Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Prevalence of Human Immunodeficiency Virus Transmission among Transfused Children with Sickle Cell Anemia in Enugu Nigeria

Background: There are a number of routes for human immuno-deficiency virus (HIV) transmission in children. Blood transfusion-related HIV is still common in developing countries like Nigeria especially among high risk children such as those who require repeated blood transfusions. Aim: The aim of this study was to find the prevalence of HIV among transfused children with sickle cell anemia in Enugu. Subjects and Methods: This is a descriptive cross-sectional study conducted at the Sickle Cell Clinic of the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital, Enugu Sixty-nine transfused children with SCA were enrolled after obtaining consent from their caregivers and assent from older children. Non transfused children matched for age, sex, and social status with the subjects served as control. Voluntary counseling and testing were then provided. Relevant data were obtained using pretested questionnaire. Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) version 11 (Chicago, IL) was used for data analysis. The chi-square was used to test for significant association of categorical variables and a P-value of less than 0.05 accepted as significant. Results: HIV antibodies were found in 2.9% (2/69) of the subjects and in 1.6% (1/64) of the control (P = 0.604). All the infected individuals among the subjects were males, had only been transfused once and were from the lower socioeconomic class. The only infected child from the control group was a 7-year-old male and he probably acquired it through vertical transmission since the mother also tested positive to HIV antibody. Conclusions: Blood transfusion is still a risk factor for HIV transmission among children with sickle cell anemia in Nigeria. Strategies that will ensure improved blood transfusion safety at health facilities need to be strengthened.
C-Reactive Protein in End-Stage Renal Disease: Are There Reasons to Measure It?

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) remains the major cause of morbidity and mortality in end-stage renal disease (ESRD) patients. As traditional risk factors cannot alone explain the unacceptable high prevalence and incidence of CVD in this population, inflammation (a common phenomenon in ESRD), and other non-traditional risk factors are likely to contribute. Among several inflammatory biomarkers used to assess inflammation, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) has attracted the most interest. Indeed, in the general population the consistency of prognostic data for hs-CRP and the practicality of its use have led to suggestions that CRP should be used as a clinical criterion for global cardiovascular risk prediction. As CRP is so strongly associated with vascular disease, it has been suggested that this protein is not only a marker, but also a mediator, of atherogenesis. Indeed, recent in vitro data from studies on endothelial cells, monocytes-macrophages and smooth muscle cells support a direct role for CRP in atherogenesis. In ESRD, hs-CRP has been proven to be a strong predictor of both cardiovascular and all-cause mortality, and associated with oxidative stress, vascular calcification and endothelial dysfunction. As recent studies suggest that interleukin-6 may be a somewhat better outcome predictor than hs-CRP, comparative studies are needed to evaluate which inflammation biomarker is the most cost-effective predictor of outcome in the ESRD patient population.
COMPARATIVE REMOVAL OF HEMICELLULOSES FROM PAPER PULPS USING NITREN, CUEN, NAOH, AND KOH*

Xylans were selectively removed from paper grade pulps by nitren extraction in order to produce dissolving pulps. The impact of nitren charge on the removal of hemicelluloses was demonstrated for a birch and mixed softwood kraft pulp. The 95% purity level could easily be reached for the birch kraft pulp. Softwood glucomannans were almost insoluble under the investigated extraction conditions applying nitren. Accordingly softwood pulps seem to be less suited for the nitren process. Furthermore, the selectivity of nitren extraction was compared with cuen. Nitren turned out to be much more selective in xylan removal, whereas cuen also dissolved part of the cellulose, when this solvent was applied at concentrations, which were needed to reach dissolving pulp purity. Nitren was also tested in its xylan extraction capability in comparison with sodium and potassium hydroxide. Extraction of a xylan-rich birch kraft pulp with nitren resulted into a pulp of highest purity (96% cellulose content), which could not be obtained applying KOH and NaOH. In the case of a eucalyptus kraft pulp, however, nitren and sodium hydroxide extraction resulted into a product of more or less the same cellulose content (97%). With a beech sulfite pulp as the starting material highest purities with regard to the cellulose content were obtained applying 10% sodium hydroxide (97.5%), whereas the nitren procedure yielded into a pulp of 96.5% cellulose content. This was due to the inability of the nitren procedure to remove 2.7% mannan, which was present in the initial paper pulp from beech. The residual nickel content in all pulps could be removed by a special washing procedure applying lactic acid.
Allergen-induced eosinophil cytolysis is a primary mechanism for granule protein release in human upper airways.

Cytotoxic eosinophil granule proteins are considered important in the pathogenesis of allergic airway diseases such as rhinitis and asthma. To explore the cellular mechanisms behind eosinophil granule release in human allergic airways, 16 symptom-free patients with seasonal allergic rhinitis were challenged daily with allergen during 1 wk. Nasal lavage samples and biopsies, obtained before and 24 h after the last allergen exposure, were processed for immunohistochemical and electron microscopic analysis. The allergen challenges produced nasal symptoms, marked tissue eosinophilia, and an increase in lavage fluid levels of eosinophil cationic protein (ECP). The nasal mucosa areas with intense extracellular immunoreactivity for ECP were associated with abundant free eosinophil granules. Electron microscopy confirmed the free granules and revealed that all mucosal eosinophils were involved in granule release, either by cytolysis (33%) or piecemeal degranulation (PMD) (67%). Resting or apoptotic eosinophils were not observed. Cytolytic eosinophils had less signs of intracellular granule release (p < 0. 001) and a higher content of intact granules (p < 0.001) compared with viable eosinophils in the same tissue. This study demonstrates eosinophil cytolysis (ECL) as a distinct mechanism for granule mediator release in human allergic airway mucosa. The nature and extent of the ECL and its product (i.e., protein-laden extracellular granules) indicate that allergen-induced cytolysis is a primary and major mechanism for the release of eosinophil proteins in human allergic airway inflammation in vivo.
Effects of gamma-aminobutyric acid-modulating drugs on working memory and brain function in patients with schizophrenia.

CONTEXT Cognitive impairment causes morbidity in schizophrenia and could be due to abnormalities of cortical interneurons using the inhibitory neurotransmitter gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA). OBJECTIVES To test the predictions that cognitive and brain functional responses to GABA-modulating drugs are correlated and abnormal in schizophrenia. DESIGN Pharmacological functional magnetic resonance imaging study of 2 groups, each undergoing scanning 3 times, using an N-back working memory task, after placebo, lorazepam, or flumazenil administration. SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS Eleven patients with chronic schizophrenia were recruited from a rehabilitation service, and 11 healthy volunteers matched for age, sex, and premorbid IQ were recruited from the local community. Intervention Participants received 2 mg of oral lorazepam, a 0.9-mg intravenous flumazenil bolus followed by a flumazenil infusion of 0.0102 mg/min, or oral and intravenous placebo. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Working memory performance was summarized by the target discrimination index at several levels of difficulty. Increasing (or decreasing) brain functional activation in response to increasing task difficulty was summarized by the positive (or negative) load response. RESULTS Lorazepam impaired performance and flumazenil enhanced it; these cognitive effects were more salient in schizophrenic patients. Functional magnetic resonance imaging demonstrated positive load response in a frontoparietal system and negative load response in the temporal and posterior cingulate regions; activation of the frontoparietal cortex was positively correlated with deactivation of the temporocingulate cortex. After placebo administration, schizophrenic patients had abnormally attenuated activation of the frontoparietal cortex and deactivation of the temporocingulate cortex; this pattern was mimicked in healthy volunteers and exacerbated in schizophrenic patients by lorazepam. However, in schizophrenic patients, flumazenil enhanced deactivation of the temporocingulate and activation of the anterior cingulate cortices. CONCLUSIONS The GABA-modulating drugs differentially affect working memory performance and brain function in schizophrenia. Cognitive impairment in schizophrenia may reflect abnormal inhibitory function and could be treated by drugs targeting GABA neurotransmission.
ASYMPTOTIC DISTRIBUTION OF EIGENVALUES FOR SOME ELLIPTIC OPERATORS WITH SIMPLE REMAINDER ESTIMATES

We are interested in remainder estimates in the Weyl formula for the asymptotic number of eigenvalues of certain elliptic operators on R d and on a smooth compact manifold without boundary. The main aim of this paper is to compare spectral asymptotics of operators with irregular coecients and certain classes of smoothed operators for which the Weyl formula is derived by means of elementary pseudodierential calculus. The remainder estimates are obtained here essentially with an exponent less than one half of the optimal exponent known in the case of smooth coef- ficients. The presentation is self-contained (we do not require any knowledge of the subject) and will be continued in a subsequent paper, where sharper remainder estimates will be proved.
Antioxidant properties of gallocatechin and prodelphinidins from pomegranate peel

Abstract Gallocatechins and a range of prodelphinidins were purified by high performance liquid chromatography from pomegranate peel. Gallocatechin, gallocatechin-(4-8)-catechin, gallocatechin-(4-8)-gallocatechin and catechin-(4-8)-gallocatechin were all identified, purified and quantified by LC-DAD-MS and MS-MS. The antioxidant properties of these compounds were assessed using two methods: (i) inhibition of ascorbate/iron-induced peroxidation of phosphatidylcholine liposomes; and (ii) scavenging of the radical cation of 2,2-azinobis (3-ethyl-benzothiazoline-6-sulphonate, ABTS) relative to the water-soluble vitamin E analogue Trolox C (expressed as Trolox C equivalent antioxidant capacity, TEAC). The prodelphinidin dimers were potent antioxidants in the aqueous phase, being much more effective than the gallocatechin monomer. However, in the lipid phase, only one of the dimers (gallocatechin-(4-8)-catechin) was significantly more effective than the monomer in the inhibition of lipid peroxidation of phosphatidylcholine vesicles. This study represents the first report on the antioxidant properties of prodelphinidins.
What's Wrong With Eu Spatial Analysis?

EU legislative analysis has been enriched by insightful controversies over the interpretation of the policy process. This debate has concentrated on the interpretation of the process by focusing on the identification of the agenda setter and the relevance of voting weights, but little attention has been paid to the accurate specification of the second component of spatial analysis, the preferences of the actors involved. Although a misspecification can seriously distort the predictions of spatial theory, empirical applications often tend to reduce the number of dimensions, exclude actors' saliencies and assume continuous policy issues. Using computer simulation we show that spatial models are more robust to a misinterpretation of the policy process than to a misspecification of actors' preferences, and that their institutional elements are less decisive for the models' outcome predictions. Our empirical analysis confirms these results and provides detailed insights into the impact of the institutional and the preference component of spatial theory. We conclude that scholars should pay more attention to the accurate specification of the preference component of the models to improve our understanding of legislative decision making in the EU.
Just‐in‐time purchasing and supply: a review of the literature

Identifies three schools of thought within the broad just‐in‐time (JIT) sourcing literature which are labelled as the “advocate”, “pragmatic” and “sceptic” schools. The former group advocate JIT sourcing as a major competitive weapon, while the latter group suggest that it is less efficient than traditional sourcing techniques. The pragmatic group cite some of the problems associated with sourcing on a JIT basis. The major JIT sourcing practices are identified and the contributions from each school of thought critically reviewed. Reviews the benefits and problems of JIT sourcing as well as the movement of power and responsibilities between members of the supply chain. Concludes by suggesting avenues of future research within JIT sourcing.
Log Student’s t-distribution-based option sensitivities: Greeks for the Gosset formulae

European options can be priced when returns follow a log Student’s t-distribution, provided that the asset is capped in value or the distribution is truncated. We call pricing of options using a log Student’s t-distribution a Gosset approach, in honour of W.S. Gosset. In this paper, we compare the Greeks for Gosset and Black–Scholes formulae and we discuss implementation. The t-distribution requires a shape parameter to match the ‘fat tails’ of the observed log returns. For large , the Gosset and Black–Scholes formulae are equivalent. The Gosset formula removes the requirement that the volatility be known, and in this sense can be viewed as an extension of the Black–Scholes formula.
Functional Consequences of Subcortical White Matter Lesions and MRI-Defined Brain Infarct in an Elderly General Population

The impact of single and combined effects of subcortical white matter lesions (WMLs) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)—defined brain infarct on activities of daily living (ADL), depression, and health status perception was analyzed in community-dwelling elderly individuals. The study included 268 participants from the Memory and Morbidity in Augsburg Elderly (MEMO) project, a population-based study on individuals aged 65 to 83 years, conducted in Augsburg, Germany. Cerebral MRI was performed, and 2 geriatric performance tests, scales to assess ADL, depressive symptoms, and self-perceived health status were assessed. The prevalence of large (>10 mm) subcortical WML was 37.7% and of MRI-defined infarct-like lesions was 15.3%. Both vascular lesion types combined were found in 9% of the participants. Large WMLs were associated with significantly more impairments in basic ADL, inferior results in the performance tests, and a worse self-perceived health status compared to those without large WML. Magnetic resonance imaging—defined brain infarct was associated with impairments in performance tests. Participants with both lesion types were limited in all domains and were 2 to 3 times more likely to have impairments in all examined functions. Their risk of impairment in a specific function was considerably higher than the sum of the single risks associated with each lesion type alone. This study suggests that the single and especially the combined occurrence of common vascular brain lesions are associated with functional impairment. Identifying individuals with severe WML combined with MRI-defined brain infarct can help better understand the development of marked impairments in old age.
Structural change and public service performance: the impact of the reorganization process in English Local Government

Organization theory suggests that structural change has disruptive effects on managerial behaviour and organizational outcomes, and that these effects are likely to emerge in the period between the announcement and the commencement of the new structure. We evaluate the validity of this argument by analysing the performance of English county councils in the transition period before the voluntary restructuring of a sub-set of these organizations. Disruptive effects are tested while controlling for a range of other variables, including the relative prosperity of the local population and the diversity of their service needs. The empirical results indicate that the performance of local authorities facing reorganization deteriorated prior to the onset of the new structures, and support the view that structural change has disruptive effects on organizational outcomes.
Auditor quality and earnings management: Singaporean evidence

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to examine the association between the magnitude of earnings management and auditor quality. It focuses on earnings management in response to mounting pressure amongst investors, policy makers and corporate governance reformists for mechanisms to curb excessive opportunistic behavior amongst corporate management. Auditor quality is the main focus of this study analysis as this factor is considered to be a key determinant of earnings management. Design/methodology/approach - The cross-sectional modified Jones model is used to measure discretionary accruals (the proxy for earnings management). Following prior studies (Pearson and Trompeter, Craswell et al., Hogan and Jeter, DeFond et al., Ferguson and Stokes), the author uses audit firm industry specialization to proxy auditor quality. Findings - The paper presents evidence of a negative association between auditor quality and the earnings management indicator. This finding infers that the magnitude of earnings management amongst firms engaging the services of a specialist is significantly lower than firms purchasing audit services from a non-specialist auditor. In addition, this study also reveals that the magnitude of earnings management is significantly lower amongst companies engaging a Big 4 specialist audit firm relative to companies using the audit services of a Non-Big 4 specialist. Originality/value - Insights drawn from this study may be of assistance to policy makers as they consider the costs and benefits associated with varying levels of audit market concentration. The findings provide stronger support for allowing the audit market to operate in a basic
Early Effects of Lasonolide A on Pancreatic Cancer Cells

Lasonolide A, a novel polyketide-derived macrolide, was previously identified from an extract of the marine sponge Forcepia sp. in an assay for protein kinase C (PKC) inhibitors. Cytotoxicity testing and profiling of lasonolide A in the National Cancer Institute (NCI) 60 cell panel screen revealed that it was potent toward a broad range of cell lines and also suggested a unique mechanism of action. Contrary to expected results, we found lasonolide A to be a strong activator of PKC in Panc-1 pancreatic carcinoma cells. Downstream mitogen-activated protein kinases, ERK 1/2 and p38 were also rapidly phosphorylated in response to lasonolide A, as was Akt. Microscopy studies revealed that lasonolide A induced blebbing and contraction of the cells within minutes of exposure, and the eventual loss of adherence. However, membrane integrity was maintained and the effects were reversible if lasonolide A was washed from the cells after their loss of adherence. Pretreatment of cells with a myosin II inhibitor, blebbistatin, slowed the early onset, but did not prevent the morphological effects of lasonolide A. Cells stained for actin filaments showed some reduction in stress fiber structure after lasonolide A exposure; however, it did not affect the polymerization of purified actin in vitro. Bisindolemaleimide, a PKC inhibitor, and wortmannin, a phosphoinositide 3-kinase; inhibitor, did not reduce lasonolide A-induced contraction or blebbing or the activation of mitogen-activated protein kinases, although Akt phosphorylation was prevented by wortmannin pretreatment. Our results indicate that lasonolide A activates multiple signal transduction pathways and suggest that the origin is upstream of PKC.
What drives innovation processes in modern biotechnology and open source software?

Summary This article asks about the momentum of innovating activities, by comparing and contrasting innovation processes in modern biotechnology and open source software (OSS). Both are broad technological areas, which are developed by diverse types of actors and which are useful to produce various types of goods and services. As such, their economic value lies in influencing existing and new products, firms and industrial sectors. By examining what drives modern biotech and open source software, we can ask which innovation characteristics are more general and which are more specific. We can thereby move a bit closer to the aim of considering the general conditions of innovation, in different industrial sectors and different technologies.
E-Commerce Adoption: Perceptions of Managers/Owners of Small- and Medium-Sized Enterprises (SMEs) in Thailand

ABSTRACT E-commerce can be an important source of competitive advantage for most business organizations, especially small- and medium-sized (SMEs) businesses. Recently, researchers have focused on e-commerce adoption both in the United States and other countries. This study examines the factors that influence e-commerce adoption in Thailand. The results show that the major reason behind e-commerce non-adoption is that the organization is not ready to make that change because of cultural, technological, financial, and/or logistical reasons. Additionally, organizational readiness strongly influences e-commerce implementation, and managerial support and financial, logistical, and technological factors weigh heavily in determining if an SME in Thailand can pursue e-commerce implementation. We believe that the e-commerce adoption model in this study will have both managerial implication for practitioners in Thailand, as well as those in other developing countries, and academic implications for researchers who are interested in e-commerce adoption in developing countries.
Tax and spend or spend and tax? Empirical evidence from Greece, Spain, Portugal and Ireland

The paper examines empirically the relationship between government revenues and expenditures in four European countries: Greece, Spain, Ireland, and Portugal. In relative terms all four may be considered as the poorest members of the European Union. Yet, they present a fairly diverse picture as far as their macroeconomic performance and fiscal position is concerned. The empirical findings from cointegration and causality tests that are reported here indicate that in the case of Greece and Ireland tax and spending decisions are taken simultaneously by the fiscal authority, the tax-and-spend hypothesis is supported in the case of Spain, while absence of any causal ordering between government expenditure and tax revenues has been established for Portugal.
Effect of mutations causing gluconate kinase or gluconate permease deficiency on expression of the Bacillus subtilis gnt operon

The gluconate (gnt) operon contains genes for a repressor of the operon, gluconate kinase, and gluconate permease. A nonleaky kinase mutation (gntK4) induced the gnt operon constitutively through interaction of the repressor with an inducer of gluconate which had been endogenously formed and accumulated in the cell owing to the complete deficiency of the kinase even in the absence of gluconate in the medium. In contrast, a nonleaky permease mutation (gntP9) never induced the operon by gluconate likely because it cannot give rise to its inducing concentration in the cell even in the presence of gluconate in the medium.