Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Resorbable Mesh in the Treatment of Orbital Floor Fractures

A variety of materials have been used to reconstruct defects of the orbital floor. Autogenous materials such as bone and cartilage have the obvious drawback of the necessary donor site, whereas alloplastic implants carry the potential risk of infection, particularly when in communication with the maxillary sinus. Consequently, there has been interest in the use of resorbable alloplastic material that acts as a barrier until completely degraded. In this series, a total of 12 patients with orbital defects larger than 1 cm2 were treated by the placement of a resorbable mesh plate of polyglycolic and polylactic acid (Lactosorb). Of the total of 12 patients treated, 3 were lost to follow-up. Of the remaining 9 patients, the mean follow-up was 6 months, with the longest follow-up being 15 months and the shortest 1 month. Two patients developed enophthalmos. In each case, this measured 2 mm using Hertel exophthalmometry, and was present in the early postoperative period (less than 1 month). The cause of the enophthalmos in both patients was found to be a technical error in placement of the mesh. One patient developed an inflammatory reaction along the infraorbital rim requiring implant removal. This occurred at 7 months. From the above series, it is concluded that resorbable mesh is an acceptable material for reconstruction of the orbital floor in selected patients. It is believed that larger floor defects are better suited for nonresorbable alloplastic reconstruction, and that placement of the mesh over the infraorbital rim is unnecessary and places the patient at risk for a local inflammatory reaction.
Trends in Premium and Asset Allocations by TIAA-CREF Participants: 2005-2011

This paper analyzes how workers participating in a retirement plan through the TIAA-CREF system managed their investment portfolio risk by examining their premium and asset allocation decisions over the period 2005 to 2011. The results indicate that, on average, participants were well diversified across asset classes. Older participants, those with long tenure in the system, and those with relatively large asset accumulations, tended to customize their portfolios by diversifying across various asset classes, including guaranteed, equity, fixed income, real estate, and balanced funds. Younger participants, those with shorter tenure, and those with relatively low asset accumulations, tended to heavily rely on the balanced fund class for automatic diversification. Within the balanced class, the latter participants made extensive use of life-cycle funds, a type of target date fund that utilizes age-based automatic glide paths for diversifying the underlying mix of equity and fixed-income fund investments.
[Validation of a functional social support scale for use in the family doctor's office].

OBJECTIVE The present work seeks to validate the Duke-UNC questionnaire as modified by Broadhead, which is used to measure social support in its qualitative dimension. DESIGN It is a transversal, prospective and observational study. LOCATION The study has been done at the primary care level, corresponding to the basic health area of Cartuja (Granada). PATIENTS The questionnaire was administered to 139 patients seen in the offices of the Cartuja Health Centre. 25 of them were male and 114 female, of an age ranging from 18 to 84. The subjects were selected on a systematic base of three by three with a random starting-point from among people over 18 years old visiting the office. INTERVENTIONS To check the reliability and validity of the questionnaire, Pearson's, Edward's and Cronbach's alpha techniques were used. The factorial analysis was verified by the varimax rotation method. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS We have observed that the questionnaire correctly measures qualitative social support, it being appreciated that the correlation coefficients are high, as is the internal consistency of the scale. After the factorial analysis we also confirmed the existence of two components: Factor 1 which measures the confidential social support and Factor 2 which measures the affective social support. CONCLUSIONS The Duke-UNC questionnaire reduced to 11 items is a fast and simple instrument for detecting the level of social support in its affective and confidential dimensions. Its use will allow us to discover situations of high social risk; permitting us in these cases to carry out the relevant support interventions.
The incidence and significance of anti-natalizumab antibodies

Objective: To determine the incidence and clinical effects of antibodies that develop during treatment with natalizumab. Methods: In two randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled studies (natalizumab safety and efficacy in relapsing remitting multiple sclerosis [MS, AFFIRM] and safety and efficacy of natalizumab in combination with interferon β-1a [INFβ1a] in patients with relapsing remitting MS [SENTINEL]) of patients with relapsing multiple sclerosis, blood samples were obtained at baseline and every 12 weeks to determine the presence of antibodies against natalizumab. Antibodies to natalizumab were measured using an ELISA. Patients were categorized as “transiently positive” if they had detectable antibodies (≥0.5 μg/mL) at a single time point or “persistently positive” if they had antibodies at two or more time points ≥6 weeks apart. Results: In the AFFIRM study, antibodies were detected in 57 of 625 (9%) of natalizumab-treated patients: Twenty (3%) were transiently positive and 37 (6%) were persistently positive. Persistently positive patients showed a loss of clinical efficacy as measured by disability progression (p ≤ 0.05), relapse rate (p = 0.009), and MRI (p ≤ 0.05) compared with antibody-negative patients. In transiently positive patients, full efficacy was achieved after approximately 6 months of treatment, the time when patients were becoming antibody negative. The incidence of infusion-related adverse events was significantly higher in persistently positive patients. Results of SENTINEL were similar to AFFIRM, except with regard to sustained disability progression; differences between persistently positive and antibody-negative patients were not statistically significant. Conclusions: The incidence of persistent antibody positivity associated with natalizumab is 6%. Reduced clinical efficacy is apparent in persistently positive patients. Patients with a suboptimal clinical response or persistent infusion-related adverse events should be considered for antibody testing. GLOSSARY: BLQ = below the limit of quantification; EDSS = Expanded Disability Status Scale; Gd+ = gadolinium enhancing; IFNβ1a = interferon β-1a; MS = multiple sclerosis; MSFC = multiple sclerosis functional composite; OD = optical density.
The Effects of Firm- and Country-Level Governance Mechanisms on Dividend Policy, Cash Holdings, and Firm Value: A Cross-Country Study

This study examines the effects of firm and country-level corporate governance mechanisms on dividend and cash holding policies and their joint impact on firm value using a sample of over 3,000 listed firms from 21 countries. Using multivariate regression analyses, I find that at the firm-level, the excess control held by the largest owner is (1) negatively related to dividend payment; (2) positively related to cash holdings; and (3) negatively related to Tobin's Q; furthermore, I find positive valuation effects of dividends and cash holdings. However, these effects depend on the ownership structure of the firm. Dividend payments have incremental positive valuation effect for firms with entrenched owners while cash holdings have negative valuation effect for this type of firms. Considering the endogenous nature of firm policies, I then use a simultaneous equations model to test the interdependence of firm policy choices and firm value. The results indicate that these policies are interrelated and jointly affect firm value. Using the legal protection of investor as a proxy for country-level corporate governance mechanism, I find that firms operating in countries with poor investor protections make low dividend payments, have high cash holdings, and have low firm value, supporting the findings of La Porta, Lopez-de-Silanes, Shleifer, and Vishny (2000a, 2002) and Dittmar et al. (2003). In addition, I find that investor protection mitigates the adverse effect of excess control by forcing controlling shareholders to disgorge cash. High cash holding is beneficial only if outside investors rights are well protected.
North American Integration and the Location of Foreign Direct Investment

We investigate how the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) has altered the pattern of foreign direct investment (FDI) in North America. The theoretical analysis suggests that NAFTA affects the incentives of U.S. and non-U.S. firms locating in Mexico differently and may lead to investment diversion from the U.S. Combining U.S. and Mexican FDI data and using a difference-in-differences estimator, we find that U.S. FDI in Mexico has increased since the inception of NAFTA in a manner that cannot be explained entirely by the usual FDI determinants. Other countries have been using Mexico as an export platform since before NAFTA with no discernible positive effect from the agreement. We find little evidence that inward U.S. FDI has been diverted. The results are robust to a number of different model and econometric specifications as well as the skill data used.
Antigenic variations in the CD4 induced sites of the CCR5‐tropic, pathogenic SHIVsf162p3 gp120 variants

Abstract: In vivo passage of non‐pathogenic, CCR5‐tropic simian/human immunodeficiency virus (SHIV) – SHIVsf162 resulted in a pathogenic isolate, SHIVsf162p3. In an attempt to characterize envelope (Env)‐mediated properties that may contribute to its pathogenicity, major (P3 major) and minor (P3 minor) Env gp120 variants were cloned from the plasma of a SHIVsf162p3‐infected animal, and expressed in the context of luciferase reporter viruses. Entry mediated by these envelopes and susceptibility to neutralization by CD4 induced‐site (CD4i) antibodies (MAbs) was analyzed in comparison to parental SF162. Sequence analysis revealed that the P3 major and minor variant Envs contained 14 and 17 amino acid changes, respectively, compared with SF162. The rank order of entry mediated by the three envelopes was P3 major > SF162 > P3 minor, whereas the reverse order was observed for susceptibility to neutralization by CD4i MAbs. Since CD4i epitopes overlap the coreceptor (CoR) binding site, these findings suggest that the amino acid changes accumulated upon in vivo passage of SHIVsf162 result in Env gp120 structural rearrangements that modulate the exposure and/or conformation of the CoR binding site. This, in turn, led to increased entry and infectivity of the P3 major variant and may be responsible, in part, for the enhanced pathogenicity of SHIVsf162p3.
Share and Share Alike: The Social and Technological Influences on Knowledge Sharing Behavior

In recent years, attempts to capture and leverage a firm's knowledge resources have become a primary focus in the pursuit of competitive advantage. Business leaders have increasingly looked to their firms' bases of knowledge on topics such as customers, suppliers, markets, and business practices-as their most critical strategic resource. This trend has led to the widespread adoption of knowledge management initiatives aimed at capturing and leveraging the knowledge of social actors within an organization to advance the economic interests of the firm. Within such an effort, the behavior of knowledge sharing by individual business professionals stands as a necessary first condition for programmatic success. This essay explores the determinants of knowledge sharing by applying Ajzen's Theory of Planned Behavior to the context of knowledge management. The implications of the model provide support for an emphasis on organizational culture and relationship issues in the development and initiation of a knowledge management program. The model presented incorporates both formal and informal features of organizational contexts that can promote or discourage knowledge sharing behavior. The critical nature of social factors, reflected in the organizational culture of a firm, is strongly supported by the model. In addition, the analysis will illustrate the degree to which technological resources can influence the expected knowledge sharing behavior of business professionals.
The general health policy model: an integrated approach

Quality of life data are becoming increasingly important for evaluating the cost-utility and cost-effectiveness of health care programs. Such analyses require the evaluation of very different types of health care interventions using the same outcome unit. This chapter highlights some of the strengths and weaknesses of general health outcome measures. The value of general versus disease-specific measures within clinical populations is also addressed. In addition, we consider the boundaries of the quality of life concept.
Romantic Attachment Insecurity Predicts Sexual Dissatisfaction in Couples Seeking Marital Therapy

Researchers and practitioners have noted the importance of considering individual characteristics as well as couple dynamics when attempting to understand couples and sexual difficulties. Using a dyadic approach, this study examined the links between 2 forms of romantic attachment insecurity (anxiety and avoidance) and sexual dissatisfaction among members of couples seeking couple therapy. A large clinical sample of 242 French-speaking couples completed the Experiences in Close Relationships Scale and the Index of Sexual Satisfaction. Analyses based on the actor–partner interdependence model revealed that both attachment anxiety and avoidance predicted individuals’ own sexual dissatisfaction (actor effects). The authors also observed 2 partner effects: (a) anxiety in men predicted female partners’ sexual dissatisfaction and (b) avoidance in women predicted male partners’ sexual dissatisfaction. The results support attachment theory and have clinical implications for emotion-focused couple therapy and other approaches to couple therapy.
Ventilatory parameters and maximal respiratory pressure changes with age in Duchenne muscular dystrophy patients

The aim of this longitudinal study was to precise, in children with Duchenne muscular dystrophy, the respective functional interest of ventilatory parameters (Vital capacity, total lung capacity and forced expiratory volume in one second [FEV1]) in comparison to maximal inspiratory pressure (Pimax) during growth. In ten boys the mean age of 9.1 ± 1 years) to mean age of 16 ± 1.4 years followed over a period of 7 years, we found that: (1) ventilatory parameters expressed in percentage of predicted value, after a normal ascending phase, start to decrease between 11 and 12 years, (2) Pimax presented only a decreasing phase since the beginning of the study and thus was already at 67% of predicted value at 12 years while ventilatory parameters was still normal, (3) after 12 years the mean slopes of decrease per year of vital capacity and FEV1 were higher (10.7 and 10.4%) than that of Pimax (6.9%), (4) at 15 years mean values of vital capacity and FEV1 (53.3 and 49.5% of predicted values) was simlar to that of Pimax (48.3%). In conclusion, if at early stages of the disease, Pimax is a more reliable index of respiratory impaiment than ventilatory parameters, the follow‐up of ventilatory parameters, when they start to decrease, is a better indicator of disease progression and, at advanced stages they provided same information about the functional impact of disease. Pediatr Pulmonol. 2010; 45:552–559. © 2010 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Fairness in Children's Resource Allocation Depends on the Recipient

Sixty-six children between 4.5 and 6 years of age were tested in a resource-allocation game with three different recipients. When the recipient was a friend, children made equitable decisions and shared as much when there was a cost to themselves as when there was no cost. When the recipient was another familiar child who was not a friend, children were less likely to allocate resources to that child. When the recipient was a stranger, children allocated resources as much as with a friend and more than with a nonfriend when there was no cost to themselves. However, when there was a cost to themselves, children treated strangers like nonfriends. These results show that resource-allocation decisions made by young children depend on the recipient. Young children prefer equitable division of resources with friends, treat non-friends less well, and make prosocial moves with strangers when the cost to self is not high.
Elastic and inelastic scattering of 0.8 GeV protons from 20Ne and 22Ne.

Angular distributions for the elastic and inelastic scattering of 0.8 GeV protons from /sup 20/Ne and /sup 22/Ne are presented. Cross sections for protons exciting states up to about 14 MeV were measured using a high resolution spectrometer. Coupled-channels analyses of scattering cross sections for the 0/sup +/, 2/sup +/, 4/sup +/, and 6/sup +/ states in the ground-state rotational band, possible 2/sup -/, 3/sup -/, and 5/sup -/ members of a K/sup . pi. / = 2/sup -/ octupole band, and possible 1/sup -/, 3/sup -/, and 5/sup -/ members of a K/sup . pi. / = 0/sup -/ octupole band in /sup 20/Ne were performed. Also reported are coupled-channels analyses of the experimental angular distributions in /sup 22/Ne for the 0/sup +/, 2/sup +/, and 4/sup +/ states in the ground-state band, the K/sup . pi. / = 2/sup +/ . gamma. -vibrational band members, and the 2/sup -/ and 3/sup -/ members of a K/sup . pi. / = 2/sup -/ octupole band. Deformation parameters for states not in the ground-state rotational bands are obtained from a distorted-wave Born approximation analysis of these data. Multipole moments inferred from the deformed optical potentials are compared with moments obtained with electromagnetic measurements, low-energy proton, deuteron, /sup 3/He, and /supmore » 4/He scattering, and shell-model calculations. « less
Epidemiology and Risk Factors for Leisure Noise-Induced Hearing Damage in Flemish Young Adults

Context: Young people regularly expose themselves to leisure noise and are at risk for acquiring hearing damage. Aims: The objective of this study was to compare young adults’ hearing status in relation to sociodemographic variables, leisure noise exposure and attitudes and beliefs towards noise. Settings and Design: A self-administered questionnaire regarding hearing, the amount of leisure noise exposure and attitudes towards noise and hearing protection as well as an audiological test battery were completed. Five hundred and seventeen subjects between 18 and 30 years were included. Subject and Methods: Hearing was evaluated using conventional audiometry, transient evoked and distortion product otoacoustic emissions. On the basis of their hearing status, participants were categorised into normal hearing, sub-clinical or clinical hearing loss. Statistical Analysis Used: Independent samples t-tests, chi-square tests and multiple regression models were used to evaluate the relation between groups based on hearing status, sociodemographics, leisure noise and attitudes towards noise. Results: Age was significantly related to hearing status. Although, the subjects in this study frequently participated in leisure activities, no significant associations between leisure noise exposure and hearing status could be detected. No relation with subjects’ attitudes or the use of hearing protection devices was found. Conclusions: This study could not demonstrate clinically significant leisure noise-induced hearing damage, which may lead to more non-protective behaviour. However, the effects of leisure noise may become noticeable over a long-term use since age was found to be related with sub-clinical hearing loss. Longitudinal studies are needed to evaluate the long-term effects of noise exposure.
Bulimia nervosa and major depression: a study of common genetic and environmental factors

Synopsis A genetic analysis of the co-occurrence of bulimia and major depression (MD) was performed on 1033 female twin pairs obtained from a population based register. Personal interviews were conducted and clinical diagnoses made according to DSM-III-R criteria. Additive genes, but not family environment, are found to play an important aetiological role in both bulimia and MD. The genetic liabilities of the two disorders are correlated 0·456. While unique environmental factors account for around half of the variation in liability to both bulimia and MD, these risk factors appear to be unrelated, i.e., each disorder has its own set of unique environmental risk factors. Thus, the genetic liability of bulimia and MD is neither highly specific nor entirely nonspecific. There is some genetic correlation between the two disorders as well as some genetic and environmental risk factors unique to each disorder. Limitations and directions for future research are discussed.
Ligation of 4-1BB (CDw137) Regulates Graft-Versus-Host Disease, Graft-Versus-Leukemia, and Graft Rejection in Allogeneic Bone Marrow Transplant Recipients1

4-1BB is expressed on activated CD4+ and CD8+ T cells; its ligand, 4-1BB ligand is expressed on APCs. Despite expression on both T cell subpopulations, 4-1BB has been reported to predominantly affect CD8+ T cell responses. By quantifying graft-vs-host disease alloresponses in vivo, we demonstrate that both CD4+ and CD8+ T cell-mediated alloresponses are regulated by 4-1BB/4-1BB ligand interactions to approximately the same extent. 4-1BB receptor-facilitated CD4+ T cell-mediated alloresponses were partly CD28 independent. In two distinct marrow graft rejection systems, host CD8+ and CD4+ T cells each separately contributed to host anti-donor T cell-mediated allograft rejection. α4-1BB mAb increased the graft-vs-leukemia effect of a suboptimal number of donor splenocytes given later post bone marrow transplantation by bolstering allogeneic responses resulting in leukemia elimination. In summary, 4-1BB ligation is a potent regulator of CD4+ and CD8+ T cell-mediated allogeneic responses in vivo. Modifying the ligation of 4-1BB represents a new approach to altering the graft-vs-host disease and graft-vs-leukemia effects of allogeneic T cells post bone marrow transplantation.
A Branch-and-Price Algorithm for the Bin Packing Problem with Conflicts

We provide a branch-and-price algorithm for the bin packing problem with conflicts, a variant of the classical bin packing problem that has major applications in scheduling and resource allocation. The proposed algorithm benefits from a number of special features that greatly contribute to its efficiency. First, we use a branching rule that matches the conflicting constraints, preserving the structure of the subproblems after branching. Second, maximal clique valid inequalities are generated based on the conflicting constraints and are added to the subproblems. The algorithm is tested on a standard set of problems and is compared to a recently proposed approach. Numerical results indicate its efficiency and stability.