Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Medical reviews. Coronaviruses.

The coronaviruses are a group of RNA-containing agents which have been associated with respiratory illnesses in man and with a number of other conditions in laboratory and domestic animals. The name for the group was adopted to describe the characteristic fringe of crown-like projections seen around the viruses in electron microscopy; these projections are rounded, rather than sharp or pointed, as is the case with the myxoviruses. Like the myxoviruses, the coronaviruses contain essential lipid and are 80-160 nm in diameter (18). While the animal strains are readily isolated in several different systems, recovery of the human strains has posed major problems. A number of these strains have been isolated only in organ culture of the human respiratory tract. This factor has rendered difficult determination of the relationship between isolates and complicated efforts at understanding the role of these viruses in human respiratory illness. Therefore, much of the information on the epidemiology of the agents has come from serologic studies.
Time to Buy or Just Buying Time? The Market Reaction to Bank Rescue Packages

This paper reviews the market reaction to bank rescue packages announced in six countries between October 2008 and January 2009. The study distinguishes the impact on creditors as seen in the change of CDS spreads from the impact on shareholders as seen in the movement of bank stock prices. Government interventions benefited creditors at the expense of shareholders, with bank CDS spreads narrowing around the announcements in all cases. Despite a brief positive reaction, bank stock prices continued to underperform in all countries except the United States where the favourable terms of the government support allowed bank stocks to outperform.
Pentosan Polysulfate: A Novel Therapy for the Mucopolysaccharidoses

Background Pentosan polysulfate (PPS) is an FDA-approved, oral medication with anti-inflammatory and pro-chondrogenic properties. We have previously shown that animal models of the mucopolysaccharidoses (MPS) exhibit significant inflammatory disease, contributing to cartilage degeneration. Enzyme replacement therapy (ERT) only partly reduced inflammation, and anti-TNF-alpha antibody therapy significantly enhanced clinical and pathological outcomes. Here we describe the use of PPS for the treatment of MPS type VI rats. Methodology/Principal Findings Treatment began during prenatal development and at 1 and 6 months of age. All animals were treated until they were 9 months old. Significant reductions in the serum and tissue levels of several inflammatory markers (e.g., TNF-alpha, MIP-1alpha and RANTES/CCL5) were observed, as was reduced expression of inflammatory markers in cultured articular chondrocytes. ADAMTS-5/aggrecanase-2 levels also were reduced in chondrocytes, consistent with an elevation of serum tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase 1. Marked improvements in motility and grooming behavior occurred, along with a reduction in eye and nasal secretions and a lessening of the tracheal deformities. MicroCT and radiographic analyses further revealed that the treated MPS skulls were longer and thinner, and that the teeth malocclusions, misalignments and mineral densities were improved. MicroCT analysis of the femurs and vertebrae revealed improvements in trabecular bone mineral densities, number and spacing in a subset of treated MPS animals. Biomechanical assessments of PPS-treated spines showed partially restored torsional behaviors, suggesting increased spinal stability. No improvements were observed in cortical bone or femur length. The positive changes in the PPS-treated MPS VI rats occurred despite glycosaminoglycan accumulation in their tissues. Conclusions Based on these findings we conclude that PPS could be a simple and effective therapy for MPS that might provide significant clinical benefits alone and in combination with other therapies.
De ontwikkeling van medische expertise : een cognitief-psychologische benadering

• A submitted manuscript is the version of the article upon submission and before peer-review. There can be important differences between the submitted version and the official published version of record. People interested in the research are advised to contact the author for the final version of the publication, or visit the DOI to the publisher's website. • The final author version and the galley proof are versions of the publication after peer review. • The final published version features the final layout of the paper including the volume, issue and page numbers.
A fine blind frequency offset estimator for OFDM/OQAM systems

Like other orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) systems, OFDM systems based on offset quadrature amplitude modulation (OFDM/OQAM) are very sensitive to carrier frequency offset. In this paper, a new blind carrier frequency offset estimator is developed for OFDM/OQAM systems by exploiting the noncircularity of the received OFDM/OQAM signal. Since the received signal exhibits conjugate cyclic frequencies at twice the carrier frequency offset, the frequency estimator is designed by maximizing a cost function expressed in terms of the sample conjugate cyclocorrelations. The theoretical asymptotic (large sample) performance analysis of the proposed estimator is established. Computer simulations are presented to illustrate the performance of the estimator. It is shown that the proposed estimator is very accurate whenever it is well initialized. Therefore, the proposed estimator appears to be very well adapted for a tracking mode rather than for an acquisition mode.
Human Anterior Intraparietal and Ventral Premotor Cortices Support Representations of Grasping with the Hand or a Novel Tool

Humans display a remarkable capacity to use tools instead of their biological effectors. Yet, little is known about the mechanisms that support these behaviors. Here, participants learned to grasp objects, appearing in a variety of orientations, with a novel, handheld mechanical tool. Following training, psychophysical functions relating grip preferences (i.e., pronated vs. supinated) to stimulus orientations indicate a reliance on distinct, effector-specific internal representations when planning grasping actions on the basis of the tool versus the hands. Accompanying fMRI data show that grip planning in both hand and tool conditions was associated with similar increases in activity within the same regions of the anterior intraparietal and caudal ventral premotor cortices, a putative homologue of the macaque anterior intraparietal–ventral premotor (area F5) “grasp circuit. ” These findings suggest that tool use is supported by effector-specific representations of grasping with the tool that are functionally independent of previously existing representations of the hand and yet occur within the same parieto-frontal regions involved in manual prehension. These levels of representation are critical for accurate planning and execution of actions in a manner that is sensitive to the respective properties of these effectors. These effector-specific representations likely coexist with effector-independent representations. The latter were recently reported in macaque F5 [Umiltà, M. A. , Escola, L. , Intskirveli, I. , Grammont, F. , Rochat, M. , Caruana, F. , et al. When pliers become fingers in the monkey motor system. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, U.S.A. , 105, 2209–2213, 2008] and appear to be established by tool use training through modification of existing representations of grasping with the hand. These more abstract levels of representation may facilitate the transfer of skills between hand and tool.
Low-Level Image Cues in the Perception of Translucent Materials

When light strikes a translucent material (such as wax, milk or fruit flesh), it enters the body of the object, scatters and reemerges from the surface. The diffusion of light through translucent materials gives them a characteristic visual softness and glow. What image properties underlie this distinctive appearance? What cues allow us to tell whether a surface is translucent or opaque? Previous work on the perception of semitransparent materials was based on a very restricted physical model of thin filters [Metelli 1970; 1974a,b]. However, recent advances in computer graphics [Jensen et al. 2001; Jensen and Buhler 2002] allow us to efficiently simulate the complex subsurface light transport effects that occur in real translucent objects. Here we use this model to study the perception of translucency, using a combination of psychophysics and image statistics. We find that many of the cues that were traditionally thought to be important for semitransparent filters (e.g., X-junctions) are not relevant for solid translucent objects. We discuss the role of highlights, color, object size, contrast, blur, and lighting direction in the perception of translucency. We argue that the physics of translucency are too complex for the visual system to estimate intrinsic physical parameters by inverse optics. Instead, we suggest that we identify translucent materials by parsing them into key regions and by gathering image statistics from these regions.
A New Analytical Model for the CQ Switch Performance Analysis under the Bursty Traffic

In this letter we propose a new analytical iterative method for calculating the throughput and average cell latency of the crosspoint queued switch with random scheduling algorithm under the bursty traffic model. This method is verified by comparing it with simulation results, which shows a very good match. To the authors' knowledge, this is the first analytical method for performance analysis of such a switch under the bursty traffic model.
Entrepreneurship Education in Swedish Compulsory Schools: The Perception and Implementation from an Educator’s Viewpoint

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the current state of entrepreneurship education in Swedish compulsory schools. In light of the 2011 reform of the national Swedish Curriculum in which entrepreneurship education was first introduced, four schools are examined, through interviews with the principal and two teachers per school, to determine their perceptions and implementations of entrepreneurship education. The results show a distinction of perceptions along three different streams, and a similarly inconsistent implementation as found by previous studies from before the 2011 curriculum, suggesting the hitherto inability of entrepreneurship education to wholly permeate the Swedish compulsory education system.
Rates of Influenza-like Illness and Winter School Breaks, Chile, 2004–2010

To determine effects of school breaks on influenza virus transmission in the Southern Hemisphere, we analyzed 2004–2010 influenza-like–illness surveillance data from Chile. Winter breaks were significantly associated with a two-thirds temporary incidence reduction among schoolchildren, which supports use of school closure to temporarily reduce illness, especially among schoolchildren, in the Southern Hemisphere.
Under what Conditions Can Exports Exert a Positive Influence on Profitability?1

■ Should companies increase their exports so as to increase their profitability? The research into this question has given contradictory results. This article tries to further the debate by investigating the contingency factors likely to affect the apparent relationship between the export rate and the profitability rate. ■ The three contingency factors taken into account are: the size of the companies, the rate of growth of the domestic market and the structure of the business portfolio.
Activation of Brain Histaminergic Neurotransmission: A Mechanism for Cognitive Effects of Memantine in Alzheimer's Disease

We previously reported that some N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA)-receptor antagonists enhanced histamine neuron activity in rodents. Here, we have investigated the effects of memantine, an NMDA-receptor antagonist used for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease, on histaminergic neurotransmission. In vitro, memantine antagonized native NMDA receptors with a micromolar potency but had no effect at recombinant human histamine receptors. In vivo, a single administration of memantine increased histamine neuron activity, as shown by the 60% increase of tele-methylhistamine (t-MeHA) levels observed in the brain of mice. This increase occurred with an ED50 of 0.3 ± 0.1 mg/kg, similar to that found on inhibition of ex vivo [3H]dizocilpine maleate (MK-801) binding (1.8 ± 1.3 mg/kg). Two days after pretreatment of mice with memantine at 5 mg/kg twice daily for 5 days, t-MeHA levels were enhanced by 50 ± 7% (p < 0.001), indicating a long-lasting activation of histamine neurons. Quantitative polymerase chain reaction analysis was used to explore genes involved in this persistent effect. H3 receptor mRNAs were strongly increased, but the density of H3 receptor binding sites was increased solely in hypothalamus (by 141 ± 24%). Up-regulations of brain-derived neurotrophic factor and NMDA-receptor 1 subunit mRNAs were also found but were restricted to hippocampus. mRNA expression of α7-nicotinic receptors remained unchanged in any region. Considering the well established cognitive effects of histamine neurons, the increase in brain t-MeHA levels after single or repeated administration of therapeutic doses of memantine suggests that the drug exerts its beneficial effects on cognitive deficits of Alzheimer's disease, at least partly, by activating histamine neurons.
Immune Responses to Recombinant Pneumococcal PspA Antigen Delivered by Live Attenuated Salmonella enterica Serovar Typhimurium Vaccine

ABSTRACT Attenuated Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium expressing recombinant antigens from other pathogens elicits primarily a Th1-type dominant immune response to both recombinant and Salmonella antigens. The immunogenicity and appropriate subcellular location of the recombinant antigen in the Salmonella vaccine strain may contribute to augmenting immune responses by facilitating adequate exposure of recombinant antigen to antigen-presenting cells for processing. To allow for secretion from gram-negative bacteria and overexpression of antigen, a DNA fragment encoding a highly antigenic α-helical region of PspA (pneumococcal surface protein A) was subcloned downstream from the β-lactamase signal sequence in the multicopy Asd+ pYA3493 vector to create pYA3494. pYA3493 was derived from a class of Asd+ vectors with reduced expression of Asd to minimize selective disadvantage and enhance immunization of expressed recombinant antigens. The S. enterica serovar Typhimurium vaccine strain was constructed by the introduction of deletion mutations Δcrp-28 and ΔasdA16. Approximately 50% of the recombinant PspA (rPspA) expressed in a Salmonella strain harboring pYA3494 was detected in the combined supernatant and periplasmic fractions of broth-grown recombinant Salmonella. After a single oral immunization in BALB/c mice with 109 CFU of the recombinant Salmonella vaccine strain carrying pYA3494, immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibody responses were stimulated to both the heterologous antigen rPspA and Salmonella lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and outer membrane proteins (OMPs). About half, and even more at later times after immunization, of the antibodies induced to rPspA were IgG1 (indicating a Th2-type response), whereas 60 to 70% of the antibodies to LPS and 80 to 90% of those to OMPs were IgG2a (indicating a Th1-type response). A sublethal infection with Streptococcus pneumoniae WU2 boosted PspA antibody levels and maintained IgG2a/IgG1 ratios similar to those seen before the challenge. Oral immunization with Salmonella-PspA vaccine protected 60% of immunized mice from death after intraperitoneal challenge with 50 times the 50% lethal dose of virulent S. pneumoniae WU2.
Personality Traits and Identity Styles in Methamphetamine-Dependent Women: A Comparative Study

Background: Studies over the past two decades have shown that various personality traits of substance-dependent men measure differently than compared to normal individuals. However fewer studies have addressed the role of identity as an influential factor in the onset and continuation of drug dependency. Methods: The objective of this study was to compare the Big Five personality factors and identity styles in methamphetamine dependent women and non-user group. Forty eight methamphetamine dependent women under treatment in Welfare Organization’s residential centers filled out the NEO Five-Factor Inventory (NEO-FFI) and the Berzonsky’s Identity Style Inventory. They were compared with 48 non-dependent women who were matched in terms of age, education, marital status, and occupation. Data was analyzed with t student test. Statistical analyses were performed using the SPSS V.16 software. Differences were considered significant at P<0.05. Results: Results found that methamphetamine dependent woman had significantly higher levels of neuroticism and lower levels of conscientiousness, agreeableness and openness to experience compared to normative sample of female respondents. In addition, mean scores of diffuse/avoidant identity style in methamphetamine user women was significantly higher than non-user group. This is while non-user women had a significantly higher mean in normative identity style. Conclusion: Identity styles along with personality traits can be a key role in drug use in women in this study. Therefore, enhancing understanding about the role of identity can be helpful in treatment programs especially in harm reduction approaches.
Decompounding: an estimation problem for Poisson random sums

Given a sample from a compound Poisson distribution, we consider estimation of the corresponding rate parameter and base distribution. This has applications in insurance mathematics and queueing theory. We propose a plug-in type estimator that is based on a suitable inversion of the compounding operation. Asymptotic results for this estimator are obtained via a local analysis of the decompounding functional.
Spectroscopic Metabolic Abnormalities in mTLE with and without MRI Evidence for Mesial Temporal Sclerosis Using Hippocampal Short‐TE MRSI

Summary: Purpose: Long echo time (TE) spectroscopy reliably identifies the epileptogenic hippocampus in mesial temporal lobe epilepsy. Short‐TE spectroscopy gives additional metabolic information but may have more artifacts. The aim of this study was to test (a) lateralization of the seizure focus by short‐TE spectroscopy, and (b) value of myoinositol (MI) in the identification of the epileptogenic hippocampus.
NETS•A Scholarship

Abstract To date, no systematic analysis of the current body of literature has aimed to understand the extent to which school technology leadership is being investigated. This review of the literature presents a content analysis of articles published from 1997 through 2010 housed in the Education Resource Information Center (ERIC) database on the topic of school technology leadership. We structured and conceptually framed our analysis around the National Educational Technology Standards for Administrators (NETS•A). Based on our content analysis, 37 articles had any focus on technology leadership as defined by the NETS•A. Although we found all indicators of the standards were covered to some degree, there was a glaring lack of in-depth research around this topic. In fact, nearly 68% of the articles were simply descriptive in nature. We determined that Standard 4: Systemic Improvement and Standard 5: Digital Citizenship were least studied in the current body of literature. We conclude that more scholarly efforts need to focus on topics germane to the technology standards for school leaders.
Managerial Perceptions of Organizational Planning Benefits

Abstract The last two decades have witnessed an increase in the number of business organizations which have recognised and adopted formal measures for undertaking strategic planning in industrialised countries. Notwithstanding the volume of pedagogical literature concerning strategic planning practice, there is limited evidence on issues relating to the planning process in developing nations. Although executives in transition developing economies may be stimulated to adopt a robust approach to planning their commercial activities, the justification for such an orientation has tended to rely upon intuitive thinking and conceptual contributions to knowledge. It is suggested that empirical tests or the anticipated benefits of planning might be more revealing and provide a grounded approach to assessing the utility of strategic planning for businesses operating in an emerging developing market. For this reason, the focus of this article is a discussion of the findings from an empirical study that investigated the perceived attitudinal and behavioural consequences of strategic planning, with the aim of determining the significance of such effects on planning among firms operating in Ghana's transition economy. A number of favourable outcomes are identified in managerial perceptions of planning. The implications
Economic Outcomes of Religious Transformations : The Occupational Transition of the Jews in the First Millennium ¤

Since the Middle Ages the Jews have been engaged primarily in urban, skilled occupations, such as crafts, trade, . nance, and medicine. This distinctive occupational selection occurred between the seventh and the ninth centuries in the Muslim Empire and then it spread to other locations. We argue that this transition was the outcome of the widespread literacy among Jews prompted by an educational reform in the . rst century ce. When urbanization expanded in the early Muslim Empire, Jews moved to the cities because of their comparative advantage in urban, skilled occupations.
Prevalence and healthcare utilization of herpes zoster and postherpetic neuralgia in South Korea: disparity among patients with different immune statuses

OBJECTIVES Despite the clinical and epidemiological importance of herpes zoster (HZ) and postherpetic neuralgia (PHN), their disease and economic burden related to immune status has not been studied in South Korea. Our aim was to calculate the prevalence and rate of healthcare utilization related to HZ and PHN among Korean patients stratified by immune status. METHODS This retrospective study used the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service National Patients Sample (HIRA K-NPS) database, which includes all medical claims from January to December 2009 on a representative sample of the Korean population. HZ and PHN patients aged ≥ 50 years were categorized into three groups by immune status: severely immunocompromised group, moderately compromised group, and non-compromised group. The prevalence, disease-related healthcare utilization, and medical costs were compared across the three groups. RESULTS We estimated that there were 312,136 HZ patients and 48,461 PHN patients ≥ 50 years in South Korea. The prevalence of HZ and PHN was 18.54 and 2.88 per 1,000 persons, respectively, and increased with deteriorating immune status. The number of outpatient visits and hospitalization rate among HZ patients were highest in the severely immunocompromised group (4.38% and 7.52%, respectively) and lowest in the non-compromised group (3.82% and 4.08%, respectively). The average medical cost per patient in the severe group was the highest (240 US dollars) and that of the non-compromised group was the lowest (161 US dollars). No parameters were significantly different among patients with PHN by immunity. CONCLUSIONS HZ patients with severe immunodeficiency had a higher prevalence of HZ, more outpatient visits and hospitalizations, longer hospitalizations, and higher medical costs than their counterparts did. Efforts should be made to reduce the HZ-related burden of severely immunocompromised patients.