Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Characteristics of the Million Women Study participants who have and have not worked at night.

OBJECTIVES The aim of this study was to compare the characteristics of women who had and had not worked at night in terms of their risk factors for common disease, indicators of general health, social activities, employment, and sleep behavior. METHODS The Million Women Study is a large prospective cohort study of women's health in the United Kingdom with 1.3 million women recruited during 1996-2001 (aged 50-64 years) through 66 National Health Service breast screening centers. We analyzed the data from a random sample of 41 652 participants who, in 2009-2010, reported their history of night work. RESULTS Of the participants, 1 in 8 women (13%) reported that they had ever worked at night and 1 in 50 (2%) reported working at night for ≥20 years. For 33 sociodemographic, behavioral, reproductive, and hormonal factors examined, 20 showed highly significant differences between "ever" and "never" night workers (P<0.0001); 12 showed significant trends by duration of night work (P<0.01). In particular, compared to women who had never worked at night, women who had worked at night were more likely to (i) be of lower socioeconomic status [the odds ratio (OR) for ever versus never night workers of being in the lowest third of socioeconomic status was 1.15, 99% confidence interval (95% CI) 1.06-1.25]; (ii) have ever used hormone replacement therapy (HRT) for the menopause (OR 1.43, 99% CI 1.33-1.55); (iii) be current smokers (OR 1.37, 99% CI 1.19-1.58); and (iv) be obese (OR 1.26, 99% CI 1.15-1.37). Compared to women who had never worked at night, women who had worked at night for ≥20 years were more likely to be (i) of lower socioeconomic status (OR 1.28, 99% CI 1.04-1.57); (ii) nulliparous (OR 1.47, 99% CI 1.12-1.91); (iii) current smokers (OR 1.63, 99% CI 1.18-2.25); and (iv) obese (OR 1.55, 99% CI 1.25-1.93). Former night workers were more likely than never night workers to report a range of sleep disturbances, including poor quality of sleep (OR 1.15, 99% CI 1.01-1.31) and having to take medication to sleep (OR 1.35, 99% CI 1.15-1.60). CONCLUSIONS Women who reported having worked at night were substantially different from those who reporting never having worked at night and many of the differences would put "ever night workers" at increased risks of cancer, vascular disease, and many other common conditions.
Employer-to-Employer Flows in the United States: Estimates Using Linked Employer-Employee Data

We use administrative data linking workers and firms to study employer-to-employer (E-to-E) flows. After discussing how to identify such flows in quarterly data, we investigate their basic empirical patterns. We find that the pace of E-to-E flows is high, representing approximately 4% of employment and 30% of separations each quarter. The pace of E-to-E flows appears to be highly procyclical and varies systematically across worker, job, and employer characteristics. There are rich patterns in terms of origin and destination of industries. Somewhat surprisingly, we find that more than half of the workers making E-to-E transitions switch even broadly defined industries (i.e., NAICS supersectors).
Network types and performance in SMEs: the mediating effects of technology commercialization

This study seeks to explore the mediating technology commercialization in the relationship between network types and business performance. Building on literature regarding technology commercialization and networks, hypotheses are developed and tested using 221 samples collected from Korean small- and medium-sized enterprises which operate in the Green Information Technology sector. Results reveal that technology commercialization plays a mediating role in the link. In particular, it is found that the commercialization activity fully mediates the association between network diversity and the business outcome. The findings imply that particular emphasis should be placed on technology commercialization activities in order to bring intensity-based network activities to superior performance.
Parental Wealth Effects on Living Standards and Asset Holdings: Results from Chile

This paper examines aspects of the replication of inequality across generations and attempts to assess the extent to which parental resources influence the life chances and living standards of adult children. The data come from a survey of 4,400 households in Chile that focused on parental resources and outcomes in children's lives. The results reveal several pathways by which parental resources affect children's economic well-being. In particular, the living standard outcome measures are influenced indirectly, through parental investments in education and earnings capacity, whereas the wealth holdings of families are largly impacted directly, through transfers of parental assets.
Helicobacter pylori infection may undergo spontaneous eradication in children: a 2-year follow-up study.

BACKGROUND Helicobacter pylori infection is generally acquired early in life. However, it is still unknown whether a spontaneous eradication can occur. The purpose of this study was to evaluate whether H. pylori infection can undergo spontaneous eradication in children. METHODS Three hundred and four Italian children (age range, 4.5 to 18.5 years) were tested for H. pylori by means of 13C-urea breath test. Infected children were followed up every 6 months for as long as 2 years. Parents were instructed to record consumption of antibiotics. At each visit, children underwent a repeat 13C-urea breath test. RESULTS Eighty-five out of 304 (27.9%) children were H. pylori infected. Forty-eight out of 85 infected children (56.4%) participated in the follow-up study. After 2 years, 8 (16.6%) infected children had negative results on 13C-urea breath tests; 2 of them were given antibiotics for concomitant infections. One child was negative at 6 months but became positive again at the next 6-month 13C-urea breath test. Forty children remained persistently positive; of them, 10 were treated with a short course of antibiotics. CONCLUSIONS Our findings support the hypothesis that, at least during childhood, H. pylori infection may be a fluctuating disease with spontaneous eradication and possible recurrence.
Raman scattering in La1−xSrxFeO3−δ thin films: annealing-induced reduction and phase transformation

Raman scattering in thin film La0.2Sr0. 8FeO3−δ on MgO(0 0 1) collected at 300 K after different stages of annealing at selected temperatures T (300 K < T < 543 K, to 10 h) and analysis reveal changes in spectral characteristics due to a loss of oxygen, onset of oxygen vacancy-induced disorder, and activation of Raman-inactive modes that are attributed to symmetry lowering. The interpretation is further supported by carrier transport measurements under identical conditions showing orders of magnitude increase in the resistivity induced by oxygen loss. After prolonged annealing in air, evolution of the spectrum signals the appearance of a possible topotactic transformation of the crystal structure from that of the rhombohedral ABO3 perovskites to that of Brownmillerite-like structure consisting of octahedrally and tetrahedrally coordinated Fe atoms.
Who Do Firms Lay Off and Why?

I develop and test a structural–historical account of corporate reductions in force (RIF) to assess whether this widespread process was redistributive or efficient. I argue that changes in the context of restructuring in recent decades, coupled with substantial changes in organizational compensation systems, lead to temporal variation in the likelihood of “broken‐contract” RIF, in which firms terminate highly paid managers, and “trimming the fat” RIF, in which firms terminate low‐performing managers. Analyses of personnel records from a Fortune 500 manufacturing firm indicate that low performance leads to increased risk of separation in each of the two RIF undertaken by the firm, with the effect becoming stronger over time in part because of changes in the firm’s performance management system. By contrast, high wages were a more important factor explaining departure during the firm’s RIF in the 1980s - when competitive pressures to default on bonded contracts were strong - than during its RIF in the 1990s.
Mesenchymal stem cells: emphasis in adipose tissue

The study of stem cells has evolved rapidly in recent decades. The importance is given to the concept that these cells are potentially able to become any cell type and have the power of self-renewal throughout the life of the organism. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) can be isolated from various organs of the body such as bone marrow, adipose tissue, synovium, muscle and dermis, deciduous teeth, umbilical cord, placenta, liver, spleen and thymus. After their isolation in vitro, mesenchymal stem cells have the capacity to differentiate into various mesenchymal lineages and various tissues after the use of appropriate cultures. Studies have reported that mesenchymal stem cells from adipose tissue have the potential to differentiate themselves, like the cells commonly studied bone marrow. Adipose tissue is attractive due to its easy access, rapid expansion in vitro and only one collects the large amount of tissue. This review intends to show the protocols for isolation, cell culture and means of commercial cellular differentiation most widely used with emphasis on adipose tissue.
Mutation detection using fluorescent hybridization probes and melting curve analysis

The LightCycler® is a real-time PCR instrument that combines a thermocycler and a micro-volume fluorimeter. LightCycler technology is gaining popularity due to its ability to detect mutations quickly and accurately. Multiple base alterations are discriminated using hybridization probes and fluorescent melting curves. This review focuses on mutation detection and base discrimination by fluorescent hybridization probes. Assay designs for single base mutation detection and complex multiplex reactions are discussed. Types of mutations detected and reported applications are reviewed. Guidelines using melting curve analysis for the clinical laboratory are presented.
Site-directed Mutagenesis Switching a Dimethylallyl Tryptophan Synthase to a Specific Tyrosine C3-Prenylating Enzyme*

Background: Dimethylallyl tryptophan synthase FgaPT2 catalyzes in nature the C4-prenylation of indole ring. Results: FgaPT2 also catalyzes in vitro a regular C3-prenylation of l-tyrosine; its mutant FgaPT2_K174F showed a much higher catalytic activity toward l-tyrosine than l-tryptophan. Conclusion: Single mutation on the key amino acid switches the tryptophan C4-prenyltransferase to a tyrosine C3-prenylating enzyme. Significance: The first l-tyrosine C3-prenylating enzyme was created by molecular modeling-guided mutagenesis. The tryptophan prenyltransferases FgaPT2 and 7-DMATS (7-dimethylallyl tryptophan synthase) from Aspergillus fumigatus catalyze C4- and C7-prenylation of the indole ring, respectively. 7-DMATS was found to accept l-tyrosine as substrate as well and converted it to an O-prenylated derivative. An acceptance of l-tyrosine by FgaPT2 was also observed in this study. Interestingly, isolation and structure elucidation revealed the identification of a C3-prenylated l-tyrosine as enzyme product. Molecular modeling and site-directed mutagenesis led to creation of a mutant FgaPT2_K174F, which showed much higher specificity toward l-tyrosine than l-tryptophan. Its catalytic efficiency toward l-tyrosine was found to be 4.9-fold in comparison with that of non-mutated FgaPT2, whereas the activity toward l-tryptophan was less than 0.4% of that of the wild-type. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report on an enzymatic C-prenylation of l-tyrosine as free amino acid and altering the substrate preference of a prenyltransferase by mutagenesis.
Price Elasticities for Water: A Case of Increasing Block Rates

A model for estimating the price elasticity of demand for water when increasing block rates and for availability of service charges appear in the rate schedule is described. The model requires the use of two price-related variables - the marginal price of water and the difference between the actual payment for water and what the payment would be if all units of water were sold at the marginal price. Biased estimates of the price elasticity of demand result if the difference variable is omitted. The price variables are measured for the typical consumer, using actual water consumption and the rate schedule. The use of this model should make predictions of consumer response to rate structure changes more accurate when block rates or availability of servie charges appear in the rate schedule. 16 references.
Influence of Small-Group Education Sessions on Glucose Homeostasis in NIDDM

In patients with non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM), the influence of knowledge about their disease on the treatment and control of the disease is not clear. We evaluated the efficacy of educational group meetings with NIDDM patients on improving their knowledge of the disease and on disease management. Fifty-one NIDDM patients were randomly assigned to either intervention or control groups. The intervention group participated in courses of three weekly lessons presented by a physician, nurse, and dietitian once every 4 mo. The intervention and control groups were also followed once every 2 mo in the clinic by the same staff. Medical treatment remained unchanged during the study. After a 12-mo follow-up of the intervention group, no significant improvement in their knowledge of diabetes could be demonstrated. However, mean fasting and postprandial blood glucose levels and HbA1c improved significantly in comparison with the control goup. The same tendency was evident with the weight and lipoprotein profile. We conclude that educational group therapy can improve diabetes control in patients with NIDDM.
Pocket-sized transthoracic echocardiography device for the measurement of cardiac chamber size and function.

BACKGROUND A pocket-sized portable transthoracic echocardiographic (pTTE) imaging device is commercially available, but its feasibility and accuracy in the assessment of cardiac chamber size and function has not been fully compared with the results of standard TTE (sTTE) examination. METHODS AND RESULTS The target population comprised 125 unselected patients who underwent sTTE and pTTE examinations. The left ventricular (LV) diastolic and systolic dimensions, fractional shortening (FS), the thickness of the interventricular septum (IVS) and of the LV posterior wall (PWT), left atrial (LA) dimension, and ascending aorta diameter were measured. Echocardiographic measurements were completed for both pTTE and sTTE in all patients (feasibility 100%). LV dimensions, FS, IVS, PWT, LA dimension, and aorta diameter obtained by pTTE showed excellent correlation and agreement with sTTE (r=0.87-0.98, all P<0.001). Observer variabilities for these measurements were similar between pTTE and sTTE. CONCLUSIONS In the present study, pTTE with the Acuson P10 was feasible and accurate for assessing cardiac chamber size and function.
Molecular analysis of the trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO) reductase respiratory system from a Shewanella species.

Trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO) is an abundant compound of tissues of marine fish and invertebrates. During fish spoilage, certain marine bacteria can reduce TMAO to nauseous trimethylamine (TMA). One such bacterium has been isolated and identified as a new Shewanella species, and called Shewanella massilia. The anaerobic growth of S. massilia is greatly increased when TMAO is added, indicating that TMAO reduction involves a respiratory pathway. The TorA enzyme responsible for TMAO reduction is a molybdenum cofactor-containing protein of 90 kDa located in the periplasm. Whereas TorA is induced by both TMAO and dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO), this enzyme has a high substrate specificity and appears to only efficiently reduce TMAO as a natural compound. The structural torA gene encoding the TMAO reductase (TorA) and its flanking regions were amplified using PCR techniques. The torA gene is the third gene of a TMAO-inducible operon (torECAD) encoding the TMAO respiratory components. The torC gene, located upstream from torA encodes a pentahemic c-type cytochrome, likely to be involved in electron transfer to the TorA terminal reductase. TorC was shown to be anchored to the membrane and, like TorA, is induced by TMAO. Except for the TorE protein, which is encoded by the first gene of the torECAD operon, all the tor gene products are homologous to proteins found in the TMAO/DMSO reductase systems from Escherichia coli and Rhodobacter species. In addition, the genetic organization of these systems is similar. Although these bacteria are found in different ecological niches, their respiratory systems appear to be phylogenetically related, suggesting that they come from a common ancestor.
A review and weight analysis of the predictors and linkages in electronic government adoption research

The purpose of this study is to explore the theoretical development of e-government adoption research. A total of 448 relevant articles were identified and collated from different sources. Filtering those articles that examined the individual adoption, we reached to the usable number of such articles to 62. The findings indicated that the most frequently used models including the technology acceptance model (TAM) and the unified theory of acceptance and use of technology (UTAUT) were evenly balanced across citizens and professionals. We analysed 58 independent variables occurred two or more times and 12 dependent variables occurring four or more times. These variables were analysed further toward corresponding relationships and their degree of significance between them. A list of 36 most frequent relationships with three or more occurrences was chosen for weight analysis and a model was presented with appropriate weight for each relation. The study also acknowledges its limitations and suggests the further research directions.
Openness to Import and Productivity

Abstract This article tests the effect of change in the degree of openness to import of goods and services on a country’s productivity. The idea is that by driving resources to industries in which the country has a comparative advantage, imports contribute to increased productivity in the economy. Countries from three distinct regions (OECD, Latin America and Asia), separately and together, were used to test this proposition. A feasible generalized least square estimation method is applied to determine the effect of the capital to labor ratio, openness to imports and real gross domestic product on labor productivity. A panel vector error correction model as proposed by Pesaran et al. (1999) is also performed in order to determine any causal relationship. The effect of imports on labor productivity is found to be positive and significant for the 1990–2011 period under study, strengthening the case for free trade and leading to important policy implications.
The Impact of Outsourcing Strategies on Information Systems Capabilities in the Hotel Industry

This work analyses the strategy of outsourcing information systems and information technology (IS/IT), considering the different activities comprising the IS/IT area. The literature on IS contains numerous works that analyse outsourcing, very few of which examine the relationship with the different types of capabilities in the IS/IT area and their strategic value. Most works centre on the motives for, and advantages of, the strategy of outsourcing the IS/IT area, while scant attention has been paid to the study of the long-term consequences of outsourcing. This work develops a theoretical model which is applied to the hotel sector and which shows that hotels following a more intensive outsourcing strategy develop fewer managerial capabilities related to knowledge in the management of IS/IT resources. This negative relationship extends to other types of capabilities typical of the area and to certain organisational capabilities. A negative relationship is also observed between the level of outsourcing and the strategic value given to the IS/IT area, which may lead to a lower potential for the development of competitive advantage.
Measuring Productive Efficiency of Stock Exchanges Using Price Adjustment Coefficients

A stock exchange's efficiency can be measured by its liquidity and price discovery mechanism. An exchange that provides price discovery will have high liquidity. By measuring the speed of stock price adjustment to its intrinsic value with the arrival of new information, we can understand the price discovery process and productive efficiency of a stock exchange. India has 23 stock exchanges, 20 of which have almost become dysfunctional due to negligible trading during the last five years. Measuring productive efficiency of the current active stock exchanges will help to understand the future direction of the Indian stock market. Using the corrected Damodaran (1993) model and a new model proposed in this paper, I found that information adjustment in the Indian market is very slow. Contrary to the developed markets, in the Indian stock market, stock prices overreact before adjusting to their intrinsic values. I also found that market-wide information adjusts faster than firm-specific information.
Just‐in‐time: the reincarnation of past theory and practice

Many widespread managerial concepts are expressed as abbreviations of two or three letters. In addition, they have often been introduced and treated as new‐to‐the‐world by both scholars and practitioners. For example, just‐In‐time (JIT) is a managerial concept that has been heavily promoted in the world‐wide automotive industry. Its underlying principles have been implemented by most car manufacturers or car assemblers for many decades. JIT, as a phenomenon, has been named differently at different times during the last century. Therefore, the newness of JIT and its underlying principles is questioned in the article. The article describes parts of the historic evolution of JIT during the twentieth century in literature. It is concluded that JIT is just a reincarnation of past theory and practice.
Industry Momentum at the End of the 20th Century

Previous studies are conflicting as to whether industry momentum can explain stock momentum. We revisit this issue using a large dataset covering the US and 37 international countries. The results indicate that industry momentum earns significant profits worldwide and the profits are larger in January than in non-January months. Furthermore, analyzing portfolios generated from two-way sort provides evidence that industry and individual stock momentum are independent of each other.
Vale Landcare: the rise and decline of community-based natural resource management in rural Australia

For almost two decades, community Landcare groups and supporting institutional bodies were the focus of agri-environmental policy in Australia. Despite the successes of Landcare, the programme faces challenges securing funding in an era of agri-environmental policy that preferences economic mechanisms, such as market-based instruments, for devolving funding. This longitudinal study examines how Landcare group activity and membership in one catchment have changed over the last decade. Community Landcare groups in the study area were in ‘sleeper mode’ or had ceased to exist, partially as a result of funding and structural arrangements and several other factors that undermined both community Landcare groups and the regional Landcare network.