Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Individual characteristics in occupational accidents due to imbalance: a case-control study of the employees of a railway company

Background: Falls are frequent occupational accidents, and are responsible for a significant amount of lost working time and, more importantly, for a high mortality. The factors involved in falling mechanisms can be of external or individual origin, the latter being less well identified. Aims: To assess the relations between certain individual characteristics and occupational accidents due to imbalance. Methods: A total of 427 male employees, who had been victims of at least one occupational accident with sick leave due to imbalance (cases) and 427 controls were recruited among the employees of a large French railway company. A standardised questionnaire on life conditions and professional factors, and a description of the accidents was filled in by an occupational physician for each subject. Results: Some job categories were more affected by a specific release mechanism of work related falls. Certain individual characteristics such as smoking, alcohol consumption, inactivity, sleep disorders, and request for a job change were correlated with the occurrence of occupational accidents. Sick leaves of eight days or over were more frequent in older and overweight injured workers. Some lesions were linked with the specific fall released mechanisms. Conclusions: Individual characteristics can increase the risk of occupational accidents, especially falling. This study identified subjects most at risk on whom prevention related to working conditions and falls could be focused.
Intellectual property management and patent propensity in Chinese small firms

Based on a survey of local firms in Zhongguancun Science Park in Beijing, China, this paper examines the impact of intellectual property management practices on the patent propensity of small firms. With a particular focus on two aspects of intellectual property management, we find that R&D personnel-related management practices, such as training and rewarding mechanism, are more effective in enhancing a firm’s willingness to patent and encouraging the patenting behavior within the firm. Monitoring the R&D process in intellectual property right (IPR) management, such as proposal and outcome evaluation, is less influential in fostering manufacturing firms to patent. One implication emerged from the analysis is that a firm can speed up or intensify its generation of IPR assets by introducing well-developed management practices, even without reorienting its intellectual property strategies.
Surgical Correction of Velopharyngeal Insufficiency in Children with Velocardiofacial Syndrome

Background: The surgical management of velopharyngeal insufficiency in children with velocardiofacial syndrome is inherently more difficult, with the need for revision being high. The purpose of this report was to evaluate and document the authors' experience with sphincter pharyngoplasty in the management of velopharyngeal insufficiency in children with velocardiofacial syndrome, and compare outcome. Methods: In part I, 32 patients with velocardiofacial syndrome underwent sphincter pharyngoplasty for velopharyngeal insufficiency between January of 1987 and March of 2001. There were 18 girls and 14 boys, with a mean age at primary sphincter pharyngoplasty of 6.7 years. Pharyngoplasty revision was defined as any secondary surgical revision of the sphincter as determined by clinical evaluation and objective speech assessment. In part II, comparisons were made to 218 non–velocardiofacial syndrome patients with velopharyngeal insufficiency who underwent sphincter pharyngoplasty (cleft palate, n = 127; velopharyngeal insufficiency alone, n = 63; submucous cleft, n = 15; other, n = 13). There was no significant difference in the average age or gender in the two groups. All patients underwent screening of velopharyngeal function, which included perceptual speech evaluation, clinical screening of velopharyngeal closure, and oral examination. Results: In part I, success of the primary sphincter pharyngoplasty was demonstrated in 78 percent of the velocardiofacial syndrome patients (n = 25), with a revision rate of 22 percent. Patients who required revision were slightly older, 8.6 versus 6.3 years (p = not significant). Preoperative nasometry scores were significantly higher in patients who required a pharyngoplasty revision (69 versus 54; p = 0.002). Patients who required revision of the pharyngoplasty were more likely to have larger velopharyngeal areas (30 mm2 versus 22 mm2). In part II, the revision rate in patients with velocardiofacial syndrome was significantly higher than in those patients in the original cohort without velocardiofacial syndrome (22 percent versus 11 percent; p < 0.05). Preoperative objective speech data demonstrated significantly greater velopharyngeal incompetence in all categories (nasometry scores, pressure flow measurements, and radiographic measurements) for patients with velocardiofacial syndrome, and age at initial sphincter repair was slightly older (8.5 versus 7.7 years; p = not significant). Conclusions: The management of velopharyngeal insufficiency using sphincter pharyngoplasty in children with velocardiofacial syndrome is safe and effective. The higher need for surgical revision in velocardiofacial syndrome patients is most likely attributable to a greater degree of preoperative nasalance and a slightly later age of presentation. This should provide insight into various technique modifications in an attempt to minimize pharyngoplasty revision.
Rapid effects of simvastatin on lipid profile and C‐reactive protein in patients with hypercholesterolemia

Background: Rapid lowering of low‐density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol levels as well as C‐reactive protein (CRP) by administration of drugs may produce early benefit to the coronary endothelium in patients with coronary heart disease and reduce angina and coronary events after revascularization. Limited information has been available in evaluating a potentially effective first 2‐week therapeutic approach for the treatment of patients with hypercholesterolemia using a statin.
EL TURISMO COMUNITARIO COMO INSTRUMENTO DE ERRADICACIÓN DE LA POBREZA: POTENCIALIDADES PARA SU DESARROLLO EN CUZCO (PERÚ)

In the last decades the touristic sector has immersed in an intense process of promotion of the participation of the local communities in the developing countries that materialize in initiatives of Community-based Tourism . This essay is going to analyze the important impact of tourism in the regional economy of the region of Cuzco (Peru) that integrates as its main tourist attraction of the region the Sanctuary of Machu Picchu. The region has a series of suitable characteristics for Community-based Tourism initiatives implementation, as low agrarian and industrial level of development, high poverty lines and unemployment.
Region-of-Interest Signaling Vehicular System Using Optical Camera Communications

This technical paper introduces an optical camera communication system for vehicles. The purpose of the communication system incorporated into car (using existing light-emitting diode (LED) lights and ordinary cameras) is to add region-of-interest signaling functionality for cars via either their headlights or taillights. A low-data-rate but reliable link via the optical channel is the objective. In particular, the communication system, contributes a spatial modulation approach called spatial-2-phase-shift keying (S2-PSK) that uses a pair of optical light sources on a car (either a pair of rear-LEDs or a pair of front-LEDs) as a transmitter. A typical camera (i.e., less than 30 frames/s), either a global shutter or a rolling shutter, can be used to receive light-modulated data. As a remarkable physical layer (PHY) operating mode among image sensor communication PHY modes recently contributed to IEEE 802.15. 7r1 (TG7r1), the communication system, along with technical details on the S2-PSK communication protocol, is described in this paper. In addition, in order to deal with the noisy optical channel and the low-performance challenge of a camera receiver, we have suggested a rate-1/2 line coding and an intelligent decoding approach in our intended vehicular communication scenario. Finally, numerical analyses on the performance of our system and experiment results are addressed.
Design and construction of diverse mammalian prion strains

Prions are infectious proteins that encipher biological information within their conformations; variations in these conformations dictate different prion strains. Toward elucidating the molecular language of prion protein (PrP) conformations, we produced an array of recombinant PrP amyloids with varying conformational stabilities. In mice, the most stable amyloids produced the most stable prion strains that exhibited the longest incubation times, whereas more labile amyloids generated less stable strains and shorter incubation times. The direct relationship between stability and incubation time of prion strains suggests that labile prions are more fit, in that they accumulate more rapidly and thus kill the host faster. Although incubation times can be changed by altering the PrP expression level, PrP sequence, prion dose, or route of inoculation, we report here the ability to modify the incubation time predictably in mice by modulating the prion conformation.
Disclosure in the Corporate Annual Reports of Swedish Companies

Abstract Sweden is of interest because of the rapid growth in the Stockholm stock exchange and because of the country's disproportionate number of multinational enterprises. This paper reports on the extent of disclosure in the corporate annual reports of Swedish companies. An assessment is made as to whether there is a significant association between a number of independent variables and the extent of disclosure.
Mega‐Events and Sectoral Employment: The Case of the 1996 Olympic Games

This paper contributes to the analysis of large sporting events using highly disaggregated data. We use the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta, which are also outstanding as one of the very few large sporting events where ex post academic analysis found significant positive effects. This paper extends earlier studies in several ways. First, monthly rather than quarterly data will be employed. Second, the impact of the 1996 Olympics will be analyzed for 16 different sectors or subsectors. Third, in addition to standard DD models, we use a non-parametric approach to flexibly isolate employment effects. Regarding the Olympic effect, hardly any evidence for a persistent shift in the aftermath of or the preparation for the Olympic Games is supported. We find a significant positive employment effect in the monthly employment statistics exclusively during the staging of the Olympic Games (July 1996). These short-term effects are concentrated in the sectors of “retail trade”, “accommodation and food services”, and “arts, entertainment, and recreation”, while other sectors showed no such effects.
The politics of flexibility: Employment practices in automotive multinationals in Central and Eastern Europe

In this article we investigate the flexibility strategies of foreign automobile producers in three Central and Eastern Europe countries, where employment flexibility has become a major issue and an area of conflict with unions. We focus on nine subsidiaries in the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Hungary, and argue that flexibility strategies were shaped by parent company practices, the flexibility needs of individual affiliates and the relative strength of labour in negotiating the implementation of these practices. Given the relatively weak industrial relations institutions in the region, the relative strength of labour is conditioned primarily by market factors and parent company contexts. The findings thus highlight the importance of political resources and agency of actors in shaping employment policies.
Organizational Citizenship and Student Achievement

Educated and competent citizens who possess the knowledge, skills, and disposition necessary to participate effectively in civic life add value to our democracy, supporting the common good and ensuring that posterity benefits from their labors. This is the essence of the political science view of citizenship. There are many notable examples of individuals espousing the ideal traits of citizenship throughout our brief history as a nation. The following analysis examines the concept of organizational citizenship behavior through the lenses of social-psychology within the dominion of elementary and secondary education. Leadership style and trust between leader and followers are highlighted as significant factors in promoting organizational citizenship behavior. Finally, the implications for school change and student achievement are put forth.
Regional Government and Economic Development: Possibilities and Limits

"Is there perhaps something about population units of around three to eight million (the size of many US states, regions of larger European states, or the small European nation states themselves) that make policy-making between public authorities and business organisations particularly useful and flexible? Is Britain missing something by having no autonomous political institutions at this level? " (Crouch and Marquand, 1989, x).
Attributable risk for laryngeal cancer in northern Italy.

Using data from a case-control study conducted between 1986 and 1992 in Northern Italy on 367 cases of laryngeal cancers (350 men and 17 women) and 1931 hospital controls (1373 men and 558 women), we estimated the relative risks (RR) and the population attributable risks (AR) for laryngeal cancer in relation to tobacco and alcohol consumption and a diet containing little fresh fruit and vegetables (low beta-carotene intake). In men, the RR and their 95% confidence interval (CI), derived from multiple logistic regression, including terms for center, age, and education, plus, simultaneously, tobacco, alcohol, and beta-carotene) were 3.3 (95% CI, 1.9 to 5.5) for ex- or moderate smokers (< 15 cigarettes/day) and 8.8 (95% CI, 5.2 to 14.8) for heavy current smokers compared to never smokers; the RR were 1.5 (95% CI, 1.0 to 2.2) for drinkers of 6 to < 8 alcoholic drinks/day and 2.2 (95% CI, 1.6 to 3.0) for drinkers of 8 or more drinks/day compared to teetotallers or moderate drinkers; with respect to carotene intake the RR were 1.4 (95% CI, 1.0 to 2.0) for the intermediate tertile and 1.8 (95% CI, 1.3 to 2.5) for the lowest tertile, as compared to the highest tertile of intake. AR were estimated assuming a multiplicative model: the single factor with the largest AR was smoking, which accounted for about 77% of laryngeal cancers in men; alcohol intake explained about 25% of cases, low beta-carotene intake accounted for about 18% of cases, and together the three factors were responsible for about 86% of laryngeal cancers in men. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Reasons for encounter and disease patterns in Danish primary care: Changes over 16 years

Abstract Objective. Approximately 98% of Danish citizens are listed with a general practice which they consult for medical advice. Although 85% of the population contact their general practitioner (GP) every year, little is known about these contacts. The aim of the present paper is to gain updated knowledge about patients’ reasons for encounter and the GP activities and to make comparisons with a similar study from 1993. Methods. All GPs in the Central Denmark Region were invited to register all contacts during one randomly chosen day within a year. The registration included questions about patients’ reasons for encounter, the types and contents of the contacts, referrals, and distribution between new episodes and follow-up contacts. Aggregated data were compared with the results from 1993. Results. A total of 404 (46%) GPs participated. The number of contacts per 1000 inhabitants had risen by 19.7%. The reasons for encounter and final diagnoses resembled those in 1993. Musculoskeletal, psychological, and respiratory problems were the most common reasons for encounter, psychological problems being the only type to increase over the period. Interestingly, the proportion of diagnoses within the ICPC ‘A’ chapter rose from 13.5 to 19.7%. The referral rate rose by 2% (relative: 18.7%) from 10.7% to 12.7% and the share of follow-up contacts rose from 45.9% to 50.4% (relative: 8.7%). Conclusion. Quite small changes were seen in the patterns of reasons for encounter and diagnoses from 1993 to 2009. However, an increase was found in contacts with general practice and referrals and in the proportion of follow-ups.
Advances in PARP inhibitors for the treatment of breast cancer

Introduction: Poly(ADP-Ribose) polymerases (PARPs) are one of the important components of base excision repair pathway for single strand DNA breaks. Currently accepted hypothesis for the mechanism of action for PARP inhibitors in tumors with homologous recombination deficiency is synthetic lethality, as the simultaneous blockage of both pathways prevents the tumor cells from repairing DNA damage. Other proposed mechanisms include PARP trapping, defective BRCA1 and POLQ recruitment to sites of DNA repair. Breast cancer subgroups with germline BRCA mutations or non-mutational functional defects in BRCA proteins exemplify potential targets for PARP inhibitors. Areas covered: Promising results have been achieved with PARP inhibitors in BRCA associated cancers, particularly in ovarian and breast cancer. Olaparib is the only PARP inhibitor approved by FDA in the treatment of patients with germline BRCA mutated advanced ovarian cancer pretreated with ≥3 prior lines of chemotherapy. In this article, we reviewed the current status of PARP inhibitors, completed and ongoing trials, safety and resistance issues in patients with breast cancer. Expert opinion: PARP inhibitors show promise in cancers with BRCA mutation and in the treatment of sporadic cancers with defective homologous recombination. Predictors of response, strategies to overcome resistance, combination with other chemotherapies and targeted agents, optimum dose and schedule of administration should be investigated in future trials.
On Bank Credit Risk: Systemic or Bank Specific? Evidence for the United States and United Kingdom

We develop a multivariate credit risk model that accounts for joint defaults of banks and allows us to disentangle how much of banksâ€™ credit risk is systemic. We find that the United States and United Kingdom differ not only in the evolution of systemic risk but, in particular, in their banksâ€™ systemic exposures. In both countries, however, systemic credit risk varies substantially, represents about half of total bank credit risk on average, and induces high risk premia. The results suggest that sovereign and bank systemic risk are particularly interlinked in the United Kingdom.
Price discovery in the German equity index derivatives markets

This article examines the intraday price discovery process among stock index, index futures, and index options in Germany using DAX index securities and intraday transactions data. The three index securities contribute to a common factor, but the spot index and index futures have substantially larger information shares than index options. Moreover, the returns of the three index securities exhibit feedback effects, with futures being dominant. Because the trading costs of the futures appear to be the lowest of the three and those of the options to be the highest, the results are consistent with the transaction cost hypothesis. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Jrl Fut Mark 19: 619–643, 1999
Remarkable new evidence for island radiation in birds

If island biogeography has a sweet spot, it’s where islands generate their own species diversity rather than merely taking on mainland immigrants. In birds and other highly dispersive taxa, however, this ‘zone of radiation’, may be vanishingly small. Darwin’s finches and Hawaiian Honeycreepers are among only a handful of examples of island radiation in birds ( Price 2008 ), suggesting that winged powers of dispersal make sufficient isolation from mainland colonists unlikely, while also hindering speciation within and among isolated islands. Nevertheless, two studies in this issue of Molecular Ecology join a string of other recent analyses suggesting that island radiation in birds remains under‐appreciated (see also Moyle et al. 2009 ; Kisel & Barraclough 2010 ; Rosindell & Phillimore 2011 ). Melo et al. (2011) use a phylogenetic analysis of white‐eyes on islands in the Gulf of Guinea to identify two previously overlooked island radiations, and reveal replicated adaptive divergence on islands where species occur in pairs. Sly et al. (2011) , meanwhile, consider possible explanations for speciation and geographic differentiation within a large island, and find the same type of oceanic barriers that are critical to bird speciation across archipelagos may also contribute to divergence that appears to have occurred within a single island.
The Fission Yeast Crb2/Chk1 Pathway Coordinates the DNA Damage and Spindle Checkpoint in Response to Replication Stress Induced by Topoisomerase I Inhibitor

ABSTRACT Living organisms experience constant threats that challenge their genome stability. The DNA damage checkpoint pathway coordinates cell cycle progression with DNA repair when DNA is damaged, thus ensuring faithful transmission of the genome. The spindle assembly checkpoint inhibits chromosome segregation until all chromosomes are properly attached to the spindle, ensuring accurate partition of the genetic material. Both the DNA damage and spindle checkpoint pathways participate in genome integrity. However, no clear connection between these two pathways has been described. Here, we analyze mutants in the BRCT domains of fission yeast Crb2, which mediates Chk1 activation, and provide evidence for a novel function of the Chk1 pathway. When the Crb2 mutants experience damaged replication forks upon inhibition of the religation activity of topoisomerase I, the Chk1 DNA damage pathway induces sustained activation of the spindle checkpoint, which in turn delays metaphase-to-anaphase transition in a Mad2-dependent fashion. This new pathway enhances cell survival and genome stability when cells undergo replicative stress in the absence of a proficient G2/M DNA damage checkpoint.