Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Getting the evidence: Asia child marriage initiative. Summary report.

This report presents the research into the root causes of child marriage in Bangladesh Pakistan and Indonesia. The research finds that child marriage is rooted in rigid gender norms and is frequently used as a way to control girls’ sexuality. The report also reiterates that education is an effective strategy to prevent child marriage: girls who stay in school tend to marry later. The report makes recommendations for programmatic interventions as well as messaging for advocacy and communications work.
Data requirements for risk assessment of furan in food

Furan is an organic, volatile compound used in various chemical-manufacturing industries. Headspace gas chromatography is the analytical method of choice for obtaining reliable results on its occurrence. The presence of furan in some food items has been known since the late 1970s, but a US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) survey published in 2004 revealed the occurrence of furan in a broad variety of canned and jarred foods, including baby food, that undergo heat treatment. Furan is carcinogenic in rats and mice, showing a dose-dependent increase in hepatocellular adenomas and carcinomas. In rats, a dose-dependent increase of mononuclear leukaemia is evident and a very high incidence of cholangiocarcinomas of the liver, even at the lowest dose tested. There is evidence to indicate that furan-induced carcinogenicity is probably attributable to a genotoxic mechanism. However, chronic toxicity with secondary cell proliferation may indirectly amplify the tumour response. From the available data, there is a relative small difference between possible human exposure and the doses in experimental animals required to produce carcinogenic effects. However, reliable risk assessment requires further data on both toxicity and exposure. The European Food Safety Authority's (EFSA) Scientific Panel on Contaminants in the Food Chain (CONTAM) recommended these studies as part of a reliable risk assessment of furan in food.
Stirred culture of peripheral and cord blood hematopoietic cells offers advantages over traditional static systems for clinically relevant applications.

The ability to culture hematopoietic cells in readily characterizable and scalable stirred systems, combined with the capability to utilize serum-free medium, will aid the development of clinically attractive bioreactor systems for transplantation therapies. We thus examined the proliferation and differentiation characteristics of peripheral blood (PB) mononuclear cells (MNC), cord blood (CB) MNC, and PB CD34(+) cells in spinner flasks and (control) T-flask cultures in both serum-containing and serum-free media. Hematopoietic cultures initiated from all sources examined (PB MNC, CB MNC, and PB CD34(+) cells) grew well in spinner vessels with either serum-containing or serum-free medium. Culture proliferation in spinner flasks was dependent on both agitator design and RPM as well as on the establishment of critical inoculum densities (ID) in both serum-containing (2 x 10(5) MNC/mL) and serum-free (3 x 10(5) MNC/mL) media. Spinner flask culture of PB MNC in serum-containing medium provided superior expansion of total cells and colony-forming cells (CFC) at high ID (1.2 x 10(6) cells/mL) as compared to T-flask controls. Serum-free spinner culture was comparable, if not superior, to that observed in serum-containing medium. This is the first report of stirred culture of PB or CB MNC, as well as the first report of stirred CD34(+) cell culture. Additionally, this is the first account of serum-free stirred culture of hematopoietic cells from any source.
Autogenous production of interferon‐beta switches on HLA genes during differentiation of histiocytic lymphoma U937 cells.

The expression of class I HLA genes was measured during the in vitro differentiation of human U937 lymphoma cells towards macrophages. Following the onset of differentiation by phorbol myristate acetate the levels of cytoplasmic mRNA that hybridized with a [32P]HLA‐B cDNA probe increased by a factor of nine. Elevation in HLA mRNA accumulation was followed by an increase in the rate of synthesis of HLA proteins and also by a dramatic increase in class I HLA cell surface antigen expression, as shown by cytofluorimetric analysis. The elevation in HLA mRNA and surface antigens could be prevented by adding antibodies against human interferon‐beta (IFN‐beta) to the culture medium at the onset of differentiation. Interferon antiviral activity was detected in the medium of differentiated U937 cells. The same anti‐IFN‐beta antibodies prevented the increase in (2′‐5′)oligo(A) synthetase activity which also takes place in differentiating U937 cells. Accumulation of the IFN‐induced (2′‐5′)oligo(A) synthetase in U937 cells is preceded by an increase in its specific 1.6‐kb mRNA as shown by hybridization to cloned (2′‐5′)‐oligo(A) synthetase cDNA. The enzyme was preferentially found in the nuclear fraction of differentiating U937 cells. We suggest that an autogenous production of interferon‐beta by the differentiating cells, switches on expression of the class I HLA genes as well as that of the (2′‐5′)oligo(A) synthetase.
Ethological study of manual laterality in naturalistic housed chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) from the Mona Foundation Sanctuary (Girona, Spain)

During recent years, handedness of nonhuman primates has been the subject of several studies, especially focused on our closest relatives: the chimpanzees. These studies have dealt with both wild and captive chimpanzees, and they seem to point to divergent conclusions, which have been interpreted as a by-product of the human influence in the captive samples. Here we present the results of a study of 10 chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes). In the past, they were trained in circus and marketing tasks (humanised behaviours), until they were confiscated and accepted into the Mona Foundation (in northeast Spain) in 2000, where they live in a semi-naturalistic environment. This study has been performed through observational bouts without systematic human influence, recording the actions carried out by chimpanzees when performing spontaneous activities. Our results indicate that chimpanzees that were under strong human influence in the past show the same trend in handedness as those living in freedom: few significant lateralities were observed among either individuals or tasks. So, laterality may not be influenced by humanisation. However, this conclusion must be taken as preliminary because very few individuals were studied.
Relations of bulimic symptom frequency and intensity to psychosocial impairment and health care utilization: results from a community-recruited sample.

OBJECTIVE To determine the frequency and intensity of bulimic symptoms related to psychosocial impairment and health care utilization. METHOD Females (N = 1231, M age = 17.7, range 13-55) from four community-recruited samples varying in bulimic pathology completed the eating disorder examination, social adjustment scale, and health survey utilization scale. RESULTS Co-occurrence of binge eating and compensatory behaviors and solely compensatory behaviors >or=1 time/month were associated with elevations in psychosocial impairment. Co-occurrence of both binge eating and compensatory behaviors and solely compensatory behaviors >or=8 times/month were related to greater service utilization. Solely binge eating and duration of bulimic behaviors were unrelated to these functional outcomes. Overvaluation of body shape and weight showed significant linear relations to the functional outcomes. CONCLUSION Results suggest that current diagnostic thresholds for bulimia nervosa may be too high when considering functional impairment and service utilization and that different cut-points need to be considered for different bulimic symptoms.
Inbreeding depression and genetic load of sexually selected traits: how the guppy lost its spots

Abstract To date, few studies have investigated the effects of inbreeding on sexually selected traits, although inbreeding depression on such traits can play an important role in the evolution and ecology of wild populations. Sexually selected traits such as ornamentation and courtship behaviour may not be primary fitness characters, but selection and dominance coefficients of their mutations will resemble those of traits under natural selection. Strong directional selection, for instance, through female mate‐choice, purges all but the most recessive deleterious mutations, and the remaining dominance variation will result in inbreeding depression once populations undergo bottlenecks. We analysed the effects of inbreeding on sexually selected traits (colour pattern and courtship behaviour) in the male guppy, Poecilia reticulata, from Trinidad, and found a significant decline in the frequency of mating behaviour and colour spots. Such effects occurred although the genetic basis of these traits, many of which are Y‐linked and hemizygous, would be expected to leave relatively little scope for inbreeding depression. Findings suggest that these sexually selected traits could reflect the genetic condition or health of males, and thus may be informative mate‐cue characters for female choice as suggested by the ‘good genes’ model.
Factors Affecting Kuala Lumpur Composite Index (KLCI) Stock Market Return in Malaysia

This paper studies the relationship between Kuala Lumpur Composite Index Stock Market Return with four macroeconomic determinants, namely interest rate, exchange rate, money supply and oil price from January 1997 to December 2015 on a monthly basis with a total of 228 observations. However, most of the studies are carried out in developed countries and large economic nations instead of in emerging markets such as Malaysia. Thus, this study aims to extend the existing studies to include the impact of several macroeconomics determinants namely interest rate, exchange rate, money supply and oil price on KLCI stock market return. This paper employed Multiple Linear Regression to examine the statistical relationship and to test the hypotheses. The data was analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Science, SPSS. For diagnostic checking, there is existence of autocorrelation problem which is typically found in time-series data. Results indicated that there is negative relationship between exchange rate and stock market return and positive relationship between money supply and stock market return. Interest rate and oil price are found to have insignificant relationship with stock market return.
Analysis of SOI CMOS Microprocessor's SEE Sensitivity: Correlation of the Results Obtained by Different Test Methods

The results on SEE sensitivity of 0.5 <formula formulatype="inline"> <tex Notation="TeX">$\mu$</tex></formula>m SOI CMOS microprocessor are presented and discussed. The comparative analysis of different test techniques (particle accelerator, pulsed laser technique and <formula formulatype="inline"><tex Notation="TeX">$^{252}$</tex></formula>Cf fission source) is provided for the cache. The possible sources of discrepancies between test results and the ways of data correction and methods of testing techniques' accuracy improvement are discussed.
Timing the Use of Breast Cancer Risk Information in Biopsy Decision‐Making

Available clinical evidence is inconclusive on whether radiologists should use the patient risk profile information when interpreting mammograms. On the one hand, risk profile information is informative and can improve radiologists’ performance, but on the other hand, it may impair their judgment by introducing biases in mammography interpretation. Therefore, it is important to assess whether and when profile information use translates into improved outcomes. We model the use of profile information in mammography, using a decision theoretic approach and explore the value of profile information using three process design choices: mammography only, unbiased, and biased reading. We estimate the parameters of our model using clinical data and find that using profile information along with the mammography information can achieve a better performance than not using the profile information. However, the better performance is contingent on the weight assigned to the profile information as well as the extent of bias due to profile information. Translating our findings into clinical practice would require properly designed experiments aiming to quantify the effect of the timing and the use of profile information on performance while accounting for radiologist and patient characteristics. When conducting an experiment is not feasible, a uniform operational sequence for interpreting mammograms and related guidelines may be a useful starting point to improve the quality of mammography operations.
Buy, sell, or hold? A sense-making account of factors influencing trading decisions

Abstract We investigated the effects of news valence, the direction of trends in graphically presented price series, and the culture and personality of traders in a financial trading task. Participants were given 12 virtual shares of financial assets and asked to use price graphs and news items to maximize their returns by buying, selling, or holding each one. In making their decisions, they were influenced by properties of both news items and price series but they relied more on the former. Western participants had lower trading latencies and lower return dispersions than Eastern participants. Those with greater openness to experience had lower trading latencies. Participants bought more shares when they forecast that prices would rise but failed to sell more when they forecast that they would fall. These findings are all consistent with the view that people trading assets try to make sense of information by incorporating it within a coherent narrative.
Anti-angiogenic gene therapy for hepatocellular carcinoma mediated by microbubble-enhanced ultrasound exposure: an in vivo experimental study.

OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to assess the effect of anti-angiogenic gene therapy for hepatocelluar carcinoma (HCC) treated by microbubble-enhanced ultrasound exposure. METHODS Forty C57BL/6J female mice were inoculated s.c. with Hepa1-6 tumor cell line. Herpes simplex virus thymidine kinase under the control of kinase domain-containing receptor (KDR, angiogenic growth factor's corresponding receptor) promoter was used. Plasmid DNA with or without microbubble contrast agent of SonoVuetrade mark was i.v. injected. Ultrasound (1 MHz, 2 W/cm(2), 5 min) was delivered to hepatic carcinomas in mice. The KDR-tk gene transfer was followed by ganciclovir (GCV) injection for 10 days and then the diameters of tumors were measured every 4 days till 28 days. The survivals of tumor-bearing mice were observed. PCR analysis and immunohistochemistry measurements revealed expression of the transfected gene. Transferase-mediated dUTP nick end labeling staining was used to detect apoptotic cells. RESULTS Compared with the group treated by ultrasound alone, KDR-tk gene treatment treated by ultrasound combined with SonoVue restrained tumor growth and increased survival time of tumor-bearing mice; microvessel density in group mediated by ultrasound and SonoVue was significantly lower than that in group ultrasound alone (12.3 +/- 1.4 vs. 27.4 +/- 3.2, P < 0.05). An apoptosis index increased in the group treated by ultrasound and SonoVue compared with the group treated by ultrasound alone (25 +/- 3.6 vs. 36 +/- 3.8, P < 0.05), whereas there was no significant difference between group mediated by SonoVue alone and group phosphate-buffered saline alone (17 +/- 1.8 vs. 14 +/- 1.2, P>0.05). CONCLUSIONS Gene therapy mediated by ultrasound exposure enhanced by a microbubble contrast agent may become a new treatment option for persistent HCC.
Trends in Fathers' Contribution to Housework and Childcare under Different Welfare Policy Regimes

This article brings up to date welfare regime differences in the time fathers spend on childcare and core housework, using Multinational Time Use Study data (1971–2010) from fifteen countries. Although Nordic fathers continue to set the bar, the results provide some support for the idea of a catch-up in core housework among Southern regime fathers. The results also suggest an increasing polarization in Liberal countries, whereby fathers who were meaningfully involved in family life were increasingly likely to spend more time doing core housework and, particularly, childcare. Fathers living in Corporatist countries have been least responsive to change.
Helicobacter pylori Eradication Rate in Clarithromycin-resistant Strains By Pantoprazole - Amoxicillin - Clarithromycin Regimen

Background: Clarithromycin resistance is an increasing problem in this part of the world and it potentially has an impact on the eradication rate of first line triple therapy (proton pump inhibitor- AmoxicillinClarithromycin) for Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection. Objective: This study was designed to determine the effect of clarithromycin resistance on the efficacy of Pantoprazole-Amoxicillin-Clarithromycin for H. pylori eradication in Thai patients with non-ulcer dyspepsia (NUD). Patients and Methods: A total of 69 patients with NUD who had undergone upper endoscopy for dyspeptic symptom and had H. pylori infection as determined by positive urease test and positive culture for H. pylori were enrolled in this study. Minimal inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of Clarithromycin were identified using Epsilometer test (E-test). The value of MICs cutpoint for Clarithromycin resistant was >1 microgram/ml. There were 16 patients who had Clarithromycin resistant H. pylori and 53 patients with Clarithromycin sensitive H. pylori. Both groups of patients received Pantoprazole (Controloc  ) 40 mg b.i. d. , Amoxicillin 500 mg b.i. d. and Clarithromycin (Klacid MR  ) 500 mg 2 tablets daily for 1 week. H. pylori eradication was evaluated using 14 C urease test (PY-test  ) one month after triple therapy was discontinued. Results: Primary H. pylori resistance to Clarithromycin was observed in 16 of 69 patients (23.2%). The eradication rate were 90.6% (48/53) and 56.3% (9/16) in patients with Clarithromycin sensitive and resistant H. pylori, respectively. The difference in eradication rate between sensitive and resistant strains was statistically significant (p = 0.002). Conclusions: Clarithromycin resistant H. pylori is increasing in this part of the world. This finding may have a significant impact on the outcome of H. pylori eradication using regimen containing Clarithromycin.
Accumulation of Virion Tegument and Envelope Proteins in a Stable Cytoplasmic Compartment during Human Cytomegalovirus Replication: Characterization of a Potential Site of Virus Assembly

ABSTRACT The assembly of human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) is thought to be similar to that which has been proposed for alphaherpesviruses and involve envelopment of tegumented subviral particles at the nuclear membrane followed by export from the cell by a poorly defined pathway. However, several studies have shown that at least two tegument virion proteins remain in the cytoplasm during the HCMV replicative cycle, thereby suggesting that HCMV cannot acquire its final envelope at the nuclear envelope. We investigated the assembly of HCMV by determining the intracellular trafficking of the abundant tegument protein pp150 (UL32) in productively infected human fibroblasts. Our results indicated that pp150 remained within the cytoplasm throughout the replicative cycle of HCMV and accumulated in a stable, juxtanuclear structure late in infection. Image analysis using a variety of cell protein-specific antibodies indicated that the pp150-containing structure was not a component of the endoplasmic reticulum, (ER), ER-Golgi intermediate compartment, cis or medial Golgi, or lysosomes. Partial colocalization of the structure was noted with thetrans-Golgi network, and it appeared to lie in close proximity to the microtubule organizing center. Two additional tegument proteins (pp28 and pp65) and three envelope glycoproteins (gB, gH, and gp65) localized in this same structure late infection. This compartment appeared to be relatively stable since pp150, pp65, and the processed form of gB could be coisolated following cell fractionation. Our findings indicated that pp150 was expressed exclusively within the cytoplasm throughout the infectious cycle of HCMV and that the accumulation of the pp150 in this cytoplasmic structure was accompanied by at least five other virion proteins. These results suggested the possibility that this virus-induced structure represented a cytoplasmic site of virus assembly.
On the Relative Disadvantage of Cooperatives: Vertical Product Differentiation in a Mixed Oligopoly

We investigate the incentive to provide goods of high quality in a vertically related market for different types of business organizations, a farmer-owned cooperative and an investor-owned firm. Contrary to the firm, the cooperative is characterized by decentralized decision making, which gives rise to overproduction and problems coordinating the quality decisions of its members (free riding). Comparing both manufacturers acting as monopolists we show that the cooperative will never supply final goods of higher quality than the firm, and that the problem of quality coordination is mitigated if the cooperative succeeds in preventing overproduction. When a cooperative faces competition of an investor-owned firm (mixed duopoly), it will – except in one limit case – never produce final goods of a higher quality than the firm and will deliver lower quality in a number of scenarios.
First-principles modeling of 3d-transition-metal-atom adsorption on silicene: a linear-response DFT  +  U approach

By employing DFT + U calculations with the linear response method, we investigate the interactions between various 3d transition-metal atoms (Cr, Mn, Fe, Co) and silicene. In the cases of two-dimensional (2D) FeSi2 and CoSi2, the metal atoms tend to penetrate into the silicene layer. While CoSi2 is non-magnetic, FeSi2 exhibits a total magnetic moment of 2.21 μB/cell. Upon the examination of 2D MSi6, a trend in anti-ferromagnetic (AFM) favorability in the z-direction is observed according to our DFT + U calculations. In the ferromagnetic (FM) states (less stable), each primary unit cell of CrSi6, MnSi6, and FeSi6 possesses different levels of total magnetization (4.01, 5.18, and 2.00 μB/cell, respectively). The absolute magnetization given by AFM MSi6 structures varies in the range of 5.33–5.84 μB/cell. A direct band gap in AFM MnSi6 (0.2 eV) is predicted, while the metastable FM FeSi6 structure has a wider band gap (0.85 eV). Interestingly, there are superexchange interactions between metal atoms in the MSi6 systems, which result in the AFM alignments.
Disappearing and Reappearing Dividends in Emerging Markets: Evidence from Indian Companies

ABSTRACT This article examines the empirical determinants of dividend payout policy for 947 sample firms listed on the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) in India from 1995 to 2013. The author identifies three distinct trends in the propensity to pay dividends between 1995 and 2013. The regression analysis suggests that most of the decline is due to the dividend payout policies of smaller, less profitable, younger firms and firms with comparatively more investment opportunities, high financial leverage, high business risk, and high dividend distribution tax. The author finds significant positive impact of catering incentives on the propensity to pay dividends, thus supporting catering theory of dividends.