Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Evidence for intact local connectivity but disrupted regional function in the occipital lobe in children and adolescents with schizophrenia

It has long been known that specific visual frequencies result in greater blood flow to the striate cortex. These peaks are thought to reflect synchrony of local neuronal firing that is reflective of local cortical networks. Since disrupted neural connectivity is a possible etiology for schizophrenia, our goal was to investigate whether localized connectivity, as measured by aberrant synchrony, is abnormal in children and adolescents with schizophrenia. Subjects included 25 children and adolescents with schizophrenia and 39 controls matched for age and gender. Subjects were scanned on a Siemens 3 Tesla Trio scanner while observing flashing checkerboard presented at either 1, 4, 8, or 12 Hz. Image processing included both a standard GLM model and a Fourier transform analysis. Patients had significantly smaller volume of activation in the occipital lobe compared to controls. There were no differences in the integral or percent signal change of the hemodynamic response function for each of the four frequencies. Occipital activation was stable during development between childhood and late adolescence. Finally, both patients and controls demonstrated an increased response between 4 and 8 Hz consistent with synchrony or entrainment in the neuronal response. Children and adolescents with schizophrenia had a significantly lower volume of activation in the occipital lobe in response to the flashing checkerboard task. However, features of intact local connectivity in patients, such as the hemodynamic response function and maximal response at 8 Hz, were normal. These results are consistent with abnormalities in regional connectivity with preserved local connectivity in early‐onset schizophrenia. Hum Brain Mapp, 2012. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc
Predicting Customer Wallet Without Survey Data

A single company provides only a part of the total volume of products or services required by a customer. From the company perspective, this total business volume conducted by a customer, the customer's size-of-wallet, is generally unobservable. The percentage of this business done with the company, the customer's share-of-wallet , is unobservable as well. This article focuses on the prediction of these values and on the derived concept of potential-of-wallet, which is the difference between the size-of-wallet and the actual business volume the customer does with the focal company. In the existing literature, the models predicting the customer wallet need survey data to estimate the model parameters. The authors propose an approach to predicting customer wallet without using survey data. In the empirical application, the authors show that a company can generate substantial gains by targeting customers with a large potential-of-wallet.
The Neural Basis of Intuitive Best Next-Move Generation in Board Game Experts

Compared with amateurs, expert shogi players show specific brain activation patterns. The superior capability of cognitive experts largely depends on quick automatic processes. To reveal their neural bases, we used functional magnetic resonance imaging to study brain activity of professional and amateur players in a board game named shogi. We found two activations specific to professionals: one in the precuneus of the parietal lobe during perception of board patterns, and the other in the caudate nucleus of the basal ganglia during quick generation of the best next move. Activities at these two sites covaried in relevant tasks. These results suggest that the precuneus-caudate circuit implements the automatic, yet complicated, processes of board-pattern perception and next-move generation in board game experts.
On the Use of Likert-Type Scales in Multilevel Data

In multilevel analyses, problems may arise when using Likert-type scales at the lowest level of analysis. Specifically, increases in variance should lead to greater censoring for the groups whose true scores fall at either end of the distribution. The current study used simulation methods to examine the influence of single-item Likert-type scale usage on ICC(1), ICC(2), and group-level correlations. Results revealed substantial underestimation of ICC(1) when using Likert-type scales with common response formats (e.g., 5 points). ICC(2) and group-level correlations were also underestimated, but to a lesser extent. Finally, the magnitude of underestimation was driven in large part to an interaction between Likert-type scale usage and the amounts of within- and between-group variance.
Subsets with a Small Sum II: the Critical Pair Problem

A basic problem raised by Kneser was to describe all the finite subsets A, B of an abelian group G such that | A+B | ? | A | + | B | ? 1. Let G be an abelian group. The description of the pairsA , B? G such that | A+B | = | A | + | B | ? 1 < |G | was considered in additive group theory. Vosper (1956) solved this problem completely for groups with a prime order. Kempermann? s theory for small sums describes the structure of these pairs, ifA+B is aperiodic or if there exists a uniquely expressible element inA+B. In this paper we study the same question with a fixed subset B satisfying the inequality: for all A such that 1 ? | A | <∞, |A+B | ? min(| G |, | A | + |B | ? 1). We obtain a recursive description for the subsets A such that |A+B | ? | A | + | B | ? 1. As corollary of our description, we obtain the following result which implies some limitations of Kempermann? s theory. Suppose that B is neither a coprogression nor almost periodic and that 2 ? |A | ? | G | ? | B | ? 1. If |A+B | = | A | + | B | ? 1, then A is periodic and A+B contains no unique expression elements. The results obtained in this section are strongly based on those obtained in Part I.
Depression assessment by oncologists and palliative care physicians

Abstract Objective: Depression is a frequent problem in cancer patients, which is known to reduce quality of life; however, many cancer patients with depression are not treated because of the difficulties in assessing depression in this population. Our aim was to evaluate and improve the depression assessment strategies of palliative care (PC) physicians and oncologists. Method: We invited all medical oncologists and PC physicians from three cancer centers to participate in this multicenter prospective study. They were asked to classify 22 symptoms (related and specific to depression in cancer patients, related but not specific, and unrelated) as “very important,” “important,” “less important,” or “not important” for the diagnosis of depression in cancer patients, at three different time points (at baseline, after a video education program, and after 4 weeks). They were also asked to complete a questionnaire exploring physicians' perceptions of depression and of their role in its systematic screening. Results: All 34 eligible physicians participated. Baseline performance was good, with >70% of participants correctly classifying at least seven of nine related and specific symptoms. We found no significant improvement in scores in the immediate and 4-week follow-up tests. Additionally, 24 (83%) and 23 (79%) participants expressed support for systematic depression screening and a role for oncologists in screening, respectively. Significance of results: Oncologists had good baseline knowledge about depression's main symptoms in cancer patients and a positive attitude toward being involved in screening. Underdiagnosis of depression is probably related to problems associated with the oncology working environment rather than the physicians' knowledge.
An examination of the causes for retail stockouts

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to increase our understanding of the causes for stockouts in retailing.Design/methodology/approach – Mixed methods study, using instore observations, interviews with key informants in consumer goods and retailing, and a field study of stockouts and their causes in multiple wholesale stores over two years.Findings – The results indicate that the causes for stockouts are specific to retailer, store, category and item. Improvements to store operations and the coordination of store delivery and shelf replenishment are most effective in reducing stockouts. Manual audits of stockouts and their causes benefit instore execution and provide the level of detail necessary for management to prioritize areas of improvement.Research limitations/implications – Future research may investigate the operational and cost impact of incorporating demand seasonality in shelf replenishment that may lead to an improved coordination of replenishment and demand cycles.Practical implications – .
Intrapartum ultrasound for the examination of the fetal head position in normal and obstructed labor

Objective: To assess the feasibility of transabdominal ultrasound for determining fetal head position in laboring women and compare it to digital examination, and to study ultrasonographically the rotation of the fetal head in normal and obstructed labor. Design: This was an observational prospective study of 148 women in active labor. Ultrasound examinations were performed longitudinally in the first and second stages of labor. Results: Assessment of the fetal head position by digital examination was not possible in 60.7% (122/201) of cases in the first stage and 30.8% (41/133) in the second stage of labor. Difficulty in assessing the position was more likely if the occiput was posterior in comparison to anterior and in the maternal right in comparison to the left side. In the second stage, it was three times more likely for the assessment not to be possible digitally if the occiput was posterior. In the cases when assessment by vaginal examination was possible, the correlation with ultrasound was average in the first stage (kappa = 0.59) and good in the second stage (kappa = 0.77). Overall fetal head position assessment by digital examination was accurate in 31.28% of the cases in the first stage and 65.7% of the cases in the second stage of labor. Rotation of the fetal head is highly unlikely when labor begins in the occipital anterior position. Persistent occipital posterior position developed through failure to rotate from an initial occipital posterior or transverse position. Duration of the first stage of labor was independently related to parity and position of the fetal spine at presentation, and duration of the second stage of labor was independently related to parity, birth weight, position of the fetal head at the beginning of the second stage, rotation and position of the head at delivery. Conclusion: Ultrasound assessment of the fetal head position in labor is feasible in a busy labor ward. Digital examination is less accurate than ultrasound, in particular in cases of obstructed labor when medical intervention is more likely to be needed. Ultrasound assessment may prove useful in the prediction and diagnosis of difficult and prolonged labor.
The Predictive Role of Early Maladaptive Schemas and Attachment Styles on Romantic Relationships

The purpose of this study is to determine whether or not the attachment styles in close relationships and early maladaptive schemas predicted psychological tendencies associated with the romantic relationships. 408 university students, with a history of involvement in an romantic relationship at present or in past, participated in the study. As a result it was found that the focus on relationship extremely was predicted by preoccupied attachment and unrelenting standards as positive; by dismissing and fearful attachment as negative. The relationship satisfaction was predicted by fearful and dismissing attachment, disconnection schema domain as negative, impaired limits and secure attachment as positive. The fact that impaired autonomy, fearful attachment, disconnection and unrelenting standards schema domains predicted fear of relationship as positive, impaired limits predicted as negative was found. It was found that impaired autonomy and unrelenting standards schema domains predicted relational monitoring as positive; impaired limits predicted as negative. It was found that relational esteem was predicted by secure attachment, impaired limits and unrelenting standards as positive; fearful and dismissing attachment, disconnection as negative. External relational control was predicted by impaired autonomy and unrelenting standards as positive. The fact that fearful attachment and disconnection schema domain as negative; impaired limits as positive predicted relational assertiveness was found. It was found that internal relational control was predicted by impaired limits and secure attachment as positive, by impaired autonomy as negative.
Characterization of Endothelin Receptors in the Human Pulmonary Vasculature Using Bosentan, SB209670, and 97–139

Summary: Endothelin-1 (ET-1) is believed to have a role in the pathogenesis of pulmonary hypertension, and ET antagonists may therefore be useful in the treatment of the disease. Here we have characterized ET receptors and ligands in human pulmonary tissues. Autoradiography showed ETA receptors located in resistance and conduit arteries and ETB receptors present in airway smooth muscle. Competition binding studies in human pulmonary artery (HPA) showed a predominance of the ETA subtype (90%). Bosentan (Ro470203) (Kd ETA = 12.5 nM, Kd ETB = 1.1 μM), SB209670 (Kd ETA = 14.3 nM, Kd ETB = 5.0 μM), and 97–139 (Kd ETA = 5.3 μM, Kd ETB = 19.6 μM) labeled ETA receptors with higher affinity than BMS182874 (50% [125I]ET-1 inhibition at 1 μM). Sarafo-toxin S6c labeled ETB receptors with high affinity (Kd ETA = 0.16 μM, Kd ETB = 2.7 nM), whereas BQ788 competed with low affinity for [I25I]ET-1 binding sites (Kd = 1.0 μM). This study indicates that an ETA-selective antagonist may be useful in reversing vasoconstriction associated with pulmonary hypertension without affecting ETB-mediated contractile effects in airway smooth muscle or ETB-mediated release of endothelium-derived vasodilators.
Angiotensin II increases differentiation of dopaminergic neurons from mesencephalic precursors via angiotensin type 2 receptors

In addition to the well‐known actions of the humoral renin–angiotensin system, all components of this system are present in many tissues, including the brain, and may play a major role in brain development and differentiation. We investigated the possible effects of angiotensin II on the generation of dopaminergic phenotype neurons from proliferating neurospheres of mesencephalic precursors. We observed immunoreactivity for both angiotensin type 1 and type 2 (AT1 and AT2) receptors in the cell aggregates. Double immunolabeling studies revealed that both receptor types are located in neurons and astrocytes. Interestingly, neurons with a dopaminergic phenotype (i.e. tyrosine hydroxylase activity) showed double labeling for AT1 and AT2 receptors although the labeling for AT2 was more intense. Treatment of the neurospheres with angiotensin II (100 nm) during the differentiation period induced a marked increase (about 400%) in the generation of dopaminergic neurons. This was not affected by treatment with the AT1 antagonist ZD 7155 but was blocked by treatment with the AT2 antagonist PD 123319. This suggests that AT2 receptors mediate the stimulatory effect of angiotensin II on the generation of dopaminergic neurons. Apoptotic cell death studies and bromodeoxyuridine immunohistochemistry indicated that the increase in generation of dopaminergic neurons is not due to increased survival or proliferation of dopaminergic cells during treatment with angiotensin and suggested that angiotensin induces increased differentiation of mesencephalic precursors towards the dopaminergic phenotype. Manipulation of the renin–angiotensin system may be useful for increasing production of dopaminergic neurons for transplantation in Parkinson's disease.
An Analysis of the Health Insurance Coverage of Young Adults

The purpose of the present study is to examine the determinants of health insurance coverage for young adults. Results of the present study suggest that socioeconomic factors are most important in determining which young adults have health insurance and which do not. If a person is a young, African-American male, who lives in the South, and does not have a full-time job, then that person, in all likelihood, will not have health insurance. Although the specific reasons a person does not have health insurance may vary, it is no doubt due to the cost of the insurance and to the belief that health insurance is unnecessary because the person is healthy.
Plasma Antioxidants and Risk of Cortical and Nuclear Cataract

We evaluated nutritional risk factors for cataract in 660 subjects enrolled in the Baltimore Longitudinal Study on Aging. As a part of a regular cycle of visits, nuclear and cortical lens photographs were taken over a 2-year period. Measurements of plasma antioxidants (beta-carotene, ascorbic acid, and alpha-tocopherol) were obtained in this cohort as part of the study protocol up to 4 years before lens photographs were taken. We found that plasma beta-carotene and ascorbic acid levels were not associated with risk of nuclear or cortical lens opacities. Higher levels of plasma alpha-tocopherol, however, were associated with a reduced risk of nuclear opacity [odds ratio (OR) for highest quartile vs lowest quartile = 0.52, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.27–0.98; OR for middle two quartiles vs lowest quartile = 0.55, 95% CI = 0.30–0.98], after adjusting for age, sex, and history of diabetes. Middle levels of alpha-tocopherol were associated with a reduced risk of cortical opacity (OR = 0.57, 95% CI = 0.32–1.02), but no such association was observed for high levels of alpha-tocopherol. We constructed an index of overall antioxidant status, which indicated that higher levels of plasma antioxidants were not associated with risk of nuclear or cortical opacities.
Interleukin 6 production by human proximal tubular epithelial cells in vitro: analysis of the effects of interleukin-1 alpha (IL-1 alpha) and other cytokines.

Proximal tubular epithelial cells (PTEC) from human renal tissue obtained from biopsy or nephrectomy were grown in monoculture and evaluated in vitro at passage 2-4 for interleukin 6 (IL-6) production in response to medium alone or to interleukin 1 alpha (IL-1 alpha), tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNF alpha), interleukin 2 (IL-2), interferon gamma (INF gamma) or lipopolysaccharide (LPS). IL-6 bioactivity was quantitated using the IL-6-dependent murine hybridoma cell line (B9) and expressed as IL-6 units/ml/10(5) PTEC. PTEC cell lines exposed to medium alone produced intermediate amounts of IL-6 with substantial variability between cell lines. Introduction of IL-1 alpha resulted in a dose- and time-dependent increase in IL-6 production by PTEC that was maximal at 1 ng/ml IL-1 alpha at 24 h. All PTEC cell lines showed an increased IL-6 production on exposure to IL-1 alpha varying from 1.3- to 24-fold increase over baseline production. This response was completely blocked by anti-rIL-1 alpha. No significant IL-6 production by PTEC could be induced by TNF alpha, IL-2, IFN gamma, or LPS over a broad dosage range. Cycloheximide inhibited IL-6 production without irreversible cell toxicity, indicating de-novo synthesis. IL-6 produced by PTEC had a molecular weight of 26-29 kDa as demonstrated by Western blot analysis. Using PCR analysis we could demonstrate upregulation by IL-1 alpha of IL-6 mRNA in a dose-response fashion, indicating that IL-1 alpha regulates IL-6 production at a pretranslational value of protein synthesis. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Web-based discussion groups at stake: the profile of museum professionals online

Online forums help in stimulating debates and reflection on a wide range of cultural topics, as well as providing answers for museum professionals working in specialised areas. The main objective of this paper is to concentrate on the relevance of individuals interacting virtually within an informal knowledge setting, from which to judge the value of Web‐based discussion groups. However, little is known about how museum‐related forums target their audience and which subjects are of real interest to them. Arising from the statistical results of an international survey of users of online museum forums, the authors have investigated the users’ socio‐demographic profile, their content preference, and favourite Web‐based discussions (e.g. e‐mail lists, newsgroups, forums). The outcome of the collected data should be useful in further binding together the worldwide museum community, as there is great scope for enlivening interactions and empowering individual knowledge in various fields of expertise.
Adoption, returns and variation of information and communication technology in Sub-Sahara Africa

Increased competition in the modern economy has driven firms to search for increased efficiency, as well as an increased access to information. This, in conjunction with the continual advancement in information and communication technologies (ICTs), and coupled with falling prices, has inspired firms to adopt different types of ICTs in order to be competitive. This has heightened and provoked research interest in the effectiveness of ICT at the firm level. However, most studies on the use and effectiveness of ICTs in firm development have focused on developed economies, with mainly anecdotal evidence on many developing countries. Using data collected on 3,996 small and medium enterprises (SMEs) across 14 Sub-Saharan African countries, the thesis examines the factors that motivates the adoption, usage and the contribution of ICTs to turnover of firms. The thesis uses a seemingly unrelated bivariate probit model and meta-analysis technique to determine the factor that influence SMEs decision to adopt ICT. We also employ two different production function specifications to ascertain the effect of ICT adoption on turnover of SMEs, as well as on technical efficiency. The effect of ICT on turnover is thoroughly examined also employing quantile regression technique to ascertain the productivity effect of ICT along the entire distribution. The thesis assesses the contribution of ICT adoption to turnover differential among various types of SMEs using a recently proposed decomposition technique. The factors influencing adoption decisions of firm vary significantly across the countries. Nonetheless, the meta-analysis identifies common determinants of ICT adoption among SMEs in these countries. The findings indicate that the ratio of users of computer and the Internet in an industry and perceived national competition influences adoption decisions of firms. Our findings also indicate that ICT capital have a positive and significant effect on firm’s output, suggesting that there is no ICT productivity paradox among SMEs in Africa. We also find that ICT adoption positively influences technical efficiency of firms. Further, the results show that the contribution of returns to ICT adoption to turnover differential varies considerable across income groupings of countries as well as various types of firms.
Logistics knowledge creation: reflections on content, context and processes

Outlines possible ways to question “what logistics knowledge is” and “how it comes about”, as a means to improve the craftsmanship in logistics research. The logistics knowledge‐creation activity is examined with respect to its content, context and processes. A framework distinguishing three levels of abstraction (philosophy of science, methodology and theory, and practice) is presented and discussed. This framework highlights some key issues to be considered when research in logistics and supply‐chain management is to be carried out. The implications of the paper should be considered as complementary to increased rigor and borrowing theories from other disciplines as a means to enrich the logistics discipline.