Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Possible Ameliorative Effect of Ivabradine on the Autonomic and Left Ventricular Dysfunction Induced by Doxorubicin in Male Rats

Abstract: Heart failure is a common adverse effect associated with doxorubicin treatment. The aim of this study is to investigate the effect of ivabradine treatment on doxorubicin-induced heart failure in conscious rats. Rats were treated with doxorubicin (2.5 mg/kg/d) or ivabradine (10 mg/kg/d) alone or along with doxorubicin injections. Changes in heart rate variability (HRV), baroreflex sensitivity, left ventricular (LV) function, serum cardiac troponin T, and cardiac histological features were taken as index parameters for the development of heart failure. Ivabradine significantly reduced the elevated heart rate; normalized the parameters of LV function, dP/dtmax and the relaxation time constant (Tau); reduced the elevated serum level of cardiac troponin T; and minimized the cardiac structural abnormalities in doxorubicin-treated rats. Moreover, ivabradine significantly increased the diminished time domain parameters of HRV, SDNN and rMSSD, and decreased the elevated low frequency power and the low frequency/high frequency while having no effect on the reduced high frequency power. Consistently, ivabradine significantly lowered the elevated baroreflex sensitivity measured by sodium nitroprusside. In conclusion, ivabradine ameliorated the LV dysfunction induced by doxorubicin. Moreover, ivabradine increased the overall HRV and restored the autonomic balance by reducing the sympathetic over activation. Therefore, ivabradine may have a possible therapeutic potential against doxorubicin-induced heart failure.
User Collusion Avoidance CP-ABE With Efficient Attribute Revocation for Cloud Storage

Attribute-based encryption (ABE) can guarantee confidentiality and achieve fine-grained data access control in a cloud storage system. Due to the fact that every attribute in ABE may be shared by multiple users and each user holds multiple attributes, any single-attribute revocation for some user may affect the other users with the same attribute in the system. Therefore, how to revoke attribute efficiently is an important and challenging problem in ABE schemes. In order to solve above problems, we first give a concrete attack to the existing ABE scheme with attribute revocation. Then, we formalize the definition and security model, which model collusion attack executed by the existing users cooperating with the revoked users. Finally, we present a user collusion avoidance ciphertext-policy ABE scheme with efficient attribute revocation for the cloud storage system. The problem of attribute revocation is solved efficiently by exploiting the concept of an attribute group. When an attribute is revoked from a user, the group manager updates other users’ secret keys. Furthermore, we prove that the proposed scheme is secure against collusion attack launched by the existing users and the revoked users. The security of the proposed scheme is reduced to the computational Diffie–Hellman assumption.
Keystone taxa predict compositional change in microbial communities

The influence of biotic interactions on microbial community assembly is intensely debated. We hypothesized that keystone taxa, which influence community assembly through strong biotic interactions, are important for regulating microbial community composition. While highly connected microbes have been identified, evidence that these taxa act as keystones is lacking, because keystone status requires influence on whole-community dynamics. We address this gap, showing that small subsets of highly connected keystone taxa (generally 1%-5% of richness) can be optimal predictors of whole-community compositional change. In three long-term data sets, greater connectivity due to the presence of keystone taxa corresponded to lower compositional turnover. We further hypothesized that the influence of keystone taxa would be diminished when environmental disturbance was a strong driver of compositional change. We used two case studies of reference and disturbed communities to investigate how biotic and abiotic forces interact to shape community composition. Most of the same taxa were present in both the reference and disturbed communities, but keystone taxa had much greater explanatory power in the reference communities. Our results suggest that greater biotic connectivity arising from the presence of keystone taxa is stabilizing to community composition, and that keystone taxa can be good indicators of pending community shifts.
Auditor Credibility And Auditor Changes

In 1976, the U. S. Senate Subcommittee on Reports, Accounting, and Management (Metcalf Committee) provided data indicating that the eight largest auditing firms in the country (the "Big Eight") are overwhelmingly the major suppliers of audit services to the largest corporations in the United States. The Subcommittee concluded from these data that monopolistic practices by the Big Eight have led to a two-tier structure in the audit industry-one tier consisting of the eight largest auditors and the second tier consisting of all other auditors, with the Big Eight dominating the industry. In the light of these findings, the committee suggested that more activist regulation of the audit industry was needed by the Securities and Exchange Commission. Dopuch and Simunic [1980] examined a wide variety of evidence that might tend to support or refute allegations of a lack of competition in the auditing profession. They (D-S) concluded that the industry was competitive, and in a subsequent paper [1982] they argued that many of the apparent monopolistic characteristics of the industry could be explained by a product-differentiation hypothesis. More specifically, they hypothesized that different auditing firms provide auditing services which are perceived by investors to be different in quality, and in particular, that the Big Eight auditors are perceived as being more credible than non-Big Eight auditors. If this is the case, the Big Eight firms would be
Organizational commitment and auditors in public accounting

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine organizational commitment within the context of important antecedents, correlates, and consequences for auditors in public accounting. Specifically, to explore the relationships among the constructs of experience, role ambiguity, organizational commitment (affective and continuance), job satisfaction, and turnover intentions.Design/methodology/approach – An integrated model is developed and tested using structural equation modeling techniques. A sample of 334 auditors working for international and regional public accounting firms in a major metropolitan area of the USA is used to test the model.Findings – The findings support nearly all of the hypothesized relationships. Auditors with more experience have less role ambiguity, have more affection for their organization, and are less inclined to leave their organization. Continuance commitment plays a less important role in the integrated model. However, the study lends support to the notion that the two dim.
Why Do Local Governments Resist Contracting Out?

Local governments are reluctant to contract out public services. This article shows that resistance to contracting out is not at odds with efficiency. The sample includes all 135 municipalities that were distributing gas in an Italian region when a national reform ended direct delivery. Contracting out decisions have been analyzed for the subsequent 12 years through a duration model that admits time dependence and interaction with intermunicipal cooperation. It has been found that opposition to contracting out is more likely if scale and managerial efficiency have already been enhanced. Fiscal stress and the activism of citizens are shown not to play a significant role.
Multidrug Resistant Organisms in Diabetic Foot Ulcers-Analysis of Risk Factors and Clinical Outcome

Background: Diabetes Mellitus is one of the most important health problem in the world. Foot infection is a common sequelae of diabetes, which once established progressively worsens and become more difficult to treat and is associated with substantial morbidity and mortality. Multidrug resistance organism infection is extremely common in hospitalized patients with diabetic foot ulcers. Aim of Study: To detect multidrug resistant organism among isolates from diabetic foot ulcers, identification of risk factors and clinical outcome. Materials and Methods: A prospective study conducted in 150 patients admitted in Department of Surgery in a tertiary care center in south India. Results: In this study 76.6% of patients were infected with multidrug resistant organisms. Among the risk factors analyzed, ulcer duration more than 2 weeks showed significant association with this infections. 68% of patients showed good response to treatment and 24% underwent amputations.
Prevalence, reproduction and morphology of the parasitic isopod Athelges takanoshimensis Ishii, 1914 (Isopoda: Bopyridae) from Hong Kong hermit crabs

Abstract The bopyrid isopod Athelges takanoshimensis is a relatively common abdominal parasite of hermit crabs from Asia. This study investigated the prevalence, reproduction, and morphology of A. takanoshimensis from over 1560 hermit crab specimens collected in Hong Kong between 2000 and 2004. Among these collections, A. takanoshimensis was on ∼7% of the hermit crab Pagurus angustus and was also recorded from 5% of Pagurus hedleyi; no hermit crabs from the genus Clibanarius were infested. The male–female ratio of parasitized P. angustus was approximately 3:7, in contrast to a 3:2 ratio for uninfested hosts, suggesting that parasitism has an influence on host sex ratio. Athelges takanoshimensis produced up to 5031 embryos (average brood size = 2852). Estimates of body size (head length, pereon length, and total length) were analysed as predictors of fecundity but a significant correlation was only found between brood size and pereon length. The morphology of the life history stages of A. takanoshimensis is described using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), including the first investigation of epicaridium larvae for this species. Notes on the behaviour of ovigerous females and the release of their larvae are provided, thus providing a better understanding of the natural history and morphology of A. takanoshimensis.
Comparing Institutional and Policy Explanations for the Adoption of State Constitutional Amendments

The literature on state constitutional amendments remains undeveloped despite recent activity in the area of same-sex marriage policy. Previous studies have assumed that the adoption of state constitutional amendments is governed by routine policy considerations, but there are strong theoretical reasons for expecting attributes of state institutions also to affect adoption. In this study, I compare institutional and policy explanations for the enactment of state constitutional amendments prohibiting same-sex marriage. Although I expect routine policy considerations to affect the adoption of amendments, I also expect adoption to be influenced by attributes of state institutions, in particular, the capacity of state high courts to produce decisions favoring marriage equality. Using event history analysis, I find that the initial consideration of amendments is driven by policy considerations but that adoption is also guided by institutional considerations, such as the professionalization of state high courts.
Increased Response of Plasma Allopregnanolone to Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone in Obese Patients

Allopregnanolone is a neuroactive steroid present in the brain, but also measurable in systemic circulation. It exhibits anxiolytic and anticonvulsant effects and is able to produce hyperphagia. Since eating behavior disturbances and increased peripheral basal sympathetic activity have been reported in obese subjects, the present study investigated allopregnanolone and catecholamine (epinephrine and norepinephrine) responses to corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) in obese subjects. Blood was sampled from 39 obese (14 men and 25 women) and 57 normal-weight subjects (20 men and 37 women) and assayed for cortisol, allopregnanolone and catecholamines concentrations. In addition, 13 obese patients (5 men and 8 women) and 18 control subjects (9 men and 9 women) were submitted to a CRH test. Plasma allopregnanolone and norepinephrine levels were significantly higher in obese than in control subjects (p < 0.01), but plasma cortisol and epinephrine concentrations were comparable in both groups. No correlation was found in any group between plasma allopregnanolone and norepinephrine or epinephrine levels. Acute CRH administration significantly stimulated allopregnanolone secretion, with peak levels at 15 min in obese subjects, whereas maximal concentrations were reached after 60 min only in controls. In obese patients the allopregnanolone secretory incremental area was significantly higher than in controls (p < 0.02). CRH injection increased cortisol levels to a comparable extent in both groups. Plasma norepinephrine or epinephrine levels did were not significantly affected by CRH test in either group. In conclusion, obese subjects present higher allopregnanolone levels and a greater response to CRH than normal subjects. Since allopregnanolone has hyperphagic effects in rats, hypersecretion of the hormone in obese patients may represent one of the mechanisms underlying obesity.
The Effects of Physical Training are Varied and Occur in an Exercise Type-Dependent Manner in Elderly Men

Regular exercise can decrease the deleterious effects of aging and limit the development and progression of chronic disease in elderly people, depending on the type, intensity, frequency, and duration of exercise. This study aimed to investigate the potential protective effects of different physical training programs on oxidative stress parameters and inflammatory and neurotrophic mediators in the serum of elderly men. Healthy male volunteers [60 to 80 years; n=55] were divided into four groups: control [Ctr, n=14], aerobic training on dry land [ATdl, n=12]; and combined training on dry land [CTdl, n=12] or in water [CTw, n=17]. The training protocols were performed over 8 weeks, three times per week. Each 1 h session included 5 min warming-up exercise, 50 min specific training [aerobic, strength, or combined], and 5 min stretching. Blood samples were drawn 72 h before [baseline] the beginning of the 8 weeks’ protocol and 48 h after the last training session, processed, and the serum was aliquoted and stored at -70 °C until biochemical assessment of oxidative damage, antioxidant system and neurotrophic, growth and inflammatory factors. Elevated BDNF or IGF-1 levels were observed in the ATdl or CTdl groups, respectively. Overall oxidative stress parameters were improved including reduced lipid oxidative damage and increased thioredoxin reductase and glutathione peroxidase activities and total glutathione. Significant decreases in the inflammatory mediators IL-6 and IL-8 were observed; IL-6 was more susceptible to the effects of type of physical training. Thus, the effects of training in elderly men vary in an exercise type-dependent manner.
Audit Fee Reductions from Internal Audit-Provided Assistance: The Incremental Impact of Internal Audit Characteristics

We question whether audit committee oversight, resource commitments, and the sourcing of internal audit functions have value implications for external audit reliance on internal audit assistance. When evaluating the quality of internal audit, professional standards guide external auditors to consider the oversight of, and resource commitment to, the internal audit function. Alternatively, to promote higher quality, some organizations outsource internal audit services to independent outside auditors. However, oversight roles, resource commitments, and outsourcing strategies are not costless alternatives for strengthening internal audit functions. Despite the findings of prior research that internal audit quality and consequent external audit reliance on internal audit assistance are functions of these dimensions, little is known about the separable influence of these characteristics on the value of assistance provided. We introduce new measures of internal audit assistance, oversight influence, resource commitments, and their distinct impact on external audit fee reductions resulting from reliance on internal audit assistance. Our results are consistent with external auditors using internal auditors for higher value tasks (not just more tasks) when the audit committee oversight and/or resource commitments to internal audit functions increase. Although we find economic advantages for outsourced internal audit assistance, these advantages are mitigated by increases in audit committee oversight and resource commitments to in-house internal audit functions. Moreover, our results suggest that, to enhance the organizational status of internal audit, organizations should not only consider the official placement of the internal audit function, but also informal influences from the organization’s oversight functions, including the executive suite and the audit committee.
Reaping the Benefits of Financial Globalization

Financial globalization has increased dramatically over the past three decades, particularly for advanced economies, while emerging market and developing countries experienced more moderate increases. Divergences across countries stem from different capital control regimes, and factors such as institutional quality and domestic financial development. Although, in principle, financial globalization should enhance international risk sharing, reduce macroeconomic volatility, and foster economic growth, in practice its effects are less clear-cut. This paper envisages a gradual and orderly sequencing of external financial liberalization and complementary reforms in macroeconomic policy framework as essential components of a successful liberalization strategy.
On the improvement of students' conceptual understanding in statistics education

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Strategic decisions as drivers of innovation: the case of MicroLink

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to find out how strategic decisions have resulted in innovation in the context of the organizational environment. The author studies connections between strategic decision making and innovation to find out what kinds of factors of the organizational environment influence strategic decisions that lead an organization to innovate.Design/methodology/approach – The theoretical and empirical part proceeds from dividing strategic decisions into proactive and reactive; the environment into internal and external, including primary and secondary environment, and dynamic capabilities; and innovation into product, process, marketing and organizational innovation. The study uses qualitative research and case study methodologies to analyse the case of an Estonian IT company, MicroLink.Findings – The results show that even if innovation is not strategically managed in a company, it can still be innovative. However, the potential for different types of innovation at the organizatio.
Finding the hospital‐in‐the‐home units' innovativeness

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine the impact of an organization's unlearning context and information systems (IS) capabilities on the organization's ability to challenge basic beliefs and to implement processes that are explicitly or tacitly helpful in the reception of new ideas (absorptive capacity). The authors also seek to examine the relationship between absorptive capacity and the existence and enhancement of innovativeness.Design/methodology/approach – These relationships are examined through an empirical investigation of 54 doctors and 62 nurses belonging to 44 hospital‐in‐the‐home units (HHU) in Spain.Findings – The results show that absorptive capacity is an important dynamic determinant for developing a HHU's innovativeness. Moreover, this relationship is best explained with two related constructs. Firstly, the HHU's unlearning context plays a key role in managing the tension between potential absorptive capacity and realized absorptive capacity. Secondly, the results also shed l.
Homogenization Methods in Simulations of Transcutaneous Energy Transmitters

Transcutaneous Energy Transmitters (TETs) transfer wireless energy through an inductive link established between two pancake coils placed, respectively, outside and inside the body of a patient. The simulation of the misalignment between the coils must be performed in 3-D, e.g., with a Finite Element (FE) method. This paper introduces a homogenization method to minimize the cost of the expensive 3-D FE computation in the frequency domain. Its originality lies in the non-homogeneous TET geometry during the meshing process. The results of this technique are compared with those obtained by considering regular stranded TET coils. They showed improvements mainly at kilohertz frequencies, the typical TET operating frequency range.
Associations between joint attention and language in autism spectrum disorder and typical development: A systematic review and meta‐regression analysis

Using a structured literature search and meta‐regression procedures, this study sought to determine whether associations between joint attention and language are moderated by group (autism spectrum disorder [ASD] vs. typical development [TD]), joint attention type (responding to joint attention [RJA] vs. other), and other study design features and participant characteristics. Studies were located using database searches, hand searches, and electronic requests for data from experts in the field. This resulted in 71 reports or datasets and 605 effect sizes, representing 1,859 participants with ASD and 1,835 TD participants. Meta‐regression was used to answer research questions regarding potential moderators of the effect sizes of interest, which were Pearson's r values quantifying the association between joint attention and language variables. In the final models, conducted separately for each language variable, effect sizes were significantly higher for the ASD group as compared to the TD group, and for RJA as compared to non‐RJA joint attention types. Approximate mental age trended toward significance for the expressive language model. Joint attention may be more tightly tied to language in children with ASD as compared to TD children because TD children exhibit joint attention at sufficient thresholds so that language development becomes untethered to variations in joint attention. Conversely, children with ASD who exhibit deficits in joint attention develop language contingent upon their joint attention abilities. Because RJA was more strongly related to language than other types of joint attention, future research should involve careful consideration of the operationalization and measurement of joint attention constructs. Autism Res 2016, 9: 1021–1035. © 2016 International Society for Autism Research, Wiley Periodicals, Inc.