Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A Novel Drug for Treatment of Necrotizing Soft-Tissue Infections: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

IMPORTANCE Necrotizing soft-tissue infections (NSTI) have high morbidity and mortality rates despite aggressive surgical debridement and antibiotic therapy. AB103 is a peptide mimetic of the T-lymphocyte receptor, CD28. We hypothesized that AB103 will limit inflammatory responses to bacterial toxins and decrease the incidence of organ failure. OBJECTIVES To establish the safety of AB103 in patients with NSTI and evaluate the potential effects on clinically meaningful parameters related to the disease. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS A prospective, randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blinded study was performed in 6 academic medical centers in the United States. Participants included adults with NSTI. Of 345 patients screened, 43 were enrolled for the intent-to-treat analysis, and 40 met criteria for the modified intent-to-treat analysis; 15 patients each were included in the high-dose and low-dose treatment arms, and 10 in the placebo arm. INTERVENTION Single intravenous dose of AB103 (0.5 or 0.25 mg/kg) within 6 hours after diagnosis of NSTI. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES Change in the Sequential Organ Failure Assessment score within 28 days, intensive care unit-free and ventilator-free days, number and timing of debridements, plasma and tissue cytokine levels at 0 to 72 hours, and adverse events. RESULTS Baseline characteristics were comparable in the treatment groups. The Sequential Organ Failure Assessment score improved from baseline in both treatment groups compared with the placebo group at 14 days (change from baseline score, -2.8 in the high-dose, -2 in the low-dose, and +1.3 in the placebo groups; P = .04). AB103-treated patients had a similar number of debridements (mean [SD], 2.2 [1.1] for the high-dose, 2.3 [1.2] for the low-dose, and 2.8 [2.1] for the placebo groups; P = .56). There were no statistically significant differences in intensive care unit-free and ventilator-free days or in plasma and tissue cytokine levels. No drug-related adverse events were detected. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE AB103 is a safe, promising new agent for modulation of inflammation after NSTI. Further study is warranted to establish efficacy. TRIAL REGISTRATION clinicaltrials.gov Identifier: NCT01417780.
Outside directors and firm performance during institutional transitions

Do outside directors on corporate boards make a difference in firm performance during institutional transitions? What leads to the practice of appointing outside directors in the absence of legal mandate? This article addresses these two important questions by drawing not only on agency theory, but also resource dependence and institutional theories. Taking advantage of China's institutional transitions, our findings, based on an archival database covering 405 publicly listed firms and 1211 company–years, suggest that outsider directors do make a difference in firm performance, if such performance is measured by sales growth, and that they have little impact on financial performance such as return on equity (ROE). The results also document a bandwagon effect behind the diffusion of the practice of appointing outsiders to corporate boards. The article not only highlights the need to incorporate multiple theories beyond agency theory in corporate governance research, but also generates policy implications in light of the recent trend toward having more outside directors on corporate boards in emerging economies. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Needs regarding care and factors associated with unmet needs in disease-free survivors of surgically treated lung cancer.

BACKGROUND To evaluate the long-term needs of lung cancer survivors and to explore factors associated with unmet need. PATIENTS AND METHODS We recruited lung patients treated with curative surgery from 2001 through 2006 at two centers in Korea. Needs in the domains of information, supportive care, education and counseling, and socioeconomic support were measured. We selected the four most frequently reported items of unmet need among 19 items in four domains. RESULTS The most frequently reported unmet needs were Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) and folk remedies (59.8%) in the Information domain, Counseling and treatment of depression and anxiety (63.5%) in the Supportive care domain, diet, exercise and weight control (55.1%) in the Education and counseling domain and Financial support (90.4%) in the socioeconomic support domain. Unmet needs for psychological treatment was significantly greater in participants who were employed (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 2.25; 95% confidential interval [CI], 1.12 to 4.53). Unmet needs for diet, exercise and weight control were significantly greater in participants who had not received chemotherapy (aOR, 1.76; 95% CI, 1.09 to 2.85). Unmet need for financial support was greater in participants who were married (aOR, 4.14, 95%CI, 1.12 to 15.22) and those who had not received chemotherapy (aOR, 5.91, 95%CI, 1.91 to 18.31). CONCLUSION There were substantial unmet needs for information regarding psychological support, education for diet and exercise, and financial support among lung cancer survivors.
Delegating to a Powerless Intermediary: Does It Reduce Punishment?

Beyond the classical reasons of efficiency, commitment, the distribution of information, or incentive provision, a person may also delegate decision rights so as to avoid blame for an unpopular or immoral decision. We show that by delegating to an intermediary, a dictator facing an allocation decision can effectively shift moral responsibility onto the delegee even when doing so necessarily eliminates the possibility of a fair outcome. Dictators who choose selfishly via an intermediary are punished less and earn greater profits than those who directly choose a selfish outcome, while the intermediary is punished more.
Family ties and emotions: a missing piece in the knowledge transfer puzzle

Purpose – The paper aims to develop a model of knowledge transfer that considers kinship ties and emotions in family‐based firms.Design/methodology/approach – There exist several models, which show how information flows among individuals and within organizations. One school of thought is known as Cultural‐Historical Activity Theory (CHAT), which was initially formulated by Lev Vygotsky, the Founder of the school. However, when analyzing CHAT within the family business context, the model no longer holds true. This paper examines knowledge‐transfer mechanisms through the lens of family firms.Findings – Family traditions, ties, and emotions, which are not considered in the original learning framework, affect knowledge transfer, commitment, and the motivation of family members.Research limitations/implications – Based on CHAT and subsequently on other social networks theories, a more appropriate next generation learning model is developed which explains how intergenerational knowledge transfer takes place wit.
Expression of Death Receptor 4 Is Positively Regulated by MEK/ERK/AP-1 Signaling and Suppressed upon MEK Inhibition*

Death receptor 4 (DR4) is a cell surface receptor for tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) and triggers apoptosis upon ligation with TRAIL or aggregation. MEK/ERK signaling is a well known and the best-studied effector pathway downstream of Ras and Raf. This study focuses on determining the impact of pharmacological MEK inhibition on DR4 expression and elucidating the underlying mechanism. We found that several MEK inhibitors including MEK162, AZD6244, and PD0325901 effectively decreased DR4 protein levels including cell surface DR4 in different cancer cell lines. Accordingly, pre-treatment of TRAIL-sensitive cancer cell lines with a MEK inhibitor desensitized them to TRAIL-induced apoptosis. These results indicate that MEK inhibition negatively regulates DR4 expression and cell response to TRAIL-induced apoptosis. MEK inhibitors did not alter DR4 protein stability, rather decreased its mRNA levels, suggesting a transcriptional regulation. In contrast, enforced activation of MEK/ERK signaling by expressing ectopic B-Raf (V600E) or constitutively activated MEK1 (MEK1-CA) or MEK2 (MEK2-CA) activated ERK and increased DR4 expression; these effects were inhibited when a MEK inhibitor was present. Promoter analysis through deletion and mutation identified the AP-1 binding site as an essential response element for enhancing DR4 transactivation by MEK1-CA. Furthermore, inhibition of AP-1 by c-Jun knockdown abrogated the ability of MEK1-CA to increase DR4 promoter activity and DR4 expression. These results suggest an essential role of AP-1 in mediating MEK/ERK activation-induced DR4 expression. Our findings together highlight a previously undiscovered mechanism that positively regulates DR4 expression through activation of the MEK/ERK/AP-1 signaling pathway.
Surgical adjuvant chemotherapy. Results with one short course with cyclophosphamide after mastectomy for breast cancer

One single six‐day course with cyclophosphamide (total dose 30 mg/kg) was given immediately after mastectomy to 507 breast cancer patients, with 519 randomized controls receiving no adjuvant chemotherapy. The control group now has 234 recurrences and 196 deaths, and the treatment group 175 recurrences and 146 deaths. The differences of 59 recurrences and 50 deaths in favour of the treatment group are significant with p values <0.001 and <0.01 respectively. The differences in recurrence rates increased gradually, reached 10.71% four years after mastectomy (p <0.001), and remained at the same level for another 6 years. The differences in death rates increased until 6 years after mastectomy, and was 10.48% after 10 years. With this pattern, the mechanism is probably not a delay in onset of clinical recurrences, but a definite reduction of recurrence rates due to tumoricidal chemotherapy. Prognostic factors or menstrual state had apparently no influence on the effect of this type of adjuvant chemotherapy. Side effects were of short duration and very moderate. Since there was a good effect in the prognostically most favourable groups of patients, treatment of such cases seems therefore also justified. The same chemotherapy course given 3 weeks after mastectomy seemed without effect.
Effects of Instruction in Deriving Word Meaning from Context: A Meta-Analysis

A meta-analysis of 21 instructional treatments aimed at enhancing the skill of deliberately deriving word meaning from context during reading shows a medium effect size of 0.43 standard deviation units (p < .000). An exploratory multilevel regression analysis shows that clue instruction appears to be more effective than other instruction types or just practice (β = 0.40). Effect size correlates negatively with class size (β = .03). Implications for instruction and future research are discussed. Future studies should investigate the effect of instruction on both the skill of deriving word meaning from context and incidental word learning to evaluate its contribution to vocabulary growth.
Prognosis of a Normal Positron Emission Tomography 82Rb Myocardial Perfusion Imaging Study in Women with No History of Coronary Disease

Objectives: Myocardial perfusion imaging (MPI) with positron emission tomography (PET) has advantages over single-photon emission computerized tomography, particularly for women. This investigation was undertaken to define the prognosis of a normal stress PET MPI study in women. Methods:The cohort comprised 457 women evaluated for suspected coronary artery disease (CAD) who had normal pharmacologic stress 82Rb PET MPI. No patient had clinically evident CAD. Kaplan-Meier estimates were used to determine death and initial nonfatal cardiac event rates over 7 years. Log rank tests were used to assess the relationship between baseline cardiac risk and events during follow-up, and to contrast survival in the cohort with age- and gender-matched US census comparators. Results: During follow-up, there were 11 deaths (all nonischemic), 3 nonfatal myocardial infarctions, 3 percutaneous coronary interventions and 1 coronary artery bypass operation. Average risks of death and initial nonfatal cardiac events were 0.72 and 0.47% per year, respectively. Cardiac events were associated with a history of diabetes (p < 0.0003) and a family history of CAD (p < 0.05). Conclusion: A normal cardiac PET study is associated with a very low rate of future cardiac events. Women with diabetes and a strong family history of CAD are more likely to sustain events and require close surveillance for the development of coronary disease.
Computer-based Information Systems and Human Service Organisations: Emerging Problems and Future Possibilities

Abstract Computer-based information systems (IS) have been implemented in human service organisations over the last 30 years in the belief that new forms of technology will make the delivery of services more efficient in a number of ways. However, research is emerging that demonstrates that current systems may have unforeseen and unintended consequences for human services practice and may actually impede the delivery of services. In this article, this research is explored and related to examples of problems with information systems drawn from the Australian context to suggest that different forms of IS need to be developed for use in human service organisations. It is proposed that an ethnographic approach to research that focuses on the interactions between individual users in different parts of the organisation and which captures the organisational and social context for these interactions may provide insights to guide the future design of IS.
Multidimensionality of Teachers’ Graded Responses for Preschoolers’ Stylistic Learning Behavior: The Learning-to-Learn Scales

Assessment of preschool learning behavior has become very popular as a mechanism to inform cognitive development and promote successful interventions. The most widely used measures offer sound predictions but distinguish only a few types of stylistic learning and lack sensitive growth detection. The Learning-to-Learn Scales was designed to mitigate these shortcomings. Exploratory factoring of teachers’ ordered categorical ratings of 1,000 Head Start children uncovered seven dimensions: Strategic Planning, Effectiveness Motivation, Interpersonal Responsiveness in Learning, Vocal Engagement in Learning, Sustained Focus in Learning, Acceptance of Novelty and Risk, and Group Learning. Confirmatory analysis with an independent sample of 980 children supported the dimensionality, and full-information bifactor analyses revealed coexisting general and specific dimensions. Multilevel longitudinal study of item response theory—derived scores highlighted growth sensitivity, and multilevel logistic modeling indicated that the phenomena underlying Learning-to-Learn Scales dimensions afford substantial protective agency against future deficits in cognitive achievement.
Transcription Factor Expression and Notch-Dependent Regulation of Neural Progenitors in the Adult Rat Spinal Cord

Recent studies have demonstrated that neural stem cells and other progenitors are present in the adult CNS. Details of their properties, however, remain poorly understood. Here we examined the properties and control mechanisms of neural progenitors in the adult rat spinal cord at the molecular level. Adult and embryonic progenitors commonly expressed various homeodomain-type (Pax6, Pax7, Nkx2.2, and Prox1) and basic helix–loop–helix (bHLH)-type (Ngn2, Mash1, NeuroD1, and Olig2) transcriptional regulatory factors in vitro. Unlike their embryonic counterparts, however, adult progenitors could not generate specific neurons that expressed markers appropriate for spinal motoneurons or interneurons, including Islet1, Lim1, Lim3, and HB9. Cells expressing the homeodomain factors Pax6, Pax7, and Nkx2.2 also emerged in vivo in response to injury and were distributed in unique patterns in the lesioned spinal cord. However, neither the expression of the neurogenic bHLH factors including Ngn2, Mash1, and NeuroD1 nor subsequent generation of new neurons could be detected in injured tissue. Our results suggest that signaling through the cell-surface receptor Notch is involved in this restriction. The expression of Notch1 in vivo was enhanced in response to injury. Furthermore, activation of Notch signaling in vitroinhibited differentiation of adult progenitors, whereas attenuation of Notch signals and forced expression of Ngn2 significantly enhanced neurogenesis. These results suggest that both the intrinsic properties of adult progenitors and local environmental signals, including Notch signaling, account for the limited regenerative potential of the adult spinal cord.
Predictors of Teachers' Confidence in Their Ability to Implement Computer-Based Instruction

The purpose of the research was to investigate the effect of selected personal, school, and district factors on K-3 teachers' confidence in their ability to implement computer-based instruction in two conditions: before (N = 128 teachers) and after an infusion of Information Technology (IT) (N = 135 teachers). Increased IT resources changed the strength and structure of teachers' confidence: Confidence in teaching various student uses of the computer increased and the sources of information that teachers used to determine their expectations changed as teachers used the technology. The strongest predictors of teaching confidence were teacher cognitions, especially confidence in personal computing skills. Other personal variables (frequency of personal computer use, gender, teaching experience, and computer ownership) dropped out of the regression equations when teacher cognitions were introduced. After the IT infusion, but not before, self-reported instructional practice and contextual factors (shared sense of purpose of the school with its community and experience with district amalgamation) also contributed to variance in confidence about teaching with computers.
Use of Sport Science Evidence in a National Rugby League Judiciary Case

In March 2008, Brisbane Broncos rugby league fullback, Karmichael Hunt was charged by the National Rugby League (NRL) judiciary with a Grade 3 careless high tackle. The charge resulted from an 18th minute collision between Hunt and Braith Anasta (Sydney Roosters five-eighth) during their Round 2 NRL match at the Sydney Football Stadium. Hunt would be suspended for a minimum of one week if found guilty by the judiciary. At the time, the Brisbane Broncos Rugby League Club had not won a single NRL judiciary case for 14 years. This case study documents the scientific arguments presented as expert evidence in this case. The scientific defence focused on 3 key elements: (1) the height that the ball-carrier (Anasta) had fallen at the moment of impact, (2) the time for Hunt to make a decision and respond to the movements of the ball-carrier, and (3) the body position of the defending player (Hunt). Karmichael Hunt was found not guilty by the NRL judiciary panel, and was free to play in the following week's fixture. The judiciary panel agreed that the collision between Hunt and Anasta was neither deliberate nor avoidable. This case study reports the evidence presented in a high profile NRL judiciary case and documents the practical utility of sport science in football judiciary cases.
What makes psychotherapy sessions productive? a new approach to bridging the gap between process research and practice

This paper proposes a new strategy for bridging the gap between psychotherapy process research and practice. Constructs covering the full spectrum of potential change mechanisms are derived from a general theory of human functioning (Grawe's Consistency Theory) and operationalized by Therapy Spectrum Analysis (TSA), a measure of the realization of therapeutic change mechanisms within individual therapy sessions. Using the data generated by TSA, we conducted an exploratory search for meaningful patterns of process and session-outcome variables using Answer Tree as a context-sensitive method of data analysis. Results show that process-activated resources of the patients, in particular their responsiveness to interventions and motivation are especially predictive of the session productivity experienced. Further analyses were conducted to uncover how the patients' participation can be promoted and results translate into guidelines for the session-to-session decisions by clinicians. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Postmodernism and its Challenge to the Discipline of History: Implications for History Education

There is a confusion over and inchoate understanding of how the past is made understandable through postmodernist historical orientation. The purpose of the article is to outline the characteristic features of the postmodernist movement in social sciences, to explain its confrontation with history, to document its critique of the conventional practice of history, and to discuss its implications for history education. The postmodernist challenge to the foundations of the discipline of history is elucidated with an emphasis on its epistemological underpinnings. Implications of postmodernism for the teaching and learning of history are discussed.
Alignment and Results

Theory and evidence has grown on the role of strategy in public organizations. Miles and Snow suggest that strategy’s impact on organizational success will be greatest when external and internal factors are in alignment—when, for instance, managerial prospectors in decentralized organizations operate in a turbulent environment. This study examines three of the Miles and Snow factors—strategy, structure, and the environment—with an appropriate set of statistical tests in several hundred public organizations over a 6-year period. The results suggest that at least for this set of organizations, the contingency relationships proposed by Miles and Snow do not hold.
Automatic QOE Prediction in Stereoscopic Videos

In this paper, we propose a method for automatic quality of experience (QoE) prediction in stereoscopic videos. QoE, though embodying the subjective measures of the end user's perceived quality, can be expressed in relation to some quality of service (QoS) parameters. Having information on content types in modelling QoE-QoS interactions is advantageous as videos with the same QoS parameters may have different subjective scores due to different content types. Consequently, using content clustering with the help of spatio-temporal activities within depth layers, QoE predictor is designed per each content cluster utilising full reference (FR) and no reference (NR) metrics. Finally, the performance of the proposed QoE prediction algorithm is evaluated extensively and the overall measure of success value equal to 95.4% is achieved for the test sequences. This model can be applied for QoE control in video provisioning systems.
Half-Heusler (TiZrHf)NiSn Unileg Module with High Powder Density

(TiZrHf)NiSn half-Heusler compounds were prepared by arc melting and their thermoelectric properties characterized in the temperature range between 325 K and 857 K, resulting in a Figure of Merit ZT ≈ 0.45. Furthermore, the prepared samples were used to construct a unileg module. This module was characterized in a homemade thermoelectric module measurement stand and yielded 275 mW/cm2 and a maximum volumetric power density of 700 mW/cm3. This was reached using normal silver paint as a contacting material; from an improved contacting, much higher power yields are to be expected.