Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The effect of treatment of twin-twin transfusion syndrome on the diagnosis-to-delivery interval.

UNLABELLED No randomised controlled trials of treatment of twin-to-twin transfusion syndrome (TTTS) exist. Since severely preterm neonatal survival has increased over time, survival as an outcome measure is confounded by improvements in neonatal care. The diagnosis-to-delivery interval is a measure of success of treatment independent of improvements in neonatal care. We wished to evaluate whether treatment of TTTS is associated with a lengthening of the diagnosis-to-delivery interval. MEDLINE search was performed supplemented by careful reference review. All TTTS series were included where the following information on each patient was available: survival, fetal demise, gestational age at diagnosis and diagnosis-to-delivery interval in days. INCLUSION CRITERIA gestational age at diagnosis < 29 weeks and diagnosis by ultrasound in the absence of maternal symptoms. Cases undergoing multiple types of treatment were excluded. Eight publications met inclusion criteria and included the following cases: controls (n = 16), amnioreduction (n = 61), septostomy (n = 12), and fetoscopic laser occlusion of chorioangiopagus vessels (n = 51). There was no difference in the diagnosis-to-delivery interval, overall survival, at least one survivor, or number of fetal deaths between the four groups. Logistic regression using at least one survivor as the dependent variable revealed a positive association with gestational age at diagnosis and with diagnosis-to-delivery interval, a negative correlation with fetal death, and no correlation with treatment group. We conclude that there is no difference in diagnosis-to-delivery interval or survival for any treatment for TTTS compared to expectant management. The lack of significance appears to be due to small sample sizes.
Coexistence of three species of hawks (Buteo spp.) in the prairie-parkland ecotone.

We investigated the extent of ecological segregation in the use of the food, space, and habitat resources of three sympatric species of the genus Buteo (red-tailed, ferruginous, and Swainson's hawks) coexisting in the prairie–parkland ecotone of southeastern Alberta. We concluded that food was not a resource for which the hawks were competing because the overlap in diets exceeded 80%, and because ferruginous hawks successfully fledged supernumerary broods and Swainson's hawks, broods of at least average size. Furthermore, there was no evidence that each species hunted prey at different times of the day or concentrated on different-sized prey. Each of the three species exhibited a dispersed distribution of nest sites which suggests competition for space; this pattern was not as evident when the distribution of nests among species was considered. Nevertheless, when pairs of different species nested in close proximity their reproductive success declined significantly, suggesting interspecific competion for s.
Glyfoline induces mitotic catastrophe and apoptosis in cancer cells

Glyfoline exhibits cytotoxic activity in vitro and antitumor activity in mice bearing murine or human solid tumors, but the underlying mechanisms are unknown. In our study, we found that glyfoline inhibited cell growth and induced accumulation of mitotic cells in human cancer cell lines. Glyfoline induced the appearance of spindle abnormalities, chromosome mis‐segregation, multipolar cell division and multiple nuclei, all of which are indicative of mitotic catastrophe. However, glyfoline did not bind to DNA and did not inhibit or stabilize tubulin polymerization, but slightly increased the resistance of mitotic spindles to nocodazole‐induced disassembly. In addition, microtubule aster formation was significantly enhanced in the extract prepared from glyfoline‐arrested mitotic cells compared to that from synchronized mitotic cells. When Eg5, a mitotic kinesin that plays an essential role in establishing mitotic spindle bipolarity, was inhibited using S‐trityl‐cysteine in glyfoline‐treated cells, formation of spindle multipolarity, multipolar cell division, and multinuclei was significantly reduced. After glyfoline‐mediated arrest of cells at mitosis, considerable poly(ADP‐ribose) polymerase degradation was induced and the number of annexin V‐positive cells significantly increased, indicating that glyfoline ultimately induces apoptosis. Small interfering RNA‐mediated silencing of the spindle checkpoint proteins BUBR1 and MAD2 markedly reduced induction of mitotic cell accumulation, but did not affect glyfoline‐induced mitotic catastrophe and apoptosis. Thus, glyfoline induces mitotic catastrophe probably by enhancing microtubule aster formation and subsequent apoptosis in cancer cells independently of spindle checkpoint function.
Internal Audit and Financial Reporting Quality in the Public Sector

Using a unique set of hand-collected data, this study investigates the association of (1) the presence of an Internal Audit Function (IAF) and (2) the use of quality assurance programs for the IAF with financial reporting quality in public sector organizations. Specifically, I examine if the presence of IAFs and the use of quality assessments therein is associated with the presence of financial statement audit reportable conditions and restatements in municipalities in the U.S. Results indicate that both the presence of an IAF and use of external quality programs therein are positively associated with financial statement audit reportable conditions related to internal control (significant deficiencies). Findings also suggest that the presence of an IAF is negatively associated with restatements in U.S. municipalities with populations over 100,000 at significant levels. The use of quality assurance programs for the IAF has no effect on the occurrence of restatements. The studyi? ½s findings provide insights on IAF influence over financial statement reporting quality in the public sector and suggest further research is necessary. Results should be of interest to standard setters, regulators, and pubic-sector leadership as they attempt to improve governmental financial reporting quality and transparency.
Model for assessing the quality of marketing-management education

Purpose This study aims to propose and test a model of educational quality in marketing-management by incorporating resource-capability variables that are linked to learning outcomes for students and the competitive positioning of universities. Design/methodology/approach Drawing on the resource-dependence theory, this study develops a comprehensive model for measuring educational quality. A sample comprising Spanish university teachers has been used to test the hypothesised relationships by using a two-stage least squares regression analysis while controlling for the possible effect of the public/private nature of the university. Findings The results validate the model and show that educational capabilities are reliable variables for predicting the educational quality of marketing-management programmes at Spanish universities. Research limitations/implications Similar to all educational research studies, certain problems have been acknowledged with respect to the data and the theoretical constructs that are used in the study. Future studies can replicate this study’s model by using more direct objective measures of the theoretical constructs and extend the study to other countries with different educational contexts. Practical implications The results provide guidance to marketing teachers at a university in designing high-quality marketing-management educational programmes and in developing self-diagnostic tools that can determine a university’s likelihood of competitive success. Originality/value This study is one of the few studies to apply the resource-dependence theory to the analysis of the variables associated with the quality of marketing-management education. In doing so, the study presents original multiitem scales to improve the measurement of model constructs.
Dietary lipid composition modifies intestinal morphology and nutrient transport in young rats.

BACKGROUND Varying lipid content of the diet of pregnant and nursing dams results in alterations in sugar and lipid uptake into the intestine of their suckling offspring. In this study, we wished to determine whether the same alterations in dietary lipid result in adaptation of intestinal transport in postweaning rats. METHODS During nursing, the dams were fed the same diet that their offspring were fed for 3 more weeks after weaning. These semipurified diets contained: 1) 15.8% of total fatty acids (w/w) as 18:2n-6 and an n6/n3 ratio of 7.3:1; 2) a diet with 17.6% of total fatty acids as 18:2n-6 and an n6/n3 ratio of 4:1; 3) a diet with 16.2% of total fatty acids as 18:2n-6 and 1.2% arachidonic acid (AA); 4) a diet with 16.8% of total fatty acids at 18:2n-6, 1.2% AA and 0.7% docosahexaenoic acid (DHA); and 5) a diet with 16.0% of total fatty acids as 18:2n-6 and 0.7% as DHA. The in vitro uptake of D-glucose, D-fructose, medium- or long-chain fatty acids and cholesterol was assessed in 6-week-old rats. RESULTS Feeding AA increased the Vmax for jejunal and ileal uptake of glucose, compared with the high n6/n3 diet. This effect was prevented by adding DHA to the AA diet. The low n6/n3 fatty acid ratio diet decreased uptake of fructose as compared with the high n6/n3 diet, and the increased uptake of fructose with DHA was prevented by adding AA. The incremental change in free energy associated with uptake of medium chain-length fatty acids was lower in the jejunum of animals fed AA plus DHA as compared with the other diet groups. Jejunal uptake of 18:0 was lower for animals fed DHA or AA plus DHA, as compared with AA alone; ileal rate of uptake of long-chain fatty acids was unaffected by diet. CONCLUSIONS The intestine of young rats modifies its intestinal morphology and adapts its nutrient transport in response to variations in dietary lipids. In postweaning rats, the potentially undesirable effect of one fatty acid on nutrient uptake may be countered by adding a select second fatty acid to the diet.
Oral fumaric acid esters for the treatment of active multiple sclerosis: an open‐label, baseline‐controlled pilot study

An exploratory, prospective, open‐label study of fumaric acid esters (FAE, Fumaderm®) was conducted in patients with relapsing–remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS). The study consisted of the following four phases: 6‐week baseline, 18‐week treatment (target dose of 720 mg/day), 4‐week washout, and a second 48‐week treatment phase (target dose of 360 mg/day). Ten patients with an Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) score of 2.0–6.0 and at least one gadolinium‐enhancing (Gd+) lesion on T1‐weighted magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) brain scans participated in the study. Safety was assessed by adverse events (AEs), blood chemistry/hematology, electrocardiogram, and urinalysis. The primary efficacy outcomes were number and volume of Gd+ lesions. Other clinical outcomes included EDSS score, ambulation index (AI), and nine‐hole peg test (9‐HPT). Effects of FAE on intracellular cytokine profiles, T‐cell apoptosis, and soluble adhesion molecules were also assessed. Three patients withdrew during the first 3 weeks of the study because of side effects, non‐compliance, and follow‐up loss. The most common AEs were gastrointestinal symptoms and flushing; all AEs were reported as mild and reversible. FAE produced significant reductions from baseline in number (P < 0.05) and volume (P < 0.01) of Gd+ lesions after 18 weeks of treatment; this effect persisted during the second treatment phase at half the target dose after the 4‐week washout period. EDSS scores, AI, and 9‐HPT remained stable or slightly improved from baseline in all patients. Measures of T‐cell function demonstrated alterations in cytokines and circulating tumor necrosis factor. The results of this exploratory study suggest that further studies of FAE in patients with MS are warranted.
Enhancing the performance of supplier involvement in new product development: the enabling roles of social media and firm capabilities:

Purpose Drawing on complementarity theory, the purpose of this study is to posit that social media use enhances the effect of supplier involvement on new product development (NPD) performance, while two key firm capabilities further enhance the moderating effect of social media use: market and technological knowledge-processing capabilities. Design/methodology/approach To test the hypotheses, the authors used a longitudinal survey of 367 firms, from seven major manufacturing industries: information technology (22.1 per cent), automotive industry (19.6 per cent), chemicals (18.2 per cent), textiles (13.3 per cent), machinery (12.5 per cent), energy (10.1 per cent) and others (4.1 per cent). Findings The results support the expectation that social media use and two firm capabilities (market and technological knowledge-processing capabilities) enhance the effect of supplier involvement on NPD performance in terms of product innovativeness, market performance and financial performance. Interestingly, post-hoc analyses indicate that supplier involvement has an inverted U-shaped relationship with product innovativeness. In addition, social media use not only strengthens the positive effect of, but also alleviates the negative effect of, supplier involvement in product innovativeness. Research limitations/implications The findings of this study provide new evidence that supply chain members’ use of social media better enables them to enhance their innovation performance with supplier involvement. Practical implications This study provides practical direction to help manufacturing managers enhance innovation performance outcomes of supplier involvement. Originality/value This study makes an original contribution to the supply chain literature by empirically demonstrating the key enablers that increase the efficacy of supplier involvement.
Pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of dexamethasone after oral administration in apparently healthy horses.

OBJECTIVE To assess pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic properties of dexamethasone administered PO as a solution or powder, compared with properties of dexamethasone solution administered IV, in apparently healthy horses. ANIMALS 6 adult horses. PROCEDURES Serum cortisol concentration for each horse was determined before each treatment (baseline values). Dexamethasone (0.05 mg/kg) was administered PO (in solution or powdered form) or IV (solution) to horses from which feed had or had not been withheld (unfed and fed horses, respectively). Each horse received all 6 treatments in random order at 2-week intervals; PO and IV administrations of dexamethasone were accompanied by IV or PO sham treatments, respectively. Plasma dexamethasone and serum cortisol concentrations were assessed at predetermined intervals. RESULTS Maximum plasma dexamethasone concentration after PO administration of powdered dexamethasone in unfed horses was significantly higher than the maximum plasma concentration after PO administration of dexamethasone solution in unfed or fed horses. Mean bioavailability of dexamethasone ranged from 28% to 66% but was not significantly different among horses receiving either formulation PO in the unfed or fed state. After dexamethasone treatment PO or IV, serum cortisol concentrations were significantly less than baseline at 1 to 72 hours in unfed horses and at 2 to 48 hours in fed horses. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE PO or IV administration of dexamethasone resulted in suppression of cortisol secretion in unfed and fed adult horses; the magnitude of suppression did not differ among treatment groups, and serum cortisol concentrations returned to baseline after 48 to 72 hours.
Multivariate one‐sided multiple comparison procedure with a control based on the approximate likelihood ratio test

In this study, we discuss a multiple comparison procedure with a control for multivariate one‐sided test in each pairwise comparison. For pairwise comparisons, we use the approximate likelihood ratio test statistics derived by Tang et al. (An approximate likelihood ratio test for a normal mean vector with nonnegative components with application to clinical trials. Biometrika 1989 , 76, 577–583). We derive a formula to determine the critical value for pairwise comparisons satisfying a specified significance level. Furthermore, we formulate the power of the test for our multiple comparison procedure. Finally, we give some numerical examples regarding the critical values and the power of the test.
ASSESSMENT OF SAFER ROAD USER BEHAVIOUR

Road users are the primary and most important aspect of the transport system. Providing for user needs is the primary characteristic of a sustainable transport system. Road user behaviour is considered the main contributory factor to the majority of road accidents. Therefore, successful and effective strategic road safety plans focus on improving road user behaviour by considering seven road user risk factors: drinking-drivers, seatbelts, child restraints, speed management, wearing helmets, using a mobile phone while driving, and driving while under the influence of drugs. Law legislation and enforcement regarding these factors are adopted by the United Nations and the World Health Organisation as the most effective long-term approaches for improving road user behaviour, thereby improving the level of road safety. This research assesses the implementation of strategies for improving road user behaviour, and measures the extent to which these strategies have been successful in improving the overall level of road safety at a national level. An index is developed for each of the road user factors and aggregated to develop a road user assessment index. This index is used for monitoring progress in implementing the action of road safety law legislation and enforcement at the national level, and for comparing countries according to the behaviour of their road users. The results of the research show that not all countries consider all of the above noted risk factors in their road safety laws; furthermore, the ranking of countries according to the results of applying the developed index is different than the ranking calculated according to road deaths for roughly 60% of countries. It is recommended that other factors of road safety be addressed, and additional strategies for improving road user behaviour be adopted, according to how they have been implemented in countries that have achieved a significant decline in road fatalities.
Burden and pattern of micro vascular complications in type 2 diabetes in a tertiary health institution in Nigeria.

INTRODUCTION Diabetes mellitus (DM) afflicts at least 5 million people in Nigeria, with more than 80% having type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Microvascular complications increase both morbidity and mortality inpatients with T2DM. The aims of this study were to report the burden of various microvascular complications in T2DM and to identify various factors associated with these complications in patients with T2DM attending the diabetes outpatients' clinic. METHODS Ninety (90) patients with T2DM who have attended diabetes clinic for at least 3 months were recruited for this study. Detailed history, physical examination and biochemical analysis was done in each of the patients. All patients underwent a detailed standard evaluation to detect diabetic retinopathy (fundoscopy), neuropathy (10g monofilament and/or diabetes neuropathy scores), and nephropathy (microalbuminuria, macroalbuminuria, serum creatinine and estimated glomerular filtration rate). RESULTS There was high prevalence of microvascular complications among patients with T2DM. Almost half of patients with T2DM had some form of microvascular complications; diabetic neuropathy being the commonest (69.6%),followed by nephropathy (54.5%) and retinopathy (48.9%). The factors associated with developing these complications were increasing age, duration of diabetes, hypertension and dyslipidaemia for nephropathy and neuropathy. CONCLUSION There is a high burden of microvascular complications in patients with type 2 diabetes. Age, male gender, hypertension, glycaemic control, BMI and duration of diabetes, and glycaemic control were factors associated with microvasular complications.
CNTF and GDNF, but not NT‐4, support corticospinal motor neuron growth via direct mechanisms

AXOTOMY and neurodegenerative diseases cause corticospinal motor neuron (CSMN) degeneration. We previously showed that CNTF, NT-4 and GDNF can support CSMN survival in enriched preparations. Here we developed a fluorescence-activated cell sorting method to highly purify CSMN (97 ± 4.6%). We tested the neurotrophic activities of CNTF, NT-4 and GDNF on enriched and purified CSMN preparations. Similar to their effects on enriched CSMN preparations, CNTF and GDNF sustained the survival of purified CSMN for at least 5 days with ED50 values of 1.28 ± 0.46 nM and 0.59 ± 0.39 nM, respectively. In contrast, NT-4 supported survival of enriched but not of purified CSMN, indicating that CNTF and GDNF sustain motor neuron survival by direct action of CSMN, while NT-4 requires accessory cells present in enriched CSMN preparations.
Reduction in Clostridium difficile Infections among Neurosurgical Patients Associated with Discontinuation of Antimicrobial Prophylaxis for the Duration of External Ventricular Drain Placement

Discontinuation of Antimicrobial Prophylaxis for the Duration of External Ventricular Drain Placement Author(s): Timothy H. Dellit, MD; Jeannie D. Chan, PharmD, MPH; Charlotte Fulton, RN, MHA; Ronald F. Pergamit, MPA; Elizabeth A. McNamara, RN, MN; Louis J. Kim, MD; Richard G. Ellenbogen, MD; John B. Lynch, MD, MPH Source: Infection Control and Hospital Epidemiology, Vol. 35, No. 5 (May 2014), pp. 589-590 Published by: The University of Chicago Press on behalf of The Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America Stable URL: http://www.jstor. org/stable/10.1086/675828 . Accessed: 28/06/2014 18:07
Neurofibrillary tau pathology modulated by genetic variation of α‐synuclein

We analyzed whether genetic variation of α‐synuclein modulates the extent of neuropathological changes in a population‐based autopsied sample of 272 elderly Finns. None of the 11 markers was associated with the extent of neocortical β‐amyloid pathology. The intron 4 marker rs2572324 was associated with the extent of neurofibrillary pathology (p = 0.0006, permuted p = 0.004; Braak stages IV‐VI vs 0‐II). The same variant also showed a trend for association with neocortical Lewy‐related pathology. These results suggest for the first time that variation of α‐synuclein modulates neurofibrillary tau pathology and support the recent observations of an interaction of α‐synuclein and tau in neurodegeneration. Ann Neurol 2008
Rigorous methodology for studies of effects of radiation from Chernobyl on animals and humans

Page 1 of 6 http://rsbl.royalsocietypublishing. org/content/5/3/356.abstract/reply#content-block Global change biology: Anders Pape Møller and Timothy A. Mousseau Reduced abundance of insects and spiders linked to radiation at Chernobyl 20 years after the accident Biol. Lett. June 23, 2009 5:356-359; published online before print March 18, 2009, doi:10.1098/rsbl.2008. 0778 Abstract Full Text Full Text (PDF) Data Supplement
Predicting adolescent risk behaviors based on an ecological framework and assets.

OBJECTIVES To examine the relationship between an aggregate risk score (smoking, drinking, and number of sex partners) and measures of youth assets in a sample of 3439 youth aged 14-18 years. METHODS Linear regression models for African American and white males and females predicted an aggregate risk score. RESULTS After adjustments, the youth asset most predictive of risk was self/peer values regarding risk behaviors. Perceived school support was also predictive. CONCLUSIONS Taking an ecological approach to the measurement of adolescent health behaviors contributes to our understanding of these risk behaviors.