Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Korean Red Ginseng (Panax ginseng) Improves Insulin Sensitivity in High Fat Fed Sprague‐Dawley Rats

Many studies have documented that ginseng has antidiabetic and antiobesity effects, but the mechanism of the effects has not been elucidated. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of Korean red ginseng (KRG, Panax ginseng) and investigate the mechanism of antidiabetic and antiobesity effects in obese insulin resistant animal models. Sprague‐Dawley (SD) rats were divided into three groups: a control group (group I) fed a normal diet, another group (group II) fed only high fat diet (HFD) and a third group (group III) fed HFD with KRG (200 mg/kg, oral) for 18 weeks. The body weight, food intake, adipose tissues, liver, kidney, pancreas, adiponectin, and leptin were measured. Blood glucose, insulin tolerance test, and hyperinsulinemic euglycemic clamp test were investigated. A significant weight reduction, especially fat mass reduction, was observed in the KRG treated group. Increased insulin sensitivity was found in the KRG treated group. We observed increased insulin signalling, increased phosphorylation of IR, IRS‐1, Akt, and membranous GLUT4 in muscle by Western blotting assay. In conclusion, KRG may have antidiabetic and antiobesity effects due to partly increased insulin sensitivity by increased adipokine and partly enhanced insulin signalling. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Pseudooclusión intestinal y hemorragia digestiva fulminante secundaria a amiloidosis

La amiloidosis es una entidad poco frecuente, que consiste en el depósito de proteínas amiloideas de carácter insoluble y fibrilar, casi siempre en los espacios extracelulares de órganos y tejidos. Existen diferentes tipos en función del tipo de proteína que predomine en el depósito tisular (1): —La forma primaria (AL), la más frecuente y típica del mieloma múltiple posee manifestaciones clínicas de tipo sistémico y su evolución, más lentamente progresiva lleva al paciente casi irreversiblemente a la muerte por fallo cardiaco o renal. Suele presentarse como síndrome nefrótico de origen desconocido, hepatomegalia, síndrome del túnel carpiano, macroglosia, miocardiopatía y detección de inmunoglobulina monoclonal en orina o suero del paciente. —La forma secundaria (AA) o de los procesos crónicos, como es nuestro caso, posee una clínica localizada en el sistema u órgano en el que se acumulen las proteínas. Existen otras formas heredofamiliares o asociadas al Scrapie o a la fiebre mediterránea familiar más raras y de evolución parcialmente desconocida. —También se ha descrito la amiloidosis asociada a la diálisis crónica (AH) por depósito en los tejidos de proteína β2 microglobulina. Aportamos un caso de amiloidosis secundaria a artritis reumatoide que debutó con cuadro de obstrucción intestinal y hemorragia digestiva baja masiva. Su rareza y escasa referencia en la bibliografía son el motivo de esta comunicación.
Patient safety and “medical error”

Medicine, Mistakes and the Reptilian Brain. John Mary Meagher. Ahymsa Publishing; 2011 It is rare to pick up an article or a book on patient safety without seeing reference to “medical error” as the cause of patient harm. System theorists have attempted to convince health care professionals
THE SICKNESS SURVEY OF DENMARK 1951-1954

Those contemplating a morbidity survey can learn much from the problems encountered and the solutions developed by the Danish Committee in its houseto-house survey of the sickness experience among its adult population not admitted to hospitals at the time of interview. The purpose of this project was to chart the diseases and morbid conditions, including dental morbidity, within a representative sample of those age 15 and over and to learn what groups are liable to various forms of illness in relation to age, sex, residence, occupation, economic status, certain habits, and other relevant factors. This report, based on 87,000 respondents (somewhat less than 3 per cent of the adult population) supplements that of a related survey among hospitalized cases published by the same committee in 1958 under the title, "The Hospital Survey in Denmark. " The report compares the current Danish methods with those of previous efforts within its own borders and of nation-wide surveys in four other countries: Great Britain (the principal model for the Danish project), the United States, Canada, and Ceylon. Reports of the recent Japanese experience have not appeared in translation. The Danish Committee concludes that because of differences in methodology, comparison of results of these various surveys is not possible. Difficulties in defining the concept of sickness seem to be the chief explanation. The Danish survey depended upon the respondent's definition of sickness as recorded by a staff of trained interviewers. Compared with known diagnoses in a subsample of 6,500, the people's ideas of their ailments coincided reasonably well with medical judgment. Although the Danish data received careful statistical treatment, in a few instances more treatment than the data seem to merit, e.g., the common cold, the report does give full consideration to possible sources of error in the interpretations and conclusions. Nevertheless, the committee believes that the survey has covered a fairly representative sample of the adult population, and the results have provided valuable information on morbidity and its relation to social conditions. Readers with morbidity and survey interests will, I believe, agree with the committee's conclusion. LESLIE W. KNOTT
Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography in Ayrshire, Scotland: a comparison of two age cohorts

Background and aims There is an increased trend in prevalence of pancreato-biliary disease in the elderly population. Consequently there is an increasing demand for endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP). The aims of this study were to compare ERCP outcomes in patients over 80 with those aged between 60 and 79 years and with the published literature. Methods and results Data were collected from a prospectively maintained database. All patients over the age of 60 years who underwent ERCP from May 2010 to May 2012 were identified. Two cohorts were formed, group A: 60–79 years (n = 66) and group B: > 80 years old (n = 49). Data on indications for ERCP, outcome, complications and repeat procedures were collected. One hundred and fifteen patients between the age of 60 and 92 years were identified. Group A had a total of 89 ERCPs and group B 69. Cannulation, overall procedure success, complication and mortality rates were comparable between both groups. Group B contained two cases of perforation with one associated mortality (1.4%) which did not reach statistical significance. Conclusions ERCP in octogenarians is safe and effective when compared to patients aged 60–79.
Design and preliminary evaluation of an EGO-exocentric technique for cooperative manipulation

This work proposes and evaluates the EGO-EXO technique for cooperative manipulation in a Collaborative Virtual Environment (CVE). From the premise that simultaneous control over navigation and manipulation by the user can make interaction complex, this technique places two users in asymmetric viewpoint positions during the cooperative manipulation of an object, allowing one of them to follow the object. It applies the separation of degrees of freedom method between the two viewpoints to make the manipulation easier. The technique is evaluated through a user study to test its efficiency on handling cooperative manipulation. Results indicate that, for manipulation tasks that require high amplitude position control along precise orientation control, the technique performs with a lower collisions to time ratio.
Contaminant Hepatotoxins as Culprits for Kava Hepatotoxicity – Fact or Fiction?

The culprit of kava hepatotoxicity will continue to remain a mystery in humans, if the underlying reaction is of idiosyncratic, unpredictable, and dose‐independent nature due potentially to some metabolic aberration in a few individuals emerging from kava use. In addition, kava hepatotoxicity is presently not reproducible experimentally in preclinical models, as demonstrated by studies showing whole kava extracts are not hepatotoxic. This led us to propose our ‘working hypothesis’ that contaminant hepatotoxins including moulds might have caused rare kava hepatotoxicity in humans. Further studies are now warranted to proof or disproof our working hypothesis, because kava hepatotoxicity possibly based on contaminant hepatotoxins could be a preventable disease. In the meantime, however, for minimizing toxicity risk in kava users, a pragmatic approach should focus on the medicinal use of an aqueous extract derived from peeled rhizomes and roots of a non‐mouldy noble kava cultivar, limited to maximum 250‐mg kavalactones daily for acute or intermittent use. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Insights into the Effects of Zinc Doping on Structural Phase Transition of P2-Type Sodium Nickel Manganese Oxide Cathodes for High-Energy Sodium Ion Batteries.

P2-type sodium nickel manganese oxide-based cathode materials with higher energy densities are prime candidates for applications in rechargeable sodium ion batteries. A systematic study combining in situ high energy X-ray diffraction (HEXRD), ex situ X-ray absorption fine spectroscopy (XAFS), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance (SS-NMR) techniques was carried out to gain a deep insight into the structural evolution of P2-Na0.66Ni0. 33-xZnxMn0.67O2 (x = 0, 0.07) during cycling. In situ HEXRD and ex situ TEM measurements indicate that an irreversible phase transition occurs upon sodium insertion-extraction of Na0.66Ni0. 33Mn0.67O2. Zinc doping of this system results in a high structural reversibility. XAFS measurements indicate that both materials are almost completely dependent on the Ni(4+)/Ni(3+)/Ni(2+) redox couple to provide charge/discharge capacity. SS-NMR measurements indicate that both reversible and irreversible migration of transition metal ions into the sodium layer occurs in the material at the fully charged state. The irreversible migration of transition metal ions triggers a structural distortion, leading to the observed capacity and voltage fading. Our results allow a new understanding of the importance of improving the stability of transition metal layers.
Asiaticoside Induces Type I Collagen Synthesis and Osteogenic Differentiation in Human Periodontal Ligament Cells

Asiaticoside, an active ingredient extracted from Centella asiatica, has been widely used to promote wound healing. In this study, the effects of asiaticoside on proliferation, protein synthesis, and osteogenic differentiation in human periodontal ligament cells (HPDLs) were investigated. HPDLs were treated with asiaticoside at concentrations of 25, 50, and 100 µg/mL. Cell number was determined by MTT assay. The mRNA expression was analyzed by reverse transcription‐polymerase chain reaction. Western blot analysis and immunocytochemistry were used to confirm protein synthesis. Osteogenic differentiation was determined by alkaline phosphatase activity, osteoblast marker gene expression, and in vitro mineralization. The results showed that asiaticoside treatment, ranging from 25 to 100 mg/mL, had no effect on cytotoxicity or cell proliferation. When HPDLs were treated with asiaticoside in serum‐free medium, dose‐dependent increases in the levels of fibronectin and collagen type I mRNA and protein were observed at 72 h. Moreover, asiaticoside attenuated matrix metalloproteinase‐1 but enhanced tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase‐1 mRNA expression. The addition of asiaticoside to osteogenic medium resulted in an increase in alkaline phosphatase enzymatic activity, up‐regulation of osteoblast marker gene mRNA expression, and enhancement of mineralization by HPDLs. These results suggest the potential application of asiaticoside for enhancing periodontal tissue healing. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
A Simulation Environment for Multi-Sensor Planning

The aim of this work is to design a flexible multi- agent environment for simulating the deployment of multiple sensors for a given sensing task. The envi ronment is based on a multi-agent architecture such that each sensor is controlled by an autonomous in telligent agent. This allows the user great flexibility in manipulating the number of sensors and also the capabilities of each sensor. The simulation system permits the user to visualize the outcome of the de ployment for various sensor configurations prior to implementation in the real world. Currently, the system focuses on the use of cameras for visual in spection tasks in which a single camera would be inadequate due to occluding objects in the scene or the sheer size of the target.
Pseudolaric Acid B Induces Caspase‐Dependent Apoptosis and Autophagic Cell Death in Prostate Cancer Cells

Previous studies have shown that Pseudolaric acid B (PAB), a medicinal plant‐derived terpenoid, is a promising chemopreventive or therapeutic agent against various types of cancer. However, less is known regarding its activity against prostate cancer. The objective of the current study is designed to determine the anti‐prostate cancer effects of PAB. We demonstrated here that PAB was highly effective against both androgen‐dependent (LNCaP) and androgen‐independent prostate cancer cells (PC‐3 and DU145) through the mechanisms involved in induction of G2/M cell cycle arrest, caspase‐dependent apoptosis and autophagic cell death. Furthermore, PAB can greatly sensitize these two aggressive androgen‐independent prostate cancer cells to ABT‐737‐induced cytotoxicity. Our findings suggest that PAB holds excellent potential as either novel chemopreventive agent or enhancer of therapeutic drug against prostate cancer. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Review: Evaluation of an alcohol intervention training program for nurses in rural Australia

Attitudes of nursing staff towards people and patients they care for with drinking and alcohol related problems are significantly influenced by their own personal drinking habits. This is compounded by professional staff having little or no training and education to support them to manage a complex group of people that can provoke an array of negative and difficult emotions. Several studies have been conducted with the aim of eliciting nurses’ attitudes and beliefs with regard to the quality and quantity of care afforded to people with alcohol dependency, many of which conclude that further training and education is required (Allen, 1993; Crothers and Dorrian, 2011; Skinner et al, 2007). This paper, which evaluates the development and implementation of an Alcohol Intervention Training Program for nurses working in rural Australia, underlines the findings that exist in the literature, most notably the 2011 study (Crothers and Dorrian, 2011), which similarly highlights the correlation between nurses’ personal drinking habits and individual attitudes towards alcohol, and the subsequent treatment and care of people in their charge. As with this evaluation, Crothers and Dorrian (2011) also found that clinical staff struggle to raise awareness of this sensitive subject with their patients, almost as if it is a taboo topic of conversation. Nurses who themselves exceed the recommended normal daily limits for units of alcohol, may struggle more with this sensitivity, dealing as they are with their own projections, defensive rationalisations and avoidance of responsibility. A related further issue is the way in which nurses view their role and capabilities in the treatment of alcohol-related problems. One of the most efficacious and competent treatment strategies in the management of alcohol abuse is that of patient engagement and use of the therapeutic alliance, whether in individual or group settings. Thus, it is crucial that nurses are not only well prepared visà-vis education and training (Puskar et al., 2011) but also, and as importantly, develop the reflective awareness of their own beliefs and values regarding the uses and abuses of alcohol
Optimal MIMO Multicast Transceiver Design for Simultaneous Information and Power Transfer

We consider transceiver design for a MIMO multicast channel for simultaneous wireless information and power transfer. We assume that common information is intended for a subset of users, called information decoders (IDs), and the other users, called energy harvesters (EHs), harvest energy from the received signals. Assuming linear receivers at the IDs, we jointly design the precoder at the source and the receivers at the IDs according to two criteria. In the first criterion, we minimize the worst case mean square error (MSE) under source transmit power and harvested energy constraints. In the second criterion, we maximize the total harvested energy at the EHs under source transmit power and worst case MSE constraints. We formulate both problems as semidefinite programming (SDP) problems that we optimally solve using interior point algorithms. Simulation results show the importance of designing the transceivers to achieve a desired tradeoff among the source transmit power, MSEs at the IDs, and harvested energy at the EHs.
No influence of age on the ileal absorption of bile acids in humans as determined by the SeHCAT test

Objective: To determine the influence of age on ileal absorption of bile acids. Design: Bile acid absorption was evaluated with the γ-emitting bile acid analogue, selenohomocholic acid taurine (SeHCAT) in 11 healthy young (aged 35 years or less) and 11 healthy elderly subjects (aged 65 years or more). Method: SeHCAT was given orally and its fractional catabolic rate (FCR) and 7-day retention were assessed by repeated external counting for the following 7 days. Fasting serum was also analysed for the lipid profile. Results: No significant difference was found between the two groups despite a significant increase in serum total and low density lipoprotein cholesterol with age. Conclusions: We could not observe any influence of age on bile acid absorption evaluated with the SeHCAT test.
Fluticasone-Associated Churg-Strauss Syndrome; Amiodarone-Induced Lipomas; Amiodarone-Induced Pulmonary Toxicity; Hyperchloremic Metabolic Acidosis Resulting from Topiramate Use; Generalized Seizure in Patient Receiving Epidural Meperidine; Sirolimus-Induced Pneumonitis; Inappropriate Benzodiazepine

The purpose of this feature is to heighten awareness of specific adverse drug reactions (ADRs), discuss methods of prevention, and promote reporting of ADRs to the US Food and Drug Administration's (FDA's) MedWatch program (800-FDA-1088). If you have reported an interesting, preventable ADR to MedWatch, please consider sharing the account with our readers.
A framework of multilayer social networks for communication behavior with agent-based modeling

Agent-based modeling and simulation play an important role in sociological analysis for complex phenomena. The social communication behaviors can be reproduced by interactive agents, who can behave like human beings. In this paper, we propose a simulation framework of multilayer social networks to model high-resolution interaction between agents. The agent model contains three components: social networks, a demographic-based population and a schedule-based behavior. A common description of multilayer heterogeneous networks is presented. To evaluate the performance of the proposed framework, we reproduce the transmission of influenza H1N1 in an artificial classroom, and compare the simulation results with a real outbreak of influenza H1N1 at one university in Langfang, 2009. The simulation results show high correlation between social networks and the transmission of influenza, and demonstrate that individual-based social network models can well reproduce and analyze complex interacting behavior. Furthermore, experiments under controlled conditions are carried out to analyze the sensitivity of alternative parameters. The framework is able to model high-resolution, social communications from multiple aspects.
Agent-based simulations of financial markets: zero- and positive-intelligence models

To analyze the impact of intelligent traders with differing fundamental motivations on agent-based simulations of financial markets, we construct both zero-intelligence and positive-intelligence models of those markets using the MASON agent-based modeling framework. We exploit our software implementation of multifractal detrended fluctuation analysis (MF-DFA) to analyze the price paths generated by both simulation models as well as the price paths of selected stocks traded on the New York Stock Exchange. We study the changes in the models’ macrolevel price paths when altering some of the microlevel agent behaviors; and we compare and contrast the multifractal properties of the zero- and positive-intelligence price paths with those properties of the selected real price paths. For the positive-intelligence and real price paths, we generally observed long-range dependence in the small-magnitude fluctuations and short-range dependence in the large-magnitude fluctuations. On the other hand, the zero-intelligence price paths failed to exhibit the multifractal properties seen in the selected real price paths.
Sobre los consensos en medicina

Significado de “consenso” La palabra consenso viene del latin consentire, que significa acuerdo y tiene un amplio espectro de significados en las diferentes actividades humanas: en politica, es la base de la democracia; en lo social, de la convivencia; en lo sexual, de la reproduccion. En lo que se refiere a la ciencia el consenso no tiene ningun significado, porque la ciencia no se basa en consensos; si asi fuera muchas teorias (como las de la relatividad o la cuantica) deberian ser consideradas como falsas, porque la mayor parte de los cientificos no las comprenden, sin embargo estas teorias han condicionado la mayoria de los progresos cientificos y tecnologicos del siglo XX. Por lo tanto en ciencia no existe consenso, ya que es lo opuesto a lo cientifico. Para determinar si el consenso es aplicable en Medicina se debe definir si esta actividad esta mas vinculada a la ciencia, a la politica, a lo social o a lo sexual.
MMach: a mathematical morphology toolbox for the KHOROS system

o isrs. ept Abstract. Mathematical morphology is a general theory that studies the decomposition of operators between complete lattices in terms of some families of simple operators: dilations, erosions, antidilations, and antierosions. Nowadays, this theory is largely used in image processing and computer vision to extract information from images. The KHOROS system is an open and general environment for image processing and visualization that has become very popular. One of the main characteristics of KHOROS is its flexibility, since it runs on standard machines, supports several standard data formats, uses a visual programming language, and has tools to help the users to build in and install their own programs. A set of new programs can be organized as a subsystem called a toolbox. We present MMach, a fast and comprehensive mathematical morphology toolbox for the KHOROS system dealing with 1-D and 2-D grayscale and binary images. Each program that is applicable to grayscale and binary images has specialized algorithms for each of these data types, and these algorithms are chosen automatically according to the input data. Several examples illustrate applications of the toolbox in image analysis. © 1998 SPIE and IS&T. [S1017-9909(98)01701-2]