Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Differential Patterns of Executive Function in Children With Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder According to Gender and Subtype

The present investigation examined differential patterns in executive functions of children with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD; no diagnosed comorbid disorders) according to subtype and gender, and identified instrumentation sensitive to executive function in children aged 6 to 12 years with ADHD. Data were obtained from 94 children diagnosed with ADHD (predominantly inattentive, n = 32, ADHD combined, n = 62), and from 28 controls. Participants with ADHD, who were unmedicated at the time of testing, were administered five tests of executive function (the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test, the Stroop Color-Word Test, the Matching Familiar Figures Test, the Trail Making Test, and the Tower of London). A two-way multivariate analysis of covariance with age as the covariate and subtype and gender as the independent variables was conducted on all of the tests administered. While children with ADHD predominantly inattentive and those with ADHD combined differed from controls, it was only the latter subtype that differed significantly in perseveration and response inhibition. The absence of diagnosed comorbidity in the children with ADHD at the time of test administration demonstrates that the impairments in executive function are clearly located in ADHD, particularly in the ADHD combined subtype, thus providing support for Barkley's proposed unifying theory of ADHD. (J Child Neurol 1999;14:801-805).
Characterization of MtsR, a New Metal Regulator in Group A Streptococcus, Involved in Iron Acquisition and Virulence

ABSTRACT Group A streptococcus (GAS) is a common pathogen of the human skin and mucosal surfaces capable of producing a variety of diseases. In this study, we investigated regulation of iron uptake in GAS and the role of a putative transcriptional regulator named MtsR (for Mts repressor) with homology to the DtxR family of metal-dependent regulatory proteins. An mtsR mutant was constructed in NZ131 (M49 serotype) and analyzed. Western blot and RNA analysis showed that mtsR inactivation results in constitutive transcription of the sia (streptococcal iron acquisition) operon, which was negatively regulated by iron in the parent strain. A recombinant MtsR with C-terminal His6 tag fusion (rMtsR) was cloned and purified. Electrophoretic mobility gel shift assays demonstrated that rMtsR specifically binds to the sia promoter region in an iron- and manganese-dependent manner. Together, these observations indicate that MtsR directly represses the sia operon during cell growth under conditions of high metal levels. Consistent with deregulation of iron uptake, the mtsR mutant is hypersensitive to streptonigrin and hydrogen peroxide, and 55Fe uptake assays demonstrate that it accumulates 80% ± 22.5% more iron than the wild-type strain during growth in complete medium. Studies with a zebrafish infection model revealed that the mtsR mutant is attenuated for virulence in both the intramuscular and the intraperitoneal routes. In conclusion, MtsR, a new regulatory protein in GAS, controls iron homeostasis and has a role in disease production.
The middle temporal visual area in the macaque: Myeloarchitecture, connections, functional properties and topographic organization

The location, topographic organization, and function of the middle temporal visual area (MT) in the macaque monkey was studied using anatomical and physiological techniques. MT is a small, elliptically shaped area on the posterior bank of the superior temporal sulcus which can be identified by its direct inputs from striate cortex and by its distinctive pattern of heavy myelination. Its average surface area is 33 mm2, which is less than 3% of the size of striate cortex. It contains a complete, topographically organized representation of the contralateral visual hemifield. There are substantial irregularities in the detailed pattern of topographic organization, however, and the representation is significantly more complex than that found for MT in other primates. Much of MT is devoted to the representation of central visual fields, with the emphasis on central vision being similar to that found in striate cortex.
Seroprevalence of Varicella in the French Population

Objectives: To assess the age-specific seroprevalence of varicella in the French population and to explore age-adjusted differences according to gender and geographic region. Methods: Data were obtained from 1257 randomly selected, frozen serum samples, from subjects 1–30 years of age, that were sent to the Pasteur-Cerba laboratory in November 2003 to January 2004 for the following clinical indications: allergies, respiratory infections, herpes virus infections excluding varicella and endocrinologic tests. IgG concentrations were tested with an indirect enzyme immunoassay. Statistical analyses included use of locally weighted, scatterplot smoothers. Results: Age-specific seroprevalence of varicella increased by >6-fold between 1 and 8 years of age, ie, from 15.0% (95% confidence interval, 8.6–23.5%) for subjects 1–2 years of age to 89.0% (95% confidence interval, 81.0–94.3%) for those 7–8 years of age. The smoothed curve of age-specific seroprevalence suggested that the steepest rate of increase occurred between 1 and 8 years of age, followed by a considerable slowing in the rate of increase, reaching a prevalence of ∼95% by age 30. Varicella seroprevalence rates were similar for the samples referred for the 4 clinical indications, as follows: allergies, 76.2%; respiratory infections, 74.0%; herpes virus infections excluding varicella, 73.3%; endocrinologic tests, 73.7% (P = 0.84). Conclusions: Most varicella-zoster virus infections occur during early childhood. Seroprevalence rates reach ∼50% by 4 years of age and ∼90% by 8 years. Therefore, the best strategy to reduce the prevalence of wild-type varicella-zoster virus in the French population would be to immunize children 12–18 months of age, as is currently performed in the United States.
Pulmonary immunity to Pseudomonas aeruginosa in intestinally immunized rats roles of alveolar macrophages, tumor necrosis factor alpha, and interleukin-1 alpha

The aims of this study were to assess the role played by alveolar macrophages, tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha), and interleukin-1 alpha (IL-1 alpha) in pulmonary immunity against Pseudomonas aeruginosa in animals that have been immunized via the gut-associated lymphoid tissue. Following intra-Peyer's patch immunization and subsequent intratracheal challenge with live bacteria, significantly enhanced bacterial clearance from the lungs correlated with an increase in bronchoalveolar neutrophils, increased recruitment and phagocytic activity of alveolar macrophages, and accelerated production of TNF-alpha in the bronchoalveolar space, while levels of IL-1 alpha remained low. Administration of recombinant TNF-alpha in physiological concentrations did not affect the proliferation of P. aeruginosa in vitro, but when given intratracheally to rats at the time of infection, recombinant TNF-alpha significantly increased bacterial clearance from the lungs. In these animals, phagocytic activity of bronchoalveolar neutrophils was enhanced, while the recruitment of alveolar macrophages and neutrophils remained unchanged. In acutely infected nonimmune animals, bronchoalveolar concentrations of soluble IL-1 alpha and TNF-alpha increased until the time of death. Levels of prostaglandin E2 and thromboxane B2 were similar in each experimental group. These results indicate that infection in immune animals enhanced both recruitment and phagocytic activity of alveolar macrophages as well as induced an accelerated production of TNF-alpha. In immune challenged animals, this cytokine enhanced the phagocytic activity of neutrophils and improved bacterial clearance from the lung. Levels of soluble IL-1 alpha and TNF-alpha in nonimmune rats increased consistently following infection until the time of death, thus implicating these cytokines in the pathogenesis of acute P. aeruginosa pneumonia.
Phase II study of sunitinib as first-line treatment of urothelial cancer patients ineligible to receive cisplatin-based chemotherapy: baseline interleukin-8 and tumor contrast enhancement as potential predictive factors of activity.

BACKGROUND A strong rationale supports the role of antiangiogenic drugs in urothelial cancer. This trial was designed to assess the activity of sunitinib as first-line treatment in patients with metastatic urothelial cancer ineligible for cisplatin and to explore molecular and imaging variables predictive of clinical benefit. PATIENTS AND METHODS This was a multicenter phase II trial with sunitinib 50 mg daily in 4/2-week schedule. Eligibility criteria were as follows: creatinine clearance 30-60 ml/min, Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group Pperformance Sstatus of one or less, and adequate hepatic and hematologic function. Twelve circulating cytokines were evaluated at baseline and sequentially using Luminex xMAP(®) (Austin, TX). Baseline and treatment-related changes in perfusion were evaluated in a patient subgroup using contrast-enhanced computed tomography. RESULTS On intention-to-treat analysis, 38 patients showed 3 (8%) partial responses (PRs) and 19 (50%) presented with stable disease (SD), 17 (45%) of them ≥3 months. Clinical benefit (PR + SD) was 58%. Median time to progression (TTP) was 4.8 months and median overall survival 8.1 months. Toxicity was consistent with previous reports for sunitinib. Low interleukin-8 (IL-8) baseline levels were significantly associated with increased TTP. Baseline tumor contrast enhancement with >40 Hounsfield units was associated with clinical benefit. CONCLUSIONS This study highlights the potential role of the angiogenic pathway as a therapy target in urothelial cancer. Baseline IL-8 serum levels and contrast enhancement of lesions warrant further study.
Governance Mechanisms and Effective Activism: Evidence from Shareholder Proposals on Poison Pills

This paper studies the interaction between governance mechanisms and the effectiveness of shareholder activism by examining shareholder-initiated proposals on poison pills. After contrasting companies along their governance regime, we observe that dictatorship firms, characterized with higher number of governance provisions, are associated with more activist voting by institutional groups: ownership by mutual funds, independent investment advisors and pension funds are significantly related to greater support of shareholder proposals against poison pills. In democratic firms, characterized with lower levels of restrictions on shareholder rights ownership by various shareholder groups is not as highly correlated with support for these proposals, suggesting perhaps that shareholders use other internal channels to voice concerns. In dictatorships, we find that certain shareholders rely on annual meetings to pressure management, and that management is less likely to take action following shareholder votes. Finally, among all institutional shareholders, management seems more likely to respond favorably in the presence of ownership by public pension funds.
Individual Inventors in the R&D Factory

Are individual inventors still important in today's lean R&D organizations? A study of three R&D organizations in two Swedish companies, both committed to increasingly leaner R&D and with an innovation focus, certainly indicates that a small group of extra innovative inventors in each organization outperform their colleagues in terms of patents applied for. In this paper we discuss how managers can leverage these important individuals and how the fragile inventive space needed for the growth of the next generation of key inventors can be nourished.
Coping with novelty.

FOR THOSE so inclined, theorizing offers itself as an endlessly fascinating game. Like mountain-climbing, theorizing hardly ever presents the danger of a final resolution, even though the attainment of a partial insight from time to time enhances the interest of the game. The rule of the game is simple; it is to cover the largest possible number of observations with the smallest possible number of assumptions, according to a principle of parsimony. Wigner 1 defines the objective of physics as the "explanation of nature," going on to say that explanation involves "the establishment of a few simple principles which describe the properties of what is to be explained. " The ultimate goal is to reduce description to the simplest terms; Szent-Gyorgy comments, "Science tends to generalize, and generalization means simplification. " If theorizing is analogous to a game, then, to continue the mountain-climbing metaphor, the "Mount Everest"
An evaluation of ocean container carrier selection criteria: an Indian shipper's perspective

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to assist ocean container carriers in devising effective marketing strategies to attract and retain Indian shippers by letting them understand the list of criteria Indian shippers use in the carrier selection decisions and also the amount of importance they assign to each criterion during such decisions.Design/methodology/approach – To explore the criteria, review of transportation literature, customer satisfaction survey questionnaires of container carriers and SERVQUAL battery was undertaken. Telephonic interviews and focus group interview were also conducted for this purpose. In order to evaluate the criteria, analytic hierarchy process (AHP) was used. In the AHP, the pairwise comparisons were carried out by another focus group with the help of a questionnaire. For AHP calculations, the Expert Choice 11.5 software was used.Findings – Indian shippers use 45 criteria in the container carrier selection process and out of these, low freight is ranked as the most impor.
Budgeting in Romania

This review of the Romanian budget system was carried out as part of the Budget Project of the Working Party of Senior Budget Officials (SBO). The Budget Project aims to initiate and foster regional networks of Senior Budget Officials outside the OECD area. This review served as a basis for the examination of the Romanian budget system at the first meeting of the network of Senior Budget Officials of Central and Eastern Europe, held on 10-11 November 2004 in The Hague.
Effect of early fluid resuscitation on the lung in a rat model of lipopolysaccharide-induced septic shock.

BACKGROUND Many clinical trials have showed that early fluid resuscitation can improve the prognosis and reduce the mortality rate of patients with septic shock. However, some experiments suggest that abundant fluid may injure the lung and other tissues. AIM To evaluate the protective effect of early fluid resuscitation and simultaneous norepinephrine treatment on lung function by using the rat model of lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced septic shock. MATERIALS AND METHODS Male Wistar rats were randomly divided into four groups: normal control group, septic shock control group, early fluid resuscitation treatment group, early fluid resuscitation and simultaneous norepinephrine treatment group. Blood gas, lactate, fluid volume, and dose of norepinephrine were recorded. Pathological change was observed by hematoxylin and eosin staining and transmission electron microscopy. The activities of hydroxyl radicals, MDA, SOD and MPO were detected by spectrophotometry. The expression of IL-6, IL-8, and TNF-alpha were determined with ELISA kits. RESULTS LPS could induce rats to suffer from acute lung injury in early stage of septic shock. Early fluid resuscitation could guarantee effective circulating blood volume and tissue perfusion pressure, improve microcirculatory derangements, increase oxygen partial pressure and oxygenation index, but have the tendency to aggravate pulmonary edema. Simultaneous norepinephrine treatment in early stage could decrease the fluid volume, alleviate the degree of pulmonary edema, reduce the expression level of pro-inflammatory mediators in the serum and BALF, and increase the oxygenation index. CONCLUSIONS Early fluid resuscitation and simultaneous norepinephrine treatment may be a superior alternative to protect lung injury secondary to septic shock.
Transient 5‐(4‐phenylbutoxy)psoralen (PAP‐1) treatment dissociates developing pathologies in autoimmune optic neuritis into two distinct pathology profiles

Discovery of treatments to protect axonal function of neurons and prevent permanent disability associated with progressive multiple sclerosis (MS) has faced the uphill challenge of assessing relatively small changes in accumulated axon damage within a background environment that is disorganized by CNS inflammation. We hypothesized that transient immunosuppression after initiation of MS‐like autoimmune mechanisms would disassociate development of MS‐like myelinated axon pathology from development of CNS inflammation in a rat model of autoimmune optic neuritis (AON). A rat model of myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein peptide‐induced AON was transiently treated (on days 3–7 after antigen exposure) with 5‐(4‐phenylbutoxy)psoralen (PAP‐1), an immunomodulatory drug previously shown specifically to suppress proliferation of effector memory T‐cells and immunoglobulin class‐switched B‐cells. Thirteen days after antigen exposure, optic nerves were harvested for quantitative assessment of 12 MS‐associated pathologies using microfluorimetry. With one exception, the immunoreactivities (‐ir) for eight markers of MS‐like neuroinflammation and immune infiltration were significantly reduced (P < 0.05) by transient PAP‐1 treatment, often to levels significantly below those detected in normal control rat optic nerves. With one exception, four immunoreactive markers of MS‐like myelinated axon pathology were detected at levels indicating increased axon/myelin pathology compared with vehicle‐treated rats with AON (P < 0.05). These data suggest the conclusion that early causative mechanisms in CNS autoimmunity initiate signaling mechanisms that diverge into two separate pathways, one that is strongly associated with inflammatory responses and one that is associated predominantly with disturbed axon‐myelin interactions and impaired fast axonal transport. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Everything Rises and Falls on Leadership: An Assessment of Undergraduate Leadership Development Programs at the University of Arkansas--Fayetteville.

Today’s students are the leaders of tomorrow, and their ability to lead in the 21st century will be critical to the sustainability of life, and the nation’s ability to prosper will depend on the quality of leadership demonstrated at all levels of society. Student leadership development in institutions of higher education has never been more vital than it is today. In order to provide society with excellent and effective leadership that will be capable of handling unprecedented domestic and global economic and medical crises, as well as properly managing technological advancements, institutions of higher education must invest in the development of effective leadership as part of the overall undergraduate educational experience. The purpose for conducting the study was to identify what leadership development opportunities are presented to undergraduate students at the University of Arkansas—Fayetteville (UAF) through student affairs and to assess these current leadership development program offerings. Designed as an assessment, the study investigated and evaluated undergraduate student leadership development initiatives at UAF to determine if the institution is achieving the desired undergraduate leadership development outcomes and if current undergraduate leadership development programs can be identified as being of quality. The study revealed critical findings that suggested that UAF is not providing sufficient and adequate leadership programs specific to leadership development. Current leadership initiatives through the division of student affairs had a great reliance on the promotion of student activity involvement and not much emphasis on process-oriented programs for leadership education, which leads to leadership training and ultimately to leadership development founded on research-based curricula and researchgrounded continuous program development. This dissertation is approved for recommendation to the Graduate Council.
Business Cycle Models, Aggregation, and Real Wage Cyclicality

A substantial literature has developed to estimate the “true” cyclicality of real wages, that is, composition bias free. Two major issues are addressed in this article: aggregation of heterogeneous workers and potential bias in the measurement of the labor input. A general analysis of the biases is presented, and alternative approaches in the literature are nested in a single framework. Estimates based on an efficiency units concept that avoids the usual aggregation problems are presented. Composition bias underestimates the usual parameters of interest unless both the price and the quantity of the labor input are adjusted appropriately.
Allelic Expression Imbalance of Human mu Opioid Receptor (OPRM1) Caused by Variant A118G*

As a primary target for opioid drugs and peptides, the mu opioid receptor (OPRM1) plays a key role in pain perception and addiction. Genetic variants of OPRM1 have been implicated in predisposition to drug addiction, in particular the single nucleotide polymorphism A118G, leading to an N40D substitution, with an allele frequency of 10–32%, and uncertain functions. We have measured allele-specific mRNA expression of OPRM1 in human autopsy brain tissues, using A118G as a marker. In 8 heterozygous samples measured, the A118 mRNA allele was 1.5–2.5-fold more abundant than the G118 allele. Transfection into Chinese hamster ovary cells of a cDNA representing only the coding region of OPRM1, carrying adenosine, guanosine, cytidine, and thymidine in position 118, resulted in 1.5-fold lower mRNA levels only for OPRM1-G118, and more than 10-fold lower OPRM1 protein levels, measured by Western blotting and receptor binding assay. After transfection and inhibition of transcription with actinomycin D, analysis of mRNA turnover failed to reveal differences in mRNA stability between A118 and G118 alleles, indicating a defect in transcription or mRNA maturation. These results indicate that OPRM1-G118 is a functional variant with deleterious effects on both mRNA and protein yield. Clarifying the functional relevance of polymorphisms associated with susceptibility to a complex disorder such as drug addiction provides a foundation for clinical association studies.
Discrimination of cyanobacterial strains isolated from saline soils in Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand using attenuated total reflectance FTIR spectroscopy

A method was developed whereby high quality FTIR spectra could be rapidly acquired from soil‐borne filamentous cyanobacteria using ATR FTIR spectroscopy. Spectra of all strains displayed bands typical of those previously reported for microalgae and water‐borne cyanobacteria, with each strain having a unique spectral profile. Most variation between strains occurred in the C–O stretching and the amide regions. Soft Independent Modelling by Class Analogy (SIMCA) was used to classify the strains with an accuracy of better than 93%, with best classification results using the spectral region from 1800–950 cm–1. Despite this spectral region undergoing substantial changes, particularly in amide and C–O stretching bands, as cultures progressed through the early‐, mid‐ to late‐exponential growth phases, classification accuracy was still good (∼80%) with data from all growth phases combined. These results indicate that ATR/FTIR spectroscopy combined with chemometric classification methods constitute a rapid, reproducible, and potentially automated approach to classifying soil‐borne filamentous cyanobacteria. (© 2010 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)