Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Very low birth weight outcomes of the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development Neonatal Research Network, January 1993 through December 1994.

OBJECTIVES Our purpose was to determine the mortality and morbidity rates for infants weighing 501 to 1500 g according to gestational age, birth weight, and gender. STUDY DESIGN Perinatal data were collected prospectively on an inborn cohort from January 1993 through December 1994 by 12 participating centers of the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development Neonatal Research Network and were compared with the corresponding data from previous reports. Sociodemographic factors, perinatal events, and the neonatal course to 120 days of life, discharge, or death were evaluated. RESULTS Eighty-three percent of infants survived until discharge to home or to a long- term care facility (compared with 74% in 1988). Survival to discharge was 49% for infants weighing 501 to 750 g at birth, 85% for those 751 to 1000 g, 93% for those 1001 to 1250 g, and 96% for those 1251 to 1500 g. The majority of deaths occurred within the first 3 days of life. Mortality rates were greater for male than for female infants. Respiratory distress syndrome was the most frequent pulmonary disease (52%). Chronic lung disease (defined as an oxygen requirement at 36 weeks after conception) developed in 19%. Thirty-two percent of infants had evidence of intracranial hemorrhage. Periventricular leukomalacia was noted in 6% of infants who had ultrasonography after 2 weeks. The average duration of hospitalization for survivors was 68 days (122 days for surviving infants weighing 501 to 750 g, compared with an average of 43 days for surviving infants 1251 to 1500 g). Among infants who died, the average length of stay was 19 days. CONCLUSIONS The mortality rate for infants weighing between 501 and 1500 g at birth continues to decline. This increase in survival is not accompanied by an increase in medical morbidity. There are interactions between birth weight, gestational age, sex, and survival rates.
EXPANSIONS AND RECESSIONS IN THE MEXICAN STATES: A CLASSICAL BUSINESS CYCLES APPROACH

This paper aims to document expansions and recessions characteristics for 17 states of Mexico over the period 1993-2006 by using a classical business cycle approach. We use the manufacturing production index for each state as the business cycle indicator since it is the only output measure available on a monthly basis. According to this approach, we analyse asymmetries in mean, volatility and duration as well as synchronisation over the business cycle regimes (expansions and recessions) for each case. Our results indicate that recessions are less persistent and more volatile (in general) than expansions in most Mexican states; yet, there is no clear cut evidence on mean asymmetries. In turn, there seems to be strong links between the business cycle regimes within the Northern and Central regions of the country and between states with similar industrialisation patterns, although it is difficult to claim that a national business cycle exists.
Impact of age-adjusted insulin-like growth factor 1 on major cardiovascular events after acute myocardial infarction: results from the fast-MI registry.

BACKGROUND The GH/IGF-1 axis is being targeted for therapeutic development in diseases such as short stature, cancer, and metabolic disorders. The impact of IGF-1 in cardiovascular disease remains controversial. We therefore studied whether IGF-1 at admission for acute myocardial infarction (AMI) predicted death, recurrent AMI, and stroke over a 2-year follow-up. METHODS Using data from the French registry of Acute ST-elevation and non-ST-elevation Myocardial Infarction registry, we measured IGF-1 among all the 1005 patients with AMI who participated in the serum data bank. Because IGF-1 decreases with age, a standardized IGF-1 score was calculated as previously described [IGF-1 score = (log [IGF-1 (micrograms per liter)] + 0.00625 × age - 2.555)/0.104]. Impact of IGF-1 score (continuous and quartiles) on outcomes were compared using Cox proportional hazards regression models. RESULTS During follow-up, 190 patients died or had a recurrent AMI or stroke. Patients in the lowest quartile of IGF-1 were older and more frequently female and diabetic compared with patients in the other quartiles. After adjustment for known cardiovascular factors, an increase of five units of IGF-1 score was associated with a 30% decrease of the risk of events during follow-up (adjusted hazard ratio 0.70; 95% confidence interval 0.54-0.92; P = .0093). Similarly, the lowest quartile of IGF-1 was associated with an increased risk of events (adjusted hazard ratio 1.52, 95% confidence interval 1.11-2.08; compared with others quartiles, P = .010). CONCLUSIONS Low IGF-1 score is associated with an increased risk of all-cause death, recurrent myocardial infarction, and stroke in AMI patients. Whether patients treated by IGF-1 axis inhibitors have a specific clinical course after AMI would be worth studying.
Idiopathic megacolon: A review of 42 cases

Forty‐two patients with idiopathic megacolon who were seen at St Mark's Hospital over an 18‐year period are reviewed with regard to presentation, investigation and management. The differential diagnosis is discussed with particular reference to Hirschsprung's disease. The important aspects of medical treatment are outlined and the possible reasons for failure in more than one‐half of the patients are discussed. The indications for surgical intervention in 14 patients are reviewed. The results following subtotal colectomy were better than following a localized sigmoid resection.
Serum lactogens possessed normal bioactivity in patients with lactation insufficiency

OBJECTIVE insufficient breast milk is the most common reason for premature termination of breast‐feeding. The causes of lactation insufficiency are usually multifactorial; In a small percentage of cases it Is due to primary lactation failure of unknown origin. The aim of this study was to Investigate whether lactation insufficiency of unknown origin could be caused by serum lactogens that had reduced biological activity.
Twenty Years of de facto State Studies: Progress, Problems, and Prospects

• Introduction • Progress o Nation-Building in De Facto States o State-Building in De Facto States o Benefits to the Lack of Recognition? o Democratization without Sovereignty o Data Collection and Empirical Measurements o Engagement without Recognition • Problems o Defining De Facto States o Numbers and Longevity of De Facto States o Polemical and Politicized Discourse • Prospects • Acknowledgment • References • Notes
Duration dependence and time varying variables in discrete time duration models

This paper considers estimation of a dynamic discrete choice model with second order state dependence in the presence of strictly exogenous time-varying explanatory variables. We propose a new method for estimating such models, and a small Monte Carlo study suggests that the method performs well in practice. The method is used to test for duration dependence in labour market spells for young people in France. The novelty in the application is that we are able to control for time-varying explanatory variables. In a discrete time duration model, duration dependence will result in second order state dependence, and the paper therefore also adds to the literature on estimation of duration models with unobserved heterogeneity. (This abstract was borrowed from another version of this item.)
Temperature dependence of DC electrical tree initiation in silicone rubber considering defect type and polarity

In this article, the electrical tree initiation behavior in silicone rubber (SIR) under DC voltage was studied. Tests were conducted to reveal the effects of temperature (20–120 °C), defect type and voltage polarity on electrical tree initiation. In samples with an undamaged needle-tip (N samples), we find that the average tree initiation voltage (Fa«) decreases exponentially with increasing temperature by 42%. Single-branch trees and multiple-branch trees are observed. The probability of generating multiple-branch trees decreases with increasing temperature. In samples where an air gap or crack is in the needle (AN samples), Vati is 55.7% of that in N samples at 20 °C. In AN samples, Vati and tree shape do not change monotonically and Vati varies in a small range as temperature rises. Vati for N samples under negative voltage is much larger than that under positive voltage. This polarity effect is reversed in AN samples. Gas discharge theory and Fröhlich's theory of dielectric breakdown explain electrical tree initiation behavior at different temperatures. Based on differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) results, we believe that partial segment relaxation of SIR at high temperature leads to Vati decreasing. Electrical trees previously generated inside the cable or an air gap created due to mechanical damage cause Vati to of a subsequently generated tree to drop to nearly half of its typical level. This information is useful for the design of HVDC cable insulation.
Tolerance of Infaunal Benthic Foraminifera for Low and High Oxygen Concentrations.

Ammonia beccarii is irregularly distributed in the subtidal sediment of the southern North Sea, with substantial numbers occurring as deep as 35 cm below the water-sediment interface. Deep infaunal specimens are insensitive to high oxygen concentrations (+/-225 {mu}M), and all specimens isolated from different depth intervals continued their normal activities (feeding and growth) when exposed to dysaerobic oxygen content (<12.5 {mu}M). Specimens of E. excavatum, Q. seminulum, and E. scabra, when subjected to the same conditions, behave similarly to A. beccarii. These benthic foraminifera have very low oxygen requirements. The chambers of A. beccarii that are formed in situ at different depth intervals in the sediment have a wide range in the porosity (i.e., % of area occupied by pores) which is adequate for gas exchange under both high and low oxygen conditions. However, chambers formed in the laboratory under dysaerobic conditions have a significantly higher porosity (mainly due to larger pores) than do chambers constructed in well oxygenated water. Foraminifera live at the oxic-anoxic boundary throughout the sediment and therefore must occasionally be subjected to completely anoxic conditions. A. beccarii, E. excavatum, and Q. seminulum actively survived at least 24 h without oxygen, indicating that they are capable of facultative anaerobic metabolism.
Region-specific expression of cell cycle inhibitors in the adult brain

In the adult brain, neural proliferation is almost absent and neurons are generally not renewed. By contrast, in the olfactory organ, olfactory neurons are produced continuously throughout life. To investigate whether specific cell cycle inhibitors are involved in the control of neural quiescence in adulthood, we compared their expression either in different regions of the adult brain weakly or non neurogenic or, for comparison, in the olfactory mucosa. We show that numerous cell cycle inhibitors are expressed in the adult brain either in an ubiquitous fashion (as p19Ink4d) or in specific brain regions (p15Ink4b in the forebrain, p27Kip1 and p21Cip1 in the cerebellum). By contrast p18Ink4c was expressed detectably only in the highly neurogenic olfactory epithelium. The present data suggest that various CDK inhibitors may be involved in a region-specific fashion in the maintenance of nerve cell quiescence in adults.
[Serological diagnosis methods of schistosomiasis japonica at different prevalence: a meta-analysis].

OBJECTIVE To comprehensively evaluate the effects of indirect hemagglutination test (IHA) , enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), and dipstick dye method (DDIA) in the diagnosis of schistosomiasis japonica at different prevalence by using Meta-analysis. METHODS Through the literature review according to the inclusion and exclusion criteria, a database was established, and by using Meta-disc and R software, the Meta-analysis was performed including the threshold test, heterogeneity test, weighted by the quantitative effect of merger, SROC curve fitting, etc. RESULTS A total of 60 papers were included in the final analysis. The sensitivities of IHA were 0.84, 0.76 and 0.94 in heavy, medium and low endemic areas, and specificities were 0.73, 0.64 and 0.73 respectively; the sensitivities of ELISA were 0.88, 0.80 and 0.93 in heavy, medium and low endemic areas, and the specificities were 0.59, 0.59 and 0.62 respectively; the sensitivities of DDIA were 0.93, 0.81 and 0.93 in the heavy, medium and low endemic areas, and specificities were 0.66, 0.69 and 0.59 respectively. The weighted sensitivities of IHA, ELISA and DDIA were 0.83, 0.87 and 0.90 respectively; the weighted specificities were 0.69, 0.60 and 0.62 respectively. The areas under the curve of SROC were 0.89, 0.96 and 0.92 in IHA, ELISA and DDIA respectively. CONCLUSIONS In different prevalence, the effectiveness of different methods for serological diagnosis of schistosomiasis is different. The sensitivity and specificity of all diagnostic methods of schistosomiasis need to further improve.
Huntington's disease–like 2 is associated with CUG repeat‐containing RNA foci

Huntington's disease–like 2 (HDL2) is caused by a CAG/CTG expansion mutation on chromosome 16q24.3. The repeat falls, in the CTG orientation, within a variably spliced exon of junctophilin‐3 (JPH3). The existence of a JPH3 splice variant with the CTG repeat in 3′ untranslated region suggested that transcripts containing an expanded CUG repeat could play a role in the pathogenesis of HDL2, similar to the proposed pathogenic role of expanded CUG repeats in myotonic dystrophy type 1 (DM1). The goal of this study, therefore, was to test the plausibility of an RNA gain‐of‐function component in the pathogenesis of HDL2.
Multitask electrical stimulation for cortical language mapping: Hints for necessity and economic mode of application

Purpose: Electrical stimulation mapping (ESM) is the gold standard for identifying language‐relevant cortex prior to neurosurgical resections near the eloquent cortex. However, its application mode is not standardized, as some procedures rely on a single task, whereas others depend on task batteries. In this study, we examine whether multitask ESM is necessary, quantify the information loss that occurs from restricting the number of applied tasks, and search for a procedure that allows for time‐efficient, multitask ESM.
Are individual differences in appetitive and defensive motivation related? A psychophysiological examination in two samples

Appetitive and defensive motivation account for a good deal of variance in personality and mental health, but whether individual differences in these systems are correlated or orthogonal has not been conclusively established. Previous investigations have generally relied on self-report and have yielded conflicting results. We therefore assessed the relation between psychophysiological indices of appetitive and defensive motivation during elicitation of these motivational states: specifically, frontal electroencephalogram asymmetry during reward anticipation and startle response during anticipation of predictable or unpredictable threat of shock. Results in a sample of psychopathology-free community members (n=63), an independent sample of undergraduates with a range of internalising symptoms (n=64), and the combination of these samples (n=127) revealed that differences in responding to the two tasks were not significantly correlated. Average coefficients approached zero in all three samples (community: .04, undergraduate: −.01, combined: .06). Implications of these findings for research on normal and abnormal personality are discussed.
Impact Of Foreign Direct Investment On Environment Degradation: Evidence From SIDS Countries

ABSTRACT:This paper examines the impact of foreign direct investments on environment degradation in the SIDS group by using a sample of six small island developing states for the time period 2004-2014. It provides a better understanding on the relationship between FDI inflows with its control variables and environment pollution. The results show that there is no positive and significant relationship between FDI and CO2 emissions, that is, FDI has no negative impact on the environment. This outcome was contrary to our expectations but can be attributed and explained by the fact that FDI are perceived as the main sources of cleaner advanced technology and sustainable modes of production to the SIDS. The results indicate that a rise in FDI does not lead to a significant increase in the levels of CO2 emissions in SIDS countries. In other words, foreign investments do not appear to facilitate the growth of pollution havens in amongst the SIDS. Furthermore, the combined effects of the fixed effect model and SUR suggests that FDI and its control variables do not contribute to the higher level of CO2 emissions in SIDS economies. A possible explanation for this optimistic finding is that FDI may help emerging economies like the small islands developing states to modernize and upgrade the quality of their capital stock and such technology effects may translate into lower air pollution. The results are consistent with Liang (2006), Pao and Tsai (2011), Fereidouni (2013) and Hassaballa (2013) who argued that FDI does not increase pollution levels the results provide useful information to policymakers of these small island developing states, as it suggests that these countries can concentrate their efforts in attracting higher levels of FDI inflows into their economies. Though there have been several papers which analyzed the FDI-Environment relationship, this is the first one which studied the impact of FDI inflows on environment degradation in the SIDS.
Spatial Coupling in the Coordination of Complex Actions

The majority of investigations on coordinated action have focused on temporal constraints in movements. Recent studies have demonstrated spatial constraints when the hands produce different trajectory shapes simultaneously. The focus of the current study was to determine whether spatial coupling occurs in individual parameters of the actions, or whether the shapes per se undergo accommodation. Subjects were tested on a bimanual paradigm to investigate the nature of spatial constraints in complex tasks. Shape and size of the required trajectories were varied for the two limbs. When trajectories that require different shapes were assigned to the two hands, disruption in the spatial characteristics of the trajectories was observed. Disruption in the global patterns of the trajectories could be described on the basis of coupling in individual parameters of action, direction, and amplitude, which could be inferred by decomposing the trajectories into orthogonal components. Amplitude accommodation in these orthogonal components of motion increased linearly with the difference in required amplitude for the two limbs. Interpretations of these effects suggest that directional coupling is a result of interference between two different response plans, whereas amplitude coupling may be related to either planning or execution variables. These results strongly suggest the need for further investigation of the spatial domain of complex coordinated action.
Value of pelvic examination and imaging modality for the evaluation of tumor size in cervical cancer.

OBJECTIVE The purpose of this study was to compare the accuracy of pelvic examination versus imaging modality such as computed tomography (CT) or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in the measurement of the tumor size of invasive cervical carcinoma based on pathologic findings. METHODS Patients with stage Ib-II cervical cancer who underwent primary surgical treatment between January 2003 and December 2005 were evaluated retrospectively. One hundred three consecutive patients aged 24 to 81 years (mean age, 50.6 years), who had not received any treatment previously were included in this study. Accuracy of preoperative CT or MRI versus pelvic examination in the measurement of tumor size was compared based on pathologic findings. All patients were examined and staged clinically by the gynecologic oncologist. Surgery was performed within 2 weeks after imaging studies. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics. RESULTS The largest diameter of the tumor measured by pathologic findings was 2.76+/-1.76 cm. Based on pathologic findings, accuracy was estimated by the degree of agreement with a difference of <0.5 or 1.0 cm between the measurements of tumor size obtained by pelvic examination and imaging modality. Pelvic examination and imaging modality had an accuracy of 46.6% and 39.8%, respectively, with a difference of <0.5 cm, and an accuracy of 72.8% and 55.3%, respectively, with a difference of <1.0 cm. Correlation with pathologic findings was higher for pelvic examination (r(s)=0.680) than for imaging modality (r(s)=0.410). In determining the size of tumor mass differentiating >4.0 cm from </=4.0 cm, imaging modality showed higher accuracy than pelvic examination. CONCLUSION For the patients with stage Ib to II cervical cancer, pelvic examination is superior to imaging modality with regard to evaluation of the tumor size. However, imaging modality may be accurate for evaluating bulky tumors of cervical cancer.
Stabilization of Urokinase and Urokinase Receptor mRNAs by HuR Is Linked to Its Cytoplasmic Accumulation Induced by Activated Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase-Activated Protein Kinase 2

ABSTRACT The mRNAs of urokinase plasminogen activator (uPA) and its receptor, uPAR, contain instability-determining AU-rich elements (AREs) in their 3′ untranslated regions. The cellular proteins binding to these RNA sequences (AREuPA/uPAR) are not known. We show here that the mRNA-stabilizing factor HuR functionally interacts with these sequences. HuR stabilized an AREuPA-containing RNA substrate in vitro and stabilized in HeLa Tet-off cells both endogenous uPA and uPAR mRNAs and a β-globin reporter mRNA containing the AREuPA. RNAi-mediated depletion of HuR in BT-549 and MDA-MB-231 cells significantly reduced the steady-state levels of endogenous uPA and uPAR mRNAs. Furthermore, we show that a constitutively active form of mitogen-activated protein kinase-activated protein kinase 2 (MK2), MK2-EE, has an ARE-mRNA-stabilizing effect that correlates with its ability to enhance the cytoplasmic accumulation of endogenous HuR, but not in cells cotransfected with a dominant negative version of MK2, MK2-K76R. These effects were mimicked by hydrogen peroxide treatment (oxidative stress), which resulted in the phosphorylation of endogenous MK2. In addition, hydrogen peroxide treatment enhanced the cytoplasmic binding of HuR to the AREuPA, which was abrogated in cells transfected with MK2-K76R. These results indicate a role for HuR and MK2 in regulating the expression of uPA and uPAR genes at the posttranscriptional level.