Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Generalized spin systems and σ models

A generalization of the SU(2) spin systems on a lattice and their continuum limit to an arbitrary compact group G is discussed. The continuum limits are, in general, nonrelativistic a-model-type field theories targeted on a homogeneous space G/H, where H contains the maximal torus of G. In the ferromagnetic case the equations of motion derived from our continuum Lagrangian generalize the Landau-Lifshitz equations with quadratic dispersion relation for small wave vectors. In the antiferromagnetic case the dispersion law is always linear in the long-wavelength limit. The models become relativistic only when G/H is a symmetric space
Do clinicians use the American College of Radiology Appropriateness criteria in the management of their patients?

OBJECTIVE The purpose of this study was to investigate the use of the American College of Radiology (ACR) appropriateness criteria by referring physicians during decision making about imaging in the management of their patients. CONCLUSION There is a low utilization of the ACR appropriateness criteria by clinicians when ordering imaging studies for their patients. The ACR has invested a great deal of resources in these criteria and should therefore be aware of information regarding utilization. Our findings may have implications about how the ACR appropriateness criteria are reviewed, revised, and disseminated.
Screening plant growth‐promoting rhizobacteria for improving growth and yield of wheat

Aims: Plant growth promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) are commonly used as inoculants for improving the growth and yield of agricultural crops, however screening for the selection of effective PGPR strains is very critical. This study focuses on the screening of effective PGPR strains on the basis of their potential for in vitro auxin production and plant growth promoting activity under gnotobiotic conditions.
Study of the mechanisms of aldosterone prothrombotic effect in rats

Introduction: We investigated the role of primary haemostasis, fibrinolysis, nitric oxide (NO) and oxidative stress as well as mineralocorticoid receptors (MR) in acute aldosterone prothrombotic action. Materials and methods: Venous thrombosis was induced by stasis in Wistar rats. Aldosterone (ALDO; 10, 30, 100 µg/kg/h) was infused for 1 h. Eplerenone (EPL; 100 mg/kg, p.o.), a selective MR antagonist, was administered before ALDO infusion. Bleeding time (BT) and platelet adhesion to collagen were evaluated. The expression of nitric oxide synthase (NOS), NADPH oxidase, superoxide dismutase (SOD) and plasminogen activator inhibitor (PAI-1) was measured. NO, malonyl dialdehyde (MDA) and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) plasma levels were assayed. Results: Significant enhancement of venous thrombosis was observed after ALDO infusion. ALDO shortened BT and increased platelet adhesion. Marked increases were observed in PAI-1, NADPH oxidase and SOD mRNA levels. MDA and H2O2 levels were augmented in ALDO-treated groups, and NOS expression and NO level were decreased. EPL reduced ALDO effects on thrombus formation, primary haemostasis, PAI-1 expression and MDA level. Conclusion: Short-term ALDO infusion enhances experimental venous thrombosis in the mechanism involving primary haemostasis, fibrinolysis, NO and oxidative stress-dependent pathways. The MR antagonist only partially diminished the ALDO effects, suggesting the involvement of additional mechanisms.
T cell responses of periodontal disease patients and healthy subjects to oral microorganisms.

The relationship between T cell proliferative responses to oral microorganisms and periodontal disease status was studied utilizing a standardized T cell/monocyte mixture previously shown to generate maximal proliferative responses in vitro. T cells from periodontally healthy and diseased subjects were found to respond equally well to all oral microorganisms tested. When subjects were grouped according to their T cell response profile by cluster analysis, a generalized high responder and generalized low responder group was defined. Low responders were found to have significantly more redness and bleeding on probing than high responders. No differences were found between the two groups with respect to suppuration, plaque, attachment level, pocket depth, or bone loss. Patients not falling into the high or low responder groups had intermediate proliferative responses and moderate amounts of inflammation. These findings indicate that T cell proliferative responses to oral microorganisms may identify subgroups of individuals with unique clinical features.
Functional Involvement of Sciatic Nerve‐derived Versicanand Decorin‐like Molecules and other Chondroitin Sulphate Proteoglycans in ECM‐mediated Cell Adhesion and Neurite Outgrowth

We have previously described two proteoglycans from human sciatic nerve which are immunochemically related to the chondroitin sulphate proteoglycans versican and decorin. The chondroitin sulphate of the versican‐like molecule and the core protein of the decorin‐like molecule have been found previously to be up‐regulated after lesioning the adult mouse sciatic nerve. To investigate if the versican‐ and decorin‐like molecules are involved in cell‐extracellular matrix interactions, we studied the effect of both molecules on cell adhesion. The versican‐ and decorin‐like molecules, substrate‐coated in a mixture with fibronectin, but not with laminin or collagen types I or IV, inhibited the adhesion of several cell lines, neonatal dorsal root ganglion neurons and Schwann cells. The inhibitory activity was concentration‐dependent and mediated by the chondroitin sulphate. Furthermore, when different proteoglycans were incubated with fibronectin, only the versican‐ and decorin‐like molecules and the chondroitin sulphate proteoglycan aggrecan, but not the heparan sulphate proteoglycan perlecan, were able to inhibit fibronectin‐mediated cell adhesion. The versican‐ and decorin‐like molecules, substrate‐coated alone or in a mixture with fibronectin or laminin, were at most slightly inhibitory to neurite outgrowth from PC12 phaeochromocytoma cells and neonatal dorsal root ganglion neurons. In a solid‐phase ligand‐binding assay theversican‐ and decorin‐like molecules interacted with fibronectin, but not with laminin or collagen types I and IV. Binding of the versican‐like molecule to fibronectin and inhibition of cell adhesion by this molecule was mediated via the heparin and cell‐binding domains of fibronectin. These observations suggest that binding of the two proteoglycans to fibronectin is involved in the modulation of adhesion of cells to fibronectin.
Staying within the margins: The educational stories of first-generation, low -income college students

An abstract of the dissertation of Diane Lyn Cole for the Doctor of Philosophy in Social Work and Social Research presented July 11, 2008. Title: Staying Within the Margins: The Educational Stories of First-Generation, Low-Income College Students This research addressed educational persistence among first-generation, lowincome college students. The educational paths of 22 first-generation, low-income undergraduate students attending a large, urban university in the Northwest region of the United States were examined through a narrative framework. Half of the participants had persisted from year one to year two, and the other half left the university after their first year. Analytic procedures consisted of thematic qualitative coding, an analysis of student trajectories over educational histories, and the reconstruction of narrative stories. Data were used to examine: 1) How firstgeneration, low-income students understood and described their journey through their first year, 2) Reasons some students gave for leaving the university, 3) Meanings students gave to their experiences in college and how those meanings influenced future decisions, and 4) Differences between the stories of students who persisted versus those who left. The first-generation, low-income students who participated in this study were individually diverse and took various paths through college. After prolonged contact, evidence of interrupted enrollment and transfer among colleges was shown for approximately half of the participants. The descriptive codes most frequently discussed were financial issues, aspects of self, and family. Students described motivations for college in terms of themes related to family, gaining practical skills, existential discovery, desire for the college adventure, and affirmation of personal attributes. Students left the institution as a result of academic challenges, external life events, financial difficulties, dissatisfaction with the college process, unclear goals or reasons for continuation, and a need to stay near family. Students who persisted in college indicated adequate pre-college academic preparation, social connection to the university, family support for continuation, adequate financial resources, and support from social and cultural brokers that helped them navigate college. Findings from this study suggest social class, financial, individual and family contextual variables be added to Tinto's (1975,1993) classic model of student departure. Higher education policies suggested by data include partnering with families, reducing social class barriers and providing better information to students about the hidden costs of transfer and interrupted enrollment.
Methotrexate-induced pancytopenia: serious and under-reported? Our experience of 25 cases in 5 years.

OBJECTIVE To ascertain the extent of methotrexate (MTX)-related pancytopenia at the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital (NNUH) between 1999 and 2004. METHODS Patients were identified by a department database search, review of pharmacy records and personal communication. Pancytopenia was defined as white blood cell count (WBC) <3.5 x 10(9)/l, haemoglobin (Hb) <11 g/dl and platelet count <130 x 10(9)/l. Severe pancytopenia was defined as WBC <2.0 x 10(9)/l, Hb <10 g/dl and platelet count <50 x 10(9)/l. RESULTS Twenty-five patients had MTX-induced pancytopenia. Eleven patients were taking folic acid and one folinic acid. The median dose of MTX was 12.5 mg weekly (interquartile range 5.625 mg) and median duration of treatment 36 months (interquartile range 40.5 months). The severity of pancytopenia correlated with the dose (P = 0.04). The numbers of patients with potential risk factors were: renal insufficiency, 8; pre-existing folate deficiency, 7; age >75 yr, 15; hypoalbuminaemia, 18; pre-existing infection with hip prosthesis, 1; possible drug interactions, 18; dosing errors, 1; and polypharmacy, 15. Pancytopenia was detected by routine blood monitoring in nine patients. There were seven deaths (28% mortality), five from sepsis and two from acute myeloid leukaemia. CONCLUSION This is the largest reported individual case series of MTX-induced pancytopenia. With the increasing long-term use of MTX, it is important that patients be monitored for haematological side-effects as pancytopenia can be a late manifestation. Pharmacogenetics may hold the answer to predicting who is at risk of this potentially fatal complication of MTX.
Multiple chromosomally distinct cell populations in myelodysplastic syndromes and their possible significance in the evolution of the disease

Summary. Serial chromosome investigations performed in untreated myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) revealed that: (a) multiple chromosomaily unrelated cell populations may emerge during the course of the disease; (b) chromosome changes of the clonal type may disappear or become undetectable, and may or may not reappear during further evolution. The former of these phenomena was found in four cases and was consistently associated with clinical‐haematological progression of the disease to a more malignant form, including acute leukaemia. The second was apparently unrelated to clinical and haematological changes in the evolution pattern.
Monitoring and efficiency wage versus profit sharing in a revolutionary context

We propose to study the trade off between two incentive strategies (moni- toring and efficiency wage versus profit sharing), operated by one firm to induce more efforts among employees. We deal first with a normal context where shirkers bear the risk to be fired. We consider second a particular revolutionary context where employees, even when they go on infinite strikes, would not be dismissed as inspired by the tunisian revolution and more precisely by social movements and general strikes occurring among tunisian workers after revolution. We prove, in the first context, that the profit share to be distributed at equilibrium is pos- itive and depending on the monitoring strategy. In this first context, the two strategies are shown to be strategic complements for low values of risk aversion and strategic substitutes for high ones. We show in the second framework, the emergence of a particular case where the capital holder increases the profit share distributed to employees relative to the one in the first context. This equilibrium profit share is proven to be independent of the monitoring strategy.
Tympanometry in Three-Year-Old Children

Tympanometric screening was performed in January 1976 and in August 1978 on 938 healthy three-year-old children (1,868 ears), constituting more than 95% of the total population of three-year-olds living in a Danish municipality at the time of testing. All children showing abnormalities were followed by tympanometry through the subsequent six months, or until spontaneous normalization had been ascertained. The study demonstrated a high prevalence and a common spontaneous recovery of secretory otitis media. In summer as well as in winter middle ear effusion was found in about 10% of all ears, or in every eighth child. Two thirds of the ears improved spontaneously, one third to complete normalization. Middle ear function, assessed by tympanometry, is extremely labile during the preschool years and must be evaluated from a dynamic point of view. This greatly restricts the predictive value of snapshots, such as screening results. Therefore, pending complementary information from long-term cohort studies, universal impedance screening of all preschool children should not be instituted.
Permanent Pacemaker and Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator Infections: Seven Years of Diagnostic and Therapeutic Experience of a Single Center

Increasing evidence‐based indications for the implantation of permanent pacemakers (PMs) and implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICDs) have led to an increase in the rate of device infections. The aim of the present study was to evaluate infection frequency, clinical characteristics, risk factors, and microbiologic and therapeutic features in patients with PM/ICD infections.
Randomized Trial of a “Talking Computer” to Improve Adults' Eating Habits

Purpose. To assess efficacy of an intervention delivered by an interactive, computer-controlled telephone system to improve individuals' diets. Design. Randomized controlled trial. Setting. Large multispecialty group practice. Subjects. Two hundred ninety-eight adults who were both sedentary and had suboptimal diet quality. Intervention. Weekly communication for 6 months via a totally automated, computer-based voice system. Among intervention group subjects, the system monitored dietary habits and provided educational feedback, advice, and behavioral counseling. Control group subjects received physical activity promotion counseling. Measures. Daily intake of fruits, vegetables, red and processed meats, whole fat dairy foods, and whole grain foods estimated from a food frequency questionnaire. Results. Mean age 45.9 years, 72 % women, 45 % white, and 45 % African-American. Among participants who completed diet assessments, compared with the control group, the intervention raised fruit intake a mean of 1.1 servings per day (95 % confidence interval [CI] .4, 1. 7). On a 0 to 100 global diet quality score combining all five food groups, intervention participants improved their mean score 9 (95 % 4 CI 13) points more than in the control group. The intervention also raised dietary fiber intake 4.0 g/d (95 % CI .1, 7.8) and decreased saturated fat, as a proportion of energy intake, by 1.7% (95% CI −2.7, −.7). Conclusions. This computer-based telecommunications dietary behavior intervention helped improve participants' overall diet.
Pay for Performance and Compensation Inequality: Evidence from the ECEC

This article examines the relationship between performance-based pay and widening wage inequality using data from the Employer Costs for Employee Compensation (ECEC). The results suggest that jobs using performance-based pay have made only a modest contribution to increased inequality during the 1994 to 2010 period. These results contrast with those reported by Lemieux, MacLeod, and Parent (2009), who investigated the relationship between performance-based pay and wage inequality using the Panel Study of Income Dynamics. They found that pay for performance accounted for about one-fifth of the growth in the variance of male wages between the late 1970s and the early 1990s, and for almost all of the increase in wage inequality in the top quintile during the same period.
An Empirical Examination of the Development and Impact of Star Power in Major League Baseball

We examine the processes by which star power (SP) develops and the impact of SP on both consumer demand and team performance using data from Major League Baseball. First, we examine the dynamics of stardom using data based on player salaries, performance, and award recognition. We find that SP explains additional variance in salaries beyond performance measures. Also, we examine the impact of SP on consumer demand and team success. We find that a team’s stock of SP positively influences consumer demand, even after controlling for various factors ranging from team success to ticket prices.
Developmental trajectories of restricted and repetitive behaviors and interests in children with autism spectrum disorders

Abstract This study examined how restricted and repetitive behaviors and interests (RRBs) developed over time in a sample of children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). One hundred ninety-two children referred for a diagnosis of autism at age 2, and 22 children with nonspectrum development disorders were evaluated with a battery of cognitive and diagnostic measures at age 2 and subsequently at ages 3, 5, and 9. Factor analysis of the RRB items on the Autism Diagnostic Interview–Revised revealed two RRB factors at each wave of data collection, one comprising “repetitive sensorimotor” (RSM) behaviors and the other “insistence on sameness” (IS) behaviors. For children with ASD, RSM scores remained relatively high over time, indicating consistent severity, whereas IS scores started low and increased over time, indicating worsening. Having a higher nonverbal intelligence (NVIQ) at age 2 was associated with milder concurrent RSM behaviors and with improvement in these behaviors over time. There was no relationship between NVIQ at age 2 and IS behaviors. However, milder social/communicative impairment, at age 2 was associated with more severe concurrent IS behaviors. Trajectory analysis revealed considerable heterogeneity in patterns of change over time for both kinds of behaviors. These findings are discussed in terms of their implications for our understanding of RRBs in ASD and other disorders, making prognoses about how RRBs will develop in children with ASD as they get older, and using RRBs to identify ASD phenotypes in genetic studies.
Debt Financing and Voluntary Adoption of the International Financial Reporting Standards: Evidence from Korean Unlisted Firms

ABSTRACT We investigate the effect of debt financing on the voluntary adoption of the International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) by unlisted firms and such adoption’s effect on bond credit rating. We find that unlisted firms with public debts are more likely to voluntarily adopt IFRS. Subsequent to the voluntary application of IFRS, the unlisted firms exhibit, on average, enhanced credit ratings. These findings suggest that the public debt market’s demand for high-quality financial reporting may drive those unlisted firms to voluntarily adopt IFRS. Furthermore, rating agencies seem to reward such firms by elevating their bond credit ratings.
Management of Scalp Dermatofibrosarcoma Protuberans

Background Dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans is a relatively rare, locally aggressive soft tissue tumor. Less than 5% of these tumors are located on the scalp; however, the recurrence rates for this region are high compared with those of more common locations, such as the trunk and proximal extremities. Standards for the management of dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans in general have been established in the literature, including wide local excision and Mohs micrographic surgery. Objective To describe optimum treatment options for primary and recurrent dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans of the scalp based on cases from Roswell Park Cancer Institute (RPCI) and from the literature. Methods Five cases from RPCI and 23 cases from the literature were reviewed. Age, sex, history, tumor size and level of invasion, treatment, reconstruction method, and follow-up were compiled from each case. Results Twenty-eight cases of scalp dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans were found; 13 were primary, 8 were recurrent, and 3 had persistent positive margins. Fifty-eight percent had classic histologic findings; seven tumors invaded beyond the periosteum. Twenty tumors were treated by surgical excision, whereas eight tumors were treated with Mohs micrographic surgery, requiring between two and four layers. Advanced surgical reconstruction was used in most cases to close the defects. Four patients experienced one tumor recurrence, whereas three other patients had several local recurrences. One patient died of his disease, and one died during surgical treatment of dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans. Conclusions Mohs micrographic surgery or a modified version may be the best treatment option for scalp dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans to ensure complete removal of tumor and minimize recurrence. Surgeons should be prepared for advanced reconstruction following tumor removal.
Taxol assembles tubulin in the absence of exogenous guanosine 5'-triphosphate or microtubule-associated proteins.

Taxol increases the rate and extent of microtubule assembly in vitro and stabilizes microtubules in vitro and in cells [Schiff, P. B. , Fant, J., & Horwitz, S. B. (1979) Nature (London) 277, 665-667; Schiff, P. B. , & Horwitz, S. B. (1980) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 77, 1561-1565]. We report herein that taxol has the ability to promote microtubule assembly in the absence of microtubule-associated proteins, rings, and added guanosine 5'-triphosphate (GTP or organic buffer. The drug enhances additional microtubule assembly when added to microtubules at apparent steady state. This additional assembly can be attributed to both elongation of existing microtubules and spontaneous nucleation of new microtubules. Taxol-treated microtubules have depressed dissociation reactions as determined by dilution experiments. The drug does not inhibit the binding of GTP or the hydrolysis of GTP or guanosine 5'-diphosphate (GDP) in our microtubule protein preparations. Taxol does not competitively inhibit the binding of colchicine to tubulin.