Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Comparison in pathological behaviours & prognosis of gastric cancers from general hospitals between China & Japan.

BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVES Gastric cancer is the fourth most common cancer and the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths after lung carcinoma. The aim of this study was to understand the difference in clinicopathological behaviours and prognosis of gastric cancer in patients from China and Japan. METHODS Paraffin-fixed tissue samples of gastric cancer were collected retrospectively from two hospitals between 1993 to 2006 in Japan (n=2063) and during 1980-2003 in China (n=2496) respectively, and staging was done by TNM system and typing by Japanese Endoscopy Society criteria or Borrmann's classification. The histological architecture of the tumours was expressed according to Lauren's classification. RESULTS Compared to Japan, the occurrence of gastric cancer was more common in younger Chinese population and prone to invasion and metastasis in muscularis propia, lymphatic, lymph node, liver, peritoneal parts, and exhibited large tumour size and high TNM staging in both the sexes and in different age groups (P<0.05). Intestinal and mixed types of carcinomas were more frequently observed in Japanese patients compared to Chinese and the difference was significant (P<0.05). It was observed that the commonly reported types in early gastric cancers (EGC) in Japanese patients were IIc, IIa+IIc or IIa while those of Chinese patients were IIc, III or IIb. In the case of advanced gastric cancers (AGC), type II and III were most common in both the countries. The cumulative survival rate of Chinese patients was significantly (P<0.05) higher compared to Japanese in different stratified groups via depth of invasion, TNM staging or Lauren's classification. INTERPRETATION & CONCLUSION Gastric cancers in Chinese patients had more aggressive pathological characteristics and poorer prognosis than those from Japan. To reduce incidence and to improve treatment facilities, it is necessary to have a systematic screening system.
The relationship between sentiment and risk in financial markets

This article estimates association coefficients between measures of market sentiment and risk in the U.S., German and Chinese markets. In terms of risk, four measures were considered: standard deviation, value at risk, expected shortfall and shortfall deviation risk. For market sentiment, data was collected using the Psych Signal technology, which is based on the behavior of investors on social networks. The results indicate significant statistical associations, with the direction of association having financial meaning. Moreover, the empirical findings are valid for all risk measurements. The results are in keeping with the Prospect Theory, since in moments when the sentiment indicates low liquidity (a negative value for the difference between Bullish and Bearish Intensities) investors try to reduce the negotiation volume, which has a positive impact on risk. On the other hand, under the inverted scenario, when sentiment indicates high liquidity, there is an increase in the negotiation volume and a consequent decrease in risk. This article is important because its observations of market sentiment as measured by social media data show a consistent relationship with measures of financial risk.
Learning About Fiscal Multipliers During the European Sovereign Debt Crisis: Evidence from a Quasi-Natural Experiment

Identifying fiscal multipliers, that is, the effect of discretionary fiscal actions on growth, is challenging. It requires comparing the realization of growth after a fiscal action to a hypothetical growth path that would have prevailed in the absence of such action. Deriving the hypothetical path usually involves very strong assumptions. This paper helps to relax some of the assumptions, using a unique new data set on the European Commission’s recommendations under the so-called excessive deficit procedure (EDP). These recommendations provide information on both output growth in a no-policy-change baseline forecast and an alternative forecast of growth incorporating the size of fiscal consolidation recommended under the EDP. A comparison of these two alternative scenarios allows us to infer country-specific fiscal multipliers implicitly applied by the Commission in its EDP recommendations for a sample of 24 countries over the period 2009–2015. Our results confirm Blanchard and Leigh’s (2013, 2014) presumption that fiscal multipliers used by forecasters were adjusted upwards during the European sovereign debt crisis, albeit starting from lower than commonly assumed levels. Contrary to Blanchard and Leigh (2013, 2014), we do not find evidence that the ‘true’ ex-post fiscal multipliers systematically exceeded 1 in the early crisis years.
Implementation of ironXS: a study of the acceptability and feasibility of genetic screening for hereditary hemochromatosis in high schools

Delatycki MB, Wolthuizen M, Collins V, Varley E, Craven J, Allen KJ, Aitken MA, Bond L, Lockhart PJ, Wilson GR, Macciocca I, Metcalfe SA. Implementation of ironXS: a study of the acceptability and feasibility of genetic screening for hereditary hemochromatosis in high schools.
Osmotic regulation and the biosynthesis of membrane-derived oligosaccharides in Escherichia coli.

The membrane-derived oligosaccharides (MDO) of Escherichia coli are periplasmic constituents containing 8-10 glucose units in a highly branched structure, linked by beta 1-2 and beta 1-6 bonds [Schneider, J. E. Reinhold, V. , Rumley, M. K. & Kennedy, E. P. (1979) J. Biol. Chem. 254, 10135-10138]. The MDO are multiply substituted with sn-1-phosphoglycerol residues (derived from membrane phosphatidylglycerol) and with O-succinyl ester residues and, thus, are high anionic. Experiments in this paper offer evidence that the biosynthesis of MDO is an important aspects of osmoregulation in E. coli. Cells grown in medium of low osmolarity (ca. 50 mosM) synthesize 16 times more MDO than those grown in the same medium with 0.4 M NaCl. In cells grown in medium of low osmolarity, it appears that MDO is the principal source of fixed anion in the periplasmic space and, thus, acts to maintain the high osmotic pressure and Donnan membrane potential of the periplasmic compartment Regulation of MDO synthesis in response to changes in osmolarity of the medium appears to occur at the genetic level because the synthesis of new protein is needed to permit the production of MDO at high rates after shift of cells to medium of low osmolarity.
Chronic kidney disease and the severity of coronary artery disease and retinal microvasculature changes: a cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND Prior studies have suggested the association between incidence of coronary artery disease (CAD) with chronic kidney disease (CKD) and poor glomerular filtration function. However to the best of our knowledge, few studies have specifically assessed this relationship based on the severity of CAD as quantified using Extent and Gensini scores. METHODS Between June 2009 and January 2012, data were collected from 1,680 participants as part of the Australian Heart Eye Study (AHES) cohort. Coronary angiograms were scored according to Gensini (severity) and Extent scores. Retinal vessel calibres were measured using validated semi-automated software. Potential confounders were adjusted for using multivariate analysis. RESULTS There were no significant associations found between CKD status with Extent and Gensini scores for CAD severity, both unadjusted and when adjusted for confounding factors. In unadjusted analyses, a significant association between CKD and narrower retinal arteriolar diameter was observed (P=0.0072). After multivariate adjustment, the association between CKD and retinal arteriolar diameter was attenuated and was no longer significant (P=0.1466). No associations were observed between retinal venular calibre and prevalent CKD. CONCLUSIONS The present study demonstrated no independent associations between CKD and CAD severity. These results warrant validation by future large, prospective longitudinal studies.
Lack of changes in brain muscarinic receptor and motor activity of mice after neonatal inhalation exposure to d‐allethrin

Synthetic pyrethroids are among the most common pesticides and insecticides currently in worldwide use. Eriksson and co‐workers postulated that oral exposure of mice to pyrethroids during a neonatal brain growth spurt induces permanent disturbance in the cerebral muscarinic cholinergic receptor (MAChR) and behaviour. However, the scientific basis for these phenomena is now under discussion. The present study was performed to determine whether the experimental findings of Eriksson's study could be reproduced in newborn mice by inhalation. Male and female NMRI mice were exposed to d‐allethrin by whole‐body inhalation for 6 h per day between postnatal days 10 and 16. Actual concentrations of d‐allethrin were 0.43, 1.35, 3.49 and 74.2 mg m−3 (equivalent to 0.70, 2.2, 5.7 and 120.2 mg kg−1 day−1, respectively), and the mass median aerodynamic diameter and geometric log‐standard deviation of mist particles ranged from 2.58 to 2.98 µm and from 1.58 to 2.09 µm for all groups, respectively. The highest exposure level in the present study (74.2 mg m−3) was ca. 13 000 times as high as the concentration used in practice. The MAChR in the three brain areas (cortex, hippocampus and striatum) and motor activity were examined at the ages of 17 days and 4 months. In addition, a water‐maze test was performed at the age of 11 months. There was no systemic toxicity interfering with the interpretation of assay results. The neonatal exposure to d‐allethrin by inhalation did not induce effects either on the brain MAChR density and motor activity at 17 days and 4 months or on performance in the learning/memory test at the age of 11 months. The effects of allethrins on developmental neurotoxicity that Eriksson and co‐workers reported previously were not reproduced in the present study. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Adrenoleukodystrophy: Survey of 303 cases: Biochemistry, diagnosis, and therapy

Adrenoleukodystrophy (ALD) is a genetically determined disorder associated with progressive central demyelination and adrenal cortical insufficiency. All affected persons show increased levels of saturated unbranched very‐long‐chain fatty acids, particularly hexacosanoate (C26:0), because of impaired capacity to degrade these acids. This degradation normally takes place in a subcellular organelle called the peroxisome, and ALD, together with Zellweger's cerebrohepatorenal syndrome, is now considered to belong to the newly formed category of peroxisomal disorders. Biochemical assays permit prenatal diagnosis, as well as identification of most heterozygotes. We have identified 303 patients with ALD in 217 kindreds. These patients show a wide phenotypic variation. Sixty percent of patients had childhood ALD and 17% adrenomyeloneuropathy, both of which are X‐linked, with the gene mapped to Xq28. Neonatal ALD, a distinct entity with autosomal recessive inheritance and points of resemblance to Zellweger's syndrome, accounted for 7% of the cases. Although excess C26:0 in the brain of patients with ALD is partially of dietary origin, dietary C26:0 restriction did not produce clear benefit. Bone marrow transplant lowered the plasma C26:0 level but failed to arrest neurological progression.
Elevated levels of high-molecular-weight adiponectin in type 1 diabetes.

BACKGROUND Several studies have shown that type 1 diabetic patients have elevated total levels of the adipocyte-derived adipocytokine adiponectin. However, adiponectin circulates in three different subforms, and the high-molecular-weight (HMW) subform is believed to be the primary biologically active form. The effects of the medium-molecular-weight (MMW) subform and the low-molecular-weight (LMW) subform are still unresolved. PURPOSE The objective of the study was to investigate the distribution of the three molecular subforms of adiponectin in well-characterized groups of type 1 diabetics with varying degrees of nephropathy as well as in healthy control subjects. STUDY POPULATION Two hundred seven individuals were included: 58 type 1 diabetics with normoalbuminuria, 46 with microalbuminuria, 46 with macroalbuminuria, and 57 matched controls. METHODS The HMW, MMW, and LMW subforms were measured using a validated in-house time-resolved immunoflourometric assay after separation by fast protein liquid chromatography. RESULTS The absolute concentrations of total adiponectin and all subforms were higher in type 1 diabetic patients than healthy controls. However, the relative HMW fraction was up-regulated in type 1 diabetes (P < 0.001), whereas the MMW (P < 0.001) and LMW fractions (P < 0.05) were down-regulated, compared with controls. Accordingly, the increase in concentration of total adiponectin was primarily caused by a major increase of the HMW subform. Levels of total adiponectin and the HMW subform (absolute and relative) were generally unaffected by nephropathy status defined by urinary albumin excretion rate. CONCLUSION Type 1 diabetes per se is associated with higher adiponectin levels than healthy subjects. This increase is mainly explained by an elevation in the HMW subform. The elevation is unaffected by gender and diabetic kidney disease.
Rational functions: an alternative approach to asset pricing

ABSTRACT This paper shows that asset prices are linear polynomials of various underlying explanatory factors and asset returns being ratios of these polynomials, are rational functions that do not add linearly when averaging. Hence, average returns should be modeled based on stock prices. However, continuous returns may be treated as approximately linear across time and modeled directly. Our new Rational Function (RF) models, empirically outperform the traditional asset pricing models like the Capital Asset Pricing Model (CAPM) and the Fama–French three and five-factor models for both average and continuous returns. Moreover, the RF theory also provides a model to estimate the asset volumes. The average change in asset volumes together with average returns provide the estimates for average change in market values of assets. Thus, the RF model approach can be used to select assets that provide either highest returns for profit maximization or highest change in market values for wealth maximization for given levels of risk.
Conserved nodulation genes from the non-legume symbiont Bradyrhizobium sp. (Parasponia).

A nodulation locus from the broad-host-range, non-legume symbiont Bradyrhizobium sp. (Parasponia) strain ANU289, has been identified by hybridisation to cloned Rhizobium trifolii nodulation (nod) genes. Transfer of cloned ANU289 nod genes to R.trifolii nodulation-deficient mutants showed that the locus contains a functional homologue of the R. trifolii nodD gene. DNA sequence analysis revealed the presence of three additional genes nodA, nodB and nodC clustered adjacent to nodD. The four genes from ANU289 share substantial sequence homology with those characterised from narrow-host-range Rhizobium strains. A novel 700-bp sequence inserted between the nodD and nodABC genes encodes an open reading frame designated nodK and is oriented in the same direction as nodABC. nodKABC appear to be organized in a single transcriptional unit and nodD is oriented divergently to nodKABC. A 35-bp sequence containing the ribosome binding site for the nodD gene and an AT-rich core sequence has been identified by comparison with sequences from other Rhizobium strains and is likely to be implicated in the plant-mediated induction of nodulation gene expression.
What influences the willingness of Vietnamese accountants to adopt International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) by 2025

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine the effects of perceived implications of International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) adoption on the willingness to adopt IFRS. Design/methodology/approach The study analysed the causal relationships between perceptions and the willingness of the accountants to adopt IFRS. Findings The findings revealed that perceived benefits drove the willingness to adopt IFRS whereas the perceived disadvantages and challenges diminished the willingness. Knowledge of IFRS enhanced the willingness towards IFRS adoption. Also, legitimacy desire enhanced the association between the perceived implications and the willingness to adopt IFRS. Originality/value The study contributes significantly to theory and practice as Vietnamese policy makers recently announced their strategic planning to full IFRS adoption by 2025.
Long-Term Patient Satisfaction of External Dacryocystorhinostomy

Purpose: To evaluate patient’s opinion on the long-term success of external dacryocystorhinostomy using the same quantitative parameter pre- and postoperatively. Methods: A postal questionnaire was sent to 139 patients who had undergone external dacryocystorhinostomy. The only parameter for success of the treatment was the improvement of patient’s subjective pre- and postoperative symptoms score. The duration of this follow-up ranged from 1 year up to 5 years postoperatively. Statistical analyses were performed using the Wilcoxon Signed-Ranks test and the χ2 test. Results: According to the patient’s own evaluation, external dacryocystorhinostomy is a successful operation. After 1 year the success percentage was 89%, after 2–3 years it was 79% and after 4–5 years it was 71%. Conclusion: External dacryocystorhinostomy is appreciated by the patients and considered a successful operation. The subjective evaluation of this operation should yield more creditability than objective methods.
The Democratic Peace and the Wisdom of Crowds

This article proposes a new theory for the democratic peace that highlights a previously unexplored advantage enjoyed by democracies in crises. We argue that because democracies typically include a larger number of decision-makers in the foreign policy process, they will produce fewer decision-making errors in situations of crisis bargaining. Thus, bargaining among larger groups of diverse decision-makers will fail less often. In order to test our hypothesis, we use data from experiments in which subjects engage in ultimatum bargaining games. We compare the performance of individuals, small groups and foreign policy experts against the performance of larger groups of decision-makers. We find strong support for the idea that collective decision-making among larger groups of decision-makers decreases the likelihood of bargaining failure.
Evaluation of Double-Disk Potentiation and Disk Potentiation Tests Using Dipicolinic Acid for Detection of Metallo-β-Lactamase-Producing Pseudomonas spp. and Acinetobacter spp

ABSTRACT Accurate detection of metallo-β-lactamase (MBL)-producing Pseudomonas spp. and Acinetobacter spp. became very important with the increasing prevalence of carbapenem-nonsusceptible clinical isolates. The performance of phenotypic MBL detection methods may depend on the types of MBL and the characteristics of the isolates. A high false-positive rate is a problem with EDTA-based MBL detection methods. We evaluated the performance of double-disk potentiation tests (DDPTs) and disk potentiation tests (DPTs) with dipicolinic acid (DPA) using 44 isolates of Pseudomonas spp. and Acinetobacter spp. producing IMP-1-like, VIM-2-like, and SIM-1 type MBLs. Also, we characterized P. aeruginosa isolates with positive imipenem (IPM)-DPA DDPT, but negative meropenem (MEM)-DPA DDPT, and determined possibility of improving a DDPT by using MacConkey agar. Among five different DDPT methods, the IPM-DPA 250-μg method showed the highest sensitivity (97.7%) and specificity (100%). Among four DPT tests, the highest sensitivity (100%) was shown by the IPM-EDTA 1,900-μg disk method, but the specificity was very low (11.4%). Five of six P. aeruginosa isolates with false-negative DDPTs with MEM-DPA 250-μg disks carried bla IMP-6, and the high level resistance to MEM (MIC ≥ 512 μg/ml) was reduced by the presence of phenylalanine arginine β-naphtylamide. Improvement of DDPTs was observed when MacConkey agar was used instead of Mueller-Hinton agar. In conclusion, DPA is a better MBL inhibitor than EDTA for detection of Pseudomonas spp. and Acinetobacter spp. with IMP-1-like, VIM-2-like, and SIM-1-type MBLs. In DPA DDPTs, IPM disks perform better than MEM disks when the isolates are highly resistant to MEM due to the overexpression of efflux pumps.
The number of podocyte and slit diaphragm is decreased in experimental diabetic nephropathy.

PURPOSE To determine the number of podocyte, slit diaphragms, slit diaphragm extensions and GBM thickness in diabetic nephropathy. METHODS Sixty "Rattus Wistar"of both sexes weighing 200-300 g were divided in two experimental groups: normal group 10 animals, and alloxan diabetic rats--50 animals. Alloxan was administered in a single IV dose of 42 mg/kg body weight. Body weight, water and food intake, diuresis, and blood and urine glucose were determined in both groups before alloxan injection and two weeks, six and twelve months after alloxan injection. Proteinuria was measured at 12 months in both groups. After 12 months animals were sacrificed, and the right kidney processed for electron microscopy. RESULTS Clear clinical and laboratory signs of severe diabetes were seen, in all alloxan-diabetic rats at all follow-up times. Glomerular basement membrane (GBM) thickening, podocyte number, and slit diaphragm number and extension were determined. GBM of all diabetic rats was significantly thicker (median=0.29 microm; semi-interquartile range=0.065 microm) than in the normal rats (0.23 microm; 0.035 microm). Diabetic rat podocyte number (8; 1), slit diaphragm number (4; 1), and slit diaphragm extension (0.021 microm; 0.00435 microm) were significantly lower than in normal rats (11; 1) and (7; 1.5), and (0.031 microm; 0.0058 microm). Diabetic rat proteinuria (0.060 mg/24 h; 0.037 mg/24 h) was higher than in normal rats (0.00185 mg/24 h; 0.00055 mg/24 h). CONCLUSION Experimental diabetes is associated with significant (p<0.05) changes in podocyte foot process, slit number, slit diaphragm extension, and GBM thickness.