Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Unemployment, Labor Market Reform, and Monetary Union

Monetary union, such as the Economic and Monetary Union in Europe (EMU), may affect incentives for labor market reform, and thus equilibrium unemployment, through several mechanisms. If an inflation bias exists, there is usually a stronger incentive to reduce equilibrium unemployment through national reform outside rather than inside the EMU. Absent such a bias, EMU membership could lead to more reform. One reason is that reform may increase wage flexibility, which can substitute for monetary policy in the EMU. Another reason could be a precautionary motive for low equilibrium unemployment to reduce the utility cost of increased macroeconomic variability in the EMU.
The Comparative Effectiveness of Surgeons Over Interventionalists in Endovascular Repairs of Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm

Objective:Comparative effectiveness research has mostly been focused on comparison of treatment techniques. The goal of the present study was to extend the research to physician specialty. Background:Both surgeons and interventionalists (cardiologists and radiologists) are involved in endovascular repairs (EVAR) of aortic aneurysms, with different residency education, operative experience, preoperative assessment and patient selection, and postoperative continuity of care. Methods:Retrospective analysis was performed using the Nationwide Inpatient Sample from 1998 to 2009. Patients undergoing EVAR for abdominal aortic aneurysm were identified with International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, procedure code 39.71. Using physician identifiers available in the database, surgeons were identified by case experience in the same calendar year with elective open AAA repairs, arteriovenous fistula repairs, or carotid endarderectomy. Multivariate analysis adjusted for physician volume, AAA ruptured status, patient demographic and comorbidities, and hospital characteristics. Results:A total of 28,094 EVARs were analyzed. Unadjusted mortality rates, length of stay, and total hospital charges were significantly higher for patients treated by interventionalists than those by surgeons (all Ps < 0.001). This difference persisted on multivariate analysis, where interventionalists were associated with increased likelihood of mortality (odds ratio = 1.39; 95% confidence interval, 1.04–1.89), longer length of stay (1.32 days; 95% confidence interval, 1.03–1.62), and higher total hospital charges ($19,312; 95% confidence interval, 16,471–22,153). Conclusions:Physician specialty is associated with patient outcomes. Surgeons are associated with improved outcomes, with lower mortality, shorter length of stay, and lower charges for EVAR cases, when compared with interventionalists. This finding has significant implications for future comparative effectiveness research and potential policy changes in patient referrals or physician admitting privileges.
Preliminary study of tumor heterogeneity in imaging predicts two year survival in pancreatic cancer patients

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is one of the most lethal cancers in the United States with a five-year survival rate of 7.2% for all stages. Although surgical resection is the only curative treatment, currently we are unable to differentiate between resectable patients with occult metastatic disease from those with potentially curable disease. Identification of patients with poor prognosis via early classification would help in initial management including the use of neoadjuvant chemotherapy or radiation, or in the choice of postoperative adjuvant therapy. PDAC ranges in appearance from homogeneously isoattenuating masses to heterogeneously hypovascular tumors on CT images; hence, we hypothesize that heterogeneity reflects underlying differences at the histologic or genetic level and will therefore correlate with patient outcome. We quantify heterogeneity of PDAC with texture analysis to predict 2-year survival. Using fuzzy minimum-redundancy maximum-relevance feature selection and a naive Bayes classifier, the proposed features achieve an area under receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) of 0.90 and accuracy (Ac) of 82.86% with the leave-one-image-out technique and an AUC of 0.80 and Ac of 75.0% with three-fold cross-validation. We conclude that texture analysis can be used to quantify heterogeneity in CT images to accurately predict 2-year survival in patients with pancreatic cancer. From these data, we infer differences in the biological evolution of pancreatic cancer subtypes measurable in imaging and identify opportunities for optimized patient selection for therapy.
Performance Measurement System Design in Joint Strategy Settings

ABSTRACT: This study examines empirically the association between joint strategies and the design of manufacturing performance measurement systems. Drawing on data collected from production managers in 84 industrial firms, the study seeks evidence of links between the implementation of differentiation, low‐cost and joint strategies in production, and reliance on efficiency, financial, and customer‐focused performance measures. The results indicate the paradoxical situation where virtually all units in the sample pursue competitive advantage in differentiation yet many rely intensely on efficiency and financial measures to measure manufacturing performance. Reliance on efficiency measures is observed to be associated with the pursuit of low‐cost and differentiation strategies jointly. Reliance on financial measures, on the other hand, appears to be related to differentiation and not related to the strategic importance of low cost. The findings suggest that financial measures may have a role in monitoring t.
Ringleaders in Larger Number Asymmetric Cartels

The concept of a cartel ringleader has specific legal meaning but has received relatively little attention in the economic literature of cartels. This article draws on a sample of 89 European cartels to identify how often ringleaders exist, who they are and what they do. It argues that ringleaders are more likely where the traditional ‘cartel problems’ are likely to be most acute, i.e. with larger numbers of members exhibiting substantial size asymmetries. This is confirmed for price-fixing and bid-rigging cartels and is especially pronounced where the ringleader displays ‘aggressive’ as opposed to merely ‘organisational’ behaviour.
Neurological symptoms among Sri Lankan farmers occupationally exposed to acetylcholinesterase-inhibiting insecticides.

BACKGROUND In many agricultural districts in Sri Lanka, pesticide poisoning is a leading cause of death. This study aims to evaluate the impact of pesticide use on Sri Lankan farmers' health. METHODS A total of 260 subjects were surveyed in both a low and a high exposure period. Acetylcholinesterase activity was measured and data on symptoms were collected with questionnaires. RESULTS Twenty-four percent of surveyed farmers had suffered at least once from acute pesticide poisoning. Farmers showed significantly more inhibition of cholinesterase activity than controls. Acute symptoms indicative for exposure to cholinesterase-inhibiting pesticides were associated with farming and a higher degree of cholinesterase suppression (more than 13% inhibition). Integrated Pest Management (IPM) training seemed to result in less insecticide use, and less cholinesterase inhibition. CONCLUSIONS Our results suggest that occupational acetylcholinesterase-inhibiting insecticide exposures have a negative impact on Sri Lankan farmers' health. Overall reduction in pesticide use seems the best option to protect farmers from the adverse effects of pesticides.
Pharmacokinetics and bioequivalence of levofloxacin in healthy Chinese subjects

Aim A randomized, two-way crossover study was conducted to determine the pharmacokinetics and bioequivalence of levofloxacin in 20 healthy Chinese male subjects under fasting conditions. Methods Levofloxacin test and reference tablets were administered as a single dose on two treatment days separated by a one-week washout period. After dosing, serial blood samples were collected for a period of 24 hr, and serum levofloxacin concentrations were determined by a validated reversed-phase high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) assay and pharmacokinetic parameters were analyzed by the Drug and Statistics (DAS) Software. Results The serum concentration-time course followed a two-compartment open model. The main pharmacokinetic parameters of levofloxacin test and reference formulations were as follow: t1/2 were (7.37 ±0.88) h and (7.39 ±0.96) h，t max were (1.13 ±0.30) h and (1.06 ±0.24) h; Cmax were (2.08 ±0.42) mg·L -1 and (2.03 ±0.35) mg·L -1 ， AUC0-24 were (13.17 ±2.32) mg·h·L -1 and (13.73±2.89) mg·h·L -1 ，respectively. The relative bioavailability of test tablets was (97.7±16.7)%. No significant differences between the two formulations were found, and the parametric confidence intervals (90%) of the mean values of the pharmacokinetic characteristics for test/reference ratio were within the bioequivalence acceptable ranges of 0.8-1.25 and 0.70-1.43 respectively for AUC and Cmax. Conclusion The results indicate that the two tablet formulations of levofloxacin are equivalent in the rate and extent of absorption.
The Route Matters: Poverty and Inequality among Lone-Mother Households in Russia

Using the case of Russia, this paper takes issue with the stereotype of lone mothers as the poorest women in society, with the most disadvantaged children. Analysis of the Russian Longitudinal Monitoring Survey suggests there is enormous diversity in the material circumstances and livelihoods of lone mothers. Complementing the diversity of lone mothers' experiences is the finding that women who live with male partners, but who are responsible economically for their households, face problems much like those of lone mothers. The structural inequities that result from combining paid labor with unpaid care and childrearing have particularly adverse consequences for lone mothers and for women who bear the brunt of maintaining their households. While this analysis emphasizes the different aspects of the falsely homogenizing category “lone mother,” it also recognizes the structural disadvantages shared by lone mothers and other women in Russia today.
Evidence Regarding a Segmented Stock Market

FINANCIAL WRITERS discuss the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE), the American Stock Exchange (ASE), and the Over-the-Counter market (OTC) in separate terms because: (1) there is little or no overlap in the stocks in the three locations, (2) requirements for "listing" or trading among the three markets differ, and (3) there are variations in procedures for purchase and sale of stock. Little attention, however, has been given to the notion that these geographically separated markets might in fact have fundamental economic characteristics that distinguish them. Evidence that the three market segments are considered virtually synonymous is provided by the fact that the most widely quoted stock market indicator series (and in most cases the only indicators mentioned) are the Dow-Jones 30 Industrials, the Standard and Poor's 425 Industrials, and recently the New York Stock Exchange Index. A seldom-noted fact, and one of considerable importance, is that all of these stock market indicators limit their samples to stocks listed on the New York Stock Exchange. Employing one of these indicators to describe what is happening to common stock prices in general implies that either the NYSE is the only relevant segment of the stock market, or that as the NYSE goes, so goes all other segments of the stock market. The notion that the NYSE is the only relevant segment of the market can probably be dismissed as unrealistic. While numerous investors, both individual and institutional, limit their activities to the NYSE, there are many more security issues traded OTC than on the NYSE. ' While the NYSE is dominant in terms of the value of transactions, it comprises only about 50 to
Expression of the steroidogenic acute regulatory protein and luteinizing hormone receptor and their regulation by tumor necrosis factor alpha in rat corpora lutea.

Expression of both mRNA and protein of the steroidogenic acute regulatory protein (StAR), in correlation with progesterone (P) production and LH receptor (LHR) mRNA expression, was studied in the corpora lutea (CL) of gonadotropin-induced-pseudopregnant and pregnant rats at various stages of CL development. Immature female rats, 21-22 days old, were injected s.c. with 20 IU eCG to stimulate follicle growth and then with 20 IU hCG 48 h later to induce ovulation. The ovaries were removed at various stages of CL development; either CL were isolated and snap frozen for total RNA analysis, or whole ovaries were fixed in Bouin's fluid for paraffin sectioning. The results of in situ hybridization, immunohistochemistry, and Northern blotting showed that the increase in StAR mRNA and protein expression was well correlated with the increase in serum P concentration. StAR expression was restricted to the luteal cells or theca cells in antral follicles. Both StAR mRNA and protein in the CL of pseudopregnant rats increased steadily on Day 1 and Day 4, reached highest levels on Day 4, and then dropped sharply on Day 8 when luteolysis takes place. LHR mRNA content was high on Day 1 but dropped significantly on Day 2. LHR mRNA increased to high levels on Day 4 and 8 and then declined on Day 12. StAR mRNA and protein levels in the CL of pregnant rats were high during early luteal development (Day 2, 4), increased even further on Day 9, and decreased on Day 13 when luteolysis takes place. It is therefore suggested that the expression of StAR coincides well with the capacity of P production in the CL and that StAR expression can be used as a functional "marker" of CL development. To study the possible effect of cytokines on StAR expression, pseudopregnant rats on Day 5 were injected s.c. with 10 IU hCG plus 20 microg prolactin (PRL), with or without 500 IU tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFalpha) 30 min later. TNFalpha significantly inhibited hCG/PRL-induced StAR and LHR mRNA expression at 1 and 3 h post-TNFalpha. It is suggested that the luteolytic effect of TNFalpha may be mediated by its direct inhibition on StAR expression or by an indirect decrease in LHR expression.
Labilibaculum manganireducens gen. nov., sp. nov. and Labilibaculum filiforme sp. nov., Novel Bacteroidetes Isolated from Subsurface Sediments of the Baltic Sea

Microbial communities in deep subsurface sediments are challenged by the decrease in amount and quality of organic substrates with depth. In sediments of the Baltic Sea, they might additionally have to cope with an increase in salinity from ions that have diffused downward from the overlying water during the last 9000 years. Here, we report the isolation and characterization of four novel bacteria of the Bacteroidetes from depths of 14–52 m below seafloor (mbsf) of Baltic Sea sediments sampled during International Ocean Discovery Program (IODP) Expedition 347. Based on physiological, chemotaxonomic and genotypic characterization, we propose that the four strains represent two new species within a new genus in the family Marinifilaceae, with the proposed names Labilibaculum manganireducens gen. nov., sp. nov. (type strain 59.10-2MT) and Labilibaculum filiforme sp. nov. (type strains 59.16BT) with additional strains of this species (59.10-1M and 60.6M). The draft genomes of the two type strains had sizes of 5.2 and 5.3 Mb and reflected the major physiological capabilities. The strains showed gliding motility, were psychrotolerant, neutrophilic and halotolerant. Growth by fermentation of mono- and disaccharides as well as pyruvate, lactate and glycerol was observed. During glucose fermentation, small amounts of electron equivalents were transferred to Fe(III) by all strains, while one of the strains also reduced Mn(IV). Thereby, the four strains broaden the phylogenetic range of prokaryotes known to reduce metals to the group of Bacteroidetes. Halotolerance and metal reduction might both be beneficial for survival in deep subsurface sediments of the Baltic Sea.
Viral gastroenteritis: small round structured viruses, caliciviruses and astroviruses. Part II. The epidemiological perspective.

Accepted tor publication 16 July 1996 Small round structured viruses (SRSV) Following the original description of Norwalk virus in the USA, this group of viruses has become established as the most important cause of outbreaks of epidemic non-bacterial gastroenteritis worldwide.l' In particular, the diversity of settings associated with these economically important viruses is amply demonstrated by the early American studies. Thus, Norwalk virus was responsible for a community-wide outbreak in Ohio, while the Hawaii and Montgomery County agents were associated with small family outbreaks. ' The Snow mountain agent caused an epidemic at a holiday camp in Colorado,"' while on this side of the Atlantic the Taunton agent was responsible for the considerable disruption which arose in an orthopaedic and geriatric ward in two hospitals in southern England. "' In subsequent studies of non-bacterial gastroenteritis in many parts of the world the potential that SRSVs have for causing epidemic gastroenteritis in semi-closed or communitv-wide populations has been well documented. Outbreaks have been recorded in family settings, health care institutions, holiday and travel settings, cruise ships, homes for the elderly and in schools or colleges. ' '" The comprehensive sero-epidemiological studies carried out in the USA,I "I in conjunction with the direct detection of SRSVs by electron microscopy, particularly in the UK and Japan as well as elsewhere in the world, reinforces the importance of these viruses in community-wide outbreaks. Such outbreaks often have significant economic implications. The UK initiatives directed towards the surveillance and diagnosis by electron microscopy of outbreaks of nonbacterial gastroenteritis have recently shown that SRSVs are a more common cause of outbreaks than Salmonella. In addition, the UK data demonstrate an increasing prevalence of SRSVs in recent years (fig 1) with the 800
The Left Atrial Septal Pouch as a Possible Risk Factor for Stroke

The left atrial septal pouch (LASP) is formed by the caudal fusion of the area of overlap of the septum primum and the septum secundum, leaving an opening toward the left atrium. The association between LASP and stroke has not been validated by the previous studies.
Campaign Dynamics in the 2000 Canadian Election: How the Leader Debates Salvaged the Conservative Party

Canada's Progressive Conservative Party faced the prospects of electoral annihilation going into the 2000 election. In the 1993 election, the party suffered what must surely be the most humiliating defeat ever visited upon an incumbent party; its share of the popular vote plummeted from 43% to 16% and it was reduced to a mere two seats (1%, down from 57%). So complete was the collapse that the party—one of the two parties that had alternated in power since Confederation in 1867—lost its official status in the House of Commons.A political party must have at least 12 seats to be recognized officially as a political party. This status confers significant benefits, such as being able to obtain funding and to ask questions at the highly visible question period. Meanwhile, the new party of the Right—the Reform Party—managed to get 19% of the vote and, thanks to the concentration of its support in western Canada, this translated into 52 seats.For an analysis of that spectacular change, see Johnston et al. 1996.
Acute Inotropic and Lusitropic Effects of Cardiomyopathic R9C Mutation of Phospholamban*

Background: R9C mutation of phospholamban triggers cardiomyopathy. Results: Acute expression of R9C-phospholamban in cardiomyocytes was positively inotropic/lusitropic. Conclusion: Loss of phospholamban inhibitory function acutely increases SERCA function but impairs SERCA regulation, resulting in a blunted stress response, leading to cardiomyopathy. Significance: The results reconcile the pathological character of R9C with biochemical studies that showed loss of inhibition of SERCA. A naturally occurring R9C mutation of phospholamban (PLB) triggers cardiomyopathy and premature death by altering regulation of sarco/endoplasmic reticulum calcium-ATPase (SERCA). The goal of this study was to investigate the acute physiological consequences of the R9C-PLB mutation on cardiomyocyte calcium kinetics and contractility. We measured the physiological consequences of R9C-PLB mutation on calcium transients and sarcomere shortening in adult cardiomyocytes. In contrast to studies of chronic R9C-PLB expression in transgenic mice, we found that acute expression of R9C-PLB exerts a positively inotropic and lusitropic effect in cardiomyocytes. Importantly, R9C-PLB exhibited blunted sensitivity to frequency potentiation and β-adrenergic stimulation, two major physiological mechanisms for the regulation of cardiac performance. To identify the molecular mechanism of R9C pathology, we quantified the effect of R9C on PLB oligomerization and PLB-SERCA binding. FRET measurements in live cells revealed that R9C-PLB exhibited an increased propensity for oligomerization, and this was further increased by oxidative stress. The R9C also decreased PLB binding to SERCA and altered the structure of the PLB-SERCA regulatory complex. The structural change after oxidative modification of R9C-PLB was similar to that observed after PLB phosphorylation. We conclude that R9C mutation of PLB decreases SERCA inhibition by decreasing the amount of the regulatory complex and altering its conformation. This has an acute inotropic/lusitropic effect but yields negative consequences of impaired frequency potentiation and blunted β-adrenergic responsiveness. We envision a self-reinforcing mechanism beginning with phosphomimetic R9C-PLB oxidation and loss of SERCA inhibition, leading to impaired calcium regulation and heart failure.
TRUTHFUL REPUTATION MECHANISMS FOR ONLINE SYSTEMS

The internet is moving rapidly towards an interactive milieu where online communities and economies gain importance over their traditional counterparts. While this shift creates opportunities and benefits that have already improved our day-to-day life, it also brings a whole new set of problems. For example, the lack of physical interaction that characterizes most electronic transactions, leaves the systems much more susceptible to fraud and deception. Reputation mechanisms offer a novel and effective way of ensuring the necessary level of trust which is essential to the functioning of any market. They collect information about the history (i.e., past transactions) of market participants and make public their reputation. Prospective partners guide their decisions by considering reputation information, and thus make more informative choices. Online reputation mechanisms enjoy huge success. They are present in most e-commerce sites available today, and are seriously taken into consideration by human users. The economical value of online reputation raises questions regarding the trustworthiness of mechanisms themselves. Existing systems were conceived with the assumption that users will share feedback honestly. However, we have recently seen increasing evidence that some users strategically manipulate their reports. This thesis describes ways of making online reputation mechanisms more trustworthy by providing incentives to rational agents for reporting honest feedback. Different kinds of reputation mechanisms are investigated, and for each, I present mechanisms for rewarding the agents that report truthfully. Problems related to collusion (i.e., several agents coordinate their strategies in order to manipulate reputation information) and robustness are also investigated. Moreover, this thesis describes a novel application of incentive compatible reputation mechanisms to the area of quality of service monitoring, and investigates factors that motivate and bias human users when reporting feedback in existing review forums.