Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Evidence for population level declines in adult HIV prevalence in Kenya

The HIV/AIDS epidemic in Kenya has been tracked through annual sentinel surveillance in antenatal clinics since 1990. The system started with 13 sites and now has over 35. Behaviours have been measured through national Demographic and Health Surveys in 1993, 1998, and 2003. The surveillance data indicate that prevalence has declined substantially starting in 1998 in five of the original 13 sites and starting in 2000 in another four sites. No decline is evident in the other five original sites although the 2004 estimate is the lowest recorded. Nationally, adult prevalence has declined from 10% in the late 1990s to under 7% today. Surveys indicate that both age at first sex and use of condoms are rising and that the percentage of adults with multiple partners is falling. It is clear that HIV prevalence is now declining in Kenya in a pattern similar to that seen in Uganda but seven or eight years later. Although the coverage of preventive interventions has expanded rapidly since 2000 this expansion was too late to account for the beginnings of the decline in prevalence. More work is needed to understand fully the causes of this decline, but it is encouraging to see Kenya join the small list of countries experiencing significant declines in HIV prevalence.
Consumers’ Awareness and Attitudinal Determinants of European Union Quality Label Use on Traditional Foods

This study analyses European consumers’ awareness and determinants of use of PDO, PGI and TSG labels in six European countries (Italy, Spain, France, Belgium, Norway and Poland) using data from a cross-sectional survey with 4,828 participants. The study confirms a higher awareness of PDO (68.1%) as compared to PGI (36.4%) and TSG (25.2%). Awareness is higher among men and people aged above 50 years. Consumers’ use of a PDO, PGI or TSG label is triggered by the belief that the label signals better product quality. Quality beliefs are shaped by an interest in getting information about product quality through the quality label. Interest in the origin of foods is a stronger direct and indirect driver of label use than interest in support for the local economy, but both motivations are not directly related to TSG-label use. Differences in the role of determinants are small between the three labelling schemes and between countries with versus without a strong tradition of quality labels in their agricultural and food quality policies. Apart from building general awareness and favourable quality perceptions of the quality schemes and their respective labels, efforts to stimulate consumers’ interest in origin and getting information about product quality through EU quality labels are recommended.
Autologous periodontal ligament cells in the treatment of Class III furcation defects: a study in dogs.

AIM This study aimed to evaluate, histomorphometrically, the use of periodontal ligament cells (PDL cells) in the treatment of class III furcation defects. MATERIAL AND METHODS PDL cells were obtained from the mandibular tooth extracted from each dog (7), cultured in vitro and phenotypically characterized. Bilateral class III furcation defects were created at mandibular 3rd and 4th premolars and were randomly assigned to: CONTROL GROUP coronally positioned flap, GTR Group: GTR, Sponge Group: carrier + GTR, Cell Group: carrier + PDL cells + GTR. RESULTS After 3 months of healing, data analysis demonstrated that the Cell Group presented a superior length of new cementum (4.82 ± 0.61 mm; 3.66 ± 0.95 mm; 2.87 ± 0.74 mm and 1.70 ± 0.60 mm, p < 0.001), a greater extension of periodontal regeneration (3.43 ± 1.44 mm; 2.33 ± 0.95 mm; 1.52 ± 0.39 mm and 0.69 ± 0.59 mm, p = 0.001) and a larger area of new bone (5.45 ± 1.58 mm(2) ; 3.94 ± 1.52 mm(2) ; 2.91 ± 0.56 mm(2) and 1.89 ± 0.95 mm(2) , p = 0.0012), when compared with Sponge, GTR and CONTROL GROUP, respectively. CONCLUSION The PDL cells in association with GTR may significantly promote periodontal regeneration in class III furcation defects surgically created in dogs.
Surgical removal of ventricular foreign bodies from an adult ostrich (Struthio camelus)

pleura (Fig 1), lungs and pericardial sac (Fig 2). A number of large caseous lesions were present within the lung which was partially collapsed. The bronchomediastinal lymph nodes were grossly enlarged and contained caseous foci (Fig 3). There were also a few smaller caseous lesions in the liver. Ziehl-Neelsen stained smears of lung and lymph node lesions revealed many acid-fast bacilli suggestive of mycobacteria. Samples of lung and lymph node were submitted to the Veterinary Laboratories Agency, Weybridge for mycobacteria culture. M bovis was isolated from these tissues. Another female llama from this herd which had been sold in the autumn of 1998 to another premises only five miles away, also died on the same day as the one submitted to the Langford Regional Laboratory. An 'on farm' postmortem examination was carried out. This eight-year-old animal was in good bodily condition, but had similar although not so extensive gross lesions. Clostridial enterotoxaemia was thought to have been the ultimate cause of death. However, M bovis was also isolated from the lung and lymph node lesions. There was only one other llama present on this premises and this had also been recently bought in.The llamas had no contact with cattle at this location, but badgers were known to be present in the area. However, as the affected llama had been at this site for only a few months and as the tuberculous lesions were well developed, it was concluded that infection was likely to have taken place on the original premises. The M bovis isolates from these animals were demonstrated to be the same spoligotype as that of isolates from cattle and badgers in the surrounding area (R. G. Hewinson, personal communication). Movement restrictions have since been placed on these herds and limited tuberculin testing carried out, although tuberculin testing in llamas has not yet been validated. These cases confirm that llamas are susceptible to bovine TB. It should now be a differential diagnosis for llamas in cases of illthrift with or without obvious respiratory involvement, especially in areas where TB is present in cattle. However, the confirmation of bovine TB in live camelids continues to be a problem.
Price-settings and Price Dispersion in the Dutch Mortgage Market

We analyse empirically price-setting in the Dutch mortgage market, using information on about 124,000 Dutch households and 54 mortgage lenders over the years 1996-2001. For a narrowly defined set of mortgages (which have a fixed lending rate for ten years), the range of the lending rate between lenders varies between 0.86 and 1.24 percentage points over these years. Prices remain dispersed across lenders, even after controlling for the characteristics of the household and the municipality (1 percentage point). This may imply that there is imperfect competition among lenders, so that some of them can develop market power. Furthermore, we find that lenders with lower costs have lower lending rates, accounting for a maximum change of the lending rate by 0.076 - 0.16 percentage point. Finally, we find that the price dispersion of mortgages sold by banks is smaller than that of mortgages sold by life insurers (0.60 versus 1.28 percentage points). This difference may be due to lower agency costs for banks than for life insurers. Another likely explanation is that the market segment for banks is more transparent than that of insurance companies.
The origin of the mammalian kidney: implications for recreating the kidney in vitro

ABSTRACT The mammalian kidney, the metanephros, is a mesodermal organ classically regarded as arising from the intermediate mesoderm (IM). Indeed, both the ureteric bud (UB), which gives rise to the ureter and the collecting ducts, and the metanephric mesenchyme (MM), which forms the rest of the kidney, derive from the IM. Based on an understanding of the signalling molecules crucial for IM patterning and kidney morphogenesis, several studies have now generated UB or MM, or both, in vitro via the directed differentiation of human pluripotent stem cells. Although these results support the IM origin of the UB and the MM, they challenge the simplistic view of a common progenitor for these two populations, prompting a reanalysis of early patterning events within the IM. Here, we review our understanding of the origin of the UB and the MM in mouse, and discuss how this impacts on kidney regeneration strategies and furthers our understanding of human development. Summary: This review discusses recent advances in the directed differentiation of pluripotent cells into kidney tissues, and how these inform our understanding of human renal development.
The Effect of Destination Image on Destination Loyalty: An Application In Alanya

The aim of this study was to examine the impact the destination image of Alanya district which is a district of Antalya, one of the main tourism centers in Turkey had on establishing destination loyalty. The sampling group of the study consists of tourists who visited Alanya district of Antalya between the months of June and August in 2012. A survey containing scales pertaining to destination image and destination loyalty was used as a data collection tool for the application and the collected data were analyzed by benefiting from statistical techniques such as factor analysis, reliability analysis, arithmetical average, standard deviation, Pearson correlation analysis and regression analysis. The study concluded that there was a positive and strong affiliation between the destination image which was reported as positive in general by the participants and destination loyalty and that cognitive image had a greater impact on establishing destination loyalty than affective image. Key Words: Destination image, cognitive image, affective image, destination loyalty, Alanya
Endocytic Function of von Hippel-Lindau Tumor Suppressor Protein Regulates Surface Localization of Fibroblast Growth Factor Receptor 1 and Cell Motility*

The tumor suppressor VHL (von Hippel-Lindau protein) serves as a negative regulator of hypoxia-inducible factor-α subunits. However, accumulated evidence indicates that VHL may play additional roles in other cellular functions. We report here a novel hypoxia-inducible factor-independent function of VHL in cell motility control via regulation of fibroblast growth factor receptor 1 (FGFR1) endocytosis. In VHL null tumor cells or VHL knock-down cells, FGFR1 internalization is defective, leading to surface accumulation and abnormal activation of FGFR1. The enhanced FGFR1 activity directly correlates with increased cell migration. VHL disease mutants, in two of the mutation hot spots favoring development of renal cell carcinoma, failed to rescue the above phenotype. Interestingly, surface accumulation of the chemotactic receptor appears to be selective in VHL mutant cells, since other surface proteins such as epidermal growth factor receptor, platelet-derived growth factor receptor, IGFR1, and c-Met are not affected. We demonstrate that 1) FGFR1 endocytosis is defective in the VHL mutant and is rescued by reexpression of wild-type VHL, 2) VHL is recruited to FGFR1-containing, but not EGFR-containing, endosomal vesicles, 3) VHL exhibits a functional relationship with Rab5a and dynamin 2 in FGFR1 internalization, and 4) the endocytic function of VHL is mediated through the metastasis suppressor Nm23, a protein known to regulate dynamin-dependent endocytosis.
Accounting harmonization in China - A comparison of A-share and H-share reported earnings

This study provides a comprehensive assessment of the harmonization of Chinese GAAP (2006) with IAS, and focuses on the earning gap differences based on industry categorization. We summary the main findings in our researches: (1)The research result of 2006 was consistent with the prior study that Chinese GAAP based net income was lower than IFRS based net income. (2)Our research finding for 2007 that the earning gaps were eliminated notably as the advent of new Chinese GAAP was supported by our descriptive statistics (3)Under the industry classification, our findings are both supported by the figure description and descriptive statistics with the conclusions that different industry has different level of convergence with IAS. (4)Under the research of accounting items in each industry for data analysis, we found out that the earning gaps between Chinese GAAP and IAS are caused form the environmental factors such as government regulation and industry characteristics in China. We would conclude that the new Chinese GAAP has been converged with IAS in a certain high degree, even though there might be some convergence spaces between these two standards, the accounting differences would not be fully erased due to the national regulations and industry features.
Housing Collateral, Credit Constraints and Entrepreneurship - Evidence from a Mortgage Reform

We study how a mortgage reform that exogenously increased access to credit had an impact on entrepreneurship, using individual-level micro data from Denmark. The reform allows us to disentangle the role of credit access from wealth effects that typically confound analyses of the collateral channel. We find that a $30,000 increase in credit availability led to a 12 basis point increase in entrepreneurship, equivalent to a 4% increase in the number of entrepreneurs. New entrants were more likely to start businesses in sectors where they had no prior experience, and were more likely to fail than those who did not benefit from the reform. Our results provide evidence that credit constraints do affect entrepreneurship, but that the overall magnitudes are small. Moreover, the marginal individuals selecting into entrepreneurship when constraints are relaxed may well be starting businesses that are of lower quality than the average existing businesses, leading to an increase in churning entry that does not translate into a sustained increase in the overall level of entrepreneurship.
Trends in contacts with mental health professionals and cost barriers to mental health care among adults with significant psychological distress in the United States: 1997-2002.

OBJECTIVES I assessed recent trends in prevalence of any contact with mental health professionals and nonuse of mental health care or prescription medications owing to cost among adults with significant psychological distress. METHODS In samples drawn from the National Health Interview Survey of 1997-2002, multiple logistic regression analysis was used to examine the association of survey year with mental health professional contacts and nonuse of mental health care or prescription medications owing to cost. RESULTS The prevalence of any contact with mental health professionals increased from 29.1% in 1997 to 35.5% in 2002 (P<.05). The prevalence of nonuse of services because of cost also increased-from 15.6% to 20.0% for mental health care (P<.05) and from 27.7% to 34.1% for medication use (P<.001). Age, racial/ethnic, income, and insurance status disparities in receiving care persisted over the study period. CONCLUSIONS The number of individuals in need of mental health care who contacted mental health professionals grew in recent years, as did the number of individuals who encountered cost barriers to such care. Barring dramatic improvements in health insurance coverage, more individuals will likely face such barriers in coming years.
Analysis of choreoid hyperkinesia in the rhesus monkey. Surgical and pharmacological analysis of hyperkinesia resulting from lesions in the subthalamic nucleus ol luys

Prior to the investigations of Whittier and Mettler ('49), attempts to produce hyperkinesia in laboratory animals suitable for surgical and pharmacological analysis had been unrewarding. Their studies discl'osed that athetoid, choreoid, and ballistic activity resulted in the rhesus monkey from electrolytic lesions in the subthalamus nucleus, and that such activity could he produced in a sufficient number of animals to make profitable an analysis of these dyskinesias. This study, a continuation of investigation of hyperkinesia in primates resulting from lesions in the subthalamic nucleus, was undertaken to determine the neural, mechanism of these dyskinesias, and to explore the possibilities, if any, for eliminating or modifying them by surgery and pharmaceuticals.
KLF2 Transcription Factor Modulates Blood Vessel Maturation through Smooth Muscle Cell Migration*

Vasculogenesis, angiogenesis, and maturation are three major phases of the development of blood vessels. Although many receptors required for blood vessel formation have been defined, the intracellular signal transduction pathways involved in vascular maturation remain unclear. KLF2–/– embryos fail to develop beyond 13.5 days because of a lack of blood vessel stabilization. The molecular mechanism of KLF2 function in embryonic vascular vessels is still largely unknown. Here we show a normal development pattern of endothelial cells in KLF2–/– embryos but a defect of smooth muscle cells at the dorsal side of the aorta. This phenotype results from arrested vascular maturation characterized by the failure of mural cells to migrate around endothelial cells. This migration defect is also observed when platelet-derived growth factor-B (PDGF) controlled migration is studied in murine embryonic fibroblast (MEF) cells from KLF2–/– animals. In addition, KLF2–/– MEFs exhibit a significant growth defect, indicating that KLF2 is required to maintain the viability of MEF cells. The PDGF signal is mediated through the Src signaling pathway, and a downstream target of KLF2 is sphingosine 1-phosphate receptor 1. These studies demonstrate that KLF2 is required for smooth muscle cell migration and elucidate a novel mechanism involving communication between PDGF and KLF2 in vascular maturation.
Multinationals and Development

This book offers a fresh perspective on the role of multinational enterprises (MNEs) in development. Alan Rugman and Jonathan Doh challenge traditional assumptions about economic development and address the controversies that surround MNEs. For example, how do foreign multinationals affect overall economic growth in emerging economies, and how does this process lead to the subsequent rise of new emerging-economy MNEs? The authors focus on the mechanisms by which MNEs influence economic development. They evaluate the impact of MNEs on the processes and outcomes of development, as well as the influence of civil society, NGOs, and government policies on multinationals, especially in Asia. And they discuss the rise of emerging-economy MNEs from Asian economies, especially 'yang' MNEs from China and Korea. Arriving at a far more nuanced understanding of MNEs today, the authors also offer observations about the role of multinationals in the future.
Hubris Amongst U.K. Bidders and Losses to Shareholders

This paper examines the performance of bidders with a hubris management during a takeover bid. Data for the study comprises of successful bids in the UK during the 1990s, which have been identified as having a hubris management. Valuation ratios and bid premium sizes are the measures used to identify the sample of hubris bidders. Results show that hubris bidders significantly lose on the announcement of a bid. JEL: G34, G14
Markers of low-grade inflammation and soluble cell adhesion molecules in Chinese patients with coronary artery disease.

BACKGROUND Inflammation plays an important role in atherosclerosis. Markers of low-grade chronic inflammation, such as C-reactive protein (CRP) and soluble cell adhesion molecules (sCAMs), have been associated with coronary artery disease (CAD). OBJECTIVE To evaluate the significance of inflammatory markers as novel risk factors for CAD in the Chinese population. METHODS High-sensitivity CRP (hs-CRP); sCAMs, including vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (sVCAM-1), intercellular cell adhesion molecule-1 (sICAM-1), P-selectin (sP-selectin) and E-selectin (sE-selectin); and white blood cell (WBC) count were measured in 170 angiographically defined CAD patients (70% or greater stenosis affecting at least one vessel) and 177 healthy control subjects in the Chinese population in Singapore. RESULTS The levels of hs-CRP, sVCAM-1 and sP-selectin, and the WBC count were higher in CAD patients than in control subjects (P<0.001, P<0.05, P<0.05 and P<0.001, respectively). There were no significant differences in the levels of sICAM-1 and sE-selectin between the two groups. Patients with unstable angina or myocardial infarction had higher levels of hs-CRP, and higher WBC and monocyte counts than those with stable angina or atypical chest pain (all P<0.05). The level of sP-selectin in patients with multivessel disease was higher than in those with single-vessel disease (P<0.05). Overall, the levels of hs-CRP and sCAMs showed a significant correlation with the lipid profile and the WBC count. CONCLUSIONS The present study suggests that inflammatory markers, including hs-CRP and WBC count, together with sP-selectin and sVCAM-1, could serve as markers of atherogenesis in Chinese patients with CAD, with potential diagnostic and therapeutic implications.
Nonlinear neoclassical transport in a rotating impure plasma with large gradients

The theory of neoclassical transport in an impure toroidal plasma is extended to allow for larger pressure and temperature gradients and faster toroidal rotation than are usually considered. Under these conditions, the density of heavy impurities is not constant on flux surfaces, and the neoclassical transport becomes a nonlinear function of the gradients. Rapid toroidal rotation increases the transport, which can significantly exceed the conventional Pfirsch–Schluter value if the impurity Mach number is of order unity. In a plasma with steep density or temperature profile, the transport is severely reduced and can even be a nonmonotonic function of the gradients. Finally, in the presence of both rapid toroidal rotation and steep gradients, the transport becomes sensitive to the geometry of the magnetic equilibrium. For instance, in a single-null diverted magnetic field the ion particle flux is typically inward if the ion drift is toward the X-point and changes direction if the toroidal field is reversed.
Concordant pre- and postsynaptic deficits of dopaminergic neurotransmission in neurologic Wilson disease.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Although previous brain imaging studies of Wilson disease (WD) focused on the dopaminergic system, correlational data on the integrity of the pre- and postsynaptic compartments are lacking. The present study was initiated to intra-individually determine the integrity of these compartments in patients with WD. METHODS A total of 46 patients with WD and 10 matched control subjects underwent [(123)I]2beta-carbomethoxy-3beta-(4[(123)I]iodophenyl)tropane ([(123)I]beta-CIT) and [(123)I]iodobenzamide ([(123)I]IBZM) single photon emission CT (SPECT). For both radiotracers, specific striatal binding ratios (with the cerebellum as the reference region) were calculated after a standardized region-of-interest technique was applied. In addition, the severity of putative neurologic symptoms was evaluated by using a linear scoring system. RESULTS In patients without neurologic symptoms, striatal binding ratios of both radiotracers did not differ from those of the control group (13.8 +/- 3.1 vs 12.0 +/- 3.4 and 2.00 +/- 0.19 vs 1.90 +/- 0.27; n.s.). In symptomatic patients, however, striatal binding ratios for both [(123)I]beta-CIT and [(123)I]IBZM were significantly reduced (9.1 +/- 2.3 and 1.64 +/- 0.18; P <.001). In all patients with WD, the [(123)I]beta-CIT and [(123)I]IBZM binding ratios were significantly correlated (r = 0.65, P <.001), as were SPECT parameters and the severity of the neurologic symptoms (r = -0.60 and -0.62; P <.001). CONCLUSION These findings of a concordant bicompartmental dopaminergic deficit in neurologic WD provide in vivo evidence for assigning WD to the group of secondary Parkinsonian syndromes. These results could be relevant in therapeutic decision making in patients with this copper deposition disorder.