Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Retrograde embolisation of varicocele in the paediatric age group: a review of 10 years' practice.

OBJECTIVE To review the 10 years' practice of retrograde embolisation of varicoceles in the paediatric age group. PATIENTS AND METHODS 40 boys (age range, 6-16 years), with varicocele diagnosed both clinically and sonographically, were referred to the radiology department for embolisation. Data of these patients were collected and analysed retrospectively. Patients' age, side, treatment, complications, and outcome were noted. The follow-up ranges from 2 months to 6 years (mean, 1.1 years). RESULTS In 24 patients (60%), embolisation was successful at the first attempt and 11 procedures (27.5%) were technical failures; 4 patients (10%) after venography were considered non-embolisable. One patient (2.5%) is yet to be seen in the clinic. Recurrence occurred in 4 patients (10%) of whom 3 had successful repeat embolisation. One patient with a recurrent varicocele did not wish further treatment. Out of the 11 failures, 5 underwent repeat embolisation with success in 3 patients and failure in two. Four patients had successful surgical ligation and 2 patients were treated conservatively. All who were non-embolisable were treated successfully by surgery. Our overall success rate was 65% (n = 26). CONCLUSIONS These results suggest that embolisation is valuable as a first line of treatment for paediatric varicoceles provided a skilled interventional radiologist is available. This procedure is less invasive, avoids general anaesthetic, involves minimal postoperative pain, and allows an earlier return to normal activities. However, 35% of patients did eventually require conventional surgery for primary failure of embolisation or late recurrence.
Seed germination, growth, and osmotic adjustment in response to NaCl in a rare succulent halophyte from southeastern Spain

In this paper, some issues of the autoecology of Halocnemum strobilaceum (a rare succulent halophyte that occurs in southeastern Spain) are examined, particularly the germination process and the first stages of plant development. In regards to germination, this species shows the general pattern of halophytes under increased salt stress (reduced germination and germination rate). What stands out is the extreme salt tolerance of H. strobilaceum seeds. The stimulation of root length by the presence of salt probably plays an important role in avoiding salt stress at surface-level soils, within salt concentrations where germination still occurs. Halocnemum strobilaceum typically accumulates Na+ ions, which, combined with Cl−, contributes to the internal osmotic potential. The accumulation of both ions clearly increases with an increase in salinity stress. In contrast, accumulation of K+, Mg2+, and Ca2+ decreases with an increase in salinity stress. Glycinebetaine contents are approximately 100 times greater than proline contents, although their contribution was significant only if cell compartmentalization was considered. The accumulation of ions along with the osmoprotective compounds glycinebetaine and proline allows seedlings to mantain a lower internal osmotic potential than that of the growth medium, which is necessary for water uptake in saline soils.
German Winegrowers’ Motives and Barriers to Convert to Organic Farming

Agriculture plays a crucial role in meeting the Sustainable Development Goals, with organic farming being one important potential contributor to environmental, economic, and social sustainability. Despite a national goal of 20% organic agriculture, currently only 6.2% of Germany’s farmland is organic, and conversion rates are slowing down. However, one bright spot is organic viticulture in Germany, which has four times higher conversion rates, but literature on organic viticulture in Germany is scarce and it is unknown what factors contribute to its relative success. We used the largest wine regions in Germany, Pfalz and Rheinhessen, as a case study to investigate winegrowers’ motives and barriers to convert to organic farming in practice. We compared our interview results with literature from throughout the European Union, analyzing the findings using the five capitals framework to assess livelihood strategies. The results indicate that the motives for organic farming most often identified in the literature and interviews are a pro-organic ideology of the farmer (human capital) and supportive social networks (social capital). Barriers to convert to organic farming were skeptical attitudes toward social networks (social capital) and doubting the environmental benefits of organic winegrowing, especially the use of copper (natural capital). Additional barriers were a farmer’s ideology against organic farming (human capital), identified from the interviews, while the literature discussed financial risks, especially during the conversion periods (financial capital). In the particular case of organic wines in Pfalz and Rheinhessen, it was important to be able to tell a story around wines that stresses wine quality. We conclude that potential avenues to increase organic farming in Germany include addressing the use and environmental impacts of copper, addressing ideological barriers against organic farming, supporting the possibility to tell the story behind a wine, and increased financial support.
Deep Facial Action Unit Recognition from Partially Labeled Data

Current work on facial action unit (AU) recognition requires AU-labeled facial images. Although large amounts of facial images are readily available, AU annotation is expensive and time consuming. To address this, we propose a deep facial action unit recognition approach learning from partially AU-labeled data. The proposed approach makes full use of both partly available ground-truth AU labels and the readily available large scale facial images without annotation. Specifically, we propose to learn label distribution from the ground-truth AU labels, and then train the AU classifiers from the large-scale facial images by maximizing the log likelihood of the mapping functions of AUs with regard to the learnt label distribution for all training data and minimizing the error between predicted AUs and ground-truth AUs for labeled data simultaneously. A restricted Boltzmann machine is adopted to model AU label distribution, a deep neural network is used to learn facial representation from facial images, and the support vector machine is employed as the classifier. Experiments on two benchmark databases demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed approach.
Three‐dimensional investigation and scoring of extracellular matrix remodeling during lung fibrosis using multiphoton microscopy

The organization of collagen during fibrotic processes is poorly characterized because of the lack of appropriate methodologies. Here we show that multimodal multiphoton microscopy provides novel insights into lung fibrosis. We characterize normal and fibrotic pulmonary tissue in the bleomycin model, and show that second‐harmonic generation by fibrillar collagen reveals the micrometer‐scale three‐dimensional spatial distribution of the fibrosis. We find that combined two‐photon excited fluorescence and second‐harmonic imaging of unstained lung tissue allows separating the inflammatory and fibrotic steps in this pathology, underlining characteristic features of fibroblastic foci in human Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis samples. Finally, we propose phenomenological scores of lung fibrosis and we show that they unambiguously sort out control and treated mice, with a better sensitivity and reproducibility in the subpleural region. These results should be readily generalized to other organs, as an accurate method to assess extracellular matrix remodeling during fibrosis. Microsc. Res. Tech., 2007. © 2006 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Entertainment-Education and Recruitment of Cornea Donors: The Role of Emotion and Issue Involvement

This study examined the role of emotional responses and viewer's level of issue involvement to an entertainment-education show about cornea donation in order to predict intention to register as cornea donors. Results confirmed that sympathy and empathy responses operated as a catalyst for issue involvement, which emerged as an important intermediary in the persuasion process. Issue involvement also was found to be a common causal antecedent of attitude, subjective norm, and perceived behavioral control, the last two of which predict intentions unlike attitude, which does not. The revised path model confirmed that involvement directly influences intention. The findings of this study suggest that adding emotion and involvement in the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) enhances the explanatory power of the theory in predicting intentions, which indicates the possibility of combining the Elaboration Likelihood Model (ELM) and the TPB in the prediction of human behaviors.
Political Connection and Regulatory Scrutiny Through Comment Letters: Evidence from China

Heese, Khan, and Ramanna (2017, hereafter, HKR) find that political connection (PC) positively predicts the receipt of comment letter (CL) reviews in the United States. This paper investigates whether this phenomenon exists in China and, if so, the specific channel by which it occurs. We find that Chinese publicly listed firms with PC are more likely to receive CLs from Chinese regulators, and this result is particularly strong for firms that have hired former officials from the lower tier of the political hierarchy. Additionally, the positive association between PC and the chance of receiving CLs is more pronounced in nonstate‐owned enterprises. Overall, we show that HKR's results hold for both the United States and China, and we add new evidence that state ownership and the level of connection moderate this relationship.
Balancing competing needs in kidney transplantation: does an allocation system prioritizing children affect the renal transplant function?

Children often merit priority in access to deceased donor kidneys by organ‐sharing organizations. We report the impact of the new Swiss Organ Allocation System (SOAS) introduced in 2007, offering all kidney allografts from deceased donors <60 years preferentially to children. The retrospective cohort study included all paediatric transplant patients (<20 years of age) before (n = 19) and after (n = 32) the new SOAS (from 2001 to 2014). Estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), urine protein‐to‐creatinine ratio (UPC), need for antihypertensive medication, waiting times to kidney transplantation (KTX), number of pre‐emptive transplantations and rejections, and the proportion of living donor transplants were considered as outcome parameters. Patients after the new SOAS had significantly better eGFRs 2 years after KTX (Mean Difference, MD = 25.7 ml/min/1.73 m2, P = 0.025), lower UPC ratios (Median Difference, MeD = −14.5 g/mol, P = 0.004), decreased waiting times to KTX (MeD = −97 days, P = 0.021) and a higher proportion of pre‐emptive transplantations (Odds Ratio = 9.4, 95% CI = 1.1–80.3, P = 0.018), while the need for antihypertensive medication, number of rejections and living donor transplantations remained stable. The new SOAS is associated with improved short‐term clinical outcomes and more rapid access to KTX. Despite lacking long‐term research, the study results should encourage other policy makers to adopt the SOAS approach.
Ultraviolet B radiation activates NF‐κB and induces iNOS expression in HR‐1 hairless mouse skin: Role of IκB kinase‐β

Exposure to ultraviolet B (UVB) radiation is known to cause inflammatory tissue damage and skin cancer. One of the molecular links between inflammation and cancer is the eukaryotic transcription factor nuclear factor‐kappaB (NF‐κB), which is known to regulate expression of various pro‐inflammatory genes including inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS). The present study was aimed at elucidating the molecular mechanisms underlying UVB‐induced NF‐κB activation and iNOS expression in hairless mouse skin. Irradiation of male HR‐1 hairless mouse skin with UVB (5 kJ/m2) resulted in increased degradation of IκBα, nuclear translocation of p65 and p50, and the DNA binding of NF‐κB. Exposure to UVB radiation induced the phosphorylation and the catalytic activity of an upstream kinase IκB kinase‐β (IKKβ). Pharmacological inhibition of IKKβ attenuated UVB‐induced NF‐κB activation in mouse skin. Irradiation of mouse skin with UVB also increased phosphorylation of extracellular signal‐regulated kinase (ERK) and p38 mitogen‐activated protein (MAP) kinase. Pretreatment with SC‐514, a specific inhibitor of IKKβ, attenuated UVB‐induced phosphorylation of ERK and p38 MAP kinase. A kinetic study showed that UVB significantly increased the expression of iNOS in mouse skin at 6 h postirradiation, which was abrogated by pretreatment with SC‐514. In conclusion, the upstream kinase IKKβ is involved in UVB‐induced activation of MAP kinases and NF‐κB, and expression of iNOS in mouse skin. © 2011 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Calibrations and Energy-Minimizing Mappings of Rank-1 Symmetric Spaces

We prove lower bounds for energy functionals of mappings from real, complex and quaternionic projective spaces to Riemannian manifolds. For real and complex projective spaces, these lower bounds are sharp, and we characterize the family of energy minimizing maps which arise in these results. We discuss the connections between these results and several theorems and questions in systolic geometry.
Socioeconomic development and girl child survival in rural North India: solution or problem?

Background Socioeconomic development has been considered as a solution to the problem of sex differentials at birth and under-five mortality. This paper analyses longitudinal data from the Ballabgarh Health and Demographic Surveillance System (HDSS) site in north India to check its veracity. Methods A cohort of children born between 1 January 2006 and 31 December 2011 at Ballabgarh HDSS were followed till death, emigration, 3 years of age or end of the study. Socioeconomic status (SES) was measured by caste, parental combined years of schooling and wealth index and divided into low, mid and high strata for each of them. Sex ratio at birth (SRB) was reported as the number of girls per 1000 boys. The Kaplan-Meier survival curves were drawn and a Cox Proportional HR of girls over boys was estimated. Results A total of 12 517 native born children (25 797 child years) were enrolled of which 710 died (death rate of 56.7/1000-live births and 27.5/1000 child-years. Socioeconomically advantaged children had significantly lower death rates. The SRB (10–16% lower) and neonatal death rate were consistently adverse for girls in the advantaged groups by all the three indicators of SES. The first month survival rates were better for girls in the lower SES categories (significant only in caste (HR 0.58; 0.37 to 0.91). High SES categories consistently showed adverse survival rates for girls (HR of 1.22 to 1.59). Conclusions Better socioeconomic situation worsened the sex differentials, especially at birth. Therefore, specific interventions targeting gender issues are required, at least as a short-term measure.
Notes on peculiarities of quantum fields in space–times with horizons

We consider a massive scalar field theory on static four-dimensional space–times with horizons. We study the near horizon behavior of the quantum expectation values of the stress–energy tensor (SET) operator for the thermal states with arbitrary temperatures. It turns out that the dependence of the expectation values on the temperature and tensor structure of the SET are different from the usual ones in the Minkowski space–time. Moreover, for non-canonical temperatures these expectation values are divergent on the horizons. We also show that the Wightman functions have additional infrared peculiarities near the horizons.
On the Determinants of Unemployment Rate in Nigeria: Evidence from Fully Modified OLS and Error Correction Model

This study employed the Fully Modified Ordinary Least Squares (FMOLS) and the Error Correction Model (ECM) to investigate the long-run and short-run determinants of unemployment rate in Nigeria. To achieve this annual data on unemployment rate, inflation rate, interest rate, exchange rate and population growth from 1981 to 2016 was collected from Central Bank Statistical Bulletins and the World Bank website. The ADF test revealed that the macroeconomic variables are stationary at first difference while the Cointegration test revealed that the variables are cointegrated. Using unemployment rate as dependent variable, the FMOLS model revealed that exchange rate and population growth are positively significantly related to unemployment rate, interest rate and inflation rate were negatively related to unemployment rate but only interest rate was significant. The short run relationship revealed that the coefficient of the ecm(-1) is negative and statistically significant at 5% level indicating that the system corrects its previous period disequilibrium at the speed of 48.93% yearly. This study concludes that high exchange rate and population growth can lead to increase in unemployment rate in Nigeria while the government should develop the industrial sector and non-oil sector in order to generate employment and boost export in Nigeria.
Medical Treatment of Alcohol Dependence: A Systematic Review

Objective: To summarize published data on pharmacologic treatments for alcohol dependence alone and in combination with brief psychosocial therapies that may be feasible for primary care and specialty medical settings. Methods: We conducted electronic searches of published original research articles and reviews in MEDLINE, SCOPUS, CINAHL, Embase, and PsychINFO. In addition, hand searches of reference lists of review articles, supplemental searches of internet references and contacts with experts in the field were conducted. Randomized controlled studies published between January 1960 and August 2010 that met our inclusion/exclusion criteria were included. Results: A total of 85 studies, representing 18,937 subjects, met our criteria for inclusion. The evidence base for oral naltrexone (6% more days abstinent than placebo in the largest study) and topiramate (prescribed off-label) (e.g., 26.2% more days abstinent than placebo in a recent study) is positive but modest. Acamprosate shows modest efficacy with recently abstinent patients, with European studies showing better results than U.S. ones. The evidence-base for disulfiram is equivocal. Depot naltrexone shows efficacy (25% greater reduction in rate of heavy drinking vs. placebo, in one of the largest studies) in a limited number of studies. Some studies suggest that patients do better with extensive psychosocial treatments added to medications while others show that brief support can be equally effective. Conclusions: Although treatment effects are modest, medications for alcohol dependence, in conjunction with either brief support or more extensive psychosocial therapy, can be effective in primary and specialty care medical settings.
Cross-border tourism and the regional economy: a typology of the ignored shopper

ABSTRACT While previous studies have acknowledged the importance of cross border travellers to regional economic development, the significance of visitors from less developed and emerging nations, has received only limited academic attention. Through the application of market segmentation techniques to Laotian tourists, this paper identifies complex patterns of purchase behaviour that includes functional and utilitarian motives as well as more hedonistic practices. Such findings suggest that the economic impact of cross border travellers is not confined to the tourism and hospitality industries and that differences in consumption behaviour affords opportunities for a range of local businesses and service providers.
Predicted carcass meat yield and primal cut yields in cattle divergent in genetic merit for a terminal index

Abstract Several studies have clearly demonstrated the favorable impact of genetic selection on increasing beef cattle performance within the farm gate. Few studies, however, have attempted to quantify the value of genetic selection to downstream sectors of the beef industry, such as the meat processing sector. The objective of the current study was to characterize detailed carcass attributes of animals divergent in genetic merit for a terminal index as well as individual measures of genetic merit for carcass weight, conformation, and fat. The data used consisted of 53,674 young bulls and steers slaughtered between the years 2010 and 2013 in multiple Irish processing plants. All animals had a genetic evaluation as well as phenotypic measures of carcass characteristics. A terminal index, based on pedigree index for calving performance, feed intake, and carcass traits, calculated from the Irish national genetic evaluations, was obtained for each animal. Animals were categorized into four terminal index groups based on genetic merit estimates derived prior to the expression of the carcass phenotype by the animal. The association between genetic merit for terminal index with predicted phenotypic carcass red meat yield, carcass fat, carcass bone, and carcass composition, as well as between genetic merit for carcass weight, conformation, and fat with predicted phenotypic carcass red meat yield and composition were all quantified using linear mixed models. A greater terminal index value was associated with, on average, heavier phenotypic weights of each wholesale cut category. A greater terminal index value was also associated with a greater weight of meat and bone, but reduced carcass fat. Relative to animals in the lowest 25% genetic merit group, animals in the highest 25% genetic merit group had, on average, a greater predicted yield of very high value cuts (4.52 kg), high value cuts (13.13 kg), medium value cuts (6.06 kg), low value cuts (13.25 kg) as well as more total meat yield (37 kg). The results from the present study clearly signify a benefit to meat processers from breeding programs for terminal characteristics; coupled with the previously documented benefits to the producer, the benefits of breeding programs across the entire food production chain are obvious.
Curcumin induces maturation‐arrested dendritic cells that expand regulatory T cells in vitro and in vivo

Dendritic cells (DC) and regulatory T cells (Tregs) are vital to the development of transplant tolerance. Curcumin is a novel biological agent extracted from Curcuma longa (turmeric), with anti‐inflammatory and anti‐oxidant activity mediated via nuclear factor (NF)‐κB inhibition. We investigated the immunomodulatory effects of curcumin on human monocyte‐derived and murine DC. Human monocyte‐derived DC (hu‐Mo‐DC) were generated in the presence (CurcDC) or absence (matDC) of 25 µM curcumin, and matured using lipopolysaccharide (1 µg/ml). DC phenotype and allostimulatory capacity was assessed. CD11c+ DC were isolated from C57BL/6 mice, pretreated with curcumin and injected into BALB/c mice, followed by evaluation of in vivo T cell populations and alloproliferative response. Curcumin induced DC differentiation towards maturation‐arrest. CurcDC demonstrated minimal CD83 expression (<2%), down‐regulation of CD80 and CD86 (50% and 30%, respectively) and reduction (10%) in both major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class II and CD40 expression compared to matDC. CurcDC also displayed decreased RelB and interleukin (IL)‐12 mRNA and protein expression. Functionally, CurcDC allostimulatory capacity was decreased by up to 60% (P < 0·001) and intracellular interferon (IFN‐γ) expression in the responding T cell population were reduced by 50% (P < 0·05). T cell hyporesponsiveness was due to generation of CD4+CD25hiCD127loforkhead box P3 (FoxP3)+ Tregs that exerted suppressive functions on naïve syngeneic T cells, although the effect was not antigen‐specific. In mice, in vivo infusion of allogeneic CurcDC promoted development of FoxP3+ Tregs and reduced subsequent alloproliferative capacity. Curcumin arrests maturation of DC and induces a tolerogenic phenotype that subsequently promotes functional FoxP3+ Tregsin vitro and in vivo.