Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
'The Tragedy of Having A Daughter' Construction and Reproduction of Gender Stereotypes In Italian Family SMEs

This paper aims to present a review of recent research carried out by the Author involving a large sample of Italian family Small and Medium Enterprises, (SMEs) investigating cognitive and cultural issues at the base of gender stereotype mechanisms. This paper also aims to discuss if and to what extent gender stereotypes are constructed and acted on both by perceivers (who apply the stereotypes) and targets (people who are perceived as belonging to the category at the base of the stereotypes) in Italian family SMEs, and how such stereotypes affect organizational strategic dimensions such as the second generations’ educational path, organizational career, and business transmission (especially involving the mother and the daughter).
Framework for seismic vulnerability assessment of reinforced concrete buildings in Australia

ABSTRACT The project ‘Cost-Effective Mitigation Strategy Development for Building Related Earthquake Risk’ under the Bushfire and Natural Hazards Cooperative Research Centre (BNHCRC) aims to develop knowledge to facilitate evidence-based informed decision-making in relation to the need for seismic retrofitting, revision of codified design requirements and insurance policy. Seismic vulnerability assessment is an essential component in the project. The objective of this paper is to present the framework for carrying out vulnerability assessment of limited-ductile reinforced concrete (RC) buildings in Australia. This paper is organised into four parts: (i) overview of typical building construction in Australia and description of the three broad categories of vulnerable RC buildings identified by the authors; (ii) identification and overview of case study buildings for seismic vulnerability assessment; (iii) definition and description for each performance level and damage state, including recommended material strain limits and drift limits for RC buildings; and (iv) hazard-consistent ground motion inputs for dynamic analyses.
Effect of alfacalcidol on natural course of renal bone disease in mild to moderate renal failure

Abstract Objective: To determine whether alfacalcidol—used in management of overt renal bone disease—may safely prevent renal bone disease when used earlier in course of renal failure. Design: Double blind, prospective, randomised, placebo controlled study. Setting: 17 nephrology centres from Belgium, France, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom. Subjects: 176 patients aged 18–81 with mild to moderate chronic renal failure (creatinine clearance 15–50 ml/min) and with no clinical, biochemical, or radiographic evidence of bone disease. Interventions: Alfacalcidol 0.25 μg (titrated according to serum calcium concentration) or placebo given for two years. Main outcome measures: Quantitative histology of bone to assess efficacy of treatment and renal function to assess safety. Results: 132 patients had histological evidence of bone disease at start of study. Biochemical, radiographic, and histological indices of bone metabolism were similar for the 89 patients given alfacalcidol and the 87 controls given placebo. After treatment, mean serum alkaline phosphatase activity and intact parathyroid hormone concentration had increased by 13% and 126% respectively in controls but had not changed in patients given alfacalcidol (P<0.001). Hypercalcaemic episodes occurred in 10 patients given alfacalcidol (but responded to decreases in drug dose) and in three controls. Histological indices of bone turnover significantly improved in patients given alfacalcidol and significantly deteriorated in controls: among patients with abnormal bone histology before treatment, bone disease resolved in 23 (42%) of those given alfacalcidol compared with two (4%) of the controls (P<0.001). There was no difference in rate of progression of renal failure between the two groups. Conclusion: Early administration of alfacalcidol can safely and beneficially alter the natural course of renal bone disease in patients with mild to moderate renal failure. Key messages Key messages Treating such patients with alfacalcidol (up to 1 μg/day for two years) significantly improved their osteomalacia and hyperparathyroid disease Treatment had no apparent adverse effect on renal function Hypercalcaemic episodes were uncommon and readily responded to decreases in drug dose Alfacalcidol might be used more widely for patients with moderate renal failure not yet needing dialysis
Suppression of laser-induced choroidal neovascularization by a CCR3 antagonist.

PURPOSE To evaluate the efficacy of a novel CCR3 antagonist for laser injury-induced choroidal neovascularization (CNV) in mice. METHODS We evaluated YM-344031, a novel and selective small-molecule CCR3 antagonist. CNV was induced by laser injury in C57BL/6J mice, and its volume was measured after 7 days by confocal microscopy. Leakage from the CNV was also measured after 7 days by fluorescein angiography. The CCR3 antagonist was administered by gavage at 1 hour before and 1 day after the laser injury, or intravitreous injection immediately after the laser injury. After the laser injury, ELISA, Western blot analysis, and real-time RT-PCR for VEGF-A expression in the RPE/choroid, and immunohistochemistry for CCR3, CCL11, Ki67, and Rac1 was performed. RESULTS Both oral administration and intravitreous injection of YM-344031 significantly suppressed the CNV volume (P < 0.0001 and P < 0.01, respectively). Pathologically significant leakage was significantly less common in YM-344031-injected mice (P < 0.0001). The mean VEGF protein level was significantly increased in vehicle-injected eyes after the laser injury (P < 0.05). Although the YM-344031-injected eyes did not show VEGF-A suppression after the laser injury, VEGF164 mRNA upregulation was significantly suppressed in YM-344031-injected mice (P < 0.05), and intravitreous injection of YM-344031 appeared to suppress CCR3, CCL11 (eotaxin), Ki67, and Rac1 expression after the laser injury. CONCLUSIONS The present data suggest that the CCR3 antagonist YM-344031 can suppress CNV, via suppression of the upregulation of VEGF164 mRNA in VEGF isoform after the laser injury. Although our findings may warrant further investigation, YM-344031 may have potential as a new therapy for age-related macular degeneration.
A Comprehensive TCAD Approach for Assessing Electromigration Reliability of Modern Interconnects

The demanding task of assessing long-time interconnect reliability can only be achieved by combination of experimental and technology computer-aided design (TCAD) methods. The basis for a TCAD tool is a sophisticated physical model which takes into account the microstructural characteristics of copper. In this paper, a general electromigration model is presented with special focus on the influence of grain boundaries and mechanical stress. The possible calibration and usage scenarios of electromigration tools are discussed. The physical soundness of the model is proved by 3-D simulations of typical dual-damascene structures used in accelerated electromigration testing.
p-GaN Gate HEMTs With Tungsten Gate Metal for High Threshold Voltage and Low Gate Current

The impact of gate metals on the threshold voltage (VTH) and the gate current of p-GaN gate high-electron-mobility transistors (HEMTs) is investigated by fabricating p-GaN gate HEMTs with different work function gate metals-Ni and W. p-GaN gate HEMTs incorporate a p-GaN layer under the gate electrode as the gate stack on top of the AlGaN/GaN layer. In comparison to the Ni-gate p-GaN HEMTs, the W-gate p-GaN HEMTs showed a higher VTH of 3.0 V and a lower gate current of 0.02 mA/mm at a gate bias of 10 V. Based on TCAD device simulations, we revealed that these high VTH and low gate current are attributed to the low gate metal work function and the high Schottky barrier between the p-GaN and the W gate metal.
Divalproex in the Treatment of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Trial in a Veteran Population

Objective: To evaluate the efficacy of divalproex for the treatment of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) hyperarousal symptom cluster. Method: Under double-blind conditions, 85 US military veterans with PTSD were randomized to treatment with divalproex or placebo for 8 weeks. All patients who received at least 1 dose of medication and 1 postbaseline assessment (n = 82) were included in the efficacy population. The primary outcome measure was the hyperarousal subscale of the Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale. Result: There were no significant intergroup differences in primary or secondary end points. The final mean (SD) divalproex dose and serum valproic acid level were 2309 ± 507 mg/d and 82 ± 30 mg/L, respectively. Conclusions: Divalproex monotherapy was not effective in the treatment of chronic PTSD in predominantly older male combat veterans. Further study is needed to determine the efficacy of divalproex in the management of PTSD in women or civilians or in combination with antidepressants.
Frequency of multiple Epstein-Barr virus infections in T-cell-immunocompromised individuals

The Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) carrier state is characterized by latent infection of the general B-cell pool and by chronic virus replication at oropharyngeal sites. In Caucasian populations, most healthy carriers seem to harbor one dominant transforming virus strain, usually of type I rather than type 2, which persists over time and is detectable both in the blood and in the throat. This finding implies that once the virus carrier state is established, both viral reservoirs are largely if not completely protected from infection with additional strains. However, it is not known which facets of the immune response offer that protection. Here we address this question by a detailed study of EBV carriage in patients T-cell immunocompromised as a result of chronic human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. Resident EBV strains were rescued from blood and from throat washings by using an in vitro transformation assay which aims to minimize bias toward faster-growing transformants; in this way, a mean of 16 independent isolations were made from each of 35 HIV-positive (predominantly male homosexual) patients. These virus isolates were characterized first at the DNA level by PCR amplification across type-specific polymorphisms in the EBNA2 and EBNA3C genes and across the 30-bp deletion and 33-bp repeat loci in the LMP1 gene and then at the protein level by immunoblotting for the strain-specific "EBNAprint" of EBNA1, -2, and -3C molecular weights. By these criteria, 18 of 35 patients harbored only one detectable EBV strain, usually of type 1, as do healthy carriers. However, the other 17 patients showed clear evidence of multiple infection with different EBV strains. In eight cases these strains were of the same type, again usually type 1, and were more often found coresident in throat washings than in the blood. By contrast, a further nine patients gave evidence of coinfection with type 1 and type 2 strains, and in these cases both virus types were detectable in the blood as well as in the throat. Immunological assays on these HIV-positive patients as a group showed a marked impairment of T-cell responses, reflected in reduced levels of EBV-specific cytotoxic T-cell memory, but an elevation of humoral responses, reflected in raised antibody titers to the EBV envelope glycoprotein gp340 and by the maintenance of virus neutralizing antibodies in serum. We infer that selective impairment of the T-cell system predisposes the host to infection with additional exogenously transmitted EBV strains.
"Where have all the People Gone?"

An examination of recent growth in suburban Chicago suggests that rates of population and housing increase tend to vary principally by age of housing, and secondarily by distance from the central city's business district. Population loss or small increases relative to housing gains typified the most centrally located older suburbs. Although much higher rates of population and housing increase characterized newer places, especially those between 21 and 30 miles from the CBD, their population gain was smaller than that accompanying comparably high levels of residential development in earlier periods.
Managerial Compensation Duration and Stock Price Manipulation

I build a model of optimal managerial compensation where managers each have a privately observed propensity to manipulate short-term stock prices. It is shown that this informational asymmetry reverses some of the conventional wisdom about the relationship between reliance on short-term pay and propensity to manipulate. The optimal compensation scheme features a negative relationship between pay duration and manager manipulation activity, reconciling theory with recent empirical findings (Gopalan et al., 2014). Further, the model predicts that managers who spend more resources manipulating short-term stock prices also put more effort into generating longterm firm value.
A cross‐sectional study of the association between circulating TSH level and lipid profile in a large Spanish population

Some evidence suggests that high serum TSH levels are associated with an adverse lipid profile, but this association is not clear when plasma TSH is within the reference range. Nevertheless, these studies have never been conducted in Spain, a country with a strong adherence to the Mediterranean diet. The study aim was to analyse the association between blood TSH levels and circulating lipids in a large Spanish population and set up a TSH reference range in different age, gender and Body Mass Index (BMI) subpopulations from our cohort.
Tissue strain imaging using a wavelet transform-based peak search algorithm

A new method is proposed to estimate the motion and relative local compression between two successive ultrasound RF signals under different compression states. The algorithm uses the continuous wavelet transform to locate the peaks in the RF signals. The estimated peaks in the pre- and post-compression signals are assigned to each other by a peak matching technique with the goal of minimizing the number of false matches. The method allows local shifts of the tissue to be estimated. The method has been tested in one-dimensional simulations and phantom experiments. The signal-to-noise ratio and the rms error are shown to be better than for the standard cross-correlation method (CC). The new estimator remains unbiased for up to 10% strain which is a larger range than that of CC. The maximum signal-to-noise ratio is 3 times as high as that of the CC method, showing higher sensitivity as well. The method is computationally efficient, achieving 0.7 msec/RF line on a standard personal computer.
Clinical evaluation of Dyract in primary molars: 1-year results.

PURPOSE To evaluate the 1-year clinical performance of Dyract in primary molars. MATERIALS AND METHODS 55 children (aged 4-9 years) received 1-3 restorations (n = 91) utilizing Dyract, a new restorative material combining properties of both glass ionomers and composites. RESULTS The so-called compomer material showed good handling characteristics and a survival rate of 97% after 1 year. Nevertheless, the material demonstrated an average wear of 190 microns during 1 year, with 67% of the restorations having occlusal wear of less than 200 microns. The combination of a low failure rate and the ease of application makes the compomer material very suitable for application in the primary dentition.
Effect of Pleurotomy on Blood Loss During Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting

Abstract Background: We conducted a retrospective study to compare two different techniques of internal mammarian artery (IMA) preparation concerning pleurotomy upon the effects of blood loss and pulmonary functions. Methods: Between January 1998 and November 2006, 1357 consecutive patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) using the left IMA, either alone or in combination with saphenous vein graft, were included in this study. The patients were divided into two groups according to the pleural opening: Group I (n = 1046) patients underwent IMA harvesting with pleurotomy and Group 2 (n = 311) patients with intact pleura. Results: During the study, 27 hospital deaths (1.9%) occurred. The amount of postoperative blood loss and blood transfusion requirements were significantly higher in Group 1 than in Group 2 (p = 0.029 and p = 0.0001). The mechanical ventilation stay was significantly higher in Group 1 than in Group 2 (p = 0.0001). The incidence of left pleural effusion and atelectasis was significantly higher in Group 1 than in Group 2 on day 1 and day 3 after operation. Conclusions: These results demonstrate that preserving pleural integrity has beneficial effects on the postoperative blood loss. Postoperative blood loss and transfusion requirements were higher in patients with pleurotomy. Left pleural effusion, atelectasis, and mechanical ventilatory stay were significantly reduced in patients with preserved pleural integrity.
Effects of Nebivolol on Human Platelet Aggregation

It has been documented that &bgr;-adrenergic antagonists can influence platelet aggregation by a mechanism independent of their ability to antagonize &bgr;-adrenoceptors. Nebivolol, a selective &bgr; 1 -adrenergic receptor antagonist with additional hemodynamic effects, is able to vasodilate human forearm vasculature by acting on the l -arginine/nitric oxide pathway. Constitutive nitric oxide synthase is present also in human platelets, resulting in the formation of nitric oxide, an endogenous inhibitor of platelet aggregation. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of nebivolol on platelet aggregation and in particular to determine the involvement of the platelet l -arginine/nitric oxide pathway. Propranolol, a nonselective &bgr;-adrenergic antagonist, and carvedilol, a &bgr;-blocker with vasodilating properties, were compared with nebivolol on platelet activity. Plasma from healthy male subjects was used. Platelet aggregation was achieved with adenosine diphosphate (ADP) (3 &mgr;M) and collagen (1 &mgr;g/ml), using the Born turbidimetric method to measure platelet aggregation. Our results showed that nebivolol, propranolol, and carvedilol all had an inhibitory effect on both ADP- and collagen-induced platelet aggregation. Nebivolol exhibited the greatest inhibition effect on platelet aggregation. The mechanism responsible for the inhibitory effect of nebivolol appeared to involve a nitric oxide–dependent pathway. Indeed, l -arginine augmented the inhibitory effects of nebivolol on platelet aggregation induced by collagen and ADP. Furthermore, the inhibitory effect of nebivolol on platelet aggregation was reduced in the presence of the nitric oxide synthase inhibitor N G -monomethyl- l -arginine ( l -NMMA). In conclusion, we have demonstrated in this study that nebivolol's mechanism of platelet aggregation inhibition differs from that of other &bgr;-adrenergic antagonists by being partially dependent on nitric oxide production.
CP‐64131, an aminobenzazepine with cytokine‐like properties, stimulates human neutrophil functions through the p38‐MAPK pathway

CP‐64131 (CP), an aminobenzazepine with cytokine‐like, physiologic effects similar to granulocyte‐colony stimulating factor (G‐CSF) and granulocyte macrophage (GM)‐CSF, increases the number of neutrophils and stimulates marrow recovery after doxirubicin ablation. CP can also function as a neutrophil agonist, like formyl‐Met‐leu‐Phe (fMLP). In these studies, we show that CP is unique in that it stimulates the p38‐mitogen‐activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway but not extracellular signal‐regulated kinase (ERK)1/2 or c‐jun N‐terminal kinase MAPKs in human neutrophils from peripheral blood. This is in contrast to other neutrophil agonists such as fMLP, interleukin (IL)‐8, or GM‐CSF, which stimulate multiple MAPK pathways. Like fMLP and IL‐8, CP is capable of stimulating superoxide (O2−) production, CD11b expression, and cell polarization in human neutrophils. CP‐stimulated O2− production is completely dependent on p38‐MAPK activation, as determined by sensitivity to the p38‐MAPK inhibitor SB203580. In contrast, SB203580 only partially inhibits expression of CD11b and has no effect on cell polarization stimulated by CP. Therefore, CP treatment of neutrophils activates p38‐MAPK but has effects independent of p38‐MAPK activation. In human embryonic kidney 293 cells, a human kidney epithelial cell line CP stimulates p38‐MAPK and modestly activates ERK1/2. The findings define CP as a novel, small molecule, which has little cellular toxicity in vitro. CP has the ability to activate specific MAPK pathways in different cell types and should prove to be an effective agonist in combination with inhibitors to study biological responses regulated by MAPKs.
Health-related quality of life and survival among HIV-infected patients receiving highly active antiretroviral therapy: a study of patients in the AIDS Therapy Evaluation in the Netherlands (ATHENA) Cohort.

BACKGROUND Previous studies have shown that health-related quality of life (HRQL) predicts survival in patients infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). However, these studies predated the highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) era, included only a few patients receiving HAART, or had a limited duration of follow-up. This study investigates whether HRQL predicts survival among HIV-infected patients receiving HAART. METHODS HIV-infected patients participating in the focus group of the AIDS Therapy Evaluation in the Netherlands (ATHENA) study and starting or already receiving HAART completed the Medical Outcomes Study HIV Health Survey at study entry (1 May 1998 through 31 December 2000). The physical health summary (PHS) and mental health summary (MHS) scores were calculated. All-cause mortality was established at 31 March 2008. Kaplan-Meier analysis and Cox regression models were performed to predict survival. RESULTS The median follow-up was 8.4 years. Sixty-six patients (11.8%) died during follow-up. We found a significant relation between quartiles of PHS and survival (P < .001, log-rank test). Of patients with a PHS, 26 (20%) died in quartile 1 (indicating worst HRQL), 17 (13%) died in quartile 2, 10 (8%) died in quartile 3, and 5 (4%) died in quartile 4 (indicating best HRQL) (P< .001). The prediction of PHS on survival was independent of other (clinical) parameters (P< .001). No relation was found between MHS and survival (P= .13). CONCLUSION Patient-reported HRQL predicted survival among HIV-infected patients receiving HAART. This information could be highly useful for physicians in determining the prognosis of their patients.
Interstitial deletion of 5q33.3q35.1 in a girl with mild mental retardation.

Constitutional interstitial deletions of 5q are uncommon. The corresponding phenotype is not well defined. But severe mental retardation seems to be a consistent manifestation. We describe a 4-year-old girl with a de novo deletion of 5q33.3q35. 1 presenting only with mild psychomotor delay, minor facial anomalies, and seizures.