Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Influence of adenosine and prostacyclin on hypoxia‐induced pulmonary hypertension in the anaesthetized pig

The effects of adenosine and prostacyclin (PGI2) infusions on hypoxia‐induced pulmonary hypertension in the pulmonary and systemic circulatory systems of nine pigs were compared. The animals received the drugs in random order, and they were allowed to recover between each experimental sequence. Hypoxia was induced by reducing Fio2 to 0.12–0.13 so as to result in an arterial Po2 of approximately 6 kPa. Dose rates of adenosine or PGI2 during hypoxia were individualized in order to achieve a maximal reduction of 15% in the mean arterial blood pressure. Adenosine and PGI2 produced a fall in pulmonary vascular resistance of 36 ± 4% (s.e.mean P<0.01) and 37 ± 6% (P<0.01), respectively. The mean pulmonary artery pressure was reduced by 19 ± 3% (P<0.01) during adenosine infusion and by 36 ± 4% (P<0.01) during PGI2 infusion. The systemic haemodynamic responses to the two drugs were similar but adenosine produced a 7 ± 2% (P<0.01) increase in cardiac output. Arterial Po2 during hypoxia and vasodilator treatment did not differ from the hypoxic situation without drug infusion. It is concluded that adenosine and PGI2 counteract hypoxia‐induced increases in pulmonary vascular resistance similarly, but the reduction in pulmonary artery pressure was greater with PGI2 at infusion rates, causing minor systemic haemodynamic changes.
Relation between parvovirus B19 infection and fetal mortality and spontaneous abortion

Background: Infection with parvovirus B19 may cause fetal losses including spontaneous abortion, intrauterine fetal death and non-immune hydrops fetalis. The aim of this study is to determine the frequency of parvovirus B19 in formalin fixed placental tissues in lost fetuses using real-time PCR method. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 100 formalin fixed placental tissues with unknown cause of fetal death were determined using real-time PCR method after DNA extraction. Results: Six out of 100 cases (6%) were positive for parvovirus B19 using real-time PCR. Gestational age of all positive cases was less than 20 weeks with a mean of 12.3 weeks. Three cases have a history of abortion and all of positive cases were collected in spring. Mean age of positive cases were 28 years. Conclusion: Parvovirus B19 during pregnancy can infect red precursor cells and induces apoptosis or lyses these cells that resulting in anemia and congestive heart failure leading to fetal death. Management of parvovirus B19 infection in pregnant women is important because immediate diagnosis and transfusion in hydropsic fetuses can decrease the risk of fetal death.
Attempts to induce polyspermy in the rabbit by delayed insemination and treatment with progesterone.

Rabbits were injected with progesterone at various times before ovulation and inseminated at the time of ovulation (delayed insemination). When their eggs were examined 11–13 hours after ovulation, it was found that 15, 63, 73, and 61% of the eggs were penetrated following the injection of 4 mg progesterone at 24, 12, 6, and 0 hours, respectively, before ovulation as against 51% for control animals. Of the 213 penetrated eggs, 84% had two pronounclei with two polar bodies, 9% had three pronuclei without the second polar body, 3% had three pronuclei with the second polar body, 3% were unevenly cleaved, and 1% had two fertilizing sperm tails. These abnormalities were not correlated with the time of progesterone treatment. The formation of one or two pronuclei was frequently observed when aged, unfertilized eggs were cultured for 3–4 hours. It was concluded that the presence of three pronuclei following delayed mating in the rabbit is due to the formation of a pronucleus from the second polar body or to the fragmentation of the female pronucleus, rather than to polyspermy.
Tullock contests under committee administration

Much of the Tullock contest (Tullock 1980) literature analyzes rent-seeking efforts under the assumption of a single prize administrator. Here, I allow a committee to decide the winner of the rent-seeking contest according to simple majority voting rule, and study the impact of committee size on rent-seeking expenditures. I find that increasing the size of the committee produces an ambiguous impact on total rent-seeking efforts, with the heterogeneity of the contestants acting as the factor determining a resultant increase or decrease in efforts.
Portrayal vs. practice: Contemporary women’s contributions to Christian mission

From the late 1800s onward, women have comprised two-thirds of the missionary workforce. Yet despite their numbers, women’s mission practice is frequently overlooked in accounts of mission work; instead it may be attributed to a male missionary. Single women are frequently cast in supportive roles and their work credited to that of a male supervisor. Married women’s mission practice is often attributed to their husband as part of the two-person career structure. As a result, women’s mission practice is rarely considered in mission theorizing, and few women are counted among missiologists even today. Studies that do seek to uncover women’s mission theorizing and practice typically focus on their historical contributions. There is a need for further research on contemporary women missionaries to understand their contributions, both embodied and theoretical, to the global mission enterprise. This article presents the findings from the study of women in one mid-sized mission organization. Results show that the women engage in a wide variety of ministry, face specific gender-related challenges, and struggle to understand themselves as valued contributors to the global mission enterprise.
[Adaptometry in diabetic patients].

PURPOSE To study the adaptometry's changes in diabetic patients MATERIAL AND METHODS We studied the adaptometries in 3 groups of diabetic patients with different stages of retinal changes in diabetic retinopathy (DR). We used the Hartinger nyctometer We compared the results with normal adaptometries. RESULTS We obtained photopic and scotopic changes of different intensity in correlation with fundus lesions due to DR. We found a correlation between the progression of DR and the adaptomery changes. We also noted changes in the adaptometry in patients with no fundus lesions but diabetes mellitus diagnosed for 7 or 10 years. CONCLUSIONS Diabetic retinopathy is a cause of changes in the adaptometry; this is an important issue for patients in choosing the occupation.
Flow Dynamics and Contaminant Transport in Industrial-Type Enclosing Exhaust Hoods

The present study concerns the flow dynamics and associated contaminant transport in the near wake of a worker using an industrial-type benchtop enclosing hood. The primary focus is on evaluating the effects on the dynamics of the wake flow and the exposure level of various extraneous factors, such as the strength and direction of cross-drafts and the worker's body heat and shape. Three-dimensional Unsteady Reynolds-Averaged Navier-Stokes simulations were carried out for a model of a simple mannequin and a model of an anthropometric mannequin. Estimated flow patterns and concentrations near the simple mannequin were compared with the observations from concurrent smoke visualization experiments and with the experimental concentration measurements, respectively. Results for both visualizations indicated that the flow in front of the worker is dominated by dynamic vortical structures and that body heat may have negative effects on the exposure level, especially at low flow rates. Using simple rounded shapes to simulate the human form was a fair approximation from the viewpoint of flow structures and exposure trends, which agreed well with the experimental measurements and observations. However, the quantitative values of the predicted concentrations in the breathing zone were sensitive to the mesh resolution. [Supplementary materials are available for this article. Go to the publisher's online edition of Journal of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene for the following free supplementary resource: Figures S1–S11. ]
Collaboration between teachers and university educators in a professional development context: shared situated cases

Using ethnographic research methods this case study examined how a group of teachers and university educators analyzed teaching for the purpose of enhancing students’ involvement in their learning. Data were collected from weekly meetings and interviews over a period of two school years. Three research questions guided the study: 1) How does a collaborative group of teachers and university educators, who meet regularly in order to improve teaching practices aimed at increasing students’ active learning, evolve over a period of two school years? 2) What is the nature of the conversational dynamics of this collaborative group? and 3) In what ways can the nature of the discourse in this collaborative group be described and represented? In this study, the group deliberations are described in terms of reflective conversations (Schön 1983; 1987; 1991). While Schön has used this term metaphorically to refer to an individual’s “conversation” with a problem setting, this study extends this term to refer to the dialogue occurring among a group of professional colleagues. Shulman (1992) argues that written well-crafted cases serve as an important springboard for a critical analysis of discussions of educational practice. In this study, the participants’ stories were represented in terms of shared situated cases. The purposes of these cases were: to provide the language and context for educators to discuss teaching; and to serve as a method to accumulate the shared repertoire of these colleagues. The group deliberations became the common ground in the context of a supportive group for discussions of private theories about teaching. Thus, this community of professionals developed a shared language and an accumulated repertoire of teaching strategies. This study provides insights about teachers’ professional development, and the role within it of collaboration between university and school educators. Building on the study, researchers might explore the implications of collaborative groups on school culture, and the possibilities of using such groups to help beginning teachers in their professional growth. in
Adaptive impedance matching optimal control method for cascaded DC-DC power supply system

Cascaded instability problem of the cascaded power supply system is one of the most important issues that bother the researchers for a long time. In this paper, an adaptive impedance matching optimal control method for the cascaded DC-DC power supply system has been proposed to solve the cascaded instability problem. The adaptive optimal control works based on the output voltage AC signal component sampling feedback technique and controlled variable resistance in order to adjust the output impedance of the DC-DC power converter. The proposed control method is tested in a cascaded DC-DC power supply system consisted of two Buck converters, the experimental results verify the validity and reliability of the adaptive optimal control method on cascaded stability improvement.
REHLib: New Optimal Implementation of Reconfigurable Energy Harvesting Multiprocessor Systems

The designs of reconfigurable embedded real-time energy harvesting multiprocessor systems are evolving for higher energy efficiency, high-performance and flexible computing. Energy management has long been a limiting factor in real-time embedded systems. A reconfiguration is defined as a dynamic operation that offers to the system the capability to adjust and adapt its behavior i.e., scheduling policy, power consumption, or to modify the applicative functions i.e., add-remove-update software tasks, according to environment and the fluctuating behavior of renewable source. This paper provides an implementation of reconfigurable multiprocessor energy harvesting systems. The objective of this work is to develop software components for the design of real-time operating systems. We propose a novel adaptive approach in order to address the limitations in energy harvesting systems. We develop a reconfigurable real-time energy harvesting system based on POSIX implementation. The proposed approach is assessed from two aspects, energy management and real-time scheduling. Experimental results show the effectiveness of the proposed approach compared with state-of-the-art techniques.
Retinotopic organization of areas 20 and 21 in the cat

The retinotopic organization of cat cortex, in the vicinity of areas 20 and 21 as defined by Heath and Jones ('71), was determined using electrophysiological mapping techniques. Although the topography of the visual field representations in this region of cortex is more complex than that found in areas 17, 18, and 19, this region appears to contain four representations of the visual hemifield. The four cortical areas these visual field representations occupy have been labeled 20a, 20b, 21a, and 21b. These representations are not as precise as those found in areas 17, 18, and 19; the receptive fields in areas 20a, 20b, 21a, and 21b are larger and there is more scatter in receptive field location among adjacent cells. The upper visual hemifield is emphasized in all four of these areas, but the extent of the representation ranges from just the central 20° found in area 21a to nearly the entire upper visual quadrant found in area 20b. The peak areal magnification factors found in these areas are all at least one order of magnitude less than those found in area 17. The visual field transformations from retina onto cortex in areas 20a, 20b, 21a, and 21b are similar to the types we found in other cortical visual areas, and the significance of these transformations for visual processing is discussed.
Peritoneal protein clearance and not peritoneal membrane transport status predicts survival in a contemporary cohort of peritoneal dialysis patients.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES Fast peritoneal membrane transport status may be due to inflammation or increased peritoneal membrane surface area. We evaluated the ability of peritoneal protein clearance (Pcl) to distinguish fast peritoneal membrane transport status as a consequence of peritoneal membrane inflammation and assess its impact on patient survival. DESIGN, SETTING, PARTICIPANTS, & MEASUREMENTS Patients who initiated peritoneal dialysis at our center since January 1998 and had a baseline peritoneal equilibration test, measurement of dialysis adequacy, and 24-h dialysate Pcl were included. Demography, comorbidities, and biochemical data were prospectively collected. Follow-up was until death or the end of the period studied. Multivariate regression analysis identified factors that were associated with Pcl. A Cox proportional hazards model was used to identify factors that were associated with survival. RESULTS A total of 192 patients (56% men, mean age 54.3 +/- 15.3; 32% with diabetes) were included. On univariate analysis, Pcl was negatively correlated with serum albumin and positively correlated with age, dialysate/plasma creatinine ratio (D/Pcr), the presence of peripheral vascular disease, and urine volume. On multivariate analysis, serum albumin, D/Pcr, urine volume, and peripheral vascular disease remained significant. Predictors of mortality were age, comorbidity grade, and Pcl but not D/Pcr. CONCLUSIONS In this cohort, peritoneal transport status no longer predicted survival, whereas Pcl remained a predictor. Increased large-pore protein loss may reflect the severity of underlying cardiovascular disease, portending a poor prognosis for these patients.
Non-palpable breast lesions in asymptomatic women: diagnostic value of initial ultrasonography and comparison with mammography.

AIM This prospective double-blind study was designed to assess (i) if primary breast screening by ultrasonography is capable of detecting breast cancer independent of tissue density and (ii) if the rate of unnecessary biopsies remains acceptable when diagnostics are based on ultrasonography. PATIENTS AND METHODS Bilateral breast ultrasonography was performed in 448 asymptomatic women as the initial diagnostic method. Sonograms were interpreted using a set of standardized diagnostic criteria. Subsequently, mammograms were obtained. The radiologists reading the mammograms were blinded to the sonographic results. RESULTS Overall, 3 non-palpable breast cancers were detected by ultrasound and mammography. All 3 ultrasonographically detected breast cancers were smaller than 1 cm (0.7, 0.7, 0.6 cm). All 3 carcinomas were correctly detected by both methods. For ultrasonography, the false positive rate was 1.1% (n=5) and for mammography 0.6% (n=3). When both methods were combined, the rate of unnecessary open biopsies was 1.6% (n=7). The ratio of benign to malignant lesions was 3.7/1. CONCLUSION Without prior mammography, primary high-resolution breast ultrasonography is capable of detecting non-palpable breast carcinomas in asymptomatic women at an early stage. The rate of unnecessary open biopsies is low and the ratio of benign to malignant biopsies acceptable.
What's driving the binge in binge eating disorder?: A prospective examination of precursors and consequences.

OBJECTIVE Previous research, mostly using retrospective reports, indicated a relation of negative affect and dietary restraint with the occurrence of binge episodes in binge eating disorder (BED). We employed Ecological Momentary Assessment (EMA) to better understand precursors and consequences of binge eating. METHOD Thirty-three females with BED carried a handheld computer for 7 days, and were periodically prompted to indicate their current emotions, hunger, and binge status. RESULTS Negative mood and hunger were significantly higher at prebinge than at nonbinge times, but negative mood was even higher at postbinge. Participants attributed binge episodes to mood more frequently than to hunger or abstinence violation. CONCLUSION The finding that negative mood is actually heightened subsequent to a binge suggests the need to further investigate what is reinforcing about a binge, including possible escape from self-awareness. Strengths of EMA technology are discussed, as well as its broad utility in BED assessment and treatment.
Can an Anchored Cage be Substituted for an Anterior Cervical Plate and Screw for Single-Level Anterior Cervical Fusion Surgery?: Prediction of Poor Candidates Through a Review of Early Clinical and Radiologic Outcomes

Study Design: This is a case series of device failure patients. Objective: To identify poor candidates for anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF) using an anchored cage. Summary of Background Data: An anchored cage has been used as an alternative implant for ACDF surgery because of ease of use, relatively acceptable fusion rate, and lower risk of plate-related complications, including dysphagia. Materials and Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the outcomes of 36 patients who underwent ACDF using an anchored cage between January 2012 and December 2013. The initial diagnoses included 8 traumatic soft disk herniations without posterior ligamentous complex injury, 25 degenerative soft disk herniations, 1 degenerative foraminal stenosis, 1 traumatic soft disk herniation after reducing a unilaterally dislocated facet joint, and 1 subluxation of a previously implanted cervical artificial disk. We encountered 5 cases with poor outcomes and performed 3 revisions on the index level. We reviewed the clinical and radiologic data for 31 patients with reasonable outcomes and reviewed the failed 5 cases separately. Results: Among the 31 patients with reasonable outcomes, all the clinical parameters improved. For the radiologic outcomes, 10 cases of cage subsidence occurred and no patient experienced instability. Among the 5 patients with poor outcomes, 1 patient had traumatic soft disk herniation and a reduced unilaterally dislocated facet joint, 1 patient had subluxation of a previously implanted cervical artificial disk, and 3 patients had degenerative soft disk herniation and poor bone quality. Although 3 patients required revision surgeries, 2 patients showed only radiologic failures without revision. Conclusions: We analyzed the short-term outcomes of ACDF using an anchored cage and observed 5 patients with poor outcomes among 36 patients. We recommend the use of a single anchored cage for patients with definite evidence of posterior column stability and healthy bone. Level of Evidence: Level 3.
Endothelial mediated inhibition of contraction and increase in cyclic GMP levels evoked by the α‐adrenoceptor agonist B‐HT 920 in rat isolated aorta

1 In the presence of endothelium maximal contractions of rat aorta preparations evoked by B‐HT 920 were about 10% of those evoked in the absence of endothelium. 2 6‐Allyl‐2‐amino‐5,6,7,8‐tetrahydro‐4H‐thiazolo‐(4,5‐d)azepin dihydrochloride (B‐HT 920, 0.1 μM to 0.1 mM) induced concentration‐dependent contractions of rat aorta in the absence of endothelium. Maximal contractions were comparable in magnitude to those induced by noradrenaline. 3 In the presence of endothelium but not in its absence B‐HT 920 (0.1 mM) stimulated an increase in tissue cyclic GMP levels of about 2 fold. Levels of cyclic AMP were unaffected. Removal of endothelium reduced basal tissue levels of cyclic GMP. 4 The guanylate cyclase inhibitor methylene blue (0.5 JIM) potentiated B‐HT 920‐induced contractions in the presence of endothelium and inhibited increases in cyclic GMP. 5 In the presence of endothelium 5,8,11,14‐eicosatetraynoic acid (ETYA; 0.1 mM), an inhibitor of both lipoxygenase and cyclo‐oxygenase systems, inhibited the B‐HT 920‐induced increase in cyclic GMP but did not potentiate B‐HT 920‐induced contractions. ETYA also antagonized B‐HT 920‐induced contractions in the absence of endothelium. 6 It is concluded that endothelium continuously releases a product or products which influence the smooth muscle. Inhibition of B‐HT 920‐induced contractions in the presence of endothelium is associated with increased tissue levels of cyclic GMP.
Abnormal Localization of Two Neuronal Calcium Sensor Proteins, Visinin-Like Proteins (VILIPs)-1 and -3, in Neocortical Brain Areas of Alzheimer Disease Patients

The anatomical distribution of the neuronal calcium sensor proteins visinin-like protein-1 and -3 (VILIP-1 and -3) was investigated in various neocortical areas of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) patients and controls. In AD and normal brains their cellular localization was confined to pyramidal and non-pyramidal neurons. In AD brains the intracellular immunostaining for VILIP-1 and to a lesser extent for VILIP-3 was found to be reduced in comparison to controls. Also, significantly less VILIP-1-immunoreactive neurons were found in the temporal cortex of AD patients as compared to normal brains. Accordingly, Western blot analysis revealed that immunoreactivity for VILIP-1 is less concentrated in tissue extracts of the temporal cortex of AD patients compared to controls. Extracellularly, VILIP-1 and VILIP-3 immunoreactive material was detected in close association with typical pathologic hallmarks of AD such as dystrophic nerve cell processes, amorphous and neuritic plaques, and extracellular tangles. In control brains an extraneuronal localization of VILIP-1 or VILIP-3 was never observed. Our morphological and neurochemical findings point to an involvement of these two neuronal calcium sensor proteins in pathology and possibly pathophysiology of changed calcium homeostasis in AD.