Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Price Discovery and Pricing Choice under Divergent Supply Scenarios in an Experimental Market for Fed Cattle

Previous research has not addressed the impacts of alternative supply conditions on price discovery and pricing choice. This study estimated models with data from an experimental market, the Fed Cattle Market Simulator, encompassing live weight, dressed weight, and grid pricing under two alternative supply scenarios. Significance of variables explaining transaction price variation and pricing choice differed between the two supply periods. Overall results were close to expectations. Higher quality cattle marketed with a grid brought higher prices in both supply periods. Having lower quality cattle in either supply period increased the probability of cattle being marketed (purchased) on a live weight basis.
Transforming Self-Rated Health and the SF-36 Scales to Include Death and Improve Interpretability

Background.Most measures of health-related quality of life are undefined for people who die. Longitudinal analyses are often limited to a healthier cohort (survivors) that cannot be identified prospectively, and that may have had little change in health. Objective.To develop and evaluate methods to transform a single self-rated health item (excellent to poor; EVGGFP) and the physical component score of the SF-36 (PCS) to new variables that include a defensible value for death. Methods.Using longitudinal data from two large studies of older adults, health variables were transformed to the probability of being healthy in the future, conditional on the current observed value; death then has the value of 0. For EVGGFP, the new transformations were compared with some that were published earlier, based on different data. For the PCS, how well three different transformations, based on different definitions of being healthy, discriminated among groups of patients, and detected change in time were assessed. Results.The new transformation for EVGGFP was similar to that published previously. Coding the 5 categories as 95, 90, 80, 30, and 15, and coding dead as 0 is recommended. The three transformations of the PCS detected group differences and change at least as well as the standard PCS. Conclusion.These easily interpretable transformed variables permit keeping persons who die in the analyses. Using the transformed variables for longitudinal analyses of health when deaths occur, either for secondary or primary analysis, is recommended. This approach can be applied to other measures of health.
Misrepresentation of financial statements

– The purpose of this paper is to show the public, in general, and auditors, in particular, that in the absence of control there is always a risk of fraud. Fraud can be done in various forms. Larceny may be the most obvious case of fraud, but fraud may be done in many other ways too. Balance sheet fraud or financial statements fraud is a broader issue; it is far-fetched than a few hundred dollars of a larceny case. In financial statement fraud, the deep down effect may be millions or billions of dollars. , – The paper has been designed based on a fraud theory. The author has observed the implications of a possible fraud in a real audit case. The fraud theory has been tested through financial analysis and audit tests. The theory has then been revised and the existence of a financial statement fraud has been proven. , – The paper explores that banks and group companies controlled by unreliable owners can lead to misuse of public's funds in accordance with the directives of the owner. Public's money can be transferred to other group companies in an illegal manner – in excessive amounts – and never returned to the bank by means of applying different accounting fraud techniques. , – Auditors, who may audit group companies that include a bank or banks with deposit receiving and lending rights, should pay attention to the transactions between the group's bank and the other group companies. The lending may be excessive in amount and/or never paid back and the financial statements would be misrepresented covering various fraud schemes. , – The case that the paper deals with reflects the author's own audit experiences. The names of the companies have been changed but not the essence of the events. From this perspective, it sheds light onto the path of an auditor who happens to be in a similar situation.
The Impact of Trauma Exposure and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder on Healthcare Utilization Among Primary Care Patients

Background:Trauma exposure and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) increase healthcare utilization in veterans, but their impact on utilization in other populations is uncertain. Objectives:To examine the association of trauma exposure and PTSD with healthcare utilization, in civilian primary care patients. Research Design:Cross-sectional study. Subjects:English speaking patients at an academic, urban primary care clinic. Measures:Trauma exposure and current PTSD diagnoses were obtained from the Composite International Diagnostic Interview. Outcomes were nonmental health outpatient and emergency department visits, hospitalizations, and mental health outpatient visits in the prior year from an electronic medical record. Analyses included bivariate unadjusted and multivariable Poisson regressions adjusted for age, gender, income, substance dependence, depression, and comorbidities. Results:Among 592 subjects, 80% had ≥1 trauma exposure and 22% had current PTSD. In adjusted regressions, subjects with trauma exposure had more mental health visits [incidence rate ratio (IRR), 3.9; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.1–14.1] but no other increased utilization. After adjusting for PTSD, this effect of trauma exposure was attenuated (IRR, 3.2; 95% CI, 0.9–11.7). Subjects with PTSD had more hospitalizations (IRR, 2.2; 95% CI, 1.4–3.7), more hospital nights (IRR, 2.6; 95% CI, 1.4–5.0), and more mental health visits (IRR, 2.2; 95% CI, 1.1–4.1) but no increase in outpatient and emergency department visits. Conclusions:PTSD is associated with more hospitalizations, longer hospitalizations, and greater mental healthcare utilization in urban primary care patients. Although trauma exposure is independently associated with greater mental healthcare utilization, PTSD mediates a portion of this association.
Pharmacological inhibition of protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B protects against atherosclerotic plaque formation in the LDLR−/− mouse model of atherosclerosis

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the most prevalent cause of mortality among patients with type 1 or type 2 diabetes, due to accelerated atherosclerosis. Recent evidence suggests a strong link between atherosclerosis and insulin resistance, due to impaired insulin receptor (IR) signalling. Here, we demonstrate that inhibiting the activity of protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B (PTP1B), the major negative regulator of the IR prevents and reverses atherosclerotic plaque formation in an LDLR−/− mouse model of atherosclerosis. Acute (single dose) or chronic PTP1B inhibitor (trodusquemine) treatment of LDLR−/− mice decreased weight gain and adiposity, improved glucose homeostasis and attenuated atherosclerotic plaque formation. This was accompanied by a reduction in both, circulating total cholesterol and triglycerides, a decrease in aortic monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) expression levels and hyperphosphorylation of aortic Akt/PKB and AMPKα. Our findings are the first to demonstrate that PTP1B inhibitors could be used in prevention and reversal of atherosclerosis development and reduction in CVD risk.
Interpreting Minimum Wage Effects on Wage Distributions: A Cautionary Tale

We develop a behavioral model that can be utilized with wage data collected before and after a change in the statutory minium wage to determine whether the change was welfare-improving or not. The tests we develop are nonparametric and are implemented using bootstrap methods. We present some empirical evidence that the 1997 minimum wage change from $4,75 to $5,15 in the U.S. increased welfare in the population of youths aged 16-24 but that the 1996 change from $4,25 to $4,75 did not.
An outbreak of salmonella food poisoning attributed to bakers' confectionery

1. An outbreak of food poisoning due to S. typhimurium and S. thompson is described. 2. These same two serotypes were found in trifle eaten by the victims. 3. S. typhimurium was found in the stools of four members of the bakery staff and in the stool of one member of the grocery staff handling luncheon meat eaten by those affected. 4. S. typhimurium was isolated from drains in the bakery. 5. The phage-type of S. typhimurium found in the food handlers, drains, trifle and victims of the outbreak was the same. 6. The phage-type of S. thompson found in the trifle was identical with that found in the victims of the outbreak. 7. The phage-type of both salmonellae suggested an egg product source. 8. It is surprising how infrequent these outbreaks are, having regard to the very frequent opportunity for the contamination of confectionery products in bake-houses.
Adverse pregnancy outcomes and inherited thrombophilia

Abstract Aim: (1) To evaluate the prevalence of inherited thrombophilia in pregnant women with adverse pregnancy outcomes: intrauterine growth retardation (IUGR), preeclampsia (PE) and placental abruption. (2) To assess the impact of inherited thrombophilia on the nature of obstetric complications. (3) To assess levels of protein S, protein C, antithrombin III and homocysteine in pregnant women with adverse pregnancy outcomes. Subjects and methods: The study comprised 162 pregnant women. The patients were divided into three test groups and one control group. In all 162 patients the following tests were completed: activated protein C resistance (APC-R), the level of free protein S, activity of protein C, antithrombin III and the level of homocysteine. The data were statistically analyzed via χ2 of independence or homogeneity test. Results: In 32 of 162 patients participating in clinical research thrombophilia was diagnosed (10 patients with APC-R, 21 patients with protein S deficiency, one patient with hyperhomocysteinemia): seven patients belonged to the control group and 25 patients had diagnosed adverse pregnancy outcomes (P=0.04). In 32 patients with diagnosed thrombophilia, level of protein S was decreased (P=0.04). Protein S deficiency was diagnosed, when level of protein S was lower than 30% in the second trimester and lower than 24% in the third trimester. The incidence of activated protein C resistance caused by the mutation of factor V Leiden was in six patients (5.9%) with adverse pregnancy outcomes, and in four patients (6.6%) from the control group. Results were not statistically significant. No protein C deficiency was diagnosed (diagnosis: level<60%), but in 50% of patients with thrombophilia level of protein C was over the norm (P=0.02). The level of antithrombin III was often decreased in patients with preeclampsia – (32.4%), then in the other patients – (17.2%) (P=0.04), but no patient was diagnosed with antithrombin III deficiency (diagnosis: level<60%). Conclusions: Tests for thrombophilia should be carried out in women with adverse pregnancy outcomes in their history, who are planning pregnancy, to start anticoagulant prophylaxis. Our study supports the thesis that tests for thrombophilia should be carried out in women with a history of adverse pregnancy outcomes and who are planning a pregnancy to start anticoagulant prophylaxis.
Maturation of responsiveness to cardioactive drugs. Differential effects of acetylcholine, norepinephrine, theophylline, tyramine, glucagon, and dibutyryl cyclic AMP on atrial rate in hearts of fetal mice.

Freshly isolated hearts of fetal mice of gestational ages ranging between 12 and 22 days (term) were exposed to several concentrations of a variety of chronotropic agents. Acetylcholine (10(-4)-10(-2) M) caused marked bradycardia in all hearts, even after only 12-14 days' gestation (i.e., even before cardiac innervation had occurred), and the intensity of the response increased steadily with advancing age throughout gestation. Responsiveness to norepinephrine was present but minimal at 12-14 days, so that mean atrial rate rose by < 10% with a maximal concentration of the drug (10(-5) M); responsiveness became more marked by 15-16 days (just after the time atrial innervation is thought to begin) and still greater effects appeared just before term. Glucagon had no effect in hearts of < 17 days' gestational age, but caused tachycardia thereafter, indicating that cardiac responsiveness to glucagon differentiates later than does responsiveness to norepinephrine. Responses to theophyl-line in 12-14 day hearts exceeded those to norepinephrine, indicating that the drug can affect heart rate independently of its ability to cause release of endogenous catecholamines. In contrast, tyramine caused no response until 21-22 days, well after the time the beta-receptor has differentiated and after innervation is fairly well developed, suggesting that the drug's primary sympathomimetic effect is indirect rather than direct. Dibutyryl cyclic AMP did not cause tachycardia at any fetal age. It is concluded that maturation of responsiveness of the mouse heart to cardioactive drugs develops in specific patterns for different agents. The identification of differential patterns of maturation for various drugs may provide valuable means for characterizing the differentiation of specific receptors and for investigating possible mechanisms of action of the drugs.
LEVEL OF MILLENNIUM DEVELOPMENT GOALS AWARENESS AMONG STUDENTS AT PRINCESS ALIA UNIVERSITY COLLEGE

﻿The study is aimed at investigating the extent to which students at Al- Balqaa’ Applied University - Princess Alia University College are aware of the Millennium Development Goals. The descriptive survey design was adopted and the purposive sampling technique were employed to select 271 participants to respond to questionnaire items developed by the reseracher based on their knowledge. Statistical analysis of the responses using the t-test showed that awareness among students of the Millennium Development Goals is generally low. Additionally, there is statistical significant difference in the awareness of the Millennium Development Goals between students pursuing a bachelor’s degree and those pursuing a diploma, where the former are more aware of the Millennium Development Goals. Implications of these findings were discussed and it was suggested instructors should give more attention to relevant topics and that raising awareness is a task that is not confined to one stakeholder, the universities in this case, but rather requires that all stakeholders get involved in the process. Research Limitations and implications: Financial constraint has automatically re-defined the researchers’ need to expand the scope of coverage, limiting the investigation to students at Al-Balqa Applied University – Princess Alia University College. Therefore, the generalization of the study are limited to the sample of students involved
Regional Differences in the Price-Elasticity of Demand For Energy

At the request of the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), the RAND Corporation examined the relationship between energy demand and energy prices with the focus on whether the relationships between demand and price differ if these are examined at different levels of data resolution. In this case, RAND compares national, regional, state, and electric utility levels of data resolution. This study is intended as a first step in helping NREL understand the impact that spatial disaggregation of data can have on estimating the impacts of their programs. This report should be useful to analysts in NREL and other national laboratories, as well as to policy nationals at the national level. It may help them understand the complex relationships between demand and price and how these might vary across different locations in the United States.
Finding water scarcity amid abundance using human–natural system models

Significance Climate change will heighten the need to anticipate water shortages worldwide. The task is daunting due to water’s variability, spatial-temporal movement, feedbacks, and other system complexities. A high-resolution coupled human–natural system model identifies how both climate change and socioeconomic drivers will alter water scarcity in future decades. The results illuminate how water scarcity varies greatly across small distances and brief time periods, even in basins where water may be relatively abundant overall. These findings, and other unexpected results that may seem counterintuitive, underscore the potential value of such models for policy. Water scarcity afflicts societies worldwide. Anticipating water shortages is vital because of water’s indispensable role in social-ecological systems. But the challenge is daunting due to heterogeneity, feedbacks, and water’s spatial-temporal sequencing throughout such systems. Regional system models with sufficient detail can help address this challenge. In our study, a detailed coupled human–natural system model of one such region identifies how climate change and socioeconomic growth will alter the availability and use of water in coming decades. Results demonstrate how water scarcity varies greatly across small distances and brief time periods, even in basins where water may be relatively abundant overall. Some of these results were unexpected and may appear counterintuitive to some observers. Key determinants of water scarcity are found to be the cost of transporting and storing water, society’s institutions that circumscribe human choices, and the opportunity cost of water when alternative uses compete.
PRE‐EXERCISE STRETCHING DOES NOT IMPACT UPON RUNNING ECONOMY

Pre-exercise stretching has been widely reported to reduce performance in tasks requiring maximal or near-maximal force or torque. The purpose of this study was to compare the effects of 3 different pre-exercise stretching routines on running economy. Seven competitive male middle and long-distance runners (mean ± SD) age: 32.5 ± 7.7 years; height: 175.0 ± 8.8 cm; mass: 67.8 ± 8.6 kg; &OV0622;O2max: 66.8 ± 7.0 ml·kg−1·min−1) volunteered to participate in this study. Each participant completed 4 different pre-exercise conditions: (a) a control condition, (b) static stretching, (c) progressive static stretching, and (d) dynamic stretching. Each stretching routine consisted of 2 − 30-second stretches for each of 5 exercises. Dependent variables measured were sit and reach test before and after each pre-exercise routine, running economy (ml·kg−1·km−1), and steady-state oxygen uptake (ml·kg−1·min−1), which were measured during the final 3 minutes of a 10-minute run below lactate threshold. All 3 stretching routines resulted in an increase in the range of movement (p = 0.008). There was no change in either running economy (p = 0.915) or steady-state &OV0622;O2 (p = 0.943). The lack of change in running economy was most likely because it was assessed after a period of submaximal running, which may have masked any effects from the stretching protocols. Previously reported reductions in performance have been attributed to reduced motor unit activation, presumably IIX. In this study, these motor units were likely not to have been recruited; this may explain the unimpaired performance. This study suggests that pre-exercise stretching has no impact upon running economy or submaximal exercise oxygen cost.
Effects of type‐selective phosphodiesterase inhibitors on glucose‐induced insulin secretion and islet phosphodiesterase activity

1 We examined various type‐selective phosphodiesterase (PDE) inhibitors on glucose‐induced insulin secretion from rat isolated islets, on islet PDE activity and on islet cyclic AMP accumulation in order to assess the relationship between type‐selective PDE inhibition and modification of insulin release. 2 The nonselective PDE inhibitor, 3‐isobutyl‐l‐methylxanthine (IBMX, 10−5‐10−3 M), as well as the type III selective PDE inhibitors SK&F 94836 (10−5‐10−3 M), Org 9935 (10−7‐10−4 M), SK&F 94120 (10−5‐10−4 M) and ICI 118233 (10−6‐10−4 M) each caused concentration‐dependent augmentation (up to 40% increase) of insulin release in the presence of a stimulatory glucose concentration (10 mM), but not in the presence of 3 mM glucose. 3 Neither the type IV PDE inhibitor rolipram (10−4 M) nor the type I and type V PDE inhibitor, zaprinast (10−4‐10−3 M) modified glucose‐induced insulin release when incubated with islets, although a higher concentration of rolipram (10−3 M) inhibited secretion by 55%. However, when islets were preincubated with these drugs followed by incubation in their continued presence, zaprinast (10−6‐10−4 M) produced a concentration‐dependent inhibition (up to 45% at 10−4 M). Under these conditions, rolipram inhibited insulin secretion at a lower concentration (10−4 M) than when simply incubated with islets. 4 A combination of SK&F 94836 (10−5 M) and forskolin (5 × 10−8 M) significantly augmented glucose‐induced insulin secretion (30% increase), although neither drug alone, in these concentrations, produced any significant effect. 5 Islet cyclic AMP levels, which were not modified by forskolin (10−6 M), SK&F 94836 (10−4 M) or Org 9935 (10−5 M) were significantly elevated (approximately 3.7 fold increase) by forskolin in combination with either SK&F 94836 or Org 9935. 6 Homogenates of rat islets showed a low Km (1.7 μm) and high Km (13 μm) cyclic AMP PDE in the supernatant fractions (from 48, 000 g centrifugation), whereas the particulate fraction showed only a low Km (1.4 μm) cyclic AMP PDE activity. 7 The PDE activity of both supernatant and pellet fractions were consistently inhibited by SK&F 94836 or Org 9935, the concentrations required to reduce particulate PDE activity by 50% being 5.5 and 0.05 μm respectively. 8 Rolipram (10−5‐10−4 M) did not consistently inhibit PDE activity in homogenates of rat islets and zaprinast (10−4 M) consistently inhibited activity by 30% in the supernatant fraction, but not consistently in the pellet. 9 These data are consistent with the presence of a type III PDE in rat islets of Langerhans.
Rapid detection and quantification of yeast species during spontaneous wine fermentation by PCR–RFLP analysis of the rDNA ITS region

L. GRANCHI, M. BOSCO, A. MESSINI and M. VINCENZINI.1999. PCR–RFLP analysis of the rDNA–ITS (internal transcribed spacer) region was applied to 174 yeast strains belonging to 30 species of oenological significance and including 27 type strains in order to define a rapid identification protocol for yeast colonies. DraI‐or HaeIII‐PCR–RFLP patterns were species‐specific with the exception of teleomorphic and anamorphic forms. An improved protocol taking about 30 h was used for the detection and quantification of yeast species occurring in the course of a spontaneous wine fermentation at industrial level. Wine samples were taken and plated daily on an agar medium and the developed colonies were analysed by PCR–RFLP after 24 h of incubation. A representative sample of these colonies was also identified by traditional methods. Both procedures gave identical results. However, PCR–RFLP analysis allowed a more precise enumeration of the yeast populations, proving to be a reliable and simple method for monitoring the development of the yeast community throughout wine fermentation.
“Menstrual” Migraine: Towards a Definition

“Menstrual” migraine, a term misused by both patients and doctors, lacks precise definition. This dissertation critically reviews papers on the subject and examines the problem from a clinical perspective. A definition is proposed that the term “menstrual” migraine should be restricted to attacks exclusively starting on or between day l ± 2 days of the menstrual cycle; the woman should be free from attacks at all other times of the cycle. This definition, unlike many used previously, links to a specific mechanism; the timing is consistent with oestrogen withdrawal. If this is correct, “oestrogen withdrawal” migraine may be a better term. Future studies, necessary to support or refute these proposals, are suggested.