Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Pharmacokinetics, metabolism, and saliva output during transdermal and extended-release oral oxybutynin administration in healthy subjects.

OBJECTIVE To compare the pharmacokinetics and adverse effect dynamics of 2 modified-release oxybutynin treatments. SUBJECTS AND METHODS Between October 15 and November 6, 2001, 13 healthy subjects (7 men and 6 women) participated in a randomized, 2-way crossover study of transdermal (Oxytrol, 3.9 mg/d) and extended-release oral (Ditropan XL, 10 mg) oxybutynin. Multiple blood and saliva samples were collected. Pharmacokinetic parameters and total salivary output were assessed. Statistical analyses included 95% confidence intervals, paired t test, analysis of variance, and linear regression. RESULTS Steady-state plasma concentrations were achieved after the first transdermal application and after the second extended-release oral dose. Mean +/- SD 24-hour oxybutynin areas under the concentration-time curve were comparable during transdermal and oral extended-release treatments, 10.8 +/- 24 vs 9.2 +/- 33 ng x h(-1) x mL(-1), respectively. However, the ratio of area under the curve (N-desethyloxybutynin/oxybutynin) after transdermal administration (1.2 +/- 03) was significantly lower (P < .001) than after extended-release oral administration (4.1 +/- 0.9). Mean plasma concentrations were less variable during transdermal compared with extended-release oral administration. Mean +/- SD saliva output was greater during transdermal than extended-release oral treatment (15.7 +/- 93 vs 12.2 +/- 6.8 g, respectively; P = .02). Lower N-desethyloxybutynin during transdermal application was associated with greater saliva output (r = -059, P = .04). No clinically important treatment-related adverse effects were observed. CONCLUSIONS Transdermal oxybutynin administration results in greater systemic availability and minimizes metabolism to N-desethyloxybutynin compared with extended-release oral administration. Lower N-desethyloxybutynin plasma concentration and greater saliva output during transdermal treatment correspond to the reported low incidence of dry mouth in patients with overactive bladder.
A suppressor of mutations in the class III transcription system encodes a component of yeast TFIIIB.

Class III genes depend on TFIIIB for recruitment of RNA polymerase III. Yeast TFIIIB is comprised of three components: TBP, TFIIIB70 and a 90 kDa polypeptide contained in the fraction B″. We report the isolation of the yeast gene TFC7 which, based on genetic and biochemical evidence, encodes the 90 kDa polypeptide. TFC7 was isolated as a multicopy suppressor of temperature‐sensitive mutations in the two largest subunits of TFIIIC. It is an essential gene, encoding a polypeptide of 68 kDa migrating with an apparent size of approximately 90 kDa. In gel shift assays, recombinant TFC7 protein (rTFC7) alone did not bind detectably to DNA, or to the TFIIIC‐DNA complex even in the presence of TBP or TFIIIB70, but it was required to assemble the TFIIIB‐TFIIIC‐DNA complex. The two‐hybrid assay pointed to an interaction between TFC7 protein and tau 131, the second largest subunit of TFIIIC (that also interacts with TFIIIB70). rTFC7p can replace the B″ component of TFIIIB for synthesis of U6 RNA in a system reconstituted with recombinant TBP and TFIIIB70 polypeptides and highly purified RNA polymerase III. Surprisingly, specific transcription of the SUP4 tRNATyr gene promoted by rTFC7p was much weaker than with B″. An additional factor activity, provided by the recently identified TFIIIE fraction, was required to restore control levels of transcription.
Screening colonoscopy in asymptomatic average‐risk Koreans: Analysis in relation to age and sex

Background and Aims: Although the incidence of colorectal cancer is rising in Asian countries, there are no guidelines for its screening in this region due in part to the lack of epidemiological data regarding colorectal neoplasms. This study aimed to evaluate the prevalence of colorectal neoplasms in average‐risk Koreans and to assess the effectiveness of screening colonoscopy in Korea.
Analysis of Gradient Adaptive Lattice Filter as a Pre-Processor in a Speech Separation System

This paper describes the results of the analysis of using a gradient adaptive lattice filter (GAL) as a pre-processor in speech separation system (based on adaptive decorrelation technique) to enhance the convergence rate of the system intended to perform the separation of convolutive mixtures of speech acquired from two speakers using two microphones (2S2M). A significant improvement has been observed in the convergence rate of a GAL based pre-processor, in comparison with that of a simple fixed high pass filter (HPF) based pre-processor. The preliminary and promising results are reported in this paper
Understanding Factors Contributing to Inappropriate Critical Care: A Mixed-Methods Analysis of Medical Record Documentation.

BACKGROUND Factors leading to inappropriate critical care, that is treatment that should not be provided because it does not offer the patient meaningful benefit, have not been rigorously characterized. OBJECTIVE We explored medical record documentation about patients who received inappropriate critical care and those who received appropriate critical care to examine factors associated with the provision of inappropriate treatment. DESIGN Medical records were abstracted from 123 patients who were assessed as receiving inappropriate treatment and 66 patients who were assessed as receiving appropriate treatment but died within six months of intensive care unit (ICU) admission. We used mixed methods combining qualitative analysis of medical record documentation with multivariable analysis to examine the relationship between patient and communication factors and the receipt of inappropriate treatment, and present these within a conceptual model. SETTING One academic health system. RESULTS Medical records revealed 21 themes pertaining to prognosis and factors influencing treatment aggressiveness. Four themes were independently associated with patients receiving inappropriate treatment according to physicians. When decision making was not guided by physicians (odds ratio [OR] 3.76, confidence interval [95% CI] 1.21-11.70) or was delayed by patient/family (OR 4.52, 95% CI 1.69-12.04), patients were more likely to receive inappropriate treatment. Documented communication about goals of care (OR 0.29, 95% CI 0.10-0.84) and patient's preferences driving decision making (OR 0.02, 95% CI 0.00-0.27) were associated with lower odds of receiving inappropriate treatment. CONCLUSIONS Medical record documentation suggests that inappropriate treatment occurs in the setting of communication and decision-making patterns that may be amenable to intervention.
Development of orally disintegrating tablets of Perphenazine/hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin inclusion complex

The aim of the present work was to prepare perphenazine (PPZ) orally disintegrating tablets (ODTs) based on the use of hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin (HP-β-CD) forming inclusion complex with PPZ to improve the solubility and dissolution of this practically insoluble drug. Phase solubility studies were performed to evaluate the complexation of PPZ with HP-β-CD in three aqueous systems. The inclusion complex prepared by evaporation method was characterized by different physicochemical techniques, including the dissolution studies. The prepared complex was incorporated into ODTs containing different fillers and disintegrants. The ODTs prepared by direct compression were evaluated for drug content, hardness, porosity, friability, in vitro disintegration time (DT), wetting time (WT) and dissolution profiles. The solubility and dissolution rate were substantially improved compared with that of PPZ. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), X-ray powder diffraction (XRD) and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) analyses suggested that PPZ could form true inclusion complex with HP-β-CD. The optimized formulation F6 exhibited short DT (15.5 ± 1.9 s) and WT (34.2 ± 2.3 s), sufficient hardness (30.4 ± 1.6 N/mm) and rapid drug dissolution. The developed tablet formulation could be a promising drug delivery system with improvements in PPZ bioavailability and patient compliance.
Financial Policy and the Balance of Payments

I DELIVER this Inaugural Lecture' with a great sense of the honour conferred upon me by my appointment to this Chair and with a profound realisation of my inadequacies for this position. I cannot vie with my predecessor, Professor Betiham, in his great and robust gifts as a teacher or in his extensive knowledge of trading conditions throughout the world. These qualities of his are well knownl here in the London School of Economics where he both learned and taught his subject for so many years. I have come to this great School as an outsider and with interests which differ somewhat from those of some of my predecessors. lVIy main concern in economics has always been, not with descriptive or institutional studies, but with theoretical analysis and, in particular, with the contribution which economnic analysis has to make to the solution of problems of practical economic policy. Accordingly I have selected as subject 'Matter for this lecture an outstanding, perhaps the outstanding, problem of practical economic policy in the field of international trade---niamely the present balance of payments disequilibrium of the United Kingdom. And it is my intention to discuss it this evening from the point of view of economic analysis. Throughout the many economic problems which confront us one common question arises :--should we rely upon direct quantitative controls to achieve our ends or upon using the money and price mechanism so as to induce persons to do what is socially desirable Should we, for exanmple, direct workers from inessential to essential uses or should we attract them by higher wage rates in the latter and lower wage-rates in the former ? Should we achieve an equitable distribution of wealth by the direct guarantee of a fair share of each essential commodity to each citizen or by measures which ensure a tolerably equitable distribution of general monetary purchasing power exercised in a relatively free market ? Should we restrain the inflationary pressure of the too much money chasing the too few goods by a system of direct licensing and rationing of each commodity or by general measures which reduce money purchasing power to the desired degree ? The same question arises in the case of our balance of payments. Should we exercise a system of direct quantitative
INTEGRASI HARGA DAGING SAPI DI PASAR DOMESTIK DAN INTERNASIONAL

Permintaan daging sapi di Indonesia yang terus meningkat menyebabkan kesenjangan antara produksi dan konsumsi semakin melebar. Kelebihan permintaan tersebut dipenuhi oleh daging sapi impor yang menyebabkan harga daging sapi domestik mengikuti pergerakan harga daging sapi impor. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk menganalisis integrasi pasar daging sapi Indonesia dan dunia (respon harga daging sapi domestik terhadap perubahan harga internasional/dunia). Data yang digunakan adalah data sekunder berupa data bulanan harga retail daging sapi di Indonesia dan harga daging sapi internasional (periode 2009-2013). Analisis data menggunakan model Vector Error Correction Model (VECM). Hasil penelitian menunjukkan terjadi integrasi antara harga daging sapi di pasar domestik dan dunia dalam jangka panjang dan jangka pendek. Hal ini berimplikasi terhadap stabilitas harga daging sapi Indonesia tergantung pada harga daging sapi di pasar dunia. Oleh karena itu, pemerintah melalui Kementerian Perdagangan perlu menerapkan kebijakan stabilitas harga daging sapi agar konsumen dapat menjangkau harga daging sapi yang terus meningkat serta produsen juga tidak dirugikan. The increasing demand of beef in Indonesia has broadened the gaps between production and consumption. This excess demand is solved by importing beef which consequently makes the price of domestic beef follows the imported ones. This research aims to analyze the integration of beef market in Indonesia compared to the world market (as a response of domestic beef prices against the international/world price changes). The study used secondary data including the monthly retail price of beef in Indonesia and international beef prices during 2009-2013. Data analysis used was Vector Error Correction Model (VECM). The result shows that there is price integration between domestic beef market and the world market in the long and short run. It gives an implication to the stability of Indonesian beef price which depends heavily on the world market’s price. It is necessary that the government through the Ministry of Trade implement a policy of beef price stability so that the consumers will be able to purchase beef even the price keeps increasing and the producers will not lose the market.
Design of microstrip patch antenna enriched with curve-fitting approach

This paper proposes a novel approach to design a microstrip patch antenna and to obtain the relationships between physical dimensions of it and its bandwidth. The curve-fitting method is adopted to establish the aforesaid relationship. The antenna is designed to operate in X band region of the entire electromagnetic spectrum and simulated results are verified with respect to the design frequency.
Development of interpretive criteria and quality control limits for broth microdilution and disk diffusion antimicrobial susceptibility testing of Streptococcus pneumoniae

A five-center collaborative study was undertaken to develop quality control and specific interpretive criteria for susceptibility testing of Streptococcus pneumoniae against 12 antimicrobial agents. MICs were determined for 248 pneumococcal clinical isolates (with an emphasis on resistant strains) by use of the National Committee for Clinical Laboratory Standards (NCCLS)-recommended broth microdilution procedure incorporating lysed horse blood-supplemented Mueller-Hinton broth. NCCLS disk diffusion testing was also performed for each isolate by using Mueller-Hinton sheep blood agar incubated in 5% CO2. Repetitive testing of S. pneumoniae ATCC 49619 with different sources and lots of media and disks allowed development of quality control ranges which encompassed approximately 95% of MIC and zone size values observed in the study. Good intra- and interlaboratory reproducibilities were seen with these testing methods and all of the drugs examined. On the basis of the results of this study, MIC interpretive criteria are proposed for 11 agents. Comparisons of MICs and disk diffusion zone sizes allowed disk diffusion zone size interpretive criteria to be proposed for five drugs and confirmed the use of the oxacillin disk test for prediction of penicillin susceptibility among pneumococci. Excessive numbers of minor-category interpretive errors precludes recommendation at this time of the disk diffusion method for testing of pneumococci against five of the drugs. Use of these proposed quality control and interpretive criteria should provide for reproducible test results and allow recognition of recently emerging resistance among pneumococcal clinical isolates.
Significant correlation between the CD63 assay and the histamine release assay in chronic urticaria

Background Antibodies directed to the α subunit of the high affinity IgE receptor and the IgE molecule are proposed to be of pathogenetic relevance in a group of patients with chronic urticaria (CU). The diagnosis of autoimmune chronic urticaria (ACU) is difficult; the autologous serum skin test (ASST) seems to be a useful screening test, but reliable, additional confirmatory methods are needed.
Heme oxygenase: function, multiplicity, regulatory mechanisms, and clinical applications

In biological systems oxidation of heme is carried out by two isozymes of the microsomal heme oxygenase, HO‐1 and HO‐2. HO‐1 is the commonly known heme oxygenase, the activity of which can be induced by up to 100‐fold in response to a wide variety of stimuli (metals, heme, hormones, etc.). HO‐2 was only recently discovered, and the isozyme appears to be uninducible. The two forms are products of two different genes and differ in their tissue expression. The primary structure of HO‐1 and an HO‐2 fragment of 91 amino acid residues show only 58% homology, but share a region with 100% secondary structure homology. This region is believed to be the catalytic site. Most likely, HO‐1 gene is regulated in the same manner as metallothione in the gene. HO‐1 has a heat shock regulatory element, and possibly many promoter elements, which bind to respective inducers and cause transcription of the gene. In vivo induction of HO‐1 activity in the liver is accompanied by decreases in the total P‐450 levels and, in a reconstituted system, cytochrome P‐450b heme can be quantitatively converted to biliverdin by HO‐1 and HO‐2. The enzyme activity is inhibited in vivo for extended periods subsequent to binding of Zn‐and Sn‐ protoporphyrins. This property appears useful for the suppression of bilirubin production. The metalloporphyrins, however, are not innocuous and cause major disruptions in cellular metabolism. In this review recent findings on heme oxygenase are highlighted. — Maines, M. D. Heme oxygenase: function, multiplicity, regulatory mechanisms, and clinical applications. FASEB J. 2: 2557‐2568; 1988.
From Professional Silos to Interprofessional Education: Campuswide Focus on Quality of Care

Objectives The Institute of Medicine called for the integration of interprofessional education (IPE) into health professions curricula, in order to improve health care quality. In response, we developed, implemented, and evaluated a campus wide IPE program, shifting from traditional educational silos to greater collaboration. Methods Students (155) and faculty (30) from 6 academic programs (nursing, medicine, public health, allied health, dentistry, and pharmacy) engaged with a university hospital partner to deliver this program. The content addressed principles of IPE, teamwork development and 2 common quality care problems: hospital-acquired infections and communication errors. Pre-/post-surveys, the Readiness for Interprofessional Learning Scale, and the Interprofessional Education Perception Scale, were used for descriptive assessment of student learning. Results Students demonstrated increased understanding of health care quality and interprofessional teamwork principles and reported positive attitudes toward shared learning. While responses to the Readiness for Interprofessional Learning Scale grew more positive after the program, scores on the Interprofessional Education Perception Scale were more homogeneous. Both students and faculty highly evaluated the experience. Conclusion This program was a first step in preparing individuals for collaborative learning, fostering awareness and enthusiasm for IPE among students and faculty, and demonstrating the feasibility of overcoming common barriers to IPE such as schedule coordination and faculty buy-in.
Optical fiber switches

The switching speed of electronics can never match the transmission capacity offered by the optics. This paper basically describes some basic kinds of optical switches. Behaviour of different optical switches i.e. OEO (Optical-Electrical-Optical) and OOO (Optical-Optical-Optical) switches is discussed with reference to open source optical communication. Some basic technologies used for optical switching along with their pros and cons are also presented in this paper.
The Jicamarca phased-array radar

Phased array and spaced antenna radar techniques developed and employed at the Jicamarca Radio Observatory for ionospheric research are reviewed. The ionospheric scatterers studied by Jicamarca are not spatially homogeneous and not beam filling in some cases, and distinguishing the bearing of the radar backscatter is essential for correctly interpreting the radar data as well as for discovery research. Both incoherent and coherent scatter from thermal and nonthermal plasma density irregularities, respectively, are strong functions of magnetic aspect angle. Radar interferometry can be used to discriminate the arrival angle or brightness distribution of the backscatter and, in the case of coherent scatter from field-aligned irregularities, determine its aspect sensitivity. Using multiple spaced receivers, the entire brightness distribution can be estimated from the measured visibility using aperture synthesis imaging techniques. This is the most incisive remote sensing tool available for studying ionospheric plasma irregularities and the instabilities that produce them. Fi-nally, a novel technique for antenna compression introduced at Jicamarca can be used to synthesize very broad radiation patterns that nevertheless make use of the entire Jicamarca phased array for transmission.
[Participation of atrial natriuretic peptide (hANP) levels and arginine vasopressin (AVP) in aged persons with nocturia].

BACKGROUND The associations of human atrial natriuretic peptide (hANP) and arginine vasopressin (AVP) with nocturia in two groups of elderly individuals were investigated. METHODS Plasma hANP and AVP levels were determined at 8:00, 14:00, 20:00, 2:00 and 8:00 (2nd day) in 15 healthy younger elderly individuals and 30 elderly individuals who showed no abnormal physical findings. Urine volume, urinary Na and K levels, and urinary osomotic pressure were also determined every 6 hours at the above-mentioned times. The maximum diameter of the inferior vena cava (IVC) in the inferior portion of the confluence of the hepatic veins was determined at 14:00, 20:00 and 2:00 in 11 younger elderly individuals and 17 elderly individuals. RESULTS The mean hANP level was significantly higher in the elderly group than in the younger elderly group, and the mean AVP level was significantly higher in the younger elderly group than in the elderly group. There were no significant differences in diurnal variation in hANP between daytime and night among the younger elderly individuals, but the hANP level was significantly increased during the night in the elderly individuals. The AVP level was significantly higher at night than during the daytime in the younger elderly individuals, while it was significantly decreased at night in the elderly individuals. Although there was no marked diurnal variation in the IVC in any of the younger elderly individuals, IVC diameter was significantly increased at night in the elderly individuals. Urine volume was high during the daytime in the younger elderly group, and increased during the night in the elderly group. CONCLUSIONS The increase in body fluid and elevation of hANP over the time between evening and night, and the decrease in AVP accompanying these increases were considered to lead to the increase in urine volume during the night, and this increase is considered to be a factor in nocturia.