig period 2002 – 2004. Total samples are 10 companies. The data are collected using purposive sampling method. The analysis of this research employs multiple regression. Results show that leverage and firm size have positive effect on earnings persistence, but cash flow and operating cycle have negative effect on earnings persistence. Keywords: cash flow volatility, leverage, operating cycle, firm size, earnings persistence