Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Incretin Mimetics as Emerging Treatments for Type 2 Diabetes

OBJECTIVE: To review the physiology, pharmacology, and clinical efficacy of glucagon-like peptide (GLP-1) and the incretin mimetics exenatide and liraglutide in clinical studies. DATA SOURCES: Primary literature obtained via MEDLINE (1966–April 2004) and International Pharmaceutical Abstracts (1970–April 2004) searches; abstracts obtained from meeting sources and manufacturers. STUDY SELECTION AND DATA EXTRACTION: All English-language studies and abstracts evaluating GLP-1, exenatide, and liraglutide in the treatment of patients with type 2 diabetes were reviewed. Data from animal studies were also included if human data were not available. Primary and review articles related to the physiology, development, and evaluation of GLP-1s were reviewed. DATA SYNTHESIS: GLP-1, exenatide (exendin-4, AC2993), and liraglutide (NN2211) are incretin mimetics that have been shown in human studies to be an effective treatment to improve glycemic control in patients with type 2 diabetes. Mechanisms by which these compounds improve glycemic control include enhancing glucose-dependent pancreatic secretion of insulin in response to nutrient intake, inhibiting glucagon secretion, delaying gastric emptying, and promoting early satiety. GLP-1 has been shown to promote pancreatic progenitor cell differentiation and improve β-cell function and lifespan. Reported adverse effects of exenatide and liraglutide include nausea, vomiting, and transient headache, as well as increased risk of hypoglycemia when used with sulfonylureas. CONCLUSIONS: Clinical studies show that GLP-1, exenatide, and liraglutide improve glycemic control for patients with type 2 diabetes through unique mechanisms not available with current pharmaceutical products. Ongoing Phase III studies will help to further position these compounds as treatment options for patients with type 2 diabetes.
Das Keynesianische Konsensmodell einer offenen Volkswirtschaft

Ein in der Forschung derzeit viel diskutiertes „Keynesianisches Konsensmodell“ findet zunehmend Eingang in die Lehrbuchliteratur, Romer (2000; 2006), Taylor (2007), Engelen/Graf Lambsdorff (2007a). Es ist an vielen Stellen realitätsnäher als das seit mehr als 30 Jahren als Standard in der Lehrbuchliteratur verwendete IS/LM-Modell. Darüber hinaus ist es einfacher und vielseitig anwendbar. Für die Darstellung einer offenen – d. h. mit dem Ausland durch Güterund Kapitalverkehr verbundenen – Volkswirtschaft erweitert der vorliegende Artikel dieses Konsensmodell um ein außenwirtschaftliches Gleichgewicht. Hierzu finden sich in der Literatur bisher nur vereinzelte Ansätze Romer (2006), Arnold (2003, S. 195–213). Es zeigt sich, dass diese Erweiterung einen Ersatz zum bisher überwiegend verwendeten Mundell-Fleming-Modell darstellt. Die Vorteile des Konsensmodells lassen sich somit auf die Analyse einer offenen Volkswirtschaft mit alternativen Wechselkursregimen übertragen. Ferner gelingt hierbei eine einfache Integration der Inflationsanpassung und der Kaufkraftparitätentheorie.
Bone density and skeletal metabolism are altered in idiopathic hypercalciuria.

OBJECTIVE To study bone density in hypercalciuric patients, when classified according to the main metabolic defect. METHODS We studied 49 patients, aged 19-60 years with calcium stones and idiopathic hypercalcuria. All subjects underwent an evaluation of mineral metabolism and a spinal and femoral DEXA measurement. Then, patients were classified as having Fasting (FH, 31 subjects) or Absorptive (AH, 18 patients) Hypercalciuria according to a standard oral calcium load. RESULTS Spinal bone density was lower only in FH patients as compared to controls (p <0.001). Bone alkaline phosphatase and urine hydroxyproline were higher with respect to controls only in patients with FH (p <0.005 and p <0.015, respectively). After low calcium diet, hydroxyproline excretion continued to be higher in FH patients (p <0.05). Although in the normal range, serum and urine uric acid were higher in hypercalciuric subjects (p <0.03 and p <0.005, respectively); blood pH was lower in hypercalciuric patients than in controls (p <0.01). In FH patients urine hydroxyproline negatively correlated with spinal and femoral density (p <0.001 and p <0.005, respectively), and blood pH positively correlated with spinal density. CONCLUSIONS a disordered bone metabolism and bone loss are present only in patients with fasting hypercalciuria. An excessive acid load, possibly of dietary origin, might be involved as a pathogenetic factor.
Testing fireproof professional garments under realistic working conditions

Current systems for testing fireproof garments, including those based on standards, exhibit significant limitations regarding the evaluation of important garment parameters or its behavior under practical working conditions, which largely affect the quality and, more importantly, the safety of the final product. This paper presents a new system that allows fireproof professional garments to be tested in an exhaustive way, addressing all main problems that firemen have to face in real situations. The behavior of such garments with regard to different heat transmission modes is analyzed, as well as the features and limitations of current testing systems. From this analysis, the design and development of the new testing system is described in detail, with emphasis on the electronic instrumentation involved. Practical issues are discussed and preliminary results are presented, which demonstrate the advantages and usefulness of the proposed system.
Neutralization of Tumor Necrosis Factor-Alpha Reduces Renal Fibrosis and Hypertension in Rats with Renal Failure

Background: Increased production of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) in chronic kidney disease may be involved in the progression of renal failure and injury, and cardiovascular disease. We investigated the effect of TNF-α neutralization on renal failure, inflammation and fibrosis, and blood pressure in rats with renal failure. Methods and Results: Renal failure was induced by renal mass reduction and the animals were treated with PEG-sTNFR1, a pegylated form of soluble TNF type 1 receptor that neutralizes TNF-α, for 6 weeks. Systolic, diastolic and mean arterial pressures were higher in renal failure rats that were associated with increased serum creatinine, albuminuria and renal injury comprised of blood vessel media hypertrophy, focal and segmental glomerulosclerosis, tubular atrophy and interstitial inflammation and fibrosis. These changes were associated with greater levels of TNF-α, transforming growth factor (TGF)-β1, nuclear transcription factor NF-ĸB and cytosolic phospho-IĸB-α, and inflammatory markers expression (ICAM-1, VCAM-1 and MCP-1). Moreover, endothelin (ET)-1 production was also increased, whereas nitric oxide (NO) release was decreased. TNF-α neutralization reduced hypertension, albuminuria and renal inflammation and fibrosis, which were coupled to a reduction in renal NF-ĸB activation, inflammatory markers expression, TGF-β1 and ET-1 production, and an increase in NO release. Conclusion: Neutralization of TNF-α in rats with renal failure decreases NF-ĸB activity that is associated with a reduction in renal TGF-β1 and ET-1 production, and an improvement of NO release. These effects likely reduce renal inflammation and fibrosis, and blood pressure indicating a pivotal role for TNF-α, at least, in the progression of renal injury.
La investigación sobre causas de muerte en la América Latina

Analiza la situacion actual, las perspectivas, asi como los posibles campos de trabajo de la calidad de los registros de muertes segun causas y otros aspectos relacionados con el tratamiento de la informacion; uso de la informacion sobre causas de muerte para determinar su contribucion al cambio de mortalidad general; posibles mejoras en la prediccion de la mortalidad futura.
Sympathetic activity recorded from the rat caudal ventral artery in vivo.

1. In twenty‐five sodium pentobarbitone (alpha‐chloralose supplemented)‐anaesthetized, artificially ventilated and paralysed rats, postganglionic sympathetic single unit activity was recorded at the level of the adventitia of the caudal ventral artery of the tail using a focal recording technique. 2. Ten units were identified as being sympathetic in nature, as they were activated following electrical stimulation of the lumbar sympathetic chain. The on‐going activity of seven of these was blocked by hexamethonium (6‐12 mg kg‐1). 3. The units were not under tonic baroreceptor modulation, as indicated by the lack of pulse modulation of discharge. Respiratory modulation was apparent, with neurones firing mainly during expiration (phrenic silence), and activity was influenced also by the lung inflation cycle. Whole‐body warming decreased unit activity. 4. Interspike interval and autocorrelation analysis showed that unit discharge was dominated by the respiratory rhythm and that units tended to discharge in bursts (often duplets). It is suggested that the intraburst interval may be determined by a hypothetical sympathetic oscillator. 5. This study presents the first analysis of single unit activity recorded in vivo from sympathetic fibres innervating an identified blood vessel.
Evolving dynamical networks: A formalism for describing complex systems

We introduce a comprehensive formalism called an Evolving Dynamical Network (EDN) that aims to provide a common description for many types of complex system in applied science and engineering. We expand the currently available formalisms and define a new modeling framework able to incorporate network topology, dynamics, and evolution in an integrated way. Although the main focus is to provide a common framework, we find that evolving dynamical networks also highlight several interesting implications regarding possible control mechanisms for complex systems. A physical example is used throughout to illustrate the advantages and limitations of the various approaches described in the article. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Complexity, 2011 © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Training-Induced Brain Remapping in Chronic Aphasia: A Pilot Study

Background. The neural correlates of training-induced improvements of cognitive functions after brain damage remain still scarcely understood. In the specific case of aphasia, although several investigations have addressed the issue of the neural substrates of functional recovery, only a few studies have attempted to assess the impact of language training on the damaged brain. Aims. The main goal of this study was to examine the neurobiological correlates of improved picture-naming performance in 2 aphasic patients who received intensive and specific training for a chronic and severe phonological anomia. Methods. In both participants, picture-naming performance was assessed before and after phonological cueing training. Training-induced changes in patients’ performance were correlated to brain activity patterns as revealed by pre- and post-training event-related functional magnetic resonance imaging scanning. Results. Training-induced improvement was observed concurrently with changes in the brain activation patterns. Better performance was observed in the patient with the smaller lesion, partially sparing Broca’s area, who showed a left perilesional reactivation. Conversely, the patient with complete destruction of Broca’s area showed a posttraining activation in the right mirror frontal region. Conclusions. The results show that, even in the chronic stage, phonological strategies may improve impaired naming and induce cerebral reorganization.
On-line monitoring of transformer bushings using a new decentralized measurement system

A new bushing insulation monitoring system based on decentralized measurements of the bushing-tap current is presented. The development of this decentralized system is driven by the need to reduce the implementation cost of bushing monitoring based on the comparison of specimens connected in parallel on the same electrical phase. GPS is used for time synchronization of the decentralized measurements. The phase and amplitude measurement accuracy specifications are respectively 0.01° and 0.1%. These specifications are required to allow monitoring of the insulation degradation as well as variations of the bushing capacitance and power/dissipation factor introduced by the fluctuation of the internal insulation temperature and ambient conditions (e.g. rain). Simulations of the new decentralized measurement system were performed to determine the detailed specifications. The system will be validated by comparing it with on-line measurements performed on nine 735/230-kV transmission transformers using a standard galvanic measurement system. These transformers are located in a substation with HVDC converters, which represents a challenging noisy environment for such accurate measurements.
Facile method for preparing superoleophobic surfaces with hierarchical microcubic/nanowire structures

To facilitate the fabrication of superoleophobic surfaces having hierarchical microcubic/nanowire structures (HMNS), even for low surface tension liquids including octane (surface tension = 21.1 mN m−1), and to understand the influences of surface structures on the oleophobicity, we developed a convenient method to achieve superoleophobic surfaces on aluminum substrates using chemical acid etching, anodization and fluorination treatment. The liquid repellency of the structured surface was validated through observable experimental results; the contact and sliding angle measurements. The etching condition required to ensure high surface roughness was established, and an optimal anodizing condition was determined, as a critical parameter in building the superoleophobicity. The microcubic structures formed by acid etching are essential for achieving the formation of the hierarchical structure, and therefore, the nanowire structures formed by anodization lead to an enhancement of the superoleophobicity for low surface tension liquids. Under optimized morphology by microcubic/nanowire structures with fluorination treatment, the contact angle over 150° and the sliding angle less than 10° are achieved even for octane.
Fuzzy weights estimation method based on the linguistic expression of criteria relevance

In this article, the quantified expression of criteria weights in decision-making processes is considered. A decision maker is often able to express his or her preferences only linguistically. The concept of fuzzy numbers, or linguistic variables, is used in order to state these vague preferences. A fuzzy number is considered as one with a triangular membership function, which renders an approximate value of the weight of a particular criterion according to linguistic terms about its importance. To set the strict (crisp) value of weights, the optimization model based on the maximin principle is proposed in two modifications. The proposed approaches are compared with other methods. Finally, the introduced methods are applied to a rather illustrative but real case of investment decision making in the capital market. The main results are discussed.
Relationship between degree of viremia and disease manifestation in calves with experimentally induced bovine viral diarrhea virus infection.

OBJECTIVE To compare degree of viremia and disease manifestations in calves with type-I and -II bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV) infection. ANIMALS 16 calves. PROCEDURE Colostrum-deprived calves obtained immediately after birth were assigned to 1 control and 3 treatment groups (4 calves/group). Calves in treatment groups were inoculated (day 0) by intranasal instillation of 10(7) median tissue culture infective dose BVDV 890 (type II), BVDV 7937 (type II), or BVDV TGAN (type I). Blood cell counts and virus isolation from serum and leukocytes were performed daily, whereas degree of viremia was determined immediately before and 4, 6, 8, and 12 days after inoculation. Calves were euthanatized on day 12, and pathologic, virologic, and immunohistochemical examinations were performed. RESULTS Type-II BVDV 890 induced the highest degree of viremia, and type-I BVDV TGAN induced the lowest. Virus was isolated more frequently and for a longer duration in calves inoculated with BVDV 890. A parallel relationship between degree of viremia and rectal temperature and an inverse relationship between degree of viremia and blood cell counts was observed. Pathologic and immunohistochemical examinations revealed more pronounced lesions and more extensive distribution of viral antigen in calves inoculated with type-II BVDV. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE Degree of viremia induced during BVDV infection is associated with severity of clinical disease. Isolates of BVDV that induce a high degree of viremia may be more capable of inducing clinical signs of disease. Strategies (eg, vaccination) that reduce viremia may control clinical signs of acute infection with BVDV.
Lipid Metabolism in Endotoxic Rats

Studies were conducted to investigate the effect of E. coli endotoxin administration on hepatic triglyceride lipase (H‐TGL) activity in rats, since H‐TGL activity is known to behave differently from lipoprotein lipase (LPL) activity in various situations. Plasma triglyceride and free fatty acid concentrations were markedly elevated in animals after injection of endotoxin. Cholesterol and phospholipids were also increased significantly. Lipoprotein analysis by ultracentrifugation showed that the most pronounced increase of lipoproteins was in the VLDL and IDL fractions. Triglyceride lipase activities in post‐heparin plasma were markedly decreased. A selective assay for H‐TGL activity using a specific antibody revealed that this enzyme as well as LPL is significantly decreased (26% of control) in endotoxic animals. Thus, the increase of VLDL and IDL appears to result from the decrease of both of LPL and H‐TGL.
A small and thin metasurface loop antenna

Novel metasurface-backed loop antenna is proposed for ISM-band wearable devices. The antenna is printed on a small-area and thin substrate the bottom of which is designed to get the characteristics of artificial magnetic conductor(AMC) for acceptable antenna performances and robustness over human skin contact. The advantages and validity of the structure are verified by full-wave simulation and experiments.
Quality of Life of Primary Open Angle Glaucoma Patients in Lagos, Nigeria: Clinical and Sociodemographic Correlates

PurposeTo evaluate the quality of life (QOL) of primary open angle glaucoma (POAG) patients attending a tertiary eye institution in Lagos, Nigeria and identify clinical and sociodemographic factors affecting it. MethodsA hospital-based cross-sectional analytical study design was used to compare 132 patients with varying degrees of severity of glaucoma (cases) with age-matched and sex-matched controls with essentially normal eyes and no family history of glaucoma. ResultsPOAG patients had reduced QOL as defined by the 2 instruments used: the National Eye Institute Visual Function Questionnaire25 (NEIVFQ25) and the 15-item Glaucoma Quality of life Questionnaire (GQL-15). The mean QOL score obtained with the NEIVFQ25 for the cases was 85.2 (±16.07) and 96.7 (±2.34) for the controls. Using the GQL-15 scale, the mean QOL score for the cases was 24.07 (±12.4), whereas for the controls the score was 15.75 (±1.85). Early or mild glaucoma was associated with reduced QOL compared with the controls. Glaucoma patients had the greatest difficulty with glare and dark adaptation subscale of the GQL-15. Increasing severity of disease defined by increasing visual field deficit (mean deviation values) correlated significantly with worsening QOL [Spearman &rgr; (r) values ranging from 0.32 to 0.43]. Contrast sensitivity correlated moderately with QOL (r ranges from 0.43 to 0.47; P=0.001). Cup-to-disc ratios, visual acuity, and visual field indices (mean deviation) correlated with QOL scores of both tools with r values ranging from 0.28 to 0.49 for the GQL-15 and 0.38 to 0.54 for the NEIVFQ25. Age had a negative impact on QOL (r=−0.30 for the NEIVFQ25 and 0.30 for the GQL-15) and affected all the subscales of the GQL-15 and most subscales of the NEIVFQ25 except ocular pain (P=0.40), mental health (P=0.13), color vision (P=0.05), and role difficulty (P=0.11). Women generally had better vision-related QOL scores (P=0.001 for the NEIVFQ25 and 0.005 for the GQL-15). Higher educational status was associated with better QOL scores (P<0.05). Ethnicity, religion, marital status, and living situation had no significant effect on QOL scores. ConclusionsPOAG reduces QOL even in the early stages of the disease, as there was a significant reduction in the QOL of patients with mild glaucoma compared with the controls. It showed a clear trend of worsening QOL scores with increasing severity of disease. The correlation observed between QOL scores and objective measures of visual function suggest that inclusion of QOL assessment in clinical practice could be highly informative and should be explored further.
Genetic aspects of miscarriage.

Fetal chromosome abnormalities account for about 50% of first-trimester pregnancy losses. Most of these abnormalities are numerical abnormalities (86%) and a low percentage is caused by structural abnormalities (6%) or other genetic mechanisms, including chromosome mosaicism (8%). The recurrence risk of numerical abnormalities is low, so karyotyping of fetal material in case of a miscarriage does not seem worthwhile in daily practice. Half of the structural abnormalities may be inherited from a parent carrying a balanced chromosome translocation or inversion. Parental carriership is found in 4-6% of the couples with recurrent miscarriage. In case of parental carriership of a balanced structural chromosome abnormality, a next pregnancy may result in a child with an unbalanced structural chromosome abnormality. This child can have multiple congenital malformations and/or a mental handicap. Prenatal diagnosis is therefore recommended. Conventional laboratory techniques, such as tissue culturing and karyotyping, or (semi-)direct chromosome technique of chorionic villi, and the recently developed laboratory techniques such as fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) and comparative genomic hybridization (CGH), are described successively. Until now, not enough evidence has been available about the role of other genetic mechanisms, such as single-gene abnormalities, uniparental disomy, genomic imprinting, multifactorial disorders and skewed X chromosome, in the occurrence of miscarriages.