Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Age, sexual behavior and human papillomavirus infection in oral cavity and oropharyngeal cancers

There are few well‐established patient risk factors associated with human papillomavirus (HPV) infection in cancers of the oral cavity and oropharynx. The purpose of this study was to determine if there were significant different risk factors and tumor characteristics between HPV‐positive and HPV‐negative cancer cases. HPV was evaluated in cancer tissue and exfoliated oral cells of 193 oral cavity/oropharynx cancer patients using PCR and direct DNA sequencing. A patient questionnaire collected information about risk factors, sexual practices and medical history. The prevalence of HPV high‐risk (HR) types was 20% in cancer cases. Three types were identified: HPV‐16 (87%), HPV‐18 (3%) and HPV‐33 (11%). Risk factors for HPV‐HR included younger age (≤ 55 years vs. > 55 years; adjusted OR = 3.4; 95% CI = 1.6–7.3) and younger‐age cases who had more lifetime sex partners (adjusted OR = 3.8; 95% CI = 1.4–10.1), practiced oral‐genital sex (adjusted OR = 4.3; 95% CI = 1.8–10.4) or oral‐anal sex (adjusted OR = 19.5; 95% CI = 3.4–113). Compared to HPV‐negative cancers, HPV‐HR cancers were more likely to have a positive HPV‐HR exfoliated oral cytology test (adjusted OR = 7.8; 95% CI = 3.4–18.4), later stage (adjusted OR = 3.0), nodal involvement (adjusted OR = 4.1) and advanced grade (adjusted OR = 3.0). This study shows new evidence that the prevalence of oncogenic mucosal HPV is higher in younger‐age oral cavity/oropharynx cancer cases whose sexual practices are typically associated with sexual transmission of the virus. HPV detection also appears to be an indicator of advanced disease characteristics that may require different clinical treatment for this subset of patients. An exfoliated oral cytology test for HPV was a significant predictor of HR types in the cancers, suggesting that an oral rinse may provide an early biomarker of infected tumors. © 2003 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Germs, Roads and Trade: Theory and Evidence on the Value of Diversification in Global Sourcing

This paper studies the value of diversification in global sourcing in improving firms' resilience to supply chain disruptions. I build a model in which firms select into importing from countries and via customs with different efficiencies, taking into account domestic and international trade costs. The model predicts that firms which are more geographically diversified in sourcing are more resilient to supply chain disruptions. Reductions in trade costs induce firms to further diversify their sourcing strategies. I then exploit the 2003 SARS epidemic as a natural experiment to examine the resilience of Chinese manufacturing importers. Firm imports fell by 7.9% on average when the trade route was hit by SARS, but as much as 52% for firms without any diversification. The disruptions led to smaller increases in marginal cost for firms with more trade routes for imports. The epidemic reduced total Chinese manufacturing outputs by about 0.7% at its peak. Connectivity to roads increased firms' resilience to the epidemic by facilitating input diversification.
PROGNOSTIC FACTORS FOR LONG-TERM ACTUAL PATIENT SURVIVAL AFTER ORTHOTOPIC LIVER TRANSPLANTATION IN CHILDREN

Background. Orthotopic liver transplantation has become the treatment of choice for children with end-stage liver disease. Although results have improved the last decades, still a considerable number of children die after transplantation. The aim of this study was to analyze long-term actual survival and to identify prognostic factors for such survival rates. Methods. A consecutive series of 66 children receiving transplants who had or could have had a follow-up of at least 5 years was retrospectively analyzed. Actual survival and prognostic factors in relation to patient, donor, and operation related variables were assessed after multivariate analysis. Results. Actual 1-, 3-, and 5-year patient survival was 86%, 79%, and 73%, respectively. A high Child-Pugh (C-P) score or C-P class C, high donor age, high blood loss index, and retransplantation were predictive factors for actual patient survival. A high blood loss index was correlated with biliary atresia, low recipient age and weight, and with previous upper abdominal operations. The duration of stay of the donor at the intensive care unit (ICU) was a predictive factor for retransplantation. Conclusions. Children with diseases eligible for liver transplantation should be seen early in the course of their disease in a transplantation center. All possible measures should be taken during the transplantation procedure to keep the blood loss at a minimum. Children with biliary atresia deserve special attention in this respect. The choice of donors has implications for survival.
Depression Among Mothers of High-Risk Infants Discharged From a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit

Purpose:This study investigated potential associations between maternal depression and specific infant health conditions, smoking, and socioeconomic characteristics among mothers of high-risk infants during medical follow-up visits. Study Design and Methods:Cross-sectional self-report, and interview data were collected from 114 mothers of high-risk infants previously discharged from a neonatal intensive care unit. Mothers were assessed at a postdischarge clinic visit. Results:Prevalence rates for a Center for Epidemiological Studies-Depression Scale score ≥16) suggestive of a depressive disorder exceeded 20% at all time points for this sample of predominantly low-income, minority-race mothers. A greater number of mothers who had infants with a highly visible illness (e.g., surgical necrotizing enterocolitis) were depressed. Depression was also associated with the presence of a household smoker, younger age, and less education and income. Clinical Implications:Given the prevalence rates, routine screening for postpartum depression in mothers of high-risk infants is imperative, with particular attention to the infant's health, smoking, and socioeconomic variables.
Simplified strategies based on damage mechanics for concrete under dynamic loading

Based on previous work, the µ damage model has been designed to figure out the various damage effects in concrete correlated with monotonic and cyclic loading, including unilateral effects. Assumptions are formulated to simplify constitutive relationships while still allowing for a correct description of the main nonlinear effects. In this context, the paper presents an enhanced simplified finite-element description including a damage description, based on the use of multifibre beam elements and including strain rate effects. Applications show that such a strategy leads to an efficient tool to simulate dynamic loading at low, medium and high velocities. This article is part of the themed issue ‘Experimental testing and modelling of brittle materials at high strain rates’.
The specificity of the Stroop interference score of errors to ADHD in boys

The Stroop Interference Test is widely used to assess the inhibition function; however, divergent results have emerged from meta-analyses in children with ADHD. This has led to conflicting results as to whether the Stroop test detects the level of inhibition in these children. We hypothesized that the general approach to include interference scores depending on response time causes conflicting results, whereas recordings of errors may prove a superior measure of the inhibition function in children with ADHD. In the present study, 39 children with an ADHD diagnosis, two subgroups with and without another comorbid mental health disorder, were compared with respect to their interference scores of response time and errors with two subgroups of children with no ADHD. The two subgroups comprised 33 children with another mental health disorder other than ADHD and 56 children with no psychiatric disorder. The between-group analyses detected a multivariate, marginal main effect of an ADHD diagnosis on the Stroop interference scores, and a univariate main effect of an ADHD diagnosis on the interference score of errors. Further, only the interference score of errors predicted significantly the parent reported scores on the Inhibit scale from the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function. These findings support that a Stroop interference score of errors is sensitive for inhibition problems in children with ADHD and encourages the use of Stroop versions including error recordings independent of response time.
Drivers of Professional Service Model Innovation in the Chinese Construction Industry

Professional service in China is facing challenges due to the rapidly changing built environment. The environment forces the construction industry to reconsider professional service model for thriving, while the life cycle professional service model has significant implications for value addition in professional system. However, literature that provides quantifiable information for practitioners and researchers to better understand drivers of professional service model innovation (PSMI) is scarce. Based on innovation diffusion literature and institutional theory, this study examines how PSMI is influenced by institutional pressures (including coercive, mimetic, and normative pressures) in the construction industry. The researchers conducted an industry-wide survey in China using structural equation modeling to analyze the acquired data. Data analyzing demonstrates that both coercive and mimetic pressures prominently influence the life cycle of PSMI. However, this study reveals that normative pressure does not significantly influence PSMI. Results indicate that the owner’s cognition plays an important mediating role between institutional pressures and PSMI. The findings contribute to understanding how different types of institutional pressures can be better steered to facilitate PSMI in the construction industry and furthering knowledge on PSMI mechanisms for new professionalism cultivation in the industry to realize sustainable development of professional system.
The carbon metabolism‐controlled Synechocystis gap2 gene harbours a conserved enhancer element and a Gram‐positive‐like −16 promoter box retained in some chloroplast genes

The two glyceraldehyde‐3‐phosphate dehydrogenase‐encoding genes (gap) of Synechocystis were shown to be expressed as monocistronic transcripts. Whereas gap1 expression is slow and weak, gap2 gene induction is rapid and strong. Transcription of the gap2 gene was shown to depend on functional photosynthetic electron transport and on active carbon metabolism. The basal promoter of gap2 (P, −45 to +34, relative to the transcription start site) is controlled by three cis‐acting elements designated A (−443 to −45), B (+34 to +50, in the untranslated leader region) and C (+50 to +167, in the coding region) that, together, promote a 100‐fold stimulation of P activity. Element B was found to behave as a transcriptional enhancer, in that it was active regardless of its position, orientation and distance relative to P. All three cis‐acting stimulatory elements exhibit a common 5′‐agaTYAACg‐3′ nucleotide motif that appears to be conserved in cyanobacteria and may be the target for a transcriptional enhancer. We also report that gap2 transcription depends on a Gram‐positive‐like −16 promoter box (5′‐TRTG‐3′) that was obviously conserved throughout the evolution of chloroplasts. This is the first report on the occurrence of a −16 promoter element in photoautotrophic organisms.
An evaluation of performance of public sector financial institutions: evidence from Pakistan

The purpose is to analyse the impact of internal factors and government change on the individual as well as the sector-wide performance of public sector banks of Pakistan. The study employs balanced panel data. The OLS-robust regression is used to examine the impact of internal factors, including Log(TA), LDR, IAR, EQTA, NPLR and government change (GOV), a dummy variable, on the profitability of public sector banks measured by ROA, ROE, PBTR and NOM. To analyse the performance of the overall public banking sector and each bank separately, the graphical method is used. The study reveals indifferent results in terms of government change but reports negative impact of government transition on performance. It also finds NPLR as the most significant factor for the profitability of public sector banks of Pakistan.
Global update on defining and treating high‐risk localized prostate cancer with leuprorelin: an Asian perspective

Data from the Japanese Urological Society showed that, in Japan, almost half of patients with localized prostate cancer are treated with hormone therapy (HT), regardless of disease stage, and that radiation therapy (RT) is also widely used to treat high‐risk patients. A retrospective study was undertaken in Japan to evaluate the potential benefits of using primary HT in locally advanced prostate cancer. Of 628 patients in the study, 63.5% were treated with combined androgen blockade (CAB; luteinizing hormone‐releasing hormone agonists plus an antiandrogen) and 36.5% with medical or surgical castration. CAB treatment was significantly better than hormone monotherapy for disease‐specific survival. The results also showed that, even if a patient is classified as ‘high‐risk’, a good prognosis could normally be predicted based on certain variables: if their initial prostate‐specific antigen (PSA) level was ≤ 20 ng/mL, their Gleason score was ≤ 6, and their nadir PSA decreased to ≤ 0.2 ng/mL within 6 months of HT. In this subgroup of ‘good responders’, any treatment, be it prostatectomy, RT or CAB, is likely to be effective. However, in ‘poor responders’, combined therapies with CAB and high‐dose rate brachytherapy are likely to be needed for a clinical response. While HT is effective, it might be associated with a reduction in the patient’s quality of life (QoL) due to adverse effects, e.g. a reduction in sexual function. Results from the analysis of QoL questionnaires completed by men of different ages with prostate cancer found that only sexual function, and not other QoL variables, in men aged 50–59 years appeared to be reduced in men who had HT, compared to age‐matched controls.
Arrhenius equation modeling for the shelf life prediction of tomato paste containing a natural preservative.

BACKGROUND The shelf life of tomato paste with microencapsulated olive leaf extract was compared with that of samples containing a commercial preservative by accelerated shelf life testing. Based on previous studies showing that olive leaf extract as a rich source of phenolic compounds can have antimicrobial properties, application of its encapsulated form to improve the storage stability of tomato paste is proposed here. RESULTS Regarding total soluble solids, the control and the sample containing 1000 µg g-1 sodium benzoate had the lowest (Q10 = 1.63) and highest (Q10 = 1.88) sensitivity to temperature changes respectively; also, the microencapsulated sample containing 1000 µg g-1 encapsulated olive leaf extract (Q10 = 1.83) followed the sample containing 1000 µg g-1 sodium benzoate in terms of the highest kinetic rates. In the case of consistency, the lowest and highest activation energies (Ea ) corresponded to samples containing 1000 µg g-1 non-encapsulated olive leaf extract and 1000 µg g-1 microencapsulated olive leaf extract respectively. CONCLUSION Interestingly, samples containing microencapsulated olive leaf extract could maintain the original quality of the tomato paste very well, while those with non-encapsulated olive leaf extract rated the worst performance (among all specimens) in terms of maintaining their quality indices for a long time period. Overall, the shelf life equation was able to predict the consistency index of all tomato paste samples during long-time storage with high precision. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry.
DSGE Model of the Russian Economy with the Banking Sector

This paper presents the DSGE model of the Russian economy with the banking sector which the Bank of Russia uses for simulation experiments. We show how the introduction of the banking sector changes impulse responses of a standard DSGE model of a small open economy. We also demonstrate that the model has fairly good predictive power. The model enables us to study the effect of banking sector-specific shocks on the economy. Estimation on Russian data has led us to conclude that in this model such shocks did not have a significant effect on the real economy’s variables in the period under observation spanning years from 2006 to 2016.
On the Origins of

This paper explores some of the scholarship that influenced Milton Friedman and Anna J. Schwartz's "A Monetary History". It shows that the ideas of several Chicago economists -- Henry Schultz, Henry Simons, Lloyd Mints, and Jacob Viner -- left clear marks. It argues, however, that the most important influence may have been Wesley Clair Mitchell and his classic book "Business Cycles" (1913). Mitchell, and the NBER, provided the methodology for "A Monetary History", in particular the emphasis on compiling long time series of monthly data and analyzing the effects of specific variables on the business cycle. A common methodology and the stability of monetary relationships produced similar conclusions about money. Friedman and Schwartz deemphasized Mitchell's "bank-centric" view of the monetary transmission process, but they reinforced Mitchell's conclusion that money had an independent, predictable, and important influence on the business cycle.
Renewable energy, non-renewable energy and sustainable development

ABSTRACT The purpose of the present study is to analyse the effects of renewable energy and non-renewable energy on sustainable development. This study is pioneering in this respect because it analyses the effect of renewable energy on adjusted net savings, which is a good sustainable development variable. For this purpose, the data of 40 developed and 73 developing countries were included. According to the estimation results obtained in the study, renewable energy has a positive and statistically significant effect on sustainable development both in developed countries and in developing countries. The impact of renewable energy on sustainable development is greater than the impact of non-renewable energy. In this respect, as the renewable energy amount increases, the level of sustainable development increases. According to these results, the fact that countries use renewable energy more than non-renewable energy sources is extremely important in terms of making progress towards sustainability of development and the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals.
Endothelial mediators and communication through vascular gap junctions

Abstract Cellular interaction in vessels is achieved by multiple communication pathways, including gap junctions (GJs). They provide intercellular channels, allowing direct interaction of endothelial and smooth muscle cells and the coordination of cellular behaviour along the vessel. The latter is a prerequisite for large flow increases because an adaptation of resistance along the vessel length is required. Longitudinal communication is studied by confined local stimulation of arterioles and the observation of responses at distant locations. Certain vascular stimuli induce local and concomitant remote responses of a similar type, verifying rapid longitudinal conduction of vasomotor signals, most likely changes in membrane potential. This is achieved for dilatory responses via the endothelium, possibly by an endothelium-derived hyperpolarising factor (EDHF) that induces local hyperpolarisation, which is then transferred to remote sites through GJs. In vessels, GJs are composed of different connexins (Cx), but Cx40 is of special importance because its lack impairs longitudinal conduction of vasodilations. Interestingly, Cx40-deficient mice are hypertensive, suggesting that Cx40-dependent coupling is necessary to regulate vascular behaviour and peripheral resistance. While the role of other connexins is less well established, an abundance of data has proven the necessity of GJ communication to coordinate vascular behaviour during blood flow regulation.
An Archaebacterial ATPase, Homologous to ATPases in the Eukaryotic 26 S Proteasome, Activates Protein Breakdown by 20 S Proteasomes*

In eukaryotes, the 20 S proteasome is the proteolytic core of the 26 S proteasome, which degrades ubiquitinated proteins in an ATP-dependent process. Archaebacteria lack ubiquitin and 26 S proteasomes but do contain 20 S proteasomes. Many archaebacteria, such as Methanococcus jannaschii, also contain a gene (S4) that is highly homologous to the six ATPases in the 19 S (PA700) component of the eukaryotic 26 S proteasome. To test if this putative ATPase may regulate proteasome function, we expressed it in Escherichia coli and purified the 50-kDa product as a 650-kDa complex with ATPase activity. When mixed with the well characterized 20 S proteasomes fromThermoplasma acidophilum and ATP, this complex stimulated degradation of several unfolded proteins 8–25-fold. It also stimulated proteolysis by 20 S proteasomes from another archaebacterium and mammals. This effect required ATP hydrolysis since ADP and the nonhydrolyzable analog, 5′-adenylyl β,γ-imidophosphate, were ineffective. CTP and to a lesser extent GTP and UTP were also hydrolyzed and also stimulated proteolysis. We therefore named this complex PAN for proteasome-activating nucleotidase. However, PAN did not promote the degradation of small peptides, which, unlike proteins, should readily diffuse into the proteasome. This ATPase complex appears to have been the evolutionary precursor of the eukaryotic 19 S complex, before the coupling of proteasome function to ubiquitination.
Evidence‐based practice for the busy nurse practitioner: Part two: Searching for the best evidence to clinical inquiries

Purpose: The purpose of this four‐part evidence‐based practice (EBP) series is to enhance the nurse practitioner's (NP's) EBP skills by reviewing the process of developing a clinical question, searching for the best evidence, and critically appraising and applying the findings. Part two of the series focuses on how to search the published scientific literature for the most relevant studies that will answer a specific clinical question of importance to the NP. Data sources: Scientific literature review, gray searching, PubMed and other online literature databases and resources, and online EBP websites. Conclusions: Technology has allowed multiple healthcare resources to be available at one's fingertips enabling both NPs and their patients to find answers to clinical questions. EBP databases can be categorized as synthesized/filtered, unfiltered, and background information/expert opinion resources. Learning which database can best answer the clinical inquiry can streamline the search process. Implications for practice: For the busy NP, EBP has emerged as an important strategy to maintain valid, accurate, and relevant clinical knowledge. It is expected that this part of the series will enable NPs to identify appropriate databases to answer clinical inquires while refining their search strategy skills, which takes both time and practice.
Farmers’ preferences over conservation contract flexibility and duration: an estimation of the effect of transaction costs using choice experiment

In this article, we analyze farmers' preferences for variations in three conservation contract attributes, namely flexibility, duration and bureaucratic tasks. Assuming farmers' preferences to be directly related to their profit variation, we present the different trade-offs associated to each attribute independently. We then show how the choice experiment methodology allows (i) to provide new empirical tests exempt from some endogeneity issues, (ii) to elicit the role of transaction costs on farmers' preferences, and (iii) to estimate and disentangle the effect of transaction costs on farmers' preferences. The empirical analysis is based on an experiment among 171 French farmers in 2005. Results highlight the role of transaction costs in farmers' preferences, among them, the effect of maladaptation costs is predominant.