Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Correlation of serum calcium levels with severity and functional outcome in acute ischemic stroke patients

Background: The objective of the study was to study the role of serum calcium levels in accessing the severity and functional outcome in the patients of acute ischemic stroke. Methods: The study included a total of 50 patients of acute ischemic stroke in the age group of 20 to 80 years. The patients were divided into four quartiles as per their serum albumin corrected levels measured during 24 ton 48 hours of incidence of ischemic stroke. The stroke severity was accessed by using National Institutes of Health (NIH) stroke scale and the functional outcome at the time of discharge and after three months of follow up by using modified Rankin scale (mRS). The results were analyzed by using appropriate statistical test. Results: We found that the patients those in higher calcium quartiles (Q3,Q4) had significantly lesser 24-48 hrs stroke severity as compared to those in lower calcium quartiles (Q1,Q2) i.e. in 72.73% in Q3, and 42.86% in Q4 were in mild NIH scale group as compared to 7.69% in Q2 and 0% in Q1. At the time of discharge and at three months follow up functional outcome was significantly better in higher calcium quartile group when compared to lower quartile (>3 mRS score suggestive of poor outcome in 91.66% of Q1, 76.93% in Q2, 27.27% in Q3 and 7.14% in Q4 at the time of discharge and 83.32% in Q1, 76.93 in Q2, 27.27% in Q3 and 7.14% in Q4 at three months of follow up). The correlation analysis showed that this association was statistically significant (p-value <0.01). Conclusions: we conclude that 24 -48 hours calcium levels have strong correlation with severity and functional outcome in acute ischemic stroke patients and hence it can be taken as a marker of severity and prognostic factor in these patients.
The knowledge economy, skills and government labour market intervention

The development of the knowledge economy is common policy across all levels of government across the advanced economies. This article recognises the weaknesses inherent in this policy but, based on a critical analysis of the skill needs and skill formation of this economy, it outlines how, if such a policy is to be pursued, it might be better achieved. It first argues that government policy has become centred on an orthodoxy featuring a particular set of ‘thinking skills’ formed through the institutions of higher education – universities. This approach results in an exclusive knowledge economy and is, in effect, creating an over-supply of graduates. The article then outlines other, more inclusive accounts of the knowledge economy that recognise the need for a broader range of skills and which direct government policy towards intervention in the labour market through other institutions through which these skills might be formed – the family and trade unions.
Theory of incomplete markets

Part 1 Introduction: main themes bounded rationality, opportunism and structure of markets rational expectations the equilibrium model real and financial sectors of the economy. Part 2 Two-period finance economy - motivation and summary: characteristics of the finance economy contingent market equilibrium financial market equilibrium absence of arbitrage no-arbitrage equilibrium a basic property of incomplete markets constrained pareto optimality abstract approach - adjoint equations. Part 3 Two-period security pricing - motivation and summary: inner product, differential and gradient valuation of income streams representative agent analysis capital asset pricing model (CAPM). Part 4 Stochastic financial economy - motivation and summary: event-tree commodity space stochastic exchange economy stochastic financial markets absence of arbitrage complete and incomplete markets no-arbitrage equilibrium example of non-existence existence and optimality. Part 5 Information efficiency of security prices - motivation and summary: conditional expectation and martingale efficient markets under risk neutrality efficient markets with risk aversion. Part 6 Production in a finance economy - motivation and summary: characteristics of production economy sole proprietorships partnerships corporations. Part 7 Monetary economy - motivation and summary: real and nominal contracts monetary equilibrium non-neutrality of monetary policy optimal monetary policy indexing contracts.
Recombinant human LH supplementation versus supplementation with urinary hCG-based LH activity during controlled ovarian stimulation in the long GnRH-agonist protocol: a matched case–control study

An observational, matched, case–control study was carried out to compare the efficacy of recombinant human luteinizing hormone (r-hLH) supplementation with that of urinary human menopausal gonadotrophin (u-hMG)-based LH activity during controlled ovarian stimulation (COS) for assisted reproductive technology (ART) using a long gonadotrophin-releasing hormone (GnRH)-agonist protocol. A total of 4719 women, 1573 per group, matched by age, body mass index, indication and number of previous ART cycles, were treated with either recombinant human follicle-stimulating hormone (r-hFSH) and r-hLH in a fixed 2:1 ratio or u-hMG, either alone or in combination with r-hFSH, after down-regulation in a long GnRH-agonist protocol. Compared with the two u-hMG groups (u-hMG alone or in combination with r-hFSH, respectively), r-hFSH consumption was significantly lower (p < 0.001; p < 0.001), and pregnancy rates per cycle (p = 0.006; p = 0.022) and per embryo transfer (p = 0.025; p = 0.008), and implantation rate per embryo transferred (p < 0.001; p < 0.001) were significantly higher in the group treated with the fixed combination of r-hFSH and r-hLH. In COS protocols with r-hFSH, supplementation with r-hLH appears to be more effective than supplementation with u-hMG using the long GnRH-agonist protocol for ART.
Discouraged Advisees? The Influence of Gender, Ethnicity, and Education in the Use of Advice and Finance by UK SMEs

We investigate the influence of gender, ethnicity, and education in the use of external advice and finance by UK small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). A conceptual model of ‘discouraged advisees’ was developed as a framework for analysis of the results of a telephone survey of 400 SMEs. We found an association between the use of external advice and the ability to raise bank finance. Furthermore, both men and black and minority ethnic (BME) participants were more likely to use family and friends for advice, whilst women were twice as likely as men to use Business Link. BME business owners were discouraged from using less ‘trusted’ sources, such as Business Link, possibly believing them insufficiently tailored or that they would provide inappropriate advice. Therefore, the findings provide support for our conceptual model of discouraged advisees and have implications for the provision of advice for business owners from BME communities.
On the Internal Consistency of Stock Market Forecasts

Using the Livingston survey data, we test internal consistency restrictions on short-term, medium-term, and long-term stock market forecasts of the S&P 500®. We find that neither short-term forecasts are consistent with medium-term forecasts nor that medium-term forecasts are consistent with long-term forecasts. Using a forecast formation process featuring a distributed lag structure, however, we find some weak evidence of internal inconsistency of medium-term forecasts with long-term forecasts.
How Dynamic Consumer Response, Dynamic Competitor Response and Expanded Company Action Shape Longterm Marketing Effectiveness

Long-term marketing effectiveness is a high priority research topic for managers (Marketing Science Institute 2002), and recent research applied flexible models of dynamic market interactions to measure the net long-term performance impact of marketing actions. Unfortunately, this net long-term impact is challenging to interpret, as it emerges from the complex interplay among dynamic reactions of several market players. This paper introduces and formally compares restricted policy simulations in order to distinguish three dynamic forces: consumer response, competitor response and expanded company action. Two rich marketing datasets allow the analysis of retail price, wholesale price, display, feature, advertising and product line extensions. The first finding is that dynamic consumer response significantly differs from the net longterm impact and largely follows marketing theory predictions. Second, expanded company action is a main contributor to net long-term marketing effectiveness in both datasets. For tactical actions, such as price and feature changes, it takes the form of inertia (prolonged company action), as promotions continue for several weeks due to both manufacturer and retailer decisions. For strategic actions, such as advertising and product line extensions, cross-marketing support (integrated company action) adds strongly to dynamic consumer response. Finally, competitor response reduces the net long-term impact in one application, but not in the other. As a result, managers are urged to look beyond dynamic consumer and competitor response and to evaluate their company's and retailer's decision rules for expanded marketing actions when assessing long-term marketing effectiveness.
Telecommunications Services and Multi-Unit Firms: Inside the Black-Box

This paper analyzes telecommunications demand by firms, focusing on communication flows among production units. We consider first the case of two business unit that can play simultaneously or in a leader/follower situation regarding their communication decisions. In this context, we define the network effect as the advantage a production unit obtains by using an input whose costs are shared by another user. The model is then generalized, taking into account indirect links among production units. The theoretical framework we suggest explains business telecommunications usage by multi-unit firms, and sheds light on the relationship between firms' internal organisation and communication flows.
Pathogens and manure management systems: A review

Abstract There has been an increasing concern about the effects of pathogens that are present in animal manure on human and animal health. In recent years, outbreaks of food‐borne diseases associated with the consumption of animal products have received much attention from the media in North America and Europe, leading to increased consumer concerns about the safety of their food supply. The health risks associated with animal operations depend on various factors. The most important ones appear to be related to the animal spedes being reared and the concentration of pathogenic microorganisms in animal manure. The ability of the pathogens to survive for long periods and through treatment to remain infective in the environment until ingested by human or animal host is an added concern. On the other hand, the role of livestock in most waterbome bacterial outbreaks has often been difficult to clarify since both humans and various wildlife spedes can shed the same microorganisms and thereby serve as sources of infection. This paper summarizes existing information on the main microbial pathogens present in livestock wastes, and discusses the impact of livestock wastes and agricultural drainage on microbiological quality of water, as well as available management and treatment technologies to minimize the prevalence of pathogens in animal wastes. Despite the fact that most disease outbreaks have been associated with food poisoning by cross‐contamination during meat or milk processing and during finished product storage this review shows that a number of best management practices and technical solutions have been developed in the last few years that can be effective tools in minimizing the spread of pathogens from livestock operations in the environment
Choline Acetyltransferase, Acetylcholinesterase, and Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptors of Human Gingival and Esophageal Epithelia

A non-neuronal cholinergic system that includes neuronal-like nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) has recently been described in epithelial cells that line the skin and the upper respiratory tract. Since the use of nicotine-containing products is associated with morbidity in the upper digestive tract, and since nicotine may alter cellular functions directly via nAChRs, we sought to identify and characterize a non-neuronal cholinergic system in the gingival and esophageal epithelia. mRNA transcripts for a3, α5, α7, and β2 nAChR subunits, choline acetyltransferase, and the asymmetric and globular forms of acetylcholinesterase were amplified from gingival keratinocytes (KC) by means of polymerase chain-reactions. These proteins were visualized in the gingival and esophageal epithelia by means of specific antibodies. Variations in distribution and intensity of immunostaining were found, indicating that the repertoire of cholinergic enzymes and receptors expressed by the cells changes during epithelial maturation, and that an upward concentration gradient of free acetylcholine exists. Blocking of the nAChRs with mecamylamine resulted in reversible loss of cell-to-cell adhesion, and shrinking and rounding of cultured gingival KC. Activation of the receptors with acetylcholine or carbachol caused stretching and peripheral ruffling of the cytoplasmic aprons, and formation of new intercellular contacts. These results demonstrate that both the keratinizing epithelium of attached gingiva and the non-keratinizing epithelium lining the upper two-thirds of the esophageal mucosa possess a non-neuronal cholinergic system. The nAChRs expressed by these epithelia are coupled to regulation of cell adhesion and motility, and may provide a target for the deleterious effects of nicotine.
Resilience following spinal cord injury: A prospective controlled study investigating the influence of the provision of group cognitive behavior therapy during inpatient rehabilitation.

PURPOSE To examine change in resilience in people with spinal cord injury (SCI) when group cognitive behavior therapy (GCBT) was added to routine psychosocial rehabilitation (RPR). RESEARCH METHOD/DESIGN A prospective repeated-measures cohort design was used to determine the efficacy of the addition of GCBT (n = 50). The control group consisted of individuals receiving RPR, which included access to individual CBT (ICBT) when required (n = 38). Groups were assessed on 3 occasions: soon after admission, within 2 weeks of discharge, and 6-months postdischarge. Measures included sociodemographic, injury, and psychosocial factors. The outcome variable was resilience, considered an important outcome measure for recovery. To adjust for baseline differences in self-efficacy, depressive mood and anxiety between the 2 groups, these factors were entered into a repeated measures multivariate analysis of covariance (MANCOVA) as covariates. Latent class analysis was used to determine the best-fitting model of resilience trajectories for both groups. RESULTS The MANCOVA indicated that the addition of GCBT to psychosocial rehabilitation did not result in improved resilience compared with the ICBT group. Trajectory data indicated over 60% were demonstrating acceptable resilience irrespective of group. CONCLUSION/IMPLICATIONS Changes in resilience mean scores suggest the addition of GCBT adds little to resilience outcomes. Latent class modeling indicated both groups experienced similar trajectories of improvement and deterioration. Results highlight the importance of conducting multivariate modeling analysis that isolates subgroups of related cases over time to understand complex trajectories. Further research is needed to clarify individual differences in CBT intervention preference as well as other factors which impact on resilience.
Hepatitis E in decompensated alcoholic cirrhosis

cholestasis. HEPATOLOGY 2016;64:535-548. 3) Marrone J, Lehmann GL, Soria LR, Pellegrino JM, Molinas S, Marinelli RA. Adenoviral transfer of human aquaporin-1 gene to rat liver improves bile flow in estrogen induced cholestasis. Gene Ther 2014;21:1058-1064. 4) Huebert RC, Splinter PL, Garc ıa F, Marinelli RA, LaRusso NF. Expression and localization of aquaporin water channels in rat hepatocytes. Evidence for a role in canalicular bile secretion. J Biol Chem 2002;277: 22710-22717. 5) Jessner W, Zsembery A, Graf J. Transcellular water transport in hepatobiliary secretion and role of aquaporinas in liver. Wien Med Wochenschr 2008;158:565-569. 6) Marinelli RA, Tietz P, Caride A, Huang B, LaRusso NF. Water transporting properties of hepatocyte basolateral and canalicular plasma membrane domains. J Biol Chem 2003;278:43157-43162. 7) Larocca MC, Soria LR, Espelt MV, Lehmann GL, Marinelli RA. Knockdown of hepatocyte aquaporin-8 by RNA interference induces defective bile canalicular water transport Am J Physiol 2009;296:G93-G100. 8) Yang B, Song Y, Zhao D, Verkman AS. Phenotype analysis of aquaporin-8 deficient mice. Am J Physiol 2005;288:C1161-C1170. 9) Carreras FI, Gradilone SA, Mazzone A, Garc ıa F, Ochoa JE, Tietz P, et al. Rat hepatocyte aquaporin-8 water channels are down-regulated in extrahepatic cholestasis. HEPATOLOGY 2003; 37:1026-1033. 10) Carreras FI, Lehmann GL, Ferri D, Tioni MF, Calamita G, Marinelli RA. Defective hepatocyte aquaporin-8 expression and reduced canalicular membrane water permeability in estrogeninduced cholestasis. Am J Physiol 2007;292:G905-G912. 11) Lehmann GL, Carreras FI, Soria LR, Gradilone SA, Marinelli RA. LPS induces the TNFa-mediated down-regulation of rat liver aquaporin-8: role in sepsis-associated cholestasis. Am J Physiol 2008;294:G567-G575. 12) Lehmann GL, Marinelli RA. Peritoneal sepsis down-regulates liver expression of aquaporin-8, a water channel involved in bile secretion. Liver Int 2009;29:317-318.
Globalisation, Qualifications and Livelihoods: The case of Zimbabwe

This article explores how globalisation has impacted on the demand and nature of qualifications and livelihoods in Zimbabwe. It argues that while economic globalisation has had an influence on the labour market, particularly through economic reforms such as the Economic Structural Adjustment Programmes, colonial legacies continue to influence education and training in Zimbabwe. The article observes that although access to education has increased phenomenally since the attainment of political independence, this has not significantly solved unemployment and the reduction of poverty as new challenges have surfaced. The information and communications technology revolution that characterises globalisation has changed the skill and knowledge requirements for most jobs, leading to the need for continuous retraining and the improvement of one's qualifications. Yet qualifications have no impact on the availability of employment opportunities since these depend on the prevailing economic situation. The article comes to the conclusion that while globalisation has created new opportunities through liberalised economic systems, it has mainly benefited industrialised countries with more stable economies. For developing countries such as Zimbabwe, it has had a negative impact since it has led to retrenchments, weakening of the informal sector, increased consumer prices and a general decline in living standards.
Information and efficiency: an empirical study of a fixed odds betting market

The efficiency of the fixed odds betting market for football in England is investigated. It is the efficiency of how market participants utilize available information that is tested. A model of bookmaker behaviour is presented in which the bookmaker maximizes their expected share of the total amount bet. It is found that an expected profit maximizing bookmaker could set market inefficient odds. Several empirical tests using the ordered probit model with data on prices and publicly available information are carried out. Evidence of market inefficiency is identified offering profitable betting opportunities.
[Oncogene amplification and genetic heterogeneity in the metaplasia-dysplasia-adenocarcinoma sequence of Barrett esophagus].

AIMS Information about numerical genomic alterations in the tumorigenesis of Barrett's adenocarcinoma (BCA) is still limited. In order to search for gene amplification and ploidy status, a series of locus-specific DNA probes and associated centromere probes was analysed in the metaplasia-dysplasia-adenocarcinoma-sequence. METHODS Fluorescence in situ hybridisation (FISH) was performed on paraffin sections with locus-specific DNA probes for D7S486, c-myc, cyclin D1, Her-2/neu, 20q13.2 and associated chromosomes 7, 8, 11, 17 and 20. Corresponding areas of intestinal metaplasia (IM, n = 5), low grade dysplasia (LGD, n = 9), high grade dysplasia (HGD, n = 15) and BCA (n = 16) were analysed. RESULTS Gene amplification of c-myc, Cyclin D1, Her-2/neu and 20q13.2 was observed in 15-35% of BCA. Coincident amplification of genes was also present. Polysomies for all investigated centromere probes were highly prevalent (up to 85%). Gene amplification was also demonstrated in HGD lesions. Polysomies were observed in HGD in high frequency (up to 80%). Extensive genetic heterogeneity was observed in both, BCA and HGD displaying different levels of amplification. None of the samples with LGD showed a locus-specific amplification, but polysomies for all investigated chromosomes were present in 18-48% of LGD. No changes were detected in BCA associated IM and squamous epithelium. CONCLUSIONS Our data indicate that oncogene amplification of c-myc, cyclin D1, Her-2/neu, and 20q13.2 occurring in BCA and less frequently in HGD is a late event in the tumorigenesis. Polysomies of chromosomes 7, 8, 11, 17 and 20, which were highly prevalent in BCA and HGD occur already at the stage of LGD. This may be a result of an early polyploidization, preceding the later genetic events, such as gene amplification in HGD and BCA. The detection of shared numerical genomic changes and the detected extensive genetic heterogeneity in the metaplasia-dysplasia-carcinoma-sequence in Barrett's esophagus supports the hypothesis of a process of multiclonal expansion underlying this progression.
Periodontal conditions in patients with coronary heart disease: a case-control study.

AIM This study examined periodontal conditions in patients with coronary heart disease (CHD) and subjects with no history of CHD. MATERIAL AND METHODS Participants were 161 patients (40-75) with severe angina pectoris (diagnosed as CHD by coronary angiography) who subsequently underwent percutaneous coronary intervention and 162 control subjects with no history of CHD. Periodontal status was recorded. Bone loss was determined on radiographs. Periodontal disease experience was classified into five groups according to Hugoson & Jordan. RESULTS Periodontal disease experience groups 4 and 5 were more common in the CHD group (25%) compared with the control group (8%). The mean bone level (the distance from the CEJ to the most coronal level of the alveolar bone) was 3.0+/-1.0 mm in CHD subjects and 2.6+/-0.8 mm in controls. CHD patients had significantly lower numbers of natural teeth, higher numbers of periodontal pockets 4-6-mm and higher bleeding on probing (%). In a stepwise regression analysis, the factor periodontal disease experience groups 4+5 gave an odds ratio of 5.74 (2.07-15.90) for having CHD after controlling for smoking and age. CONCLUSION Severe periodontal disease expressed by several clinical and radiographic parameters was more prevalent among subjects with CHD than among controls. Analysis, the factor periodontal disease experience groups 4+5 gave an odds ratio of 5.74 (2.07-15.90) for having CHD after controlling for smoking and age.