Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The relationship between the degree of skin fibrosis by sonoelastography and the degree of pulmonary involvement in scleroderma

Background/aim: This study aimed to assess the relationship between skin fibrosis as determined by sonoelastography and the degree of pulmonary involvement as determined by high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT) in patients with diffuse cutaneous systemic sclerosis (dcSSc). Materials and methods: This prospective study included 40 patients with dcSSc. All patients with HRCT scans underwent conventional ultrasonography and sonoelastography to determine skin thickness and degree of fibrosis. The degree of fibrosis was classified according to color-scale sonoelastography. The degree of pulmonary involvement was classified according to HRCT grading groups. The relationship between skin fibrosis and pulmonary involvement was investigated.Results: There was a statistically significant difference between HRCT grading groups according to the sonoelastographic color scale (P < 0.001). Sonoelastographic color-scale groups showed a statistically significant difference in duration of disease (P = 0.013). No significant difference was found between the sonoelastographic color-scale groups in age, sex, or skin thickness.Conclusion: Sonoelastography is a useful and reliable tool for assessing skin involvement in dcSSc. We found a good correlation between the degree of skin fibrosis as determined by sonoelastography and the degree of pulmonary involvement.
Expression of cellular genes in HPV16‐immortalized and cigarette smoke condensate‐transformed human endocervical cells

We studied the molecular mechanism of successive multistep cervical carcinogenic progression with our previously established in vitro model system. This system was composed of primary human endocervical cells (HEN), two lines of HEN immortalized by HPV16 and their counterparts subsequently malignantly transformed by cigarette smoke condensate (CSC). The expression was examined of diverse cellular genes associated with oncogenesis and senescence, especially for cervical cancer. Consistent results were seen for the pairs of immortalized and malignantly transformed lines. Immortalization of HEN by HPV16 resulted in enhanced expression of H‐ras, c‐myc, B‐myb, p53, p16INK4 and PCNA mRNA; enhanced expression of p16 and PCNA proteins; decreased expression of WAF1/p21/Cip1/Sid1 and fibronectin mRNA; and decreased p53 protein. On the other hand, the CSC‐transformed counterparts of HPV16‐immortalized cells had up‐regulated levels of B‐myb, p53 and WAF1 mRNA and p53 protein. Our results indicate that the differential activation or inactivation of multiple cellular genes is important for the immortalization, as well as the transformation, of human cervical cells. Further, we suggest that our in vitro model system is useful for investigating the molecular mechanism of multistep cervical carcinogenesis. J. Cell. Biochem. 66: 309–321, 1997. © 1997 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
IMPACT OF NEST‐SITE SELECTION ON NEST SUCCESS AND NEST TEMPERATURE IN NATURAL AND DISTURBED HABITATS

Nest-site selection behavior is a maternal effect that contributes to offspring survival and variation in offspring phenotypes that are subject to natural selection. We investigated nest-site selection and its consequences in the snapping turtle, Chelydra ser- pentina, in northwestern Illinois. We evaluated nest-site selection at both the microhabitat and habitat patch levels. Turtles selected nest sites with shorter vegetation, more open sand, and fewer cacti than random locations. These microhabitat characteristics described sandy patches where both nest density and success were higher compared to grassy patches in 1999. We subsequently investigated nest-site selection within two discrete subdivisions of the study area that varied in the degree of human disturbance to determine if nesting behavior, nest success, or nest temperatures were affected. The tendency to nest in sandy patches was much stronger at the natural site due to habitat modifications at the residential site that have blurred the distinction between sandy and grassy patches. Additionally, the residential site had a high density of nests within 5 m of houses and a fence (both areas with disturbed habitat similar to sandy patches), compared to the overall density. Thus, nest success associated with sandy patches may be compromised at the residential site; an ecological trap may result in lower nest success in areas with preferred microhabitat char- acteristics. Despite a similar basis for nest-site selection in terms of microhabitat charac- teristics at both sites, nest temperatures were correlated with microhabitat characteristics used to select nest sites only at the natural site. Nest temperatures at the residential site were instead correlated only with the percentage overstory vegetation cover and therefore averaged 2 8C lower than at the natural site, a temperature difference that influenced offspring sex. The higher percentage overstory vegetation cover at the residential site was due to human alterations of the habitat, and may serve to extend the ecological trap biasing the sex ratio of this population. This study illustrates the importance of (1) nest-site selection as a substantive maternal effect, (2) understanding habitat use during crucial life-history events, and (3) the potential for human disturbance to modify offspring phenotypes and negatively impact nest success despite adaptive nesting behavior.
A Double-Gain, Large Dynamic Range Front-end ASIC With A/D Conversion for Silicon Detectors Read-Out

We present a prototype of an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC) featuring an input dynamic range of more than 52 pC. The ASIC is designed to read out signals from large-capacitance silicon detectors used in Si-W calorimeters for high-energy astroparticle physics experiments. The ASIC features a double-gain Charge Sensitive Amplifier (CSA), which uses a real-time automatic gain selection circuitry to switch between the input ranges of [0-2.4 pC] and [0-52.6 pC]. A Correlated Double Sampling (CDS) filter follows the CSA and completes the front-end chain. A complete analog channel dissipates 2.8 mW. The present prototype also includes 9 cyclic ADC channels, in view of the final objective of this project, which will be a 16-channel chip with digitized outputs.
Perceived consumption vulnerability of elderly citizens: A qualitative exploration of the construct and its consequences

Purpose This study aims to explore the dimensions of perceived consumption vulnerability (PCV) for the elderly citizens (EC) in India and its consequences. Consumer vulnerability is a recent and important construct for marketers and policymakers to understand the consumption behavior of the EC. Design/methodology/approach To achieve the study objectives, the authors conducted 50 in-depth interviews and six focus group discussions of ECs in two large cities in India. The authors used grounded theory methodology to understand the PCV construct. Findings The findings suggest a five-dimensional formative PCV construct with the dimensions being Physical, Financial, Social, Technological and Service Vulnerability contributing to PCV. The findings also suggest a relationship between PCV and consumption variables such as search cost, choice evaluation, consumption and overall satisfaction. Research limitations/implications The major contribution of the present study is the exploration of the PCV construct for the EC and its dimensions. The propositions developed in the study could be tested in future studies using a quantitative approach. Practical implications The findings call for compassion from the marketers while dealing with the ECs and a separate service strategy that addresses the specific needs of the ECs. Social implications The findings call for public policy action to protect the consumption rights of the ECs to reduce their consumption vulnerability. Originality/value The present study is a novel attempt to explore the PCV construct and its role in defining consumer behavior of the ECs.
Teaching Sustainability Through System Dynamics: Exploring Stocks and Flows Embedded in Dynamic Computer Models of an Agricultural Land Management System

ABSTRACT During the past several decades, there has been a growing awareness of the ways humans affect Earth systems. As global problems emerge, educating the next generation of citizens to be able to make informed choices related to future outcomes is increasingly important. The challenge for educators is figuring out how to prepare students to think about complex systems and sustainability. This article describes a set of design principles used to create online curriculum modules related to Earth's systems and sustainability. The modules include interactive, computer-based, dynamic Earth systems models that enable students to track changes that occur over time. Embedded prompts help students focus on stocks and flows within the system. This approach helps students to identify important resources in the models (stock prompt), to explain the processes that are changing the availability of the stock (process prompt), and to explore real-world examples (application prompts). We report how students learn about the sustainability of soil, a critical resource for growing food, in the module called “Can we feed the growing population? ” We give an example of a model-based task, which shows how students identify stocks and flows associated with the model and how they consider human actions in the system. We discuss educational and research implications of using stocks and flows as a framework to structure students' exploration of dynamic models of Earth systems in teaching sustainability.
Assessment of Perturb and Observe MPPT Algorithm Implementation Techniques for PV Pumping Applications

The energy utilization efficiency of commercial photovoltaic (PV) pumping systems can be significantly improved by employing simple perturb and observe (P&O) maximum power point tracking algorithms. Two such P&O implementation techniques, reference voltage perturbation and direct duty ratio perturbation, are commonly utilized in the literature but no clear criteria for the suitable choice of method or algorithm parameters have been presented. This paper presents a detailed theoretical and experimental comparison of the two P&O implementation techniques on the basis of system stability, performance characteristics, and energy utilization for standalone PV pumping systems. The influence of algorithm parameters on system behavior is investigated and the various advantages and drawbacks of each technique are identified for different weather conditions. Practical results obtained using a 1080-Wp PV array connected to a 1-kW permanent magnet dc motor-centrifugal pump set show very good agreement with the theoretical analysis and numerical simulations.
The Statistical Modeling of Aging and Risk of Transition Project: Data Collection and Harmonization Across 11 Longitudinal Cohort Studies of Aging, Cognition, and Dementia

Abstract:Longitudinal cognitive trajectories and other factors associated with mixed neuropathologies (such as Alzheimer’s disease with co-occurring cerebrovascular disease) remain incompletely understood, despite being the rule and not the exception in older populations. The Statistical Modeling of Aging and Risk of Transition study (SMART) is a consortium of 11 different high-quality longitudinal studies of aging and cognition (N=11,541 participants) established for the purpose of characterizing risk and protective factors associated with subtypes of age-associated mixed neuropathologies (N=3,001 autopsies). While brain donation was not required for participation in all SMART cohorts, most achieved substantial autopsy rates (i.e., > 50%). Moreover, the studies comprising SMART have large numbers of participants who were followed from intact cognition and transitioned to cognitive impairment and dementia, as well as participants who remained cognitively intact until death. These data provide an exciting opportunity to apply sophisticated statistical methods, like Markov processes, that require large, well-characterized samples. Thus, SMART will serve as an important resource for the field of mixed dementia epidemiology and neuropathology.
Strict lower bounds with separation of sources of error in non‐overlapping domain decomposition methods

This article deals with the computation of guaranteed lower bounds of the error in the framework of finite element and domain decomposition methods. In addition to a fully parallel computation, the proposed lower bounds separate the algebraic error (due to the use of a domain decomposition iterative solver) from the discretization error (due to the finite element), which enables the steering of the iterative solver by the discretization error. These lower bounds are also used to improve the goal‐oriented error estimation in a substructured context. Assessments on 2D static linear mechanic problems illustrate the relevance of the separation of sources of error and the lower bounds' independence from the substructuring. We also steer the iterative solver by an objective of precision on a quantity of interest. This strategy consists in a sequence of solvings and takes advantage of adaptive remeshing and recycling of search directions. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Neuroprotective effect of quercetin against oxidative damage and neuronal apoptosis caused by cadmium in hippocampus

The purpose of the present investigation was to evaluate cadmium (Cd)-induced neurotoxicity in hippocampal tissues and beneficial effect of quercetin (QE) against neuronal damage. A total of 30 male rats were divided into 3 groups: control, Cd-treated, and Cd + QE-treated groups. After the treatment, the animals were killed and hippocampal tissues were removed for biochemical and histopathological investigation. Cd significantly increased tissue malondialdehyde (MDA) and protein carbonyl (PC) levels and also decreased superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) enzyme activities in hippocampal tissue compared with the control. Administration of QE with Cd significantly decreased the levels of MDA and PC and significantly elevated the levels of antioxidant enzymes in hippocampal tissue. In the Cd-treated group, the neurons of both tissues became extensively dark and degenerated with pyknotic nuclei. The morphology of neurons in Cd + QE group was well protected, but not as neurons of the control group. The caspase-3 immunopositivity was increased in degenerating neurons of the Cd-treated group. Treatment of QE markedly reduced the immunoreactivity of degenerating neurons. The results of the present study show that QE therapy causes morphologic improvement in neurodegeneration of hippocampus after Cd exposure in rats.
TWO UNUSUAL CASES OF GIANT CELL MYOCARDITIS ASSOCIATED WITH MITRAL STENOSIS AND WITH WEGENER'S SYNDROME

Inflammation of the myocardium may occur in association with a wide variety of clinical conditions and occasionally occurs as an apparently isolated disorder without demonstrable cause. In some cases of isolated myocarditis, giant cells form part of the inflammatory reaction and the lesion has then been described as "isolated giant cell myocarditis. " Giant cell myocardial lesions may occur, of course, in conditions like tuberculosis and sarcoidosis (Saphir, 1960; Forbes and Usher, 1962), which are regularly associated with a giant cell inflammatory reaction. In this paper, two patients with giant cell myocarditis are described. Though they are unrelated Ltiologically, both have features of special interest. The first is unusual in that the malady was diagnosed during life from examination of the left atrial appendage removed at mitral valvotomy. Thus an opportunity to correlate, simultaneously, clinical and pathological observations on proven myocarditis was presented. In the second, giant cell granulomatous myocardial lesions were found at necropsy in a patient who suffered from Wegener's syndrome, a disorder in which granulomatous lesions in the respiratory tract and elsewhere are associated with vascular lesions of polyarteritis type and glomerulitis. Some authors including Wegener himself suggest that this syndrome is a variant of polyarteritis nodosa rather than a separate disease (Wegener, 1939; Harrison, 1960; Heptinstall, 1960). Though cardiac lesions have been described in this illness (Levine and Madden, 1957; Walton, 1958) the chapter written by Saphir (1960) in Gould's Pathology of the Heart does not include Wegener's syndrome in an extensive survey of clinical conditions associated with myocarditis.
Investing in peer-to-peer lending : risk and return : an empirical analysis of the risk-return relationship in the crowdlending market

This paper applies credit-risk pricing theory from literature on bonds to price loans in the peerto-peer (P2P) lending market. The purpose is to study the risk-adjusted return for investors investing in P2P loans. Historical data from the loan book of the P2P lending platform Lending Club, are used to attain estimates for risk in the P2P sector. These estimates are put into an extended version of the CIR univariate (ECIR) model, which in turn is used to price the loans issued at the Lending Club platform in 2015. The main finding is that all of the the interest rates set by Lending Club are higher than the theoretical interest rates from the ECIR model. This means that Lending Club compensates investors more than the ECIR model suggests, given the risk they have taken on. Furthermore, the spread between the two increases as the riskiness of the loan increases. We have considered plausible explanations for the difference in interest rates, and find that it seems to be connected to perception of risk and market inefficiency. Still, there are reasons to believe that the difference in real and modelled interest rates indicates the excistence of excess returns for inverstors in the P2P lending market. However, further research on P2P lending will be nescesary to fully understand the risk-return relationship for the investors.
Offsite Detection of Insider Abuse and Bank Fraud among U.S. Failed Banks 1989-2015

We find evidence that material insider abuse and internal fraud were present in approximately 457 (37 percent) of the 1,237 U.S. failed commercial and mutual savings banks (hereafter, banks) between 1989 and 2015. Using a unique dataset of the incidence of insider abuse and internal fraud among U.S. failed banks we analyze the characteristics of failed banks with the ultimate goal of developing fraud detection models—parametric (logistic regression, Benford digit analysis) and non-parametric (neural networks). We obtain information on the incidence of insider abuse and internal fraud among failed banks from failing bank cases prepared for the FDIC Board of Directors, restitution orders (fines) supervisors assessed for bank employee fraud, and bond claims the FDIC made to recover fraud-related losses on failed banks. The supervisory data we use to quantify fraud among failed banks has not been used previously in published research and, we feel, provides more comprehensive information on fraud among failed banks than that available to academic researchers. Since fraudulent behavior lies outside the realm of rationale behavior modelled in economics, we develop a framework for internal bank fraud that provides rationale and support for our fraud detection models. This framework is based on previous studies of financial fraud and internal bank fraud in particular. We test this framework using regression analysis of the determinants of fraudulent behavior among failed banks between 1989 and 2015 and find that banks with insider abuse and fraud present overstated income and asset values, under-reported losses and consequently overstated net worth. The regression models of fraudulent failed banks provide information on the financial statement line items that can be used to identify fraud. We next use a recently developed second-order Benford digit test to identify those banks whose financial statements suggest tampering and purposeful misstatement. Our results suggest that material insider abuse and fraud at banks is detectable using Benford digit analysis of bank financial data for a period one-to-four years prior to failure. Unfortunately, we are unable to develop an accurate neural network model for fraud prediction.
Entrepreneurial Education in India

Here in this paper, we discussed the necessity of entrepreneurial education for the entrepreneurship development. A most important part of the entrepreneurial environment is culture/values and education. Education should be accepted in this way that not only it is important for the young student rather it is also required for highly schooled adults. We discussed here the urgency of education to start a small business, in India. To start a new concept, launching a new product, develop the marketing strategies how proper knowledge is required. Vocational education, managerial training, economic awareness, political problems, social opportunities, etc. can help to grow faster of an Entrepreneurial development.
Psychiatrists’ attitude towards and knowledge of clozapine treatment

Clozapine is, in most countries, underutilized and the initiation of clozapine is often delayed. The purpose of this study is to investigate the reasons for the delay and the underutilization of clozapine. One hundred psychiatrists were interviewed by phone. The interview was a structured interview with questions regarding attitude to, knowledge of and experiences with clozapine. Forty-eight (48%) psychiatrists had treatment responsibility of fewer than five patients treated with clozapine and 31 of the interviewed psychiatrists (31%) had started clozapine within the last 3 months. Seven psychiatrists (7%) had never prescribed clozapine despite the fact that they had been working more than five years in general psychiatry. Sixty-four psychiatrists (64%) would rather combine two antipsychotics than use clozapine. Sixty-six psychiatrists (66%) believed that patients treated with clozapine were less satisfied with their treatment when compared with those treated with other atypical antipsychotics. Many psychiatrists are reluctant to use clozapine and this might be due to less experience and knowledge of clozapine. A reason for the low awareness of clozapine’s properties might be that clozapine is now a generic drug, and therefore, the marketing and education in using the drug is sparse.
A double quantum coherence transfer proton NMR spectroscopy technique for monitoring steady‐state tumor lactic acid levels in Vivo

If proton nuclear magnetic resonance (1H NMR) spectroscopy is to provide a clinically useful modality for monitoring tumor growth and treatment, the technique must be able to unambiguously detect steady‐state metabolite concentrations in human tumors and differentiate these from normal tissue levels. To address this problem, a two‐dimensional double quantum coherence transfer spectroscopy (2DDQCT) method was developed and tested in a series of tumor cell lines implanted in mice. Lactate‐edited proton NMR spectra were determined from a roughly 1‐cm3 region of interest in EMT6, RIF‐1, and fibroma. In two‐dimensional data matrix representations of the 2DDQCT experiments (double quantum frequency on the vertical axis and chemical shift on the horizontal axis) the lactate signal (330 Hz with the transmitter set at the water resonance) was well‐resolved from lipid (480 Hz, 600 Hz). The resolution in the double quantum dimension was also sufficient to conclude that a detectable level of alanine, which would reside at 358 Hz, was not present in the three tumor types. Following the NMR experiment, tumors were chemically assayed for lactate giving 8.17, 9.1, and 6.73 μmol/g wet wt for RIF‐1, EMT6, and fibroma, respectively. This technique is likely to provide a noninvasive method for monitoring the steady‐state lactic acid levels in small tumors before and after therapy, as well as in tissues with impaired oxygen delivery using clinical and research NMR Systems. © 1990 Academic Press, Inc.