Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The New Keynesian Phillips Curve in a Small Open Economy: Empirical Evidence from Australia

This study estimates the new Keynesian Phillips curve (NKPC) of Gali and Monacelli for a small open economy using Australian data. Our detailed investigation hinges on estimating the structural parameters in five different variants of the Gali–Monacelli NKPC, which relates the inflation process to terms of trade and the real exchange rate; the marginal cost and output gap as proxies for real economic activity and the hybrid version incorporating both forward‐ and backward‐looking inflation expectations. The analysis and extensive robustness checks overwhelmingly establish that the Gali–Monacelli NKPC cannot explain the dynamics of inflation and is rejected by the Australian data.
Intra-household labour supply after an unemployment event: The added worker effect

In this paper we explore one of the oldest labour market phenomena documented in the literature: the added worker effect, which refers to the labour supply response of secondary workers to main earners´ job losses. To do so we take advantage of the panel data survey conducted by a Colombian Foundation, Fedesarrollo between 2007 and 2010, using a fixed effects model to account for household´s specific time invariant unobserved heterogeneity. Our results suggest that when the head of the household becomes unemployed, the labour force participation rate of their female partner increases between 9 and 20 percentage points. Such response appears during the first six months of household head´s unemployment. In addition, within one year of the head of the family becoming unemployed, their children are more likely to enter the labour market and less likely to be in tertiary education.
Improved Fréchet Bounds and Model-Free Pricing of Multi-Asset Options

Improved bounds on the copula of a bivariate random vector are computed when partial information is available, such as the values of the copula on a given subset of [0, 1]2, or the value of a functional of the copula, monotone with respect to the concordance order. These results are then used to compute model-free bounds on the prices of two-asset options which make use of extra information about the dependence structure, such as the price of another two-asset option.
Effect of the alpha2-agonist dexmedetomidine on cerebral neurotransmitter concentrations during cerebral ischemia in rats.

BACKGROUND This study investigates whether neuroprotection seen with dexmedetomidine is associated with suppression of peripheral or central sympathetic tone. METHODS Thirty fasted male Sprague-Dawley rats were intubated and ventilated with isoflurane and N2O/O2 (fraction of inspired oxygen = 0.33). Catheters were inserted into the right femoral artery and vein and into the right jugular vein. Cerebral blood flow was measured using laser Doppler flowmetry. Bilateral microdialysis probes were placed into the cortex and the dorsal hippocampus. At the end of preparation, the administration of isoflurane was replaced by fentanyl (bolus: 10 microg/kg; infusion: 25 microg x kg(-1) x h(-1)). Animals were randomly assigned to one of the following groups: group 1 (n = 10): control animals; group 2 (n = 10): 100 microg/kg dexmedetomidine administered intraperitoneally 30 min before ischemia; group 3 (n = 10): sham-operated rats. Ischemia (30 min) was produced by unilateral carotid artery occlusion plus hemorrhagic hypotension to a mean arterial blood pressure of 30-35 mmHg to reduce ipsilateral cerebral blood flow by 70%. Pericranial temperature, arterial blood gases, and pH were maintained constant. Cerebral catecholamine and glutamate concentrations and plasma catecholamine concentrations were analyzed using high-performance liquid chromatography. RESULTS During ischemia, dexmedetomidine suppressed circulating norepinephrine concentrations by 95% compared with control animals. In contrast, brain norepinephrine and glutamate concentrations were increased irrespective of dexmedetomidine infusion before ischemia. CONCLUSIONS The current data show that the increase of circulating catecholamine concentrations during cerebral ischemia was suppressed with dexmedetomidine. In contrast, dexmedetomidine does not suppress elevation in brain norepinephrine and glutamate concentration associated with cerebral ischemia. This suggests that the neuroprotective effects of dexmedetomidine are not related to inhibition of presynaptic norepinephrine or glutamate release in the brain.
The management of refractory generalised convulsive and complex partial status epilepticus in three European countries: a survey among epileptologists and critical care neurologists

Objective: To survey the current clinical treatment of refractory status epilepticus and to identify steps in its management which may need further investigation. Methods: Epileptologists and critical care neurologists were surveyed using a standardised postal questionnaire. Results: Sixty three of 91 participants (69%) returned the questionnaires. Two thirds of the respondents applied another non-anaesthetising anticonvulsant after failure of first line drugs. General anaesthesia for ongoing complex partial status epilepticus (CPSE) was part of the therapeutic regimen of 75% of the interviewees. A non-barbiturate as general anaesthetic of first choice was used by 42%. Up to 70% titrated the anaesthetic to achieve a burst suppression pattern in the electroencephalogram, indicating deep sedation, and 94% reduce anaesthesia within 48 hours. Conclusions: The management of refractory status epilepticus is heterogeneous in many aspects, even among clinicians who are most familiar with this severe condition. Randomised trials are needed to compare the efficacy, side effects, optimal duration, and depth of general anaesthesia.
Rate of reintubation in mechanically ventilated neurosurgical and neurologic patients: Evaluation of a systematic approach to weaning and extubation

Objective:To assess whether a systematic approach to weaning and extubation (intervention) is superior to the sole physician’s judgment (control) in preventing reintubation secondary to extubation failure in patients with neurologic disorders. Design:Randomized controlled trial. Setting:Intensive care unit of a large teaching hospital. Patients:Three hundred eighteen intubated patients who had been receiving mechanical ventilation for at least 12 hrs and were able to trigger the ventilator. Interventions:Patients were randomized to the intervention (n = 165) or control group (n = 153). Measurements:Rate of reintubation after extubation failure occurring within 48 hrs (primary end point). Duration of mechanical ventilation, length of intensive care unit stay, mortality, rate of tracheotomy (secondary end points). The perception of the research protocol by the intensive care unit staff was also assessed. Main Results:The rate of reintubation was lower in the intervention (5%) than in the control (12.5%) group (p = 0.047). There was no difference in any of the other outcome variables (secondary end points). Simplified Acute Physiologic Score II (adjusted odds ratio 1.042 per unit; 95% confidence interval 1.006–1.080; p = 0.022) and inclusion in the control group (adjusted odds ratio 2.393; 95% confidence interval 1.000–5.726; p = 0.05) were the only two independent predictive factors for the risk of extubation failure. The protocol was felt by the staff to determine an improvement in patients’ clinical outcome, but to increase intensive care unit workload; nurses and physiotherapists considered its impact on their professional role more positively than physicians. Conclusions:In patients with neurologic diseases, a systematic approach to weaning and extubation reduces the rate of reintubation secondary to extubation failure without affecting the duration of mechanical ventilation, and is overall positively perceived by intensive care unit professionals. LEARNING OBJECTIVESOn completion of this article, the reader should be able to: Explain the protocol used in the intervention group. Explain the pros and cons identified related to protocol use. Demonstrate this information in a clinical setting. The authors have disclosed that they have no financial relationships with or interests in any commercial companies pertaining to this educational activity. All faculty and staff in a position to control the content of this CME activity have disclosed that they have no financial relationship with, or financial interests in, any commercial companies pertaining to this educational activity. Lippincott CME Institute, Inc., has identified and resolved all faculty conflicts of interest regarding this educational activity. Visit the Critical Care Medicine Web Site (www.ccmjournal.org) for information on obtaining continuing medical education credit.
The Role of Surveillance CT Scans in Patients with Diffuse Large B-cell Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma

The use of routine surveillance computed tomography (CT) scans in the follow-up of patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma may allow the detection of early asymptomatic relapse. On this basis, CT scans are frequently included in follow-up schedules, but the utility of this investigation in this setting has never been determined. This study evaluated the effectiveness of routine surveillance CT scans performed 3 and 12 months after completion of chemotherapy in patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma who had achieved a complete response. One hundred and seventeen patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma achieved complete remission at the Royal Marsden Hospital using first line combination chemotherapy between January 1992 and January 2000. The median follow-up was 4.6 years and 35 patients subsequently relapsed. Relapse was associated with the development of new symptoms and/or signs in 86% of cases. Only 5.7% of relapses were detected in asymptomatic patients using surveillance CT scans. Routine surveillance CT scans are of limited value in detecting asymptomatic early relapse and other approaches are required in order to identify patients destined to relapse at an earlier stage.
On peak effects in discrete time linear systems

It is well known that input-free stable linear systems with nonzero initial conditions may experience large deviations of the trajectory from the origin prior to converging to zero. Analysis of the transients of discrete-time systems is the subject of this paper. Simple LMI-based upper bounds on deviations are presented, and the same-flavor stabilizing feedback design procedure aimed at minimizing the peak is discussed. For companion-form systems, lower bounds are proposed for specific initial conditions; peaking effects for the norms of powers of Schur stable matrices are also analyzed.
Ultrastructural Examination of the Host Cellular Response in the Gills of Atlantic Salmon, Salmo salar, with Amoebic Gill Disease

Gills from Atlantic salmon with experimentally induced amoebic gill disease (Neoparamoeba spp.) were examined with transmission electron microscopy to assess pathology and host-cell responses. Amoebae were found either on the surface epithelium or with pseudopodia extending deeply into invaginations of epithelial cells. The amoebae had various densities along the plasma membrane and contained electron-dense deposits within their cytoplasm. Surface epithelial cells sloughed from the gills and had features consistent with apoptosis, including rounded shape, loss of surface microridges, and hypercondensation of nuclear chromatin. Affected areas of gills had fusion of secondary lamellae with interlamellar spaces occupied by mitotic epithelial cells and eosinophils. Eosinophils contained abundant fusiform-shaped granules that measured approximately 1 μm long and 360 nm wide. The granule consisted of an electron-dense matrix with a central inclusion that was less electron-dense, consisting of particulate and fibrillar material. In many instances, the central inclusion appeared empty and 90% of the eosinophils had morphology suggestive of piecemeal degranulation. Also observed within affected areas were a few neutrophils, mucous cells releasing mucus, and a small number of dendritic-like cells.
Performance budgeting practices and procedures

This article examines performance budgeting practices and reforms in five OECD member countries: Canada, Ireland, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom and the United States. In each case, three dimensions of performance budgeting are analysed: performance information and monitoring, evaluation, and spending review. Reflecting upon the common experiences in each country, generalised analytical considerations are presented for practitioners planning and implementing current and future performance budgeting reforms. JEL classification: H50, H60, H61 Keywords: performance budgeting, performance-based budgeting, PBB, budget reform, performance information, Canada, Ireland, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, the United States
The Role of Endogenous Opioids and Their Receptors in the Immune System

Summary Opioid peptides appear to be dynamic signaling molecules that are produced within the immune system and are active regulators of an immune response. Furthermore, the receptors for these peptides occurring on immunocyte membranes share characteristics with neuronal opioid receptors, including molecular size, immunogenicity, and the use of specific intracellular signaling pathways. Recent studies of the interaction of opioids with cytokines have indicated that opioid peptides are intimately involved within the immune system. Specifically, opioids, including 2-n-pentyloxy-2-phenyl-4-methyl-morpholine, naloxone, and β-endorphin, have been shown to interact with IL-2 receptors (134) and regulate production of IL-1 and IL-2 (48–50, 135). Conversely, IL-1 has been shown to up-regulate opioid peptide binding in brain tissue (136). Furthermore, the induction of IL-1 by opioids has also been identified in the invertebrate Mytilus, indicating the evolutionary conservation of this relationship (137). These results seem to typify the intricate association between the immune and neuroendocrine systems through opioid pathways. It is predicted that future endeavors will use this relationship to diagnose and treat specific diseases that have at their basis neuroendocrine and immunologic imbalances.
Epidemiology and susceptibility of Gram-negative appendicitis pathogens: SMART 2008-2010.

BACKGROUND The Study for Monitoring Antimicrobial Resistance Trends (SMART) has tracked the in vitro activity of ertapenem and comparators against aerobic gram-negative bacteria from intra-abdominal infections since 2002. This report describes the epidemiology and susceptibility for clinical isolates associated with appendicitis, collected from 2008 to 2010. METHODS A total of 1,720 gram-negative bacilli were collected from patients with appendicitis in 122 hospitals in 39 countries worldwide; of these, 23% of isolates were from pediatric patients (≤ 17 years old). Minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) and extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL) phenotypes were determined by broth microdilution and interpreted using Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute guidelines. RESULTS The global ESBL-positive rate was 16.3%, ranging from 2.2% for Proteus mirabilis to 16.6% for Escherichia coli and 20.1% for Klebsiella pneumoniae. The ESBL-positive rates differed by age group (17.7% in adults vs. 11.4% in children) and by geographic region, with significantly higher rates in Asia/Pacific (28.0%) and significantly lower rates in North America (9.1%), Africa/Middle East (4.8%), and Europe (4.4%). Amikacin, imipenem-cilastatin, piperacillin-tazobactam, and ertapenem were the most active of the tested agents against aerobic gram-negative appendicitis pathogens across pediatric and adult age groups and across geographic regions, including ESBL-positive isolates. Cefepime and ceftazidime were active against ≥ 90% of global pediatric isolates. E. coli, by far the most frequently isolated species (68% in adults and 75% in pediatric patients), was significantly less susceptible in adults than in pediatric patients (p<0.05; Fisher exact test) to all tested agents except amikacin, ertapenem, imipenem-cilastatin, piperacillin-tazobactam, and ampicillin-sulbactam (with the latter showing low activity in both age groups). CONCLUSIONS These in vitro data suggest that amikacin, imipenem-cilastatin, piperacillin-tazobactam, and ertapenem would perform well against aerobic gram-negative bacilli associated with appendicitis in both adults and children, especially in regions with high rates of ESBL-positive E. coli.
Casitas B lymphoma mutations in childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia

Casitas B‐lineage lymphoma (CBL) proteins are RING finger ubiquitin E3 ligases that attenuate the signaling of receptor tyrosine kinases and are mutated in a number of myeloid disorders. In this study, mutational screening of the linker‐RING domains of CBL and CBLB was performed by denaturing high performance liquid chromatography in a cohort of diagnostic (n = 180) or relapse (n = 46) samples from children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Somatic mutations were identified in three children, giving an overall incidence of 1.7% and involved small deletions affecting the intron/exon boundaries of exon 8, leading to skipping of exon 8 and abolishing E3 ligase function. Mutated primary samples were associated with constitutive activation of the RAS pathway and sensitivity to MEK inhibitors was shown. Thus, mutation of CBL is an alternative route to activate the RAS pathway and may identify children who are candidates for MEK inhibitor clinical trials. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Effects of Service Quality and Price Fairness on Student Satisfaction

Higher education institutions in Vietnam have put much effort to attract students to enroll in programs using English as a means of teaching because these programs have newly been introduced in Vietnam and tuition fees are usually about five/six times higher than those in Vietnamese. Hence, student satisfaction plays a very important role in these institutions. This research aims to examine the effect of students’ perceived service quality and the students’ perceived price fairness on student satisfaction. The results show that various dimensions in perceived service quality and perceived price fairness have positive impacts on student satisfaction. It also shows that when perceived price fairness is taken into account, the variation in student satisfaction is better explained by comparison with the original Parasuraman’s SERVQUAL model. This research can be useful not only for existing higher education institutions in Vietnam but also for foreign universities planning to enter Vietnam’s education sector.
Gradations of Disappearing Digital Divides among Racially Diverse Middle School Students

Abstract Purpose In the first decades of ICT adoption, Whites traditionally had higher levels of Internet access and usage. We examine whether race remains a factor in Internet usage, among a group presumed to be digital natives – middle school students. Methodology A survey was administered to a racially/ethnically diverse sample of students in a mid-Atlantic school district including White, Hispanic, African American, and Asian/Pacific Islander. The survey sought to measure time spent engaged in varying Internet activities and related sociodemographic factors. Findings The analyses indicate that Whites do not have higher levels of Internet usage, and in many cases racial minority youth are more engaged in Internet activities than Whites. This holds true when accounting for a number of sociodemographic and background factors that are known to affect Internet usage. Research implications This chapter adds to the evidence that within the United States the digital divide has become more about the “other dimensions” such as how the Internet is used, rather than merely access or ownership (e.g., first level digital divide issues) at the middle school level. Originality This chapter will be beneficial to researchers who study the digital divide and those who seek to understand the myriad uses of computers among youth. It will also be beneficial for those who seek to integrate computer interventions in schools. This study includes one of the most diverse samples of middle school students in the United States. The results suggest that there are multiple dimensions to the digital divide and that patterns of use are changing among middle school youth.
Differential Requirement for Conserved Tryptophans in Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 Vif for the Selective Suppression of APOBEC3G and APOBEC3F

ABSTRACT APOBEC3G (A3G) and related cytidine deaminases, such as APOBEC3F (A3F), are potent inhibitors of retroviruses. Formation of infectious human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) requires suppression of multiple cytidine deaminases by Vif. Whether HIV-1 Vif recognizes various APOBEC3 proteins through a common mechanism is unclear. The domains in Vif that mediate APOBEC3 recognitions are also poorly defined. The N-terminal region of HIV-1 Vif is unusually rich in Trp residues, which are highly conserved. In the present study, we examined the role of these Trp residues in the suppression of APOBEC3 proteins by HIV-1 Vif. We found that most of the highly conserved Trp residues were required for efficient suppression of both A3G and A3F, but some of these residues were selectively required for the suppression of A3F but not A3G. Mutant Vif molecules in which Ala was substituted for Trp79 and, to a lesser extent, for Trp11 remained competent for A3G interaction and its suppression; however, they were defective for A3F interaction and therefore could not efficiently suppress the antiviral activity of A3F. Interestingly, while the HIV-1 Vif-mediated degradation of A3G was not affected by the different C-terminal tag peptides, that of A3F was significantly influenced by its C-terminal tags. These data indicate that the mechanisms by which HIV-1 Vif recognizes its target molecules, A3G and A3F, are not identical. The fact that several highly conserved residues in Vif are required for the suppression of A3F but not that of A3G suggests a critical role for A3F in the restriction of HIV-1 in vivo.
Breast Reconstruction after Breast Cancer

Learning Objectives: After reading this article, the participant should be able to: 1. Describe the mental, emotional, and physical benefits of reconstruction in breast cancer patients. 2. Compare the most common techniques of reconstruction in patients and detail benefits and risks associated with each. 3. Outline different methods of reconstruction and identify the method considered best for the patient based on timing of the procedures, body type, adjuvant therapies, and other coexisting conditions. 4. Distinguish between some of the different flaps that can be considered for autologous reconstruction. Summary: Breast cancer is unfortunately a common disease affecting millions of women, often at a relatively young age. Reconstruction following mastectomy offers women an opportunity to mollify some of the emotional and aesthetic effects of this devastating disease. Although varying techniques of alloplastic and autologous techniques are available, all strive to achieve the same goal: the satisfactory reformation of a breast mound that appears as natural as possible without clothing and at the very least is normal in appearance under clothing. This article summarizes the various approaches to breast reconstruction and offers a balanced view of the risks and benefits of each, all of which in the end offer the opportunity for excellent and predictable results with a high degree of patient satisfaction.