Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Labor Unions and Payout Policy: A Regression Discontinuity Analysis

We study the causal effect of labor unions on corporate payout policy by using a regression discontinuity (RD) design. Passing a union election leads to an 8.7% lower dividend ratio and a 17.9% lower total payout ratio (including both dividends and share repurchases) than failing an election in the following year. The negative effect of unions on payout is absent in firms located in states with right-to-work laws but without work stoppage provisions. Operating flexibility appears to be a plausible underlying mechanism through which union power influences corporate payout, and firms use the saved earnings from reductions in payout to invest in net working capital rather than paying off debt or increasing cash holdings. Our paper sheds new light on the determinants of firm payout policy and the role of labor unions in corporate finance decisions.
Wild-type gas vesicle formation requires at least ten genes in the gvp gene cluster of Halobacterium halobium plasmid pNRC100

To study the functions of the 13 gvp genes, gvpMLKJIHGFEDACN, on plasmid pNRC100 of Halobacterium halobium in gas vesicle formation, we carried out linker scanning mutagenesis of the gene cluster. We constructed a 24.5-kb Escherichia coli-H. halobium shuttle plasmid, pFL2, containing the gvp gene cluster and introduced a kanamycin resistance (kappa) cassette into each gene (except for gvpA). Transformation of H. halobium SD109, which had the entire gvp gene cluster deleted, with pFL2 and mutated pFL2 derivatives showed that while the unmutated gene cluster successfully programmed gas vesicle formation, derivatives with insertion of the kappa cassette in any of the gvp genes, except gvpM, did not lead to production of normal gas vesicles. Insertions in gvpL, -K, -J, -I, and -F resulted in a complete block in gas vesicle synthesis, while insertions in gvpH, -G, -E, -D, -C, and -N resulted in greatly reduced gas vesicle synthesis. In most cases, the block in gas vesicle synthesis did not result from polar effects, since similar results were obtained for derivatives of the insertion mutants in which most of the internal portion of the kappa cassette was deleted and only small (15 to 54-bp) insertions remained. The only exceptions were for gvpH and gvpD, where deletion of the internal portion of the kappa insertions resulted in phenotypic reversion. Electron microscopic analysis of the kappa mutants revealed that interruptions of gvpC and gvpN result in the formation of smaller gas vesicle than in the wild type, while interruptions of gvpF, -G, -H, -J, -K, and -L produce no discernible vesicle intermediates. These results indicate the gvpA, -C, and -N, which have the rightward transcriptional orientation, encode structural proteins, with gvpC and gvpN necessary for late stages of vesicle formation, and gvpL, -K, -J, -I, -H, -G, and -F, which have the leftward transcriptional orientation encode proteins involved in early steps in the assembly of gas vesicles.
Value of Tenascin‐C content and association with clinicopathological parameters in uterine cervical lesions

To determine whether the content of the matrix protein tenascin‐C (Tn‐C) is of diagnostic or prognostic value in cervical lesions, we evaluated increases in Tn‐C immunoreactivity in 80 formalin‐fixed, paraffin‐embedded biopsies and surgical specimens of the uterine cervix. Tn‐C content in the basement membrane zone and in the stroma was graded and compared to some prognostic parameters. In the normal cervix, Tn‐C formed a thin continuous band. In cervicitis, Tn‐C bands thickened in the basement membrane zone and the adjacent stroma in the form of thin filaments. In 30 squamous intraepithelial lesions (SILs) of various grades, Tn‐C bands were either slightly (1+) or moderately (2+) thickened in the basement membrane zone, while slight stromal Tn‐C immunoreactivity in the form of thin bands was observed in 12 cases, regardless of grade and inflammatory stromal reaction. In invasive carcinoma, Tn‐C content was markedly increased in the stroma and around the invasive nests of tumors. The intensity of Tn‐C immunoreactivity was significantly higher in grade I tumors than in others (p < 0.04). The intensity of increase in Tn‐C immunoreactivity was 10.5‐fold (95% CI 3.39–32.5) higher in invasive cervical carcinomas than in others (cervicitis, low‐grade SIL and high‐grade SIL) (p = 0.0001). A significant correlation was found between weak Tn‐C immunoreactivity and lymphatic space invasion (p = 0.001), lymph node metastasis (p = 0.01), desmoplastic stromal component (p = 0.0001) and stromal inflammation (p = 0.002). In conclusion, increase in Tn‐C immunoreactivity may be of value in the assessment of noninvasive and invasive cervical lesions and the appearance of Tn‐C may be an indicator of adequate biologic defense in cervical cancer patients. © 2002 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Determinants of Actual Use of Mobile Web Browsing Services in Korea: An Empirical Examination

Mobile web browsing services have garnered tremendous momentum worldwide. However, every national market has differences. The Korean market represents one of these unique markets where the Korean IT consumer has been seen to be both a world innovator but also unique in adoption behavior. Understanding the unique factors predicting the widespread use of mobile web browsing services in a specific country or regional market is important for global telecommunication vendors and content providers interested in selling in these unique markets. The intent of this research is to produce a testable model that both identifies unique market differences and yet is theoretically valid enough to permit comparative cross national studies. Specifically, our model examines which factors determine the use of mobile web browsing services in Korea. We show that content quality, system quality, cost, and relational factors are important to predict actual use of Korean mobile web browsing services. Service quality is the only antecedent not affecting positive attitude toward mobile web browsing services. Empirically testing and validating the proposed model in different markets worldwide has the potential to provide unique practical implications to local IT vendors.
Proinflammatory Cytokines, Insulin Resistance, and Insulin Secretion in Chronic Hepatitis C Patients: A Case-Control Study

We read with interest the article by Lecube et al. (1), which indicated that tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α is a mechanism by which hepatitis C virus (HCV)-infected patients are more prone to develop type 2 diabetes than patients with other chronic liver diseases. The mechanisms of the development of insulin resistance in patients with chronic HCV infection are not well understood. Insulin resistance in HCV-infected patients occurs already at …
Emotion Recognition in Mild Cognitive Impairment

Background: Impaired emotion recognition in dementia is associated with increased patient agitation, behavior management difficulties, and caregiver burden. Emerging evidence supports the presence of very early emotion recognition difficulties in mild cognitive impairment (MCI); however, the relationship between these impairments and psychosocial measures is not yet explored. Methods: Emotion recognition abilities of 27 patients with nonamnestic MCI (naMCI), 29 patients with amnestic MCI (aMCI), and 22 control participants were assessed. Self-report measures assessed patient functional disability, while informants rated the degree of burden they experienced. Results: Difficulties in recognizing anger was evident in the amnestic subtype. Although both the patient groups reported greater social functioning disability, compared with the controls, a relationship between social dysfunction and anger recognition was evident only for patients with naMCI. A significant association was found between burden and anger recognition in patients with aMCI. Conclusions: Impaired emotion recognition abilities impact MCI subtypes differentially. Interventions targeted at patients with MCI, and caregivers are warranted.
FEM for Directly Coupled Magneto-Mechanical Phenomena in Electrical Machines

A directly coupled magneto-mechanical model is proposed for simulating the effect of the magnetostriction and electromagnetic stress in iron. The model is based on the general balance laws of electromagnetism, mechanics, and continuum thermodynamics. It is implemented in 2-D by using a conforming finite element method for the magnetic vector potential and the displacement field. The method is applied to two different types of induction machines.
A Formal Language for XML Authorisations Based on Answer Set Programming and Temporal Interval Logic Constraints

The Extensible Markup Language is susceptible to security breaches because it does not incorporate methods to protect the information it encodes. This work focuses on the development of a formal language that can provide role-based access control to information stored in XML formatted documents. This language has the capacity to reason whether access to an XML document should be allowed. The language, AxmlT, allows for the specification of authorisations on XML documents and distinguishes itself from other research with the inclusion of temporal interval reasoning and the XPath query language.
The impact of an end-of-life healthcare ethics educational intervention

Background The impact of healthcare ethics educational interventions on participants’ ethical development is rarely reported on and assessed; even less attention is paid to educational interventions that focus on end-of-life ethical issues. Aim To evaluate the impact of the Ethical Framework for End-of-Life Care Study Sessions Programme (EOLCSS) on the moral development of healthcare staff who are delivering end-of-life care. Methods The EOLCSS was delivered to 20 multi-disciplinary health care staff in Ireland in May 2013. Effect on moral reasoning was measured pre and post education using the Defining Issues Test 2 (DIT2). Inferential statistics were used to examine the relationships between change in DIT2 scores and demographic variables. Results Participants experienced moral reasoning development following receipt of EOLCSS. Age and previous ethics education contributed to the observed changes in moral reasoning. Conclusions Receipt of the EOLCSS may contribute to moral reasoning development in practicing healthcare professionals.
Aorto-uni-iliac endograft for complex aortoiliac aneurysms compared with tube/bifurcation endografts: results of the EVT/Guidant trials.

OBJECTIVE Our objective was to present the results of the multicenter EVT/Guidant aorto-uni-iliac trial and to compare them with the tube, bifurcated graft, and open control series in regard to patient demographics, medical comorbidity, 30-day morbidity/mortality, and outcome at 1 year. METHODS One hundred twenty-one patients not eligible for tube or bifurcated endografts were entered into the aorto-uni-iliac trial (A-I). These were compared with 153 patients in a tube (T) group, 268 patients in a bifurcated endograft (BI) group, and 111 patients in an open control (C) group. All data were audited and independently analyzed for presentation to the Food and Drug Administration. RESULTS Group demographics were similar with the following exceptions. Aneurysm diameter was significantly less in the T group (51.2 mm) but similar for the A-I (57 mm), BI (54.6 mm), and C (55.6 mm) groups (P < .001). There were more male patients in all endograft groups (A-I 92.6%, BI 89.5%, T 85.6% vs 76.6% for C, P = .002). Peripheral arterial occlusion was present more frequently in the A-I group (25.6% vs 13.8% BI, 10.5% T, and 10.8% C, P = .003). However, no differences were found in mean age, incidence of coronary artery disease, and American Society of Anesthesiologists III/IV classification. Implantation was achieved in 94.2% of the A-I group, 90.3% of the BI group, and 92% of the T group. No significant difference was seen in the operative mortality rate (4.2% A-I, 2.6% BI, O% T, 2.7% C). Postoperative cardiac complications were similar for the A-I (22%) and C (20.7%) groups but significantly less for the BI and T groups (13.4% and 10.5%, P = .019), whereas pulmonary problems were significantly reduced in all endograft groups (A-I 11.9%, BI 10.1%, and T 7.2% vs 22.5% for C, P = .002). Transient renal dysfunction occurred in 6.8% of the A-I group and 8.2% of the BI group but in only 3.3% of the T group and 1.8% of the C group (P = .028). Operating time was significantly longer for the A-I group than for the BI, T, or C groups (258 minutes vs 156, 179, and 174 minutes). Median blood loss, intensive care unit use, and hospital stays were markedly and significantly reduced in all endograft groups compared with the control group. The incidences of type I endoleak at 1 year were 2.4% A-I, 2.3% BI, and 3.8% T, and no ruptures occurred in any of the patients treated with endografts. No femoral-femoral graft thromboses occurred in the A-I group. CONCLUSION Despite the fact that patients with combined aortic and iliac aneurysms have a more complex repair requirement and have an increased rate of comorbidity, the results are competitive with endovascular repair of aortic aneurysm by tube and bifurcated graft systems and are associated with a lower morbidity than open operation.
Human Cancer-Associated Mutations in the Aα Subunit of Protein Phosphatase 2A Increase Lung Cancer Incidence in Aα Knock-In and Knockout Mice

ABSTRACT Strong evidence has indicated that protein phosphatase 2A (PP2A) is a tumor suppressor, but a mouse model for testing the tumor suppressor activity was missing. The most abundant forms of trimeric PP2A holoenzyme consist of the scaffolding Aα subunit, one of several regulatory B subunits, and the catalytic Cα subunit. Aα mutations were discovered in a variety of human carcinomas. All carcinoma-associated mutant Aα subunits are defective in binding the B or B and C subunits. Here we describe two knock-in mice expressing cancer-associated Aα point mutants defective in binding B′ subunits, one knockout mouse expressing truncated Aα defective in B and C subunit binding, and a floxed mouse for generating conditional Aα knockouts. We found that the cancer-associated Aα mutations increased the incidence of cancer by 50 to 60% in lungs of FVB mice treated with benzopyrene, demonstrating that PP2A acts as a tumor suppressor. We show that the effect of Aα mutation on cancer incidence is dependent on the tumor suppressor p53. The finding that the Aα mutation E64D, which was detected in a human lung carcinoma, increases the lung cancer incidence in mice suggests that this mutation also played a role in the development of the carcinoma in which it was discovered.
[Influence of previous diagnosis of diabetes mellitus in the stroke severity and in-hospital outcome in acute cerebral infarction].

INTRODUCTION To analyze if previous diagnosis of diabetes influences stroke severity and in-hospital outcome in acute cerebral infarction (CI) patients. METHODS Observational study between 1998-2004 with inclusion of consecutive patients with CI. Risk factors, stroke subtype, severity on admission (Canadian Stroke Scale [CSS]), in-hospital complications, mortality, length of stay and stroke outcome (modified Rankin Scale [mRS]) in CI patients with and without previous diagnosis of diabetes were compared. RESULTS A total of 2,213 consecutive acute stroke patients; 661 with previous history of diabetes (29,9%) were included. These patients were older, had more rate of hypertension, dyslipidemia, coronary arterial disease, peripheral vascular disease and previous stroke than non-diabetic patients. Atherotrombotic and lacunar infarction were more frequent in diabetic patients. They also had more in-hospital complications as urinary tract infection (4.7 % vs 2.6 %; p < 0.05), multiple organ dysfunction syndrome (3.3% vs 1.8%; p<0.05), deteriorating stroke (6.1 % vs 3.4 %; p < 0.01), recurrent stroke (3.3% vs 1.7%; p<0.05) and increase of infarction volume (2.6 % vs 1.1%; p<0.05), with no differences in stroke severity at admission, mortality, length of in-hospital stay and stroke outcome. Previous history of diabetes was independently associated with in-hospital complications (OR: 1.377; CI 95%: 1.053-1.799). CONCLUSIONS Previous diagnosis of diabetes is not associated by itself to higher stroke severity on admission although a greater risk of in-hospital complications is found.
Enhancing the Performance of Germanium Channel nMOSFET Using Phosphorus Dopant Segregation

In this letter, we present a high performance Ge n-channel metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistor (MOSFET) with a NiGe Schottky junction source/drain fabricated using phosphorus dopant segregation. Phosphorus atoms were implanted into NiGe and then driven toward the NiGe/p-Ge interface to depin the Fermi level and form a Schottky junction. A high effective barrier height (Φ<sub>Bp</sub>) of 0.57 eV, resulting in a high junction current ratio of at the applied voltage |V<sub>a</sub>| = ±1 V. The nMOSFET exhibited a high I<sub>ON</sub>/I<sub>OFF</sub> ratio of ~ 8×10<sup>3</sup> (I<sub>D</sub>), ~ 10<sup>5</sup> (I<sub>S</sub>), and a subthreshold swing of 138 mV/decade. The nMOSFET developed in this letter exhibited greater transconductance and a drain leakage current that is more than two orders of magnitude lower compared with nMOSFETs with the conventional n<sup>+</sup>/p junction.
Simplified Steady-State Model of an SCR-Inverter-Based Load-Commutated Commutatorless Series Motor

This paper presents a simplified analytical model of a silicon-controlled rectifier-based load-commutated inverter-driven commutatorless series motor to predict its speed-current, torque-current, and torque-speed characteristics. The model has been formulated, keeping in mind the steady-state equivalent circuit of a conventional dc series motor. The proposed analytical expressions relating torque and current with speed are found to follow an inverse law and relating torque and current is found to be parabolic, as is expected in a " series machine. " The drive has been implemented, loaded with a dc generator, and experimentally similar characteristics have been obtained, as predicted by the analytical model. The characteristics obtained experimentally are seen to closely follow the ones predicted by the analytical model.
R wave in aVL lead: an outstanding ECG index in hypertension

Objectives: The voltage of R wave in lead aVL (RaVL) seems to be more tightly correlated with left ventricular mass and cardiovascular events than any other ECG criterium of left ventricular hypertrophy. We hypothesized that RaVL could be an independent predictor of all-cause and cardiovascular death in hypertensive individuals. Methods: The baseline clinical and biological variables as well as ECG recordings were analyzed in a prospective cohort of 589 hypertensive individuals. Results: After 10 years of follow-up, we observed 95 deaths of which 53 had a cardiovascular cause. The optimal RaVL voltages to predict all-cause and cardiovascular mortality were 0.8 and 0.6 mV, respectively. In a multivariate adjusted Cox model, having an RaVL voltage superior to these cutoffs was associated with increased risks of all-cause death [hazard ratio: 2.04, 95% confidence interval (CI): (1.30–3.22)] and of cardiovascular death [hazard ratio: 2.89, 95% CI: (1.47–5.68)]. In the whole cohort and with the same adjusted Cox regression model, each 0.1 mV increment would increase the risk of all-cause death by 1.07 times [95% CI: (1.02–1.12)] and that of cardiovascular death by 1.13 times [95% CI: (1.06–1.20)]. After excluding in turn patients with positive Sokolow index, Cornell voltage, or Cornell product, the results remained statistically significant, meaning that RaVL was still able to pick-up high-risk patients when other classical and more sophisticated indices were not observable. Conclusion: The present results strengthen previous reports that demonstrated a strong role of RaVL voltage in risk stratification in hypertension.
LESSONS LEARNED : RECENT ADVANCES IN UNDERSTANDING AND PREVENTING CHILDHOOD AGGRESSION

In the present chapter, we summarize and integrate recent developments in the field of childhood aggression and prevention science. Our primary goal is to synthesize these developments into a core set of advances or "lessons learned" since the 1970s in understanding and preventing childhood aggression, and to suggest areas where exciting new advances are most likely to occur in the years to come. For purposes of clarity, we use
Effect of phytase supplementation on performance of broilers chickens fed diets with graded levels of phosphorus and calcium

One possibility to measure the extra-phosphoric effect of exogenous phytase is to use a higher concentration of this enzyme in the diets not limiting in phosphorus, to be sure that any observed effect is not caused by an increase in phosphorus digestibility. However, it is important to know how the requirements of the bird relate to the phosphorus content of the basal diet, because when the basal diet is very deficient in phosphorus all of the responses observed were likely attributable to phosphorus release. The literature tends to be consistent in that and describes the requirement for optimum growth rate in birds until 21 days of age between 0.45 and 0.5 % avP. Recent work suggests that there is a case for improved performance in response to higher inclusion rates of phytases when phosphorus is not limiting, suggesting this is linked more to extra-phosphoric effects (COWIESON et al., 2011). The present study was conducted to evaluate response to higher phytase doses when series of diets varying in inorganic phosphorus content was used. 6Phytase supplementation was evaluated in broiler chickens fed different phosphorus content diets based on maize and soybean meal, focusing on performance, phosphorus utilization and bone mineralization.
Nanoparticles for Biomedical Imaging: Fundamentals of Clinical Translation

Because of their large size compared to small molecules and their multifunctionality, nanoparticles (NPs) hold promise as biomedical imaging, diagnostic, and theragnostic agents. However, the key to their success hinges on a detailed understanding of their behavior after administration into the body. NP biodistribution, target binding, and clearance are complex functions of their physicochemical properties in serum, which include hydrodynamic diameter, solubility, stability, shape and flexibility, surface charge, composition, and formulation. Moreover, many materials used to construct NPs have real or potential toxicity or may interfere with other medical tests. In this review, we discuss the design considerations that mediate NP behavior in the body and the fundamental principles that govern clinical translation. By analyzing those nanomaterials that have already received regulatory approval, most of which are actually therapeutic agents, we attempt to predict which types of NPs hold potential as diagnostic agents for biomedical imaging. Finally, using quantum dots as an example, we provide a framework for deciding whether an NP-based agent is the best choice for a particular clinical application.