Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The 100 most-cited articles from JMB.

Over the last 40 years, JMB has published many thousands of articles, all of which have been important in some way. Compiling a list of the 'most important' however, is an invidious task. Friendships can falter on such an undertaking, but the Institute of Scientific Information has provided us with an objective methodology for 'ranking' articles, according to the number of times any paper is cited in other publications. This evaluation can of course be criticised for its bias towards papers describing novel techniques or methods. Often, the true intellectual milestones may be found in the reference list of the most cited papers. With increasing age, each paper also has more time in which to have been cited, and so the group of highest scoring articles is also dominated by some of the oldest. On the other hand, with increasing time, papers have an increasing chance of being forgotten, and the citation rates of these are therefore also a measure of their persisting importance. On balance, it does represent a value in some way related to how often that paper has been used. With many caveats, we present the list of the 100 most cited papers in JMB over the past 40 years. Many of these papers have helped or influenced both a great many people, and a great many subsequent advances in molecular biology.
Determinants of the allocation of resources and their efficiency implications in less developed countries

Less developed countries typically exhibit lower output per worker and too few medium firms compared to developed economies. The purpose of this thesis is to isolate the distortions driving this misallocation of resources and examine their efficiency implications. Using firm-level data, we show that the probability of being audited for taxes increases significantly around a size threshold of 30 employees in Uganda. This results in a break in the density of firm size around this size threshold and in significantly higher [lower] capital-labour ratios [growth rate] for firms below the size threshold. We argue that entrepreneurs on the verge of having a medium firm hide below the size threshold to avoid a rise in expected regulation costs. They can then substitute capital for labor to scale-up production and wait for a productivity shock that will offset the cost of growing. Other explanations such as a differential in technology or in factor prices due to inefficient credit markets do not reconcile the patterns observed in the data. Based on these empirical evidence we extend Hopenhayn [1992a]’s model with heterogeneous firms to include the tax and credit environment observed in Uganda. Under some simplifying assumptions we solve the model analytically and derive comparative statics for the parameters of interest. We finally revert to the full-blown version of the model and estimate it by Indirect Inference. The calibration strategy consists in choosing a set of structural parameters such that the model generates endogenous patterns in capital-labor ratios, growth of output and firm size density similar to the data. We show that the model does a reasonable job at explaining the data along several dimensions using a set of over-identifying restrictions. We conduct a positive analysis by comparing the effect of the uneven auditing scheme and credit constraints. Finally, we suggest policy interventions to improve efficiency in Uganda.
Caries, bitewings, and treatment decisions.

BACKGROUND The most common adjunct to the visual and tactile clinical examination for dental caries is the bitewing radiograph. The aim of this study was to report on treatment planning decisions made by Victorian dentists when given a range of predetermined radiographic scenarios. METHODS A postal survey was conducted to obtain data from 550 dentists selected systematically (every fourth dentist) from the register of the Dental Board of Victoria (1996). RESULTS The survey response rate was 64 per cent. Fifty per cent of responding dentists selected an operative intervention for radiographic lesions confined to enamel. CONCLUSIONS A review of current dental literature does not support this approach because a large proportion of proximal tooth surfaces that have associated radiolucencies confined to enamel are not cavitated. This study supports the need for continuing education programmes on the management of dental caries; such programmes should follow an evidence-based model.
Acute Renal Failure and Multiple Organ Dysfunction in the ICU: From Renal Replacement Therapy (RRT) to Multiple Organ Support Therapy (MOST)

Renal replacement therapy (RRT) has evolved from the concept that we need to treat the dysfunction of a single organ (the kidney). As intensive care units have become more and more complex, it has become clear that the majority of patients with acute renal failure often have dysfunction of several other organs. In order to facilitate single organ support in this setting, continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT) techniques have been developed. However, CRRT has opened the door to the concept that targeting renal support as the only goal of extracorporeal blood purification may be a simplistic view of our therapeutic aims. In this article we argue that it is now time to move from the simple goal of achieving adequate renal support. The proper goal of extracorporeal blood purification in ICU should be multi-organ support therapy (MOST). We explain why MOST represents the most logical future conceptual and practical evolution of CRRT and illustrates the biological rationale, supplying animal and clinical evidence that confirms the need to move rapidly in this direction theoretically, practically and technologically.
A novel model of optic nerve injury established by microsurgery using the pterional approach in cats.

BACKGROUND Experimental studies have yielded a wealth of information related to the pathological mechanism of optic nerve injury. However, there is no suitable animal model to study intracranial optic nerve injury. AIM To establish an experimental model of acute optic nerve injury. MATERIAL AND METHODS We established an animal model of acute intracranial optic nerve injury using the classic pterional approach in cats and investigated electrophysiological and ultrastructural changes. We applied immunohistochemical staining to examine the expression of glial fibrillary acid protein, neurofilament protein, myelin basic protein pre- and post-injury. RESULTS We successfully established an animal model of acute intracranial optic nerve injury. CONCLUSION The pathological processes of acute optic nerve injury may involve the following series of steps. Direct mechanical injury of the optic nerve leads to the death of oligodendrocytes in the optic nerve, which consequently results in optic nerve demyelination. Following optic nerve injury, the astrocytes in the injured area die and produce excitatory amino acids, which have an adverse effect on neurons, resulting in the proliferation and activation of astrocytes. The astrocytes can absorb the glutamic acid and transform it into atoxic glutamine. The glutamic acid can then injure retinal ganglion cells, resulting in the reduction of neurofilament proteins in the axons. We believe that the application of the pterional approach to establish optic nerve injury animal models has both a clinical and theoretical basis.
Evaluation of possible inflammatory bowel disease: a survey of Rhode Island physicians.

BACKGROUND Patients with undiagnosed inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) are often evaluated initially by primary care physicians (PCPs). Despite the frequency with which PCPs evaluate chronic abdominal pain and chronic diarrhea, little is known about how they approach these symptoms. OBJECTIVES To determine the diagnostic practices and referral patterns of PCPs when confronting a patient with potential IBD. METHODS We conducted a mail survey of PCPs practicing in Rhode Island. Clinical vignettes describing patients with chronic abdominal pain and chronic diarrhea were presented. Respondents were asked to indicate how they would evaluate these scenarios and when they would refer to a specialist. RESULTS 432 PCPs were surveyed; 35.6% responded. Wide variation in PCPs' definitions of chronic abdominal pain and chronic diarrhea was found, with only 26% and 51% of physicians, respectively, defining these symptoms to be chronic per standard definitions. Laboratory testing was found to vary significantly with practice type (p < 0.01 for 2 patient groups). Patient age influenced the ordering of diagnostic imaging (p < 0.0001), while patient gender did not. CONCLUSIONS There is significant variability among PCPs in the threshold after which common gastrointestinal symptoms become chronic as well as in their diagnostic evaluation of these symptoms. This variability may lead to a lag in the diagnosis of IBD and influence patient outcomes.
Phosphodiesterase-4 inhibitors as a novel approach for the treatment of respiratory disease: cilomilast

Phosphodiesterase-4 (PDE4) is an important cAMP-metabolising enzyme in immune and inflammatory cells, airway smooth muscle and pulmonary nerves. The phosphodiesterase 4 (PDE4) enzyme plays a significant role in modulating the activity of cAMP, an important second messenger that mediates the relaxation of airway smooth muscle and suppresses inflammatory cell function, thereby attenuating the inflammatory response. Selective inhibitors of this enzyme show a broad spectrum of activity in animal models of COPD and asthma. These drugs block the hydrolysis of cAMP via inhibition of PDE4 and are attractive candidates for novel anti-inflammatory drugs. At present, two second-generation PDE4 inhibitors for the treatment of COPD and asthma patients are being tested in clinical Phase III trials. The most advanced compound is the orally active, selective PDE4 inhibitor cilomilast (Ariflo™, SB-207499, cis-4-cyano-4-[3-cyclopentyloxy-4-methoxyphenyl]-cyclohexanecarboxylic acid; GlaxoSmithKline). Cilomilast shows high selectivity for cAMP-specific PDE4, an isoenzyme that predominates in pro-inflammatory and immune cells and that is 10-fold more selective for PDE4D than for PDE4A, -B or -C. In vitro, cilomilast suppresses the activity of several pro-inflammatory and immune cells that have been implicated in the pathogenesis of asthma and COPD. Moreover, it is highly active in animal models of these diseases. Cilomilast has been shown to exert potent anti-inflammatory effects both in vitro and in vivo. It is orally active and may be effective in the treatment of asthma and COPD; however, complete assessment of the therapeutic value of this novel compound class must await the outcome of longer-term clinical trials. This review presents a summary of the preclinical and clinical profile of cilomilast in patients with COPD.
Electoral Cycles and Budgetary Growth in Veterans' Benefit Programs

While many studies have generated negative findings regarding the general existence of electoral cycles in economic phenomena, we have found an apparently robust electoral cycle in veterans' benefits. This pattern was found between 1961 and 1978, but has disappeared since then. We use this case to investigate the possibility that electoral cycles might contribute to the growth of government spending. Using two different methods of inference, we find no strong basis to conclude that such cycles cause increasing public sector growth.
Asian Oral-Facial Cleft Birth Prevalence

Objective: To determine the clefting birth prevalence among Asian populations, specifically Chinese and Japanese, using raw counts from nonoverlapping published studies of Asian populations, and to investigate whether Asian clefting rates have been interpreted accurately as being up to twice the Caucasian rate. Design: A literature review of articles giving raw counts of clefting in Asian populations, primarily Japanese and Chinese. Main Outcome Measures: Where possible, clefts were identified by the patients’ ethnicity, country of origin, cleft type, syndromic status, and birth status. Results: Prevalence rates of cleft lip with or without cleft palate per 1000 live births are reported. Syndromic plus nonsyndromic cleft lip with or without cleft palate: Chinese, 1.30; Japanese, 1.34; Other Asian, 1.47; and total, 1.33. Nonsyndromic cleft lip with or without cleft palate: Chinese, 1.20; Japanese, 1.18; Other Asian, 1.22; and total, 1.19. Conclusions: Overall, Chinese and Japanese live birth prevalence rates for nonsyndromic cleft lip with or without cleft palate, based on the published reports of birth prevalence, are significantly lower than the oft-quoted rate of 2 per 1000 for Asians. The apparent reason for the discrepancy is that many published prevalence rates included all pregnancies (live births plus pregnancy losses) and do not distinguish between syndromic and nonsyndromic clefts or between cleft palate alone and cleft lip with or without cleft palate. These results demonstrate that it is extremely important for current population-based studies of clefts to include careful delineation of population groups, syndromes, cleft type, and birth status.
Use of the 1997 American Diabetes Association Diagnostic Criteria for Diabetes in a Hong Kong Chinese Population

OBJECTIVE Recently, the American Diabetes Association (ADA) has proposed revised diagnostic criteria for diabetes. Lowering of the fasting plasma glucose (FPG) cutoff value is intended to reduce the discrepancy with the 2-h plasma glucose (PG) cutoff value and to encourage the use of FPG. We have applied these new criteria to data collected from a population-based prevalence survey in Hong Kong Chinese subjects of working age. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS The results of 1,513 oral glucose tolerance tests (OGTTs) from a previously published prevalence survey of glucose intolerance and cardiovascular risk factors in a Hong Kong Chinese working population were reexamined using the new criteria. Of the 1,513 subjects, 27 had a known history of diabetes. Of the remaining 1,486 subjects, 228 were also selected randomly for a second OGTT without prior knowledge of the result of the first test RESULTS After exclusion of the 27 subjects with a known history of diabetes, the crude prevalence of diabetes was 2.83% (n=42) when the World Health Organization's (WHO) criteria were applied. When the criterion of FPG ≥7.0 mmol/l was used, as recommended by the ADA, the prevalence of diabetes was 1.41% (n = 21). Twenty-nine subjects (1.95%) with FPG <7.0 mmol/l had a 2-h PG ≥11.1 mmol/l. Eight subjects (0.53%), previously without a diagnosis of diabetes according to the WHO criteria (FPG <7.8 mmol/l and 2-h PG <11.1 mmol/l), had FPG between 7.0 and 7.8 mmol/l and were classified as having diabetes by the ADA criteria. This classification gave a net change of −1.42% in the prevalence of diabetes between the use of FPG 5:7.0 mmol/l alone and the use of WHO criteria. Among the 1,486 subjects with no known history of diabetes, those classified as having diabetes according to the ADA FPG criterion alone had higher HbAlc and fructosamine levels than diabetic subjects defined by the WHO criteria. Of the 228 subjects for whom two FPG measurements were available, those who had consistent definitions (diabetes, impaired fasting glucose, normal fasting glucose) on both occasions were considered to have reproducible tests, giving an overall reproducibility of 90.8% (207 of 228). CONCLUSIONS Compared with the WHO criteria, the use of FPG to diagnose diabetes, as recommended by the ADA, was a more reproducible test and identified those subjects who had a greater degree of hyperglycemia. Although lowering of the cutoff value from 7.8 to 7.0 mmol/l increased the number of diagnoses among subjects with low FPG, the omission of the 2-h PG would lead to fewer subjects having their diabetes diagnosed.
Development and validation of a method for determination of selected polybrominated diphenyl ether congeners in household dust.

BACKGROUND Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) belong to group of so-called persistent organic pollutants (POPs). These compounds occur in nearly all elements of the environment, including household dust which constitutes one of a major route for human exposure. Their main adverse effects on human health are associated mainly with endocrine disruption--they interfere with thyroid function exhibit anti-androgenic action. OBJECTIVES To develop and validate analytical method for determination of BDE-47, BDE-99, BDE-153, and BDE-209 congeners in household dust. MATERIAL AND METHODS Household dust was sampled in residences from Warsaw and the surrounding areas. An automated Soxhlet extraction of samples was then performed and PBDE congeners were subsequently measured in cleaned-up extracts by GC-microECD. The identity of quantified compounds was confirmed by GC/MS. RESULTS Household dust samples were fortified at levels of 2.88, and 28.8 ng g(-1) for BDE-47, BDE-999, and BDE-153, and for BDE-209 at levels of 101.2, and 540 ng g(-1). Recoveries ranged between 72 - 106%. The relative standard deviations (RSD) were less than 16% for all PBDE congeners analysed. The relative error determined on the basis of multiple analyses of certified reference material ranged from 1.07 - 20.41%. The method's relative expanded uncertainty varied between 16 - 21%. CONCLUSION The presented method was successfully validated and can be used to measure concentrations of BDE-47, BDE-99, BDE-153 and BDE-209 congeners in household dust.
Close contacts between carbonyl oxygen atoms and aromatic centers in protein structures: pi...pi or lone-pair...pi interactions?

Lone-pair.pi and, more recently, pi.pi interactions have been studied in small molecule crystal structures, and they are the focus of attention in some biomolecules. In this study, we have systematically analyzed 500 high-resolution protein structures (resolution < or =1.8 A) and identified 286 examples in which carbonyl oxygen atoms approach the aromatic centers within a distance of 3.5 A. Contacts involving backbone carbonyl oxygens are frequently observed in helices and, to some extent, in strands. Geometrical characterization indicates that these contacts have geometry in between that of an ideal pi.pi and a lone-pair.pi interaction. Quantum mechanical calculations using 6-311++G** basis sets reveal that these contacts give rise to energetically favorable interactions and, along with MD simulations, indicate that such interactions could stabilize secondary structures.
Writing the Book of Judges

This is part 1 of a two-part series detailing the selection and confirmation processes of lower federal court judges during President Obama’s first 6 years. Our attention in part 1 is on Obama’s lower federal court appointments during the 113th Congress, specifically on the selection processes. We then examine the backgrounds and attributes of those confirmed during the 113th, looking at the appointees to the district and appeals courts separately. Confirmation processes are the main focus of part 2 of our study, where we discuss the lead-up to the nuclear option, the “fallout” from its invocation, and the renewed emphasis on the Blue Slip system as a tool of the minority party in the Senate. We conclude by taking a deeper look at the administration’s historic contribution to enhancing diversity on the federal bench across the district and circuit courts and, as well, make a similar assessment of the impact of the Obama appointments on the partisan makeup of the federal bench on the district courts and across the appellate circuits.
Child-Report Data and Assessment of the Social Environment in Schools

Objectives. This study tested the quality of data collected with the online Elementary School Success Profile (ESSP) for Children from a diverse sample of 1,172 third through fifth graders. Methods. Mplus confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) procedures for ordinal and clustered data were used. Results. Of 80 original items, 61 loaded on 13 dimensions in a first-order model that had good fit in 3 random subsamples. Children in Grades 3 through 5 may not be reliable reporters about neighborhood adults’ caring. However, 12 statistically sound and independent dimensions related to school, peers, family, and well-being were obtained. Conclusions. The ESSP for Children provides school staff with quality data to use in conjunction with family and teacher ESSP data to guide intervention choices in schools.
Dengue in Patients with Central Nervous System Manifestations, Brazil

We investigated the prevalence of dengue in patients with suspected viral meningitis/meningoencephalitis in a dengue-endemic area. Cerebrospinal fluid analysis showed positive results and a 6.74× greater likelihood of identifying positive fluid in patients who died. Our findings support testing patients with neurologic manifestations for the virus in dengue-endemic areas.
Temperature sensitivity of human perforin mutants unmasks subtotal loss of cytotoxicity, delayed FHL, and a predisposition to cancer

The pore-forming protein perforin is critical for defense against many human pathogens and for preventing a catastrophic collapse of immune homeostasis, manifested in infancy as Type 2 familial hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (FHL). However, no evidence has yet linked defective perforin cytotoxicity with cancer susceptibility in humans. Here, we examined perforin function in every patient reported in the literature who lived to at least 10 years of age without developing FHL despite inheriting mutations in both of their perforin (PRF1) alleles. Our analysis showed that almost 50% of these patients developed at least 1 hematological malignancy in childhood or adolescence. The broad range of pathologies argued strongly against a common environmental or viral cause for the extraordinary cancer incidence. Functionally, what distinguished these patients was their inheritance of PRF1 alleles encoding temperature-sensitive missense mutations. By contrast, truly null missense mutations with no rescue at the permissive temperature were associated with the more common severe presentation with FHL in early infancy. Our study provides the first mechanistic evidence for a link between defective perforin-mediated cytotoxicity and cancer susceptibility in humans and establishes the paradigm that temperature sensitivity of perforin function is a predictor of FHL severity.
On a New Index of Riskiness: Theoretical Results And Some Applications

In this paper we introduce an index of riskiness we have called I_θ, which is inspired to the research vein started by Aumann and Serrano (2008) with the index R_{AS}, and we discuss in detail its main mathematical features. In particular, we will prove that I_θ can be of help to compare risks: once fixed a value θ ∈ (0, 1], our index suggests to take into consideration a gamble (an investment) g only if the ratio between the expected value of its losses and the expected value of its gains is lower than such threshold value θ. Moreover, when θ = 1 we get: I_θ = R_{AS}. Two applications conclude, displaying the practical significance of the I_θ index.
Game Theoretic Applications in Supply Chain Management: A Review

Abstract Recent emphasis on competition and cooperation in supply chains has resulted in the resurgence of game theory as a relevant tool for analyzing such interactions in a supply chain. This paper presents a review of more than 130 papers concerned with game theoretical applications in supply chain management (SCM). We first give a brief summary of the basic solution concepts in non-cooperative and cooperative games such as Nash and Stackelberg equilibria, Nash arbitration scheme and cooperation with sidepayments. the core, the Shapley value and nucleolus. Our review of supply chain-related game theoretical applications is presented in five areas: (i) Inventory games with fixed unit purchase cost, (ii) Inventory games with quantity discounts, (iii) Production and pricing competition, (iv) Games with other attributes, (v) Games with joint decisions on inventory, production/pricing and other attributes. The paper concludes with a summary of our review, suggestions for potential applications of game theory in SCM and an alternative classification of all reviewed papers.