Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Stable virulence levels in the HIV epidemic of Switzerland over two decades

Objective:To determine whether the virulence of HIV-1 has been changing since its introduction into Switzerland. Design:A prospective cohort study of HIV-1 infected individuals with well-characterized pre-therapy disease history. Methods:To minimize the effect of recently imported viruses and ethnicity-associated host factors, the analysis was restricted to the white, north-west-European majority population of the cohort. Virulence was characterized by the decline slope of the CD4 cell count (n = 817 patients), the decline slope of the CD4: CD8 ratio (n = 815 patients) and the viral setpoint (n = 549 patients) in untreated patients with sufficient data points. Linear regression models were used to detect correlations between the date of diagnosis (ranging between 1984 and 2003) and the virulence markers, controlling for gender, exposure category, age and CD4 cell count at entry. Results:We found no correlation between any of the virulence markers and the date of diagnosis. Inspection of short-term trends confirmed that virulence has fluctuated around a stable level over time. Conclusions:The lack of long-term time trends in the virulence markers indicates that HIV-1 is not evolving towards increasing or decreasing virulence at a perceptible rate. Both highly virulent and attenuated strains have apparently been unable to spread at the population level. This result suggests that either the evolution of virulence may be slow or inhibited due to evolutionary constraints, or HIV-1 may have already evolved to optimal virulence in the human host.
Reliability of scoring EMG orofacial events: polysomnography compared with ambulatory recordings

SUMMARY The study of sleep bruxism is usually based on clinical history, signs and symptoms. The recording of electromyographic signals with either ambulatory portable home recorders or with polysomnographic techniques in the laboratory environment allows collection of objective data. The present study showed a 100% agreement with clinical evaluation in the recognition of bruxism episodes from the masseter electromyogram recorded with portable recorders and using the polysomnographic technique. On the contrary, scorers had difficulties in discriminating between different types f episodes (phasic, tonic and mixed), the between‐scorers agreement varied between 62% and 63% and the κ‐values between 0.43 and 0.33. The ideal time base at which electromyographic signals should be integrated to allow for a good discrimination of bruxism patterns is 0.06 s. The results indicate that portable electromyography recorders are a valuable complement to polysomnographic recordings of orofacial motor activities as they provide a very good recognition rate with adequate time base data collection.
Costs of Mistrust between Ethnic Majority and Minorities: Evidence from Israel

Abstract Trust and ethnic diversity are important variables that may impact and explain different economic decisions. This paper presents theoretical models accompanied by a survey that deals with the relation between mistrust and risky economic activity (e.g., the postponement of receiving and paying for a risky asset). Using the theoretical models and surveys as a basis, we suggest that subjective discount rates and bids for a lottery can be used to measure levels of mistrust. The surveys are used to measure the level of mistrust between the Israeli majority (Jews) and minority groups (Israeli Arabs, Bedouins, and Palestinians), and between Israeli Jews from different districts. Based on the survey results we demonstrate the theoretical implications of the effect of mistrust (MT) on economic growth and resource allocation between the majority and minorities. We conclude that MT leads to inefficient resource allocation, which subsequently leads to low economic growth rates.
Experimental Justice

This study utilizes the random assignment of judges to panels in the U.S. courts of appeals to measure how the partisanship of these judges affects whether or not the Supreme Court agrees to hear a case and subsequently overturns the decision of the lower panel. Results from the study provide evidence of partisan behavior in the Supreme Court review process in several politically salient issue areas between 1995 and 2004. Although most lower court decisions are never reviewed at all, in the cases examined, assigning three Democrats to a court of appeals panel, compared to three Republicans, more than quintupled the chances that the Supreme Court would overturn a decision from that panel. Despite the large magnitude of these effects, the estimates of partisan effects would have been even larger without the utilization of random assignment.
Electoral Institutions, the Personal Vote, and Legislative Organization

What is the relationship between electoral institutions and the internal organization of legislatures? Existing research on the U.S. Congress suggests that electoral incentives shaped by the candidate-centered nature of congressional elections explain the emergence of strong committees in that legislature. Exploring the issue from a comparative perspective, it is argued that the impact of ballot structure on committee system structure is dependent on how legislators cultivate personal votes. Committees will be stronger when legislators supply fiscal legislative particularism (pork), but weaker when legislators cultivate support by delivering extra-legislative constituency service. Statistical analysis, combining original data on committee design in 39 democratic legislatures with measures of ballot structure and mechanism to cultivate a personal vote (MCPV), confirms the expectation.
Association between Innovative Entrepreneurial Orientation, Absorptive Capacity, and Farm Business Performance

ABSTRACT A growing interest emerges with regard to how entrepreneurship and innovation can contribute to the success and well‐being of the farmers. The main objective of the study is to develop and test a model, which emphasizes the relationship of trust and innovative entrepreneurial orientation on absorptive capacity in an agricultural context. This article examines also the effect of absorptive capacity on innovation as well as the connection of both innovative entrepreneurial orientation and innovation outcome on farm business performance. Cross‐sectional data were collected from a sample of 199 banana farmers in 2008‐2009 in Ecuador. A structural equation modeling approach has been applied to validate the hypothesized model. The findings show that all relationships established in the model are significantly and positively associated, except for the linkage between innovation outcome and farm business performance. [EconLit citation: L260; O310; Q160]
The increase of female breast cancer incidence in Japan: Emergence of birth cohort effect

During recent decades, breast cancer incidence has been increasing in Japan. According to the latest reports from several cancer registries in Japan, the breast has become the leading cancer site in female cancer incidence. To analyze the trend of breast cancer incidence in detail, we summarized female breast cancer incidence in Miyagi Prefecture, Japan during 1959–1997, and evaluated the period and cohort effect on breast cancer incidence using the age‐period‐cohort model. Age‐specific and age‐standardized rates have increased over successive calendar periods. Around 1980, an accelerated increase in these incidence rates took place. A full model including age, period and cohort was best fitted to the trend of incidence. In the model, the effects of period and cohort were statistically significant. The nonlinear effect for cohort indicates an increasing trend, beginning with the cohort in 1888–1897, and the nonlinear effect for period showed a clear increase in risk with calendar period. Furthermore, the full model including a linear component showed a steadily upward trend in the cohort effect. Based on our own epidemiologic studies previously conducted in Miyagi Prefecture, and other published reports, the cohort effect is likely to be related to the change in prevalence of women with risk factors such as low parity and insufficient breastfeeding. We believe that the emergence of the cohort effect is an important finding, although the period effect may also persist. The significant cohort effect may give a caution for continuous increase of breast cancer incidence in Japan. © 2003 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Controlled Expression of the Dominant Flocculation Genes FLO1, FLO5, and FLO11 in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

ABSTRACT In many industrial fermentation processes, the Saccharomyces cerevisiae yeast should ideally meet two partially conflicting demands. During fermentation, a high suspended yeast count is required to maintain a satisfactory rate of fermentation, while at completion, efficient settling is desired to enhance product clarification and recovery. In most fermentation industries, currently used starter cultures do not satisfy this ideal, probably because nonflocculent yeast strains were selected to avoid fermentation problems. In this paper, we assess molecular strategies to optimize the flocculation behavior of S. cerevisiae. For this purpose, the chromosomal copies of three dominant flocculation genes, FLO1, FLO5, and FLO11, of the haploid nonflocculent, noninvasive, and non-flor-forming S. cerevisiae FY23 strain were placed under the transcriptional control of the promoters of the ADH2 and HSP30 genes. All six promoter-gene combinations resulted in specific flocculation behaviors in terms of timing and intensity. The strategy resulted in stable expression patterns providing a platform for the direct comparison and assessment of the specific impact of the expression of individual dominant FLO genes with regard to cell wall characteristics, such as hydrophobicity, biofilm formation, and substrate adhesion properties. The data also clearly demonstrate that the flocculation behavior of yeast strains can be tightly controlled and fine-tuned to satisfy specific industrial requirements.
The SCAN-C in testing for auditory processing disorder in a sample of British children

The SCAN-C is a test for auditory processing disorders in children developed in the USA. There are concerns that the SCAN-C may over-diagnose auditory processing disorders in UK children. There are also questions concerning the impact of language level and interpretation of SCAN-C results. SCAN-C results from 99 Oxfordshire school children aged 6 to 10 were compared to US-based normative data. Across all age bands, the UK sample scored significantly worse on two subtests: the filtered words (FW) and auditory figure-ground (AFG) sections as well as on the composite score. Differences in performance were largely due to accent effects. Applying US norms to UK children's performance results in a high rate of over-identification of listening difficulties. However, we show that US norms can be used provided SCAN-C scores for children in the UK are adjusted by adding a constant. Using factor analysis, SCAN-C subtests mapped onto two factors; FW and AFG onto a ‘monaural low-redundancy degradation’ factor, and CW and CS onto a ‘binaural separation/competition’ factor. Implications for use of the SCAN-C with UK children are discussed.
Chinese Industrial Productivity: Trends, Measurement Issues, and Recent Developments

Abstract This paper extends measures of total factor productivity (TFP) for China's state and collective industry to cover the period 1980–1992, analyzes issues raised by critics of previous studies, and evaluates the robustness of productivity results. TFP increased in both major segments of Chinese industry throughout 1980–1992. The analysis of measurement issues confirms earlier results showing moderate TFP growth for state industry. Data bias may undercut the common observation of differential TFP growth favoring collective industry. TFP growth declines after 1988, especially in the state sector, where partial productivity of fixed capital drops. Differential rates of capacity utilization and, in state industry, selection bias and an unresponsive system of investment finance may have retarded the measured growth of productivity during 1988–1992.
Financial Performance Analysis of the Jordanian Arab Bank by Using the DuPont System of Financial Analysis

This study attempts basically to measure the financial performance of the Jordanian Arab commercial bank for the period 2000-2009 by using the DuPont system of financial analysis which is based on analysis of return on equity model. The return on equity model disaggregates performance into three components: net profit margin, total asset turnover, and the equity multiplier. Arab bank is one of the largest financial institutions in the Middle East and is ranked amongst the largest international financial institutions. The bank witnessed a continuation of challenges brought on by the global financial crisis. It was found that the financial performance of Arab Bank is relatively steady and reflects minimal volatility in the return on equity. Net profit margin and total asset turnover exhibit relative stability for the period from 2001 to 2009.The equity multiplier also show almost stable indicators for the period from2001-2005 and the ratios declined from 2006-2009 which indicates that the Arab bank had less financial leverage in the recent years, which means the bank is relying less on debt to finance its assets.
Drug development in preeclampsia: a ‘no go’ area?

Drug development in pregnancy and particularly in preeclampsia has been long neglected. Preeclampsia is a leading cause of maternal mortality, and early-onset preeclampsia can result in serious long-lasting consequences to the neonate. Many treatments have been trialed with varying success including vitamin supplementation, low-molecular-weight heparins, and aspirin. In this commentary, we particularly focus on the current status of drugs in development specifically aimed at preeclampsia. We outline the current understanding of the causes of the endothelial dysfunction seen in preeclampsia and, as such, potential therapeutic targets. With treatment of preeclampsia being largely unchanged in decades, there is an urgent need for novel therapies particularly those directed at the underlying causes that may allow for extremely preterm delivery, and its myriad consequences, to be avoided.
Subtractive cDNA cloning of RC3, a rodent cortex‐enriched mRNA encoding a novel 78 residue protein

A rodent cortex‐enriched mRNA, RC3, was identified by screening a rat brain cDNA library with a cortex‐minus‐cerebellum subtracted cDNA probe. Conceptual translation of RC3 cDNA sequences indicates that the rat and mouse mRNA encode identical, novel 78 amino acid proteins. The RC3 protein amino terminus contains a cysteine‐rich domain similar to those found in snake venom neurotoxins; the carboxyl terminus contains a collagen‐like motif that may function in the assembly of RC3 subunits into a multimeric protein. Western blot experiments with an antiserum to a synthetic peptide corresponding to 27 residues of the 78 residue sequence identify an immunoreactive polypeptide with 18 kDa gel mobility that is likely to correspond to the RC3 protein. Northern blot analysis and in situ hybridization experiments show that RC3 mRNA is highly enriched in rat brain, with restricted expression in neuronal subsets primarily in the cortex, striatum, and hippocampus as well as certain nuclei within the thalamus, hypothalamus, the olfactory bulb.
Role of Acidic Sphingomyelinase in Fas/CD95-mediated Cell Death*

Engagement of the Fas receptor has been reported to induce ceramide generation via activation of acidic sphingomyelinase (aSMase). However, the role of aSMase in Fas-mediated cell death is controversial. Using genetically engineered mice deficient in the aSMase gene (aSMase−/−), we found that thymocytes, concanavalin A-activated T cells, and lipopolysaccharide-activated B cells derived from both aSMase−/− and aSMase+/+ mice were equally sensitive to Fas-mediated cell death, triggered by either anti-Fas antibody or Fas ligand in vitro. Similarly, activation-induced apoptosis of T lymphocytes was unaffected by the status of aSMase, and aSMase−/− mice failed to show immunological symptoms seen in animals with defects in Fas function.In vivo, intravenous injection of 3 μg/25 g mouse body weight of anti-Fas Jo2 antibody into aSMase−/− mice failed to affect hepatocyte apoptosis or mortality, whereas massive hepatocyte apoptosis and animal death occurred in wild type littermates. Animals heterozygous for aSMase deficiency were also significantly protected. Susceptibility of aSMase−/− mice to anti-Fas antibody was demonstrated with higher antibody doses (≥4 μg/25 g mouse). These data indicate a role for aSMase in Fas-mediated cell death in some but not all tissues.
Women who are not married: fertility, ‘illegitimacy’, and the nature of households and domestic groups among single African women in Durban

Abstract This paper considers the reasons for, and the repercussions of, the bearing and rearing of children outside marriage in certain sections of the black (African) community in South Africa. Family and domestic life based on what is loosely referred to as ‘non-marriage’ is occurring elsewhere in the world and it is noted that in some countries both welfare and legislative changes are underway to accommodate and destigmatize this phenomenon. The situation in South Africa has yet to recieve recognition in either the legal and welfare fields. Two points are made: first, that in a context where a high proportion of the population are born out of wedlock, the use of the prejudicial term ‘illegitimacy’ is inappropriate;second, that in contrast to the situation in much of the Western world where women (and for that matter men) are choosing to rear children outside marriage, many black South Africans have no choice in the matter. The strategies adopted by the women discussed in the paper are forced on them b.
Skewness Persistence in Common Stock Returns

Abstract Recent empirical studies have found ex post common stock returns to be consistently positively skewed. The frequency of positive skewness in this study is found to be relatively stable over varying time periods from 1961 to 1980. However, the skewness of individual stocks and portfolios of stocks does not persist across different time periods. Positively-skewed equity portfolios in one period are not likely to be positively skewed in the next time period. Past positively-skewed returns do not predict future positively-skewed returns.
Aquifer Management with Logistic Recharge

Abstract Theoretical principles of sustainable aquifer management are laid out in this work. The premise of our treatment is that groundwater is a renewable, although exhaustible, natural resource. The theory of this work is aimed at aquifers with a relatively homogeneous recharge that can be approximated by a logistic growth function. Sustainable aquifer exploitation occurs when the rate of ground-water extraction is equal to or less than the natural rate of groundwater replenishment for any level of aquifer storage. There can be many levels of sustainable aquifer exploitation depending on the level of aquifer storage, but there may be only one that maximizes economic returns under a variety of economic and aquifer conditions. Different strategies for sustainable exploitation are derived depending on whether or not the analysis considers tradeoffs among: (i) current and future exploitation; (ii) constant and dynamic aquifer storage conditions; and (iii) regulated and unregulated aquifer exploitation. Key factors affecting sustainable exploitation strategies include: (1) the market price of groundwater; (2) the cost of groundwater extraction; (3) the aquifer storage and natural replenishment characteristics; (4) institutional and environmental regulations on groundwater extraction; and (5) the real discount rate. An example of sustainable groundwater exploitation in Santa Barbara, California, illustrates the methods of this article.
Use of low dose tacrolimus, mycophenolate mofetil and maintenance IL‐2 receptor blockade in an islet transplant recipient

Abstract: The utilization of dual maintenance therapy with tacrolimus and sirolimus (the Edmonton protocol) has been widely adopted as standard immunosuppression for islet cell transplantation. This immunosuppression regimen has numerous toxicities including renal dysfunction, anemia, and recurrent aphthous ulcers. We present a case of a 63‐yr‐old Caucasian female who received an isolated islet transplant. Over the first six months post‐transplant, the patient developed severe anemia, intractable aphthous ulcers, and renal dysfunction. Islet transplant function was excellent and the patient is insulin‐independent since the end of the second month post‐transplant. However, because of the above toxicities, a decision was made to change her immunosuppression regimen eight months post‐transplant to low dose tacrolimus, mycophenolate mofetil, and a monthly maintenance infusion of daclizumab. Since then, her aphthous ulcers have disappeared, renal function has improved, and islet cell function remains stable.
‘The global warming clock is ticking so see these places while you can’: Voyeuristic tourism and model environmental citizens on Tuvalu's disappearing islands

At a time when climate change is being defined and grappled with around the world as a looming large-scale environmental crisis, low-lying Pacific islands are being publicized in a range of practices as ‘disappearing islands’, and their inhabitants as future ‘climate refugees’. This paper is concerned with the disappearing island as a space in which new intersections between environmentalism and tourism can be explored. It analyzes specifically western representational practices associated with climate change imperatives on Tuvalu, an atoll state in the central Pacific. New phenomena are emerging there such as climate change tourism and the transformation of the islands into showcases of renewable energy. These phenomena are analyzed in order to understand how climate change meanings are being shaped by various participants in the debate. I argue that Pacific islanders are heroized as climate change saviours when environmentalists attempt to locate ethnocentric notions of environmentally harmonious, ‘traditional’ culture on disappearing islands. Further, islanders are objectified in the rhetoric of climate change tourism. Imagined destinies for atoll dwellers as climate saviours are sited uncomfortably alongside voyeuristic gazes turned towards inundated islands. Competing forces of compassion and voyeurism produced in the name of the Tuvaluan indigene are entrenching an iconic role for the Tuvaluan atoll dweller as climate change hero/victim.