Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Thirty-four patients with carcinoma of the cervical esophagus treated with chemoradiation therapy.

OBJECTIVE To review the experience of 2 institutions in the management of localized carcinoma of the cervical esophagus with chemoradiation therapy. DESIGN A series of 34 patients received chemoradiation therapy for a 5-year period. All patients were treated with curative intent. Three different regimens were used, all involving concomitant chemotherapy and high-dose radiation therapy. Data relating to toxic effects, local control of disease, and disease-free and overall survival were prospectively collected. SETTING Two combined clinics at separate major hospitals where multidisciplinary care is the standard practice for this disease. PATIENTS Patients with biopsy-proved carcinoma of the cervical esophagus. INTERVENTIONS Patients received 3 different chemotherapy regimens. Two of the regimens used a combination of cisplatin and fluorouracil. The high-dose cisplatin regimen was a large dose of cisplatin (80 mg/m2) given on days 1 and 22 followed by a 96-hour infusion of fluorouracil (800 mg/m2) from days 2 to 5 and from days 23 to 26. The low-dose cisplatin regimen was cisplatin, 20 mg/m2, from days 1 to 5 and from days 22 to 26 and the same 96-hour infusion of fluorouracil. The third regimen used fluorouracil alone. The mean radiation dose administered was 61.2 Gy in 29.6 fractions during 41.8 days using 4- or 6-mV photons and a shrinking field technique. RESULTS The results of treatment have shown a high rate of local control, although some patients developed metastases. The local complete response rate following treatment was 91%, and the rate of local control of disease was 88%. The projected actuarial 5-year survival rate was 55%. Death from other causes was common. The acute toxic effects of the treatment were acceptable, with only 5 patients requiring nasogastric feeding or gavage. Two patients died of complications related to strictures. CONCLUSION Concomitant chemoradiation therapy, should be the treatment of choice for carcinoma of the cervical esophagus.
T Lymphocytes Apoptosis and Mitochondrial Membrane Potential in Down's Syndrome

The increased susceptibility to infection, malignancies, and autoimmune disease, suggest that immunodeficiency is an integral part of Down's syndrome (DS). Little is known about the mitochondrial damage and tendency to apoptosis in peripheral T lymphocyte cells in DS. We studied 30 children with DS and 30 normal children, 15 of each group having no evidence of acute infection and 15 with acute infection. Potential apoptosis and membrane mitochondrial potential (MMP) were measured by flow cytometry. T lymphocytes in peripheral blood from DS patients do not display an increased tendency to undergo apoptosis, although a significant loss of MMP was found.
The Association between Technological Conditions and the Market Value of Equity

The objective of this study is to provide evidence on how technological innovation conditions underlying the firm's investments drive earnings growth and, hence, market value of equity. Technologies develop and flourish or die out through the combined investment decisions of those firms doing the inventing, and those firms that adopt those inventions, and thereby help to spread (or diffuse) the innovations into wider use. Hence, technology is important for the investment decisions of all firms, regardless of whether they patent. We focus on three aggregate measures of technological innovation conditions: the success rate of past technological investments, technology complexity, and the technology development period. We use the interactions between each of these three conditions with earnings to capture the combined effect on market value of a firm's technological innovation environment. Our sample comprises 12,594 U.S. firm years for the period 1990–2000 including firms actively producing new technologies.
Economic resilience and entrepreneurship: lessons from the Sheffield City Region

This article examines the relationship between economic resilience and entrepreneurship in city regions. Resilience is an emerging concept which has been employed to examine economic performance and responsiveness to exogenous shocks such as financial crisis and recession. Drawing on a literature review of academic articles in this emerging field and interviews with policy-makers in the Sheffield City Region of England, the article examines how entrepreneurship is central to sustain a dynamic economy and demonstrates that it is being fore-fronted in policy debates as a key aspect in creating more resilient economies. The article finds that entrepreneurship is integral to promoting the diversification and capacity building of regional economies, traits which are characteristic of (more) resilient economies. We advance the emerging literature through the development of a conceptual framework to highlight the links between economic resilience and entrepreneurship. In doing so, the article argues that entrepreneurship is critical to the restructuring and adaptation of local (city region) economies and draws out a series of recommendations concerning the wider policy implications of the study.
Deoxyribonucleotides as genetic and metabolic regulators

For > 35 yr, we have known that the accuracy of DNA replication is controlled in large part by the relative concentrations of the 4 canonical deoxyribonucleoside 5'‐triphosphates (dNTPs) at the replisome. Since this field was last reviewed, ~8 yr ago, there has been increased understanding of the mutagenic pathways as they occur in living cells. At the same time, aspects of deoxyribonucleotide metabolism have been shown to be critically involved in processes as diverse as cell cycle control, protooncogene expression, cellular defense against HIV infection, replication rate control, telomere length control, and mitochondrial function. Evidence supports a relationship between dNTP pools and microsatellite repeat instability. Relationships between dNTP synthesis and breakdown in controlling steady‐state pools have become better defined. In addition, new experimental approaches have allowed definitive analysis of mutational pathways induced by dNTP pool abnormalities, both in Escherichia coli and in yeast. Finally, ribonucleoside triphosphate (rNTP) pools have been shown to be critical determinants of DNA replication fidelity. These developments are discussed in this review article. —Mathews, C. K. Deoxyribonucleotides as genetic and metabolic regulators. FASEB J. 28, 3832‐3840 (2014). www.fasebj. org
A Study of Consumer Attitudes Regarding Variability of Menu Offerings in the Context of an Upscale Seafood Restaurant

ABSTRACT This study focuses on an examination of the variability aspect of menu content over time with an investigation of consumer attitudes and preferences regarding the daily variability of restaurant menus at the upper end of the market. A review of menu-oriented literature was carried out with a focus on menu content and variety. Insights were also drawn from the consumer variety-seeking literature in marketing. Consumer perceptions and attitudes were then investigated using structured scripted interviews with 100 adults over 25 years of age considered to be in the target market of an upscale seafood restaurant. Data were collected regarding overall appeal, likelihood of patronage, desirability, uniqueness, and menu preference. The results of the study indicate that in a forced-choice paired-comparison, a restaurant concept and menu alternative offering a daily varying menu, was preferred by subjects over one with a fixed menu under three differing conditions. However, results using scale measures of overall appeal and likelihood of patronage did not support a significant difference between the two menus. Implications of the findings for menu content considerations are presented and discussed.
ICTs for the Broader Development of South Africa: An Analysis of the Literature

The purpose of this research is to ascertain whether Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) have been valuable in the provision of broader development to South African citizens. A qualitative thematic analysis was conducted on data in the form of peer reviewed academic literature. The data is therefore not primary as the works of authors are subjected to the relative and subjective scrutiny of the authors themselves (Walsham, 1995). Thus the underlying philosophy of the study is one of an interpretivism nature. The study found that ICT has been a key contributor to development in areas such as agricultural supply chains and also served as a key enabler in the provision of health care for the poor. The study also found that ICTs are an integral part of development policies aimed at bettering the lives of the poor. However, an understanding of the context in which ICTs are implemented is vital in ensuring the success of ICT projects. The analysis and understanding of exactly how ICTs contribute towards development can provide a basis from which further studies can be conducted and also provide a pragmatic insight into how development can be achieved through the use of ICTs. The study highlights avenues for future research, especially with regards to ICTs for the development of South Africa and the role ICT plays in improving civil society.
[Outbreak of human rotavirus infection in an adult community].

INTRODUCTION Group A rotaviruses are known as the major cause of severe dehydrating diarrhoea in infants. AIMS In adults, the rotavirus infections are usually asymptomatic. In the present study the authors report a group A rotavirus outbreak in a psychiatric nursing home for adults. RESULTS The outbreak lasted 3 weeks; the attack rate was 20%. The mean age of patients was 39 y (range 21 to 65; n = 25). The symptoms were mild, and most of the patients recovered within 2 or 3 days. The epidemiological data suggested that the virus was introduced by a patient, and it was transmitted by person-to-person route. Rotavirus positive specimens were characterised by serotyping and electropherotyping. The serotype-specific monoclonal antibody immunoassay demonstrated the circulation of a common strain with G1 specificity. These samples shared identical genome profile with strains circulated in the paediatric communities of the country. CONCLUSION In Hungary, this is the first published gastroenteritis outbreak among adults caused by group A rotaviruses with G1 serotype specificity.
Methodology for quantitative assessment of fault tolerance of the multi-state safety-critical systems with functional redundancy

This paper describes a methodology of quantitative assessment of the fault tolerance of the multi-state safety-critical systems with functional redundancy. Such systems are the traction drives of electrical vehicles, consisting of the multiphase traction electric motor and multilevel electric inverter. It is suggested to consider such traction drive as a system with several degraded states. As a comprehensive parameter for the quantitative evaluating the fault tolerance, it is proposed to use the criterion of degree of the fault tolerance. For the approbation of proposed methodology, based on the multi-state system reliability Markov Model, the fault tolerance assessment of the traction train of an electrical helicopter has been carried out.
Outcome of emergency caesarean sections in Calabar, Nigeria: Impact of the seniority of the medical team

Summary We set out to assess the maternal outcome of emergency caesarean sections in University of Calabar Teaching Hospital (UCTH) in relationship to the seniority and experience of medical personnel involved in the operation. This was a review of 349 cases of emergency caesarean sections in UCTH over a 2-year period (January 2000–December 2001). The sociodemographic data, antenatal booking status and clinical condition of the patients as well as the seniority of the medical staff who participated in the operations were extracted from the case notes of the patients. A total of 280 (80.0%) booked patients and 69 (20.0%) unbooked mothers were delivered by emergency caesarean sections. The consultants performed only 16.4% of the emergency caesarean sections, while the residents performed 83.6%. Similarly consultant anaesthetists administered anaesthesia in 12.9% of the cases. A total of 12 maternal deaths occurred from emergency caesarean sections in which six (1.7%) were due to sepsis, three (0.8%) due to severe haemorrhage and three (0.8%) due to anaesthetic complications. None of the deaths occurred in operations in which consultant obstetricians and anaesthetists were involved. The intraoperative blood loss was more in operations performed by the residents than in those performed by the consultants. Similarly, morbidity was higher in patients operated upon by residents. The maternal morbidity and mortality associated with emergency caesarean sections in UCTH would be reduced significantly if consultant obstetricians and anaesthetists were more involved in these operative procedures.
On the existence of 'fast' and ‘slow' directionally sensitive motion detector neurons in insects

In a fly, butterfly, locust and dragonfly we examined the responses of a variety of directional motionsensitive neurons which run from the brain down the ventral cord. The stimulus was a sinusoidally modulated moving pattern of regular stripes presented at a range of velocities in random order for either 0.1 s or 2.0 s. The response was measured as the total number of spikes to each stimulus. The neurons fall into two groups, ‘fast’ and ‘slow’. The responses of the fast type rise progressively to a peak contrast frequency at 15—20 Hz for all four insects, and decline at higher contrast frequencies. The responses of slow neurons rise rapidly to a peak at 1—10 Hz and then decline more slowly across the range where the fast neurons are at their peak. The existence of two groups of neurons with overlapping response ranges to different velocities of the same pattern, presented in exactly the same way, provides the insect with a means of measuring angular velocity irrespective of contrast, spatial frequency or intensity. As an input mechanism it is proposed that there are two types of unit motion detector, fast and slow, the latter being the main input to the optomotor system. It is also argued that even these inputs are not sufficient to provide a mechanism for the whole repertoire of normal insect vision.
Financial Constraints, Aggregate Supply, and the Monetary Transmission Mechanism

The authors derive two propositions identifying the conditions for monetary policy effectiveness due to the interaction of real and financial markets. The first proposition shows that, in a regime of endogenous money, monetary policy is effective even if policy moves are anticipated because changes in the interest rate impinge upon long-run output. The second proposition shows that in a regime of exogenous money--in which the Central Bank controls base money and structural parameters affecting the behavior of banks--monetary policy affects output if its impact on money is different from its impact on credit. Copyright 1997 by Blackwell Publishers Ltd and The Victoria University of Manchester
LaSalle-Type Theorem and Its Applications to Infinite Horizon Optimal Control of Discrete-Time Nonlinear Stochastic Systems

Based on discrete martingale theory, the LaSalle-type theorem for general discrete-time stochastic systems is obtained and the almost sure stability is in turn discussed. As applications, infinite horizon nonlinear optimal regulator is investigated, and a dynamical programming equation called the Hamilton-Jacobi-Bellman equation is also derived for discrete-time nonlinear stochastic optimal control.
Destination marketing organisations—Connecting the experience rather than promoting the place

Destination marketing organisations (DMOs) have long been structured and their strategies influenced by traditional distribution processes and passive customers. Now things have changed, with the customer taking over the process and rendering the previously normal processes redundant. DMOs need to get away from promoting the destination to a mass market and relying on an outdated distribution system, and instead engage the customer to ensure they effectively promote and provide the experience they are wanting. This will require a major change in the role, the structure and the skills of destination marketing organisations.
How related are interbank and lending interest rates? Evidence on selected EU countries

This paper investigates the nature of the causal relationships among interbank market interest rates and corporate loans interest rates in four countries from the euro area (Austria, Belgium, France and Italy), and in the Czech Republic. The paper also estimates a development of bank credit margin in banking industries of these countries in period from January 2004 to March 2010. Using Johansen cointegration and Granger causality tests on monthly data we investigate long-term as well as short-term causalities between the interest rates. The results suggest that interest rate relationships differ in all selected countries, and also that foreign majority owners of the Czech banks could affect interest rate policy of the subsidiaries to offset losses realized by the parent banks.
Abnormalities in serum biomarkers correlate with lower cardiac index in the Fontan population

Background Fontan survivors have depressed cardiac index that worsens over time. Serum biomarker measurement is minimally invasive, rapid, widely available, and may be useful for serial monitoring. The purpose of this study was to identify biomarkers that correlate with lower cardiac index in Fontan patients. Methods and results This study was a multi-centre case series assessing the correlations between biomarkers and cardiac magnetic resonance-derived cardiac index in Fontan patients ⩾6 years of age with biochemical and haematopoietic biomarkers obtained ±12 months from cardiac magnetic resonance. Medical history and biomarker values were obtained by chart review. Spearman’s Rank correlation assessed associations between biomarker z-scores and cardiac index. Biomarkers with significant correlations had receiver operating characteristic curves and area under the curve estimated. In total, 97 cardiac magnetic resonances in 87 patients met inclusion criteria: median age at cardiac magnetic resonance was 15 (6–33) years. Significant correlations were found between cardiac index and total alkaline phosphatase (−0.26, p=0.04), estimated creatinine clearance (0.26, p=0.02), and mean corpuscular volume (−0.32, p<0.01). Area under the curve for the three individual biomarkers was 0.63–0.69. Area under the curve for the three-biomarker panel was 0.75. Comparison of cardiac index above and below the receiver operating characteristic curve-identified cut-off points revealed significant differences for each biomarker (p<0.01) and for the composite panel [median cardiac index for higher-risk group=2.17 L/minute/m2 versus lower-risk group=2.96 L/minute/m2, (p<0.01)]. Conclusions Higher total alkaline phosphatase and mean corpuscular volume as well as lower estimated creatinine clearance identify Fontan patients with lower cardiac index. Using biomarkers to monitor haemodynamics and organ-specific effects warrants prospective investigation.
Genetic determinants of diabetes are similarly associated with other immune-mediated diseases

Purpose of reviewI discuss the increasing number of genes discovered to exert pleiotropic action on susceptibility to diabetes and simultaneously to other immune-mediated diseases. While a genetic correlation between type 1 diabetes and autoimmunity is not surprising, the mechanism of a relationship to other conditions such as atopy is less obvious. The recent wave of genome-wide association studies offers confirmation of previously recognized risk loci, but also novel loci that also are likely to act via multiple pathogenetic pathways. I will review this material more in a genetical than an immunological way. Recent findingsIdentification of IFIH1, an RNA helicase involved in the innate immune response to viral infection as a risk factor for type 1 diabetes and rheumatoid arthritis. Confirmation of the roles of CTLA4 and PTPN22 as general immune function modulators with a nonlinear dose–response effect on autoimmunity, and confirmation of the role of IL2RA, which may act via a regulatory T cell subset on immune disease risk. Expansion of the role of PPARG in immunity. SummaryThe wave of genome-wide association studies already experienced in the last 2 years has solidified what we thought we knew and added a list of genes in new pathways. The association of IFIH1 with type 1 diabetes may offer a real window into early events in the development of that disease.
Elevated tumour necrosis factor‐alpha (TNF‐α) biological activity in psoriatic skin lesions

Lesions of the common inflammatory skin disease psoriasis are characterized by epidermal hyperproliferation, leucocyte adhesion molecule expression and leucocyte infiltration. The local release of proinflammatory cytokines. such as TNF‐α, may play an important role in the induction of these events. We have, therefore, analysed aqueous extracts of lesional and uninvolved (clinically normal) stratum corneum for the presence of TNF‐α immunoreactivity and biological activity. TNF‐α immunoreactivity and bioactivity were consistently higher in lesional compared with uninvolved samples. By using an anti‐TNF‐α neutralizing antibody it was demonstrated that the biological activity measured was due to the presence of TNF‐α alone. Concentrations of soluble TNF receptors (p55 and p75) were also higher in lesional stratum corneum extracts, with the p55 form predominating. The plasma of psoriatic patients was also found to contain elevated concentrations of soluble p55 compared with normal controls. These results confirm the presence of immunoreactive TNF‐α and, for the first time, conclusively demonstrate TNF‐α biological activity and quantifiable concentrations of soluble TNF receptors (p55 and p75) in lesional psorialic samples. TNF‐α recovery from stratum corneum probably reflects synthesis in deeper, viable layers, where il is likely lo exert its biological effects. Local and systemic release of soluble TNF receplors, in particular p55, may serve to regulate the effects of TNF‐α in psoriasis.
The Equity Home Bias Puzzle: A Survey

Home bias - the empirical phenomenon that investors assign anomalously high weights to their own domestic assets - has puzzled academics for decades. Financial theory predicts that an internationally well diversified portfolio of stocks and short-term bonds can reduce risk significantly without affecting expected return. Although the globalization of international equity markets has increased international investments, equity portfolios remain severely home biased today, and no single explanation seems to solve the puzzle completely. In this paper, we first provide a thorough description of the equity home bias phenomenon by defining, discussing, and applying the competing measures and presenting some estimates of the costs of under-diversification. Second, we evaluate the explanations for the equity home bias proposed in the literature such as information asymmetries, behavioral aspects, barriers to foreign investment, and governance issues, and conclude that each explanation on its own falls short, suggesting that the equity home bias probably reflects a combination of factors. Lastly, we review the implications of international under-diversification for portfolio formation and the cost of capital of companies.