Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Effects of tactile-kinesthetic stimulation in preterms: a controlled trial.

BACKGROUND To determine the effects of tactile-kinesthetic stimulation to preterms on physiologic parameters, physical growth and behavioral development. DESIGN Controlled trial. SETTING The premature unit (growing nursery) of a large, teaching hospital. SUBJECTS 48 well preterms with birth weights between 1000-2000 grams. INTERVENTION The neonates were systematically allocated into test and control groups. Test babies received tactile-kinesthetic stimulation in the form of a structured baby massage from day 3 to term corrected age. They were observed for changes in vital parameters (heart rate, respiration, temperature and oxygen saturation) during the first few days of stimulation in hospital. Thereafter, massage was continued at home. Changes in weight, length and head circumference and neuro-behavior (Brazelton Neuro-Behavioral Assessment Scale) were assessed in both groups before, during and after the study period. RESULTS An increase in heart rate (within physiologic range) was seen in the test group during stimulation. This group also showed a weight gain of 4.24 g/day more than controls, which was statistically significant. On the Brazelton Scale the test group showed statistically significant improved scores on the "orientation", "range of state", "regulation of state" and "autonomic stability" clusters at follow-up. No significant complications were noted. A positive correlation was found between the duration of stimulation in days and the weight gain in grams but this did not reach statistical significance. CONCLUSIONS Tactile-kinesthetic stimulation when administered to well, preterm infants has a beneficial effect on growth and behavioral development with no adverse effects on physiologic parameters.
A Microeconomic Analysis of the Declining Labor Share in Japan

The labor share in Japan has been declining significantly over the last three decades, accompanied by persistent stagnation and an unprecedented increase in economic inequalities. Since these dynamics are likely to be interrelated, understanding the drivers of the labor share might contribute significantly to the Japanese economic and policy debate. Surprisingly, the existing literature on the labor share in Japan is rather limited and confined to country or industry studies. We first attempt to analyze the drivers of the labor share in Japan at the firm level. To this aim, we employ a panel of manufacturing firms from the Basic Survey of Japanese Business Structure and Activities, spanning from 2001 to 2012. By means of panel data estimators, we show how, besides technological variables, firms’ labor share depends significantly on the share of regular workers, on the importance of firms’ international engagement, and on various institutional settings of the product and labor markets.
Red blood cell delta15N: a novel biomarker of dietary eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid intake.

BACKGROUND The long-chain omega-3 (n-3) fatty acids derived from fish, eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), are associated with a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease and other chronic diseases. Study of the associations between EPA and DHA intake and disease requires a valid biomarker of dietary intake; however, the direct measurement of tissue fatty acid concentrations is expensive and time consuming. OBJECTIVE Because the nitrogen stable isotope ratio ((15)N/(14)N, expressed as delta(15)N) is elevated in fish, we investigated whether delta(15)N is a valid alternative biomarker of EPA and DHA intake. DESIGN We examined the relation between red blood cell (RBC) delta(15)N and RBC EPA and DHA in a community-based sample of 496 Yup'ik Eskimos with widely varying intake of n-3 fatty acids. We also assessed the correlation between delta(15)N and dietary EPA and DHA intake based on 24-h dietary recalls and 3-d food records completed by a subset of 221 participants. RESULTS RBC delta(15)N was strongly correlated with RBC EPA and DHA (r = 0.83 and 0.75, respectively). These correlations differed only modestly by sex and age class. RBC delta(15)N also correlated with dietary EPA and DHA intake (r = 0.47 and 0.46, respectively) and did not differ by sex and age. CONCLUSIONS The results strongly support the validity of RBC delta(15)N as a biomarker of EPA and DHA intake. Because the analysis of RBC delta(15)N is rapid and inexpensive, this method could facilitate wide-scale assessment of EPA and DHA intake in clinical and epidemiologic studies.
Synapse loss is greater in presenile than senile onset Alzheimer disease: implications for the cognitive reserve hypothesis

In the past, ‘Alzheimer disease’ (AD) referred to pathologic AD with clinical onset of dementia in the presenium, while ‘senile dementia of the Alzheimer type’ (SDAT) referred to senile onset AD. Because AD appears clinically homogeneous regardless of age of onset, the two subtypes in more recent years have not been distinguished. Pathologic differences have been noted, but synapse loss has not previously been compared between the two groups. Hypothesizing that synapse loss would be greater in presenile onset than senile onset AD, we compared synapse loss, as well as Alzheimer pathology in presenile and senile onset AD, using an ELISA method to quantify synaptophysin. Synaptophysin was significantly lower in presenile than senile AD in right frontal and bilateral parietal lobes. Neuritic plaque counts were significantly higher in presenile than senile AD in bilateral frontal and parietal lobes. Semi‐quantitative evaluation of neurofibrillary tangles revealed significantly more tangles in bilateral frontal and parietal lobes in presenile than senile AD. Brain weight was significantly lower in presenile than senile AD. The differences in synapse loss and Alzheimer‐type pathology in presenile and senile onset AD support the hypothesis that ‘cognitive reserve’ protects the human brain from neurodegenerative disease.
Expression of p-STAT3 and vascular endothelial growth factor in MNNG-induced precancerous lesions and gastric tumors in rats.

AIM To investigate the dynamic expression of p-signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in the formation of gastric tumors induced by drinking water containing N-methyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine (MNNG) in Wistar rats. METHODS One hundred and twenty Wistar rats were randomly divided into two groups (60 in each group): Control group and Model group. The rats in each group were then randomly divided into three groups (20 in each group): C/M15, C/M25 and C/M40 (15, 25 and 40 represent the number of feeding weeks from termination). Rats in the control group received normal drinking water and rats in the model group received drinking water containing 100 μg/mL MNNG. Stomach tissues were collected at the end of the 15(th), 25(th) and 40(th) week, respectively, for microscopic measurement using hematoxylin and eosin staining. The expression of p-STAT3 and VEGF in different pathological types of gastric tissue, including normal, inflammation, atrophy, hyperplasia and gastric stromal tumor, was observed by immunohistochemistry and Western blot, and the corelation between p-STAT3 and VEGF was analyzed. RESULTS (1) The expression of p-STAT3 in tissue with gastritis, atrophy, dysplasia and gastric stromal tumor were significantly increased in the model group compared with the control group (2.5 ± 1.0, 2.75 ± 0.36, 6.2 ± 0.45, 5.67 ± 0.55 vs 0.75 ± 0.36, P = 0.026, 0.035, 0.001, 0.002, respectively); the expression of p-STAT3 in tissue with dysplasia was higher than that in samples with gastritis or atrophy (6.2 ± 0.45 vs 2.5 ± 1.0, P = 0.006; 6.2 ± 0.45 vs 2.75 ± 0.36, P = 0.005, respectively); however, the expression of p-STAT3 in gastritis and atrophy was not significantly different (P > 0.05); (2) the expression of VEGF in tissue with gastritis, atrophy, dysplasia and gastric stromal tumor was significantly increased in the model group compared with normal gastric mucosa; and the expression of VEGF in tissue with dysplasia was higher than that in tissue with inflammation and atrophy (10.8 ± 1.96 vs 7.62 ± 0.25, P = 0.029; 10.8 ± 1.96 vs 6.26 ± 0.76, P = 0.033, respectively); similarly, the expression of VEGF in tissue with gastritis and atrophy was not significantly different (P > 0.05); and (3) the expression of VEGF was positively correlated with p-STAT3. CONCLUSION p-STAT3 plays an important role in gastric cancer formation by regulating the expression of VEGF to promote the progression of gastric tumor from gastritis.
Determination of indigestible neutral detergent fibre contents of grasses and its prediction from chemical composition

Five grass species ( glomerata L., Phleum pratense L., Lolium perenne L., Festuca arundinacea L. and the hybrid Felina ( Lolium multiflorum L. × Festuca arundinacea L.)), commonly used in roughages for ruminants, were harvested at different maturities of primary growth ( n = 60) and evalu - ated for contents of dry matter (DM), crude protein (CP), ash, crude fat, neutral detergent fibre (NDF), acid detergent fibre (ADF), acid detergent lignin (ADL), indigestible neutral detergent fibre (INDF) and digestible neutral detergent fibre (DNDF). INDF and DNDF contents were determined by in sacco rumen degrada - tion of grasses for 12 days in non-lactating cows. ADL content was found to be highly correlated ( P < 0.05) with DNDF (r = -0.87) and presented a reliable ( R 2 = 0.78; residual mean square error of 17.65 g/kg DM; P < 0.0001) parameter to predict INDF contents. Over a six-week period of maturation INDF contents increased (P < 0.0001) in all studied grasses. It was confirmed by this study that the INDF contents of grasses, which markedly increased during maturation, could be effectively predicted from ADL contents.
Derivatives and Market (Il)liquidity

We study how derivatives (with nonlinear payoffs) affect the liquidity of their underlying assets. In a noisy rational expectations equilibrium, informed investors expect low conditional volatility and sell derivatives to others. These derivative trades affect investors' utility differently, possibly amplifying liquidity risk. As investors delta hedge their derivative positions, price impact in the underlying drops, suggesting improved liquidity, because informed trading is diluted. In contrast, effects on price reversal are ambiguous, depending on investors’ relative delta hedging sensitivity, i.e., the gamma of the derivatives. The model cautions of potential disconnections between illiquidity measures and liquidity risk premium due to derivatives trading.
Heart weight in infants—a comparison between Sudden Infant Death Syndrome and other causes of death

Heart and body weights were compared with regard to heart pathology and cause of death in well‐defined groups of infants under I y of age. In the period 1980 to 1998, out of 468 infants autopsied at the Department of Forensic Medicine in Stockholm, Sweden, 331 died of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), while 137 died of other causes. Physical violence was the known cause of death in 30 infants and cardiovascular malformations in another 19. Inflammatory alterations of the myocardium were found in 74 cases (16%): in 17 cases (3.6%) myocarditis was interpreted as the main cause of death; in 45 (10%) it was interpreted as contributing to SIDS and in 12 cases (2.5%) it was observed but judged not to be a contributory cause of death in non‐SIDS victims. Two of these infants died as a result of physical violence. Body weight was the best predictor for heart weight as analysed by multiple regression, including age, sex, body weight, length, BMI and birth weight. An equation for estimating heart weight from body weight gave an accuracy within the range 0.75–1.25 in 89.2% and 85.0% of the SIDS and non‐SIDS groups, respectively.
Social and cultural contexts of concurrency in a township in Cape Town, South Africa

Understanding the social and cultural context in which concurrent sexual partnerships exist is important, given recent interventions to reduce their prevalence. This qualitative study seeks to improve the understanding of concurrent partnerships and perceptions of the link between concurrency and HIV risk in a South African township in Cape Town. Small-group discussion and focus-group participants reported that concurrency was a common phenomenon in their township. The most commonly cited reasons for participating in concurrent partnerships were material and financial exchange or gain and sexual dissatisfaction with partners. Although participants believed that being in a concurrent relationship increases the risk of acquiring HIV, they did not believe this discourages many people from engaging in these behaviours. This study highlights that concurrency in this context may be a social norm that is resistant to change. The efficacy of current programmes aimed at reducing concurrency needs to be examined in this context. Our findings suggest that improving economic independence at the individual level and improving sexual satisfaction within partnerships may have some leverage for concurrency reduction. An alternative approach to strengthen combination HIV-prevention strategies could be to increase condom use with the additional/side partners, whose predominant role is often perceived in terms of sex, with messages centred on the notion that sex with additional partner(s) should not endanger the main partner.
Patterns of international technology acquisition in a post catch-up country: the case of Korean firms

ABSTRACT This study aims to examine the use of international technology acquisition strategies in post catch-up countries, using the case of Korea. For this purpose, we collected a unique data set that describes technology acquisition activities in all Korean firms, from 2009 to 2011, as well as the basic characteristics of each firm. Eight unique acquisition patterns are specified through the self-organizing map (SOM), and a set of follow-up analyses are conducted to provide practical and discussible insights. Based on the eight patterns identified at the firm level, we argue that technology acquisition activities are diversified in post catch-up countries, relative to catch-up countries, with improvements of their internal capabilities. The research contributes to an expanded understanding of innovation strategies in the post catch-up context, and has practical implications that facilitate the innovation of firms in such countries, through international collaboration.
Inositol 1,4,5‐trisphosphate receptor 1 degradation in mouse eggs and impact on [Ca2+]i oscillations

The initiation of normal embryo development depends on the completion of all events of egg activation. In all species to date, egg activation requires an increase(s) in the intracellular concentration of calcium ([Ca2+]i), which is almost entirely mediated by inositol 1,4,5‐trisphosphate receptor 1 (IP3R1). In mammalian eggs, fertilization‐induced [Ca2+]i responses exhibit a periodic pattern that are called [Ca2+]i oscillations. These [Ca2+]i oscillations are robust at the beginning of fertilization, which occurs at the second metaphase of meiosis, but wane as zygotes approach the pronuclear stage, time after which in the mouse oscillations cease altogether. Underlying this change in frequency are cellular and biochemical changes associated with egg activation, including degradation of IP3R1, progression through the cell cycle, and reorganization of intracellular organelles. In this study, we investigated the system requirements for IP3R1 degradation and examined the impact of the IP3R1 levels on the pattern of [Ca2+]i oscillations. Using microinjection of IP3 and of its analogs and conditions that prevent the development of [Ca2+]i oscillations, we show that IP3R1 degradation requires uniform and persistently elevated levels of IP3. We also established that progressive degradation of the IP3R1 results in [Ca2+]i oscillations with diminished periodicity while a near complete depletion of IP3R1s precludes the initiation of [Ca2+]i oscillations. These results provide insights into the mechanism involved in the generation of [Ca2+]i oscillations in mouse eggs. J. Cell. Physiol. 222:238–247, 2010. © 2009 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
The Role of Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone in Cancer Cell Proliferation and Metastasis

In several human malignant tumors of the urogenital tract, including cancers of the endometrium, ovary, urinary bladder, and prostate, it has been possible to identify expression of gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) and its receptor as part of an autocrine system, which regulates cell proliferation. The expression of GnRH receptor has also been identified in breast cancers and non-reproductive cancers such as pancreatic cancers and glioblastoma. Various investigators have observed dose- and time-dependent growth inhibitory effects of GnRH agonists in cell lines derived from these cancers. GnRH antagonists have also shown marked growth inhibitory effects on most cancer cell lines. This indicates that in the GnRH system in cancer cells, there may not be a dichotomy between GnRH agonists and antagonists. The well-known signaling mechanisms of the GnRH receptor, which are present in pituitary gonadotrophs, are not involved in forwarding the antiproliferative effects of GnRH analogs in cancer cells. Instead, the GnRH receptor activates a phosphotyrosine phosphatase (PTP) and counteracts with the mitogenic signal transduction of growth factor receptors, which results in a reduction of cancer cell proliferation. The PTP activation, which is induced by GnRH, also inhibits G-protein-coupled estrogen receptor 1 (GPER), which is a membrane-bound receptor for estrogens. GPER plays an important role in breast cancers, which do not express the estrogen receptor α (ERα). In metastatic breast, ovarian, and endometrial cancer cells, GnRH reduces cell invasion in vitro, metastasis in vivo, and the increased expression of S100A4 and CYR61. All of these factors play important roles in epithelial–mesenchymal transition. This review will summarize the present state of knowledge about the GnRH receptor and its signaling in human cancers.
Understanding Cultural Differences in Consumers’ Reactions to Foreign-Market Brand Extensions: The Role of Thinking Styles

One popular strategy for brands to grow outside of their home markets is to use line extensions. Although extensive research has examined how factors such as culture influence product acceptance across markets, far less is known regarding how such factors influence parent brand perceptions in response to an extension. This article investigates the role of one aspect of culture, consumers’ thinking styles, in terms of postextension parent brand spillover effects, and considers potential implications for firms’ global brand strategies, including the extension’s direction (upward or downward) and parent brand concept (functional or prestige). Through two studies, one using consumer panels in the United States and India and the other set in the United States, the authors examine consumer-level differences by measuring thinking styles. Results based on both studies indicate that vertical line extension type affects analytic thinkers’ reactions more than those of holistic thinkers, and parent brand image benefits (suffers) when a vertical line extension is for a functional (prestige) brand, regardless of consumers’ thinking style. The authors find interesting differences in the role of thinking styles based on the particular dimension examined.
Growth prospects, the natural interest rate, and monetary policy

Abstract The recovery from the Global Financial Crisis was characterized by sluggish output growth and by inflation remaining persistently below the inflation targets of central banks in many advanced economies despite an unprecedented monetary expansion. Ten years after the Global Financial Crisis, GDP remains below its pre-crisis trend in many economies and interest rates continue to be very low. This raises the question of whether low GDP growth and low interest rates are a temporary phenomenon or are due to a decline in long-run growth prospects (potential output growth) and equilibrium real interest rates (natural interest rate). Addressing this question is important for central banks for conducting monetary policy and adjusting their strategy. In this paper, the authors address this question based on a review of the literature and an evaluation of the most recent data and discuss implications for monetary policy.
Community-based evaluation of etanercept in patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

OBJECTIVES Etanercept is one of a new subgroup of biological disease modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARD) to treat patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) who are non-responsive or intolerant to conventional DMARD. We evaluated the effects of etanercept (Enbrel) therapy in patients with RA in community-based clinical practice in Canada. METHODS Using a cohort design, patients requesting etanercept therapy were stratified into treatment and control arms based upon their individual accessibility to obtain the drug. Patients were interviewed serially during a 12-month period of monitoring. The study measured painful or tender joint count, morning stiffness, pain severity, quality of life measures, medication utilization, health services utilization, and presence of adverse events. RESULTS The baseline demographic and clinical variables for the treatment group (n = 223) and the control group (n = 208) were similar, except for education, income, and drug plan coverage. In followup, there was greater improvement in most clinical variables in the treatment arm compared to the control arm during the first 6 months, but the magnitude of difference between the 2 groups for some clinical variables decreased or became non-significant during the second 6 months. During the 12 month followup period there were 40 (18%) patient dropouts in the treatment group. CONCLUSION In a community based setting for the treatment of RA, etanercept can effectively improve the disease state, functional class, work disability, and quality of life during the first 6 months of use. To determine the longterm sustainability of these effects studies with more than 12 months' duration will be required.