Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Effects of blood volume restitution following a portal hypertensive–related bleeding in anesthetized cirrhotic rats

The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of different strategies of blood volume restitution in the outcome of portal hypertension–related bleeding in anesthetized cirrhotic rats. Gastrointestinal hemorrhage was induced by sectioning a first order branch of the ileocolic vein in 38 cirrhotic rats (common bile duct ligation and occlusion). The subsequent hypovolemic shock was treated with no transfusion (n = 17), moderate transfusion (50% of expected blood loss, 5 mL, n = 11), and total transfusion (100% of expected blood loss, 10 mL, n = 10). At the end of the blood transfusion period (minute 15), mean arterial pressure (MAP) partially recovered in rats receiving moderate transfusion or no transfusion but decreased in the 10‐mL transfusion group (↓12 ± 43%, P < .05 vs. no transfusion and 5 mL transfusion). After transfusion, groups given no or 5 mL transfusion remained hemodynamically stable. However, rats receiving 10 mL transfusion continued to deteriorate with persistent bleeding and progressive fall in MAP (↓65 ± 12%; P < .05 vs. no transfusion and 5 mL transfusion). Collected blood loss was significantly greater in the 10‐mL group (20.0 ± 1.5 g) than in groups given 5 mL (15.9 ± 2.8 g; P < .05) or no transfusion (13.2 ± 2.1 g; P < .05 vs. 10 mL and 5 mL transfusion). Survival in the no transfusion group was 47%. Rats given 5‐mL transfusion had 64% survival. The worst survival was observed in the 10‐mL transfusion group (0% survival; P < .05). We concluded that a transfusion policy aimed at completely replacing blood loss worsens the magnitude of bleeding and mortality from portal hypertensive‐related bleeding in cirrhotic rats. On the contrary, moderate blood transfusion allowed hemodynamic stabilization and increased survival.
A new reliable laboratory test of endurance performance for road cyclists.

PURPOSE The purpose of this study was to devise and evaluate a laboratory test of cycling performance that simulates the variable power demands of competitive road racing. The test is a 100-km time trial interspersed with four 1-km and four 4-km sprints. METHODS On three occasions separated by 5-7 d, eight endurance-trained cyclists (peak oxygen uptake 5.0 +/- 0.7 L.min-1, peak power output 411 +/- 43 W, mean +/- SD) performed the test on their own bikes mounted on an air-braked Kingcycle ergometer. Subjects were free to regulate their power output but were asked to complete each sprint and the full distance as quickly as possible. The only feedback given to the cyclists during each test was elapsed distance. RESULTS In the first test, time for the 100 km and mean times for the 1-km and 4-km sprints were 151:42 +/- 10:36, 1:16 +/- 0:06, and 5:31 +/- 0:16 min:s, respectively; these times improved by 1.6-2.2% in the second test, but there was little further improvement in the third test (0.7 to -0.5%). The between-test correlation for 100-km time was 0.93 (95% CI 0.79 to 0.98), and the within-cyclist coefficient of variation was 1.7% (95% CI 1.1 to 2.5%). Mean sprint performance showed similar good reliability (within-subject variation and correlations for the 1-km and 4-km sprint times of 1.9%, 2.0%, 0.93, and 0.81, respectively). CONCLUSIONS The high reliability of this laboratory test will make the test useful for research on performance of competitive road cyclists.
Potential of Space-Borne LiDAR Sensors for Global Bathymetry in Coastal and Inland Waters

This work aimed to prospect future space-borne LiDAR sensor capacities for global bathymetry over inland and coastal waters. The sensor performances were assessed using a methodology based on waveform simulation. A global representative simulated waveform database is first built from the Wa-LiD (Water LiDAR) waveform simulator and from distributions of water parameters assumed to be representative at the global scale. A bathymetry detection and estimation process is thus applied to each waveform to determine the bathymetric measurement probabilities in coastal waters, shallow lakes, deep lakes and rivers for a range of water depths. Finally, with a sensitivity analysis of waveforms, the accuracy and some limiting factors of the bathymetry are identified for the dominant water parameters. Two future space-borne LiDAR sensors were explored: an ultraviolet (UV) LiDAR and a green LiDAR. The results show that the bathymetric measurement probabilities at a 1 m depth is 63%, 54%, 24% and 19% with the green LiDAR for deep lakes, coastal waters, rivers and shallow lakes, respectively, and 10%, 22%, 1% and 0% with the UV LiDAR, respectively. The threshold values of dominant water parameters (sediment, yellow substance and phytoplankton concentrations) above which bathymetry detection fails were identiήed and mapped. The accuracy on the bathymetry estimates for both LiDAR sensors is 2.8 cm for one standard deviation with negligible bias (approximately 0.5 cm). However, these accuracy statistics only include the errors coming from the digitizing resolution and the inversion algorithm.
Neurocognitive functioning of adolescents: effects of protracted alcohol use.

BACKGROUND The present study examined associations between alcohol involvement in early to middle adolescence and neuropsychological (NP) functioning. METHODS Alcohol-dependent adolescents (n = 33) with over 100 lifetime alcohol episodes and without dependence on other substances were recruited from alcohol/drug abuse treatment facilities. Comparison (n = 24) adolescents had no histories of alcohol or drug problems and were matched to alcohol-dependent participants on age (15 to 16 years), gender, socioeconomic status, education, and family history of alcohol dependence. NP tests and psychosocial measures were administered to alcohol-dependent participants following 3 weeks of detoxification. RESULTS Alcohol-dependent and comparison adolescents demonstrated significant differences on several NP scores. Protracted alcohol use was associated with poorer performance on verbal and nonverbal retention in the context of intact learning and recognition discriminability. Recent alcohol withdrawal among adolescents was associated with poor visuospatial functioning, whereas lifetime alcohol withdrawal was associated with poorer retrieval of verbal and nonverbal information. CONCLUSIONS Deficits in retrieval of verbal and nonverbal information and in visuospatial functioning were evident in youths with histories of heavy drinking during early and middle adolescence.
The effects of prescription drug cost sharing: a review of the evidence.

OBJECTIVES To determine whether patients respond to increased cost sharing by substituting less expensive alternatives for medications with higher levels of copayments or coinsurance, and to examine the body of evidence on the relationships between cost sharing and use of essential or maintenance medications, health outcomes, process-of-care measures (such as medication adherence and discontinuation), and costs. STUDY DESIGN Literature review. METHODS Healthcare reference databases and key journals were searched to identify peer-reviewed empirical studies that examined the effects of variation in the amount of prescription drug copayments or coinsurance on healthcare utilization patterns. Thirty studies met our search criteria. RESULTS Higher levels of prescription drug cost sharing generally produce intended effects, namely, decreasing the consumption of prescription drugs and steering patients away from nonpreferred to preferred brand-name drugs. However, patients do not always switch to generic drugs. Although not consistently reported, the most troublesome effects associated with higher levels of cost sharing are treatment disruptions (such as lower levels of treatment adherence, continuation, and initiation) for chronically ill patients. At times, higher levels of cost sharing can affect the use of essential medications and outcomes of care. CONCLUSIONS Cost sharing reduces the consumption of prescription drugs but may have unintended effects on the process and outcomes of therapy. Further research is warranted in this area. The central question for health plan managers and policy makers is whether we will continue to use cost sharing as is or make modifications to reduce unintended effects.
Lattice effects on ferromagnetism in perovskite ruthenates

Ferromagnetism and its evolution in the orthorhombic perovskite system Sr1–xCaxRuO3 have been widely believed to correlate with structural distortion. The recent development of high-pressure synthesis of the Ba-substituted Sr1–yBayRuO3 makes it possible to study ferromagnetism over a broader phase diagram, which includes the orthorhombic Imma and the cubic phases. However, the chemical substitutions introduce the A-site disorder effect on Tc, which complicates determination of the relationship between ferromagnetism and structural distortion. By clarifying the site disorder effect on Tc in several unique series of ruthenates in which the average bond length 〈A–O〉 remains the same but the bond-length variance varies, we are able to demonstrate a parabolic curve of Tc versus mean bond length 〈A–O〉. A much higher Tc ∼ 177 K than that found in orthorhombic SrRuO3 can be obtained from the curve at a bond length 〈A–O〉, which makes the geometric factor t = 〈A–O〉/(√2〈Ru–O〉) ∼ 1. This result reveals not only that the ferromagnetism in the ruthenates is extremely sensitive to the lattice strain, but also that it has an important implication for exploring the structure–property relationship in a broad range of oxides with perovskite or a perovskite-related structure.
Regulation of protein phosphatase 2A‐mediated recruitment of IQGAP1 to β1 integrin by EGF through activation of Ca2+/calmodulin‐dependent protein kinase II

Maintenance of β1 integrin‐mediated cell adhesion in quiescent human mammary epithelial (HME) cells requires protein phosphatase (PP) 2A for not only dephosphorylation of β1 integrin but also recruitment of IQGAP1 to Rac‐bound β1 integrin. However, how PP2A‐dependent regulatory machinery of cell adhesion responds to EGF remains to be elucidated. We report here that phosphorylated Ca2+/calmodulin‐dependent protein kinase II (CaMKII) at threonine 286 was involved in the β1 integrin complex that consisted of PP2A, Rac, and IQGAP1 in quiescent HME cells. Stimulation of the cells with EGF concomitantly induced an increase in intracellular Ca2+, activation of CaMKII, and dissociation of PP2A‐IQGAP1‐CaMKII from β1 integrin‐Rac. Because the activation of CaMKII and dissociation of PP2A‐IQGAP1‐CaMKII were blocked by either Ca2+‐chelator or CaMKII inhibitor, we therefore propose that EGF has the ability to abrogate the PP2A function in the maintenance of β1 integrin‐mediated cell adhesion by dissociation of PP2A‐IQGAP1‐CaMKII from β1 integrin‐Rac through activation of CaMKII. J. Cell. Physiol. © 2006 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Epidemiological Aspects of Referral to TIA Clinics in Glasgow

A retrospective cohort study was carried out of new referrals to transient ischaemic attack (TIA) clinics in Glasgow. The aims of the study were to describe the profile of referrals and to assess the odds ratios for TIA, minor stroke or amaurosis fugax of both cardiovascular risk factors and clinical features. In total, data were collected for 813 new referrals in a period of six months. Thirteen point eight percent of referrals were from other Health Boards. The overall referral rate among residents of Greater Glasgow NHS Board was 165.6 per 100,000 per year. About 20% of referrals were made by clinicians in secondary care. The specialties from which referrals were most commonly made were accident and emergency, general medicine, ophthalmology and geriatric assessment. The most common risk factors in patients referred were hypertension (52.9%), smoking (31.7%), ischaemic heart disease (22.7%) and former smokers (22.4%). The most common clinical features were hemiparesis (13.3%), weakness of an upper limb (8.7%), vertigo (7.9%) and dysphasia (7.3%). In 48.7% of cases, a non-cerebrovascular diagnosis was made. Separate multivariate models were established for risk factors and clinical features. In the model for risk factors, five factors were significant for risk of TIA, stroke or amaurosis fugax. These were hyperlipidaemia, age over 64 years, hypertension, smoking and ex-smoking. In the model for clinical features, five factors were also significant. These were visual field defect, speech defact, facial weakness and hemiparesis.
Burkholderia thailandensis as a Model System for the Study of the Virulence-Associated Type III Secretion System of Burkholderia pseudomallei

ABSTRACT Burkholderia pseudomallei is a bacterial pathogen that causes a broad spectrum of clinical symptoms collectively known as melioidosis. Since it can be acquired by inhalation and is difficult to eradicate due to its resistance to a wide group of antibiotics and capacity for latency, work with B. pseudomallei requires a biosafety level 3 (BSL-3) containment facility. The bsa (Burkholderia secretion apparatus)-encoded type III secretion system (TTSS) has been shown to be required for its full virulence in a number of animal models. TTSSs are export devices found in a variety of gram-negative bacteria that translocate bacterial effector proteins across host cell membranes into the cytoplasm of host cells. Although the Bsa TTSS has been shown to play an important role in the ability of B. pseudomallei to survive and replicate in mammalian cells, escape from the endocytic vacuole, and spread from cell to cell, little is known about its effectors mediating these functions. Using bioinformatics, we identified homologs of several known TTSS effectors from other bacteria in the B. pseudomallei genome. In addition, we show that orthologs of these putative effectors exist in the genome of B. thailandensis, a closely related bacterium that is rarely pathogenic to humans. By generating a Bsa TTSS mutant B. thailandensis strain, we also demonstrated that the Bsa TTSS has similar functions in the two species. Therefore, we propose B. thailandensis as a useful BSL-1 model system to study the role of the Bsa TTSS during Burkholderia infection of mammalian cells and animals.
Transmission Line Approach to Calculate the Shielding Effectiveness of an Enclosure With Double-Layer Frequency Selective Surface

The shielding effectiveness (SE) of a metallic enclosure with double-layer frequency selective surface (DLFSS) has been calculated using a transmission line theory-based analytical formulation. The DLFSS layer placed on the front and back sides of the enclosure consists of a Greek cross aperture array. The equivalent circuit method and an empirical method are used to calculate the impedance of the Greek cross FSS. Then, the SE is calculated for various incidence and polarization angles. Calculated results are compared with the measured and numerical simulation results.
Protease-Activated Receptors in Neuronal Development, Neurodegeneration, and Neuroprotection: Thrombin as Signaling Molecule in the Brain

Protease-activated receptors (PARs) belong to the superfamily of seven transmembrane domain G protein-coupled receptors. Four PAR subtypes are known, PAR-1 to -4. PARs are highly homologous between the species and are expressed in a wide variety of tissues and cell types. Of particular interest is the role which these receptors play in the brain, with regard to neuroprotection or degeneration under pathological conditions. The main agonist of PARs is thrombin, a multifunctional serine protease, known to be present not only in blood plasma but also in the brain. PARs possess an irreversible activation mechanism. Binding of agonist and subsequent cleavage of the extracellular N-terminus of the receptor results in exposure of a so-called tethered ligand domain, which then binds to extracellular loop 2 of the receptor leading to receptor activation. PARs exhibit an extensive expression pattern in both the central and the peripheral nervous system. PARs participate in several mechanisms important for normal cellular functioning and during critical situations involving cellular survival and death. In the last few years, research on Alzheimer’s disease and stroke has linked PARs to the pathophysiology of these neurodegenerative disorders. Actions of thrombin are concentration-dependent, and therefore, depending on cellular function and environment, serve as a double-edged sword. Thrombin can be neuroprotective during stress conditions, whereas under normal conditions high concentrations of thrombin are toxic to cells.
Dihydrosphingosine 1-phosphate has a potent antifibrotic effect in scleroderma fibroblasts via normalization of phosphatase and tensin homolog levels.

OBJECTIVE Previous studies have revealed a phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN)-dependent interaction between the sphingolipid agonist dihydrosphingosine 1-phosphate (dhS1P) and the transforming growth factor beta/Smad3 signaling pathway. This study was undertaken to examine responses of systemic sclerosis (SSc) fibroblasts to sphingosine 1-phosphate (S1P) and dhS1P and to gain further insight into the regulation of the S1P/dhS1P/PTEN pathway in SSc fibrosis. METHODS Fibroblast cultures were established from skin biopsy samples obtained from patients with SSc and matched healthy controls. Western blotting and quantitative polymerase chain reaction were used to measure protein and messenger RNA levels, respectively. PTEN protein was examined in skin biopsy samples by immunohistochemistry. RESULTS PTEN protein levels were low in SSc fibroblasts and correlated with elevated levels of collagen and phospho-Smad3 and reduced levels of matrix metalloproteinase 1 (MMP-1). Treatment with dhS1P restored PTEN levels and normalized collagen and MMP-1 expression, as well as Smad3 phosphorylation status in SSc fibroblasts. S1P was strongly profibrotic in SSc and control fibroblasts. Distribution of S1P receptor isoforms was altered in SSc fibroblasts, which had reduced levels of S1P receptor 1 and S1P receptor 2 and elevated levels of S1P receptor 3. Only depletion of S1P receptor 1 abrogated the effects of dhS1P and S1P in control dermal fibroblasts. In contrast, depletion of either S1P receptor 1 or S1P receptor 2 prevented the effects of S1P and dhS1P in SSc fibroblasts. CONCLUSION Our findings demonstrate that PTEN deficiency is a critical determinant of the profibrotic phenotype of SSc fibroblasts. The antifibrotic effect of dhS1P is mediated through normalization of PTEN expression, suggesting that dhS1P or its derivatives may be effective as therapeutic antifibrotic agents. The distribution and function of S1P receptors differ in SSc and healthy fibroblasts, suggesting that alteration in the sphingolipid signaling pathway may contribute to SSc fibrosis.
Improving Grid Power Availability in Rural Telecom Exchanges

India has seen a huge surge in the telecom sector with total rural telecom subscribers doubling from 200.81 million to 404.16 million between 2010 and 2015. Therefore, telecom exchanges are built throughout the country to support this development. With severe electric power shortages in rural India, it poses a challenge to power these exchanges. It is observed that power supply in rural areas is not always available in three phase and can sometimes be available in two or single phase depending on fault in the three-phase system. Currently, used power plants in telecom exchanges are not designed to adapt to these variable input phase conditions. In this paper, a method is proposed to modify the currently used power plants such that they easily adapt to variable input phase conditions. This will lead to the utmost utilization of grid power and save valuable diesel fuel used in back-up diesel generators. The proposed method is designed and verified to have reasonable input power quality as per international standards. A quantitative estimation of diesel savings is also presented to estimate the percentage of diesel savings as a function of power outage.
The CAPM Works Better for Average Daily Returns

A major problem in testing the Capital Asset Pricing Model (CAPM) is that the theoretical equilibrium relation links expected returns to market risk as measured by beta but empirical tests utilize realized returns. This paper proposes a simple approximation to the monthly expected return based on the average of daily returns in any given month and comparatively tests this estimated expected return against the monthly realized return. Simulation analyses show that cross-sectional tests of market beta (s) are more likely to be significant for estimated expected returns than realized returns, particularly when returns are averaged over a long sample period. Empirical tests using U.S. CRSP stock return data corroborate the simulated findings. Strikingly, using a full sample approach to cross-sectionally test the market factor with estimated expected returns, the t-statistic on the market price of risk exceeds 12, which is well beyond any statistical result obtained in prior literature. We conclude that the CAPM is strongly supported for estimated expected returns but not realized returns.
Disability and household economic wellbeing: evidence from Indonesian longitudinal data

ABSTRACT A health shock in general, and a disability in particular, may expose households to material insecurity due to out-of-pocket health expenditures and reduced earnings. Studies on the impact of disability on household welfare in developing countries are scarce, although the expected impact is large given the absence of social protection programmes. Using a unique Indonesian longitudinal dataset with individuals followed over a 17-year period, this study analyses the economic impact and coping mechanisms adopted by households following a physical disability. Fixed effects estimations reveal that households experience rising health expenditures and reduced labour income. Households cope by reducing their food, non-food and education expenditures, selling assets and receiving more remittances. While all household groups are affected by disability, only the poorest households become significantly more likely to cut their food expenditures.
Smoking Cessation in Lung Cancer.

The greatest risk factor for lung cancer is smoking. Smoking addiction is one of the challenging problems that should be solved in lung cancer patients. Including lung cancer, in cancer patients, quitting smoking has several benefits. However, implementation of smoking cessation clinics in oncology practices is inadequate and many lung cancer patients still smoke despite cancer diagnosis. Multidisciplinary lung cancer treatment programs offer effective smoking cessation services. This article reviews the best practice recommendations of tobacco addiction treatment for oncology patients in multidisciplinary practice.
Novel Point-of-Care Test for Simultaneous Detection of Nontreponemal and Treponemal Antibodies in Patients with Syphilis

ABSTRACT We describe a point-of-care immunochromatographic test for the simultaneous detection of both nontreponemal and treponemal antibodies in the sera of patients with syphilis that acts as both a screening and a confirmatory test. A total of 1,601 banked serum samples were examined by the dual test, and the results were compared to those obtained using a quantitative rapid plasma reagin (RPR) test and the Treponema pallidum passive particle agglutination (TP-PA) assay. Compared to the RPR test, the reactive concordance of the dual test nontreponemal line was 98.4% when the RPR titers of sera were ≥1:2 and the nonreactive concordance was 98.6%. Compared to the TP-PA assay, the reactive and nonreactive concordances of the treponemal line were 96.5% and 95.5%, respectively. These results indicate that the dual test could be used for the serological diagnosis of syphilis in primary health care clinics or resource-poor settings and therefore improve rates of treatment where patients may fail to return for their laboratory results.