Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Deep Inhalation Prevents the Respiratory Elastance Response to Methacholine in Rats

The bronchodilator effect of deep inhalation (DI) may be assessed from the time course of respiratory system resistance (Rrs) and reactance (Xrs) measured by the forced oscillation technique at a single frequency. The aim of the study was to assess the effect of DI in the closed chest rat. Under anesthesia and mechanical ventilation, seven Brown Norway rats were given regular DI (BN-di) and six underwent continuous tidal ventilation (BN) throughout an otherwise similar methacholine (Mch) challenge protocol. Rrs and Xrs were monitored at 20 Hz and apparent respiratory system elastance (Ers) was computed from Xrs. After Mch nebulization, there was a significant increase in Rrs and Ers compared with saline. Ers, but not Rrs, decreased after the DI and BN-di were found to have lower Ers than BN. Thus, DI significantly alters Ers and its response to Mch. Computer simulations suggested reversal of increased viscoelasticity and/or inhomogeneous behavior by the DI in that model.
The social accountability of medical schools

A Steering Committee funded by Health Canada, and representative of the medical schools, national medical organizations and government recently published this vision paper. With Health Canada support, work is underway by the Association of Canadian Medical Colleges (ACMC) to communicate the concept and principles of this vision to faculty, students, residents and other stakeholders, and assist medical schools in explicitly demonstrating their social accountability to the public. Social Accountability: Definition
Glia as a source of cytokines: Implications for neuronal excitability and survival

In the last decade, preclinical studies have provided a better characterization of the homeostatic and maladaptive mechanisms occurring either during the process of epileptogenesis or after the permanent epileptic state has emerged. Experimental evidence supported by clinical observations highlighted the possibility that brain inflammation is a common factor contributing, or predisposing, to the occurrence of seizures and cell death, in various forms of epilepsy of different etiologies. Expression of proinflammatory cytokines, as a hallmark of brain inflammation, has been demonstrated in glia in various experimental models of seizures and in human epilepsies. Experimental studies in rodents with perturbed cytokine systems indicate that these inflammatory mediators can alter neuronal excitability and affect cell survival by activating transcriptional and posttranslational intracellular pathways. This paper will provide an overview on the current knowledge in this field to discuss mechanistic hypotheses into the study of pathogenesis of epilepsy and recognize new potential therapeutic options.
Mechanisms for Noncontact Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injuries

Background The mechanism for noncontact anterior cruciate ligament injury is still a matter of controversy. Video analysis of injury tapes is the only method available to extract biomechanical information from actual anterior cruciate ligament injury cases. Purpose This article describes 3-dimensional knee joint kinematics in anterior cruciate ligament injury situations using a model-based image-matching technique. Study Design Case series; Level of evidence, 4. Methods Ten anterior cruciate ligament injury video sequences from women's handball and basketball were analyzed using the model-based image-matching method. Results The mean knee flexion angle among the 10 cases was 23° (range, 11°-30°) at initial contact (IC) and had increased by 24° (95% confidence interval [CI], 19°-29°) within the following 40 milliseconds. The mean valgus angle was neutral (range, -2° to 3°) at IC, but had increased by 12° (95% CI, 10°-13°) 40 milliseconds later. The knee was externally rotated 5° (range, -5° to 12°) at IC, but rotated internally by 8° (95% CI, 2°-14°) during the first 40 milliseconds, followed by external rotation of 17° (95% CI, 13°-22°). The mean peak vertical ground-reaction force was 3.2 times body weight (95% CI, 2.7-3.7), and occurred at 40 milliseconds after IC (range, 0-83). Conclusion Based on when the sudden changes in joint angular motion and the peak vertical ground-reaction force occurred, it is likely that the anterior cruciate ligament injury occurred approximately 40 milliseconds after IC. The kinematic patterns were surprisingly consistent among the 10 cases. All players had immediate valgus motion within 40 milliseconds after IC. Moreover, the tibia rotated internally during the first 40 milliseconds and then external rotation was observed, possibly after the anterior cruciate ligament had torn. These results suggest that valgus loading is a contributing factor in the anterior cruciate ligament injury mechanism and that internal tibial rotation is coupled with valgus motion. Prevention programs should focus on acquiring a good cutting and landing technique with knee flexion and without valgus loading of the knee.
Women physicians in academic medicine: new insights from cohort studies.

BACKGROUND I conducted a study to determine whether women who graduate from medical schools are more or less likely than their male counterparts to pursue full-time careers in academic medicine and to advance to the senior ranks of medical school faculties. METHODS The rates of advancement to the ranks of assistant, associate, and full professor for all U.S. medical school graduates from 1979 through 1993 and for all members of U.S. medical school faculties from 1979 through 1997 were studied. Cohorts were defined on the basis of the year of graduation from medical school, track (tenure or nontenure), and academic department. Within each cohort, the number of women who advanced to a senior rank was compared with the number that would be expected on the basis of parity between men and women, and 95 percent confidence intervals were calculated. RESULTS Women were significantly more likely than men to pursue an academic career. During the study period, 634 more women became faculty members than expected. The numbers were higher in the older cohorts than in the younger cohorts. The numbers of women who advanced to the ranks of associate and full professor were significantly lower than the expected numbers. This was true for both tenure and nontenure tracks, even after adjustment for the department. A total of 334 fewer women advanced to associate professor than expected, and 44 fewer women advanced to full professor than expected. CONCLUSIONS Disparities persist in the advancement of men and women on medical school faculties. However, the numbers of women physicians at all levels of academic medicine are increasing.
Otitis Media Update: Pathogenesis and Treatment

Otitis media primarily affects children, but can also lead to lifelong sequelae. Middle ear histopathologic changes and clinical manifestations can represent any part of a disease continuum, from acute to recurrent to chronic otitis media. Acute otitis media is most often caused by an acute respiratory viral infection and secondary replication of bacteria in the middle ear space and tissues, leading to symptoms and signs of infection (ie, fever, pain, tympanic membrane erythema). Antimicrobial therapy is the mainstay of management, and clinical response to different antimicrobial drugs appears to be similar. The bacteriologic efficacy of these drugs, however, is quite variable. Clearly, antimicrobial treatment of acute otitis media, which currently is largely empiric, must be fine-tuned on the basis of patient and disease variation.
Wewnątrzregionalne zróżnicowanie płac w Polsce

The paper discusses some theoretical aspects of the spatial inequality of wages and presents a comparative analysis of intraregional diversity of wages in Polish regions. The study regards the districts at NUTS-4 level for the years 2004–2014. It was stated that in 7 regions of central and western Poland a decrease of intraregional diversity of wages took place. In the eastern part of Poland such process did not appear.
Intergenic Transcription Is Not Required in Th2 Cells to Maintain Histone Acetylation and Transcriptional Permissiveness at the Il4-Il13 Locus1

Noncoding RNA transcripts mapping to intergenic regions of the Il4-Il13 locus have been detected in Th2 cells harboring transcriptionally permissive Il4 and Il13 genes but not in Th1 cells where these genes are repressed. This correlation has given rise to the idea that intergenic transcription may be involved in maintaining the “open” chromatin structure of the Il4-Il13 locus in Th2 cells. We present evidence from real-time RT-PCR, nuclear run on, chromatin immunoprecipitation and 5,6-dichlorobenzimidazole 1-β-d-ribofuranoside-mediated transcriptional inhibition analyses that argue against this hypothesis. Instead, our results are consistent with an alternative role for intergenic transcription in the maintenance of transcriptional silence in Th1-primed cells.
Relevance of immunological variables in neuroborreliosis and multiple sclerosis

Objectives – The aims were to investigate the frequency of intrathecal synthesis of specific antibodies against measles (M), rubella (R) and varicella zoster (Z) viruses (MRZ reaction) as a diagnostic marker between multiple sclerosis (MS) and neuroborreliosis (NB) groups and to postulate the most typical cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) variables profile of these entities.
Sympatho‐inhibitory actions of irbesartan in pithed spontaneously hypertensive and Wistar–Kyoto rats

Angiotensin II (Ang II) can enhance sympathetic neurotransmission by acting on (AT1) receptors that are located on sympathetic nerve terminals. We investigated presynaptic blockade by the selective AT1‐receptor antagonist irbesartan in pithed spontaneously hypertensive rats and normotensive Wistar–Kyoto rats (WKY). We compared the presynaptic inhibitory dose with that required for the blockade of AT1‐receptors on vascular smooth muscle in both strains.
Cerebral microenvironment influences expression of the vitronectin gene in astrocytic tumors.

Expression of the vitronectin gene was detected in advanced human astrocytoma by in situ hybridization, whereas vitronectin mRNA was undetectable in low grade tumors or in normal adult brain, indicating that vitronectin is a marker of malignant astrocytoma. We established a model of human astrocytoma by transplanting U-251MG human astrocytoma cells intracerebrally into acid mice (C.B.17 severe combined immunodeficient mice). In this model, tumors progressed rapidly and vitronectin mRNA was preferentially detected at the invading tumor margins, i.e. where tumor cells were adjacent to the normal brain tissue. Surprisingly, when U-251MG cells were injected subcutaneously into scid mice, vitronectin mRNA was undetectable throughout the tumor. Moreover, vitronectin mRNA or protein could not be detected among these cells in culture under a wide variety of growth conditions. These findings demonstrate that the cerebral microenvironment influences the expression of the vitronectin gene in malignant astrocytoma. Importantly, the vitronectin binding integrins alpha v beta 3 and alpha v beta 5 localized to distinct sites within these tumors, with beta 3 mRNA synthesized among invading cells, and alpha v and beta 5 mRNAs detected throughout the tumor. In vitro, both of these receptors were capable of promoting adhesion and invasion of astrocytoma cells on a vitronectin substratum. These findings implicate the expression of the vitronectin gene as a contributing factor to the biological behavior of astrocytomas within the cerebral microenvironment.
Accrual and real-based earnings management by UK acquirers: evidence from pre- and post-Higgs periods

Purpose This study investigates the occurrence of pre-merger earnings management for a sample of 197 stock- and cash-financed UK acquirers between 1990 and 2009. We also examine the earnings management behavior around the change in the Corporate Governance Code in 2003 based on the Higgs recommendations. Design/methodology/approach Mean and median accrual and real-based manipulation are examined in the period before the announcement of a merger and acquisition. These are compared across stock and cash acquirers as well as before and after the implementation of the Higgs recommendations. We also run logistic regressions to examine accrual and real-based manipulation across stock and cash acquirers after controlling for variables that may impact the acquisition type. Findings We find some evidence of upward pre-merger accrual-based earnings management by stock-financed acquirers, which is in line with the findings of Botsari and Meeks (2008). Furthermore, we do not find significant changes in the post-Higgs.
Twin studies advance the understanding of gene–environment interplay in human nutrigenomics

Investigations into the genetic architecture of diet–disease relationships are particularly relevant today with the global epidemic of obesity and chronic disease. Twin studies have demonstrated that genetic makeup plays a significant role in a multitude of dietary phenotypes such as energy and macronutrient intakes, dietary patterns, and specific food group intakes. Besides estimating heritability of dietary assessment, twins provide a naturally unique, case–control experiment. Due to their shared upbringing, matched genes and sex (in the case of monozygotic (MZ) twin pairs), and age, twins provide many advantages over classic epidemiological approaches. Future genetic epidemiological studies could benefit from the twin approach particularly where defining what is ‘normal’ is problematic due to the high inter-individual variability underlying metabolism. Here, we discuss the use of twins to generate heritability estimates of food intake phenotypes. We then highlight the value of discordant MZ pairs to further nutrition research through discovery and validation of biomarkers of intake and health status in collaboration with cutting-edge omics technologies.
Beyond the Paris Agreement: Climate change policy negotiations and future directions

At the conclusion of the Paris conference, this paper provides a review of the history of international negotiations on global warming for the past three decades with an emphasis on details of Paris agreements. Founding documents of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) are reviewed. Major outcomes as well as conflicts on the stringency of global mitigation efforts observed from the series of Conferences of the Parties (COP) since 1992 are explained: Rio Earth Summit, Kyoto Protocol, Copenhagen Accord, Cancun Agreement, Durban Platform, and Paris Agreement. The development of the financial instrument called the Green Climate Fund (GCF) and the tensions among the parties on the fund are reviewed. The paper describes the current states of the global negotiations on various fronts at the aftermath of the Paris COP. The paper concludes by putting forth future directions of the negotiations and the ideal policies that can be agreed upon at the international level, which focus on adaptation, technologies, incentives, and exchanges.
[Inhibition of the production of infectious particles in cells infected with Junín virus in the presence of tunicamycin].

The antibiotic tunicamycin, an inhibitor of glycoprotein synthesis, suppressed Junin virus multiplication in Vero cells. No infectious virus was formed if tunicamycin was added, at a concentration of 1 microgram/ml, immediately after virus adsorption and remained up to the end of the replicative cycle. Tunicamycin added at 24,48 or 72 hours p.i. immediately stopped virus synthesis. The effect was irreversible. Virus grown in the presence or absence of tunicamycin and labelled with 3H-uridine was purified and layered on a (20-60%) sucrose gradient. The radioactive profile of both gradients was coincident. The total number of cpm associated to the peak gradient of virus grown with tunicamycin represented 70% of the cpm from control virus. Since viral infectivity was 99.4% inhibited in the presence of TM it can be assumed that most of the radioactive particles formed are not infectious. Therefore, in the presence of tunicamycin Junin virus buds normally. From these results we can conclude that carbohydrates are important for viral infectivity but play no role in the transport of viral proteins through cellular membranes.
Research on Quantitative Trading Strategy Based on Neural Network Algorithm and Fisher Linear Discriminant

Based on the trend background of financial development in China in recent years, and statistical analysis of trend line, this paper establishes the quantitative trading strategy through the BP Neural Network Algorithm and the Fisher Linear Discriminant. Firstly, the data is linearly regressed into equal-length trend lines and the slope is fuzzified to build the matrix of upward trend and downward trend. And then use BP Neural Network Algorithm and Fisher Linear Discriminant to carry on the price forecast respectively and take transaction behavior, and correspondingly we take Shanghai and Shenzhen 300 stock index futures as an example to carry on the back test. The result shows that, firstly, the initial price trend is well retained by fitting; secondly, the profitability and risk control ability of the trading system are improved through the training optimization of Neural Network and Fisher Linear Discriminant.
Computable General Equilibrium Simulations of the COMESA-EAC-SADC Tripartite Free Trade Agreement

Building upon earlier work by Willenbockel (2013; MPRA Paper No.51501), this study provides an extended ex-ante computable general equilibrium (CGE) assessment of the Tripartite Free Trade Agreement between the member states of the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa, the East African Community and the Southern African Development Community. The CGE approach enables a consistent integrated predictive evaluation of sectoral production and employment impacts, aggregate income and welfare effects of changes in trade barriers while taking full account of the macroeconomic repercussion arising e.g. from terms-of-trade effects, tariff revenue changes and intersectoral input-output linkages. The simulation analysis considers four distinct trade integration scenarios, which are based upon the agreed tariff reduction modalities and differ in their assumptions about export taxes, trade facilitation efforts and labour supply elasticities.
Clusterin expression is associated with decreased disease‐free survival of patients with colorectal carcinomas

Redondo M, Rodrigo I, Alcaide J, Tellez T, Roldan M J, Funez R, Diaz‐Martin A, Rueda A & Jiménez E (2010) Histopathology 56, 932–936 Clusterin expression is associated with decreased disease‐free survival of patients with colorectal carcinomas
Breast conservation after neoadjuvant chemotherapy: the MD Anderson cancer center experience.

PURPOSE To determine patterns of local-regional recurrence (LRR) and ipsilateral breast tumor recurrence (IBTR) among patients treated with breast conservation therapy after neoadjuvant chemotherapy. PATIENTS AND METHODS Between 1987 and 2000, 340 cases of breast cancer were treated with neoadjuvant chemotherapy followed by conservative surgery and radiation therapy. Clinical stage at diagnosis (according to the 2003 American Joint Committee on Cancer system) was I in 4%, II in 58%, and III in 38% of patients. Only 4% had positive surgical margins. RESULTS At a median follow-up period of 60 months (range, 10 to 180 months), 29 patients had developed LRR, 16 of which were IBTRs. Five-year actuarial rates of IBTR-free and LRR-free survival were 95% and 91%, respectively. Variables that positively correlated with IBTR and LRR were clinical N2 or N3 disease, pathologic residual tumor larger than 2 cm, a multifocal pattern of residual disease, and lymphovascular space invasion in the specimen. The presence of any one of these factors was associated with 5-year actuarial IBTR-free and LRR-free survival rates of 87% to 91% and 77% to 84%, respectively. Initial T category (T1-2 v T3-4) correlated with LRR but did not correlate with IBTR (5-year IBTR-free rates of 96% v 92%, respectively, P =.19). CONCLUSION Breast conservation therapy after neoadjuvant chemotherapy results in acceptably low rates of LRR and IBTR in appropriately selected patients, even those with T3 or T4 disease. Advanced nodal involvement at diagnosis, residual tumor larger than 2 cm, multifocal residual disease, and lymphovascular space invasion predict higher rates of LRR and IBTR.
Phytoremediation—A Novel and Promising Approach for Environmental Clean-up

ABSTRACT Phytoremediation is an eco friendly approach for remediation of contaminated soil and water using plants. Phytoremediation is comprised of two components, one by the root colonizing microbes and the other by plants themselves, which degrade the toxic compounds to further non-toxic metabolites. Various compounds, viz. organic compounds, xenobiotics, pesticides and heavy metals, are among the contaminants that can be effectively remediated by plants. Plant cell cultures, hairy roots and algae have been studied for their ability to degrade a number of contaminants. They exhibit various enzymatic activities for degradation of xenobiotics, viz. dehalogenation, denitrification leading to breakdown of complex compounds to simple and non-toxic products. Plants and algae also have the ability to hyper accumulate various heavy metals by the action of phytochelatins and metallothioneins forming complexes with heavy metals and translocate them into vacuoles. Molecular cloning and expression of heavy metal accumulator genes and xenobiotic degrading enzyme coding genes resulted in enhanced remediation rates, which will be helpful in making the process for large-scale application to remediate vast areas of contaminated soils. A few companies worldwide are also working on this aspect of bioremediation, mainly by transgenic plants to replace expensive physical or chemical remediation techniques. Selection and testing multiple hyperaccumulator plants, protein engineering of phytochelatin and membrane transporter genes and their expression would enhance the rate of phytoremediation, making this process a successful one for bioremediation of environmental contamination. Recent years have seen major investments in the R&D, which have also resulted in competition of filing patents by several companies for economic gains. The details of science & technology related to phytoremediation have been discussed with a focus on future trends and prospects of global relevance.
AlGaN/GaN HEMTs With Damage-Free Neutral Beam Etched Gate Recess for High-Performance Millimeter-Wave Applications

The electrical performances of gate-recessed AlGaN/GaN high-electron mobility transistors (HEMTs) fabricated using the damage-free neutral beam etching (NBE) method are demonstrated. The NBE method could eliminate the plasma-induced defects generated by irradiating ultraviolet/VUV photons in the conventional inductively coupled plasma reactive ion etching method. The AlGaN/GaN HEMT device fabricated using the new gate recess process exhibited superior electrical performances, including a maximum drain current density (IDS,max) of 1.54 A/mm, low 1/f noise, a current-gain cutoff frequency (fT) of 153 GHz, a maximum frequency of oscillation (fMAX) of 167 GHz, and a minimum noise figure (NFmin) of 3.28 dB with an associated gain (GAS) of 5.06 dB at 54 GHz. Such superior characteristics confirm the inherent advantages of adopting the damage-free NBE process in fabricating GaN devices for millimeter-wave applications.