Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Double-blind randomized controlled study comparing short-term efficacy of bifrontal and bitemporal electroconvulsive therapy in acute mania.

BACKGROUND Bifrontal electrode placement is as efficacious as bitemporal placement during electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) in depression but is associated with fewer cognitive adverse effects. There are no studies comparing these techniques in acute mania. This study compared the short-term efficacy and adverse effects of bifrontal and bitemporal ECT in the treatment of acute mania. METHOD Thirty-six DSM-IV mania inpatients referred for ECT were recruited for study. They were randomized to receive bifrontal (BFECT; n = 17) or bitemporal (BTECT; n = 19) ECT. None of the subjects were on mood stabilizers during the course of ECT. Severity of mania was measured on the Young Mania Rating Scale (YMRS) before beginning ECT and then on Days 3, 7, 11, 14, and 21 of treatment. Cognitive functions were assessed eight hours after the fifth ECT session using the Mini-Mental Status Examination (MMSE), Paired Associate Learning Test, Complex Figure Test, Verbal Fluency Test (animals and fruits categories), and Trail Making Test, Part A. RESULTS The subjects in the two groups were comparable on sociodemographic and clinical variables, including severity of mania at baseline. They were also similar in ECT parameters, including seizure threshold and seizure duration. Mean YMRS scores showed faster decline in the BFECT than in the BTECT group. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis showed that a greater proportion of subjects in the BFECT group responded (50% reduction in YMRS score) significantly earlier than in the BTECT group. There were no significant differences between the groups in performance on cognitive function tests. CONCLUSION In this pilot study, mania patients treated with BFECT responded faster than those treated with BTECT, with comparable cognitive adverse effects. Since ECT is usually prescribed for rapid control of symptoms, BFECT may be preferred over BTECT in the treatment of acute mania.
The Rural-Urban Divide: Economic Disparities and Interactions in China

This book describes and explains the remarkably large rural-urban divide in economic well-being that exists in China. How did it come about? How is it maintained, in the face of equilibrating market forces? What are the implications for future efficiency and equity in the Chinese economy? The book is divided into five parts: Part 1 introduces the context and scope of the study; Parts 2 and 3 measure and explain the rural-urban divide in income, education, health, and housing, both historically and by means of a household survey; Part 4 analyses the intersectoral movement of factors, both capital flows and the migration of labour; Part 5 ties together the arguments of the work and sets the Chinese experience in the broader context of transition and development economics. The book uses the rigorous analysis and empirical methodology of modern economics. It is primarily aimed at a broad readership of development and transition economists, but China specialists will find much that is of interest.
Detection of stenosis in blood vessel by using bio-impedance analysis

Bio-impedance analysis has become more extensively used for detecting various diseases such as blood and blood vessels diseases. The diseases related to the blood vessel are namely stenosis, aneurysm, occlusion, etc. The stenosis is caused by the buildup of deposits on the vessel wall. These deposits may restrict the blood flow and lead to serious health problems like heart attack. This paper presents new method for detecting the vessel stenosis non-invasively by using bio-impedance analysis. In this paper, the blood vessel is constructed and simulated using different shapes, sizes and kinds of mural deposits, and the impedance is measured at each stenosis case. Also equivalent circuit of blood vessel and mathematical equations are presented to describe the vessel stenosis. The simulation results clarify the ability of the bio impedance analysis for estimating not only the presence of deposit but also its kind and size.
Rules versus discretion on the choice between exchange‐rate‐targeting and monetary‐aggregate‐targeting

This paper compares the performance of inflation and welfare loss between exchange‐rate‐targeting and monetary‐aggregate‐targeting regimes for a small‐open economy characterized by a rational expectations model of the Phillips curve. We also consider rules‐versus‐discretion in policy. We obtain three interesting results. First, both regimes result in the same target rate of inflation and the smallest long‐run welfare loss, if an active contingent rule is credibly followed. Second, when discretion is undertaken, an exchange‐rate‐targeting policy is always superior to a monetary‐aggregate‐targeting one. Third, for a simple fixed rule, Friedman‐type’s monetary‐aggregate‐targeting policy works better than exchange‐rate‐targeting only under specific circumstances.
Lack of association between polymorphisms of catalase, copper–zinc superoxide dismutase (SOD), extracellular SOD and endothelial nitric oxide synthase genes and macroangiopathy in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus

Abstract. Ukkola O, Erkkilä PH, Savolainen MJ, Kesäniemi YA (University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland). Lack of association between polymorphisms of catalase, copper–zinc superoxide dismutase (SOD), extracellular SOD and endothelial nitric oxide synthase genes and macroangiopathy in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. J Intern Med 2001; 249: 451–459.
Prevalence of and risk factors for dry eye syndrome.

OBJECTIVE To examine risk factors for the prevalence of dry eye syndrome in a population-based cohort. METHODS The prevalence of dry eye was determined by history at the second examination (1993-1995) of the Beaver Dam Eye Study cohort (N = 3722). RESULTS The cohort was aged 48 to 91 years (mean +/- SD, 65 +/- 10 years) and 43% male. The overall prevalence of dry eye was 14.4%. Prevalence varied from 8.4% in subjects younger than 60 years to 19. 0% in those older than 80 years (P<.001 for test of trend). Age-adjusted prevalence in men was 11.4% compared with 16.7% in women (P<.001). After controlling for age and sex, the following factors were independently and significantly associated with dry eye in a logistic model: history of arthritis (odds ratio [OR], 1.91; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.56-2.33), smoking status (past, OR, 1.22; 95% CI, 0.97-1.52; current, OR, 1.82; 95% CI, 1.36-2.46), caffeine use (OR, 0.75; 95% CI, 0.61-0.91), history of thyroid disease (OR, 1.41; 95% CI, 1.09-1.84), history of gout (OR, 1.42; 95% CI, 1.02-1.96), total to high-density lipoprotein cholesterol ratio (OR, for 1 unit, 0.93; 95% CI, 0.88-0.99), diabetes (OR, 1.38; 95% CI, 1.03-1.86), and multivitamin use (past, OR, 1.35; 95% CI, 1. 01-1.81; current, OR, 1.41; 95% CI, 1.09-1.82). Nonsignificant variables included body mass; blood pressure; white blood cell count; hematocrit; history of osteoporosis, stroke, or cardiovascular disease; history of allergies; use of antihistamines, parasympathetics, antidepressants, diuretics, antiemetics, or other drying drugs; alcohol consumption; time spent outdoors; maculopathy; central cataract; and lens surgery. CONCLUSION The results suggest several factors, such as smoking, caffeine use, and multivitamin use, could be studied for preventive or therapeutic efficacy. Arch Ophthalmol. 2000;118:1264-1268
AGRICULTURAL THEME ROUTES AS A DIVERSIFICATION STRATEGY: THE WESTERN CAPE WINE ROUTES CASE STUDY

Abstract Agritourism implies specific positive contributions towards the utilisation of natural resources and the stabilising of farm income at micro-level, as well as contributing towards broadening the experiences of visiting tourists. Within this arena of agritourism, the product route phenomena have a somewhat unique character in the sense that three goals are combined namely tourism, produce sales and product brand promotion. The wine routes of the Western Cape that evolved through the years each present a distinct character to its visitors. A study of these routes revealed various interesting facts about modus operandi, problems and achievements, which is of significant value to those interested in establishing similar routes. There seems to be similarities in the reasons for the establishment of each route, being mostly that of the regional promotion of brand names and the promotion of the area itself, as well as promoting product sales. This case study of the Western Cape wine routes provides sound principles and inputs for the development of both the local tourism and local agricultural sectors in the endeavour to improve the quality of life for all through a strong and healthy, sustainable agritourism sector.
Career Development and Employee Participation: Current Trends and Their Implications

Employee participation or industrial democracy represents an area of knowledge and practice which has resulted from the attempts of behavioural scientists, employers, unions and governments, to solve some of the people‐based problems at work — labour turnover, absence from work, resistance to change, strikes, and low productivity. In recent years psychologists and others working within personnel departments, consulting firms and academic institutions have been pushing career planning and development as an additional remedy for some of these problems.
The Lifelong Learning Sector and the Development of Hong Kong as A Regional Education Hub: Is Government Policy Rhetoric or Reality?

In this article the researcher sets out to investigate the development of lifelong learning policy in Hong Kong. The policy analysis is focused specifically on the Hong Kong Government’s policy for Hong Kong to be a Regional Education Hub. Qualitative data was gathered using questionnaire surveys of leading local and overseas lifelong learning providers, through semi-structured interviews with experts who are leading practitioners in the field, and, through analysis of policy documents. The research highlights the extent of non-local provision of higher education in Hong Kong by the lifelong learning sector in association with overseas institutions. The study also shows that despite the policy rhetoric Hong Kong could not currently be described as a regional hub for education although all those experts surveyed consider Hong Kong well placed to develop as an education hub and were surprised that more has not been done.
Efficient quadratic approximation of floating strike Asian option values

Asian option pricing is difficult because the underlying average does not have a well known distribution. For large averaging times, the distribution and option price do have known limiting forms but perversely, Asian options are more difficult to price the shorter and less volatile the situation. Moreover floating strike options are more difficult to price than fixed strike because a joint distribution is required in the former. In this paper we provide an efficient method for floating strike options that works well for the low and medium volatility as well a finite maturity cases, because the method is based on the first few terms only of a series expansion of the underlying variable in volatility. As well as complementing other numerical techniques our method is fast and efficient compared to the Monte Carlo benchmark method adopted.
Transcervical sampling as a means of detection of fetal cells during the first trimester of pregnancy.

OBJECTIVE Our aim was to evaluate the detection of fetal cells from transcervical samples by means of fluorescence in situ hybridization analysis. STUDY DESIGN Forty-seven women undergoing first-trimester termination of pregnancy were recruited for transcervical sampling and 16 were recruited for endocervical mucus aspiration. Subjects were asked to assess the discomfort of the procedure. Fluorescence in situ hybridization analyses were performed with X and Y chromosome-specific probes. Results were compared with those of conventional chromosomal analysis. RESULTS Male signals (XY) were observed in 19 of 25 male fetuses (76%), and female signals (XX) were observed in 21 of 22 female fetuses. There was a significant variation between operators in cell retrieval. With mucus aspiration only 37.5% of male fetuses were correctly identified. The subjects did not find the procedure uncomfortable and reported that it was comparable to having a cervical smear taken. CONCLUSIONS Transcervical irrigation correctly identified the sex of 76% of male fetuses, but it still has considerable operator variability. This variability might be reduced by improved catheter design.
Functional impairment in TMJ patient and nonpatient groups according to a disability index and symptom profile.

AbstractSymptom prevalence figures tend to exaggerate the problem of TMJ disorders. An index based on disability was constructed as an improved measure, consolidating symptom intensity, frequency, and functional impairment.Thereby 80% of TMJ patients were experiencing significant disability. This figure reaffirms the need for better recognition in treatment support for these patients.According to the index, 8% to 10% of a nonpatient group had equivalent severity, but this was weighted by the frequency of TMJ clicking, while accompanying pain and interference were infrequent. TMJ clicking without pain or symptom progression is probably not a strong indication of need for treatment.Sixty-five percent of the patients, compared to only 5% in the control population, reported specific disturbance of jaw function. Women in both groups reported significantly more severe symptoms.Importantly, all indices suffer from not being diagnosis-specific. The benefits of an alternative symptom profile are proposed and discu.
An evidence-based approach to globally assess the covariate-dependent effect of the MTHFR single nucleotide polymorphism rs1801133 on blood homocysteine: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background The single nucleotide polymorphism of the gene 5,10-methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) C677T (or rs1801133) is the most established genetic factor that increases plasma total homocysteine (tHcy) and consequently results in hyperhomocysteinemia. Yet, given the limited penetrance of this genetic variant, it is necessary to individually predict the risk of hyperhomocysteinemia for an rs1801133 carrier. Objective We hypothesized that variability in this genetic risk is largely due to the presence of factors (covariates) that serve as effect modifiers, confounders, or both, such as folic acid (FA) intake, and aimed to assess this risk in the complex context of these covariates. Design We systematically extracted from published studies the data on tHcy, rs1801133, and any previously reported rs1801133 covariates. The resulting metadata set was first used to analyze the covariates' modifying effect by meta-regression and other statistical means. Subsequently, we controlled for this modifying effect by genotype-stratifying tHcy data and analyzed the variability in the risk resulting from the confounding of covariates. Results The data set contains data on 36 rs1801133 covariates that were collected from 114,799 participants and 256 qualified studies, among which 6 covariates (sex, age, race, FA intake, smoking, and alcohol consumption) are the most frequently informed and therefore included for statistical analysis. The effect of rs1801133 on tHcy exhibits significant variability that can be attributed to effect modification as well as confounding by these covariates. Via statistical modeling, we predicted the covariate-dependent risk of tHcy elevation and hyperhomocysteinemia in a systematic manner. Conclusions We showed an evidence-based approach that globally assesses the covariate-dependent effect of rs1801133 on tHcy. The results should assist clinicians in interpreting the rs1801133 data from genetic testing for their patients. Such information is also important for the public, who increasingly receive genetic data from commercial services without interpretation of its clinical relevance. This study was registered at Research Registry with the registration number reviewregistry328.
Methylation profiling in individuals with Russell–Silver syndrome

Russell–Silver syndrome (RSS) is a heterogeneous disorder associated with pre‐ and post‐natal growth restriction and relative macrocephaly. Involvement of imprinted genes on both chromosome 7 and 11p15.5 has been reported. To further characterize the role of epimutations in RSS we evaluated the methylation status at both 11p15.5 imprinting control regions (ICRs): ICR1 associated with H19/IGF2 expression and ICR2 (KvDMR1) associated with CDKN1C expression in a series of 35 patients with RSS. We also evaluated methylation at the promoter regions of other imprinted genes involved in growth such as PLAGL1 (6q24), GCE (7q21), and PEG10 (7q21) in this series of 35 patients with RSS. Thirteen of the 35 patient samples, but none of 22 controls, showed methylation levels at ICR1 that were more than 2 SD below the mean for controls. Three RSS patients were highly methylated at the SCGE promoter, all of which were diagnosed with upd(7)mat. To identify further potential global methylation changes in RSS patients, a subset of 22 patients were evaluated at 1505 CpG sites by the Illumina GoldenGate methylation array. Among the few CpG sites displaying a significant difference between RSS patients and controls, was a CpG associated with the H19 promoter. No other sites associated with known imprinted genes were identified as abnormally methylated in RSS patients by this approach. While the association of hypomethylation of the H19/IGF2 ICR1 is clear, the continuous distribution of methylation values among the patients and controls complicates the establishment of clear cut‐offs for clinical diagnosis. © 2010 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
How Districts Allocate Educational Resources in Rhode Island

Considerable debate has taken place regarding the amount, adequacy, and effectiveness of funding public schools. At the macro level, research is mixed as to whether increased funding is associated with improved student performance. In some specific cases, such as increased funding for lower class size and early childhood education, spending on specific activities has shown to be effective. This study examined whether spending categories are associated with academic performance. Spending allocations and student performance were examined at the school level for the school years 2004-05 through 2007-08. Spending data was obtained through the Rhode Island Department of Education In$ight financial system. Student performance on the New England Common Assessment Program was used. Two models were employed: Model 1 examined the aggregate figures for the four years of data regression with a robust estimator to examine the association of the spending categories and achievement accounting for poverty. Model 2 used multiple regression with a differencing model in an attempt to control for unobserved factors such as teacher quality. The results of the differencing Model 2 were not conclusive. Model 1 showed that spending for direct classroom instruction was a significant predictor of student achievement. Poverty was also identified as significantly negatively associated with student performance. All other allocations were either negatively associated or not associated with student performance.
[Amplitude Changes of Low Frequency Fluctuation in Brain Spontaneous Nervous Activities Induced by Needling at Hand Taiyin Lung Channel].

OBJECTIVE To observe amplitude changes of low frequency fluctuation in brain spontaneous nervous activities induced by needling at Hand Taiyin Lung Channel, and to preliminarily explore the possible brain function network of Hand Taiyin Lung Channel. METHODS By using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), 16 healthy volunteers underwent resting-state scanning (R1) and scanning with retained acupuncture at Hand Taiyin Lung Channel (acupuncture, AP). Data of fMRI collected were statistically calculated using amplitude of low frequency fluctuations (ALFF). RESULTS Under R1 significantly enhanced ALFF occurred in right precuneus, left inferior parietal lobule, bilateral superior temporal gyrus, bilateral middle frontal gyrus, left superior frontal gyrus, left inferior frontal gyrus, left medial frontal gyrus. Under AP significantly enhanced ALFF occurred in right precuneus, bilateral superior frontal gyrus, cerebellum, bilateral middle frontal gyrus, right medial frontal gyrus, and so on. Compared with R1, needing at Hand Taiyin Lung Channel could significantly enhance ALFF in right gyrus subcallosum and right inferior frontal gyrus. Significant decreased ALFF appeared in right postcentral gyrus, left precuneus, left superior temporal gyrus, left middle temporal gyrus, and so on. CONCLUSION Needing at Hand Taiyin Lung Channel could significantly change fixed activities of cerebral cortex, especially in right subcallosal gyrus, right inferior frontal gyrus, and so on.
Low serum testosterone: a special feature of hepatocellular carcinoma.

OBJECTIVES The possible role of sex hormone imbalance in hepatocellular carcinogenesis was investigated. PATIENTS AND METHODS Ten men with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and cirrhosis, 10 men with HCC without cirrhosis, 12 men with cirrhosis of various aetiologies, 8 men with secondary liver tumours and 10 normal men were studied. Plasma levels of testosterone, androstenedione, oestradiol, sex hormone binding globulin follicle stimulating hormone and luteinizing hormone were determined for all patients. RESULTS Patients of all groups had comparable levels of oestradiol, androstenedione, sex hormone binding globulin, luteinizing hormone and follicle stimulating hormone. Low testosterone values in the serum were found for all patients with primary liver disease. Low testosterone was found even in patients with primary HCC who did not have cirrhosis or liver failure serious enough as to be responsible for the reduction of testosterone levels. On the other hand patients suffering from secondary liver tumours had normal values of serum testosterone. CONCLUSIONS These results present an indication that low serum testosterone is a special feature of hepatocellular carcinoma.
Brunner's gland adenoma: A rare cause of vomiting

Upper gastrointestinal system adenoma is generally seen amongst elderly patients and quite rarely seen during the childhood. A 14‐y‐old female patient was referred to our hospital with complaints of vomiting and abdominal pain. She had been followed up for 6 y with the diagnosis of familial intermittent fever and chronic renal failure due to amyloidosis. Endoscopic examination of the upper gastrointestinal system revealed mild hyperaemia in the corpus and antrum, and a polyp of 0.5×0.5 cm with an ulcerated and pedunculated top in the bulbus. Brunner's gland adenoma was diagnosed by the histopathological examination of the lesion following polypectomy.