Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
MANGANESE‐INDUCED BEHAVIORAL DYSFUNCTION AND ITS NEUROCHEMICAL MECHANISM IN GROWING MICE

Abstract— Suckling mice were exposed to manganese from birth indirectly through their mothers and then directly through drinking water after weaning. The growth and development of these mice and their age‐matched controls were almost identical. Motor activity of offspring measured at 30‐day intervals showed a significant increase at 60 and 90 days in manganese‐treated mice compared to controls. Increased motor activity was associated with significant elevation in the levels of dopamine and norepinephrine in the corpus striatum of treated mice. The levels of striatal tyrosine, homovanillic acid and manganese were also significantly increased in mice after manganese exposure. Thus an animal model of early manganese poisoning has been developed with a possible role of striatal amines in the production of behavioral dysfunction in the treated mice. Implications of these findings are discussed in relation to the manifestations of the psychiatric phase of early manganese poisoning in man.
Disruption of type 5 adenylyl cyclase gene preserves cardiac function against pressure overload

The sympathetic nervous system is designed to respond to stress. Adenylyl cyclase (AC) is the keystone of sympathetic transmission, yet its role in response to acute overload in the heart or in the pathogenesis of heart failure is controversial. We examined the effects of pressure overload, induced by thoracic aortic banding, in mice in which type 5 AC, a major cardiac AC isoform, was disrupted (AC5–/–). Left ventricular weight/tibial length ratio (LVW/TL) was not different between the WT and AC5–/– at baseline and increased progressively and similarly in both groups at 1 and 3 wk after aortic banding. However, LV ejection fraction (LVEF) fell in WT at 3 wk after banding (from 70 ± 2.8 to 57 ± 3.9%, P < 0.05), and this decrease was associated with LV dilatation, indicating incipient cardiac failure. In contrast, AC5–/– mice did not exhibit a fall in LVEF from 74 ± 2.2%. The number of apoptotic myocytes was similar at baseline, but it increased roughly 4-fold in WT at both 1 and 3 wk after banding, and significantly less, P < 0.05, in AC5–/–. Importantly, the increase in apoptosis occurred before the decline in LVEF in WT. The protective mechanism seems to involve Bcl-2, which was up-regulated significantly more in AC5–/– mice with pressure overload. Our findings suggest that limiting type 5 AC plays a protective role in response to pressure overload and the development of heart failure, potentially through limiting the incidence of myocardial apoptosis.
Two-year follow-up of a smoking cessation trial in patients with schizophrenia: increased rates of smoking cessation and reduction.

BACKGROUND Long-term success rates of smoking cessation programs for patients with schizophrenia are unknown. This study, conducted between June 2001 and November 2002, evaluated the rate of smoking cessation and reduction in patients with schizophrenia (DSM-IV) 2 years after they had participated in a smoking cessation study in order to determine whether subjects who significantly reduced smoking during the original trial resumed their previous level of smoking at 2 years. METHOD Two years following a double-blind placebo-controlled trial of bupropion sustained release, 150 mg/day, added to cognitive-behavioral therapy for smoking cessation in patients with schizophrenia, subjects were interviewed, medical charts were reviewed, and carbon monoxide in expired air was measured. RESULTS Seventeen of 18 subjects completed the follow-up assessment. More subjects were abstinent (22% [N = 4]) at the 2-year follow-up than were abstinent at the end of the trial (6% [N = 1]). Subjects who achieved significant smoking reduction during the trial were more likely to be abstinent at 2 years (4/7) than those who did not significantly reduce smoking during the trial (0/11) (chi(2) = 8.1, p <. 005). Most subjects who achieved > or = 50% reduction in smoking at the end of the trial maintained at least that level of reduction at 2 years. Smoking reduction during the treatment intervention was correlated with smoking reduction at follow-up (r = 0.60, p =.01). CONCLUSION The results from this naturalistic study suggest that behavior changes achieved in smoking cessation programs for patients with schizophrenia may be durable and may predict future smoking behavior. We conclude that further investigation into the relationship between smoking reduction and future smoking cessation in special populations is indicated.
How many deaths are due to medical error? Getting the number right.

CONTEXT The Institute of Medicine (IOM) report on medical errors created an intense public response by stating that between 44,000 and 98,000 hospitalized Americans die each year as a result of preventable medical errors. OBJECTIVE To determine how well the IOM committee documented its estimates and how valid they were. METHODS We reviewed the studies cited in the IOM committee's report and related published articles. RESULTS The two studies cited by the IOM committee substantiate its statement that adverse events occur in 2.9% to 3.7% of hospital admissions. Supporting data for the assertion that about half of these adverse events are preventable are less clear. In fact, the original studies cited did not define preventable adverse events, and the reliability of subjective judgments about preventability was not formally assessed. The committee's estimate of the number of preventable deaths due to medical errors is least substantiated. The methods used to estimate the upper bound of the estimate (98,000 preventable deaths) were highly subjective, and their reliability and reproducibility are unknown, as are the methods used to estimate the lower bound (44,000 deaths). CONCLUSION Using the published literature, we could not confirm the Institute of Medicine's reported number of deaths due to medical errors. Due to the potential impact of this number on policy, it is unfortunate that the IOM's estimate is not well substantiated.
Objective quality prediction model for lost frames in 3D video over TS

This paper proposes an objective model to predict the quality of lost frames in 3D video streams. The model is based only on header information from three different packet-layer levels: Network Abstraction Layer (NAL), Packetised Elementary Streams (PES) and Transport Stream (TS). Transmission errors leading to undecodable TS packets are assumed to result in frame loss. The proposed method estimates the size of the lost frames, which is used as a model parameter to predict their objective quality measured as the Structural Similarity Index Metric (SSIM). The results show that SSIM of missing stereoscopic frames in 3D coded video can be predicted with Root Mean Square Error (RMSE) accuracy of about 0.1 and Pearson correlation coefficient of 0.8, taking the SSIM of uncorrupted frames as reference. It is concluded that the proposed model is capable of estimating the SSIM quite accurately using only the lost frames estimated sizes.
Brood size constrains the development of endothermy in blue tits

ABSTRACT Altricial birds are unable to maintain body temperature when exposed to low ambient temperatures during the first days after hatching. Thermoregulatory capacity begins to form as postnatal development progresses, and eventually nestlings become homeothermic. Several factors may influence this development at both the level of the individual and the level of the whole brood, but to our knowledge no studies have focused on the effect of brood size per se on the development of endothermy in individual nestlings. We performed cooling experiments on blue tit (Cyanistes caeruleus) nestlings in the field, to study how different experimental brood sizes affected the development of endothermy in individual nestlings and the thermal environment experienced by the whole brood in the nest. Nestlings from all experimental brood sizes showed a decrease in cooling rate as they grew older, but birds from reduced broods showed an earlier onset of endothermy compared with nestlings from enlarged and control broods. This difference manifested during early development and gradually disappeared as nestlings grew older. The thermal environment in the nests differed between treatments during nestling development, such that nest temperature in reduced broods was lower than that in enlarged broods during all days and during nights at the end of the experimental period. We suggest that the development of endothermy in blue tit nestlings is not ontogenetically fixed, but instead may vary according to differences in developmental, nutritional and thermal conditions as determined by brood size. Highlighted Article: The development of endothermic heat production in individual blue tit nestlings differs between broods of different sizes.
Mothers perception of sexuality education for children.

BACKGROUND Sexuality education is the process of acquiring information and forming attitudes and beliefs about sex, sexual identity, relationships and intimacy. It develops young people's skills so that they make informed choices about their behaviour, and feel confident and competent about acting on these choices. It also equips children to face developmental challenges and empowers them against the ills of abuse, exploitation, unwanted pregnancies amongst others. Mothers who are the primary caregivers should be well informed about sexuality issues. The objective of the study is to determine mothers' perception of sexuality education in children, in Port Harcourt. METHODOLOGY A structured, anonymous and self-administered questionnaire, used as instrument for data collection, was distributed amongst a convenient sample of women attending a Christian women's convention in Port Harcourt. RESULTS One hundred and fifty eight women participated in the study. Most of them were married (80.4%), and belonged to the 30-49 years age bracket. Seventy one (44.9%) of the respondents had tertiary education. Over 80% agreed that children needed sexuality education but only 15 women (9.5%) had a good knowledge of the concept of sexuality education. One hundred and eleven (70.2%) believed it was the responsibility of both parents to educate their children and over 70% acknowledged that the home was the best place for such education. 64 (40.5%) believed that 6-10 years was the ideal age for starting sex education while 49% thought that the ideal age was 11-15 years. 65% of respondents discussed sexuality issues with their children at least occasionally, the content mostly involved description of body parts and reproductive organs. The average age of menarche amongst respondents was 14.0. One hundred (63%) of the women had prior knowledge of menstruation before menarche. About half of them had received information from their mothers. CONCLUSION The study highlights the need for enlightenment of women on sexuality education to enable them empower their against the ills of child abuse.
Extracorporeal shockwave therapy for Peyronie's disease: an alternative treatment?

AIM To determine retrospectively the safety and efficacy of extracorporeal shock wave therapy (ESWT) in patients with Peyronie's disease. METHODS Fifty-three patients with stable Peyronie's disease underwent ESWT (group 1). Fifteen patients matched with the baseline characteristic of the patients in group 1, who received no treatment, were used as the control (group 2). The patients' erectile function (International Index of Erectile Function [IIEF-5] score), pain severity (visual analog scale), plaque size and degree of penile angulation were assessed before and after the treatment in group 1 and during the follow-up in group 2. RESULTS The mean follow-up time was 32 months (range: 6-64 months) in group 1 and 35 months (range: 9-48 months) in group 2. All the patients were available for the follow-up. Considering erectile function and plaque size, no significant changes (P > 0.05) were observed in group 1 before or after the ESWT. A total of 39 patients (74%) reported a significant effect in pain relief in group 1 after ESWT. However, regarding improvement in pain, IIEF-5 score and plaque size, no significant differences were observed between the two groups. In 21 patients (40%) of group 1, the deviation angle was decreased more than 10 degrees with a mean reduction in all patients of 11 degrees (range: 6-20 degrees). No serious complications were noted considering ESWT procedure. CONCLUSION ESWT is a minimally invasive and safe alternative procedure for the treatment of Peyronie's disease. However, the effect of ESWT on penile pain, sexual function and plaque size remains questionable.
The Role of the Internal Audit Function in the Disclosure of Material Weaknesses

ABSTRACT: This study investigates the role that a firm’s internal audit function (IAF) plays in the disclosure of material weaknesses reported under Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 (U.S. Congress 2002). Using data from 214 firms, we examine the relation between material weakness (MW) disclosures and various IAF attributes and activities. Our results indicate that MW disclosures are negatively associated with the education level of the IAF and the extent to which the IAF incorporates quality assurance techniques into fieldwork, audits activities related to financial reporting, and monitors the remediation of previously identified control problems. The timing of Section 404 work and the nature of follow-up monitoring suggests that these aspects of IAF quality help prevent MWs from occurring. We find that MW disclosures are positively associated with the IAF practice of grading audit engagements and external-internal auditor coordination, suggesting that these activities increase the effectiven.
Individual Contracts What Do They Mean for Australia?

Collective bargaining can be of benefit to both employees and employers. Nevertheless, there is growing interest in individual contracts, as part of a broader agenda for labour market flexibility. In particular, individual contracts are being pursued by some companies as part of a human resource management strategy to increase productivity by reducing the role of third parties and promoting ‘common purpose’ between the firm and its employees. There is some evidence that individual contracts can indeed contribute to higher productivity. The challenge for policy makers is to provide sufficient flexibility in the area of individual contracts while preventing employers from using them to reduce wages and conditions.
The Moral Economy Is a Double-edged Sword: Explaining Farmers’ Earnings and Self-exploitation in Community-Supported Agriculture

Abstract In this article I develop a political economic understanding of community-supported agriculture (CSA). I first develop the relevance of three concepts—economic rents, self-exploitation, and social embeddedness—to CSA and then introduce a framework that relates CSA farmers’ earnings to the average rate of profit, economic rents, and self-exploitation. I then examine qualitative and quantitative data from a study of 54 CSAs in California’s Central Valley and surrounding foothills to explain the wide range of farmers’ earnings in relation to the characteristics of production of CSAs, the social embeddedness of CSAs, and the farmers’ motivations and rationalities. Qualitative data from interviews are used to interpret the results of an ordinary least squares regression analysis showing that (1) farmers’ age, number of employees, and type of CSA strongly shape farmers’ earnings; (2) the moral economy of CSA cuts both ways economically, allowing for the capture of economic rents but more often resulting in self-exploitation because of farmers’ strong sense of obligation to their members; and (3) farmers’ motivations are diverse, but tend toward low and moderate instrumentalism, meaning that earning an income is often not a high priority relative to other values. The conclusion recommends the need to recognize alternative rationalities but also to discuss and confront strong self-exploitation in alternative food networks because of the broader political economic context in which they exist.
Delays in childhood immunizations in public and private settings.

BACKGROUND As the costs of childhood immunizations have increased over the past 10 years, patients have increasingly turned to public health departments for this service. This study compares reasons for delays in immunization among patients who obtained their immunizations at health departments and those who continued to utilize private physicians or clinics. METHODS A birth certificate survey of all children born between September 1, 1988, and August 31, 1989, in four urban census tracts and two rural counties in Kentucky was performed in late 1991, when all children were over age 2 years. The percentage of patients whose immunizations had been delayed and the reasons for delay were noted. RESULTS Children who utilized public health departments or a combination of health departments and private sources for their immunizations were more likely to have experienced delays than those who obtained immunizations from private providers (56% vs 34%, P = .002). In particular, patients in the public provider group were more likely than those in the private provider group to have missed immunizations for invalid contraindications (34% vs 8%, P = .02), missed appointments (22% vs 9%, P = .02), or failure to receive immunizations when at the health department for another visit (23% vs 11%, P = .04). CONCLUSIONS While a large number of patients in both the private and public provider groups experienced delays in immunizations, patients who received immunizations from public sources were more likely to experience delays related to missed opportunities.
Do Takeover Defenses Impair Equity Investors’ Perception of “Higher Quality” Earnings?

Prior studies show that managerial entrenchment deteriorates the credibility of earnings, hence reducing the value relevance of earnings. However, prior literature documents that the likelihood of earnings management is lower in firms with more antitakeover provisions because entrenched managers pursue a “quiet life” instead of striving to maximize wealth of shareholders. Despite “higher quality” earnings of such firms, the authors find that takeover protection impairs the perception of equity investors on earnings quality. The authors attribute this contradictory result to the failure of management to take risky but value-enhancing projects owing to pursuits of a quiet life. The authors also expect and find that investments of more defensive firms are valued at a discount, suggesting that equity investors expect such firms to take less advantage of their growth potentials. The authors corroborate this result by showing lower variability in firm value of more defensive firms.
[Management of COPD in community pharmacy].

BACKGROUND This observational study aimed to provide a detailed description of (i) drug therapy, (ii) drug adherence, (iii) inhalation technique, and (iv) health status of COPD patients recruited via community pharmacies. Based on these results, problem areas can be detected and targeted pharmacist interventions for improvement of COPD management could be developed. METHOD We conducted a cross-sectional, observational study in 93 pharmacies (Belgium). Participants (n = 555) completed a questionnaire collecting personal characteristics, smoking history, influenza vaccination, COPD medication and side effects. Adherence to COPD maintenance medication was analysed 1 year-retrospectively through prescription refill rates. Inhalation technique was scored using a checklist. RESULTS The COPD patients had a mean age of 68.6 yr, 73.7% were men and 37.2% were current smokers. The influenza vaccination status was significantly lower in patients aged < 65 yr (65.7%) than in patients aged > or = 65 years (86.2%) (p < 0.001). Fixed combinations of inhaled corticosteroids and long-acting beta2-agonists were the most frequently used COPD medications (75.4%). About 48% of patients was underadherent (< 80% adherence), 47% was adherent (80-120% adherence) and 5% was overadherent (> 120% adherence). Twenty-one % of patients made major inhalation technique errors with rescue medication; these were all errors in handling pressurized metered dose inhalers (pMDI's). CONCLUSION This study on COPD management in primary care highlights 4 main aspects which could be improved: (i) drug adherence, (ii) inhalation technique with pMDI's, (iii) influenza vaccination in COPD patients < yr and (iv) smoking cessation.
A Note on "Lemons" Markets with Quality Certification

In markets with qualitative uncertainty, pricing on the basis of average quality will be unattractive to participants whose products are above average in quality. This note examines the possibility of quality certification as an alternative to exit from the market in such situations. Examples dealing with labor market uncertainties illustrate the economic properties of the quality certification process, which unravels from the top down. The economic motivations and patterns of this form of price discrimination are similar to those encountered in standard "lemons" models.
After the Traffic Stops: Officer Characteristics and Enforcement Actions

Abstract This study examines the relationship between officer characteristics and racially biased policing. In particular, we explore the relationship between the officer's race/ethnicity and the nature and extent of excessive enforcement actions by race. We derive an efficient enforcement action theorem which suggests that if public safety is the sole concern of police agencies, then racially and ethnically biased policing will not be a persistent element of police practice. Alternatively, our political economic model suggests that police apply more severe sanctions against other-group drivers. Our results show that the race and ethnicity of officers have a significant and substantive impact on the intensity of enforcement actions by the Florida Highway Patrol against stopped drivers.
How knowledge is used in collaborative environmental governance: water classification in New Brunswick, Canada

Collaboration is an increasingly important approach to dealing with complex environmental challenges. Participation of diverse actors in collaborative processes necessitates attention to the use of different forms of knowledge. We use a multi-case study of governance for water in New Brunswick, Canada, to explore knowledge-related concerns that are prominent in collaborative processes. As is common in other contexts, local or lay (experiential) forms of knowledge appeared to play complementary but ultimately subordinate roles to expert technical and scientific knowledge in the cases. Importantly, we found that the distinction between ‘expert’ and ‘local’ knowledge was not at all clear for the many participants. This study reinforces the importance of designing reflexive and flexible processes for encouraging the active engagement and use of knowledge in collaboration.
Disability Accommodation in Nonstandard and Precarious Employment Arrangements

This study, based on data from a large nationally representative sample of Canadian workers with disabilities, examines the relationship between employment arrangements and the accommodation of disability in the workplace. We address whether workers with disabilities in nonstandard arrangements are more likely to have unmet accommodation needs and if other key dimensions of precarious employment mediate the relationship between nonstandard work and accommodation. Results from multivariate models suggest that despite disability legislation, practices of workplace disability accommodation parallel the unequal distribution of other labor market protections, with workers in more precarious arrangements (i.e. those in nonpermanent, low-wage, and nonunion jobs) at greater risk of having unmet needs.