Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
CT Scanning in Identification of Sheep Cystic Echinococcosis

OBJECTIVE We aim to determine the efficiency of CT in identification of cystic echinococcosis in sheep. METHODS Fifty-three sheep with liver cysts confirmed by ultrasonography were subject to CT scan to evaluate the number, size, and type of the cysts in liver and lung, confirmed using necropsy. The correlation of numbers between liver cysts and lung cysts was calculated using Pearson analysis. RESULTS Necropsy indicated a 98% consensus on size, location, number, and activity compared with CT scan. The viable cysts were 53.1% and 50.6% in the liver and lung, respectively. Among the cysts in liver, 35.5%, 9.5%, 5.7%, 10.2%, and 39.1% were Types CE1, CE2, CE3, CE4, and CE5, respectively. The cysts in the lungs, 17.4%, 26.9%, 12.1%, 11.6%, and 32.1%, were Types CE1, CE2, CE3, CE4, and CE5, respectively. A significant correlation was noticed between the number of cysts in liver and those in lung (R = 0.770, P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS CT scan is a suitable tool in determining the size and type of cystic hydatid cysts in both liver and lung of sheep. A significant correlation was noticed between the numbers in liver and lung, indicating that lung infection was likely due to the expansion of liver cyst burden pressure.
Improved estimates of floating absolute risk

Floating absolute risks are an alternative way of presenting relative risk estimates for polychotomous risk factors. Instead of choosing one level of the risk factor as a reference category, each level is assigned a ‘floated’ variance which describes the uncertainty in risk without reference to another level. In this paper, a method for estimating the floated variances is presented that improves on the previously proposed ‘heuristic’ method. The estimates may be calculated iteratively with a simple algorithm. A benchmark for validating the floated variance estimates is also proposed and an interpretation of floating confidence intervals is given. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
The Effects of Dietary Flavonoid Supplementation on the Antioxidant Status of Laying Hens

ABSTRACT Ninety-six 28-week-old Lohmann White laying hens were utilized to test the antioxidant effects of flavonoids (hesperidin, naringin, and quercetin at 0.5 g/kg diet) during an 8-wk experimental period. At the end of the experiment blood samples were collected to determine total protein, cholesterol, and malondialdehyde (MDA) serum levels as well as activities of glutathione reductase (GR), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), glutathione- S -transferase (GST), and superoxide dismutase (SOD) and level of glutathione (GSH) in erythrocyte lysates. Data were analyzed using one-way ANOVA. Naringin supplementation did not alter serum cholesterol concentration, whereas hesperidin and quercetin supplementations decreased serum cholesterol concentration. Naringin and quercetin supplementations did not affect serum protein concentration. All flavonoids decreased MDA concentration as well as increased GSH-Px, GR, GST, and SOD activities and GSH level, being quercetion superior to hesperidin and naringin. In conclusion, flavonoids, especially quercetin, exert antioxidant activity, which may help improve wellbeing when laying hens are exposed to stressors.
A Weighted Composite Dose – Response Model For Human Salmonellosis

This article describes the development of a weighted composite dose – response model for human salmonellosis. Data from previously reported human challenge studies were categorized into two different groups representing low and moderately virulent/pathogenic Salmonella strains based on a disease end point. Because epidemiological data indicate that some Salmonella strains are particularly pathogenic, and in the absence of human feeding study data for such strains, Shigella dysenteriae was used as a proxy for highly virulent strains. Three single‐hit dose – response models were applied to the human feeding study data and evaluated for best fit using maximum likelihood estimation: (1) the exponential (E‐1pop), (2) the two‐subpopulation exponential (E‐2pop), and (3) the Beta‐Poisson (BP). Based on the goodness‐of‐fit test, the E‐1pop and BP were the best‐fit models for low and moderately virulent/pathogenic Salmonella strains, and the E‐2pop and BP models were better for highly virulent/pathogenic strains. Epistemic analysis was conducted by determining the degree of confidence associated with the selected models, which was found to be 50%/50% (E‐1pop/BP) for low and moderately pathogenic Salmonella strains, and 9.8%/90.2% (E‐2pop/BP) for highly virulent strains. The degree of confidence for each component model and variations in the proportion of strains within each virulence/pathogenicity category were incorporated into the overall composite model. This study describes the influence of variation in strain virulence and host susceptibility on the shape of the population dose – response relationship.
Absence of Merkel Cell Polyomavirus in Monocytic Leukemias

have higher MCPyV DNA detection rates [4] . Although most CLL tumors are not positive for MCPyV and the viral load is low, MCPyV may contribute to a significant proportion of CLL cases [6–10] . Our report is the first from the Eastern world to show the presence of MCPyV in a small number of Japanese CLL cases [8] . In contrast to many studies searching for MCPyV in lymphoproliferative disorders, few studies have reported on the prevalence of MCPyV in myeloid disorders. Since it has been shown that MCPyV can also infect monocytic cells [11] , there may be a role for MCPyV in disorders of the monocytic lineage [5] . If monocytes constitute a longterm reservoir of MCPyV, it is conceivable that this tumor virus may lead to the oncogenic transformation of the infected monocytes. In this context, we focused on monocytic leukemias to define another possible disease category related to MCPyV. Our study included leukemic specimens from 21 Japanese patients diagnosed with chronic myelomonocytic leukemia (CMML; 6 cases) and acute monocytic leukemia, including 5 M4 and 10 M5 cases according to the French-American-British (FAB) classification. The median ages of the patients were 78 years (range 64–84) for CMML, 60 years (range 45–92) for M4 and 66 years Globally, it is estimated that about 15% of all human malignancies are caused by viral infection [1] . These tumors characteristically have a long latent period between initial infection and subsequent malignancy, and most infected individuals never actually develop malignant disease. Multiple types of leukemia and lymphoma have been associated with preceding viral infection, including Epstein-Barr virus, human herpesvirus 8 (also called Kaposi sarcoma-associated herpesvirus) and human T-lymphotropic virus. These viruses establish their latency in lymphocytes and cause lymphoproliferative disorders. In 2008, a new human tumor virus designated ‘Merkel cell polyomavirus’ (MCPyV) was identified in Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC), a neuroendocrine carcinoma of the skin [2] . MCPyV has a close phylogenetic relationship to the African green monkey-derived lymphotropic polyomavirus and can infect human lymphoid cells. Since the presence of MCPyV DNA was demonstrated in some cases of lymphoproliferative disorders [3, 4] , the search for hematologic neoplasias in which MCPyV plays a role in the etiopathogenesis has become an important issue [5] . Among patients with lymphoproliferative disorders, patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), the most common leukemia of adults in the Western world, Received: October 16, 2012 Accepted: January 10, 2013 Published online: April 19, 2013
Earnings Management to Avoid Financial Distress and Improve Profitability: Evidence from Jordan

Due to unstable economic and political conditions, many companies in the Middle East are undergoing various financial distress and decline in profitability. This paper examines the role of earnings management to avoid financial distress and improve profitability in 58 industrial corporations listed on Amman Stock Exchange for a period of 2011 to 2016, which constitutes 89% of the whole population. The total number of observations is 413 for the entire study period. The study uses a cross-sectional Jones model that was modified by (Kothari, Leone, and Wasley, 2005); to measuring discretionary accruals that used as a proxy for earnings management. The empirical results indicate that earning management is not affected by the Altman’s Z-score index, but it has a positive relationship with debt to equity ratio. This study also shows a positive relationship between earnings per share, returns on equity, and earnings management. Regarding the control variable, we found a negative relationship between cash flow from operation and discretionary accruals.
Overview and ways forward for future research

This Special Issue of Neuropsychological Rehabilitation on errorless learning in rehabilitation of language and memory impairments includes one review and six empirical studies, which present new clinical findings evaluating the effectiveness of errorless learning as an intervention method for people whose symptoms stem from different neurological aetiologies. These studies delineate some of the critical theoretical–clinical issues through which we might optimise learning and rehabilitative efforts more fully.
Hypoglycemia and Hyperglycemia Due to Insulin Antibodies against Therapeutic Human Insulin: Treatment with Double Filtration Plasmapheresis and Prednisolone

Two diabetic patients, who had been treated with human insulin, suffered from fasting hypoglycemia and postprandial hyperglycemia. The insulin-binding capacities of their sera were high, and a large amount of total insulin and prolonged presence of free insulin in the sera were shown. Scatchard analysis of these insulin antibodies revealed that high-affinity insulin antibodies had larger capacity and stronger affinity compared with commonly insulin-treated patients. Treatment with double filtration plasmapheresis and subsequent administration of prednisolone in the second patient reduced such antibodies and resulted in recovery of glycemic control by insulin. Hypoglycemia and hyperglycemia could be incurred when insulin antibodies with strong affinity and high capacity in high-affinity sites arise. This condition can be treated with double filtration plasmapheresis and subsequent administration of prednisolone.
Megakaryoblastic Leukemia Factor-1 Transduces Cytoskeletal Signals and Induces Smooth Muscle Cell Differentiation from Undifferentiated Embryonic Stem Cells*

The SAP domain transcription factor myocardin plays a critical role in the transcriptional program regulating smooth muscle cell differentiation. In this report, we describe the capacity of myocardin to physically associate with megakaryoblastic leukemia factor-1 (MKL1) and characterize the function of MKL1 in smooth muscle cells (SMCs). The MKL1 gene is expressed in most human tissues and myocardin and MKL are co-expressed in SMCs. MKL1 and myocardin physically associate via conserved leucine zipper domains. Overexpression of MKL1 transactivates serum response factor (SRF)-dependent SMC-restricted transcriptional regulatory elements including the SM22α promoter, smooth muscle myosin heavy chain promoter/enhancer, and SM-α-actin promoter/enhancer in non-SMCs. Moreover, forced expression of MKL1 and SRF in undifferentiated SRF-/- embryonic stem cells activates multiple endogenous SMC-restricted genes at levels equivalent to, or exceeding, myocardin. Forced expression of a dominant-negative MKL1 mutant reduces myocardin-induced activation of the SMC-specific SM22α promoter. In NIH3T3 fibroblasts MKL1 localizes to the cytoplasm and translocates to the nucleus in response to serum stimulation, actin treadmilling, and RhoA signaling. In contrast, in SMCs MKL1 is observed exclusively in the nucleus regardless of serum conditions or RhoA signaling. However, when actin polymerization is disrupted MKL1 translocates from the nucleus to the cytoplasm in SMCs. Together, these data were consistent with a model wherein MKL1 transduces signals from the cytoskeleton to the nucleus in SMCs and regulates SRF-dependent SMC differentiation autonomously or in concert with myocardin.
Catastrophic health care expenditures in Portugal and its drivers

This work assesses levels, drivers and policy implications of catastrophic health expenditures (CHE) in Portugal in the year of 2015. Moreover by following the same methodological approach as studies for previous years, it allows for comparison and assessment of evolution. CHE incidence is calculated. Possible determinants of CHE are estimated through a logistic model. A simulation of additional coverage of pharmaceutical is presented. Main findings point to a decrease in the level of CHE from 2010 to 2015, identify elderly as the most exposed group and estimate a decrease in CHE of up to 1pp as consequence of a higher coverage of pharmaceuticals.
Imaging of Rough Surfaces Having Impedance Boundary Condition by the Use of Newton Iterative Algorithm

In this letter, an inverse scattering problem for the reconstruction of rough surfaces having standard impedance boundary condition (IBC) is presented. The method presented in this letter is the extension of a method given by Yapar to the case of IBC. The reconstruction is obtained from the scattered field measurements for a plane wave illumination of the inaccessible rough surface. Through a special representation of the scattered field in terms of a Fourier transformation and a Taylor series expansion, the problem is first reduced to a nonlinear operator equation. Then, this nonlinear equation is iteratively solved via the Newton method. Numerical results show that the method produces quite satisfactory results regardless of the values of the impedance.
Fat Grafting in Primary Cleft Lip Repair

Summary: The goal of primary cleft lip repair is to unify the lip elements and achieve a nearly normal appearance. Many techniques can confer satisfactory results; however, scarring and contour irregularities may persist. Lipofilling can modulate scar formation and enable soft-tissue augmentation. The authors hypothesize that fat grafting during immediate cleft lip repair may be of benefit. Patients who underwent primary cleft lip repair with and without immediate fat grafting were compared. Postoperative photographs were analyzed by three blinded reviewers. Cronbach statistics and a two-tailed t-test were used. Scar analysis revealed statistically significant (p < 0.05) improvement in scar appearance and contour of the fat-grafted cleft lip repair. Immediate fat grafting may be a promising strategy to improve lip appearance, contour, and scarring during primary cleft lip repair. CLINICAL QUESTION/LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Therapeutic, III.
Reflex High Risk HPV Testing in Atypical Squamous Cells, Cannot Exclude High Grade Intraepithelial Lesion: A Large Institution’s Experience with the Significance of This Often Ordered Test

Objective: Cervical cytology specimens diagnosed with ASC-H consist of squamous cells with equivocal cytology for high-grade dysplastic lesions. We reviewed our cases of ASC-H with reflex HPV testing to evaluate this patient population. Study Design: We retrospectively identified patients with ASC-H in Pap smears over a 3-year period. Reflex high-risk (HR) HPV DNA testing was performed by request. Follow-up results and smear characteristics were evaluated. Results: HR HPV DNA testing was positive in 60 of 82 (73%) cases tested. The risk of high grade cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) on follow-up after a positive HPV test with ASC-H is 68.3%. The risk of high grade CIN after a negative HPV test with ASC-H is 58.3%. High grade CIN lesions were found in 20% HPV-negative patients. The cellularity of atypical cells in Pap smears was not helpful in analyzing differences in HPV-positive and HPV-negative ASC-H. Conclusion: The risk of high grade dysplasia after an ASC-H Pap diagnosis was high irrespective of the reflex HPV test results in our patient population. Therefore, our findings support the continued utilization of the current ASCCP guidelines of colposcopy and caution when utilizing reflex HR HPV testing in the colposcopy triage ASC-H patients.
Building an innovation system and indigenous knowledge in Namibia

Namibia, like many southern African countries, aims to become a knowledge-based society with a well-established innovation system (IS). Development based on knowledge and innovation reduces poverty and inequality, even if this causality is also contested. In this study, we analyzed the development of an IS in Namibia with a particular focus on indigenous knowledge (IK). Embedding IK in innovation policies is often seen as an opportunity to adjust the general concept of ISs to local contexts and practices and include bottom-up approaches in policies. In Namibia, the establishment of key institutions and strategies for an IS is supported by international development aid. In operational IS practices, the focus is on a science-technology-innovation mode of learning that requires high analytical knowledge and a well-functioning IS – which are rare in Namibia. The results of our study reveal that the doing-using-interacting mode of learning and IK create comparative advantages and provide ability for positive societal change in the local communities. However, despite high expectations, the practical outcomes of innovations based on IK are limited. Nevertheless, beyond its economic value, IK is important for developing countries’ innovation policy development, as it can facilitate the participatory processes of local communities in the establishment of ISs.
Financial characteristics, human development index, and performance: a study of local governments in Indonesia

This study aims to examine whether the financial characteristics and human development index (HDI) are associated with the performance of local governments administration in Indonesia. The sample consists of 385 local governments classifying expenditures into operating and capital expenditures (Sample 1) and 53 local governments classified expenditures into direct and indirect expenditures (Sample 2). Regression result for Sample 1 indicate that special allocation funds ( dana alokasi khusus, DAK) have a positive relationship with performance while general allocation funds (dana alokasi umum, DAU) and land expenditure are negatively related to performance. For Sample 2, revenue risk and DAU are negatively related to performance, whereas revenue sharing funds (dana bagi hasil, DBH) have a positive relationship with performance. Audit o pinion and human development index are positively related to performance either for Sample 1 or Sample 2. These findings suggest that financial characteristics and human development index can be used as a consideration in determining financial policy and evaluation of local governments.
Imagerie du tenseur de diffusion du cerveau : vers des outils cliniques quantitatifs

La these explore trois questions methodologiques en imagerie de diffusion (DTI) clinique du cerveau, dans le contexte d’une etude sur le VIH. La premiere question est comment ameliorer la resolution du DTI. Le deuxieme probleme est comment creer un atlas multimodal specifique a la population. La troisieme question porte sur le calcul des statistiques pour comparer les zones de matiere blanche entre les controles et patients. Les DTI cliniques ont une resolution spatiale et un rapport signal sur bruit faibles, ce qui rend difficile le calcul de statistiques significatives. Nous proposons un algorithme de super-resolution pour ameliorer la resolution qui utilise un a priori spatial anisotrope. Cette methode demontre une amelioration de l’anisotropie fractionnelle et de la tractographie. Pour normaliser spatialement les images du cerveau dans un systeme de coordonnees commun, nous proposons ensuite de construire un atlas multimodal specifique a la population. Ceci permet de creer un atlas probabiliste de la matiere blanche qui est consistant avec l’atlas anatomique. Cet atlas peut etre utilise pour des statistiques basees sur des regions d’interet ou pour le raffinement d’une segmentation. Enfin, nous ameliorons les resultats de la methode TBSS (Tract-Based Spatial Statistics) en utilisant le recalage des images DTI. Contrairement a la methode TBSS traditionnelle, nous utilisons ici des statistiques multivariees. Nous montrons que ceci permet de detecter des differences dans les regions de matiere blanche qui etaient non significatives auparavant, et de les correler avec les scores des tests neuropsychologiques.
Association of telomerase expression with recurrence of sacral chordoma.

Originated from the remnants of the notochord in the process of fetal development, chordoma is a rare, slow growing and locally invasive low-grade malignant tumor with an annual incidence rate of 1/8 000 000 [1]. There are no standard prognostic markers in this disease. This retrospective study assessed telomerase in 20 patients of sacral chordoma (10 males and 10 females, aged 18–77 years). The samples of tumor tissues were obtained intraoperatively from all the patients, and samples of normal tissues 3 cm adjacent to the tumors were from seven patients. Follow-ups were scheduled every 3 to 6 months. Recurrence was evaluated from clinical examinations and imaging. Surgical resection samples were fixed in formalin and embedded in paraffin block before sliced into 4 μm in thickness for telomerase staining. Samples of colorectal cancer were used as the positive control and phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) was as the negative control. The scale of percentage of the positive cell number was defined as 0, 0%; 1, 1–25%; 2, 26–50% and 3, >50%. The scale of the color intensity was 0, none; 1, light brown; 2, brown and 3, dark brown. The overall score was summarized from both scales as 0, negative; 1–4, weakly positive and 5–6, strongly positive. Among the 20 patients, eleven of them had relapse. Recurrence rates of 1, 3, 5 and 10 years were 5, 25, 55 and 90%, respectively. Telomerase expression was positive in all 20 cases (11 strongly positive and 9 weakly positive) (Fig. 1). The peritumoral normal tissues had telomerase expression negative. Positive expression of telomerase with chordoma recurrence was significantly higher than those without recurrence (P = 0.003). Telomerase expression in relapse was significantly different from that without recurrence (P < 0.001). To our knowledge, 20 patients are the largest clinical series in sacral chordoma. Recurrence after surgical resection is a common occurrence. Our study demonstrated the association of telomerase expression with recurrence, suggesting that the telomerase expression could be another predictor of recurrence and survival.
The Effect of Foreign Cash Holdings on Internal Capital Markets and Firm Financing

Prior to 2018, U.S. repatriation taxes motivated companies to retain cash offshore. Using confidential jurisdiction-specific data from the Bureau of Economic Analysis, we find that firms with high tax-induced foreign cash have approximately 3.3 percent higher domestic liabilities relative to other multinationals, equivalent to $152.2 million more domestic debt per firm, or approximately $98.9-$141.9 billion in aggregate. We next examine motives for firms with tax-induced foreign cash to borrow domestically, finding this behavior is associated with shareholder payouts and some domestic investment spending. Finally, repatriations and intercompany loans from foreign subsidiaries act as substitutes and complements, respectively, to external borrowings.