Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Pediatricians' Reported Practices in the Assessment and Treatment of Attention Deficit Disorders

This study examined, in a national survey, the assessment and treatment practices of pediatricians who care for children with attention deficit disorders (ADD). A questionnaire was sent to randomly selected members of the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), stratified by state. Of 417 (52%) responses returned, there were 290 (38%) completed questionnaires. It was found that most pediatricians did not utilize specific DSM-III criteria for ADD; however, they do rely on symptoms of distractibility, overactivity, and impulsivity, which are the behaviors central to the DSM-III diagnosis. In addition, learning difficulties were felt to be contributory. Parents were the most frequently reported sources of information about a child's behavior, but the histories provided by teachers, and psychoeducational reports, also were sought frequently. Many pediatricians still use diagnostic procedures that have recently come under question, such as soft neuroligic signs, activity level in the office, and response to stimulant medication. Methylphenidate and behavior modification were the most frequent therapies employed. Over half of the respondents use periodic reevaluation with rating scales to determine medication efficacy, but very few use placebo trials. More recently trained pediatricians tended to rely more on behavioral treatments than did earlier trained physicians. J Dev Behav Pediatr 8:191–197, 1987. Index terms: attention deficit disorder.
A powerful test for Balaam's design

The crossover trial design (AB/BA design) is often used to compare the effects of two treatments in medical science because it performs within‐subject comparisons, which increase the precision of a treatment effect (i.e., a between‐treatment difference). However, the AB/BA design cannot be applied in the presence of carryover effects and/or treatments‐by‐period interaction. In such cases, Balaam's design is a more suitable choice. Unlike the AB/BA design, Balaam's design inflates the variance of an estimate of the treatment effect, thereby reducing the statistical power of tests. This is a serious drawback of the design. Although the variance of parameter estimators in Balaam's design has been extensively studied, the estimators of the treatment effect to improve the inference have received little attention. If the estimate of the treatment effect is obtained by solving the mixed model equations, the AA and BB sequences are excluded from the estimation process. In this study, we develop a new estimator of the treatment effect and a new test statistic using the estimator. The aim is to improve the statistical inference in Balaam's design. Simulation studies indicate that the type I error of the proposed test is well controlled, and that the test is more powerful and has more suitable characteristics than other existing tests when interactions are substantial. The proposed test is also applied to analyze a real dataset. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Good deal measurement in asset pricing: Actuarial and financial implications

We will integrate in a single optimization problem a risk measure beyond the variance and either arbitrage free real market quotations or financial pricing rules generated by an arbitrage free stochastic pricing model. A sequence of investment strategies such that the couple (risk; price) diverges to (-∞, -∞) will be called good deal. We will see that good deals often exist in practice, and the paper main objective will be to measure the good deal size. The provided good deal measures will equal an optimal ratio between both risk and price, and there will exist alternative interpretations of these measures. They will also provide the minimum relative (per dollar) price modification that prevents the good deal existence. Moreover, they will be a crucial instrument to detect those securities or marketed claims which are over or under-priced. Many classical actuarial and financial optimization problems may generate wrong solutions if the used market quotations or stochastic pricing models do not prevent the good deal existence. This fact will be illustrated in the paper, and it will be pointed out how the provided good deal measurement may be useful to overcome this caveat. Numerical experiments will be yielded as well.
The recognition and removal of cellular poly(ADP‐ribose) signals

Poly(ADP‐ribosyl)ation is involved in the regulation of a variety of cellular pathways, including, but not limited to, transcription, chromatin, DNA damage and other stress signalling. Similar to other tightly regulated post‐translational modifications, poly(ADP‐ribosyl)ation employs ‘writers’, ‘readers’ and ‘erasers’ to confer regulatory functions. The generation of poly(ADP‐ribose) is catalyzed by poly(ADP‐ribose) polymerase enzymes, which use NAD+ as a cofactor to sequentially transfer ADP‐ribose units generating long polymers, which, in turn, can affect protein function or serve as a recruitment platform for additional factors. Historically, research has focused on poly(ADP‐ribose) generation pathways, with knowledge about PAR recognition and degradation lagging behind. Over recent years, several discoveries have significantly furthered our understanding of poly(ADP‐ribose) recognition and, even more so, of poly(ADP‐ribose) degradation. In this review, we summarize current knowledge about the protein modules recognizing poly(ADP‐ribose) and discuss the newest developments on the complete reversibility of poly(ADP‐ribosyl)ation.
Developing imaging strategies for castration resistant prostate cancer

Abstract Recent advances in the understanding of castrate-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) have lead to a growing number of experimental therapies, many of which are directed against the androgen-receptor (AR) signaling axis. These advances generate the need for reliable molecular imaging biomarkers to non-invasively determine efficacy, and to better guide treatment selection of these promising AR-targeted drugs. Methods. We draw on our own experience, supplemented by review of the current literature, to discuss the systematic development of imaging biomarkers for use in the context of CRPC, with a focus on bone scintigraphy, F-18 fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG)-positron emission tomography (PET) and PET imaging of the AR signaling axis. Results. The roadmap to biomarker development mandates rigorous standardization and analytic validation of an assay before it can be qualified successfully for use in an appropriate clinical context. The Prostate Cancer Working Group 2 (PCWG2) criteria for “radiographic” progression by bone scintigraphy serve as a paradigm of this process. Implemented by the Prostate Cancer Clinical Trials Consortium (PCCTC), these consensus criteria may ultimately enable the co-development of more potent and versatile molecular imaging biomarkers. Purported to be superior to single-photon bone scanning, the added value of Na18F-PET for imaging of bone metastases is still uncertain. FDG-PET already plays an integral role in the management of many diseases, but requires further evaluation before being qualified in the context of CRPC. PET tracers that probe the AR signaling axis, such as 18F-FDHT and 89Zr-591, are now under development as pharmacodynamic markers, and as markers of efficacy, in tandem with FDG-PET. Semi-automated analysis programs for facilitating PET interpretation may serve as a valuable tool to help navigate the biomarker roadmap. Conclusions. Molecular imaging strategies, particularly those that probe the AR signaling axis, have the potential to accelerate drug development in CRPC. The development and use of analytically valid imaging biomarkers will increase the likelihood of clinical qualification, and ultimately lead to improved patient outcomes.
Experiences of Women with Breast Cancer: Exchanging Social Support over the CHESS Computer Network

Using an existential¨phenomenological approach, this paper describes how women with breast cancer experience the giving and receiving of social support in a computer-mediated context. Women viewed their experiences with the computer mediated support group as an additional and unique source of support in facing their illness. Anonymity within the support group fostered equalized participation and allowed women to communicate in ways that would have been more difficult in a face-to-face context. The asynchronous communication was a frustration to some participants, but some indicated that the format allowed for more thoughtful inter action. Motivations for seeking social support appeared to be a dynamic process, with a consistent progression from a position of receiving support to that of giving support. The primary benefits women received from participation in the group were communicating with other people who shared similar problems and helping others, which allowed them to change their focus from a preoccupation with their own sickness to thinking of others. Consistent with past research is the finding that women in this study expressed that social support is a multidimensional phenomenon and that their computer-mediated support group provided abundant emotional support, encouragement, and informational support. Excerpts from the phenomenological interviews are used to review and highlight key theoretical concepts from the research literatures on computer-mediated communication, social support, and the psychosocial needs of women with breast cancer.
Predicting Performance and Injury Resilience From Movement Quality and Fitness Scores in a Basketball Team Over 2 Years

Abstract McGill, SM, Andersen, JT, Horne, AD. Predicting performance and injury resilience from movement quality and fitness scores in a basketball team over 2 years. J Strength Cond Res 26(7): 1731–1739, 2012—The purpose of this study was to see if specific tests of fitness and movement quality could predict injury resilience and performance in a team of basketball players over 2 years (2 playing seasons). It was hypothesized that, in a basketball population, movement and fitness scores would predict performance scores and that movement and fitness scores would predict injury resilience. A basketball team from a major American university (N = 14) served as the test population in this longitudinal trial. Variables linked to fitness, movement ability, speed, strength, and agility were measured together with some National Basketball Association (NBA) combine tests. Dependent variables of performance indicators (such as games and minutes played, points scored, assists, rebounds, steal, and blocks) and injury reports were tracked for the subsequent 2 years. Results showed that better performance was linked with having a stiffer torso, more mobile hips, weaker left grip strength, and a longer standing long jump, to name a few. Of the 3 NBA combine tests administered here, only a faster lane agility time had significant links with performance. Some movement qualities and torso endurance were not linked. No patterns with injury emerged. These observations have implications for preseason testing and subsequent training programs in an attempt to reduce future injury and enhance playing performance.
Multipotent CNS Stem Cells Are Present in the Adult Mammalian Spinal Cord and Ventricular Neuroaxis

Neural stem cells in the lateral ventricles of the adult mouse CNS participate in repopulation of forebrain structures in vivo and are amenable to in vitro expansion by epidermal growth factor (EGF). There have been no reports of stem cells in more caudal brain regions or in the spinal cord of adult mammals. In this study we found that although ineffective alone, EGF and basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) cooperated to induce the proliferation, self-renewal, and expansion of neural stem cells isolated from the adult mouse thoracic spinal cord. The proliferating stem cells, in both primary culture and secondary expanded clones, formed spheres of undifferentiated cells that were induced to differentiate into neurons, astrocytes, and oligodendrocytes. Neural stem cells, whose proliferation was dependent on EGF+bFGF, were also isolated from the lumbar/sacral segment of the spinal cord as well as the third and fourth ventricles (but not adjacent brain parenchyma). Although all of the stem cells examined were similarly multipotent and expandable, quantitative analyses demonstrated that the lateral ventricles (EGF-dependent) and lumbar/sacral spinal cord (EGF+bFGF-dependent) yielded the greatest number of these cells. Thus, the spinal cord and the entire ventricular neuroaxis of the adult mammalian CNS contain multipotent stem cells, present at variable frequency and with unique in vitro activation requirements.
Wireless wearable photoplethysmography sensors for continuous blood pressure monitoring

Blood Pressure (BP) is a crucial vital sign taken into consideration for the general assessment of patient's condition: patients with hypertension or hypotension are advised to record their BP routinely. Particularly, hypertension is emphasized by stress, diabetic neuropathy and coronary heart diseases and could lead to stroke. Therefore, routine and long-term monitoring can enable early detection of symptoms and prevent life-threatening events. The gold standard method for measuring BP is the use of a stethoscope and sphygmomanometer to detect systolic and diastolic pressures. However, only discrete measurements are taken. To enable pervasive and continuous monitoring of BP, recent methods have been proposed: pulse arrival time (PAT) or PAT difference (PATD) between different body parts are based on the combination of electrocardiogram (ECG) and photoplethysmography (PPG) sensors. Nevertheless, this technique could be quite obtrusive as in addition to at least two contacts/electrodes to measure the differential voltage across the left arm/leg/chest and the right arm/leg/chest, ECG measurements are easily corrupted by motion artefacts. Although such devices are small, wearable and relatively convenient to use, most devices are not designed for continuous BP measurements. This paper introduces a novel PPG-based pervasive sensing platform for continuous measurements of BP. Based on the principle of using PAT to estimate BP, two PPG sensors are used to measure the PATD between the earlobe and the wrist to measure BP. The device is compared with a gold standard PPG sensor and validation of the concept is conducted with a preliminary study involving 9 healthy subjects. Results show that the mean BP and PATD are correlated with a 0.3 factor. This preliminary study shows the feasibility of continuous monitoring of BP using a pair of PPG placed on the ear lobe and wrist with PATD measurements is possible.
Bacterial Population Dynamics in Dairy Waste during Aerobic and Anaerobic Treatment and Subsequent Storage

ABSTRACT The objective of this study was to model a typical dairy waste stream, monitor the chemical and bacterial population dynamics that occur during aerobic or anaerobic treatment and subsequent storage in a simulated lagoon, and compare them to those of waste held without treatment in a simulated lagoon. Both aerobic and anaerobic treatment methods followed by storage effectively reduced the levels of total solids (59 to 68%), biological oxygen demand (85 to 90%), and sulfate (56 to 65%), as well as aerobic (83 to 95%), anaerobic (80 to 90%), and coliform (>99%) bacteria. However, only aerobic treatment reduced the levels of ammonia, and anaerobic treatment was more effective at reducing total sulfur and sulfate. The bacterial population structure of waste before and after treatment was monitored using 16S rRNA gene sequence libraries. Both treatments had unique effects on the bacterial population structure of waste. Aerobic treatment resulted in the greatest change in the type of bacteria present, with the levels of eight out of nine phyla being significantly altered. The most notable differences were the >16-fold increase in the phylum Proteobacteria and the approximately 8-fold decrease in the phylum Firmicutes. Anaerobic treatment resulted in fewer alterations, but significant decreases in the phyla Actinobacteria and Bacteroidetes, and increases in the phyla Planctomycetes, Spirochetes, and TM7 were observed.
Effect of cyclosporine and tacrolimus on the growth of Epstein-Barr virus-transformed B-cell lines.

BACKGROUND Transplant patients receiving immunosuppressive drugs are at increased risk for Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-associated disorders including posttransplant lymphoproliferative disorder. The function of T lymphocytes, which are critical to preventing the expansion of EBV-infected B cells, is inhibited by immunosuppressive drugs. The purpose of this study was to determine whether immunosuppressive drugs have direct effects on EBV-infected B cells. METHODS The growth and proliferation of EBV-infected spontaneous lymphoblastoid cell lines (SLCLs), cultured in the presence or absence of cyclosporine (CsA) and tacrolimus (TAC), were measured by the 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide and [3H]thymidine incorporation assays. The effect of CsA and TAC on the viability of SLCLs was determined by cell counts with trypan blue. Apoptosis of SLCLs was induced with an anti-Fas agonist monoclonal antibody in the presence or absence of CsA and TAC and measured by flow cytometry after terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase end-labeling and propidium iodide staining. RESULTS CsA and TAC, but not sirolimus, increased the growth of SLCLs. The increased growth in the presence of CsA and TAC was attributable to enhanced cell viability and not increased cell division of SLCLs. In addition, CsA and TAC inhibited Fas-mediated apoptosis of SLCLs. CONCLUSIONS CsA and TAC enhance the survival of EBV-transformed B-cell lines. CsA and TAC promote or augment SLCL growth through protection from cell death but do not affect cell division. The inhibition of cell death by CsA and TAC may contribute to the expansion of EBV-infected cells in immunosuppressed individuals.
Correlation between insulin resistance and gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase sensitivity in light drinkers.

BACKGROUND Our previous studies suggested that serum gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase (GGTP) level was correlated with insulin resistance level estimated by the homeostasis model assessment in teetotalers and occasional drinkers. In the surveys, strong correlation between GGTP and triglyceride also was observed. This study examined whether the correlation held true for regular drinkers. METHODS Seven hundred and seventeen male subjects in annual health checkups were divided into three groups according to their drinking styles and further divided into four subgroups according to their serum GGTP levels. In the other surveys, they were ranked by their amount of ethanol consumption. The correlation between GGTP and insulin resistance level was studied in each group. RESULTS Single regression analysis and analysis of variance showed that GGTP level was significantly correlated with insulin resistance level as determined by the homeostasis model assessment, as well as with triglyceride level regardless of subjects' drinking styles. The associations were confirmed by multiple regression analyses in which age, levels of uric acid, total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and body mass index were adjusted, at least in nondrinkers or light drinkers. However, the multiple regression analyses indicated that the association between GGTP and insulin resistance level was not significant in subjects who take ethanol more than five times per week. The studies according to the amount of subjects' ethanol consumption indicated that the association between GGTP and insulin resistance was significant in the subjects who take ethanol up to 280 g/week. CONCLUSION Individual variation in insulin resistance status may contribute to individual variations of sensitivity of GGTP to ethanol intake, at least in light drinkers.
The vascular endothelin system is not overactive in normotensive hemodialysis patients.

BACKGROUND The hemodynamic significance of elevated endothelin-1 (ET) plasma levels in hemodialysis (HD) patients is unknown. Therefore, we studied the role of ET in the regulation of vascular tone in normotensive HD patients and matched healthy controls (C). METHODS The forearm blood flow (FBF) responses to adenosine, norepinephrine, the ET-A receptor antagonist BQ-123 (40 nmol/min), the ET-B receptor antagonist BQ-788 (1 and 50 nmol/min), and ET (5 pmol/min) were measured. Results are percent of baseline change +/- SEM (baseline = 100%). RESULTS Responses to adenosine and norepinephrine were both unchanged in HD. In HD, BQ-123 increased FBF less than in C (133 +/- 9 vs. 178 +/- 27%; P = 0.02). BQ-788 failed to change FBF in C but decreased FBF to 83 +/- 4% in HD. Compared to BQ-123 alone, BQ-123 plus BQ-788 (50 nmol/min) caused an additional increase of FBF (234 +/- 32%, P < 0.001) in C, but not in HD (139 +/- 14%). This additional increase was absent when BQ-788 was co-infused at 1 nmol/min. ET reduced FBF comparably in both groups. CONCLUSIONS Resistance vessels of HD patients have unremarkable contractile properties, as shown by responses to adenosine and norepinephrine. In HD, the basal vascular ET-mediated tone is reduced. The main action of the ET-B receptor in C is vasoconstrictive, which also is blunted in HD. The intact response to exogenous ET indicates the normal function of ET receptors in HD. Our results could be explained by a reduced generation or reduced metabolic clearance rate of ET in normotensive HD patients. Controversy remains concerning the role of the ET-B receptor when comparing the present data with previously published literature.
The challenges of Extract, Transform and Loading (ETL) system implementation for near real-time environment

Organization with considerable investment into data warehousing, the influx of various data types and forms requires certain ways of prepping data and staging platform that support fast, efficient and volatile data to reach its targeted audiences or users of different business needs. Extract, Transform and Load (ETL) system proved to be a choice standard for managing and sustaining the movement and transactional process of the valued big data assets. However, traditional ETL system can no longer accommodate and effectively handle streaming or near real-time data and stimulating environment which demands high availability, low latency and horizontal scalability features for functionality. This paper identifies the challenges of implementing ETL system for streaming or near real-time data which needs to evolve and streamline itself with the different requirements. Current efforts and solution approaches to address the challenges are presented. The classification of ETL system challenges are prepared based on near real-time environment features and ETL stages to encourage different perspectives for future research.