Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Extensive investigation of patients with mild elevations of serum amylase and/or lipase is 'low yield'.

BACKGROUND Serum amylase and lipase levels are widely used as markers of pancreatic inflammation. However, it would seem that mild elevations of amylase and lipase rarely predict significant pancreatic pathology. Pancreatic imaging tests are expensive. The gold standard, endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography, carries risk of morbidity and mortality. OBJECTIVE To determine whether extensive investigation of patients with mild, nonspecific abdominal symptoms and mild elevations of amylase and/or lipase results in a significant diagnostic yield. METHODS Outpatient evaluations were retrospectively analyzed over 12 months. Inclusion criteria were nonspecific abdominal pain, and mild elevations (less than three times the upper limit of normal) of serum amylase or lipase, or both. Exclusion criteria included a history of chronic pancreatitis, elevation of liver tests and acute pain syndromes. RESULTS Nineteen patients over the study period met the criteria. Of the nineteen patients, 58% had elevation of lipase alone, 21% amylase alone and 21% had elevations of both. In addition, 89.5% of the patients had nonspecific abdominal pain. After imaging with one or more of ultrasound, computed tomography, magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography, endoscopic ultrasound and endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography, small bowel follow through or hepatobiliary scanning, 78.9% patients were thought to have a normal pancreas. Of the remaining patients, 15.8% had mild or equivocal changes of chronic pancreatitis, and one patient was found to have a pancreatic tail pseudocyst. The average cost of investigation was US$2,255, taking only direct procedural costs into account. No patient was found to have malignancy. CONCLUSIONS The majority of patients with nonspecific abdominal pain and isolated elevations of amylase and/or lipase (less than three times the upper limit of normal) had no identifiable pancreatic pathology. The diagnostic yield in patients with mild elevations of lipase alone was particularly poor. The cost effectiveness and risk-benefit ratio of extensive investigation of this group of patients warrants further study.
Activity Profile of International‐Level Soccer Referees During Competitive Matches

&NA; Castagna, C. , G. Abt, and S. D'Ottavio. Activity profile of international‐level soccer referees during competitive matches. J. Strength Cond. Res. 18(3):486–490. —The purpose of this study was to investigate the activity profile of soccer referees competing at international level. Thirteen internationallevel soccer referees (INRG, age 38 ± 3 years, height 182.0 ± 6.5 cm, and body mass 78.8 ± 7.0 kg) were observed during official international matches using a match analysis system (Play Controller, Phromos, Italy) that enabled speeds and times collection for 11 arbitrarily chosen match categories. For comparison, 13 Italian elite‐level soccer referees (NRG, age 37 ± 3 years, height 182.5 ± 3.5 cm, and body mass 77.1 ± 6.5 kg) were examined during domestic official first division matches (Serie A). Results showed that NRG covered more distance during matches than the INRG (12,956 ± 548 m and 11,218 ± 1,056 m, respectively; p < 0.05). Running faster than 18 km·h‐1, NRG covered more distance than INRG (2,378 ± 423 m and 1,642 ± 689 m, respectively; p < 0.05). No between‐halves differences in the distance covered at speed faster than 18 km·h‐1 were observed in each group. The main finding of this study is that international‐level referees during international competitions are less active than national‐level officials directing domestic matches. This unexpected result may suggest the need for specific training for the international referees, as recent reports have shown that better positioning is associated with longer space coverage during competitive matches. Across‐halves, highintensity, space‐coverage conservation should be regarded as a peculiarity of the elite‐level soccer referee.
Immigration: a multi-disciplinary problem in Europe

It's a long time for Europe to treat immigration. In recent years, especially after the Libyan and Syrian crisis, the rate of legal and illegal immigrants to Europe has increased dramatically. Since then, the issue of immigration has become one of interest of public opinion. At the outset, the economic aspect, and then the security aspect of immigration had discussed and challenged many European governments that even showed up in national elections. The human rights and cultural challenges also make the crisis more complicated.The main question of this article is what aspects have the issue of immigration in Europe? The main hypothesis is that migration is an interdisciplinary phenomenon that should be considered in terms of economic, security, cultural, political and social aspects. In order to examine this hypothesis, following the study of phenomenon of immigration, different dimensions of immigration to Europe between 2013 and 2017, Contains: economic, security, cultural, political and social aspects are studied. And then the result of the discussion is written. The research method was descriptive-analytic.
Recent advances in high-power industrial applications

The industrial electronics market is continuously changing following the users demand. This paper introduces the current industrial electronics applications and is focused in the medium-voltage high-power ones. The multilevel approach is the most attractive solution to achieve the challenges that medium voltage-high power applications arise. Several commercial examples are introduced and some of the last research advances related to multilevel power electronic converters are presented in this paper.
Will Entrepreneurial Passion Help to Improve College Students' Entrepreneurial Intentions? Based on a Questionnaire Survey of College Students in Six Provinces

The college students' entrepreneurship is an urgent need as for the implementation of national innovation-driven development strategy, and entrepreneurial passion can effectively enhance the entrepreneurial intentions of college student groups. From a perspective of entrepreneurial passion, this paper constructs a model of the relationship among entrepreneurial passion, entrepreneurial selfefficacy, entrepreneurial risk perception and entrepreneurial intentions. Based on a questionnaire survey of college students in six provinces, it uses SPSS and AMOS software to empirically analyze the promotion role of entrepreneurial passion in college students' entrepreneurial intentions. Results show that entrepreneurial passion can effectively promote the formation of college students' entrepreneurial intentions, and guide the entrepreneurial practice. In addition, entrepreneurial selfefficacy and entrepreneurial risk perception play a partial mediating role in the relationship between entrepreneurial passion and entrepreneurial intentions. At present, there is only theoretical research about the relationship between entrepreneurial passion and entrepreneurial intentions. This paper uses the sample of college students in China in empirical research for the first time, to explore and prove the specific role of entrepreneurial passion in entrepreneurial intentions. The results help to explore an effective way of transforming entrepreneurial passion into the intentions of entrepreneurial activities, formulate the policy stimulating college students' entrepreneurship and promote innovation-driven economic development.
Effect of Mining Machinery on MIMO–UWB Radiowave Propagation Within an Underground Gallery

In this paper, the characterization of a multiple-input–multiple-output (MIMO) ultrawideband (UWB) propagation channel is reported based on experimental analysis. The wireless channel is measured from 3- to 10-GHz frequency range for a 2<formula formulatype="inline"><tex Notation="TeX">$\,\times\,$</tex> </formula>2 MIMO system in an underground mine. The UWB spectrum is divided into subbands (flat fading), and all results are averaged within the 7-GHz bandwidth. Two situations are distinguished and studied separately: the line of sight (LOS), i.e., gallery free of machinery and the non-line-of-sight (NLOS), i.e., machinery obstruction. It is demonstrated that measured <formula formulatype="inline"><tex Notation="TeX">$K$</tex></formula>-factors were higher than 1.2 dB and lower than 0.2 dB for LOS and NLOS, respectively. Moreover, the MIMO subchannels have maximum correlation coefficients of 0.69 and 0.65 for LOS and NLOS, respectively. Furthermore, path loss exponent is of <formula formulatype="inline"><tex Notation="TeX">$\alpha = 1.42$</tex></formula> for LOS, however, for NLOS, it is about 3.19. Hence, results suggest that mining machinery presence leads to shadowing and scattering that affect both the received power and time dispersion parameters experienced by the link. Consequently, such presence should be considered when assessing the performance of underground mine gallery wireless systems. The values of these parameters can be used for MIMO–UWB channel modeling.
Aperiodic conformal reflectarrays

We introduce a new class of reflectarrays, namely, the aperiodic conformal reflectarrays, aimed at exploiting, as much as possible, the available degrees of freedom of the radiating structure, such as positions, orientations and characteristics of the radiating elements and the shape of the reflecting surface. A synthesis technique is outlined, properly dealing with key aspects such as the complexity of the employed radiative model, the algorithms exploited to achieve the final solution, the hardware adopted to run the synthesis code, and the constraints dictated by physical and manufacturing requirements. The potentialities of aperiodic conformal reflectarrays are discussed, also with the aid of a numerical example.
Evaluation of Acinetobacter baumannii Infection and Colonization, and Antimicrobial Treatment Patterns in an Urban Teaching Hospital

In 1990 there was a sudden increase in the incidence of colonization and infection due to Acinetobacter baumannii (AB) in our intensive care units (ICUs). The isolates were multiply resistant to β‐lactam and aminoglycoside antibiotics, but remained susceptible to imipenem, amikacin, and ampicillin‐sulbactam. We examined the frequency of infection and colonization with AB and the effects of increased imipenem and amikacin therapy on Pseudomonas aeruginosa. We also used disease‐matched controls to determine the clinical and financial impacts of treating colonization. All patients with at least one AB isolate from January—December 1992 were identified retrospectively and classified as infected or colonized based on published Centers for Disease Control criteria; the control group was selected from a computerized medical records data base matching primary diagnostic codes (102 patients both groups). The 102 patients yielded 140 isolates, 124 resistant AB and 16 sensitive AB. Thirty three patients were infected, 69 colonized. Mortality correlated with APACHE II scores. Patients acquired the organism approximately 2 weeks after admission; they had a mean ICU stay of 27.35 days, compared with 5.53 days for controls. Patients with positive AB cultures required significantly more use of ventilators than those with negative AB cultures. They also had significantly longer hospital stay, more bed transfers, greater duration and number of antibiotics, and higher hospital and pharmacy charges. Unnecessary treatment for colonization with either imipenem or amikacin resulted in a substantial decrease of P. aeruginosa susceptibility to each agent. The financial impact of treating colonization was significant and is a potential area for cost avoidance. Our results emphasize the need to extubate and move patients to non‐ICU beds as soon as possible to decrease the risk of nosocomial infection. It also highlights the need to avoid treating colonization, thus avoiding unnecessary antibiotic therapy.
Acquired multicellular-mediated resistance to alkylating agents in cancer.

EMT-6 murine mammary tumor sublines highly resistant to cyclophosphamide, cis-diamminedichloro-platinum(II), or N,N',N"-triethylenethiophosphoramide were generated in vivo by sequential treatment of tumor-bearing mice with the respective drugs. Previous studies demonstrated the drug-resistant phenotypes of the sublines were not expressed in vitro when the cells were grown as monolayer cultures. We now show that expression of drug resistance--including patterns of cross-drug resistance observed in vivo--can be fully recapitulated in vitro when the cells are grown under in vivo-like, three-dimensional conditions--namely, as multicellular tumor spheroids. Moreover, the spheroids generated from all of the drug-resistant sublines manifested a much more compact structure. Immediate drug-sensitivity testing of single cells released by trypsin treatment from compact drug-resistant spheroids revealed that such cells lost much of their drug-resistant properties. The results suggest a possible mechanism of acquired drug resistance in tumors based on the response of a cell population (i.e., multicellular or tissue resistance) as opposed to classic (uni)cellular resistance mechanisms.
Two-dimensional and dobutamine stress echocardiography in the preoperative assessment of patients with end-stage liver disease prior to orthotopic liver transplantation.

Orthotopic liver transplantation is an established therapy for end-stage liver disease. This study evaluated the range of cardiovascular abnormalities in patients undergoing evaluation for orthotopic liver transplantation and determined the prognostic implications of abnormal echocardiographic features, including ischemia during dobutamine stress echocardiography, in predicting postoperative cardiac events. Two-dimensional echocardiography was performed in 190 patients for assessment of left ventricular function, valvular pathology, and pulmonary hypertension. Dobutamine stress echocardiography was performed in 165 patients for evaluation of inducible ischemia. Contrast echocardiography for detection of intrapulmonary shunting was performed in 125 patients at rest and in 99 during dobutamine stress. Left ventricular dysfunction, significant valvular regurgitation, and inducible ischemia were identified in <1O% of patients. Pulmonary hypertension, left ventricular hypertrophy and > or = moderate intrapulmonary shunting were present in 12%, 16%, and 26% of patients, respectively. Severe intrapulmonary shunting predicted death prior to transplantation (P=0.01). Of the 71 transplanted patients, major perioperative events included global left ventricular dysfunction in four patients and myocardial infarction in one patient with normal coronary arteries. No preoperative echocardiographic parameters, including ischemia on dobutamine echocardiography, predicted these perioperative events. No cardiac events related to obstructive coronary artery disease occurred in the 154 patients without ischemia on dobutamine stress echocardiography. The majority of patients with end-stage liver disease, including those with alcoholic cirrhosis, have normal cardiac function on two-dimensional echocardiography. Severe intrapulmonary shunting portends a poor prognosis in patients awaiting transplantation. A negative dobutamine stress echocardiogram appears useful in excluding patients at risk for perioperative cardiac events related to obstructive coronary artery disease.
Hand‐foot syndrome associated with liposome‐encapsulated doxorubicin therapy

Background. Acquired immune deficiency syndrome AIDS)‐related Kaposi's sarcoma (KS) is a common complication of patients infected with human immunodeficiency virus and can cause significant morbidity. Long term therapy with standard chemotherapeutic regimens has been limited by relatively short durations of response and potential toxicity. Once therapy is discontinued, the disease typically progresses. Liposome‐encapsulated doxorubicin (DOX‐SL) currently is being evaluated for treating patients with AIDS‐related KS. Early reports suggest a high response rate and good patient tolerance permitting continued therapy for extended periods.
Removal of Vaccinia Virus Genes That Block Interferon Type I and II Pathways Improves Adaptive and Memory Responses of the HIV/AIDS Vaccine Candidate NYVAC-C in Mice

ABSTRACT Poxviruses encode multiple inhibitors of the interferon (IFN) system, acting at different levels and blocking the induction of host defense mechanisms. Two viral gene products, B19 and B8, have been shown to act as decoy receptors of type I and type II IFNs, blocking the binding of IFN to its receptor. Since IFN plays a major role in innate immune responses, in this investigation we asked to what extent the viral inhibitors of the IFN system impact the capacity of poxvirus vectors to activate immune responses. This was tested in a mouse model with single and double deletion mutants of the vaccine candidate NYVAC-C, which expresses the HIV-1 Env, Gag, Pol, and Nef antigens. When deleted individually or in double, the type I (B19) and type II (B8) IFN binding proteins were not required for virus replication in cultured cells. Studies of immune responses in mice after DNA prime/NYVAC boost revealed that deletion of B8R and/or B19R genes improved the magnitude and quality of HIV-1-specific CD8+ T cell adaptive immune responses and impacted their memory phase, changing the contraction, the memory differentiation, the effect magnitude, and the functionality profile. For B cell responses, deletion of the viral gene B8R and/or B19R had no effect on antibody levels to HIV-1 Env. These findings revealed that single or double deletion of viral factors (B8 and B19) targeting the IFN pathway is a useful approach in the design of improved poxvirus-based vaccines.
Hormone therapy and ophthalmic artery blood flow changes in women with primary open-angle glaucoma

Objective To compare the effects of hormone therapy (HT) on plasma viscosity and Doppler flow parameters in normal, healthy, postmenopausal women and in women with normal-tension and chronic, open-angle glaucoma. Design Eight postmenopausal women with glaucoma (group I) and 15 controls (group II) were given HT. The duration of the study was 6 months, and the women were examined in basal condition and at the end of the treatment. All women underwent ultrasonographic evaluation of pelvic organs and color Doppler analysis of uterine, internal carotid, and ophthalmic arteries. Also, plasma viscosity was assayed. Results The ultrasonographic analysis showed that none of the women presented with irregular endometrial echoes, polyps, or intracavitary fluid. In addition, endometrial thickness never exceeded the normal range (5 mm). Plasma viscosity and Doppler parameters significantly improved during therapy. However, the ophthalmic artery mean improvements of pulsatility index (−43% v −28%; P = 0.001), peak systolic blood flow velocity (+35% v +24%; P = 0.026), and time-averaged maximum velocity (+44% v +32%; P = 0.031) were significantly more evident in the control group than in the glaucoma group. Conclusions Although, in people with glaucoma, vasospasm can increase the risk of visual loss by inducing a retrobulbar blood flow reduction, HT seems to beneficially affect the ocular vascularization.
Primary healthcare professionals' knowledge, attitude and behavior regarding influenza immunization; 2006-2007 season adverse effect profile.

OBJECTIVE The objective of this study was to assess primary healthcare professionals' knowledge, attitude and behavior regarding immunization, as well as to evaluate the adverse effect profile for the 2006-2007 influenza vaccines. BACKGROUND Influenza vaccination has been proven to have clinical and epidemiological benefits. However, its uptake in the general population and among healthcare workers has generally been suboptimal. METHODS Primary healthcare professionals of Kayseri were enrolled in the study. Of the 672 primary healthcare professionals in Kayseri, 552 (82 %) completed a questionnaire comprised of 19 questions. The study was performed in March 2007 following a campaign of the Ministry of Health of Turkey for influenza vaccination of primary healthcare workers. RESULTS Of the health professionals, 67 % (370) were women and 33 % (182) were men. Overall, 420 (76.1 %; 95% confidence interval: CI = 72.3-79.5) health professionals reported that they had received influenza vaccine during the 2006-2007 influenza season. Adverse effects were reported by 157 (28.4 %) health professionals. The adverse effects reported were fever (n=57; 13.5 %), muscle pain (n=60; 14.2 %), joint pain (n=40; 9.5 %), loss of appetite (n=16; 3.8%), headache (n=41; 9.7 %), cough (n=29; 6.9 %), malaise (n=76; 18.0 %), tiredness (n=41; 9.7 %), stuffiness (n=49; 11.6 %), sneezing (n=54; 12.8 %), sore throat (n=33; 7.8 %) and others, namely erythema, edema and abscess at the vaccination site, and lymphadenopathy (n=14; 3.3 %). CONCLUSION Our study demonstrated that primary health care professionals in our study group have been vaccinated with influenza vaccine in a reasonable percentage. There were no severe or serious adverse effects of the vaccine, the fact of which may be used to encourage both health professionals and patients of primary care (Tab. 3, Ref. 13).
An update on chemical pharmacotherapy options for the prevention of kidney transplant rejection with a focus on costimulation blockade

ABSTRACT Introduction: The introduction of calcineurin inhibitors (CNI) has greatly improved graft survival in the past three decades. However, long-term graft survival is still limited due to chronic allograft injury and side-effects of immunosuppressive medication. Areas covered: The present overview gives an update on pharmacotherapeutic strategies after kidney transplantation. The main focus is on CNI-sparing regimens using co-stimulatory blockade and on new substances on the horizone. Expert opinion: CNI sparing regimens are well-established. Complete CNI avoidance after kidney transplantation was often associated with impaired graft survival until the approval of the co-stimulation blocker belatacept for de novo immunosuppression after kidney transplantation. Concerns still exist with respect to severe T-cell-mediated rejection episodes in the early phase after transplantation. Thus, a triple drug regimen with CNI, mycophenolic acid and steroids still represents the gold-standard of immunosuppressive therapy. Alternative substances expand the possibilities of tailoring individual immunosuppression for different indications such as biopsy-proven CNI toxicity, polyoma virus BK nephropathy or CNI-triggered thrombotic microangiopathy. However, a change of the immunosuppressive therapy must always be balanced against each patient´s individual immunological risk in order to address the importance of chronic antibody-mediated rejection driven by donor specific antibodies (DSA).
The Eastern Partnership – A Challenge for the EU’s Soft Power in International Relations

The main problem analysed by the article is one of the key issues of theory and practice in European studies, the impact of the European Union on its surroundings, mainly eastern neighbours in order to change it in accordance with its own preferences. The analysis has been made based on the specifics of the nature of the European Union, which exploits the resources of soft power understood as the system of values, cultural identity and political activities undertaken towards the Eastern Partnership states. It is an idea launched in May 2009 on the basis of the European Neighbourhood Policy and essentially replicated the main weakness of the ENP, offering too little incentive and support to the partners. Therefore, the main aim will be the analysis of the main assumptions, goals and instruments of the EaP as the principal tool of the European Union’s soft power toward the region. Simultaneously, a controversial issue of soft power effectiveness of the European Union has been discussed – identified as its soft power in the activities involving the eastern neighbourhood in the post-Soviet region.