Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Obesity among US immigrant subgroups by duration of residence.

CONTEXT The prevalence of obesity has increased substantially since the 1980s. While immigrants are the fastest growing segment of the US population, little is known about obesity or clinician counseling about diet and exercise in this group. OBJECTIVES To estimate the prevalence of obesity among immigrant subgroups and quantify the magnitude of the association with duration of US residence, and to describe reported diet and exercise counseling by birthplace, race, and ethnicity. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS Cross-sectional study using data from the 2000 National Health Interview Survey. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Body mass index (BMI, measured as weight in kilograms divided by the square of height in meters) based on self-reported height and weight measurements, and self-reported rates of diet and exercise counseling. RESULTS Of 32,374 respondents, 14% were immigrants. The prevalence of obesity was 16% among immigrants and 22% among US-born individuals. The age- and sex-adjusted prevalence of obesity was 8% among immigrants living in the United States for less than 1 year, but 19% among those living in the United States for at least 15 years. After adjusting for age, sociodemographic, and lifestyle factors, living in the United States for 10 to 15 and at least 15 years was associated with BMI increases of 0.88 and 1.39, respectively. The association for 15 years or more was significant for all immigrant subgroups except foreign-born blacks. Additionally, immigrants were less likely than US-born individuals to report discussing diet and exercise with clinicians (18% vs 24%, P<.001; 19% vs 23%, P<.001, respectively). These differences were not accounted for by sociodemographic characteristics, illness burden, BMI, or access to care among some subgroups of immigrants. CONCLUSIONS Among different immigrant subgroups, number of years of residence in the United States is associated with higher BMI beginning after 10 years. The prevalence of obesity among immigrants living in the United States for at least 15 years approached that of US-born adults. Early intervention with diet and physical activity may represent an opportunity to prevent weight gain, obesity, and obesity-related chronic illnesses.
The digital government imperative: a context-aware perspective

ABSTRACT The paper applies a ‘context-aware’ research approach to explore Italy’s digital government trajectory, using the information and communication technology -enabled programme that introduced the One-Stop Business Shop to exemplify its analytical potential. The interpretive lens captures the political, institutional and external forces at play to illustrate how the outcomes of public-sector reforms are shaped not by legislative strong-arming and ubiquitous technological enablement but by the environmental dynamics. To demonstrate the central role of contextual factors in achieving the desired change, the study conducts a qualitative exploratory analysis that opens doors left mostly closed by the deterministic view of the mainstream literature on digital reform.
Corporate governance and corporate social responsibility disclosure: evidence from Pakistan

Purpose This paper aims to investigate whether there is any change in corporate social responsibility (CSR) disclosure in Pakistani companies after the introduction of CSR voluntary guidelines in 2013 by Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP) and determine the effect of corporate governance (CG) elements on CSR disclosure. Design/methodology/approach Content analysis was applied to measure CSR disclosure from annual and sustainability reports of 50 companies from eight different sectors from 2010 to 2014. Paired-samples t-test was applied to examine the difference in CSR disclosure. Regression analysis was used to examine the relationships between CG elements and CSR disclosure. Findings Paired-samples t-test shows an increase in the extent of CSR disclosure after the introduction of CSR voluntary guidelines in 2013. The one-way ANOVA test reveals that the extent of CSR disclosure is different across various sectors. Multiple regression results prove that independent directors, women directors and board size positively affect the extent of CSR disclosure. Practical implications SECP should enforce medium-sized firms to start producing CSR reports. Voluntary guidelines of 2013 moderately improved CSR reporting. Therefore, enforcement of the SECP rule of independent directors may enhance the extent of CSR disclosure. Originality/value This study is the first to examine the effect of CSR voluntary guidelines issued by SECP in 2013 and CG elements on CSR disclosure in Pakistan.
Transgenic line for the identification of cholinergic release sites in Drosophila melanogaster

ABSTRACT The identification of neurotransmitter type used by a neuron is important for the functional dissection of neuronal circuits. In the model organism Drosophila melanogaster, several methods for discerning the neurotransmitter systems are available. Here, we expanded the toolbox for the identification of cholinergic neurons by generating a new line FRT-STOP-FRT-VAChT::HA that is a conditional tagged knock-in of the vesicular acetylcholine transporter (VAChT) gene in its endogenous locus. Importantly, in comparison to already available tools for the detection of cholinergic neurons, the FRT-STOP-FRT-VAChT::HA allele also allows for identification of the subcellular localization of the cholinergic presynaptic release sites in a cell-specific manner. We used the newly generated FRT-STOP-FRT-VAChT::HA line to characterize the Mi1 and Tm3 neurons in the fly visual system and found that VAChT is present in the axons of both cell types, suggesting that Mi1 and Tm3 neurons provide cholinergic input to the elementary motion detectors, the T4 neurons. Summary: A new transgenic Drosophila melanogaster line for the cell-type-specific identification of cholinergic release sites expands the available methods toolbox for discerning the neurotransmitter systems in the fly nervous system.
Antigen presentation by Leishmania mexicana‐infected macrophages: Activation of helper T cells specific for amastigote cysteine proteinases requires intracellular killing of the parasites

Leishmania mexicana amastigotes proliferate in the phagolysosomes of mammalian macrophages. The parasites abundantly synthesize lysosomal cysteine proteinases, which are encoded by the lmcpb gene family. One of these genes was overexpressed in Escherichia coli, and the purified recombinant protein was used as an antigen to induce and establish a T helper 1 (Th1) cell line. The T cells recognize epitopes shared by the native cysteine proteinases and the recombinant protein. Infected bone marrow‐derived macrophages induced to express major histocompatibility complex class II molecules by interferon (IFN)‐γ do not affect parasite viability. These macrophages fail to stimulate the proliferation of the T cell line. In contrast, strong T cell stimulation is observed after the parasites are killed by treatment with L‐leucine methylester, or after activation of macrophages by IFN‐γ and tumor necrosis factor‐α. It is concluded that infected macrophages efficiently present this lysosomal Leishmania antigen once the parasites are inactivated and degraded. This observation may be of considerable relevance for the outcome of Leishmania infections provided that it can be extended to other parasite antigens.
Managing the Risk of the 'Betting-Against-Beta' Anomaly: Does It Pay to Bet Against Beta?

We study the risk dynamics of the betting-against-beta anomaly. The strategy shows strong and predictable time variation in risk and no risk-return trade-off. A risk-managed strategy exploiting this achieves an annualized Sharpe ratio of 1.28 with a very high information ratio of 0.94 with respect to the original strategy. Similar strategies for the market, size, value, profitability, and investment factors achieve a much smaller information ratio of 0.15 on average. The large economic benefits of risk-scaling are similar to those of momentum and set these two anomalies apart from other equity factors. Decomposing risk into a market and a specific component we find the specific component drives our results.
Comparability of Two Methods of Time and Motion Study Used in a Clinical Setting: Work Sampling and Continuous Observation

Two methods of time and motion study, continuous observation and work sampling, were used to measure physician behavior in a prepaid group practice. Results of the two methods were compared to determine whether differences occurred because of method. No significant differences appeared in time/unit of patient service for 82 per cent of physicians studied, nor did the presence of the continuous observer affect the number of units of patient service/half day of observation. Nonpatient activities showed a slightly larger number of differences although 74 per cent of comparisons of mean activity times still showed none. Suggested causes for noted discrepancies may be circumstantial dissimilarities in the two study periods or observer proximity. Nonetheless, overall the two methods show a high degree of similarity. Unless there is particular interest in the exact content of the physician-patient encounter, when continuous observation is required, work sampling is preferred because of time, cost, and possible observer influence on nonpatient activities.
Adverse Drug Events in Elderly Patients Receiving Home Health Services following Hospital Discharge

OBJECTIVE: To assess incidence, healthcare consequences, and identify risk factors for adverse drug events (ADEs) in elderly patients receiving home health services during the month following hospital discharge. METHODS: This was a prospective cohort study of three home health agencies in Madison, Wisconsin, and its surrounding area. The sample consisted of 256 participants aged •65 years who were hospitalized for medical illness, received home nursing after discharge, and completed the one-month interview. The main outcome measure was self-reported ADEs (possible, probable, or definite) during the month following hospital discharge. RESULTS: Incidence of ADEs was 20%. Fifty-two participants (20.3%) reported 64 ADEs: 23 possible, 37 probable, and four definite. The most common ADEs involved the gastrointestinal tract (31.3%) and the central nervous system (31.3%). Of 53 ADEs reported to providers, 59% of the drugs were discontinued or altered. One ADE resulted in hospitalization. In logistic regression, female gender (OR = 2.26; 95% CI 1.06 to 4.77) and the interaction between number of new medications and cognition were significantly associated with ADEs. The risk of an event increased with the number of new medications at discharge; however, risk was elevated primarily for participants with lower cognition. CONCLUSIONS: ADEs were common during the month following hospital discharge, were more frequent in women, and often resulted in medication changes. Individuals at particular risk were those with lower cognition who were discharged with several new medications.
Ruptured appendicitis among children as an indicator of access to care.

OBJECTIVE To determine factors associated with ruptured appendicitis among children, using administrative databases. Insurance-related differences in the risk of ruptured appendix among adults in California have previously been described (Braveman, Schaaf, Egerter, et al. 1994). DATA SOURCES/STUDY SETTING State of Maryland Medicaid claims data for children < or = 18 years of age from 1989 to 1993 and hospital discharge data for children < or = 19 years of age from 1989 to 1994 were analyzed. STUDY DESIGN Administrative data analysis pre- and post-implementation of a Medicaid managed care program called Maryland Access to Care. DATA COLLECTION/EXTRACTION METHODS Medicaid claims and hospital discharge ICD-9-CM codes were used to define hospitalization for ruptured and nonruptured appendicitis. Linear regression was used to model trends. Logistic regression was used to model the probability of ruptured appendicitis. PRINCIPAL FINDINGS Among the 374 Medicaid inpatient claims for appendicitis, 37 percent were for ruptured appendicitis. Among the 5,141 hospital discharges for appendicitis, 30 percent were for ruptured appendicitis. Using Medicaid claims data, the probability of ruptured appendicitis was inversely related to age (OR = 0.86, 95% CI 0.81-0.91), white race (OR = 0.35, 95% CI 0.17-0.71) and preventive care visits (OR = 0.19, 95% CI 0.05-0.77). Using hospital discharge data, age (OR = 0.91, 95% CI 0.90-0.93) and female gender (OR = 0.87, 95% CI 0.77-0.99) were significant covariates. Insurance-related covariates were not significant in multivariate models addressing the probability of ruptured appendicitis. CONCLUSIONS During a period of rapid managed care growth, insurance type was not associated with an increased risk of ruptured appendicitis among children in this geographic area. Age, female gender, and the number of preventive care visits are inversely related to the risk of ruptured appendix among children. The protective effect of preventive care visits suggests that a primary care relationship facilitates access to care, thus reducing delay in the management of appendicitis.
Evaluation of adrenal function in patients with growth hormone deficiency and hypothalamic-pituitary disorders: comparison between insulin-induced hypoglycemia, low-dose ACTH, standard ACTH and CRH stimulation tests.

OBJECTIVES Patients with organic growth hormone deficiency (GHD) or with structural hypothalamic-pituitary abnormalities may have additional anterior pituitary hormone deficits, and are at risk of developing complete or partial corticotropin (ACTH) deficiency. Evaluation of the integrity of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis (HPA) is essential in these patients because, although clinically asymptomatic, their HPA cannot appropriately react to stressful stimuli with potentially life-threatening consequences. DESIGN AND METHODS In this study we evaluated the integrity of the HPA in 24 patients (age 4.2-31 years at the time of the study) with an established diagnosis of GHD and compared the reliability of the insulin tolerance test (ITT), short synacthen test (SST), low-dose SST (LDSST), and corticotropin releasing hormone (CRH) test in the diagnosis of adrenal insufficiency. RESULTS At a cortisol cut-off for a normal response of 550 nmol/l (20 microg/dl), the response to ITT was subnormal in 11 subjects, 6 with congenital and 5 with acquired GHD. Four patients had overt adrenal insufficiency, with morning cortisol concentrations ranging between 66.2-135.2 nmol/l (2.4-4.9 microg/dl) and typical clinical symptoms and laboratory findings. In all these patients, a subnormal cortisol response to ITT was confirmed by LDSST and by CRH tests. SST failed to identify one of the patients as adrenal insufficient. In the seven asymptomatic patients with a subnormal cortisol response to ITT, the diagnosis of adrenal insufficiency was confirmed in one by LDSST, in none by SST, and in five by CRH tests. The five patients with a normal cortisol response to ITT exhibited a normal response also after LDSST and SST. Only two of them had a normal response after a CRH test. In the seven patients with asymptomatic adrenal insufficiency mean morning cortisol concentration was significantly higher than in the patients with overt adrenal insufficiency. ITT was contraindicated in eight patients, and none of them had clinical symptoms of overt adrenal insufficiency. One of these patients had a subnormal cortisol response to LDSST, SST, and CRH, and three exhibited a subnormal response to CRH but normal responses to LDSST and to SST. CONCLUSION We conclude that none of these tests can be considered completely reliable for establishing or excluding the presence of secondary or tertiary adrenal insufficiency. Consequently, clinical judgment remains one of the most important issues for deciding which patients need assessment or re-assessment of adrenal function.
HLA antibodies present in the sera of sensitized patients awaiting renal transplant are also reactive to swine leukocyte antigens.

BACKGROUND To determine whether preformed HLA alloantibodies present in the sera of patients awaiting kidney transplantation will be detrimental to a potential porcine xenograft, we tested their cross-reactivity to swine leukocyte antigens (SLA). METHODS Sera obtained from patients with varying levels of HLA sensitization (high panel-reactive antibodies > 70%, n= 7; moderate panel-reactive antibodies 30-40%, n=2) were analyzed. Pooled normal human AB sera and sera from nonsensitized patients (n=3) served as negative control. IgG was purified by protein-G chromatography, and xenoreactive natural antibodies (XNA) were depleted by passing the IgG through a series of melibiose and thyroglobulin-agarose columns. The elimination of XNA from HLA IgG preparations was confirmed by GS-IB4 lectin blocking assay and by an ELISA. RESULTS IgG isolated from normal AB serum and three nonsensitized patients, which was depleted of XNA (HLA-IgG), did not react to human or porcine lymphocytes (peripheral blood mononuclear cells; PBMC) either by flow cytometry or by complement-dependent microcytotoxicity assays. However, HLA-IgG isolated from nine sensitized patients were reactive to a panel of porcine peripheral blood lymphocytes (n=6) by flow cytometry (>50 mean channel shift) and in complement-dependent microcytotoxicity assays in addition to their reactivity to human PBMC. The binding of HLA-IgG to porcine PBMC was significantly reduced by preabsorption with pooled human platelet concentrate. Further, the HLA IgG showed recognition of 45-kDa affinity-purified SLA class I on Western blots. CONCLUSIONS This study demonstrates that HLA antibodies present in the sera of sensitized individuals can cross-react with SLA. Thus, xenotransplantation of porcine organs into HLA-sensitized patients has the potential to be rejected by humoral mechanisms. Testing to avoid such cross-reactive antibodies should be considered.
Nine-spined sticklebacks exploit the most reliable source when public and private information conflict

Social foragers can potentially use private information gained from personal experience and public information gained from observing the foraging success of others to determine the profitability of a foraging patch. We investigated how nine–spined sticklebacks use conflicting public and private information of variable reliability to make foraging decisions. In a first experiment, when private information was reliable, sticklebacks ignored public information and based their foraging decision on private information. However, when private information was less reliable, sticklebacks tended to use public rather than private information. A second experiment investigated how the time since experiencing private information affected sticklebacks’ use of this information when it conflicted with recent public information. Fish based their foraging decisions on recently acquired private information, but reliance on private information diminished as the period since experiencing it increased. Fish used public information if 7 days had elapsed since updating their private information. Our findings suggest that nine–spined sticklebacks flexibly adjust their decision making to exploit the most reliable information available, be it public or private, and that animals will weight private and public information appropriately depending on circumstances.
A major antigen from Mycobacterium tuberculosis which is homologous to the heat shock proteins groES from E. coli and the htpA gene product of Coxiella burneti.

The groE locus gene of E.coli (1) and an operon of C.burneti (2), each produce two major heat shock proteins of about 60k and 10k. The 60k products of the groEL gene of E.coli and the htpB gene of C.burneti have been shown to be hanologous to the 65k antigen of M.tuberculosis (2,3). We have reported the sequence of a 10k protein antigen of M.tuberculosis which is recognised by sera from tuberculosis Datients We now show hcmology between the 10k antigen of M.tuberculosis and heat shock Proteins of E.coli and C.burneti suggests that the 10k protein of M.tuberculosis will be found as widely amongst different organisms as the 65k protein
Association of Depression and Anxiety Alone and in Combination With Chronic Musculoskeletal Pain in Primary Care Patients

Objective: To assess the relationship between depression and anxiety comorbidity on pain intensity, pain-related disability, and health-related quality of life (HRQL). Methods: Analysis of baseline data from the Stepped Care for Affective Disorders and Musculoskeletal Pain (SCAMP) study. All patients (n = 500) had chronic pain (≥3-month duration) of the low back, hip, or knee. Patients with depression were oversampled for the clinical trial component of SCAMP and thus represented 50% of the study population. Patients were categorized according to pain comorbid with depression, anxiety, or both. We used analysis of variance and multivariate analysis of variance models to assess the relationships between independent and dependent variables. Results: Participants had a mean age of 59 years; they were 55% women, 56% White, and 40% Black. Fifty-four percent (n = 271) reported pain only, 20% (n = 98) had pain and depression, 3% (n = 15) had pain and anxiety, and 23% (n = 116) had pain, depression, and anxiety. Patients with pain and both depression and anxiety experienced the greatest pain severity (p < .0001) and pain-related disability (p < .0001). Psychiatric comorbidity was strongly associated with disability days in the past 3 months (p < .0001), with 18.1 days reported by patients with pain only, 32.2 days by those with pain and anxiety, 38.0 days by those with pain and depression, and 42.6 days in those with all three conditions. We found a similar pattern of poorer HRQL (p < .0001) in those with pain, depression, and anxiety. Conclusions: The added morbidity of depression and anxiety with chronic pain is strongly associated with more severe pain, greater disability, and poorer HRQL. ANOVA = analysis of variance; BPI = Brief Pain Inventory; GAD-7 = Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7-item scale; HRQL = health-related quality of life; ICD-9 = International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems, 9th Edition; IU = Indiana University; MANOVA = multivariate analysis of variance; MRI = magnetic resonance imaging; PA = pain and anxiety; PD = pain and depression; PDA = pain, depression, and anxiety; PHQ-9 = Patient Health Questionnaire-9; PO = pain only; SCAMP = stepped care for affective disorders and musculoskeletal pain; SCL-20 = Hopkins Symptom Checklist-20; SF-36 = Medical Outcomes Study Short Form-36; VA = Veterans Affairs.
Effect of field pea (Pisum sativum L.) level on intake, digestion, ruminal fermentation and in vitro gas production in sheep fed maintenance diets.

The objective of this study was the characterization of the nutritive value, ruminal fermentation and nutrient digestibility of field pea (Pisum sativum L.) hay (FPH) by-product through in situ, in vitro and in vivo tests. A FPH diet was administered ad libitum to four sheep (live weight (LW) 38.0 ± 2.0 kg) at four inclusion levels (0, 25, 50 and 75%) over a conventional sorghum grain/oat straw ration in a 4 × 4 Latin square design. The in situ degradability of FPH was 67% dry matter (DM), 71% crude protein and 66% neutral detergent fiber (NDF). The inclusion of FPH did not affect (P ≥ 0.05) the DM (61 ± 0.4 g/LW(0.75) /day) and organic matter (OM) intake (56 ± 0.7 g/LW(0.75) /day). Total DM digestibility (68 ± 2.5%), OM (70 ± 3%), and NDF (60 ± 3%), were not different (P ≥ 0.05) between control and FPH inclusion diets. The diet had no effect on ruminal pH, ruminal ammonia concentration, total and individual volatile fatty acids. The chemical composition and sheep intake behavior indicate that FPH by-product is medium quality forage when incorporated in maintenance rations.