Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Large families (in a context of lowest-low fertility): what do we know about them?

From 1961 to 2011 in Italy the average number of individuals per household decreased from 3.6 to 2.4, and the proportion of household with 6 members or more dropped from 14.4% to 1.4%. Large families (4-plus children) are often associated with poverty, but, given their rarity, it is extremely difficult to study them. They are basically unknown, especially in contexts of very low fertility. We aim to characterize large families (with 4-plus children) and to highlight what distinguishes them from families with fewer children, for both native and non-native population. Using data from the 2011 Italian Population and Housing Census, demographic characteristics of large families out of all families with children are described. In order to analyze factors associated to large families, logistic regression models are applied to predict whether families were large (four-plus children) or small (one or two children). Results suggest a socio-economic polarization of large families and a negative association with women’s education among both native and non-native populations. Only for Italian couples repartnering is a predictor of larger families and couples with self-employed men are more likely to have large families than employees. Internal cultural and institutional differences are also relevant.
Promoting Employee Voice and Upward Communication in Healthcare: The CEO's Influence

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY As noted by the Institute of Medicine (2004), a lack of critical upward feedback in the hospital setting has adverse effects on direct patient care and health outcomes. Employees are oftentimes reluctant to share information, as those above them might interpret the information to be negative or threatening. Leaders then may make important decisions based on assumptions or inaccurate feedback. The situation is especially significant in the healthcare setting, where hierarchical structures (Nembhard and Edmondson 2006), divisions between administrators and clinicians, and lack of collaboration across teams reinforce employee silence and undermine organizational learning (Ramanujam and Rousseau 2006). Chief executive officers play a key role in developing a culture that fosters employee voice and upward communication (Ashford, Sutcliffe, and Christianson 2009). Hospitals winning performance excellence awards, such as those utilizing the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award Criteria for Performance Excellence, present a model of high performance with demonstrated results. The purpose of this study was to understand specific CEO behaviors and actions promoting employee voice and upward communication in performance excellence award‐winning healthcare organizations. Results suggested the award‐winning CEOs facilitated employee voice by being approachable, mainly achieved through their regular presence throughout the organization. By being consistently visible and available to employees these CEOs fostered relationships, built trust, and promoted open communication. Leaders in the study created a cultural focus on continuous improvement largely built around transparency of information, particularly looking for the bad news from their employees. Voice invitation and positive voice response from leaders reinforced that critical upward feedback is not only welcome, but expected.
N‐Hydroxy‐4‐(4‐chlorophenyl)thiazole‐2(3H)‐thione as a Photochemical Hydroxyl‐radical Source: Photochemistry and Oxidative Damage of DNA (Strand Breaks) and 2′‐Deoxyguanosine (8‐oxodG Formation) ¶

On irradiation of N‐hydroxythiazole‐2(3H)‐thione 3 at 300 nm, the photoproducts disulfide 4, bisthiazole 5 and thiazole 6 are formed. During this photolysis, hydroxyl radicals are released, which have been detected by spin trapping with 5,5‐dimethyl‐1‐pyrroline N‐oxide (DMPO), coupled with electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy. In the presence of supercoiled pBR322 DNA, irradiation of thiazolethione 3 induces strand breaks through the photogenerated hydroxyl‐radicals, as confirmed by control experiment with the hydroxyl‐radical scavenger isopropanol. Singlet oxygen appears not to be involved, as attested by the lack of a D2O isotope effect. During the photoreaction of thiazolethione 3 in the presence of 2′‐deoxyguanosine (dG), the latter is photooxidized (ca 10% conversion after 2 h of irradiation) to the 7,8‐dihydro‐8‐oxo‐2′‐deoxyguanosine as the main oxidation product. The dG conversion levels off after complete consumption of thiazolethione 3 and is suppressed by the addition of the hydroxyl‐radical scavenger 2,6‐di‐tert‐butylcresol or DMPO. Since the photoproducts 4–6 are ineffective as sensitizers for the photooxidation of dG and DNA, the hydroxyl radicals released in the photolysis of thiazolethione 3 are the oxidizing species of DNA and dG. These results suggest that the thiazolethione 3 may serve as a novel and effective photochemical hydroxyl‐radical source for photobiological studies.
The Fate of Schwann Cells in Peripheral Nerve Allografts

The phenotype of Schwann cells, whether of host or donor origin, in nerve allografts has been a source of debate. The origin of Schwann cells in peripheral nerve allografts under conditions of no, temporary or continuous immunosuppression was assessed by immunohistochemistry. We hypothesized that host-derived Schwann cells would replace rejected foreign donor Schwann cells after withdrawal of immunosuppression. A murine model of nerve transplantation to normal (wild-type) hosts from donor Shiverer mice, a mutant whose Schwann cells are deficient in myelin basic protein, was used and antibody reactivity against myelin basic protein was employed to ascertain the identity of Schwann cells in the nerve allograft. Without immunosuppression, donor Shiverer Schwann cells were rejected and the nerve graft morphology was restored by host-derived Schwann cells. With continuous immunosuppression, donor Shiverer Schwann cells persisted in the graft segment, associated with a chronic rejection phenomenon. The latter allowed migration of host-derived Schwann cells, over time, into the graft segment in approximately half the cases. After withdrawal of finite (6 weeks) immunosuppression, a rejection response eliminated donor Schwann cells. Replacement by host Schwann cells ensued as was hypothesized.
Estimation of energy productivity change in Baltic Sea and EU non-Baltic Sea states

ABSTRACT The Baltic Sea states and the European Commission initiated the intergovernmental Baltic Sea Energy Cooperation (BASREC) in 1998 and established it the following year. The aim of this study is to examine and compare the energy productivity change, energy technical change, and energy efficiency change in Baltic Sea states and non-Baltic Sea states using the Malmquist-DEA approach. The main results indicate that energy productivity in the Baltic Sea states has been improved, with this mainly caused by energy technology progression; however, the improvement in energy efficiency is not so obvious. In addition, the subsample includes 10 former communist countries, showing that the source of their energy productivity change not only comes from energy technical change, but also energy efficiency changes. In other words, the catching up effect in the 10 former communist countries is more obvious than that in the Baltic Sea states.
IL-10 attenuates TNF-alpha-induced NF kappaB pathway activation and cardiomyocyte apoptosis.

AIMS We have recently reported that tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) increases oxidative stress and apoptosis in cardiomyocytes by upregulating p38 mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase (MAPK) phosphorylation. Interleukin-10 (IL-10) blocked these effects of TNF-alpha by upregulating extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 (ERK 1/2) MAPK phosphorylation. However, the precise site of this IL-10 action is still unknown, and this is investigated in the present study. METHODS AND RESULTS Cardiomyocytes isolated from adult Sprague-Dawley rats were exposed to TNF-alpha (10 ng/mL), IL-10 (10 ng/mL), and IL-10+TNF-alpha (ratio 1) for 4 h. Hydrogen peroxide and antioxidant trolox were used as positive controls. Exposure to TNF-alpha resulted in an increase in the production of reactive oxygen species, the number of apoptotic cells, caspase-3 activation, and poly-ADP ribose polymerase (PARP) cleavage. Increased oxidative stress by using hydrogen peroxide also caused apoptosis. The changes due to TNF-alpha were associated with an increase in the inhibitor of kappaB kinase (IKK) and nuclear factor kappa-B (NF kappaB) phosphorylation. IL-10 by itself had no effect, but it prevented the above mentioned TNF-alpha-induced changes. Trolox also mitigated TNF-alpha induced changes. Pre-exposure of cells to an IKK inhibitor (PS-1145) prevented TNF-alpha-induced caspase-3 and PARP cleavage. Inhibition of ERK 1/2 MAPK with PD98059 attenuated the protective role of IL-10 against TNF-alpha-induced activation of IKK and NF kappaB as well as cardiomyocyte apoptosis. CONCLUSION The present study shows that TNF-alpha-induced activation of the NF kappaB pathway plays a critical role in cardiomyocyte apoptosis. IL-10 prevents TNF-alpha-induced NF kappaB activation and pro-apoptotic changes in cardiomyocytes by inhibiting IKK phosphorylation through the activation of ERK 1/2 MAPK.
Adapting machine translation models toward misrecognized speech with text-to-speech pronunciation rules and acoustic confusability

In the spoken language translation pipeline, machine translation systems that are trained solely on written bitexts are often unable to recover from speech recognition errors due to the mismatch in training data. We propose a novel technique to simulate the errors generated by an ASR system, using the ASR system’s pronunciation dictionary and language model. Lexical entries in the pronunciation dictionary are converted into phoneme sequences using a text-to-speech (TTS) analyzer and stored in a phoneme-to-word translation model. The translation model and ASR language model are combined into a phonemeto-word MT system that “damages” clean texts to look like ASR outputs based on acoustic confusions. Training texts are TTSconverted and damaged into synthetic ASR data for use as adaptation data for training a speech translation system. Our proposed technique yields consistent improvements in translation quality on English-French lectures.
Time Course in the Development of Cerebral Vasospasm after Experimental Subarachnoid Hemorrhage: Clinical and Neuroradiological Assessment of the Rat Double Hemorrhage Model

OBJECTIVE:The “double hemorrhage” model in the rat is frequently used to simulate delayed cerebral vasospasm (CVS) after subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) in humans. However, an exact neurological and angiographic characterization of the CVS is not available for this model so far and is provided in the present investigation. Additionally, perfusion weighted imaging (PWI) at 3 tesla magnetic resonance (MR) tomography was implemented to assess the reduction in cerebral blood flow (CBF). METHODS:In a prospective, randomized setting CVS was induced by injection of 0.2 ml autologous blood twice in the cisterna magna of 45 male Sprague-Dawley rats. The surviving animals were examined on Days 2, 3, 5, 7 and 9 and compared to a sham operated control group (n = 9). Rats were neurologically graded between 0 and 3, followed by MRI and selective digital subtraction angiography (DSA). The relative CBF was set in relation to the perfusion of the masseter muscle. RESULTS:The neurological state was significantly worsened on Day 2 (Grade 3), 3 (Grade 3), and 5 (Grade 2) (medians). The relative CBF/muscle BF ratio (2.5 ± 0.8 (SAH) versus 9.2 ± 1.3 (sham) (mean ± SEM) and the basilar artery (BA) diameter (0.15 ± 0.02 mm (SAH) versus 0.32 ± 0.01 mm (sham) were significantly decreased on Day 5. Correlation between relative CBF/muscle BF ratio and BA diameter was 0.70. CONCLUSION:A valid and reproducible CVS simulation was proven by neurological score, DSA, and PWI on Day 5. Furthermore, our data demonstrate the practicability and validity of MR PWI for the monitoring of CVS in a rat SAH model.
Does It Pay to Live in Big(ger) Cities

This study approaches the question whether it “pays” to live in big(ger) cities in a three-fold manner: first, it estimates how city size affects worker productivity (agglomeration benefits) in Germany, based on individual-level wage data. Second, it considers whether productivity benefits translate into real gains for workers by taking local price levels into account. Third, it examines the role of amenities in explaining differences in real benefits across cities. The estimated elasticity for agglomeration benefits is around 0.02, implying that comparable workers in Hamburg (3 million residents) are about 6% more productive than in Recklinghausen (150 000). But agglomeration benefits are, on average, offset by higher prices, i.e. city size does not systematically translate into real pecuniary benefits for workers. Amenities, e.g. seaside access, theatres, universities, or “disamenities”, e.g. air pollution, explain – to a large degree – variation in real pecuniary benefits, i.e. real wages are higher in low-amenity cities.
Socioeconomic differentials in the temperature-mortality relationship in São Paulo, Brazil.

BACKGROUND We investigated the impact of environmental temperature on mortality in São Paulo, Brazil, and examined differences in the temperature-mortality relationship with respect to cause, age group, and socioeconomic position (SEP). METHODS Generalized additive Poisson regression models adjusted for non-temperature related seasonal factors (including air pollution) were used to analyse daily mortality counts for selected causes from 1991 to 1994. Individuals were classified by the aggregate SEP of their area of residency. These were analysed as potential modifiers of the temperature-mortality relationship. RESULTS Among the elderly we observed a 2.6% increase in all-cause mortality per degree increase in temperature above 20 degrees C, and a 5.5% increase per degree drop in temperature below 20 degrees C, after adjustment for confounding. Relationships were similar in children, but somewhat weaker in adults. Cold effects were present for deaths due to cardiovascular disease (CVD), respiratory, and other causes, with effects being greatest in the respiratory group. Heat effects were not found for CVD deaths in adults, but otherwise varied little by cause of mortality. There was little evidence for a modification of the mortality effects of cold or heat by SEP. CONCLUSIONS These findings show that the U-shaped pattern of the temperature-mortality relationship found in cooler northern countries occurs also in a sub-tropical city. In addition, the relative effects of temperature were similar in each socioeconomic grouping.
Multicenter Validation of the Analytical Accuracy of Salmonella PCR: towards an International Standard

ABSTRACT As part of a major international project for the validation and standardization of PCR for detection of five major food-borne pathogens, four primer sets specific for Salmonella species were evaluated in-house for their analytical accuracy (selectivity and detection limit) in identifying 43 Salmonella spp. and 47 non-Salmonella strains. The most selective primer set was found to be 139-141 (K. Rahn, S. A. De Grandis, R. C. Clarke, S. A. McEwen, J. E. Galán, C. Ginocchio, R. Curtiss III, and C. L. Gyles, Mol. Cell. Probes 6:271-279, 1992), which targets the invA gene. An extended determination of selectivity by using 364 strains showed that the inclusivity was 99.6% and the exclusivity was 100% for the invA primer set. To indicate possible PCR inhibitors derived from the sample DNA, an internal amplification control (IAC), which was coamplified with the invA target gene, was constructed. In the presence of 300 DNA copies of the IAC, the detection probability for primer set 139-141 was found to be 100% when a cell suspension containing 104 CFU/ml was used as the template in the PCR (50 CFU per reaction). The primer set was further validated in an international collaborative study that included 16 participating laboratories. Analysis with 28 coded (“blind”) DNA samples revealed an analytical accuracy of 98%. Thus, a simple PCR assay that is specific for Salmonella spp. and amplifies a chromosomal DNA fragment detected by gel electrophoresis was established through extensive validation and is proposed as an international standard. This study addresses the increasing demand of quality assurance laboratories for standard diagnostic methods and presents findings that can facilitate the international comparison and exchange of epidemiological data.
Previous Antiretroviral Therapy for Prevention of Mother-to-Child Transmission of HIV Does not Hamper the Initial Response to PI-Based Multitherapy During Subsequent Pregnancy

Background:Few data are available on the possible long-term negative effects of a short exposure to antiretroviral therapy (ART) for prevention of mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT). Objective:To determine whether ART for PMTCT, discontinued after delivery, affects the virological response to highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) administered during subsequent pregnancies. Methods:All current pregnancies of HIV-1-infected women enrolled in the French Perinatal Cohort (ANRS CO-01 EPF) between 2005 and 2009 and not receiving ART at the time of conception were eligible. We studied the association between history of exposure to ART during a previous pregnancy and detectable viral load (VL) under multitherapy at current delivery (VL ≥ 50 copies/mL). Results:Among 1116 eligible women, 869 were ART naive and 247 had received PMTCT during a previous pregnancy. Previous ART was protease inhibitor (PI)-based HAART in 48%, non-PI-based HAART in 4%, nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor bitherapy in 19% and zidovudine monotherapy in 29% of the women. At current pregnancy, women with or without prior exposure to ART had similar CD4 cell counts and VL before ART initiation. PI-based HAART was initiated in 90% of the women. VL was undetectable (<50 copies/mL) at delivery in 65% of previously ART-naive women, 72% of women previously exposed to HAART, 62% previously exposed to bitherapy, and 67% previously exposed to monotherapy for prophylaxis (P = 0.42). Detectable VL was not associated with previous exposure in multivariate analysis (adjusted OR for previous versus no previous exposure to ART: 0.92; 0.95% confidence interval: 0.59 to 1.44). Conclusions:Efficacy of PI-based combinations is not decreased in women previously exposed to various regimens of antiretroviral PMTCT.
Management of thoracolumbar spine injuries at a tertiary care hospital.

BACKGROUND The purpose of descriptive case series study was to see the conservative and surgical outcome in respect of neurological improvement, sphincter functions and early ambulation in cases of traumatic thoracolumbar injuries in a tertiary care hospital. METHODS This was a hospital based prospective study comprised of 50 thoracolumbar injury cases registered during the period of 1 year from September 2005 to September 2006. All cases were evaluated for their clinical features. During initial phase, level and degree of neurological injury was assessed using Frankle grades. Operative and postoperative record with x-rays and MRI were maintained. The follow-up ranged from 6 to 12 months with clinical and radiological assessment. RESULTS A total of 50 cases were registered, 43 (86%) were males and 7 (14%) were females. Fall was the most common cause of injury (92%). The most common level involved was L1 (46%). The 2nd common site of injury was T12 (12%). The treatment given was conservative in 42.55%, and surgery was performed on 57.44%. Three (6.38%) patients were left against medical advice. CONCLUSION Thoracolumbar injuries occur in young population and creates socio-economic burden to the society. Patients with partial neurological deficit benefit from surgery.
Arterial thrombosis in four patients treated with thalidomide

Thalidomide has been associated with venous thrombotic events, as reported in the post-marketing surveillance reports by Celgene Corporation; as well as case reports in the literature. Seven arterial thrombotic events have been reported in patients receiving thalidomide with 3 cases occurring in patients with other predisposing conditions. We report 4 additional cases of arterial thromboses in 1 lymphoma and 3 myeloma patients treated with thalidomide. The mechanism for these events is unclear; however, it is significant that 2 patients were receiving concomitant anticoagulation with aspirin and warfarin.
Intractable diarrhoea of infancy and its management: modified cost effective treatment.

One-hundred-twenty infants under 1 year of age suffering from intractable diarrhoea were studied. They had received prior treatment in the form of antimicrobials (100 per cent), stool binding substance (50 percent), antimotility agents (50 per cent), and intravenous (IV) fluids (33 per cent). One-third of them had been hospitalised in peripheral hospitals. All of them had diarrhoea of more than 2 weeks' duration, protein energy malnutrition and were very ill. In addition vomiting, dehydration, fever, paralytic ileus, perianal excoriation and rectal prolapse were present in 44, 23, 33, 9, 47, and 3 per cent of the infants, respectively. Anaemia, multiple vitamin deficiencies, and pedal oedema were seen in 70, 10, and 3 per cent of infants, respectively. The infections documented were septicaemia (22 per cent), bronchopneumonia (6 per cent), meningitis (4 per cent), urinary tract infection (3 per cent) and acute supporative otitis media in 2 per cent of infants. Fifty-three per cent of infants had secondary lactose intolerance. Intolerance to milk protein, milk protein and soyabean and milk protein, as well as soyabean and chicken was seen in 4, 2, and 1 per cent cases, respectively. Aetiological agents isolated from stool culture were E. coli, (18 per cent), Klebsiella species (9 per cent), Shigella species (6 per cent), Salmonella typhimurium (2 per cent), Cholera mitschikom (1 per cent), Giardia lamblia (6 per cent), cryptosporidium (1 per cent), and E. histolytica (1 per cent). Candida albicans was grown in 18 per cent of infants. Pseudomembranous colitis was documented in 2 per cent cases. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Basic fibroblast growth factor augments podocyte injury and induces glomerulosclerosis in rats with experimental membranous nephropathy.

Podocyte injury is believed to contribute to glomerulosclerosis in membranous nephropathy. To identify the factors involved, we investigated the effects of basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF), a cytokine produced by podocytes, on rats with membranous nephropathy (passive Heymann nephritis [PHN]). All rats received a daily i.v. bolus of 10 microg bFGF or vehicle from days 3-8 after PHN induction. In proteinuric PHN rats on day 8, bFGF injections further increased proteinuria. Podocytes of bFGF-injected PHN rats showed dramatic increases in mitoses, pseudocyst formation, foot process retraction, focal detachment from the glomerular basement membrane, and desmin expression. bFGF injections in PHN rats did not alter antibody or complement deposition or glomerular leukocyte influx. bFGF-injected PHN rats developed increased glomerulosclerosis when compared with control PHN rats. Also, bFGF induced proteinuria and podocyte damage in rats injected with 10% of the regular PHN-serum dose. None of these changes occurred in bFGF-injected normal rats, complement-depleted PHN rats or rats injected with 5% of the regular PHN serum dose. These divergent bFGF effects were explained in part by upregulated glomerular bFGF receptor expression, induced by PHN serum. Thus, bFGF can augment podocyte damage, resulting in increased glomerular protein permeability and accelerated glomerulosclerosis. This bFGF action is confined to previously injured podocytes. Release of bFGF from glomerular sources (including podocytes themselves) during injury may represent an important mechanism by which podocyte damage is enhanced or becomes self sustained.