Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Does the Modified Fatigue Impact Scale offer a more comprehensive assessment of fatigue in MS?

Background: As a symptom of multiple sclerosis (MS), fatigue is difficult to manage because of its unknown etiology, the lack of efficacy of the drugs tested to date and the absence of consensus about which would be the ideal measure to assess fatigue. Objective: Our aim was to assess the frequency of fatigue in a sample of MS patients and healthy controls (HC) using two fatigue scales, the Fatigue Severity Scale (FSS) and the Modified Fatigue Impact Scale (MFIS) with physical, cognitive and psychosocial subscales. We also studied the relationship fatigue has with depression, disability and interferon beta. Methods: Three hundred and fifty-four individuals (231 MS patients and 123 HC) were included in this cross-sectional study. Fatigue was assessed using the FSS and MFIS. Depression was measured by the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), and disability by the Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS). A status of fatigue was considered when the FSS≥ 5, of non-fatigue when the FSS≤4, and scores between 4.1 and 4.9 were considered doubtful fatigue cases. Results: Fifty-five percent of MS patients and 13% of HC were fatigued. The global MFIS score positively correlated with the FSS in MS and HC (r=0.68 for MS and r=0.59 for HC, p<0.0001). Nonetheless, the MFIS physical subscale showed the strongest correlation score with the FSS (r=0.75, p<0.0001). In addition, a prediction analysis showed the physical MFIS subscale to be the only independent predictor of FSS score (p<0.0001), suggesting other aspects of fatigue, as cognition and psychosocial functions, may be explored by the FSS to a lesser extent. Depression also correlated with fatigue (r=0.48 for the FSS and r=0.7 for the MFIS, p<0.0001) and, although EDSS correlated with fatigue as well, the scores decreased after correcting for depression. Interferon beta showed no relationship with fatigue. Conclusions: Fatigue is a frequent symptom found in MS patients and clearly related with depression. Each fatigue scale correlates with one another, indicating that they are measuring similar constructs. Nevertheless, spheres of fatigue as cognition and psychosocial functions are probably better measured by the MFIS, although this hypothesis will need to be confirmed with appropriate psychometrical testing.
Partial discharges and associated transients: the induced charge concept versus capacitive modeling

Ensuring a reliable electric service to industrial, commercial and residential customers is becoming an important parameter for every electricity company due to the increased demand from the customers for less downtime, high productivity and reduced maintenance cost of machinery caused by unscheduled frequent interruptions due to underground power cable failures. The presence of partial discharges (PD) is one of the most prominent indicators of defects and ongoing degradation processes of electrical insulation. The capacitive network representation of the void (model) has long been used for the study of the transients generated by a breakdown void. As an alternative to the capacitive representation of the void (model) the induced charge concept has been introduced expressing strong criticism against the capacitance modeling of voids. This paper discusses and argues this criticism and exploits the potential and weakness of the classical capacitive representation of the voids from a theoretical point of view. Finally, a new capacitive model for voids is proposed based on the induced charge concept.
Reply to Friedmann and Sassen

John Friedmann continues to underestimate the role of the state in the global system. Cities re ect the power of their territorial economies, as Friedmann claims, but they also re ect the power and policies of their territorial states and the political–economic relationships need to be spelled out. The legitimacy of global markets depends upon the legitimacy of national political regimes. Powerful states co-ordinate their macroeconomic policies to stabilise the world economy. But states are also responsible to their citizens. When international collaboration fails to deliver national prosperity, citizens question why they must acquiesce in decisions reached beyond their borders and they look to their national political authorities for the answers. Economic globalisation, including world city hierarchies, rests upon political accommodations within and among nation-states (Pauly, 1997). Friedmann believes that the US is the unchallenged global hegemon. We believe multipolarisation of the world economy is increasing. The EU is now the world’s largest economic entity and is still expanding. East Asia is inching towards its own economic bloc, including preferential trade arrangements and an Asian Monetary Fund (AMF). An AMF would hold larger monetary reserves than the US or the Euro-zone and suf cient to rival the International Monetary Fund (Bergson, 2001). Meanwhile, US leadership in the global economy is eroding. Con icts with Europe multiply: over farm subsidies and genetically modi ed products, energy costs and environment issues,  nancial relations and currency balancing. A domestic backlash in the US against globalisation stalemates Washington on most international economic issues. Washington lacks the domestic authority to lower its own trade barriers even as it continues to seek reductions in other countries—a practice that simply further diminishes US credibility abroad. Saskia Sassen asserts that our article, “Global Cities and Developmental States: New York, Tokyo and Seoul” (Hill and Kim, 2000) misrepresents her work on the global city and her viewpoint on global  nance. Sassen is indignant that we called her 1999 Foreign Affairs article on world  nance centres, a “breathless paean to global high  nance”. She believes we were insinuating, falsely, that she is ‘pro global  nance’. Such was not our intention. One can simultaneously be a severe critic and an ardent admirer of capitalism—as was Marx, for example. But Sassen’s tone and sensibility in the Foreign Affairs essay are decidedly uncritical. There, Sassen conveys a world in which cities hope to “ascend toward global city status”, where New York City ascended due to “Wall Street’s brilliant  nancial engineering” and where Tokyo’s ability to as-
Interstitial cystitis intravesical therapy

Interstitial cystitis (IC) is a progressive bladder disorder that presents with symptoms of bladder urgency, frequency and pain. The aetiology of the disease remains uncertain, but it is postulated that there is an initial infective insult which damages the glycosaminoglycan (GAG) layer of the bladder urothelium. This defect allows an influx of ions, particularly potassium, which initiates an inflammatory reaction in the bladder wall, which incites the symptoms described above. Treatment initially involves behavioural and oral medication, with second line being intravesical instillation therapy. Treatment strategies focus on restoring lower urinary tract epithelial function, inhibiting neural activation, controlling allergies and relieving symptoms. In this review, current intravesical therapy will be discussed, as well as what lies on the horizon for intravesical therapy in IC.
The Impact of the 9/11 Events on the American and French Stock Markets

Markets reacted strongly to the World Trade Center attacks both in Europe and in the United States. The extent of this crisis was difficult to assess at the time, underlining the need for a specific tool to measure the magnitude of financial crises. A first measure was recently proposed and applied to the foreign exchange market by Zumbach et al. (2000a,b). Their measure relies on an analogy with geophysics; the related index of market shocks (IMS) that we propose here is also the counterpart of the Richter scale used for earthquakes. We apply this measure on the French and the American stock markets to put large market events into perspective. The crisis triggered by the September attacks was actually the worst since 1987, and the ninth worst when compared to major historical ones.
What Do We Know about the Impact of Government Interventions in the Banking Sector? The Assessment of Various Bailout Programs on Bank Behavior

Systemic banking crises have placed enormous pressure on national governments to intervene. The empirical literature, however, is inconclusive on what an optimal bailout program should look like to mitigate the negative consequences of government interventions in the banking sector. We find that, in general government interventions have a negative impact on banking sector stability, significantly increasing its risk. In particular, we find that among bailout measures, nationalization and asset management companies (AMCs) contribute most to the risk effect and that among liquidity support mechanisms, public guarantees are the largest contributor to the risk effect. However, we also find that by making an appropriate choice of intervention mechanisms, governments can mitigate the negative consequences stemming from the above-mentioned effects.
Homo- and Heterotypic Fibrillin-1 and -2 Interactions Constitute the Basis for the Assembly of Microfibrils*

Fibrillin-1 and fibrillin-2 constitute the backbone of extracellular filaments, called microfibrils. Fibrillin assembly involves complex multistep mechanisms to result in a periodical head-to-tail alignment in microfibrils. Impaired assembly potentially plays a role in the molecular pathogenesis of genetic disorders caused by mutations in fibrillin-1 (Marfan syndrome) and fibrillin-2 (congenital contractural arachnodactyly). Presently, the basic molecular interactions involved in fibrillin assembly are obscure. Here, we have generated recombinant full-length human fibrillin-1, and two overlapping recombinant polypeptides spanning the entire human fibrillin-2 in a mammalian expression system. Characterization by gel electrophoresis, electron microscopy after rotary shadowing, and reactivity with antibodies demonstrated correct folding of these recombinant polypeptides. Analyses of homotypic and heterotypic interaction repertoires showed N- to C-terminal binding of fibrillin-1, and of fibrillin-1 with fibrillin-2. The interactions were of high affinity with dissociation constants in the low nanomolar range. However, the N- and C-terminal fibrillin-2 polypeptides did not interact with each other. These results demonstrate that fibrillins can directly interact in an N- to C-terminal fashion to form homotypic fibrillin-1 or heterotypic fibrillin-1/fibrillin-2 microfibrils. This conclusion was further strengthened by double immunofluorescence labeling of microfibrils. In addition, the binding epitopes as well as the entire fibrillin molecules displayed very stable properties.
Cyclic parenteral nutrition during bone marrow transplantation in children

Nine children underwent ten bone marrow transplants for malignancies and were supported by parenteral alimentation administered in cyclic fashion 18 hours daily. Children received cyclic parenteral nutrition for an average of 29 days, which provided a caloric intake (mean ± SD) of 55.9 ± 18.1 Kcal/kg/day, and a nitrogen intake of 0.28 ± 0.08 g/kg/day. Nutritional status was assessed using nitrogen balance, creatinine‐height index, and visceral protein concentrations including serum albumin, transferrin, and prealbumin. Minimal transient elevation in tests of liver function were observed without marked derangement in blood glucose, electrolytes, or osmolality. Unlike prealbumin, determinations of nitrogen balance, creatinine‐height index, serum albumin and transferrin concentrations did not parallel changes in clinical status. Cyclic parenteral alimentation is a practical approach to the maintenance of nutrition during intensive antitumor therapy and provides an infusion‐free period for the administration of drugs and blood transfusions without interfering with nutritional support. Prealbumin accurately reflects changes in the patient‐s clinical status at any point and is easily and reliably determined.
Regional innovation strategies: the challenge for less favoured regions

Regional Innovation Strategies offers the first comprehensive analysis of the new wave of innovation-oriented regional policies. It draws conclusions from the European Regional Technology Plans and Regional Innovation Strategies, both in old industrialized areas and in regions where development is slow, and compares this with US and Canadian experiences. Anticipating the enlargement of the EU, Regional Innovation Strategies also assesses the growing interest in the subject within policy, academic and practitioner circles in Central and Eastern European countries. This book aims to provide information on the new regional innovation polices and gives the first assessment of this promising pool of regional experiences.
Towards a Wider Adoption of Environmental Responsibility in the Hotel Sector

ABSTRACT Hotels are an important sector in tourism. Though generally perceived as a smokeless sector, hotels actually interact with the environment particularly in terms of resource consumption. This article establishes a clearer link between the sector and sustainable development. It reveals the increasingly popular initiative to include environmental considerations in the operation of elite hotel chains and the barriers that may hamper a more prevalent practice of environmental responsibility among the small and medium size hotels. However, as hotel environmental responsibility ultimately contributes to the protection of natural beauty of destinations, therefore this article assumes an optimistic view believed essential when dealing with the issue. Several recommendations are made to encourage more Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) participation in environmental responsibility.
Anatomy of the iliolumbar ligament: a review of its anatomy and a magnetic resonance study.

Data of the postmortem studies of the iliolumbar ligament are controversial because of the number, complexity, and variability of the structures present in the lumbosacral region. The objective of this work was to study the anatomy of the iliolumbar ligament to resolve some clinical problems: (1) do anatomic bases exist that can explain the lumbar painful syndrome termed "iliolumbar syndrome? " (2) do iliolumbar ligament varieties exist that can influence lumbosacral joint stability? Magnetic resonance was used to analyze the anatomic structure of the iliolumbar ligament of live human beings. Thirty iliolumbar ligaments of 15 volunteers were analyzed with magnetic resonance. The images were acquired along the transversal and coronal planes (respectively, superoinferior and anteroposterior). The portion of the iliolumbar ligament originating from the L-5 transverse process is made up of two bands (anterior and posterior). The anterior band is broad and flat and has two different anatomic varieties. Type 1 originates from the anterior aspect of the inferolateral portion of the L-5 transverse process and fans out widely before inserting on the anterior portion of the iliac tuberosity. Type 2 originates anteriorly, laterally, and posteriorly from inferolateral aspect of the L-5 transverse process and fans out before inserting on the anterior portion of the iliac tuberosity. The posterior band of the iliolumbar ligament originates from the apex of the L-5 transverse process and is fusiform. Just before inserting on the anterior margin and apex of the iliac crest it widens, assuming the aspect of a small cone. On the transaxial plane, the anterior band of the iliolumbar ligament was placed along the horizontal line passing through the transverse processes, whereas the posterior band formed an angle of approximately 45 to 55 degrees opened posterolaterally with this line. On the coronal plane, the spatial disposition of the iliolumbar ligament varies greatly with the size of the L-5 vertebra and its position in the pelvis: (1) when L-5 is situated low in the pelvis, the bands of the iliolumbar ligament are longer and oblique; (2) when L-5 is situated high in the pelvis, the bands of the iliolumbar ligament are shorter and horizontal. The insertion manner of iliolumbar ligament posterior band in the iliac crest allows us to confirm the possibility of existence of the lumbar painful syndrome termed iliolumbar syndrome and confirms the possibility of examining its insertional site manually. Being accessible manually, various drugs can be injected directly into it or deep friction can be applied. This posterior band is thinner than the anterior, with a smaller insertional base on the iliac crest, which explains its lesser resistance to torsional overloading and also explains the frequency of this painful syndrome. It is probable that the spatial disposition of the iliolumbar ligament influences its antitorsional role. Further anatomic and biomechanic studies are needed.
In Vivo Insulin Effect on ATPase Activities in Erythrocyte Membrane From Insulin-Dependent Diabetics

Na+-K+-dependent ouabain-sensitive ATPase and Mg2+-ATPase have been assayed in the erythrocyte membranes of control subjects and in uncontrolled type I (insulin-dependent) diabetics. A decrease in Na+-K+-ATPase activity was observed in the patients that was significantly correlated with glycemia. The Mg2+-ATPase was increased moderately, and no correlation with glycemia was found. To study the in vivo effect of insulin, ATPase activities were measured in uncontrolled diabetics before and after a 24-h continuous insulin perfusion administered by means of an artificial pancreas. ATPase activities were corrected after normalization of glycemia. It therefore seems that glycemia and/or insulinemia are involved in the regulation of erythrocyte Na+-K + ouabain-sensitive ATPase and to a lesser extent in that of Mg2+-dependent ATPase.
Time-dependent Gene Expression Analysis of the Developing Superior Olivary Complex*

Background: The superior olivary complex (SOC) is an essential center for spatial hearing. Results: Generation of a comprehensive qualitative and quantitative catalogue of the developmental changes in the SOC-related gene repertoire. Conclusion: Postnatal maturation of the SOC is shaped by extensive molecular changes. Significance: This work identifies strong candidate genes for normal and impaired hearing and genetic evidence for retrocochlear functions of deafness genes. The superior olivary complex (SOC) is an essential auditory brainstem relay involved in sound localization. To identify the genetic program underlying its maturation, we profiled the rat SOC transcriptome at postnatal days 0, 4, 16, and 25 (P0, P4, P16, and P25, respectively), using genome-wide microarrays (41,012 oligonucleotides (oligos)). Differences in gene expression between two consecutive stages were highest between P4 and P16 (3.6%) and dropped to 0.06% between P16 and P25. To identify SOC-related genetic programs, we also profiled the entire brain at P4 and P25. The number of differentially expressed oligonucleotides between SOC and brain almost doubled from P4 to P25 (4.4% versus 7.6%). These data demonstrate considerable molecular specification around hearing onset, which is rapidly finalized. Prior to hearing onset, several transcription factors associated with the peripheral auditory system were up-regulated, probably coordinating the development of the auditory system. Additionally, crystallin-γ subunits and serotonin-related genes were highly expressed. The molecular repertoire of mature neurons was sculpted by SOC-related up- and down-regulation of voltage-gated channels and G-proteins. Comparison with the brain revealed a significant enrichment of hearing impairment-related oligos in the SOC (26 in the SOC, only 11 in the brain). Furthermore, 29 of 453 SOC-related oligos mapped within 19 genetic intervals associated with hearing impairment. Together, we identified sequential genetic programs in the SOC, thereby pinpointing candidates that may guide its development and ensure proper function. The enrichment of hearing impairment-related genes in the SOC may have implications for restoring hearing because central auditory structures might be more severely affected than previously appreciated.
From Songlines to genomes: Prehistoric assisted migration of a rain forest tree by Australian Aboriginal people

Background Prehistoric human activities have contributed to the dispersal of many culturally important plants. The study of these traditional interactions can alter the way we perceive the natural distribution and dynamics of species and communities. Comprehensive research on native crops combining evolutionary and anthropological data is revealing how ancient human populations influenced their distribution. Although traditional diets also included a suite of non-cultivated plants that in some cases necessitated the development of culturally important technical advances such as the treatment of toxic seed, empirical evidence for their deliberate dispersal by prehistoric peoples remains limited. Here we integrate historic and biocultural research involving Aboriginal people, with chloroplast and nuclear genomic data to demonstrate Aboriginal-mediated dispersal of a non-cultivated rainforest tree. Results We assembled new anthropological evidence of use and deliberate dispersal of Castanospermum australe (Fabaceae), a non-cultivated culturally important riparian tree that produces toxic but highly nutritious water-dispersed seed. We validated cultural evidence of recent human-mediated dispersal by revealing genomic homogeneity across extensively dissected habitat, multiple catchments and uneven topography in the southern range of this species. We excluded the potential contribution of other dispersal mechanisms based on the absence of suitable vectors and current distributional patterns at higher elevations and away from water courses, and by analyzing a comparative sample from northern Australia. Conclusions Innovative studies integrating evolutionary and anthropological data will continue to reveal the unexpected impact that prehistoric people have had on current vegetation patterns. A better understanding of how traditional practices shaped species’ distribution and assembly will directly inform cultural heritage management strategies, challenge “natural” species distribution assumptions, and provide innovative baseline data for pro-active biodiversity management.
Cavernous haemangioma of the fallopian tube presenting as appendicitis in an adolescent girl

Fibroids are composed of smooth muscles with a varying amount of fibrous connective tissue. As they enlarge, they may outgrow their blood supply, resulting in various types of degeneration. Hyaline degeneration usually starts in the tumour centre due to poor vascularity. As the rest of the fibroid has better blood supply, the area of hyaline degeneration is usually surrounded by a myomatous tissue in addition to the pseudocapsule (compressed myometrium tissue). Hence, it is unlikely for the hyaline material to discharge itself through the uterine or the peritoneal cavity. In our case, the vaginal discharge was in fact liquefied hyaline material that discharged itself through the cervical canal. We searched the literature carefully. Vaginal discharge has been described after uterine artery embolisation (Walker et al. 2004). Increase of mucoid discharge due to pelvic congestion, and purulent discharge resulting from infected fibroid polyp, have also been reported. To our knowledge, there is no reported case of passage of the hyaline material per vagina after the administration of GnRH analogue. The reason for the rapid increase of the hyaline degeneration and the excessive liquefaction of the hyaline material in our patient is not clear. It is tempting to suggest that Prostap injection might have played a role.