Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Clinical approach to paroxysmal atrial fibrillation

In addition to the role of the electrophysiological substrate, paroxysmal atrial fibrillation depends on the modulation of the atrial tissues by the autonomic nervous system. Experimentally, models of atrial fibrillation can be based on either adrenergic or vagal stimulations that provoke the arrhythmia by disturbing in a different way conduction and refractory periods of the atrium. Clinically, the role of the autonomic nervous system can be suspected from the clinical history, and paroxysmal attacks can typically be observed either at daytime or at night, at exercise or at rest. Careful attention should be paid to the changes of heart rate that occur in the minutes or tens of minutes prior to the attacks, and the trend of acceleration or slowing of cardiac frequency observed in Holter tracings provides reliable indications of the state of the vago‐sympathetic balance in these patients. During the attacks, the electrocardiographic aspect of atrial flutter alternating with a pattern of atrial fibrillation is typical of vagally dependent arrhythmias, whereas atrial tachycardia is more frequently observed at the onset of adrenergic atrial fibrillation. When the paroxysmal forms of arrhythmia are resistant to usual pure antiarrhythmic therapy including type IA agents and flecainide or en‐cainide, one should take into account the role of the autonomic nervous system. Propafenone, or beta‐blockers combined with type I drugs, are very effective every time an adrenergic factor is involved, but prevent the beneficial role of other agents if a vagal mechanism is predominant. Amiodarone, a complex drug with multiple facets, can be active in many different situations but its use should be reserved to definitely resistant cases, in combination with other agents, in order to limit its potential long‐term side effects. Digitalis and verapamil mainly address the tolerance to arrhythmias, rather than their prevention.
Association of LPS chemotype of Mannheimia (Pasteurella) haemolytica A1 with disease virulence in a model of ovine pneumonic pasteurellosis

Host responses during pneumonic pasteurellosis were compared in sheep infected with strains of Mannheimia (Pasteurella) haemolytica A1 differing in their O-antigen type. Nine-week-old, specific pathogen-free lambs were infected intratracheally with parainfluenza type 3 virus (108 TCID50) followed 7 days later by 5—6 . 107 CFU of M. haemolytica A1 possessing rough (group R, 6 lambs) or smooth (group S, 6 lambs) lipopolysaccharide, or saline (group C, 4 lambs). Group C lambs remained afebrile with no evidence of endotoxaemia or bacteraemia and biochemical parameters were normal. Group R and group S lambs became febrile within 2—3 h postinfection and the response was higher and more prolonged in group R lambs. Four group R and 2 group S lambs developed clinical pneumonic pasteurellosis within 24—48 h and the severity of disease correlated with episodes of endotoxaemia, bacteraemia and elevated eicosanoid concentrations. At postmortem, M. haemolytica (107—109 CFU/g) was isolated from the lungs of all 6 group R lambs but from only 1 group S lamb. The results indicate an association between the incidence and severity of ovine pneumonic pasteurellosis and LPS chemotype and suggest an important role for LPS chemotype in determining host-species susceptibility to lung infection.
Oxidant and antioxidant status in beta thalassemia major patients

Amac: Oksidan ve antioksidan dengedeki bozukluklar talasemi ve orak hucreli anemi gibi hemoglobinopatilerde saptanmistir. Calismada duzenli olarak transfuzyon yapilan ve selasyon tedavisi alan 11 beta talasemi major hastasinda oksidan ve antioksidan ozellikler calisilmistir. Gerec ve yontem: Hastalarin laboratuar degerleri cinsiyet ve yaslari calisma grubuna uygun 10 saglikli cocuk ile karsilastirilmistir. Bulgular: Koruyucu bir antioksidan olan eritrosit superoksid dismutazi (ESOD) ve lipit peroksidasyonunun yikim urunu olan plazma malonildialdehid (MDA) duzeyleri calisma grubunda saglikli cocuklara gore yuksek bulunmustur. Serum vitamin E duzeyleri ise saglikli cocuklara gore dusuk bulunmustur. Sonuc: Talasemilerin patogenezinde demir yuklenmesi sonucu olusan artmis oksidatif yikim onemlidir. Ayrica vitamin E gibi yagda eriyen vitaminlerin yetersizligi sonucu olarak antioksidan durumun bozulmasi oksidatif yikimda artisa neden olur.
Distribuição funcional da renda no Brasil: Estimativas anuais e construção de uma série trimestral

Neste trabalho, apresenta-se o calculo de serie trimestral da participacao do fator trabalho no produto interno bruto (PIB) brasileiro, alem de estimativa anual com base na Pesquisa Nacional por Amostra de Domicilios (PNAD) e no PIB trimestral - para os anos em que as contas nacionais anuais ainda nao estao disponiveis. O tema da distribuicao funcional da renda e abordado por meio de uma breve revisao bibliografica. Calcula-se a distribuicao funcional para o Brasil de mais de uma forma, seguindo Gollin (2002). Observam-se, no Brasil, oscilacoes nas participacoes da renda do trabalho e do capital na remuneracao total dos fatores de 1970 a 2009, mas a questao e saber se estas oscilacoes sao significativas ou nao, do ponto de vista da rejeicao, ou nao, da hipotese da constância caracteristica da funcao de Cobb-Douglas. Observa-se que variacoes na distribuicao funcional da renda tanto na direcao favoravel a renda do trabalho quanto na direcao favoravel a renda do capital sao compativeis com reducao na desigualdade da distribuicao pessoal da renda. Sao listadas, com base na revisao bibliografica, variaveis que podem influir na distribuicao funcional da renda. In this paper, we present a calculation of a quarterly series of the labor share in the Brazilian GDP, and an annual estimate based on PNAD (National Household Survey) and the quarterly GDP, for the years in which annual national accounts are not yet available. The theme of the functional distribution of income is addressed through a brief literature review. The functional distribution for Brazil is calculated following Gollin (2002) adjustments. Fluctuations in labor and capital shares are observed in Brazil from 1970 to 2009, but the question is whether these fluctuations are significant or not, from the point of view of rejection of the hypothesis of the Cobb-Douglas function, which implies this shares should be constant. It is observed that changes in functional income distribution both in the direction favorable to labor and in the direction favorable to capital are consistent with a reduction in personal income distribution inequality. Based on the literature review, variables that can affect the functional distribution of income are listed.
Selective catalytic reduction of sulfur dioxide by carbon monoxide over iron oxide supported on activated carbon

The selective reduction of sulfur dioxide with carbon monoxide to elemental sulfur was studied over AC-supported transition-metal oxide catalysts. According to the study, Fe2O3/AC was the most active catalyst among the 4 AC-supported catalysts tested. By using Fe2O3/AC, the best catalyst, when the feed conditions were properly optimized (CO/SO2 molar ratio = 2:1; sulfidation temperature, 400 °C; Fe content, 20 wt%; GHSV = 7000 mL g-1 h-1), 95.43% sulfur dioxide conversion and 86.59% sulfur yield were obtained at the temperature of 350 °C. Catalyst samples were characterized by X-ray powder diffraction in order to relate the phase composition to the activation behavior and catalytic performance. The active phase of catalyst was detected as FeS2, and the formation of FeS2 was greatly dependent on the sulfidation temperature.
A short-term high fat diet increases exposure to midazolam and omeprazole in healthy subjects

ABSTRACT Objectives: Knowledge of factors contributing to variation in drug metabolism is of vital importance to optimize drug treatment. This study assesses the effects of a short-term hypercaloric high fat diet on metabolism of five oral drugs, which are each specific for a single P450 isoform: midazolam (CYP3A4), omeprazole (CYP2C19), metoprolol (CYP2D6), S-warfarin (CYP2C9) and caffeine (CYP1A2). Methods: In 9 healthy volunteers, pharmacokinetics of the five drugs were assessed after an overnight fast at two separate occasions: after a regular diet and after 3 days of a hypercaloric high fat diet (i.e. regular diet supplemented with 500 mL cream [1715 kcal, 35% fat]). Pharmacokinetic parameters (mean [SEM]) were estimated by non-compartmental analysis. Results: The high fat diet increased exposure to midazolam by 19% from 24.7 (2.6) to 29.5 (3.6) ng ml-1h-1 (p=0.04) and exposure to omeprazole by 31% from 726 (104) to 951 (168) ng ml-1h-1 (p=0.05). Exposure to metoprolol, caffeine and S-warfarin was not affected by the high fat diet. Conclusion: A short-term hypercaloric high fat diet increases exposure to midazolam and omeprazole, possibly reflecting modulation of CYP3A4 and CYP2C19.
A Property Rights Perspective on Venture Capital Investment Decisions

To understand how ownership differences influence specific types of strategic decisions, we examine the investment decisions of venture capital (VC) firms, for which a variety of property rights arrangements exist. We describe how VC firms are characterized by important differences in how and to whom various property rights are allocated. On this basis, we develop a series of hypotheses regarding differences in the range and types of investment opportunities pursued by private, corporate, and bank affiliated VC firms. Evaluating our hypotheses using data on investments carried out by 3557 firms, we find that these types of firm perform distinct roles in the ecology of VC financing.
Rational choice or leap of faith? The creation and defence of a management orthodoxy

Purpose – In the 1980s and 1990s enthusiasm for Japanese or “lean” manufacturing methods swept through Western industry. At the time, commentators argued that these methods represented a new paradigm of manufacturing, a radical break with traditional methods. The purpose of this paper is to explore the process of conversion from one paradigm to another, drawing on Kuhn's ideas on the structure of scientific revolutions.Design/methodology/approach – The paper uses a critical‐incident approach to illustrate the conversion to, and defence of, a particular view of the world. Two incidents are used. The first is a one‐day seminar by a leading proponent in the field, in which the author acted as a participant observer. The second is the response of the UK engineering community to the publication of a report questioning the financial benefits of Japanese or lean manufacturing methods.Findings – Although the introduction of new management methods is typically justified on rational grounds, this paper argues that,.
Differential Effect of Metabolic Alkalosis and Hypoxia on High-Intensity Cycling Performance

Abstract Flinn, S, Herbert, K, Graham, K, and Siegler, JC. Differential effect of metabolic alkalosis and hypoxia on high-intensity cycling performance. J Strength Cond Res 28(10): 2852–2858, 2014—The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO3) ingestion and acute hypoxic exposure on repeated bouts of high-intensity cycling to task failure. Twelve subjects completed 4 separate intermittent cycling bouts cycling bouts to task failure (120% peak power output for 30-second interspersed with 30-second active recovery) under the following conditions: normoxia (FIO2% at 20.93%) alkalosis (NA), normoxia placebo (NP), hypoxia (FIO2% at 14.7%) alkalosis (HA), and hypoxia placebo (HP). For the NA and HA trials, the buffer solution (0.3 g·kg−1 of NaHCO3) was dispensed into gelatin capsules and consumed over 90 minutes with 1 L of water. Whole-blood acid-base findings demonstrated metabolic alkalosis in both NA and HA before exercise (HCO3−: 32.8 ± 1.8 mmol·L−1). Time to task failure was significantly impaired in the hypoxic conditions (NA: 199.1 ± 62.3 seconds, NP: 183.8 ± 45.0 seconds, HA: 127.8 ± 27.9 seconds, HP: 133.3 ± 28.7 seconds; p < 0.001; &eegr;2 = 0.7). There was no difference between the HA and HP conditions (p = 0.41); however the 2 normoxic conditions approached significance with the NA condition on average resulting in approximately 15-second improvement in time to task failure (p = 0.09). These findings suggest that an acute decline in FIO2% consistent with hypoxic exposure is more inhibiting than metabolic acidosis during intermittent high-intensity cycling to task failure. In application, the use of hypoxia and NaHCO3 concurrently to improve performance under these conditions does not seem warranted.
Profit Sharing Based Routing Trust Evaluation Algorithm in P2P Network

For the autonomous and selfish features of peers, there are many issues existed in P2P network, such as dynamics of networks, heterogeneity of peers, free-riders, tragedy of commons and malicious behaviors. The topology optimization solutions based on trust are effective methods to solve these problems. However, the trust evaluations in related works only focus on the service trust, or consider both the service trust and the routing trust, but the routing trust evaluation algorithm can not stimulate peers to forward query messages. On this basis, a routing trust evaluation algorithm based on profit sharing is proposed. In the algorithm, according to the contributions of routing recommendation peers, the service demanders share the transaction profit with them in order that the routing recommendation peers can get the routing trust of their neighbors by forwarding query messages. Then, a routing trust aware topology optimization protocol is put forward, which considers both service trust and routing trust. Simulations and analysis show that, the routing trust aware topology optimization protocol can not only promote honest peers to the center of the network, exclude malicious peers and free-riders to the edge of the network, but also improve the query efficiency for honest peers.
World Finance and the Us 'New Economy': Risk Sharing and Risk Exposure

The promising prospect of a ‘New Economy’ in the US attracted substantial equity inflows in the late 1990s, helping to finance the country’s burgeoning current account deficit. After peaking in 2000, however, US stocks fell by some 8 trillion dollars in value. To assess the welfare effects of international financial markets in this context, we use an analytically tractable (two-country, two-period, two-state) model of the global economy which allows the country experiencing the favourable supply side ‘shock’ to consume more against expected future output and to spread risk by selling shares. Since irrational exuberance and distorted corporate incentives can cause serious asset overvaluation, however, an asset price ‘bubble’ is also included, where market participants assign unwarranted likelihood to high pay offs. Relative to autarky, internationalizing financial markets does offer welfare gains. But these are small relative to the international wealth transfer that can arise from selling shares globally at inflated prices. Parameter variations suggest that this conclusion is quite robust. A calibrated exercise shows how capital inflows to finance the ‘New Economy’ can be twice the consumption-smoothing deficit on current account; and how market losses – due to ‘misfortune’ or ‘excess upside probability’ – can have global effects on consumption when the bubble bursts. The analysis complements recent econometric studies of the transmission mechanism which find that financial factors are needed to explain why the European economy was so strongly affected by the US downturn starting in 2002.
Revisiting Search Engine Bias

Questions about search engine bias have percolated in the academic literature for over a decade. In the past few years, the issue has evolved from a quiet academic debate to a full-blown regulatory and litigation frenzy. At the center of this maelstrom is Google, the dominant market player. This Essay looks at changes in the industry and political environment over the past half-dozen years that have contributed to the current situation. This essay supplements my prior contribution to the literature, a 2006 essay entitled Search Engine Bias and the Demise of Search Engine Utopianism.
Effect of load on the bone around bone‐anchored amputation prostheses

Osseointegrated transfemoral amputation prostheses have proven successful as an alternative method to the conventional socket‐type prostheses. The method improves prosthetic use and thus increases the demands imposed on the bone‐implant system. The hypothesis of the present study was that the loads applied to the bone‐anchored implant system of amputees would result in locations of high stress and strain transfer to the bone tissue and thus contribute to complications such as unfavourable bone remodeling and/or elevated inflammatory response and/or compromised sealing function at the tissue‐abutment interface. In the study, site‐specific loading measurements were made on amputees and used as input data in finite element analyses to predict the stress and strain distribution in the bone tissue. Furthermore, a tissue sample retrieved from a patient undergoing implant revision was characterized in order to evaluate the long‐term tissue response around the abutment. Within the limit of the evaluated bone properties in the present experiments, it is concluded that the loads applied to the implant system may compromise the sealing function between the bone and the abutment, contributing to resorption of the bone in direct contact with the abutment at the most distal end. This was supported by observations in the retrieved clinical sample of bone resorption and the formation of a soft tissue lining along the abutment interface. © 2016 Orthopaedic Research Society. Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Orthop Res 35:1113–1122, 2017.
Functional properties of an alternative, tissue-specific promoter for human arylamine N-acetyltransferase 1

Variable expression of human arylamine N-acetyltransferase 1 (NAT1) due to genetic polymorphism, gene regulation or environmental influences is associated with individual susceptibility to various cancers. Recent studies of NAT1 transcription showed that most mRNAs originate at a promoter, P1, located 11.8 kb upstream of the single open reading frame (ORF) exon. We have now characterized an alternative NAT1 promoter lying 51.5 kb upstream of the NAT1 ORF. In the present study, analysis of human RNAs representing 27 tissue types by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and quantitative RT-PCR showed the upstream 51.5 kb promoter, designated P3, to be most active in specific tissues, including kidney, liver, lung, and trachea. All NAT1 P3 mRNAs included 5′-untranslated region (5′-UTR) internal exons of 61 and 175 nucleotides in addition to the 79 nucleotide 5′-UTR exon present in P1 mRNA. CAP-dependent amplification of 5′-P3 mRNA termini defined an 84 bp transcription start region in which most start sites are centrally clustered. The hepatoma-derived HepG2 cell line expressed a high level of P3 mRNA with the same spliced structure and start site pattern as found in normal tissues. A 435-bp minimal promoter was defined by transfection of HepG2 with luciferase expression constructs containing genomic fragments from the P3 start region. These findings imply a fundamental role for P3 in NAT1 regulation and define additional regions for genetic polymorphisms associated with enhanced cancer risk.
The Power of Exports

The authors systematically document remarkably high degrees of concentration in manufacturing exports for a sample of 151 countries over a range of 3,000 products. For every country manufacturing exports are dominated by a few"big hits"which account for most of the export value and where the"hit"includes both finding the right product and finding the right market. Higher export volumes are associated with higher degrees of concentration, after controlling for the number of destinations a country penetrates. This further highlights the importance of big hits. The distribution of exports closely follows a power law, especially in the upper tail. These findings do not support a"picking winners"policy for export development; the power law characterization implies that the chance of picking a winner diminishes exponentially with the degree of success. Moreover, given the size of the economy, developing countries are more exposed to demand shocks than rich ones, which further lowers the benefits from trying to pick winners.
Manual physical therapy and exercise versus electrophysical agents and exercise in the management of plantar heel pain: a multicenter randomized clinical trial.

STUDY DESIGN Randomized clinical trial. OBJECTIVE To compare the effectiveness of 2 different conservative management approaches in the treatment of plantar heel pain. BACKGROUND There is insufficient evidence to establish the optimal physical therapy management strategies for patients with heel pain, and little evidence of long-term effects. METHODS Patients with a primary report of plantar heel pain underwent a standard evaluation and completed a number of patient self-report questionnaires, including the Lower Extremity Functional Scale (LEFS), the Foot and Ankle Ability Measure (FAAM), and the Numeric Pain Rating Scale (NPRS). Patients were randomly assigned to be treated with either an electrophysical agents and exercise (EPAX) or a manual physical therapy and exercise (MTEX) approach. Outcomes of interest were captured at baseline and at 4-week and 6-month follow-ups. The primary aim (effects of treatment on pain and disability) was examined with a mixed-model analysis of variance (ANOVA). The hypothesis of interest was the 2-way interaction (group by time). RESULTS Sixty subjects (mean [SD] age, 48.4 [8.7] years) satisfied the eligibility criteria, agreed to participate, and were randomized into the EPAX (n = 30) or MTEX group (n = 30). The overall group-by-time interaction for the ANOVA was statistically significant for the LEFS (P = .002), FAAM (P = .005), and pain (P = .043). Between-group differences favored the MTEX group at both 4-week (difference in LEFS, 13.5; 95% CI: 6.3, 20.8) and 6-month (9.9; 95% CI: 1.2, 18.6) follow-ups. CONCLUSION The results of this study provide evidence that MTEX is a superior management approach over an EPAX approach in the management of individuals with plantar heel pain at both the short- and long-term follow-ups. Future studies should examine the contribution of the different components of the exercise and manual physical therapy programs. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE Therapy, level 1b.
Untouchable! : voices of the Dalit liberation movement

viceroy accelerated the pace of negotiations and therefore the date of partition and the transfer of power. Several sources such as Lord Auchinleck and Sir George Cunningham have commented on the folly and haste of Mountbatten. I interviewed Lady Wavell, who said that her husband, based on the information that he had gathered while viceroy from hundreds of officials posted at the border, was convinced that wholesale slaughter would follow partition. Wavell thus recommended a phased withdrawal of British authority. Indeed, Lord Mountbatten also told me in the presence of Admiral Brockman, who had been his naval aide, that it would be easy with hindsight to lay the blame on him for having created a boundary force that was totally inadequate to meet the grave problems that erupted with such fury. Surely, the information that Lord Wavell had gathered and communicated to the British government was available to Lord Mountbatten before he assumed charge.