Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Racial differences in renal arteriolar structure in children with minimal change nephropathy.

BACKGROUND African Americans are at increased risk for hypertension and chronic renal disease. Some data suggest this results from renal microvascular disease. The aim of this study was to determine if renal vascular changes were more pronounced in African Americans, were independent of blood pressure, and occurred in early childhood. METHODS We performed morphometric analysis on small cortical arteries and arterioles from 44 renal biopsies done in African American and white children (mean age 8.4 +/- SD 5.0 years) with minimal change nephropathy. Outer and inner vessel diameters were measured and wall:lumen and wall:outer diameter ratios (WT/OD) calculated. Clinical data on blood pressure, steroid use, serum creatinine, gender, age, and proteinuria were abstracted by chart review. A z score for systolic and diastolic blood pressure was calculated. Follow-up clinical data were available for 11 children. Data were compared using analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) and t test for paired data. RESULTS Lumen diameters of African Americans were 3.1 microm (23%) smaller that those of white children (P = 0.024). Similarly, their WT/OD was greater than in the whites, 0.31+/-0.03 vs. 0.28 +/- 0.02 (P= 0.048). These changes were independent of age, steroid use, systolic blood pressure and diastolic blood pressure z scores. Follow-up data showed a rise in serum creatinine (>50%) in five patients, +1.42 +/- 0.79 mg/dL (P = 0.016), of whom four were African American. There was no change in blood pressure. CONCLUSION The renal arterioles of African American children with minimal change nephropathy exhibit significantly smaller lumens and thicker walls than white children. The changes occur very early in life and are independent of age, blood pressure, and steroid use. Such changes may contribute to the African American predisposition to chronic renal disease and hypertension.
Robust Conjunctive Item–Place Coding by Hippocampal Neurons Parallels Learning What Happens Where

Previous research indicates a critical role of the hippocampus in memory for events in the context in which they occur. However, studies to date have not provided compelling evidence that hippocampal neurons encode event–context conjunctions directly associated with this kind of learning. Here we report that, as animals learn different meanings for items in distinct contexts, individual hippocampal neurons develop responses to specific stimuli in the places where they have differential significance. Furthermore, this conjunctive coding evolves in the form of enhanced item-specific responses within a subset of the preexisting spatial representation. These findings support the view that conjunctive representations in the hippocampus underlie the acquisition of context-specific memories.
Impact of Psychological Empowerment on Organizational Commitment: Evidence from Banking Sector of Pakistan

This study examines the influence of psychological empowerment on organizational commitment in context to banking sector of Pakistan. This study is unique in a way that it has studied the impact of psychological empowerment on organizational commitment at three managerial levels i.e. top level, middle level and lower level. Primary data is collected from employees working in different banks in four major cities of Pakistan. The study has used survey approach for data collection. The study documents that psychological empowerment affects organizational commitment for senior and middle level managers in banking sector of Pakistan. The effect of psychological empowerment on organizational commitment for lower level managers was insignificant. However, in Pakistan lower level employees are less empowered and probably their level of empowerment contributes rarely in their level of organizational commitment.
The influence of the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex on attentional behavior and decision making . A tDCS study on emotionally vs

http://dx.doi. org/10.1016/j.bandc. 2016.01. 007 0278-2626/ 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. ⇑ Corresponding author at: Psychology Department, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, Largo Gemelli 1, 20123 Milan, Italy. E-mail addresses: barbara.colombo@unicatt.it (B. Colombo), stefania.balzarotti@ unicatt.it (S. Balzarotti), nic.mazzu@gmail.com (N. Mazzucchelli). Barbara Colombo a,b,⇑, Stefania Balzarotti , Nicla Mazzucchelli a
Melbourne Business School From the SelectedWorks of Leon Zolotoy 2009 It Takes Two to Tango : International Transfer of Pricing Information Between the Cross-Listed Securities

We examine the mechanism of the pricing information transfer between Tokyo and the US stock markets using a sample of Japanese firms whose shares are listed on both markets. At the mean return level Tokyo emerges as the dominant market, while the US markets behave as the satellites. In terms of higher moments, we find significant symmetric volatility spillovers, and some evidence of cross-market skewness dynamics. Moreover, we find strong empirical evidence of the trading volume affecting the dynamics of the information spillovers, but in an asymmetric way. This asymmetry suggests that the trading volume provides additional information to investors.
DETERMINANTS OF FINANCIAL REPORTING QUALITY FOR LISTED ENTITIES IN MACEDONIA: EVIDENCE FROM FAIR VALUE ACCOUNTING

This paper examines the degree and quality of disclosures of financial information related to fair value by Macedonian listed entities and associations with several corporate attributes. An unweighted disclosure index comprising 51 disclosed information in audited financial statements of 32 listed entities for 2010 was composed. The association between the disclosure index of each company and various corporate characteristics (size, industry, ownership concentration, type of auditor, internationalization, leverage etc) was examined through multiple regression analysis. It was concluded that the size of the listed company, type of engaged audit firm and the leverage of the company are associated with the degree and quality of disclosed information on fair value. The research also reveals areas of improvement for listed companies reporting of fair value information in financial statements.
Characterizing the need for mechanical ventilation following cervical spinal cord injury with neurologic deficit.

BACKGROUND Patients who sustain cervical spinal cord injury (C-SCI) with neurologic deficit may require a definitive airway and/or prolonged mechanical ventilation. The purpose of this study was to characterize factors associated with a high risk for respiratory failure and/or the need for mechanical ventilation in C-SCI patients. METHODS Patients with C-SCI and neurologic deficit admitted to a Level I Trauma Center between July 1, 2000 and June 30, 2002 were retrospectively reviewed for demographics, level and completeness of neurologic deficit, need for definitive airway, need for tracheostomy, need for mechanical ventilation at hospital discharge (MVDC), and outcomes. The level and completeness of injury were defined by American Spinal Injury Association standards. RESULTS One hundred nineteen patients with C-SCI and neurologic deficit were identified over this period. Of these, 45 were identified as complete C-SCI: 12 (27%) patients had levels of C1 to C4; 19 (42%) had a level of C5; and 14 (31%) had levels of C6 and below. There were 37 males and 8 females. There were 36 blunt and 9 penetrating injuries. The average age of these patients was 40 +/- 21, and the average ISS was 45+/-22. Eight of the patients with complete C-SCI died, for a mortality of 18%. Of the 37 survivors, 92% received a definitive airway, 81% received tracheostomy, and 51% required MVDC. All patients with complete injuries at the C5 level and above required a definitive airway and tracheostomy, and 71% of survivors required MVDC. Of the patients with complete injuries of C6 and below, 79% received a definitive airway, 50% required tracheostomy, and 15% of survivors required MVDC. Only 35% of incomplete injuries required a definitive airway, and only 7% required tracheostomy. CONCLUSIONS The need for definitive airway control, tracheostomy, and ventilator dependence is significant, especially for patients with high complete C-SCI. Based on these results we recommend consideration of early intubation and tracheostomy for patients with complete C-SCI, especially for those with levels of C5 and above.
Time as a Determinant of Comparative Advantage

It is assumed that added time to export adds cost to and lowers the volume of trade. Time delays may also affect the composition of trade and can disproportionately reduce trade in time-sensitive goods. This paper investigates the validity of these propositions using the World Bank Doing Business database and Enterprise Surveys for 64 developing countries. The authors find that in countries where there is longer time needed to export firms in time-sensitive industries are less likely to become exporters. Moreover, firms that do export have lower export intensities. Their findings imply that time to export is a significant determinant of comparative advantage. For example, consider two industries that have the same export probability and intensity - but differ in time-sensitivity by one standard deviation. Action taken to cut time to export by 50 percent for one industry opens a 6 percentage point difference between the export probabilities of the two industries. In addition, steps to cut time delays increase export intensities by 1.9 percentage points. This impact applies to industries with different productivity levels -- and those in developing countries with different income levels.
SOX11 and HIG-2 are cross-regulated and affect growth in mantle cell lymphoma

Abstract The transcriptional factor SOX11 is a disease-defining antigen in mantle cell lymphoma (MCL) and absent in most non-malignant tissues. To explore the role of SOX11-related cell signaling, and potentially take benefit from these for targeted therapy, associated networks and proteins need to be defined. In this study, we used an inducible SOX11 knock-down system followed by gene expression analysis to identify co-regulated genes and associated signaling pathways. A limited number (n = 27) of significantly co-regulated genes were identified, including SETMAR, HIG-2, and CD24. Further analysis confirmed co-regulation of SOX11 with HIG-2 and CD24 at the protein level. Of major interest, knock-down of HIG-2 reduced SOX11 levels and increased proliferation, the proteins are thus cross-regulated. HIG-2 was localized at the plasma cell membrane in both cell lines and primary MCL cells, and could potentially be of interest for targeted therapy.
Factors affecting U.S. Banking Performance: Evidence From the 2007-2013 Financial Crisis

Understanding how bank profitability factors behave under financial crises can provide useful insights into addressing the bank failure problem. The paper determined, separately, the effects of bank specific factors and factors outside of the bank’s control on bank profitability in the United States during the 2007-2013 financial crisis. The results, estimated by using generalized least square, showed that the bank market related factors, loan marketing strategies and portfolio diversification, explained most of the variability in bank profitability (about twenty eight percent) compared with bank specific factors, interest rate risk, credit risk, liquidity risk and capitalization risks, which explained about twenty three percent and macroeconomic/vocational factors, per capita income, bank size and bank locations, which explained about eleven percent of the variability in bank profitability. Among variables studied, loan marketing strategies and portfolio diversification, and interest rate risk and capitalization management strategies had a positive effect, while credit risk had a negative effect on profitability. Small banks appeared to be more profitable than large banks.
Children’s Behavioral Manifestations of the Five-Factor Model of Personality

The present study examined relations between ratings of children’s personalities using the Five-Factor Model (FFM) of personality and behaviors exhibited by children during an interaction with their parents. Ninety-four children (M age = 10.87 years) and their parents participated in a videotaped interaction; children were coded on 64 different social behaviors using a revised version of the Riverside Behavioral Q-Sort. Mothers completed ratings of their children’s personalities using the NEO-Five-Factor Personality Inventory (NEO-FFI). Results indicate an intuitive and predictable pattern of relations between children’s personalities and their behaviors. Findings suggest that four of the five factors included in the FFM provide an appropriate framework for describing children’s personalities. These findings are discussed in terms of their relevance for helping researchers understand children’s personalities.
Reinterviews by Telephone

The debate continues over the relative merits of interviewing by telephone. This article reports an attempt by the University of Michigan's Survey Research Center to evaluate the effectiveness of telephone surveys for gathering information about consumer attitudes, financial optimism, and plans to buy. The Center conducted two surveys using the telephone to reinterview respondents to its regular economic surveys. The author weighs the pros and cons of the method.
Managing destination brands: establishing a theoretical foundation

There is general agreement in the literature that the marketing of places as brands requires “a special type of marketing” (Ashworth 1993, p. 648). But while the problems inherent in place marketing are well documented (see for example Karavatzis and Ashworth 2005) very little attention has been given to the development of a theory of destination branding which can be used to guide destination brand managers and form the basis of future research. The conclusions from a review of the literature are tested against the experiences of practitioners (Churchill 1979) by means of 25 depth interviews with Senior Managers in 20 Destination Marketing Organisations. Five critical antecedents of successful destination branding are identified: stakeholder partnerships, brand leadership, departmental coordination, brand communications and brand culture. Two key mediating factors are also identified: brand reality and brand architecture. The managerial implications of these findings are discussed.
Hypermarket Corporate Brand Extension Personality

Products and services are complementary to each other. This research explores the relationship of hypermarket corporate brand extension of products and services as parallel independent constructs towards brand personality. Through convenience sampling of hypermarket distribution outlets throughout Malaysia, 785 data were collected from hypermarket consumers based on proportionate quota. The collected data were analysed using exploratory factor analysis, confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modeling. It is proven that both the products and services that are offered by the hypermarkets are equally important in influencing the hypermarket corporate brand personality.
Impact of Undernutrition on the Pharmacokinetics and Pharmacodynamics of Anticancer Drugs: A Literature Review

ABSTRACT The etiology of undernourishment in cancer patients is multifactorial: tumor-related mechanisms (such as obstruction, metabolic abnormalities, and functionality changes) in addition to the influence of anticancer therapies, which can induce or worsen undernutrition. The evident role of undernutrition in cancer treatment outcomes suggests the need of considering nutritional status when evaluating anticancer drugs. In order to merge the available data and offer researchers and clinicians a global view of this phenomenon, the present manuscript reviews on a drug-by-drug basis the undernutrition-related pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic aspects of anticancer treatments. This review notes interesting trends in the relationship between undernourishment and pharmacokinetics across studies, and indicates that dosing modifications of these drugs may be necessary to optimize chemotherapeutic treatments. Furthermore, this review has compiled evidence regarding undernourishment's capacity of enhancing treatment-related myelosuppression, cardiotoxicity, ototoxicity, neurotoxicity, and malignancies.
Local and Global Sentiment Effects, and the Role of Legal, Trading and Information Environments

Using domestic consumer confidence indicators to proxy investor sentiment and data from 23 different equity markets, we document a pervasive overall sentiment effect. We further document a significant effect of global sentiment across these markets. More accessible markets have stronger global sentiment effects, suggesting that capital flows help the spread of sentiment across borders. For locally sourced sentiment, the core finding is of a stronger sentiment effect in a poorer environment. On the other hand, for globally sourced sentiment the opposite result is strongly evidenced, namely, that a stronger sentiment effect tends to be linked to a stronger environment. Broadly speaking, a better domestic legal and information environment is associated with weaker local and stronger global sentiment effects. Our findings suggest that, the effect of a good environment on facilitating arbitrage activity is stronger than its effect on attracting local behavioral investors but weaker than its effect in attracting foreign behavioral investors. Our results also suggest that a good legal environment rather than low transaction costs is the primary concern when behavioral investors seek foreign investment opportunities.
Service Customization Through Employee Adaptiveness

Customization strategies aimed at providing customers with individually tailored products and services are growing in popularity. In a service context, the responsibility for customization frequently falls on the shoulders of front-line customer contact employees. Few marketing scholars, however, have considered what it means to be adaptive in these roles and how customization behaviors can be encouraged. Drawing on marketing, organizational behavior, and psychology literatures, the authors define and empirically test antecedents of two distinct dimensions of employee adaptive behavior: interpersonal adaptive behavior and service-offering adaptive behavior. Results indicate that an employee’s level of customer knowledge, certain personality predispositions, and intrinsic motivation positively influence the propensity to adapt both their interpersonal style and the actual service offering. Implications for market segmentation, employee selection, training, and motivation are offered.
An Approach for Assessing Demographic and Price Influences on Brand Purchase Behavior

A new brand choice model that has the capacity to include explanatory variables is described and its use illustrated in an application to a particular brand. In this application, pricing and certain consumer demographics provide an explanation of the purchase behavior for the brand studied. The model provides a good fit to empirical data as well as some important insights for marketing decision making.
Determinants of Perceived Health and Environmental Effects of Fuelwood Exploitation among Farm Families in Ogun State, Nigeria

The determinants of perceived environmental and health effect of fuelwood exploitation among farm families were examined in Ogun state, Nigeria. The sample comprises of farm families who exploit fuelwood in substantial proportion. Questionnaire was administered to one hundred and twenty respondents to obtain primary data and data was analysed using descriptive and inferential statistical tools. Results revealed that 48.3% of the respondents were within their active age of 35 to 41 years, 85.8% were male, 90.8% were married and 84.2% had primary education. Male members of farm families exploit fuelwood more than female for economic reasons. Majority (60.0%) had unfavourable attitude towards fuelwood exploitation, while 62.5% had favourable perception on health effect of fuelwood exploitation. Also, 59.2% had low knowledge about the environmental effects of fuelwood exploitation, while 63.3% of the farm families had high involvement in fuelwood exploitation. Also, 51.7% had negative perception of environmental effects of fuelwood exploitation. Significant contribution was recorded of sex, household size and knowledge of the effect of fuelwood exploitation on their perception of environmental and health effects of fuelwood exploitation with the coefficient of 0.022, 0.006 and 0.000 respectively in the study area. Respondents engaged in exploitation of fuelwood, irrespective of their personal characteristics, despite having knowledge of the environmental problems associated with its exploitation. It is recommended that farm families should be sensitized by environmental extension experts fully empowered by government on how to make the environment a conducive and hazard free one.
University Experiences, the Student-College Relationship, and Alumni Support

ABSTRACT University administrators have begun to more aggressively adopt many of the techniques associated with relationship marketing. This would seem like a perfect strategy for a university as loyal alumni can do such things as offer personal recommendations to help build enrollments, participate in alumni functions, purchase university-branded products, and enroll in professional education courses. However, there are many unexamined questions regarding the nature and impact of alumni relationships with the university. This paper explores the impacts of the alumni-university relationship and alumni assessments of their college experiences on important expressions of loyalty. A sample of alumni who had graduated three to eight years prior to the study completed a telephone survey. The results provide support for the impact of these variables on current behavior and behavioral intentions. Implications of these findings for university marketers are discussed.
Comparison of the use of dinoprostone and oxytocin for induction in cases with Bishop score of ≤4

Objective: The aim of this study is to compare the efficiency, reliability, and maternal and perinatal complications of dinoprostone and oxytocin for induction of labor, both separately and together, in women with a Bishop score of ≤4. Methods: A total of 279 primigravida patients, diagnosed with oligohydramnios and prolonged pregnancy, over 37 weeks of gestation with a Bishop score of ≤4 and had been admitted to our hospital’s delivery unit for labor induction between January and April 2013 were divided into three groups. Thirty-four patients who were administered intravaginal dinoprostone formed the 1st group. The 2nd group consisted of 204 patients who were administered intravenous oxytocin. The 41 patients in the 3rd group were initially administered dinoprostone and subsequently oxytocin. Age, body mass index (BMI), the duration of the latent and active phases of labor, presence of meconium, and changes in the NST were recorded for each pregnant woman. Delivery method, birth weight and gender of the neonates were also recorded. Indications for caesarean section and maternal and neonatal complications were investigated. Results: When these three groups were compared, no difference was found in terms of age, gravida, parity, BMI and duration of pregnancy. However; comparison of the 3 groups for latent and active phases indicated that the active phase to be significantly shorter in the patients administered dinoprostone (p=0.001). When compared for the caesarean section ratios, 1st and 3rd groups were found to have higher ratios than the 2nd group (p=0.000). No difference was noted among the 3 groups in terms of maternal and perinatal outcomes. Conclusion: Although dinoprostone increases caesarean section ratio, it decreases the active phase of labor and does not affect maternal and fetal morbidity. The labor induction method to be chosen may change depending on the patient and option of the physician doing the evaluation.