Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
MRI at 3 T of brain functions and fibre tracts adjacent to intracranial tumors

The aims of the studies were: to evaluate the spatial resolution of fMRI at 3 T by studying fingersomatotopy in area 3 b of the primary sensory area (Paper 1); to investigate the potential of fMRI at 3T as a clinical tool for preoperative evaluation of patients with intracranial tumors (Paper 2); to investigate the effect of glioma resection on the spatial extent of fMRI activation as compared to the normal within-subject variability (Paper 3); to determine whether the apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) and fractional anisotropy (FA) can distinguish tumor-infiltrated edema of gliomas from pure edema of meningiomas and metastases (Paper 4). Results: Strict somatotopic organisation in the primary sensory cortex was shown in the group average; at the subject level the thumb was located laterally, anteriorly and inferiorly to the little finger in 94 % of subjects (Paper 1). The sensorimotor and language areas close to intracranial tumors were identified in 95 % of patients. Paradigm effectiveness ranged from 79 to 95 %. The median quality of the activation maps was high. fMRI contributed to the decision to operate, the surgical approach and the extent of the resection in 9, 13 and 12 patients, respectively (Paper 2). BOLD activation obtained from fMRI with motor, sensory and language stimulation pre- and postoperatively in glioma patients yielded differences in the spatial extent similar to those obtained from repeated examinations in healthy controls (Paper 3). Values and lesion-to-brain ratios of ADC and FA in peritumoral edema did not differ between high grade gliomas, meningiomas and metastases (Paper 4). Conclusions: Our results suggest that the spatial resolution of fMRI using a clinical protocol is adequate for localisation of the sensory representation of a finger (Paper 1). Preoperative fMRI for mapping of motor, sensory and language functions at 3 T is feasible and contributes to neurosurgical decision making (Paper 2). Longitudinal pre- and postoperative fMRI studies may be performed in patients with gliomas without concerns for potential effects of the decreased tumor volume on the BOLD effect as a possible source of error (Paper 3). Values and lesion-to-brain ratios of ADC and FA may not be useful to distinguish pure edema from tumor-infiltrated edema in peritumoral areas with T2-signal changes (Paper 4).
The Informative Content of CEO and CFO Insider Trading: New Evidence from the Financial Crisis

This paper investigates the impact of CEO and CFO insider purchases on stock returns. Using an extensive dataset on director purchase transactions in the UK during the period 2000-2010, our analysis reveals that director characteristics in addition to a position they hold in the firm can partially explain the market-adjusted returns on insider trading. We report that purchases performed by the CEOs are generally more informative than those by the CFOs. Our results also reveal that opportunistic transactions reveal more information about firm value, but only in the post-crisis period. The opportunistic trades made by CEOs during the crisis lead to lower subsequent returns. Finally, our analysis provides evidence that board independence is an important corporate governance feature in determining the informative content of the trades made by executive directors.
Recommendations for Educational Reform Presented to the Education Committee of the Illinois Senate.

According to the Educational Reform Chicago Study Group, the traditional public school's text-paced classroom environment may be too bare, especially in poor neighborhoods, to help poor students learn, or too middle class to motivate all students to participate. We need to examine our present teaching methods, existing educational research, and research that could help solve educational problems in the future. This paper presents nine recommendations for linking educational research to improving the learning environment for economically disadvantaged children. These recommendations include: (1) building reform on the basis of educational research; (2) providing more incentives for educational research; (3) conducting research on Chicago reform plans; (4) learning from the lessons of past reform efforts; (5) urging policy makers to consult research sources; (6) organizing a legislative subcommittee on educational research; (7) providing funds for reform-oriehted research; (8) conducting research on assisting poor students; and (9) setting up bold pilot educational programs in poor neighborhoods. Each recommendation is amplified by numerous research-based observations. (26 references) (MLH) ********************************************************************** Reproductions supnlied by EDRS are the best that can be made troy the original document. ***********************************************************************
Association study of serotonergic gene variants with antipsychotic-induced adverse reactions

Introduction The products of the serotonin receptor genes are important targets for conventional and atypical antipsychotics, and may be relevant for antipsychotic activity and associated adverse reactions. It has been shown that the high potency at 5-HT2 receptors may also be associated with the production of moderate extrapyramidal side effects (EPS). In addition, serotonin neurotransmitter systems in the central nervous system play an important role in eating behaviours, and are involved in the symptomatology related to the metabolic syndrome, including obesity, diabetes and hyperlipidemia. Materials and methods This study was designed to investigate the hypothesis that serotonin pathway genes play a part in mediating antipsychotic-induced adverse reactions, including EPS, tardive dyskinesia, obesity and diabetes. Polymorphisms in the 5-HT2A (102 (T/C), His452Tyr), 5-HT2C (Cys23Ser, -759 (C/T), -995 (G/A), TPH2 (-366 (C/T), -8933 (A/G) and 5-HTT (LPR, -15370 (A/G)) genes were investigated in a cohort of 427 US Caucasian patients undergoing antipsychotic treatment, using automated genotyping techniques. Results 5-HTT (LPR) and 5-HT2A (102 (T/C) polymorphisms were found to be associated with BMI (P=0.05 and 0.005, respectively). The genotype distribution of the TPH2-366 (T/C) polymorphism was found to be significantly associated with the presence of diabetes (P=0.01). A trend towards an association (P=0.07) between the 5-HT2C Cys23Ser polymorphism and tardive dyskinesia was found when age, duration of treatment, dose and sex were considered. Genotype distributions of the 5-HT2C -995 (G/A), 5-HT2C -759 (C/T) and 5-HT2A His452Tyr polymorphisms differed among patients presenting EPS and those without (P=0.08, 0.06 and 0.08, respectively). No other statistically significant associations were observed. Conclusion Serotonergic polymorphism may play a moderate role in the development of side effects associated with antipsychotic treatment.
Optical Interconnect System Integration for Ultra-Short-Reach Applications

It is predicted that the increase in microprocessor clock frequency will create bandwidth limitations for copper interconnects on Printed Circuit Boards (PCB) due to signal attenuation, Electromagnetic Interference (EMI) and crosstalk [1]. Optical interconnects could be a viable solution to these problems. This paper explores the potential and challenges for optical interconnects in UltraShort-Reach (USR), <10 m, applications. We discuss two designs for implementing high-performance and costeffective optical interconnect solutions. The first architecture uses the Silicon Optical Bench (SiOB) approach and is primarily focused on the board-to-board and rack-to-rack solutions. The second architecture implements hybrid integration on a standard microprocessor package in order to address issues in chipto-chip data transmission. Using the latter method we demonstrate a 3 Gb/s optical eye for the transmitter and 1 Gb/s error-free transmission.
Analyses of Genetic Variations of Glutathione S-Transferase Mu1 and Theta1 Genes in Bangladeshi Tannery Workers and Healthy Controls

Glutathione S-transferases (GSTs) belong to a group of multigene detoxification enzymes, which defend cells against oxidative stress. Tannery workers are at risk of oxidative damage that is usually detoxified by GSTs. This study investigated the genotypic frequencies of GST Mu1 (GSTM1) and GST Theta1 (GSTT1) in Bangladeshi tannery workers and healthy controls followed by their status of oxidative stress and total GST activity. Of the 188 individuals, 50.0% had both GSTM1 and GSTT1 (+/+), 12.2% had GSTM1 (+/−), 31.4% had GSTT1 (−/+) alleles, and 6.4% had null genotypes (−/−) with respect to both GSTM1 and GSTT1 alleles. Among 109 healthy controls, 54.1% were double positive, 9.2% had GSTM1 allele, 32.1% had GSTT1 allele, and 4.6% had null genotypes. Out of 79 tannery workers, 44.3% were +/+, 16.8% were +/−, 30.5% were −/+, and 8.4% were −/−. Though the polymorphic genotypes or allelic variants of GSTM1 and GSTT1 were distributed among the study subjects with different frequencies, the differences between the study groups were not statistically significant. GST activity did not vary significantly between the two groups and also among different genotypes while level of lipid peroxidation was significantly higher in tannery workers compared to controls irrespective of their GST genotypes.
Kindergarten teachers’ beliefs and practices towards elicitation in science teaching

This study investigated a) how teachers view children’s ideas in science, b) if and how they elicit young learners' thinking about natural phenomena and concepts, and c) what is the meaning and the purpose of elicitation for the teachers. Α two-phase mixed-method was implemented with 15 kindergarten teachers including a) drafting a lesson plan for teaching a science concept, and b) in-depth interviews. The results indicated that although the participants value elicitation practices in early science for various and important reasons and state that they implement elicitation practices in their curriculum, they seem uncertain about how to incorporate the information they derive from elicitation in their science curriculum.
Modeling AutomationML: Semantic Web technologies vs. Model-Driven Engineering

Modeling engineering knowledge explicitly and representing it by means of standardized modeling languages and in machine-understandable form enables advanced engineering processes in industrial and factory automation. This affects positively both process and product quality. In this paper we explore how the AutomationML format, an emerging data exchange standard, that supports the Industry 4.0 vision, can be represented by means of two established modeling approaches - Model-Driven Engineering (MDE) and Semantic Web. We report observed differences w.r. t. resulting model features and model creation process and, additionally, present the application possibilities of the developed models for engineering process improvement in a production system engineering context.
Cancer Therapy : Clinical Reducing TNF Receptor 2 þ Regulatory T Cells via the Combined Action of Azacitidine and the HDAC Inhibitor , Panobinostat for Clinical Bene fi t in Acute Myeloid Leukemia Patients

Purpose: Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) provides an environment that enables immune suppression, resulting in functionally defective effector T cells; regulatory T cells (Treg) are significant contributors to the impaired antitumor immune response. As TNF is present at high levels in AML and TNF receptor-2 (TNFR2)–expressing Tregs identify highly functional Tregs, we examine the hypothesis that TNFR2þ Tregs are a relevant Treg subset in this cancer. We also determine the effect of the novel combinatorial therapy of the demethylating agent, azacitidine with the histone deacetylase inhibitor, panobinostat on Tregs, particularly TNFR2þ Tregs. Experimental Design: Thirty healthy donors and 14 patients with AML were enrolled in this study. Patients were treated with azacitidine and panobinostat for 28-day cycles. The frequency and functional relevance of TNFR2þ Tregs were analyzed subsequently. Results:We report that TNFR2þ Tregs are increased in AML and have a high migration potential toward the bonemarrow. Furthermore, we demonstrate that the level of TNFR2þ Tregs in the peripheral blood and the bonemarrowof patients are decreased in vivo after exposure to panobinostat and azacitidine. Reductions in TNFR2þ Tregs were associated with increases in Interferon (IFN)-g and interleukin (IL)-2 production by effector T cells within the bone marrow and beneficial clinical responses. In vitro mechanistic studies indicated panobinostat as the primary driver for the reduction of Tregs. Conclusions: Our study provides for the first time, in vivo validation of the ability of panobinostat in combination with azacitidine to suppress prevalent TNFR2þ Tregs, resulting in clinical benefits within patients with AML. Clin Cancer Res; 20(3); 724–35. 2013 AACR.
Theoretical Bounds in Minimax Decentralized Hypothesis Testing

Minimax decentralized detection is studied under two scenarios: with and without a fusion center when the source of uncertainty is the Bayesian prior. When there is no fusion center, the constraints in the network design are determined. Both for a single decision maker and multiple decision makers, the maximum loss in detection performance due to minimax decision making is obtained. In the presence of a fusion center, the maximum loss of detection performance between with and without fusion center networks is derived assuming that both networks are minimax robust. The results are finally generalized.
The Endocannabinoid System in the Retina: From Physiology to Practical and Therapeutic Applications

Cannabis is one of the most prevalent drugs used in industrialized countries. The main effects of Cannabis are mediated by two major exogenous cannabinoids: ∆9-tetrahydroxycannabinol and cannabidiol. They act on specific endocannabinoid receptors, especially types 1 and 2. Mammals are endowed with a functional cannabinoid system including cannabinoid receptors, ligands, and enzymes. This endocannabinoid signaling pathway is involved in both physiological and pathophysiological conditions with a main role in the biology of the central nervous system. As the retina is a part of the central nervous system due to its embryonic origin, we aim at providing the relevance of studying the endocannabinoid system in the retina. Here, we review the distribution of the cannabinoid receptors, ligands, and enzymes in the retina and focus on the role of the cannabinoid system in retinal neurobiology. This review describes the presence of the cannabinoid system in critical stages of retinal processing and its broad involvement in retinal neurotransmission, neuroplasticity, and neuroprotection. Accordingly, we support the use of synthetic cannabinoids as new neuroprotective drugs to prevent and treat retinal diseases. Finally, we argue for the relevance of functional retinal measures in cannabis users to evaluate the impact of cannabis use on human retinal processing.
Clinical Evaluation in Autism Spectrum Disorders: Psychological Assessment within a Transdisciplinary Framework

Autism is no longer considered a rare condition, and the number of children being referred for developmental disabilities assessments with a differential diagnosis of autism continues to increase every year. The increase in referrals creates the need for guidelines on best practices for assessment of individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs; National Research Council [NRC], 2001), who are no longer seen primarily in academic centers specialized in those conditions, and whose disabilities and assets need to be assessed with no delay for service providers to generate individualized recommendations for treatment and interventions. Children with autism and other pervasive developmental disorders (PDDs) present unique issues for clinical assessment. Examiners are confronted with great challenges resulting from profiles of development that cover the entire IQ and language spectrum. Additionally, in many cases, there are extreme variability and scatter across skills, and behavior problems need to be addressed to ensure validity and reliability of performance on standardized measures. Yet, developmentally based assessment of cognitive, social, communicative, and adaptive skills provides the essential bases on which decisions on diagnosis, eligibility for services, and program planning have to be made. Observations on the child’s unique strengths and weaknesses have a major impact on the design of effective intervention programs. This chapter provides a summary of overall approaches to clinical evaluation of children with ASDs, as well as a summary of psychological assessment within a transdisciplinary framework. This framework reflects the need for a cohesive clinical team benefiting from expertise in different disciplines (Klin et al., 1997), working together in a highly integrated manner while casting clinical phenomena within a developmental psychopathology perspective (Sparrow, Carter, Racusin, & Morris, 1995). Within transdisciplinary teams, the role of psychological assessment is to frame the understanding of clinical phenomena in terms of the child’s developmental resources and challenges. Most symptoms in autism are mediated by levels and profiles of cognitive skills. We, therefore, single out this realm of assessment for a more detailed discussion in this chapter. Together with the assessment of communication (Chapter 30, this Handbook, this volume), qualitative and quantified observations of developmental abilities form the core on which clinical judgment is made about diagnostic formulations and programmatic intervention. It must be emphasized that the efforts of professionals from various other disciplines are often needed, such as physical and occupational therapy, pediatrics, genetics, and neurology. The emphasis on psychological skills in this chapter and communication skills in Chapter 30 reflects a commonly adopted priority, which, however, needs to be adjusted to CHAPTER 29
The Effect of Ovariectomy and Orchiectomy on Orthodontic Tooth Movement and Root Resorption in Wistar Rats

Statement of the Problem Root resorption (RR) after orthodontic tooth movement (OTM) is known as a multifactorial complication of orthodontic treatments. Hormonal deficiencies and their effect on bone turnover are reported to have influences on the rate of tooth movement and root resorption. Purpose This study was designed to evaluate the effect of female and male steroid sex hormones on tooth movement and root resorption. Materials and Method Orthodontic appliances were placed on the right maxillary first molars of 10 ovariectomized female and 10 orchiectomized male Wistar rats as experimental groups and 10 female and 10 male healthy Wistar rats as control groups. NiTi closed-coil springs (9mm, Medium, 011"×.030", Ortho Technology®; Tampa, Florida) were placed between the right incisors and the first right maxillary molars to induce tipping movement in the first molars with the application of a 60g force. After 21 days, the rats were sacrificed and tooth movement was measured by using a digital caliper (Guanglu, China). Orthodontic induced root resorption (OIRR) was assessed by histomorphometric analysis after hematoxylin and eosin staining of sections of the mesial root. Results The rate of tooth movement was significantly higher in all female rats, with the root resorption being lower in the experimental group. The rate of tooth movement in experimental male rats was significantly higher than the control group (p= 0.001) and the rate of root resorption was significantly lower in the experimental group (p= 0.001). Conclusion It seems that alterations in plasma levels of estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone hormones can influence the rate of OTM and RR. The acceleration in tooth movement increased OTM and decreased RR.
Formally proving a compiler transformation safe

We prove that the Call Arity analysis and transformation, as implemented in the Haskell compiler GHC, is safe, i.e. does not impede the performance of the program. We formalized syntax, semantics, the analysis and the transformation in the interactive theorem prover Isabelle to obtain a machine-checked proof and hence a level of rigor rarely obtained for compiler optimization safety theorems. The proof is modular and introduces trace trees as a suitable abstraction in abstract cardinality analyses. We discuss the breadth of the formalization gap.
UsageQoS: Estimating the QoS of Web Services through Online User Communities

Services are an indispensable component in cloud computing. Web services are particularly important. As an increasing number of Web services provides equivalent functions, one common issue faced by users is the selection of the most appropriate one based on quality. This article presents a conceptual framework that characterizes the quality of Web services, an algorithm that quantifies them, and a system architecture that ranks Web services by using the proposed algorithm. In particular, the algorithm, called UsageQoS that computes the scores of quality of service (QoS) of Web services within a community, makes use of the usage frequencies of Web services. The frequencies are defined as the numbers of times invoked by other services in a given time period. The UsageQoS algorithm is able to optionally take user ratings as its initial input. The proposed approach has been validated by extensively experimenting on several datasets, including two real datasets. The results of the experiments have demonstrated that our approach is capable of estimating QoS parameters of Web services, regardless of whether user ratings are available or not.
Investment Manager Characteristics, Strategy, Top Management Changes and Fund Performance

This study examines the performance of Australian investment management organisations with direct reference to their specific characteristics and strategies employed. Using a unique information source, performance is evaluated for actively managed institutional balanced funds, Australian share funds and Australian bond funds. For balanced mandates, performance is evaluated with respect to the investment strategy adopted, the experience and qualifications held by investment professionals, and the tenure of the key investment professionals. The study examines the performance of top management and the impact on returns when turnover arises. The research documents that a significant number of active Australian equity managers earned superior risk-adjusted returns in the period, however active managers perform in line with market indices for balanced funds and Australian bond funds. A number of manager characteristics are also found to predict risk-adjusted returns, systematic risk and investment expenses for balanced funds.