Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
PIER Working Paper 11-015

Bankruptcy laws govern consumer default on unsecured credit. Foreclosure laws regulate default on secured mortgage debt. I investigate to what extent differences in foreclosure and bankruptcy laws can jointly explain variation in default rates across states. I construct a general equilibrium model where heterogeneous infinitely-lived households have access to unsecured borrowing and can finance housing purchases with mortgages. Households can default separately on both types of debt. The model is calibrated to match national foreclosure and bankruptcy rates and aggregate statistics related to household net worth and debt. The model can account for 83% of the variation in bankruptcy rates due to differences in bankruptcy and foreclosure law. I find that more generous homestead exemptions raise the cost of unsecured borrowing. Households in states with high exemptions therefore hold less unsecured and more mortgage debt compared to low exemption states, which leads to lower bankruptcy rates but higher foreclosure rates. The model also predicts recourse results in higher bankruptcy rates and a higher coincidence of foreclosure and bankruptcy. I use the model to evaluate how proposed and implemented changes to bankruptcy policy affect default rates and welfare. The 2005 Bankruptcy Abuse Prevention and Consumer Protection Act yields large welfare gains (1% consumption equivalent variation) but results in increases in both foreclosure and bankruptcy rates. I find that implementing the optimal joint foreclosure and bankruptcy policy, which is characterized by no-recourse mortgages and a homestead exemption equal to one quarter of median income, yields modest welfare gains (0.3% consumption equivalent variation).
Prospective study of various methods used in the management of post partum haemorrhage

Introduction: Mismanagement of postpartum haemorrhage (PPH) is the major reason for the maternal morbidity and mortality throughout the world, highest incidence is found in developing countries. Aims and objective: To study the various methods used to control PPH in all the deliveries that took place at the study place. Materials and Methods: Prospective study was performed on 402 PPH patients in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Kamla Raja Hospital, GR Medical College, Gwalior from Sept. , 2014 to Aug., 2015. All the patients were divided in to atonic PPH and traumatic PPH. Patient’s detailed history including obstetric history, menstrual history and history of drug allergy were recorded in pre-approved excel format. Patients were managed either by catheterization and uterine massage, using uterotonic drugs, uterine packing and surgical intervention such as internal iliac ligation and/or hysterectomay. Results: Out of total 7977 deliveries, 62.09% were vaginal and 37.91% were caesarean section. Out of that 402 (5.03%) developed PPH. Mean age of study population was 23.3±1.37 years. Out of 402 PPH patients, 75% were having atonic PPH whereas 19.65% were having traumatic PPH. Most of the patients with atonic PPH were managed by uterotonic drugs (69%) followed by cathererization with uterine massage (25%). Most of the patients with traumatic PPH were found to be due to hematoma or tear and were managed by haematoma drainage (58%) followed by perineal with vaginal repair (33%). Conclusion: Uterotonic drugs were the most commonly used for the management of atonic PPH whereas haematoma drainage was mostly used in patients with traumatic PPH. Keywords: Uterotonic drugs, Post partum haemorrhage, Atonic PPH, Traumatic PPH.
p-STAT 3 in luminal breast cancer : Integrated RNA-protein pooled analysis and results from the BIG 2-98 phase III trial

In the present study, in order to investigate the role of signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) in estrogen receptor (ER)-positive breast cancer prognosis, we evaluated the phosphorylated STAT3 (p-STAT3) status and investigated its effect on the outcome in a pooled analysis and in a large prospective adjuvant trial. By using the TCGA repository, we developed gene signatures that reflected the level of p-STAT3. Using pooled analysis of the expression data from luminal breast cancer patients, we assessed the effects of the p-STAT3 expression signature on prognosis. We further validated the p-STAT3 prognostic effect using immunohistochemistry (IHC) and immunofluorescence staining of p-STAT3 tissue microarrays from a large randomised prospective trial. Our analysis demonstrated that p-STAT3 expression was elevated in luminal A-type breast cancer (Kruskal-Wallis test, P<10e-10) and was significantly associated with a good prognosis (log-rank, P<10e-10). Notably, the p-STAT3 expression signature identified patients with a good prognosis irrespective of the luminal subtype (log-rank: luminal A, P=0.026; luminal B, P=0.006). p-STAT3 staining by IHC in the stroma or tumour was detected in 174 out of 610 ER-positive samples (28.5%) from the BIG 2-98 randomised trial. With a median follow-up of 10.1 years, p-STAT3 was associated with a reduced risk of recurrence in ER-positive/HER2-negative breast cancer (Cox univariate HR, 0.66; 95% CI, 0.44-0.98; P=0.04). On the whole, our data indicate that p-STAT3 is associated with an improved outcome in ER-positive breast cancer.
Application of Parametric Roll Criteria to Naval Vessels

Parametric roll has been a topic of interest for many years, particularly with the advent of hull form geometries such as containerships with large bow flare and stern overhang. With the recent interest in utilizing novel hull form geometries in naval ship design, there is an increased desire to assess the vulnerability of these naval designs to parametric roll resonance and to compare this vulnerability with more traditional hull forms. This paper discusses the application of the ABS susceptibility and severity criteria for varying regular wave conditions to two naval ship designs, a tumblehome topside geometry and a more conventional flared topside geometry. Comparisons of parametric roll predictions for a range of regular wave conditions using the ABS criteria, a single degree-of-freedom model, are made with results from a six degree-of-freedom ship motions simulation tool, LAMP, to assess the applicability of the simplified model. Limits of applicability of the simplified method to predict the susceptibility and severity of parametric roll for conventional and novel naval vessel designs are discussed.
Adherence to safety guidelines on paediatric procedural sedation: the results of a nationwide survey under general paediatricians in The Netherlands

Objectives Following two fatal accidents during paediatric procedural sedation (PS), the authors investigated the level of adherence to established safety standards on PS in a nationwide cohort of fully trained general paediatricians, entrusted with PS. Study design and methods: Sample survey Safety guidelines on PS were split into four domains (“Presedation Assessment”, “Monitoring during PS”, “Recovery after PS” and “Facilities and Competences for Emergencies and Rescue”). Each domain was operationalised into sub-domains and items. Items were presented within a questionnaire list as procedural points of attention on which respondents could give their personal adherence score. Percentages of full adherence were calculated. Non-adherence was defined as gradual deviation from full adherence. After factor and reliability analysis, observed scores were summed up to scales, and results were transformed to a 0–10 report mark (RM). An RM of ≥9 is considered as a satisfactory level of adherence while an RM <6 is considered as unacceptably low. Results Full adherence was rare. For most (sub) domains, only a minority of respondents achieved a satisfactory level of adherence. Large numbers of respondents had scores below 6. Conclusions Potentially unsafe PS practices are common under Dutch general paediatricians, despite the availability of guidelines. The design of guidelines should include a goal-directed plan for implementation including training, initiatives for continuous quality assurance and improvement and repeated measurements of adherence to guidelines.
Telling the difference between deceiving and truth telling: An experiment in a public space

The behavioral experiment presented in this paper investigated deception tasks (both concealment and lying) undertaken in a public space. The degree of risk of deception detection and the demands of self-regulation when deceiving were manipulated. The results showed a significant interaction effect between veracity and risk of deception detection, emerged for the body movement of “hand(s) in pocket(s)”. The incidence of “hand(s) in pocket(s)” was found to increase from truth telling to deceiving conditions when the risk of deception detection was higher, and to decrease from truth telling to deceiving conditions when the risk was lower. Higher risk of deception detection was also found in magnifying the “overall negative and controlled impression” displayed by both deceivers and truth tellers, compared to the lower risk of detection condition. We also discussed the possible effects of risk of deception detection and depletion of selfregulation, on deception behavior. Further studies and the connection between this study and the research community of computer vision and multimodel interaction is also
Formation of quantum vortices in a rotating sphere in an electromagnetic field

Vortexes in three dimensional systems are an emerging topic of study in the realm of quantum physics, particle physics and magnetism. In this study we describe a new Hamiltonian, and solve it numerically for the description of vortices in a spherical model subjected to an electromagnetic field. The numerical analysis shows also that supersymmetric Hamiltonian describes quantized orbitals for atomic systems with vorticity included, which is to our knowledge novel and also describes electricity as composed of quasi-symmetric vortex bundles. Further work on analytical solutions is under development. The 3D solutions of 1Please cite as: Sergio Manzetti and Alexander Trounev. (2019) ”Formation of quantum vortices in a rotating sphere in an electromagnetic field. ” In: Modeling of quantum vorticity and turbulence with applications to quantum computations and the quantum Hall effect. Report no. 142019. Copyright Fjordforsk A/S Publications. Vangsnes, Norway. www.fjordforsk. no
Title Fewer subsequent relapses and lower levels of IL-17 in Takayasu arteritisdeveloped after the age of 40 years

Background: The clinical characteristics of Takayasu arteritis (TAK) developing in individuals older than 40 years (TAK >40) are little-known. Method: We retrospectively analyzed 43 patients with TAK treated at three hospitals in Japan from April 2000 to March 2016. From medical records we collected baseline variables at diagnosis including clinical symptoms, laboratory data, and subsequent relapses. We compared these indices in the patients with TAK onset at >40 years of age (TAK >40) to those with TAK onset ≤40 years (TAK ≤40). Multiplex cytokine/chemokine bead assays were performed using preserved serum supernatants from 24 patients with TAK and 40 healthy donors. Results: Of the 43 patients, 20 had TAK >40; this group had significantly fewer instances of orthostatic hypotension (2 (10%) vs. 10 (43%), p = 0.019), carotid bruit (7 (35%) vs. 16 (70%), p = 0.034), and chest pain (0 (0%) vs. 6 (26%), p = 0.023) compared to patients with TAK ≤40 (n = 23). The initial prednisolone dose was significantly lower in TAK >40 (median 30 mg vs. 40 mg per day, p = 0.024). Assessed by the log-rank test, the relapse-free survival rate after remission was significantly higher in the patients with TAK >40 (p = 0.029). The interleukin 17 levels were significantly lower in patients with TAK >40 compared to patients with TAK ≤40 and healthy donors. Conclusion: Compared to TAK ≤40, TAK >40 could be treated by lower initial doses of prednisolone to achieve remission, and with fewer relapses. These differences might be due to the difference of T helper 17 (Th17) activity suggested by the cytokine profiles.
Urinary Angiostatin - A Novel Putative Marker of Renal Pathology Chronicity in Lupus Nephritis*

There is a critical need to identify biomarkers for Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) which has a high prevalence of renal failure. When urine from patients with lupus nephritis was recently screened for the levels of ∼280 molecules using an exploratory array-based proteomic platform, elevated angiostatin levels were noted. Angiostatin is a bioactive fragment of plasminogen, and has been known to have modulatory function in angiogenesis and inflammation. The significant elevation in urinary angiostatin was next validated in an independent cohort of SLE patients (n = 100) using ELISA. Among patients with SLE, urine angiostatin was significantly increased in active SLE compared with inactive SLE, correlating well with the SLEDAI disease activity index and SLICC renal activity score (r = 0.66, p < 0.0001). ROC curve analysis further confirmed that urinary angiostatin had the capacity to discriminate patients with active SLE from those with inactive disease. Patients with Class IV lupus nephritis exhibited the highest levels of urinary angiostatin. Immunohistochemistry staining localized angiostatin expression to the renal tubular cells in these patients. Finally, when paired urine-kidney samples procured concurrently from patients with LN were next examined, urine angiostatin levels correlated strongly with the renal pathology chronicity index, but not with the activity index. Given that Class IV lupus nephritis and renal pathology chronicity changes forebode poor renal and patient survival, urinary angiostatin emerges as a novel noninvasive marker of renal disease in SLE. Longitudinal studies are in progress to further assess the disease-predictive potential of urinary angiostatin.
Expression of regulatory T cell – associated genes in white blood cells

Background and Aims: In the past few decades, the incidence of many allergic and autoimmune diseases has increased rapidly. These diseases are characterized by the immune system’s inability to function normally. Improved hygiene and related decrease in infectious burden have been proposed as one of the possible explanations (hygiene hypothesis). Immunological disorders are often accompanied by changes in the expression of certain genes, as well as changes in the functions and amounts of regulatory T cells. The aim of this study was to optimize a real-time RT-PCR protocol in order to determine the expression of immunosuppressive cytokines, IL-10 and TGFin human peripheral blood mononuclear cells. Additionally, an RT-PCR protocol was developed for the analyses of the expression of Foxp3, the master regulator of the immune system. The final goal of the study was to develop a protocol that could be used for analyses of changes in the expression of these genes in immune-mediated and infectious diseases. The method was tested using the samples of children participating in the DIPP study and in an in vitro –leukocyte stimulation experiment. Methods: Peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) samples were obtained from healthy volunteers and children participating in the DIPP study. In the in vitro –PBMC stimulation experiment, cells obtained from healthy volunteers were stimulated by different stimulants of the immune system. Total RNA was isolated from the cells and reverse transcribed into cDNA. This cDNA was used in a real-time PCR reaction as a template, and the expression levels of IL-10, TGFand Foxp3 were determined by relative quantification. Results: The real-time PCR protocol was successfully optimized for these cytokines and for Foxp3. IL-10 was upregulated in children who had experienced several enterovirus infections. In the in vitro –PBMC stimulation experiment several stimulants increased the expression of IL-10 and Foxp3 while they did not change the expression of TGF. Conclusions: In this study a new real-time PCR assay was developed for the detection of IL-10, TGFand Foxp3 expression in PBMC samples. The assay can be used to determine possible changes in the expression of these genes in different immunological disorders.
A Transdiagnostic Examination of Intolerance of Uncertainty Across Anxiety and Depressive Disorders

Intolerance of uncertainty (IU) has been identified as a potential maintaining factor for generalised anxiety disorder; however, there is a growing evidence to suggest that IU may contribute to other anxiety and depressive disorders. Moreover, certain components of IU (namely prospective and inhibitory IU) have been shown to be differentially associated with symptoms of emotional disorders. The aim of this study was to determine the extent to which individuals with various anxiety and depressive disorders endorsed IU, firstly as a trait variable (with prospective and inhibitory components) and secondly in reference to regularly occurring, diagnostically relevant situations (situation-specific IU). The degree to which diagnosis predicted IU was examined in a highly comorbid clinical sample (N = 218). Regardless of specific diagnoses, the degree of comorbidity emerged as a significant predictor of prospective IU and situation-specific IU. Conversely, specific diagnoses of social phobia, generalised anxiety disorder, depression, and obsessive compulsive disorder were uniquely related to inhibitory IU. These findings suggest that IU is a transdiagnostic construct and have implications for current diagnosis-specific and transdiagnostic theory and clinical practice.
The Program for the Prevention of Childhood Asthma: a specialized care program for children with wheezing or asthma in Brazil

Objective : To present the Programa Infantil de Prevenção de Asma (PIPA, Program for the Prevention of Childhood Asthma) and the characteristics of the patients followed in this program. Methods : Implemented in the city of Uruguaiana, Brazil, PIPA has as its target population children and adolescents (< 18 years of age) with asthma or suspected asthma. Patients either enroll in PIPA spontaneously or are referred by pediatricians or primary care physicians. In this retrospective study, we use a standardized protocol to assess PIPA patients. Results : By the end of the study period, 646 patients were being followed. Of those, 298 (46.1%) were ≤ 3 years of age. In this group of patients, recurrent wheezing was identified in 60.7%, and the first episode of wheezing occurred in the first six months of life in 86.0%. Severe wheezing was identified in 29.5% and 45.4% in the children ≤ 3 and > 3 years of age, respectively. Physician-diagnosed asthma was reported in 26.5% and 82.2%, respectively. In the sample as a whole, the prevalence of passive smoking was high (> 36%), occurring during pregnancy in > 15%; > 40% of the patients had been born by cesarean section; and 30% had a mother who had had < 8 years of schooling. Conclusions : A prevention program for children with asthma is an effective strategy for controlling the disease. Knowledge of local epidemiological and environmental characteristics is essential to reducing the prevalence of the severe forms of asthma, to improving the use of health resources, and to preventing pulmonary changes that could lead to COPD in adulthood.
MICROTUBULE BIOGENESIS AND CELL SHAPE IN OCHROMONAS

In the first of two companion papers which attempt to correlate microtubules and their nucleating sites with developmental and cell division patterns in the unicellular flagellate, Ochromonas, the distribution of cytoplasmic and mitotic microtubules and various kinetosome-related fibers are detailed. Of the five kinetosome-related fibers, which have been found in Ochromonas, two, the kineto-beak fibers and the rhizoplast fibers are utilized as attachment sites for distinct groups of microtubules. The set of microtubules attached to the kineto-beak fibers apparently shape the anterior beak region of the cell whereas the rhizoplast microtubules appear to extend into and shape the tail in vegetative cells. In mitotic cells a rhizoplast is found at each spindle pole apparently serving as foci for the spindle microtubules. These findings are discussed in relation to the less well defined attachment sites for vegetative and mitotic microtubules in other kinds of cells. It is noted that the effects of depolymerizing microtubules in vivo might be easily quantitated in whole populations since no external wall or pellicle contributes to the maintenance or the biogenesis of the characteristic cell form of Ochromonas.
Ageing , muscle and bone

The ageing process is characterized by a decline in muscle mass and strength, when this process outreaches pathological levels it is defined sarcopenia. There is an important interplay between muscle and skeletal systems: muscle contractions during anti-gravitational and physical activities apply mechanical stress to bones, influencing bone density, strength and microarchitecture, thus a decrease in muscle function is related to lower bone strength and predisposes to osteoporosis. Osteoporosis and sarcopenia show multiple common pathogenetic pathways, both systemic and local: reduction in anabolic hormones, chronic inflammatory condition, inactivity. Vitamin D adequate levels are crucial for both bone and muscle function. Musculoskeletal impairment causes an important burden of disability and disease in older patients, a better understanding of pathogenesis and muscle-bone crosstalk could lead to improve prevention strategies and therapeutic options.
The pha gene cluster of Rhizobium meliloti involved in pH adaptation and symbiosis encodes a novel type of K+ efflux system

The fix‐2 mutant of Rhizobium meliloti affected in the invasion of alfalfa root nodules (Inf−/Fix−) is K+ sensitive and unable to adapt to alkaline pH in the presence of K+. Using directed Tn5 mutagenesis, we delimited a 6 kb genomic region in which mutations resulted in both Inf−/Fix− and K+‐sensitive phenotypes. In this DNA region, seven open reading frames (ORFs) were identified and the corresponding genes were designated phaA, B, C, D, E, F and G. The putative PhaABC proteins exhibit homology to the subunits of a Na+/H+ antiporter from an alkalophilic Bacillus strain. Moreover, PhaA and PhaD also show similarity to the ND5 and ND4 subunits of the proton‐pumping NADH:ubiquinone oxidoreductase respectively. Computer analysis suggests that all seven proteins are highly hydrophobic with several possible transmembrane domains. Some of these domains were confirmed by generating active alkaline phosphatase fusions. Ion transport studies on phaA mutant cells revealed a defect in K+ efflux at alkaline pH after the addition of a membrane‐permeable amine. These results suggest that the pha genes of R. meliloti encode for a novel type of K+ efflux system that is involved in pH adaptation and is required for the adaptation to the altered environment inside the plant.