Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Sepsis following hysteroscopic myomectomy

Abstract Hysteroscopy and hysteroscopic myomectomy in general have low complication rates. Two patients underwent hysteroscopic myomectomy for prolapsing submucous myomas after UAE. The onset of prolapsing myoma occurred at varying times between completion of UAE and myomectomy, resulting in bacteremia for both patients. In Case 1, the patient recovered with intravenous antibiotic treatment. However, the patient in Case 2 had status improvement after undergoing an abdominal myomectomy, explorative laparotomy for removal of a necrotic myoma. Our two patient cases serve as a caution to clinicians regarding the rare incidence of septicemia occurring in patients undergoing hysteroscopic myomectomy with prior UAE treatment for prolapsing myomas.
NUTRITIONAL QUALITY AND SENSORY ACCEPTABILITY OF FERMENTED BREADFRUIT – PIGEON PEA BASED CUSTARD

Custard is a yellow food made from extraction of grain-bearing plant with some flavouring added to make a cereal solid food. Custard is majorly an imported food but due to its high cost of importation, there is need for diversification by usage of locally available food crops for replacement to reduce post-harvest losses and improve nutritional condition of Nigerians. Breadfruit is a good source of calcium, copper, iron, potassium, magnesium and has similar levels of protein as many other tropical staple crops and many cultivars produce pro-vitamin A. Fresh breadfruit and wholesome brown pigeon pea was fermented differently at different conditions to produce custard. Proximate composition, anti-nutrients and sensory attributes of the breadfruitpigeon pea custard in terms of appearance, colour, aroma, taste and overall acceptability were determined. Sensory evaluation results showed that 100% fermented breadfruit at 10C was the most preferred while little differences were observed from other samples at 5% significant level. The results obtained indicated that quality custard can be produced from breadfruit-pigeon pea, if more research is done in this area to curtail food insecurity in Nigeria. Also, the acceptability of the formulated products will add value to the produce through livelihood improvement of the growers and thereby increase the existing products.
Perindopril reduces arterial pressure and does not inhibit exercise-induced angiogenesis in SHR.

ABSTRACT Sympathetic activity, arteriolar structure and angiogenesis are important mechanisms modulating hypertension and this present study aimed to analyze the effects of perindopril treatment, associated or not with exercise training, on the mechanisms that control blood pressure in hypertensive rats. SHR were allocated into 4 groups: 1/sedentary (S); 2/ perindopril (P, 3.0 mg/kg/day); 3/trained (T) and 4/trained + perindopril (TP). Wistar rats were used as normotensive sedentary control group. SHR were assigned to undergo a treadmill training (T) or were kept sedentary. Heart rate (HR), blood pressure (BP), sympathetic activity to the vessels (LF-SAP), and skeletal muscle and myocardial morphometric analyses were performed. Blood pressure was significantly lower after all 3 strategies, compared with S and was accompanied by lower LF-SAP (-76%, -53% and -44%, for P, T and TP, respectively). Arteriolar vessel wall cross sectional area was lower after treatments (-56%, -52% and -56%, for P, T and TP), and only TP presented higher arteriolar lumen area. Capillary rarefaction was present in soleus muscle and myocardium in S group and both trained groups presented higher vessel density, even though perindopril attenuated this increase in soleus muscle. Although myocyte diameter was not different between groups, myocardial collagen deposition area, higher in S group, was lower after 3 strategies. In conclusion, we may suggest that perindopril could be an option for the hypertensive people who practice exercise and need a specific pharmacological treatment to reach a better BP control, mainly because training-induced angiogenesis is an important response to facilitate blood flow perfusion and oxygen uptake and perindopril did not attenuate this response.
Intervertebral Disc and Adipokine Leptin—Loves Me, Loves Me Not

Leptin—the most famous adipose tissue-secreted hormone—in the human body is mostly observed in a negative connotation, as the hormone level increases with the accumulation of body fat. Nowadays, fatness is becoming another normal body shape. Fatness is burdened with numerous illnesses—including low back pain and degenerative disease of lumbar intervertebral disc (IVD). IVD degeneration and IVD inflammation are two indiscerptible phenomena. Irrespective of the underlying pathophysiological background (trauma, obesity, nutrient deficiency), the inflammation is crucial in triggering IVD degeneration. Leptin is usually depicted as a proinflammatory adipokine. Many studies aimed at explaining the role of leptin in IVD degeneration, though mostly in in vitro and on animal models, confirmed leptin’s “bad reputation”. However, several studies found that leptin might have protective role in IVD metabolism. This review examines the current literature on the metabolic role of different depots of adipose tissue, with focus on leptin, in pathogenesis of IVD degeneration.
Listing and Firm Performance in a Transition Economy

This study aims to provide empirical evidence on the relationship between listing and firm performance in Vietnam. Using a data set of 48 listed and unlisted firms from Thomson Reuter? s data, this research applies pre-post comparison method to evaluate the performance change for listed firms after listing. The research results show that listing on the Vietnamese stock market does not help Vietnamese firms improve their performance; in particular, there is no increase in profitability, operating efficiency and leverage. However, listing helps firms improve their sales and reduce their reinvestment rates. The research results also show that unlisted firms do not improve in firm performance if they are only traded on the Upcom stock exchange. The research results are inconsistent with relevant theories explaining why firms go public in developed countries. Vietnam? s listing delay can also be explained by these results and investors should consider investing in listed firms because these firms improve their sales in the short term. The authors also suggest that the Vietnamese government create policy to encourage firms to list their stocks on the official stock market after equitization.This study aims to provide empirical evidence on the relationship between listing and firm performance in Vietnam. Using a data set of 48 listed and unlisted firms from Thomson Reuter? s data, this research applies pre-post comparison method to evaluate the performance change for listed firms after listing. The research results show that listing on the Vietnamese stock market does not help Vietnamese firms improve their performance; in particular, there is no increase in profitability, operating efficiency and leverage. However, listing helps firms improve their sales and reduce their reinvestment rates. The research results also show that unlisted firms do not improve in firm performance if they are only traded on the Upcom stock exchange. The research results are inconsistent with relevant theories explaining why firms go public in developed countries. Vietnam? s listing delay can also be explained by these results and investors should consider investing in listed firms because these firms improve their sales in the short term. The authors also suggest that the Vietnamese government create policy to encourage firms to list their stocks on the official stock market after equitization.
Placental thickness: A Sonographic Indicator of Gestational Age in Normal Singleton Pregnancies

Background: Presently the most effective way to date pregnancy is by use of ultrasound. Several sonographically derived fetal parameters used to date pregnancy include fetal crown - rump length (CRL), biparietal diameter (BPD), head circumference (HC), femur length (FL),and abdominal circumference (AC). Placental thickness measured at the level of the umbilical cord insertion can be used as a new parameter to estimate gestational age of the fetus. The present study was undertaken to evaluate the relationship between placental thickness and gestational age of the fetus. Methods: Cross-sectional study was conducted in the College of Medical Science and Teaching Hospital, Bharatpur, Nepal among 150 patients with normal singleton pregnancies presenting for routine antenatal visit of all gestational ages from 11 weeks to 40 weeks. Patients with pregnancy induced hypertension, diabetes mellitus, intrauterine growth retardation, hydrops foetalis, congenital malformation and twins are excluded. Placental thickness value, in mm, was calculated by averaging the three best measurements for each case. We studied the relationship of placental thickness, in mm, measured at the level of insertion of umbilical cord with advancing gestational age in weeks. Correlation of mean placental thickness with gestational age from 11 weeks to 40 weeks was calculated. Results: It was observed that the placental thickness gradually increased from approximately 11 mm at 11 weeks to 38.33 mm at 40 weeks of gestation. From 11 to 34 weeks of gestation, the placental thickness (in mm) almost matched the gestational age in weeks, thereafter from 35 to 40 weeks; the placental thickness was lower by 1 to 2 mm. Conclusion: The relationship between the placental thickness and gestational age was linear and direct. Placental thickness (in mm) measurement can be an important additional parameter for estimating gestational age along with other parameters especially from 11 to 34 weeks of gestation.
Steviol Glycosides Supplementation Affects Lipid Metabolism in High-Fat Fed STZ-Induced Diabetic Rats

A number of health-promoting properties of Stevia rebaudiana Bertoni and its glycosides, including the antihyperglycemic activity, have been found. The mechanisms of the antidiabetic action of stevia have not been fully understood. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of supplementary steviol glycosides on high-fat fed streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats with particular attention to lipid metabolism. The experiment was conducted on 70 male Wistar rats, of which 60 were fed a high-fat diet for 8 weeks followed by intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin, to induce type 2 diabetes. Afterwards, rats were divided into six groups and fed a high-fat diet supplemented with pure stevioside or rebaudioside A, at two levels (500 or 2500 mg/kg body weight (b.w.)) for 5 weeks. Three additional groups: diabetic untreated, diabetic treated with metformin, and healthy, served as respective controls. Blood and dissected internal organs were collected for hematological, biochemical, and histopathological tests. It was found that dietary supplementation with steviol glycosides did not affect blood glucose, insulin, and insulin resistance indices, antioxidant biomarkers, but normalized hyperlipidemia and affected the appetite, as well as attenuated blood liver and kidney function indices, and reduced tissular damage in diabetic rats. Steviol glycosides normalize lipid metabolism and attenuate internal organs damage in diabetes.
Development programs for female farmers: identifying clusters for the case of Chile's "Education and training program for rural women".

This article aims to contribute to the evaluation of development policies for female farmers based on their beneficiaries' attitudes. For this, it was conducted a survey in the Metropolitan Region of Santiago, Chile, to a representative sample of participants in the "Education and training program for rural women" of the Chilean National Institute for Agricultural Development. The questionnaire applied was divided into the following sections: i) personal characteristics of the farmers and their family unit; ii) technical, productive and commercial features; iii) farm and household income; and iv) vision of themselves and program-related attitudes. The data collected was processed by descriptive and multivariate techniques such as principal components and cluster analysis. The results show a positive assessment of the program on an aggregate level, although there are significant dissimilarities within the sample, allowing three clusters to be identified: "reticent participants" (42.3%), "associative participants" (20.5%) and "empowered participants" (37.2%). The farmers on those clusters present differences not only in their attitudes towards the program but also in their education level, income, farm profitability and balance between productive and domestic roles. It's concluded that individual characteristics and circumstances impact beneficiaries’ perception of the programs, which should be considered in their design and implementation.
Evolution of globalised business R&D: Features, drivers, impacts. IPTS WORKING PAPER on CORPORATE R&D AND INNOVATION - Nr. 02/2011

The globalisation of R&D activities has continued to grow as companies are increasingly trying to capture knowledge and market opportunities internationally. The rapid evolution of national economies and the ways to conduct knowledge-intensive businesses has brought researchers and analysts to pursue a deeper understanding of the globalisation of corporate R&D and the related driving factors and impacts. This Working Paper provides an overview of the evolution of globalised business R&D activities and an outline of trends is provided with quantitative information from 2001 to 2009. Thus, the literature on the main drivers and impacts of the research process is reviewed and controversial arguments are discussed and reflected upon in the light of recent empirical observations. In particular, the drivers for firms to undertake R&D in their home country, to internationalise their R&D operations and to select a particular location for undertaking R&D are analysed according to both the perspective of S&T supply side and for goods and services demand side. Furthermore, the impact of the internationalisation of business R&D is analysed for firms' host or home countries, with a particular focus on the effects on competitiveness and employment. The conclusions and policy implications from the main results of this work are presented in the last section of the document. The mission of the Joint Research Centre is to provide customer-driven scientific and technical support for the conception, development, implementation and monitoring of European Union policies. As a service of the European Commission, the Joint Research Centre functions as a reference centre of science and technology for the Union. Close to the policy-making process, it serves the common interest of the Member States, while being independent of special interests, whether private or national. LF-N B -247-EN -N
LAG-3, TIM-3 and VISTA Expression on Tumor-Infiltrating Lymphocytes in Oropharyngeal Squamous Cell Carcinoma—Potential Biomarkers for Targeted Therapy Concepts

Tumor growth and survival requires a particularly effective immunosuppressant tumor microenvironment (TME) to escape destruction by the immune system. While immunosuppressive checkpoint markers like programmed cell death 1 ligand (PD-L1) are already being targeted in clinical practice, lymphocyte-activation-protein 3 (LAG-3), T-cell immunoglobulin and mucin-domain containing-3 (TIM-3) and V-domain Ig suppressor of T cell activation (VISTA) inhibitors are currently under investigation in clinical trials. Reliable findings on the expression status of those immune checkpoint inhibitors on tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) in the TME of oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (OPSCC) are lacking. This work aims to describe the expression of LAG-3, TIM-3, and VISTA expression in the TME of OPSCC. We created a tissue microarray of paraffin-embedded tumor tissue of 241 OPSCC. Expression of the immune checkpoint protein LAG-3, TIM-3, and VISTA in OPSCC was evaluated using immunohistochemistry and results were correlated with CD8+ T-cell inflammation and human papillomavirus (HPV)-status. 73 OPSCC stained positive for LAG-3 (31%; HPV+:44%; HPV-:26%, p = 0.006), 122 OPSCC stained positive for TIM-3 (51%; HPV+:70%; HPV-:44%, p < 0.001) and 168 OPSCC (70%; HPV+:75%; HPV-:68%, p = 0.313) for VISTA. CD8+ T-cells were significantly associated with LAG-3, TIM-3 and VISTA expression (p < 0.001, p < 0.001, p = 0.007). Immune checkpoint therapy targeting LAG-3, TIM-3, and/or VISTA could be a promising treatment strategy especially in HPV-related OPSCC. Future clinical trials investigating the efficacy of a checkpoint blockade in consideration of LAG-3, TIM-3, and VISTA expression are required.
Hydrodechlorination of 4-Chlorophenol on Pd-Fe Catalysts on Mesoporous ZrO2SiO2 Support

A mesoporous support based on silica and zirconia (ZS) was used to prepare monometallic 1 wt% Pd/ZS, 10 wt% Fe/ZS, and bimetallic FePd/ZS catalysts. The catalysts were characterized by TPR-H2, XRD, SEM-EDS, TEM, AAS, and DRIFT spectroscopy of adsorbed CO after H2 reduction in situ and tested in hydrodechlorination of environmental pollutant 4-chlorophelol in aqueous solution at 30 °C. The bimetallic catalyst demonstrated an excellent activity, selectivity to phenol and stability in 10 consecutive runs. FePd/ZS has exceptional reducibility due to the high dispersion of palladium and strong interaction between FeOx and palladium, confirmed by TPR-H2, DRIFT spectroscopy, XRD, and TEM. Its reduction occurs during short-time treatment with hydrogen in an aqueous solution at RT. The Pd/ZS was more resistant to reduction but can be activated by aqueous phenol solution and H2. The study by DRIFT spectroscopy of CO adsorbed on Pd/ZS reduced in harsh (H2, 330 °C), medium (H2, 200 °C) and mild conditions (H2 + aqueous solution of phenol) helped to identify the reasons of the reducing action of phenol solution. It was found that phenol provided fast transformation of Pd+ to Pd0. Pd/ZS also can serve as an active and stable catalyst for 4-PhCl transformation to phenol after proper reduction.
Molecular Survey of Vector-Borne Pathogens of Dogs and Cats in Two Regions of Saudi Arabia

Dogs and cats play an important role as reservoirs of vector-borne pathogens, yet reports of canine and feline vector-borne diseases in Saudi Arabia are scarce. Blood samples were collected from 188 free-roaming dogs and cats in Asir (70 dogs and 44 cats) and Riyadh (74 dogs), Saudi Arabia. The presence of Anaplasma spp. , Bartonella spp. , hemotropic Mycoplasma spp. , Babesia spp. , and Hepatozoon spp. was detected using a multiplex tandem real-time PCR. PCR-positive samples were further examined with specific conventional and real-time PCR followed by sequencing. Dogs from Riyadh tested negative for all pathogens, while 46 out of 70 dogs (65.7%) and 17 out of 44 cats (38.6%) from Asir were positive for at least one pathogen. Positive dogs were infected with Anaplasma platys (57.1%), Babesia vogeli (30%), Mycoplasma haemocanis (15.7%), and Bartonella henselae (1.4%), and cats were infected with Mycoplasma haemofelis (13.6%), Candidatus Mycoplasma haemominutum (13.6%), B. henselae (9.2%), and A. platys (2.27%), all of which are reported for the first time in Saudi Arabia. Co-infection with A. platys and B. vogeli was detected in 17 dogs (24.28%), while coinfections were not detected in cats. These results suggest that effective control and public awareness strategies for minimizing infection in animals are necessary.
Coorbital thermal torques on low-mass protoplanets

Using linear perturbation theory, we investigate the torque exerted on a low-mass planet embedded in a gaseous protoplanetary disc with finite thermal diffusivity. When the planet does not release energy into the ambient disc, the main effect of thermal diffusion is the softening of the enthalpy peak near the planet, which results in the appearance of two cold and dense lobes on either side of the orbit, of size smaller than the thickness of the disc. The lobes exert torques of opposite sign on the planet, each comparable in magnitude to the one-sided Lindblad torque. When the planet is offset from corotation, the lobes are asymmetric and the planet experiences a net torque, the `cold' thermal torque, which has a magnitude that depends on the relative value of the distance to corotation to the size of the lobes $\sim\sqrt{\chi/\Omega_p}$, $\chi$ being the thermal diffusivity and $\Omega_p$ the orbital frequency. We believe that this effect corresponds to the phenomenon named `cold finger' recently reported in numerical simulations, and we argue that it constitutes the dominant mode of migration of sub-Earth-mass objects. When the planet is luminous, the heat released into the ambient disc results in an additional disturbance that takes the form of hot, low-density lobes. They give a torque, named heating torque in previous work, that has an expression similar, but of opposite sign, to the cold thermal torque.
A Comparative Analysis of Pre-Equating and Post-Equating in a Large-Scale Assessment, High Stakes Examination

Statistical procedure used in adjusting test score difficulties on test forms is known as “equating”. Equating makes it possible for various test forms to be used interchangeably. In terms of where the equating method fits in the assessment cycle, there are pre-equating and post-equating methods. The major benefits of pre-equating, when applied, are that it facilitates the operational processes of examination bodies in terms of rapid score reporting, quality control and flexibility in the assessment process. The purpose of this study is to ascertain if pre- and post-equating results are comparable. Data for this study, which adopted an equivalent group design method, was taken from the 2012 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) pre-test and 2013 UTME post-test in Use of English (UOE) subject. A pre-equating model using the 3-parameter (3PL) Item Response Theory (IRT) model was used. IRT software was used for the item calibration. Pre- and post-equating were carried out using 100-items per test form in an UOE test. The results indicate that the raw-score and ability estimates between the pre-equated model and the post-equated model were comparable.
Molecular Genetics of Glaucoma: Subtype and Ethnicity Considerations

Glaucoma, the world’s leading cause of irreversible blindness, is a complex disease, with differential presentation as well as ethnic and geographic disparities. The multifactorial nature of glaucoma complicates the study of genetics and genetic involvement in the disease process. This review synthesizes the current literature on glaucoma and genetics, as stratified by glaucoma subtype and ethnicity. Primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) is the most common cause of glaucoma worldwide, with the only treatable risk factor (RF) being the reduction of intraocular pressure (IOP). Genes associated with elevated IOP or POAG risk include: ABCA1, AFAP1, ARHGEF12, ATXN2, CAV1, CDKN2B-AS1, FOXC1, GAS7, GMDS, SIX1/SIX6, TMCO1, and TXNRD2. However, there are variations in RF and genetic factors based on ethnic and geographic differences; it is clear that unified molecular pathways accounting for POAG pathogenesis remain uncertain, although inflammation and senescence likely play an important role. There are similar ethnic and geographic complexities in primary angle closure glaucoma (PACG), but several genes have been associated with this disorder, including MMP9, HGF, HSP70, MFRP, and eNOS. In exfoliation glaucoma (XFG), genes implicated include LOXL1, CACNA1A, POMP, TMEM136, AGPAT1, RBMS3, and SEMA6A. Despite tremendous progress, major gaps remain in resolving the genetic architecture for the various glaucoma subtypes across ancestries. Large scale carefully designed studies are required to advance understanding of genetic loci as RF in glaucoma pathophysiology and to improve diagnosis and treatment options.