Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Role of adenosine in postischemic dysfunction of coronary innervation.

We sought to determine the role of adenosine in the sustained but reversible decrease in cardiac neurotransmission that occurs after brief ischemia. Adult mongrel dogs were anesthetized and instrumented for measurements of heart rate, arterial pressure, and left anterior descending coronary artery (LAD) and left circumflex coronary artery (LCX) flow velocities. Changes in coronary vascular resistance were measured during bilateral stimulation of the stellate ganglia. After beta-adrenergic blockade and bilateral vagotomy, stellate stimulation increased coronary vascular resistance in the LAD and LCX beds 28 +/- 2% and 30 +/- 3%, respectively. After a 15-minute infusion of adenosine into the LAD, the peak increase in LAD resistance was significantly reduced (18 +/- 2%) compared with LCX (34 +/- 5%) and control (P < .05, n = 6) resistance. The LAD response after infusion of the vasodilator papaverine was unchanged (n = 6). Intracoronary infusion of adenosine deaminase (n = 10) but not vehicle (n = 5) into the LAD during a 15-minute LAD occlusion prevented the attenuation in constriction to stellate stimulation. We conclude that adenosine, exogenously infused or endogenously produced, is capable of reducing cardiac neurotransmission.
Laser Ablation of Fistula Tract: A Sphincter-Preserving Method for Treating Fistula-in-Ano

BACKGROUND: Lasers are used to treat various types of diseases, including fistula-in-ano. Until recently, the lasers used for this procedure radiated linear energy. OBJECTIVE: To assess the short-term outcomes of patients undergoing ablation of fistula in-ano tract using a new laser that radiates circumferential energy. DESIGN & SETTING: This study was approved by the local ethics committee at our institution. A 15-watt laser probe emitting at a wavelength of 1470 nm and producing 100–120 joules/cm of energy, was applied to 50 patients with fistula-in-ano under general anesthesia. Short-term outcomes, including success rate, complications, pain scores and time to return to normal daily activities, were evaluated. Success was defined as cessation of either the discharge or the patient’s complaints. RESULTS: Thirty-seven male and 13 female patients with a median age of 41 years (range: 23–83 years) were treated on an outpatient basis. Among these patients, 10 had inter-sphincteric fistulas, 34 had low transsphinteric fistulas and 6 had high transsphinteric fistulas. None of the patients required parenteral analgesics. The return to daily activities required a median of 7 days (range: 5–17 days). The median follow-up period was 12 months (range: 2–18 months). The success rate was 82%. Patients for whom the laser treatment was unsuccessful were later treated using traditional surgical methods. LIMITATIONS: The retrospective review of the data and the fact that substantial follow-up was done by phone and not through physical examination are the main limiting factors in this study. CONCLUSION: Laser ablation of fistula tract is a safe, effective, sphincter-preserving therapy that can be successfully performed by surgeons.
Sustainability of EU fiscal policies, a panel test

The fiscal policy rule implicit in the Stability and Growth Pact, has been rationalised as a way to ensure that national fiscal policies remain sustainable within the EU, thereby endorsing the independence of the ECB. We empirically examine the sustainability of European fiscal policies over the period 1970-2001. The intertemporal government budget constraint provides a test based on the cointegration relation between government revenues, expenditures and interest payments. Sustainability is analysed at both the national level and for a European panel. Results show that European fiscal policy has been sustainable overall, yet national experiences differ considerably.
Endothelial cell antibodies: pathogenetic or epiphenomenon?

1. The European polycystic kidney disease consortium. The polycystic kidney disease 1 gene encodes a 14kb transcript and lies within a duplicated region of chromosome 16. Cell. 1994; 75: 1305-1315 2. Woolf AS, Bosch RJ, Fine LG. Gene transfer into the mammalian kidney: first steps towards renal gene therapy. Kidnev Int 1993; 43: SI 16-S119 3. Klahr S, Beck G, Breyer G. Dennis V, Hartman J, Roth D, Steinman T, Yamamoto M. Dietary protein restriction and reduced blood pressure goal in adults with polycystic kidney disease. J Am Soc Nephrol 1993; 4: 263 4. Etsinga LW, Barry JM, Torres VE el al. Cyst decompression surgery for autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease. J Am Soc Nephrol 1993; 2: 1219-1226 Nephrol Dial Transplant 1994: Editorial Comments
A personalized classification system for Holter registers

In this paper we present a personalized long-term electrocardiogram (ECG) classification framework, which can be applied to any Holter register recorded from an individual patient. Due to the massive amount of ECG beats in a Holter register, visual inspection is quite difficult and cumbersome, if not impossible. Therefore the proposed system helps professionals to quickly and accurately diagnose any latent heart disease by examining only the representative beats (the so called master key-beats) each of which is automatically extracted from a time frame of homogeneous (similar) beats. We tested the system on a benchmark database where beats of each Holter register have been manually labeled by cardiologists. The selection of the right master key-beats is the key factor for achieving a highly accurate classification and thus we used exhaustive K-means clustering in order to find out (near-) optimal number of key-beats as well as the master key-beats. The classification process produced results that were consistent with the manual labels with over 99% average accuracy, which basically shows the efficiency and the robustness of the proposed system over massive data (feature) collections in high dimensions.
Web Disclosure and the Market for Charitable Contributions

Nonprofit organizations face intense competition in the market for charitable contributions. Increasingly, donation decisions are made online, and organizations have responded by implementing substantive Internet disclosure and reporting regimes. We posit here that the voluntary disclosure of financial and performance information inherent in these regimes provides additional relevant information to a broad array of market participants, and thus has a positive impact on the receipt of charitable contributions. We test our hypotheses on a random sample of 400 US nonprofit organizations by building on the well established economic model of giving (Weisbrod and Dominguez, 1986), in which donations serve as the proxy for demand. Our central research question is thus: Are donors willing to “pay” for Web disclosure? Results indicate a positive relationship between the level of charitable contributions and the amount of disclosure provided by an organization on its website; however, performance and annual report disclosure are more important than financial disclosure, and performance disclosure has the biggest impact in organizations that are less reliant on donations.
Glycoprotein H of herpes simplex virus type 1 requires glycoprotein L for transport to the surfaces of insect cells

In mammalian cells, formation of heterooligomers consisting of the glycoproteins H and L (gH and gL) of herpes simplex virus type 1 is essential for the cell-to-cell spread of virions and for the penetration of virions into cells. We examined whether formation of gH1/gL1 heterooligomers and cell surface expression of the complex occurs in insect cells. Three recombinant baculoviruses, expressing gL1, gH1, and truncated gH1 (gH1t), which lacks the transmembrane region, were constructed. It was shown that recombinant gH1/gL1 and gH1t/gL1 heterooligomers were produced in insect cells. As in mammalian cells, gH1 and gH1t were not detected on the surfaces of insect cells in the absence of gL1. When coexpressed with gL1, recombinant gH1 was displayed on the surfaces of insect cells. Coexpression of gH1t and gL1 resulted in secretion of the gH1t/gL1 complex into the cell culture medium, indicating that gH1t is also transported to the surfaces of insect cells. Our results indicate that the process of folding and intracellular transport of gH1 and gL1 is comparable in insect cells and mammalian cells and that the baculovirus expression system can be used to examine the complex formation and the intracellular transport of gH1 and gL1. The availability of secreted gH1t/gL1 complex offers the opportunity to further investigate the immunological properties of this complex.
Political Parties and the Distribution of federal Outlays

Theory: Several models of distributive politics predict a role for parties in determining the allocation of federal outlays. Hypotheses: The number of Democratic voters will be positively correlated with federal outlays, even after controlling for demographic and socioeconomic variables. The degree to which a program will be skewed to Democrats will be a function of the amount of variation in program benefits across districts, whether the program is administered by formula, and the extent of one-party control when the program is initiated. Methods: Regression analysis of district-level data on election outcomes and federal assistance programs for the period 1984-90. Results: The number of Democratic voters is an important predictor of the amount of federal dollars flowing to a district. Programs with a greater amount of variation across districts are more heavily skewed to Democrats, as are programs administered by formula. Programs initiated in the latter half of the 1970s, a time of solid Democratic control, exhibit the greatest bias towards Democrats; programs started in the Reagan era show no such bias. Our results are consistent with a model in which parties in the United States play an important, but limited role in determining the distribution of federal dollars: given enough time, parties can target types of voters, but they cannot easily target specific districts.
Hydrodynamics for granular flow at low density

The hydrodynamic equations for a gas of hard spheres with dissipative dynamics are derived from the Boltzmann equation. The heat and momentum fluxes are calculated to Navier-Stokes order and the transport coefficients are determined as explicit functions of the coefficient of restitution. The dispersion relations for the corresponding linearized equations are obtained and the stability of this linear description is discussed. This requires consideration of the linear Burnett contributions to the energy balance equation from the energy sink term. Finally, it is shown how these results can be imbedded in simpler kinetic model equations with the potential for analysis of more complex states. @S1063-651X~98! 15709-4#
Composition of Pellicles Formed in vivo on Tooth Surfaces in Different Parts of the Dentition, and in vitro on Hydroxyapatite

Saliva from the major salivary glands dominates different areas of the mouth. The parotid (PS) and submandibular/sublingual (SMS) saliva differ in their protein composition, and thus, the composition of pellicles formed in various parts of the dentition might vary. In this study, proteins incorporated in 60–min pellicles from the premolar and front regions of the mouths of 4 subjects were examined using sodium dodecyl sulphate–polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and immunoblotting using antibodies to amylase, albumin, IgA, parotid saliva agglutinin, low molecular weight SMS mucin (MG2) and proline–rich proteins. Pellicles formed in vitro on hydroxyapatite using PS, SMS and whole saliva from the subjects were examined in a similar manner. The pellicles formed in vitro and in vivo showed a major difference in the appearance of albumin. Bands of albumin were clearly stained in the samples of in vivo pellicles but were not observed or hardly visible in Western blots from the experimental, in vitro pellicles. The sites in the dentition from which a specific protein was recovered could differ between the 4 individuals. The overall protein pattern of the pellicles showed, however, characteristics typical of the saliva which may prevail in the part of the mouth where the pellicles were formed. Thus, parotid saliva agglutinin, a receptor for Streptococcus mutans, was primarily found in the premolar part of the dentition. The mucin MG2, which may mediate the adherence of Streptococcus sanguis and Streptococcus oralis, was in no case clearly seen in pellicles from the premolar region of the upper jaw. The observed variations might be important to the establishment of microflora and tooth–related disease patterns in various parts of the dentition.
Parents' attitudes toward firearm injury prevention counseling in urban pediatric clinics.

OBJECTIVES To examine characteristics and experiences associated with gun ownership among parents of pediatric patients who attend urban pediatric clinics and to determine the receptivity of these parents to firearm injury prevention counseling. DESIGN A focus group discussion was followed by a cross-sectional survey. SETTING Four public pediatric clinics in a large metropolitan area were included. PARTICIPANTS A focus group discussion was held with parents and was used to develop the questionnaire, which was then distributed over a 6-week period to parents accompanying children to the clinic. The anonymous, self-administered questionnaire was completed by 510 parents or guardians, with an 88% response rate. RESULTS Twenty percent of respondents reported that they had a firearm in the home. Twenty-seven percent of respondents had experienced having a family member shot. Eighty-two percent of all respondents indicated that they would find information about the safest way to store a gun helpful or very helpful. Of all respondents, 47% would follow and an additional 37% would think over a provider's advice not to keep guns in the home. Gun owners were less inclined to report that they would follow this advice (19%), but 55% of the gun owners would think over this advice. Only 6% of all respondents reported that they would ignore or be offended by such advice. CONCLUSIONS Children attending public urban pediatric clinics are exposed to guns in their homes, and their parents appear to be receptive to firearm injury prevention counseling from their child's health care providers.
Assailing the Competition

Throughout history, men have tended to be more violent than women. Evolutionary theories suggest that this sex difference derives in part from their historically greater need to compete with other men over access to potential mates. In the current research, men and women (Experiment 1) or men only (Experiments 2 and 3) underwent a mating motive prime or control prime, and then performed a task designed to measure aggression toward a same-sex partner. The mating prime increased aggression among men, but not women (Experiment 1). Furthermore, mating-related increases in aggression were directed only toward men who were depicted as viable intrasexual rivals, including a dominant (vs. non-dominant) male partner (Experiment 2) and a man who was depicted as single (versus married) and looking for a mate (Experiment 3). This research provides a picture of male intrasexual aggression as highly selective and aimed strategically at asserting one’s dominance over sexual rivals.
Foreign exchange intervention and sterilization: an investigation of State Bank of Pakistan's Reaction Function

We looked into Pakistan’s central bank response to the foreign exchange inflows, for the period from 2001:01 to 2007:06, to strike a balance between competing goals of internal and external equilibriums to draw lessons for its conduct going forward. Using a reaction function we tested the hypothesis that SBP fully sterilized its foreign exchange interventions. The results indicated that for this period, SBP only partially neutralized its foreign exchange interventions. In addition, we also found that changes in SBP’s domestic credit were counter cyclical as it had negative relation with the output gap. However, the changes in domestic credit were found to have positive relation with changes in inflation. This probably resulted from too much weight assigned to growth objective in the back drop of recession and low inflation environment at the start of 2001. It was also found that the SBP also change its domestic credit systematically to reduce interest rate variability at the short end.
Balancing commercial and environmental needs: licensing as a means of managing whale shark tourism on Ningaloo reef

This paper explores the creation, significance and progression of the licensing systems employed to regulate whale shark tourism at Ningaloo Marine Park. Since 1993 mandatory whale shark tour operator licences have been offered through an evolving competitive tender process. A content analysis of the evolution of licence requirements revealed a progression from a minimalist approach to one covering a full range of detailed and audited sustainability indicators. A tour operators’ opinion survey was undertaken to understand industry issues and the impacts of the regulatory licensing system. Operators cited the need for business planning and offering a quality experience as their main challenges. Issues included cost pressures from local and global competitors. Few saw their own activities as being an environmental issue, and few saw regulation procedures as an issue. It is argued that further refinement of the licensing system is required to put its operations into a transparent, science-based context, and to offer incentives for improvements to rise above basic compliance. An explicit consideration of the balance between environmental regulation and commercial sustainability is needed to create a situation of perpetual improvement and provide best outcomes for all stakeholders, including operators, the local economy, the environment and guests.
Transplantation unresponsiveness induced by liver allografts in mouse strains with various histocompatibility disparities.

Long-term survival of fully allogeneic liver grafts without immunosuppression and induction of donor-specific systemic unresponsiveness to subsequent extrahepatic grafts have been documented in pigs1 and rats.2 However, the mechanisms of unresponsiveness are still poorly understood.3 Since a mouse model of orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT) has been established,4 it has become possible to more thoroughly investigate the genetic and immunologic basis for this unresponsiveness. In the present study, three strain combinations crossing various histocompatibility barriers (all with long-term liver graft acceptance) were chosen to determine the ability of liver grafting to induce donor-specific unresponsiveness to subsequent skin grafts.
E/P Mean Reversion-Based Strategies for Investment Practice: Evidence from the Taiwan Market

This study investigates the mean-reversion characteristic in firm-specific earnings-to-price ratios (E/P ratios) and proposes two investment strategies based on the detected mean-reversion feature of E/P ratios. We differentiate our study from other research by analyzing firm-specific time series data. The results show that, of the 1,156 nonfinancial firms listed on the Taiwan Stock Exchange and the GraTai Securities Market in 2006, the E/P ratios of 516 (about 45 percent) exhibited a tendency of mean reversion. Furthermore, we design two investment strategies based on the detected mean-reversion feature of firm-specific E/P ratios and report the dominant investment performances.
The ‘party‐state’ in Greece and the fall of Papandreou

Revelations of corruption and of maladministration have forced a re‐examination of some of the basic characteristics of the Greek party‐state and party system. The purpose of this article is to examine how the controversies ‐ ‘scandals’ ‐ arose, and to assess their consequences for political development in Greece in the light of the June 1989 national elections. The elections may prove critical for the evolution of the State and the party system.
Spherical Cavity Expansion in Material with Densification

LLE Review, Volume 85 15 Introduction Fused silica (SiO2) exhibits some unique features when it is ground or polished. It also densifies permanently under large compressive stresses at room temperature;1–3 up to 15% permanent densification has been observed.2,3 The experimental data for densification from different works, however, are obviously inconsistent,4 which may result from different levels of shear stresses present in the experiments. The molecular dynamics simulation by Tse et al.5 proved this suggestion by showing that the densification is caused by extensive bending of atomic bonds, even under pure hydrostatic pressure. Based on these observations, a new constitutive law was suggested by Lambropoulos et al.6 for this kind of material.7
Circulating Tumor Cell Number and Prognosis in Progressive Castration-Resistant Prostate Cancer

Purpose: The development of tumor-specific markers to select targeted therapies and to assess clinical outcome remains a significant area of unmet need. We evaluated the association of baseline circulating tumor cell (CTC) number with clinical characteristics and survival in patients with castrate metastatic disease considered for different hormonal and cytotoxic therapies. Experimental Design: CTC were isolated by immunomagnetic capture from 7.5-mL samples of blood from 120 patients with progressive clinical castrate metastatic disease. We estimated the probability of survival over time by the Kaplan-Meier method. The concordance probability estimate was used to gauge the discriminatory strength of the informative prognostic factors. Results: Sixty-nine (57%) patients had five or more CTC whereas 30 (25%) had two cells or less. Higher CTC numbers were observed in patients with bone metastases relative to those with soft tissue disease and in patients who had received prior cytotoxic chemotherapy relative to those who had not. CTC counts were modestly correlated to measurements of tumor burden such as prostate-specific antigen and bone scan index, reflecting the percentage of boney skeleton involved with tumor. Baseline CTC number was strongly associated with survival, without a threshold effect, which increased further when baseline prostate-specific antigen and albumin were included. Conclusions: Baseline CTC was predictive of survival, with no threshold effect. The shedding of cells into the circulation represents an intrinsic property of the tumor, distinct from extent of disease, and provides unique information relative to prognosis.
When Expansionary Fiscal Policy is Contractionary: A Neoklassikal Scenario

The paper presents a simple theoretical account of how an increase in government purchases may reduce total employment. It is shown that in a ‘neoklassikal’ model – in which utility maximising consumption choices are combined with a fixed-coefficient technology – an increase in government purchases will reduce the demand for labour at the given wage rate. The reasoning turns on the link between optimising consumption behaviour and employment in the investment sector. An increase in G will (as a matter of arithmetic) make current consumption scarcer relative to future consumption; and thereby reduce the valuation of future consumption in terms of current consumption. As labour is valued according to its contribution to future consumption (through its contribution to capital formation), it follows that an increase in G will reduce the wage at any given volume of employment.