Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The effect of pegbovigrastim on circulating neutrophil count in dairy cattle: A randomized controlled trial

Previous research in various species has shown that granulocyte-colony stimulating factor stimulates the production and release of neutrophils from bone marrow. The objective of this study was to characterize the effects of polyethylene glycol-bound bovine granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (pegbovigrastim; Imrestor, Elanco) on circulating leukocyte counts. Thirty-four Holstein cows were randomly assigned to receive 2 injections of either physiologic saline (n = 16) or pegbovigrastim (n = 18), 7 days before expected calving (d -7) and within 24 hours after calving (d 0). Cows were sampled at d -7, d -6, d 0, d +1, d +7, and d +21, relative to calving. Only cows for which the interval from the first injection to calving was ≥ 4 d and ≤ 10 d were included, such that the interval (mean ± SD) from first treatment to calving was 6.7 ± 1.9 d. Treatment effects were assessed with mixed linear regression models. After the first injection, neutrophil counts (×109/ L) in pegbovigrastim-treated cows increased from 4.3 (95% CI 3.8 to 4.8) at d -7 to 18.2 (CI 16.3 to 20.3) at d -6 (P < 0.0001). Their counts then decreased from d -6 to d 0, when the second injection was administered, at a rate of -0.31 ×109 neutrophils/L/day (P < 0.0001). After the second injection, neutrophil counts increased from 16.4 (CI 13.7 to 19.6) at d 0 to 32.8 (CI 25.2 to 42.7) at d +1 (P < 0.0001), after which counts decreased at a rate of -3.73 ×109 neutrophils/L/day until d +7 (P < 0.0001). Counts continued to decrease from d +7 to d +21 at a slower rate of -0.43 ×109 neutrophils/L/day (P < 0.0001), until baseline levels were reached. Conversely, in control cows, neutrophil counts were unchanged from d -7 to d -6 (P = 0.86) after the first injection and then decreased from 6.1 (CI 5.0–7.3) at d 0, to 3.2 (CI 2.4–4.2) at d +1 (P < 0.0001) after the second injection. Neutrophil count was greater (P < 0.001) in pegbovigrastim-treated than in control cows at days -6, 0, +1 and +7. Area under the curve (cells ×109/ L per 28 d) for neutrophil counts in the pegbovigrastim group was 429, versus 99 in the control group (P < 0.0001). The response to each injection of pegbovigrastim was additive and consisted of 95% segmented neutrophils, suggesting that the effect of the treatment was to release mature neutrophils from a substantial pool available in the bone marrow. The sustained increase in circulating neutrophil count around the time of calving may contribute to improved health during the peripartum transition period.
Voxel-based 18F-FET PET segmentation and automatic clustering of tumor voxels: A significant association with IDH1 mutation status and survival in patients with gliomas

Introduction Aim was to develop a full automatic clustering approach of the time-activity curves (TAC) from dynamic 18F-FET PET and evaluate its association with IDH1 mutation status and survival in patients with gliomas. Methods Thirty-seven patients (mean age: 45±13 y) with newly diagnosed gliomas and dynamic 18F-FET PET before any histopathologic investigation or treatment were retrospectively included. Each dynamic 18F-FET PET was realigned to the first image and spatially normalized in the Montreal Neurological Institute template. A tumor mask was semi-automatically generated from Z-score maps. Each brain tumor voxel was clustered in one of the 3 following centroids using dynamic time warping and k-means clustering (centroid #1: slowly increasing slope; centroid #2: rapidly increasing followed by slowly decreasing slope; and centroid #3: rapidly increasing followed by rapidly decreasing slope). The percentage of each dynamic 18F-FET TAC within tumors and other conventional 18F-FET PET parameters (maximum and mean tumor-to-brain ratios [TBRmax and TBRmean], time-to-peak [TTP] and slope) was compared between wild-type and IDH1 mutant tumors. Their prognostic value was assessed in terms of progression free-survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) by Kaplan-Meier estimates. Results Twenty patients were IDH1 wild-type and 17 IDH1 mutant. Higher percentage of centroid #1 and centroid #3 within tumors were positively (P = 0.016) and negatively (P = 0.01) correlated with IDH1 mutated status. Also, TBRmax, TBRmean, TTP, and slope discriminated significantly between tumors with and without IDH1 mutation (P range 0.01 to 0.04). Progression occurred in 22 patients (59%) at a median of 13.1 months (7.6–37.6 months) and 13 patients (35%) died from tumor progression. Patients with a percentage of centroid #1 > 90% had a longer survival compared with those with a percentage of centroid #1 < 90% (P = 0.003 for PFS and P = 0.028 for OS). This remained significant after stratification on IDH1 mutation status (P = 0.029 for PFS and P = 0.034 for OS). Compared to other conventional 18F-FET PET parameters, TTP and slope were associated with PFS and OS (P range 0.009 to 0.04). Conclusions Based on dynamic 18F-FET PET acquisition, we developed a full automatic clustering approach of TAC which appears to be a valuable noninvasive diagnostic and prognostic marker in patients with gliomas.
Ameliorative effects of Moringa on cuprizone-induced memory decline in rat model of multiple sclerosis

Cuprizone is a neurotoxin with copper-chelating ability used in animal model of multiple sclerosis in which oxidative stress has been documented as one of the cascade in the pathogenesis. Moringa oleifera is a phytomedicinal plant with antioxidant and neuroprotective properties. This study aimed at evaluating the ameliorative capability of M. oleifera in cuprizone-induced behavioral and histopathological alterations in the prefrontal cortex and hippocampus of Wistar rats. Four groups of rats were treated with normal saline, cuprizone, M. oleifera and a combination of M. oleifera and cuprizone, for five weeks. The rats were subjected to Morris water maze and Y-maze to assess long and short-term memory respectively. The animals were sacrificed, and brain tissues were removed for histochemical and enzyme lysate immunosorbent assay for catalase, superoxide dismutase, and nitric oxide. Cuprizone significantly induced oxidative and nitrosative stress coupled with memory decline and cortico-hippocampal neuronal deficits; however, administration of M. oleifera significantly reversed the neuropathological deficits induced by cuprizone.
Low dose of dichloroacetate infusion reduces blood lactate after submaximal exercise in horses 1

Ferraz G.C. , Brito H.C. D. , Berkman C. , Albernaz R.M. , Araújo R.A. , Silva M.H. M. , D’Angelis F.H. F. & Queiroz-Neto A. 2013. Low dose of dichloroacetate infusion reduces blood lactate after submaximal exercise in horses. Pesquisa Veterinária Brasileira 33(1):57-60. Laboratório de Farmacologia e Fisiologia do Exercício Equino, Faculdade de Ciências Agrárias e Veterinárias, Universidade Estadual Paulista, Via de Acesso Prof. Paulo Donato Castellane s/n, Jaboticabal, SP 14884-900, Brazil. E-mail: gferraz@fcav.unesp. br The acute administration of an indirect activator of the enzyme pyruvate dehydrogenase (PDH) in human athletes causes a reduction in blood lactate level during and after exercise. A single IV dose (2.5m.kg-1) of dichloroacetate (DCA) was administered before a submaximal incremental exercise test (IET) with five velocity steps, from 5.0 m.s-1 for 1 min to 6.0, 6.5, 7.0 and 7.5m.s-1 every 30s in four untrained mares. The blood collections were done in the period after exercise, at times 1, 3, 5, 10, 15 and 20 min. Blood lactate and glucose (mM) were determined electro-enzymatically utilizing a YSI 2300 automated analyzer. There was a 15.3% decrease in mean total blood lactate determined from the values obtained at all assessment times in both trials after the exercise. There was a decrease in blood lactate 1, 3, 5, 10, 15 and 20 min after exercise for the mares that received prior DCA treatment, with respective mean values of 6.31±0.90 vs 5.81±0.50, 6.45±1.19 vs 5.58±1.06, 6.07±1.56 vs 5.26±1.12, 4.88±1.61 vs 3.95±1.00, 3.66±1.41 vs 2.86±0.75 and 2.75±0.51 vs 2.04±0.30. There was no difference in glucose concentrations. By means of linear regression analysis, V140, V160, V180 and V200 were determined (velocity at which the rate heart is 140, 160, 180, and 200 beats/minute, respectively). The velocities related to heart rate did not differ, indicating that there was no ergogenic effect, but prior administration of a relatively low dose of DCA in mares reduced lactatemia after an IET.
Weak memory models using event structures

In this article, we investigate a denotational semantics based on event structures for a very simple imperative and concurrent programming language. The model incorporates behaviours of weak memory models such as reordering of instructions and non-locality. Our model can then be used to define a function from programs to their possible outcomes that can be used to give a formal semantics to a processor or a programming language. Most of the semantic ideas come from game semantics and its recent development based on event structures, but taking advantage of the first-order setting, we present in this paper a self-contained simplification of these ideas.
The relationship between low survival and acute increase of tumor necrosis factor α expression in the lung in a rat model of asphyxial cardiac arrest

Cardiac arrest (CA) is sudden loss of heart function and abrupt stop in effective blood flow to the body. The patients who initially achieve return of spontaneous circulation (RoSC) after CA have low survival rate. It has been known that multiorgan dysfunctions after RoSC are associated with high morbidity and mortality. Most previous studies have focused on the heart and brain in RoSC after CA. Therefore, the aim of this research was to perform serological, physiological, and histopathology study in the lung and to determine whether or how pulmonary dysfunction is associated with low survival rate after CA. Experimental animals were divided into sham-operated group (n=14 at each point in time), which was not subjected to CA operation, and CA-operated group (n=14 at each point in time), which was subjected to CA. The rats in each group were sacrificed at 6 hours, 12 hours, 24 hours, and 2 days, respectively, after RoSC. Then, pathological changes of the lungs were analyzed by hematoxylin and eosin staining, Western blot and immunohistochemistry for tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α). The survival rate after CA was decreased with time past. We found that histopathological score and TNF-α immunoreactivity were significantly increased in the lung after CA. These results indicate that inflammation triggered by ischemia-reperfusion damage after CA leads to pulmonary injury/dysfunctions and contributes to low survival rate. In addition, the finding of increase in TNF-α via inflammation in the lung after CA would be able to utilize therapeutic or diagnostic measures in the future.
Do blood components affect the production of reactive oxygen species ( ROS ) by equine synovial cells in vitro ? 1

Brossi P.M. , Baccarin R.Y. A. & Massoco C.O. 2012 Do blood components affect the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) by equine synovial cells in vitro? Pesquisa Veterinária Brasileira 32(12):1355-1360. Departamento de Clínica Médica, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia, Universidade de São Paulo, Av. Prof. Dr. Orlando Marques de Paiva 87, Butantã, São Paulo, SP 5508-210, Brazil. E-mail: baccarin@usp.br Blood-derived products are commonly administered to horses and humans to treat many musculoskeletal diseases, due to their potential antioxidant and anti-in lammatory effects. Nevertheless, antioxidant effects have never been shown upon horse synovial luid cells in vitro. If proved, this could give a new perspective to justify the clinical application of blood-derived products. The aim of the present study was to investigate the antioxidant effects of two blood-derived products – plasma (unconditioned blood product UBP) and a commercial blood preparation (conditioned blood product CBP) – upon stimulated equine synovial luid cells. Healthy tarsocrural joints (60) were tapped to obtain synovial luid cells; these cells were pooled, processed, stimulated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) or phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA), and evaluated by low cytometry for the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Upon addition of any blood-derived product here used – UBP and CBP – there was a signi icant decrease in the oxidative burst of synovial luid cells (P<0.05). There was no difference between UBP and CBP effects. In conclusion, treatment of stimulated equine synovial cells with either UBP or CBP ef iciently restored their redox equilibrium.
Randomized, placebo controlled phase I trial of safety, pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics and acceptability of tenofovir and tenofovir plus levonorgestrel vaginal rings in women

To prevent the global health burdens of human immunodeficiency virus [HIV] and unintended/mistimed pregnancies, we developed an intravaginal ring [IVR] that delivers tenofovir [TFV] at ~10mg/day alone or with levonorgestrel [LNG] at ~20μg/day for 90 days. We present safety, pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, acceptability and drug release data in healthy women. CONRAD A13-128 was a randomized, placebo controlled phase I study. We screened 86 women; 51 were randomized to TFV, TFV/LNG or placebo IVR [2:2:1] and 50 completed all visits, using the IVR for approximately 15 days. We assessed safety by adverse events, colposcopy, vaginal microbiota, epithelial integrity, mucosal histology and immune cell numbers and phenotype, cervicovaginal [CV] cytokines and antimicrobial proteins and changes in systemic laboratory measurements, and LNG and TFV pharmacokinetics in multiple compartments. TFV pharmacodynamic activity was measured by evaluating CV fluid [CVF] and tissue for antiviral activity using in vitro models. LNG pharmacodynamic assessments were timed based on peak urinary luteinizing hormone levels. All IVRs were safe with no significant colposcopic, mucosal, immune and microbiota changes and were acceptable. Among TFV containing IVR users, median and mean CV aspirate TFV concentrations remained above 100,000 ng/mL 4 hours post IVR insertion and mean TFV-diphosphate [DP] concentrations in vaginal tissue remained above 1,000 fmol/mg even 3 days post IVR removal. CVF of women using TFV-containing IVRs completely inhibited [94–100%] HIV infection in vitro. TFV/LNG IVR users had mean serum LNG concentrations exceeding 300 pg/mL within 1 hour, remaining high throughout IVR use. All LNG IVR users had a cervical mucus Insler score <10 and the majority [95%] were anovulatory or had abnormal cervical mucus sperm penetration. Estimated in vivo TFV and LNG release rates were within expected ranges. All IVRs were safe with the active ones delivering sustained high concentrations of TFV locally. LNG caused changes in cervical mucus, sperm penetration, and ovulation compatible with contraceptive efficacy. The TFV and TFV/LNG rings are ready for expanded 90 day clinical testing. Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov #NCT02235662
Company Responses to Exchange Queries in Real Time

We examine the efficacy of exchange queries in assisting to explain anomalous trading behaviour in a timely manner. Most equity markets rely on continuous disclosure rules to motivate corporations to immediately disclose sensitive information that can affect trading. Queries allow exchanges to request that listed firms clarify unexplained variation in their securities directly. Using intraday data for a sample of liquid stocks, we find consistent price reversals after firms respond to the query by labelling the pre-announcement trading activity as unsubstantiated. The information contained in this unanticipated announcement is impounded within 20 minutes, preceded by a transition period of heightened trading intensity, wider spreads and shifting order book depth. We show evidence consistent with efficient markets and rational investor behaviour. Overall, this study finds that queries enhance the orderly flow of information and reduce information asymmetry. Exchanges in other countries should consider their use.
Google Search Intensity and its Relationship to the Returns and Liquidity of Japanese Startup Stocks

Abstract This study investigates the relationship between investor attention and stock price movements in Japan's startup stock exchanges, Mothers and JASDAQ. We find a positive relationship between search intensity and stock returns and between search intensity and liquidity. The positive correlation between search intensity and stock returns/liquidity tends to be larger for startup firms with a high proportion of individual shareholders. Contrary to prior studies that have reported a reversal after an immediate stock price increase, our results show the possibility that an immediate increase in stock returns of startup firms may not be neutralized in the long run.
Cutting the Software Building Efforts in Continuous Integration by Semi-Supervised Online AUC Optimization

Continuous Integration (CI) systems aim to provide quick feedback on the success of the code changes by keeping on building the entire systems upon code changes are committed. However, building the entire software system is usually resource and time consuming. Thus, build outcome prediction is usually employed to distinguish the successful builds from the failed ones to cut the building efforts on those successful builds that do not result in any immediate action of the developer. Nevertheless, build outcome prediction in CI is challenging since the learner should be able to learn from a stream of build events with and without the build outcome labels and provide immediate prediction on the next build event. Also, the distribution of the successful and the failed builds are often highly imbalanced. Unfortunately, the existing methods fail to address these challenges well. In this paper, we address these challenges by proposing a semi-supervised online AUC optimization method for CI build outcome prediction. Experiments indicate that our method is able to cut the software building efforts by effectively identify the successful builds, and it outperforms the existing methods that elaborate to address part of these challenges.
Comparison of pharmacokinetic characteristics of sildenafil citrate chewable tablets and film-coated tablets in healthy male subjects

UI14SDF100CW is a chewable tablet of sildenafil citrate, which was developed to improve compliance through convenience of administration. The purpose of this study was to compare the pharmacokinetic (PK) properties of sildenafil citrate chewable tablets (UI14SDF100CW) and conventional sildenafil citrate film-coated tablets (Viagra®, Pfizer). A randomized, open-label, single dose, two-treatment, two-period, two-way crossover study was conducted in 60 healthy male volunteers. In each period, the subjects received a single oral dose of UI14SDF100CW or Viagra® (both tablets contain 140.45 mg of sildenafil citrate, which is equivalent to 100 mg of sildenafil). Serial blood samples were collected up to 24 h post-dose for PK analysis. The plasma concentration of sildenafil was determined using a validated HPLC-MS/MS assay. PK parameters of sildenafil were calculated using non-compartmental methods. The plasma concentration-time profiles of sildenafil in both formulations were similar. For UI14SDF100CW, the Cmax and AUClast of sildenafil were 1068.69 ± 458.25 (mean ± standard deviation) mg/L and 3580.59 ± 1680.29 h·mg/L, and the corresponding values for Viagra® were 1146.84 ± 501.70 mg/L and 3406.35 ± 1452.31 h·/L, respectively. The geometric mean ratios (90% confidence intervals) of UI14SDF100CW to Viagra® for Cmax and AUClast were 0.933 (0.853–1.021) and 1.034 (0.969–1.108), respectively, which met the bioequivalence criteria of Korean regulatory agency. In conclusion, UI14SDF100CW and Viagra® showed similar PK properties. Therefore, UI14SDF100CW can be an alternative to sildenafil for the treatment of erectile dysfunction, providing better compliance.
An Examination of Optimism between Gender, Race, and School Classification of Millennial Students – An Exploratory study

Optimism is defined as an individual's approach to the expectation that good things will happen in the future and bad things are a rarity. Along with the general definition of what optimism is, many researchers have found that optimism depends on culturally embedded values and beliefs (Singh & Shukla, 2014; Lee & Mason, 2013). In addition, the relationship between optimism and positive health outcomes and well-being is well established (Coll, J.E. & Draves, P. R., 2008; Bastianello, M. R., Pacico, J. C., & Hutz, C. S., 2014). Although this is the case, little research has been found examining the differences between optimism levels in the millennial generation. The purpose of this study is to investigate the differences between optimism, race, gender, and school classification in the Millennial Generation. The study is designed to be a quantitative, quasi-experimental, cross-sectional descriptive study. A research questionnaire was given to students that contained demographic questions as well as the Life Orientation Test, both of which have been found to be psychometrically valid and reliable. T-tests and ANOVAs were used to determine if significant differences in the demographic characteristic variables were present between gender, race, and school classification. Although there were no significant differences between gender and optimism, there were significant differences in optimism between race and school classification in that African Americans scoring significantly lower than Caucasian Americans and underclassmen scored significantly higher than upperclassmen. Future research on optimism will be discussed. Thesis Mentor: ________________________ Dr. Daniel Czech, Ph.D., Thesis Director Honors Director: _______________________ Dr. Steven Engel April 2018 Health and Kinesiology University Honors Program
Flexible metal–organic frameworks as superior cathodes for rechargeable sodium-ion batteries

In response to the ever-increasing demand for grid-scale energy storage systems, sodium ion batteries (SIBs) working at ambient- or room-temperature are gaining much attention as promising alternatives because of the abundance and low cost of sodium resources. However, their adoption is significantly hampered by several issues, especially in terms of sluggish kinetics and capacity retention during cycling. Herein, flexible Prussian blue analogue FeFe(CN)6/carbon cloth composites are synthesized using low temperature strategies and utilized as a potential host for sodium ion insertion. As a proof of concept, the composites demonstrate excellent electrochemical performance: a reversible specific capacity of 82 mA h g−1 at 0.2C, good rate capability and long term cycling life with 81.2% capacity retention over 1000 cycles. Most significantly, this low-cost, scalable and low-temperature synthesis provides guidance for the design of other flexible materials that could have applications in wearable electronics, energy storage and conversion devices.
Application of digital terrain data to quantify and reduce the topographic effect on Landsat data

Abstract Integration of Landsat multispectral scanner (MSS) data with 30 m U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) digital terrain data was undertaken to quantify and reduce the topographic effect on imagery of a forested mountain-ridge test site in central Pennsylvania. Four methods for reducing the topographic effect were compared; band ratioing and three radiance models. Band ratioing did not eliminate the topographic effect due to the lack of variation in MSS4 radiances. Of the three radiance models applied to the data, the lambertian and modified lambertian models increased the topographic effect. The non-lambertian model considerably reduced (86 per cent) the topographic effect in the Landsat data. The study demonstrates that high quality digital terrain data as provided by the USGS can be used to enhance the utility of multispectral satellite data.