Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Radiation Synovectomy with Holmium-166 Ferric Hydroxide Macroaggregate : Experimental study in rabbits and horses

7 LIST OF ORIGINAL ARTICLES 8 ABBREVIATIONS 9 INTRODUCTION 10 REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE 12 1. Anatomy and physiology of the synovial joint 12 1.1. Joint capsule 12 1.2. Synovial fluid 12 1.3. Articular cartilage 12 1.3. 1. Chondrocytes 13 1.3. 2. Collagens 13 1.3. 3. Proteoglycans 14 2. Synovitis and arthritis 15 2.1. Synovitis 15 2.2. Enzymatic degradation of the extracellular matrix 16 2.3. Osteoarthritis 17 2.4. Rheumatoid arthritis 18 3. Treatment of synovitis in horses 19 4. Surgical synovectomy 20 5. Chemical synovectomy 20 6. Radiation synovectomy 20 6.1. Radionuclides 20 6.2. Carriers for radionuclides 21 6.3. Dose absorbed by the synovium 22 6.4. Experimental studies of intra-articular effects 22 6.5. Clinical use in man 23 6.5. 1. Rheumatoid arthritis 23 6.5. 2. Other arthritides 24 6.5. 3. Side-effects 24 AIMS OF THE STUDY 26 MATERIALS AND METHODS 27 1. Holmium-166 ferric hydroxide macroaggrecate 27 2. Animals and study protocol 27 2.1. Rabbits 27 2.2. Horses 28 3. Clinical signs after RSYN (I, III) 28 4. Autoradiography of rabbits (I) 29
Discussion of an Economic Framework for Conservative Accounting and Bushman and Piotroski (2006)

We offer an economic framework for generating predictions about the demand for conservative accounting reports. We define conservatism as: More timely recognition of losses than gains as a result of the costs and benefits of reporting verifiable information by managers and/or firms being asymmetric. We also discuss Bushman and Piotroski's interpretation of the speeds of "good news recognition" and "incremental bad news recognition" in "Basu-type" regressions as separate signals about accounting conservatism. Finally, we suggest avenues for future research that seeks to investigate the links between institutions and contracts, and between contracts and conservatism.
Exogenous Melatonin Mitigates Acid Rain Stress to Tomato Plants through Modulation of Leaf Ultrastructure, Photosynthesis and Antioxidant Potential

Acid rain (AR) is a serious global environmental issue causing physio-morphological changes in plants. Melatonin, as an indoleamine molecule, has been known to mediate many physiological processes in plants under different kinds of environmental stress. However, the role of melatonin in acid rain stress tolerance remains inexpressible. This study investigated the possible role of melatonin on different physiological responses involving reactive oxygen species (ROS) metabolism in tomato plants under simulated acid rain (SAR) stress. SAR stress caused the inhibition of growth, damaged the grana lamella of the chloroplast, photosynthesis, and increased accumulation of ROS and lipid peroxidation in tomato plants. To cope the detrimental effect of SAR stress, plants under SAR condition had increased both enzymatic and nonenzymatic antioxidant substances compared with control plants. But such an increase in the antioxidant activities were incapable of inhibiting the destructive effect of SAR stress. Meanwhile, melatonin treatment increased SAR-stress tolerance by repairing the grana lamella of the chloroplast, improving photosynthesis and antioxidant activities compared with those in SAR-stressed plants. However, these possible effects of melatonin are dependent on concentration. Moreover, our study suggests that 100-μM melatonin treatment improved the SAR-stress tolerance by increasing photosynthesis and ROS scavenging antioxidant activities in tomato plants.
Significance of heat-moisture treatment conditions on the pasting and gelling behaviour of various starch-rich cereal and pseudocereal flours

The impact of heat-moisture treatment processing conditions (15%, 25%, and 35% moisture content; 1, 3, and 5 h heating time at 120 ℃) on the viscosity pasting and gelling profiles of different grain flours matrices (barley, buckwheat, sorghum, high β-glucan barley, and wheat) was investigated by applying successive cooking and cooling cycles to rapid visco analyser canisters with highly hydrated samples (3.5:25, w:w). At a milder heat-moisture treatment conditions (15% moisture content, 1 h heating time), except for sorghum, heat-moisture treatment flours reached much higher viscosity values during earlier pasting and subsequent gelling than the corresponding native counterparts. Besides heat-moisture treatment wheat flour, the described behaviour found also for non-wheat-treated flours has not been previously reported in the literature. An increased hydrophobicity of prolamins and glutelins in low moisture-short heating time heat-moisture treatment of non-wheat flours with high protein content (12.92%–19.95%) could explain the enhanced viscosity profile observed.
Development of an in vitro model to study the impact of BMP‐2 on metastasis to bone

Prostate cancer cases and deaths have increased for years, yet the mechanisms involved in prostate cancer metastasis to bone remain poorly understood. To address this need, an effective and relevant in vitro model for the study of prostate cancer bone metastases would be useful. Therefore, a 3D in vitro tissue system was established using prostate cancer cells (PC3), suitable culture conditions and a 3D silk scaffold biomaterial to provide mechanically robust and slow degrading matrices to support the tissues for extended time frames. The role of BMP‐2 on the progression of prostate cancer was investigated using this 3D tissue system. The results suggest that BMP‐2 stimulates the migration of PC3 cells, suggesting insight into mechanisms involved in this critical step in the disease. The data support the conclusion that this in vitro system mimics aspects of prostate cancer metastasis in the presence of BMP‐2, thus the system can be utilized as a starting point as an in vitro model for further studies of prostate cancer development and metastasis, as well as in the screening of new therapeutic treatments. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Delays in Breast Cancer Detection and Treatment in Developing Countries

Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women in both developed and developing countries and the second most common cancer in the world. Developing countries are increasingly adopting a Western lifestyle, such as changes in diet and delayed first childbirth, lower parity, and shorter periods of breastfeeding, which are important determinants of a higher incidence of breast cancer among those regions. Low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) represent most of the countries with the highest mortality rates, ranging from 40% to 60%. Furthermore, developing countries account for scarce survival data, and the few data available coincide with the observed incidence and mortality differences. Five-year survival rates for breast cancer are much worse for LMICs countries such as Brazil, India, and Algeria in comparison with the United States and Sweden. Paucity of early detection programs explain these poor survival rates, which results in a high proportion of women presenting with late-stage disease, along with lack of adequate diagnosis and treatment facilities. Emphasis is urgently needed on health education, to promote early diagnosis of breast cancer, highlighting the importance of creating more public facilities that provide treatment, which are key components for the improvement in breast cancer care in developing countries.
Intellectual Property Rights and Endogenous Economic Growth – Uncovering the Main Gaps in the Research Agenda

Intellectual Property Rights (IPRs) are “the rights to use and sell knowledge and inventions” (Greenhalgh and Rogers, 2007: 541), with the aim of guaranteeing adequate returns for innovators and creators. There are different types of intellectual property protection (Granstrand, 2005): old types such as patents, trade secrets, copyrights, trademarks and design rights, and new forms such as breeding rights and database rights. Nonetheless, patents are commonly considered as the most important and representative IPR (e.g., Besen and Raskind, 1991).
A 2-D adaptive least l/sub p/-norm filter for impulsive noise cancellation in still images

In this paper, we propose a new class of filters based on fractional lower order statistics (FLOS) for still image restoration in the presence of a-stable noise signals. For this purpose, we present a family of 2-D finite-impulse response (FIR) adaptive filters optimized by the least mean l/sub p/-norm algorithm. Experiments performed on natural images indicate that the proposed algorithm provides superior performance in impulsive noise environments compared to existing approaches.
The Effect of Coarticulation on the Role of Transitions in Vowel Perception

Abstract Sequences of the form V1bV2bV1 were recorded by a male speaker. From each sequence, three types of stimuli were edited out: (1) the medial vowel, from after the burst of the preceding stop to the start of the closure of the following stop; (2) the quasi-steady state of the medial vowel, and (3) the transitions alone of the medial vowel (complement to 2). The perception of each type of stimulus was examined in separate tests and the results were compared. For two of the three contexts (V1 = /i/, /u/), scores for stimuli of the third condition (transitions) were as high as for the first (control) condition, supporting the importance of transitions as cues for vowel identity. For the third context (/a/), however, performance was significantly lower, thus suggesting an influence of vowel context on the contribution of transitions to vowel identification.
Computational modeling of mammalian signaling networks

One of the most exciting developments in signal transduction research has been the proliferation of studies in which a biological discovery was initiated by computational modeling. In this study, we review the major efforts that enable such studies. First, we describe the experimental technologies that are generally used to identify the molecular components and interactions in, and dynamic behavior exhibited by, a network of interest. Next, we review the mathematical approaches that are used to model signaling network behavior. Finally, we focus on three specific instances of ‘model‐driven discovery’: cases in which computational modeling of a signaling network has led to new insights that have been verified experimentally. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
IL-4–secreting eosinophils promote endometrial stromal cell proliferation and prevent Chlamydia-induced upper genital tract damage

Significance Chlamydia trachomatis is the most common sexually transmitted bacterium, but most genital infections in women are asymptomatic. Consistent with this presentation, Chlamydia ascension into human endometrial tissue elicits robust innate and adaptive type 2 immunity. Herein, we genitally infected mice with C. trachomatis to explore the significance of type 2 innate immunity, finding that IL-4–secreting eosinophils promote endometrial stromal cell proliferation and prevent Chlamydia infection from triggering upper genital tract tissue destruction. Such results identify eosinophils as essential for repairing murine genital tissue repair after infectious insult. They also identify a need to define roles played by eosinophils in genital infections of women, and their role in other events associated with endometrial repair, including menstruation, endometritis, and endometriosis. Genital Chlamydia trachomatis infections in women typically are asymptomatic and do not cause permanent upper genital tract (UGT) damage. Consistent with this presentation, type 2 innate and TH2 adaptive immune responses associated with dampened inflammation and tissue repair are elicited in the UGT of Chlamydia-infected women. Primary C. trachomatis infection of mice also causes no genital pathology, but unlike women, does not generate Chlamydia-specific TH2 immunity. Herein, we explored the significance of type 2 innate immunity for restricting UGT tissue damage in Chlamydia-infected mice, and in initial studies intravaginally infected wild-type, IL-10−/−, IL-4−/−, and IL-4Rα−/− mice with low-dose C. trachomatis inoculums. Whereas Chlamydia was comparably cleared in all groups, IL-4−/− and IL-4Rα−/− mice displayed endometrial damage not seen in wild-type or IL-10−/− mice. Congruent with the aberrant tissue repair in mice with deficient IL-4 signaling, we found that IL-4Rα and STAT6 signaling mediated IL-4–induced endometrial stromal cell (ESC) proliferation ex vivo, and that genital administration of an IL-4–expressing adenoviral vector greatly increased in vivo ESC proliferation. Studies with IL-4-IRES-eGFP (4get) reporter mice showed eosinophils were the main IL-4–producing endometrial leukocyte (constitutively and during Chlamydia infection), whereas studies with eosinophil-deficient mice identified this innate immune cell as essential for endometrial repair during Chlamydia infection. Together, our studies reveal IL-4–producing eosinophils stimulate ESC proliferation and prevent Chlamydia-induced endometrial damage. Based on these results, it seems possible that the robust type 2 immunity elicited by Chlamydia infection of human genital tissue may analogously promote repair processes that reduce phenotypic disease expression.
Long-term changes in albuminuria: underlying causes and future mortality risk in a 20-year prospective cohort the Nord-Trøndelag Health (HUNT) Study

Objective: Knowledge on how changing risk factors influence the progression of albuminuria over time is still limited. Furthermore, large population-based cohorts are needed to study the association between albuminuria change and mortality risk in nondiabetic study participants. Methods: We evaluated changes of albuminuria in 6282 nondiabetic individuals from the Norwegian population-based Nord-Trøndelag Health study. Using three albumin/creatinine ratios (ACR), we studied the influence of cardiovascular risk factors on ACR change from baseline to follow-up 11 years later. We evaluated the next 8-year mortality risk by using flexible parametric methods to identify nonlinear main effects and their two-way interactions. Results: Mean albuminuria increased significantly over 11 years (1.82–3.02 mg/mmol, P < 0.0001), but two-thirds of individuals had stable levels (&Dgr;ACR −1.40 to 1.40 mg/mmol). Higher age, ACR, and SBP as well as smoking and lower glomerular filtration rate at baseline were associated with increasing albuminuria. Study participants in the upper quartile of the increasing group had mean adjusted hazard ratio 1.31 (P = 0.004) for all-cause mortality compared with those with stable ACR. Those with decreasing ACR also had increased mortality, but the risk was strongly attenuated when adjusting for comorbidity. It also decreased the first 3 years before increasing. There was a strong interaction between baseline ACR and &Dgr;ACR. Increasing albuminuria had strongest effect on mortality in study participants with moderately increased baseline values. Conclusion: Both increasing and decreasing albuminuria are significant independent predictors of mortality in nondiabetic individuals, but must be interpreted in light of baseline values. Cutoffs and clinical usefulness in nondiabetic study participants should be further investigated.
Barriers to Insulin Progression Among Patients With Type 2 Diabetes

Purpose Treatment guidelines recommend insulin progression (switching from basal to a premixed insulin regimen, adding bolus doses, and/or increasing dosing frequency) to achieve A1C targets as type 2 diabetes progresses, but fewer patients are being progressed than would be indicated based on their disease status. This systematic review proposes 2 questions regarding insulin progression among patients with type 2 diabetes: (1) What are the patient, provider, and health system barriers to insulin progression? (2) Do insulin progression barriers differ between insulin-naive and insulin-experienced patients? Methods We conducted a systematic review in the MEDLINE, EMBASE, Science Citation Index, PsycINFO, CINAHL, and Cochrane Library databases through July 2011. Results Of 745 potentially relevant articles, 10 met inclusion criteria: 7 evaluated patient and 2 evaluated provider barriers, and 1 was an intervention to reduce barriers among physicians. Patients with prior insulin experience had fewer barriers arising from injection-related concerns and worries about the burden of insulin progression than did insulin-naive patients. Physician barriers included concerns about patients’ ability to follow more complicated regimens as well as physicians’ own inexperience with insulin and progression algorithms. The cross- sectional nature, narrow scope, and failure of all studies to examine patient, provider, and health systems barriers concurrently limited both barrier identification and an assessment of their impact on progression. Conclusions Patient and physician experience with insulin and diabetes/insulin education were associated with fewer perceived barriers to insulin progression. Future studies should use multilevel longitudinal designs to quantify the relative impact of potential patient, provider, and health system factors on progression and health outcomes.
Low bispectral index values in awake volunteers receiving a combination of propofol and midazolam.

THE Bispectral Index (BIS) is increasingly used to monitor the level of (un)consciousness during surgical anesthesia and conscious sedation. Generally, an intraoperative BIS of 40-60 is considered sufficient to maintain adequate hypnosis for surgery. 2,3 Recently, a new version of the BIS® monitor has been introduced: the BIS-XP® (Aspect Medical Systems, Newton, MA). The BIS-XP® is said to exhibit improved resistance to artifacts from electrocautery devices and to detect and filter interference from electromyo graphic activity and other conditions commonly encountered during monitored anesthesia care sedation that may cause artifacts. # We report three cases in which volunteers receiving combinations of propofol and midazolam as part of a pharmacokinetic-dynamic interaction study remained responsive to verbal command, although the BIS-XP® values were at, or just above, 40. A Web enhancement is provided with an MPEG1 digital video file displaying the responsiveness of one of the volunteers in relation to the BIS-XP® values.
Classification of Pervasive Healthcare Systems

The new concepts of ubiquitous computing are being integrated in healthcare technologies and led to the emergence of pervasive healthcare systems. This development is shifting the care that patients get to the comfort of their own homes. This paper surveys existing pervasive healthcare solutions including those developed in academia as well as commercial solutions from the industry sector. This paper also develops a set of criteria, which were used to classify and compare these solutions. These criteria are: integrity, confidentiality, mobility and context-awareness. We discuss some drawbacks of existing solutions, and propose future directions in pervasive healthcare. Finally, the paper draws some guidelines and best practices, which are predicted to shape future pervasive healthcare systems.
High availability of charging and Billing In Vehicular ad hoc Network

VANET (Vehicular Ad Hoc Network) is actually an important field for the development of a variety of services. In VANET charging and billing of services could not be enabled in the same way as in 3GPP networks and MANET (Mobile Ad Hoc Network) because of the characteristics of such network namely the high speed of nodes, frequent disconnection between nodes, rapidly changing topology and the large size of the network. The purpose of this work is to propose a flexible high level charging and billing scheme to allow a high availability of the charging and billing process in VANET.
Incorporation of silicone oil into elastomers enhances barnacle detachment by active surface strain

Abstract Silicone-oil additives are often used in fouling-release silicone coatings to reduce the adhesion strength of barnacles and other biofouling organisms. This study follows on from a recently reported active approach to detach barnacles, which was based on the surface strain of elastomeric materials, by investigating a new, dual-action approach to barnacle detachment using Ecoflex®-based elastomers incorporated with poly(dimethylsiloxane)-based oil additives. The experimental results support the hypothesis that silicone-oil additives reduce the amount of substratum strain required to detach barnacles. The study also de-coupled the two effects of silicone oils (ie surface-activity and alteration of the bulk modulus) and examined their contributions in reducing barnacle adhesion strength. Further, a finite element model based on fracture mechanics was employed to qualitatively understand the effects of surface strain and substratum modulus on barnacle adhesion strength. The study demonstrates that dynamic substratum deformation of elastomers with silicone-oil additives provides a bifunctional approach towards management of biofouling by barnacles.
Audit and feedback of antibiotic use

Summary Background: There is now little doubt that improving antimicrobial use is necessary for the containment of resistance. Objective: To determine whether providing individualised feedback to doctors about their recent compliance with the hospital’s antibiotic policy improves compliance with the policy. Methods: This study was conducted at a teaching hospital in Sydney, Australia. Computerised alerts integrated into the electronic prescribing system (ePS) inform prescribers of the local antibiotic policy. We utilised prescribing data extracted from the ePS for ‘audit and feedback’. Thirty-six prescribers were sent feedback letters via email. We also interviewed doctors who had received letters to explore their views of the feedback and the policy in general. Results: There was no significant change in compliance with the policy following implementation of the feedback intervention (0% compliant vs 11.9%; p = 0.07). Several problems with the policy and the approval process were identified by researchers during auditing and by prescribers during interviews. Some problems identified made it difficult to accurately assess compliance and for doctors to comply with the policy. Conclusions: Our intervention did not result in improved compliance with the antibiotic policy but revealed practical problems with the policy and approval process that had not been identified prior to the trial. Greater support for the policy by senior doctors and the assignment of more clearly defined roles and responsibilities associated with antibiotic use and approval may result in improved compliance. Harnessing the full potential of technology would streamline the antimicrobial approval process and allow more efficient and reliable monitoring of antibiotic use and compliance. Many of the problems we identified are generic issues of importance to all organisations seeking to integrate antimicrobial stewardship into ePS. Citation: Baysari MT, Oliver K, Egan B, Li L, Richardson K, Sandaradura I, Westbrook J I, Day RO. Audit and feedback of antibiotic use: Utilising electronic prescription data. Appl Clin Inf 2013; 4: 583–595 http://dx.doi. org/10.4338/ACI-2013-08-RA-0063