Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Imaging of ancient schwannoma.

OBJECTIVE We surveyed the clinical symptoms and radiologic features of ancient schwannoma, a rare variant of schwannoma characterized by degenerative changes. MATERIALS AND METHODS We present the clinical, radiologic, and pathologic features in seven patients with ancient schwannoma (mean age, 62 years; range, 45-80 years) treated at our department between 1998 and 2003. RESULTS The most characteristic clinical features were a sign like Tinel's sign and a long interval between the onset of symptoms and surgery (mean interval, 8.3 years). Ancient schwannomas can grow large; the biggest tumor seen in our study was 14 cm long. The highly accurate radiologic assessment made possible with contrast-enhanced MRI and CT scanning showed enhancement at a peridegenerative area and sometimes at a capsule. These findings differ from those of the typical schwannoma and neurofibroma patterns reported to date. Furthermore, bone scintigraphy showed uptake in the tumor, but no accumulation was seen on gallium-67 citrate scintigraphy. CONCLUSION The characteristic clinical and radiologic findings of ancient schwannoma should make it possible to differentiate it from malignant tumors.
EFFECT OF PERIODONTAL SURGERY ON THE OSTEOIMMUNOLOGICAL MEDIATORS IN PATIENTS WITH CHRONIC AND AGGRESSIVE PERIODONTITIS

Background and Aim: Increased levels of receptor activator of nuclear factor kappa-B ligand (RANKL) and RANKL/OPG (osteoprotegerin) ratio in untreated periodontitis have been presented. However, current knowledge of periodontal treatment on osteoimmunological results is scarce. This study, aims to determine the RANKL, OPG, interleukin-1 beta (β), interleukin-10 levels in gingival crevicular fluid before and after surgical periodontal treatment in chronic and aggressive periodontitis. Subjects and Methods: Sixteen chronic periodontitis patients, 10 localized and 13 generalized aggressive periodontitis patients and 18 periodontally healthy controls were included. Clinical periodontal parameters were recorded and gingival crevicular fluid was collected at baseline and 3 months after open flap surgery. RANKL, OPG, interleukin-1β, interleukin-10 levels were analysed by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay. Results: RANKL total amount and RANKL/OPG ratio were higher in disease groups than controls at baseline. RANKL/OPG, Interleukin1β/Interleukin-10 ratios did not change after treatment for all periodontitis groups while Interleukin-1β total amount decreased (p<0.05). RANKL total amount was significantly decreased in generalized aggressive periodontitis group (p<0.05) while remaining similar in other groups. Conclusions: Increased RANKL total levels and RANKL/OPG ratio in untreated chronic and aggressive periodontitis groups supported its role in periodontal bone destruction. Even though the surgical periodontal treatment improved periodontal clinical parameters significantly, the present findings suggested that, it did not seem to have a meaningful effect on osteoimmunological mediators except interleukin-1β.
25 (OH) vitamin D level in Crohn's disease: association with sun exposure & disease activity.

BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVE Western studies show that up to 65 per cent of patients with Crohn's disease have low serum 25-hydroxy vitamin D concentrations, and 45 per cent of these patients have metabolic bone disease. No data are available from India or from any country with comparable climatic conditions or ethnicity. We carried out this study to measure the serum 25 (OH) vitamin D levels of Crohn's disease patients and compare with matched controls and to assess the consequences of low 25 (OH) vitamin D levels on bone and mineral metabolism in these patients. METHODS Adult patients with Crohn's disease were compared with age and sex matched patients diagnosed to have irritable bowel syndrome. Serum 25 (OH) vitamin D, the effect of disease characteristics, sunlight exposure and milk consumption on 25 (OH) vitamin D level, and the consequences of low 25 (OH) vitamin D level on bone and mineral metabolism were assessed. RESULTS Thirty four patients with Crohn's disease (M:F, 24:10, age 39.2 +/- 12.9 yr) and 34 controls (M:F, 24:10, age 38.9 +/- 13.4 yr) were studied. 25 (OH) vitamin D levels were significantly lower in patients with Crohn's disease as compared to controls (Crohn's disease vs controls: 16.3 +/- 10.8 vs 22.8 +/- 11.9 ng/ml; P<0.05). The severity of disease activity as assessed by the Harvey Bradshaw score correlated negatively (Correlation coefficient -0.484, significance P<0.004), and the duration of sunlight exposure correlated positively (Correlation coefficient 0.327, significance P=0.007) with the serum 25 (OH) vitamin D level. INTERPRETATION & CONCLUSION Serum 25 (OH) vitamin D levels were significantly lower among patients with Crohn's disease as compared to age and sex matched controls. Further, 25 (OH) vitamin D levels in patients with Crohn's disease were lower in those with severe disease activity and less sun exposure. Further studies need to be done to correlate low 25 (OH) vitamin D level with bone density and assess the effect of vitamin D supplementation in these patients.
Effects of cholesterol transport inhibitor U18666A on APP metabolism in rat primary astrocytes

Amyloid β (Aβ) peptides generated from the amyloid precursor protein (APP) play an important role in the degeneration of neurons and development of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Current evidence indicates that high levels of cholesterol—which increase the risk of developing AD—can influence Aβ production in neurons. However, it remains unclear how altered level/subcellular distribution of cholesterol in astrocytes can influence APP metabolism. In this study, we evaluated the effects of cholesterol transport inhibitor U18666A—a class II amphiphile that triggers redistribution of cholesterol within the endosomal–lysosomal (EL) system—on APP levels and metabolism in rat primary cultured astrocytes. Our results revealed that U18666A increased the levels of the APP holoprotein and its cleaved products (α‐/β‐/η‐CTFs) in cultured astrocytes, without altering the total levels of cholesterol or cell viability. The cellular levels of Aβ1‐40 were also found to be markedly increased, while secretory levels of Aβ1‐40 were decreased in U18666A‐treated astrocytes. We further report a corresponding increase in the activity of the enzymes regulating APP processing, such as α‐secretase, β‐secretase, and γ‐secretase as a consequence of U18666A treatment. Additionally, APP‐cleaved products are partly accumulated in the lysosomes following cholesterol sequestration within EL system possibly due to decreased clearance. Interestingly, serum delipidation attenuated enhanced levels of APP and its cleaved products following U18666A treatment. Collectively, these results suggest that cholesterol sequestration within the EL system in astrocytes can influence APP metabolism and the accumulation of APP‐cleaved products including Aβ peptides, which can contribute to the development of AD pathology.
Duodenal administration of solid lipid nanoparticles loaded with different percentages of tobramycin.

Three types of solid lipid nanoparticles (SLN) containing three different percentages of tobramycin (1.25, 2.50, 5.00%) were prepared (Tobra-SLN), and the in vitro tobramycin diffusion through a hydrophilic/lipophilic membrane was determined. A variable quantity of each of the three SLN types was placed in the donor compartment to achieve the same amount of tobramycin in each case. Tobramycin diffusion varied with the percentage of drug incorporated in SLN: the higher the percentage of tobramycin incorporated, the greater the amount of the drug diffused. In vivo uptake and transport were determined after administering a fixed dose of tobramycin (5 mg/kg) in each of the three types of SLN intraduodenally to rats. At fixed times, blood was sampled from the jugular vein and lymph from the thoracic duct. Lymph and blood were examined by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) analysis to detect the presence, sizes, and shape of SLN. The pharmacokinetic parameters varied considerably with the type of Tobra-SLN: the area under the curve of plasma concentration versus time (AUC) of 1.25% Tobra-SLN was more than five times higher than that of 5.00% Tobra-SLN; the longest residence time was obtained with 1.25% Tobra-SLN; and the clearance of 5.00% Tobra-SLN was fivefold than that of 1.25% Tobra-SLN. This behavior may be related to the differences among the three types of SLN; namely, the number of SLN administered and the mean diameter, the total surface area, and the drug content in each nanoparticle. TEM analysis showed that Tobra-SLNs were targeted to the lymph. Tobra-SLN may act as a reservoir of the drug in the lymphatic system, thereby favoring its sustained release.
A Study on International Student Adjustment from Academic, Social and Cultural Viewpoints in Taiwan

College student adjustment is an important factor in the success of learning of students. Social, personal-emotional, academic and institutional adjustment challenges the average college student. However, international students have a bigger challenge when they also have to face culture adjustment. This analysis is a case study of international students at one of the domestic college in Southern Taiwan. The Student Adaptation to College Questionnaire (SACQ) and the reactions of a focus group helps explaining international students’ adjustment at the subject University. The sample used was some of international students. This analysis showed that international students vary on their adjustment across cultures. This analysis is limited because of the small sample and warrants further study on international student adjustment.
Intellectual capital and bank productivity in emerging markets: evidence from Ghana

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine the effect of intellectual capital on bank productivity in an emerging market in Africa. Design/methodology/approach – The Malmquist productivity index (MPI) is employed to estimate productivity growth of 18 banks in Ghana from 2003 to 2011 while the Value Added Intellectual Coefficient (VAIC) is used to measure bank intellectual capital performance. The panel-corrected standard errors estimation technique is used to estimate a panel regression model with MPI as the dependent variable. Bank market concentration and bank size are controlled for in the regression analysis. Findings – The authors find productivity growth to be largely driven by efficiency changes compared to technological changes. The results from the regression analysis indicate that VAIC has a positive effect on the productivity of banks in Ghana. The authors also find human capital efficiency and capital employed efficiency as the components of VAIC that drive productivity growth in the ba.
Evolutionary stability of ideal free nonlocal dispersal

We study the evolutionary stability of nonlocal dispersal strategies that can produce ideal free population distributions, that is, distributions where all individuals have equal fitness and there is no net movement of individuals at equilibrium. We find that the property of producing ideal free distributions is necessary and often sufficient for evolutionary stability. Our results extend those already developed for discrete diffusion models on finite patch networks to the case of nonlocal dispersal models based on integrodifferential equations. The analysis is based on the use of comparison methods and the construction of sub- and supersolutions.
Formation of most of our coal brought Earth close to global glaciation

Significance The bulk of the coal driving the Industrial Revolution and contributing to global warming today has been deposited during the Carboniferous period (359–299 million years ago), resulting in a significant drawdown of atmospheric carbon dioxide at that time. In this work, a combination of climate model simulations and recent estimates for carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere is used to demonstrate that the cooling due to the diminished greenhouse effect brought our planet close to the limit of global glaciation ∼300 million years ago. These findings highlight the climatic importance of the fossil carbon stored in Earth’s coal deposits and thus have implications for climate policy. The bulk of Earth’s coal deposits used as fossil fuel today was formed from plant debris during the late Carboniferous and early Permian periods. The high burial rate of organic carbon correlates with a significant drawdown of atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) at that time. A recent analysis of a high-resolution record reveals large orbitally driven variations in atmospheric CO2 concentration between ∼150 and 700 ppm for the latest Carboniferous and very low values of 100 ± 80 ppm for the earliest Permian. Here, I explore the sensitivity of the climate around the Carboniferous/Permian boundary to changes in Earth’s orbital parameters and in atmospheric CO2 using a coupled climate model. The coldest orbital configurations are characterized by large axial tilt and small eccentricities of Earth’s elliptical orbit, whereas the warmest configuration occurs at minimum tilt, maximum eccentricity, and a perihelion passage during Northern hemisphere spring. Global glaciation occurs at CO2 concentrations <40 ppm, suggesting a rather narrow escape from a fully glaciated Snowball Earth state given the low levels and large fluctuations of atmospheric CO2. These findings highlight the importance of orbital cycles for the climate and carbon cycle during the late Paleozoic ice age and the climatic significance of the fossil carbon stored in Earth’s coal deposits.
Relationship between low response to clopidogrel and periprocedural ischemic events with coil embolization for intracranial aneurysms

Objectives Low response to antiplatelet drugs is one of the risk factors for ischemic events. We examined the influence of low response to clopidogrel on symptomatic ischemic events and new ischemic MRI lesions with endovascular intracranial aneurysmal coil embolization. Materials and methods Between August 2010 and July 2013, 189 procedures in 181 consecutive patients who underwent endovascular coiling and received clopidogrel before treatment were investigated retrospectively. Platelet aggregation activity was examined by VerifyNow analysis. Low response to clopidogrel was defined as P2Y12 reaction units ≥230 in this study. Symptomatic ischemic complications within 30 days and postoperative new ischemic lesions on MRI–diffusion weighted imaging were evaluated. Results 66 of 189 (34.9%) cases were low responders to clopidogrel. Ischemic complications occurred in 2 of 66 (3.0%) low responders compared with 6 of 123 (4.9%) responders (p=0.72). A new high intensity spot larger than 5 mm was significantly more frequent in low responders (26 of 66; 39.4%) than in responders (26 of 121; 21.2%; p=0.01). On multivariate analysis, independent risk factors for larger new ischemic lesions were low response to clopidogrel, smokers, posterior location, and aneurysms with a larger neck. Conclusions Low response to clopidogrel had little effect on clinical outcome although it increased asymptomatic large ischemic lesions in this cohort.
The effect of age, acquired resistance, pregnancy and lactation on some reactions of cattle to infection with Ostertagia ostertagi

SUMMARY An experiment is described in which the effects of age, previous infection, pregnancy and lactation on some reactions of cattle to infection with Ostertagia ostertagi were studied. It was found that an acquired resistance to the establishment of worms developed more rapidly in 20-month-old heifers than in calves, that it was unaffected by pregnancy of the host but that it was largely lost by heifers in early lactation. The rate at which populations were turned over, i.e. the mean life-span of worms through the late 4th and 5th stages was unaffected by the factors studied. Although, in the conditions of the experiment, development of the worms was not arrested in susceptible calves, both age of the host and its previous experience of infection were significant causes of arrest, and in previously infected 20-month-old cattle 86% of the worms of a challenge infection were arrested. Pregnancy did not affect the proportion of worms that was arrested but in lactating heifers only marginally more worms were arrested than in calves. Worms that were not arrested grew more rapidly in calves and in lactating heifers than in empty heifers or those in mid-pregnancy.
Hemispheric differences in the processing of contextual information during language comprehension

This study investigated the proposition that the right hemisphere (RH) processes language in a global, integrative manner that maintains access to earlier contextual information, whereas the left hemisphere (LH) processes in a local fashion and only keeps active the most recent concept. Thirty-four right-handed participants completed a lexical decision task using a split visual-field paradigm, with reaction time and error rates recorded. Three sentences were presented, where an inference was required in order to produce coherence between the first and second sentences. The third sentence was not directly related to the inference generation, but was consistent with the scenario set out in the prior context. Targets were either “Global”, where the target reflected the meaning of the inference generated in order for coherence to have been created; or “Local”, where the target reflected the meaning of only the third sentence and therefore did not require integration of previous context. Significantly greater facilitation was observed for the RH/left visual field than LH/right visual field for “Global” targets, while no hemispheric differences were observed for “Local” targets. This study provides evidence for the distillation of current models of hemispheric language comprehension into underlying local and global processes.
A comparative study of complications of cataract surgery with phacoemulsification in eyes with high and normal axial length

Background: This study performed to assess the safety of cataract extraction with phacoemulsification and intraocular lens (IOL) implantation in patients with high axial length compared with patients with normal axial length. Materials and Methods: A total of 866 eyes were enrolled in this study; all subjects underwent phacoemulsification and IOL implantation for treatment of cataract. Seven hundred and nine eyes fell in the normal group with axial lengths ranging between 21 and 24.5 mm, and 157 eyes were considered myopic with axial length equal or greater than 26 mm. The two groups were compared regarding intraoperative surgical complications, such as vitreous loss, posterior capsular rupture, nucleolus drop, and undesirable implantation of IOL in the anterior chamber. Results: Age was a risk factor in both groups, with each year increase of age, the chance of incidence of intraoperative complications increased 1.04-folds ( P = 0.03). And with 1 mm increase in axial length, the incidence of complications raised 1.22-folds ( P = 0.007). There was no significant correlation between axial length and incidence of vitreous loss, although the incidence of posterior capsular rupture and nucleus fragment drops increased with increment in the axial length. Sex of the patients and side of the left or right eye were not found to be significant risk factors. Conclusions: As the results illustrate, in this survey, age and high axial length were statistically significant risk factors for incidence of intraoperative complications of cataract surgery with phacoemulsification technique. Anticipation of these complications and also preparation and prophylactic measures may decrease incidence of these complications.
Relation of ferritin levels with symptom ratings and cognitive performance in children with attention deficit–hyperactivity disorder

Background: The aim of the present paper was to investigate the relationship between behavioral symptoms and attentional and executive functions and hematological variables related to iron deficiency and anemia, ferritin, hemoglobin, mean corpuscular volume (MCV), and red cell distribution width (RDW) in children and adolescents with attention deficit–hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
Shareholder Say on Pay and CEO Compensation: Three Strikes and the Board is Out

From 2011 in Australia, if over 25% of shareholders vote against a non-binding remuneration resolution, firms are awarded a ‘strike’. We examine 237 firms that receive a strike relative to matched firms, and find no association with any measure of CEO pay. However, we do find that strike firms have higher book-to-market and leverage ratios, suggesting that the remuneration vote is not used to target excessive pay. We also find that firms respond to a strike by decreasing the discretionary bonus component of CEO pay by 57.10% more than non-strike firms and increasing their remuneration disclosure by 10.95%.
Layers of Area V 1 in Figure-Ground Segregation

Matthew W. Self,1,* Timo van Kerkoerle,1 Hans Supèr,2,3,4 and Pieter R. Roelfsema1,5,6 1Department of Vision & Cognition, Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, Meibergdreef 47, 1105 BA, Amsterdam, the Netherlands 2Department of Basic Psychology, University of Barcelona, Passeig Vall d’Hebron 171, 08035 Barcelona, Spain 3Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behavior (IR3C), Passeig Vall d’Hebron 171, 08035 Barcelona, Spain 4Catalan Institution for Research and Advanced Studies (ICREA), Passeig Vall d’Hebron 171, 08035 Barcelona, Spain 5Department of Integrative Neurophysiology, Center for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research, VU University, De Boelelaan 1085, 1081 HV Amsterdam, the Netherlands 6Psychiatry Department, Academic Medical Center, Postbus 22660, 1100 DD Amsterdam, the Netherlands
Effects of Poultry Manure and Spent Mushroom Substrate on Soil, Weed and Maize Performance in an Ultisol

DOI: 10.15580/GJAS.2019. 2.033119060 Field experiment was carried out at the Teaching and Research Farm of the University of Port Harcourt, Rivers State to determine effects of poultry manure and spent mushroom substrate on soil, weed and maize performance in an Ultisol. The experiment consisted of five treatments namely: control (0 tons/ha), 5 tons / ha of poultry manure (PM5), 10 tons / ha of poultry manure (PM10), 2.5 tons / ha of poultry manure + 2.5 tons / ha of spent mushroom substrate (PM2.5 + SWS2.5) and 5 tons / ha of poultry manure + 5 tons / ha of spent mushroom substrate (PM5 + SWS5). The treatments were laid out in randomized complete design (RCBD) and replicated four times. Result showed that Bulk density ranged from 1.18 g cm -3 for PM5 to 1.35 g cm -