Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Beyond Dizziness: Virtual Navigation, Spatial Anxiety and Hippocampal Volume in Bilateral Vestibulopathy

Bilateral vestibulopathy (BVP) is defined as the impairment or loss of function of either the labyrinths or the eighth nerves. Patients with total BVP due to bilateral vestibular nerve section exhibit difficulties in spatial memory and navigation and show a loss of hippocampal volume. In clinical practice, most patients do not have a complete loss of function but rather an asymmetrical residual functioning of the vestibular system. The purpose of the current study was to investigate navigational ability and hippocampal atrophy in BVP patients with residual vestibular function. Fifteen patients with BVP and a group of age- and gender- matched healthy controls were examined. Self-reported questionnaires on spatial anxiety and wayfinding were used to assess the applied strategy of wayfinding and quality of life. Spatial memory and navigation were tested directly using a virtual Morris Water Maze Task. The hippocampal volume of these two groups was evaluated by voxel-based morphometry. In the patients, the questionnaire showed a higher spatial anxiety and the Morris Water Maze Task a delayed spatial learning performance. MRI revealed a significant decrease in the gray matter mid-hippocampal volume (Left: p = 0.006, Z = 4.58, Right: p < 0.001, Z = 3.63) and posterior parahippocampal volume (Right: p = 0.005, Z = 4.65, Left: p < 0.001, Z = 3.87) compared to those of healthy controls. In addition, a decrease in hippocampal formation volume correlated with a more dominant route-finding strategy. Our current findings demonstrate that even partial bilateral vestibular loss leads to anatomical and functional changes in the hippocampal formation and objective and subjective behavioral deficits.
Telepsychology and Self-Help: The Treatment of Phobias Using the Internet

One of the challenges today in the research of psychological treatments based on evidence is their dissemination. Efficacious and effective psychological treatments should be available and accessible for both practitioners and consumers. However, only a small percentage of potential patients actively seek help for psychological problems that could be ameliorated by therapy. Internet-based self-help interventions may help to solve this problem by reducing the amount of actual contact between therapist and patient and by overcoming the geographical barriers that separate them. The aim of this work is to present a completely self-applied telepsychology program (Without Fear) to treat small animal phobia (spiders, cockroaches, and mice), which uses virtual reality scenarios for the exposure tasks. Preliminary data about the efficacy and effectiveness of this program in a series of 12 cases is offered. Participants showed an improvement in all clinical measures at posttreatment, and the therapeutic gains were maintained at a 3-month followup.
Elevated resistin opposed to adiponectin or angiogenin plasma levels as a strong, independent predictive factor for the occurrence of major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events in patients with stable multivessel coronary artery disease over 1-year follow-up

Summary Background Adipokines such as adiponectin and resistin, as well as angiogenin, may be associated with inflammation and atherosclerosis. The relationship between their levels and prognosis in high risk patients is, however, still unclear. The aim of this study was to evaluate the prognostic value of these adipokines in patients with stable multivessel coronary artery disease (MCAD). Material/Methods The study group comprised 107 MCAD patients (74% males, mean age 63±8 years). Adiponectin, resistin and angiogenin plasma levels were measured at admission and after 1-year follow-up. Primary end point (major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events – MACCE) was defined as cardiac death, nonfatal myocardial infarction, stroke, and hospitalization for angina or heart failure over a 1-year period. Results After 1-year follow-up, 9 (8%) patients died, all from cardiovascular causes. Primary end point was experienced by 32% of patients. Surgical treatment (CABG) was received by 51% of patients, while 49% were treated medically alone. Total cholesterol concentration levels ≥173 mg/dl were associated with a 7-fold increase (OR 7.3; 95% CI, 1.6–33.0); LDL ≥93.5 mg/dl with a 16-fold increase (OR 16.3; 95% CI, 2.8–93.8), and resistin ≥17.265 ng/ml with a 13-fold increase in MACCE risk (OR 13.5; 95% CI, 2.3–80.3). In multivariate analysis, a medical treatment strategy (p=0.001), a higher CCS class (p=0.004), resistin levels (p=0.003) and a higher Gensini score (p=0.03) were independent predictors of MACCE. Conclusions In stable patients with MCAD, elevated plasma resistin (as opposed to adiponectin or angiogenin) is a strong, independent predictive factor for the occurrence of MACCE over 1-year follow-up.
Dynamic Trading Policies with Price Impact

In this paper we analyze the optimal policy for a risk averse agent who wants to sell a large block of shares of a risky security in the presence of price impact and transactions costs. Our framework reduces to the standard Merton portfolio problem in the absence of any market frictions. Optimal liquidation results in revenue distributions which are substantially different from those generated by a naive strategy. The main tradeoff involves choosing between revenue distri
BEHAVIORAL FINANCE vs TRADITIONAL FINANCE

Behavioral finance models often rely on a concept of individual investors who are prone to judgment and decision-making errors. This article provides a brief introduction of behavioral finance which encompasses research that drops the traditional assumptions of expected utility maximization with rational investors in efficient markets. The article also reviews prior research and extensive evidence about how psychological biases affect investor behavior and prices. The paper found that the most common behavior that most investors do when making investment decision are (1) Investors often do not participate in all asset and security categories, (2) Individual investors exhibit loss-averse behavior, (3) Investors use past performance as an indicator of future performance in stock purchase decisions, (4) Investors trade too aggressively, (5) Investors behave on status quo, (6) Investors do not always form efficient portfolios, (7) Investors behave parallel to each other, and (8) Investors are influenced by historical high or low trading stocks. However, there are relatively low-cost measures to help investors make better choices and make the market more efficient. These involve regulations, investment education and perhaps some efforts to standardize mutual fund advertising. Moreover, a case can be made for regulations to protect foolish investors by restricting their freedom of action of those that may prey upon them.
The effects of incubation on academic and non-academic high-tech start-ups: evidence from Italy

This study aims at empirically investigating whether technology incubators help academic high-tech start-ups to establish collaborations with other organizations, thus increasing the competitiveness of these firms. In doing so, we take into account the specificities of academic high-tech start-ups with respect to their non-academic counterparts. We compare the effects of incubation on academic and non-academic high-tech start-ups through econometric estimates using a large sample of Italian firms. Our findings suggest that incubated academic high-tech start-ups do not enjoy any advantages in establishing collaborations with respect to their non-incubated peers. Conversely, technology incubators do help non-academic high-tech start-ups in establishing collaborations with public research organizations. We thus come to the interesting conclusion that the effects of incubation are moderated by the genetic characteristics of incubated firms.
Serum IgG Antibodies from Pregnant Women Reacting to Mimotopes of Simian Virus 40 Large T Antigen, the Viral Oncoprotein

Simian virus 40 (SV40) large T antigen (LT) coding sequences were revealed in different human samples, whereas SV40 antibodies (Ab) were detected in human sera of cancer patients and healthy individuals, although with a lower prevalence. Previous studies carried out by the neutralization assay gave a SV40 seroprevalence, in the general population, up to 8%, although higher rates, 12%, were detected in kidney transplant children, in a group of HIV-positive patients, and in healthy females. In this study, serum samples from pregnant women, together with those from non-pregnant women, were analyzed to check the prevalence of IgG Ab reacting to SV40 LT antigens. Serum samples were collected from pregnant and non-pregnant women, with the same mean age. Women were in the range of 15–48 years old. Samples were assayed by an indirect ELISA employing specific SV40 LT mimotopes as antigens, whereas functional analysis was performed by neutralization of the viral infectivity in cell cultures. As a control, sera were analyzed for Ab against BK polyomavirus (BKPyV), which is a human polyomavirus homologous to SV40. Statistical analyses employed chi-square with Yates’ correction, and Student’s t tests. Indirect ELISAs indicated that pregnant women tested SV40 LT-positive with a prevalence of 17% (23/134), whereas non-pregnant women had a prevalence of 20% (36/180) (P > 0.05). Ab against BKPyV were detected with a prevalence of 80% in pregnant women and with a prevalence of 78% in non-pregnant women. These data indicate that SV40 infects at a low prevalence pregnant women. We may speculate that SV40, or a close human polyomavirus still undetected, could be transmitted from mother to fetus.
Mesenchymal Stem Cells from Rats with Chronic Kidney Disease Exhibit Premature Senescence and Loss of Regenerative Potential

Mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) transplantation has the potential for organ repair. Nevertheless, some factors might lessen the regenerative potential of MSCs, e.g. donor age or systemic disease. It is thus important to carefully assess the patient's suitability for autologous MSC transplantation. Here we investigated the effects of chronic kidney disease (CKD) on MSC function. We isolated bone marrow MSCs from remnant kidney rats (RK) with CKD (CKD-RK-MSC) and found signs of premature senescence: spontaneous adipogenesis, reduced proliferation capacity, active senescence-associated-β-galactosidase, accumulation of actin and a modulated secretion profile. The functionality of CKD-RK-MSCs in vivo was tested in rats with acute anti-Thy1.1-nephritis, where healthy MSCs have been shown to be beneficial. Rats received healthy MSCs, CKD-RK-MSC or medium by injection into the left renal artery. Kidneys receiving healthy MSCs exhibited accelerated healing of glomerular lesions, whereas CKD-RK-MSC or medium exerted no benefit. The negative influence of advanced CKD/uremia on MSCs was confirmed in a second model of CKD, adenine nephropathy (AD). MSCs from rats with adenine nephropathy (CKD-AD-MSC) also exhibited cellular modifications and functional deficits in vivo. We conclude that CKD leads to a sustained loss of in vitro and in vivo functionality in MSCs, possibly due to premature cellular senescence. Considering autologous MSC therapy in human renal disease, studies identifying uremia-associated mechanisms that account for altered MSC function are urgently needed.
Optimal Endowment Destruction Under Campbell-Cochrane Habit Formation

Campbell and Cochrane (1999) formulate a model that successfully explains a wide variety of asset pricing puzzles, by augmenting the standard power utility function with a time-varying subsistence level, or "external habit", that adapts nonlinearly to current and past average consumption in the economy. This paper demonstrates, that this comes at the "price" of several unusual implications. For example, we calculate that a society of agents with the preferences and endowment process of Campbell and Cochrane (1999) would experience a welfare gain equivalent to a permanent increase of nearly 16% in consumption, if the government enforced one month of fasting per year, reducing consumption by 10 percent then. We examine and explain these features of the preferences in detail. We numerically characterize the solution to the social planning problem. We conclude that Campbell-Cochrance preferences will provide for interesting macroeconomic modeling challenges, when endogenizing aggregate consumption choices and government policy.
Measuring consumption: the post-1973 slowdown and the research issues

sonal views and is neither an official position of the Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) nor of the U.S. Department of Commerce. I am greatly indebted to the following individuals for discussions and comments on the article’s content: B.K. Atrostic, Barry Bosworth, Charles Schultze, Gerald Donahoe, Zvi Griliches, Robert Parker, and especially Brent Moulton. Valuable advice and assistance on the data were provided by Clint McCully and Greg Key of BEA and Raphael Branch and Stephanie Shipp of the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The article benefitted from a seminar presentation at the Bank of England, for which I thank William Allen.
The post-apartheid economy

South Africa's post-apartheid economy has been characterised by low growth and investment, and a rise in unemployment (at 30%, higher than any other middle income country). Government economic policy has stressed the encouragement of investment through deregulation, privatisation and fiscal restraint. However, the failure of this strategy to promote growth and create jobs points to the need for a more interventionist strategy, one in which government must do more to stimulate equitable growth. This proposition is highly contested. Nonetheless, in response to the crisis within the economy, the government has adopted limited reforms involving increased spending on basic social services and housing, greater emphasis on job creation and equity, a renewed stress on planning and coordination and greater support for cooperatives. Yet these new initiatives do not constitute a systematic plan for transforming the economy and more integrated policies are required to overcome dualism and stimulate job-creating growth. My thanks to Tanya van Meelis for comments.
Environmental Research and Public Health Companion Animals and Child/adolescent Development: a Systematic Review of the Evidence

Childhood and adolescence are important developmental phases which influence health and well-being across the life span. Social relationships are fundamental to child and adolescent development; yet studies have been limited to children's relationships with other humans. This paper provides an evidence review for the potential associations between pet ownership and emotional; behavioural; cognitive; educational and social developmental outcomes. As the field is in the early stages; a broad set of inclusion criteria was applied. A systematic search of databases and grey literature sources found twenty-two studies meeting selection criteria. The review found evidence for an association between pet ownership and a wide range of emotional health benefits from childhood pet ownership; particularly for self-esteem and loneliness. The findings regarding childhood anxiety and depression were inconclusive. Studies also showed evidence of an association between pet ownership and educational and cognitive benefits; for example, in perspective-taking abilities and intellectual development. Evidence on behavioural development was unclear due to a lack of high quality research. Studies on pet ownership and social development provided evidence for an association with increased social competence; social networks; social interaction and social play behaviour. Overall, pet ownership and the significance of children's bonds with companion animals have been underexplored; there is a shortage of high quality and longitudinal studies in all outcomes. Prospective studies that control for a wide range of confounders are required.
An international ISHLT/ATS/ERS clinical practice guideline: diagnosis and management of bronchiolitis obliterans syndrome

Bronchiolitis obliterans syndrome (BOS) is a major complication of lung transplantation that is associated with poor survival. The International Society for Heart and Lung Transplantation, American Thoracic Society, and European Respiratory Society convened a committee of international experts to describe and/or provide recommendations for 1) the definition of BOS, 2) the risk factors for developing BOS, 3) the diagnosis of BOS, and 4) the management and prevention of BOS. A pragmatic evidence synthesis was performed to identify all unique citations related to BOS published from 1980 through to March, 2013. The expert committee discussed the available research evidence upon which the updated definition of BOS, identified risk factors and recommendations are based. The committee followed the GRADE (Grading of Recommendation, Assessment, Development and Evaluation) approach to develop specific clinical recommendations. The term BOS should be used to describe a delayed allograft dysfunction with persistent decline in forced expiratory volume in 1 s that is not caused by other known and potentially reversible causes of post-transplant loss of lung function. The committee formulated specific recommendations about the use of systemic corticosteroids, cyclosporine, tacrolimus, azithromycin and about re-transplantation in patients with suspected and confirmed BOS. The diagnosis of BOS requires the careful exclusion of other post-transplant complications that can cause delayed lung allograft dysfunction, and several risk factors have been identified that have a significant association with the onset of BOS. Currently available therapies have not been proven to result in significant benefit in the prevention or treatment of BOS. Adequately designed and executed randomised controlled trials that properly measure and report all patient-important outcomes are needed to identify optimal therapies for established BOS and effective strategies for its prevention. Diagnosis of BOS requires careful exclusion of other complications that can cause delayed lung allograft dysfunction http://ow.ly/AZmbr
SERIES Mapping for the Masses : Accessing Web 2 . 0 through Crowdsourcing

We first develop the network paradigm that is currently dominating the way we think about the internet and introduce varieties of social networking that are being fashioned in interactive web environments. This serves to ground our arguments about Web 2.0 technologies. These constitute ways in which users of web-based services can take on the role of producers as well as consumers of information that derive from such services with sharing becoming a dominant mode of adding value to such data. These developments are growing Web 2.0 from the ground up, enabling users to derive hitherto unknown, hidden and even new patterns and correlations in data that imply various kinds of social networking. We define crowdsourcing and crowdcasting as essential ways in which large groups of users come together to create data and to add value by sharing. This is highly applicable to new forms of mapping. We begin by noting that maps have become important services on the internet with nonproprietary services such as Google Maps being ways in which users can fashion their own functionality. We review various top-down and bottom-up strategies and then present our own contributions in the form of GMapCreator that lets users fashion new maps using Google Maps as a base. We have extended this into an archive of pointers to maps created by this software, which is called MapTube, and we demonstrate how it can be used in a variety of contexts to share map information, to put existing maps into a form that can be shared, and to create new maps from the bottom up using a combination of crowdcasting, crowdsourcing and traditional broadcasting. We conclude by arguing that these developments define a neogeography which is essentially ‘mapping for the masses’. 1 First draft: August 18 2008
Thermo-mechanical modeling of stress-induced-voiding in BEOL Cu interconnect structures

The temperature dependent driving force for stress induced voiding of Cu dual damascene interconnects has been studied using finite element modeling. Both 2D axisymmetric and 3D models have been investigated. Interconnect test structures have been simulated at temperatures ranging from 25 to 300°C and a stress free temperature for the structure is demonstrated, consistent with analytical modeling. Typical reliability test structures, symmetrical in design showed a lower in-plane stress gradient, suggesting a reduced driving force for void formation. Hence, they are not ideally suited for reliability assessment. This compares to more realistic narrow-to-wide chain asymmetric structures with a larger stress gradient leads to faster void growth. For the assessment of stress gradients in these asymmetrical structures, the build-up of a 3D-model was required and showed the limitations of 2D axisymmetric models for this application. The effect of low dielectric (k) materials on the stress distribution in Cu interconnects was analysed. When copper is integrated in low-k materials, a higher hydrostatic stress gradient is observed compared to the traditional SiO2-based dielectrics.
How bureaucracy and corruption affect economic growth and convergence in the European Union: The case of Greece

Purpose - This paper aims to examine the impact of corruption and bureaucracy on economic growth in Greece as measured by the growth rate of per capita GDP. Also, using the mean per capita GDP of the EU as a benchmark, it seeks to investigate the convergence timing of Greece with the EU. Design/methodology/approach - The empirical approach taken is based on beta convergence theory. Findings - The results confirm the negative impact of bureaucracy and corruption on economic growth. However, the corruption exerts a more significant influence on growth than bureaucracy. Also, the timing of convergence of Greece with the EU is found to be 37 years. Originality/value - The robustness of these results is based on the use of a relatively new econometric method which is the Markov conditional bootstrap.
Evaluating geographic information provision within public administration websites

The authors are concerned with the provision of public sector geographic information (GI) and the use of GI technologies (GITs) within public administration websites, with particular reference to planning. Results of a survey carried out by the authors on an Italian case study are evaluated with respect to the GI content and technology adopted. A rapid evaluation method is proposed to analyse and compare GI/GIT-diffusion frameworks within public administration at the national level.
RP-HPLC Method for Estimation and Stress Degradation Study of Paclitaxel as per ICH Guidelines

A simple, accurate, selective & reproducible validated stability indicating assay method was developed for determination of Paclitaxel in presence of its degradation products. The best separation was achieved in the C18 analytical column at ambient temperature using a mobile phase composed of acetonitrile and phosphate buffer (60:40) in isocratic mode. The flow rate was set at 1.0 ml/min and detection wavelength was 226 nm. The drug gives peak at RT 4.95 min and forced degradation studies gave two degradation products such as one peak of degradation product of alkaline hydrolysis were observed at RRT 2.941(DP II) and at RRT 0.382 (DP I) a peak for acidic hydrolysis product obtained along with the drug peak at RT 4.95. The limit of detection (LOD) and limit of quantitation (LOQ) of developed method were found to be 2 μg/ml and 10 μg/ml respectively. The validation results obtained from the analysis also reveals that the developed method is specific and selective.