Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Neoadjuvant Therapy: An Emerging Concept in Oncology

Neoadjuvant therapy, an adjunctive therapy given before the main therapy, has become an integral part of modern multidisciplinary cancer management. Organized by the primary organ involved by cancer, this review summarizes the outcomes of neoadjuvant therapy for common malignant solid tumors, based on large, randomized, controlled trials. In locally advanced rectal, laryngeal, and breast cancer, neoadjuvant therapy enables organ preservation; however, it does not improve overall survival when compared with definitive treatment followed by adjuvant therapy. In locally advanced bladder and cervical cancer, patients who undergo neoadjuvant therapy before radical surgery appear to have better survival than those receiving definitive therapy alone; however, it is unclear if the neoadjuvant approach will be superior to definitive therapy followed by adjuvant therapy. To date, the survival benefits of neoadjuvant therapy for resectable non-small cell lung, esophageal, gastric, and prostate cancer remains under investigation.
A comprehensive population‐based characterization of heart failure with mid‐range ejection fraction

Clinical features and outcomes in the novel phenotype heart failure with mid‐range ejection fraction [HFmrEF, ejection fraction (EF) 40–49%] were compared with heart failure with reduced EF (HFrEF, EF <40%) and preserved EF (HFpEF, EF ≥50%).
Innovation and Productivity in the Argentine Manufacturing Sector

This paper adapts the Crepon, Duguet, and Mairesse (1998) approach to estimate the relationship between innovation and productivity and the realities of innovative activities in developing countries. Panel data for Argentina during the period 1998-2004 to estimate a structural model in which different types of firms` innovative behaviorincluding in-house activities and the incorporation of external technologiesfeeds into the probability of achieving successful results in product and process innovation, which in turn explains labor productivity. The endogeneity of this three-stage process is controlled for. The results suggest that all types of innovative activities are relevant to explain success in product and process innovation, and both are important factors to explain labor productivity. Moreover, investing systematically in R&D implies an extra payoff in labor productivity. These results suggest that investing in different types of innovative activitiesand not only in R&Dand doing in-house activities systematically contribute to firms` innovative and economic performance.
College Students' Knowledge, Attitudes and Perceptions of Risks Regarding Intentional Sun Exposure

Abstract Background: Skin cancer, the most common cancer in the United States, accounts for over one million cases per year. Risk can be mediated by limiting UV radiation exposure, yet efforts to increase adoption of protective measures have met with limited success. Purpose: This study compares the results of surveys conducted in 1990 and 2007 assessing the knowledge, attitudes and behaviors of college students regarding intentional sun exposure. Methods: The 44-item ‘Sun and Skin Inventory’ was administered to students enrolled in personal health classes during the fall semesters in 1990 and 2007. Results: Mean knowledge scores were no different in 2007 than 1990 and knowledge scores were not related to sunbathing frequency in either survey. Risk perception was negatively related to sunbathing frequency and students reporting greater perceived risk had more positive attitudes toward protective behaviors. Overall, sunbathing behavior was unchanged over 17 years, but students did report more frequent sunscreen use in the latter survey. Discussion: Despite educational efforts regarding risks related to intentional UV exposure, high risk behavior continues among adults. Translation to Health Education Practice: Comprehensive prevention initiatives that include education as well as policy and environmental strategies integrated across state, regional and local levels need to be implemented.
Faecal indicators and sanitary water quality of shellfish-harvesting environment: influences of seasonal monsoon and river-runoff

Incidence of faecal coliforms in shell fish harvesting areas of the southern coastal district of Karnataka was examined for evaluating the sanitary quality in relation to the seasonal monsoon and river runoff. Faecal coliforms counts in seawater, mussel tissue and sediments were highest in monsoon.Geometric mean for FC in seawater was below 14 MPN/100 ml, standard set for approved area under NSSP classification during fishing seasons, bu the 90th percentile were higher. The tissue E.coli levels complied with the EC Directive standard under the catagory A, during mussel fishing season commencing in October in the two mussel beds. MPN FC levels were strongly influenced by the seasonal variations in precipitation and river runoff. During the fishing seasons in pre monsoon and post monsoon months. \, the levels were below the limits.
Antecedents of M&A success: The role of strategic complementarity, cultural fit, and degree and speed of integration

In this paper, we develop a comprehensive model of M&A success. We integrate fundamental constructs of different schools and discuss their interdependencies with M&A success. Our theoretical framework was tested empirically across a sample of 106 SME transactions in the machinery, electronic, and logistic industries in the German-speaking part of Central Europe. The results of our study support the demand for an integrative perspective and theory on M&A. M&A success is a function of strategic complementarity, cultural fit, and the degree of integration. Strategic complementarity also positively influences cultural fit and the degree of integration. Cultural fit positively influences M&A success, but surprisingly has a negative impact on the speed and degree of integration. The degree of integration is positively related to speed of integration
Preoperative staging of non-small-cell lung cancer with positron-emission tomography.

BACKGROUND Determining the stage of non-small-cell lung cancer often requires multiple preoperative tests and invasive procedures. Whole-body positron-emission tomography (PET) may simplify and improve the evaluation of patients with this tumor. METHODS We prospectively compared the ability of a standard approach to staging (computed tomography [CT], ultrasonography, bone scanning, and, when indicated, needle biopsies) and one involving PET to detect metastases in mediastinal lymph nodes and at distant sites in 102 patients with resectable non-small-cell lung cancer. The presence of mediastinal metastatic disease was confirmed histopathologically. Distant metastases that were detected by PET were further evaluated by standard imaging tests and biopsies. Patients were followed postoperatively for six months by standard methods to detect occult metastases. Logistic-regression analysis was used to evaluate the ability of PET and CT to identify malignant mediastinal lymph nodes. RESULTS The sensitivity and specificity of PET for the detection of mediastinal metastases were 91 percent (95 percent confidence interval, 81 to 100 percent) and 86 percent (95 percent confidence interval, 78 to 94 percent), respectively. The corresponding values for CT were 75 percent (95 percent confidence interval, 60 to 90 percent) and 66 percent (95 percent confidence interval, 55 to 77 percent). When the results of PET and CT were adjusted for each other, only PET results were positively correlated with the histopathological findings in mediastinal lymph nodes (P<0.001). PET identified distant metastases that had not been found by standard methods in 11 of 102 patients. The sensitivity and specificity of PET for the detection of both mediastinal and distant metastatic disease were 95 percent (95 percent confidence interval, 88 to 100 percent) and 83 percent (95 percent confidence interval, 74 to 92 percent), respectively. The use of PET to identify the stage of the disease resulted in a different stage from the one determined by standard methods in 62 patients: the stage was lowered in 20 and raised in 42. CONCLUSIONS PET improves the rate of detection of local and distant metastases in patients with non-small-cell lung cancer.
Taxation, information asymmetries, and a firm's financing choices

This paper is intended as a survey of the effects of taxation and asymmetric information on the financing choice of the firm. The literature on taxation posits a straightforward relationship between the pretax cost of funds and the required return on an investment project to cover the cost of finance which is a function only of tax rates. The real decisions of the firm are assumed in these analyses to be affected only by the after-tax cost of funds. The paper examines how differential taxation of retained earnings, new share issues, and debt finance affects the financing choice of the firm in the absence of asymmetric information. It examines the problems of asymmetric information that arise with external finance and the mechanisms that have been created in rural sectors of developing countries to counter the problem of asymmetric information. The final section of the paper examines policy options open to government to reduce the costs of the inefficiencies created by asymmetric information. Unfortunately, policy prescriptions appear to be very dependent on the form of the information asymmetry. General government solutions to the problem of asymmetric information may not be possible without a precise understanding of the nature of the information problem.
ANALISIS PENGARUH KEPEMILIKAN MANAJERIAL, KEPEMILIKAN INSTISTUSIONAL, KUALITAS AUDITOR, PROFITABILITAS, LIKUIDITAS DAN LEVERAGE TERHADAP PERINGKAT OBLIGASI PADA PERUSAHAAN GO PUBLIC YANG TERDAFTARDI BURSA EFEK INDONESIA

Bond rating is one that should be considered by investors before making an investment bond. This is because bond rating provides an informative statement and provide signals about the probability of failure of a company's debt. In the bond rating process, rating agencies rate firms from various aspects, one of which is the company's financial data. Analysis of financial statements in the form of financial ratio analysis and statistical calculations can be used to detect an under or overvalued securities. Research on Indonesia's bond rating is still rare and research results have been found to show different results. Therefore, research should be repeated that test the ability of financial ratios in predicting bond ratings. The purpose of this study was to examine empirically the influence of managerial ownership, institutional ownership, quality auditors, profitability, liquidity and leverage on bond ratings on publicly traded companies listed on the Indonesia Stock Exchange. This study population is a publicly traded company listed on the Indonesia Stock Exchange (IDX) and registered in the ratings of bonds issued by PT. Pefindo from year 2005 to 2009. Study sample amounted to 114 companies selected by purposive sampling method. The data used are secondary data obtained from the Indonesia Stock Exchange (IDX) and PT. Pefindo, while data analysis using Logistic Regression analysis. The results show that managerial ownership variables, institutional ownership,quality auditor, profitability significant positive effect on bond ratings, liquidity variables significant negative effect on bond ratings, while leverage has no effect on bond ratings.
Activation of mitochondrial protease OMA1 by Bax and Bak promotes cytochrome c release during apoptosis

Significance The release of cytochrome c from its normal intermembrane space in mitochondria marks the initiation of apoptosis in mammalian cells. The process is triggered by the aggregation of B-cell leukemia/lymphoma 2 (BCL2)-associated X (Bax) and BCL2-antagonist/killer (Bak) proteins on the surface of mitochondria. We found that a mitochondrial inner membrane protease, OMA1 (overlapping activity with m-AAA protease), is specifically activated and is responsible for cleaving another inner membrane protein, optical nerve atrophy 1 (OPA1), upon Bax/Bak aggregation. The cleavage of OPA1 triggers the remodeling of mitochondrial cristae, allowing the majority of cytochrome c inside the cristae to be released. This finding provided a more comprehensive understanding of this critical molecular event during apoptosis. Intrinsic apoptotic stimuli initiate mammalian cells’ apoptotic program by first activating the proteins that have only Bcl-2 homology domain 3 (BH3), such as Bcl-2 interacting mediator of cell death (Bim) and truncated BH3 interacting death domain agonist (tBid), which in turn trigger conformational changes in BCL2-associated X (Bax) and BCL2-antagonist/killer (Bak) proteins that enable oligomer formation on the mitochondria, causing cytochrome c and other apoptogenic proteins in the intermembrane space to leak out. Leaked cytochrome c then initiates apoptotic caspase activation through a well-defined biochemical pathway. However, how oligomerized Bax and Bak cause cytochrome c release from mitochondria remains unknown. We report here the establishment of cell lines in which Bim or tBid can be inducibly expressed to initiate apoptosis in a controlled, quantitative manner. We used these cell lines to examine apoptotic events after Bax and Bak oligomerization but before cytochrome c release. The mitochondrial metalloprotease OMA1 was activated in this system in a Bax- and Bak-dependent fashion. Activated OMA1 cleaved the dynamin-like GTPase, optical nerve atrophy 1, an event that is critical for remodeling of mitochondrial cristae. Knockdown or knockout of OMA1 in these cells attenuated cytochrome c release. Thus it is clear that oligomerized Bax and Bak trigger apoptosis by causing both the permeabilization of the mitochondrial outer membrane and activation OMA1.
Labour Markets in the Baltic States During the Crisis 2008-2009: The Effect on Different Labour Market Groups

The economies of the Baltic States have been among the most severely affected by the global economic crisis that started in 2008. This study focuses on the impact of the crisis on the labour markets of the Baltic States with particular emphasis on how the impact varies across different labour market segments. Labour input has been decreased primarily through external adjustment (employment cuts), though part-time employment has emerged as well; wages have been flexible downward throughout the different parts of the economy. Adjustments can be seen both in the private and public sectors (the latter especially in Latvia). At the level of individual companies, quite different adjustment strategies can be seen. Similar to other European countries, males have suffered especially, but also youth and Estonia’s and Latvia’s substantial non-native (Russian-speaking) populations. Wage inequality has somewhat increased and that seems to be primarily due to the increasing premium for education and differences in wage reductions across sectors and firms. During the crisis, expenditures on both passive and active measures have grown significantly, also thanks to the use of EU funds.
Gender, age and teaching experiences differences in decision-making behaviours of members of selected Kenyan secondary school disciplinary panels

The study investigated gender, age and teaching experiences differences in decision- making behaviours of members of selected Kenyan secondary school disciplinary panels. Mixed Methods design was adopted for the study. Both quantitative and qualitative data were collected. Study sample comprised 78 participants drawn from ten secondary school disciplinary panels. Participants comprised 45 males and 33 females, clustered into four age groups of-29 years (n=21), 30-39 years (n=28), 40-49 years (n=14), and 50-59 years (n=15); and six teaching experience categories of 1-5 years (n=33), 6-10 years (n=14), 11-15 years (n=5), 16-20 years (n=6), 21-25 years (n=8), and 26-30 years (n=12). Data analysis results revealed gender, age and experience differences in decision-making behaviours of members of disciplinary panels who participated in the study. Male participants were found to tend towards risky decision-making behaviours while female participants tended towards cautious decision-making behaviours. Younger and less experienced participants were also found to be risky in their decision-making behaviours also tended panel members made risky pre-disciplinary hearing decision-making behaviours, while their older and more experienced counterparts were more cautious. Based on the findings of this study it is recommended that, in order to cater for the diverse nature of student behaviour problems and to effectively manage the same, consideration must be given to delicate balance of age, gender and experience in the composition of members of a school disciplinary panel.
Relative attitudes and commitment in customer loyalty models

Relationship marketing requires a thorough understanding of the long‐run perspective of the supplier‐customer interaction. The concept of customer loyalty can be applied to emphasize the behavioural and attitudinal aspects of this interaction. This study investigates the antecedents of future customer loyalty in the commercial airline industry by applying structural models under four prototypical past loyalty conditions. These conditions are based on behavioural and situational descriptors and labelled in analogy to Day’s compositional approach. It is shown that the superiority of relative attitudes claimed by Dick and Basu cannot be confirmed. Corporate image of the service provider is, along with service quality and customer satisfaction, a powerful and illustrative component for explaining future customer loyalty. When comparing the a priori defined conditions (low, latent, spurious, and true loyalty) it turns out that the structural evaluative differences can be partially interpreted by the phenomena which are described as affective and calculative commitment in the literature. However, it is claimed to consider situational factors such as the character of the buying and decision‐making process in much more detail.
Near-fatal neonatal coronary ischaemia associated with intermittent aortic regurgitation: successful surgical treatment

Abstract An infant presented with features suggestive of an anomalous left coronary artery was found to have normal origins of both coronary arteries. Echocardiography during episodes of ischaemia showed marked aortic regurgitation with retrograde coronary flow. The left coronary leaflet was mildly hypoplastic. Surgical re-suspension of this leaflet prevented aortic regurgitation and the patient had no further symptoms and recovered cardiac function.
Genetic evidence for a role of parC mutations in development of high-level fluoroquinolone resistance in Escherichia coli

Fifteen strains of Escherichia coli with MICs of ciprofloxacin (CIP) between 0.015 and 256 micrograms/ml were examined for the presence of mutations in the quinolone resistance-determining region of the gyrA gene and in an analogous region of the parC gene. No mutation was found in a susceptible isolate (MIC of CIP, 0.015 microgram/ml). Four moderately resistant strains (MIC of CIP 0.06 to 4 micrograms/ml) carried one gyrA mutation affecting serine 83, but in only one strain was an additional parC mutation (Gly-78 to Asp) detected. All ten highly resistant strains examined (MIC of CIP, > 4 micrograms/ml) carried two gyrA mutations affecting residues serine 83 and aspartate 87, and at least one parC mutation. These parC mutations included alterations of serine 80 to arginine or isoleucine and glutamate 84 to glycine or lysine. The parC+ and two mutant alleles (parCI-80 and parCI-80,G-84) were inserted into the mobilizable vector pBP507. Transfer of a plasmid-coded parC+ allele into parC+ strains did not alter the susceptibilities towards ciprofloxacin or nalidixic acid, while a significant increase in susceptibility was detectable for parC mutants. This increase, however, did not restore wild-type susceptibility, whereas transfer of a plasmid-coded gyrA+ allele alone or in combination with parC+ did. These data are in agreement with the view that topoisomerase IV is a secondary, less sensitive target for quinolone action in Escherichia coli and that the development of high-level fluoroquinolone resistance in E. coli requires at least one parC mutation in addition to the gyrA mutation(s).
The moderating role of cultural traits in consumer reaction to CRM campaigns : a comparative study of Chinese and Canadians of European descent

Cause Related Marketing has grown tremendously as a marketing tool since the 1980s. Numerous studies have been conducted in North America, Europe and Australia with mostly consumers of European Descent, but no such study has been done with Chinese consumers. This study explicitly measures how Chinese consumers perceive CRM and how their reactions compare with their European-Canadian counterparts. In essence, this study evaluates the moderating role of cultural traits (individualism/collectivism and low-context/high-context) in shaping consumer reaction to CRM. A total of 302 people responded to a pre-designed questionnaire. Overall, the results suggest that Chinese consumers are aware of and favorable to CRM, though less than European-Canadians. Chinese females illustrate a more positive reaction to CRM than their male counterparts in terms of general CRM attitude and behavior intention. It is concluded that cultural traits have a significant effect on consumers’ awareness of CRM and attitudes toward CRM firms, but not on their attitudes toward CRM brands, toward CRM in general or their behavior intention. Importantly, cultural traits moderate consumers’ attitudes to CRM firms, toward CRM brands and their product purchase intention, but not in terms of awareness of CRM, attitude toward CRM in general or brand choice intention. This paper contributes to an understanding of the relationship between cultural traits and consumer reaction to CRM campaigns.
Treatment Patterns, Complications, and Disease Relapse in a Real-world Population of Patients with Moderate-to-severe Ulcerative Colitis Initiating Immunomodulator Therapy

Background:Immunomodulator (IM) treatments in ulcerative colitis (UC) are not curative and carry increased risk of complications, sometimes leading to therapy changes, reduced treatment benefits, and eventual relapse. We assessed patterns of IM utilization and therapy changes, complications, and disease relapse in a real-world population of patients with moderate-to-severe UC. Methods:Claims data from a large commercially insured U.S. population were retrospectively analyzed. Inclusion criteria were (1) ≥2 UC diagnosis claims (ICD-9-CM 556.xx) between January 2005 and July 2010, (2) ≥1 IM claim, where first IM claim defined the index date, (3) ≥12 months preindex health plan enrollment (baseline), and (4) ≥24 months postindex plan enrollment (follow-up). Characteristics of and changes to the index IM therapy during follow-up were descriptively assessed, as were complications and disease relapses. Results:A total of 2136 patients were identified for inclusion (age, mean [SD], 46 [16] years, 54% female). Azathioprine was the most common index IM (46% of patients), followed by 6-mercaptopurine (28%). Switching from the index IM to another therapy class was common (21% of patients), with 5-ASAs (48% of switchers), oral corticosteroids (21%), and biologics (17%) being the most frequent next agents used. Augmentation was also common (25% of patients), with 5-ASA being, by far, the most frequent agent added to the index IM (72% of augmenters). Thirty percent of patients experienced a complication, and 73% of patients relapsed, with the majority of relapses occurring during index IM exposure. Conclusions:This assessment of IM treatments for UC demonstrated frequent changes to therapy and high downstream complication and relapse rates.