Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Material deprivation in the EU: A multi-level analysis on the influence of decommodification and defamilisation policies

The central aim of this paper is identifying the existing political leeway for the reduction of deprivation levels in Europe. The links between household and individual characteristics and risks of material deprivation have been abundantly researched, but what are the political institutions that modify and possibly buffer these odds? Welfare state differences have been portrayed in depth but their association with social outcomes such as deprivation is less clear. By identifying the impact of decommodification and defamilisation policies on deprivation exposure, we seek to fill this gap. Our results, based on European Union Statistics on Income and Living Conditions 2012 to 2013 cross-sectional micro data, reveal that social programmes that cover large segments of the population and follow a needs-based approach are linked to lower odds of being materially deprived. A significant number of European cross-country differences in deprivation rates can thus be traced back to varying levels of social assistance, as well as to differences in the provision of public healthcare. Defamilisation policies are, despite increased risks for (single parent) families, not yet addressing the problem of low living standards successfully. An extension of childcare services, however, seems promising for lowering deprivation among families, particularly in countries with high levels of involuntary part-time work.
Christian Religiosity and Corporate Community Involvement

ABSTRACT: We examine whether religion influences company decisions related to corporate community involvement (CCI). Employing a large US sample, we show that the CCI initiatives of a company are positively associated with the level of Christian religiosity present in the region within which that company’s headquarters is located. This association persists even after we control for a wide range of firm characteristics and after we subject our results to several econometric tests. These results support our religious morality hypothesis which holds that companies headquartered in regions with higher levels of Christian religiosity will engage in more CCI initiatives. We also find that while Catholic and mainline Protestant religiosity have a positive influence on firms’ CCI initiatives, evangelical Protestant religiosity does not. This supports our differentiated responses hypothesis which holds that institutional differences among religious groups will produce different effects on companies’ CCI. This hypothesis is based on institutional theory.
Inhibition of Human Cytochrome P450 Enzymes by Bacopa monnieri Standardized Extract and Constituents

Bacopa monnieri and the constituents of this plant, especially bacosides, possess various neuropharmacological properties. Like drugs, some herbal extracts and the constituents of their extracts alter cytochrome P450 (CYP) enzymes, causing potential herb-drug interactions. The effects of Bacopa monnieri standardized extract and the bacosides from the extract on five major CYP isoforms in vitro were analyzed using a luminescent CYP recombinant human enzyme assay. B. monnieri extract exhibited non-competitive inhibition of CYP2C19 (IC50/Ki = 23.67/9.5 µg/mL), CYP2C9 (36.49/12.5 µg/mL), CYP1A2 (52.20/25.1 µg/mL); competitive inhibition of CYP3A4 (83.95/14.5 µg/mL) and weak inhibition of CYP2D6 (IC50 = 2061.50 µg/mL). However, the bacosides showed negligible inhibition of the same isoforms. B. monnieri, which is orally administered, has a higher concentration in the gut than the liver; therefore, this herb could exhibit stronger inhibition of intestinal CYPs than hepatic CYPs. At an estimated gut concentration of 600 µg/mL (based on a daily dosage of 300 mg/day), B. monnieri reduced the catalytic activities of CYP3A4, CYP2C9 and CYP2C19 to less than 10% compared to the total activity (without inhibitor = 100%). These findings suggest that B. monnieri extract could contribute to herb-drug interactions when orally co-administered with drugs metabolized by CYP1A2, CYP3A4, CYP2C9 and CYP2C19.
Clinical Neuropathology practice news 1-2014: Pyrosequencing meets clinical and analytical performance criteria for routine testing of MGMT promoter methylation status in glioblastoma

Testing of the MGMT promoter methylation status in glioblastoma is relevant for clinical decision making and research applications. Two recent and independent phase III therapy trials confirmed a prognostic and predictive value of the MGMT promoter methylation status in elderly glioblastoma patients. Several methods for MGMT promoter methylation testing have been proposed, but seem to be of limited test reliability. Therefore, and also due to feasibility reasons, translation of MGMT methylation testing into routine use has been protracted so far. Pyrosequencing after prior DNA bisulfite modification has emerged as a reliable, accurate, fast and easy-to-use method for MGMT promoter methylation testing in tumor tissues (including formalin-fixed and paraffin-embedded samples). We performed an intra- and inter-laboratory ring trial which demonstrates a high analytical performance of this technique. Thus, pyrosequencing-based assessment of MGMT promoter methylation status in glioblastoma meets the criteria of high analytical test performance and can be recommended for clinical application, provided that strict quality control is performed. Our article summarizes clinical indications, practical instructions and open issues for MGMT promoter methylation testing in glioblastoma using pyrosequencing.
Polynomial boundary treatment for wavelet regression

SUMMARY To overcome boundary problems with wavelet regression, we propose a simple method that reduces bias at the boundaries. It is based on a combination of wavelet functions and low-order polynomials. The utility of the method is illustrated with simulation studies and a real example. Asymptotic results show that the estimators are competitive with other nonparametric procedures. and wavelet regression suffer from boundary or edge effects. To overcome these problems when dealing with smooth functions, Eubank & Speckman (1990, 1991a) suggested a simple method called polynomial-trigonometric regression, in which they write the estimator of f as a sum of trigonometric functions and a low-order polynomial. The latter is expected to account for the boundary problem. They illustrated their approach with examples and showed that the rates of convergence for their estimators over a particular smoothness class of functions are optimal, whether or not the regression function is periodic. However, as noted by these authors, sharp peaks in the regression function can cause a ringing phenomenon and other wiggles, and this limits the usefulness of polynomial-trigonometric regression. To extend this procedure to functions with singularities, a possible solution is to replace the trigonometric part of the estimator by an estimator based on wavelets while keeping the polynomial part to model the boundaries. The choice of wavelets as a replacement for the trigonometric part is a natural one since wavelets are well known to be much more efficient than trigonometric functions when fitting curves with sharp features. The main goal of this paper is to study these new estimators that are combinations of low-order polynomial terms and wavelet terms, hereafter referred to as polynomial-wavelet regression. In ? 2, wavelet regression is briefly reviewed and some of the existing methods to correct boundary problems in wavelet regression are recalled. A detailed description of the polynomial-wavelet regression method is presented in ? 3. The asymptotic properties of the method are discussed in
Personality traits and intrapreneurship: the mediating effect of career adaptability

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to discover the antecedents of intrapreneurship. Based on career construction theory and prior personality studies, this study examined the mediating effects of career adaptability on the relation between personality traits and intrapreneurship. Design/methodology/approach A cross-sectional survey was conducted using employees from four Korean companies. The hypothesized research model was tested with 473 data using structural equation modeling. The bootstrap procedure and the phantom model approach were also employed to thoroughly examine the indirect effects of personality traits on intrapreneurship via career adaptability. Findings The results demonstrated that career adaptability mediated the overall relation between personality traits and intrapreneurship. Career adaptability completely mediated the relation between intrapreneurship and both openness and conscientiousness from the Big Five personality dimensions. Regarding extraversion, the mediating effects of career adaptability were not supported by the results, but the direct effects were found to be significant. Practical implications These findings offer new insights into the intrapreneurial talents required of employees in organizations. The application of the identified direct or indirect impact of personality traits through career adaptability may help human resource managers to select and foster potential intrapreneurs and facilitate career coaches in understanding employees’ assets and obstacles in developing intrapreneurial competencies. Originality/value This is the first empirical study to explore the mechanism between personality traits and intrapreneurship by examining the mediating role of career adaptability in the workplace and thereby this study contributes to bridging the gap of different research domains between intrapreneurship and career adaptability.
Metabotropic glutamate receptor type 1α and tubulin assemble into dynamic interacting complexes

Metabotropic glutamate receptors (mGlu receptors) are coupled to G‐protein second messenger pathways and modulate glutamate neurotransmission in the brain, where they are targeted to specific synaptic locations. Very recently, we identified tubulin as an interacting partner of the mGlu1α receptor in rat brain. Using BHK‐570 cells permanently expressing the receptor we have shown that this interaction occurs predominantly with soluble tubulin, following its translocation to the plasma membrane. In addition, treatment of the cells with the agonist quisqualic acid induce tubulin depolimerization and its translocation to the plasma membrane. Immunofluorescence detection of both the receptor and tubulin in agonist‐treated cells reveals a disruption of the microtubule network and an increased clustering of the receptor. Collectively these data demonstrate that the mGlu1α receptor interacts with soluble tubulin and that this association can take place at the plasma membrane.
Origins of Prostaglandin E2: Involvements of Cyclooxygenase (COX)-1 and COX-2 in Human and Rat Systems

Prostaglandin (PG) E2 is a major cyclooxygenase (COX) product at inflammatory sites where it contributes to local increases in blood flow, edema formation, and pain sensitization. Using rats in vivo and rat and human blood in vitro, we have examined the roles of COX-1 and COX-2 in the production of PGE2. In anesthetized rats treated with bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS) to induce the expression of COX-2, the marked increase in PGE2 production that followed bolus intravenous injection of arachidonic acid (3 mg kg−1) was strongly inhibited by diclofenac but largely unaffected by the COX-2-selective inhibitor DFP (5,5- dimethyl-3-(2-propoxy)-4-methanesulfonylphenyl)-2(5H)-furanone). In rat blood in vitro, aspirin strongly inhibited the production of PGE2 that followed either acute exposure to calcium ionophore, A23187 (calcimycin) (50 μM, 15 min), or incubation with LPS for 18 h. In contrast, human whole blood only produced significant levels of PGE2 when incubated with LPS. Rat leukocytes expressed COX-2 and produced PGE2 when exposed to LPS but not when acutely stimulated with A23187. Rat platelets, but not human platelets, also produced significant amounts of PGE2 when acutely stimulated with A23187. These data show that when exposed to an inflammatory stimulus, rat whole blood produces increased levels of PGE2 through induction of COX-2 in blood leukocytes. Rat blood, unlike human blood, may also produce copious amounts of PGE2 via the actions of COX-1 enzyme constitutively present in platelets. These data may well explain why in rats COX-2-selective inhibitors have been reported not to produce the full anti-inflammatory effects associated with standard nonsteroid anti-inflammatory drugs.
Effects of Phloretin and Phloridzin on Ca2+ Handling, the Action Potential, and Ion Currents in Rat Ventricular Myocytes

The effects of the phytoestrogens phloretin and phloridzin on Ca2+ handling, cell shortening, the action potential, and Ca2+ and K+ currents in freshly isolated cardiac myocytes from rat ventricle were examined. Phloretin increased the amplitude and area and decreased the rate of decline of electrically evoked Ca2+ transients in the myocytes. These effects were accompanied by an increase in the Ca2+ load of the sarcoplasmic reticulum, as determined by the area of caffeine-evoked Ca2+ transients. An increase in the extent of shortening of the myocytes in response to electrically evoked action potentials was also observed in the presence of phloretin. To further examine possible mechanisms contributing to the observed changes in Ca2+ handling and contractility, the effects of phloretin on the cardiac action potential and plasma membrane Ca2+ and K+ currents were examined. Phloretin markedly increased the action potential duration in the myocytes, and it inhibited the Ca2+-independent transient outward K+ current (Ito). The inwardly rectifying K+ current, the sustained outward delayed rectifier K+ current, and L-type Ca2+ currents were not significantly different in the presence and absence of phloretin, nor was there any evidence that the Na+/Ca2+ exchanger was affected. The effects of phloretin on Ca2+ handling in the myocytes are consistent with its effects on Ito. Phloridzin did not significantly alter the amplitude or area of electrically evoked Ca2+ transients in the myocytes, nor did it have detectable effects on the sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca2+ load, cell shortening, or the action potential.
Time‐resolved fMRI of mental rotation

TIME-RESOLVED fMRI seeks to elucidate neuronal activity during a single execution of a mental task, which corresponds typically to a timescale of seconds. However, this is also the timescale of the hemodynamic response, which delays and blurs the signal in time. In order to distinguish the temporal characteristics of the neuronal activity from that of the hemodynamic response, which is often vaguely known, we recorded a set of fMRI time courses under conditions of a varying behavioral parameter, and correlated this parameter to the width of the fMRI response. For the task under investigation, the mental rotation of three-dimensional objects, we found that the activation in the parietal lobe is related to an aspect of the task that is described by the reaction time (for example, the very act of mental rotation), and not only to aspects of the task that are constant from trial to trial, such as the visual presentation at the beginning or the decision at the end of the task.
Quantitative analysis of patient-specific dosimetric IMRT verification

Patient-specific dosimetric verification methods for IMRT treatments are variable, time-consuming and frequently qualitative, preventing evidence-based reduction in the amount of verification performed. This paper addresses some of these issues by applying a quantitative analysis parameter to the dosimetric verification procedure. Film measurements in different planes were acquired for a series of ten IMRT prostate patients, analysed using the quantitative parameter, and compared to determine the most suitable verification plane. Film and ion chamber verification results for 61 patients were analysed to determine long-term accuracy, reproducibility and stability of the planning and delivery system. The reproducibility of the measurement and analysis system was also studied. The results show that verification results are strongly dependent on the plane chosen, with the coronal plane particularly insensitive to delivery error. Unexpectedly, no correlation could be found between the levels of error in different verification planes. Longer term verification results showed consistent patterns which suggest that the amount of patient-specific verification can be safely reduced, provided proper caution is exercised: an evidence-based model for such reduction is proposed. It is concluded that dose/distance to agreement (e.g., 3%/3 mm) should be used as a criterion of acceptability. Quantitative parameters calculated for a given criterion of acceptability should be adopted in conjunction with displays that show where discrepancies occur. Planning and delivery systems which cannot meet the required standards of accuracy, reproducibility and stability to reduce verification will not be accepted by the radiotherapy community.
Retinal Arteriolar Narrowing Is Associated With 5-Year Incident Severe Hypertension: The Blue Mountains Eye Study

We assessed whether retinal arteriolar narrowing and structural abnormalities independently predicted 5-year incident severe (grade 2 or 3) hypertension in an older population-based cohort. The Blue Mountains Eye Study baseline (1992 to 1994) examined 3654 residents aged 49 and older in 2 postal code areas, west of Sydney. Of the 2335 participants (75.1% of survivors) who returned at the 5-year examinations, 1319 were normotensive or had mild (grade 1) hypertension at baseline. Baseline retinal photographs were graded for focal retinal vessel wall signs and vessel diameters were measured. Participants were classified as having normal, high-normal blood pressure [BP] (systolic BP 121 to 139 mm Hg and/or diastolic BP 81 to 89 mm Hg), mild hypertension (systolic BP 140 to 159 mm Hg and/or diastolic BP 90 to 99 mm Hg), or severe hypertension if they had a previous diagnosis of hypertension and were receiving antihypertensive medications or had systolic BP ≥160 mm Hg and/or diastolic BP ≥100 mm Hg at examination. Incident severe hypertension was defined in persons who were free of severe hypertension at baseline but classified as having severe hypertension at the 5-year examinations. Of the 1319 baseline subjects at risk, 390 (29.6%) developed severe hypertension. After adjusting for age, sex, body mass index, smoking, glucose, and total cholesterol, generalized retinal arteriolar narrowing at baseline was associated with increased risk of incident severe hypertension (odds ratio 2.6; 95% confidence interval, 1.7 to 3.9) when comparing the narrowest versus widest quintile. This association remained significant after further adjustment for baseline mean arterial BP or BP status. Our findings support the hypothesis that small vessel structural changes may precede the development of severe hypertension.
Regulation of the CCL2 Gene in Pancreatic β-Cells by IL-1β and Glucocorticoids: Role of MKP-1

Release of pro-inflammatory cytokines from both resident and invading leukocytes within the pancreatic islets impacts the development of Type 1 diabetes mellitus. Synthesis and secretion of the chemokine CCL2 from pancreatic β-cells in response to pro-inflammatory signaling pathways influences immune cell recruitment into the pancreatic islets. Therefore, we investigated the positive and negative regulatory components controlling expression of the CCL2 gene using isolated rat islets and INS-1-derived β-cell lines. We discovered that activation of the CCL2 gene by IL-1β required the p65 subunit of NF-κB and was dependent on genomic response elements located in the −3.6 kb region of the proximal gene promoter. CCL2 gene transcription in response to IL-1β was blocked by pharmacological inhibition of the IKKβ and p38 MAPK pathways. The IL-1β-mediated increase in CCL2 secretion was also impaired by p38 MAPK inhibition and by glucocorticoids. Moreover, multiple synthetic glucocorticoids inhibited the IL-1β-stimulated induction of the CCL2 gene. Induction of the MAP Kinase Phosphatase-1 (MKP-1) gene by glucocorticoids or by adenoviral-mediated overexpression decreased p38 MAPK phosphorylation, which diminished CCL2 gene expression, promoter activity, and release of CCL2 protein. We conclude that glucocorticoid-mediated repression of IL-1β-induced CCL2 gene transcription and protein secretion occurs in part through the upregulation of the MKP-1 gene and subsequent deactivation of the p38 MAPK. Furthermore, the anti-inflammatory actions observed with MKP-1 overexpression were obtained without suppressing glucose-stimulated insulin secretion. Thus, MKP-1 is a possible target for anti-inflammatory therapeutic intervention with preservation of β-cell function.
Exact Recoverability From Dense Corrupted Observations via $\ell _{1}$-Minimization

This paper confirms a surprising phenomenon first observed by Wright under a different setting: given <i>m</i> highly corrupted measurements <i>y</i> = <i>A</i><sub>Ω·</sub><i>x*</i> + <i>e</i><sup>*</sup>, where <i>A</i><sub>Ω·</sub> is a submatrix whose rows are selected uniformly at random from rows of an orthogonal matrix <i>A</i> and <i>e</i><sup>*</sup> is an unknown sparse error vector whose nonzero entries may be unbounded, we show that with high probability, ℓ<sub>1</sub>-minimization can recover the sparse signal of interest <i>x</i><sup>*</sup> exactly from only <i>m</i> = <i>C</i> μ<sup>2</sup><i>k</i> (log<i>n</i>)<sup>2</sup>, where <i>k</i> is the number of nonzero components of <i>x</i><sup>*</sup> and μ = <i>n</i> max<i>ij Aij</i><sup>2</sup>, even if a significant fraction of the measurements are corrupted. We further guarantee that stable recovery is possible when measurements are polluted by both gross sparse and small dense errors: <i>y</i> = <i>A</i><sub>Ω·</sub><i>x</i><sup>*</sup> + <i>e</i><sup>*</sup>+ ν, where ν is the small dense noise with bounded energy. Numerous simulation results under various settings are also presented to verify the validity of the theory as well as to illustrate the promising potential of the proposed framework.
Patient’s safety culture among Tunisian healthcare workers: results of a cross sectional study in university hospital

Introduction Healthcare safety has become a public health priority in developed world. Development of safety culture care is fundamental pillar to any strategy for improving quality and safety care. The objective of this study is to measure level of patients’ safety culture among healthcare professionals at university hospital, center Farhat Hached Sousse (Tunisia). Methods We conducted, in 2013, a descriptive study among all licensed physicians (n= 116) and a representative sample of paramedical staff (n= 203) exercising at university hospital center Farhat Hached Sousse (Tunisia). Measuring instrument used is a valid questionnaire containing ten safety care dimensions. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 19. Results The response rates were 74.1% for physicians and 100% for paramedical staff. Overall score of different dimensions varies between 32.7% and 68.8%. Dimension having most developed score (68.8%) was perception of “Frequency and reporting adverse events”. Dimension with lowest score (32.7%) was “Management support for safety care”. Conclusion Our study has allowed us to conclude that all dimensions of patients’ safety culture need to be improved among our establishment’s professionals. Therefore, more efforts are necessary in order to develop a security culture based on confidence, learning, communication and team work and rejecting sanction, blame, criminalization and punitive reporting.