Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
MR imaging and localized proton spectroscopy of the precentral gyrus in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE In the search for a diagnostic test for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), especially upper motor neuron (UMN) involvement, MR imaging and proton spectroscopy techniques have each received attention, but their findings have not been correlated. The purpose of this study was to identify relationships among the results of current techniques, taking into account the severity of clinical UMN disease, so that objective measures of the pathogenesis of ALS may be established. METHODS Eighteen subjects with clinically diagnosed ALS and 12 healthy volunteers underwent MR imaging of the brain and localized proton MR spectroscopy. Water-suppressed spectra from the left precentral gyrus and from the left cuneus gyrus were analyzed with the LCModel method, yielding concentrations for N-acetyl (NA), total creatine (Cr), choline (Cho), glutamate (Glu), glutamine (Gin), and myo-inositol (Ins) metabolic substrates. Signal intensities of the precentral gyrus on T2-weighted images were assessed qualitatively in a blinded fashion. RESULTS For the precentral gyrus, mean Cho (1.3 mM) and Ins (3.25 mM) for the ALS group were significantly increased. After adjustment for Cr covariance, mean Glu (5.08 mM) and NA (6.31 mM) were decreased. For the cuneus gyrus, no difference in metabolite concentrations between groups was observed. Trend analysis of the precentral gyrus metabolite concentrations revealed significant increases in Cho and Ins and decreases in NA and Glu with respect to the severity of clinical UMN signs. Metabolic changes were greater in the subset of ALS patients with precentral gyrus signal changes on imaging, and significantly increased Ins was associated with cortical hypointensity on fast spin-echo images. CONCLUSION Mean metabolite concentrations determined from precentral gyrus spectra reflect clinical and pathologic changes that occur in ALS. Imaging findings, while related to the spectral and clinical results, are not specific to ALS.
Determination and Valuation of Recovery Risk in Credit-Risk Models

This thesis is concerned with the modelling of recovery rates and the valuation of recovery risk in credit-risk models. Using empirical insights from a unique dataset combined with some stylized facts, a consistent model for the valuation of single-name credit derivatives under stochastic recovery is derived. The model yields tractable pricing formulas and in particular allows for the pricing of single-name credit derivatives with payoffs that are directly linked to the recovery rate at default. Stochastic recovery rates are also considered in the context of portfolio credit-risk modelling. The joint modelling of recovery rates and default rates in a portfolio of credit-risky assets is extended to a non-Gaussian dependence structure. This model allows for an efficient sampling of the loss process. An extension of the concept of base correlations yields significantly flatter base correlation curves compared to the current market standard.
Long-Term Outcome of Renal Transplant Recipients With Chronic Hepatitis B Infection—Impact of Antiviral Treatments

Background. Antiviral treatment has improved the short-term outcome of kidney transplant recipients with chronic hepatitis B infection, but its long-term impact, especially in patients who have developed drug resistance, remains uncertain. Methods. Sixty-three hepatitis B surface antigen positive (HBsAg+) and 63 HBsAg− patients who have undergone kidney transplantation from 1985 to 2008 were retrospectively reviewed and their clinical outcomes were compared. Results. With lamivudine as initial treatment, 62% of patients developed drug resistance after 4 years. Lamivudine resistance was associated with a higher incidence of chronic hepatitis but had no significant impact on liver stiffness score or patient survival during follow-up. Salvage treatment with adefovir or entecavir was well tolerated, and resulted in a three-log decrease in hepatitis B deoxynucleic acid after 6 months and normalization of alanine aminotransferase in 75% of patients. The survival rate of HBsAg+ patients transplanted in the recent era of antiviral treatment was 81% at 10 years. Treatment of hepatitis B with nucleoside/nucleotide analogues resulted in significantly improved patient survival (83% vs. 34% at 20 years, P=0.006). Although antiviral treatment was associated with reduced mortality because of liver complications (P=0.036), liver-related deaths still accounted for 40% of mortalities in HBsAg+ patients in the era of antiviral therapies and 22.2% of all deaths that occurred in patients who had received antiviral treatment. Conclusion. Treatment of HBsAg+ renal transplant recipients with nucleoside/nucleotide analogues confers long-term survival benefit, and that rescue therapy with adefovir or entecavir is effective and well tolerated in patients who had developed resistance to lamivudine.
Staffs' knowledge and perceptions of working with women with intellectual disabilities and mental health problems.

AIM There is a growing evidence of the physical and mental health inequalities in people with intellectual disability (ID) although less has been written concerning the mental health of women with ID (International Association for the Scientific Study of Intellectual Disabilities). This is compared with the substantive literature published within mainstream psychiatry on gender. The aim of this study was to explore a range of health and social care staffs' knowledge and perceptions of caring for women with ID who have mental health problems focusing upon risk and resilient/protective factors. METHOD A qualitative methodology was used. Eight focus groups were conducted with hospital, community and residential staff across one region of the UK. The focus groups were audiotaped and the transcriptions were subjected to a thematic content analysis using Newell & Burnard's framework. FINDINGS Six inter-related risk factors were identified by the participants as potential causes for the women with ID to develop a mental illness and these were: having an ID and being female, unmet expectations, dysfunctional family upbringing, unstable relationships/loss of children, domestic violence and negative life experiences. Few of the participants acknowledged hormonal issues as a risk factor. Resilient/protective factors included being proactive, greater community participation, early recognition and mental health maintenance. CONCLUSION These results are discussed in light of current developments and policy within mainstream psychiatric gender approaches. Greater recognition of a proactive health approach for both staff and women with an ID is recommended.
A New Regression-Based Tail Index Estimator

Abstract A new regression-based approach for the estimation of the tail index of heavy-tailed distributions with several important properties is introduced. First, it provides a bias reduction when compared to available regression-based methods; second, it is resilient to the choice of the tail length used for the estimation of the tail index; third, when the effect of the slowly varying function at infinity of the Pareto distribution vanishes slowly, it continues to perform satisfactorily; and fourth, it performs well under dependence of unknown form. An approach to compute the asymptotic variance under time dependence and conditional heteroskcedasticity is also provided.
Hemodynamic Changes After Low-Dosage Hydrocortisone Administration in Vasopressor-Treated Preterm and Term Neonates

OBJECTIVE. We sought to investigate whether the increase in blood pressure and decrease in vasopressor support after hydrocortisone administration are associated with changes in systemic hemodynamics in neonates who receive high-dosage dopamine to maintain blood pressure at the lowest acceptable levels. METHODS. In this prospective, observational study, preterm and term neonates who required dopamine ≥15 μg/kg per minute to maintain minimum acceptable blood pressure received intravenous hydrocortisone 2 mg/kg followed by up to 4 doses of 1 mg/kg every 12 hours. Fifteen preterm and 5 term neonates without a patent ductus arteriosus composed the study population. Echocardiograms and vascular Doppler studies were performed immediately before the first dose of hydrocortisone and at 1, 2, 6 to 12, 24, and 48 hours thereafter. RESULTS. In the 15 preterm infants, during the first 12 hours of hydrocortisone treatment, the 28% increase in blood pressure paralleled that in the systemic vascular resistance without changes in stroke volume or cardiac output, whereas dopamine dosage decreased. By 24 hours, the dosage of dopamine continued to decrease, whereas stroke volume increased without additional changes in systemic vascular resistance. By 48 hours, dopamine dosage decreased by 72%; blood pressure and stroke volume increased by 31% and 33%, respectively; and systemic vascular resistance and cardiac output tended to be higher (14% and 21%, respectively) compared with baseline. Contractility, global myocardial function, and Doppler indices of blood flow in the middle cerebral and renal artery remained normal and unchanged. The findings in the 5 term infants showed a similar pattern for changes in cardiac function, systemic hemodynamics, and organ blood flow after hydrocortisone administration. CONCLUSIONS. In preterm and term neonates who require high-dosage dopamine to maintain blood pressure at the lowest acceptable levels, hydrocortisone improves blood pressure without compromising cardiac function, systemic perfusion, or cerebral and renal blood flow.
Comparison of the distances covered during 3 and 6 min walking test.

AIMS To determine the reproducibility of the distance covered in 3 min and its correlation with the 6 min walking test, as well as compare the distances covered at different time intervals. Secondly, to evaluate the relationship between the distances covered during these time periods and the maximum oxygen intake obtained during a bicycle ergometer test. METHODS Forty-five Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disesase patients were included in the study. Subjects who were either physically limited or familiar with the test, or those with acute exacerbation in the month prior to the study, were excluded. Three walking tests were carried out each day. In 30 patients for three consecutive days, and the distances covered in periods of 3 and 6 min were measured with 20 min rest between each walk. No incentive was given and the patients knew that the distances covered in 3 and 6 min would be quantified. Oxygen saturation, heart rate and degree of breathlessness (modified Borg scale) were registered at baseline. After 3 min, the distance covered and degree of breathlessness were also measured. After 6 min, oxygen saturation, heart rate, degree of breathlessness and distance covered in meters were registered. Spirometry was performed daily on each patient, and those with an FEV1 variation of less than 10% were considered clinically and functionally stable. An exercise test using bicycle ergometer was carried out to determine maximum oxygen intake. A 3 min walking test was performed in 15 patients, independently on the same day, which was followed after 20 min rest with a 6 min walking test. RESULTS A significant increase was observed in the distance covered over 3 and 6 min in the first 5 walks, with the greatest increase seen in the first 3 walks. The correlation between the distance covered in 3 and 6 min was 0.98. The correlation between the distance covered in 3 min and oxygen intake was 0.64. No significant differences were observed between the distances covered in the 0-3 and 3 to 6 min periods. During the walking test, breathlessness was measured using the modified Borg scale, which was 1.8 after 3 min, and 3.2 after six min and 8.6 at the end of bicycle ergometer test. No significant differences were observed between the distance covered during the 3 minute test and the distance in the first 3 min of the 6 min walking test. CONCLUSIONS A learning effect was observed when the walking test is carried out repeatedly over short time periods, with a significant increase in the first 5 walks. Correlation between the distances covered in 3 and 6 min is very good, and acceptable when the distance covered over these periods is compared with oxygen intake and walking speed is constant.
Suppression of cell proliferation, induction of apoptosis and cell cycle arrest: Chemopreventive activity of vanadium in vivo and in vitro

In the present study, the authors evaluated the anticancer mechanism of vanadium, a dietary micronutrient and an important pharmacological agent, on a defined model of chemically induced rat mammary carcinogenesis in vivo and on human breast cancer cell line MCF7 in vitro. Female Sprague‐Dawley rats were treated with 7,12‐dimethylbenz(α)anthracene (0.5 mg/100 g body weight) by a single tail vein injection in an oil emulsion to induce mammary preneoplasia. Vanadium (ammonium monovanadate) at a concentration of 0.5 ppm (4.27 μmol/l) was supplemented in drinking water and given ad libitum to the experimental groups for 24 weeks. Histological finding showed substantial repair of hyperplastic lesions. There was a significant reduction in incidence, multiplicity (34%, p < 0.01), size of palpable mammary tumors and delay in mean latency period of tumor appearance. Immunohistochemical analysis in vivo indicated a decrease in cell proliferation (24.68% p < 0.05) and an increase among the TUNEL‐positive apoptotic cells along with strong expressions of p53 and Bax, and downregulation of Bcl2 proteins in the mammary tissue of vanadium‐treated animals. Further, MCF7 cells were cultured in minimal essential medium and were treated with 100, 175 and 250 μM of vanadium (ammonium monovanadate) for 36 hr. Exposure of MCF7 cells to vanadium led to induction of apoptosis in a dose‐dependent manner. It was found further that vanadium treatment brought about a prominent cell cycle arrest and chromosomal condensation, leading to apoptosis (42.62%, p < 0.05). Results of both the in vivo and in vitro study demonstrate that vanadium has the potential to be developed into an anti‐breast cancer drug in the near future. © 2006 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Patient samples of renal cell carcinoma show reduced expression of TRAF1 compared with normal kidney and functional studies in vitro indicate TRAF1 promotes apoptosis: potential for targeted therapy

Aims: The tumour necrosis factor (TNF) receptor-associated factor (TRAF) family of proteins links the TNF receptor superfamily to cell signalling cascades. TRAF1 is involved in regulation of apoptosis, proliferation, differentiation and stress responses. It has a role in development of several malignancies, but no information for renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is available. Methods: Expression profiles for TRAF1 were investigated in 121 samples of human RCC of various subtypes plus paired normal kidney prepared in tissue microarrays, in comparison with apoptosis (morphology, ApopTag) and mitosis (morphology, proliferating cell nuclear antigen/PCNA). TRAF1 function was tested in vitro in RCC ACHN cells. TRAF1 short interfering RNA (siRNA) was used to inhibit expression of TRAF1 in ACHN cells untreated or treated with cancer therapies known to induce apoptosis (20 Gy X-irradiation and/or 500 IU/mL interferon-alpha). Results: In patient samples, TRAF1 localised to proximal tubular epithelium in normal kidney and was significantly decreased in clear cell RCC as one group (p < 0.01) and all other RCC subclassifications grouped together (p < 0.05). There was little apoptosis identified in any RCC samples. In vitro, TRAF1 siRNA caused significant reduction in TRAF1 expression and a concurrent decrease in apoptosis and increase in proliferative activity (both p < 0.05) in the ACHN RCC cells treated with radiation and interferon-alpha. Conclusion: TRAF1 may have a pro-apoptotic, anti-mitotic role in RCC. The low TRAF1 expression in untreated RCC patient samples compared with normal kidney, and the localisation of TRAF1 to the proximal tubular epithelium from which many RCC originate, may indicate a potential for targeted therapy in RCC.
On the Failure of the Linkage Principle with Colluding Bidders

One of the fundamental results of auction theory is the Linkage Principle, which states that the seller’s expected revenue is enhanced by ex ante full public disclosure of information about the value of the good. Previous literature has established that the Principle fails in dynamic settings. We argue that information provision may also sustain collusion in single-unit auctions, thus harming the auctioneer. Using a model with private and common value components, we point out that disclosure curtails common value uncertainty, making communication between cartel members incentive compatible. We also show that collusion is feasible if and only if information provision reaches an interior threshold value.
A randomized, controlled trial of Promogran (a collagen/oxidized regenerated cellulose dressing) vs standard treatment in the management of diabetic foot ulcers.

HYPOTHESIS Promogran, a wound dressing consisting of collagen and oxidized regenerated cellulose, is more effective that standard care in treating chronic diabetic plantar ulcers. DESIGN Randomized, prospective, controlled multicenter trial. SETTING University teaching hospitals and primary care centers. PATIENTS A total of 276 patients from 11 centers were enrolled in the study. The mean age of the patients was 58.3 years (range, 23-85 years). All patients had at least 1 diabetic foot ulcer. INTERVENTIONS Patients were randomized to receive Promogran (n = 138) or moistened gauze (control group; n = 138) and a secondary dressing. Dressings were changed when clinically required. The maximum follow-up for each patient was 12 weeks. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE Complete healing of the study ulcer (wound). RESULTS After 12 weeks of treatment, 51 (37.0%) Promogran-treated patients had complete wound closure compared with 39 (28.3%) control patientss, but this difference was not statistically significant (P =.12). The difference in healing between treatment groups achieved borderline significance in the subgroup of patients with wounds of less than 6 months' duration. In patients with ulcers of less than 6 months' duration, 43 (45%) of 95 Promogran-treated patients healed compared with 29 (33%) of 89 controls (P =.056). In the group with wounds of at least 6 months' duration, similar numbers of patients healed in the control (10/49 [20%]) and the Promogran (8/43 [19%]; P =.83) groups. No differences were seen in the safety measurements between groups. Patients and investigators expressed a strong preference for Promogran compared with moistened gauze. CONCLUSIONS Promogran was comparable to moistened gauze in promoting wound healing in diabetic foot ulcers. It showed an additional efficacy for ulcers of less than 6 months' duration that was of marginal statistical significance. Furthermore, Promogran had a safety profile that was similar to that of moistened gauze, with greater user satisfaction. Therefore, Promogran may be a useful adjunct in the management of diabetic foot ulceration, especially in ulcers of less than 6 months' duration.
An Empirical Investigation of the Impact of Dividend Policy on Performance of Quoted Companies in a Developing Economy

This study empirically investigate the impact of dividend policy on performance of quoted companies in a developing economy. The objective of the study was to empirically test some ratio variables likely to affect dividend policy on a multivariate methodology. The sample size of this study was twenty quoted firms in a developing nation actively operating within 2005 to 2016 in the stock market. It was deduced that there is a significant positive impact of dividend pay-out ratio (DPS) on return on asset of . 176. One percent increase in dividend payout ratio will lead to a corresponding increase on the average of 0.176 in return of asset (ROA). From our analysis, we found out that the coefficient of determination (R2) captured a significant portion of the models applied in the study but model two become stronger. We also found out that there is a positive relationship between ROE and DPS of . 540 and the slope of the regression line is . 129. This indicate that one percent increase of DPS will lead to a corresponding increase on ROE. The study there concluded that profit after tax should be considered sensitive in relation to dividend payment.
Change and Continuity in the Foreign Policies of Small States: Elite Perceptions and Georgia’s Foreign Policy Towards Russia

Abstract The 2012 parliamentary elections witnessed Georgia’s first peaceful post-independence transfer of power. Under Bidzina Ivanishvili, the government formed by the Georgian Dream Coalition significantly softened the harsh anti-Russia rhetoric of Saakashvili’s ‘National Movement’, launching a policy aimed at normalising relations with Russia. Such a shift of a steady, almost decade-long counter-Russian foreign policy resists explanation by structural theories on small states located in relatively stable external environments. Mapping discursive changes and employing a constructivist framework, we argue that distinct foreign policy visions are reflections of the differences between the identities of the two leadership camps.
Comparison of two brief neuropsychological batteries in people with multiple sclerosis

Background: We compared two brief neuropsychological batteries devised to assess people with multiple sclerosis (MS) and used them to assess the relationship between cognitive impairment and clinical characteristics. Methods: We administered either the Brief Repeatable Battery of Neuropsychological Tests (BRBNT) or the Screening Examination for Cognitive Impairment (SEFCI) to 213 consecutive MS outpatients and 213 individually matched controls. Results: Administration times were longer for BRBNT than SEFCI, for MS and controls (p=0.001). People with MS had lower scores in all individual tests than controls (p<0.001, BRBNT and SEFCI). By the criterion of poor performance on one or more tests, the sensitivity of BRBNT was 41.9% and that of SEFCI 31.5%. The corresponding figures by poor performance on two or more tests were 16.2% for BRBNT and 18.5% for SEFCI. The Buschke Selective Reminding and Paced Auditory Serial Addition were the tests best discriminating between people with MS and controls for BRBNT, and the Symbol Digit Modalities test for SEFCI. The only clinical variable independently associated with impaired performance on these batteries was EDSS. Conclusions: Both cognitive batteries were well accepted and easy to administer. Administration time for SEFCI was significantly shorter than for BRBNT; however, alternative forms for serial evaluation are available only for BRBNT. The BRBNT was slightly more sensitive in detecting impairment by the criterion of poor performance on one or more tests. EDSS score was the only clinical variable independently associated with cognitive impairment.