Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Respiratory Morbidity After Childhood Burns: A 10-Year Follow-up Study

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: The systemic responses triggered by burns and resuscitative measures may cause pulmonary damage and edema in the acute phase. These effects may occur in the absence of inhalation injury. Currently, there is a paucity of data on the recovery of the respiratory system postburn. This study aimed to examine 10-year hospital service use for respiratory morbidity in children with cutaneous burns and no smoke inhalation injury. METHODS: A population-based longitudinal study with 10-year follow-up using linked hospital and death from Western Australia for children <5 years when hospitalized for a first burn injury (n = 5290) between 1980 and 2012 and a frequency matched noninjury comparison cohort, randomly selected from Western Australia’s birth registrations (n = 27 061). Multivariate negative binomial and Cox proportional hazards regression models were used to generate adjusted incidence rate ratios (IRR) and hazard ratios, respectively. RESULTS: After adjustment for demographic factors and preexisting health status, the burn cohort had higher rates of admissions for influenza and viral pneumonia (IRR, 1.78; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.10–2.87), bacterial pneumonia (IRR, 1.34; 95% CI, 1.06–1.70), and other respiratory infections (IRR, 1.65; 95% CI, 1.43–1.90. No significant difference was found for other upper respiratory tract conditions (IRR, 1.10; 95% CI, 0.98–1.23) or chronic lower respiratory diseases (IRR, 0.99; 95% CI, 0.80–1.23) compared with the uninjured cohort. CONCLUSIONS: These findings demonstrated increased respiratory infection admissions after burns. These outcomes suggest that immune changes triggered by a burn injury may persist in some children for at least 10 years after wound healing.
Within-firm seniority structure and firm performance

In this article, we examine the relation between hiring and separations, as measured by the within-firm seniority structure and the turnover rate decomposed by job spell durations of the movers, and firm-level performance, as measured by productivity and profitability, or input and skill structure. Our findings show that high turnover rates tend to decrease firm productivity but increase firm profitability for movers with short job spell durations. We also find evidence that firms have separated from their older workers and either replaced them with capital or with younger workers in smaller numbers. These results are related to different models of the labor market. All of these models possess some features that are consistent with these findings.
Liberalisation of International Trade in Financial Services in Southeast Asia: Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines and Thailand

This paper outlines the analytical rationale in favour of liberalisation of trade in services with particular reference to the key infrastrucutural sub-sectors of financial services and discusses the empirical evidence thereof. The paper goes on to offer an overview of the state of deregulation and the schedule of liberalisation of the two service sub-sectors in four middle-income Southeast Asian countries, viz. Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand and the Philippines. An attempt is also made to synthesize the individual country experiences and extract common themes from them.
Diabetic nerve conduction abnormalities in the primary care setting.

BACKGROUND Nerve conduction studies (NCS) are the most objective measure of nerve function, and their use is recommended in the clinical and epidemiological evaluation of diabetic polyneuropathy (DPN). The purpose of this study was to utilize automated NCS technology to characterize nerve conduction of patients with diabetes in primary care settings. METHODS The Diabetes cohort was drawn from 28 community clinics. The Control cohort consisted of subjects without diabetes and without evidence of neuropathy. Bilateral peroneal NCS were performed with an automated NCS instrument (NC-stat, NeuroMetrix, Inc., Waltham, MA). Neuropathic symptoms were quantified using an abbreviated form of the NTSS-6 questionnaire. Risk factors for abnormal NCS were determined using multivariate regression modeling. RESULTS Data were collected for 172 control subjects and 1,358 subjects with diabetes. Statistically significant differences in peroneal NCS were found. Of the Diabetes cohort, 75.1% had at least one NCS abnormality, and 53.2% had bilateral abnormalities. Of the asymptomatic patients, 45% had bilateral NCS abnormalities. By contrast, 40% of those with clinically significant symptoms lacked bilateral NCS abnormalities. Independent predictors for bilateral NCS abnormalities were age, height, weight, hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), and duration of diabetes. Up to 16% of the variance in NCS measurements was explained by HbA1c, duration of diabetes, and several demographic variables. CONCLUSIONS This study suggests that automated NCS can provide nerve conduction confirmation of DPN in primary care settings and has clinical utility. These findings have important implications for the clinical and epidemiological evaluation of DPN.
Polymorphism of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma is not associated to Japanese ulcerative colitis.

BACKGROUND/AIMS Expression of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARgamma) has been reported to be impaired in patients with ulcerative colitis (UC), and activation of PPARgamma is proved to inhibit the intestinal inflammation. As Plo12Ala polymorphism in codon 12 of the PPARgamma gene may decrease the promoter activity, we investigated the influences of PPARgamma polymorphism on the risk of UC in Japanese population. METHODOLOGY The study recruited 118 patients with UC and 142 health controls. Plo12Ala polymorphisms of PPARgamma were detected by polymerase chain reaction based restricted fragment length polymorphism. RESULTS The frequency of Pro/Alo heterozygotes of PPARgamma gene in UC and control group was 4.2% and 4.9%, respectively. No significant difference was found between UC and control group (P=1.00, Fisher's exact test). Plo12Ala genotype of PPARgamma did not show significant association with UC risk (OR=0.85, 95%CI=0.26-2.76). CONCLUSIONS Our research suggests that Plo12Ala polymorphism of PPARgamma may not be associated with the risk of developing ulcerative colitis in Japanese population.
Addressing vulnerabilities of the CNS infrastructure to targeted radio interference

Communication, navigation, and surveillance (CNS) technology is the backbone of modern-day air traffic management (ATM), containing a wide variety of radio systems that include ground stations, satellites, and aviation users. With the continuing development of software-defined radio, CNS systems are faced with a fundamentally new challenge that was not known at the time many of the systems were designed: software-defined radio has simplified the generation of radio signals with arbitrarily configurable modulation schemes and waveforms, to the point in which it has become financially accessible for private individuals.
Benefits and limitations of regional multi-model ensembles for storm loss estimations

Spatial patterns of near-surface wind speeds and resulting loss potentials associated with severe winter storms were investigated in multi-model simulations with regional climate mod- els (RCMs), driven by ERA40 re-analyses. The benefits and limitations of dynamical downscaling for windstorm loss calculations were explored, including a quantification of the performance of the multi-model ensemble as a whole and the systematic investigation of the influence of model selection on the ensemble results. A comparison of the wind fields in the different models revealed both sys- tematic biases in individual RCMs and model-specific anomalies over mountainous regions. Further, a storm loss model was applied to the RCM wind fields, and the calculated losses were validated against observed annual insurance loss data available for Germany. Generally, a distinct advantage from dynamical downscaling was obvious. However, all RCMs failed in realistically simulating 1 spe- cific major event. If this particular event was excluded from the considerations, almost all simulations revealed high correlations (above 0.8) with observed losses, comparable to losses calculated directly from the large-scale reanalysis wind field. For the best performing models, considerably higher loss correlations up to 0.95 were obtained, suggesting that the high-resolution RCMs exceeded the value of assimilation in the driving data for the area considered. Combining calculated losses from the indi- vidual RCMs into a multi-model ensemble, the performance of the ensemble mean was as good as the performance of the best single model. Examining all possible sub-ensembles, we found that gener- ally a higher minimum performance was obtained with a larger number of ensemble members, whereas the maximum performance was hardly affected by the ensemble size.
Blood lead level as biomarker of environmental lead pollution in feral and cultured African catfish ( Clarias gariepinus )

Research has demonstrated a positive link between the presence of lead in freshwater, sediments or food organisms and the onset of sub-lethal effects characterized by neurological defects, kidney dysfunction, endocrine disruption, reproductive/developmental defects, behavioural abnormalities and anemia in demersal aquatic fauna. Considering the significance of haematological parameters as indicators of fish health, this present work assessed the blood lead level (BLL) and haematological parameters of feral and cultured African catfish (Clarias gariepinus) in Ibadan, a metropolitan city. BLL and haematological parameters of fifty Clarias gariepinus were determined. Each set of ten fish were randomly collected from three different fish ponds and two rivers. BLL was relatively higher in feral fishes than those from fish ponds; while all the haematological parameters (PCV, HB, RBC, MCH, MCV and MCHC) were non-significantly (p<0.05) higher in fishes sourced from cultured environment relative to those from surface water and vice versa for immunological parameters (WBC and differential counts). The BLL observed in this study (0.85 ± 0.38 mg/dl and 0.90 ± 0.6 mg/dl) from cultured and feral fish respectively is indicative of lead pollution of the culture water and environment. The ideal blood lead level is now considered to be zero. Lead pollution of the study area has serious consequences on aquatic fauna and humans who consume such contaminated fish. It is therefore recommended that human and animal health surveillance and environmental monitoring of lead should be initiated.
Letters to the shareholders: A content analysis comparison of letters written by CEOs in the U.S. and Japan

Previous studies suggest that letters to the shareholders are widely used in investors‟ decisionmaking processes. Letters to the shareholders, however, are unaudited and usually not subject to regulation. Hence, CEOs may use them strategically to manage the impressions shareholders have of the company. This paper focuses on letters to the shareholders from Japanese and U.S. companies. The research examines whether U.S. and Japanese CEOs explain the causes of good and bad news in different ways. The findings point to a number of interesting differences between the U.S. and Japanese letters to the shareholders. The results indicate that U.S. CEOs in particular emphasize good news. However, Japanese and U.S. Letters are statistically indistinguishable with respect to extent to which CEOs claim responsibility for good news. Furthermore, while CEOs in general ascribe bad news to causes beyond their control, this tendency is particularly strong in Japanese Letters. The implications of the study for both investors and regulators are discussed.
THE ISSUE OF ANTIBIOTIC USE IN THE LIVESTOCK INDUSTRY: WHAT HAVE WE LEARNED?

It is generally believed that it is better to use medicinal products as therapeutics to treat disease situations, using high doses for short periods of time, rather than as prophylactics, when low doses are fed continuously. It is therefore the continuous use of low levels of medicinal products as growth promoters in farm animals that has been brought into question, as it is thought that this may increase the risk of development of bacterial resistance to antibiotics used as therapeutic drugs to treat disease in humans.
Neuroendocrine Dysregulation in Irritable Bowel Syndrome Patients: A Pilot Study

Background/Aims Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a multifactorial disorder, involving dysregulation of brain-gut axis. Our aim was to evaluate the neuroendocrine activity in IBS. Methods Thirty IBS and 30 healthy volunteers were enrolled. Psychological symptoms were evaluated by questionnaires. Urinary 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid, plasma serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine, 5-HT), endothelin, and neuropeptide Y (NPY), and plasma and urinary cortisol levels were evaluated. Fourteen IBS subjects underwent microneurography to obtain multiunit recordings of efferent postganglionic muscle sympathetic nerve activity (MSNA). Results Prevalent psychological symptoms in IBS were maladjustment (60%), trait (40%) and state (17%) anxiety, obsessive compulsive-disorders (23%), and depressive symptoms (23%). IBS showed increased NPY (31.9 [43.7] vs 14.8 [18.1] pmol/L, P = 0.006), 5-HT (214.9 [182.6] vs 141.0 [45.5] pg/mL, P = 0.010), and endothelin [1.1 [1.4] vs 2.1 [8.1] pg/mL, P = 0.054], compared to healthy volunteers. Moreover, plasma NPY, endothelin, cortisol and 5-HT, and urinary 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid were associated with some psychological disorders (P ≤ 0.05). Despite a similar resting MSNA, after cold pressor test, IBS showed a blunted increase in MSNA burst frequency (+4.1 vs +7.8 bursts/min, P = 0.048; +30.1% vs +78.1%, P = 0.023). Baseline MSNA tended to be associated with urinary cortisol (ρ = 0.557, P = 0.059). Moreover, changes in heart rate after mental stress were associated with urinary cortisol (ρ = 0.682, P = 0.021) and changes in MSNA after mental stress were associated with plasma cortisol (ρ = 0.671, P = 0.024). ” Conclusion Higher concentrations of endothelin, NPY, and 5-HT were found to be associated with some psychological disorders in IBS patients together with an altered cardiovascular autonomic reactivity to acute stressors compared to healthy volunteers.
Transglutaminase 2 reprogramming of glucose metabolism in mammary epithelial cells via activation of inflammatory signaling pathways

Aberrant glucose metabolism characterized by high levels of glycolysis, even in the presence of oxygen, is an important hallmark of cancer. This metabolic reprogramming referred to as the Warburg effect is essential to the survival of tumor cells and provides them with substrates required for biomass generation. Molecular mechanisms responsible for this shift in glucose metabolism remain elusive. As described herein, we found that aberrant expression of the proinflammatory protein transglutaminase 2 (TG2) is an important regulator of the Warburg effect in mammary epithelial cells. Mechanistically, TG2 regulated metabolic reprogramming by constitutively activating nuclear factor (NF)‐κB, which binds to the hypoxia‐inducible factor (HIF)−1α promoter and induces its expression even under normoxic conditions. TG2/NF‐κB‐induced increase in HIF‐1α expression was associated with increased glucose uptake, increased lactate production and decreased oxygen consumption by mitochondria. Experimental suppression of TG2 attenuated HIF‐1α expression and reversed downstream events in mammary epithelial cells. Moreover, downregulation of p65/RelA or HIF‐1α expression in these cells restored normal glucose uptake, lactate production, mitochondrial respiration and glycolytic protein expression. Our results suggest that aberrant expression of TG2 is a master regulator of metabolic reprogramming and facilitates metabolic alterations in epithelial cells even under normoxic conditions. A TG2‐induced shift in glucose metabolism helps breast cancer cells to survive under stressful conditions and promotes their metastatic competence.
Knowledge Codification, Process Routinization and the Creation of Organizational Capabilities: Post-Acquisition Management in the US Banking Industry

How do firms create strategically relevant capabilities? In this study, insights from evolutionary economics and organizational learning theories are combined to explore the mechanisms behind the creation of organizational capabilities in the context of infrequent, heterogeneous, and complex administrative tasks. More specifically, the investigation covers the effects of both tacit and codified knowledge accumulation mechanisms on the development of a practice specialized in the management of post-acquisition integration processes. Hypotheses about the performance implications of pre-acquisition resources, post-acquisition integration decisions, and knowledge accumulation and codification processes are tested with primary data collected from a sample of 51 bank holding companies in the United States and Canada, for a total of 577 completed acquisitions. Results show that codification and routinization processes play a key role in shaping the evolution of post-acquisition integration practices, and that both mechanisms have a positive influence on acquisition performance, within specific limitations. The effectiveness of tacit knowledge accumulation is constrained by the degree of homogeneity of past experiences, whereas knowledge codification impacts performance only when high levels of integration are to be achieved. Results also show that greater level of integration have positive implications for acquisition performance and that decisions to replace top management affect performance negatively. Conclusions are drawn about necessary refinements of current theoretical approaches to accommodate complex learning conditions, and the potential implications for the management of acquisitions, as well as other infrequent and complex organizational events, such as strategic alliances and internal reorganizations, are discussed. Degree Type Dissertation Degree Name Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) Graduate Group Management First Advisor Habir Singh
Event-Triggered Nonsynchronized $\mathcal {H}_{\infty }$ Filtering for Discrete-Time T–S Fuzzy Systems Based on Piecewise Lyapunov Functions

This paper is concerned with the design of <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">${\mathcal {H}_{\infty }}$ </tex-math></inline-formula> event-triggered filter for a class of Takagi–Sugeno fuzzy systems. Based on the proposed communication strategy, only the measured outputs of the physical plant that violate a predefined triggering condition will win the right for transmission in the shared communication channel. Considering that the implementation of the filter may not be synchronized with the plant trajectories due to the asynchronous premise variables in network environment, a novel observer-based piecewise fuzzy filter is proposed. By adopting the idea of input delay method, the filtering error dynamics is reformulated as a new event-triggered piecewise fuzzy system. By applying a piecewise Lyapunov–Krasovskii functional and some techniques on matrix convexification, a method of event-triggered <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">${\mathcal {H}_{\infty }}$ </tex-math></inline-formula> piecewise filter design is developed for the filtering error system concerned to be asymptotically stable with a given disturbance attenuation level and reduced transmission rate. Moreover, a co-design algorithm to derive the filter gains and the event triggering parameters is proposed. Illustrative examples are finally given to show the effectiveness of the developed method.
Laccase production by some Phlebia species

The present study was carried out to examine the abiLity of four species of the genus Phlebia, viz. P. floridensis, P. brevispora, P. radiata and P. fascicularia, to produce the ligninolytic enzyme laccase in liquid culture. P. floridensis was the most active species that even surpassed laccase production by Trametes versicolor, and was chosen for further study. Among several carbon sources tested, malt extract turned out to be the best medium for subsequent laccase concentration by ammonium sulfate precipitation. Specific enzyme activity increased 12‐fold during this procedure and a Km value of 0.33 mM was calculated for the resulting laccase preparation using guaiacol as the substrate. Concentrated laccase from P. floridensis was relatively thermostable and retained 70% and 15% of its activity after 1 h preincubation at 50 °C and 60 °C, respectively.
Live influenza B vaccine in volunteers

SUMMARY A trial of an experimental live influenza B vaccine has been described. The virus it contained was active and produced infections, antibody rises and clinical reactions. Second and third vaccinations had much less effect than the first. Resistance to revaccination was only partially reflected in the serological response. It seems that another factor, probably local antibody, exerts a considerable influence on resistance to infection with influenza viruses. We are greatly indebted to Dr P. G. Higgins of the Public Health Laboratory, Cirencester, who went to much trouble to provide us with specimens from patients with influenza; to Dr H. G. Pereira of the National Institute for Medical Research for the antigenic analysis of the vaccine virus; to Messrs Sankey Ltd., Bilston, Wolverhampton, for their unfailing courtesy and forbearance throughout the trial; to the volunteers for their enthusiastic co-operation in the face of some discom forts; and to Messrs Pfizer Ltd., Sandwich, for originally providing facilities for the preparation of the vaccine. In particular we wish to record our gratitude for the invaluable technical help of Miss Pamela Ball of the Common Cold Research Unit, Mrs Maria Gregory of the Bacteriology Department of Liverpool University, Mrs L. Johnson of the Virus Laboratory of New Cross Hospital, Wolverhampton, and Mr A. Westoby, an assistant in the practice of Dr Tyler.
The effect of mergers and acquisitions on shareholder returns

Mergers and acquisitions net only affect the value of merging firms but also generate a positive or negative wealth effect for shareholders of firms involved. The Hubris theory hypothesises that mergers and acquisitions affect the value of the firms as well as shareholder wealth. This theory predicts that as a result of mergers and acquisitions, the value of target firms rises, whilst the value of bidding firms diminishes. Censequently, shareholders of target firms gain a positive wealth effect while shareholders of bidding firms experience a negative wealth effect. Most empirical evidence suggests that shareholders of bidding firms suffer a small loss or sometimes earn a marginal gain while the target shareholders obtain a large gain. However, no previous studies on shareholder wealth effect have investigated whether the differences in abnormal returns are influenced by differences in controlling interest in the target firms. The purpose of the present study is to investigate whether an acquisition of more than 50% and an acquisition of less than 50% generate the same wealth effects for the shareholders of bidding and target firms.