Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Anti‐smoking Advice for Young Diabetic Smokers: Is it a Waste of Breath?

The effect of health counselling on the smoking habits of 60 diabetic patients (aged < 40 years) was assessed. Measurement of breath carbon monoxide (CO) and urinary cotinine, a metabolite of nicotine, were used as objective markers of smoking. All patients wished to cease smoking and the impact of health counselling was reviewed in a ‘Stop Smoking’ clinic. In addition to routine advice on the health hazards of smoking, half the patients and their families also received further counselling during a home visit by a health visitor. After 6 months many of the 60 patients claimed to have reduced their cigarette consumption. However, the urinary cotinine concentrations did not confirm this. Only one patient actually stopped smoking and he had sustained a myocardial infarction during the study. There was a small but significant reduction of breath CO in the patients seen at home by the health visitor but the urinary cotinine concentrations were unchanged. This suggests that these patients abstained from smoking for only a few hours before attending the ‘Stop Smoking’ clinic.
Generating satisfaction towards e-learning platforms

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine how satisfaction is generated towards e-learning platforms. Design/methodology/approach – This work aims to analyse the differences in the functioning of the model that explains how satisfaction is generated among users of e-learning platforms if expectations are measured before entering into contact with the service or afterwards. The statistical analysis was completed by developing a structural equation model using the SmartPLS 2.0. M3. Findings – The results show that, if the expectations are measured before entering into contact with the good or service, disconfirmation plays a major role in the model. If the expectations are measured after entering into contact with the good or service, the main role is played by expectations in the model. Of the variables included, perceived usefulness and effort expectancy affect satisfaction, not thus enabling conditions and social influence. Originality/value – The authors study the difference between the results o.
Long‐term regulation in calretinin staining in the rat inferior colliculus after unilateral auditory cortical ablation

In this study we analyzed the effects in the inferior colliculus of a unilateral ablation of the auditory cortex in rats. Variations in both calretinin immunoreactivity and protein levels determined by Western blot suggest that such lesions induce changes in the regulation of this calcium‐binding protein. Stereological counts of calretinin‐immunoreactive neurons in the inferior colliculus 15, 90, and 180 days after the lesion showed a progressive increase in the number of immunoreactive neurons, with a parallel increase in the intensity of staining. Two hundred forty days after the cortical lesion, both the number of immunoreactive neurons and the staining intensity had returned to control values. The effects of the cortical lesion on calretinin regulation are more intense in those inferior colliculus subdivisions more densely innervated by the corticocollicular projection. This finding, along with the time course of calretinin regulation suggests that degeneration of the descending projection is linked to calretinin regulation in the inferior colliculus. We hypothesize, based on the role of calretinin, that the observed increase in immunoreactivity levels seen in the inferior colliculus after lesioning of the auditory cortex may be related to altered excitability in deafferented neurons. Our finding, may reflect adaptive mechanisms to changes in calcium influx and excitability in inferior colliculus neurons induced by lesions of the descending projection from the cortex to the inferior colliculus. J. Comp. Neurol. 518:4261–4276, 2010. © 2010 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
The Effect of Environmental Perceptions on Behavioral Intentions Through Emotions: The Case of Upscale Restaurants

This research built a conceptual model to show how customers’ perceptions of dining environments influence behavioral intentions through emotions in the upscale restaurant setting. An environmental psychology model was proposed to explore the linkages between customers’ perceptions and emotions (pleasure and arousal) and between customers’ emotional states and behavioral intentions. A structural equation modeling analysis revealed that facility aesthetics, ambience, and employees had significant effects on the level of customer pleasure while ambience and employees significantly influenced the level of arousal. In addition, pleasure and arousal had significant impacts on behavioral intentions, and pleasure appeared to be the more influential emotion of the two. Implications for restaurateurs and academic researchers are also discussed.
Sustainable consumption and production: Trends, challenges and options for the Asia‐Pacific region

This paper highlights current trends in consumption and production patterns in Asian developing countries and emerging economies. It describes the main challenges and opportunities for Asian countries making the transition towards sustainable consumption and production patterns. The main challenge for Asian economies is to address the unsustainable consumption patterns of urban consumers, which entails a policy shift from the current focus on pollution and inefficient industrial production. In view of future consumption trends and the global convergence of consumption patterns, the characteristics of the emerging ‘global consumer class’ are examined, with particular focus on urban ecological footprints and carbon emissions. Furthermore, the difference between urban and rural consumption is discussed, together with opportunities for low‐carbon urban development in the megacities of Asian developing countries. To conclude, the paper presents an overview of current policy measures taken in Asian countries to green economic development and realise sustainable consumption and production patterns.
Environmental discourse: power, agency, and the "green consumer"

The study of the relationship between consumer behaviour and environmental consequences has intensified in recent years with the growing scientific consensus on anthropogenic climate change. While early studies on green consumer behaviour attempted to quantify environmentally motivated purchasing, and to define the typical characteristics of green consumers in demographic terms, recent studies have tended to adopt a constructivist approach. However, many of these studies have been characterised by an emphasis on the possibilities of consumption for individual empowerment, with the result that questions of environmental policy have frequently been understated. The present study seeks to achieve a more pragmatic understanding of green consumer discourse by placing an emphasis on issues of environmental policy. Particular consideration is given to the question of whether mainstream green consumer discourse places too great a burden of responsibility for environmental consequences on individual consumers, thus biasing political and corporate accountability. The study employs a range of discourse analytic methods derived from critical discourse analysis and from poststructuralist theories of language and representation.
Comparison of diagnostic tests for determining the prevalence of failure of passive transfer in New Zealand dairy calves

Abstract AIM: To evaluate the level of agreement of three indirect testing methods with concentrations of IgG in serum, and to determine their test characteristics for diagnosing failure of passive transfer (FPT), in dairy calves in New Zealand. METHODS: From 17 July to 30 November 2015, 471 blood samples were collected from dairy calves aged 0–8 days, from 19 different commercial dairy farms in the Waikato region of New Zealand. All serum samples were tested for concentrations of IgG and total protein (TP), and gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT) activity, and 138 samples were tested using a digital Brix refractometer. The diagnostic tests were assessed for level of agreement with concentrations of IgG using Bland-Altman plots. FPT was defined as concentration of IgG ≤10.0 g/L and receiver operating characteristic curve analysis was used to determine optimal cut-points for correctly predicting FPT. The test characteristics for TP, GGT and Brix for predicting FPT were determined using the optimal cut-points. The effect of age on the relationship between test results and concentrations of IgG was also assessed. RESULTS: Based on the limits of agreement plots, the agreement with concentrations of IgG was greatest for concentrations of TP, followed by Brix, with the lowest being GGT activity. There was an interaction between age at sampling and the association between concentrations of IgG and GGT activity (p<0.001); in calves 5–8 days of age there was a greater increase in concentrations of IgG associated with a unit increase in GGT activity than in calves <5 days of age. The optimal cut-points for diagnosis of FPT were 52 g/L for concentrations of TP, 8.8% for Brix, 250 IU/L for GGT activity in calves <5 days old, and 210 IU/L for GGT activity in calves 5–8 days old. Accuracy for predicting FPT was greatest for TP (0.95), followed by GGT in calves <5 days old (0.94) and Brix (0.92). Specificities were high for all three tests, however sensitivity varied greatly. CONCLUSION: Measurement of concentrations of TP in serum was the most accurate alternative to measuring concentrations of IgG for diagnosing FPT in non-dehydrated calves. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Veterinary practitioners in New Zealand now have confidence in using a test that is more accurate and practical than GGT and considerably cheaper than IgG to screen for FPT.
Mutation and Altered Expression of &bgr;-Catenin During Gallbladder Carcinogenesis

Gallbladder carcinoma has two main morphologic developmental pathways: a dysplasia–carcinoma sequence and an adenoma–carcinoma sequence. &bgr;-Catenin is a key regulator of the cadherin-mediated cell adhesion system, and altered expression and mutation of &bgr;-catenin have been identified in many human malignancies. To clarify its role in gallbladder carcinogenesis, we investigated mutation and immunohistochemical expression of &bgr;-catenin in adenomas, dysplasias, and carcinomas. We classified adenomas according to the expression of apomucins and cytokeratin and compared the mutational and expression pattern among each type. &bgr;-Catenin mutations were identified in 58% (14 of 24) of the adenomas, and they were absent from all carcinomas (37 cases) and dysplasias (13 cases). Altered expression of &bgr;-catenin, such as nuclear or cytoplasmic expression and loss of membranous expression, was also significantly higher in adenomas than in dysplasias or carcinomas (p <0.001). Of the adenomas, papillary adenomas and tubular adenomas of intestinal type showed infrequent &bgr;-catenin abnormality, which was similar to the carcinomas. The cytoplasmic and nuclear expression of &bgr;-catenin in carcinomas was correlated with less aggressive tumor behavior; in particular, cytoplasmic expression was associated with improved patient outcome (p = 0.028). Gallbladder adenoma may be a heterogeneous entity, and the majority of adenomas are not responsible for carcinoma progression.
Where Do Betas Come from? Asset Price Dynamics and the Sources of Systematic Risk

In this article we break asset's betas with common factors into components attributable to news about future cash flows, real interest rates, and excess returns. To achieve this decomposition, we use a vector autoregressive time-series model and an approximate log-linear present value relation. The betas of industry and size portfolios with the market are largely attributed to changing expected returns. Betas with inflation and industrial production reflect opposing cash flow and expected return effects. We also show how asset pricing theory restricts the expected excess return components of betas.
An unusual class of PITX2 mutations in Axenfeld-Rieger syndrome.

BACKGROUND Mutations in the PITX2 homeobox gene are known to contribute to Axenfeld-Rieger syndrome (ARS), an autosomal-dominant developmental disorder. Although most mutations are in the homeodomain and result in a loss of function, there is a growing subset in the C-terminal domain that has not yet been characterized. These mutations are of particular interest because the C-terminus has both inhibitory and stimulatory activities. METHODS In this study we used a combination of in vitro DNA binding and transfection reporter assays to investigate the fundamental issue of whether C-terminal mutations result in gain or loss of function at a cellular level. RESULTS We report a new frameshift mutation in the PITX2 allele that predicts a truncated protein lacking most of the C-terminal domain (D122FS). This newly reported mutant and another ARS C-terminal mutant (W133Stop) both have greater binding than wild-type to the bicoid element. Of interest, the mutants yielded approximately 5-fold greater activation of the prolactin promoter in CHO cells, even though the truncated proteins were expressed at lower levels than the wild-type protein. The truncated proteins also had greater than wild-type activity in 2 other cell lines, including the LS8 oral epithelial line that expresses the endogenous Pitx2 gene. CONCLUSIONS The results indicate that the PITX2 C-terminal domain has inhibitory activity and support the notion that ARS may also be caused by gain-of-function mutations.
Monetary Policy and Nigeria's Economic Development

This study investigated the impact of monetary policy instruments on the economic development of Nigeria, using multiple regression technique. It was found that cash reserve ratio was significant in impacting on the economic development of Nigeria at both 1% and 5% levels of significance, treasury bill at 5.6%, minimum rediscount rate at 7.4% and liquidity rate at 7.7%, while interest rate was not significant at all. It is recommended that the country pursues vigorously the development of the money and capital markets so that the monetary policy instruments would be allowed to play more positive impact in addition to combining them with fiscal policies
Intracranial meningiomas: diagnosis and treatment

Meningiomas are extra-axial CNS tumors which have a female predominance and occur in middle-to-late adult life. Most meningiomas (90%) are benign, 6% are atypical and a small proportion (2%) are malignant [1–5]. Most patients diagnosed with a meningioma undergo surgical resection to relieve neurological symptoms [3–7]. Complete surgical resection is often curative. For most incompletely resected or recurrent tumors not previously irradiated, radiotherapy is administered [3,4,8,9]. Radiotherapy may be administered as either conventional external beam irradiation or stereotactically by linear accelerator, gamma knife or cyberknife radiosurgery . Advocates of stereotactic radiotherapy have suggested this therapy in lieu of surgery particularly in poor surgical risk patients, patients with meningiomas in eloquent or surgically inaccessible locations and in patients of advanced age [10–15]. When the meningioma is unresectable or all other treatments (e.g., surgery and radiotherapy) have failed, hormonal chemotherapy may be considered [16–25]. Notwithstanding limited data, hydroxyurea has been modestly successful in patients with recurrent meningiomas.
Commitment Robust Equilibria and Endogenous Timing

Abstract This paper investigates which equilibria of a game are still viable when players have the opportunity to commit themselves. To that end we study a model of endogenous timing in which players face the trade-off between committing early and moving late. It is shown that mixed (resp. pure) equilibria of the original game are subgame perfect (resp. persistent) in the timing game only when no player has an incentive to move first. Consequently, mixed equilibria are viable only if no player has an incentive to move first. One needs strong evolutionary solution concepts to draw that conclusion for pure equilibria. Journal of Economic Literature Classification Number: C72.
Do foreign investments affect foreign exchange and stock markets - the case of Taiwan

Foreign investment (FI) has been identified with a recent spate of speculative attacks on certain foreign currencies, giving rise to several financial crises. The issue of whether or not FI has destabilization or demonstration effects on the stock and foreign exchange markets has therefore received widespread attention in developing countries. The destabilization effect focuses on whether FI increases or decreases the volatility of stock prices and foreign exchange markets. The demonstration effect stresses that because FI focuses more on fundamental factors than nonfundamental factors, the major influencing factors on stock markets may change after FIs are permitted to enter into a country. The experience of Taiwan in this regard can function as a guide for other developing countries. This paper finds, regarding the destabilization effect, that FI has a positive influence on the volatility of the exchange rate and a mild influence on the volatility of stock returns. These results imply that challenges will probably emerge during the process of liberalization, such as increased volatility in stock returns and in the exchange rate. Next, with regard to the demonstration effect, our results show that prior to the inflow of FI, stock returns are mainly affected by nonfundamental factors, such as the turnover rate. After the inflow of FI, stock returns are affected by both nonfundamental and fundamental elements.
Predicting a successful treatment in posterior canal benign paroxysmal positional vertigo

Objective: To elucidate the characteristics and prognostic value of positioning nystagmus during the second position of the Epley maneuver (90° contralateral head turn from the initial Hallpike maneuver). Method: The Epley maneuver was performed in 126 patients with confirmed posterior canal benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (PC-BPPV). The characteristics of positioning nystagmus were investigated using video Frenzel goggles. Results: During the second position, 99 patients developed torsional upbeating nystagmus, which was in the same direction (orthotropic nystagmus) as during the first position (Hallpike maneuver), whereas 15 patients showed a reversed pattern. In 12 patents, nystagmus was not induced during the second position. All 99 patients with orthotropic nystagmus had resolution of BPPV after the first or second trial of the Epley maneuver. In contrast, 12 of the 15 patients with reversed nystagmus and 8 of the 12 patients without nystagmus failed to resolve. Conclusion: During the second position of the Epley maneuver, an orthotropic pattern of nystagmus predicts a successful repositioning, whereas reversed nystagmus or no nystagmus is suggestive of poor response to repositioning.
Maternal age-associated congenital anomalies among newborns: a retrospective study in Latvia.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE In Latvia, the mean age of women giving birth increased from 27.3 in 2000 to 29.0 years in 2010 during the last 11 years. The aim of this study was to report on major congenital anomalies of newborns at birth by the maternal age and to compare the mean maternal age by different diagnosis subgroups and maternal and neonatal characteristics. MATERIAL AND METHODS A cross-sectional retrospective study with the data from the Medical Birth Register (2000-2010) was carried out. The live birth prevalence rate was calculated for the subgroups of major congenital anomalies per 10 000 live births by the maternal age. RESULTS The live birth prevalence rate of major congenital anomalies during the period 2000-2010 was 211.4 per 10 000 live births. The prevalence rate increased depending on the maternal age. Congenital heart defects, limb defects, and urinary system anomalies were the most common anomalies. The study results showed an age-related risk of abdominal wall defects, orofacial clefts, and chromosomal anomalies. There were significantly higher proportions of preterm births, newborns with low birth weight, and complications during pregnancy among mothers aged 35 years and more. CONCLUSIONS The data on congenital anomalies from the Latvian Medical Birth Register can be used for the assessment of epidemiology of congenital anomalies. The results of this retrospective study showed a decrease in the live birth prevalence rate of major congenital anomalies despite an increase in the mean age of mothers in Latvia.
Is There Any Life After Going Public? Evidence from the Canadian Market

This article examines the survival profile of Canadian initial public offerings (IPOs). More specifically, the authors develop multinomial logit models based on the information contained in the prospectus and attempt to determine what factors influence the post-issue transition of the IPO firms into survivors, non-survivors, or targets. They find that larger IPOs experience a lower probability of delisting, and higher underpricing implies a lower probability of failure or becoming a target. Further, the presence of venture capitalists at the IPO stage seems to influence the post-IPO transition state. The authors also estimate an accelerated-failure-time model as a robustness test and find that the survival time for IPOs increases with the level of underpricing and decreases during hot issue periods. This latter result suggests that leaving money on the table is not a bad thing as generally perceived and has some beneficial outcomes such as enhancing the survivability of the firm.
Global Integration of Developed Credit Markets

Return correlations in the U.S. dollar and euro credit markets are systematically different on at least two dimensions: returns for normal day–to–day spread changes versus spread returns associated with extreme events; and spread returns for investment–grade versus speculative issuers. A large part of the return correlation is driven by extreme global events such as the 2001 terrorist attacks or the 2002 credit crisis ensuing on the Enron meltdown. Under more normal market conditions, euro and U.S. dollar credit markets are weakly linked, especially for highly rated debt. Returns on speculative debt issued by the same issuer in different markets tend to be highly correlated; this is less so for high–grade issuers. An immediate implication is that currency diversification is much more efficient than name diversification for high–grade debt. Conversely, high–yield portfolios benefit from name or even sector diversification more than they benefit from currency diversification. Risk models need to include currency–dependent factors, particularly for investment–grade instruments. The results provide some indication of the way to use global credit factors or factor return proxies to estimate credit risk in markets lacking much corporate bond data.