Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Locally advanced rectal cancer: added value of diffusion-weighted MR imaging for predicting tumor clearance of the mesorectal fascia after neoadjuvant chemotherapy and radiation therapy.

PURPOSE To evaluate the added value of diffusion-weighted (DW) imaging in combination with T2-weighted magnetic resonance (MR) imaging compared with T2-weighted imaging alone for predicting tumor clearance of the mesorectal fascia (MRF) after neoadjuvant chemotherapy and radiation therapy (CRT) in patients with locally advanced rectal cancer. MATERIALS AND METHODS This retrospective study was approved by the institutional review board, and informed consent was waived. Forty-five patients with rectal cancer with clinically suspected MRF invasion who underwent neoadjuvant CRT and subsequent surgery were enrolled. All patients underwent pre- and post-CRT 3.0-T rectal MR imaging with DW imaging. Two observers independently reviewed a set of T2-weighted images and a combined set of T2-weighted and DW images and rated them by using a five-point scale. Diagnostic performance was evaluated for each observer with receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis. Accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value (NPV) were assessed. The standard of reference was histopathologic findings in the surgical specimen. Pairwise comparison of the ROC curves was used to compare diagnostic performance between the two image sets; the McNemar test was used to compare accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity. RESULTS The diagnostic performance (area under the ROC curve [A(z)]) with respect to MRF tumor clearance of both observers improved significantly after additional review of DW images: A(z) improved from 0.770 to 0.918 (P = .017) for observer 1 and from 0.847 to 0.960 (P = .026) for observer 2. The diagnostic accuracy of DW combined with T2-weighted imaging (observer 1, 89% [40 of 45]; observer 2, 93% [42 of 45]), sensitivity (observer 1, 94% [31 of 33]; observer 2, 97% [32 of 33]) and NPV (observer 1, 82% [nine of 11]; observer 2, 91% [10 of 11]) were significantly higher than those of T2-weighted imaging alone (accuracy: observer 1, 40% [18 of 45], P < .001; observer 2, 69% [31 of 45], P = .022; sensitivity: observer 1, 21% [seven of 33], P < .001; observer 2, 67% [22 of 33], P = .002; NPV: observer 1, 30% [11 of 37], P = .013; observer 2, 45% [nine of 20], P = .025). Interobserver agreement of confidence levels was fair for T2-weighted imaging alone (κ = 0.212) but was excellent for the combined set of DW and T2-weighted images (κ = 0.880). CONCLUSION Adding DW imaging to T2-weighted imaging can improve the prediction of tumor clearance in the MRF after neoadjuvant CRT compared with T2-weighted imaging alone in patients with locally advanced rectal cancer.
The relationship between animal welfare and economic outcome at the farm level

This report investigates the empirical relationship between animal welfare and economics among pig producers in Denmark. We apply data derived from inspections of Danish pig farms to check animal welfare legislation. While this data is on legislative compliance rather than a direct measure of animal welfare, we assume that it is also of relevance for animal welfare assessments. Based on this data, we propose several indicators of animal welfare which are then used in the economic analyses. The economic analyses consist of three parts. The first part presents the results of descriptive analyses where possible correlations between economic variables and the constructed indicators of animal welfare are investigated. The results show that farm size and experience are uncorrelated with animal welfare. Good animal welfare on integrated pig farms is correlated with higher gross margins per pig unit, despite significantly higher medicine and veterinary costs per pig unit. Good animal welfare on specialized slaughter pig farms is correlated with low medicine and veterinary costs per pig unit. These results indicate that the relationship between animal welfare and the economic outcome of pig producers should be interpreted within the context of the production type. The second part presents the results of regression analyses which generally confirm the relationships found in the descriptive analyses. However, the number of identified significant correlations is smaller in the regression analysis than in the descriptive analyses. In the third part, the method of econometric analysis of technical efficiency is applied to investigate the relationship between animal welfare and the technical efficiency of Danish pig producers. The results show that farms with good animal welfare management are on average more technically efficient.
A balancing Akt: How to fine-tune neuronal migration speed

ABSTRACT In the developing mammalian neocortex, newborn neurons produced deep in the brain from neural stem/progenitor cells set out for a long journey to reach their final destination at the brain surface. This process called radial neuronal migration is prerequisite for the formation of appropriate layers and networks in the cortex, and its dysregulation has been implicated in cortical malformation and neurological diseases. Considering a fine correlation between temporal order of cortical neuronal cell types and their spatial distribution, migration speed needs to be tightly controlled to achieve correct neocortical layering, although the underlying molecular mechanisms remain not fully understood. Recently, we discovered that the kinase Akt and its activator PDK1 regulate the migration speed of mouse neocortical neurons through the cortical plate. We further found that the PDK1-Akt pathway controls coordinated movement of the nucleus and the centrosome during migration. Our data also suggested that control of neuronal migration by the PDK1-Akt pathway is mediated at the level of microtubules, possibly through regulation of the cytoplasmic dynein/dynactin complex. Our findings thus identified a signaling pathway controlling neuronal migration speed as well as a novel link between Akt signaling and cytoplasmic dynein/dynactin complex.
Comparative Predictive Abilities of Earnings and Operating Cash Flows on Future Cash Flows: Empirical Evidence from Ghana

Cash flow prediction is an essential component of economic decision making, particularly in investment and credit evaluation. This paper examines the comparative predictive ability of earnings and operating cash flows variables on future operating cash flows within a developing economy’s setting. Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) method is used to develop regression models over the period of 2002 to 2012. Current operating cash flows, as proxy for future operating cash flows, are regressed on past one, two and three years of earnings and operating cash flows as predictors. Results from the regression analysis reveals earnings and operating cash flows are significant in predicting future operating cash flows but have different predictive powers with earnings providing a superior comparative predictive ability on future cash flows. The paper therefore concludes that earnings are a better predictor of future operating cash flows than historical operating cash flows itself.
Why the Home Region Matters: Location and Regional Multinationals

Much of the literature in international business analysing the multinational enterprise uses the country as the relevant environmental parameter. This paper presents both theoretical and empirical evidence to demonstrate that country-level analysis now needs to be augmented by analysis at the ‘regional’ level of the broad triad markets of Europe, North America and the Asia Pacific. The great majority of the world's 500 largest firms concentrate their activities within their home region of the triad. This study uses variance component analysis and finds that this home region effect outperforms the country effect. Together, the regional and industry effects explain most of the geographic expansion of multinational enterprises (MNEs), whereas country, firm and year effects are very minor. The new data and variance component analysis on the activities of large MNEs reported here suggest that new thinking is required about the importance of large regions of the triad as the relevant unit of analysis for business strategy to supplement the conventional focus on the country.
Testing Segment Stability: Insights from a Rural Tourism Study

ABSTRACT The majority of earlier segmentation studies have focused on finding segmentation solutions rather than on applying the results to practice, and testing the viability of the results. In this study a unique opportunity is used to test how the segmentation solutions of an earlier rural tourism segmentation study conducted in 2009 represent rural tourist segments in 2011, and how well rural tourists can relate to the segments found in the earlier study by using multiple choice questions. Also, different segmentation methods are compared regarding their accuracy to identify the segments. These results show that the four segments identified in the earlier study continue to exist two years later as respondents are able to relate to the segments quite well. However, segment sizes are crucially different and there is some overlap between segments. Travel motivations measured using binary scale produce more accurate segments than motivations measured using a Likert-type scale.
Aid Effectiveness and the Politics of Personalism

This article examines how political institutions that provide an incentive to cultivate a personal vote condition the relationship between foreign aid and economic growth in developing country democracies. Politicians in aid-recipient countries with high levels of personalism are more likely to pursue corruption and target government spending to narrow constituencies. Because personalism affects these outcomes, it provides incentives to use foreign aid for politically motivated spending at the expense of investing foreign aid in growth-promoting public goods. Using panel data from 61 aid-recipient democracies from 1961 to 2001, the author finds that aid increases growth in democracies with less personalist institutions but decreases growth in countries with high personalism. The author also shows that personalism conditions the relationship between aid and the composition of government spending: Aid increases spending on public goods (relative to narrow, particularistic goods) in countries with low personalism but has the opposite effect in highly personalist countries.
Inflation and Rates of Return on Common Stocks

THERE WOULD SEEM to be little doubt that if one had surveyed academic and nonacademic students of the stock market in the year 1968 that one would have found wide agreement with the proposition that rates of return on common stocks move directly with the rate of inflation. This proposition simply extends Irving Fisher's well-known hypothesis [5] to rates of return on common stocks. That hypothesis states that expected rates of return consist of a "real" return plus the expected rate of inflation and the real return does not move systematically with the rate of inflation; in short, investors will on average be fully compensated for erosion in purchasing power. Belief in the extension of Fisher's Hypothesis to returns on stocks has suffered considerable erosion in recent years as a result of what appears to be dramatically contradictory evidence. The purpose of this paper is to investigate empirically the relation between returns on common stocks and the rate of inflation over the post-war period. The evidence presented does not support the Fisher hypothesis but rather suggests that a negative relation between returns and both anticipated rates of inflation and unanticipated changes in the rate of inflation has prevailed over the post-war period. Following up the implication of a negative relation with anticipated inflation, post-sample prediction tests for 1973 and the first half of 1974 indicate that past rates of inflation could have been used to pursue trading rules that generated higher returns than a buy-and-hold policy during that period.
Internationalisation of innovative SMEs in the Hungarian medical precision instruments industry

Competitive and innovative Hungarian SMEs in the medical precision instruments sector can be characterised by continuous development, special knowledge and innovation activity. These are the main factors behind their high level of competitiveness and higher than average level of internationalisation. Certain companies could become leading firms in worldwide comparison in niche segments, and there are a few companies which internationalised early in the company life cycle and can be called ‘emerging born globals’. Thus post-communist economies can also be homes to such companies. This article analyses the motivation of internationalisation, the choice of foreign location and the main barriers to internationalisation for SMEs in this sector in Hungary, pointing out the similarities and differences between problems faced by smaller companies in former transition economies and in more developed economies.
Multifunctional tellurium molecule protects and restores dopaminergic neurons in Parkinson's disease models

In Parkinson's disease (PD) dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra (SN) become dysfunctional and many ultimately die. We report that the tellurium immunomodulating compound ammonium trichloro(dioxoethylene‐O, O'‐)tellurate(AS101) protects dopaminergic neurons and improves motor function in animal models of PD. It is effective when administered systemically or by direct infusion into the brain. Multifunctional activities of AS101 were identified in this study. These were mainly due to the peculiar TellurIV‐thiol chemistry of the compound, which enabled the compound to interact with cysteine residues on both inflammatory and apoptotic caspases, resulting in their inactivation. Conversely, its interaction with a key cysteine residue on p21ras, led to its activation, an obligatory activity for AS101‐induced neuronal differentiation. Furthermore, AS101 inhibited IL‐10, resulting in up‐regulation of GDNF in the SN. This was associated with activation of the neuroprotective ki‐nases Akt and mitogen‐activated protein kinases, and up‐regulation of the antiapoptotic protein Bcl‐2. Inhibition of caspase‐1 and caspase‐3 activities were associated with decreased neuronal death and inhibition of IL‐1β. We suggest that, because multiple mechanisms are involved in the dysfunction and death of neurons in PD, use of a multifunctional compound, exerting anti‐apoptotic, anti‐inflammatory, and neurotrophic‐inducing capabilities may be potentially efficacious for the treatment of PD. —Sredni B. , Geffen R. , Duan W. , Albeck M. , Shalit F. , Lander H. , Kinor N. , Sagi O. , Albeck A. , Yosef S. , Brodsky M. , Sredni‐Kenigsbuch D. , Sonino T. , Longo D. , Mattson M. , Yadid G. Multifunctional tellurium molecule protects and restores dopa‐minergic neurons in Parkinson's disease models. FASEB J. 21, 1870–1883 (2007)
Reporting standards for angioplasty and stent-assisted angioplasty for intracranial atherosclerosis.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Intracranial cerebral atherosclerosis causes ischemic stroke in a significant number of patients. Technological advances over the past 10 years have enabled endovascular treatment of intracranial atherosclerotic stenosis. The number of patients treated with angioplasty or stent-assisted angioplasty for this condition is increasing. Given the lack of universally accepted definitions, the goal of this document is to provide consensus recommendations for reporting standards, terminology, and written definitions when reporting clinical and radiological evaluation, technique, and outcome of endovascular treatment using angioplasty or stent-assisted angioplasty for stenotic and occlusive intracranial atherosclerosis. SUMMARY OF REPORT This article was written under the auspices of Joint Writing Group of the Technology Assessment Committee, Society of NeuroInterventional Surgery, Society of Interventional Radiology; Joint Section on Cerebrovascular Neurosurgery of the American Association of Neurological Surgeons and Congress of Neurological Surgeons; and the Section of Stroke and Interventional Neurology of the American Academy of Neurology. A computerized search of the National Library of Medicine database of literature (PubMed) from January 1997 to December 2007 was conducted with the goal to identify published endovascular cerebrovascular interventional data in stenotic intracranial atherosclerosis that could be used as benchmarks for quality assessment. We sought to identify those risk adjustment variables that affect the likelihood of success and complications. This document offers the rationale for different clinical and technical considerations that may be important during the design of clinical trials for endovascular treatment of intracranial stenotic and occlusive atherosclerosis. Included in this guidance document are suggestions for uniform reporting standards for such trials. These definitions and standards are primarily intended for research purposes; however, they should also be helpful in clinical practice and applicable to all publications. CONCLUSIONS In summary, the definitions proposed represent recommendations for constructing useful research data sets. The intent is to facilitate production of scientifically rigorous results capable of reliable comparisons between and among similar studies. In some cases, the definitions contained here are recommended by consensus of a panel of experts in this writing group for consistency in reporting and publication. These definitions should allow different groups to publish results that are directly comparable.
Environmental disclosures in the annual reports of large companies in Spain

The objective of this paper is to analyse the environmental reporting practices found in the annual reports published by companies operating in Spain, as well as to determine the evolution of these practices during the period 1992–4, on the basis of stakeholder theory. In order to carry out this analysis, we have examined the annual reports of seventy large companies operating in industries considered to be sensitive for the environment. The reporting practices have been grouped into a number of categories, as follows: type of environmental reporting provided; sections of the annual report devoted to environmental reporting; corporate environmental policies and projects; natural environment protection activities and achievements; and disclosure of environmental data in the annual accounts. Finally, we have considered whether the fact that a company is quoted on the stock market, or that a parent company is foreign-based, or that it belongs to a regulated sector, are differentiating factors with respect to environmental reporting behaviour. The main conclusions are as follows: The environmental reporting of these sample companies has a fundamentally narrative character, although there has been an increase in both quantitative and financial reporting, as well as in the number of companies that are reporting. The factors analysed do not allow us to detect significant differences, except for whether the parent company is foreign-based. As a consequence, there is no significant evidence that during the period analysed the environmental reporting behaviour of Spanish company management has tried to satisfy their stakeholders.
Country selection strategies based on value, size and momentum

This study provides convincing evidence that stock markets with low capitalisation, low valuation ratios and high momentum tend to outperform country markets with high capitalisation, high valuation ratios and low momentum. Based on sorting procedures and cross-sectional tests conducted across 78 countries over the period 1999–2014, it has been found out that value, size and momentum effects at the country level are stronger across small and medium country markets than large ones. Thus, bearing in mind the declining benefits of international diversification observed in recent decades, it is recommended that investors include country-level factor premiums in their strategic asset allocation, without postponing them to further stages of an investment process. In addition, it has been shown that inter-market value, size and momentum effects may be used in multifactor asset pricing models, which well explain the variation in stock returns at the country level.
Nonuniform Internal Structure of Fibrin Fibers: Protein Density and Bond Density Strongly Decrease with Increasing Diameter

The major structural component of a blood clot is a meshwork of fibrin fibers. It has long been thought that the internal structure of fibrin fibers is homogeneous; that is, the protein density and the bond density between protofibrils are uniform and do not depend on fiber diameter. We performed experiments to investigate the internal structure of fibrin fibers. We formed fibrin fibers with fluorescently labeled fibrinogen and determined the light intensity of a fiber, I, as a function of fiber diameter, D. The intensity and, thus, the total number of fibrin molecules in a cross-section scaled as D1.4. This means that the protein density (fibrin per cross-sectional area), ρp, is not homogeneous but instead strongly decreases with fiber diameter as D−0.6. Thinner fibers are denser than thicker fibers. We also determined Young's modulus, Y, as a function of fiber diameter. Y decreased strongly with increasing D; Y scaled as D−1.5. This implies that the bond density, ρb, also scales as D−1.5. Thinner fibers are stiffer than thicker fibers. Our data suggest that fibrin fibers have a dense, well-connected core and a sparse, loosely connected periphery. In contrast, electrospun fibrinogen fibers, used as a control, have a homogeneous cross-section.
The internet for empowerment of minority and marginalized users

The internet has tremendous potential to achieve greater social equity and empowerment and improve everyday life for those on the margins of society. This article presents the findings from three digital divide studies, each of which represents a different group of marginalized society members. Low-income families, sexual minorities and African-American women are represented in the three studies that employ different research approaches towards a common aim of contextualizing internet use in the everyday social practice of society’s ‘have-nots’. The aim is to step outside simple digital divide categories to understand how marginalized members of society incorporate computers and the internet into their daily lives in ways that are meaningful to them. An important goal is also to learn about how internet researchers can contribute to closing the digital divide in ways that converge with the goals, meanings and practices of people living on society’s margins.