Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The Role of Poverty and Income in the Differential Etiology of Violence: An Empirical Test

ABSTRACT Poverty has been linked with criminal behavior in theory and empirical research. The authors test the differential etiology of violence thesis using a sample of teenagers from the Add Health data set. Employing a three-pronged test and conservative models, the authors find that income is associated with variability in violent offending, even controlling for nonviolent offending. The family incomes of nonviolent-only offenders were comparable to those of nonoffenders. The findings call into question general theories of criminality that do not distinguish between violent and other forms of offending and support the proposal that poverty is differentially associated with violent crime.
The effect of baseline pulmonary artery pressure on right ventricular functions after mitral balloon valvuloplasty for rheumatic mitral stenosis: a tissue Doppler imaging study.

OBJECTIVES We evaluated the effect of baseline pulmonary artery pressure (PAP) on right ventricular functions after percutaneous mitral balloon valvuloplasty (PMBV) for rheumatic mitral stenosis (MS). STUDY DESIGN The study included 56 patients (15 males, 41 females; mean age 35 years) who underwent PMBV for isolated rheumatic MS. The patients were divided into two groups according to the baseline median systolic pulmonary artery pressure (PAP > or =40 mmHg, n=33; PAP <40 mmHg, n=23) measured before PMBV by echocardiography. Right ventricular function was assessed by pulse wave Doppler tissue imaging and the Tei index. Assessments were repeated 48 hours and three months after PMBV. RESULTS The peak systolic (S) velocity of the lateral tricuspid annulus did not differ between the two groups at baseline. In patients with pulmonary artery hypertension (PAH), it showed a slight increase at 48 hours, but fell behind the baseline at three months. In patients without PAH, it showed a significant increase at 48 hours and remained unchanged at three months. Peak late diastolic (A) velocities were significantly higher at all times in patients without PAH. Patients with PAH had a significantly higher E/A ratio both at baseline and at 48 hours; however, at three months, this difference disappeared. Patients with PAH had higher isovolumic relaxation time (IVRT) at baseline and 48 hours; however, final IVRT was lower than the baseline only in patients with PAH. Isovolumic contraction time showed a steady but insignificant increase in both groups over three months. E-wave deceleration time showed a significant increase and contraction time showed a slight increase over three months only in patients with PAH. The baseline Tei index was higher in patients with PAH (p=0.004). Changes in the Tei index over time were not significant. CONCLUSION Our findings suggest that, If PMBV is performed before the development of PAH, it may be more effective in the improvement of right ventricular longitudinal functions in patients with rheumatic MS.
A review of oxaliplatin and its clinical use in colorectal cancer

Colorectal cancer is one of the leading causes of death from malignant diseases in the Western world. Worldwide, ∼ 50% of patients who present with colorectal cancer will develop metastatic disease and eventually die from this malignancy. Recently, significant advances have been made in the medical treatment of advanced colorectal cancer with the introduction of novel cytotoxic drugs, such as irinotecan and oxaliplatin. Based on the results of recent Phase III trials, combination regimens of infusional 5-fluorouracil/leucovorin and oxaliplatin (FOLFOX) have emerged as a new standard of care in the palliative and adjuvant treatment of colorectal cancer. The addition of biological agents targeting angiogenesis or oncogenes such as epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) to FOLFOX will conceivably further enhance the activity of treatment regimens. Making use of all available active therapeutic options in the course of disease has significantly improved median overall survival of metastatic colorectal cancer into a chronic disease, with implications for treatment strategies and pharmacoeconomic considerations.
NMP22 is predictive of recurrence in high-risk superficial bladder cancer patients.

INTRODUCTION The nuclear matrix protein 22 (NMP22) assay has been shown to have greater sensitivity for the diagnosis and detection of recurrent urothelial carcinoma of the bladder (UCB) over that of traditional urine cytology. We assessed the use of NMP22 to predict which high-risk superficial UCB patients will have recurrence, progression or disease-related death; we compared these results to standard urine cytology. METHODS One hundred consecutive patients with high-risk superficial UCB were enrolled. During surveillance, urine was collected for cytology and NMP22 testing. Patients were followed for at least 6 months. Retrospective chart review was undertaken to collect data on previous tumour history, tumour characteristics, disease recurrences, progression and death. Kaplan-Meier analyses were performed to determine the significance between NMP22-positive and -negative patients in terms of recurrence-free, progression-free and overall survival. Similar analyses were performed for urine cytology. RESULTS From 94 eligible patients, 15 and 79 were NMP22 positive and negative, respectively. The baseline characteristics between the 2 groups were not significantly different in terms of patient characteristics, prior tumour history or intravesical therapies received. Mean recurrence-free survival time was significantly lower in the NMP22 positive group (p = 0.038); however, mean progression-free and overall survival were not significantly different between the 2 groups (p = 0.297 and 0.519, respectively). Urine cytology demonstrated no significant predictive power for disease recurrence, progression or survival. CONCLUSION The nuclear matrix protein 22 assay appears to have predictive value for future tumour recurrences, but not progression or overall survival in patients with high-risk superficial UCB.
The role of leukopenia in the 6-mercaptopurine-induced remission of refractory Crohn's disease.

OBJECTIVES 1) to determine the frequency of induced leukopenia in patients with refractory Crohn's disease treated with 6-Mercaptopurine (6-MP). 2) to determine the influence of 6-MP-induced leukopenia on achieving remission [including the three major specific goals of therapy: (a) elimination or reduction of steroids, (b) healing of abscesses and fistulas, and (c) elimination of recurrent intestinal obstruction] and the effect on the rate and percentage of improvement in the CCFA-IOIBD index of Crohn's disease activity after 3 months of 6-MP therapy. 3) to determine whether an improvement of leukopenia was accomplished by an increased risk of clinical bone marrow depression. METHODS We reviewed the course of 98 consecutive patients with refractory Crohn's disease treated with 6-MP and compared the 51 who developed leukopenia and the 47 who did not, in regard to achievement of remission, length of time until remission, rate of recurrence, and time until recurrence. RESULTS 1) The mean time to remission was 8.8 wk for patients with leukopenia versus 14.3 wk for those without leukopenia. 2) A strong positive correlation exists between 6-MP induced leukopenia and the achievement and maintenance of remission in refractory Crohn's disease. This was evident in the analysis of response in specific goals and in the activity index. 3) There was no clinical evidence of bone marrow suppression in the 51 patients who developed 6-MP induced leukopenia. CONCLUSIONS 1) Increasing the dose of 6-MP in patients with refractory Crohn's disease who have not yet responded and who have not achieved leukopenia will very likely increase the efficacy of this drug. 2) Influenced by the results of this study, we have launched a double-blind prospective study to evaluate the relationship between the induction of leukopenia with 6-MP and the achievement of remission.
The effect of sex hormones upon the inositol concentration of the rat seminal vesicle.

The semen of mammals is exceedingly rich in myo-inositol much of which is in the contribution made by the seminal vesicles. It that the seminal vesicles of the rat are sites of inositol storage, whereas the testes are the main sites of synthesis. Imai that slices of rat seminal vesicle synthesize inositol from glucose. the activity of the seminal vesicle is governed by its hormonal it to examine the influence of hormones upon the inositol concentration of the organ and its secretion. apical seminal vesicle, secretion, two-thirds inositol seminal vesicle secretion. no secretion testosterone inositol a 5-0
Family Firm Heterogeneity and Tax Avoidance: The Role of the Founder

Family business research suggests that the population of family firms cannot be regarded as a homogenous group. Therefore, with respect to tax avoidance, we analyze the role of the founder as one dimension of family firm heterogeneity. Specifically, we consider socioemotional wealth loss aversion and find that founders may affect the level of tax avoidance not only when they have direct influence (i.e., serving as CEO) but also when they possess solely indirect influence (i.e., having substantial ownership or a seat on the board). Overall, our results suggest that founders remain attached to their firms despite giving up executive positions.
“How Would You Feel? What Would You Do?” Development and Underpinnings of Preschoolers’ Social Information Processing

Young children’s social information processing (SIP) encompasses a series of steps by which they make sense of encounters with other persons; cognitive and emotional aspects of SIP often predict adjustment in school settings. More attention is needed, however, to the development of preschoolers’ SIP and its potential foundations. To this end, a new preschool SIP measure, the Challenging Situations Task (CST), was utilized; preschoolers’ (N = 316) self-reported emotional and behavioral responses to hypothetical peer provocation situations on the CST were assessed longitudinally, along with aspects of their self-regulation and emotion knowledge. Age and developmental differences in CST responses were examined. Next, contributions of executive control and emotion knowledge to CST responses were analyzed. Age differences in emotion and behavior choices showed that younger preschoolers were more prone to choose happy responses, whereas older preschoolers chose more adaptive behavior responses. Self-regulation and emotion knowledge were associated with emotion and behavior responses concurrently and across time. Implications of these findings and suggestions for further research are discussed.
Muscle and Joint Factors Associated With Forefoot Deformity in the Diabetic Neuropathic Foot

Background: Diabetic forefoot joint deformities are a known risk factor for skin breakdown and amputation, but the causes of deformity are not well understood. The purposes of this study were to determine the effects of intrinsic foot muscle deterioration and limited ankle joint mobility on the severity of metatarsophalangeal joint (MTPJ) deformity, and determine the relationships between these potential contributing factors and indicators of diabetic complications (peripheral neuropathy and advanced glycation end products). Methods: A total of 34 participants with diabetic neuropathy (average age, 59 years; range 41-73) were studied. MTPJ angle and intrinsic foot muscle deterioration were measured with computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging, respectively. Maximum ankle dorsiflexion was measured using kinematics. Skin intrinsic fluorescence served as a proxy measure for advanced glycation end product accumulation. Results: Total forefoot lean muscle volume (r = −0.52, P < .01) and maximum ankle dorsiflexion (r = −0.42, P < .05) were correlated with severity of MTPJ deformity. Together they explained 35% of the variance of MTPJ angle. Neuropathy was correlated with forefoot muscle deterioration (ρ = 0.53, P < .01). Skin intrinsic fluorescence was correlated to severity of neuropathy (r = 0.50, P < .01) but not maximum ankle dorsiflexion, or forefoot deterioration when controlling for neuropathy. Conclusion: These results suggest that the interplay of intrinsic foot muscle deterioration and limited ankle mobility may be the primary contributor to the development of MTPJ deformity. Identifying these muscle and ankle motion impairments as risk factors for MTPJ deformity supports the need for targeted interventions early in the disease process to slow, or possibly stop the progression of deformity over time and reduce the risk of amputation. Level of Evidence: Level IV, case series.
Characteristics of Vocal Fold Immobility following Endotracheal Intubation

Objectives: We investigated the clinical and laryngeal electromyography (LEMG) characteristics and the outcome of closed reduction of arytenoid cartilage dislocation in patients with vocal fold immobility (VFI) following endotracheal intubation. Methods: Sixty patients with VFI following endotracheal intubation were included. Closed reduction was performed under local anesthesia in 54 cases. Another 6 patients did not undergo an intervention. Laryngeal behaviors and voice function were evaluated. Forty-five patients underwent LEMG testing. Results: All patients complained of persistent hoarseness immediately following surgery. The LEMG results for 29 of 45 patients showed normal patterns (15 cases) or mildly abnormal patterns (14 cases) on the affected side. Sixteen cases displayed apparent abnormal LEMG patterns on the affected side. The voices of all 54 patients improved after reduction. The movement of the affected vocal folds recovered to normal in 51 cases. One month after reduction, neuromuscular function had improved in 29 of 30 cases. Among the 6 patients who did not undergo intervention, 3 had normal or slightly hoarse voices, and 3 experienced moderate hoarseness. Conclusions: Vocal fold immobility following endotracheal intubation is typically caused by arytenoid dislocation. Some instances were accompanied by an abnormality of the recurrent laryngeal nerve. A timely closed arytenoid reduction should be performed to restore patients' normal voices and vocal fold mobility. Our reduction technique under local anesthesia can be performed easily and obtains satisfactory outcomes within 6 weeks after endotracheal intubation.
The Experiences of Massachusetts Hospitals as Statewide Health Insurance Reform Was Implemented

Hospitals treat many uninsured patients and shoulder substantial amounts of uncompensated care. Health reform as implemented in Massachusetts, then, would be expected to bode well for hospitals as many people obtain coverage from private and public programs. We examined changes in Massachusetts hospital payer mix, unreimbursed costs of care for the uninsured and those in means-tested public programs, and overall financial condition for the period 2004 to 2010. Despite increases in coverage, unreimbursed costs for the uninsured and those in means-tested government programs did not decrease appreciably for Massachusetts hospitals over the study period. Major safety-net hospitals, which play a substantial role in serving the uninsured and Medicaid, had some initial easing of this burden but their financial situation weakened through 2010. The U.S. economic recession and Massachusetts budget pressures, which in part resulted from reform implementation, likely offset advantages hospitals experienced from reductions in the uninsured. Our analysis suggests that state actions in Massachusetts to change payment programs that the two major safety net hospitals relied on to support indigent care contributed to their financial difficulties.
Reversible Smoking Arterial hypertension Hyperlipidemia Obesity Sedentarism Alcohol Stress Irreversible Family history Male gender Age Partially Reversible Diabetes Menopause

There are extensive epidemiological data demonstrating that high blood cholesterol levels increase cardiovascular risk, and that this risk is dependent on the levels of the different blood cholesterol fractions. Moreover, the reduction of total blood cholesterol has been clearly related to a reduction in the risk of stroke, coronary disease and overall cardiovascular death. However, the traditional cholesterol measurements tend to be most accurate at predicting risk for those at the lower and higher ends of the risk spectrum. Recent data has shown LDL-Cholesterol/HDL-Cholesterol ratio and even TotalCholesterol/HDL-Cholesterol ratio, to be accurate predictors of cardiovascular risk. In fact, changes in ratios have been shown to be better indicators of successful CHD risk reduction than changes in absolute levels of lipids or lipoproteins. In the Helsinki Study, the LDLC/HDL-C ratio had more prognostic value than LDL-C or HDL-C alone (Manninen, Tenkanen, Koskinen et al, 1992). The ratio was especially accurate at predicting risk among those who also had elevated triglyceride levels. The PROSPER trial, a retrospective analysis of 6,000 patients, found that the ratio of LDL-C/HDL-C was the most powerful measure of cardiovascular disease risk in elderly people (Packard, Ford, Robertson et al, 2005). The PROCAM Study, which included almost 11,000 men aged 36 to 65 who were studied for 4 to 14 years, found a continuous and graded relationship between the LDL-C/HDL-C ratio and CVD mortality (Cullen, Schulte, Assmann et al, 1997). In addition, comparison of individual LDL-C/HDL-C ratios from subjects in the Framingham Study clearly indicates that these ratios are significantly more robust predictors of CVD than the individual levels of LDL-C or HDL-C (Kannel, 2005).
Does adherence to treatment targets in children with severe traumatic brain injury avoid brain hypoxia? A brain tissue oxygenation study.

OBJECTIVE Most physicians rely on conventional treatment targets for intracranial pressure, cerebral perfusion pressure, systemic oxygenation, and hemoglobin to direct management of traumatic brain injury (TBI) in children. In this study, we used brain tissue oxygen tension (PbtO2) monitoring to examine the association between PbtO2 values and outcome in pediatric severe TBI and to determine the incidence of compromised PbtO2 in patients for whom acceptable treatment targets had been achieved. METHODS In this prospective observational study, 26 children with severe TBI and a median postresuscitation Glasgow Coma Scale score of 5 were managed with continuous PbtO2 monitoring. The relationships between outcome and the 6-hour period of lowest PbtO2 values and the length of time that PbtO2 was less than 20, 15, 10, and 5 mmHg were examined. The incidence of reduced PbtO2 for each threshold was evaluated where the following targets were met: intracranial pressure less than 20 mmHg, cerebral perfusion pressure greater than 50 mmHg, arterial oxygen tension greater than 60 mmHg (and peripheral oxygen saturation > 90%), and hemoglobin greater than 8 g/dl. RESULTS There was a significant association between poor outcome and the 6-hour period of lowest PbtO2 and length of time that PbtO2 was less than 15 and 10 mmHg. Multiple logistic regression analysis showed that low PbtO2 had an independent association with poor outcome. Despite achieving the management targets described above, 80% of patients experienced one or more episodes of compromised PbtO2 (< 20 mmHg), and almost one-third experienced episodes of brain hypoxia (PbtO2 < 10 mmHg). CONCLUSION Reduced PbtO2 is associated with poor outcome in pediatric severe TBI. In addition, many patients experience episodes of compromised PbtO2 despite achieving acceptable treatment targets.
Development of an Insect Vector Cell Culture and RNA Interference System To Investigate the Functional Role of Fijivirus Replication Protein

ABSTRACT An in vitro culture system of primary cells from white-backed planthopper, an insect vector of Southern rice black-streaked dwarf virus (SRBSDV), a fijivirus, was established to study replication of the virus. Viroplasms, putative sites of viral replication, contained the nonstructural viral protein P9-1, viral RNA, outer-capsid proteins, and viral particles in virus-infected cultured insect vector cells, as revealed by transmission electron and confocal microscopy. Formation of viroplasm-like structures in non-host insect cells upon expression of P9-1 suggested that the matrix of viroplasms observed in virus-infected cells was composed basically of P9-1. In cultured insect vector cells, knockdown of P9-1 expression due to RNA interference (RNAi) induced by synthesized double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) from the P9-1 gene strongly inhibited viroplasm formation and viral infection. RNAi induced by ingestion of dsRNA strongly abolished viroplasm formation, preventing efficient viral spread in the body of intact vector insects. All these results demonstrated that P9-1 was essential for viroplasm formation and viral replication. This system, combining insect vector cell culture and RNA interference, can further advance our understanding of the biological activities of fijivirus replication proteins.
Effects of Soft Contact Lenses on Conjunctival Surface

Purpose To examine the effects of soft contact lenses on tear breakup time (TBUT), basal Schirmer test result, and the conjunctival surface in patients wearing contact lenses. Methods In this study, conjunctival cytologic changes, TBUT, and Schirmer test function alterations of soft contact lens wearers were evaluated by impression cytology. The study included 100 eyes of 50 soft contact lens wearers who were followed up in the Department of Ophthalmology of Dicle University and 80 eyes of 40 subjects as a control group. After TBUT and basal Schirmer test, conjunctival surface epithelial morphology was investigated using impression cytology. After the materials were appropriately stained, they were evaluated according to the Nelson grading scale. Results Contact lens wearers were divided into three groups according to the duration of contact lens wear. When these groups were evaluated according to the Nelson grading method, 21% of cases were grade 0; 32% were grade 1; and 28% were grade 3. There were statistically significant differences in epithelial cell morphology, goblet cell density, snakelike chromatin changes, TBUT, and basal Schirmer test result between the control and study groups. Conclusions We suggest that TBUT and Schirmer test result be carefully monitored in contact lens wearers. Impression cytology may be used as a safe, simple, and noninvasive method in the diagnosis of ocular surface alternations in patients with contact lens intolerance.