Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Decision-making about seeking medical advice in an internet sample of women trying to get pregnant.

INTRODUCTION In light of the near universal desire to become a parent one would expect most people to seek medical advice if they were experiencing difficulties conceiving. Yet less than 55% do so and we sought to understand more about this paradox by comparing the psychosocial profile and decision-making of women not yet engaged in the medical process to that of those who had consulted. METHODS A Fertility Decision-Making Questionnaire was designed and posted on a website dedicated to women trying to conceive. RESULTS A total of 426 women completed the questionnaire, 56% had not yet consulted a doctor about conceiving (non-consulter, NC). Women who had sought treatment had more positive treatment beliefs, and a greater willingness to know if a problem existed, than those who had not yet consulted. Almost 20% of NC women already met the medical definition of infertility and this subgroup had a greater fear of discovering a problem and of being labelled infertile than other women in the study. CONCLUSIONS Seeking medical advice for fertility problems is mainly associated with what women know or want to know about their fertility and their emotional reactions to that knowledge. Negative reactions can substantially delay seeking help in 20% of women.
Evolution of Stenotrophomonas maltophilia in Cystic Fibrosis Lung over Chronic Infection: A Genomic and Phenotypic Population Study

Stenotrophomonas maltophilia has been recognized as an emerging multi-drug resistant opportunistic pathogen in cystic fibrosis (CF) patients. We report a comparative genomic and phenotypic analysis of 91 S. maltophilia strains from 10 CF patients over a 12-year period. Draft genome analyses included in silico Multi-Locus Sequence Typing (MLST), Single-Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNPs), and pangenome characterization. Growth rate, biofilm formation, motility, mutation frequency, in vivo virulence, and in vitro antibiotic susceptibility were determined and compared with population structure over time. The population consisted of 20 different sequence types (STs), 11 of which are new ones. Pangenome and SNPs data showed that this population is composed of three major phylogenetic lineages. All patients were colonized by multiple STs, although most of them were found in a single patient and showed persistence over years. Only few phenotypes showed some correlation with population phylogenetic structure. Our results show that S. maltophilia adaptation to CF lung is associated with consistent genotypic and phenotypic heterogeneity. Stenotrophomonas maltophilia infecting multiple hosts likely experiences different selection pressures depending on the host environment. The poor genotype-phenotype correlation suggests the existence of complex regulatory mechanisms that need to be explored in order to better design therapeutic strategies.
Place Stratification or Spatial Assimilation? Neighbourhood Quality Changes after Residential Mobility for Migrants in Germany

Neighbourhoods provide unequal resources and opportunities. Past research has shown that migrants are less able to move to more resourceful neighbourhoods. For Germany, cross-sectional evidence shows that migrants live in worse neighbourhoods on average, but no longitudinal analysis of changes in neighbourhood quality after residential mobility has been conducted. The present paper closes this gap and tests the place stratification model and the spatial assimilation model. Data from the German Socio-economic Panel and the MICROM dataset are used for the years 2000–09. The data are analysed using fixed-effects panel regression. The analysis shows that Turkish households are less able to improve their neighbourhood quality through moves compared with German households, while households with other ethnic backgrounds do not differ significantly from the native population.
Constitutionalism and Credibility in Reforming Economies

There has been relatively little investigation of the effect of constitutional transformations on the economic transition in post-communist countries. We develop a simple signalling model in which constitutionalism - a commitment to limit political power and provide judicial defence of basic rights - reinforces the credibility of pro-market candidates' electoral promises and boosts public support for economic reforms. These findings are tested using opinion poll data on public support for reform in Central and Eastern Europe, and in the former Soviet Union, in the 1990s. In a two-stage procedure we show that public support for market reforms is higher in countries where incumbents have taken deliberate steps to increase political accountability and judicial independence. Public support also spurs actual economic reform. Copyright (c) 2006 The Authors Journal compilation (c) 2006 The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development.
Living Standards, Inequality and Development: Some Issues with Reference to Comparisons between India and Bangladesh

The main thesis of this wonderful book is that India’s many achievements in recent decades, especially the remarkable acceleration in the rate of its gross domestic product (GDP) growth, need to be viewed in the context of its failure, often dismal, to achieve a commensurate improvement in the standard of living for its masses. The glory of India’s surge in growth and its durability as the largest democracy in the world stand in sharp contrast to the shame that in most health, education and gender-related indicators of living standards it trails behind countries like Bangladesh, which has one-half the per-capita income and a significantly slower rate of GDP growth as compared with India. An Uncertain Glory: India and Its Contradictions covers a very wide field. An assessment of all or most of what the authors have accomplished would require a depth of knowledge about India’s economy and society that I do not have. This essay therefore focuses principally on the international comparison made by Drèze and Sen of India’s performance in enhancing the living standard of the masses with that of other countries, including my own, Bangladesh. In addition, I make a few comments on some selected issues that are of wider interest.
WEATHER DERIVATIVES VALUATION AND MARKET PRICE OF WEATHER RISK

This paper has two objectives: (1) to propose and implement a valuation framework for temperature derivatives (a specific class of weather derivatives); and (2) to study the significance of the market price of weather risk. The objectives are accomplished by generalizing the Lucas model of 1978 to include the weather as another fundamental source of uncertainty in the economy. Daily temperature is modeled by incorporating such key properties as seasonal cycles and uneven variations throughout the year. The temperature variable is related to the aggregate dividend or output through both contemporaneous and lagged correlations, as corroborated by the data. Numerical analysis shows that the market price of weather risk is significant for temperature derivatives. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Jrl Fut Mark 24:1065–1089, 2004
Isolation of Mycoplasma species and Ureaplasma urealyticum from obstetrical and gynecological patients by using commercially available medium formulations

One hundred duplicate endocervical specimens from obstetrical and gynecological patients were cultured for Mycoplasma spp. and Ureaplasma urealyticum. Rates of recovery of these organisms from commercially prepared A7 medium and the Mycotrim-GU system were compared. We detected 14 (93%) of the total 15 isolates of Mycoplasma spp. on A7 plates and 11 (73%) in the Mycotrim-GU system. We detected 34 (89%) of the total 38 isolates of U. urealyticum on A7 plates and 32 (84%) in the Mycotrim-GU system. The times of detection for both types of organism were similar in the two systems. We conclude that cultivation on A7 medium as described is a more cost-effective method of recovery of Mycoplasma spp. and U. urealyticum than the Mycotrim-GU system.
Unique Effect of Cu(II) in the Metal-Induced Amyloid Formation of β-2-Microglobulin

β-2-Microglobulin (β2m) forms amyloid fibrils in the joints of patients undergoing hemodialysis treatment as a result of kidney failure. In the presence of stoichiometric amounts of Cu(II), β2m self-associates into discrete oligomeric species, including dimers, tetramers, and hexamers, before ultimately forming amyloid fibrils that contain no copper. To improve our understanding of whether Cu(II) is unique in its ability to induce β2m amyloid formation and to delineate the coordinative interactions that allow Cu(II) to exert its effect, we have examined the binding of Ni(II) and Zn(II) to β2m and the resulting influence that these metals have on β2m aggregation. We find that, in contrast to Cu(II), Ni(II) does not induce the oligomerization or aggregation of β2m, while Zn(II) promotes oligomerization but not amyloid fibril formation. Using X-ray absorption spectroscopy and new mass spectrometry-related techniques, we find that different binding modes are responsible for the different effects of Ni(II) and Zn(II). By comparing the binding modes of Cu(II) with Ni(II), we find that Cu(II) binding to Asp59 and the backbone amide between the first two residues of β2m are important for allowing the formation of amyloid-competent oligomers, as Ni(II) appears not to bind these sites on the protein. The oligomers formed in the presence of Zn(II) are permitted by this metal’s ability to bridge two β2m units via His51. These oligomers, however, are not able to progress to form amyloid fibrils because Zn(II) does not induce the required structural changes near the N-terminus and His31.
Enhancing conceptual knowledge and attitudes toward science for lower socioeconomic status, African American students through interactive museum visitation A Master's Thesis

An abstract of the thesis of Toni Nicole Dancu for the Master of Science in Psychology presented January 31, 2005. Title: Enhancing conceptual knowledge and attitudes toward science for lower socioeconomic status, African American students through interactive museum visitation This study investigated whether the provision of opportunities and culturally relevant field trip experiences involving informal education could result in increased science curriculum knowledge and interest, which could contribute to reducing the existing achievement gap (the well-documented difference in achievement between majority and minority students). This study measured the effect of a museum visit for a group of low-socioeconomic status (SES), African American, middle school children. Specifically, this study aimed to (a) identify whether a field trip to a local science center could deepen the understanding of school-based learning for children from a primarily low-SES, African American school, (b) determine whether a field trip to a science center could improve children’s attitudes (interest, motivation, and enjoyment) toward science, and (c) determine whether participants’ understanding and attitudes depended on engagement and/or perceived exhibit relevance. Main effects from the analyses of variance and t tests suggest that the science center field trip effectively enhanced curriculum knowledge and understanding for the participating low-income, African American middle school students. The field trip
The effectiveness of computer reminders versus postal reminders for improving quality assessment for point-of-care testing in primary care: a randomized controlled trial.

RATIONALE, AIMS AND OBJECTIVES This study aimed to evaluate the relative effectiveness of electronic and postal reminders for increasing adherence to the quality assurance programme for the international normalized ratio (INR) point-of-care testing (POCT) device in primary care. METHODS All 213 family practices that use the Elective Laboratory of the Capital Region, Denmark, and regularly conduct INR POCT were randomly allocated into two similarly sized groups. During the 4-month intervention, these practices were sent either computer reminders (ComRem) or computer-generated postal reminders (Postal) if they did not perform a split test to check the quality of their INR POCT for each calendar month. The adherence of the practices was tracked during the subsequent 8 months subdivided into two 4-month periods both without intervention. Outcomes were measures of split test procedure adherence. RESULTS Both interventions were associated with an increase in adherence to the split test procedure - a factor 6.00 [95% confidence interval (CI) 4.46-7.72] and 8.22 [95% CI 5.87-11.52] for ComRem and Postal, respectively - but there is no evidence that one of the interventions was more effective than the other. In the ComRem group, the expected number of split tests (out of four) was 2.54 (95% CI 2.33-2.76) versus 2.44 (95% CI 2.24-2.65) in the Postal group, P = 0.14. There was a slight decrease in adherence over the two follow-ups, but neither intervention was better than the other in achieving a lasting improvement in adherence. CONCLUSION Computer reminders are as efficient as postal reminders in increasing adherence to a quality assurance programme for the INR POCT device in primary care.
Red blood cells induce necroptosis of lung endothelial cells and increase susceptibility to lung inflammation.

RATIONALE Red blood cell (RBC) transfusions are associated with increased risk of acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) in the critically ill, yet the mechanisms for enhanced susceptibility to ARDS conferred by RBC transfusions remain unknown. OBJECTIVES To determine the mechanisms of lung endothelial cell (EC) High Mobility Group Box 1 (HMGB1) release following exposure to RBCs and to determine whether RBC transfusion increases susceptibility to lung inflammation in vivo through release of the danger signal HMGB1. METHODS In vitro studies examining human lung EC viability and HMGB1 release following exposure to allogenic RBCs were conducted under static conditions and using a microengineered model of RBC perfusion. The plasma from transfused and nontransfused patients with severe sepsis was examined for markers of cellular injury. A murine model of RBC transfusion followed by LPS administration was used to determine the effects of RBC transfusion and HMGB1 release on LPS-induced lung inflammation. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS After incubation with RBCs, lung ECs underwent regulated necrotic cell death (necroptosis) and released the essential mediator of necroptosis, receptor-interacting serine/threonine-protein kinase 3 (RIP3), and HMGB1. RIP3 was detectable in the plasma of patients with severe sepsis, and was increased with blood transfusion and among nonsurvivors of sepsis. RBC transfusion sensitized mice to LPS-induced lung inflammation through release of the danger signal HMGB1. CONCLUSIONS RBC transfusion enhances susceptibility to lung inflammation through release of HMGB1 and induces necroptosis of lung EC. Necroptosis and subsequent danger signal release is a novel mechanism of injury following transfusion that may account for the increased risk of ARDS in critically ill transfused patients.
Heights and Living Standards of English Workers During the Early Years of Industrializations, 1770–1815

We employed data on the heights of English and Irish male convicts transported to Australia to assess the living standards of workers between 1770 and 1815. Falling heights of urban-and rural-born males after 1780 and a delayed growth spurt for 13- to 23-year-old boys revealed declining living standards among English workers during the Industrial Revolution. This conclusion was supported by the fall in English workers' heights relative to that of convicts transported from Ireland. Significant urban-rural and regional variations in English living standards were revealed by using regression techniques.
CASE STUDY: BUS FLEET REPLACEMENT

Parallel replacement analysis is concerned with determining minimum cost replacement schedules for a group of assets that are economically interdependent and operate in parallel. That is, keep and replace decisions are required for each asset among a group of assets over a specified horizon. The assets are economically linked through economies of scale or budgeting constraints. One application of parallel replacement analysis is fleet replacement. We recently studied the operations, including fleet replacement policies, for a city transit bus operator in Europe. Key factors in their replacement decisions included the ability to choose from multiple manufacturers, purchase price, and government regulations. We explore these and other factors, by solving a heterogeneous replacement problem with fixed costs, budgeting constraints, and demand constraints. Through extensive sensitivity analysis we analyze the impact of various parameters on decisions, in terms of the choice of replacement assets, as well as the optimal time to retain assets. Additionally, we provide motivation for future research in this application area, which is important for many cities.
Intraday Volatility in International Stock Index Futures Markets: Meteor Showers or Heat Waves?

The international transmission of intraday price volatility among the United States, United Kingdom, and Japanese stock index futures markets in the period 1988-1994 is investigated in this paper. The empirical results based on extreme-value estimators and vector autoregression indicate the rapid transmission of information between markets. The volatilities of the U.S. and U.K. futures markets appear to follow a meteor shower rather than a heat wave type of process. This means that these volatilities react to shocks from other markets, i.e., they cannot be described only by their past values. However, the heat wave hypothesis is not rejected for the Japanese market, meaning that the shocks to Japanese volatility are mostly country-specific. A multivariate GARCH model supports the U.K. and Japanese but not the U.S. results.
Housing Finance Reform in the Making: The Case of the Netherlands

Current housing finance systems are mostly a poor reflection of the government's policy priorities. This paper explains how the current Dutch housing finance system works, and analyses its weaknesses against the backdrop of a well-functioning housing market and national policy goals. It specifically looks at recent proposals and some building blocks for future housing finance reform in the Netherlands. The paper ends with conclusions on the potential relevance of the analysis for other European countries.
Corporate Disclosure Quality and Properties of Analysts' Information Environment

This study examines how the quality of corporate disclosures impacts the precision of information that financial analysts incorporate into their forecasts of annual earnings. Our empirical measures distinguish between individual analysts' common and idiosyncratic (uniquely private) information precision, and between the quality of firms' public disclosures and the quality of their private communications with analysts. We find that higher quality disclosures increase the precision of analysts' commonand idiosyncratic information. Further, we find that the increased precision of analysts' idiosyncratic information is primarily due to higher quality annual and quarterly accounting-related disclosures, publicly available to all investors. These results suggest that higher-quality public information better enables analysts to generate idiosyncratic insights. We find no evidence to suggest that the quality of analysts' private communications with management impacts analysts' information precision after controlling for the quality of publicly available accounting information. In sum, the results suggest that when forming their annual earnings forecasts, analysts rely more heavily on publicly available financial data rather than privileged communications with management.
Toxoplasmic Retinochoroiditis in an Italian Referral Center

Purpose To evaluate the clinical features of ocular toxoplasmosis (OT). Methods Retrospective review of 3080 new patients with uveitis was performed to identify patients with active OT. The main outcome measures were ocular features and ocular complications. Results Active OT was diagnosed in 88 patients (2.85% of all uveitis), 39 male (44.3%) and 49 female (55.7%), at an average age of 20.4±14.6 years, lower than in other types of uveitis (p<0.0001). Acquired OT diagnosis was possible in 4 cases (4.5%), while in the others a differentiation between acquired or congenital OT was impossible. Unilateral OT occurred in 76 patients (86.36%), with lesions located inside the vascular arcade in 64 of them (84.2%). Among bilateral cases (12 patients, 13.63%), at least one lesion was central in 9 (75%). Isolated peripheral lesions were observed in 12 out of 88 patients (13.6%). During an average follow-up of 70±73.5 months, OT recurrences appeared in 70 patients (79.54%). Mean interval between diagnosis and first relapse was 43.57±48.46 months, while it shortened between subsequent relapses (24.44±26.5 months; p=0.001). Conclusions Ocular toxoplasmosis is a highly recurrent disease, mainly unilateral, with an average age at onset lower than those observed in other types of uveitis. Time between relapses shortens significantly over time. (Eur J Ophthalmol 2009; 19: 824–30)
Epidemiology of burn injuries II: Psychiatric and behavioural perspectives

Modern technological advances have decreased the incidence and severity of burn injuries, and medical care improvements of burn injuries have significantly increased survival rates, particularly in developed countries. Still, fire-related burn injuries are responsible for 300,000 deaths and 10 million disability-adjusted life years lost annually worldwide. The extent to which psychiatric and behavioural factors contribute to the incidence and outcomes of these tragedies has not been systematically documented, and the available data is often insufficient to reach definitive conclusions. Accordingly, this article reviews the evidence of psychiatric and behavioural risk factors and prevention opportunities for burn injuries worldwide. Psychiatric prevalence rates and risk factors for burn injuries, prevalence and risks associated with ‘intentional’ burn injuries (self-immolation, assault, and child maltreatment), and prevention activities targeting the general population and those with known psychiatric and behavioural risk factors are discussed. These issues are substantially interwoven with many co-occurring risk factors. While success in teasing apart the roles and contributions of these factors rests upon improving the methodology employed in future research, the nature of this entanglement increases the likelihood that successful interventions in one problem area will reap benefits in others.
Work motivation and social communication among public managers

This article tests hypotheses about the effects of two types of work motivation (i.e. intrinsic motivation and extrinsic motivation) and four types of social communication on three important work dispositions (i.e. job involvement, red tape, and perceived organizational effectiveness) among 790 managers employed in public agencies in the states of Illinois and Georgia. The results show that intrinsic motivation is significantly associated with public managers' job involvement, perceptions of red tape, and organizational effectiveness. Also, certain types of organizational communication and mentoring socialization are closely related to the outcomes. The results of cross-interaction effects between motivation and communications on outcome variables support the SDT prediction that when public managers are more involved with different types of social communication behaviors, the relationship between extrinsic motivation and three outcome variables becomes more pronounced. That is, communication in public agencies provides more autonomy and discretion for extrinsically motivated public managers, thus leading to more positive organizational dispositions.