Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Debt collateralization, capital structure, and maximal leverage

We study the effects of allowing risky debt to be used as collateral in a general equilibrium model with heterogeneous agents and collateralized financial contracts. With debt collateralization, investors switch to using exclusively high-leverage contracts for every investment they choose (issuing risky debt when possible). High-leverage positions maximize the ability of contracts to serve as collateral, expanding the set of state contingencies created from collateralized debt. We provide conditions under which debt collateralization will increase the price of the underlying asset. Our results also apply to variations in capital structure since many capital structures implicitly provide the ability to use debt contracts as collateral.
Autoimmunity as a Driving Force of Cognitive Evolution

In the last decades, increasingly robust experimental approaches have formally demonstrated that autoimmunity is a physiological process involved in a large range of functions including cognition. On this basis, the recently enunciated “brain superautoantigens” theory proposes that autoimmunity has been a driving force of cognitive evolution. It is notably suggested that the immune and nervous systems have somehow co-evolved and exerted a mutual selection pressure benefiting to both systems. In this two-way process, the evolutionary-determined emergence of neurons expressing specific immunogenic antigens (brain superautoantigens) has exerted a selection pressure on immune genes shaping the T-cell repertoire. Such a selection pressure on immune genes has translated into the emergence of a finely tuned autoimmune T-cell repertoire that promotes cognition. In another hand, the evolutionary-determined emergence of brain-autoreactive T-cells has exerted a selection pressure on neural genes coding for brain superautoantigens. Such a selection pressure has translated into the emergence of a neural repertoire (defined here as the whole of neurons, synapses and non-neuronal cells involved in cognitive functions) expressing brain superautoantigens. Overall, the brain superautoantigens theory suggests that cognitive evolution might have been primarily driven by internal cues rather than external environmental conditions. Importantly, while providing a unique molecular connection between neural and T-cell repertoires under physiological conditions, brain superautoantigens may also constitute an Achilles heel responsible for the particular susceptibility of Homo sapiens to “neuroimmune co-pathologies” i.e., disorders affecting both neural and T-cell repertoires. These may notably include paraneoplastic syndromes, multiple sclerosis as well as autism, schizophrenia and neurodegenerative diseases. In the context of this theoretical frame, a specific emphasis is given here to the potential evolutionary role exerted by two families of genes, namely the MHC class II genes, involved in antigen presentation to T-cells, and the Foxp genes, which play crucial roles in language (Foxp2) and the regulation of autoimmunity (Foxp3).
The Effects of Information Format and Shopping Task on Consumers' Online Shopping Behavior: A Cognitive Fit Perspective

A feature central to the success of e-commerce Web sites is the design of an effective interface to present product information. However, the suitability of the prevalent information formats in supporting various online shopping tasks is not known. Using the cognitive fit theory as the theoretical framework, we developed a research model to investigate the fit between information format and shopping task, and examine its influence on consumers' online shopping performance and perceptions of shopping experience. The competition for attention theory from the marketing literature and the scanpath theory from vision research were employed to support the analyses. An experiment was conducted to examine the effects of two types of information formats (list versus matrix) in the context of two types of shopping tasks (searching versus browsing). The results show that when there is a match between the information format and the shopping task, consumers can search the information space more efficiently and have better recall of product information. Specifically, the list format better supports browsing tasks, and the matrix format facilitates searching tasks. However, a match between the information format and the shopping task has no effect on cognitive effort or attitude toward using the Web site. Overall, this research supports the application of the cognitive fit theory to the study of Web interface design. It also demonstrates the value in integrating findings from cognitive science and vision research to understand the processes involved. As the information format has been shown to affect consumers' online shopping behavior, even when the information content is held constant, the practical implications for Web site designers include providing both types of information format on their Web sites and matching the appropriate information format to the individual consumer's task.
A Spatio-Temporal Analysis of the Global Di ¤ usion of ISO 9000 and ISO 14000 Certi cation

We study the global di¤usion of ISO 9000 and ISO 14000 certi cation using a network di¤usion framework. We start by investigating the presence and nature of contagion e¤ects by de ning alternative cross-country networks and testing their relative strength. Second, we study how the rate of di¤usion di¤ers between the two standards and between early and lateradopting countries. Third, we identify which countries had more inuence on di¤usion than others. Empirically, we build a di¤usion model which includes several possible cross-country contagion e¤ects and then use Bayesian methods for estimation and model selection. Using country by year data for 56 countries and 9 years, we nd that accounting for cross-country inuences improves both the t and the prediction accuracy of our models. However, the speci c cross-country contagion mechanism is di¤erent across the two standards. Di¤usion of ISO 9000 is driven primarily by geography and bilateral trade relations, whereas that of ISO 14000 is driven primarily by geography and cultural similarity. We also nd that the di¤usion rate of ISO standards is higher for later adopting countries and for the later ISO 14000 standard. We discuss several implications of our ndings for the global di¤usion of management standards.
Microbial community structure and soil pH correspond to methane production in Arctic Alaska soils

While there is no doubt that biogenic methane production in the Arctic is an important aspect of global methane emissions, the relative roles of microbial community characteristics and soil environmental conditions in controlling Arctic methane emissions remains uncertain. Here, relevant methane-cycling microbial groups were investigated at two remote Arctic sites with respect to soil potential methane production (PMP). Percent abundances of methanogens and iron-reducing bacteria correlated with increased PMP, while methanotrophs correlated with decreased PMP. Interestingly, α-diversity of the methanogens was positively correlated with PMP, while β-diversity was unrelated to PMP. The β-diversity of the entire microbial community, however, was related to PMP. Shannon diversity was a better correlate of PMP than Simpson diversity across analyses, while rarefied species richness was a weak correlate of PMP. These results demonstrate the following: first, soil pH and microbial community structure both probably control methane production in Arctic soils. Second, there may be high functional redundancy in the methanogens with regard to methane production. Third, iron-reducing bacteria co-occur with methanogens in Arctic soils, and iron-reduction-mediated effects on methanogenesis may be controlled by α- and β-diversity. And finally, species evenness and rare species abundances may be driving relationships between microbial groups, influencing Arctic methane production.
Significance of a Single-Time-Point Somatostatin Receptor SPECT/Multiphase CT Protocol in the Diagnostic Work-up of Gastroenteropancreatic Neuroendocrine Neoplasms

This prospective study compared a 1-d SPECT/CT protocol with the commonly used 3-d protocol for somatostatin receptor scintigraphy in patients with gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine neoplasms. Additionally, the influence of SPECT/CT on patient management was evaluated. Methods: From October 2011 to October 2012, all gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine neoplasm patients undergoing restaging with somatostatin receptor scintigraphy on a modern SPECT/CT device were enrolled in this study. The protocol consisted of planar imaging at 4, 24, and 48 h; low-dose SPECT/CT at 24 and 48 h; diagnostic CT at 24 h using a triple-phase delay after administration of contrast; and diagnostic SPECT/CT at 24 h. All components of the imaging data were reassessed by 3 masked interpreters. The results were compared with a reference standard based on all clinical, imaging, and histopathology follow-up data available (follow-up range, 24–36 mo; mean, 29.9 mo). The reference standard was defined by a study-specific interdisciplinary tumor board that also reassessed treatment decisions. Results: Thirty-one patients were eligible for analysis (18 men and 13 women; mean age, 60.4 y). Ten had no imaging signs of disease and remained disease-free during follow-up. Twenty-one had persistent or recurrent disease (82 lesions: 24 in the liver, 21 in the lymph nodes, 16 in bone, 12 in the pancreas, and 9 in other locations). The respective lesion detection rates for interpreters 1, 2, and 3 were 51.9%, 49.4%, and 71.6% for low-dose SPECT/CT at 24 h; 51.9%, 55.6%, and 67.9% for low-dose SPECT/CT at 48 h; 63.0%, 70.4%, and 85.2% for diagnostic CT; and 77.8%, 84.0%, and 88.9% for diagnostic SPECT/CT. Interobserver agreement was moderate for diagnostic SPECT/CT (κ = 0.44), diagnostic CT (κ = 0.43), low-dose SPECT/CT at 48 h (κ = 0.61), and low-dose SPECT/CT at 24 h (κ = 0.55). For planar imaging, interobserver agreement was fair after 48 h (κ = 0.36) and 24 h (κ = 0.38) and moderate after 4 h (κ = 0.42). Every lesion detectable on planar imaging or low-dose SPECT/CT was also detectable on diagnostic SPECT/CT. The CT and SPECT components of diagnostic SPECT/CT strongly complemented each other, as 34 of 82 lesions (41.4%) were detected on only the CT component or only the SPECT component. Therapeutic management was influenced by the diagnostic SPECT/CT interpretation in 8 of 31 patients (25.8%). Conclusion: The highest detection rates were achieved by diagnostic SPECT/CT. Thus, a more patient-friendly 1-d protocol is feasible. Furthermore, multiphase SPECT/CT affected management in about a quarter of patients.
Comparability of Interview- and Self-Administration of the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-General (FACT-G) in English- and Spanish-Speaking Ambulatory Cancer Patients

Background:Flexibility is important in choosing methods and modes of questionnaire administration, to accommodate the needs of patients with diverse linguistic, cultural, educational, and functional skills. Objective:To investigate the extent to which 2 different modes (interview- vs. self-administration) yielded comparable estimates of health-related quality of life (HRQL) as measured by the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-General (FACT-G). Participants:English- (n = 739) and Spanish-speaking (n = 456) ambulatory cancer patients. Research Design:Patients were randomly assigned to interview- or self-administration of questionnaires, stratified by site, language, and race/ethnicity. A 3-phase analytic strategy was implemented: (1) confirmatory factor analysis to confirm unidimensionality of each FACT-G subscale; (2) 2 techniques to evaluate differential item functioning across modes; and (3) multivariable regression to compare mean HRQL scores across modes. Results:Confirmatory factor analysis model fit indices provided good support for unidimensionality across all 4 language/mode groups. Three of 27 items demonstrated statistically significant mode differential item functioning in each language. There were no statistically significant or minimally important mode effects on mean HRQL outcomes, with or without adjusting for other factors. Conclusions:Among both English- and Spanish-speaking ambulatory cancer patients, the FACT-G can be administered by either interview- or self-administration, without concern for significant mode effects on the data. Results may not be generalizable to patients with greater disease severity or those with low literacy.
Serotonin-1A Receptors and Cognitive Enhancement in Schizophrenia: Role for Brain Energy Metabolism

The prefrontal cortex (PFC) has been considered to regulate various aspects of cognitive abilities, e.g. working memory, memory organization, executive function, and attention (Sumiyoshi T. et al. 2011). Atypical antipsychotic drugs (AAPDs), eliciting cognitive benefits to some extent, enhance dopamine (DA) release in the medial PFC (mPFC), as demonstrated by in vivo microdialysis (Bortolozzi et al. 2010, Diaz-Mataix et al. 2005, Ichikawa et al. 2001). The ability of AAPDs to enhance DA in mPFC has been found to depend on serotonin (5-HT)-5-HT1A receptors, irrespective of direct in vitro affinity, based on observations from mutant mice lacking these receptors (Bortolozzi et al. 2010, DiazMataix et al. 2005). This is consistent with behavioral observations that 5-HT1A partial agonists (e.g. tandospirone) and AAPDs with agonist actions on 5-HT1A receptors (e.g. perospirone, aripiprazole, ziprasidone, lurasidone) ameliorate memory deficits in rodent models of schizophrenia (Hagiwara et al. 2008, Horiguchi et al. in press, Meltzer et al. 2011, Nagai et al. 2009). Findings from electrophysiological studies suggest these cognitive benefits of 5-HT1A agonism are mediated by glutamate (Glu) and γaminobutyric acid (GABA) neurons (Higuchi et al. 2010, Llado-Pelfort et al. 2011).
Identification and Functional Characterization of Thioredoxin from Trypanosoma brucei brucei *

Trypanosomes and Leishmania, the causative agents of several tropical diseases, lack the glutathione/glutathione reductase system but have trypanothione/trypanothione reductase instead. The uniqueness of this thiol metabolism and the failure to detect thioredoxin reductases in these parasites have led to the suggestion that these protozoa lack a thioredoxin system. As presented here, this is not the case. A gene encoding thioredoxin has been cloned from Trypanosoma brucei, the causative agent of African sleeping sickness. The single copy gene, which encodes a protein of 107 amino acid residues, is expressed in all developmental stages of the parasite. The deduced protein sequence is 56% identical with a putative thioredoxin revealed by the genome project of Leishmania major. The relationship to other thioredoxins is low. T. brucei thioredoxin is unusual in having a calculated pI value of 8.5. The gene has been overexpressed in Escherichia coli. The recombinant protein is a substrate of human thioredoxin reductase with a K m value of 6 μm but is not reduced by trypanothione reductase. T. brucei thioredoxin catalyzes the reduction of insulin by dithioerythritol, and functions as an electron donor for T. brucei ribonucleotide reductase. The parasite protein is the first classical thioredoxin of the order Kinetoplastida characterized so far.
Effect of protein ingestion on splanchnic and leg metabolism in normal man and in patients with diabetes mellitus.

The inter-organ flux of substrates after a protein-rich meal was studied in seven healthy subjects and in eight patients, with diabetes mellitus. Arterial concentrations as well as leg and splanchnic exchange of amino acids, carbohydrate substrates, free fatty acids (FFA), and ketone bodies were examined in the basal state and for 3 h after the ingestion of lean beef (3 g/kg body wt). Insulin was withheld for 24 h before the study in the diabetic patients. In the normal subjects, after protein ingestion, there was a large amino acid release from the splanchnic bed predominantly involving the branched chain amino acids. Valine, isoleucine, and leucine accounted together for more than half of total splanchnic amino acid output. Large increments were seen in the arterial concentrations of the branched chain amino acids (100-200%) and to a smaller extent for other amino acids. Leg exchange of most amino acids reverted from a basal net outut to a net uptake after protein feeding which was most marked for the branched chain amino acids. The latter accounted for more than half of total peripheral amino acid uptake.
Differential role of sodium channels SCN1A and SCN2A gene polymorphisms with epilepsy and multiple drug resistance in the north Indian population.

AIMS To evaluate sodium channel genes as candidates for epilepsy susceptibility and their role in therapeutic efficacy, we screened coding single-nucleotide polymorphism of SCN1A p. Thr 1067 Ala or c.3184 A-->G (rs2298771) and SCN2A p.Arg19Lys or c.56 G-->A (rs17183814) in north Indian epilepsy patients. METHODS The genotyping was performed in 160 control subjects and 336 patients with epilepsy, of whom 117 were drug resistant and 219 were drug responsive. Therapeutic drug monitoring for phenytoin, carbamazepine, phenobarbital and valproate was also performed in 20% of the patients to confirm compliance. RESULTS AG genotype of SCN1A 3184 A-->G polymorphism was significantly higher and associated in epilepsy patients [P= 0.005; odds ratio (OR) 1.76, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.19, 2.61], whereas A variant of SCN2A c.56 G-->A was associated with multiple drug resistance in north Indian patients with epilepsy (P= 0.03; OR 1.62, 95% CI 1.03, 2.56). CONCLUSIONS Overall, results indicate a differential role of genetic polymorphisms of sodium channels SCN1A and SCN2A in epilepsy susceptibility and drug response.
Identification of community‐residing individuals with dementia and their unmet needs for care

Innovative approaches to the widespread delivery of evidence‐based dementia care are needed. The aims of this study were to determine whether a telephone screening method could efficiently identify individuals in the community in need of care for dementia and to develop a multidimensional needs assessment tool for identifying the type and frequency of unmet needs related to memory disorders in the home setting.
Quality of life improved by multidisciplinary back school program in patıents with chronic non-specific low back pain: a single blind randomized controlled trial.

STUDY DESIGN A three and six months follow-up in a randomized controlled trial. BACKGROUND Back School has become a widespread exercise program for low back pain (LBP), since its introduction in 1969. Back School could improve quality of life (QoL), but there are controversial data regarding its effectiveness. AIM To evaluate the effects of the Back School program on quality of life (primary outcome), disability and pain perceptions (secondary outcomes) in patients with chronic and non-specific low back pain. SETTING Rehabilitative specialized centre. POPULATION Seventy four patients with chronic non-specific LBP. METHODS Patients were randomly placed in a 3:2 form and were allocated into 2 groups (treated-control). Treatment group participated in a intensive multidisciplinary Back School program including brief education and active back exercises (BSG, N.=41), while the control group received medical assistance (CG, N.=29). Medication was the same in both groups. The Short Form 36 Health Status Survey, Waddel Index, Oswestry Disability Index and Visual Analogue Scale were collected at baseline, at the end of treatment, and at the three and six month follow-up. RESULTS Quality of life significantly improved along time more in BSG, both in Physical and Mental Composite Score (repeated measure Anova: interaction time per group: P<0.001 and P=0.002, respectively). We also observed a significant improvement in disability scores along time (P<0.001) in BSG with significant differences between groups at three and at six months for Waddell Index (P=0.006 and P=0.009 respectively) and for Oswestry Disability Index (P=0.018 and 0.011 respectively). Moreover, pain perception score VAS showed a reduction in both groups, but it was significantly lower in BSG at end of treatment and both follow-ups (P<0.001). CONCLUSION Our Back School program can be considered an effective treatment in people with chronıc non-specıfıc LBP.
Advances in Brief Genomic Amplification in Retinoblastoma Narrowed to 0 . 6 Megabase on Chromosome 6 p Containing a Kinesin-like Gene , RBKIN 1

All retinoblastomas (RBs) show genomic changes in addition to loss of both RB1 alleles. Quantitative-multiplex PCR analysis identified in 41 of 70 (59%) RBs a 0.6-Mb minimal region of chromosome 6p22 gain from which we cloned the human kinesin gene, RBKIN/KIF13A, by rapid amplification of retinal cDNA. RBKIN is expressed ubiquitously in adult tissues, at low levels in fetal tissues, and at high levels in RB. Antisense RBKIN oligonucleotide reduced the growth rate of RB cell lines. RBKIN and/or another closely linked gene are candidate oncogenes contributing to malignant progression of RB.
Diagnostic and prognostic implications of microRNAs in human hepatocellular carcinoma

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are important gene regulators, which are often deregulated in cancers. In this study, the authors analyzed the microRNAs profiles of 78 matched cancer/noncanerous liver tissues from HCC patients and 10 normal liver tissues and found that 69 miRNAs were differentially expressed between hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and corresponding noncancerous liver tissues (N). Then the expressions of 8 differentially expressed miRNAs were validated by real time RT PCR. The set of differentially expressed miRNAs could distinctly classify HCC, N and normal liver tissues (NL). Moreover, some of these differentially expressed miRNAs were related to the clinical factors of HCC patients. Most importantly, Kaplan‐Meier estimates and the log‐rank test showed that high expression of hsa‐miR‐125b was correlated with good survival of HCC patients (hazard ratio, 1.787, 95% confidence interval, 1.020–3.133, p = 0.043). The transfection assay showed that overexpression of miR‐125b in HCC cell line could obviously suppress the cell growth and phosporylation of Akt. In conclusion, the authors have demonstrated the diagnostic miRNA profile for HCC, and for the first time, identified the miR‐125b with predictive significance for HCC prognosis. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.