Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The effect of long-term treatment with erdosteine on chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: the EQUALIFE Study.

Erdosteine is a new thiol compound with effects on bacterial adhesiveness as well as antioxidant and mucoactive properties. The EQUALIFE study, a fully randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group, multicenter study, was designed to assets the effectiveness of long-term treatment with erdosteine in patients with moderate chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). One hundred and fifty-five patients received oral erdosteine, 300 mg b.i. d. , or placebo for 8 months during the winter season to assess the effect of treatments on exacerbation rate, hospitalization, lung function and quality of life, assessed using the Short Form 36 and the St. George's Respiratory Questionnaire. A pharmacoeconomic analysis was also conducted to compare the two treatments. One hundred and twenty-four patients completed the study with erdosteine (n = 63) or placebo (n = 61). The group of COPD patients who received 8 months of continuous treatment with erdosteine had significantly fewer exacerbations and spent fewer days in the hospital than did the placebo group; furthermore, they had no loss of lung function. Patients in the erdosteine group also showed a significant improvement in health-related quality of life. The mean total COPD-related disease costs per patient were lower in the erdosteine group than in the placebo group over the study period. The results indicate that 8 months of treatment with erdosteine is effective in reducing exacerbation and hospitalization rates and in improving health status. The study suggests that erdosteine is likely to provide an important contribution to the therapy of patients with symptomatic COPD.
Sodium Alginate as a Novel Therapeutic Option in Experimental Colitis

The potential therapeutic effect of low‐viscosity sodium alginate (LVA) was studied in a rat model of acute colitis induced by intracolonic administration of acetic acid. This experimental model produced a significant ulcerative colitis. Induction of colitis also significantly enhanced the serum and colonic mucosal cytokine (IL‐6 and TNF‐α) and eicosanoid (LTB4 and PGE2) levels, which paralleled with the severity of colitis. LVA solution was administered orally as drinking water at concentration of 0.5% (W/V) for 1 week. The tolerability and inhibitory effect of LVA on matrix metalloproteinase‐2 (MMP‐2) were tested using WEHI‐164 cell line and zymography method. The results showed that LVA therapy is able to significantly reduce colonic damage score, histological lesion, serum and colonic mucosal IL‐6, TNF‐α, LTB4 and PGE2 levels in treated group compared with nontreated controls. Moreover, in vitro examinations revealed that treatment with LVA could diminish MMP‐2 activity. It is concluded that LVA is able to suppress acetic acid‐induced colitis in rats. Some of the action of LVA may be associated with its inhibitory effects on cytokine and eicosanoid production and MMP‐2 activity. Our data suggest that LVA could potentially be a novel therapeutic option for inflammatory bowel disease.
Mercury and its bioconcentration factors in fly agaric (Amanita muscaria) from spatially distant sites in Poland

Total mercury content has been determined in the fruiting bodies of fly agaric (Amanita muscaria) and topsoil layer (0–10 cm) collected from 14 spatially distant sites across Poland. Mercury was measured by cold-vapor atomic absorption spectroscopy (CV-AAS) after nitric acid (mushrooms) or nitric acid and sulfuric acid (soil) digestion of the samples. The caps, depending on the site, contained total mercury at mean concentrations from 0.24 ± 0.13 to 1.4 ± 0.6 μg/g dm (median 0.19–1.4 μg/g dm), and stalks from 0.18 ± 0.06 to 0.71 ± 0.26 μg/g dm (median 0.18–0.67 μ g/g dm). An overall-mean the total mercury content for 204 caps and stalks was, respectively, 0.73 ± 0.55 (0.05–3.3 μg/g dm) and 0.43 ± 0.33 (0.09–2.3 μg/g dm).
Power debug on Fully Integrated Voltage Regulators (FIVR) circuitry introduced deep low power states

FIVR circuitry reaching ~90% power peak efficiency has been implemented on microprocessors made from the world's first 3-dimensional tri-gate 22nm technology node. Post silicon debug techniques to address new challenges imposed on design validation, circuit characterization, and power debug on deep low power core, system, and IO states have been established. Faster and better root-cause analysis results demonstrated that newly introduced power debug techniques can also extend to 14nm FIVR circuits.
An Employer-Based Cost-Benefit Analysis of a Novel Pharmacotherapy Agent for Smoking Cessation

Introduction: An employer-based cost-benefit analysis for varenicline versus bupropion was conducted using clinical outcomes from a recently published trial. Methods: A decision tree model was developed based on the net benefit of treatment to produce a nonsmoker at 1 year. Sensitivity analyses were conducted based on quit rates with placebo and varenicline and the cost of varenicline. Results: Estimated 12-month employer cost savings per non-smoking employee were $540.60 for varenicline, $269.80 for bupropion SR generic, $150.80 for bupropion SR brand, and $81.80 for placebo. Varenicline was more cost beneficial than placebo, which had quit rates of 16.9% or less. The quit rate with varenicline would have to be ≤16.9% to lose cost benefit over bupropion SR generic. Conclusions: The economic benefit of varenicline is improved over bupropion, despite the increased initial cost of varenicline.
Activation of CD25+CD4+ Regulatory T Cells by Oral Antigen Administration1

CD25+CD4+ T cells are naturally occurring regulatory T cells that are anergic and have suppressive properties. Although they can be isolated from the spleens of normal mice, there are limited studies on how they can be activated or expanded in vivo. We found that oral administration of OVA to OVA TCR transgenic mice resulted in a modification of the ratio of CD25+CD4+ to CD25−CD4+ cells with an increase of CD25+CD4+ T cells accompanied by a decrease of CD25−CD4+ T cells. The relative increase in CD25+CD4+ T cells persisted for as long as 4 wk post feeding. We also found that CTLA-4 was dominantly expressed in CD25+CD4+ T cells and there was an increase in the percentage of CD25+CD4+ T cells expressing CTLA-4 in OVA-fed mice. In contrast to CD25−CD4+ cells, CD25+CD4+ cells from fed mice proliferated only minimally to OVA or anti-CD3 and secreted IL-10 and elevated levels of TGF-β1 following anti-CD3 stimulation. CD25+CD4+ cells from fed mice suppressed the proliferation of CD25−CD4+ T cells in vitro more potently than CD25+CD4+ T cells isolated from unfed mice, and this suppression was partially reversible by IL-10 soluble receptor or TGF-β soluble receptor and high concentration of anti-CTLA-4. With anti-CD3 stimulation, CD25+CD4+ cells from unfed mice secreted IFN-γ, whereas CD25+CD4+ cells from fed mice did not. Adoptive transfer of CD25+CD4+ T cells from fed mice suppressed in vivo delayed-type hypersensitivity responses in BALB/c mice. These results demonstrate an Ag-specific in vivo method to activate CD25+CD4+ regulatory T cells and suggest that they may be involved in oral tolerance.
Transforming Growth Factor (cid:1) 1 Increases the Stability of p21/WAF1/CIP1 Protein and Inhibits CDK2 Kinase Activity in Human Colon Carcinoma FET Cells 1

We examined transforming growth factor- (cid:1) 1 (TGF- (cid:1) 1) effects on cell cycle progression of human colon carcinoma FET cells. TGF- (cid:1) 1 inhibited DNA synthesis and cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK) activity after release from growth arrest in association with induction of the p21 CDK inhibitor, whereas cyclins, CDKs, and p27 protein levels remained relatively unchanged. The decrease in CDK2 kinase activity was the result of increased p21 association with cyclin A-CDK2 and cyclin E-CDK2. TGF- (cid:1) 1 treatment in late G 1 showed reduced induction of p21 protein levels in association with increased DNA synthesis. Consequently, p21 induction in early G 1 is critical for TGF- (cid:1) 1 inhibition of CDK2 kinase activity. Although TGF- (cid:1) 1 treatments in late G 1 failed to induce p21 protein, p21 mRNA induction was observed in late G 1 and in S phase. Further analysis showed that TGF- (cid:1) 1 treatment in early G 1 increases p21 protein stability throughout the G 1 and S phases of the cell cycle. Our results demonstrate that TGF- (cid:1) 1 stimulation of p21 is regulated at the posttranscriptional and transcriptional levels. This is a novel mechanism of TGF- (cid:1) 1 inhibition requiring early G 1 induction and stabilization of p21 protein, which binds to and inhibits cyclin E-CDK2 and cyclin A-CDK2 kinase activity rather than direct modulation of cyclin or CDK protein levels as seen in other systems. plasmid electroporation Gene Pulser V F). electropo-rated cells plated into 6-cm culture dishes in serum-free medium supplemented with 20 g/ml g/ml transferrin, and 10 ng/ml epidermal growth factor) 24 with 10 ng/ml TGF- (cid:1) 1 22 h. lysed assay buffer (Promega) according to the the amount of luciferase activity in the lysates measured by using a luminometer. activity cell used to normalize luciferase activity to the transfection fold induction of p21 promoter activity was calculated normalizing
Faculty Perceptions Of The Purpose And Value Of General Education: A Comparison Between The Liberal Arts And Health Professions

This study examined the perceptions of the purpose and value of the general education curriculum in those undergraduate faculty members who teach in the liberal arts and the health professions at the University of New England. Perceptions were evaluated within each college and then compared between each College. A mixed-methods approach was utilized with concurrent implementation of qualitative and quantitative strands. Data were gathered from the Faculty Survey on General Education which was completed by fifty-six (29.3%) of the undergraduate faculty members. In addition, twelve faculty members were randomly selected to participate in open-ended interviews. Descriptive statistics and independent t-tests were used to examine and compare the responses of faculty members from both colleges. A thematic analysis was conducted on the faculty-respondents’ interviews. Results indicated that liberal arts facultyrespondents perceived that the purpose of general education is to provide breadth of knowledge and has value in its ability to prepare students for their role as citizens. Faculty-respondents from the health professions perceived that the purpose of general education is to provide intellectual and practical skills and has value in its ability to prepare students for their role as citizens. Respondents from both colleges perceived that general education serves a value of public good, liberal arts through democratic equality and health professions through social efficiency.
Target gene context influences the transcriptional requirement for the KAT3 family of CBP and p300 histone acetyltransferases

One general principle of gene regulation is that DNA-binding transcription factors modulate transcription by recruiting cofactors that modify histones and chromatin structure. A second implicit principle is that a particular cofactor is necessary at all the target genes where the cofactor is recruited. Increasingly, these principles do not appear to be absolute, as experimentally defined relationships between transcription, cofactors, and chromatin modification grow in complexity. The KAT3 histone acetyltransferases CREB binding protein (CBP) and p300 have at least 400 interacting protein partners, thereby acting as hubs in gene regulatory networks. Studies using mutant primary cells indicate that the occurrence of CBP and p300 at any given target gene sometimes correlates with, rather than dictates transcription. This suggests that there are unexpected levels of redundancy between CBP/p300 and other unrelated coactivators, or that CBP/p300 recruitment may sometimes be coincidental. A transcription factor may therefore recruit the same group of coactivators as part of its “toolbox,” but it is the characteristics of the individual target gene that determines which coactivation “tools” are required for its transcription.
DNS Measurements at the .CN TLD Servers

The Domain Name System (DNS) is a fundamental Internet’s infrastructure. There have been several studies on DNS measurements such as server workload and deployment characteristics. In this paper, based on the traffic collection spanning a two days period, we present a detailed study of the key characteristics of the . CN Top Level Domain (TLD) name servers which are located at eight different sites. Results demonstrate that properties of these geographically distributed servers vary a lot in terms of traffic load, client population as well as their temporal and spatial patterns. As the Country Code TLD (ccTLD) for China, only 9% of clients are from domestic, which contribute to nearly 50% of all queries received by these servers. Besides, the validity of queries is also evaluated, which turn out to be better than that of the root servers.
Technical Change and Optimal Scale: Some Evidence and Implications

by market demand. Yet much remains to be said in favor of an older view that the rate and direction of innovation are in large part determined by the internal logic of events within the history of applied science and technology. ' At any point in time, the innovative efforts within a given industry (or complex of related industries) are concentrated on a number of distinct, identifiable problems. While demand surely plays a role in isolating these problems, often a focal point for innovative activity arises as a direct consequence of a previous innovation which generates imbalances in the production process. Other focal points recur frequently because each represents a problem which in some loosely-defined sense engineers and applied scientists know how to solve. Experience with cognate problems and the nature of engineering training furnish the heuristics for problem-solving of particular kinds, and thus the supply of potential innovations is in part determined by the structure of experience and knowledge. One important focal point for innovative effort involves increasing the range of output over which economies of scale are attainable.
Insulin detemir lowers the risk of hypoglycaemia and provides more consistent plasma glucose levels compared with NPH insulin in Type 1 diabetes

Aims Hypoglycaemia remains a major barrier preventing optimal glycaemic control in Type 1 diabetes due to the limitations of conventional insulin preparations. We investigated whether basal‐bolus therapy with insulin detemir (detemir), a new soluble basal insulin analogue, was more effective in reducing the risk of hypoglycaemia compared with NPH insulin (NPH).
Volatile Stock Markets: Equilibrium Computation and Policy Analysis

This paper studies the benefits of leaning-against-the-wind policies in the presence of inefficient stock markets. It incorporates observed levels of volatility in stock returns into a standard general equilibrium model and finds large welfare gains from stabilizing policies. Stock prices in this model aggregate information about fundamentals which is dispersed in the economy but also reflect noise stemming from correlated distortions in beliefs. Dispersion of information allows arbitrarily small distortions in beliefs to generate large volatility in returns and renders arbitrage infeasible. The government cannot observe whether a given stock price movement originates from information or noise. As a normative result, stock return stabilizing policies lead to a higher level of consumption: a fall in the risk premium lowers the marginal product of capital and raises the capital stock and production. History-dependent policies may improve the information content of prices and result in even higher welfare gains. To solve the model, this paper develops a novel solution method for nonlinear models with dispersed information which can be applied to a large class of dynamic general equilibrium models.
Block allograft technique versus standard guided bone regeneration: a randomized clinical trial.

PURPOSE The aim of this randomized clinical trial was to compare the potential of deproteinized bovine bone added to autologous bone or corticocancellous allograft block with or without the addition of recombinant human platelet-derived growth factor-BB (rhPDGF-BB) to regenerate mandibular atrophic ridges. MATERIALS AND METHODS TRIAL DESIGN parallel, allocation ratio of 1:1 using a split-mouth model. Eligibility criteria for patients: adult patients; bilateral atrophic edentulous areas in the posterior area of the mandible; a preoperatory cone beam computed tomography scan; and absence of systemic diseases affecting the bone metabolism. Bone graft intervention for control group consisted of bone chips collected with a scraper mixed with deproteinized bovine bone covered with a resorbable membrane. Bone graft intervention for test group consisted of a corticocancellous allograft block, shaped before surgery, and protected with a collagen membrane. In addition, both groups received rhPDGF-BB or a saline solution as control. As primary outcome quantity, bone variation after a 1-year healing period was considered. A p-value of.05 was considered statistically significant. RESULTS Sixteen patients were enrolled in this trial. A total of 50 implants and 32 bone grafts were placed. All patients concluded the study (no dropouts). Change at 1 year in bone volume was not significantly different between the two groups (p-value = .25). Effect of treatment in terms of change in bone volume at 1 year was not significant (p-value = .89) when saline solution was used while was at limit of significance when rhPDGF-BB was used (p-value = .052). After 1 year, all the implants were successfully integrated. CONCLUSIONS The block allograft and the standard regenerative procedure showed similar results in terms of regenerated bone volume after 1 year of functional loading. The rhPDGF-BB positively influenced soft-tissue healing.
Biocrystallization as a method for distinguishing between organically and conventionally produced milk

Holistic methods, such as biocrystallization and capillary dynamolysis, can be used to confirm differences in chemical composition between organic and conventionally produced milk. The utilization of such methods is complementary to other quality assurance methods and demonstrates a complex aspect of food quality. In this study, biocrystallization was used as a method for distinguishing between organic and conventionally produced pasteurized milk, demonstrating how the differences in the dairy cow feeding regime can affect milk properties. The biocrystallization was performed by means of copper (II) chloride dihydrate (CuCl2*2H2O). The biocrystallization patterns obtained from the conventional and organic milk samples were readily distinguished. A significant indication of differences was the emergence of degradation features in the biocrystallization patterns. While degradation features do not appear in organic milk, conventional milk showed clear indications of degradation, although the compound analysis of the two milks indicated no differences. From the morphological perspective, the biocrystallization patterns of organic milk have fared better according to all criteria. The results of the fatty acid analysis in milk from conventional and certified organic farms showed a greater content of beneficial fatty acids in organic milk: oleic (P<0.05), linoleic and linolenic (P<0.01). The analysis of animal feed indicated a higher content of cellulose, i.e. acid detergent fibers (ADF), and a lower content of neutral detergent fibers (NDF) in the organic animal feed. It was concluded that the method of copper chloride biocrystallization can determine the differences between pasteurized conventional and organic milk, which is greatly important in assuring the consumers of the milk origin, since the organic chain implies the increased quality control of soil, animal feed, animals and final dairy products with added value.
Women's Representation in National Legislatures: Developed and Developing Countries

This note expands research on representation of women in national legislatures. Existing models are tested on newer data in advanced industrialized democracies, and these models are then applied to a sample of democracies in developing countries. There are striking differences across the two samples. While a proportional representation electoral system, women's participation in the labor force, the cultural standing of women, and the country's level of development all have positive effects on female representation in OECD democracies, none of these variables have a statistically significant and positive effect in less developed countries. These findings strongly suggest the existence of a threshold. Only after that threshold is passed do proportional representation, labor force participation, and cultural standing exert positive influences on the representation of women.
Effect of nanofluid conductivity and humidity on the self-assembly of nanoparticles deposited by electrospray

Electrospray technique has been used in previous works as an excellent way to develop ordered nanostructures. This work focuses on the necessary conditions to achieve 3D nano-ordered layers, which are mainly determined by the conductivity of the liquid where nanoparticles are solved and the existence of an electrical field gradient. Changes in the conductivity induce a different evaporation rate during the ejection phase and control the amount of liquid that is deposited on the substrate. Controlling the conductivity, the electrical field and the quantity of liquid on the substrate different nanostructures can be fabricated, ranging from a semicovered monolayer of scattered nanoparticles up to a fully 3D colloidal crystal.
The risk of intentional injury with acute and chronic alcohol exposures: a case-control and case-crossover study.

OBJECTIVE Alcohol is associated with intentional injury, but most studies have operationalized it as alcoholism and have not examined acute exposure. The study aimed to clarify the relative contributions of drinking over a few hours and of alcohol use disorders to the risk of intentional injury inflicted by another person. METHOD The study used a case-control design with two control groups: (1) Community controls matched to cases, and (2) the cases themselves, comparing consumption on the day of injury with consumption on previous days, in a case-crossover comparison. Cases were patients with an acute injury presenting to any of the three emergency departments in one county; 102 had an intentional injury. Community controls (N = 1,856) were recruited by random-digit dialing. Recent alcohol consumption was recorded in self-reported standard drinks. Current alcohol use disorders were defined using DMS-IV criteria. RESULTS In the case-control analysis, drinking in a 6-hour window was associated with risk of intentional injury (odds ratio [OR] = 10, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 4.7-22). In case-cross-over comparison of the cases' own drinking in the 6 hours prior to injury with their own drinking the day before, the OR was 34 (95% CI: 4.7-250). In case-control analyses, alcohol dependence was associated with intentional injury (OR = 6.0, 95% CI: 3.5-10), but alcohol abuse was not (OR = 0.7, 95% CI: 0.4-1.3). CONCLUSIONS Drinking over a few hours is strongly associated with intentional injury. Current alcohol dependence is also, but with a lower OR. The findings may have implications for efforts to prevent intentional injury.