Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Sulindac Metabolism and Synergy with Tumor Necrosis Factor-α in a Drug-Inflammation Interaction Model of Idiosyncratic Liver Injury

Sulindac (SLD) is a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) that has been associated with a greater incidence of idiosyncratic hepatotoxicity in human patients than other NSAIDs. In previous studies, cotreatment of rats with SLD and a modestly inflammatory dose of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) led to liver injury, whereas neither SLD nor LPS alone caused liver damage. In studies presented here, further investigation of this animal model revealed that the concentration of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) in plasma was significantly increased by LPS at 1 h, and SLD enhanced this response. Etanercept, a soluble TNF-α receptor, reduced SLD/LPS-induced liver injury, suggesting a role for TNF-α. SLD metabolites in plasma and liver were determined by LC/MS/MS. Cotreatment with LPS did not increase the concentrations of SLD or its metabolites, excluding the possibility that LPS contributed to liver injury through enhanced exposure to SLD or its metabolites. The cytotoxicities of SLD and its sulfide and sulfone metabolites were compared in primary rat hepatocytes and HepG2 cells; SLD sulfide was more toxic in both types of cells than SLD or SLD sulfone. TNF-α augmented the cytotoxicity of SLD sulfide in primary hepatocytes and HepG2 cells. These results suggest that TNF-α can enhance SLD sulfide-induced hepatotoxicity, thereby contributing to liver injury in SLD/LPS-cotreated rats.
Lobbying Coalitions and Government Policy Change: An Analysis of Federal Agency Rulemaking

Coalition lobbying is one of the most frequently employed influence tactics used by interest groups today. Yet, surprisingly, the existing literature measuring its policy effects finds either no relationship or a negative association between coalition lobbying and policy change. We theorize the conditions under which coalition lobbying will influence policy and then test for its policy effects. We expect greater influence when there is consensus across the messages sent from coalitions and when coalitions are larger and mobilize new participants. Using a multilevel model, we assess the argument with survey data from lobbying entities and a content analysis of regulations promulgated by seven U.S. federal agencies. In contrast to the existing literature measuring policy effects, we find evidence that coalition participants hold important influence during regulatory policymaking. We also demonstrate that both consensus and coalition makeup are critical factors for policy change. These findings suggest that groups employing coalition lobbying—under certain conditions—can, and do, affect the content of government policy outputs.
CEO Optimism and Incentive Compensation

I study the effect of chief executive officer (CEO) optimism on CEO compensation. Using data on compensation in US firms, I provide evidence that CEOs whose option exercise behavior and earnings forecasts are indicative of optimistic beliefs receive smaller stock option grants, fewer bonus payments, and less total compensation than their peers. These findings add to our understanding of the interplay between managerial biases and remuneration and show how sophisticated principals can take advantage of optimistic agents by appropriately adjusting their compensation contracts.
Pronounced Interindividual But Not Intraindividual Variation in Tamoxifen and Metabolite Levels in Plasma During Adjuvant Treatment of Women With Early Breast Cancer

Background: Tamoxifen is still an important antihormonal treatment option for patients with breast cancer and estrogen receptor-positive tumors. More than 20% of patients relapse despite treatment. The drug is usually dosed 20 mg/d irrespective of interindividual variation in drug clearance. To study interindividual and intraindividual variation in plasma levels we measured tamoxifen and metabolite levels in plasma on 2 occasions, with at least 4 weeks in between, of 39 women (19 premenopausal and 20 postmenopausal women) on adjuvant treatment (20 mg/d) of early breast cancer. Methods: We used an ultra-performance liquid chromatography with a mass spectrometry detection method for identification and quantification of tamoxifen, N-desmethyltamoxifen, 4-OH-tamoxifen, and endoxifen. Follicle-stimulating hormone, luteinizing hormone, and estradiol levels were also measured. Results: The plasma concentrations of tamoxifen and its metabolites showed a pronounced interindividual variation, whereas intraindividual concentrations were rather stable. Despite the same dosage, interindividual tamoxifen concentrations varied from 51 to 307 ng/mL (124 ± 57, mean ± SD) and endoxifen values showed a range from 3.2 to 19 ng/mL (10.4 ± 5.2, mean ± SD), that is, 6-fold variation for both. Conclusions: Large interindividual variation of tamoxifen and endoxifen with stable intraindividual levels, and too low levels of endoxifen in a considerable proportion of patients strongly support that therapeutic drug monitoring and individualized dosing could lead to optimal exposure and hopefully better outcome. A randomized outcome study between conventional dosing and therapeutic drug monitoring-guided dosing is needed to show whether this approach works.
Evaluating Boards and Directors

The challenge for boards is to prevent crises in the organisations they govern. Performance evaluation is a key means by which boards can recognise and correct corporate governance problems and add real value to their organisations. Our paper provides a practical introduction to board and director evaluations. We discuss the reasons for governance failures and how board evaluations can help prevent them from occurring. We then review the performance pressures facing boards and the benefits of board evaluations in meeting these pressures. Finally, we introduce our framework for a successful board and/or individual director evaluation, whatever the company type. In this framework, we suggest there are seven key questions to consider when planning a board evaluation and discuss each of these seven decision areas.
Development and Validation of a Multiplex Microsphere-Based Assay for Detection of Domestic Cat (Felis catus) Cytokines

ABSTRACT Cytokines are essential signaling molecules that mediate the innate immune response, and therefore their presence can be of diagnostic, prognostic, and pathogenic significance. Microsphere-based immunoassays allow rapid and accurate evaluation of cytokine levels in several species, including humans, dogs, and mice; however, technology to evaluate domestic cat (Felis catus) cytokines has been limited to single-analyte enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs). Microsphere-based immunoassays provide an attractive alternative technology for detecting and quantifying multiple analytes in a single assay using as little as 50 μl of sample. We describe the development and validation of a microsphere-based assay for three commonly analyzed domestic cat cytokines (gamma interferon, interleukin-10, and interleukin-12/interleukin-23 p40) using reagents from commercially available ELISAs. The assay was optimized for capture and detection antibody concentrations, streptavidin-phycoerythrin concentration, and number of microspheres. The validated lower and upper quantitation limits were 31 and 1,000 pg/ml for gamma interferon, 63 and 2,000 pg/ml for interleukin-10, and 39 and 625 pg/ml for interleukin-12/interleukin-23 p40. Cytokine concentrations in peripheral blood mononuclear cell supernatants were measured, and results obtained by the microsphere assay were correlated with values obtained with commercially available ELISA kits. This technology is a convenient and reproducible assay to evaluate domestic cat cytokine responses elicited by a variety of diseases.
AN ANALYSIS OF YOUTH PARTICIPATION IN ATHLETICS An Abstract of a Thesis Submitted In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Master of Arts

School athletics has a significant impact on the development of youth. This study is an exploration of the differences between youth who participate in school athletics and those who do not. Specifically, the study examined youth academic performance and behavior referrals, and variables such as grade level, age, gender, and ethnicity. In addition, the study examined whether or not there was a relationship between participation in the school’s free or reduced lunch program and athletic participation. To determine the differences and relationships of youth that participate in school athletics and those who do not participate, an existing dataset of 4,078 students was used from a mid-sized Midwestern school district. The data was provided from a local nonprofit organization that gathers data from the school district and offers the data to other nonprofit organizations to measure participant outcomes. The study found that there was a significant difference between youth who participate in school athletics and those who do not based on academic performance (GPA), behavior referrals, age and grade level. The study found that there was a significant relationship between youth who participate in school athletics and those who do not based on participation in the school’s free or reduced lunch program and their ethnicity. There was no significant relationship between youth who participate in school athletics and those who do not based on gender. The results suggest that youth should be actively involved with school athletics because the findings have demonstrated to have a significant impact on the study participant’s GPA and behavior. A reason that this may occur is athletes may be held to a higher standard by their coaches because if they do not achieve a certain grade or they are misbehaving, then they may not be able to participate in athletics. AN ANALYSIS OF YOUTH PARTICIPATION IN ATHLETICS A Thesis Submitted In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Master of Arts Jonathan Wayne Klein University of Northern Iowa May 2017
Employment Opportunities in Rural Areas: Implications for Poverty in a Changing Policy Environment

The Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996, as well as changes in other public programs providing poor households with an economic "safety net," have refocused attention on the issue of poverty in the United States (Levitan, Mangum, and Mangum). Changes in welfare policy at the federal level follow a fifteen-year period of transition and restructuring in U.S. labor markets during which incomes strongly diverged between the "haves" and the "havenots. " Marked changes in policy, coupled with long-run transformations in labor markets, make poverty a critical issue (Shapiro). Poverty in U.S. central cities has received significant attention and has influenced the public's perception of who is poor and how to "correct" the poverty problem. However, how we collectively perceive "the poor" does injustice to the problem, oversimplifying a very complex issue. This is true in urban areas and it is particularly the case in rural areas. It is not often recognized that nonmetro areas have higher rates of poverty than do metro areas (Lichter et al.). For example, in 1990, 16.3% of the nonmetro population was in poverty, whereas 12.7% were poor in metro areas (U.S. Bureau of the Census 1991). Rural poor households are also more likely to be chronically poor, have higher proportions of the working poor, and have been historically less dependent on welfare than the urban poor (Fuguitt, Brown, and Beale; Lichter et al.). This article focuses on the ability of rural adults to find adequate jobs to help reduce the likelihood that they or their households are poor. Because the individual's participation in work is such a key factor in the 1996 Act and because of the complexities of analyzing work patterns across poor households of different compositions, this research focuses on the labor market outcomes of individuals. We con-
Relationship between the yen carry trade and the related financial variables

Recently, the yen carry trade has been focused on the international financial market. However, there are few empirical studies on the yen carry trade. This paper investigates the relationship between the yen carry trade and the related financial variables in the US and Japan by the structural vector autoregression (SVAR) model. Our estimation results show that the US stock price has a dominant impact on the activity of the speculative yen carry trade. On the other hand, we found that the interest rate differential between Japan and the US does not have a significant impact on the movement of the carry trade. This result shows that the Bank of Japan's (BOJ) raising the key rate may not make the yen carry trade less attractive. Our results also indicate that if the carry trade unwinds, the depreciation of the dollar against the yen will take place.
Understanding the Concerns and Needs of Immigrant Youth in Nassau County New York

Immigrant bias incidents led a group of community advocates to study the concerns and needs of immigrant youth and families. This article presents an analysis of existing quantitative and qualitative data collected from 614 immigrant youth. The youth expressed concerns about multiple issues: school, family, health, money, law enforcement, and underlying linkages among these issues. Binomial analysis indicated that while youth agreed social services in their community would be helpful to them, they did not know where or how to access such services. Content analysis indicated anxiety, anger, and optimism were associated with motivation to succeed in school. Findings emphasize the need to provide services that address multiple, possibly interrelated issues, and the importance of educating youth about accessing services.
Posterior continuous curvilinear capsulorhexis with and without optic capture of the posterior chamber intraocular lens in the absence of vitrectomy.

PURPOSE To evaluate the efficacy of posterior continuous curvilinear capsulorhexis (PCCC) with optic capture of the posterior chamber intraocular lens (PC IOL) in the absence of vitrectomy in preventing secondary opacification of the visual axis following pediatric cataract surgery. PATIENTS AND METHODS Thirty-four eyes of 28 children with congenital or developmental cataract, aged 1.5 to 12 years (mean, 6.39 years), were included in this prospective, randomized study. Anterior continuous curvilinear capsulorhexis (ACCC) with PCCC without optic capture of the PC IOL was performed in group A (18 eyes) and ACCC with PCCC with optic capture of the PC IOL was performed in group B (16 eyes). None of the eyes underwent anterior vitrectomy. Secondary opacification of the visual axis, visual acuity, and possible complications were observed and analyzed. RESULTS The follow-up period ranged from 8 to 28 months (mean, 17.5 months). All 16 eyes (100%) in group B had a clear visual axis at the end of follow-up. Eight eyes (44.4%) in group A had significant opacification of the visual axis. The difference between the two groups was statistically significant (P = .0011). No eye in group B required secondary intervention, whereas all 8 eyes in group A with significant secondary opacification required secondary intervention. There was no statistically significant difference in other complications such as anterior chamber reaction, fibrin formation, lenticular precipitates, and posterior synechiae. The final best-corrected visual acuity at the end of follow-up was comparable in the two groups (P > .05). CONCLUSION PCCC with optic capture of the PC IOL prevents secondary opacification of the visual axis even in the absence of vitrectomy.
Electron microscopy of the human respiratory syncytial virus fusion protein and complexes that it forms with monoclonal antibodies.

Full-length fusion (F) glycoprotein of human respiratory syncytial virus (HRSV) and a truncated anchorless mutant lacking the C-terminal 50 amino acids were expressed from vaccinia recombinants and purified by immunoaffinity chromatography and sucrose gradient centrifugation. Electron microscopy of full-length F protein in the absence of detergents revealed micelles, (i.e., rosettes) containing two distinct types of protein rods, one cone-shaped and the other lollipop-shaped. Analysis of membrane anchorless F molecules indicated that they were similar to the cone-shaped rods and that rosettes, which they formed on storage, were made up of lollipop-shaped rods. The two forms of F protein may represent different structures that the molecule may adopt before and after activation for its role in membrane fusion. Studies of complexes of these structures with monoclonal antibodies of known specificity provide information on the three-dimensional organization of antigenic sites on the F protein and confirm the oligomeric structure, possibly trimeric, of both full-length F and membrane anchorless F.
Addressing chronic diseases in protracted emergencies: Lessons from HIV for a new health imperative

ABSTRACT Forcible displacement has reached unprecedented levels, with more refugees and internally displaced people reported since comprehensive statistics have been collected. The rising numbers of refugees requiring health services, the protracted nature of modern displacement, and the changing demographics of refugee populations have created compelling new health needs and challenges. In addition to the risk of malnutrition, infectious diseases and exposure to the elements attendant upon conflict and the breakdown of public health systems, many displaced people now require continuity care for the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, asthma, cancer, and mental health, as well as maternal and child health services. In some regions, most refugee health services need to be provided in dispersed settings within host communities, rather than in traditional refugee camps, and the number of refugees suffering protracted displacement is growing rapidly. These realities highlight a significant disconnect between the health needs of twenty-first century refugees, and the global systems that have been established to address them. The global response to the HIV epidemic offers lessons about ways to support continuity care for chronic conditions during complex emergencies and may provide important blueprints as the global community struggles to redesign refugee health services.
The Breaking-Down of Marriage in Italy: Trends and Trendsetters

During the last decades, since the mid-1970s, marriage has lost much of its centrality in Southern European Countries, such as Italy and Spain. However, the general incidence of consensual unions and marital disruption is still low compared to general European standards. Some scholars argue that the long tradition of a rigid familistic system in such countries will lay the phenomenon at very low levels. But our results reject a static picture of the Italian context and, despite persisting geographical differences, they confirm a rising breaking-down of marriage. Overall, our work places Italy at a crucial stage, in which the trends indicate a strong increase in divorce and consensual unions, and the new behaviours are no longer confined to certain trendsetters. Spain and Italy seem to be moving together in the European context.
Harvest season, high polluted season in East China

East China, a major agricultural zone with a dense population, suffers from severe air pollution during June, the agricultural harvest season, every year. Crop burning emits tremendous amounts of combustion products into the atmosphere, not only rapidly degrading the local air quality but also affecting the tropospheric chemistry, threatening public health and affecting climate change. Recently, in mid-June 2012, crop fires left a thick pall of haze over East China. We evaluated the PM10, PM2.5 (particulates less than 10 and 2.5 μm in aerodynamic diameter) and BC (black carbon) emissions by analyzing detailed census data and moderate resolution imaging spectroradiometer (MODIS) remote sensing images and then simulated the consequent pollution using meteorological and dispersion models. The results show that the crop fires sweeping from the south to the north are responsible for the intensive air pollution during harvest season. It is necessary for scientists and governments to pay more attention to this issue.
Price Dynamics in the Regular and E-Mini Futures Markets

Abstract This paper examines the price dynamics in the S&P 500 and Nasdaq-100 index futures contracts. By utilizing transactions data with attached trader type identification codes, we are able to analyze price dynamics for trades initiated by exchange locals and off-exchange customers. The empirical results show that price discovery appears to be initiated in the E-mini index futures contracts and that trades initiated by exchange locals seem to be more informative than those initiated by off-exchange traders. Furthermore, results show that exchange locals appear to make informed trades on the E-mini contracts around large trades that occur on the open outcry floor. We maintain that the exchange locals' ability to observe pit dynamics may contribute toward explaining the price leadership of the Emini contracts. Overall, the results are consistent with the notion that exchange locals are informed traders who derive their informational advantage from the proximity to order flow.
A pattern of age-related macular degeneration.

INTRODUCTION Age related macular degeneration is a disorder of the macula most often clinically apparent affecting central vision and is one of the leading causes of blindness in the population above 50 years. The aim of this study is to determine clinical profile of AMD in Nepalese presenting to a Teaching Hospital in Kathmandu. METHODS It was a hospital-based cross-sectional study. The subjects included in the study were those presenting to the Ophthalmology department of Kathmandu Medical College Teaching Hospital from July 2007- Dec 2007.The total number of individuals included in the study were 402 and total number of eyes were 804. RESULTS AMD was observed in 5.2% out of 402 subjects of 40 years and above age group with prevalence increasing with age. The prevalence of AMD was 0.7% within 40-50 years of age-group individuals increasing to 2.6% in 51-60 years, 6.5% in 61-70 years and to 19.3% among subjects above 71 years. This study revealed that the prevalence of AMD in females was higher with female preponderance in ratio of 2.5:1. 52.5 % AMD subjects in our study had visual impairment with 6/246/60 vision and 15% had vision <3/60-PL. Our study revealed statistically significant increased risk for AMD with aging (p=0.00). Increased risk was observed in female gender and diabetics though the Odds ratio (OR) was statistically insignificant (p=>0.01). CONCLUSIONS Prevalence of AMD in Nepalese presenting to Kathmandu Medical College Teaching Hospital was 5% with female preponderance in ratio of 2.5:1. Aging showed statistically significant increased risk for AMD development in this study.