Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Can we be satisfied with our football team? Evidence from spanish professional football

This paper assesses the sporting performance of Spanish professional football teams at competition level, namely, League, King’s Cup and European competitions (Champions League and UEFA Cup). Then, the gap between the result obtained by a team in a given competition and that expected according to its potential is used as a proxy of the degree of satisfaction that fans should feel: the narrower the gap the greater the level of satisfaction. Regarding methodology, Data Envelopment Analysis techniques and directional distance functions are used. Results reveal that most teams perform rather differently across competitions, the lower average performance corresponding to the King’s Cup
Interferon Alfa-2A Therapy for Airway Hemangiomas

Hemangioma is a well-recognized cause of airway obstruction in the infant with stridor. Corticosteroid and laser therapy are effective in stabilizing the airway in most cases. There are, however, some extensive airway lesions that are not adequately managed by these modalities. This report describes the use of recombinant interferon alfa-2a in 15 patients with life-threatening airway hemangiomas. All patients had failed corticosteroid and/or laser therapy. Multiple upper airway sites were involved, including the base of the tongue, supraglottis, subglottis, trachea, and mediastinum. Eleven patients have completed therapy and are doing well. Four patients have resolving lesions on the drug regimen. Life-threatening airway lesions unresponsive to conventional treatment should be considered for a trial of interferon alfa-2a.
Reconstruction of the proteolytic pathway for use of β‐casein by Lactococcus lactis

Amino acid auxotrophous bacteria such as Lactococcus lactis use proteins as a source of amino acids. For this process, they possess a complex proteolytic system to degrade the protein(s) and to transport the degradation products into the cell. We have been able to dissect the various steps of the pathway by deleting one or more genes encoding key enzymes/components of the system and using mass spectrometry to analyse the complex peptide mixtures. This approach revealed in detail how L. lactis liberates the required amino acids from β‐casein, the major component of the lactococcal diet. Mutants containing the extracellular proteinase PrtP, but lacking the oligopeptide transport system Opp and the autolysin AcmA, were used to determine the proteinase specificity in vivo. To identify the substrates of Opp present in the casein hydrolysate, the PrtP‐generated peptide pool was offered to mutants lacking the proteinase, but containing Opp, and the disappearance of peptides from the medium as well as the intracellular accumulation of amino acids and peptides was monitored in peptidase‐proficient and fivefold peptidase‐deficient genetic backgrounds. The results are unambiguous and firmly establish that (i) the carboxyl‐terminal end of β‐casein is degraded preferentially despite the broad specificity of the proteinase; (ii) peptides smaller than five residues are not formed in vivo ; (iii) use of oligopeptides of 5–10 residues becomes only possible after uptake via Opp; (iv) only a few (10–14) of the peptides generated by PrtP are actually used, even though the system facilitates the transport of oligopeptides up to at least 10 residues. The technology described here allows us to monitor the fate of individual peptides in complex mixtures and is applicable to other proteolytic systems.
Electricity Consumption and Economic Growth: Evidence from 17 Taiwanese Industries

The current paper investigates the existence and nature of the Granger causality between electricity consumption and economic growth for 17 industries in Taiwan. Empirical results over the period 1998–2014 suggest that a panel cointegration test shows a long-run equilibrium relationship and a bi-directional Granger causality between electricity and economic growth has been found. The result indicates that a 1% increase in electricity consumption boosts the real GDP by 1.72%. The government can pursue energy conservation and carbon reduction policy in some industries without impeding the economic growth for adjusting the industrial structure.
Quantification of cardiomyocyte contraction based on image correlation analysis

Quantification of cardiomyocyte contraction is usually obtained by measuring globally cell shortening from the displacement of cell extremities. We developed a correlation‐based optical flow method, which correlates the whole‐cell temporal pattern with a precise quantification of the intracellular strain wave at the sarcomeres level. A two‐dimensional image correlation analysis of cardiomyocytes phase‐contrast images was developed to extract local cell deformations from videomicroscopy time‐lapse sequences. Test images, synthesized from known intensity displacement fields, were first used to validate the method. Intracellular strain fields were then computed from videomicroscopy time‐lapse sequences of single adult and neonatal cardiomyocytes. The propagation of the sarcomeres contraction–relaxation wave during cell contraction has been successfully quantified. The time‐varying patterns of intracellular displacement were obtained accurately, even when cardiomyocyte bending occurred in pace with contraction. Interestingly, the characterization of the successive 2D displacement fields show a direct quantification of the variation with time of intracellular strains anywhere in the cell. The proposed method enables a quantitative analysis of cardiomyocyte contraction without requiring wave tracking with the use of fluorescent calcium probes. Thus, our algorithmic approach provides a fast and efficient tool for analyzing the correlation between global cell dynamical behavior and mechanosensitive intracellular processes. © 2008 International Society for Advancement of Cytometry
Assimilation into the Literary Mainstream? The Classification of Ethnic Minority Authors in Newspaper Reviews in the United States, the Netherlands and Germany

This article addresses to what extent literary critics in the United States, the Netherlands and Germany have drawn ethnic boundaries in their reviews of ethnic minority writers between 1983 and 2009 and to what extent these boundaries have changed in the course of ethnic minority writers’ careers and across time. By analysing newspaper reviews, we find that American reviewers less often mention the ethnic background of Mexican American authors than their Dutch and German colleagues refer to the background of Moroccan and Turkish minority writers. While these relatively strong ethnic boundaries become weaker over time in the Netherlands (boundary shifting), Turkish German authors encounter particularly strong boundaries in subsequent book publications (ethnicization). In the US the reverse is true: ethnic boundaries weaken after the debut has been reviewed (boundary crossing). The findings are likely to be the result of national differences in the chronic accessibility of ethnic classifications (US and Germany) and specific field dynamics (Netherlands).
Diagnosis, staging and treatment of gastric cancer in Colombia from 2004 to 2008

Received: 18-05-12 Accepted: 23-10-12 Abstract Purpose: The purpose of this study was to collect and analyze data related to the diagnosis, treatment, and outcomes of patients with newly diagnosed gastric cancer (GC) no matter at what stage of the disease diagnosis occurred. Methods: REGATE is an international, multicenter, observational survey of patients with GC. Patients with newly diagnosed primary GC were enrolled from August 2004 to July 2008. Data were collected at an initial visit and again within 10 months of the first consultation. We collected baseline characteristics, staging, diagnosis, and treatment information. Results for Colombia are presented in this article. Results: 600 subjects were enrolled. The mean age among participants was 62.80±12.89 years. 65.2% of the participating subjects were males. 98% had experienced gastric symptoms, and 97.6% had had a previous endoscopy. Mean time from first symptoms to diagnosis was 6.45±6.84 months. Only 6% (36) had family histories of gastric cancer while 68.3% (409) of the subjects had not been assessed for H. pylori infections. Of those assessed only 7.7%, (46) were positive for H. pylori infection. The most frequent primary tumor site was in the antrum (40.9%). 34.4% had poorly differentiated tumors while 34.7% had stage II disease. Surgery was the most frequent treatment (62.0%) followed by palliative therapy (46.3%). The most common neoadjuvant therapies were fluoropyrimidines and platinum salts. Conclusions: More than 95% of the 600 patients were enrolled in REGATE Colombia had complained of gastric symptoms and had had at least one endoscopy. Mean time to diagnosis was 6.45months. The great majority of these subjects had poorly differentiated tumors and had been diagnosed at stage II. The most common treatment was surgery, followed by palliative therapy.
Persistent non‐familial asymptomatic hyperphosphatasemia: a report on three cases

Three male children, aged 9 days, 2 years and 13 years, were found to have elevated serum alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity (hyperphosphatasemia) in the absence of disease. In these three cases, elevation of ALP activity had persisted for 6‐10 years. These patients did not inherit the disease from their parents. Isoenzyme determination revealed a skeletal origin of the elevated ALP in the three patients. They were diagnosed as having persistent non‐familial asymptomatic hyperphosphatasemia (PNAH) which differs from transient and persistent asymptomatic familial hyperphosphatasemia. Reviewing the literature, although the term PNAH had not been used, two similar cases have been reported in a 24‐year‐old female and in a 27‐year‐old female. PNAH may be another type of benign hyperphosphatasemia.
Insurance Gaps Among Vulnerable Children in the United States, 1999–2001

Objective. To quantify the number of children who experience gaps in insurance coverage and to determine whether vulnerable subgroups of children experience noteworthy lapses in insurance coverage. Methods. We analyzed nationally representative data from 24149 children sampled in the 1999–2001 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey linked to the 1997–1999 National Health Interview Survey. Vulnerable subgroups of children included children with chronic conditions, those from ethnic/racial minorities, and those living in poverty. On the basis of cumulative annual monthly insurance coverage status, each child fell into 1 of 3 groups: continuous coverage, uninsured, or gaps in coverage. Using SAS-callable SUDAAN, we conducted multivariate ordinal logistic regression model to quantify the likelihood of having gaps in coverage for vulnerable subgroups of children. Results. From 1999 to 2001, we found that >9 million American children annually had gaps in coverage and that 5 to 6 million children annually were uninsured for the entire year. Sixty percent of children experienced gaps of at least 4 months, and >40% of all publicly and privately insured children had coverage gaps. After accounting for relevant covariates, children with chronic conditions were just as likely as other children to have gaps in coverage or be uninsured; Hispanic children were most likely to have insurance gaps or be uninsured; and children from poor and near-poor families were 4 to 5 times more likely to have lapsed coverage than children from high-income families. Poverty and maternal education were the strongest factors associated with lapsed coverage. Conclusions. Unstable health insurance is an underrecognized problem for children, including those with chronic conditions. Because unstable insurance coverage can lead to inadequate health care utilization and poor child health outcomes, strategies to promote stable insurance coverage merit serious consideration.
Risks of testicular cancer and cryptorchidism in relation to socio‐economic status and related factors: Case‐control studies in Denmark

To explore risk factors for testicular cancer and cryptorchidism, 2 parallel case‐control studies were conducted in Denmark. The testicular‐cancer study was population‐based and included 514 cases and 720 controls. The cryptorchidism study included 387 cases and 416 controls and was based on 2 hospital series of men treated for cryptorchidism and a control group sampled among residents in the Copenhagen area. The 2037 men were interviewed by telephone, and self‐administered questionnaires were sent to their mothers. A strong association was seen between low social class and cryptorchidism, with sons of unskilled workers having a 3‐fold higher risk of cryptorchidism than sons of self‐employed men. Testicular cancer was only moderately associated with high‐social‐class indicators, and only with such indicators pertaining to the mother. Both testicular cancer and cryptorchidism tended to occur more frequently in first‐born men and in sons of older women, but these associations were not statistically significant. Late puberty was associated with reduced risk of testicular cancer. The effect of age at puberty may be due both to advanced age at diagnosis and to the existence of common determinants of age at puberty and testicular cancer. Men who had been treated for cryptorchidism entered puberty later than other men, possibly because of impaired hormonal function of the testes. There was no indication of increased risk of testicular cancer or cryptorchidism in sons of mothers who smoked around the time of conception or during the pregnancy. © 1996 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Highly active antiretroviral therapy and cervical squamous intraepithelial lesions in human immunodeficiency virus-positive women.

BACKGROUND Women infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) have an increased risk of persistent squamous intraepithelial lesions (SILs) of the cervix. We assessed the association between use of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) and regression of SIL in HIV-infected women enrolled in the Women's Interagency HIV Study, a large, multicenter, prospective cohort study. METHODS Of 2059 HIV-infected participants, 312 HIV-infected women had normal cervical cytology at baseline and were subsequently diagnosed during 7 years of follow-up with incident SIL. Pap smears, CD4+ T-cell counts, and information regarding use of HAART were obtained every 6 months. The outcome of interest was lesion regression, defined as two consecutive normal Pap smears 6 months apart. Incidence rates of SIL regression were computed among person-years at risk, both before and after HAART initiation. All statistical tests were two-sided. RESULTS Of 312 women, 141 had lesions that regressed to normal cytology, with a median time to regression of 2.7 years. Overall, the incidence of regression increased (P(trend) =. 002) over time after HAART was introduced. At incident SIL, median CD4+ T-cell counts were lower in women whose lesions did not regress than in women whose lesions regressed (230 versus 336 cells/microL; P<.01). Before HAART was introduced, the rate of lesion regression was 0.0% (95% confidence interval [CI' = 0.0% to 2.4%). After HAART was introduced, the rate was 12.5% (95% CI = 9.9% to 15.1%) and was related to post-HAART CD4+ T-cell counts (P(trend) =. 002). CONCLUSIONS HAART use was associated with increased regression of SIL among HIV-infected women, and among women who used HAART, increased CD4+ T-cell counts were associated with a greater likelihood of regression. However, the majority of cervical lesions among HIV-infected women, even among individuals who used HAART, did not regress to normal.
The Relationships of Hassles and Uplifts to Experience of Health in Working Women

ABSTRACT Swedish women are more ill than men are, often explained by women's heavier total workload. A balanced pattern of daily occupations is believed to promote health. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship of aspects of the pattern of daily occupations and lifestyle factors to working mothers' health and well-being, and whether control influenced any relationships. One hundred working, cohabiting mothers took part in semi-structured interviews targeting health and well-being, control, lifestyle variables, and hassles and uplifts in the pattern of daily occupations. All variables were dichotomised according to a median cut and subjected to logistic regression analyses. Working more and having a university diploma were found to be risk factors for experiencing more hassles. Risk factors for fewer uplifts were having more than two children and fewer leisure occupations. Experiencing less control constituted a risk of low self-rated health and with an additional high level of hassles impacted on the experience of well-being.
31P NMR spectroscopy of phospholipid metabolites in postmortem schizophrenic brain

Evidence has been accumulating that schizophrenia involves abnormalities in the composition and metabolism of cell membrane phospholipids (PLs) in the brain. In vivo 31P MRS has been used to measure the metabolic precursors and degradation products of PL metabolism in schizophrenia. Because in vivo line widths are substantially broader than in solution, only the broad phosphomonoester (PME) and phosphodiester bands, or partly resolved resonances of individual metabolites, are typically measured in vivo in the 31P spectrum. In addition to poor resolution, the relatively low signal‐to‐noise ratio (SNR) makes precise quantitation difficult. An alternative with substantially better resolution and precision for quantitation is high‐resolution NMR spectroscopy of extracts of samples from postmortem brain. Here we determine absolute concentrations of the individual PL metabolites phosphocholine (pc), phosphoethanolamine (pe), glycerophosphocholine (gpc), and glycerophosphoethanolamine in aqueous extracts of tissue from frontal, temporal, and occipital cortex of postmortem brain for schizophrenics, controls, and patients with other mental illnesses (psychiatric controls [PC]) using high‐resolution 31P NMR spectroscopy. For the complete groups, which included both males and females, there were no statistically significant differences for schizophrenics vs. controls for any of the four PL metabolites in any of the three brain regions. Trends (0.05 < P < 0.10) were noted for increased gpc in schizophrenia in all three regions. PC differed from both controls and schizophrenics in several measures. When only males were considered, gpc was significantly (P < 0.05) elevated in all three brain regions in schizophrenia. Magn Reson Med 59:469–474, 2008. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Acute myeloid leukemia in the elderly: therapeutic options and choice

Abstract Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) therapies are rapidly evolving with novel targeted therapies showing high-level responses in a notoriously difficult to treat group of patients – the elderly and unfit. This review will examine the outcomes of older AML patients (>60 years old) with conventional induction strategies, and published literature on risks of pursuit of induction. Low-intensity combination therapy response rates appear to be approaching that of induction regimens, and with lower toxicity, low-intensity therapy likely represents the future standard approach in this age group. Lastly, allogeneic transplant appears to have a role in increasing durable remissions regardless of age and should be considered in patients with limited comorbidities.
Significance of orbital measurements in the fetus.

Orbital imaging is not performed routinely during obstetrical sonography, but the discovery of abnormal orbital diameters provides evidence of fetal dysgenesis. This study was designed to establish the validity of a previously developed orbital nomogram for a high‐risk population and to determine whether proved cases of hypotelorism and hypertelorism fell outside the normal ranges. Inner and outer orbital measurements of 422 fetuses were obtained prospectively during routine obstetrical sonography in a high‐risk patient population. Comparison of these measurements to the previously established nomogram demonstrated that the nomogram is still accurate with current equipment and in a population at high risk for anomalies. In addition, sonograms and autopsy and clinical data from six cases of hypotelorism, two of cyclopia, and three of hypertelorism were reviewed retrospectively. Both inner and outer orbital measurements fell clearly below two standard deviations of the mean in all six cases of hypotelorism. The three cases of hypertelorism had inner orbital measurements above the 95th percentile and outer orbital distances within normal limits but near the 95th percentile. All cases with abnormal orbital distances had associated intra‐ or extracranial abnormalities, including holoprosencephaly, encephalocele, cleft palate, cardiac anomalies, imperforate anus, diaphragmatic hernia, and digit anomalies.
Neuro‐mesodermal patterns in artificially deformed embryonic explants: A role for mechano‐geometry in tissue differentiation

The mutual arrangement of neural and mesodermal rudiments in artificially bent double explants of Xenopus laevis suprablastoporal areas was compared with that of intact explants. While some of the bent explants straightened or became spherical, most retained and actively reinforced the imposed curvature, creating folds on their concave sides and expanding convex surfaces. In the intact explants, the arrangement of neural and mesodermal rudiments exhibited a distinct antero‐posterior polarity, with some variability. In the bent explants, this polarity was lost: the neural rudiments were shifted towards concave while the mesodermal tissues moved towards the convex side, embracing the neural rudiments in a horseshoe‐shaped manner. We associate these drastic changes in neuro‐mesodermal patterning with the active extension and contraction of the convex and concave sides, respectively, triggered by the imposed deformations. We speculate that similar events are responsible for the establishment of neuro‐mesodermal patterns during normal development. Developmental Dynamics 239:885–896, 2010. © 2010 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Brand Service Quality, Satisfaction, Trust and Preference as Predictors of Consumer Brand Loyalty in the Retailing Industry

Notwithstanding the increasing acknowledgement of the prominence of brand loyalty in business performance, research efforts directed at investigating the influence brand service quality, satisfaction and trust on brand loyalty in the context of South African retailing industry have largely been neglected. Therefore, the principal objective of this study is to fill this void. In particular, the current study seeks to explore the direct effects of brand service quality on consumer brand satisfaction and brand trust; and the mediating role of brand satisfaction and trust in brand service quality – brand loyalty relationship. To empirically test the six posited research hypotheses, data was collected from consumers in Vanderbijlpark city of Gauteng Province in South Africa. The collected data was analyzed using Smart PLS statistical software for structural equation modeling. Managerial implications of the research findings are discussed and limitations and future research directions are indicated. DOI: 10.5901/mjss.2013. v4n14p181