Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A randomized controlled trial of antioxidant supplementation for pain relief in patients with chronic pancreatitis.

BACKGROUND & AIMS Oxidative stress has been implicated in the pathophysiology of chronic pancreatitis (CP). We evaluated the effects of antioxidant supplementation on pain relief, oxidative stress, and antioxidant status in patients with CP. METHODS In a placebo-controlled double blind trial, consecutive patients with CP were randomized to groups that were given placebo or antioxidants for 6 months. The primary outcome measure was pain relief, and secondary outcome measures were analgesic requirements, hospitalization, and markers of oxidative stress (thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances [TBARS]) and antioxidant status (ferric-reducing ability of plasma [FRAP]). RESULTS Patients (age 30.5+/-10.5 years, 86 male, 35 alcoholic, and 92 with idiopathic CP) were assigned to the placebo (n=56) or antioxidant groups (n=71). After 6 months, the reduction in the number of painful days per month was significantly higher in the antioxidant group compared with the placebo group (7.4+/-6.8 vs 3.2+/-4, respectively; P< .001; 95% CI, 2.07, 6.23). The reduction in the number of analgesic tablets per month was also higher in the antioxidant group (10.5+/-11.8 vs 4.4+/-5.8 respectively; P= .001; 95% CI, 2.65, 9.65). Furthermore, 32% and 13% of patients became pain free in the antioxidant and placebo groups, respectively (P= .009). The reduction in the level of TBARS and increase in FRAP were significantly higher in the antioxidant group compared with the placebo group (TBARS: placebo 1.2+/-2.7 vs antioxidant 3.5+/-3.4 nmol/mL; P= .001; 95% CI 0.96, 3.55; FRAP: placebo -5.6+/-154.9 vs antioxidant 97.8+/-134.9 microMFe(+2) liberated, P= . 001, 95% CI 44.98, 161.7). CONCLUSIONS Antioxidant supplementation was effective in relieving pain and reducing levels of oxidative stress in patients with CP.
Protective Effect of Na+/H+ Exchange Inhibitor, SM-20550, on Impaired Mitochondrial Respiratory Function and Mitochondrial Ca2+ Overload in Ischemic/Reperfused Rat Hearts

The aim of this study was to investigate whether a selective Na+/H+ exchange inhibitor, SM-20550, can modulate the mitochondrial respiratory function and mitochondrial Ca2+ content in isolated rat hearts subjected to 40 min of ischemia and 20 min of reperfusion. SM-20550 (10, 100 n M) was administered for 5 min prior to ischemia and for 20 min during the reperfusion period. At 20 min after reperfusion, treatment with SM-20550 (10, 100 n M) improved the recovery of left ventricular developed pressure and suppressed the rise in left ventricular end-diastolic pressure. Mitochondrial function, assessed by the state 3 oxygen respiration rate, respiratory control index, and oxidative phosphorylation rate, was significantly impaired after ischemia/reperfusion. Administration with SM-20550 (10, 100 n M) attenuated the impaired mitochondrial function, improving the state 3 respiration rate, respiratory control index, and oxidative phosphorylation rate. The mitochondrial Ca2+ content was significantly increased after ischemia/reperfusion but was suppressed by treatment with SM-20550 (10, 100 n M). A significant linear correlation was observed between the respiratory control index and mitochondrial Ca2+ content in the ischemic/reperfused hearts. In conclusion, SM-20550 improved the postischemic recovery of left ventricular function and concurrently protected mitochondrial function mediated by preventing mitochondrial Ca2+ overload.
Accuracy of Emergency Medical Services Dispatcher and Crew Diagnosis of Stroke in Clinical Practice

Background Accurate recognition of stroke symptoms by Emergency Medical Services (EMS) is necessary for timely care of acute stroke patients. We assessed the accuracy of stroke diagnosis by EMS in clinical practice in a major US city. Methods and results Philadelphia Fire Department data were merged with data from a single comprehensive stroke center to identify patients diagnosed with stroke or TIA from 9/2009 to 10/2012. Sensitivity and positive predictive value (PPV) were calculated. Multivariable logistic regression identified variables associated with correct EMS diagnosis. There were 709 total cases, with 400 having a discharge diagnosis of stroke or TIA. EMS crew sensitivity was 57.5% and PPV was 69.1%. EMS crew identified 80.2% of strokes with National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) ≥5 and symptom duration <6 h. In a multivariable model, correct EMS crew diagnosis was positively associated with NIHSS (NIHSS 5–9, OR 2.62, 95% CI 1.41–4.89; NIHSS ≥10, OR 4.56, 95% CI 2.29–9.09) and weakness (OR 2.28, 95% CI 1.35–3.85), and negatively associated with symptom duration >270 min (OR 0.41, 95% CI 0.25–0.68). EMS dispatchers identified 90 stroke cases that the EMS crew missed. EMS dispatcher or crew identified stroke with sensitivity of 80% and PPV of 50.9%, and EMS dispatcher or crew identified 90.5% of patients with NIHSS ≥5 and symptom duration <6 h. Conclusion Prehospital diagnosis of stroke has limited sensitivity, resulting in a high proportion of missed stroke cases. Dispatchers identified many strokes that EMS crews did not. Incorporating EMS dispatcher impression into regional protocols may maximize the effectiveness of hospital destination selection and pre-notification.
Progesterone synthesis by perfused bovine ovaries of early and late pregnancy.

Summary. Fourteen bovine ovaries of early pregnancy and nineteen of late pregnancy were perfused with citrated bovine blood. During perfusion, the venous blood was collected from each ovary before and after addition of lh and was analysed for progesterone content. Average progesterone synthesis rates were 4-37+1-12 and 4-57 + 0-99 µg/min before addition of lh, for ovaries of early and late pregnancy respectively, and increased to 7-43+1-98 and 7-72+1-33 µg/min, respectively, after addition of lh. There was no significant difference in the rates of progesterone synthesis between ovaries of early and late pregnancy at the 5% level and their response to lh was highly significant (P<0-01). These data indicate that a decrease in progesterone synthesis during late pregnancy in the bovine is not due to a reduction in the ability of the corpus luteum to respond to gonadotrophins.
Ultrastructure and cytochemistry of vitellogenesis in Wenyonia virilis Woodland, 1923 (Cestoda, Caryophyllidea)

Vitellogenesis in Wenyonia virilis was examined by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), including the cytochemical detection of glycogen at the ultrastructural level with the periodic acid-thiosemicarbazide-silver proteinate (PA-TSC-SP) technique. Mature vitelline follicles have cells in various stages of development, progressing from immature cells of gonial type near the periphery of the follicle to maturing and mature vitellocytes towards the centre. Maturation is characterized by: (1) increase in cell volume; (2) increase in nuclear surface area restoring the N/C (nucleo-cytoplasmic) ratio; (3) nucleolar transformation; (4) extensive development of parallel cisternae of GER, the shell-protein producing units; (5) development of Golgi complexes, engaged in shell-granule/shell-globule formation and packaging; (6) synthesis and storage of glycogen in the cytoplasm; (7) simultaneous, independent formation and storage of intranuclear glycogen; (8) continuous fusion of small shell-granules into larger shell-globules and fusion of these into large shell-globule clusters with a progressive increase in the number and size of the latter; and (9) disintegration of GER in the medial layer of vitellocyte cytoplasm, degenerative changes and accumulation of glycogen and shell-globule clusters within the cytoplasm. The functional significance of numerous shell-globule clusters and the relatively small amount of nuclear and cytoplasmic glycogen is analysed. Unlike vitellogenesis of other caryophyllids, the nuclear glycogen of mature vitellocytes in W. virilis is randomly dispersed in the nucleoplasm and never forms a high central accumulation, the so-called “nuclear vacuole”. The nutritive function of vitellocytes appears greatly reduced in W. virilis, a fact perhaps related to the intrauterine development of the early embryos. The ultrastructure of vitellogenesis in W. virilis is compared with that in other lower cestodes, both monozoic and polyzoic. Conclusions concerning interrelationships of the vitellogenesis pattern of the ultrastructural cytochemistry of mature vitellocytes of W. virilis to intrauterine embryonation, absence of uterine glands and an extensive uterus characteristic for this species, are drawn and discussed.
Local contexts and organizational learning for innovation in an emerging economy: the case of two Malaysian firms in Indonesia

Abstract Organizational learning for innovation is critical for the success of multinationals. In this study, we examine two multinationals and their learning and innovation, when operating in Indonesia as the host country. As research on organizational learning has largely overlooked the influence of regional contexts, we examine the role of contextual conditions of the host country with regard to its economic, political and competitive conditions, and the changing customer demands, on organizational learning and innovation. We also consider organizational learning process, taking into account organizational factors that influence such process. The implications, contributions and limitations of the study are then discussed.
Explorer ' On the street where you live '

It is well established that neighbourhood quality is related to various aspects of people’s health and coping, especially in old age. There have also been a few reports on the links between self-reported neighbourhood quality and quality of life in older age. However, it is not clear which aspects of quality of life in particular are related to neighbourhood quality and whether these associations are independent of the roles of cognitive, socioeconomic or health status, or rating biases. Using a large sample of Scots from the Edinburgh area (N = 1091, of whom 548 were men) aged between 68 and 71 years, this study shows direct associations of objectively and comprehensively determined neighbourhood deprivation with self-perceived quality of life in physical and environmental domains (β = 0.07 and 0.16, p < 0.001), but not in psychological or social relationship domains. In a path model, these associations were independent of the roles of childhood cognitive ability and change in it to age 70, educational attainment, and occupational social class. The count of adverse health conditions (cardiovascular disease, stroke history, high blood pressure, diabetes, or arthritis) was associated with both quality of life and neighbourhood deprivation, and mediated the indirect links from neighbourhood deprivation to physical, psychological and environmental domains of quality of life. It is concluded that the neighbourhood in which older people live plays a role in one of the most important outcomes—how satisfied they are with various aspects of their life including physical functioning.
Ant colony algorithm implementation in electron and photon Monte Carlo transport: application to the commissioning of radiosurgery photon beams.

PURPOSE In this work, the authors describe an approach which has been developed to drive the application of different variance-reduction techniques to the Monte Carlo simulation of photon and electron transport in clinical accelerators. METHODS The new approach considers the following techniques: Russian roulette, splitting, a modified version of the directional bremsstrahlung splitting, and the azimuthal particle redistribution. Their application is controlled by an ant colony algorithm based on an importance map. RESULTS The procedure has been applied to radiosurgery beams. Specifically, the authors have calculated depth-dose profiles, off-axis ratios, and output factors, quantities usually considered in the commissioning of these beams. The agreement between Monte Carlo results and the corresponding measurements is within approximately 3%/0.3 mm for the central axis percentage depth dose and the dose profiles. The importance map generated in the calculation can be used to discuss simulation details in the different parts of the geometry in a simple way. The simulation CPU times are comparable to those needed within other approaches common in this field. CONCLUSIONS The new approach is competitive with those previously used in this kind of problems (PSF generation or source models) and has some practical advantages that make it to be a good tool to simulate the radiation transport in problems where the quantities of interest are difficult to obtain because of low statistics.
Optimal Government Spending Ratio on the Research Sector

This paper investigates the optimal government spending ratio on the research sector by introducing government effects into Romer’s endogenous model. The government spending has positive effects on both the final-output sector and the research sector. Under this circumstance, we first show that there exists a minimum government spending proportion to maintain endogenous growth and there are two optimal spending ratios on the research sector given a constant government proportion. Then we analyze how the government chooses between these two ratios. When the government is interested in the balanced growth rate, it will always choose the high spending ratio on the research sector. But since there is a dynamic transition process in our model, short-run welfare must be taken into the government’s account. If the stock of endowed knowledge is much more than that of endowed physical capital, then the government will choose the low spending ratio on the research sector.
Clinical Applications of Neurostimulation: Forty Years Later

With the recent technological advances, neurostimulation has provided new hope for millions of patients with debilitating chronic pain conditions that respond poorly to other therapies. Outcome research demonstrated that patients with failed back surgery syndrome and complex regional pain syndromes benefit significantly from neurostimulation in pain reduction, functional capacity, and quality of life. Increasing clinical evidence supports the use of neurostimulation in post‐herpetic neuralgia, peripheral neuropathy, occipital neuralgia, and other neuropathic pain conditions. Strong clinical evidences indicate that neurostimulation offers less invasive and more effective therapies for many patients with ischemic pain caused by cardiovascular and peripheral vascular diseases. A growing body of literature supports neurostimulation for visceral pain in general and interstitial cystitis in particular. As a basic principle, patient selection for the appropriate neurostimulation modalities is essential for safe, efficacious, and cost‐effective applications of this therapy. Research with more vigorous designs is needed to establish evidence‐based applications of neuromodulation therapy in emerging indications of pain management.
Mechanisms of peripheral tolerance to allergens

The immune system is regulated to protect the host from exaggerated stimulatory signals establishing a state of tolerance in healthy individuals. The disequilibrium in immune regulatory vs effector mechanisms results in allergic or autoimmune disorders in genetically predisposed subjects under certain environmental conditions. As demonstrated in allergen‐specific immunotherapy and in the healthy immune response to high‐dose allergen exposure models in humans, T regulatory cells are essential in the suppression of Th2‐mediated inflammation, maintenance of immune tolerance, induction of the two suppressive cytokines interleukin‐10 and transforming growth factor‐β, inhibition of allergen‐specific IgE, and enhancement of IgG4 and IgA. Also, suppression of dendritic cells, mast cells, and eosinophils contributes to the construction of peripheral tolerance to allergens. This review focuses on mechanisms of peripheral tolerance to allergens with special emphasis on recent developments in the area of immune regulation.
DC-to-DC Converter With Low Input Current Ripple for Maximum Photovoltaic Power Extraction

This paper presents a dc-to-dc converter, which offers continuous input and output energy flow and low input current ripple, applicable and mandatory for photovoltaic (PV) arrays and maximum power tracking applications. The PV array yields exponential curves for current and voltage where maximum power occurs at the curve's mutual knee. Conventional dc-to-dc converters have a relatively high input current ripple which causes high power losses when connected to nonlinear sources like PV arrays. The proposed converter maximizes the power that can be sourced from the PV array, without the need of any electrolytic filtering capacitance. The effect of current ripple can be significant and decreases PV system efficiency. Converter simulations and experimental results support and extol the system concept.
Nerve decompression and neuropathy complications in diabetes: Are attitudes discordant with evidence?

ABSTRACT External neurolysis of the nerve at fibro-osseous tunnels has been proprosed to treat or prevent signs, symptoms, and complications in the lower extremity of diabetes patients with sensorimotor polyneuropathy. Nerve decompression is justified in the presence of symptomatic compressed nerves in the several fibro-osseous tunnels of the extremities, which are known to be frequent in diabetes. Quite a body of literature has accumulated reporting results after such nerve decompression in the leg, describing pain relief and sensibility improvement, as well as balance recovery, diabetic foot ulcer prevention, curtailed ulcer recurrence risk, and amputation avoidance. Historical academic hesitance to endorse surgical treatments for pain and numbness in diabetes was based primarily on the early retrospective reports’ potential for bias and placebo effects, and that the hypothetical basis for surgery lies outside the traditional etiology paradigm of length-dependent axonopathy. This reticence is here critiqued in view of recent studies using objective, measured outcome protocols which nullify such potential confounders. Pain relief is now confirmed with Level 1 studies, and Level 2 prospective information suggests protection from initial diabetic foot ulceration and most neuropathic ulcer recurrences. In view of the potential for nerve decompression to be useful in addressing some of the more difficult, expensive, and life altering complications of diabetic neuropathy, this secondary compression thesis and operative treatment methodology may deserve reassessment.
Autophagy up-regulation by early weaning in the liver, spleen and skeletal muscle of piglets

Autophagy, a catabolic process responsible for the degradation of cytosolic components and the preservation of cellular homeostasis in virtually all eukaryotic organisms, is up-regulated when nutrient supplies are limited. However, whether early weaning induces autophagy in infants is not completely clear. In the present study, we used piglets as the early-weaning model to examine the autophagic activity in different tissues in response to nutrient status. Western blot analysis demonstrated that microtubule-associated protein 1 light chain 3-II, a promising marker protein for macroautophagy, was expressed at a notably higher level at 12 and 24 h weaning treatments than without weaning treatment (P < 0·01), and that the p62 (sequestome 1; SQSTM1) expression level was significantly attenuated after weaning treatments (P < 0·01) in the liver, spleen and skeletal muscle tissues. In addition, autophagic vacuoles detected by transmission electron microscopy were dramatically accumulated in these tissues (P < 0·01). Together, these results indicate that autophagy induced by early weaning may be helpful for the physiological system, which controls the balance of energy and nutrients for basic cell functions in the piglet model.
Relative Survival of Breast Cancer Patients in Iran.

BACKGROUND The survival rate reflecting prognosis of breast cancer patients is usually estimated based on crude survival methods such as observed and cause-specific. In situations where data are based on population-cancer registries, this method may produce biased estimations. This study therefore aimed to estimate the net survival of breast cancer based on relative survival. MATERIALS AND METHODS Data for 622 breast cancer patients diagnosed at the Iran Cancer Institute during 1990-95 and tracked till the end of 2000 were analyzed. For estimation of relative survival, Ederer's second method and SAS (9.1) and STATA (11) software were used. RESULTS Three- year relative survivals of 85%, 90%, 80% and 67% were observed for age groups 15-44, 55-59, 60-74, and 75+ years-old, respectively. A relative survival of approximately one was observed for two subsequent years for age-group 45-59 years-old. A value greater than one for two subsequent years of follow-up was observed in the age-group 60-74 years-old. CONCLUSIONS Tracking the diagnosis of breast cancer, the relative survival decreases as we go to higher age-groups. It is also perceived that through follow-up, relative survival first decreased and then increased a little. The statistical cure point is acceptable for age group 45-59 years-old while for age-groups 15-44 and 60-74 years old is a sign of low quality data for some follow-up intervals.
Cerebrospinal Fluid Biomarkers and Reserve Variables as Predictors of Future "Non-Cognitive" Outcomes of Alzheimer's Disease.

BACKGROUND The influence of reserve variables and Alzheimer's disease (AD) biomarkers on cognitive test performance has been fairly well-characterized. However, less is known about the influence of these factors on "non-cognitive" outcomes, including functional abilities and mood. OBJECTIVE We examined whether cognitive and brain reserve variables mediate how AD biomarker levels in cognitively normal persons predict future changes in function, mood, and neuropsychiatric behavior. METHODS Non-cognitive outcomes were examined in 328 individuals 50 years and older enrolled in ongoing studies of aging and dementia at the Knight Alzheimer Disease Research Center (ADRC). All participants were cognitively normal at baseline (Clinical Dementia Rating [CDR] 0), completed cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and structural neuroimaging studies within one year of baseline, and were followed for an average of 4.6 annual visits. Linear mixed effects models explored how cognitive reserve and brain reserve variables mediate the relationships between AD biomarker levels and changes in function, mood, and neuropsychiatric behavior in cognitively normal participants. RESULTS Education levels did not have a significant effect on predicting non-cognitive decline. However, participants with smaller brain volumes exhibited the worst outcomes on measures of mood, functional abilities, and behavioral disturbance. This effect was most pronounced in individuals who also had abnormal CSF biomarkers. CONCLUSIONS The findings suggest that brain reserve plays a stronger, or earlier, role than cognitive reserve in protecting against non-cognitive impairment in AD.
The information content of open interest for the realized range-based volatility: evidence from Chinese futures market

Purpose - The paper studies the impact of the infroamtion content of open interst on the realized range-based vaolatility of Chinese futures markets. Methodology- We employ a hybrid range-based estimator to measure the integrated variance in the heterogeneous autoregressive (HAR) model, which also incorporates the variable of open interest into the HAR model on index futures prices of China Securities Index (CSI) 300. Findings- Our findings demonstrate that the variable of open interest has a significant explanatory power with regard to the future realized volatility of the CSI 300 index futures. Conclusion- The modified model enhances volatility forecasting performance, thereby indicating it has more accurate predictive power. Our results provide supports for the implication of the sequential information arrival hypothesis.