Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Hormone replacement in postmenopausal women: impact of progestogens on autonomic tone and blood pressure regulation

Objective Depressed heart rate variability (HRV) reflects an imbalance of autonomic tone and independently predicts increased cardiovascular risk in patients with congestive heart failure or after acute myocardial infarction. While hormone replacement therapy (HRT) with estrogens beneficially modulates autonomic tone and blood pressure (BP) regulation in postmenopausal women, the impact of concomitant treatment with progestogens remains unclear. Design In this cross-sectional study, HRV and BP were examined in 62 healthy women (ages 48–71 years) using digital beat-to-beat interval recordings of heart rate and 24-hour ambulatory BP measurements. Results Demographic parameters did not differ among women without HRT (n = 23), on estrogen (n = 17; ERT), or on progestogen-estrogen containing HRT (n = 22; PERT). Total power of HRV was significantly lower, whereas mean heart rate (HR) was significantly higher among women on PERT group versus controls and ERT (total power: 1611 ± 146 vs. 2497 ± 308 and 2472 ± 348 ms2; heart rate: 80.7 ± 1.2 vs. 75.0 ± 1.4 and 74.0 ± 2.2 bpm;p < 0.05). In addition, low-frequency power and time-dependent parameters of HRV were lower among women on PERT group versus controls and ERT (p < 0.05). ERT use was associated with reduced systolic and diastolic daytime BP, whereas no significant differences were evident PERT users compared with controls. Conclusions Progestogen-containing replacement therapy was associated with increased HR and an attenuation of HRV in postmenopausal women. BP was lower in women on ERT, whereas this effect was offset in the PERT group. These observations could at least partially explain the ambiguous results of progestogen-containing HRT on cardiovascular risk in the Heart and Estrogen/Progestin Replacement Study (HERS).
The Structure of Slave Prices in New Orleans, 1804 to 1862

This paper analyzes the structure of slave prices in New Orleans from 1804 to 1862 in an attempt to shed light on such issues as the competitive nature and economic “rationality” of the slave system, the impact of the slave trade on the separation of the slave family, the extent of slave skill formation and its importance to the Southern economy, and the personal relationships between owners and slaves. The analysis is based on the Rogert Fogel and Stanley Engerman (1974) sample of New Orleans slave invoices representing over 5700 slaves sold during the years 1804 to 1862. These invoices contain a rich assortment of information detailing the characteristics and attributes of slaves sold in the market as well as the particulars of slave transactions. The data are investigated within a regression model that relates the price of slaves sold in the market to their characteristics and to other aspects of the slave sale. After discussing the data and the regression model, the paper presents general results; subsequent sections of the paper focus on questions of more particular interest.
Does S. Kuznets's Belief Question the Environmental Kuznets Curves?

This paper examines the link between pollution and income. The main purpose is to assess whether the introduction of income inequality in a Environmental Kuznets Curve (EKC) analysis can give new insights into the relationship between pollution and economic growth. The EKC hypothesis proposes that there is an inverted U-shape relation between environmental degradation and income per capita. We question this common result, in a simple model where the income inequality evolution is exogenous and where the planner could use only one instrument. For a set of parameter values we find, for example, a two-hump curve.
Do SMEs in deprived areas find it harder to access finance? Evidence from the UK Small Business Survey

Encouraging enterprise in deprived places is an important objective of the UK government policy. Evidence on the perceptions of entrepreneurs suggests that access to finance may be harder for firms in deprived areas, who may have fewer contacts, less collateral or worse access to mainstream banks. Yet there is little empirical evidence on whether this is actually the case. This paper investigates whether firms in deprived areas are more likely to find it hard to access finance than other firms, using a sample of around 3500 UK small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs). We find that firms in deprived areas are more likely to perceive access to finance is a problem. However, controlling for SME characteristics, firm growth, credit scores and selection effects, we find no evidence that they actually do find it harder to obtain. The results suggest that geographical disparities in access to finance are unimportant for the average firm.
Antibody cross-reactivity with CD46 and lack of cell surface expression suggest that moesin might not mediate measles virus binding

The binding of antimoesin antibodies from ascites fluids to the surfaces of human and rodent cells was found to parallel the level of CD46 expression. No such reactivity was detected with a purified antimoesin antibody which recognized intracellular moesin. In Western blots, antimoesin antibodies were found to react with solubilized CD46 and a recombinant soluble form of CD46. Antimoesin antibodies also reacted with CD46/CD4 molecules containing only the SCR I and II domains required for measles virus (MV) hemagglutinin binding onto CD46. We suggest that the weak cross-reactivity of antimoesin antibodies with CD46 explains the inhibitory effect of these antibodies on MV entry and that moesin is not directly involved in MV binding.
Lumbar disc disease shows linkage to chromosome 19 overlapping with a QTL for hand OA

Objective: Cervical and lumbar degenerative disc disease (CDD and LDD, respectively) form part of the spine osteoarthritis (OA) phenotype and are known to be influenced by genetic factors. A genome-wide linkage analysis was performed to identify new chromosomal regions of interest. Methods: Dizygotic healthy female twin volunteers (n = 348) from the TwinsUK register who had magnetic resonance imaging scans 10 years ago coded for degenerative disease, were identified. Multipoint genome-wide linkage analysis was conducted using 737 highly polymorphic markers of approximate spacing 10 cM. Results: The mean age of the twins was 52 years. Significant linkage peaks (log of the odds (LOD) >3) were identified for LDD at three chromosomal regions. These included chromosome 1 (position 285 cM), chromosome 5 (position 175 cM) and chromosome 19 (position 80 cM). The peak on chromosome 19 had LOD = 4.06, and the empirical p = 6.7×10-4 confirmed reliability of the linkage signal. It lies close to a linkage peak previously obtained by our group for hand OA. Conclusions: This genome-wide linkage study of CDD and LDD shows evidence of linkage for LDD on chromosome 19. The region of interest is likely to harbour genes that are common to LDD and hand OA.
Circulating proviral HIV DNA and HIV-associated dementia

Objective:Individuals continue to develop HIV-1-associated dementia (HAD) despite treatment with highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART). Monocytes/macrophages (M/MΦ) can harbor proviral DNA that is not eradicated by HAART. To determine if HAD is associated with the level of HIV-1 infection within circulating leukocytes, we quantified HIV-1 DNA copy number in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC), and in PBMC subsets. Design:Cross-sectional analysis within the Hawaii Aging with HIV Cohort comparing participants with HAD to those with normal cognition (NC). Methods:Real-time PCR assays assessing HIV DNA copy number/1 × 106 cells were performed on PBMC and subsets. Results.Individuals with HAD (n = 27) had a median (interquartile range) of 9.11 (37.20) HIV DNA per 1 × 106 PBMC compared to 0.49 (0.89) HIV DNA per 1 × 106 PBMC in individuals with NC (n = 22). Using a univariate analysis in the subset of individuals with undetectable viral load (HAD, n = 11; NC, n = 13), the odds of HAD attributable to HIV DNA copy number was 2.76 (1.28–5.94), P < 0.01. Preliminary analysis of a small subset of patients (n = 5) suggested that the primary source of HIV DNA may be the activated M/MΦ (CD14/CD16) subset. Conclusions.These findings suggest a potentially important association between circulating provirus and HAD.
Studies in space orientation; further experiments on perception of the upright with displaced visual fields.

"The effects of visual frameworks of different tilt and of different bodily positions upon perception of the upright were investigated in 53 adult Ss. The visual field consisted of a simple luminous frame contained in a completely darkened room. Within the frame was a luminous rod which the S had to set to the vertical and horizontal. The frame was tilted 28° right, 28° left or was erect; and the body was either erect or tilted 28° left. Tilting of the frame caused a shift in the perceived upright in the direction of the frame. The influence of the frame was smaller with body upright than with body tilted. " There were marked individual differences in performance with modes of perceiving the upright characteristic of the individual involved. "The 'weak' structure of the visual framework used resulted in smaller errors, as compared with previous studies, when the rod had to be set to the upright under the influence of the tilted frame. At the same time, the framework was relatively unstable, the top coming to be perceived as a side, and so on. " It was concluded that "… the effect of the visual field upon the perceived upright tends to be stronger and more consistent, the more richly articulated the field. " (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved)
Modelling Export Prices and Quantities in a Small Open Economy [The Supply and Demand for Exports: A Simultaneous Approach]

volvement by U.S. Manufacturing Industry," OxfJord Economic Papers 32 (Mar. 1980), 102-122. Lindenberg, Eric B. , and Stephen A. Ross, "Tobin's q Ratio and Industrial Organization," Journal of Business 54 (Jan. 1981), 1-32. Marvel, Howard P., "Foreign Trade and Domestic Competition," Economic Inquiry 18 (Jan. 1980), 103-122. Thomadakis, Stavros B. , "A Value-Based Test of Profitability and Market Structure," this REVIEW 59 (May 1977), 179-185.
Molecular cloning and characterization of the hblA gene encoding the B component of hemolysin BL from Bacillus cereus

Previous evidence suggests that hemolysin BL, which consists of a binding component, B, and two lytic components, L1 and L2, is the enterotoxin responsible for the diarrheal form of gastroenteritis caused by food-borne strains of Bacillus cereus. To prove that hemolysin BL and the enterotoxin are the same requires large amounts of these components free of other B. cereus proteins. For this purpose, we sought to clone the gene encoding the B component and to express it in Escherichia coli. A partial genomic library was constructed and a 29-base, 1,152-fold-degenerate oligonucleotide probe, designed from the N-terminal amino acid sequence of the B component, was used to identify recombinant clones containing the gene. Detection of gene products reactive with a monoclonal antibody specific for the B component and analysis of the nucleotide sequence confirmed that isolated clones, reactive with the oligonucleotide probe, did contain the gene encoding the B component. The protein, expressed in E. coli, apparently from the B. cereus promoter, produces a ring-shaped zone of hemolysis when combined with purified L components from B. cereus, a reaction typical of hemolysin BL. Northern (RNA) blot analysis of B. cereus RNA showed a large (5.1-kb) transcript which hybridized with a 500-bp probe internal to the B-component-coding sequence, suggesting that the hblA gene encoding the B component may be transcribed as part of a polycistronic message, possibly including the structural genes for the two lytic components. Higher levels of expression and disruption of the hblA gene are being pursued to resolve whether hemolysin BL is indeed the enterotoxin.
Promotion and prevention choices between stability and change.

Two situations involving choice between stability and change were examined: task substitution, which deals with choosing between resuming an interrupted activity and doing a substitute activity, and endowment, which deals with choosing between a possessed object and an alternative object. Regulatory focus theory (E. T. Higgins, 1997, 1998) predicts that a promotion focus will be associated with openness to change, whereas a prevention focus will be associated with a preference for stability. Five studies confirmed this prediction with both situational induction of and chronic personality differences in regulatory focus. In Studies 1 and 2, individuals in a prevention focus were more inclined than individuals in a promotion focus to resume an interrupted task rather than do a substitute task. In Studies 3-5, individuals in a prevention focus, but not individuals in a promotion focus, exhibited a reluctance to exchange currently possessed objects (i.e., endowment) or previously possessed objects.
Measuring the Effectiveness of Antiretroviral Agents

Considerable progress has been made recently in developing effective antiretroviral combination therapy that can suppress viral replication and delay disease progression in individuals infected with HIV. A range of up to 15 approved antiretroviral agents is now available, which target two different viral enzymes, while several agents are in clinical development. The rapid development and approval of antiretroviral agents, driven by the urgency of clinical need as well as the complexity of possible combinations, has precluded the extensive comparative clinical testing of regimens, which is necessary to establish the relative efficacy of various different agents. The lack of an appropriate animal model for HIV disease also increases reliance on in vitro measures. Several different in vitro and in vivo parameters have been defined in an attempt to quantify the effectiveness of antiretroviral agents, most importantly the 50% inhibitory and effective concentrations (IC50 and EC50). However, the clinical relevance of these measures is uncertain. Additionally, considerable variation exists in the usage of the terms ‘IC50’ and ‘EC50’ in recent publications in the literature. These issues pose interpretation problems to clinicians seeking information on the relative clinical efficacy of the agents. In this brief review, we attempt to clarify the different measures available and their potential utility for clinical decision-making, focusing particularly on the example of HIV protease inhibitors. There are many different quantifiable parameters that give information regarding the effectiveness of an antiviral drug. These include: inhibition of the viral target enzyme (inhibition constant, Ki); selectivity for viral versus host enzymes; inhibition of viral replication in cell culture (IC50); ratio of efficacy to cytotoxicity in vitro (therapeutic index); inhibition of viral replication or symptoms in an appropriate animal model of the disease (EC50); and the effect on surrogate markers, such as viral load or CD4 cell count, after administration to humans (in vivo EC50). Each of these different parameters gives valid information about the properties of an antiretroviral agent, which can help to build up a picture of its potential clinical utility relative to other drugs. However, to gain meaningful results, it is important to apply this information intelligently, understanding the limitations of each parameter.
The Transition from Primary to Secondary Education: Meritocracy and Ethnicity

The aim of this study was to better understand the influence of pupil background characteristics (e.g. gender, SES, ethnicity), various cognitive, and non-cognitive competencies (e.g. school performance, study attitude) and a number of class and school characteristics (e.g. socio-ethnic class composition, degree of urbanization) on the transition of children from primary to secondary education in the Netherlands. In the final grade of Dutch primary school, pupils are advised with regard to the type of secondary education considered most appropriate for them. Recent data from the national large-scale PRIMA cohort study, which includes more than 8,000 pupils and 500 classes, were used to examine differences in the levels of recommendation provided. The results showed the phenomenon of over-recommending or, in other words, groups of pupils receiving an educational recommendation, which is higher than justified by their school performance, to no longer exist. Pupil achievement appeared to be the most important factor for the explanation of the level of recommendation, which clearly provides support for the meritocratic principle.
Clofarabine, idarubicin, and cytarabine (CIA) as frontline therapy for patients ≤60 years with newly diagnosed acute myeloid leukemia

Clofarabine is a second generation nucleoside analogue with activity in adults with acute myeloid leukemia (AML). A phase I trial of clofarabine, idarubicin, and cytarabine (CIA) in relapsed and refractory AML had shown an overall response rate (ORR) of 48%. To explore this combination further, we conducted a phase II study of (CIA) in patients with newly diagnosed AML ≤60 years. Patients ≥18–60 years with AML and adequate organ function were enrolled. Induction therapy consisted of clofarabine (C) 20 mg m−2 IV daily (days 1–5), idarubicin (I) 10 mg m−2 IV daily (days 1–3), and cytarabine (A) 1 g m−2 IV daily (days 1–5). Patients in remission received up to six consolidation cycles (C 15 mg m−2 × 3, I 8 mg m−2 × 2, and A 0.75 g m−2 × 3). Fifty‐seven patients were evaluable. ORR was 79%. With a median follow up of 10.9 months, the median overall survival (OS) was not reached, the median event‐free survival (EFS) was 13.5 months. Most toxicities were ≤grade 2. Four week mortality was 2%. In subgroup analysis, patients ≤40 years had better OS (P = 0.04) and EFS (P = 0.04) compared to patients >40 years. Compared to historical patients treated with idarubicin and cyarabine (IA), the OS and EFS were significantly longer for CIA treated patients. In multivariate analysis, CIA retained its favorable impact on OS compared to IA. Thus, CIA is an effective and safe therapy for patients ≤60 years with newly diagnosed AML. Am. J. Heamtol. 88:961–966, 2013. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
NCX3 regulates mitochondrial Ca2+ handling through the AKAP121-anchored signaling complex and prevents hypoxia-induced neuronal death

Summary The mitochondrial influx and efflux of Ca2+ play a relevant role in cytosolic and mitochondrial Ca2+ homeostasis, and contribute to the regulation of mitochondrial functions in neurons. The mitochondrial Na+/Ca2+ exchanger, which was first postulated in 1974, has been primarily investigated only from a functional point of view, and its identity and localization in the mitochondria have been a matter of debate over the past three decades. Recently, a Li+-dependent Na+/Ca2+ exchanger extruding Ca2+ from the matrix has been found in the inner mitochondrial membrane of neuronal cells. However, evidence has been provided that the outer membrane is impermeable to Ca2+ efflux into the cytoplasm. In this study, we demonstrate for the first time that the nuclear-encoded NCX3 isoform (1) is located on the outer mitochondrial membrane (OMM) of neurons; (2) colocalizes and immunoprecipitates with AKAP121 (also known as AKAP1), a member of the protein kinase A anchoring proteins (AKAPs) present on the outer membrane; (3) extrudes Ca2+ from mitochondria through AKAP121 interaction in a PKA-mediated manner, both under normoxia and hypoxia; and (4) improves cell survival when it works in the Ca2+ efflux mode at the level of the OMM. Collectively, these results suggest that, in neurons, NCX3 regulates mitochondrial Ca2+ handling from the OMM through an AKAP121-anchored signaling complex, thus promoting cell survival during hypoxia.
Changes in Life-Cycle Earnings: What Do Social Security Data Show?.

A matched sample of Social Security and Current Population Survey records is used to examine life-cycle earnings patterns of white males over the 1951-1976 period. Estimated direct effects of schooling and experience compare well with other studies, but interaction effects with cohort do not. Younger cohorts exhibit smaller marginal returns to schooling and larger marginal returns to experience, but differences between cohorts are very small. When demographic factors, namely, veteran status, are controlled, direct cohort effects are linear in these data and show no tendency to vary with cohort size.
Pavement Coatings Technology Council

The Pavement Coatings Technology Council (PCTC), which represents numerous companies throughout the country that are part of the sealcoat industry, submits this request for correction of information disseminated by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). This request is made pursuant to the USGS Information Quality Guidelines and the U.S. Department of the Interior and the Office of Management and Budget Guidelines (67 F.R. 8452) in accordance with Section 515 of the Treasury and General Government Appropriations Act for Fiscal Year 2001 (Public Law 106-554).
Auditors' Perceived Business Risk and Audit Fees: Analysis and Evidence

type="main" xml:lang="en"> This study analyzes the relation between auditors' perceived business risk and audit fees to determine whether audit firms or their clients bear the expected legal costs of business risk. We predict that hourly audit fees and the number of audit hours are increasing in business risk. Using confidential survey data collected by a large international accounting firm for 422 audits, we find that high business risk increases the number of audit hours, but not the fee per hour. This implies that firms perceive firm-level differences in business risk and obtain compensation through billing additional hours, not by raising the hourly charge.
EU-ETS and Nordic Electricity: A CVAR Analysis

A cointegrated vector autoregressive (CVAR) model is estimated to determine the dynamic relationship between Nordic wholesale electricity prices and EU emissions trading scheme (EU-ETS) CO2 allowance prices. An impulse response analysis reveals that electricity prices have large short-term responses to CO2 price shocks, but that this response dampens over time. Using hourly Nordic electricity spot market prices, I find that the value of short-term response of electricity prices to a shock in CO2 prices in off-peak hours is consistent with expected values for near complete pass-through of CO2 emission costs when coal-generated power is at the margin. Likewise, the estimates reveal that peak hour electricity price responses to CO2 price shocks are as expected for a market that has near complete pass-through of CO2 emission costs when natural gas-generated power is at the margin. These results further suggest the Nordic electricity market is pricing as a competitive market.