Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Intraputaminal infusion of nerve growth factor to support adrenal medullary autografts in Parkinson's disease. One-year follow-up of first clinical trial.

Experimental studies in rodents show that beta-nerve growth factor can increase the survival, neurite outgrowth, and functional effect of grafts of adrenal chromaffin cells to the basal ganglia. We, therefore, have begun to investigate whether treatment with nerve growth factor might also increase the functional effect of autografts of adrenal medullary tissue in patients with Parkinson's disease. Previous studies have shown that stereotactic implantation of adrenal tissue pieces produces a transient functional improvement that lasts for a few months. This report describes a trial of grafting of adrenal chromaffin tissue into the putamen, supported by infusion of nerve growth factor. The patient is a 63-year-old woman with a 19-year history of Parkinson's disease, now complicated by on-off phenomena and drug-induced hyperkinesia, despite optimized medical management. The left adrenal gland was removed, and the medulla was dissected into 1- to 2-mm3 pieces in a solution containing nerve growth factor purified from mouse submandibular gland. Pieces were implanted in six tracts 3 to 4 mm from a previously placed cannula in the left putamen. Through the cannula, nerve growth factor was infused for 23 days for a total dose of 3.3 mg. Clinical assessment consisted of global ratings for rigidity and/or hypokinesia and for drug-induced hyperkinesia. Measures of gait and fine-motor control were also made. The motor readiness potential and auditory evoked potentials were recorded. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Frequency and significance of a small distal ICA in carotid artery stenosis.

PURPOSE Accurate calculation of the percentage of stenosis is crucial for identifying candidates for endarterectomy. Our goal was to quantify the reduction in diameter of the distal internal carotid artery (ICA) as a function of proximal ICA stenosis and to discuss the implications of distal ICA narrowing on the calculation of percentage of stenosis using the criteria of the North American Symptomatic Carotid Endarterectomy Trial (NASCET). METHODS We retrospectively reviewed the carotid angiograms of 81 patients referred for evaluation of carotid stenosis. The caliber of the ICA stenosis and the diameters of the normal distal ICA, the common carotid artery, and the internal maxillary artery were remeasured with precision calipers. The percentage of stenosis derived from the NASCET criteria were compared with vessel diameter and with the difference in size of the ipsilateral and contralateral distal ICAs. We then recalculated the percentage of stenosis by substituting the presumed normal contralateral distal ICA diameter for the ipsilateral distal ICA diameter. RESULTS In carotid arteries without significant stenosis (<70%), the distal ICA diameter measured 5.94+/-1.10 mm, but in vessels with severe stenosis (>70%), the distal ICA diameter measured 4.69+/-1.23 mm. After recalculation, four of 26 vessels were upgraded in classification from moderate (40% to 69%) to severe (>70%) stenosis. CONCLUSION The diameter of the distal ICA begins to decrease when the proximal stenosis is 60% or greater. If the ICA distal to a stenosis is smaller than the contralateral ICA, recalculating the percentage of stenosis by substituting measurements of the contralateral distal ICA diameter may be warranted.
Epoxide hydrolase Tyr113His polymorphism is not associated with susceptibility to esophageal squamous cell carcinoma in population of North China.

AIM To investigate the possible association of microsomal epoxide hydrolase (mEH) Tyr113His polymorphism with susceptibility to esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) in a population of North China. METHODS The mEH Tyr113His genotypes were determined by polymerase-chain reaction (PCR)-restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) analysis in 257 patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) and 252 healthy subjects as a control group. RESULTS The frequencies for Tyr and His alleles were 44.2%, 55.8% in ESCC patients, and 44.0% and 56.0% in healthy subjects, respectively. No statistic difference in allele distribution was observed between ESCC patients and controls (chi2=0.008, P=0.929). The overall genotype distribution difference was not observed between cancer cases and controls (chi2=2.116, P=0.347). Compared with Tyr/Tyr genotype, neither His/His genotype nor in combination with Tyr/His genotype significantly modified the risk of the development of ESCC, the adjusted odds ratio was 1.076 (95% CI=0.850-1.361) and 0.756 (95% CI=0.493-1.157), respectively. When stratified for sex, age, smoking status and family history of upper gastrointestinal cancer, His/His genotype alone or in combination with Tyr/His genotype also did not show any significant influence on the risk of developing ESCC. CONCLUSION MEH Tyr113His polymorphism may not be used as a stratification marker in screening individuals at a high risk of ESCC.
Human gastric mucosal hydrophobicity does not decrease with Helicobacter pylori infection or chronological age.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS Infection with cytotoxin-associated gene A (cagA) Helicobacter pylori is associated with severe gastric diseases. Previous studies in humans have reported a decreased gastric hydrophobicity with H pylori infection. The aim of the present study was to differentiate between the effect of cagA+ and cagA- strains on gastric mucus hydrophobicity. METHODS One hundred patients without peptic ulcers and not on medication were randomly recruited from endoscopy clinics; each patient had six biopsies. Contact angle measurements were performed using a goniometer assisted by computer software. H pylori status was assessed by histology, Campylobacter-like organism test and culture, and cagA+ status was determined by polymerase chain reaction. RESULTS In age- and sex-matched patients, there was no significant difference (P=0.27) in contact angle between H pylori-positive (61+/-2.8 degrees ) and H pylori-negative patients (65.5+/-3.0 degrees ). There was also no significant difference (P=0.36) in contact angle among H pylori-negative, cagA- and cagA+ patients (65.5+/-3.0 degrees , 58.6+/-3.6 degrees and 63.4+/-4.9 degrees , respectively). However, a trend of increased mean contact angles in cagA+ compared with cagA- and H pylori-negative patients was observed in patients 50 years and younger (68.3+/-8.3 degrees , 61.1+/-6.1 degrees and 63.6+/-2.2 degrees , respectively; P=0.70) and in patients without atrophy (71.1+/-8 degrees , 59.6+/-4 degrees and 66+/-2 degrees , respectively; P=0.30). In addition, there was no significant correlation between contact angles and patient age (r=0.104, P=0.306). CONCLUSIONS The present study shows that H pylori infection and the chronological age have no effect on the gastric mucus hydrophobicity, but it highlights a trend of increased mucus hydrophobicity with cagA+ infection that needs to be supported by future studies.
Biodistribution of radiolabeled adenosylcobalamin in patients diagnosed with various malignancies.

OBJECTIVE To study the biodistribution of a vitamin B12 analog, indium In 111-labeled diethylenetriaminepentaacetate adenosylcobalamin (In 111 DAC), in patients recently diagnosed as having primary or recurrent malignancy. PATIENTS AND METHODS Thirty patients (14 women and 16 men) with radiographically or clinically diagnosed breast, lung, colon, sarcomatous, thyroid, or central nervous system malignancies were studied prior to definitive surgery or biopsy. A maximum of 650 microCi (2.2 microg) of In 111 DAC was administered intravenously. Vitamin B12 and folate levels were determined prior to injection. Serum clearance and urinary and stool excretion of the tracer were measured. Images were routinely obtained at 0.5, 3 to 5, and 20 to 24 hours after injection. Biodistribution of In 111 DAC was determined by computer analysis of regions of interest. RESULTS Serum T1/2 clearance was 7 minutes. Average urinary and stool excretion of the injected dose over 24 hours was 26.1% and 0.4%, respectively. The greatest focal uptake of In 111 DAC occurred in the liver and spleen, followed by the nasal cavity and salivary and lacrimal glands. The average tumor uptake of the injected dose was 2% at 30 minutes and 1.5% at 24 hours. High-grade primary and metastatic breast, lung, colon, thyroid, and sarcomatous malignancies were all imaged at 3 to 5 hours after injection. Central nervous system tumors and advanced metastatic prostate cancer were best identified at 24 hours. Mammographically occult, palpable, and nonpalpable breast cancers were delineated by In 111 DAC. Low-grade malignancies as well as early skeletal metastatic disease were not effectively imaged by the vitamin B12 tracer. Patients with elevated baseline vitamin B12 or those concurrently taking corticosteroids appeared to have optimal visualization of their malignancies. CONCLUSION Vitamin B12 may be a useful vehicle for delivering diagnostic and therapeutic agents to various malignancies. Further evaluation of cobalamin analogs and their interaction with transport proteins and cellular receptors within malignant tissue and infection is warranted.
[Statistic analysis for the association of hormone dynamics and biochemical parameters with bone turnover in surgically induced menopause].

The association between hormone dynamics and bone turnover was statistically examined in 52 women with surgically induced menopause. The mean values of 19 laboratory items which included hormones as well as parameters of bone metabolism were obtained and analyzed by Spearman's rank test. Linear regression models were established. Based on Pearson's correlation matrices, the principal components were analyzed. Matrices were formed from factor loading derived from Varimax's rotation, and their statistical significance was evaluated. 1. Significant correlations were determined from both the examination of the data analyzed separately at the levels of artificial menopause (bilateral and unilateral) and oophorectomy (OVX) method (bilateral or unilateral). For the patients who had bilateral OVX, the pairs showing a positive correlation (0.01 < P, 0.05 < P) were 1-25-(OH)2D with E2 or ASD, 25-(OH)D with E2, E3, Progesterone, or ASD, CT with Progesterone, ASD, or Testosterone, S.A1-P with FSH or LH, and S.Ca with LH. The pairs showing a weaker positive correlation were PTH with E2 or E3, CT with E2, E3 with S.Acid-P or U.Ca/CRN, and S.Ca with FSH. The pairs showing a negative correlation (0.01 < P, 0.05 < P) were S.A1-P with E2 or Progesterone, and S.Ca with Testosterone. The pairs showing a weaker negative correlation were S.A1-P with ASD. For the patients who had unilateral OVX, the pairs showing a positive correlation were 1-25-(OH)2D with E2, ASD, or Testosterone, 25-(OH)D with E2, E3, Progesterone, or ASD, CT with Progesterone, ASD, or Testosterone, and PTH with ASD. The pairs showing a weaker positive correlation were PTH with E2 or E3, and CT with E2. The pairs showing a negative correlation were S.Ca with Testosterone. The pairs showing a weaker negative correlation were S.A1-P with ASD. There was a small but significant difference between the two groups. However, Estrogen and Androgen in sex steroids, and S.A1-P, S.Ca, CT, PTH, 1-25-(OH)2D, and 25-(OH)D in bone parameters, all changed early or late at different rates but participated concomitantly with the high bone turn-over induced by OVX, particularly in bilateral. 2. Significant correlations among all parameters were determined for data analyzed at the level of artificial menopause. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)
Bioabsorbable metal stents for percutaneous treatment of critical recoarctation of the aorta in a newborn

In neonates and infants with critical aortic coarctation, balloon angioplasty is considered for rescue therapy of heart failure. The use of conventional stents is limited because of further vessel growth, the need of redilation, and later surgical removal. However, a novel bioabsorbable magnesium stent (AMS) might overcome such restrictions of vessel stenting in newborns. Presented is the first use of an AMS for acute treatment of a newborn with severely impaired heart function due to a long segment recoarctation after a complex surgical repair. We hypothesize that bioabsorbable stents will dramatically change the treatment of coarctation and recoarctation in newborns. © 2006 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Regulation of growth anisotropy in well-watered and water-stressed maize roots. II. Role Of cortical microtubules and cellulose microfibrils

We tested the hypothesis that the degree of anisotropic expansion of plant tissues is controlled by the degree of alignment of cortical microtubules or cellulose microfibrils. Previously, for the primary root of maize (Zea mays L.), we quantified spatial profiles of expansion rate in length, radius, and circumference and the degree of growth anisotropy separately for the stele and cortex, as roots became thinner with time from germination or in response to low water potential (B.M. Liang, A.M. Dennings, R.E. Sharp, T.I. Baskin [1997] Plant Physiol 115:101-111). Here, for the same material, we quantified microtubule alignment with indirect immunofluorescence microscopy and microfibril alignment throughout the cell wall with polarized-light microscopy and from the innermost cell wall layer with electron microscopy. Throughout much of the growth zone, mean orientations of microtubules and microfibrils were transverse, consistent with their parallel alignment specifying the direction of maximal expansion rate (i.e. elongation). However, where microtubule alignment became helical, microfibrils often made helices of opposite handedness, showing that parallelism between these elements was not required for helical orientations. Finally, contrary to the hypothesis, the degree of growth anisotropy was not correlated with the degree of alignment of either microtubules or microfibrils. The mechanisms plants use to specify radial and tangential expansion rates remain uncharacterized.
Thyroid transcription factor 1--a new prognostic factor in lung cancer: a meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND The aim of this study was to determine the prognostic role for survival of thyroid transcription factor 1 (TTF-1) in lung cancer. METHODS Studies evaluating survival and TTF-1 in lung cancer patients, published until August 2005, were assessed with a methodological scoring system. The required data for estimation of individual hazard ratios (HRs) for survival were extracted from the publications and a combined HR was calculated. RESULTS We identified 10 eligible papers, all dealing with non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Eight were meta-analysed (evaluable studies). Seven studies included patients with local and/or locoregional diseases and three dealt only with adenocarcinoma. Median methodological quality score was 65.9% (range = 31.8%-70.5%). TTF-1 positivity was associated with statistically significant reduced or improved survival in one and four studies, respectively. Combined HR for the eight evaluable studies was 0.64 [95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.41-1.00]. In the subgroup of adenocarcinoma, the combined HR was 0.53 (95% CI = 0.29-0.95). CONCLUSION TTF-1 is a good prognostic factor for survival in NSCLC. Its effect appears also significant when the analysis is restricted to patients with adenocarcinoma. This study supports the fact that TTF-1 could be included in further prospective trials studying prognostic factors in NSCLC.
Efficacy of β-mannanase supplementation to corn–soya bean meal-based diets on growth performance, nutrient digestibility, blood urea nitrogen, faecal coliform and lactic acid bacteria and faecal noxious gas emission in growing pigs

Abstract A study was conducted to determine the efficacy of β-mannanase supplementation to a diet based on corn and soya bean meal (SBM) on growth performance, nutrient digestibility, blood urea nitrogen (BUN), faecal coliforms and lactic acid bacteria, and noxious gas emission in growing pigs. A total of 140 pigs [(Landrace × Yorkshire) × Duroc; average body weight 25 ± 3 kg] were randomly allotted to a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement with dietary treatments consisting of hulled or dehulled SBM without or with supplementation of 400 U β-mannanase/kg. During the 6 weeks of experimental feeding, β-mannanase supplementation had no effect on body weight gain, feed intake and gain:feed (G:F) ratio. Compared with dehulled SBM, feeding hulled SBM caused an increased feed intake of pigs in the entire trial (p = 0.05). The G:F ratio was improved in pigs receiving dehulled SBM (p < 0.05). Dietary treatments did not influence the total tract digestibility of dry matter, nitrogen and gross energy. Enzyme supplementation reduced (p < 0.05) the population of faecal coliforms and tended to reduce the NH3 concentration after 24 h of fermentation in a closed box containing faecal slurry. Feeding hulled SBM tended to reduce NH3 emission on days 3 and 5 of fermentation. In conclusion, mannanase supplementation had no influence on growth performance and nutrient digestibility but showed a positive effect on reducing coliform population and tended to reduce NH3 emission. Dehulled SBM increased G:F ratio and hulled SBM tended to reduce NH3 emission.
Promoting knowledge sharing in Tunisian KIFs through HRM Practices. The mediating role of human capital and learning climate

Abstract Although human capital and learning climate have been considered in the SHRM Literature as two critical predictors of organizational success, little efforts have been made to examining their role in knowledge sharing. Our research aims at filling this gap. Using data from 203 knowledge workers in seven Tunisian KIFs, our study provides evidence, on a first level, for a direct link between the five HR practices and knowledge sharing. On a second level, we report a mediating role of human capital. In congruence with prior SHRM research, this result implies that the knowledge-based HR practices influence the value and uniqueness of the employees’ KSAOs, which in turn will improve their knowledge sharing behavior. On a third and final level, our results suggest that learning climate plays a mediation role as well. Such a result echoes recent research findings that confirmed the importance of learning climates in shaping employees’ behaviors toward achieving specific organizational objectives. Our findings provide important insights on the intermediary mechanisms between HRM practices and knowledge sharing behavior in KIFs and offer interesting research perspectives on the under-theorized role of human capital in a knowledge sharing context.
Discordant Association of C‐Reactive Protein With Clinical Events and Coronary Luminal Narrowing in Postmenopausal Women: Data From the Women's Angiographic Vitamin and Estrogen (WAVE) Study

The incidence of cardiovascular events had been shown to be associated with C‐reactive protein (CRP). However, it is unclear that the cardiovascular risk associated with CRP is due to progressive coronary narrowing or to other factors such as formation of unstable plaque. This study was designed to determine the effect of baseline CRP on cardiovascular events and on the progression of atherosclerotic narrowing among 423 postmenopausal women with angiographic stenosis between 15% and 75%.
Change in negative cognitions associated with PTSD predicts symptom reduction in prolonged exposure.

OBJECTIVE The goal of the current study was to examine mechanisms of change in prolonged exposure (PE) therapy for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Emotional processing theory of PTSD proposes that disconfirmation of erroneous cognitions associated with PTSD is a central mechanism in PTSD symptom reduction; but to date, the causal relationship between change in pathological cognitions and change in PTSD severity has not been established. METHOD Female sexual or nonsexual assault survivors (N = 64) with a primary diagnosis of PTSD received 10 weekly sessions of PE. Self-reported PTSD symptoms, depression symptoms, and PTSD-related cognitions were assessed at pretreatment, each of the 10 PE treatment sessions, and posttreatment. RESULTS Lagged mixed-effect regression models indicated that session-to-session reductions in PTSD-related cognitions drove successive reductions in PTSD symptoms. By contrast, the reverse effect of PTSD symptom change on change in cognitions was smaller and did not reach statistical significance. Similarly, reductions in PTSD-related cognitions drove successive reductions in depression symptoms, whereas the reverse effect of depression symptoms on subsequent cognition change was smaller and not significant. Notably, the relationships between changes in cognitions and PTSD symptoms were stronger than the relationships between changes in cognitions and depression symptoms. CONCLUSIONS To our knowledge, this is the 1st study to establish change in PTSD-related cognitions as a central mechanism of PE treatment. These findings are consistent with emotional processing theory and have important clinical implications for the effective implementation of PE.
Goal and Strategies of an Insurgent Group: Violent and Non-violent Actions

Abstract We model the strategy of an insurgent group that follows a pattern of prolonged popular war but negotiates with the government. The main results of the model are the following: (i) If the marginal probability of signing a peace treaty is significantly low when the guerrilla invests little on non-violent strategies, then they will continue to fight and allocate all its resources on military power. (ii) Ceteris paribus, the future stock of military power of a guerrilla is increasing in their current military power and its budget. (iii) The greater the government’s military power, the lower the share of resources guerrillas allocate to violent strategies. We also provide two examples of negotiation processes between the Colombian government and FARC, and relate it to our theoretical results.
Is dietary fat, vitamin D, or folate associated with pancreatic cancer?

Although potentially modifiable risk factors for pancreatic cancer include smoking, obesity, and diabetes, less is known about the extent to which diet affects cancer risk. Recent studies have demonstrated some consistency for dietary fat being associated with elevated pancreatic cancer risk, particularly from animal sources. However, less is known about which fatty acids pose the greatest risk. Vitamin D, due to its endogenous production following UV‐B exposure, is a unique risk factor in that researchers have created several methods to assess its exposure in humans. Studies that measured vitamin D exposure differently have shown inconsistent results. Dietary studies suggest protective associations, whereas studies of circulating 25‐hydroxyvitamin D status show null or positive associations with low or very high concentrations, respectively. Several, but not all epidemiologic studies provide evidence of an inverse relationship between total and/or dietary folate and risk of pancreatic cancer. Protective associations for circulating folate are more often observed among populations with inadequate status. This article reviews the current epidemiological and experimental evidence investigating the relationship of dietary fat, vitamin D, and folate with pancreatic cancer. Additionally the mechanisms by which these risk factors may contribute to cancer, the methodological challenges involved with assessing risk, and other obstacles encountered when ascertaining the magnitude and direction of these three exposures are discussed. Published 2011. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.