Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Electrolytes in erythrocytes of patients with depressive disorders

The concentrations of calcium, sodium, potassium and magnesium in the erythrocytes of patients were measured in the active and remission phases of depressive disorders. Twelve patients in the active phase and 19 patients in remission with major depression were studied and compared with 20 age‐matched healthy controls. Patients with major depression in both active and remission phases showed significantly lower calcium concentrations in the erythrocytes compared with controls, although no significant differences in sodium, potassium or magnesium concentrations were found among the three groups. In addition, no differences were found in the electrolyte concentrations between the active and remission phases in the same patients. This calcium concentration had no relationship to the age, gender, or medication drugs of the subjects. Low calcium concentrations were found in the erythrocytes of depressed patients, which may be a relevant marker for depression.
Efficacy and Safety of OnabotulinumtoxinA for the Treatment of Crows Feet Lines: A Multicenter, Randomized, Controlled Trial

BACKGROUND This study was part of a Phase 3 program treating crow's feet lines (CFL) with onabotulinumtoxinA. OBJECTIVE To evaluate the efficacy and safety of onabotulinumtoxinA treatment of CFL. METHODS This multicenter, double-blind, placebo-controlled, 5-month study randomized subjects with moderate-to-severe CFL (maximum smile) to onabotulinumtoxinA (24 U; n = 222) or placebo (n = 223). Investigators and subjects assessed CFL severity (maximum smile and rest) using the 4-grade Facial Wrinkle Scale (FWS). Co-primary end points were investigator- and subject-assessed proportion of subjects achieving a CFL FWS grade of 0 (none) or 1 (mild) at maximum smile (Day 30). Additional efficacy end points, patient-reported outcomes, and safety/adverse events (AEs) were evaluated. RESULTS All primary and secondary end points were achieved; statistically significant differences favored onabotulinumtoxinA (p < .001, all comparisons vs placebo). Co-primary responder rates were 66.7% compared with 6.7% for investigator-assessed and 58.1% compared with 5.4% for subject-assessed response (onabotulinumtoxinA group and placebo, respectively; p < .001). A significantly greater proportion of the onabotulinumtoxinA group than placebo group achieved a 1 grade or greater improvement on the FWS (maximum smile and rest assessed by both the investigator and subject; all time points; p < .001). Most AEs were mild or moderate and did not result in discontinuations. CONCLUSION Treatment of moderate-to-severe CFL with onabotulinumtoxinA was effective and well tolerated.
Carbonation of municipal solid waste incineration electrostatic precipitator fly ashes in solution

Carbonation was applied to a Pb- and Zn-contaminated fraction of municipal solid waste incineration electrofilter fly ashes in order to reduce heavy metal leaching. Carbonation tests were performed in solution, by Na2CO3 addition or CO2 bubbling, and were compared with washing (with water only). The injection of CO2 during the washing did not modify the mineralogy, but the addition of Na2CO3 induced the reaction with anhydrite, forming calcite. Microprobe analyses showed that Pb and Zn contamination was rather diffuse and that the various treatments had no effect on Pb and Zn speciation in the residues. The leaching tests indicated that carbonation using Na2CO3 was successful because it gave a residue that could be considered as non-hazardous material. With CO2 bubbling, Pb and Zn leaching was strongly decreased compared with material washed with water alone, but the amount of chromium extracted became higher than the non-hazardous waste limits for landfilling.
Quantum interference effects in antidot lattices in magnetic fields.

A numerical study is performed on quantum interference effects in antidot lattices in a weak magnetic field with the use of a recursive Green's function technique. An irregular Aharonov-Bohm (AB)-type oscillation varying sensitively with antidot diameters and periods is dominant in ideal antidot lattices. The AB-type oscillation disappears and an Al'tshuler, Aranov, and Spivak (AAS) oscillation manifests itself in the presence of fluctuations in the size or position of antidots. The AAS oscillation is much stronger in hexagonal lattices than in square lattices, in good agreement with experiments. \textcopyright{} 1996 The American Physical Society.
Continuous noninvasive respiratory volume monitoring for the identification of patients at risk for opioid-induced respiratory depression and obstructive breathing patterns

BACKGROUND Opioid-induced respiratory depression (OIRD) and postoperative apnea (POA) can lead to complications after surgery or traumatic injury. Previously, real-time monitoring of respiratory insufficiency and identification of apneic events have been difficult. A noninvasive respiratory volume monitor (RVM) that reports minute ventilation (MV), tidal volume, and respiratory rate is now available. The RVM was used to report the effect of opioids on respiratory status as well as demonstrate apneic breathing patterns in a hospital postanesthesia care unit. METHODS RVM traces were collected from 132 patients. Predicted MV (MVPRED) for each patient was used to calculate and the “percent predicted” MV (MVMEASURED / MVPRED × 100%) before opioid administration. Patients were stratified patients into two categories: “at risk,” MV of less than 80% MVPRED, and “not at risk,” MV of 80% MVPRED or greater. After opioid dosing, patients with MV of less than 40% MVPRED were categorized as “unsafe. ” POA was defined as more than five apneic or hypopneic events per hour. RESULTS Of the 132 patients, 50 received opioids. Baseline MV was 7.2 ± 0.5 L/min. The MV-based protocol classified 18 of 50 patients as at risk before opioid administration. After the first opioid dose administration, at-risk patients experienced an average MV decrease (36.7% ± 8.5% MVPRED) and 13 of 18 decreased into unsafe; the 32 not at-risk patients experienced a lesser average MV decrease (76.9% ± 6.3% MVPRED). Only 1 of 32 not at-risk patients had a decrease in MV to unsafe. The proposed protocol had a sensitivity of 93% and a specificity of 86%. Of the 132 patients, 26 displayed POA. Of the 26 patients, 12 experienced POA without receiving opioids. Of the 26 patients with POA, 14 also received opioids, and of those, 6 were classified as unsafe. CONCLUSION This investigation indicates that at risk and unsafe respiratory patterns occur frequently after procedure. RVM provides continuous noninvasive objective measurements of OIRD and POA. The RVM may prove a useful tool in opioid dosing and in recognition and management of POA and strong potential value in the rapid detection of OIRD and apnea in the contemporary combat casualty environment. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE Care management study, level V.
The effects of cigarette smoking on male fertility

Abstract Cigarette smoking, one of the main causes of preventable morbidity and mortality, has a multitude of well-known side effects. The relationship between cigarette smoking and infertility has been studied for decades; however, large-scale, population-wide prospective studies are lacking. The majority of the current literature is in the form of retrospective studies focused on the effects of smoking on semen analyses. This article discusses the results of these studies and reviews the postulated mechanisms. The effects of smoking on assisted reproduction and in vitro fertilization outcomes are noted. The consequences of smoking while pregnant on future fertility as well as the outcomes of second-hand smoke are analyzed. The current evidence suggests that men should be advised to abstain from smoking in order to improve reproductive outcomes.
Mature results of adjuvant colon cancer trials from the fluorouracil-only era.

In this issue of the Journal, Labianca et al. (1) report the results of a randomized trial comparing intraportal chemotherapy, systemic chemotherapy, or the combination of both regimens as adjuvant therapy for patients with Dukes’ stage B or C colon carcinoma. 5-Fluorouracil at a dosage of 500 mg/m 2 of body surface area with 5000 IU of heparin was given through the portal vein for 7 days, starting on the day of surgery (IP regi-men). Systemic therapy involved intravenous administration of leucovorin at 100 mg/m 2 over a 2-hour period followed by bolus 5-ﬂuorouracil at 370 mg/m 2 daily on days 1–5, repeated every 28 days for six cycles (SY regimen). Over 6 years, 1199 patients were randomly assigned to treatment during surgery, and 1084 patients deemed eligible were analyzed. A higher percentage of patients in the systemic therapy arm appeared to have a performance status of 1–2 and Dukes’ stage C colon cancer than in the other two arms (Table 1). Intraportal therapy was not started in 7%–10% of patients, whereas systemic chemotherapy was not started in 13%–15% of patients. No statistically signiﬁcant dif-ference was noted in 5-year survival among the treatment arms. 5-ﬂuorouracil in disease-free survival at 3 (78.2% vs. 72.9%; P (cid:2) . 002) in with stage II and III cancer Efﬁcacy data are pending from completed adjuvant colon cancer trials that compared bolus 5-ﬂuorouracil and leucovorin with or without irinotecan or oxaliplatin and bolus followed by infusional 5-ﬂuorouracil and leucovorin with or without irinotecan. An adjuvant trial comparing capecitabine with bolus 5-ﬂuorouracil and leucovorin indicates an improved safety proﬁle for capecitabine; efﬁcacy data are pending (10). New and cetuximab endothelial receptor–positive
Isolation and Characterization of a Secretory Component of Echinococcus multilocularis Metacestodes Potentially Involved in Modulating the Host-Parasite Interface

ABSTRACT Echinococcus multilocularis metacestodes are fluid-filled, vesicle-like organisms, which are characterized by continuous asexual proliferation via external budding of daughter vesicles, predominantly in the livers of infected individuals. Tumor-like growth eventually leads to the disease alveolar echinococcosis (AE). We employed the monoclonal antibody (MAb) E492/G1, previously shown to be directed against a carbohydrate-rich, immunomodulatory fraction of Echinococcus granulosus, to characterize potentially related components in E. multilocularis. Immunofluorescence studies demonstrated that MAb E492/G1-reactive epitopes were found predominantly on the laminated layer and in the periphery of developing brood capsules. The respective molecules were continuously released into the exterior medium and were also found in the parasite vesicle fluid. The MAb E492/G1-reactive fraction in E. multilocularis, named Em492 antigen, was isolated by immunoaffinity chromatography. Em492 antigen had a protein/carbohydrate ratio of 0.25, reacted with a series of lectins, and is related to the laminated layer-associated Em2(G11) antigen. The epitope recognized by MAb E492/G1 was sensitive to sodium periodate but was not affected by protease treatment. Anti-Em492 immunoglobulin G1 (IgG1) and IgG2 and, at lower levels, IgG3 were found in sera of mice suffering from experimentally induced secondary, but not primary, AE. However, with regard to cellular immunity, a suppressive effect on concanavalin A- or crude parasite extract-induced splenocyte proliferation in these mice was observed upon addition of Em492 antigen, but trypan blue exclusion tests and transmission electron microscopy failed to reveal any cytotoxic effect in Em492 antigen-treated spleen cells. This indicated that Em492 antigen could be modulating the periparasitic cellular environment during E. multilocularis infection through as yet unidentified mechanisms and could be one of the factors contributing to immunosuppressive events that occur at the host-parasite interface.
L’apport de l’anthropologique à la perception contemporaine de l’humain

Dans ce texte, les auteurs ont pour objectif d’extraire l’image de l’humain qui se degage de l’experience anthropologique. Ils concluent que l’image de l’humanite est multiple et variante, donc que l’espoir d’une vision unique est utopique. En fait, on peut s’attendre a ce qu’elle se modifie encore dans l’inexorabilite de l’histoire. Les postulats de l’evolutionnisme permettent d’entrevoir une acceleration du changement. ------ In this paper, the authors make an attempt to extract the image of humans that emerges from the anthropological experience. They conclude that this image of humanity is multiple and variant, so that the expectation of finding a unified vision is utopian. In fact, we can predict that it will change again due to the necessity of history. The assumptions of evolutionism presume an accelerated change. ------ Neste artigo, os autores pretendem extrair a imagem do ser humano que emerge da experiencia antropologica. Eles concluem que esta imagem da humanidade e multipla e variavel, pelo que a esperanca de encontrar uma visao unica e utopica. Na verdade, podemos prever que ela ainda vai mudar devido a inevitabilidade da historia. Os postulados do evolucionismo presumem uma mudanca acelerada.
Velocity-free hybrid attitude stabilization using inertial vector measurements

This paper deals with the design of a velocity-free hybrid attitude stabilization scheme relying solely on inertial vector measurements. The proposed control approach, relying on the concept of synergistic potential functions, leads to global asymptotic stability results. Comparative simulation results between the proposed global hybrid control scheme and an existing almost global smooth control scheme have been carried out.
Effect of pregnant mares' serum gonadotrophin on the micromorphology of antral follicles in heifers, with special reference to atypical granulosa cells.

Five Dutch-Friesian heifers were injected i.m. with 3000 iu pregnant mares' serum gonadotrophin (PMSG) on day 10 of the oestrous cycle, to study the effects on the number and micromorphological quality of antral follicles (> or = 0.3 mm in diameter). The ovaries were collected 48 h after PMSG injection. As well as the presence of mitotic figures and the absence of pyknotic nuclei in the granulosa, atypical granulosa cells were found in nonatretic follicles. These cells had an oblong nucleus and stained with toluidine blue. They were characterized by their dark cell matrix, and the presence of numerous free ribosomes and intermediate filaments of varying quantity. Atypical granulosa cells were micromorphologically similar to fibroblast-like cells in the theca. Their presence coincided with the occurrence of degenerative changes in the cytoplasm of nearby granulosa cells and they were more frequent in atretic follicles. The presence of atypical granulosa cells in follicles hitherto called nonatretic is therefore probably associated with the onset of follicular atresia. In the PMSG-treated heifers, the mean number of large (> or = 6.0 mm in diameter) antral follicles was greater than in the control group (18.4 +/- 4.0 versus 3.0 +/- 1.0), because of an increase in the number of large nonatretic follicles (11.8 +/- 4.4 versus 0.4 +/- 0.2). After hormone treatment, the mean number of medium-sized (3.0-5.9 mm) nonatretic follicles also increased (6.4 +/- 1.3 versus 1.8 +/- 1.0). PMSG did not change the mean number of nonatretic follicles < 3.0 mm or that of atretic follicles in the different size categories. However, when follicles hitherto called nonatretic, with atypical granulosa cells, were taken together with the group of atretic follicles, PMSG appeared to increase the mean number of large atretic follicles (13.6 +/- 2.4 versus 3.0 +/- 1.0). The mean number of medium-sized and large nonatretic follicles without atypical granulosa cells was markedly increased (3.8 +/- 1.0 versus 0.2 +/- 0.2 and 4.6 +/- 1.9 versus 0.0, respectively). The data demonstrate that PMSG stimulates the formation not only of nonatretic follicles > or = 3.0 mm, but also of atretic follicles > or = 6.0 mm.
Epidemiology of Insomnia in Malaysian Adults: A Community-Based Survey in 4 Urban Areas

This study aimed to determine the prevalence and pattern of insomnia in a Malaysian population aged 30 to 70 years. The sample consisted of 1611 subjects, recruited by stratified random sampling and interviewed using a semistructured questionnaire conducted in 2004. This was a community-based survey in 4 Malaysian states. The prevalence of insomnia symptom was 33.8%, and 12.2% of the subjects had chronic insomnia. Insomnia was more common among elderly; those who were separated, divorced, or widowed; and those who smoked at bedtime. Subjects with insomnia had a higher prevalence of feeling depressed (12.7), loss of concentration (19.1%), exhaustion (17.2%), poor memory (9.2%), decreased work productivity (6.4%), and perceived poor health status (40.9%; all, P < .05). A total of 22.2% of those with insomnia had excessive daytime sleepiness based on their Epworth Sleepiness Score (P = <.001). Those with insomnia used more sedatives (9.9%) compared with those without insomnia (2.6%; P < .001). About one-third of the population had insomnia associated with impaired daily function. This study concluded that insomnia is common in Malaysian adult population, and it has significant impact on psychological well being and daily functioning.
A Hybrid ANN-GWO Algorithm for Prediction of Heart Disease

The paper investigates the powerful of hybridizing two computational intelligence methods viz., Gray Wolf Optimization (GWO) and Artificial Neural Networks (ANN) for prediction of heart disease. Gray wolf optimization is a global search method while gradient-based back propagation method is a local search one. The proposed algorithm implies the ability of ANN to find a relationship between the input and the output variables while the stochastic search ability of GWO is used for finding the initial optimal weights and biases of the ANN to reduce the probability of ANN getting stuck at local minima and slowly converging to global optimum. For evaluation purpose, the performance of hybrid model (ANN-GWO) was compared with standard back-propagation neural network (BPNN) using Root Mean Square Error (RMSE). The results demonstrate that the proposed model increases the convergence speed and the accuracy of prediction.
Low Voltage Low Power Current Mirror OTA for Sigma-Delta Modulator

Abstract-A low voltage low power class-AB operational transconductance amplifier (OTA) used in Sigma-Delta modulator is presented in this paper. To reduce the power consumption under low voltage, a current mirror topology with near rail-to-rail output swing is proposed. Its DC gain is enhanced by gain enhancement architecture without extra power consumption. Moreover, to achieve very low errors and smaller settle time, a novel switched-capacitor common-mode feedback (SC CMFB) circuit is introduced. Using 0.35 mum TSMC CMOS standard process, the OTA is designed to operate at 1.5 V supply voltage. For a 2.5 pF load capacitor the OTA achieves a DC gain of 60.58 dB, a GBW of 6.30 MHz and a slew rate of 3.24 V/ mus. The static power consumption is about 22 muW exclusive of that of CMFB circuit. It shows that the proposed OTA topology could be applied to low voltage low power switched- capacitor application.
Neutrophil degranulation: Evidence pertaining to its mediation by the combined effects of leukotriene B4, platelet‐activating factor, and 5‐HETE

Stimulus‐activated polymorphonuclear neutrophils (PMN) produce leukotriene B4 (LTB4), 5‐hydroxyeicosatetraenoate (5‐HETE), and platelet‐activating factor (PAF). Each of these lipids promotes PMN degranulation; in combination they have additive and potentiating effects that result in prominent degranulation responses at relatively low concentrations. Thus, the combined interactions of LTB4, 5‐HETE, and PAF may mediate responses in PMN activated by other stimuli. This possibility was examined by measuring the responses of PMN made insensitive to one or more of these lipids. Cells were pretreated with LTB4, 5‐HETE, and/or PAF for 8 min; exposed for 2 min to cytochalasin B (which is required for lipid‐induced degranulation); and then challenged. PMN challenged with only buffer released minimal amounts of granulebound enzymes. Furthermore, the lipid‐pretreated cells were hyporesponsive to challenge with (1) various combinations of these same lipids or (2) ionophore A23187. The relative potencies of the lipids in producing hyporesponsiveness to themselves or A23187 were: 5‐HETE < PAF ≤ LTB4 < PAF + LTB4 < PAF + LTB4 + 5‐HETE. For both types of challenge, reduced responsiveness occurred in cells pretreated with > 0.1 nM LTB4 and/or > 0.2 nM PAF, persisted in cells washed after lipid pretreatment, and did not develop in cells pretreated with various combinations of bioinactive structural analogues of the lipids. Thus, PAF, LTB4, and 5‐HETE interacted to desensitize PMN, and the degranulating actions of A23187 required cells that were fully responsive to each of the three lipids. This supports the concept that the lipids act together in mediating certain of the ionophore's effects. However, lipid‐desensitized PMN degranulated fully when challenged with C5a, a formylated oligopeptide, or phorbol myristate acetate. Degranulation responses, therefore, may proceed through various pathways, only some of which involve the lipid products studied here.
Crystal Structure of Hormone-bound Atrial Natriuretic Peptide Receptor Extracellular Domain

A cardiac hormone, atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP), plays a major role in blood pressure and volume regulation. ANP activities are mediated by a single span transmembrane receptor carrying intrinsic guanylate cyclase activity. ANP binding to its extracellular domain stimulates guanylate cyclase activity by an as yet unknown mechanism. Here we report the crystal structure of dimerized extracellular hormone-binding domain in complex with ANP. The structural comparison with the unliganded receptor reveals that hormone binding causes the two receptor monomers to undergo an intermolecular twist with little intramolecular conformational change. This motion produces a Ferris wheel-like translocation of two juxtamembrane domains in the dimer with essentially no change in the interdomain distance. This movement alters the relative orientation of the two domains by a shift equivalent to counterclockwise rotation of each by 24°. These results suggest that transmembrane signaling by the ANP receptor is initiated via a hormone-induced rotation mechanism.
An enhanced version of a bone-remodelling model based on the continuum damage mechanics theory

The purpose of this work was to propose an enhancement of Doblaré and García's internal bone remodelling model based on the continuum damage mechanics (CDM) theory. In their paper, they stated that the evolution of the internal variables of the bone microstructure, and its incidence on the modification of the elastic constitutive parameters, may be formulated following the principles of CDM, although no actual damage was considered. The resorption and apposition criteria (similar to the damage criterion) were expressed in terms of a mechanical stimulus. However, the resorption criterion is lacking a dimensional consistency with the remodelling rate. We propose here an enhancement to this resorption criterion, insuring the dimensional consistency while retaining the physical properties of the original remodelling model. We then analyse the change in the resorption criterion hypersurface in the stress space for a two-dimensional (2D) analysis. We finally apply the new formulation to analyse the structural evolution of a 2D femur. This analysis gives results consistent with the original model but with a faster and more stable convergence rate.