Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Advances in pancreatic islet transplantation in humans

With recent advances in methods of islet isolation and the introduction of more potent and less diabetogenic immunosuppressive therapies, islet transplantation has progressed from research to clinical reality. Presently, several international centres have demonstrated successful clinical outcomes with high rates of insulin independence after islet transplantation. Ongoing refinements in donor pancreas procurement and processing, developments in islet isolation and purification technology, and advances in novel immunological conditioning and induction therapies have led to the acceptance of islet transplantation as a safe and effective therapy for patients with type 1 diabetes. This review provides a historical perspective of islet transplantation, outlines the recent advances and current clinical outcomes, and addresses the present challenges and future directions in clinical islet transplantation.
Prosodic Boundary Effects on Segment Articulation and V-to-V Coarticulation in Standard Chinese

This paper investigates the prosodic conditioning of the segment production and vowel-to-vowel coarticulation in the Standard Chinese through electropalatographic and acoustic analysis. The articulatory and acoustic measures were obtained for un-aspirated alveolar consonant /t/ and vowels /i/ and /a/. Results show that the domain-initial consonant is strengthened in a hierarchical manner in higher prosodic domains. The vocalic gesture after the strengthened consonant tends to be reduced, and the domain-final vocalic gesture shows more linguapalatal contact and longer duration. The vocalic anticipatory effect is shown to appear up to intermediate phrase boundary, but is constrained by the articulatory constraint for vocalic gesture. The vocalic carryover effect is likely constrained by foot domain.
Oxidation-reduction potentials of butyryl-CoA dehydrogenase.

In order to obtain butyryl-CoA dehydrogenase from Megasphaera elsdenii in pure enough form to perform redox studies, the existing purification procedures first had to be modified and clarified [Engel, P. (1981) Methods Enzymol. 71, 359-366]. These modifications are described, and the previously unpublished spectral properties of the electrophoretically pure CoA-free butyryl-CoA dehydrogenase are presented. In our spectral reductive titration of pure enzyme, we show that although blue neutral flavin radical is stabilized in nonquantitative amounts in dithionite titrations (19%) or in electrochemical reductions mediated by methylviologen (5%), it is not thermodynamically stabilized; therefore, only a midpoint potential for butyryl-CoA dehydrogenase is obtained. The electron-transfer behavior from pH 5.5 to pH 7.0 indicates reversible two-electron transfer accompanied by one proton: EFlox + 2e- + H+ = EFlredH- Em7 = -0.079 V vs. SHE where EFlox is oxidized butyryl-CoA dehydrogenase, EFlredH- is two electron reduced enzyme, and Em7 is the midpoint potential at pH 7.0 at 25 degrees C. Redox data and activity data both indicate that the enzyme loses activity rapidly at pH values above 7.0. The Em7 of the butyryl-CoA dehydrogenase is 40 mV positive of the Em7 of the butyryl-CoA/crotonyl-CoA couple [Gustafson, W. G. , Feinberg, B. A. , & McFarland, J. T. (1986) J. Biol. Chem. 261, 7733-7741]. Binding of substrate analogue acetoacetyl-CoA caused the potential of butyryl-CoA dehydrogenase to shift 100 mV negative of the free enzyme. The negative shift in potential makes electron transfer from enzyme to substrate more probable, which is consistent with the direction of electron transfer in the bacterial system. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Fall detection for elderly using anatomical-plane-based representation

Falls are a common cause of injuries and traumas for elderly and could be life threatening. Delivering a prompt medical support after a fall is essential to prevent lasting injuries. Therefore, effective fall detection could provide urgent support and dramatically reduce the risk of such mishaps. In this paper, we propose a hierarchical classification framework based on a novel anatomical-plane-based representation for elderly fall detection. The framework obtains human skeletal joints, using Microsoft Kinect sensors, and transforms them to a human representation. The representation is then utilized to classify the sensor input sequences and provide a semantic meaning of different human activities. Evaluation results of the proposed framework, using real case scenarios, demonstrate the efficacy of the framework in providing a feasible approach towards accurately detecting elderly falls.
Risk Adjustment Revisited Using Machine Learning Techniques

Risk adjustment is vital in health policy design. Risk adjustment defines the annual capitation payments to health insurers and is a key determinant of insolvency risk for health insurers. In this study we compare the current risk adjustment formula used by Colombia’s Ministry of Health and Social Protection against alternative specifications that adjust for additional factors. We show that the current risk adjustment formula, which conditions on demographic factors and their interactions, can only predict 30% of total health expenditures in the upper quintile of the expenditure distribution. We also show the government’s formula can improve significantly by conditioning ex ante on measures indicators of 29 long-term diseases. We contribute to the risk adjustment literature by estimating machine learning based models and showing non-parametric methodologies (e.g., boosted trees models) outperform linear regressions even when fitted in a smaller set of regressors.
[Hereditary diffuse gastric cancer (HDGC): presentation of a family with a new mutation of the CDH1 gene].

INTRODUCTION HDGC is a hereditary cancer syndrome with an autosomic dominant pattern. It may be clinically diagnosed by family background, and confirmed by genetic testing. In 40% of the families, a mutation in the CDH1 gene (E-cadherin) can be identified. Furthermore, the identification of the pathogenic mutation enables the segregate non-carriers (having population risk) and carriers. Prevention for the latter group includes prophylactic gastrectomy or surveillance endoscopy every 6 to 12 months. OBJECTIVE to present the case of an HDGC family with identified CDH1 mutation. CASE 28 year-old woman who underwent gastrectomy for a diffuse type gastric cancer. Her family background showed multiple gastric cancers with inherited autosomal-dominant pattern (affectation of 9 members in 5 generations). Suspecting HDGC, a plan of surveillance endoscopy was iniciated, and a her DNA sample was sequenced for CDH1 gene finding a non-sense mutation in position 1913 G>A (W638X) of exon 12. CONCLUSION the detailed recollection of the family background allowed to identify a rare inherited entity. The molecular testing confirmed the diagnosis and will allow future tailored counselling among relatives.
Distribution and developmental changes in GABA‐like immunoreactive neurons in the central nervous system of pond snail, Lymnaea stagnalis

We examined three‐dimensionally the arrangement of γ‐aminobutyric acid (GABA)‐like immunoreactive neurons in the central nervous system (CNS) of the pond snail, Lymnaea stagnalis, by a combination of immunohistochemistry and confocal laser scanning microscopy on whole‐mount preparations. GABA‐like immunoreactivity was detected in all ganglia of the adult CNS. The following distribution of immunoreactive cell bodies was noted in the adult snail. Buccal ganglia: one cell body and five pairs of cell bodies, cerebral ganglia: one pair of cell bodies, pedal ganglia: two single cell bodies, two pairs of cell bodies, and three pairs of cell clusters, and pleural ganglia: one pair of cell bodies. In the asymmetrical parietal ganglia, three cell bodies were located in the left parietal ganglion; three cell bodies and three cell clusters were located in the right parietal ganglion. In the single visceral ganglion, a few scattered individual cell bodies and a cell cluster were GABA‐like immunoreactive. Our results showed that the occurrence of GABA is widely spread in the CNS of adult L. stagnalis. GABA‐like immunoreactivity in the CNS was not detected in the embryo but was observed after hatching, although the number of stained cells was less than in the adult, with the exception of those in the cerebral ganglia where their number decreased with maturation. Our results provide detailed maps of the central GABA‐like immunoreactive neurons in juveniles, immatures, and adults of L. stagnalis. J. Comp. Neurol. 418:310–322, 2000. © 2000 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Hypolipidemic Effects of Andrographolide and Neoandrographolide in Mice and Rats

Andrographolide (AND) and neoandrographolide (NEO) are the diterpenoids from the Andrographis paniculata (Acanthaceae). It is reported the diterpenoids exhibit a wide spectrum of biological activities. The aim of this study was to investigate the hypolipidemic effect of AND and NEO in hyperlipidemic mice induced by 75% yolk emulsion and in hyperlipidemic rats induced by high fat emulsion, respectively. The results showed that the levels of triglyceride, total cholesterol (TC) and low‐density lipoprotein cholesterol were reduced by AND and NEO in a dose‐dependent tendency in mice. Compared with the model group, the plasma TC levels of experimental groups with AND and NEO at 100 mg/kg dosage decreased by 23.9 and 20.2% in rats, respectively (P < 0.05). It was also found that the plasma aspartate transaminase and alanine transaminase levels were significantly decreased by feeding with AND and NEO in rats, compared with positive group (simvastatin) (P < 0.01). Otherwise, AND and NEO could protect the cardiovascular due to down‐regulation of iNOS expression and up‐regulation of eNOS expression. In conclusion, AND and NEO have potent hypolipidemic effects and protect the cardiovascular without significant liver damage. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Minimizing task-induced stress in cognitively stimulating activities using an intelligent socially assistive robot

Dementia is currently a growing epidemic, bringing forth severe health, social, and economic strains. As an alternative to pharmacological measures, current research supports the effectiveness of using cognitive training interventions to slow the decline of or even improve brain functioning in persons with dementia. However, implementing and sustaining these interventions on a long-term basis can be challenging as they demand considerable resources and people. Our research focuses on investigating the potential use of robotic assistants to allow for these interventions to become more accessible to users and caregivers. Namely, the aim of our work is to develop socially assistive robots that can provide cognitive and social stimulation for persons with dementia. In this paper, we study the social interaction attributes of the human-like robot, Brian 2.0, during a one-on-one person-centered cognitively stimulating activity to determine if the robot is capable of minimizing task-induced stress by providing assistance, encouragement, and celebration, while adapting its behavior to a user state during the course of the activity. Our preliminary study shows that the social intelligence of Brian 2.0 is effective in engaging individuals in a cognitively stimulating game while minimizing stress during gameplay.
The Persistence of Moderate Inflation in the Czech Republic

The Co-Editor of Post-Soviet Geography and Economics, an authority on the transition economies of Eastern Europe, joins a Federal Reserve Bank economist in a study of inflation in the Czech Republic, providing data from 1991 through the second quarter of 1998. After explaining the relationship between Czech inflation, exchange-rate and macro-economic policies, and the koruna crisis of May 1997, the authors examine and discuss some explanations for the persistence of moderate inflation at a level of 10 percent. They conclude by examining policy implications of their findings in the context of the Czech National Bank's new policy of inflation targeting. Journal of Economic Literature, Classification Numbers: E31, E47, E58, O52. 3 figures, 8 tables, 22 references.
An SiC-Based Half-Bridge Module With an Improved Hybrid Packaging Method for High Power Density Applications

SiC devices have the potential to structure high power density converters; however, SiC devices have high di /dt during switching. Therefore, the parasitic inductances in the power loop and gating loop must be reduced to restrain the induced voltage. This paper proposes a SiC-based, half-bridge (HB) module with a hybrid packaging method. Such a module is based on printed circuit board (PCB) plus direct bonding copper (DBC) structure. The DBC provides part of power loops, and the SiC bare dies can be directly soldered on these loops; the PCB provides another part of the power loops, as well as the gating loops. Such a design allows the power loops on the PCB to be soldered with those on the DBC directly; in the meantime, the SiC bare dies soldered on the DBC can be connected to the PCB with bounding wires. Such a structure provides extra degrees of freedom for design so that the parasitic inductances can be minimized by optimizing the current communication loops, driver locations, and the gating connections, and the heat can also be dissipated through the direct cooling structure easily. A 1200 V/24 A SiC HB module is fabricated with the proposed method in the laboratory, and based on the fabricated module, a synchronous buck converter with power density of 379.3 W/in3 is also structured. The double pulse test shows that the fabricated module can be switched within 10 ns and that the drain-source voltage overshoot is only 2.5%. The highest efficiency of the converter based on the fabricated module is up to 99.46%.
Contribution of oxycodone and its metabolites to the overall analgesic effect after oxycodone administration

Objective: Oxycodone (OC) is an opioid which exerts its analgesic effect through µ-receptors in the brain. It is metabolized through CYP450 enzymes and some of the metabolites show pharmacological activity. The aim of this investigation is to research the contribution of the metabolites of OC to its overall analgesic effect. A further aim was to elucidate the role of drug–drug interactions and CYP2D6 polymorphism. Research design and methods: The authors performed a literature search to identify published information on: blood concentrations of OC and metabolites, protein binding, blood–brain-barrier behavior and opioid receptor affinity. The authors then calculated the contribution of OC and metabolites to the overall analgesic effect. Results: OC itself is responsible for 83.02 and 94.76% of the analgesic effect during p.o. and i.v. administration, respectively. Oxymorphone (OM), which has a much higher affinity for the µ-receptor, only plays a minor role (15.77 and 4.52% for p.o. and i.v., respectively). Although the CYP2D6 genotype modulates OM pharmacokinetics, OC remains the major contributor to the overall analgesic effect. Conclusion: This article's calculations demonstrate that OC itself is responsible for the analgesic effect. Although OM and noroxymorphone have much higher µ-receptor affinity than the parent drug, the metabolite concentrations at the site of action are very low. This suggests that there is a minimal analgesic effect from these metabolites.
Essays on Trade, Transportation Costs and Development

My dissertation focuses on the roles of international trade and transportation costs in explaining cross-country patterns of development. The three essays in my dissertation have important implications for trade patterns and income levels for developed and developing countries. In particular, the essays suggest policies that can be adopted by developing countries to close cross-country income gaps. In the first essay, I develop a new theory of comparative advantage in time-sensitive goods based on the asymmetries in the relative costs of air shipping faced by developed and developing countries. I find evidence that for a given distance, developed countries face a lower relative cost of air shipping than developing countries. I incorporate these asymmetries in a multi-country Ricardian model of trade, and look at the implications of these asymmetries for cross-country trade patterns and trade costs. I find that developed countries specialize in exporting time-sensitive goods, while developing countries specialize in exporting time-insensitive goods. Furthermore, trade costs of developed countries have a negative relationship with exports sent by air relative to surface, while for developing countries there is no such relationship. These findings are shown to be consistent with some new facts that I document about trade patterns and trade costs. In the second essay, I quantitatively solve the model developed in the first essay and look
Analytical validation and biological evaluation of a high molecular-weight adiponectin ELISA.

BACKGROUND Of the 3 circulating multimeric forms of adiponectin, the high-molecular-weight (HMW) form, as measured by size-exclusion and/or immunoblotting techniques, is a better index of insulin sensitivity for monitoring health and disease than is total adiponectin. We aimed to develop a simple ELISA to measure HMW adiponectin. METHODS We pretreated serum or plasma samples with digestion solution containing proteinase K (Millipore, ESDS). HMW (Millipore, EZHMWA-64K) and total adiponectin (Millipore, EZHADP-61K) concentrations were measured in treated and untreated samples, respectively, from 108 individuals and from 20 morbidly obese patients before and at 1, 3, 6, and 12 months after gastric-bypass surgery. RESULTS The ELISA has a dynamic range of 3-200 microg/L and a detection limit of 0.8 microg/L. Intraassay and interassay CVs were <4% and <10%, respectively. Sample-dilution curves paralleled the calibration curves. Fast protein liquid chromatography profiles of the proteinase K-treated samples revealed predominantly HMW adiponectin. Values for HMW adiponectin produced with this method are comparable with those obtained with Western blot analysis (y = 0.77x - 0.15; r = 0.96; n = 56). Body mass index (BMI)- and sex-related changes were more pronounced for HMW adiponectin and percentage of HMW adiponectin than for total adiponectin. HMW and total adiponectin increased after bypass surgery, but changes in HMW adiponectin were more pronounced and preceded changes in total adiponectin. CONCLUSION This simple, rapid ELISA for HMW adiponectin recognizes the HMW isoform, produces results closely correlated with those obtained with Western blotting, and appears to better distinguish BMI-, sex-, and weight loss-associated differences than assays for total adiponectin.
INFLUENCIA DEL ESTADO NUTRICIONAL SOBRE VARIABLES RADIOGRÁFICAS DE CANINO SUPERIOR INFLUENCE OF NUTRITIONAL STATE ON RADIOGRAPHIC VARIABLES IN UPPER CANINE TEETH

Permanent upper canine tooth impaction is related to both genetic causes and nutritional and local causes. Based on radiographic studies of children, Haavikko, 1974, calculated the median of the degree of calcification for each tooth according to age. The aim of our study was to establish associations between certain radiographic variables with respect to upper canine tooth buds and nutritional state in a population of schoolchildren. Thirty-three children of chronological ages 3 to 9 years from a population of rural schoolchildren took part in the study. The children were classified into three groups: malnourished, control and overweight. For the radiographic study we used a systematized technique using DSJ 70kV radiographic equipment with 8 mA and Insight intraoral film (E F speed; Eastman Kodak, Rochester, NY). The images obtained from the 66 radiographic studies were scanned. The program Image tool for Windows was used to measure: a) distance from the canine cusp to the intermaxillary suture, b) outer angle formed between the axis of the canine tooth and the plane that cuts the intermaxillary suture perpendicularly, c) degree of calcification d) presence of supernumerary teeth. The values of these variables were analyzed statistically with the KruskalWallis test of the SPSS program. The results were: a) For the distance variable there is no significant difference between the malnourished and control groups (p>0.05), although there are differences (p 0.05). Both the distance of the canine tooth bud and its degree of calcification vary in patients with nutritional disorders, therefore it would be useful to conduct a radiographic study at school age to detect tooth anomalies and reduce their consequences.
The Implications of Poverty on the Cameroon Economic Emergence Vision 2035

This paper examines the implications of poverty on the Cameroon economic emergence vision 2035. Both primary and secondary data were collected on selected indicators of economic emergence for the period 1990-2035 and analyzed with descriptive and inferential tools of data analysis. The results reveal that the performance of major socio-economic indicators of well-being is poor in Cameroon. In consonance with the situation, a global assessment of the economic performance of Cameroon shows little hope for the economic emergence of the country by the target date of 2035. In order for the goal of economic emergence of Cameroon to come true as planned, it is suggested that the problem of poverty should be solved first by appropriately targeting macro-economic variables through policies that focus on job creation, provision of basic needs and services of life to people.
NFAT3/c4-mediated excitotoxicity in hippocampal apoptosis during radiation-induced brain injury

Abstract Whole brain irradiation (WBI) has become an indispensible tool in the treatment of head and neck cancer, and it has greatly improved patient survival rate and total survival time. In addition, prophylactic cranial irradiation (PCI) has dramatically decreased the incidence of brain metastatic carcinoma. However, WBI may induce temporary functional deficits or even progressive, irreversible cognitive dysfunction that compromises the quality of life for survivors. Unfortunately, the exact molecular mechanisms for cognitive damage remain elusive, and no treatment or preventative measures are available for use in the clinic. In the present study, the nuclear factor of activated T cells isoform 4 (NFAT3/c4) was found to play a vital role in excitotoxic hippocampus cell apoptosis induced by radiation. Sprague–Dawley (SD) rats received 20 Gy WBI, after which we detected NFAT3/c4-mediated excitotoxicity. We found that radiation caused hippocampus excitotoxicity, resulting from overactivation of the N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) and always accompanied by subsequent elevation of the intracellular calcium level and activation of calcineurin (CaN). P-NFAT3/c4 was the principal downstream target of CaN, including regulation of its nuclear translocation as well as transcriptional activities. Radiation recruited NMDAR/NFAT3/c4 activation and subsequent Bax induction in hippocampus cells. Once treated with the NFAT3/c4 inhibitor 11R-VIVIT peptide pre-irradiation, hippocampal proliferation and neuron survival (dentate gyrus cells in particular) were protected from radiation-induced injury, resulting in inhibition of the apoptosis marker Bax. Our principal aim was to illuminate the role of NFAT3/c4-mediated excitotoxicity in hippocampal apoptosis during radiation-induced brain injury. This study is the first time that radiation-induced activation of NFAT3/c4 has been recorded, and our results suggest that NFAT3/c4 may be a novel target for prevention and treatment of radiation-induced brain injury.