Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Modified 13C-Octanoate Breath Test and Impact of Sampling Points

In recent years, the 13C-octanoate breath test has attracted attention as a simple and noninvasive method of assessing gastric emptying of solids. However, practical procedures for test meals, parameters used, and sampling points have not yet been established. Moving toward a more convenient method, here we examined the influences of sampling interval and duration on the 13C-octanoate breath test performed on 15 healthy subjects using a commercially-available instant cupcake. Breath samples were obtained every 15 minutes within 4 hours, and every 30 minutes in the subsequent 2 hours. Using computer simulation, the time it took for the fitting curve to peak (Tpeak) was calculated in each setting with each interval (15, 30, 60, and 120 minutes) and test duration (3, 4, 5, and 6 hours). When the sampling interval widened over 30 minutes, the difference from the original 6-hour data became larger than 20% of the coefficient of variance. When the sampling duration was shortened to 3 hours, no appropriate fitting curve could be achieved. These results suggest that a sampling duration of 4 hours at 30-minute intervals seems to be suitable for practical use of the test.
Access to Social Network Support and Material Hardship

Does access to social network support help protect households from material hardship? In this study, we analyze data from the Survey of Income and Program Participation (N = 28,805) and find that access to assistance from family and friends is associated with a decrease in the likelihood that a household experiences bill-paying hardship, food hardship, or health care hardship. In addition, we examine the interaction between household income and level of available assistance from family and friends. Respondents with higher incomes are able to self-insure against material hardship, and consequently, the protection against material hardship offered by access to assistance is greatest for those respondents with the lowest incomes. Overall, these findings contribute to sociological understandings of how social networks and social isolation shape the well-being of households and suggest an important mechanism for how low-income households are able to avoid material hardship despite inadequate financial resources.
Research on the Opportunity Window Mechanism of Enterprise's Position Transition under the Embedded Context -- A Case Study of BYD

This article takes BYD as an example to study the mechanism of the timing window of the enterprise's potential transition under the embedded scenario. Companies use their own within the international electric car industry network which close to the huge domestic market advantageous market position, seize the domestic consumption upgrade market timing window, through the integration of industrial chain resources, expanding production to improve enterprise's market potential; Companies use battery industry in the network manufacturing technical level, cognitive lithium battery technology breakthrough time window, through the transplanted cells and mobile technology research and development experience, improve enterprise in the electric car industry technology. Network enterprise potential, therefore, this paper argues that industry by the market, the market potential, technical level and technical potential, enterprises in the industry network potential with time window is adaptive dynamic adjustment mechanism. Keywords—Embeddedness; Industrial network; Potential; The window of opportunity
Absence of either gastric or intestinal phenotype in microscopic differentiated gastric carcinomas

Differentiated gastric carcinoma (DGC) corresponds roughly to the intestinal type of gastric carcinoma described by Laurén. It has been suggested that DGCs arise from intestinalized gastric mucosa, but recent findings regarding their mucin expression do not support this hypothesis. To evaluate the histogenetic relationship between DGCs and intestinal metaplasia, lesions that are as small as possible should be examined. Twenty‐five DGCs, ranging in their greatest dimension from 0.4 to 2.7 mm, were collected and divided into two groups by size. Group A consisted of 13 lesions less than 1.4 mm across, and group B of 12 lesions 1.4 mm or more. The presence of mucin and a brush border was assessed by immunostaining with antibodies against human gastric mucin, pyloric‐gland‐type mucin, Muc‐2 glycoprotein, and CD10 antigen, and the lesions were classified as having the gastric phenotype (G‐type), intestinal phenotype (I‐type), mixed gastric and intestinal phenotype (M‐type), or null phenotype (N‐type). Thirteen (52%) of the 25 lesions were N‐type, 5 (20%) lesions were G‐type, 5 (20%) were I‐type, and 2 (8%) were M‐type. Group A had a larger proportion of N‐type lesions than B (10/13, or 77%, vs. 3/12, or 25%; p = 0.027, chi‐square test for proportions). Group B had a larger proportion of G‐type lesions than A (5/12, or 42%, vs. 0/13, or 0%; p = 0.033). The phenotypes of the carcinomas and their surrounding mucosa were unrelated. Therefore, DGCs may arise from gastric mucosa affected by intestinal metaplasia or not, without having either the gastric or intestinal phenotype. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Total Antioxidant Capacity of Saliva : An Effective Marker of Stress 1

Aim: To assess and correlate the level of stress to the total anti­ oxidant capacity of saliva of university exam­going students study­ ing at KLE Vishwanath Katti Institute of Dental Sciences, Belagavi, Karnataka, India, on the day of examination (stressed condition) and in the postexamination period (nonstressed condition). Materials and methods: Saliva samples of 30 students evaluated by the perceived stress scale on both the day of examination and in the postexamination period were col­ lected and labeled as group I (day of examination) and group II (postexamination period). The total antioxidant capacity was assessed using the spectrophotometric assay based on the molar absorption coefficient of the phosphomolybdenum complex. The correlation between the level of stress and the antioxidant capacity was done using Spearman’s correlation test, and the mean values obtained with respect to the two groups were evaluated using Mann–Whitney U test. Results: The total antioxidant capacity was lower on the day of examination than in the postexamination period (p = 0.001). As the stress level increases, the total antioxidant capacity decreases. Conclusion: Total antioxidant capacity of saliva can serve as an effective marker of stress. Thus, supplementation with antioxidants routinely and especially during periods of stress may be beneficial. Clinical significance: Present day life is full of targets, neces­ sities, and frustrations. For many people, stress has become a way of life. Stress is not always detrimental. Stress within your comfort zone helps you compete, motivates you, and can even keep you secure. But when stress becomes overwhelming, it damages your well­being, relationships, and quality of life. Thus, managing and diagnosing stress is important.
Diagnostic performance of a commercially available computer-aided diagnosis system for automatic detection of pulmonary nodules: comparison with single and double reading.

OBJECTIVE To assess the diagnostic performance of a commercially available computer-aided diagnosis (CAD) system for automatic detection of pulmonary nodules with multi-row detector CT scans compared to single and double reading by radiologists. MATERIALS AND METHODS A CAD system for automatic nodule detection (Siemens LungCare NEV VB10) was applied to four-detector row low-dose CT (LDCT) performed on nine patients with pulmonary metastases and compared to the findings of three radiologists. A standard-dose CT (SDCT) was acquired simultaneously and used for establishing the reference data base. The study design was approved by the Institutional Review Board and the appropriate German authorities. The reference data base consisted of 457 nodules (mean size 3.9 +/- 3.1 mm) and was established by fusion of the sets of nodules detected by three radiologists independently reading LDCT and SDCT and by CAD. An independent radiologist used thin slices to eliminate false positive findings from the reference base. RESULTS An average sensitivity of 54 % (range 51 % to 55 %) was observed for single reading by one radiologist. CAD demonstrated a similar sensitivity of 55 %. Double reading by two radiologists increased the sensitivity to an average of 67 % (range 67 % to 68 %). The difference to single reading was significant (p < 0.001). CAD as second opinion after single reading increased the sensitivity to 79 % (range 77 % to 81 %), which proved to be significantly better than double reading (p < 0.001). CAD produced more false positive results (7.2 %) than human readers but it was acceptable in clinical routine. CONCLUSION Double reading with CAD as second reader offered a significantly increased sensitivity compared to conventional double reading. Thus, CAD is a valuable tool for the detection of pulmonary nodules and should be used as second opinion.
Strategic Dynamic Pricing with Network Externalities

We study the optimal pricing policy of a strategic monopolist selling durable goods in a dynamic pricing game with multiple rounds. Customers are forward-looking and experience a (positive) network externality, i.e., each customer’s utility depends not only on her valuation of the item and the offered price, but also the weighted sum of the number of other customers who have purchased the item. The monopolist announces and commits to a price sequence and strategic buyers decide on when (if ever) to buy the good in a perfect Bayesian equilibrium. We fully characterize the optimal pricing policy and show that it is linearly increasing in time, where the slope of the price path is described by a single network measure: sum of the entries of the inverse of network externality matrix, termed network effect. Our result shows that increasing the number of rounds and network effect increases both revenue and social welfare. We also study the effect of price discrimination and establish that in the earlier rounds the price offered to more central buyers is lower. This is to encourage them to buy earlier which in turn increases the externality of other buyers and incentivize them to buy in subsequent rounds.
Portopulmonary hypertension and liver transplantation: A duo in question

The 7-center UK portopulmonary hypertension (POPH) liver transplantation (LT) experience from 1992 to 2012 published in this issue of Liver Transplantation raises important issues in terms of diagnostics, application of aggressive medical treatments, and an evolving “era effect. ” At the same time, due to a lack of a standardized approach to the preoperative evaluation, preoperative treatment, and detail regarding postoperative outcomes, such a multicenter effort, not unexpectedly, has deficiencies.
Computer-mediated support group intervention for parents.

PURPOSE The purpose of this study was to evaluate the feasibility of a computer-mediated support group (CMSG) intervention for parents whose children had been diagnosed with cancer. DESIGN AND METHODS An evaluative one-group, before-and-after research design. A CMSG, an unstructured listserve group where participants used their E-mail for communication, was conducted over a 4-month period. Participation in the CMSG was offered to parents in Iceland whose children had completed cancer treatment in the past 5 years. Outcome measures were done: before the intervention (Time 1), after 2 months of intervention (Time 2) and after 4 months of intervention (Time 3) when the project ended. Measures included: demographic and background variables; health related vulnerability factors of parents: anxiety, depression, somatization, and stress; perceived mutual support; and use of the CMSG. Data were collected from November 2002 to June 2003. Twenty-one of 58 eligible parents participated in the study, with 71% retention rate for both post-tests. FINDINGS Mothers' depression decreased significantly from Time 2 to Time 3 (p<.03). Fathers' anxiety decreased significantly from Time 1 to Time 3 (p<.01). Fathers' stress decreased significantly from Time 2 to Time 3 (p<.02). To some extent, mothers and fathers perceived mutual support from participating in the CMSG. Both mothers and fathers used the CMSG by reading messages. Messages were primarily written by mothers. CONCLUSIONS Study findings support further development of CMSGs for parents whose children have been diagnosed with cancer. CLINICAL RELEVANCE Using computer technology for support is particularly useful for dispersed populations and groups that have restrictions on their time. Computer-mediated support groups have been shown to be a valuable addition to, or substitute for, a traditional face-to-face mutual support group and might suit both genders equally.
Reflex excitability of human soleus motoneurones during voluntary shortening or lengthening contractions.

1. We investigated the possibility that increase or decrease in the monosynaptic reflex excitability of the soleus muscle in man might play a role in matching the muscle mechanical output to the voluntary command aimed at performing isotonic contractions or relaxations, at various velocities. 2. Rectified and integrated electromyographic activity (e.m.g.) and the H reflex of soleus were measured during plantar flexions against a constant load (shortening contractions) or dorsal flexions resisting the load (lengthening contraction), performed without activation of pretibial muscles. 3. At the same ankle joint angle, integrated e.m. g. was larger during shortening contractions than during lengthening contractions. During shortening contractions, integrated e.m. g. increased as a function of the velocity of plantar flexion. During lengthening contractions, integrated e.m. g. decreased as a function of dorsal flexion and angular velocity and nearly disappeared in the last part of the most rapid lengthening contractions. 4. During shortening contractions, the H reflex increased beyond the extent expected for the level of e.m. g. activity; during lengthening contractions, reduction of the H reflex below control values at rest occurred in spite of background e.m. g. activity. 5. When the level of e.m. g. activity was kept constant, the above changes in H reflex were larger in both directions as a function of the velocity of the movement. 6. Passive rotation in the dorsal direction contributed to the inhibition observed during lengthening contractions. 7. It is suggested that these changes in the excitability of the H reflex, probably presynaptic in origin, serve the purpose of appropriately modulating the rate and extent of motoneurone recruitment during shortening and lengthening contractions. This allows the foot to follow a constant‐velocity path in spite of the perturbing effects of the spindle afferent inputs and of the muscle characteristics described by the force‐‐length and force‐‐velocity diagrams.
SHA-2 and SHA-3 based sequence randomization algorithm

Providing questions with unique sequence helps to encourage participants integrity in an examination. In this study, Secure Hash Algorithm (SHA) 2 and 3 have been proposed and evaluated in a question shuffling problem for computer based test. Two strategies were tested to use the hash algorithms. The first utilized a few of the most significant digits of the hash value and the second treated all digits of the hash value as equally important. Entropy analysis and running time analysis were performed to assess the proposed method in terms of randomness and computational efficiency. SHA-2 implemented with the first strategy is superior with entropy of 3.88792 bits and real execution time of 1.76585 seconds. The evaluation result demonstrates no significant difference between the randomness of the sequences generated by SHA-2 and SHA-3. In terms of computational efficiency, SHA-2 demonstrated faster execution time than SHA-3.
Phase I trial of doxorubicin with cyclosporine as a modulator of multidrug resistance.

PURPOSE To study the effects of cyclosporine (CsA), a modulator of multidrug resistance (MDR), on the pharmacokinetics and toxicities of doxorubicin. PATIENTS AND METHODS Nineteen patients with incurable malignancies entered this phase I trial. Initially patients received doxorubicin alone (60 or 75 mg/m2) as a 48-hour continuous intravenous (i.v.) infusion. Patients whose tumors did not respond received CsA as a 2-hour loading dose of 6 mg/kg and a 48-hour continuous infusion of 18 mg/kg/d with doxorubicin. Target CsA levels were 3,000 to 4,800 ng/mL (2.5 to 4.0 mumol/L). Doxorubicin doses were reduced to 40% of the prior dose without CsA, and then escalated until myelosuppression equivalent to that resulting from doxorubicin alone was observed. Doxorubicin pharmacokinetics were analyzed with and without CsA. RESULTS Thirteen patients received both doxorubicin alone and the combination of doxorubicin and CsA. Mean CsA levels were more than 2,000 ng/mL for all cycles and more than 3,000 ng/mL for 68% of cycles. Dose escalation of doxorubicin with CsA was stopped at 60% of the doxorubicin alone dose, as four of five patients at this dose level had WBC nadirs equivalent to those seen with doxorubicin alone. Nonhematologic toxicities were mild. Reversible hyperbilirubinemia occurred in 68% of doxorubicin/CsA courses. The addition of CsA to doxorubicin increased grade 1 and 2 nausea (87% v 47%) and vomiting (50% v 10%) compared with doxorubicin alone. There was no significant nephrotoxicity. Paired pharmacokinetics were studied in 12 patients. The addition of CsA increased the dose-adjusted area under the curve (AUC) of doxorubicin by 55%, and of its metabolite doxorubicinol by 350%. CONCLUSION CsA inhibits the clearance of both doxorubicin and doxorubicinol. Equivalent myelosuppression was observed when the dose of doxorubicin with CsA was 60% of the dose of doxorubicin without CsA. Understanding these pharmacokinetic interactions is essential for the design and interpretation of clinical trials of MDR modulation, and should be studied with more potent MDR modulators.
Investigating the antecedents and consequences of vehicle buyers' brand attachment behaviour

iii reason, vehicle brands should ensure that their individualistic brand personality is portrayed throughout the various product ranges they have on offer, in order to increase consumers’ willingness to purchase extended product offerings. Future research should address the methodological and other limitations of this study by collecting data from respondents of all nine of South Africa’s provinces, and by considering the use of probability sampling. Collecting longitudinal data should also be considered, because brand attachment is developed over time. Lastly, future research can focus on measuring consumers’ brand attachment towards a specific vehicle brand and/or model, which will help to develop a broader perspective of vehicle buyers’ brand attachment behaviour.
Adult growth hormone deficiency: to treat or not to treat

In the last 15 years, it has been recognised that growth hormone deficiency (GHD) in the adult leads to increased morbidity (metabolic syndrome, osteoporosis, muscle wasting, impaired quality of life) and increased incidence of cardiovascular events, a main cause of the increased mortality observed in this population. Pituitary adenomas and their treatment (surgery, radiation) are the most common cause of GHD in adults. Patients with biochemical diagnosis of severe GHD must be offered growth hormone replacement therapy only in the presence of GHD associated morbidity. This treatment improves morbidity, but its effect on mortality remains to be proven. Continuation of treatment for GHD patients in late adolescence to early adulthood, who have reached final height with growth hormone replacement, requires careful clinical judgement.
Weak itinerant ferromagnetism in Heusler-type Fe2VAl0.95

We report measurements of the magnetic, transport, and thermal properties of the Heusler-type compound Fe2VAl0.95. We show that while stoichiometric Fe2VAl is a nonmagnetic semimetal a 5% substitution on the Al site with the 3d elements Fe and V atoms leads to a ferromagnetic ground state with a Curie temperature TC=33±3 K and a small ordered moment μs=0. 12μB/Fe in Fe2VAl0.95. The reduced value of the ratio μs/μp=0.08, where μp=1. 4μB/Fe is the effective Curie-Weiss moment, together with the analysis of the magnetization data M(H,T), show magnetism is of itinerant nature. The specific heat shows an unusual temperature variation at low temperatures with an enhanced Sommerfeld coefficient, γ=12 mJ K−2 mol−1. The resistivity, ρ(T), is metallic and follows a power law behavior ρ=ρ0+ATn with n≈1.5 below TC. With applying pressure, TC decreases with the rate of (1/TC)(dTC/dP)=−0.061 GPa−1. We conclude substitution on the Al site with Fe and V atoms results in itinerant ferromagnetism with a low carrier density.
Expression of a poriferan potassium channel: insights into the evolution of ion channels in metazoans

SUMMARY Ion channels establish and regulate membrane potentials in excitable and non-excitable cells. How functional diversification of ion channels contributed to the evolution of nervous systems may be understood by studying organisms at key positions in the evolution of animal multicellularity. We have carried out the first analysis of ion channels cloned from a marine sponge, Amphimedon queenslandica. Phylogenetic comparison of sequences encoding for poriferan inward-rectifier K+ (Kir) channels suggests that Kir channels from sponges, cnidarians and triploblastic metazoans each arose from a single channel and that duplications arose independently in the different groups. In Xenopus oocytes, AmqKirA and AmqKirB produced K+ currents with strong inward rectification, as seen in the mammalian Kir2 channels, which are found in excitable cells. The pore properties of AmqKir channels demonstrated strong K+ selectivity and block by Cs+ and Ba2+. We present an original analysis of sponge ion channel physiology and an examination of the phylogenetic relationships of this channel with other cloned Kir channels.
Chicken Macrophage Stimulating Protein Is a Ligand of the Receptor Protein-tyrosine Kinase Sea*

Affinity chromatography, employing the extracellular domain of the Sea receptor, was used to enrich Sea-binding proteins from chicken serum. One isolated protein bound both a Sea-immunoglobulin fusion protein and an antisera raised against murine macrophage stimulating protein. Amino-terminal sequencing of the dual-reactive protein yielded sequences which were identical to the predicted α and β subunits of chicken macrophage stimulating protein. The partially purified chicken macrophage stimulating protein caused autophosphorylation of the Sea receptor. Previous work showed that recombinant expression of fully activatible human or mouse macrophage stimulating protein required a specific Cys to Ala substitution (Wahl, R. C., Costigan, V. J., Batac, J. P., Chen, K., Cam, L., Courchesne, P. L., Patterson, S. D. Zhang, K., and Pacifici, R. E. (1997) J. Biol. Chem. 272, 1–4). Therefore, we expressed both the wild type and the specific Cys to Ala form of chicken macrophage stimulating protein as recombinant proteins. After proteolytic activation, only conditioned media from COS cells transfected with the C665A chicken macrophage stimulating protein, but not from wild type chicken macrophage-stimulating protein, or control vector, was detected by the Sea-immunoglobulin fusion protein in Western blotting experiments. Conditioned media containing the C665A chicken macrophage-stimulating protein readily caused Sea phosphorylation, while conditioned media containing the wild type chicken macrophage-stimulating protein was only effective at inducing receptor phosphorylation at high concentrations. In addition to receptor phosphorylation, the C665A chicken macrophage-stimulating protein induced phosphorylation of Shc, Erk1, and Erk 2. We conclude that macrophage-stimulating protein is a ligand of the Sea receptor protein-tyrosine kinase.