Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Cryptosporidium spp., a frequent cause of diarrhea in Liberian children

This report presents results from a sample survey designed to investigate the possible role of Cryptosporidium spp. in childhood diarrhea in a developing country, Liberia, West Africa. During the four months of January to April 1983, a house-to-house study was carried out in two geographically and socially different communities--an urban slum and three rural villages. Stool samples from 374 children, aged 6 to 59 months, were tested for Cryptosporidium spp. Among the children with diarrhea 8.4% were Cryptosporidium spp. positive compared with a prevalence rate of 5.9% in asymptomatic children. Of the children living in a household with a Cryptosporidium spp. -positive index child, 8.6% had a positive stool sample. Of all children attending a clinic because of diarrhea, 14.6% were Cryptosporidium spp. positive. Cryptosporidiosis was more frequent in younger children; 24 of the total of 29 positive cases (83%) were below 2.5 years old. Actual or previous bottle feeding (formula) was a risk factor, particularly in children below 18 months old. Of the bottle-fed children, 28% were Cryptosporidium spp. positive versus 9.1% of children never bottle fed. Crowding is another possible risk factor. The prevalence of cryptosporidiosis was 13.5% in big urban households with more than 10 children, whereas the prevalence in the small urban households was 6.1%. Ethnic and religious differences were particularly evident in the rural area. No Muslim households had cryptosporidiosis, whereas the prevalence in non-Muslim tribes was 9%. The general belief that cryptosporidiosis is primarily a zoonosis is questioned in this study, partly because many carriers and asymptomatic household contacts were found.
Implications of Basel II for Latin America 1

Despite delays, Basel II remains set to be finalized this year with implementation in Basel Committee countries by the end of 2006. How will this agreement between a set of G10+ countries affect emerging economies? Two implications are considered here for countries in Latin America. First, earlier papers have suggested that implementation in G10+ may affect the cost of capital and may introduce pro-cyclicality. The analysis presented indicates that these concerns may be exaggerated depending on the value of critical parameters. Second, Latin America may choose to implement the new agreement locally. Five country characteristics are detailed that might serve as a guide to govern whether and if so how Basel II should be implemented. Moreover, a simpler Centralized Rating Based (CRB) approach to enhance provisioning is proposed as an initial or transition step for the region. Finally, a number of largely unresolved, cross-border issues are discussed.
The Saccharomyces cerevisiae MYO2 gene encodes an essential myosin for vectorial transport of vesicles

After the initiation of bud formation, cells of the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae direct new growth to the developing bud. We show here that this vectorial growth is facilitated by activity of the MYO2 gene. The wild-type MYO2 gene encodes an essential form of myosin composed of an NH2-terminal domain typical of the globular, actin-binding domain of other myosins. This NH2-terminal domain is linked by what appears to be a short alpha-helical domain to a novel COOH-terminal region. At the restrictive temperature the myo2-66 mutation does not impair DNA, RNA, or protein biosynthetic activity, but produces unbudded, enlarged cells. This phenotype suggests a defect in localization of cell growth. Measurements of cell size demonstrated that the continued development of initiated buds, as well as bud initiation itself, is inhibited. Bulk secretion continues in mutant cells, although secretory vesicles accumulate. The MYO2 myosin thus may function as the molecular motor to transport secretory vesicles along actin cables to the site of bud development.
Factors Associated with Cancer- and Non-Cancer-Related Deaths among Taiwanese Patients with Diabetes after 17 Years of Follow-Up

Objective A previous 12-year follow-up of a large diabetes cohort in Taiwan suggested a survival advantage in the patients with obesity. The present study further investigated additional determinants for cancer and non-cancer death in the cohort after a follow-up of 17 years. Methods A cohort of 92546 diabetes patients recruited since 1995 was followed for vital status by matching the National Death Certificate Database until 2011. Cox regression estimated the hazard ratios for the following variables: age at baseline, sex, diabetes type, screen-detected diabetes (diabetes diagnosed accidentally through epidemiological screening programs or during visits to medical settings without a history of diabetes), diabetes duration, body mass index, insulin use, hypertension, smoking, and living region. Fasting glucose and history of dyslipidemia were available for additional adjustment in a subcohort of the patients (n = 14559). Results A total of 40229 diabetes patients (43.5% of the cohort) died during follow-up and 10.9% died under the age of 60. Insulin use and smoking significantly predicted cancer and non-cancer death. The adjusted hazard ratio (95% confidence interval) associated with insulin use was 1.161 (1.052–1.281) for cancer death and 1.469 (1.413–1.526) for non-cancer death. Screen-detected diabetes and body mass index were consistently associated with a lower risk, but diabetes duration a higher risk, for non-cancer death, with adjusted hazard ratio of 0.683 (0.666–0.702), 0.955 (0.951–0.958) and 1.018 (1.017–1.020), respectively. Diabetes type had a null association disregarding the causes of death and living in rural areas was significantly associated with a higher mortality from non-cancer death. Hypertension, fasting glucose and dyslipidemia showed differential impacts on cancer and non-cancer death, and were significantly predictive for non-cancer death. Conclusions Screen-detected diabetes and a higher body mass index provide a survival advantage, especially for non-cancer death. However, insulin use is associated with a significantly higher risk of either cancer or non-cancer death.
2-(m-Azidobenzoyl)taxol binds differentially to distinct β-tubulin isotypes

Significance β-Tubulin is a validated target for Taxol. There are seven β-tubulin isotypes present in distinct quantities in mammalian cells of different origin. Altered expression of βIII-tubulin is found in cancer cell lines and in human tumors resistant to Taxol. A tritium-labeled Taxol analog was used to determine that βIII-tubulin binds the least amount of drug, compared with other isotypes. Sequence analysis near the Taxol binding site revealed the presence of a unique Ala218 in βIII-tubulin. Molecular dynamics simulations indicated that this residue could influence the ability of Taxol to interact with its binding site. These results link drug response with the β-tubulin isotypes present in a tumor and emphasize the importance of designing Taxol analogs that specifically interact with βIII-tubulin. There are seven β-tubulin isotypes present in distinct quantities in mammalian cells of different origin. Altered expression of β-tubulin isotypes has been reported in cancer cell lines resistant to microtubule stabilizing agents (MSAs) and in human tumors resistant to Taxol. To study the relative binding affinities of MSAs, tubulin from different sources, with distinct β-tubulin isotype content, were specifically photolabeled with a tritium-labeled Taxol analog, 2-(m-azidobenzoyl)taxol, alone or in the presence of MSAs. The inhibitory effects elicited by these MSAs on photolabeling were distinct for β-tubulin from different sources. To determine the exact amount of drug that binds to different β-tubulin isotypes, bovine brain tubulin was photolabeled and the isotypes resolved by high-resolution isoelectrofocusing. All bands were analyzed by mass spectrometry following cyanogen bromide digestion, and the identity and relative quantity of each β-tubulin isotype determined. It was found that compared with other β-tubulin isotypes, βIII-tubulin bound the least amount of 2-(m-azidobenzoyl)taxol. Analysis of the sequences of β-tubulin near the Taxol binding site indicated that, in addition to the M-loop that is known to be involved in drug binding, the leucine cluster region of βIII-tubulin contains a unique residue, alanine, at 218, compared with other isotypes that contain threonine. Molecular dynamic simulations indicated that the frequency of Taxol-accommodating conformations decreased dramatically in the T218A variant, compared with other β-tubulins. Our results indicate that the difference in residue 218 in βIII-tubulin may be responsible for inhibition of drug binding to this isotype, which could influence downstream cellular events.
Hormonal and subjective responses to intravenous m-chlorophenylpiperazine in women with seasonal affective disorder.

BACKGROUND There is emerging evidence of serotonergic dysfunction in patients with seasonal affective disorder (SAD). We examined central serotonergic function in female patients with SAD (fall-winter pattern) by means of neuroendocrine and subjective responses to the postsynaptic serotonin receptor agonist m-chlorophenylpiperazine. METHODS Using a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled design, we assessed neuroendocrine and subjective responses to m-chlorophenylpiperazine (0.1 mg/kg intravenously) and placebo in 14 unmedicated female patients with SAD in the depressed state and 15 female normal controls. All testing was done in the fall-winter months and during the follicular phase of the menstrual cycle. Plasma prolactin and cortisol levels were used as neuroendocrine measures, while subjective responses were assessed by means of visual analog scales of 10 mood states. RESULTS On the basis of net responses to m-chlorophenylpiperazine (placebo effects subtracted from drug effects), patients with SAD exhibited blunted prolactin responses and less sadness than normal controls in response to the drug. When order of presentation of drug and placebo was taken into consideration, altered "calm" and "high" responses were also found in the patient group. CONCLUSION Evidence of dysfunction at or downstream to central serotonergic receptors in female patients with SAD confirms and extends findings from previous research.
Hospital Inpatient Operations : Mathematical Models and Managerial Insights

One key factor contributing to the emergency department (ED) overcrowding is prolonged waiting time for admission to inpatient wards, also known as ED boarding time. To gain insights into the inpatient flow management to reduce this waiting time, we study the operations in the inpatient department of a Singaporean hospital. We focus on understanding the effect of an early discharge policy, implemented in late 2009, on the fraction of patients who have to wait in ED for six hours or longer to be admitted. Based on a comprehensive empirical analysis of the inpatient department [40], we propose a novel stochastic network model with the following characteristics to model the inpatient operations: (1) A patient’s service time is endogenous, depending on her admission and discharge times, and her length of stay. As a consequence, the service times are not independent, identically distributed. (2) Preand post-allocation delays for each patient’s bed-request, even if a bed is available at the time of request, allow modeling secondary bottlenecks such as temporary nurse shortage. (3) Patients waiting for a bed can be overflowed to a non-primary ward when the overflow trigger time reaches a certain threshold, where the threshold is time-dependent. We show, via simulation studies, that our model is able to approximately replicate the hourly performances (e.g., waiting time) of the inpatient operations at this hospital. The model allows one to evaluate the impact of operational policies on waiting times and overflow proportions. In particular, our model predicts that implementing a hypothetical Period 3 policy can eliminate the excessive waiting for those patients who request beds in mornings. The policy constitutes the following components: a discharge distribution with the first discharge peak between 8 and 9am and 26% of patients discharge before noon, and stable-mean allocation delays throughout the day. Although Period 3 policy is not completely practical, it can serve as a goal for hospital managers to aim at.
An Analysis of Kin-Provided Child Care in the Context of Intrafamily Exchanges Linking Components of Family Support for Parents Raising Young Children

Little is known about why parents choose kin-provided child care and less is known about how kin-provided child care is related to other forms of in-kind support from relatives close-at-hand. Previous models of the choice of kin-provided child care assumed that the presence of other forms of in-kind support from relatives nearby was inconsequential to estimating effects of economic and demographic factors on the decision to use kin-provided child care. Using data from the National longitudinal Survey of the Class of 1972, this study shows that this assumption is incorrect because use of kin-provided child care and intrafamily in-kind resource exchanges are interrelated. When the association between use of kin-provided child care and the presence of other family in-kind exchanges is ignored, the study shows that estimated effects for income, the price of child care, and maternal characteristics are underestimated. The findings provide a better understanding of why parents choose kin-provided child care by confirming that this decision is a part of a larger set of parental decisions about involvement in resource exchanges within extended families. My findings support recent child care bills aiming to increase parental choice of child care provider, broaden the definition of a provider to include non-coresident relatives, and expand price subsidies for kin-provided child care.
Recognition and dialogue: the emergence of a new field

The field comprising both the theory and practice of struggles over recognition developed over the last 50 years in relative independence of the parallel field of deliberative and agonistic democracy. Over the last decade these two fields, in both theory and practice, have merged because courts, legislatures, ministries and rival armies around the world have often turned the reconciliation of struggles over recognition over to various institutions and practices of negotiation and deliberation. The result is the emergence of a new hybrid field of recognition and dialogue. This paper is a critical examination of the emergence and the strengths and weaknesses of this new and important field of politics and law.
Is retrieval the key? Metamemory judgment and testing as learning strategies

ABSTRACT Re-reading is the most common learning strategy, albeit not a very efficient one. Testing is highly efficient, but not perceived by students as a learning strategy. Prospective judgment-of-learning (JOL) reflect the learner's impression of subsequently being able to retrieve the ongoing learning in a cued-recall task. Estimating JOL involves attempting to retrieve the information, as in testing. The few studies that have explored the potential mnemonic benefit of JOL have yielded contradictory results. Our aim was to compare JOL and testing with re-study and to examine the impact of these strategies according to the relative difficulty of the material (cue-target association strength) in two experiments. After a first encoding phase, participants re-studied, provided JOL, or took a test. Forty-eight hours later, they participated in a final cued-recall test, during which their confidence level judgments were collected. The main result was that delayed JOL behaved in the same way as testing, and both yielded better performances than re-study when material was of moderate difficulty. The easy or very difficult material revealed no differences between these strategies. JOL is proposed as an alternative to testing when faced with difficult material.
The Littlest Immigrants: Cross-Border Adoption in the Americas, Policy, and Women's History

B the mid-1990s, as intercountry adoptions from Eastern Europe, former Soviet countries, and Central and South America began to peak, several adoption issues surfaced simultaneously in the United States. Three types of adoption cases were widely covered in national and international media: the circulation of vivid stories of U.S.–born children addicted to crack, the rights of biological mothers and fathers to reclaim their already adopted child, and the accusations aimed at Americans of stealing Central and South American children as part of international adoption rings. As hysteria around allegedly illegal international adoptions mounted, the United States introduced legislation that promoted the color-blind placement of children in domestic adoption situations in order to reduce the waiting times of children of color. Under the new guidelines, the waiting period could not be prolonged for a child of color if white parents were available to adopt. Similarly, parents were ostensibly no longer permitted to specify racial, ethnic, or physiognomic characteristics if they wanted to be considered seriously as adoptive parents. In this article, I demonstrate the relationships between these high-profile adoption cases that shaped the cultural imagination about domestic and international adoption. These media depictions at once promoted transnational rather than domestic adoption and urged the public to consider the need for increased regulation of intercountry adoption. The depictions marked poor women of color as unfit mothers and depicted their children as infants in need of rescue. The reports of corrupt child placement practices prompted policymakers and the public to call for more stringent regulations of domestic and intercountry adoptions.
Transmigration of CD34+ cells across specialized and nonspecialized endothelium requires prior activation by growth factors and is mediated by PECAM-1 (CD31).

The transmigration of hematopoietic progenitor cells (HPCs) across vascular endothelium is a critical step in the homing of transplanted stem cells, but the molecular basis for this is unknown. We used mobilized peripheral blood CD34(+) selected cells and cultured bone marrow microvascular (BMECs) and human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) to investigate the adhesion and transendothelial migration of HPCs. Colony-forming cells (CFCs) in freshly isolated CD34(+) cells showed high levels of adhesion to both forms of endothelium (28% +/- 4% and 38% +/- 6% of granulocyte-macrophage colony-forming cells [GM-CFCs] adhering to HUVECs and BMECs, respectively), but were unable to migrate to any significant extent across either (1.0% +/- 0.3% and 1.1% +/- 0.6% of GM-CFCs migrating across HUVECs and BMECs, respectively). Greater than 95% of peripheral blood CD34(+) cells are in G0/G1 of the cell cycle, but after 48 to 72 hours of stimulation with growth factors (interleukin-3 [IL-3] 12 ng/mL, stem cell factor 10 ng/mL, and IL-6 10 ng/mL), 28% +/- 5% of cells were in S+G2/M. Growth factor stimulation had no effect on the adhesion of mobilized CFCs but resulted in enhanced migration of these cells (9.8% +/- 1.6% and 12. 6% +/- 3.1% of GM-CFCs migrating across HUVECs and BMECs, respectively; P < .01, n = 6). Assessment of cell proliferation by the 3H-thymidine suicide method showed that, whereas 11.7% +/- 3.3% of proliferating CFCs transmigrated across endothelium, only 1.3% +/- 0.3% of nonproliferating CFCs did so (P < .05, n = 5). Transmigration of growth factor-activated CFCs was inhibited by anti-CD18 monoclonal antibody (MoAb; 50% +/- 18% inhibition) and by anti-platelet endothelial cell adhesion molecule-1 (PECAM-1) MoAb (70.8% +/- 7.1% inhibition; P < .05, n = 3). IL-1 stimulation of HUVECs had no significant effect on CD34(+) cell transmigration, but caused marked enhancement of neutrophil migration. Stem cell homing may depend, in part, on the ability of local cytokines to upregulate the transmigratory ability of these cells. The transmigration of HPCs shares at least some molecular pathways with that of mature cells (CD18 and PECAM-1), but is differently affected by endothelial activation.
Auditor time budget pressure: consequences and antecedents

Research suggests that dysfunctional behaviour by auditors may be related to the perceived tightness of time budgets. Using data collected from practising auditors, examines the nature of such a relationship. Found that the frequency of dysfunctional behaviour increased sharply as budgets were seen to approach unattainable levels of performance. Recognizing the importance of auditors’ perceptions regarding the attainability of budgets, examines antecedent variables affecting budget attainability. Found that the influence of client fee expectations, the level of audit senior participation and the influence of the audit programme were significant influences. Discusses implications for practice and possibilities for future research.
Properties and evolution of biomass burning organic aerosol from Canadian boreal forest fires

Airborne measurements of biomass burning or- ganic aerosol (BBOA) from boreal forest fires reveal highly contrasting properties for plumes of different ages. These measurements, performed using an Aerodyne Re- search Inc. compact time-of-flight aerosol mass spectrom- eter (C-ToF-AMS) during the BORTAS (quantifying the impact of BOReal forest fires on Tropospheric oxidants over the Atlantic using Aircraft and Satellites) experiment in the summer of 2011, have been used to derive nor- malised excess organic aerosol (OA) mass concentrations (1OA=1CO), with higher average ratios observed closer to source (0.190 0.010) than in the far-field (0.097 0.002). The difference in 1OA=1CO between fresh and aged plumes is influenced by a change in dominant combus- tion conditions throughout the campaign. Measurements at source comprised 3 plume interceptions during a single re- search flight and sampled largely smouldering fires. Twenty- three interceptions were made across four flights in the far- field, with plumes originating from fires occurring earlier in the campaign when fire activity had been more intense, cre- ating an underlying contrast in emissions prior to any trans- formations associated with aging. Changing combustion con- ditions also affect the vertical distribution of biomass burn- ing emissions, as aged plumes from more flaming-dominated fires are injected to higher altitudes of up to 6000 m. Pro- portional contributions of the mass-to-charge ratio (m/z/ 60 and 44 peaks in the AMS mass spectra to the total OA mass (denoted f60 and f44/ are used as tracers for primary and oxidised BBOA, respectively. f44 is lower on average in near-field plumes than those sampled in the far-field, in accordance with longer aging times as plumes are trans- ported a greater distance from source. However, high levels of 1O3=1CO and log(NOx= NOy/ close to source indi- cate that emissions can be subject to very rapid oxidation over short timescales. Conversely, the lofting of plumes into the upper troposphere can lead to the retention of source pro- files after transportation over extensive temporal and spatial scales, withf60 also higher on average in aged plumes. Evo- lution of OA composition with aging is comparable to obser- vations of BB tracers in previous studies, revealing a consis- tent progression fromf60 tof44. The elevated levels of oxy- genation in aged plumes, and their association with lower average 1OA=1CO, are consistent with OA loss through evaporation during aging due to a combination of dilution and chemical processing, while differences in combustion conditions throughout the campaign also have a significant influence on BBOA production and composition.