Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Living donor liver transplantation for children with liver failure and concurrent multiple organ system failure

Liver transplantation for pediatric patients in liver failure and multiple organ system failure (MOSF) often results in poor patient survival. Progression of organ failure occurs while awaiting a cadaveric allograft. Therefore, we considered living donor liver transplantation (LDLT) in this critically ill group of children and report our initial results with comparison to a similar group who received cadaveric donation (CAD). A retrospective chart review was performed on all pediatric liver transplant recipients who met criteria for MOSF at the time of transplantation. Data collection involved pretransplantation patient profiles, as well as postoperative complications and patient survival. Eight patients in MOSF received living donor transplants and 11 patients received a cadaveric allograft. Mean wait time was 3.5 days in the LDLT group and 6.5 days in the CAD group. Pretransplantation patient profiles and postoperative complications were similar between groups. Mean cold ischemia times were 3.8 hours in the LDLT group and 7.9 hours in the CAD group (P = .0002). Thirty‐day and 6‐month survival rates of the LDLT group were 88% and 63% compared with 45% and 27% in the CAD group, respectively. Living donor transplant recipients in MOSF had decreased wait times to transplantation, as well as decreased cold ischemia times, compared with cadaveric transplant recipients. Patients in the LDLT group had markedly improved survival compared with the CAD group. Timely transplantation before worsening organ failure may account for these findings.
Intuition in strategic decision making: Friend or foe in the fast-paced 21st century?

Executive Overview Many executives and managers embrace intuition as an effective approach to important decisions. Indeed, recent surveys and business press articles indicate broad support for the use of intuition when making strategic decisions. The need for quick decisions, the need to cope with demands created by complex market forces, and the assumed benefits of applying deeply held knowledge combine to create strong perceived value for the intuitive approach. Intuition, however, has not been subjected to sufficient review, particularly in a forum for executives and other managers. This article responds to the need for critical evaluation. Utilizing holistic hunch and automated expertise as two fundamental definitions, our review evaluates intuition's costs and benefits in light of an organization's goals. Drawing evidence from the fields of behavioral decision making, strategic decision making, and mental modeling, our conclusions suggest intuition is a troublesome decision tool. To contribute to eff.
LOW‐DOSE PITUITARY IRRADIATION FOR ACROMEGALY

External radiotherapy has been used as primary treatment for acromegaly in 29 patients and in combination with surgery in 41 patients in whom growth hormone levels remained elevated postoperatively. Fourteen further patients who did not receive radiotherapy have also been studied, four of whom had undergone surgical treatment. Radiotherapy schedules consisted of 20 Gy in eight fractions over 11 days (n=23) or 35‐40 Gy in 15 fractions over 21 days (n=47). Growth hormone hypersecretion was either unchanged or increased with time in non‐irradiated patients. In those patients who underwent radiotherapy, the likelihood of the mean GH level during GTT falling to < 5 mU/l was unaffected by the total dose of radiation administered. However, patients with a pre‐radiotherapy GH level of < 30 mU/1 showed a significantly increased probability of achieving a post‐ radiotherapy GH level < 5 mU/1 (P=0.002). Previous surgery, initial serum prolactin and the age or sex of the patient did not predict the successful outcome of radiotherapy. In view of the known dose dependency of radiation‐induced hypopituitarism, lower radiation dose schedules (20 Gy; eight fractions in 11 days) can be used in acromegaly with some benefit, especially in younger patients. However, all patients should undergo operative removal of as much GH‐secreting tissue as possible, in order to lower GH levels and increase the probability of achieving a cure following radiotherapy.
Moving target speed calibrator for Multanova 6F speed radar (34.3GHz)

We describe the design of a device intended to calibrate Multanova 6F Doppler speed radars. The Speed calibrator modulates the transmitted signal from the speed radar with the Doppler frequency, which is generated by a signal generator. This frequency corresponds to the speed of the target vehicle being measured by the speed radar. The range of "speeds" generated by the Speed calibrator is 25-250km/h and for both directions of movement (receding and approaching), which is identical to the range of speeds that can be measured by the speed radar. The modulated signal is transmitted back to the speed radar either as an Upper Side Band signal - for simulation of an approaching target vehicle, or as a Lower Side Band signal - for simulation of a receding target vehicle. The precision obtained by calibration of the speed radar using the Speed calibrator is ±1km/h within the range of speeds of 25-100km/h and ±1% within the range of 100-250km/h, for receding and approaching directions.
Relative Tolerance of Selected Soybean Cultivars to Hoplolaimus columbus and Possible Effects of Soil Temperature.

Eleven soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr. ] cultivars resistant to one or more plant-parasitic nematodes, and one resistant to the Mexican bean beetle (Epilachna varivestis Muls.), were tested for susceptibility to Hoplolaimus columbus. All cultivars were parasitized, but nematode reproduction varied. 'Pickett-71' was the most susceptible host among the cultivars tested. 'Dyer' and three 'P.I. cultivars' were most tolerant when yield /plant and total yield were compared for fumigated and unfumigated plots, even though their yield potential was low. 'Hardee,' 'Coker 4504,' 'W-4,' 'D71-9257,' and 'ED-371' appeared tolerant throughout the growing season and yielded well in unfumigated soil. Infection and reproduction of H. columbus in 'Forrest' soybean roots were greater at 30 +/- 1 C than at 20 or 25 +/- 1 C. Plant height and root weight varied with the soil treatments.
Water Use and Salinity in the Murray-Darling Basin: A State-Contingent Model

The supply of water for irrigation is subject to climatic and policy uncertainty. The object of the present paper is to show how the linear and non-linear programming models commonly used in modelling problems such as those arising in the Murray-Darling Basin may be adapted to incorporate a state-contingent representation of uncertainty. Estimates showing the potential value of improved water use are also derived.
The speed of eating and functional dyspepsia in young women.

BACKGROUND/AIMS Little information is available on whether the speed of eating differs between individuals with and without dyspepsia, mainly because controlled studies are usually not feasible. METHODS A survey was applied to 89 individuals with relatively controlled eating patterns, using questionnaires that assessed eating time and functional dyspepsia (FD) based on the Rome III criteria. RESULTS The prevalence of FD was 12% (11 of 89 participants), and 7% (6 of 89) were diagnosed with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). The proportion of individuals reporting that they ate their meals rapidly was higher for those with FD than for those without FD or GERD (control) (46% vs 17%, p=0.043), as was the reported eating speed (7.1+/-1.5 vs 5.8+/-2.0 [mean+/-SD], p=0.045; visual analog scale on which a higher score indicated faster eating). However, the measured eating time did not differ significantly between FD and controls (11.0+/-2.8 vs 12.8+/-3.3 minutes, p=0.098). The proportion of individuals who ate their meals within 13 minutes was significantly higher for those with FD than for controls (91% vs 51%, p=0.020). CONCLUSIONS The results of this study suggest that eating speed affects dyspepsia. Further studies are warranted.
Telepathology for intraoperative consultations and expert opinions: the experience of the Eastern Québec Telepathology Network.

CONTEXT The Eastern Québec Telepathology Network was created to provide uniform diagnostic telepathology services in a huge territory with a low population density. OBJECTIVES To evaluate the diagnostic concordance and turnaround times of intraoperative consultations (IOCs) and the turnaround time of expert opinions by telepathology. DESIGN For the IOC part of the study, the first 104 IOC diagnoses from a single hospital were compared with those in the final pathology report. The turnaround time of the IOC was calculated from the arrival of the specimen at the pathology laboratory until the time of the call to the surgeon. For the expert opinion part of this study, the first 94 expert opinions from 5 hospitals were reviewed by comparing the time of the initial request until the time of the final report. RESULTS Of the 104 cases in the IOC study, 8 diagnoses (7.7%) were slightly discrepant because of differences in terminology but remained in the same category of interpretation. Two cases (1.9%) were significantly discordant. Therefore, 102 cases (98.1%) were either concordant or had no clinically significant discrepancies. The average turnaround time for IOCs was 20 minutes (range, 8-43). For the expert opinion part of the study, reports were signed out within 24 hours in 64 cases (68%) and within 72 hours in 80 cases (85.1%). CONCLUSIONS The Eastern Québec Telepathology Network allows a rapid, high-quality IOC service to be maintained for a hospital where no pathologist was available on site. It also provides a fast, expert opinion service to pathologists working alone.
Correlation asymmetry and implication on hedging

The paper studies the correlation asymmetry between currency spot and futures returns and its implication on hedging effectiveness using alternative multivariate GARCH models and different hedging strategies. For this purpose, daily data of EUR spot and futures returns are used to present a direct hedging strategy. A cross hedging strategy is also proposed using TND spot and EUR futures returns. Dynamic hedging is implemented using five multivariate GARCH models. The diagonal VECH and BEKK models are chosen among the covariance models. The CC-GARCH, DCC and GDCC represent the correlation models. The empirical results show that correlation between EUR spot and futures returns as well as between TND spot and EUR futures returns exhibit asymmetric behaviour. Moreover, the asymmetric diagonal VECH gives the best performance in terms of portfolio risk reduction in both strategies showing that covariance models are better than correlation models in modelling correlation asymmetry.
A 9‐year‐old male with a duplication of chromosome 3p25.3p26.2: Clinical report and gene expression analysis

We describe a 9‐year‐old male referred for genetic evaluation for Prader‐Willi syndrome (PWS). PWS is the most common genetically defined cause of life‐threatening obesity and results from a functional loss of paternally expressed genes from the chromosome 15q11‐q13 region. The patient presented with pervasive developmental disorder, delayed speech, and rapid onset of obesity at age 4 years, all features similar to PWS. However, chromosome 15q11‐q13 methylation testing and fragile X studies were normal. GTG‐banding and fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) with whole chromosome 3 paint probe (WCP3) and a chromosome 3p subtelomeric probe suggested a duplication of 3p25.3p26. 2, a finding supported by comparative genomic hybridization (CGH). This region of chromosome 3p contains genes which contribute to obesity and behavioral problems, most notably, ghrelin (GHRL), an oxytocin receptor (OXTR), solute carrier family six members (gamma‐aminobutyric acid (GABA) neurotransmitter transporters, SLC6A1 and SLC6A11), and peroxisome proliferator‐activated receptor gamma (PPARG). To characterize these obesity and behavior related genes in our subject, we performed quantitative RT‐PCR and compared expression levels with similarly aged male subjects (four non‐obese males, four obese males, and four PWS males—two with 15q11‐q13 deletions and two with maternal disomy 15). Our studies suggest increased expression of several genes in the 3p duplication region, including GHRL and PPARG, which may contribute to the phenotypic features in our 3p duplication subject. © 2006 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Travel insurance: the attributes, consequences, and values of using travel insurance as a risk-reduction strategy

ABSTRACT Risk seems all too often to be a travel companion. The purchase of travel insurance is one way to mitigate this, yet only a small body of research has examined consumer decision-making in this context. Using the Repertory Test and Laddering Analysis, this research examines the attributes of travel insurance, the consequences of its purchase and the terminal values that this satisfies. It presents a Hierarchical Value Map which tracks the customer journey. The study contributes to academic knowledge by identifying that not all attributes of travel insurance are brand-controlled and not all values are about reducing risk.
[Hand injuries caused by fireworks and treated by plastic surgeons].

OBJECTIVE To make an inventory of the number and nature of hand injuries caused by private firework use in the Netherlands during the New Year celebrations 2013-2014 and that were seen and treated by plastic surgeons. DESIGN Descriptive study. METHOD In October 2013 the Netherlands Association of Plastic Surgeons (Nederlandse Vereniging voor Plastische Chirurgie) asked its members to register patients treated for hand injuries caused by fireworks during the New Year celebrations 2013-2014. The registration form was sent to all members by email. Patient data, the sort of firework, the nature of and treatment for the injury and the legality of the fireworks were registered. It was also important to note which hand was affected, whether it was the dominant hand and how many fingers were involved. Finger, thumb and hand amputations were also recorded. RESULTS A total of 76 patients were seen by a plastic surgeon for the treatment of hand injuries caused by fireworks. The patients were all male. In 50% of patients the injury was caused by setting off illegal fireworks. The largest group of victims were aged < 18 years. In 7 patients the hand was amputated to the level of the radiocarpal joint. A total of 232 fingers were injured by fireworks, leading to 63 total finger amputations, including 11 total thumb amputations. Many serious injuries occurred outside the legally permitted time period for setting off fireworks. CONCLUSION The number of victims with serious hand injuries caused by fireworks was high during the New Year celebrations 2013-2014 and had increased in comparison with the preceding year. The majority of victims were aged < 18 years and were injured while setting off illegal fireworks by themselves.
PrPSc Incorporation to Cells Requires Endogenous Glycosaminoglycan Expression*

Many lines of evidence suggest an interaction between glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) and the PrP proteins as well as a possible role for GAGs in prion disease pathogenesis. In this work, we sought to determine whether the PrP-GAG interaction affects the incorporation of PrPSc (the scrapie isoform of PrP) to normal cells. This may be the first step in prion disease pathogenesis. To this effect, we incubated proteinase K-digested hamster scrapie brain homogenates with several lines of Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells in the presence or absence of heparin. Our results show that over a large range of PrPSc concentrations the binding of PrPSc to wild type CHO cells, which do not express detectable PrP, was equivalent to the binding of PrPSc to CHO cells overexpressing PrP. A significant part of PrPSc binding to both lines could be inhibited by heparin. Additional evidence that PrPSc binding to cells was dependent on the presence of GAGs could be concluded from the fact that the binding of PrPSc to CHO cells missing GAGs on the cell surface was significantly reduced. Interestingly, preincubation of scrapie brain homogenate with heparin before intraperitoneal inoculation into normal hamsters resulted in a significant delay in prion disease manifestation.
A Simple Low-Dose X-Ray CT Simulation From High-Dose Scan

Low-dose X-ray computed tomography (CT) simulation from a high-dose scan is required in optimizing radiation dose to patients. In this paper, we propose a simple low-dose CT simulation strategy in the sinogram domain using the raw data from high-dose scan. Specially, a relationship between the incident fluxes of low- and high-dose scans is first determined according to the repeated projection measurements and analysis. Second, the incident flux level of the simulated low-dose scan is generated by properly scaling the incident flux level of the high-dose scan via the determined relationship in the first step. Third, the low-dose CT transmission data by energy integrating detection is simulated by adding a statistically independent Poisson noise distribution plus a statistically independent Gaussian noise distribution. Finally, a filtered back-projection (FBP) algorithm is implemented to reconstruct the resultant low-dose CT images. The present low-dose simulation strategy is verified on the simulations and real scans by comparing it with the existing low-dose CT simulation tool. Experimental results demonstrated that the present low-dose CT simulation strategy can generate accurate low-dose CT sinogram data from high-dose scans in terms of qualitative and quantitative measurements.
Alteration of Monoamine Receptor Activity and Glucose Metabolism in Pediatric Patients with Anticonvulsant-Induced Cognitive Impairment

A landmark study from the Institute of Medicine reported that the assessment of cognitive difficulties in children with epilepsy is timely and imperative. Anticonvulsant-induced cognitive impairment could influence the quality of life more than seizure itself in patients. Although the monoaminergic system is involved in the regulation of cognitive process, its role in anticonvulsant-induced cognitive impairment remains unclear. Methods: To explore in vivo monoamine receptor binding activity in patients with anticonvulsant-induced cognitive impairment, each patient underwent PET imaging with both monoamine receptor binding agent 11C-N-methylspiperone and glucose metabolic agent 18F-FDG. Tests of intelligence quotient (IQ), including verbal IQ (VIQ), performance IQ (PIQ), and full-scale IQ (FSIQ), were performed in each patient. Results: Compared with the patients with monotherapy, patients with polytherapy had significantly lower VIQ, PIQ, and FSIQ (P < 0.01 in each comparison), as well as significantly lower monoamine receptor activities detected in the caudate nucleus, prefrontal cortex, dorsal anterior cingulate cortex, and amygdale (P < 0.05 in each comparison). However, regarding the glucose metabolism, there was no significant difference found in patients with monotherapy or polytherapy (P > 0.05). Conclusion: Monoamine receptor PET imaging could be a promising in vivo imaging biomarker for mapping anticonvulsant-induced cognitive impairment.
[Investigation of adenovirus infection in hospitalized children with diarrhea during 2010 in Beijing, China].

OBJECTIVE The study was designed to evaluate adenovirus infection in hospitalized children with diarrhea. METHOD Stool specimens were collected from 519 hospitalized children with diarrhea during 2010, including those defined as community-acquired diarrhea (CAD) who developed diarrhea symptoms within 48 hours after admission, and those defined as hospital-acquired diarrhea (HAD) whose symptoms of diarrhea occurred beyond 48 hours after admission. PCR was employed to identify adenovirus in fecal samples by using universal primers for adenoviruses of all types, and specific primers for adenovirus group F. PCR products with expected size were sequenced for adenovirus typing. Clinical data for children with adenovirus positive specimens were analyzed. RESULT A total of 519 hospitalized children, including 289 with CAD and 230 with HAD, were enrolled in the study. Out of 519 stool specimens, 76 showed PCR products with expected 301 bp and identified as adenovirus by sequencing, and the overall positive rate was 14.6%. Out of 289 CAD samples, 43 were positive (positive rate was 14.9%). Of them, 20 were identified as enteric adenovirus infection (adenovirus type 41, Ad41). Thirty-three out of 230 HAD samples were positive (positive rate was 14.3%). Of them, 13 were characterized as enteric adenovirus infection (one was Ad40 and others were Ad41). Ad41 in this study could be divided into two genotypes by phylogenetic tree analysis. Non-enteric adenoviruses were identified in 43 specimens (43/76, 56.6%) including 5 of serotype 1, 8 of serotype 2, 15 of serotype 3, 10 of serotype 7, 1 of serotype 12, and 4 of serotype 31. In this study, the positive rate of adenovirus between CAD children and HAD children did not differ (χ(2) = 0.03, P > 0.05), while the positive rate of enteric adenovirus was high in CAD children. CONCLUSION Adenovirus infection was the main cause of diarrhea in hospitalized children. In this study, the positive rate of adenovirus was similar between children with CAD and with HAD. Enteric adenovirus (adenovirus group F) was the most common adenovirus serotype detected in 2010 in Beijing, and Ad41 was the dominant type.
Returns to Human Capital and Wage Inequality: The Case of Taiwan

To compare with the literature on Taiwan study of wage inequality by the turn of Twenty-First Century, using Taiwani¯s 1978-2003 Manpower Utilization Survey data, this paper estimates the trends of returns to education and experience and investigates the relationship between returns to human capital, ability, and wage inequality. Over the period, return to higher education has an increasing trend while the wage inequality reveals a declining tendency, a phenomenon also contradicted to existing literature, e.g., Castello-Climent and Domenech (2014). Using quantile regression, we further discover the relations between human capital accumulation and unobserved ability, i.e., education and ability are substitutes while experience and ability tend to complement each other. Education enables those less able people to improve upon their disadvantages and thus improve wage inequality. Moreover, wage inequality is lower in females than in males for every educational level and more experienced groups. Contrary to the existing literature, Taiwani¯s empirical study demonstrates that the increasing employment share of more educated workers and/or females will improve instead of worsen wage inequality. Policy implications are also discussed based on Taiwani¯s experience.
Instrumentalizing EMU’s democratic deficit: the ECB’s unconventional accountability measures during the eurozone crisis

ABSTRACT This article shows that the quasi-fiscal nature of the ECB’s unconventional monetary policy measures and its troika membership created three mutually reinforcing threats to its political independence. First, it led to a rising level of public distrust in the ECB. Second, it triggered an elite dissensus on whether political independence of central banks was still the appropriate solution to the time inconsistency problem. Third, it created institutional overburdening with negative repercussions for the central bank’s output legitimacy. Faced with this diverse set of challenges in creditor and debtor countries, the ECB exploited EMU’s democratic deficit by relying on visits to national parliaments to preserve its independence.