Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Socio-Demographic correlates of Sexual Satisfaction after Mastectomy vs . Lumpectomy

Sexuality is considered to be an important aspect of quality of life, especially in women who have undergone a kind of breast cancer surgery. Sexual satisfaction is a multi-dimensional vs. complex concept that guarantees the health of BC survivors’ individual, family and social lives. This article carried out in the Golestan university-affiliated teaching hospital, Ahwaz, Iran, seeks to studyand compare the impact of socio-demographic factors like age, education, job and economic status on sexual life and enjoyment of females involved in mastectomy/ lumpectomy. To this end, using the revised version of Larson Questionnaire (2010), a total of 64 diagnosed cases of both mastectomy and conservation treatment type aged between15-49 (reproductive age), were matched for socio-demographic status factors mentioned. Results indicate a significant difference between the two groups. Also, the finding reveals the importance of age as an effective factor influencing sexual satisfaction among research participants.
Evaluation of Pharmacists' Work in a Physician‐Pharmacist Collaborative Model for the Management of Hypertension

Physician‐pharmacist collaborative models have been shown to improve the care of patients with numerous chronic medical conditions. Team‐based health care using integrated clinical pharmacists provides one opportunity to improve quality in health care systems that use population‐based financing. In November 2015, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) requested that the relative value of pharmacists' work in team‐based care needs to be established. Thus the objective of this study was to describe the components of pharmacists' work in the management of hypertension with a physician‐pharmacist collaborative model.
Urethral pressure measurement by microtransducer: the results in symptom‐free women and in those with genuine stress incontinence

Summary. Urethral pressure measurements were recorded at rest and during stress by a microtransducer technique in 20 women without urinary symptoms and 120 women with urodynamically proven genuine stress in‐continence. In the symptom‐free women the resting profile values were largely maintained during stress, as a consequence of 100% transmission of intra‐abdominal pressure rises to the proximal three‐quarters of the functional urethral length. Whilst the majority maintained continence at the bladder neck level, 25% of these controls showed evidence of bladder neck opening during stress. The stress‐incontinent patients showed a deficiency of pressure transmission ratios which appeared to have an ‘all or none’ character in the determination of symptoms. The amplitude and stability of the maximum urethral closure pressure at rest, the extent of urethral closure pressure lost in response to stress, and the extent of intra‐abdominal pressure rises interact to determine the severity of symptoms or ‘margin to continence’.
The characteristics, content, performance, and impact of the WPA website (www.wpanet.org)

The WPA has been improving its organizational image and identity in line with its Action Plan of 2008–2011 and that of 2011–2014. The official website of the WPA, along with its other media channels (WPA News, the official WPA newsletter, and the WPA EBulletin) has played an important role in this process. Since 2008, WPA media channels were reconstructed and improved to be in concert both in their contents and aesthetics. The general perspective has been to reach elegancy in simplicity. WPA media channels were enriched to raise their efficiency, both at inter-organizational and intra-organizational levels, and to mirror the voice of all WPA components. Requests for contributions were sent out regularly and any submitted item was published after an edition and approval process. The WPA Secretary General, as the editor of these media channels, monitored this route with the collaboration of the WPA Executive Committee members and the WPA Secretariat staff. This article focuses on the main characteristics, content, performance and impact of the WPA website. The renewal of the website and the transfer of the webmaster and the server, aiming to improve the global impact of the WPA website by revising its content, infrastructure, visual design, and process of maintenance, started by early 2009 and were finalized in a year. A totally reconstructed new website was published on April 12, 2010, after comprehensive discussions in the WPA Executive Committee (2008–2011), and with the IT staff responsible for the technical administration of the website, aiming to enhance its readability, usability, and impact.
Microcurrent therapy in the management of chronic tennis elbow: pilot studies to optimize parameters.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE In microcurrent therapy (MCT), low-intensity electric current is applied to promote tissue healing and relieve symptoms. MCT is used with recalcitrant skin and bone lesions, but little is known about its effects on tendinopathy, and optimal treatment parameters are uncertain. Two studies were conducted to ascertain whether varying (i) current intensity and (ii) waveform and treatment duration affect outcomes of MCT for chronic tennis elbow. METHODS Two trials compared the effects of different MCT parameters on pain and function, grip strength, and sonographically graded tendon structure and hyperaemia. Trial 1 compared monophasic MCT of intensity 50 and 500 μA applied for 35 h; trial 2 compared devices delivering approximately 25 μA but with different waveforms and durations of 15 and 189 h, respectively. Treatment was applied over 3 weeks. Assessments were at baseline and 3, 6 and 15 weeks. RESULTS For each trial, n = 31. In trial 1, 50 μA was more effective than 500 μA, with 93% of participants 'much better' or 'fully recovered' at 15 weeks, compared with 47% in the 500 μA group. Tendon structural normalization was superior at 50 μA, but no significant differences were found in other outcomes. In trial 2, success rates for the two groups at 15 weeks were 75% and 73%, respectively, but group improvements did not differ significantly on any measure. Pooled analysis of data from both trials showed that, immediately following treatment, blood flow had fallen in the subgroup with high baseline scores and risen in the subgroup with low scores. Low baseline score correlated significantly with treatment success. CONCLUSION Monophasic MCT of peak current intensity 50 μA applied for tens of hours may be effective in reducing symptoms and promoting tendon normalization in chronic tennis elbow. Hyperaemia may help predict treatment outcome. A full-scale trial of the therapy is warranted.
Self-Tracking for Fertility Care

Infertility is a global health concern that affects countless couples trying to conceive a child. Effective fertility treatment requires continuous monitoring of a wide range of health indicators through self-tracking. The process of collecting and interpreting data and information about fertility is complex, and much of the burden falls on women. In this study, we analyzed patient-generated content in a popular online health community dedicated to fertility issues. The objective was to understand the process in which women engage in tracking relevant information, and the challenges they face. Leveraging the Personal Informatics Model, we describe women's self-tracking experiences during their fertility cycles. We discuss how a complex and highly personalized context leads to responsibility, pressure, and emotional burden on women performing self-tracking activities, as well as the role of collaboration in creating individualized solutions. Finally, we provide implications for technologies aiming to support women with fertility care needs.
Identification of genes differentially expressed in a newly isolated human metastasizing esophageal cancer cell line, T.Tn‐AT1, by cDNA microarray

We isolated a metastasizing human esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) cell line, T.Tn‐AT1, from a parental non‐metastasizing cell line, T.Tn, by in vitro selection and by use of a nude mouse orthotopic inoculation model. Then, we compared the expression profiles of 9206 genes in T.Tn‐AT1 and T.Tn by cDNA microarray analysis. The gene expression profiles of T.Tn and T.Tn‐AT1 were very similar, and only 34 genes showed more than 3‐fold differential expression. Among the 34 genes, 29 genes were down‐regulated and only 5 genes were up‐regulated in T.Tn‐AT1 cells. Subsequently, we confirmed the expression levels of 14 of the 34 genes in T.Tn and T.Tn‐AT1 cells by means of reverse transcription‐polymerase chain reaction. The expression of 8 genes (KAL1, HPGD, NDN, REG1A, CXCR4, SPOCK, DIAPH2 and AIF1) was down‐regulated and that of one gene (VNN2) was up‐regulated in T.Tn‐AT1 cells. These 9 genes encoded proteins associated with metastatic processes, such as adhesion, migration, inflammation, proliferation, and differentiation. Thus, these genes might regulate the metastasis of esophageal SCC, and could be predictive markers for lymph node metastasis of esophageal SCC.
Initial clinical results with technetium‐99m‐labeled ll2 monoclonal antibody fragment in the radioimmunodetection of b‐cell lymphomas

Background. Various monoclonal antibodies (MoAb) labeled with Iodine‐131 or Indium‐111 (In‐111) have been investigated for radioimmunodetection of Hodgkin's and non‐Hodgkin's lymphomas. Successful radioimmuno‐therapy also has been reported. The purpose of this pilot study was to stage non‐Hodgkin's B‐cell lymphomas (NHL) using whole body scintigraphy with technetium‐99m (Tc‐99m)‐labeled murine monoclonal antibody LL2 (EPB‐2) Fab′ (Immunomedics, Morris Plains, NJ). Others have shown this MoAb to have specific binding to B‐cell lymphomas by flow cytometry and immunofluorescence. Initial clinical studies by others have demonstrated targeting of NHL with the Tc‐99m‐labeled LL2‐Fab′.
Towards an AtrioVentricular Delay optimization assessed by a computer model for Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy

In this paper, lumped-parameter models of the cardiovascular system, the cardiac electrical conduction system and a pacemaker are coupled to generate mitral flow profiles for different atrio-ventricular delay (AVD) configurations, in the context of cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT). First, we perform a local sensitivity analysis of left ventricular and left atrial parameters on mitral flow characteristics, namely E and A wave amplitude, mitral flow duration, and mitral flow time integral. Additionally, a global sensitivity analysis over all model parameters is presented to screen for the most relevant parameters that affect the same mitral flow characteristics. Results provide insight on the influence of left ventricle and atrium influence on mitral flow profiles. This information will be useful for future parameter estimation of the model that could reproduce the mitral flow profiles and cardiovascular hemodynamics of patients undergoing AVD optimization during CRT.
Chloride is required for receptor‐mediated divalent cation entry in mesangial cells

Agonists which stimulate the inositol 1,4,5 trisphosphate ([1,4,5]‐IP3)‐dependent mobilization of Ca2+ from intracellular stores also stimulate entry of divalent cations across the cell membrane. Under appropriate experimental conditions, divalent cation entry across the cell membrane can be monitored as the rate at which the intracellular fluorescence of divalent cation indicators is quenched by the addition of Mn2+ to the extracellular medium. We report that addition of vasopressin to fura‐2‐loaded glomerular mesangial cells in culture markedly accelerated the rate at which Mn2+ quenched fura‐2 fluorescence at its Ca2+‐insensitive wavelength in the presence of extracellular NaCl, but that this quench response was attenuated when Cl− was removed from the extracellular medium by equimolar substitution with impermeant anions (gluconate, methanesulfonate, acetate, lactate). Similarly, loss of agonist‐induced quench also occurred when Cl− was substituted with gluconate in K+‐containing media. Addition of the Cl− channel inhibitor, 5‐nitro‐2‐(3‐phenylpropylaminobenzoic acid) (NPPB), also inhibited Mn2+‐induced quench of fura‐2 fluorescence following vasopressin addition. In contrast, in the presence of gramicidin to provide an alternate conductance pathway to accompany divalent cation entry, agonist‐dependent Mn2+ quench occurred even in the absence of extracellular Cl−, indicating that the requirement for Cl− was not the result of cotransport on a common transporter nor the result of Cl− serving as a necessary cofactor for divalent cation entry. A similar dependence on extracellular Cl− was observed for other Ca2+‐mobilizing agonists such as endothelin, as well as the intracellular Ca2+ ATPase inhibitor, thapsigargin. Extracellular Cl− dependence for agonist‐induced divalent cation entry was also reflected in a corresponding extracellular Cl− dependence for agonist‐induced mesangial cell contraction. It has been previously shown by ourselves (Kremer et al., 1992a, Am. J. Physiol., 262:F668–F678) and others that agonist‐stimulated calcium mobilization in mesangial cells is accompanied by inhibition of K+ conductance and increased Cl− conductance. Accordingly, we conclude that the current findings suggest that activation of Cl− conductance provides regulated charge compensation for receptor‐mediated divalent cation entry in response to Ca2+‐mobilizing vasoconstrictor agonists in mesangial cells. © 1995 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Dietary bovine colostrum increases villus height and decreases small intestine weight in early-weaned pigs

This experiment examined the effect of dietary spray-dried bovine colostrum on intestinal histology and organ weights in early-weaned pigs. In a randomised complete block design, twelve 14-day-old weaner pigs were offered a diet containing either 5% spray-dried bovine colostrum or no colostrum (control). Diets were formulated to contain 14.8 MJ/kg DE, 1.26% available lysine and to meet or exceed requirements for other nutrients. Piglets were offered the diets for a period of 14 days. No effect of diet on growth rate or feed intake was observed (p>0.10). Small intestine weight was reduced by 12% in piglets consuming dietary bovine colostrum (p 0.10). Collectively, these results suggest a positive effect of dietary bovine colostrum on intestinal morphology and immune status in early-weaned pigs.
ER type I signal peptidase subunit (LmSPC1) is essential for the survival of Locusta migratoria manilensis and affects moulting, feeding, reproduction and embryonic development

The endoplasmic reticulum type I signal peptidase complex (ER SPC) is a conserved enzyme that cleaves the signal peptides of secretory or membrane preproteins. The deletion of this enzyme leads to the accumulation of uncleaved proteins in biomembranes and cell death. However, the physiological functions of ER SPC in insects are not fully understood. Here, a catalytic subunit gene of ER SPC, LmSPC1, was cloned from Locusta migratoria manilensis and its physiological functions were analysed by RNA interference (RNAi). The LmSPC1 open reading frame encoded a protein of 178 amino acids with all five conserved regions of signal peptidases. RNAi‐mediated knockdown of LmSPC1 resulted in high mortality. Sixty‐nine per cent of dead nymphs died of abnormal moulting, corresponding to decreased activity of moulting fluid protease. Moreover, insects in the RNAi group experienced a decline in food intake, and a decrease in the secretion of total protein and digestive enzymes from midgut tissues to the midgut lumen. Furthermore, the females produced fewer eggs and eggs with disrupted embryogenesis. These results indicate that LmSPC1 is required for the secretion of secretory proteins, affects physiological functions, including moulting, feeding, reproduction and embryonic development, and is essential for survival. Therefore, LmSPC1 may be a potential target for locust control.
Cytoplasmic CstF-77 Protein Belongs to a Masking Complex with Cytoplasmic Polyadenylation Element-binding Protein in Xenopus Oocytes*

Regulated mRNA translation is a hallmark of oocytes and early embryos, of which cytoplasmic polyadenylation is a major mechanism. This process involves multiple protein components, including the CPSF (cleavage and polyadenylation specificity factor), which is also required for nuclear polyadenylation. The CstF (cleavage stimulatory factor), with CPSF, is required for the pre-mRNA cleavage before nuclear polyadenylation. However, some evidence suggests that the CstF-77 subunit might have a function independent of nuclear polyadenylation, which could be related to the cell cycle. As such, we addressed the question whether CstF-77 might have a role in cytoplasmic polyadenylation. We investigated the function of the CstF-77 protein in Xenopus oocytes, and show that CstF-77 has indeed a role in the cytoplasm. The Xenopus CstF-77 protein (X77K) localizes mainly to the nucleus, but also in punctuate cytoplasmic foci. We show that X77K resides in a cytoplasmic complex with eIF4E, CPEB (cytoplasmic polyadenylation element-binding protein), CPSF-100 and XGLD2, but is not required for cytoplasmic polyadenylation per se. Impairment of X77K function in ovo leads to an acceleration of the G2/M transition, with a premature synthesis of Mos and AuroraA proteins. However, the kinetic of Mos mRNA polyadenylation is not modified. Furthermore, X77K represses mRNA translation in vitro. These results suggest that X77K could be involved in masking of mRNA prior to polyadenylation.
Digital Sliding Mode Pulsed Current Averaging IC Drivers for High Brightness Light Emitting Diodes

This paper proposes a digital controller with sliding mode pulsed current averaging scheme for high-brightness (HB) light emitting diodes (LED) IC drivers. The digital controller implements a control method to adjust the 'on time' of the active switch based on the comparison of output current and a reference current. The idea is to increase or decrease the duty cycle by discrete pulses in order to control the average current being delivered to the load. A variable frequency boost converter in discontinuous conduction mode (DCM) has been used to handle the required load current. No external analog-to-digital (A/D) converter is required for the application
Sleep loss due to worry and future risk of cardiovascular disease and all-cause mortality: the Scottish Health Survey

Background: The association between specific sleeping disorders and risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) is unclear. We assessed the association between sleep loss due to worry and future risk of CVD and death in a representative sample of community dwelling adults. Methods: A cohort of 11,905 adults (aged 53.4 ± 12.2 years, 42.2% male) without known history of CVD were drawn from the Scottish Health Surveys. Self-reported sleep disturbance was measured using a single item from the General Health Questionnaire. Incident CVD events (comprising CVD death, nonfatal myocardial infarction, coronary surgical procedures, stroke, and heart failure) over 8-year follow up were ascertained by a linkage to national registers; a total of 1448 CVD events and 1249 all-cause deaths were recorded. Results: 15.6% of the sample reported ‘rather more’ or ‘much more than usual’ sleep loss due to worry over the prior 4 weeks. Sleep loss due to worry (much more than usual) was associated with elevated risk of CVD [age- and sex-adjusted hazard ratio (HR) 1.74, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.35–2.25] and all-cause mortality (age- and sex-adjusted HR 2.02, 95% CI 1.57–2.61). Adjustment for a range of psychosocial, behavioural, and clinical risk factors partly attenuated the association, and in particular health behaviours (smoking, alcohol, physical inactivity) accounted for approximately 40% of the sleep–CVD relation. Conclusion: Sleep loss due to worry was associated with a greater risk of CVD and all-cause mortality, but the association can be largely explained by intermediate risk factors such as health behaviours.
Cell proliferation and death in the gastric epithelium of developing rats after glucocorticoid treatments

Glucocorticoids take part in the intense morphofunctional modifications that occur in the gastric mucosa during fetal and postnatal development. Two studies were designed to evaluate corticoids role in gastric cell proliferation and apoptosis in developing rats: in vivo, using suckling animals; in vitro, using gastric explants obtained from 20‐day fetuses. These explants were cultured in DMEM/F12 medium treated or not with 50 ng/ml of corticosterone; after 22 hr, vincristine was added to the medium for 2 hr to block mitosis. The metaphasic index decreased significantly after the 24‐hr treatment (controls: 1.52 ± 0.53; treated: 0.40 ± 0.21) and apoptotic cells were visualized under light and electron microscopy. Fifteen‐day‐old rats were treated with hydrocortisone (25 mg/Kg) for 3 days, and injected with BrDU (100 mg/Kg) 1 hr before sacrifice on the 18th day. BrDu‐labeled and non‐labeled cells were counted to determine the labeling index of epithelial cells. As apoptotic cells are rapidly eliminated, other animals were treated for only 2–3 hr. Sections were investigated for the presence of apoptotic cells, using morphological criteria and TUNEL labeling. Hydrocortisone significantly reduced the labeling index (controls: 15.6 ± 1.6 vs. treated: 11.7 ± 1.1), besides altering the body weight gain. Hydrocortisone treatment doubled the number of apoptotic cells after 2 hr, and quadruplicated it after 3 hr. The results demonstrated that glucocorticoids inhibit cell proliferation in the gastric epithelium of fetuses and suckling rats and increase apoptotic rates, suggesting the exit from cell cycle. Anat Rec 260:213–221, 2000. © 2000 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Ex-situ AlN seed layer for (0001)-textured Al0.84Sc0.16N thin films grown on SiO2 substrates

It is more difficult to nucleate AlN-ScN alloy thin films (AlScN) in pure (0001)-texture than it is with pure AlN thin films. AlN thus can serve as seed layer for AlScN. Equipment limitations may lead to the problem of a vacuum break between AlN and AlScN deposition, as it leads to oxidation of the AlN surface. This issue was studied with high resolution TEM and electron diffraction. The formed oxide layer disturbed a lot the epitaxial growth, leading to additional grain orientations. A mild RF etching step introduced before AlScN deposition was able to remove the oxide layer, and allowed for growing Al0.84Sc0. 16N in local epitaxy on AlN, as shown by Hyper map EDX images. The resulting AlScN films show a pure (0001) texture. Double beam laser interferometry and finite element modeling were used to determine d33, f of both layers together as 6.6 pm/V, and of 6.85 pm/V for AlScN alone when using the standard value of 3.9 pm/V for pure AlN. At the same time, the relative dielectric constant of Al0.84Sc0. 16N was determined as 14.1.
The Influence of Risk Factors for Metabolic Syndrome on Vascular Complications

We assessed the influence of metabolic syndrome (MetS) characteristics on vascular complications. The study included 108 patients (72 women and 36 men, age 57.0 ± 8.5 years) with MetS that was diagnosed according to International Diabetes Federation criteria. The prevalence of micro- and macrovascular complications was assessed: vascular changes in the fundus of the eye—72%, ischemic heart disease—54.9%, estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) <90 mL/min—38.9%, diabetic foot—5.55%, and cerebrovascular accident—3.7% of patients. A negative correlation between high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) concentration, creatinine levels, and level of vascular changes in the fundus of the eye was found. Moreover, the level of obesity and fasting glucose level had positive correlation with the intensity of vascular changes in the fundus of the eye. Characteristics of MetS (obesity and fasting glucose level) have high impact on advancing vascular complications in these patients. High level of HDL-C decreases the intensity of vascular changes in patients with MetS.