Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
About incidence and timing of donor-specific antibodies after graft nephrectomy.

L ittle is known about the development of de novo donorspecific human leukocyte antigen (HLA) antibodies (DSA) after early graft nephrectomy. In the current issue of this Journal, Del Bello et al. (1) shed some light into this important question as the authors investigated incidence, timing, and potential risk factors for the development of de novo DSA in a unique and well-characterized population of 32 patients after early (G3 months posttransplant) nephrectomy. In the majority of cases, nephrectomy was performed due to vascular thrombosis with a median time of only 2.5 days after transplantation. The investigators analyzed only patients without detectable DSA before transplantation, and acute rejection as a reason for graft loss was excluded. Because immunosuppression was stopped after nephrectomy and the evolution of DSA was monitored in a prospective manner with sensitive Luminex technology, it was possible to analyze the ‘‘natural course’’ for the development of DSA in the absence of immunosuppression. Despite very short engraftment under heavy immunosuppression (75% antibody induction), there was a timedependent evolution of DSA, similar to a previous report (2). After 1 month, DSA were present in 9% increasing to 50% 6 months later. Afterwards, only a few more cases were detected: 56% had detectable DSA 12 months after early nephrectomy confirming previous studies reporting similar incidences of de novo DSA formation (2Y4). Almost half of the patients developed more than one DSA and both class I and class II DSA were observed with similar frequencies, as reported previously (2Y5). Similar to another study (3), multiple de novo non-DSA were observed in approximately 60% of patients, most of whom (83%) reacted to donor epitopes. This interesting phenomenon suggests cross-reactivity with amino acid triplet defined epitopes (Eplets) on donor antigens as defined by the HLA-matchmaker program, confirming the utility of this concept. No independent predictive risk factor for the development of DSA was found, and a similar frequency and time course was observed even when the transplant was removed within 24 hr, when induction or blood transfusions were given.
Calcium plus vitamin D supplementation and the risk of colorectal cancer.

BACKGROUND Higher intake of calcium and vitamin D has been associated with a reduced risk of colorectal cancer in epidemiologic studies and polyp recurrence in polyp-prevention trials. However, randomized-trial evidence that calcium with vitamin D supplementation is beneficial in the primary prevention of colorectal cancer is lacking. METHODS We conducted a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial involving 36,282 postmenopausal women from 40 Women's Health Initiative centers: 18,176 women received 500 mg of elemental calcium as calcium carbonate with 200 IU of vitamin D3 [corrected] twice daily (1000 mg of elemental calcium and 400 IU of vitamin D3) and 18,106 received a matching placebo for an average of 7.0 years. The incidence of pathologically confirmed colorectal cancer was the designated secondary outcome. Baseline levels of serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D were assessed in a nested case-control study. RESULTS The incidence of invasive colorectal cancer did not differ significantly between women assigned to calcium plus vitamin D supplementation and those assigned to placebo (168 and 154 cases; hazard ratio, 1.08; 95 percent confidence interval, 0.86 to 1.34; P=0.51), and the tumor characteristics were similar in the two groups. The frequency of colorectal-cancer screening and abdominal symptoms was similar in the two groups. There were no significant treatment interactions with baseline characteristics. CONCLUSIONS Daily supplementation of calcium with vitamin D for seven years had no effect on the incidence of colorectal cancer among postmenopausal women. The long latency associated with the development of colorectal cancer, along with the seven-year duration of the trial, may have contributed to this null finding. Ongoing follow-up will assess the longer-term effect of this intervention. (ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT00000611.).
One generation of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid deprivation increases depression and aggression test scores in rats Published, JLR Papers in Press, October 6, 2005.

Male rat pups at weaning (21 days of age) were subjected to a diet deficient or adequate in n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3 PUFAs) for 15 weeks. Performance on tests of locomotor activity, depression, and aggression was measured in that order during the ensuing 3 weeks, after which brain lipid composition was determined. In the n-3 PUFA-deprived rats, compared with n-3 PUFA-adequate rats, docosahexaenoic acid (22:6n-3) in brain phospholipid was reduced by 36% and docosapentaenoic acid (22:5n-6) was elevated by 90%, whereas brain phospholipid concentrations were unchanged. N-3 PUFA-deprived rats had a significantly increased (P = 0.03) score on the Porsolt forced-swim test for depression, and increased blocking time (P = 0.03) and blocking number (P = 0.04) scores (uncorrected for multiple comparisons) on the isolation-induced resident-intruder test for aggression. Large effect sizes (d > 0.8) were found on the depression score and on the blocking time score of the aggression test. Scores on the open-field test for locomotor activity did not differ significantly between groups, and had only small to medium effect sizes. This single-generational n-3 PUFA-deprived rat model, which demonstrated significant changes in brain lipid composition and in test scores for depression and aggression, may be useful for elucidating the contribution of disturbed brain PUFA metabolism to human depression, aggression, and bipolar disorder.
Association between Multiple IV attempts and Perceived Pain levels in the Emergency Department

Purpose Intravenous (IV) access is the most commonly performed procedure in the emergency department (ED). Patients with difficult venous access require multiple needlesticks (MNS) for successful IV cannulation and may experience increased pain with many attempts. Objective To determine the association between number of IV attempts and overall pain experienced by the patient from IV placement. Methods Cross-sectional observational study on consecutive patients undergoing IV placement with a 20-gauge IV in the upper extremity in an urban academic hospital. Exclusion criteria included refusal to participate or fully complete all survey questions. The total number of IV attempts and patient pain scores marked on a standardized visual analog scale was recorded. Mean pain scores of two groups, single needlestick (SNS) and MNS, were compared using Student's t-test. Results A total of 760 patients were approached, of whom 31 were excluded, leaving 729 patients in the analysis; 556 with SNS (76%) and 173 with MNS (24%). The mean pain score (95% CI) was 51 mm (46–55 mm) for the MNS group and 25 mm (23–28 mm) for the SNS group, p<0.001. Compared to patients who underwent one IV attempt, patients with two and three attempts had an average 19 mm and 33 mm increase in pain scores, respectively, with the highest average pain associated with five attempts. A total of 58% of MNS patients rated IV placement as the most painful experience while in the ED. Conclusions Patients experience increased pain in association with multiple IV attempts.
Imperfect Competition and Growth with Entrepreneurial Risk

Abstract This paper analyzes an overlapping generations endogenous growth model of occupational choice under risk in a two-sector economy with intermediate and final goods. Agents choose between business ownership in the monopolistically competitive intermediate goods industry or employment as a worker in this sector. Firm-specific profits are stochastic. Occupational choice under risk endogenizes the number of firms and products in the intermediate goods industry. The analysis shows that economic performance and growth both depend on the entrepreneurship rate and are inefficiently low compared with an economy with perfect markets for pooling risks. Monopolistic competition partly offsets the negative income effects from a too low level of entrepreneurial risk-taking.
Job Values in Today's Workforce: A Comparison of Public and Private Sector Employees

Unlike workers in the ′70s and ′80s who valued interesting work above everything else, the results of this study suggest today's workers place the highest value on good wages and job security. A comparison of public and private sector workers revealed private sector workers place the highest value on good wages, while public sector workers valued interesting work the most. No significant difference was found between public and private sector employees in the importance placed on job security. These results suggest employers need to keep in touch with current employee values in order to design jobs, reward systems, and human resource policies that will result in maximum job satisfaction and productivity. These results also suggest that reward systems may not be equally effective in both the public and private sectors.
Relationships and the Internationalisation of Finnish Small and Medium-Sized Companies

MARIA HOL M LUND AND DR. SOREN Ko(IK ar-e botlh with the Department of Mai-keting and Corporate GCeography at the Swedish School of Economnics and BlTsiness Administration in Finland. Ijitet-iiationalisation activities cir-eate mllalnv oppo)rtiinities f'or SMEs but they also entail a i ange of difficulties. In this study the presenit business network is in f'ocuLs for tiniderstanding and describing tlhe iiiei niationialisation process of SMEs. The theoiretical framework is based on- the netxx ork approach as well as on earlieico(01 esponiding studies. Empirical findlings fr om a inail sur-vey conducted show that the initial export markets are those sittuated in couniitries nearby but that these acilso ten-d to remain important expoI-t m-iarkets. The firms were also sLubstantially affected by internationial comlpetition as they exported niot onlxl dlirectlvT bhut also acted as suppliers to buyeis operating on the global market. Agenits or own salesmen were the mn-iost imiiportauit entry modes on the initerl-national market. High quality pr)o(dlcts, a flexible organisation anid coml1petent personnel were mentioned s impolitant competitive tools. The impol-tanice of the social network was stressed as was the management, as well as per-sonal contacts and interests. Cooper ative arrangements with other domestic firms were also regarded as ways of' strengthening international colmpetitiveness and receiving infoir-nation.
A PANEL DATA ANALYSIS OF THE NEXUS BETWEEN DEFENCE SPENDING AND GROWTH IN THE EUROPEAN UNION: A COMMENT

In a recent paper of this journal (Vol. 18(1), 2007, pp. 75–85)], Kollias, Mylonidis, and Paleologou (henceforth KMP) examined the relationship between the GDP growth rate (denoted as gdp) and military expenditure as a share of GDP (denoted as milex) using panel data from the 15 countries of the European Union (EU15), 1961–2000 (T=40 annual observations from each country). Given that a Common European Security and Defence Policy (CESDP) is under consideration in the EU15 group, this is an interesting paper. My comments relate to its econometrics and are organized according to the standard three stages of econometric analysis: specification, estimation, and diagnostic checking.
Customer satisfaction measurement at Post Denmark: Results of application of the European Customer Satisfaction Index Methodology

In this article the ideas behind the European Customer Satisfaction Index are introduced. The methodology is explained and various methods of estimation are discussed. The practical use of the index is shown on a data set collected for Post Denmark and the results for both the private and the business-to-business markets are shown. Special emphasis is put on the idea of combining the generic measurement of customer satisfaction with specific measurements chosen specifically for Post Denmark. Various ways of approaching this problem are discussed and a number of suggestions are given.
Using stated preferences to estimate the environmental benefits of using biodiesel fuel in diesel engines

Using biodiesel fuel to reduce emissions from diesel engines is an area of increasing interest. Many environmental benefits associated with biodiesel are not traded in markets and their estimation requires economic valuation methods applied to non-market goods and services. This paper presents the results of a contingent valuation survey conducted in 2006 in two Ohio regions to estimate willingness to pay for air pollution reduction arising from using biodiesel fuel in diesel engines. The double bounded parametric formulation was used to estimate mean WTP ranging from $157 to $457. These results yield estimated aggregate benefits ranging from $123 to $429 million and can be used as a starting point for cost-benefit analysis.
Intonation and compensation of fretted string instruments

We discuss theoretical and physical models that are useful for analyzing the intonation of musical instruments such as guitars and mandolins and can be used to improve the tuning on these instruments. The placement of frets on the fingerboard is designed according to mathematical rules and the assumption of an ideal string. The analysis becomes more complicated when we include the effects of deformation of the string and inharmonicity due to other string characteristics. As a consequence, perfect intonation of all the notes on the instrument cannot be achieved, but complex compensation procedures can be introduced to minimize the problem. To test the validity of these procedures, we performed extensive measurements using standard monochord sonometers and other acoustical devices, confirming the correctness of our theoreticalmodels. These experimental activities can be integrated into acoustics courses and laboratories and can become a more advanced version of basic experiments with monochords and sonometers.
Ethnic Politics and Consociationalism in the 2013 Malaysian Election

Abstract This paper examines the prospects of ethnic politics and consociationalism in Malaysia, in terms of their structures and capabilities. Towards this end, the Barisan Nasional's (BN) policies from 2008 to 2013, the BN's and the Pakatan Rakyat's (PR) 2013 electoral strategies, and the results of the 2013 election will be analysed. As political parties in both the BN and the PR have generally represented ethnic interests and identities, an ethnic-based political structure has been maintained. A consociational political system, which is based on an ethnic-based political structure, has been adopted by both political coalitions. An examination of the 2013 election results indicates that the BN's ethnic politicking as a vote-gathering device has become ineffective. The BN's consociationalism has suffered from a legitimacy deficit, particularly within ethnic minority communities. However, it may be premature to claim that the Malaysian political culture is on the cusp of transcending the BN's paradigm of ethnic politics and consociationalism. The shift from ethnic politics will generate stronger momentum when the PR parties are incorporated into one political party.
Liver transplantation in children using non‐heart‐beating donors (NHBD)

Gozzini S, Perera MTPR, Mayer DA, Mirza DF, Kelly DA, Muiesan P, Sharif K. Liver transplantation in children using non‐heart‐beating donors (NHBD). Pediatr Transplantation 2010: 14:554–557. © 2010 John Wiley & Sons A/S.
Relationships among hedonic and utilitarian values, satisfaction and behavioral intentions in the fast‐casual restaurant industry

Purpose – The paper aims to examine the relationships among hedonic and utilitarian values, customer satisfaction and behavioral intentions in the fast‐casual restaurant industry.Design/methodology/approach – The measures were developed based on a thorough review of the previous literature. Questionnaires were collected in classroom settings at a mid‐western university in the USA. Anderson and Gerbing's two‐step approach was employed to assess the measurement and structural models.Findings – The findings indicate that hedonic and utilitarian values significantly influence customer satisfaction, and customer satisfaction has a significant influence on behavioral intentions. Utilitarian value shows a greater influence on both customer satisfaction and behavioral intention than does hedonic value. This study also reveals that customer satisfaction acts as a partial mediator in the link between hedonic/utilitarian value and behavioral intentions.Research limitations/implications – Study findings will greatly .
Hybridization: striking a balance between adoption and adaptation of human resource management practices in French multinational corporations and their Tunisian subsidiaries

International management research has tended to approach the transfer of human resource management (HRM) practices by examining the one-way transfer from parent companies to their subsidiaries, their adaptation to the subsidiaries’ local context and, more recently, the reverse transfer of HRM practices from subsidiaries to their headquarters. This article aims to analyse the transfer of HRM practices from headquarters to their foreign subsidiaries through the process of hybridization. Although numerous studies focus on the transfer of HRM practices between economically developed countries or from these countries to transitional economies, few have considered French multinational corporations (MNCs) operating in ex-colonized countries. This paper addresses the ways in which the HRM hybridization process is implemented in two French subsidiaries operating in Tunisia. It focuses on the dual perspectives of managerial staff at headquarters and subsidiaries as well as shop floor employees in the subsidiaries. A range of HRM practices (recruitment and selection, compensation, performance appraisal and career management) is analysed from their transfer to their reinterpretation. The results show the importance of the concept of hybridization on HRM practice transfer through a multi-level analysis of the strategies used by various stakeholders during the hybridization process. The paper also provides useful insights into the factors of hybridization that may foster or inhibit the transfer and adoption of HRM practices by foreign subsidiaries. These include the relational context, the type of practices transferred, the interests of different professional categories and their social interactions. Based on these factors, several hybridizations are identified. The study points out the specificity of the Tunisian context and shows that institutional factors have less influence on the transfer of HRM practices in ex-colonized countries than cultural factors that have a transversal influence on different HRM practices. Key cultural factors constraining the transfer include emotional relationships and interpersonal trust. Moreover, the international transfer of HRM practices from MNCs to ex-colonized transitional countries requires taking into account the post-colonialism and fascination effects.
Generation of retinal ganglion-like cells from reprogrammed mouse fibroblasts

Retinal neuron degeneration results in irreversible loss of vision. Neuroprotective strategies are effective for the early stage of degeneration, but cannot prevent the cell death in advanced stage. Stem cell transplantation into injured retina has potential to restore the vision and provide treatment of advanced stages of retinal degeneration.1,2 Embryonic stem (ES) cells have been identified as a viable source of retinal progenitors. The embryonic retinal stem cells/progenitors are however, not available in sufficient quantity for clinical application. These cells also possess limited self-renewal besides ethical issues because of their embryonic/ fetal origin. doi : 10.5214/ans.0972. 7531.1118207
Role of oxidative stress in angiotensin II-induced enhanced expression of Gi proteins and adenylyl cyclase signaling in A 10 vascular smooth muscle cells

Li Y, Lappas G, Anand-Srivastava MB. Role of oxidative stress in angiotensin II-induced enhanced expression of Gi proteins and adenylyl cyclase signaling in A10 vascular smooth muscle cells. Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol 292: H1922–H1930, 2007. First published December 8, 2006; doi:10.1152/ajpheart.01166. 2006. —We have previously reported that angiotensin II (ANG II) treatment of A10 vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) increased inhibitory G proteins (Gi protein) expression and associated adenylyl cyclase signaling which was attributed to the enhanced MAP kinase activity. Since ANG II has been shown to increase oxidative stress, we investigated the role of oxidative stress in ANG II-induced enhanced expression of Gi proteins and examined the effects of antioxidants on ANG II-induced enhanced expression of Gi proteins and associated adenylyl cyclase signaling in A10 VSMCs. ANG II treatment of A10 VSMCs enhanced the production of O2 and the expression of Nox4 and P47, different subunits of NADPH oxidase, which were attenuated toward control levels by diphenyleneiodonium (DPI). In addition, ANG II augmented the expression of Gi -2 and Gi -3 proteins in a concentrationand time-dependent manner; the maximal increase in the expression of Gi was observed at 1 to 2 h and at 0.1–1.0 M. The enhanced expression of Gi -2 and Gi -3 proteins was restored to control levels by antioxidants such as N-acetyl-Lcysteine, -tocopherol, DPI, and apocynin. In addition, ANG II also enhanced the ERK1/2 phosphorylation that was restored to control levels by DPI. Furthermore, the inhibition of forskolin-stimulated adenylyl cyclase activity by low concentrations of 5 -O-(3-triotriphosphate) (receptor-independent Gi functions) and ANG II-, des(Glu,Ser,Glu,Leu,Gly)atrial natriuretic peptide4-23-NH2 (natriuretic peptide receptor-C agonist), and oxotremorine-mediated inhibitions of adenylyl cyclase (receptor-dependent functions) that were augmented in ANG II-treated VSMCs was also restored to control levels by antioxidant treatments. In addition, Gs -mediated diminished stimulation of adenylyl cyclase by stimulatory hormones in ANG II-treated cells was also restored to control levels by DPI. These results suggest that ANG II-induced enhanced levels of Gi proteins and associated functions in VSMCs may be attributed to the ANG II-induced enhanced oxidative stress, which exerts its effects through mitogen-activated protein kinase signaling pathway.
The effect of arthroscopic irrigation fluid warming on body temperature.

The use of room temperature solutions for body cavity irrigation during surgical procedures can lead to the development of perioperative hypothermia. Hypothermia during this period causes patient discomfort, increases oxygen consumption, interferes with the clotting cascade, and increases the length of hospital stay. Perioperative hypothermia in anesthetized patients also contributes to extended sedation, delayed emergence, and prolonged recovery from neuromuscular blockade. Twenty-four adult American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) class I and II patients were randomly assigned to receive warmed arthroscopic irrigation solution or room-temperature irrigation solution in this randomized, prospective study. Tympanic temperatures were monitored every 15 minutes throughout the surgical and postanesthesia recovery periods. P < . 05 was considered significant. Statistical comparison of the mean percent temperature decrease from preoperative baseline between the 2 groups did not support the hypothesis that patients receiving warmed irrigation solution would maintain a higher core body temperature than those receiving room temperature solution.