Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Locus of Control as a Moderator of the Effects of Organizational Commitment and Pay-for-Performance on Performance of Tax Officers

This study aims to determine the effect of organizational commitment and pay-for-performance on performance of tax officers with locus of control as moderating variable. This research is a quantitative descriptive study. Data on this research was obtained through questionaires. Population of this study consists of 104 tax officer of South Makassar Small Taxpayers Office of which is randomly chosen 83 tax officers as a sample to answer research questionnaires. Analysis of this study is using regression analysis with residual analysis method to test the effect of moderating variable. The results of this research indicate that (1) organizational commitment has a positive effect on performance of tax officers, (2) locus of control is able to moderate the effect of organizational commitment on performance of tax officers, (3) pay-for-performance has a positive effect on performance of tax officers, and (4)) locus of control is able to moderate the effect of pay-for-performance on performance of tax officers.
Evidence for impaired cortical inhibition in schizophrenia using transcranial magnetic stimulation.

BACKGROUND Cortical inhibition (CI) deficits have been proposed as a pathophysiologic mechanism in schizophrenia. This study employed 3 transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) paradigms to assess CI in patients with schizophrenia. Paired-pulse TMS involves stimulating with a lower-intensity pulse a few milliseconds before a higher-intensity pulse, thereby inhibiting the size of the motor evoked potential produced by the higher-intensity pulse. In the cortical silent period paradigm, inhibition is reflected by the silent period duration (ie, the duration of electromyographic activity cessation following a TMS-induced motor evoked potential). Transcallosal inhibition involves stimulation of the contralateral motor cortex several milliseconds prior to stimulation of the ipsilateral motor cortex, inhibiting the size of the motor evoked potential produced by ipsilateral stimulation. METHODS We measured CI using these 3 paradigms in 15 unmedicated patients with schizophrenia (14 medication-naive and 1 medication-free for longer than 1 year) (13 were in the transcallosal inhibition paradigm), 15 medicated patients with schizophrenia (11 taking olanzapine, 1 risperidone, 1 quetiapine, 1 methotrimeprazine + perphenazine, 1 quetiapine + loxapine), and 15 healthy controls. RESULTS Unmedicated patients demonstrated significant CI deficits compared with healthy controls across all inhibitory paradigms whereas medicated patients did not (at all inhibitory intervals, paired-pulse TMS: controls = 59.9%, medicated = 44.3%, unmedicated = 28.7%; cortical silent period: controls = 55.0 milliseconds, medicated = 60.4 milliseconds, unmedicated = 39.7 milliseconds; transcallosal inhibition: controls = 33.6%, medicated = 23.7%, unmedicated = 10.4%; P<.05). CONCLUSIONS These results suggest that schizophrenia is associated with deficits in CI and that antipsychotic medications may increase CI.
Post-traumatic Stress Disorder in Children and Adolescents: From Sigmund Freud's “Trauma” to Psychopathology and the (Dys)metabolic Syndrome

Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is an anxiety syndrome that develops after exposure to traumatic life events. Symptoms include re-experience of the initial trauma, avoidance of stimuli associated with the trauma and symptoms of excessive arousal. Neuroendocrine studies in adults with PTSD have demonstrated that basal cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) CRH levels are elevated and urinary cortisol levels are variable--low in the majority of cases--whereas other studies demonstrate no differences in urinary and plasma cortisol concentrations. Urinary catecholamine excretion is higher in PTSD patients than those of control subjects and other psychiatric disorders. Children may differ from adults in their psychologic and physiologic responses to severe stressors. Also, exposure to stress during critical periods of development may have irreversible effects on behavioral maturation and may affect specific vulnerable brain areas, altering CNS development. Similar to findings in adult studies, PTSD in children is characterized by increased sympathetic nervous system (SNS) activity, as indicated by elevated norepinephrine levels in the periphery. High cortisol levels in urine or saliva have been reported in most studies of childhood PTSD, while prospective longitudinal studies concerning the natural history of neuroendocrine changes in pediatric PTSD after an acute stressor are limited. The identification of neurobiologic changes in response to early adverse experiences is of major importance for the prognosis, prevention, management, and treatment of children and adolescents at risk for or suffering from PTSD.
Biologic distinctions and therapeutic implications of sarcomatoid metaplasia of epithelial carcinoma of the breast.

BACKGROUND Malignant sarcomatoid metaplasia of epithelial carcinoma of the breast (carcinosarcoma) is diagnosed at an annual rate of two cases per 107 women in the United States of America. It seems that these tumors behave differently than other carcinomas or sarcomas of the breast. STUDY DESIGN The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center experience (1947 to 1991) treating 50 patients (mean age of 50 years, range of 25 to 76 years) was retrospectively reviewed. The five-year overall survival and disease-free survival rates were compared and prognostic factors were identified. RESULTS The overall survival rate of 43 percent was lower than had been expected for carcinoma of the breast. No patient with stage IV disease survived five years. Tumor size and stage at diagnosis had the strongest impact on outcome. The impact of axillary lymph node status on prognosis was less than expected. Hormonal receptor levels were positive in only 12.5 percent of the tumors tested. Mastectomy with adjuvant chemotherapy or radiotherapy, or both, was superior to mastectomy alone and to wide local excision with or without adjuvant therapy, particularly for patients with stage II disease. If complete surgical resection is possible, the surgical approach for treatment of recurrent disease is better than any other modality. CONCLUSIONS Carcinosarcoma behave biologically differently than conventional carcinoma of the breast in that sarcomatoid characteristics dominate the clinical course. These biologic distinctions should direct the treatment toward a multimodality approach that includes mastectomy and sarcoma-oriented adjuvant chemotherapy and radiotherapy.
Disentangling the Relationship between Liquidity and Returns in Latin America

We dissect the impact of liquidity on returns of Latin American firms using a detailed data set of firm characteristics over various market cycles. We find that firm-level liquidity (illiquidity) is positively (negatively) associated with returns. Further analysis reveals that global illiquidity and endogenously determined crisis periods are negatively associated with returns. Our results are in contrast to the majority of the literature on developed markets and indicate that liquidity is less of an important risk factor in Latin America. Our results suggest that improvements in firm-level liquidity will enhance returns and reduce the vulnerability of returns to global illiquidity.
Posttransplant Prophylactic Intravenous Immunoglobulin in Kidney Transplant Patients at High Immunological Risk: A Pilot Study

The effects of posttransplant prophylactic intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIg) were investigated in renal transplant recipients at high immunological risk. Thirty‐eight deceased‐donor kidney transplant recipients with previous positive complement‐dependent cytotoxicity crossmatch (n = 30), and/or donor‐specific anti‐HLA antibodies (n = 14) were recruited. IVIg (2 g/kg) was administrated on days 0, 21, 42 and 63 with quadruple immunosuppression. Biopsy‐proven acute cellular and humoral rejection rates at month 12 were 18% and 10%, respectively. Glomerulitis was observed in 31% and 60% of patients at months 3 and 12, respectively, while allograft glomerulopathy rose from 3% at month 3 to 28% at 12 months. Interstitial fibrosis/tubular atrophy increased from 18% at day 0 to 51% and 72% at months 3 and 12 (p < 0.0001). GFR was 50 ± 17 mL/min/1.73 m2 and 48 ± 17 mL/min/1.73 m2 at 3 and 12 months. PRA decreased significantly after IVIg (class I: from 18 ± 27% to 5 ± 12%, p < 0.01; class II: from 25 ± 30% to 7 ± 16%, p < 0.001). Patient and graft survival were 97% and 95%, respectively and no graft was lost due to rejection (mean follow‐up 25 months). In conclusion, prophylactic IVIg in high‐immunological risk patients is associated with good one‐year outcomes, with adequate GFR and a profound decrease in PRA level, but a significant increase in allograft nephropathy.
Nominal Exchange Rate Shocks and Inflation in an Open Economy: Towards a Structuralist Inflation Targeting Agenda

This paper develops a model of inflation in an open economy. The model permits analysis of the susceptibility of open economies to permanent inflationary consequences arising from transitory foreign exchange shocks. Sources of structural vulnerability to such events are identified, and means of addressing these structural vulnerabilities are discussed. Ultimately, the paper arrives at a ‘structuralist inflation targeting agenda’. Based on a proper conception of inflation dynamics, this involves ‘getting inflation targeting right’ rather than either accepting mainstream inflation targeting prescriptions or simply neglecting inflation altogether.
Intestinal parasites in patients with diarrhea and human immunodeficiency virus infection in Zimbabwe.

OBJECTIVES To determine the prevalence of intestinal parasites and risk factors for infection associated with diarrhea in HIV-infected patients in Harare, Zimbabwe. DESIGN Prospective observational study. METHODS Single stool samples were collected from 88 HIV-infected individuals presenting with diarrhea of greater than 1 week duration. Stools were examined for intestinal parasites using modified acid fast stain, fluorescence- labeled monoclonal antibody for Cryptosporidium parvum, as well as a modified trichrome stain and a PCR-based protocol for Enterocytozoon bieneusi. RESULTS C. parvum was detected in 9% (seven out of 82) of samples evaluated, but no Cyclospora was detected. E. bieneusi was detected in 18% (10 out of 55) of stool by trichrome staining and in 51% (28 out of 55) of stool examined by PCR. Risk factors for E. bieneusi infection were: living in rural areas, consumption of nonpiped water, contact with cow dung and household contact with an individual with diarrhea. CONCLUSION E. bieneusi infection was common in HIV-infected patients with diarrhea in Zimbabwe and may be acquired through person-to-person and fecal-oral transmission.
Ocular pulse amplitude in healthy subjects as measured by dynamic contour tonometry.

OBJECTIVES To test whether dynamic contour tonometry yields ocular pulse amplitude (OPA) measurements that are independent of corneal thickness and curvature, and to assess variables of observer agreement. METHODS In a multivariate cluster analysis on 223 eyes, the relationship between central corneal thickness, corneal curvature, axial length, anterior chamber depth, intraocular pressure, sex, age, and OPA measurements was assessed. Intraobserver and interobserver variabilities were calculated from repeated measurements obtained from 8 volunteers by 4 observers. RESULTS The OPA readings were not affected by central corneal thickness (P = .08), corneal curvature (P = .47), anterior chamber depth (P = .80), age (P = .60), or sex (P = .73). There was a positive correlation between OPA and intraocular pressure (0.12 mm Hg/1 mm Hg of intraocular pressure; P<.001) and a negative correlation between OPA and axial length (0.27 mm Hg/1 mm of length; P<.001). Intraobserver and interobserver variabilities were 0.08 and 0.02 mm Hg, respectively, and the intraclass correlation coefficient was 0.89. CONCLUSIONS The OPA readings obtained with dynamic contour tonometry in healthy subjects are not influenced by the structure of the anterior segment of the eye but are affected by intraocular pressure and axial length. We found a high amount of agreement within and between observers.
Comparison of the quality of life after minilaparotomy cholecystectomy versus laparoscopic cholecystectomy: a prospective randomized study.

BACKGROUND Earlier studies comparing minilaparotomy cholecystectomy with laparoscopic cholecystectomy did not find significant differences between the MC and the LC groups in operating times and patients' recovery. OBJECTIVES To compare the postoperative quality of life between the MC and LC groups. METHODS The 157 patients with uncomplicated symptomatic gallstones, confirmed by ultrasound, were randomized to two groups: 85 for MC and 72 for LC. The study was prospective and randomized but not blinded or consecutive. The study groups were similar in patients' age, gender, body mass index, American Association of Anesthesiology physical fitness classification, and the operating surgeon. Patients were reevaluated 4 weeks after operation using the RAND-36 quality of life questionnaire. RESULTS The RAND-36 questionnaire did not identify statistically significant differences between the study groups in general health perceptions, physical functioning, emotional well-being, social functioning, energy, bodily pain, and role functioning/emotional score. Only the role functioning/physical score was slightly higher in the LC group (P= 0.038). CONCLUSIONS The results of this study showed that the MC procedure is a good alternative to the LC procedure, when postoperative quality of life is measured.
When legislators choose not to decide: Abstentions in the European Parliament

Why do legislators choose to vote ‘Abstain’ instead of ‘Yea’ or ‘Nay’? Is it because they shy away from taking sides when facing competing demands? We address this question by studying roll-call vote data on the sixth European Parliament. In line with our principal–agent approach, we find that Members of the European Parliament are prone to strategically abstain when torn between different positions of their national party, their transnational party group, and their country’s minister. Abstentions are thus not random but strategic and ignoring them may bias the findings of legislative studies.
Evaluating an End-of-Life Curriculum in a Medical Residency Program

The ability to meet patient needs at the end of life is important. Boston University Residency Program in Medicine initiated a 1-week-long end-of-life curriculum that included a hospice care orientation, core articles, and home hospice visits. Evaluated was the impact of the rotation on participant knowledge and attitude. Knowledge was assessed by pretest and posttest questionnaires and compared with more senior resident controls, naïve to the curriculum. Attitudes toward issues relating to end-of-life care and subjective change in knowledge were assessed comparing subjects' retrospective preintervention and postintervention responses included in the postintervention questionnaire. Forty-five second-year participants completed both questionnaires. Participants demonstrated significant improvements in attitude and self-assessed knowledge of end-of-life care in 23 of 24 Likert-type scale questions. The end-of-life curriculum led to significant improvements in participant knowledge and attitudes about the conceptual and practical aspects of end-of-life care. The structure of the rotation should be reproducible in many locales.
IFN-γ abrogates endotoxin tolerance by facilitating Toll-like receptor-induced chromatin remodeling

An important mechanism by which IFN-γ primes macrophages for enhanced innate immune responses is abrogation of feedback inhibitory pathways. Accordingly, IFN-γ abrogates endotoxin tolerance, a major negative feedback loop that silences expression of inflammatory cytokine genes in macrophages previously exposed to endotoxin/Toll-like receptor (TLR) ligands. Mechanisms by which IFN-γ inhibits endotoxin tolerance have not been elucidated. Here, we show that pretreatment with IFN-γ prevented tolerization of primary human monocytes and restored TLR4-mediated induction of various proinflammatory cytokines, including IL-6 and TNFα. Surprisingly, IFN-γ did not alter proximal TLR4 signaling defects in tolerized monocytes. Instead, IFN-γ blocked tolerance-associated down-regulation of IL6 and TNF transcription, RNA polymerase II recruitment, and NF-κB and CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein β transcription factor binding to the IL6 and TNF promoters in tolerized monocytes. The mechanism by which IFN-γ restored IL6 expression was by facilitating TLR4-induced recruitment of chromatin remodeling machinery to the IL6 promoter and promoting IL6 locus accessibility in tolerized monocytes. Our results suggest that IFN-γ overcomes endotoxin tolerance by facilitating TLR-induced chromatin remodeling to allow expression of proinflammatory genes. These results identify a mechanism by which IFN-γ promotes activation of macrophages and highlight the importance of chromatin remodeling and transcriptional control in the regulation of inflammatory cytokine production in tolerant and activated macrophages.
Ubiquitous relaxation in BTI stressing—New evaluation and insights

The ubiquity of threshold voltage relaxation is demonstrated in samples with both conventional and high-k dielectrics following various stress conditions. A technique based on recording short traces of relaxation during each measurement phase of a standard measure-stress-measure sequence allows monitoring and correcting for the otherwise-unknown relaxation component. The properties of relaxation are discussed in detail for pFET with SiON dielectric subjected to NBTI stress. Based on similarities with dielectric relaxation, a physical picture and an equivalent circuit are proposed.
Microfinance Intervention in Poverty Reduction: A Study of Women Farmer-Entrepreneurs in Rural Ghana

ABSTRACT This paper examines microfinance intervention in rural poverty reduction in Ghana by surveying 100 rural women farmer-entrepreneurs. The findings reveal that microfinance interventions that emphasize both credit provision and social intermediation improve access to credit, improve business performance, and contribute to a higher standard of living for female farmer-entrepreneurs and their families. The results show that the microfinance scheme has been successful due to a strong social network and group relationships among the farmers. An implication of the study is that poverty reduction programs in developing countries need to emphasize social and human development components in microfinancing policies.
The role of the prostaglandin EP4 receptor in the regulation of human outflow facility.

PURPOSE Activation of prostaglandin (PG)-EP(4) receptors by 3,7-dithiaPGE(1) robustly lowers intraocular pressure in nonhuman primate eyes, which increases outflow facility but has no effect on aqueous secretion or uveoscleral outflow. Because of differences in PG efficacy in outflow function between nonhuman primates and humans, we tested the impact of 3,7-dithiaPGE(1) on conventional outflow function in human donor eyes. METHODS The expression pattern of PG-EP(4) receptors was determined in corneoscleral tissues of human donor eyes and in cultures of human outflow cells by immunofluorescence microscopy and Western blot, respectively. The efficacy of 3,7-dithiaPGE(1) was determined by assaying agonist-stimulated cAMP accumulation and β-arrestin mobilization in cultured human cells. Agonist effects on outflow facility were examined in paired human donor eyes that were perfused at 8 mm Hg of constant pressure, equivalent to 15 mm Hg in vivo. RESULTS The trabecular meshwork (TM) and Schlemm's canal (SC) cells expressed PG-EP(4) receptors. Agonist-mediated effects on the PG-EP(4) receptors were detected in SC (EC(50) = 6.3 × 10(-9) M, n = 4), but not TM (EC(50) = 1.7 × 10(-7) M, n = 5) cells. Effects in SC cells were blocked by the PG-EP(4) receptor-selective antagonist GW627368 (EC(50) = 1.09 × 10(-2) M, n = 4), but not the PG-EP(2) receptor-selective antagonist AH6809 (EC(50) = 4.10 × 10(-9) M, n = 5). Perfused into human eyes at a concentration that selectively activates PG-EP(4) receptors, 3,7-dithiaPGE(1) (10 nM) increased outflow facility by 51% ± 18% over baseline levels in individual drug-treated eyes after drug exchange (n = 6 eyes; P = 0.05) and by 69% ± 23% (P < 0.01) compared with that in contralateral eyes. CONCLUSIONS Activation of PG-EP(4) receptors expressed by SC cells of the human conventional outflow pathway appears to contribute to PG regulation of outflow facility.
Partial splenic embolization for the treatment of hereditary spherocytosis.

OBJECTIVE Splenectomy is the standard surgical treatment for hereditary spherocytosis, but partial splenic embolization is another potential option. We retrospectively studied the therapeutic effects of partial splenic embolization as a treatment for hereditary spherocytosis. CONCLUSION Partial splenic embolization is a safe and effective alternative to splenectomy or partial splenectomy in the treatment of hereditary spherocytosis.
A systematic review of the accuracy of ultrasound in the diagnosis of deep venous thrombosis in asymptomatic patients

Summary Evaluation of the accuracy of ultrasound has yielded heterogeneous results. Our objective was to summarize the evidence on the accuracy of ultrasound compared to venography in asymptomatic patients, taking into account the variation due to threshold differences. Searches of journal table of contents, computer databases (Medline, Embase, Biomed, Cochrane) and conference proceedings were performed. A study was eligible if it prospectively compared ultrasound to venography for the diagnosis of DVT in asymptomatic patients. Data of studies selected for inclusion were extracted independently by two authors. High quality studies with consecutive patient enrollment, blind evaluation of the two techniques, and absence of verification bias are summarized as Level 1, while those not fulfilling one or more of these criteria are considered Level 2. Original study authors were contacted to confirm accuracy and to provide missing data. A pooled estimate of the accuracy of ultrasound was obtained according to the method of Moses and coworkers. This method gives a summary diagnostic odds ratio (DOR). The DOR is a single indicator of test performance. It varies between 0 and infinity and exceeds 1, only when ultrasound is more often positive in patients with DVT relative to those without DVT. Higher DOR indicates better discriminatory test performance. Thirty one studies were rated as potentially unbiased and graded as Level 1.The mean prevalence of DVT as determined by venography was 22%. In Level 1 studies, the odds of positive ultrasound in proximal veins was 379 times higher (95% confidence limits 65, 2,200) and in distal veins 32 times higher (7.5, 135) among patients with DVT than those without. Our results suggest that, particularly for proximal veins, ultrasound is accurate for the diagnosis of DVT in asymptomatic postoperative orthopedic patients. More research is needed in other clinical settings.