Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Intraocular gutless adenoviral‐vectored VEGF stimulates anterior segment but not retinal neovascularization

Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and insulin‐like growth factor‐1 (IGF‐1) have been implicated as important stimulatory factors for retinal neovascularization. In this study, we used intraocular gene transfer with gutless adenoviral (AGV) vectors to determine the effect of increased intraocular expression of VEGF, IGF‐1, or sphingosine kinase (SPK), which produces sphingosine‐1‐phosphate, another angiogenic factor. Retinal neovascularization did not occur from intravitreous AGV‐vectored VEGF, IGF‐1, SPK, or combined VEGF and IGF‐1, except occasionally adjacent to the retinal penetration site from the injection. However, corneal and iris neovascularization occurred after 2 weeks in all eyes injected with AGV.VEGF, but not those injected with only AGV.IGF‐1 or AGV.SPK. These data suggest that the superficial capillary bed of the retina is relatively insensitive to VEGF, IGF‐1, or SPK in adult mice, except when combined with retinal trauma. However, AGV‐vectored VEGF is sufficient to consistently cause severe corneal and iris neovascularization. This provides a model for anterior segment neovascularization, which unlike previous models is relatively inexpensive and is not plagued by spontaneous regression, and therefore, may be useful for identification of new treatments. © 2004 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Cognitive effects of cancer and its treatments at the intersection of aging: what do we know; what do we need to know?

There is a fairly consistent, albeit non-universal body of research documenting cognitive declines after cancer and its treatments. While few of these studies have included subjects aged 65 years and older, it is logical to expect that older patients are at risk of cognitive decline. Here, we use breast cancer as an exemplar disease for inquiry into the intersection of aging and cognitive effects of cancer and its therapies. There are a striking number of common underlying potential biological risks and pathways for the development of cancer, cancer-related cognitive declines, and aging processes, including the development of a frail phenotype. Candidate shared pathways include changes in hormonal milieu, inflammation, oxidative stress, DNA damage and compromised DNA repair, genetic susceptibility, decreased brain blood flow or disruption of the blood-brain barrier, direct neurotoxicity, decreased telomere length, and cell senescence. There also are similar structure and functional changes seen in brain imaging studies of cancer patients and those seen with "normal" aging and Alzheimer's disease. Disentangling the role of these overlapping processes is difficult since they require aged animal models and large samples of older human subjects. From what we do know, frailty and its low cognitive reserve seem to be a clinically useful marker of risk for cognitive decline after cancer and its treatments. This and other results from this review suggest the value of geriatric assessments to identify older patients at the highest risk of cognitive decline. Further research is needed to understand the interactions between aging, genetic predisposition, lifestyle factors, and frailty phenotypes to best identify the subgroups of older patients at greatest risk for decline and to develop behavioral and pharmacological interventions targeting this group. We recommend that basic science and population trials be developed specifically for older hosts with intermediate endpoints of relevance to this group, including cognitive function and trajectories of frailty. Clinicians and their older patients can advance the field by active encouragement of and participation in research designed to improve the care and outcomes of the growing population of older cancer patients.
Antibiotic prescription for community-acquired pneumonia in the intensive care unit: impact of adherence to Infectious Diseases Society of America guidelines on survival.

BACKGROUND The purpose of our study was to analyze prognostic factors associated with mortality for patients with severe community-acquired pneumonia (CAP). METHODS We conducted a prospective multicenter study including all patients with CAP admitted to the intensive care unit during a 15-month period in 33 Spanish hospitals. Admission data and data on the evolution of the disease were recorded. Multivariate analysis was performed using the SPSS statistical package (SPSS). RESULTS A total of 529 patients with severe CAP were enrolled; the mean age (+/-SD) was 59.9+/-16.1 years, and the mean Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation (APACHE) II score (+/-SD) was 18.9+/-7.4. Overall mortality among patients in the intensive case unit was 27.9% (148 patients). The rate of adherence to Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA) guidelines was 57.8%. Significantly higher mortality was documented among patients with nonadherence to treatment (33.2% vs. 24.2%). Multivariate analysis identified age (odds ratio [OR], 1.7), APACHE II score (OR, 4.1), nonadherence to IDSA guidelines (OR, 1.6), and immunocompromise (OR, 1.9) as the variables present at admission to the intensive care unit that were independently associated with death in the intensive care unit. In 15 (75%) of 20 cases of Pseudomonas aeruginosa infection, the antimicrobial treatment at admission was inadequate (including 8 of 15 cases involving patients with adherence to IDSA guidelines). Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (OR, 17.9), malignancy (OR, 11.0), previous antibiotic exposure (OR, 6.2), and radiographic findings demonstrating rapid spread of disease (OR, 3.9) were associated with P. aeruginosa pneumonia. CONCLUSIONS Better adherence to IDSA guidelines would help to improve survival among patients with severe CAP. Pseudomonas coverage should be considered for patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, malignancy, or recent antibiotic exposure.
Effect of evolocumab on cholesterol synthesis and absorption[S]

The effects of cholesterol-lowering drugs, including those that reduce cholesterol synthesis (statins) and those that reduce cholesterol absorption (ezetimibe), on cholesterol absorption and synthesis are well understood. Proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9) inhibitors are a novel class of cholesterol-lowering drugs that robustly reduce LDL-cholesterol (LDL-C), but little is known about their effects on cholesterol absorption and synthesis. We evaluated how treatment with evolocumab, a fully human monoclonal IgG2 antibody to PCSK9, affects markers of cholesterol synthesis and absorption by measuring these markers in patients from an evolocumab clinical trial. At 2 weeks, changes in β-sitosterol/total cholesterol (TC) from baseline were 4% for placebo, 10% for evolocumab 140 mg (nonsignificant vs. placebo), and 26% for evolocumab 420 mg (P < 0.001 vs. placebo). Changes in campesterol/TC at week 2, relative to baseline between placebo and evolocumab, were all nonsignificant. Evolocumab had a modest effect on markers of cholesterol synthesis. At 2 weeks, changes in desmosterol/TC were 1% for placebo, 7% for evolocumab 140 mg (nonsignificant vs. placebo), and 15% for evolocumab 420 mg (P < 0.01 vs. placebo). Changes from baseline in lathosterol/TC at week 2 between placebo and evolocumab were nonsignificant. These results suggest that evolocumab has a modest effect on cholesterol synthesis and absorption despite significant LDL-C lowering.
Asynchronous modernization of the Mexican press. A center-periphery comparison

After seventy years of an almost complete hegemony, in 2000 the Institutional Revolutionary Party lost the presidency of the Republic to the oppositional National Action Party. That moment was considered the hallmark of the political transition that started in certain regions two decades ago. According to a group of American scholars, the transformation of the political system involved the modernisation of the media system as well, as the Mexican press as a whole was moving towards its professionalization. Nonetheless, diverse case studies focused on specific regions have found empirical evidence that prove otherwise: that local and regional journalism is still determined by the customs of the authoritarian model. Based upon a content analysis of the coverage of the 2015 parliamentary elections in both national and state newspapers, we found that although national media showed a more professional performance than those located in other regions, both groups shared a similar political bias and a limited coverage of those elections. Therefore, the main conclusion is that instead of a general transformation or stagnation, Mexican press develops an asynchronous modernisation process in which there are simultaneously liberal and authoritarian features.
From functional to productive longevity in the Netherlands

The breeding value for functional longevity in the Netherlands will be replaced by a breeding value for productive longevity from January 2008 onwards. The breeding value for productive longevity will be expressed in days, the genetic standard deviation is 270 days. The heritability of productive longevity is 0.12. The genetic trend for productive longevity is higher than for functional longevity. For protein, udder depth and interval calving to first insemination the difference in correlation with functional and productive longevity was quite large. Productive longevity will replace functional longevity in the Dutch total merit index from January 2008 onwards. The total weight of production in the Dutch total merit index will stay the same after the introduction of productive longevity. The correlations of productive longevity with longevity traits in other countries decreased on average –0.18 based on results of the Interbull test evaluation of March 2007.
Corporate labour share of income and the shadow economy: a cross-country analysis

ABSTRACT This article addresses a link between the size of the shadow economy and the corporate labour share of income in the European Union. Fixed individual and time effects models suggest that there is a negative link between these two indicators. The coefficients are statistically significant if we control for other variables related to labour markets, such as unemployment rates or strictness of employment protection (regular contracts). Depending on the exact model specification, our estimates suggest that an increase in the shadow economy by 1% of GDP results in a 0.5–1% decline in the labour share of income in the corporate sector.
Burden of disease across chronic diseases: a health survey that measured prevalence, function, and quality of life.

OBJECTIVE To assess health related quality of life (HRQOL) and functional ability across groups of chronic diseases in Spain. METHODS A national health survey was conducted during 1999-2000. Participants were randomly selected from city censuses among persons aged over 20 years. All 2192 participants (response rate 73%) completed generic instruments measuring functional ability in activities of daily living [Health Assessment Questionnaire (HAQ)] and HRQOL [Short-Form 12 (SF-12)]. Chronic diseases were defined by self-report and elicited from 2 specific questions: "Have you ever been told you have a chronic disease by a physician? " and "Are you taking any chronic medication? ". Only diagnoses present for > or = 3 months were included as chronic. We estimated mean HAQ and SF-12 scores for the different groups of chronic diseases. We then adjusted the scores for covariates and compared them between diseases by multiple linear regressions. RESULTS Over half the population had at least one chronic disease [n = 1276 (58.2%)], and 22.6% had any rheumatic disease. Rheumatic diseases have an adverse effect on daily functioning [HAQ beta-coefficient 0.11 (95% CI 0.06-0.15)] and HRQOL [SF-12 physical beta-coefficient -5.78 (95% CI -6.27 to -4.28); SF-12 mental beta-coefficient -2.61 (95% CI -3.79 to -1.41)]. Thus, the influence of the rheumatic diseases is greater when their prevalence is taken into account. CONCLUSION When the definition of burden of disease includes a measure of function and HRQOL that is weighted by disease prevalence, rheumatic diseases as a group can be ranked alongside neurological, cardiac, or pulmonary conditions as a major disease.
Impact of macroeconomic variables on stock market returns: a case study of Colombo Stock Exchange, Sri Lanka

Unexpected circumstances with respect to the social and economic conditions, the stock market indices have been moving up and down with high volatility. This study examines the equilibrium relationships between the stock market indices and macro-economic factors in Sri Lankan during the period from January 2009 to December 2016 to capture the linear inter-dependencies, by using Vector Autoregressive Regression and Vector Error Correlation Model. Estimated co-integration rank test and Max-eigenvalue test suggested that there are two co-integration equations exist at the 0.05 level of significance. Furthermore, findings revealed that macroeconomic variables have direct effect on high volatility in Stock Market fluctuations. Moreover, the results concluded that Colombo Stock Exchange (CSE) is highly sensitive to the macroeconomic variables such as real gross domestic product and broad money supply.
Patients' perceptions of entitlement to time in general practice consultations for depression: qualitative study

# Patients' perceptions of entitlement to time in general practice consultations for depression: qualitative study {#article-title-2} Objective :: To investigate patients' perceptions of entitlement to time in general practice consultations for depression. Design :: Qualitative study based on interviews with patients with mild to moderate depression. Setting :: Eight general practices in the West Midlands and the regional membership of the Depression Alliance. Participants :: 32 general practice patients and 30 respondents from the Depression Alliance. Results: : An intense sense of time pressure and a self imposed rationing of time in consultations were key concerns among the interviewees. Anxiety about time affected patients' freedom to talk about their problems. Patients took upon themselves part of the responsibility for managing time in the consultation to relieve the burden they perceived their doctors to be working under. Respondents' accounts often showed a mismatch between their own sense of time entitlement and the doctors' capacity to respond flexibly and constructively in offering extended consultation time when this was necessary. Patients valued time to talk and would often have liked more, but they did not necessarily associate length of consultation with quality. The impression doctors gave in handling time in consultations sent strong messages about legitimising the patients' illness and their decision to consult. Conclusions :: Patients' self imposed restraint in taking up doctors' time has important consequences for the recognition and treatment of depression. Doctors need to have a greater awareness of patients' anxieties about time and should move to allay such anxieties by pre-emptive reassurance and reinforcing patients' sense of entitlement to time. Far from acting as “consumers,” patients voluntarily assume responsibility for conserving scarce resources in a health service that they regard as a collective rather than a personal resource. # Commentary: Managing time appropriately in primary care {#article-title-24}
Determinants of Customer Satisfaction and Loyalty in Vietnamese Life-Insurance Setting

Sustainable services are often regarded as sustainable strategies and operations producing goods and services that satisfy customer needs and significantly improve social and environmental performance. To be sustainable, service providers must satisfy consumers’ needs or otherwise they will become redundant and economically irrelevant. This paper presents the results of an empirical study on the determinants of customer satisfaction and loyalty in life-insurance services in Vietnam based on a database collected through a questionnaire survey of 1476 customers during 2017. A path analysis technique is applied to test the proposed framework on the direct and indirect relationship between variables. The results of statistical analysis indicate that customer satisfaction in life-insurance services is significantly explained by such factors as corporate image, service quality and perceived value. Our findings suggest that a life-insurance service provider should focus on enhancing service quality and corporate image in order to obtain customer satisfaction that leads to customer loyalty.
A Retrospective Analysis and Future Trends of E-tourism Research in China

ABSTRACT More and more Chinese and international researchers have begun to focus on e-tourism in China, but little is known about the publication trends in this emerging body of work. This study reviews 57 articles published in six leading international tourism journals, focusing on information and communications technology adoption in the tourism sector in China. Utilizing content and authorship analysis, we analyze the research trends and institutional contributions to this promising area of work. Our study makes a contribution by identifying emerging research themes in this area through a review of leading and high-quality publications, and identifying the academics and institutions who have contributed.
Treatment of unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma with use of 90Y microspheres (TheraSphere): safety, tumor response, and survival.

PURPOSE To present safety and efficacy results obtained in treatment of a cohort of patients with unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) with use of 90Y microspheres (TheraSphere). PATIENTS AND METHODS Forty-three consecutive patients with HCC were treated with 90Y microspheres over a 4-year period. Patients were treated by liver segment or lobe on one or more occasions based on tumor distribution, liver function, and vascular flow dynamics. Patients were followed for adverse events, objective tumor response, and survival. Patients were stratified into three risk groups according to method of treatment and risk stratification (group 0, segmental; group 1, lobar low-risk; group 2, lobar high-risk) and Okuda and Child-Pugh scoring systems. RESULTS Based on follow-up data from 43 treated patients, 20 patients (47%) had an objective tumor response based on percent reduction in tumor size and 34 patients (79%) had a tumor response when percent reduction and/or tumor necrosis were used as a composite measure of tumor response. There was no statistical difference among the three risk groups with respect to tumor response. Survival times from date of diagnosis were different among the risk groups (P < .0001). Median survival times were 46.5 months, 16.9 months, and 11.1 months for groups 0, 1, and 2, respectively. Median survival times of 24.4 months and 12.5 months by Okuda scores of I and II, respectively, were achieved (mean, 25.8 months vs 13.1). Patients had median survival times of 20.5 months and 13.8 months according to Child class A and class B/C disease, respectively (mean, 22.7 months vs 13.6 months). Patients classified as having diffuse disease exhibited decreased survival and reduced tumor response. There were no life-threatening adverse events related to treatment. CONCLUSIONS Use of 90Y microspheres (TheraSpheres) provides a safe and effective method of treatment for a broad spectrum of patients presenting with unresectable HCC. Further investigation is warranted.
Higher education development in Greater Peterborough : a case study of public policy

The aim of the research was to examine the impact of power on public policy using higher education development in Greater Peterborough as a case study. The research focused on the 'Towards Peterborough's University' project managed by Greater Peterborough Training & Enterprise Council (GPtec), funded by Government Office Eastern Region (GOER), and which aimed to establish quality university education in Greater Peterborough. It represents an ethnographic study (chiefly participant observation) concentrating on the first two years of development—from the setting up of the project in October 1994 to establishment and formal registration of a project company in December 1996. [Continues. ]
Extraction of SSVEP signals of a capacitive EEG helmet for Human Machine Interface

The use of capacitive electrodes for measuring EEG eliminates the preparation procedure known from classical noninvasive EEG measurements. The insulated interface to the brain signals in combination with steady-state visual evoked potentials (SSVEP) enables a zero prep human machine interface triggered by brain signals. This paper presents a 28-channel EEG helmet system based on our capacitive electrodes measuring and analyzing SSVEPs even through scalp hair. Correlation analysis is employed to extract the stimulation frequency of the EEG signal. The system is characterized corresponding to the available detection time with different subjects. As demonstration of the use of capacitive electrodes for SSVEP measurements, preliminary online Brain-Computer Interface (BCI) results of the system are presented. Detection times lie about a factor of 3 higher than in galvanic EEG SSVEP measurements, but are low enough to establish a proper communication channel for Human Machine Interface (HMI).
The Effect of the Sophomore Slump on Students’ Persistence

For years, universities have focused on student admissions and getting students through their first-year. According to Schaller (2010), this has resulted in limited literature and research regarding the persistence of sophomore students. From Fall 2010 to Fall 2015, the University of New Mexico (UNM) has experienced a decrease in the persistence of its cohorts from the third to the fifth semester. The existence of this higher attrition rate amongst sophomore students has been associated with a phenomenon known as the “sophomore slump” (Tobolowsky & Cox, 2007). The purpose of this research study was to utilize student retention conceptual models to explore the effect of the sophomore slump on sophomore students’ persistence. It included an examination and statistical analysis of several variables that impacted the retention or persistence of a sample of sophomore students at UNM. This research study was conducted using a descriptive quantitative methodology. The variables associated with the pre-entry attributes, cognitive, academics, social engagements, and financial categories were vi merged into five conceptual models as a mean to investigate if there was a correlational statistical significance within their relationships on the effect of the sophomore slump. Overall, the statistical results of this research study revealed that the two of the financial variables (i.e., lottery scholarship and performance-based scholarship) had the most significant impact on the persistence of sophomore students at the University of New Mexico.