Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Bond Markets Initiation and Tax Revenue Mobilization in Developing Countries

We analyze the relationship between the introduction of a sovereign bond market (BM) and tax revenue mobilization behavior, using a large sample of 119 developing countries. Propensity Scores Matching estimations reveal that BM participation significantly fosters domestic tax revenue mobilization. Moreover, we find that this favorable effect is sensitive to BM countries' characteristics, namely the stance of monetary and fiscal policies, the exchange rate regime, the level of economic development, and the degree of financial openness and financial development. Finally, our results show that BM participation fosters internal taxes and reduces their instability, compared to international trade taxes. These findings highlight the strength of BM in promoting structural reforms in developing countries, through encouraging them to increase their tax effort and even by contributing to some extent to the fiscal transition process.
Psychometrics of a Self-Report Version of the Child and Adolescent Dispositions Scale

Lahey and Waldman (2003, 2005) proposed a model in which three dispositions—sympathetic response to others; negative emotional response to threat, frustration, and loss; and positive response to novelty and risk—transact with the environment to influence risk for conduct disorder (CD). To test this model, the Child and Adolescent Dispositions Scale (CADS) was developed to measure these dispositions using parent ratings of the child. Here we report psychometric evaluations of a parallel youth self-report version (CADS-Y). Exploratory factor analysis of CADS-Y items among 832 9- to 17-year-olds yielded a 3-factor structure that was consistent with the model and invariant across sex and informants. In 1,582 pairs of 9- to 17-year-old twins, confirmatory factor analyses supported the CADS-Y 3-factor model. Each CADS-Y dimension was associated with CD and related personality dimensions as predicted.
Nitric oxide and p38 MAP kinase mediate shear stress‐dependent inhibition of MMP‐2 production in microvascular endothelial cells

Chronic exposure of the skeletal muscle microcirculation to elevated shear stress‐induces angiogenesis. Previous studies observed that shear stress‐induced capillary growth involves luminal sprouting, or internal division, of the capillaries, which is characterized by a minimal proliferative response and the retention of an intact basement membrane. Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) are associated with the process of abluminal sprouting angiogenesis, but may not be required for the process of luminal division during capillary growth. We analyzed the production of MMP‐2, using both the in vivo model of prazosin‐induced angiogenesis in rat skeletal muscle, and cultured microvascular endothelial cells exposed to laminar shear stress. We found that MMP‐2 was not elevated in capillaries of shear stress‐stimulated skeletal muscle, despite a significant increase in capillary number in response to a shear stress stimulus. In cultured microvascular endothelial cells, MMP‐2 mRNA and protein levels were attenuated significantly in response to shear stress exposure. This effect on MMP‐2 was reversed by nitric oxide (NO) synthase inhibition using LNNA. In contrast, exposure of static cultures of endothelial cells to NO donors significantly reduced MMP‐2 production. Shear stress exposure and NO donors both modified phosphorylation levels of several members of the MAPK family. Treatment of shear stress‐exposed cells with the p38 MAPK inhibitor, SB203580, abolished the shear stress‐mediated reduction in MMP‐2 mRNA. Thus, our data provide strong evidence that elevated shear stress inhibits MMP‐2 production in microvascular endothelial cells, an effect that is mediated by signal pathways involving both production of NO and activation of p38 MAPK. J. Cell. Physiol. © 2006 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Memory deficit in clinical depression: processing resources and the structure of materials

Synopsis Resource theory predicts that the relative memory deficit shown by depressed patients should be greater with unstructured than structured material. Previous data using semantic categories word lists supports this, but lists approximating to text have produced the opposite result. Both types of structure were studied in this experiment. The prediction from resource theory was found to hold only when comparing medium and high levels of structure, and to hold more clearly for word lists approximating to text than for semantic categories lists. When word lists of low and medium levels of structure were compared, depressed patients showed relatively greater deficit with the more structured material. Ways in which this could be accommodated in a revised version of resource theory are discussed.
Substantial decrease of blood lead in Swedish children, 1978-94, associated with petrol lead.

OBJECTIVES--To study the potential impact of environmental exposure to petrol lead, residential area, age, sex, and lead exposing hobby, on blood lead concentrations (BPb) in children. METHODS--In the south of Sweden, yearly from 1978-94, BPb was measured in 1230 boys and 1211 girls, aged between 3 and 19 (median 10; quartiles 9 and 12) years. RESULTS--For the samples of 1978, the geometric mean (GM) was 67 (range 30-250) micrograms/l in boys and 53 (18-161) micrograms/l in girls, whereas the corresponding GMs for 1994 were 27 (12-122) and 23 (12-97) micrograms/l. The sex difference was present only in children over eight. Moreover, residential area affected BPb; in particular, children living near a smelter area had raised BPbs. There was a clear ecological relation between BPb (adjusted GM) and annual lead quantity in petrol sold in Sweden, which was estimated to be 1637 tonnes in 1976 and 133 tonnes in 1993 (P < 0.001, ecological linear regression analysis, where a two year lag of petrol lead was applied). In the 171 boys and 165 girls who were sampled twice with an interval of one to four years, the decreases in BPb were estimated to be 6% (95% confidence interval 4%-8%) and 10% (8%-13%)/year, respectively. CONCLUSIONS--The present report points out the considerable beneficial effect of the gradual banning of petrol lead on the lead exposure affecting the population and differential sex specific BPb patterns due to a pronounced age effect in girls, which may be caused by older girls' lower food intake per kg of body weight, lower lung ventilation, cleaner life style, and loss of blood lead through menstrual bleedings.
Evaluation of the BiliChek being used on hyperbilirubinemic newborns undergoing home phototherapy.

CONTEXT Newborns are often screened prior to discharge for hyperbilirubinemia. Transcutaneous bilirubin analyzers, such as the BiliChek, are promoted as screening tools, but it is unclear whether they also function well as monitoring devices. Newborns on home phototherapy require frequent determinations of serum bilirubin levels to monitor therapy effects. A transcutaneous bilirubin analyzer would be helpful to limit blood draws and enhance staff efficiency. We evaluated the accuracy of the BiliChek analyzer in this setting. OBJECTIVE Is the BiliChek sufficiently accurate to monitor the effectiveness of home phototherapy and establish when to terminate therapy? DESIGN Paired serum bilirubin results and results from the BiliChek were obtained from newborns on home phototherapy during daily home health care visits. RESULTS The BiliChek demonstrates a negative bias (mean bias, -1.71 mg/dL; 95% confidence interval, -1.89 to -1.52 mg/dL) compared with serum bilirubin values. This bias worsens as the serum bilirubin level rises. If a value of 14 mg/dL or less obtained using the BiliChek had been used as the cutoff for termination of phototherapy, 45% of newborns would have had therapy terminated prematurely. If, knowing the negative bias of the BiliChek, the cutoff for termination of therapy was set at less than or equal to 11 mg/dL, then 29% of newborns would have had therapy terminated prematurely. CONCLUSIONS The values obtained using the BiliChek, compared to serum bilirubin values, have a negative bias that worsens at the higher bilirubin levels expected in newborns at home on phototherapy. The BiliChek does not provide sufficient accuracy to be utilized to monitor newborns on home phototherapy or to ascertain when to discontinue such therapy.
Destination management organizations and destination marketing: adopting the business model of e-portals in engaging travel agents

ABSTRACT Destination management organizations (DMOs) have an important role in engaging stakeholders in collaboration. Collaborating with stakeholders is useful for both stakeholders and destinations. However, it takes time and needs rigorous coordination to avoid conflicts with stakeholders. This study measures travel agencies’ attitudes towards engaging in online collaboration with DMOs for marketing purposes. It incorporates collaboration and technology acceptance models to predict the attitudes and intentions of travel agents using structural equation modeling. Data were collected from travel agents in Cairo, Egypt, using the random sample technique. This study will be useful for travel and tourism stakeholders and governmental marketing bodies.
Image Guided I125 Prostate Brachytherapy with Hybrid Interactive Mick Technique in the Community Setting: How Does it Compare?

The aim of this study is to evaluate the target coverage, procedural techniques, and merits of Hybrid Interactive Mick (HIM) I125 transperineal permanent implantation (TPPI) of the prostate performed with 10 urologists in a community hospital. Detailed day 0 post-implant dosimetric evaluations of TPPI procedures were performed on 333 consecutive monotherapy patients treated between September 2000 and November 2003 at a single institution. All patients underwent TPPI with HIM. Pelvic and CXR films were obtained for a manual seed count at day 0 and again > day 90 on 175 patients. The HIM-prostate brachytherapy performed in a community hospital provided median D 90, V100, and V150 values of 157Gy, 94%, and 42.3%, respectively. 18% of patients had seed migration to the lungs while 2% had seed migration to the bladder. Only 7 patients (4%) had 2 or more seeds migrate to the lungs. Procedure times average 38 minutes and number of needles used averaged 18. The post-implant urinary retention rate was 2.1% Use of HIM-prostate brachytherapy in the community setting with multiple urologists reproducibly maintained excellent and consistent dosimetric coverage. Procedure times and number of needles used were minimized, and with careful attention to image-guided technique, seed migration to bladder and lung was also minimized.
[Gallbladder cancer: trend and risk distribution in Chile].

BACKGROUND Gallbladder cancer (GBC) is the first cause of death by cancer among Chilean women and mortality has not improved in the last 20 years. AIM To study GBC mortality trend from 1985-2002, analyze risk differentials by age, sex, geographic region and accessibility to surgery. MATERIAL AND METHODS Mortality data was obtained from death certificate databases. Population data was obtained from the census and biliary surgery information, from Ministry of Health registries. Standardized Mortality rates were based in the world population; trend was analyzed with point of change methods. RESULTS From 1985 to 2002, 27,183 GBC deaths occurred, 1,510 per year. The absolute number of deaths increased in 65% but standardized mortality rates remained unchanged at 11.3 per 100,000. These were higher among women than men (15.6 and 7.0, respectively, with a risk ratio of 2.2). Sex ratio peaked at ages 35-54 with risk ratio of 4.1. Death risk increased from North to South, peaking in poorer areas, especially in places with rural population and Mapuche ethnic admixture. Mortality appear to correlate with the rate of people waiting for gallbladder surgery, but not reaching statistical significance (r(2) 0.27, ns). Compared with other countries, Chile has a higher rate of GBC deaths in relation to its gross domestic product per capita. CONCLUSIONS There is a high and persistent persistent risk for GBC in Chile, particularly among women, from the Southern regions where gallbladder surgery is insufficient for the needs, as reflected by the rates of people waiting for biliary surgery. GBC rates could be dropped by offering gallbladder surgery to everyone waiting for it and to those incident cases with gallstones.
A Novel Motif Essential for SNARE Interaction with the K+ Channel KC1 and Channel Gating in Arabidopsis[W]

The SNARE protein of Arabidopsis, SYP121, contributes to vesicle traffic and also controls the gating of K+ channels for K+ uptake by binding to the KC1 channel subunit. The identity of the KC1 binding site on the SNARE protein, described in this study, points to a novel role for the channel subunit in coordinating vesicle traffic. The SNARE (for soluble N-ethylmaleimide–sensitive factor protein attachment protein receptor) protein SYP121 (=SYR1/PEN1) of Arabidopsis thaliana facilitates vesicle traffic, delivering ion channels and other cargo to the plasma membrane, and contributing to plant cell expansion and defense. Recently, we reported that SYP121 also interacts directly with the K+ channel subunit KC1 and forms a tripartite complex with a second K+ channel subunit, AKT1, to control channel gating and K+ transport. Here, we report isolating a minimal sequence motif of SYP121 prerequisite for its interaction with KC1. We made use of yeast mating-based split-ubiquitin and in vivo bimolecular fluorescence complementation assays for protein–protein interaction and of expression and electrophysiological analysis. The results show that interaction of SYP121 with KC1 is associated with a novel FxRF motif uniquely situated within the first 12 residues of the SNARE sequence, that this motif is the minimal requirement for SNARE-dependent alterations in K+ channel gating when heterologously expressed, and that rescue of KC1-associated K+ current of the root epidermis in syp121 mutant Arabidopsis plants depends on expression of SNARE constructs incorporating this motif. These results establish the FxRF sequence as a previously unidentified motif required for SNARE–ion channel interactions and lead us to suggest a mechanistic framework for understanding the coordination of vesicle traffic with transmembrane ion transport.
Hepatitis G virus (HGV) infection in Saudi dialysis patients and healthy controls.

BACKGROUND Viral hepatitis is a global health problem with a high mortality rate. End stage renal disease (ESRD) patients have a high prevalence of Hepatitis B and C virus infection. Present study was done to identify the prevalence and course of a new isolate Hepatitis G virus (HGV) infection in Saudi dialysis patients. METHODS The pattern of viral hepatitis infection (HBV. HCV and HGV) was investigated in 109 Saudi patients with ESRD and 100 healthy Saudi blood donors. Donated blood was tested for markers of Hepatitis B, C and G viruses. Liver functions were measured and blood picture and liver biopsies were also performed at regular intervals. RESULTS Out of the 109 ESRD patients 68 (62.4%) were positive for at least one viral marker: 59 (54.1%) were positive for HCV, six (5.5%) were positive for HGV and three (2.8%) were positive for HBsAg. Four of the six HGV positive patients were also co-infected with HCV. Eight (8%) of the blood donors were positive for at least one viral marker. Elevated ALT levels (>4 times normal) were recorded in four out of the six HGV-positive patients including three co-infected with HCV. CONCLUSIONS Our results are in agreement with similar studies from different countries and also raise the question about the causal relationship between HGV and liver disease among dialysis patients.
The “We Care” Program for Long-Term Care: Providing Family Members with Support following the Death of a Loved One

Although bereavement programs in hospice and palliative care settings are known to produce positive outcomes for family members after the death of a loved one, currently there is a clear lack of services offered through long-term care (LTC) facilities, where older adults often reside prior to their death. The purpose of the present article is to present an initial bereavement program called We Care that focused on providing additional support for family members who experience a death of a loved one while in a LTC facility. Goals for the program include: 1) providing ongoing contact with the family for 1 year, and 2) offering a bereavement group. The program's model is explained, with highlights of obstacles experienced and suggestions for future programs.
Thailand’s International Travel Image

Bongkosh Ngamsom Rittichainuwat, Ph.D., is an assistant professor in the department of hotel and tourism management at Siam University. Hailin Qu, Ph.D., is professor and graduate coordinator in the School of Hotel and Restaurant Administration at Oklahoma State University (qhailin@okstate.edu), where Tom J. Brown, Ph.D., is associate professor of marketing in OSU’s College of Business Administration. The study described in this article was conducted under the auspices of the Tourism Authority of Thailand and Siam University. We would like to thank Khun Numfhon Boonyawat in the statistics section of the Research and Statistics Division at the Tourism Authority of Thailand for providing us with support and the Statistics of Tourism in Thailand.
Empirical Investigation into the Determinants of Terrorism: Evidence from Fragile States

Abstract This study investigates the determinants of terrorism in countries that are in the top category of the Fragile States Index (FSI), and are also prone to terrorism. Panel data for 38 countries mainly from Sub-Saharan Africa, the Middle East and North Africa, and South Asia for the years 2005–2014 are used. Findings from the negative binomial and fixed effects estimation show that fragile state, number of refugees and youth unemployment have positive and significant impacts on terrorism. Military spending is positive but less robust across models. Conversely, FDI and remittances have a negative impact on terrorism with the former less robust. Governance and foreign aid are negative and insignificantly related to terrorism. Policy implications follow from the findings.
NMDA receptor-dependent GABAB receptor internalization via CaMKII phosphorylation of serine 867 in GABAB1

GABAB receptors are the G-protein–coupled receptors for GABA, the main inhibitory neurotransmitter in the brain. GABAB receptors are abundant on dendritic spines, where they dampen postsynaptic excitability and inhibit Ca2+ influx through NMDA receptors when activated by spillover of GABA from neighboring GABAergic terminals. Here, we show that an excitatory signaling cascade enables spines to counteract this GABAB-mediated inhibition. We found that NMDA application to cultured hippocampal neurons promotes dynamin-dependent endocytosis of GABAB receptors. NMDA-dependent internalization of GABAB receptors requires activation of Ca2+/Calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II (CaMKII), which associates with GABAB receptors in vivo and phosphorylates serine 867 (S867) in the intracellular C terminus of the GABAB1 subunit. Blockade of either CaMKII or phosphorylation of S867 renders GABAB receptors refractory to NMDA-mediated internalization. Time-lapse two-photon imaging of organotypic hippocampal slices reveals that activation of NMDA receptors removes GABAB receptors within minutes from the surface of dendritic spines and shafts. NMDA-dependent S867 phosphorylation and internalization is predominantly detectable with the GABAB1b subunit isoform, which is the isoform that clusters with inhibitory effector K+ channels in the spines. Consistent with this, NMDA receptor activation in neurons impairs the ability of GABAB receptors to activate K+ channels. Thus, our data support that NMDA receptor activity endocytoses postsynaptic GABAB receptors through CaMKII-mediated phosphorylation of S867. This provides a means to spare NMDA receptors at individual glutamatergic synapses from reciprocal inhibition through GABAB receptors.
Trastuzumab plus vinorelbine or taxane chemotherapy for HER2‐overexpressing metastatic breast cancer: The trastuzumab and vinorelbine or taxane study

The optimal trastuzumab‐based chemotherapy regimen for HER2‐overexpressing, metastatic breast cancer is not known. The trastuzumab and vinorelbine or taxane (TRAVIOTA) study was a prospective, multicenter, randomized trial that was designed to compare these regimens.
Optimally Debulked Stage III Ovarian Cancer: Intraperitoneal or Intravenous Chemotherapy?

The optimal management of women with optimally debulked stage III ovarian cancer is contentious. There are in particular widely differing views regarding the role of intraperitoneal chemotherapy, and this has been debated widely. Being on the negative side in the debate, I will provide compelling reasons why systemic chemotherapy should remain the standard of care but argue that dose-dense weekly paclitaxel rather than the 3 weekly schedules should be adopted based on the results of the Japanese Gynecologic Oncology Group study. The pharmacokinetics of intraperitoneal paclitaxel suggests that intraperitoneal paclitaxel at day 8 with intravenous paclitaxel at day 1 is only a more complicated way of delivering dose-dense paclitaxel.
The Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec)

Current interest in regionalism, often referred to as “new regionalism" or NR, is undoubtedly one of the important trends in contemporary international relations. Scholarly attention has been drawn to the creation of a number of regional organisations such as the North Atlantic Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) and the Common Market of the South (MERCOSUR) that was created in 1991 in South America. Meanwhile, 1989 saw the birth of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC). The objective of this study is to determine the main characteristics of new regionalism. The second objective is to apply those characteristics to Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) to determine whether APEC conforms to new regionalism. To maintain the research objectives, we adopt the new regionalism theory (NRT) as the framework of analysis. The discussion on NRT is divided into three sections. Firstly, definition of new regionalism. Secondly, the development of NR theory from different perspectives, and lastly, definitions of concepts (the features of new regionalism). The findings of the research can be summarized as follows. The key features of new regionalism are trade liberalisation, open regionalism,
Somatic symptoms in anxious-depressed school refusers.

OBJECTIVE To identify the most common physical complaints in a sample of adolescent school refusers with comorbid anxiety and depressive disorders. Whether somatic symptoms are more likely to be associated with high levels of anxiety or high levels of depression was also explored. METHOD Forty-four adolescents in a treatment study were evaluated at baseline with structured psychiatric interviews and measures of anxiety, depression, and somatization. RESULTS The most common somatic complaints were in the autonomic and gastrointestinal categories. In simple regression analyses, anxiety level as measured with the Revised Children's Manifest Anxiety Scale and depression level as measured with the Beck Depression Inventory each significantly predicted the severity of somatic symptoms. The correlation between percentage of days absent from school and severity of somatic symptoms approached significance (r = .27, p = .074). CONCLUSIONS Knowledge that somatic complaints are commonly an expression of underlying anxiety and depression may facilitate more rapid referral for psychiatric assessment and treatment and thereby help avoid unnecessary medical workups and sequelae from school refusal.