Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Self-Reported And Objectively Recorded Colorectal Cancer Screening Participation In England

Objective To compare self-reported with objectively recorded participation in Faecal Occult Blood testing (FOBt) colorectal cancer (CRC) screening in a national programme. Methods Survey respondents living in England who were eligible for screening were asked in face-to-face interviews if they had ever been invited to do a CRC screening test, how many times they had been invited, and how many times they had participated. National Health Service (NHS) Bowel Cancer Screening Programme (BCSP) records were consulted for respondents who had consented to a record check. The outcome measures were ‘ever uptake’ (responded to ≥1 invitation), ‘repeat uptake’ (responded to ≥2 invitations), and ‘consistent uptake’ (responded to all invitations). Results In the verified group, self-reported ever uptake was highly consistent with recorded ever uptake (87.0% vs. 87.8%). Among those who indicated that they had been invited more than once, self-reported repeat uptake was 89.8% compared with 84.8% recorded repeat uptake. Among those with more than one recorded invitation, self-reported repeat uptake was 72.7% compared with 77.2% recorded repeat uptake, and self-reported consistent uptake was 81.6% compared with 65.6% recorded consistent uptake. Conclusion Our results suggest that people can accurately report whether they have ever taken part in CRC screening. The vast majority of those whose records were verified could also accurately report whether they had taken part in screening at least twice. They were somewhat less accurate in reporting whether they had responded to all screening invitations.
Exam Phobia and Gender - A Case Study on Government High School Students, Guntur District, Andhra Pradesh, India

Phobias are common in human life. Exam phobia is the most common phobia among the school students. The present study was carried out to know the level of the exam phobia among 8th to 10th Government high school students in. The response was taken from 2981 students (Male: 1589. Female: 1392). The study found that out of the total male students, 38.45% students expressed the phobia. In the case of female it is 45.26. Researchers reported that phobia of examination affects the academic performance of the students in the examination and they could not perform according to their knowledge due to a phobia of examination as they forget the answers to some questions during examination due to nervousness and a phobia of examination. Homeopathy, Exposure based therapy, Cognitive therapy and Relaxation techniques are some of the useful treatment methods. The authors suggested to follow the exam preparation tips to reduce exam phobia.
Torque teno virus among dialysis and renal-transplant patients

Patients who undergo dialysis treatment or a renal transplant have a high risk of blood-borne viral infections, including the Torque teno virus (TTV). This study identified the presence of TTV and its genome groups in blood samples from 118 patients in dialysis and 50 renal-transplant recipients. The research was conducted in a hospital in the city of Maringá, state of Paraná. The viral DNA, obtained from whole blood, was identified by using two nested Polymerase Chain Reactions (PCR). The frequencies of TTV were 17% and 36% in dialysis patients using the methodology proposed by Nishizawa et al . (1997) and Devalle and Niel (2004) , respectively, and 10% and 54% among renal-transplant patients. There was no statistically significant association between the frequency of the pathogen and the variables: gender, time in dialysis, time since transplant, blood transfusions, and the concomitant presence of hepatitis B, for either the dialysis patients or the renal-transplant recipients. Among dialysis patients and renal-transplant recipients, genogroup 5 was predominant (48% and 66% respectively), followed by genogroup 4 (37% and 48%) and genogroup 1 (23% and 25%). Genogroup 2 was present in both groups of patients. Some patients had several genogroups, but 46% of the dialysis patients and 51% of the renal-transplant recipients had only a single genogroup. This study showed a high prevalence of TTV in dialysis patients and renal-transplant recipients.
Biocompatibility study of lithium disilicate and zirconium oxide ceramics for esthetic dental abutments

Purpose The increasing demand for esthetically pleasing results has contributed to the use of ceramics for dental implant abutments. The aim of this study was to compare the biological response of epithelial tissue cultivated on lithium disilicate (LS2) and zirconium oxide (ZrO2) ceramics. Understanding the relevant physicochemical and mechanical properties of these ceramics will help identify the optimal material for facilitating gingival wound closure. Methods Both biomaterials were prepared with 2 different surface treatments: raw and polished. Their physicochemical characteristics were analyzed by contact angle measurements, scanning white-light interferometry, and scanning electron microscopy. An organotypic culture was then performed using a chicken epithelium model to simulate peri-implant soft tissue. We measured the contact angle, hydrophobicity, and roughness of the materials as well as the tissue behavior at their surfaces (cell migration and cell adhesion). Results The best cell migration was observed on ZrO2 ceramic. Cell adhesion was also drastically lower on the polished ZrO2 ceramic than on both the raw and polished LS2. Evaluating various surface topographies of LS2 showed that increasing surface roughness improved cell adhesion, leading to an increase of up to 13%. Conclusions Our results demonstrate that a biomaterial, here LS2, can be modified using simple surface changes in order to finely modulate soft tissue adhesion. Strong adhesion at the abutment associated with weak migration assists in gingival wound healing. On the same material, polishing can reduce cell adhesion without drastically modifying cell migration. A comparison of LS2 and ZrO2 ceramic showed that LS2 was more conducive to creating varying tissue reactions. Our results can help dental surgeons to choose, especially for esthetic implant abutments, the most appropriate biomaterial as well as the most appropriate surface treatment to use in accordance with specific clinical dental applications.
ON THE CONVERGENCE OF INEXACT PROXIMAL POINT ALGORITHM ON HADAMARD MANIFOLDS

In this paper we consider the proximal point algorithm to approximate a singularity of a multivalued monotone vector field on a Hadamard manifold. We study the convergence of the sequence generated by an inexact form of the algorithm. Our results extend the results of [3, 25] to Hadamard manifolds as well as the main result of [11] with more general assumptions on the control sequence. We also give some application to optimization.
The Dynamics of Macroeconomics Variables and The Volatility of Indonesia Stock Markets: Evidence from Islamic and Conventional Stock Markets

This study aims to investigate the impact of the movement of macroeconomic variables upon the Indonesia stock markets, both Islamic and conventional stock markets, by using vector error correction model. The macroeconomic variables employed in the study are exchange rate, economic growth, and inflation within the period of January 2003 to December 2010. The result shows that in the long run, the performance of the stock markets is negatively influenced by exchange rate and positively influenced by industrial production index. Interestingly, inflation is found to be significant only for conventional stock markets with negative relationship.
Erythropoietin: A Potent Inducer of Peripheral Immuno/Inflammatory Modulation in Autoimmune EAE

Background Beneficial effects of short-term erythropoietin (EPO) therapy have been demonstrated in several animal models of acute neurologic injury, including experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE)-the animal model of multiple sclerosis. We have found that EPO treatment substantially reduces the acute clinical paralysis seen in EAE mice and this improvement is accompanied by a large reduction in the mononuclear cell infiltration and downregulation of glial MHC class II expression within the inflamed CNS. Other reports have recently indicated that peripherally generated anti-inflammatory CD4+Foxp3+ regulatory T cells (Tregs) and the IL17-producing CD4+ T helper cell (Th17) subpopulations play key antagonistic roles in EAE pathogenesis. However, no information regarding the effects of EPO therapy on the behavior of the general mononuclear-lymphocyte population, Tregs or Th17 cells in EAE has emerged. Methods and Findings We first determined in vivo that EPO therapy markedly suppressed MOG specific T cell proliferation and sharply reduced the number of reactive dendritic cells (CD11c positive) in EAE lymph nodes during both inductive and later symptomatic phases of MOG35–55 induced EAE. We then determined the effect in vivo of EPO on numbers of peripheral Treg cells and Th17 cells. We found that EPO treatment modulated immune balance in both the periphery and the inflamed spinal cord by promoting a large expansion in Treg cells, inhibiting Th17 polarization and abrogating proliferation of the antigen presenting dendritic cell population. Finally we utilized tissue culture assays to show that exposure to EPO in vitro similarly downregulated MOG-specific T cell proliferation and also greatly suppressed T cell production of pro-inflammatory cytokines. Conclusions Taken together, our findings reveal an important new locus whereby EPO induces substantial long-term tissue protection in the host through signaling to several critical subsets of immune cells that reside in the peripheral lymphatic system.
Structural Biology and Crystallization Communications Crystallization and Preliminary X-ray Crystallographic Analysis of the Inhibitory Domain of the Tomato Mosaic Virus Resistance Protein Tm-1

Tm-1, an inhibitor protein of Tomato mosaic virus RNA replication, contains two conserved domains: an uncharacterized domain at its N-terminus and a TIM-barrel-like domain at its C-terminus. The N-terminal domain of Tm-1 has an inhibitory activity and its three-dimensional structure has not been determined. Here, the crystallization and preliminary X-ray diffraction of the N-terminal domain of Tm-1 are reported. A three-wavelength MAD data set was collected from a selenomethionine-labelled crystal and processed to 2.7 A ˚ resolution. The crystal belonged to the triclinic space group P1, with unit-cell parameters
A transgenic-cloned pig model expressing non-fluorescent modified Plum

Genetically modified pigs that express fluorescent proteins such as green and red fluorescent proteins have become indispensable biomedical research tools in recent years. Cell or tissue transplantation studies using fluorescent markers should be conducted, wherein the xeno-antigenicity of the fluorescent proteins does not affect engraftment or graft survival. Thus, we aimed to create a transgenic (Tg)-cloned pig that was immunologically tolerant to fluorescent protein antigens. In the present study, we generated a Tg-cloned pig harboring a derivative of Plum modified by a single amino acid substitution in the chromophore. The cells and tissues of this Tg-cloned pig expressing the modified Plum (mPlum) did not fluoresce. However, western blot and immunohistochemistry analyses clearly showed that the mPlum had the same antigenicity as Plum. Thus, we have obtained primary proof of principle for creating a cloned pig that is immunologically tolerant to fluorescent protein antigens.
Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience Do More Intelligent Brains Retain Heightened Plasticity for Longer in Development? a Computational Investigation

Keywords: Intelligence Heritability Cortical thickening and thinning Computational modeling Artificial neural networks Socioeconomic status a b s t r a c t Twin studies indicate that the heritability of general cognitive ability – the genetic contribution to individual differences – increases with age. Brant et al. (2013) reported that this increase in heritability occurs earlier in development for low ability children than high ability children. Allied with structural brain imaging results that indicate faster thickening and thinning of cortex for high ability children (Shaw et al., 2006), Brant and colleagues argued higher cognitive ability represents an extended sensitive period for brain development. However, they admitted no coherent mechanistic account can currently reconcile the key empirical data. Here, computational methods are employed to demonstrate the empirical data can be reconciled without recourse to variations in sensitive periods. These methods utilized population-based artificial neural network models of cognitive development. In the model, ability-related variations stemmed from the timing of the increases in the non-linearity of computational processes, causing dizy-gotic twins to diverge in their behavior. These occurred in a population where: (a) ability was determined by the combined small contributions of many neurocomputational factors, and (b) individual differences in ability were largely genetically constrained. The model's explanation of developmental increases in heritability contrasts with proposals that these increases represent emerging gene-environment correlations (Haworth et al., 2010). The article advocates simulating inherited individual differences within an explicitly developmental framework.
Prior Performance and Corporate Governance Characteristics of Acquirers

Recent empirical research has proposed a variety of factors that explains the decision of companies to merge or acquire. We use a binary logistic regression framework to investigate the effects that prior firm performance, prior resource availability, and corporate governance characteristics have on the propensity of a company to become active. The analysis focus on American companies in the timeframe from 1997 until 2006 and compare the active companies to a set of inactive peers. In line with previous research, results suggest that poorly performing companies show a higher probability to demonstrate activity in merger and acquisitions. Furthermore, we find support for the prediction that companies well endowed with financial resources and companies with inferior corporate governance show a higher propensity to engage in merger and acquisition activities.
Human activities discrimination with motion approximation in polynomial bases

In this paper we propose a new descriptor for human motion analysis. We try to recognize human motion represented by sequence of vector fields which are obtained with optical flow. Our method is based on an efficient measure of the similarity between two vector fields. This measure depends on the approximation of vector fields using projection onto a polynomial basis. From this similarity measure, we can retrieve a vector field within video sequences. As we consider a human motion as a sequence of vector fields, we use a simple algorithm in order to recognize motion. The results of the motion recognition system are shown for five boxing motions.
Endogenous Versus Exogenous Shocks in Complex Networks: An Empirical Test Using Book Sale Rankings

We study the precursory and recovery signatures accompanying shocks in complex networks, that we test on a unique database of the Amazon.com ranking of book sales. We find clear distinguishing signatures classifying two types of sales peaks. Exogenous peaks occur abruptly and are followed by a power law relaxation, while endogenous peaks occur after a progressively accelerating power law growth followed by an approximately symmetrical power law relaxation which is slower than for exogenous peaks. These results are rationalized quantitatively by a simple model of epidemic propagation of interactions with long memory within a network of acquaintances. The observed relaxation of sales implies that the sales dynamics is dominated by cascades rather than by the direct effects of news or advertisements, indicating that the social network is close to critical.
HIGH ABUNDANCES OF PRESOLAR SILICATES IN ANTARCTIC MICROMETEORITES; IMPLICATIONS FOR THEIR COMETARY ORIGINS. T. Yada

IMPLICATIONS FOR THEIR COMETARY ORIGINS. T. Yada, F. J. Stadermann, C. Floss, E. Zinner, T. Nakamura, T. Noguchi, A. S. Lea, 1 Lab. for Space Sciences, Physics Dept., Washington Univ., St. Louis, MO 63130, USA; Inst. Astronomy & Astrophysics, Academia Sinica, Taiwan 106, R.O. C. ; Material Science Division, Argonne National Lab. , Argonne, IL 60439, USA (yada@anl.gov); Dept. Earth & Planetary Sciences, Grad. School of Sciences, Kyushu Univ., Hakozaki, Fukuoka 812-8581, Japan; Dept. Materials & Biological Sciences, Ibaraki Univ., Mito, Ibaraki 310-8512, Japan; Pacific Northwest National Lab. , Richland, WA 99352, USA.
Outsourcing of Accounting Tasks in SMEs: An extended TCE Model

This study explores why small and medium-sized companies (SMEs) engage in outsourcing of accounting services. We expand the transaction cost economics model by adding the variable resource deficit from resource-based theory, while controlling for personal characteristics of the SME executive (age, education), organizational structure, firm maturity and ownership structure. We find that resource deficit, asset specificity and frequency are the most significant drivers of outsourcing intensity with respect to accounting. Furthermore, the educational background of the CEO seems to play an important role, as well as the presence of a separate CFO function within the firm.
New Visible to Broadband Shortwave Conversions for Deriving Albedos from GOES-8 Over the ARM-SGP

The radiation budget at the top of the atmosphere (TOA) is a quantity of fundamental importance to the Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) Program. Thus, it is necessary to measure the radiation budget components, broadband shortwave (SW) albedo and outgoing longwave radiation, as accurately as possible. Measurement of TOA broadband albedos over the ARM surface sites has only been possible since the advent of Clouds and the Earth’s Radiant Energy System (CERES; Wielicki et al. 1998) in 1998. Prior to the availability of CERES data, it was necessary to infer the SW albedo from the visible (VIS) channel on the Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite (GOES) imager by applying a narrowband-to-broadband (NB-BB) conversion (Minnis et al. 1995). Broadband TOA albedos have been derived from GOES-7, GOES-8, and GOES-10 data since 1994 (Khaiyer et al. 2002) as part of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Langley cloud and radiation products for the ARM Southern Great Plains (SGP) domain (Available at: http://wwwpm.larc.nasa.gov/SGP/arm-sgp.html or at the ARM data center). The current NB-BB shortwave relationship (Minnis and Smith 1998) is based on GOES-6 VIS radiances and Earth Radiation Budget Experiment (ERBE) broadband fluxes taken during October 1986. This relationship has an uncertainty of 0.02 in the albedo, which is corresponds to a 10% root mean square (rms) error (Doelling et al. 1999), and tends to underestimate the albedo, especially for clear scenes (Rapp et al. 2002). The uncertainties in the NB-BB conversion can be eliminated by using the SW radiances measured by CERES. However, the improved spectral coverage by CERES comes at the price of reduced temporal sampling. CERES data are only available once or twice a day during 8 months of 1998, twice per day since March 2000 and four times per day since August 2002. GOES data are available every 15 or 30 minutes. To retain the temporal coverage of GOES and reduce the spectral conversion errors, it is necessary to develop an improved method for converting GOES VIS radiances to SW albedos.
Pancreatic Fat Accumulation, Fibrosis, and Acinar Cell Injury in the Zucker Diabetic Fatty Rat Fed a Chronic High-Fat Diet

Objective The histological alteration of the exocrine pancreas in obesity has not been clarified. In the present study, we investigated biochemical and histological changes in the exocrine pancreas of obese model rats. Methods Zucker lean rats were fed a standard diet, and Zucker diabetic fatty (ZDF) rats were divided into 2 groups fed a standard diet and a high-fat diet, respectively. These experimental groups were fed each of the diets from 6 weeks until 12, 18, 24 weeks of age. We performed blood biochemical assays and histological analysis of the pancreas. Results In the ZDF rats fed a high-fat diet, the ratio of accumulated pancreatic fat area relative to exocrine gland area was increased significantly at 18 weeks of age in comparison with the other 2 groups (P < 0.05), and lipid droplets were observed in acinar cells. Subsequently, at 24 weeks of age in this group, pancreatic fibrosis and the serum exocrine pancreatic enzyme levels were increased significantly relative to the other 2 groups (P < 0.01). Conclusions In ZDF rats fed a chronic high-fat diet, fat accumulates in pancreatic acinar cells, and this fatty change seems to be related to subsequent pancreatic fibrosis and acinar cell injury.
Quantitative Susceptibility Mapping in Parkinson's Disease

Background Quantitative susceptibility mapping (QSM) and R2* relaxation rate mapping have demonstrated increased iron deposition in the substantia nigra of patients with idiopathic Parkinson’s disease (PD). However, the findings in other subcortical deep gray matter nuclei are converse and the sensitivity of QSM and R2* for morphological changes and their relation to clinical measures of disease severity has so far been investigated only sparsely. Methods The local ethics committee approved this study and all subjects gave written informed consent. 66 patients with idiopathic Parkinson’s disease and 58 control subjects underwent quantitative MRI at 3T. Susceptibility and R2* maps were reconstructed from a spoiled multi-echo 3D gradient echo sequence. Mean susceptibilities and R2* rates were measured in subcortical deep gray matter nuclei and compared between patients with PD and controls as well as related to clinical variables. Results Compared to control subjects, patients with PD had increased R2* values in the substantia nigra. QSM also showed higher susceptibilities in patients with PD in substantia nigra, in the nucleus ruber, thalamus, and globus pallidus. Magnetic susceptibility of several of these structures was correlated with the levodopa-equivalent daily dose (LEDD) and clinical markers of motor and non-motor disease severity (total MDS-UPDRS, MDS-UPDRS-I and II). Disease severity as assessed by the Hoehn & Yahr scale was correlated with magnetic susceptibility in the substantia nigra. Conclusion The established finding of higher R2* rates in the substantia nigra was extended by QSM showing superior sensitivity for PD-related tissue changes in nigrostriatal dopaminergic pathways. QSM additionally reflected the levodopa-dosage and disease severity. These results suggest a more widespread pathologic involvement and QSM as a novel means for its investigation, more sensitive than current MRI techniques.