Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Using effectiveness and cost-effectiveness to make drug coverage decisions: a comparison of Britain, Australia, and Canada.

CONTEXT National public insurance for drugs is often based on evidence of comparative effectiveness and cost-effectiveness. This study describes how that evidence has been used across 3 jurisdictions (Australia, Canada, and Britain) that have been at the forefront of evidence-based coverage internationally. OBJECTIVES To describe how clinical and cost-effectiveness evidence is used in coverage decisions both within and across jurisdictions and to identify common issues in the process of evidence-based coverage. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS Descriptive analysis of retrospective data from the Common Drug Review (CDR) of Canada, National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) in Britain, and Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee (PBAC) of Australia. All publicly available information as of December 31, 2008, was gathered from each committee's Web site (data set begins in January 2004 [CDR], February 2001 [NICE], and July 2005 [PBAC]). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE Listing recommendations for each drug by disease indication. RESULTS NICE recommended 87.4% (174/199) of submissions for listing compared with a listing rate of 49.6% (60/121) and 54.3% (153/282) for the CDR and PBAC, respectively. Significant uncertainty around clinical effectiveness, typically resulting from inadequate study design or the use of inappropriate comparators and unvalidated surrogate end points, was identified as a key issue in coverage decisions. Recommendations varied considerably across countries, possibly because of differences in the medications reviewed; different agency processes, including the willingness to negotiate on price; and the approach to "me too" drugs. The data suggest that the 3 agencies make recommendations that are consistent with evidence on effectiveness and cost-effectiveness but that other factors are often important. CONCLUSIONS NICE, PBAC, and CDR face common issues with respect to the quality and strength of the experimental evidence in support of a clinically meaningful effect. However, comparative effectiveness and cost-effectiveness, along with other relevant factors, can be used by national agencies to support drug decision making. The results of the evaluation process in different countries are influenced by the context, agency processes, ability to engage in price negotiation, and perhaps differences in social values.
Right colonic diverticulitis: US and CT findings--new insights about frequency and natural history.

PURPOSE To evaluate how the use of ultrasonography (US) and computed tomography (CT) has changed insights on the frequency and natural history of right colonic diverticulitis. MATERIALS AND METHODS Clinical findings, US and CT images, and clinical and surgical records in 44 patients with a final diagnosis of right colonic diverticulitis seen over 11 years were retrospectively studied. RESULTS Of the 44 patients, three underwent diverticulectomy, and 41 were successfully treated conservatively. Follow-up US demonstrated a consistent change in the pattern of the findings of diverticulitis over time, with eventual spontaneous evacuation of the contents of the inflamed diverticulum into the colonic lumen. Five patients had recurrent symptoms; two of them underwent elective surgery. The frequency of right colonic diverticulitis was one in 34 appendectomies, which is nine times higher than that reported to date. CONCLUSION Right colonic diverticulitis is more common than has been previously reported. US and CT findings are characteristic and show a consistent pattern of changes over time. The natural history is benign, and surgical intervention can be avoided in the vast majority of patients.
Emotional Illness in Psychiatric Trainees

Emotional illness in psychiatric post-graduate trainees has been the topic of several papers in recent years (1, 2, 3). In summary, these papers suggest that emotional illness in psychiatric training is common. Anxiety and depression characterize these illnesses and occur most frequently in the first year of training. But, as Halleck and Woods have stated, ‘Information as to the prevalence of anxiety states, depression, suicide, psychoses or serious acting out is unavailable’ (4).
Difficult Partnerships: The World Bank, States, and NGOs

Abstract Since the early 1990s, World Bank officials in many countries have pressed their government borrowers to include nongovernmental organizations as development partners. What impact has this new partnership norm had in the bank's borrower countries, and why? This article investigates these questions through longitudinal analysis of three cases: Guatemala, Ecuador, and the Gambia. In their first iteration in the 1990s, these bank-sponsored efforts generally failed to take root; yet by the 2000s, NGOs and state actors were engaged in multiple partnerships. This article suggests that over time, bank officials' repeated efforts to embed these new ideas fostered a social learning process that led NGOs to adopt more strategic partnership practices and government officials to see NGO partners as useful. Several factors may affect this learning process: levels of professionalism and the growth of professional networks, the presence of effective “bridge builders,” and the level of historical conflicts.
Plasma Creatine Kinetics After Ingestion of Microencapsulated Creatine Monohydrate with Enhanced Stability in Aqueous Solutions

ABSTRACT Creatine monohydrate represents one of the largest sports supplement markets. Enhancing creatine (CRE) stability in aqueous solutions, such as with microencapsulation, represents innovation potential. Ten physically active male volunteers were randomly assigned in a double-blind design to either placebo (PLA) (3-g maltodextrin; n = 5) or microencapsulated CRE (3-g creatine monohydrate; n = 5) conditions. Experimental conditions involved ingestion of the samples in a 70-mL ready-to-drink format. CRE was delivered in a novel microencapsulation matrix material consisting entirely of hydrolyzed milk protein. Three hours after ingestion, plasma creatine concentrations were unchanged during PLA, and averaged ∼45 μM. During CRE, plasma creatine concentration peaked after 30 min at 101.6 ± 14.9 μM (p < 0.05), representing a 2.3-fold increase over PLA. Thereafter, plasma creatine concentration gradually trended downwards but remained significantly elevated (∼50% above resting levels) 3 hr after ingestion. These results demonstrate that the microencapsulated form of creatine monohydrate reported herein remains bioavailable when delivered in aqueous conditions, and has potential utility in ready-to-drink formulations for creatine supplementation.
Protein Abundance of Clinically Relevant Drug‐Metabolizing Enzymes in the Human Liver and Intestine: A Comparative Analysis in Paired Tissue Specimens

This work revises and complements existing findings on the distribution of drug‐metabolizing enzymes in the first‐pass effect organs. We explored gene expression (quantitative polymerase chain reaction) and protein abundance (liquid chromatography/ tandem mass spectrometry) of CYP1A2, CYP2B6, CYP2C8/9/19, CYP2D6, CYP2E1, CYP3A4/5, UGT1A1/3, UGT2B7/15 in the liver, duodenum, jejunum, ileum, and colon in paired tissues from nine organ donors. All proteins were detected in the liver, but in the intestine CYP2C9/19, CYP2D6, CYP3A4/5, UGT1A1/3, and UGT2B7 were found. CYP3A4 showed comparable abundance in the liver and jejunum, whereas other enzymes were markedly higher in the hepatic tissue. Nearly all detected enzymes showed their highest abundance in the jejunum. Significant correlations between mRNA and protein levels in liver or intestine were found for most enzymes. CYP3A4 and CYP3A5 protein abundance, but not other enzymes, were significantly correlated in the liver and the small intestine. Our data may contribute to an improved understanding of hepatic and intestinal drug metabolism.
Transforming the news value chain in the social era: a community perspective

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to develop a conceptual framework to understand the influence that the social era is having on the value chain of the local news industry. The authors theoretically advance value chain theory by, firstly, considering the influence of community type and age on consumption and, secondly, exploring the role that consumers can play in value-adding activities. The theoretical contribution of this study lies in moving from a transactional approach towards consumer relationships in the value chain towards managing consumers as a source of relational value (e.g. co-creation and integrated perspectives). Design/methodology/approach – The conceptual framework is theoretically positioned in relation to community and digital community practices in the social era. A series of research questions are presented, then these questions are explored drawing on empirical data from the Pew database. The authors then advance the framework further to consider news firm strategy towards its .
A longitudinal study of the impact of the Sydney Olympics on real estate markets

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine the impact of the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games on the residential real estate markets of the host city during the bidding, pre-Olympic and post-Olympic periods. Design/methodology/approach – This study uses a difference-in-differences model to analyze the transaction prices for all properties in New South Wales, Australia for the period from 1980 to 2007. Findings – The paper finds that the impact on real estate markets varies across different suburbs in the host city and over time. The real estate markets of host suburbs experience substantially higher growth during the bidding and pre-Olympic periods but not during the post-Olympic period. However, the property prices in non-host suburbs in the host city increase at a higher rate during the pre- and post-Olympic periods but not during the bidding period. Originality/value – This study offers insights into the long-term impact of the Olympic Games on host suburbs and non-host suburbs in the host city during .
Dictyostelium discoideum plasmid containing an AP‐endonuclease upstream sequence: Bleomycin induction of a luciferase reporter

A sequence of 1624 bp 5′ to the apurinic/apyrimidinic (AP) endonuclease structural gene of Dictyostelium discoideum (APEA) has been inserted upstream of the luciferase reporter gene in pVTL2, an autonomously replicating nuclear plasmid in this organism. Cells transformed with this plasmid, designated pVTL‐AL, displayed strong luciferase induction during treatment with the DNA‐damaging agent bleomycin. For example, a luciferase activity of 45‐fold above the constitutive level was observed for 20 hours of growth in axenic medium with 0.002 U/mL of bleomycin. The response was bleomycin concentration‐dependent. Cell survival was greater than 90% for all treatments. The level of luciferase expression was highly dependent on the cell growth conditions, with the greatest induction observed for stationary phase axenically‐grown cells. This effect may be related to a variation of plasmid copy number with growth conditions. Environ. Mol. Mutagen. 38:244–247, 2001. © 2001 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Parallel assessment of glutathione‐based detoxifying enzymes, O6‐alkylguanine‐dna alkyltransferase and P‐glycoprotein as indicators of drug resistance in tumor and normal lung of patients with lung cancer

The levels of several potential indicators of drug resistance were measured in tumor and corresponding normal tissue of 55 untreated patients with lung cancer. The resistance parameters include glutathione (GSH) level, activities of the enzymes glutathione transferase (GST), glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and O6‐alkylguanine‐DNA alkyltransferase (ATase), as well as expression of P‐glycoprotein (Pgp). Median values of GSH, GST and GPx were significantly higher in tumor than in normal tissue of non‐small‐cell lung cancer (NSCLC) or of small‐cell lung cancer (SCLC), whereas ATase was elevated in tumor tissue of NSCLC only. Pgp expression as determined by Western blotting was significantly lower in tumor than in normal tissue of NSCLC. Resistance‐parameter expression did not correlate with stage of disease or age of the patients. We found a negative correlation between smoking intensity and GSH level in normal tissue. Our findings indicate that the fundamental differences in chemo‐sensitivity between SCLC and NSCLC cannot be explained by differences in the GSH‐system or in the expression of Pgp. However, the level of ATase activity may be one of the factors responsible for the difference in chemosensitivity.
Pediatric pituitary adenoma.

PITUITARY adenoma in childhood and adolesence are rare. There are some reports about pediatric pituitary adenomas [1-9], but none are reported from Japan. In this paper we investigated the records of pediatric patients under 18 years old and discuss their clinical characteristics. and sex distribution of the pediatric pituitary adenoma are summarized in Table 3, grouped by tumor sub-type. Tumor size is summarized in Table 4, grouped by tumor sub-type.
The Significance of Marine Bacteria in the Fouling of Submerged Surfaces

The attachment and subsequent growth of the wildly promiscuous assemblage of visible plant and animal organisms on the hulls of ships and other submerged marine structures is known as fouling. Our present-day knowledge of the nature and extent of fouling is discussed comprehensively by Visscher (1928b). The vast economic loss resulting from fouling has instigated extensive investigations of its cause and more particularly of practical methods for its prevention. However, attention has been focused mainly upon the habits, life histories and tolerances to poisonous paints and metals of the macroscopic encroachers such as barnacles, mollusks, tunicates, hydroids, and bryozoans. Surprisingly, little, or no, attention has been devoted to the exact sequence of events, especially during the initial stages, to the relationship of one group of organisms to another, and to the associated microscopic life. It is the purpose of this paper to report the observations which have been made at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography at La Jolla during the last two years on the attachment of bacteria and kindred microorganisms upon submerged surfaces,' and to discuss their possible significance with reference to fouling. The studies of Wilson (1925) at the Scripps Institution on marine algal successions indicated that colonial diatoms were the first
Caco‐2 cells express a combination of colonocyte and enterocyte phenotypes

Caco‐2 cells are derived from a human colonic adenocarcinoma, but differentiate into small intestinal‐like cells after confluence. While this enterocytic differentiation has been well studied, the presumed parallel loss of colonocyte function has not been as thoroughly examined. To follow the phenotype for both tissues, Western blots were performed using antisera recognizing liver/bone/kidney alkaline phosphatase and surfactant‐like particle proteins found in normal human colon, along with antisera against the small bowel representatives of the same proteins. Antisera against proteins enriched in either enterocytes (α1‐antitrypsin) or colonocytes (surfactant protein A) were also evaluated. Alkaline phosphatase activity increased from 3 to 18 days post‐confluence. Activity at 3 days post‐confluence derived substantially from both isomers. Thereafter, the colonic (liver/bone/kidney) isomer declined to low levels as the content of the enterocytic isomer rose. A similar pattern was found with colonic (decreasing expression) and enterocytic (increasing expression) surfactant‐like particle proteins. In particular, the content of larger enterocytic particle proteins (97 and 116 kDa) increased with time in culture. Expression of α1‐antitrypsin increased early and remained high, whereas surfactant protein A generally declined after the third day post‐confluency. In summary, undifferentiated Caco‐2 cells express very low levels of proteins characteristic of either colonocytes or enterocytes. Immediately after confluence, they expressed proteins characteristic of both cell types. Thereafter, the content of colonocyte‐specific proteins decreased, whereas those specific for the enterocyte increased. The timing and degree of this phenotypic switch have implications for the interpretation of experiments using Caco‐2 cells as a model of small intestinal function. J. Cell. Physiol. 174:362–369, 1998. © 1998 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Security Analysts' Views of the Financial Ratios of Manufacturers and Retailers

Studies of efficient behavior by expert security analysts show that these analysts develop checklists of ratios that they consider most useful for analyzing a firm in a specific industry. While many financial management and investments books have chapters that explore security analysis using financial ratios, most of these presentations do not discuss which ratios security analysts consider the most useful. Using responses from a survey of security analysts, this study investigates which financial ratios they use when examining firms. The study ranks the perceived usefulness of 63 ratios and 13 ratio groups for analyzing manufacturers or retailers. Then, it ranks the ratios based on their different usefulness for analyzing manufacturers and retailers. The findings of this study should be of interest to novice security analysts and textbook authors.
A randomized controlled trial of telephone-delivered cognitive-behavioral therapy for late-life anxiety disorders.

OBJECTIVES Older adults face a number of barriers to receiving psychotherapy, such as a lack of transportation and access to providers. One way to overcome such barriers is to provide treatment by telephone. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of cognitive behavioral therapy delivered by telephone (CBT-T) to older adults diagnosed with an anxiety disorder. DESIGN Randomized controlled trial. SETTING Participants' homes. PARTICIPANTS Sixty participants age 60 and older with a diagnosis of generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder, or anxiety disorder not otherwise specified. INTERVENTION CBT-T versus information-only comparison. MEASUREMENTS Coprimary outcomes included worry (Penn State Worry Questionnaire) and general anxiety (State Trait Anxiety Inventory). Secondary outcomes included clinician-rated anxiety (Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale), anxiety sensitivity (Anxiety Sensitivity Index), depressive symptoms (Beck Depression Inventory), quality of life (SF-36), and sleep (Insomnia Severity Index). Assessments were completed prior to randomization, immediately upon completion of treatment, and 6 months after completing treatment. RESULTS CBT-T was superior to information-only in reducing general anxiety (ES = 0.71), worry (ES = 0.61), anxiety sensitivity (ES = 0.85), and insomnia (ES = 0.82) at the posttreatment assessment; however, only the reductions in worry were maintained by the 6-month follow-up assessment (ES = 0.80). CONCLUSIONS These results suggest that CBT-T may be efficacious in reducing anxiety and worry in older adults, but additional sessions may be needed to maintain these effects.
A Growing Scalp Nodule.

MICROSCOPIC FINDINGS AND CLINICAL COURSE Histopathological evaluation showed an ulcerated malignant tumor filling the dermis. The tumor was composed of 2 distinct morphologies. There were atypical spindle cells and epithelioid cells with foamy cytoplasm present within the dermis. In addition, infiltrating strands of keratinizing cells were seen. Pan-cytokeratin, high molecular weight keratin, and P63 stained the epithelial strands of this tumor while CD-68 stained diffusely within the dermal component. S-100 and HMB-45 were negative.
Governance, Financial Liberalization, and Financial Development in Sub-Saharan Africa

An analysis of the roles of governance and financial liberalization in the financial development of 37 Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) countries yields several interesting results using data from 1996 to 2008. Contrary to previous studies, financial liberalization did not have a favorable independent impact on financial development; overall, financial liberalization efforts reduced financial development, particularly from 1996 to 2002. But, good governance has improved financial development over time, especially due to reduced political instability. The effect of the origin of legal systems suggests that civil laws are less favorable to financial development than mixed legal systems that include both civil and common laws. From 1996 to 2002, the impact of financial liberalization was reduced with good governance, probably due to governments’ forbearance of weak state-owned banks; but, since 2003 good governance has increased the impact of financial liberalization on financial development. Finally, the banking crises that affected a large number of countries about two decades ago may have had protracted effects on financial development, particularly, liquid liabilities.
He propensity of final year undergraduate agriculture students to become agricultural entrepreneurs: implications for food self-sufficiency in Nigeria

This study examined the factors influencing the willingness of final year undergraduate agriculture students to become agricultural entrepreneurs after graduation using a sample of final year agricultural students in four tertiary institutions in south-west Nigeria. Data were obtained through structured questionnaire. Results indicate that fifty-one percent of the students had aspirations for other things apart from agriculture as a profession after graduation. Reasons given for lack of interest in the practice of agriculture include inaccessible agricultural funds, labour-intensive nature of farming in the country and perceived low profitability of agricultural enterprises. Factors which had significant effects on the probability that a final year agricultural student would become an agricultural entrepreneur after graduation include the first choice course on admission to tertiary institution, parents’ level of education and the person who made the final decision for a student to study agriculture in the tertiary institution. Students who had agriculture as the first choice course during admission into tertiary institution are more (0.78) likely to become entrepreneurs in agriculture after graduation. Students whose parent/parents had tertiary education are (0.59) less likely to become agricultural entrepreneurs. Students who personally made the decision to study agriculture are (0.78) less likely to become agricultural entrepreneurs. This implies that the students are not good decision makers in relation to career choice and thus need guidance when choosing their course of study. This will ensure that only interested students study agriculture with a view of becoming agricultural entrepreneurs after graduation thus helping the nation attain food self-sufficiency.
Face modeling and recognition in 3-D

We demonstrate a complete and automatic system to perform face authentication by analysis of 3D facial shape. In this live demonstration of the system, the subject is first enrolled, and given a unique identifier. Subsequently, the user's identity is verified by providing the reference identifier. Our approach is to be contrasted with traditional face recognition methods, which compare pictures of faces. We also analyzed the image quality requirements in order to generate a good quality 3D reconstruction from stereo.