Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Bacillus Calmette-Guérin therapy alters the progression of superficial bladder cancer.

The effectiveness of BCG in preventing disease progression in patients with superficial bladder cancer is evaluated. Long-term follow-up of high-risk patients treated in a previously reported randomized control trial of intravesical plus percutaneous BCG shows that progression occurred in 41/43 (95%) of control and 23/43 (53%) of BCG-treated patients. Muscle invasive and/or metastatic disease occurred with equal frequency in the two groups, but was significantly delayed by BCG treatment (P = .012). Cystectomies were required in 18/43 (42%) control and 11/43 (26%) BCG-treated patients. Median time to cystectomy was 8 months for control v 24 months for BCG-treated patients. Based on initial treatment, survival was improved by BCG therapy (P = .032) (median follow-up 6 years). These results suggest that in high-risk patients intravesical BCG can delay disease progression, prolong the period of bladder preservation, and increase overall survival.
Inflation forecasting models for Uganda: is mobile money relevant?

Forecasting inflation is challenging in emerging markets, where trade and monetary regimes have shifted, and the exchange rate, energy and food prices are highly volatile. Mobile money is a recent financial innovation giving financial transaction services via a mobile phone, including to the unbanked. Stable models for the 1-month and 3-month-ahead rates of inflation in Uganda, measured by the consumer price index for food and non-food, and for the domestic fuel price, are estimated over 1994-2013. Key features are the use of multivariate models with equilibrium-correction terms in relative prices; introducing non-linearities to proxy state dependence in the inflation process; and applying a ‘parsimonious longer lags’ (PLL) parameterisation to feature lags up to 12 months. International influences through foreign prices and the exchange rate (including food prices in Kenya after regional integration) have an important influence on the dependent variables, as does the growth of domestic credit. Rainfall deviation from the long-run mean is an important driver for all, most dramatically for food. The domestic money stock is irrelevant for food and fuel inflation, but has a small effect on non-food inflation. Other drivers include the trade and current account balances, fiscal balance, terms of trade and trade openness, and the international interest rate differential. Parameter stability tests suggest the models could be useful for short-term forecasting of inflation. There is no serious evidence of a link between mobile money and inflation.
[Toxicity of indocyanine green dye on Müller cells].

PURPOSE To analyze the effect of indocyanine green (ICG) dye on cultured Müller cells. METHODS Cultured quail Müller cells were exposed to ICG dye at different temperatures and ICG concentrations for different exposure duration. Viability and death of the Müller cells were determined spectrophotometrically. RESULTS The cells did not change in viability or morphology soon after the exposure to ICG at 20 degrees C. However, further cultivation of the ICG-exposed cells after washing out ICG caused cell death and morphological changes depending on dose and duration of the preceding ICG exposure at 20 degrees C. Although ICG exposure at a higher concentration and longer duration induced more cell death and reduced cell viability, ICG exposure at a lower concentration and shorter duration raised cell viability in spite of increased cell death. ICG exposure at 37 degrees C for 60 minutes induced morphological changes soon and the cells were stained more intensively with ICG than with exposure at 20 degrees C. Shortened exposure of three minutes at 37 degrees C showed less change of cell viability and cell death than exposure of 60 minutes. CONCLUSION ICG exposure at 37 degrees C caused earlier and more cell death than exposure at 20 degrees C. The cytotoxicity of ICG on Müller cells was dose and exposure-time dependent.
The Prevalence of ADHD, ODD, Depression, and Anxiety in a Community Sample of 4-Year-Olds

Few studies have examined the epidemiology of preschoolers' psychopathology. This study included 796 4-year-old children recruited from schools and pediatric practices in a diverse, urban area. Psychiatric disorder was assessed by a structured interview adapted for preschool children and by questionnaire. The most common disorders were oppositional defiant disorder (ODD) and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) and depressive disorders were reported in less than 1% of the sample. Race/ethnicity differences were not significant. Gender differences showed ADHD-inattentive type more common among boys, with no gender differences for GAD, major depressive disorder, dysthymia, separation anxiety disorder, or ODD at any level of impairment. The overall comorbidity rate was 6.4%. Approximately 3% of individuals receiving a diagnosis had received mental health services.
A State‐Price Volatility Index for the U.S. Government Bond Market

Using the Arrow-Debreu state-contingent pricing methodology, this paper derives a forward looking volatility index (GBVX) for the U.S. government bond market from 2000 to 2014. GBVX is an unbiased predictor for the next 30-days realized variance of the bond futures return, and it subsumes the information of GARCH, EWMA and historical volatility measures. GBVX also serves as an effective predictor for the future volatility of the investment grade corporate bond portfolio return and can be a useful tool for hedging the tail risk in the fixed income market. I then show that GBVX can be well replicated by a market maker using the individual 10-year Treasury note futures options. Finally, I make comparisons among GBVX, the Merrill Lynch Option Volatility (MOVE) index and the CBOE bond volatility index (VXTYN).
Complications of Lower Extremity Arteriovenous Grafts in Patients With End-Stage Renal Disease

Background. More data are needed to assess lower extremity angioaccess sites for hemodialysis. Methods. We did a retrospective review of 843 consecutive hospital records of upper and lower extremity arteriovenous (AV) fistulas from 1992 to 1996. Results. Lower extremity grafts accounted for 16% (134/843) of patients in this series. Complications occurred in 58 of 134 patients (43%) and were more prevalent in women, blacks, diabetic, and hypertensive patients, but not of statistical significance. Dialysis was done for a mean duration of 13.3 years, with a mean graft patency rate of 13.8 months. The 12-month survival rate of lower extremity AV grafts was 62% (83/134). Complications in the lower extremity AV graft group (58 patients) included infections in 27 patients (46%), thrombosis within 30 days in 16 (28%), pseudoaneurysm in 9 (16%), and graft hemorrhage in 6 (10%). Conclusions. There is a decreased patency rate in lower extremity AV grafts.
Locomotory behaviour and post-exercise physiology in relation to swimming speed, gait transition and metabolism in free-swimming smallmouth bass (Micropterus dolomieu)

SUMMARY We examined swimming behaviour, gait recruitment and post-exercise muscle glycogen, muscle lactate, plasma lactate and oxygen consumption in smallmouth bass (Micropterus dolomieu; 24–38 cm fork length) that voluntarily ascended a 25 m raceway against water velocities ranging from 40 to 120 cm s–1. Physiological parameters were referenced to additional measurements made following exhaustive exercise in a static tank and aerobic exercise in a swim tunnel. Maximum speeds maintained exclusively using a steady gait in the raceway ranged from 53.6 to 97.3 cm s–1 and scaled positively with fish length. Minimum swimming speeds maintained exclusively through recruitment of an unsteady gait were also positively correlated to fish length and ranged from 81.4 to 122.9 cm s–1. Fish switched between steady and unsteady swimming at intermediate speeds. Smallmouth bass always maintained a positive ground speed in the raceway; however, those that primarily swam using a steady gait to overcome low to moderate water velocities (20–50 cm s–1) maintained mean ground speeds of ∼20 cm s–1. By contrast, mean ground speeds of fish that primarily recruited an unsteady locomotory gait increased significantly with water velocity, which resulted in an inverse relationship between exercise intensity and duration. We interpret this behaviour as evidence that unsteady swimming was being fuelled by the limited supply of anaerobic substrates in the white muscle. This hypothesis is supported by the fact that unsteady swimming fish showed significantly lower muscle glycogen levels, higher lactate concentrations (muscle and plasma) and higher post-exercise oxygen consumption rates compared with fish that used a steady gait. The reduction in passage time achieved by fish using an unsteady gait allowed them to ascend the raceway with relatively minor post-exercise metabolic imbalances, relative to individuals chased to exhaustion.
The Spillover Effects of U.S. Monetary Policy on Emerging Market Economies: Breaks, Asymmetries and Fundamentals

The recent implementation of unconventional monetary policies in advanced economies and the preparations for an eventual return to normalization have renewed the interest in spillover effects of monetary policy on emerging market economies. This paper estimates a series of VAR-X models for a set of 10 emerging economies, that is, VARs in which U.S. policy enters exogenously. The contribution of this paper is (1) to use an identified shock component of the U.S. (shadow) Federal Funds rate as a consistent policy instrument for conventional and unconventional policies, (2) to account for changes in the transmission of U.S. monetary policy over time, (3) to quantify asymmetries in the transmission of tightening and easing shocks, and (4) to relate the exposure of emerging countries with macroeconomic fundamentals. The results point to substantially nonlinear and asymmetric spillover effects, which pose challenges to policymakers.
PENGARUH PENDAPATAN PREMI, HASIL INVESTASI, DAN KLAIM TERHADAP LABA : Studi Kasus pada Perusahaan Asuransi Jiwa yang Memiliki Unit Syariah

Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk memperoleh bukti empiris mengenai pengaruh pendapatan premi, hasil investasi, dan klaim terhadap perolehan laba. Penelitian ini dilakukan pada perusahaan asuransi jiwa yang memiliki unit syariah di Indonesia yang terdaftar pada BAPEPAM-LK periode 2008-2010. Metode penelitian yang digunakan dalam penelitian ini adalah metode asosiatif dan deskriptif. Analisis data menggunakan analisis korelasi yang terdiri dari koefisien korelasi parsial, koefisien korelasi berganda, dan koefisien determinasi. Data yang digunakan merupakan data sekunder yang dikumpulkan dari laporan publikasi BAPEPAM-LK. Hasil pengujian hipotesis menyimpulkan bahwa pendapatan premi, hasil investasi, dan klaim memiliki hubungan terhadap laba dengan nilai korelasi masing-masing adalah 0,047; 0,257; dan 0,458. Sedangkan pengaruh pendapatan premi, hasil investasi, dan klaim secara bersama-sama adalah 53,1%. Selain itu, kekuatan pengaruh pendapatan premi, hasil investasi, dan klaim terhadap laba yang ditunjukkan oleh koefisien determinasi sebesar 28,2% dan sisanya sebesar 71,8% dipengaruhi oleh faktor-faktor lain yang tidak diteliti dalam penelitian ini. Kata Kunci: Pendapatan Premi, Hasil Investasi, Klaim, Laba ABSTRACT This study aims to obtain empirical evidence about the effect of premiums earned, investment returns, and claims for profit. This research was conducted at a life insurance company in Indonesia having Islamic unit listed at Bapepam-LK 2008-2010. The method used in this study is associative and descriptive methods. Data analysis using correlation analysis consist of partial correlation coefficients, multiple correlation coefficient, and the coefficient of determination. The data used are secondary data collected from published reports Bapepam-LK. The result of the research shows that the premium income, investment returns, and claims have the effect on the profits of the respective correlation value is 0,047; 0,257; and 0,458. While the effect of premium income,investment returns, and claims together is 53.1%. In addition, the strength of the effect of premium income, investment returns, and claims to profits shown by the coefficient of determination of 28.2% and the remaining 71.8% is influenced by other factors not examined in this study. Keywords: Premium Income, Investment Returns, Claims, Earning
Quality of life outcome of critical care survivors eighteen months after discharge from intensive care.

AIM To assess the changes in health-related quality of life in patients discharged from the intensive care unit (ICU). METHODS At the General University ICU, Trauma Hospital in Athens, 242 patients were enrolled prospectively over a study period of 18 months. Out of these, 116 participants (47.9%) completed all survey components at 6, 12, and 18 months. We used Quality of Life-Spanish (QOL-SP) to assess the health-related quality of life. Patients or their relatives were interviewed on ICU admission and at 6, 12, and 18 months after discharge from the ICU. RESULTS Mean quality of life score of the patients increased from 2.9+/-4.8 (out of maximum 25 points) on ICU admission to 7.0+/-7.2 points at 6 months after discharge, and then decreased to 5.6+/-6.9 points at 18 months (P<0.001; Friedman Test). Multilinear regression analysis showed that the variables which had the strongest association with the quality of life on admission were age (P=0.002) and male sex (P=0.001), whereas age (P<0.001), length of ICU stay (P<0.001), and male sex (P=0.002) had the strongest association 18 months after discharge from the ICU. Survival rate was 66.9% at discharge from ICU and 61.6% at hospital discharge. There were 33% deaths in the ICU, 5.3% in the hospital, and 6.2% after ICU discharge. There were 7.4% patients lost to follow-up. CONCLUSIONS After discharge from the ICU, patients' quality of life was poor and showed an improvement at 18 months after discharge, but was still worse than on admission. Age, ICU length of stay, and male sex were the factors that had the strongest impact on the quality of life on admission and at 18 months after discharge from the ICU.
The Bioactive Phospholipid, Lysophosphatidylcholine, Induces Cellular Effects via G-Protein-dependent Activation of Adenylyl Cyclase*

The naturally occurring phospholipid, lysophosphatidylcholine (lyso-PC), regulates a broad range of cell processes, including gene transcription, mitogenesis, monocyte chemotaxis, smooth muscle relaxation, and platelet activation. Despite the growing list of cellular effects attributable to lyso-PC, the mechanism(s) by which it alters cell function have not been elucidated. In this report, we have examined the effects of exogenous lyso-PC on signal transduction processes within a variety of lyso-PC-responsive cells, including human platelets, monocyte-like THP-1 cells, and the megakaryoblastic cell line, MEG-01. Pretreatment of each of these cells with increasing concentrations of lyso-PC (25-150 μg/ml) was associated with a progressive increase in the cytosolic concentration of cAMP. The accumulation of cAMP in platelets correlated closely with the ability of lyso-PC to inhibit multiple platelet processes, including platelet aggregation, agonist-induced protein kinase C activation, thromboxane A2 generation, and the tyrosine phosphorylation of platelet proteins. In each of the cell types examined, the ability of lyso-PC to increase the cellular levels of cAMP was synergistically enhanced by pretreating the cells with the cAMP phosphodiesterase inhibitor, theophylline (5 mM), and was specifically inhibited by the P-site inhibitor of adenylyl cyclase, 2,5-dideoxyadenosine. A role for the stimulatory G-protein, Gs, in the lyso-PC-induced activation of adenylyl cyclase was suggested by the ability of the GTPase inhibitor, guanylyl 5′-thiophosphate (0.2 mM), to inhibit the lyso-PC-stimulated increase in cAMP, and also by the ability of cholera toxin to inhibit increases in membrane GTPase activity in response to lyso-PC. The functional significance of lyso-PC-induced activation of adenylyl cyclase was investigated in MEG-01 cells. Treatment of these cells with either lyso-PC or dibutyryl cAMP for 36-40 h resulted in a 3-5-fold increase in the surface expression of the natural anticoagulant protein, thrombomodulin (TM). The ability of lyso-PC to increase TM expression was abolished by pretreating these cells with the adenylyl cyclase inhibitor, 2,5-dideoxyadenosine, whereas the dibutyryl cAMP-induced increase in TM remained insensitive to adenylyl cyclase inhibition. These studies define an important role for the adenylyl cyclase signaling system in mediating cellular effects induced by lyso-PC.
Physical functional health predicts the incidence of coronary heart disease in the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer-Norfolk prospective population-based study.

BACKGROUND Little is known about the relationship between physical functional health and long-term risk of coronary heart disease (CHD) independently of known risk factors in a general population. METHODS Men and women aged 40-79 years at baseline who completed a health and lifestyle questionnaire and attended a health examination during 1993-97 participating in the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer-Norfolk who were free of myocardial infarction (MI), stroke and cancer were included. Eighteen months later, physical functional health was assessed using physical component summary (PCS) scores of Short-Form 36-item questionnaire (SF-36). The incidence of CHD was ascertained by death certification and hospital record linkage up to March 2008. RESULTS A total of 14,222 men and women were included in the study. There were 389 incident CHD (total person-years = 126,896 years). People who reported better physical functional health had significantly lower risk of CHD. Using Cox proportional hazard models adjusting for age, sex, body mass index, cholesterol, systolic blood pressure, smoking, alcohol consumption, physical activity, diabetes, family history of MI, social class and aspirin usage, it was found that men and women who were in the top quartile of SF-36 PCS had half the risk of CHD [relative risk (RR) = 0.46; 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.32-0.65] compared with the people in the bottom quartile. The relationships remained essentially unchanged after excluding incident CHD within the first 2 years of follow-up (RR = 0.48; 95% CI = 0.33-0.70). CONCLUSIONS Physical functional health predicts subsequent CHD risk independently of known risk factors in a general population. People with poor physical functional health may benefit from targeted preventive interventions.
Periovulatory 17 beta-estradiol changes and embryo morphologic features in conception and nonconceptional cycles after human in vitro fertilization.

Thirty-one patients who became pregnant after in vitro fertilization were compared with a matched control group of 31 patients who underwent embryo transfer but did not conceive. During the follicular phase there was no difference in the mean daily estradiol (E2) levels between the pregnant and control groups. In 95% of the women who conceived, E2 continued to rise or plateau on the day after human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) administration; this pattern was seen in only 62.5% of the control group. There were significantly more "regular" embryos (i.e., those with symmetric blastomeres and no visible cytoplasmic fragments) replaced in patients who became pregnant, compared with the control subjects (65.6% versus 47.0%, P less than 0.05). Embryo regularity was associated with preovulatory E2 pattern; falling E2 levels on the day after hCG administration were associated with transfer of only 18.8% of regular embryos in the control group, whereas in the conceptional cycles with rising E2 levels, 61.5% of the replaced embryos were morphologically regular (P less than 0.01). These results would indicate that changes in the follicular environment as reflected by peripheral E2 levels might affect the developmental potential of the human embryo.
Perceptions of STARR (Select Teachers as Regional Resources) teachers concerning their professional development experience

This study described and analyzed the perceptions of teachers who participated in a unique professional development experience. The research framework that guided the study included components of professional development, collaboration, authentic instruction, and teacher perceptions. The study population was initially 192 STARR Teachers. From that sample, 21 former Missouri STARR Teachers contributed a retrospective view of participation. The qualitative study was undertaken as a descriptive case study in the tradition of phenomenography. Data collection included surveys, interviews, and a previously written research brief. Data analysis was made through an iterative process of modifying the descriptive categories. Study findings revealed that these teachers were positively impacted by participation in this professional development experience. Impact continued beyond the time of participation. Teachers benefited both personally and professionally from the experience. Implications of this research were identified in the areas of professional development, teacher education and teacher leadership.
Pseudomosaicism, true mosaicism, and maternal cell contamination in amniotic fluid processed with in situ culture and robotic harvesting

This study was designed to test the usefulness of the common definitions for maternal cell contamination, true mosaicism, and pseudomosaicism for amniotic fluid specimens processed by in situ culture and robotic harvesting. We prospectively studied 4309 consecutive amniotic fluid specimens processed with these methods and found that 0.84 per cent had maternal cell contamination, 0.28 per cent had true mosaicism, and 5.4 per cent had pseudomosaicism. Although the frequencies of maternal cell contamination and true mosaicism were comparable to those in similar published studies, the frequency of pseudomosaicism was more than twice as high as that in previous reports. This finding is most likely not due to the method, but rather to a more accurate estimate of the actual frequency of pseudomosaicism in amniotic fluid cultures than reported heretofore. Follow‐up clinical information was available on 72 per cent of the cases. In three cases of true mosaicism involving structural anomalies, the results of cytogenetic follow‐up studies on the neonates were normal. None of the pseudomosaic cases involving trisomy 8, 13, 18, or 21; triple X; or monosomy X were associated with newborns who had birth defects.