Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Board Effectiveness and Innovation in Nonprofit Organizations

ABSTRACT This study examined the relationship between board effectiveness and innovation in service providing associations from the perspectives of agency, resource dependency, and resource-based theories. Results based on 349 respondent surveys showed that the the relationship between board effectiveness and innovation varied by the type of innovation (service, administrative, product, process, and capacity for innovation). Based on the results, practice implications are discussed, with a special focus on educating boards on the potential impact they might have on innovation through an effective performance of their tasks.
A Comparison of Factors Associated With Prevalent Diabetes Mellitus Among HIV-Infected Antiretroviral-Naive Individuals Versus Individuals in the National Health and Nutritional Examination Survey Cohort

Background:In the general population, diabetes mellitus (DM) is associated with age, minority race/ethnicity, and obesity. Among HIV-infected persons, antiretroviral therapy (ART) use and hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection have been associated with DM. This study examined DM prevalence and its predictors in ART-naive HIV-infected patients. Methods:A cross-sectional analysis of ART-naive HIV-infected adults enrolled in 3 Terry Beirn Community Programs for Clinical Research on AIDS (CPCRA) clinical trials versus adults enrolled in the National Health and Nutritional Examination Survey (NHANES). Results:The prevalence of DM in the CPCRA clinical trials versus the NHANES was 3.3% versus 4.8%. The mean body mass index (BMI) was lower in the CPCRA trials versus the NHANES (25 kg/m2 vs. 28 kg/m2). HCV was associated with DM only in univariate analyses in the CPCRA trials. In univariate and multivariate analyses, race/ethnicity, age, and BMI were associated with DM in both cohorts. Among women, age and BMI were associated with DM in both cohorts; race/ethnicity was associated with DM only in the NHANES. HCV was predictive of DM in blacks in the CPCRA trials (P = 0.004 before adjustment for multiple comparisons) but not in the full cohort. Conclusions:Our findings did not suggest an increased prevalence of DM in ART-naive HIV-infected patients. Although there was a trend toward increased prevalence of DM in HIV-HCV-coinfected patients, dominant risk factors associated with DM among ART-naive HIV-infected adults mirrored those of the general population.
CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY AND FIRM PERFORMANCE: A STUDY OF LISTED FIRMS IN NIGERIA

This study investigated the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) disclosure practices of Nigerian quoted companies and their determinants. A checklist of 20 attributes was developed to capture the social and environmental disclosures from the annual reports of 45 companies from 8 sectors quoted on the Nigerian Stock Exchange over a two-year period (2013 to 2014). The determinants of disclosure were proxied by company size, profitability and auditor type. Company size was measured by total assets, profitability was measured by return on equity (ROE), and auditor type was measured by a dummy variable, ‘1‘ for Big 4 and ’0‘ for otherwise. The data obtained were analysed using descriptive statistics, correlation and regression. The findings revealed that, the level of CSR was 44%, made up of social disclosure (68%) and environmental disclosure (6%). Findings also revealed that CSR was influenced by company size and auditor type; but not by profitability. This paper recommends a mandatory CSR reporting framework in line with international best practice for all listed companies in Nigeria
Do Private Equity Managers Have Superior Information on Public Markets?

Abstract Using cash flows from a large sample of buyout and venture funds, I show that private equity (PE) distributions predict returns in the industries of funds’ specialization. My tests distinguish timing skill from reactions to market conditions and spillover effects of PE activity. Fund managers foresee comparable public firms’ earnings but sell at the industry peaks only if they have performance fees to harvest. These results have implications for manager selection and improve our understanding of PE fund returns and the role of PE in capital markets.
Calciphylaxis: Medical and Surgical Management of Chronic Extensive Wounds in a Renal Dialysis Population

Within the renal dialysis population, calciphylaxis is a rare condition that leads to serious ischemic wounds. In 1981, approximately 50 cases were reported in the world literature.1 Today, the incidence of this disorder is estimated at 1 percent per year in patients undergoing dialysis, and the prevalence is reported as 4 percent.2 The importance of these numbers lies in the fact that the mortality rate from calciphylaxis is as high as 80 percent, mostly from secondary infection of the ulcers.2 Because the process is not well-recognized, the diagnosis is frequently overlooked and often too delayed to make a difference in the outcome.1 Because patients with serious wounds are often referred to plastic surgeons, the purpose of this report is to impart a familiarity with the population and the appearance of the lesions so that early intervention can be implemented. In this report, we present three patients with calciphylaxis whose wounds were successfully managed at our institution. The term “calciphylaxis” was first described by Selye in 1962 following work on experimental animals.3 According to Selye, “sensitizers,” such as excessive levels of parathyroid hormone, hypercalcemia, and hyperphosphatemia, made tissues more vulnerable to locally injected “challengers,” such as steroids, albumin, and local trauma. After a period of 2 to 3 days, calcium deposits and necrosis of the skin and subcutaneous tissue evolved in the animals at the injection sites. A few years later, a syndrome characterized by ischemic tissue necrosis and cutaneous ulceration was reported in uremic patients and was also named calciphylaxis, because of the resemblance to Selye’s animal model.4 It is now believed that calciphylaxis involves vascular calcification that causes tissue ischemia in addition to the metastatic skin (calcinosis cutis) and soft-tissue (calcifying panniculitis) calcification described by Selye.4,5 The pathophysiology of calciphylaxis involves an elevated calcium-phosphate product. Hyperphosphatemia develops as renal function deteriorates, usually when glomerular filtration rates decrease to 20 ml/min.4 Recent studies have shown that phosphorus, in addition to decreased synthesis of calcitriol (the most potent active form of vitamin D) by the failing kidney, directly stimulates parathyroid hormone secretion and parathyroid cell proliferation to contribute to secondary hyperparathyroidism. This, in turn, raises the serum calcium level, causing the calcium-phosphate product that is deposited in vessels and various tissues, leading to calciphylaxis. Persistent hyperphosphatemia is a serious problem in dialysis patients and needs to be controlled. Unfortunately, large doses of calcium-containing phosphate binders are required to achieve adequate control of serum phosphorus levels. As a result, large amounts of calcium are routinely administered to dialysis patients. Increasing evidence suggests that this may be an important
Tract simplified clinical risk score predicts the need for early endoscopy n non-variceal upper gastrointestinal bleeding

Background: Pre-endoscopic triage of patients who require an early upper endoscopy can improve management of patients with non-variceal upper gastrointestinal bleeding. Aims: To validate a new simplified clinical score (T-score) to assess the need of an early upper endoscopy in non variceal bleeding patients. Secondary outcomes were re-bleeding rate, 30-day bleeding-related mortality. Methods: In this prospective, multicentre study patients with bleeding who underwent upper endoscopy were enrolled. The accuracy for high risk endoscopic stigmata of the T-score was compared with that of the Glasgow Blatchford risk score. Results: Overall, 602 patients underwent early upper endoscopy, and 472 presented with non-variceal bleeding. High risk endoscopic stigmata were detected in 145 (30.7%) cases. T-score sensitivity and specificity for high risk endoscopic stigmata and bleeding-related mortality was 96% and 30%, and 80% and 71%, respectively. No statistically difference in predicting high risk endoscopic stigmata between T-score and Glasgow Blatchford risk score was observed (ROC curve: 0.72 vs. 0.69, p = 0.11). The two scores were also similar in predicting re-bleeding (ROC curve: 0.64 vs. 0.63, p = 0.4) and 30-day bleeding-related mortality (ROC curve: 0.78 vs. 0.76, p = 0.3). Conclusions: The T-score appeared to predict high risk endoscopic stigmata, re-bleeding and mortality with similar accuracy to Glasgow Blatchford risk score. Such a score may be helpful for the prediction of high-risk patients who need a very early therapeutic endoscopy. © 2014 Editrice Gastroenterologica Italiana S.r. l. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
A method for the analysis of repeated binary outcomes in randomized clinical trials with non‐compliance

When analysing repeated binary data from randomized trials, the model‐based approaches, such as generalized estimating equations, are frequently used. Such methods ignore compliance information and give the model‐based intention‐to‐treat estimate of treatment effect. In this paper, the design‐based (randomization‐based) semi‐parametric estimation procedure is given in the estimation of causal risk difference. The resulting risk difference estimator is interpreted as an extension of the instrumental variables estimator for a binary outcome which has the causal interpretation. Extension of the proposed method to stratified analysis is given for data from stratified randomization or meta‐analysis. It yields a Mantel–Haenszel type risk difference estimator. As a special case of stratified analysis, the pattern mixture model which stratifies the data by pattern of missing data is performed. Application of the proposed method to a trial in which endpoints were the occurrences of fever over three courses is provided. The same ideas are applied to the causal risk ratio estimation. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Antiobiotic resistance pattern of biofilm-forming uropathogens isolated from catheterised patients in Pondicherry, India.

BACKGROUND Microbial biofilms pose a public health problem for persons requiring indwelling medical devices, as micro-organisms in biofilms are difficult to treat with antimicrobial agents. Thus the present study includes biofilm formation and antibiotic resistance pattern of uropathogens in hospitalised patients with catheter associated urinary tract infections (UTI). METHOD This prospective analysis included 100 urine samples from catheterised patients with symptoms of UTI over a period of six months. Following identification, all isolates were subjected to antibiotic sensitivity using modified Kirby- Bauer disc diffusion method. Detection of biofilms was done by tube adherence method and Congo red agar method. RESULTS E.coli was found to be the most frequently isolated uropathogen 70%, followed by Klebsiella pneumoniae 16%, Pseudomonas aeruginosa 4%, Acinetobacter spp 2%, coagulase negative Staphylococci 6% and Enterococci Spp 2%. In the current study 60% of strains were in vitro positive for biofilm production. Biofilm positive isolates showed 93.3%, 83.3%, 73.3% and 80% resistance to nalidixic acid, ampicillin, cephotaxime and cotrimoxazole, respectively, compared to 70%, 60%, 35%, 60% resistance showed by biofilm non-producers for the respective antibiotics. Approximately 80% of the biofilm producing strains showed multidrug resistant phenotype CONCLUSION To conclude E.coli was the most frequent isolate, of which 63% were biofilm producers. The antibiotic susceptibility pattern in the present study showed quinolones were the least active drug against uropathogens. The uropathogens showed the highest sensitivity to carbapenems. The next best alternatives were aminoglycosides. Significant correlation between biofilm production and multi-drug resistance was observed in our study.
Creatine ingestion increases anaerobic capacity and maximum accumulated oxygen deficit.

The purpose of this study was to test the hypothesis that ingestion of creatine monohydrate increases anaerobic exercise capacity, as reflected by the maximal accumulated oxygen deficit (MAOD). Subjects were assigned, double-blind, to placebo (PL, n = 12) or creatine (CR, n = 14) groups and ingested 5-g doses 4 times daily of artificial sweetener or artificially sweetened creatine monohydrate, respectively, for 5 days. On a separate day subjects exercised to exhaustion at 125% VO2max. After two familiarization trials, MAOD was again determined before treatment, after 5 days of PL or CR treatment, and 7 days later. MAOD increased after CR treatment from 4.04 +/- 0.31 to 4.41 +/- 0.34 L (p < .001) and remained elevated for another 7 days (4.31 +/- 0.33, p < .001). Time to exhaustion also increased in CR from 130 +/- 7 to 141 +/- 7 s (p < .01) and remained increased for another 7 days (139 +/- 8 s, p < .01). These data demonstrate that ingesting creatine monohydrate for 5 days increases the MAOD, and is likely to have an ergogenic effect on supramaximal exercise performance that persists for at least a week after treatment.
THE METABOLISM OF ACETIC ACID, PROPIONIC ACID AND BUTYRIC ACID IN SHEEP.

7. Comparison of specific radioactivities of blood lactate and plasma glucose during the infusion of [14C]glucose or [14C]lactate indicated that about 6% of glucose was recycled through the glucose-lactate interconversion. Evidence from the relocation of 14C in glucose during the infusion of [6-_4C]glucose indicated about 10% of recycling. 8. Negligible incorporation of glucose or lactate into liver or muscle glycogen was observed.
Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor: The Major Factor for Tumor Neovascularization and Edema Formation in Meningioma Patients

BACKGROUND: Peritumoral brain edema (PTBE) may be crucial in the clinical outcome of meningioma patients. The underlying pathogenetic key mechanism has so far not been determined. Sex, age, tumor size, location, involvement of other structures, or the histological appearance was not found to sufficiently explain PTBE formation in meningiomas. OBJECTIVE: As PTBE formation is widely accepted to be vasogenic, we investigated the role of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and pial supplying vessels in a series of World Health Organization (WHO) grade I meningiomas. METHODS: A total of 79 patients with WHO grade I meningiomas were immunohistochemically studied for VEGF and MIB-1. Pre- and postoperative magnetic resonance imaging including 3-dimensional reconstruction of 1.3-mm thick layers, with calculation of tumor and edema volume, was performed. Intraoperatively, the vascular supply and arachnoidal state were noted by the neurosurgeon. RESULTS: VEGF was found to be exclusively confined to meningioma tumor cells. We identified 4 different patterns. VEGF and supplying pial vessels were found in 14 meningioma patients, pial vascular supply only in 3, VEGF expression only in 46, and neither VEGF expression nor supplying pial vessels in 16. Only the occurrence of both pial vascular supply and tumor VEGF expression was found to be correlated with PTBE formation (P < .002). CONCLUSION: Our data suggest that VEGF may be crucial in angiogenesis and therefore indirectly in PTBE formation in World Health Organization grade I meningiomas.
Tones and numbers: A combined EEG–MEG study on the effects of musical expertise in magnitude comparisons of audiovisual stimuli

This study investigated the cortical responses underlying magnitude comparisons of multisensory stimuli and examined the effect that musical expertise has in this process. The comparative judgments were based on a newly learned rule binding the auditory and visual stimuli within the context of magnitude comparisons: “the higher the pitch of the tone, the larger the number presented. ” The cortical responses were measured by simultaneous MEG\EEG recordings and a combined source analysis with individualized realistic head models was performed. Musical expertise effects were investigated by comparing musicians to non‐musicians. Congruent audiovisual stimuli, corresponding to the newly learned rule, elicited activity in frontotemporal and occipital areas. In contrast, incongruent stimuli activated temporal and parietal regions. Musicians when compared with nonmusicians showed increased differences between congruent and incongruent stimuli in a prefrontal region, thereby indicating that music expertise may affect multisensory comparative judgments within a generalized representation of analog magnitude. Hum Brain Mapp 35:5389–5400, 2014. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Genetic architecture of the F7 gene in a Spanish population: implication for mapping complex diseases and for functional assays

Delineating the genetic variability of loci coding for complex diseases helps to understand the individual variation in disease susceptibility and drug response. We present the allelic architecture of the F7 gene. This gene is the major determinant of FVII plasma levels, and these plasma levels constitute an important intermediate risk factor for cardiovascular disease. As part of the Genetic Analysis of Idiopathic Thrombophila Project, we completely re‐sequenced the F7 locus (promoter, exons, introns, and 3′‐untranslated region) in 40 unrelated individuals. We found 49 polymorphisms with only two amino acid changes suggesting that regulatory non‐coding and intronic variants are responsible for the FVII variability. These results are important for mapping susceptibility alleles of complex diseases, because differences in pair‐wise linkage disequilibrium patterns between DNA variants and haplotype frequency distributions may help to detect disease‐associated alleles. In addition, we present the results of an in silico search that established genomic comparisons among different species. In conclusion, our study of the F7 DNA sequence variations is an example of a strategy for analyzing the genetic architecture of a quantitative trait locus. Furthermore, it provides a model for future analyses of genetic factors that contribute to the susceptibility of complex diseases in humans.
A new scheme of aspherical microlense for efficient coupling high-power lasers to fibers

We propose and demonstrate a new scheme of aspherical microlens (ASM) employing a single-step grinding technique with fully automated process for efficient coupling between the high-power 980-nm laser diodes and single mode fibers. The grinded fiber endface exhibited a double-variable curvature in the major axis, and was clearly observed for both major and minor axes after slight fusion polish. The perfect aspherical shape of the ASM resulted in less grinding offset of 0.2 µm and better curvature radii control that led to high average coupling efficiency of 83 %. The result clearly demonstrated that the performance of the ASM exhibited high average coupling efficiency better than any other grinding techniques to form asymmetric microlenses.
Relationship between isotope composition of sulphur in sulphate dissolved in river water and sulphur extracted from fish scales

More than 100 trouts captured in more than 20 rivers from Poland have been analysed. Only fish caught by trout fishermen were used for this study. Isotope compositions of sulphur (δ34S) and carbon (δ13C) of fish scales were examined together with δ34S from sulphate dissolved in river, as well as patterns of fish diet. We predominantly examined adult fish, at least 4 years old. A scatter of isotope values occurred among the samples obtained from fish caught in different rivers and also for fish caught in the same river. The scatter of the δ34S values was much larger than that of δ13C values. We noticed the relationship between δ34S of scales and δ34S of riverine sulphate. There is also a significant difference between isotope compositions obtained for different fish species, which can be attributed to their different diet.
Race-based differentials in the impact of mental health and stigma on HIV risk among young men who have sex with men.

OBJECTIVE In the U.S., young men who have sex with men (YMSM) are disproportionately affected by HIV, with YMSM of color being the most impacted by the epidemic. METHOD To advance prevention research, we examined race-based differences in gay-related stress in conjunction with the moderating role of mental health on substance use and sexual risk among 206 high-risk YMSM, recruited September, 2007-2010. RESULTS Negative binomial regressions and 3-way interaction graphs indicated that psychological distress and acute gay-related stigma placed all participants at most risk for HIV acquisition. Low psychological distress appeared to "buffer" all YMSM against HIV risk, whereas the reverse was evidenced for those reporting low gay-related stigma and psychological distress. YMSM of color reported more risk behavior, and less decreases in risk with attenuated psychological distress, compared with White YMSM. We hypothesize these trends to be associated with experiencing multiple stigmatized identities, indicating points of intervention for YMSM of color to achieve positive identity integration. There were sharper increases in HIV risk behavior for White YMSM with increasing gay-related stigma than for YMSM of color, which could be attributed to the latter's prolonged exposure to discrimination necessitating building coping skills to manage the influx of adversity. CONCLUSIONS Emphases on: (a) identity-based interventions for YMSM of color; and (b) skills-based interventions for White YMSM should supplement existing successful HIV risk-reduction programs. Lastly, mental health needs to be a target of intervention, as it constitutes a protective factor against HIV risk for all YMSM.
Psychological Characteristics of Patients Treated by Chronic Maintenance Hemodialysis

Studies related to psychological aspects of dialysis patients show that depression and anxiety are the most common characteristics. The aim of our study was to analyze the personality profile in patients on chronic maintenance dialysis and to evaluate more specifically the level of depression. The total number of patients was 68 (30 females and 38 males), with mean age 62.3 and 56.5 for females and males respectively. Mean duration of dialysis was 6.73 years for females and 6.68 years for men (the period varied from 0.5 to 18 years). For the evaluation of psychological characteristics, we used two psychometric instruments: Minnesota Multiphase Personality Inventory (MMPI- 201) and Beck Depression Inventory. The obtained results confirmed the presence of depression in patients treated with hemodialysis. The level of depression is variable (minimal is present in 21.43%; mild in 35.71%; moderate in 17.85% and severe in 14.28% of patients). The depression is significantly positively correlated with age (p<0.05) as well as with educational level, and negatively with the duration of dialysis. Specific characteristics of personality obtained with MMPI are hypersensitivity, depressive mood, and withdrawal from friends and relatives. More specific emotional traits are the accentuated anxiety, low level of hostility, but very high passive aggression which destroys their social communications. Some response measures for depression such as relaxation training, psychological support, music therapy, or peripheral biofeedback are recommended.