Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The neural substrates of sensorimotor gating of the startle reflex: a review of recent findings and their implications

The startle reflex is a contraction of the skeletal and facial musculature in response to an intense sensory stimulus. While the 'primary' neural control of startle involves brain structures at, or below, the level of the mesencephalon, the startle reflex (SR) exhibits several forms of plasticity that are modulated by the forebrain. Sensorimotor gating of the SR occurs when the reflex is inhibited by a weak 'pre-pulse' that occurs 30-500 ms prior to the startling stimulus. Since 'pre-pulse inhibition' (PPI) of startle may be impaired in certain psychiatric and neurologic disorders (e.g. schizophrenia, schizotypal personality disorder and Huntington's disease), there has been considerable interest in determining the neural substrates of this form of startle plasticity. In rats, PPI is modulated by neural elements linking the limbic cortex with the striatum and pallidum. These substrates may include hippocampal glutamate efferents to the ventral striatum and striatal GABAergic efferents to the ventral pallidum. The striatal dopaminergic modulation of PPI appears to involve primarily D2, but not D1, receptors. Pallidal efferents may impinge directly on the 'primary' startle circuitry via projections to the mesencephalon or, indirectly, via projections to the thalamus. Evidence is reviewed for other neurochemical substrates of PPI—including acetylcholine and opiates. Sensorimotor gating of the startle reflex appears to have a discrete and identifiable set of neural substrates that may be important for our understanding of neuropsychiatric disorders characterized by deficient suppression or 'gating' of sensory, cognitive or motor processes.
The diet of prisoners in England

Purpose – The purpose of this research is to establish whether the meals provided by the prison service enable prisoners to follow government guidelines on nutrition and healthy eating, and the extent to which they do so.Design/methodology/approach – A total of eight prisons, four male (category A, B and C), two female and two young offenders' institutes were randomly identified and visited. Data collection involved taking three days of cyclical menus, the institution's recipes and methods and standard or average portion sizes to calculate the mean nutrient composition of standard, healthy, vegetarian/vegan and Halal menus. Menus were also analysed to establish how well they conformed to the “Balance of Good Health”. Findings – Results show that, with the exception of some nutrients, prisoners have access to and are able to choose a nutritionally balanced diet and in the main do so. All prisons have attempted to make available menus that conform to the Balance of Good Health model; however, in some cases, .
FACTORS AFFECTING BIAS IN MANAGEMENT EARNINGS FORECASTS

In this paper the effects of five factors, firm size, degree of financial distresses, growth rate, off-organization financing and price control on management earnings forecasts are studied. The findings of this study show the earnings are forecasted optimistically; also it shows that off-organization financing affects the management earnings forecasts, which leads us to accept the research hypothesis. We find relationships between firm size, degree of financial stresses and management earnings forecasts, but in the wrong direction as the research hypothesis expected. The study did not confirm a meaningful relationship between growth rate, price control and bias in management earnings forecasts.
Optimizing inhibition of the renin-angiotensin system in hypertension.

C omponents of the rennin–angiotensin system (RAS) have historically been important targets for cardiovascular drug development. Renin, largely produced from juxtaglomerular cells in the kidney, converts angiotensinogen into ang I that is then converted to ang II by angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE). ACE inhibitors (ACEIs) are currently the first-line antihypertensive therapy [or angiotensin II type 1 receptor blockers (ARBs) if ACEI intolerant] in the general population and those with diabetes, atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, or chronic kidney disease (CKD) [1,2]. However, these diseases remain the number one cause of death worldwide. In 2013, the Centers for Disease Control reported that hypertension contributed to 360 000 deaths in the United States. Hypertension increases the chance of a first heart attack, first stroke, chronic heart failure, and CKD [3]. Unfortunately, most antihypertensives result in increased reactive plasma renin possibly contributing to drug resistance in those with organ damage/failure [4]. Thus, there is great interest in optimizing renin inhibition to prevent and reverse hypertension and accompanying end-organ damage. CKD affects 10% of the world’s population [5]. This editorial commentary focuses on the significance and limitations of the study by Barkoudah et al. [6] in this issue of the Journal. They tested the hypothesis that a novel renin inhibitor, named VTP-27999 (Methyl N-[2-[(R)(3-Chlorophenyl)[(3R)-1-[[[(2S)-2-(methylamino)-3-[(3R)tetrahydro-2H-pyran-3-yl]propyl]amino]carbonyl]-3-piperidinyl]methoxy]ethyl]carbamate trifluoroacetate), was more potent than aliskiren. The rationale for this stems from their previous work hinting that 150 mg/day of VTP-27999 vs. 300 mg/day aliskiren for 10 days was more potent at reducing renin activity. This was suggested by greater feedback increases in plasma levels of renin in the former group [7]. At day one and 10 of treatment, it took 4h to achieve
Whether our Virtual Commercial Environments are Polite enough or not? An Instrument for Gauging the Degree of Politeness in e-Tailers

﻿Politeness issues in virtual commercial contexts received rare attention from both practitioners and researchers. This work developed an instrument for gauging degree of politeness in online retailers’ storefronts. The instrument’s reliability and validity were confirmed through empirical data analysis. A second-order confirmatory factor analysis revealed that online consumers' tendency in paying relative more attention to their rights being respected and gaining useful information while they are assessing online retailers’ politeness. Using the instrument, online merchants and 3rd-parties can measure the degree of politeness in online retailers. In addition, patrons’ tendency in paying more attention to particular factors while they were evaluating the politeness guides online merchants to allocate limited resources more efficiently. Besides its practical applications, this work sets a stage for future studies trying to investigate the relationships between the politeness construct and other constructs such as customer satisfaction, trust, repurchase intention, profitability, and others that interest business administrators.
Privatization: Issues at Stake in the Case of China

This paper reviews the theory and recent empirical studies on privatization, with a special focus on the efforts made in the case of China. Over the last decade, the Chinese government has initiated major privatizations in an attempt to promote more efficiency and improve the financial and operating performance of state-owned enterprises. Despite the great variation in perspectives and adopted methodology, studies on privatization mainly address the following two questions: why to privatize and how to privatize? Also, there is a huge literature on the post-privatization performance of these firms. While privatization has improved the performance of most SOEs worldwide, our data suggest that it does not work very well in the case of China.
DEVELOPMENTAL DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE SUCCESSFUL AND UNSUCCESSFUL AGED †

Varied and contradictory reasons for successful aging are reported in the literature. Some writers (1) indicate that the greater the degree of religious adherence in old age, the better the apparent adjustment. Others (2) believe that the religious institutionalized person is poorly adjusted socially. In some studies (3-6), successful old people are reported to have many interests and activities, to continue contacts with other people, to be engaged in useful work of some sort, and to have a variety of abilities, e.g., music, gardening, cooking or handicrafts. In general, the conclusion from descriptive studies (2, 6, 7) is that institutionalized people are less happy and have a poorer adjustment than those functioning outside of institutions. Since these investigations have concentrated mainly on current situations, there has been little attempt to uncover possible developmental differences between the groups of aged persons involved. Our study is broader in scope than that of previous investigations. We have analyzed the developmental differences between people who age unsuccessfully (i.e., those in whom a mental illness develops in old age) and those who are well adjusted in their older years.
Effects of Pelvic Skeletal Asymmetry on Trunk Movement: Three-Dimensional Analysis in Healthy Individuals Versus Patients With Mechanical Low Back Pain

Study Design. Comparative analysis and correlational research design were used to investigate the association between anthropometry and biomechanical performance among asymptomatic subjects and patients with low back pain (LBP). Objectives. To examine the association between pelvic asymmetry and patterns of trunk motion in asymptomatic and LBP subjects. Secondary objective was to investigate the association between restricted trunk motion, laterality of referred pain, and pelvic asymmetry. Summary of Background Data. Subtle pelvic asymmetry (exhibited as either lateral pelvic tilt or iliac rotational asymmetry), which is common among normal individuals, has not been convincingly linked to abnormalities in back movements. Given the difficulty in diagnosing most LBP, a classification using pelvic asymmetry and patterns of movement could be helpful in establishing a rational treatment plan. Methods. Fifty-nine subjects with no history of LBP and 54 patients with mechanical unilateral LBP were tested. An anthropometric frame was used to measure pelvic asymmetry in standing. Dynamic motion data, comprised of the principal and coupled movements, were collected using the Qualysis Motion Capture System. Results. While the groups did not differ in the total range of lumbar movement, the LBP group exhibited significantly higher asymmetry in the principal motion. The groups differed significantly in the pattern of coupled rotation during lateral flexion. Asymmetry in lumbar lateral flexion was highly related to two types of pelvic asymmetry: lateral pelvic tilt (LPT) and iliac rotation asymmetry (IRA). Asymmetry in lumbar axial rotation was highly related to IRA but weakly related to LPT. Conclusions. This study demonstrates objective differences in patterns of lumbar movement between asymptomatic subjects and patients with LBP. The study also demonstrates that subtle anatomic abnormality in the pelvis is associated with altered mechanics in the lumbar spine. We suggest that asymmetry of lumbar movement may be a better indicator of functional deficit than the absolute range of movement in LBP.
The consequences of culture on shareholder activism in Malaysia

The purpose of this paper is to reflect on the role played by minority shareholders in upholding good corporate governance within a Malaysian environment. Unlike many developed countries, the major investors in the Malaysian capital market comprise government agencies or familyowned corporations. These institutional shareholders are not always in the best position to uphold good corporate governance practices as there is a conflict of interest where the role of the owners and managers are not separate. Recent corporate scandals in Malaysia have shown that minority shareholders are reactive when they should be proactive. They are not as interested in good corporate practices as in the dividends and profits that the corporation pays out. There no sense of ownership of the company or a sense of responsibility to speak up when things go wrong. The main reason for this lies in Malaysian culture, which cultivates high power distance and low individualism. It does not encourage shareholders to take action against errant managers. This paper will also discuss alternatives to the current method of challenging managers of corporations that have poor corporate governance practices.
The Unbanked Four-Fifths: Informality and Barriers to Financial Services in Nigeria

Four-fifths of the adult population do not have access to formal financial services in Nigeria. This paper examines the characteristics of 'unbanked' households in Nigeria, investigates the extent and determinants of supply and demand side barriers, and explores the specific role played by informality in financial exclusion. There is evidence to suggest that in Nigeria the unbanked four-fifths have lower incomes, lower education, are less likely to have a mobile phone, and have lower levels of financial sector knowledge and formal documents in their name than the remainder of the population. A non-mutually exclusive framework for analysing barriers to formal banking is developed and insights on the characteristics of sub-groups of the unbanked population who face particular barriers are provided. While poverty and distance to bank branch are the most important barriers cited, informality also plays a significant role and tackling informality directly represents an opportunity for financial inclusion policy. Using instrumental variables, the precise role played by informality in financial exclusion is estimated and for individuals with four and five documents, it is found that an additional document increases the probability of being banked by 17 percent and 15 percent respectively. Length: 45 pages
Absence of Cerebral Microbleeds Predicts Reversion of Vascular ‘Cognitive Impairment No Dementia’ in Stroke

Background Cerebral microbleeds may contribute to cognitive deficits in stroke. Cognitive impairment that does not meet the criteria for dementia (cognitive impairment no dementia) is common in stroke, and patients with such impairment can revert to normal cognition. Aims and hypothesis This study examined the association between cerebral microbleeds and the reversion of cognitive impairment no dementia. Method A total of 328 Chinese patients with acute ischemic stroke admitted to the acute stroke unit of a university-affiliated regional hospital in Hong Kong participated in the study. All subjects were assessed for cognitive impairment no dementia with a neuropsychological test battery at three- and 15 months following the index stroke. Of the 180 patients with cognitive impairment no dementia at three-months poststroke, 143 (79·4%) attended the 15-month follow-up. Twenty-nine subjects had reverted from cognitive impairment no dementia to normal cognitive status (reverters), 98 were nonreverters and 16 had progressed to dementia. Results In univariate analysis, the reverters were found to be younger, less likely to have hypertension and cerebral microbleeds, and to have smaller white matter hyperintensity volumes. In multivariate analysis, the absence of cerebral microbleeds remained an independent predictor of reversion with an odds ratio of 4·3. Absence of deep cerebral microbleeds predicted the reversion of the language domain, whereas the absence of lobar cerebral microbleeds predicted the reversion of the visuomotor speed domain. Conclusions The results suggest that the absence of cerebral microbleeds may be associated with a higher likelihood of a reversible cognitive impairment in stroke patients. The mechanism of how this occurs is not well understood.
The Geography of Lender Behavior in Peer-to-Peer Loan Markets

Theoretical and empirical research on the traditional credit market finds strong evidence that investors and lenders are sensitive to their distance from the borrower, especially early on in a venture. This is due to the cost of information gathering and monitoring. However, new online platforms could overcome the geographical constraints on investing. Recent empirical work, across many types of crowdfunding, has found mixed results. In this paper, using transaction data from a peer-to-peer lending site, I find that local lenders tend to bid earlier, both chronologically and relatively to other bidders in the auction, and bid larger amounts than nonlocal lenders. Additionally, local lenders are more informed in the sense that they are better able to evaluate the underlying risk of borrowers. This is demonstrated by the fact that they bid significantly higher interest rates on loans that ex-post default and lower rates on loans that ex-post pay back in full. Lastly, I develop a simple model of social learning with heterogeneous agents that provides testable predictions. My results are consistent with this model; a listing with more early local bidding activity will attract more lenders, leading to a higher probability of funding and a lower final interest rate, if funded. This work suggests that the behavioral differences between local and nonlocal lenders are driven mostly by informational frictions and not merely preferences. Local lenders are better informed because they have easier and cheaper access to information, and this asymmetry contributes to explaining why geographic-based frictions are still present and relevant in online lending markets.
An updated meta-analysis on the association of X-ray repair cross complementing group 1 codon 399 polymorphism with hepatocellular carcinoma risk.

BACKGROUND A number of studies have reported the association of X-ray repair cross-complementing group 1 (XRCC1) Arg399Gln polymorphism with susceptibility to hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, the results were inconsistent and inconclusive. The aim of this study was to comprehensively explore the association of XRCC1 Arg399Gln variant with HCC risk. MATERIALS AND METHODS Systematic searches of PubMed, Elsevier, Science Direct, CNKI and Chinese Biomedical Literature Database were performed. Pooled odds ratio (OR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) was calculated to estimate the strength of association. RESULTS Overall, we observed an increased HCC risk among subjects carrying XRCC1 codon 399 Gln/Gln, Arg/Gln and Gln/ Gln+Arg/Gln genotypes (OR=1.20, 95%CI: 1.05-1.38, OR=1.16, 95%CI: 1.05-1.28, and OR=1.14, 95%CI: 1.04-1.24, respectively) based on 20 studies including 3374 cases and 4633 controls. In subgroup analysis, we observed an increased risk of XRCC1 codon 399 Gln/Gln, Arg/Gln and Gln/Gln+Arg/Gln polymorphisms for HCC in hospital-based study (OR=1.25, 95%CI: 1.03-1.51, OR=1.21, 95%CI: 1.07-1.36 and OR=1.18, 95%CI: 1.06-1.31, respectively) and in Asian population (OR=1.19, 95%CI: 1.03-1.38, OR=1.17, 95%CI: 1.04-1.30 and OR=1.14, 95%CI: 1.04-1.25, respectively). Limiting the analysis to the studies with controls in agreement with Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium (HWE), we observed an increased HCC risk among Gln/Gln, Arg/Gln and Gln/ Gln+Arg/Gln genotype carriers (OR=1.17, 95%CI: 1.05-1.29, OR=1.12, 95%CI: 1.00-1.25 and OR=1.11, 95%CI: 1.02-1.21, respectively). CONCLUSIONS This updated meta-analysis results suggest that XRCC1 Arg399Gln variants may contribute to HCC risk. Well-designed studies with larger sample size were required to further verify our findings.
Multimedia and Comprehension: A Cognitive Study

Tests were carried out on 120 grade 6 students to compare Compton's Multimedia Encyclopedia on CD‐ROM and its printed equivalent in terms of students' ability to recall information and to draw inferences from it. Between‐subject variables were three presentation conditions (printed text with illustrations, text‐on‐screen, and multimedia—text, still images, and animation) and a retrieval condition (topic retrieved before viewing/topic presented without retrieval). Within‐subject variables were text complexity (complex or simple), text type (descriptive or procedural), and measure (propositions recalled versus propositions inferred). Presentation conditions produced no significant main effect although text‐on‐screen resulted in somewhat higher recall and multimedia resulted in somewhat higher inference scores. Multimedia had the greatest effect in the case of the simple topics, and especially the simple procedural topic. © 1994 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Rapid genotyping of single nucleotide polymorphisms using novel minor groove binding DNA oligonucleotides (MGB probes)

Novel fluorescent oligonucleotides that contain a 3′ minor groove binding group (MGB) hybridize to single‐stranded targets with increased sequence‐specificity compared to ordinary DNA probes. This reduces non‐specific probe hybridization and results in low background fluorescence during the 5′ nuclease PCR assay (TaqMan, Applied Biosystems, Foster City, CA). We developed a method for closed‐tube genotyping using two allele‐specific MGB probes labeled with different fluorophores in one reaction. After PCR, tubes were transported to a fluorescence plate‐reader for analysis of fluorescence. Common spreadsheet software was used for automated genotype assignment. As an example, DNA samples from 172 hemochromatosis patients were selected and tested for molecular defects in the HFE gene, i.e., mutations in codon 63 and 282. Tight genotype clusters were observed for both codons and results with MGB probes were identical to conventional genotyping (PCR + restriction‐fragment‐length‐polymorphism). We show that this fast and easy method can be used for large‐scale (high‐throughput) genetic studies but also for routine molecular diagnostics without post‐PCR manipulation of amplicons or the need for real‐time quantitative PCR machines. Hum Mutat 19:554–559, 2002. © 2002 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Competition in Health Care Markets and Vertical Restraints

This paper studies competition between Managed Care Organizations (MCOs) and Conventional Insurers. Most of the time, MCOs sign exclusive contracts with providers and these vertical restrictions associated to differentiation in the providers’ market imply a risk segmentation. Taking into account this phenomenon, we show that vertical restrictions in the health insurance sector can paradoxically create an anti-raise rivals’ cost effect in which MCOs’ penetration allows to decrease conventional insurers’ premiums.
In vitro digestibility of forages.

Forages are a necessary component of diets for lactating dairy cows because they provide coarse fiber needed to optimize rumen function. However, forages alone provide insufficient nutrients to achieve high milk yield, and they must be supplemented with other feed ingredients. Because forage quality is highly variable, their quality must be assessed before diets are formulated. Forages have been traditionally analyzed for crude protein and fiber concentrations because of their direct effect on diet formulation. More recently, in vitro neutral detergent fiber digestibility (IVFD) has been identified as an important quality parameter that is highly variable among forages and has consistent effects on productivity of dairy cows. However, it is important to understand the unique characteristics and limitations of in vitro measurements of forage NDF digestibility to maximize the benefit of enhanced IVFD. This paper will answer some frequently asked questions regarding the interpretation and utilization of IVFD data of forages.
Pokolenie ,,Z" na rynku pracy - wyzwania dla zarządzania zasobami ludzkimi

Streszczenie: Na współczesnym rynku pracy równolegle funkcjonują cztery pokolenia: Baby Boomers, pokolenie „X”, pokolenie „Y” oraz pokolenie „Z”. Zasadniczym celem artykułu jest zwrócenie uwagi pracodawców oraz zarządzających zasobami ludzkimi na przygotowujące się do wejścia na rynek pracy lub funkcjonujące na nim od niedawna pokolenie młodych ludzi, określanych mianem pokolenia „Z” lub „C”. W artykule podjęto próbę ogólnej charakterystyki przedstawicieli pokolenia „Z”. Pokazano również, jak dużym wyzwaniem dla współczesnych organizacji może być zarządzanie nową generacją młodych pracowników. Artykuł powstał na podstawie studiów literatury krajowej i zagranicznej oraz badań przeprowadzonych przez autorki niniejszego opracowania.