Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Reliability and precision of pseudo‐continuous arterial spin labeling perfusion MRI on 3.0 T and comparison with 15O‐water PET in elderly subjects at risk for Alzheimer's disease

Arterial spin labeling (ASL) offers MRI measurement of cerebral blood flow (CBF) in vivo, and may offer clinical diagnostic utility in populations such as those with early Alzheimer's disease (AD). In the current study, we investigated the reliability and precision of a pseudo‐continuous ASL (pcASL) sequence that was performed two or three times within one hour on eight young normal control subjects, and 14 elderly subjects including 11 with normal cognition, one with AD and two with Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI). Six of these elderly subjects including one AD, two MCIs and three controls also received 15O‐water positron emission tomography (PET) scans 2 h before their pcASL MR scan. The instrumental reliability of pcASL was evaluated with the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC). The ICCs were greater than 0.90 in pcASL global perfusion measurements for both the young and the elderly groups. The cross‐modality perfusion imaging comparison yielded very good global and regional agreement in global gray matter and the posterior cingulate cortex. Significant negative correlation was found between age and the gray/white matter perfusion ratio (r = –0.62, p < 0.002). The AD and MCI patients showed the lowest gray/white matter perfusion ratio among all the subjects. The data suggest that pcASL provides a reliable whole brain CBF measurement in young and elderly adults whose results converge with those obtained with the traditional 15O‐water PET perfusion imaging method. pcASL perfusion MRI offers an alternative method for non‐invasive in vivo examination of early pathophysiological changes in AD. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Programmed Cell Death after Intracerebral Hemorrhage

Background: Intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) accounts for up to 15% of all strokes and is characterized by high rates of mortality and morbidity. The post-ICH brain injury can be distinguished in 1) primary, which are caused by disrup-tion and mechanical deformation of brain tissue due to hematoma growth and 2) secondary, which are induced by microglia activation, mitochondrial dysfunction, neurotransmitter and inflammatory mediator release. Although these events typically lead to necrosis, the occurrence of programmed cell death has also been reported after ICH. Methods: We reviewed recent publications describing advance in pre- and clinic ICH research. Results: At present, treatment of ICH patients is based on oral anticoagulant reversal, management of blood pressure and other medical complications. Several pre-clinical studies showed promising results and demonstrated that anti-oxidative and anti-inflammatory treatments reduced neuronal cell death, however, to date, all of these attempts have failed in randomized controlled clinical trials. Yet, the time frame of administration may be crucial in translation from animal to clinical studies. Furthermore, the latest pre-clinical research points toward the existence of other, apoptosis-unrelated forms kinds of pro-grammed cell death. Conclusion: Our review summarizes current knowledge of pathways leading to programmed cell death after ICH in addition to data from clinical trials. Some of the pre-clinical results have not yet demonstrated clinical confirmation, however they sig-nificantly contribute to our understanding of post-ICH pathology and can contribute to development of new therapeutic ap-proaches, decreasing mortality and improving ICH patients’ quality of life.
UFOV performance and driving ability following traumatic brain injury

Primary objective: To investigate the relationship between performance on the Useful Field of View Test (UFOV) and driving performance following traumatic brain injury (TBI). Participants: Sixty people with TBI referred for driving evaluation. Measures: Useful Field of View Test, Global Rating Scale and Driver Assessment Scale. Results: Subject performance diminished as the complexity of the UFOV sub-tests increased. There was a significant relationship between UFOV performance, particularly on the second sub-test, and on-road driving performance. Subject age and Trail Making Test, Part B were also predictive of driving performance. Conclusions: The UFOV can be used as a screening measure to determine readiness to participate in an on-road driving assessment.
Self-Esteem as a Predictor of Attitudes Toward Wife Abuse Among Muslim Women and Men in Canada

Abstract This study was designed (a) to assess attitudes toward wife abuse in a sample of Muslim women and men in Canada and (b) to assess whether those attitudes were influenced by self-esteem. Results suggested that, as in general North American samples, the Muslim women and men did not differ from each other on levels of self-esteem. Also consistent with general North American samples, the Muslim women's and men's attitudes toward wife abuse were related to their self-esteem, with higher self-esteem scores predicting stronger attitudes against wife abuse, independent of gender. However, the results also revealed that the Muslim men had significantly more lenient attitudes toward wife abuse compared with the Muslim women and with North American norms.
Equol Is a Novel Anti-Androgen that Inhibits Prostate Growth and Hormone Feedback1

Abstract Equol (7-hydroxy-3[4′hydroxyphenyl]-chroman) is the major metabolite of the phytoestrogen daidzein, one of the main isoflavones found abundantly in soybeans and soy foods. Equol may be an important biologically active molecule based on recent studies demonstrating that equol can modulate reproductive function. In this study, we examined the effects of equol on prostate growth and LH secretion and determined some of the mechanisms by which it might act. Administration of equol to intact male rats for 4–7 days reduced ventral prostate and epididymal weight and increased circulating LH levels. Using binding assays, we determined that equol specifically binds 5α-dihydrotestosterone (DHT), but not testosterone, dehydroepiandrosterone, or estrogen with high affinity. Equol does not bind the prostatic androgen receptor, and has a modest affinity for recombinant estrogen receptor (ER) β, and no affinity for ERα. In castrated male rats treated with DHT, concomitant treatment with equol blocked DHT's trophic effects on the ventral prostate gland growth and inhibitory feedback effects on plasma LH levels without changes in circulating DHT. Therefore, equol can bind circulating DHT and sequester it from the androgen receptor, thus altering growth and physiological hormone responses that are regulated by androgens. These data suggest a novel model to explain equol's biological properties. The significance of equol's ability to specifically bind and sequester DHT from the androgen receptor have important ramifications in health and disease and may indicate a broad and important usage for equol in the treatment of androgen-mediated pathologies.
A Global Factor in Variance Risk Premia and Local Bond Pricing

In a world of interconnected financial markets it is plausible that risk appetite — an important factor in asset pricing — is determined globally. By constructing an estimate of variance risk premia (VRP) for UK, US and euro-area equity markets, we are able to estimate international variance risk premia and use them to construct a proxy for global risk aversion. The impact of this time-varying risk aversion proxy on bond risk premia is then analysed within an arbitrage-free term structure model of UK interest rates, where it is introduced explicitly as a pricing factor. By linking VRP to a stochastic discount factor, we find that the risk aversion factor has significantly affected UK government bond yields. The changes in the risk aversion factor have been particularly important in the period of the 2008–09 financial crisis, with medium maturity yields being affected the most.
Mapping ecosystem services potential in Lithuania

ABSTRACT This research presents a geographic information systems (GIS)-based method for ecosystem services (ES) potential assessment in a case study for the Lithuanian national territory. The ES potential was assessed for 31 CORINE land-cover classes (CLC2006) together with 31 ES categorized into regulating, provisioning and cultural ES. An expert-based ranking approach using a two-dimensional ES matrix and a geospatial analysis was applied to determine total ES potential, spatial patterns and relations among multiple ES. Results showed that forest areas had the highest potential for ES delivery whereas ES potential in urban areas was lowest. The spatial autocorrelation of regulating and cultural ES were dispersed while provisioning ES were significantly clustered. The principal component analysis (PCA) identified five factors with distinctive geospatial distribution: Factor 1 – forest areas, Factor 2 – aquatic environments, Factor 3 – livestock farming and energy production, Factor 4 – agricultural food production and Factor 5 – mineral extraction sites. The plotting of Factors 1 and 2 accounted for 72.81% of variance and identified three ES bundles composed by specific ES types: Bundle 1 – forest ecosystems, Bundle 2 – marine and freshwater ecosystems and Bundle 3 – mixed provisioning ecosystems. Trade-offs occur between regulating and cultural ES against the provisioning ES crop production and livestock farming. We conclude that the presented ES assessment can support decision-makers in the development of strategies for natural resources management at national and regional level, support the identification of trade-offs and synergies among ES types and foster ES research in Lithuania.
Adherence to medication and self-management in stroke patients.

BACKGROUND Stroke is the third most common cause of mortality and one of the leading causes of adult physical disability in England. Medical treatment is imperative for the management of stroke and the risk reduction of recurrent stroke. The success of a medical treatment is determined largely by adherence. However, research has shown that adherence to medication in patients who have had a stroke is often suboptimal. Self-management interventions have been shown to improve adherence in long-term conditions. The impact of self-management interventions specifically on adherence to stroke medication is unknown. OBJECTIVE To review systematically the impact that self-management interventions have on adherence to stroke medication. METHOD The online databases that were systematically searched included PsychINFO, MEDLINE, EMBASE, Scopus, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, CINAHL and Web of Science. Reference lists of retrieved studies were hand-searched. RESULTS Six studies met the criteria for inclusion in the systematic review. Self-management interventions for stroke patients were effective in improving adherence to stroke medication in the short term. However, in the longer term, these benefits were not maintained. CONCLUSIONS Applying self-management interventions to improve medication adherence in stroke patients across integrated clinical settings shows promise. However, further development of such interventions and research is recommended, with more stringent methodologies and longer follow-up periods.
The Concept and Measurement of Regional Industrial Diversification

The relationship between the economic structure of subnational regions and their relative responsiveness to fluctuations in national economic activity has been a persistent vein of inquiry within regional economics for nearly thirty years. The pursuit of "diversified" local economic structures in response to potentially unstable dependence upon single industries or groups of industries is a thoroughly ensconced dimension of virtually every contemporary local development effort. The professional research upon which such planning orientation is presumably based, however, has been less than satisfying in both its theoretical and empirical dimensions. In fact, a distinct pessimism permeates the literature with respect to the relationship between diversification of industrial structure and stability of local economic activity [see Isard, 10, 276; Richardson, 15, 148]. In this paper we shall note that such pessimism may be premature. Previous attempts to define and measure industrial diversity in economically meaningful ways have suffered from significant conceptual shortcomings; and empirical attempts to relate such definitions to historical stability have, almost without exception, been such as to understate the potential of diversification efforts to reduce instability in regional economic activity. The conceptual difficulties of the four principal measures of regional industrial diversity or diversification are here demonstrated, and the limitations of empirical studies to date are noted. A new conceptual approach is offered and is shown to lead naturally to a new measure of industrial diversification which appears to alleviate several of the problems encountered in previous measures. The results of empirical analyses of the relative ability of the new measure to explain statistically the historical instability of a cross-section of 52 U.S. metropolitan regions are also reported. The results provide some evidence not only that the new measure seems to explain variation in instability considerably better than its precursors but also that it appears to do so sufficiently well in absolute terms to raise new in erest in the policy goal of intra-regional diversification.
Association of myocardial infarction with mononuclear cell expression of the cytomegalovirus chemokine receptor US28 in patients with NIDDM.

BACKGROUND Infectious agents have been linked to atherosclerosis and its acute manifestations; however, little is known about their influence in the context of established risk factors. OBJECTIVE To elucidate the role of the cytomegalovirus (CMV)-encoded chemokine receptor US28 in myocardial infarction (MI) afflicting patients with or without type II diabetes mellitus (NIDDM) on a molecular level. PATIENTS AND METHODS In a group of patients (n=112) with a high prevalence of NIDDM and coronary artery disease, CMV serology was performed, and mRNA expression of US28 and immediate early 1 gene as markers of CMV reactivation were analyzed in peripheral mononuclear blood cells by a nested reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. Moreover, transendothelial chemotaxis assays using mononuclear cells transfected with or without US28 were performed in vitro. RESULTS While the incidence of smoking was higher in nondiabetic patients with MI than in those without MI, significant differences in other risk factors, such as cholesterol, low density lipoprotein, fibrinogen, blood pressure, and Chlamydia pneumoniae immunoglobulin G or CMV immunoglobulin G titres, were not observed. In contrast, the levels of C-reactive protein reflecting inflammation or infection were raised in NIDDM patients with or without MI. Notably, mRNA expression of intermediate early 1 gene and US28 indicative of CMV reactivation was detected in a small subset (four of 21) of NIDDM patients with MI but not in those without MI (P<0.03). Transfection of US28 in mononuclear cells conferred transendothelial chemotaxis to monocyte chemokines, inferring a mechanism for deleterious effects of CMV under permissive conditions. CONCLUSIONS Results show that MI was associated with mononuclear expression of CMV genes such as functional chemokine receptor US28 in a subset of patients with NIDDM, inferring that this association may predispose to MI. Ongoing infection or inflammation in NIDDM patients as shown by increased C-reactive protein may account for susceptibility to CMV reactivation and MI.
Southern elephant seal foraging success in relation to temperature and light conditions: insight into prey distribution

The distribution of southern elephant seal Mirounga leonina prey encounter events (PEEs) was investigated from the foraging behaviour of 29 post-breeding females simultaneously equipped with a satellite tag, a timedepth recorder and a head-mounted accelerometer. Seal diving depth and PEE were related to water temperature at 200 m (T200), and light level at the surface (L0) and at depth. Approximately half (49%) of all dives were located in waters encom- passed between the southern Antarctic Circumpolar Current Front and the Polar Front. Seals dived significantly deeper during the day than at night. Diving and PEE depth increased with increasing T200 and for a given T200 according to L0 and the percentage of surface light reaching 150 m. On average, 540 PEEs per day were recorded. Seals exhibited more PEEs per unit of time spent diving during the twilight period compared with at night, and were least successful during daylight hours. Elephant seals forage in T200 ranging between �1 and 13°C; however, few PEEs were recorded at depths shallower than 400�500 m at night when the T200 exceeded 8°C. The diet of female Kerguelen elephant seals appears to be dominated by myctophids (lanternfish), and according to the average mass of their most likely myctophid prey (9 g, Electrona calsbergi and E. antarctica; 30 g Gymnoscopelus nicholsi and G. piabilis), we estimate that seals consumed 4.8�16.1 kg of fish daily. Despite lower catch rates in warmer waters, no relationship was found between the mean T200 at the scale of the foraging trip and daily or absolute mass gain, suggesting that elephant seals are compensating for lower catch rates by consuming larger/richer prey items in those waters.
Fast-track failure after cardiac surgery: Development of a prediction model*

Objective:Risk factors for unsuccessful fast-tracking of cardiac surgery patients have not been collectively defined in the literature. The aim of this study was to determine risk factors for fast-track failure and incorporate them into a predictive fast-track failure score. Design:Prospective observational study. Setting:Cardiothoracic Department of St Mary’s Hospital, London. Patients:Data were collected from April 2003 to April 2005 including 1,084 patients undergoing heart surgery who were admitted into the fast-track unit. Interventions:Multifactorial logistic regression was used to develop a propensity score for estimating the likelihood of fast-track failure. Measurements and Main Results:One hundred and sixty-nine patients failed fast-track management (15.6%). Independent predictors for fast-track failure were impaired left ventricular function with or without recent acute coronary syndrome (odds ratios 2.89 and 1.65 respectively), re-do operation (one, two, or more vs. none, odds ratio 1.75, 7.98), extracardiac arteriopathy (odds ratio 2.63), preoperative intra-aortic balloon pump (odds ratio 3.09), raised serum creatinine in &mgr;mol/L (120–150, >150 vs. <120, odds ratio 1.57, 11.24), and nonelective (odds ratio 3.43) and complex surgery (odds ratio 2.70). Model validation showed very good discrimination (area under the curve = 0.815) and calibration (ĉ statistic = 8.527, p = .129). Conclusions:The fast-track failure score incorporates several preoperative factors and has been successfully internally validated; after undergoing external validation and possible recalibration it may be used as a tool to facilitate planning and flow of cardiac surgery patients, based on the predicted probability of failure. Application of this score may limit fast-track failure rates and help to reduce morbidity and cost.
Commercial Interferon Gamma Release Assays Compared to the Tuberculin Skin Test for Diagnosis of Latent Mycobacterium tuberculosis Infection in Childhood Contacts in the Gambia

Background: We compared the performance of tuberculin skin test (TST), Quantiferon-TB Gold in-tube (QFT-GIT), and T-SPOT.TB in diagnosing latent tuberculosis (LTBI) among childhood TB contacts in a TB endemic setting with high BCG coverage. We evaluated the performance of interferon gamma release assays (IGRAs) and TST when combined in an algorithm. Methods: Childhood contacts of newly diagnosed TB patients were tested with TST, QFT-GIT, and T-SPOT. The level of exposure in contacts was categorized according to whether they slept in the same room, same house, or a different house as the index case. For the evaluation of combined test performance, prior estimates for prevalence of latent TB were used in Bayesian models that assumed conditional dependence between tests. Results: A total of 285 children were recruited. Overall, 26.5%, 33.0%, and 33.5% were positive for TST, T-SPOT, or QFT-GIT, respectively. All 3 tests responded to the gradient of sleeping proximity to the index case. Neither TST nor IGRA results were confounded by BCG vaccination. There was moderate agreement (&kgr; = 0.40–0.68) between all 3 tests. Combination of either IGRA with TST increased sensitivity (by 9.3%–9.6%) especially in contacts in the highest exposure category but was associated with loss of specificity (9.9%–11.3%). Conclusion: IGRAs and TST are similar in their diagnostic performance for LTBI. An approximate 10% sensitivity benefit for using the TST and an IGRA in combination is associated with a slightly greater specificity loss. Testing strategies combining an IGRA and TST with an “or” statement may be useful only in situations where there is a high pretest probability of latent infection.
University knowledge spillovers in university-industry collaboration: A case study of Lanzhou University of Technology

Universities are increasingly seen as an important “knowledge hub” of innovation. However, despite the growing interest of scholars and policymakers to better understand the knowledge spillovers between firms, studies on university knowledge spillovers are relatively small. With this context, this paper thus aims to examine the concept, the characteristics and the mechanisms of university knowledge spillovers based on the theoretical and empirical research. Firstly, study found that the mechanisms of university knowledge spillovers determined by the characteristics of university knowledge. Secondly, based on the questionnaire survey of 124 scientists from Lanzhou University of Technology we found that university-industry collaboration this formal cooperative network is an important mechanism of university knowledge spillovers. Finally, the study has obtained the corresponding policy recommendations.
Socially responsible behaviour: Labour market in Portugal

New laws and changes related to the labour market, especially in the European Union context, have generally had positive effects, as they have also benefited economic, social and political development. Based on Portugal’s experience, these constant changes should be prevented as well as possible in order to better counter any negative consequences that might ensue. One of these consequences is critically examined and it is related with the fact that people do not want to work or want to work as little as possible. In such an environment, firms face a difficult labour problem. The facts and statistics justify the need for a proactive attitude in order stimulates people in both the public and private sector to work and develop skills has become urgent. Furthermore, since work is often a result of voluntary initiatives undertaken by individuals, the interventions undertaken by policymakers that promote social welfare and poverty eradication for a large majority of the population, can result in a disincentive.