Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Discrimination of Human Coronary Artery Atherosclerotic Lipid-Rich Lesions by Time-Resolved Laser-Induced Fluorescence Spectroscopy

Lesion composition plays a significant role in atherosclerotic lesion instability and rupture. Current clinical techniques cannot fully characterize lesion composition or accurately identify unstable lesions. This study investigates the use of time-resolved fluorescence spectroscopy for unstable atherosclerotic lesion diagnosis. The fluorescence of human coronary artery samples was induced with nitrogen laser and detected in the 360- to 510-nm wavelength range. The samples were sorted into 7 groups according to the AHA classification: normal wall and types I, IIa (fatty streaks), III (preatheroma), IV (atheroma), Va (fibrous), and Vb (calcified) lesions. Spectral intensities and time-dependent parameters [average lifetime &tgr;f; decay constants: &tgr;1 (fast-term), &tgr;2 (slow-term), A1 (fast-term amplitude contribution)] derived from the time-resolved spectra of coronary samples were used for tissue characterization. We determined that a few intensity values at longer wavelengths (>430 nm) and time-dependent parameters at peak emission region (390 nm) discriminate between all types of arterial samples except between normal wall and type I lesions. The lipid-rich lesions (more unstable) can be discriminated from fibrous lesions (more stable) on the basis of time-dependent parameters (lifetime and fast-term decay). We inferred that features of lipid fluorescence are reflected on lipid-rich lesion emission. Our results demonstrate that analysis of the time-resolved spectra may be used to enhance the discrimination between different grades of atherosclerotic lesions and provide a means of discrimination between lipid-rich and fibrous lesions.
Participatory Governance, Accountability, and Responsiveness: A Comparative Study of Local Public Service Provision in Rural Guatemala

Over the last twenty years participatory governance reforms have been widely promoted in developing countries. Participatory governance has come to be perceived as an integral part of good governance because it is claimed to increase the accountability and responsiveness of local governments. Thus, it is believed to make public service provision more efficient and sustainable. This paper evaluates these claims by conducting a critical review of the literature on participatory governance. It concludes that so far there is little substantial evidence of a positive effect of participatory governance on government responsiveness and the quality of public services. The reviewed studies also suggests that making participatory governance arrangements work as effective accountability mechanisms requires a level of capacity and motivation among public officials and citizens that is unlikely to be present in many developing countries.
On the Push&Pull Protocol for Rumor Spreading

The asynchronous push&pull protocol, a randomized distributed algorithm for spreading a rumour in a graph G, is defined as follows. Independent exponential clocks of rate 1 are associated with the vertices of G, one to each vertex. Initially, one vertex of G knows the rumour. Whenever the clock of a vertex x rings, it calls a random neighbour y: if x knows the rumour and y does not, then x tells y the rumour (a push operation), and if x does not know the rumour and y knows it, y tells x the rumour (a pull operation). The average spread time of G is the expected time it takes for all vertices to know the rumour, and the guaranteed spread time of G is the smallest time t such that with probability at least 1 − 1∕n, after time t all vertices know the rumour. The synchronous variant of this protocol, in which each clock rings precisely at times 1, 2, …, has been studied extensively.
Newsvendor Experiment with Executive Participants: An Indian Case

The paper seeks to study the behavior of an executive newsvendor under stochastic ordering conditions. The participants have no prior knowledge of the newsvendor model. The demand pattern has been assumed to be normally distributed in both low and high profit situation. The results prove that the behavior of executive participants is very similar to the student newsvendors. Also no difference is observed on account of the change in country of the experiment.
The role of long-acting injectable antipsychotics in schizophrenia: a critical appraisal

Despite their widespread use, long-acting injectable (LAI) antipsychotics (APs) are often regarded with some negativity because of the assumption of punishment, control and insufficient evolution towards psychosocial development of patients. However, LAI APs have proved effective in schizophrenia and other severe psychotic disorders because they assure stable blood levels, leading to a reduction of the risk of relapse. Therapeutic opportunities have also arisen after introduction of newer, second-generation LAI APs in recent years. Newer LAI APs are more readily dosed optimally, may be better tolerated and are better suited to integrated rehabilitation programmes. This review outlines the older and newer LAI APs available for the treatment of schizophrenia, with considerations of past and present pharmacological and therapeutic issues. Traditional, evidence-based approaches to systematic reviews and randomized clinical trials are of limited utility in this area so this paper’s blending of experimental trials with observational research is particularly appropriate and effective.
Sorbitol-fermenting enterohaemorrhagic Escherichia coli O157:H− causes another outbreak of haemolytic uraemic syndrome in children

SUMMARY An outbreak of haemolytic uraemic syndrome (HUS) among children caused by infection with sorbitol-fermenting enterohaemorrhagic Escherichia coli O157:H− (SF EHEC O157:H−) occurred in Germany in 2002. This pathogen has caused several outbreaks so far, yet its reservoir and routes of transmission remain unknown. SF EHEC O157:H− is easily missed as most laboratory protocols target the more common sorbitol non-fermenting strains. We performed active case-finding, extensive exploratory interviews and a case-control study. Clinical and environmental samples were screened for SF EHEC O157:H− and the isolates were subtyped by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis. We identified 38 case-patients in 11 federal states. Four case-patients died during the acute phase (case-fatality ratio 11%). The case-control study could not identify a single vehicle or source. Further studies are necessary to identify the pathogen's reservoir(s). Stool samples of patients with HUS should be tested with an adequate microbiological set-up to quickly identify SF EHEC O157:H−.
Oritavancin Pharmacokinetics and Bone Penetration in Rabbits

ABSTRACT The pharmacokinetics and bone concentrations of oritavancin were investigated after a single intravenous dose was administered to rabbits. The pharmacokinetic profile of oritavancin in rabbits showed that it is rapidly distributed to bone tissues, with concentrations remaining stable for up to 168 h, the last measured time point. Based on these findings, further evaluation of oritavancin for the treatment of infections in bone tissues is warranted.
Managing Contradiction: Stockholder and Stakeholder Views of the Firm as Paradoxical Opportunity

Stockholder and stakeholder perspectives have been positioned in the literature as being in tension, and thus a potential source of innovation and change. However, researchers have overlooked a systematic examination of this presumption in theory and in practice. This study explores the ways that stockholder and stakeholder assumptions are presented by theorists and compares these with expressions of stockholder and stakeholder perspectives used by firms in practice. We argue that theoretical entrenchment dichotomizing these perspectives has disrupted the ability of researchers to leverage this tension. While scholarship remains trapped in a vicious cycle, we also argue that firms in practice express only the acceptance dimension of a virtuous cycle. Our empirical research demonstrates that firms accept and accommodate the paradoxical tension between managing for stockholders versus balancing the interests of stakeholders. This is evidenced by strategies we identify as book‐ending, cadence, continuous and simultaneous co‐mingling, and hybridization. We find that in practice these tensions are more integrated whereas in theory they are treated as more distinct and, often, in conflict. We suggest ways in which both scholarship and practice can better leverage tension as paradoxical opportunity.
Risk factors for and prevalence of pressure ulcers among hospitalized patients.

A pressure ulcer prevalence study was conducted at a large, university-based hospital in the Midwest to establish a baseline of information for the evaluation of equipment and the interventions used for pressure ulcer prevention. Presence and stage of pressure ulcers, demographic data, attending service, type of mattress surface, and patient classification scores were recorded. The Braden Scale was used to measure the patients' risk for the development of pressure ulcers. Fifty-three of 440 patients studied had 85 ulcers, a prevalence rate of 12% including stage I ulcers. Thirty-eight percent of the 53 patients with ulcers were admitted to the cardiology or cardiovascular surgery services. Stage II pressure ulcers were the most prevalent, comprising 44% of total ulcers. The coccyx, the right and left ischia, and the heels were the most commonly ulcerated sites. One third of the total sample size, 145 patients, were assessed as at significant risk for the development of pressure ulcers (Braden Scale score < or = 16). A positive correlation was reported between the patients' risk for pressure ulcer development (total Braden Scale score) and patient acuity level as measured by a patient classification system (Medicus Interact Staffing Productivity System, Type VI; Medicus Systems Corporation, Evanston, Ill.). The bed surface of each patient was evaluated with respect to the presence of pressure ulcers, Braden Scale score, and patient acuity score. From the descriptive data, it was determined that patients with either high acuity, high risk (total Braden Scale scores 6 to 10), or existing pressure ulcers were readily identified by the staff and placed on a therapeutic sleeping surface (e.g., low-air loss bed). Although the number of patients at moderate risk (total Braden Scale score 11 to 16) was significant, most were not placed on a therapeutic sleeping surface. Further evaluation of the availability and use of pressure-reduction and pressure-relief devices is indicated. Other preventive practices also require closer consideration, particularly those used with cardiovascular patients. The relationship between risk for development of pressure ulcers and acuity level is an interesting finding that deserves further investigation.
Exceeding expectations: Key strategies to increase high school graduation rates

An alarmingly number of students drop out of high school every day; however, the need for a high school diploma has become increasingly more important for the U.S. to remain globally competitive. Minority students and students living in poverty are disproportionally affected by this issue dropping out at significantly higher rates. Throughout the years, a number of reform efforts have been targeted at the federal, state, and local levels to address this issue. Some of these efforts have shown promising results. In an Education Week report (Diplomas Count, 2010), 21 urban school districts were identified as districts that are defying expectations based on factors such as district size and poverty level. These districts graduate students at significantly higher rates than districts with similar characteristics. The purpose of this study was to identify key strategies for increasing high school graduation rates. This study examined the practices in five school districts in California that exceeded expected graduation rates. A qualitative approach that included interviewing leaders from each of the districts was utilized to understand the strategies employed. A review and synthesis of the research literature provided the constructs for the conceptual framework used to develop the research and interview questions. Content analysis was performed to identify primary themes across the interviews. The data collected and analyzed revealed 19 primary themes or strategies: (a) close supervision, (b) alternative pathways, (c) fostering a sense of belonging, (d) safety prevention programs, (e) curriculum aligned K-12, (f) using technology to improve results, (g) early identification and support of at-risk students, (h) shared accountability, (i) focus on individual student progress, (j) rigorous curriculum, (k) leadership
Expression of selected genes escaping from X inactivation in the 41, XXY* mouse model for Klinefelter’s syndrome

Aim: We hypothesized that patients with Klinefelter’s syndrome (KS) not only undergo X inactivation, but also that genes escape from inactivation. Their transcripts would constitute a significant difference, as male metabolism is not adapted to a ‘female‐like’ gene dosage. We evaluated the expression of selected X‐linked genes in our 41, XXY* male mice to determine whether these genes escape inactivation and whether tissue‐specific differences occur.
Effects of hormone therapy on brain morphology of healthy postmenopausal women: a Voxel-based morphometry study

Objective: Estrogens are known to be protective in age-associated cognitive changes in humans and in neurodegeneration in animal models. The aim of this study was to evaluate the potential effects of estrogen therapy (ET) on human gray matter volume in vivo. Design: Forty healthy postmenopausal women underwent three-dimensional high-resolution magnetic resonance imaging: 17 were never treated, 16 were currently receiving ET, and 7 had had ET in the past. Voxel-based morphometry (VBM) with SPM2 was used, according to an optimized protocol, to compare women under past and current ET to those never treated. Significance threshold was set at P = 0.01, corrected by false discovery rate. Results: Voxel-based morphometry indicated that estrogen use was associated with greater gray matter volumes in the whole group of treated women, which included the cerebellum (cluster size, Z coordinates: 5,527; 5.15; −14 −54 −10), the amygdaloid-hippocampal complex (left: 19; 3.55; −22 −4 −18; right: 45; 3.61; 16 −6 −16), and extended to the frontal, temporal, parietal, and occipital neocortex. The comparison current ET versus past ET use showed that women who underwent treatment in the past had greater volumes of gray matter compared to women under current treatment. Conclusions: ET might slow down age-related gray matter loss in postmenopausal women. The structures that exhibited greater volume in association with ET included the cerebellar and cerebral cortices and, typically involved in Alzheimer's disease, the medial temporal structures and the temporoparietal junction.
The composition of back-arc basin lower crust and upper mantle in the Mariana Trough : A first report

The Mariana Trough is an active back-arc basin, with the rift propagating northward ahead of spreading. The northern part of the Trough is now rifting, with extension accommodated by combined stretching and igneous intrusion. Deep structural graben are found in a region of low heat flow, and we interpret these to manifest a low-angle normal fault system that defines the extension axis between 19°45′ and 21°10′N. A single dredge haul from the deepest (∼5.5 km deep) of these graben recovered a heterogeneous suite of volcanic and plutonic crustal rocks and upper mantle peridotites, providing the first report of the deeper levels of back-arc basin lithosphere. Several lines of evidence indicate that these rocks are similar to typical back-arc basin lithosphere and are not fragments of rifted older arc lithosphere. Hornblende yielded an 40Ar/39Ar age of 1.8 ± 0.6 Ma, which is interpreted to approximate the time of crust formation. Harzburgite spinels have moderate Cr# (<40) and coexisting compositions of clinopyroxene (CPX) and plagioclase (PLAB) fall in the field of mid-ocean ridge basalt (MORB) gabbros. Crustal rocks include felsic rocks (70-80% SiO2) and plutonic rocks that are rich in amphibole. Chemical compositions of crustal rocks show little evidence for a ‘subduction component’, and radiogenic isotopic compositions correspond to that expected for back-arc basin crust of the Mariana Trough. These data indicate that mechanical extension in this part of the Mariana Trough involves lithosphere that originally formed magmatically. These unique exposures of back-arc basin lithosphere call for careful study using ROVs and manned submersibles, and consideration as an ocean drilling program (ODP) drilling site.
Heterodimeric interaction between retinoid X receptor alpha and orphan nuclear receptor OR1 reveals dimerization-induced activation as a novel mechanism of nuclear receptor activation

OR1 is a member of the steroid/thyroid hormone nuclear receptor superfamily which has been described to mediate transcriptional responses to retinoids and oxysterols. On a DR4 response element, an OR1 heterodimer with the nuclear receptor retinoid X receptor alpha (RXR alpha) has been described to convey transcriptional activation in both the absence and presence of the RXR ligand 9-cis retinoic acid, the mechanisms of which have remained unclear. Here, we dissect the effects of RXR alpha and OR1 ligand-binding domain interaction on transcriptional regulation and the role of the respective carboxy-terminal activation domains (AF-2s) in the absence and presence of the RXR ligand, employing chimeras of the nuclear receptors containing the heterologous GAL4 DNA-binding domain as well as natural receptors. The results show that the interaction of the RXR and OR1 ligand-binding domains unleashes a transcription activation potential that is mainly dependent on the AF-2 of OR1, indicating that interaction with RXR activates OR1. This defines dimerization-induced activation as a novel function of heterodimeric interaction and mechanism of receptor activation not previously described for nuclear receptors. Moreover, we present evidence that activation of OR1 occurs by a conformational change induced upon heterodimerization with RXR.
Evaluation of Different Cytomegalovirus (CMV) DNA PCR Protocols for Analysis of Dried Blood Spots from Consecutive Cases of Neonates with Congenital CMV Infections

ABSTRACT Two protocols for the extraction of cytomegalovirus (CMV) DNA and two methods for the amplification of CMV DNA in dried blood spots were evaluated for the retrospective diagnosis of congenital CMV infection. During the period from 1996 to 2006, a urine screening program detected 76 congenitally infected neonates. Stored Guthrie cards with blood from 55 cases and 12 controls were tested. Two spots of dried blood were cut from each card and evaluated in two centers. CMV DNA was extracted from a whole single spot. Center 1 used phenol-chloroform extraction and ethanol precipitation followed by a conventional PCR. Center 2 used the NucliSens easyMAG automated DNA/RNA extraction platform (bioMérieux) followed by a real-time PCR. For evaluation of the extraction method, DNA extracted from each blood spot was evaluated by the amplification method used by the collaborating center. The sensitivities were 66% for center 1 and 73% for center 2. None of the controls were positive. A sensitivity as high as 82% could be obtained by combining the most sensitive extraction method (the phenol-chloroform procedure) with the most sensitive PCR method (real-time PCR). The detection rate was not influenced by the duration of storage of the spots. The sensitivity was higher with blood from congenitally infected cases due to a primary maternal CMV infection, regardless of the protocol used. However, the difference reached significance only for the least-sensitive protocol (P = 0.036).
Costs for hospital care, drugs and lost work days in incident and prevalent rheumatoid arthritis: how large, and how are they distributed?

Objective To estimate the costs related to hospital care, drug use and work loss in prevalent and incident patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), and to describe their distribution. Methods A cohort of prevalent patients with RA ≥18 years on Jan 1, 2010, was identified from the Swedish National Patient Register (requiring ≥2 visits listing RA) and the Swedish Rheumatology Quality Register, and followed until 31 December 2010. From the same registers, patients with the 1st visit listing RA in 2009, with a 2nd visit within 1 year, were identified to the incident cohort, and were followed for 1 year. Five sex-matched, age-matched, education-matched and county-matched general population comparators were sampled per patient with RA. Costs were retrieved from national registers. Results The mean annual cost, including productivity losses per patients with RA (n=49 829) aged 18–64 years was €23 147 versus €8364 (median €15 059 vs €277) per comparator. In patients with RA ≥65 years, the mean healthcare cost was €6438 versus €2773 (median €2458 vs €677) per comparator. 13% of the patients accounted for 50% of the cost. For the incident patients with RA (n=2695), the mean monthly cost increased from a level close to the comparators 1 year before register identification (18–64 years: €736 vs €644; ≥65 years: €192 vs €178), peaked the month following the identification date, and decreased to twice the cost of the comparators 1 year after diagnosis (18–64 years: €1252 vs €628; ≥65 years: €487 vs €230). Conclusions The mean annual cost in patients with established RA, and mean monthly cost in newly diagnosed patients with RA, were 2–3 times higher than in the general population.
Modelling fertility: an application of count regression models

Often the lifecycle data occur as count of the vital events and are recorded as integers. The purpose of this article is to model the fertility behavior based on religious, educational, economic, and occupational characteristics. The responses of classified groups according to these determinants are examined for significant influence on fertility using Poisson regression model (PRM) based on the National Family Health Survey -3 dataset. The observed and predicted probabilities under PRM indicate modal value of two children for the Poisson distribution modeled data. Presence of dominance of two child in the data motivates the authors to adopt multinomial regression model (MRM) in order to link fertility with various socioeconomic indicators responsible for fertility variation. Choice of the explanatory factors is limited to the availability of data. Trends and patterns of preference for birth counts suggest that religion, caste, wealth, female education, and occupation are the dominant factors shaping the observed birth process. Empirical analysis suggests that both the models used in the study perform similarly on the sample data. However, fitting of MRM by taking birth count of two as comparison category shows improved Akaike information criterion and consistent Akaike information criterion values. Current work contributes to the existing literature as it attempts to provide more insight into the determinants of Indian fertility using Poisson and MRM.
A FORWARD ALGORITHM FOR SOLVING OPTIMAL STOPPING PROBLEMS

We consider the optimal stopping problem for g(Z n ), where Z n , n = 1, 2 is a homogeneous Markov sequence. An algorithm, called forward improvement iteration, is presented by which an optimal stopping time can be computed. Using an iterative step, this algorithm computes a sequence B 0 ⊇ B 1 ⊇ B 2 ⊇. of subsets of the state space such that the first entrance time into the intersection F of these sets is an optimal stopping time. Various applications are given.