Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Deterioration in the health-related quality of life of persons with multiple sclerosis: the possible warning signs

Baseline data from a population-based study examining the health-related quality of life (HRQL) of MS patients about to begin disease modifying therapy was used to determine the factors associated with the HRQL of Saskatchewan adults with relapsing-remitting MS. Participants completed a self-report questionnaire regarding demographic and socioeconomic status, fatigue, comorbid medical conditions, disability level (EDSS), number of attacks in past 6 months, illness intrusiveness (Illness Intrusiveness Ratings Scale), depression (Beck Depression Inventory), and HRQL (SF-36 Health Status Survey). Multiple linear regression models were used to identify the factors associated with the physical and mental health summary scores of the SF-36. We found poorer physical HRQL in those who are female; older; not working; have musculoskeletal or respiratory problems; greater fatigue, higher disability scores, and more MS attacks. High illness intrusiveness; digestive system problems; genitourinary problems; and headaches were associated with poorer mental HRQL. Interestingly, we found an interaction between sex and age in mental HRQL, with worse mental health in older men but better mental health in older women. These findings may assist health care providers in identifying patients who may be at risk for decline in their HRQL, permitting appropriate and timely interventions. Multiple Sclerosis 2007; 13: 1038—1045. http://msj.sagepub. com
The Accuracy of Economic Measurement in the Health and Retirement Study

Abstract We assess the quality of the HRS’s measures of out-of-pocket medical spending and health insurance premia, both in the “core interviews” and in the “exit interview” data. We provide detailed evidence on the quality of the HRS insurance premia data, and we compare the HRS exit data to exit data in the MCBS. We document how changes in survey questions, including the introduction of “unfolding brackets,” affect the HRS measures. We document what we believe are errors in the HRS imputations and provide some suggestions for improving the accuracy of some imputed variables. Overall, we find the HRS data to be of high quality. However, we believe that many interesting variables in the HRS are under-utilized because users must perform imputations themselves.
Alteration of the lipid profile in lymphomas induced by MYC overexpression

Significance Desorption electrospray ionization mass spectrometric imaging (DESI-MSI) has been shown to be particularly powerful for identifying lipids and metabolites directly from tissue sections and providing a chemical map of their distribution. We applied DESI-MSI to investigate changes in lipid profiles that occur in animal and human lymphomas associated with the overexpression of the v-myc avian myelocytomatosis viral oncogene homolog (MYC). Using statistical analysis, we found 86 lipids that were either increased or decreased in MYC-induced transgenic mouse models of lymphoma. Most of the increased lipids were glycerophosphoglycerols and cardiolipins with a higher content of monounsaturated fatty acids when compared with control tissue. The lipid profiles of MYC associated human lymphomas with overexpression of MYC resemble closely those observed in MYC-induced transgenic mouse models. Overexpression of the v-myc avian myelocytomatosis viral oncogene homolog (MYC) oncogene is one of the most commonly implicated causes of human tumorigenesis. MYC is known to regulate many aspects of cellular biology including glucose and glutamine metabolism. Little is known about the relationship between MYC and the appearance and disappearance of specific lipid species. We use desorption electrospray ionization mass spectrometry imaging (DESI-MSI), statistical analysis, and conditional transgenic animal models and cell samples to investigate changes in lipid profiles in MYC-induced lymphoma. We have detected a lipid signature distinct from that observed in normal tissue and in rat sarcoma-induced lymphoma cells. We found 104 distinct molecular ions that have an altered abundance in MYC lymphoma compared with normal control tissue by statistical analysis with a false discovery rate of less than 5%. Of these, 86 molecular ions were specifically identified as complex phospholipids. To evaluate whether the lipid signature could also be observed in human tissue, we examined 15 human lymphoma samples with varying expression levels of MYC oncoprotein. Distinct lipid profiles in lymphomas with high and low MYC expression were observed, including many of the lipid species identified as significant for MYC-induced animal lymphoma tissue. Our results suggest a relationship between the appearance of specific lipid species and the overexpression of MYC in lymphomas.
Urinary α-GST and π-GST for prediction of dialysis requirement or in-hospital death in established acute kidney injury

Context: Urinary α-glutathione S-transferase (α-GST) and π-glutathione S-transferase (π-GST) are promising proximal and distal tubular leakage markers for early detection of acute kidney injury (AKI). Objective: To examine the performance of these markers for predicting the composite of dialysis requirement or in-hospital death in patients with an established diagnosis of AKI. Materials and methods: Prospective cohort study of 245 adults with AKI. A single urinary α-GST and π-GST measurement was obtained at time of nephrology consultation. Results: Overall, urinary π-GST performed better than α-GST for prediction of dialysis requirement (AUC 0.59 vs. 0.56), and the composite outcome (AUC 0.58 vs. 0.56). In subgroup analyses, π-GST displayed better discrimination for prediction of dialysis requirement in patients with baseline eGFR <60 mL/min/1.73 m2 (AUC 0.61) and oliguria (AUC 0.72). Similarly, α-GST performed better in patients with stage-1 (AUC 0.66) and stage-2 AKI (AUC 0.80). Conclusions: In patients with an established diagnosis of AKI, a single urinary π-GST measurement performed better than α-GST at predicting dialysis requirement or death, but neither marker had good prognostic discrimination.
Union Renewal and Workplace Greening — Three Case Studies

This article evaluates the renewal potential of three unions’ workplace greening agendas in three large workplaces. The cases suggest the agenda is easy to initiate with members and employers and has tangible environmental benefits but is labour intensive and difficult to sustain beyond focusing events. There is limited evidence that the agenda attracts new members but stronger evidence that it attracts new activists. Although facilitative of partnership, unions are mainly cast as environmental watchdogs and trouble‐shooters. The findings suggest that even timely, popular, developmental agendas, conducive to partnership, can have only a moderate effect on union renewal and must be consciously configured to do so properly.
An Analysis of Auditors' Going-Concern Reporting Accuracy in Private Firms

The accuracy of audit reports is often viewed as a signal for audit quality. Prior research shows that in the context of going-concern reporting in audit markets dominated by public firms, some auditors are more accurate than others (e.g., Big N firms). This study is the first large-scale study that investigates going-concern reporting accuracy in an audit market dominated by private firms. The threat of reputation and litigation costs incentivizes auditors to report accurately in markets dominated by public firms, but such incentives are largely absent in markets dominated by private firms. Hence, reporting accuracy in such markets might not vary across auditors. Our main analysis is based on a sample of 1,375 Belgian firms that ceased to exist within one year from the financial statement date. Our results show that the frequency of Type II misclassification does not vary across auditor types (Big 4 versus non-Big 4, audit firm and partner industry specialists versus non-specialists, more experienced versus less experienced, and female versus male auditors). Overall, these results cast doubt on the existence of quality differences among auditors in audit markets dominated by private firms.
Immunization with heat-killed Mycobacterium vaccae stimulates CD8+ cytotoxic T cells specific for macrophages infected with Mycobacterium tuberculosis

Immune responses to Mycobacterium tuberculosis are analyzed in mice which have been immunized with Mycobacterium vaccae to examine novel ways of altering protective immunity against M. tuberculosis. The spleen cells of mice immunized with M. vaccae proliferate and secrete gamma interferon (IFN-gamma) in response to challenge with live M. tuberculosis in vitro. Immunization with M. vaccae results in the generation of CD8+ T cells which kill syngeneic macrophages infected with M. tuberculosis. These effector cytotoxic T cells (CTL) are detectable in the spleen at 2 weeks after immunization with M. vaccae but cannot be found in splenocytes 3 to 6 weeks postimmunization. However, M. tuberculosis-specific CTL are revealed following restimulation in vitro with heat-killed M. vaccae or M. tuberculosis, consistent with the activation of memory cells. These CD8+ T cells secrete IFN-gamma and enhance the production of interleukin 12 when cocultured with M. tuberculosis-infected macrophages. It is suggested that CD8+ T cells with a cytokine secretion profile of the Tc1 class may themselves maintain the dominance of a Th1-type cytokine response following immunization with M. vaccae. Heat-killed M. vaccae deserves attention as an alternative to attenuated live mycobacterial vaccines.
Acute colonic pseudo-obstruction complicating chemotherapy in paediatric oncohaematological patients: clinical and imaging features.

OBJECTIVE Although acute colonic pseudo-obstruction (ACPO) complicating chemotherapy is still a controversial entity, it is one with which radiologists should be familiar. We describe the imaging features of ACPO in children following chemotherapy for treatment of a haematological malignancy. METHODS We retrospectively reviewed the imaging features of eight children (age 3-14 years) with chemotherapy-related ACPO, all of whom had undergone plain radiography and CT examinations. The diagnosis of ACPO was based on both clinical features and imaging findings. RESULTS Abnormalities noted on plain radiography included faecal gaseous distension of the transverse colon (4/8), faecal gaseous distension of the ascending colon (3/8), gaseous distended transverse colon (3/8) and gaseous small bowel loops (6/8). As seen on CT scans, findings of faecal fluid distended the ascending and transverse colon (5/8), faecal gas distended the transverse and ascending colon (3/8), and small bowel dilatation (5/8) and pneumatosis intestinalis (2/8) were noted. Seven of the eight patients had colonic dilatation from the caecum to the transverse colon with the transition zone near the splenic flexure. CONCLUSION In children presenting with abdominal pain and constipation following chemotherapy, imaging features of progressive colonic dilatation seen on radiography and dilatation from the caecum to the transverse colon with the transition zone near the splenic flexure, as noted on CT, are suggestive of ACPO. CT is more successful than plain radiography for evaluating this finding, particularly in colonic segments filled primarily with fluid, but CT should not be necessary for making the diagnosis as plain radiographs and clinical evaluation should be adequate.
CEO power, corporate risk taking and role of large shareholders

This paper aims to investigate whether a powerful chief executive officer (CEO) impacts corporate risk taking in the distinctive institutional and market setting of China? Second, in case such relationship exists, the paper further aims to investigate whether the presence of large shareholders affects it, and finally, whether this effect of large shareholders varies in state-owned enterprises (SOEs) and non-state-owned enterprises (NSOEs). ,The authors have used a sample of 1,502 Chinese firms listed on Shanghai and Shenzhen stock exchanges. Sample period is 2008-2013. Besides conventional fixed-effect regression, dynamic panel data estimation (generalized method of moments) is applied to address the potential endogeneity. ,The results show that CEO power is negatively related with corporate risk taking in two risk proxies, i.e. total risk and idiosyncratic risk. Second, the presence of large shareholders significantly affects this relationship, but does not change the primary negative relationship between CEO power and corporate risk taking. Finally, the results show that the relationship between CEO power and corporate risk taking is different in SOEs and NSOEs. The findings of this paper contend the organizational and behavioral theory viewpoint that individual decisions are more extreme. ,This study provides useful implication for policymakers and suggests that while evaluating CEO’s performance, institutional and market settings should be considered. ,This study provides new insights on the impact of CEO power on corporate risk taking under the two distinctive features in a developing country, i.e. presence of large shareholders and state-owned enterprises.
Neutrophils Exhibit Rapid Agonist-induced Increases in Protein-associated O-GlcNAc*

A variety of cytoplasmic and nuclear proteins can be modified on serine and threonine residues by O-linked β-N-acetylglucosamine (O-GlcNAc), although the effects of this modification on protein and cellular functions are not completely defined. The sugar donor for the O-GlcNAc transferase that catalyzes this post-translational modification is UDP-N-acetylglucosamine (UDP-GlcNAc), a product of the hexosamine biosynthesis pathway (HBP). Here, the dynamics of the O-GlcNAc modification are examined in the physiological context of agonist-induced signal transduction using neutrophils. Formylated Met-Leu-Phe (fMLF) is shown to stimulate a rapid and transient increase in protein O-GlcNAcylation in both immunoblot and immunofluorescence imaging assays using O-GlcNAc-specific antibodies. In high performance liquid chromatography analyses of HBP metabolic activity, short term exposure to an exogenous substrate of the HBP, glucosamine (GlcNH2), leads to increased GlcNH2 6-phosphate and then UDP-GlcNAc levels. The GlcNH2 treatments also increase O-GlcNAcylation and augment the aforementioned fMLF-associated increase. In functional assays, GlcNH2 pre-treatment selectively augments fMLF-induced chemotaxis but has little effect on respiratory burst activity. Furthermore, augmenting levels of O-GlcNAc in the absence of agonist is sufficient to stimulate chemotaxis. These data demonstrate that neutrophils possess a functionally significant O-GlcNAcylation pathway that is robustly induced by stimulation with agonist. We propose that O-GlcNAcylation plays an important role in rapid and dynamic neutrophil signal transduction, especially with respect to chemotaxis.
Acute fatty liver of pregnancy: diagnosis, treatment, and outcome based on 35 consecutive cases

Objective. We describe our experience with the clinical diagnosis, management and, course of patients with acute fatty liver of pregnancy (AFLP). Methods. During the period between January 1996 and June 2010, medical records of patients with AFLP were reviewed for symptoms, laboratory findings, clinical course, and maternal and perinatal outcomes. Routine laboratory evaluation included serial measurement of liver function tests, complete blood cell counts, coagulation profile, and renal function tests. Results. During the study period 35 women had AFLP as the discharge diagnosis. The mean gestational age at delivery was 36 weeks, 39% were nulliparous and 4 had multiple gestation. The most common presenting symptom was nausea/vomiting (88.5%), jaundice (71.4%), and abdominal pain (51.4%). Maternal morbidity included hypoglycemia (94.2%), renal failure (94.2%), coagulopathy (77.1%), ascites (48.5%), and encephalopathy (40%). There were four maternal deaths (11.4%) and five perinatal deaths (12.5%). Conclusion. We found a typical ‘AFLP-Triad’ in women with AFLP. First (symptoms): nausea/vomiting, jaundice, epigastric pain; second (laboratory): results indicated renal dysfunction, coagulopathy, liver function abnormalities, low glycemia, and third (complications): renal failure, coagulopathy, ascites, and encephalopathy. We recommended that patients with this triad received evaluation to rule out the diagnosis of AFLP.
Lack of increase in postoperative complications with low-dose methotrexate therapy in patients with rheumatoid arthritis undergoing elective orthopedic surgery

To determine the potential contribution of intermittent low-dose methotrexate (MTX) treatment (2–8mg/week) to postoperative complications, we studied 122 patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) who had 201 surgical procedures. The patients with treatment with MTX were allocated to two groups: those who continued MTX (group A, 77 procedures) and those who discontinued MTX more than 1 week (group B, 21 procedures). The patients who had no treatment with MTX were allocated to group C (103 procedures). The incidence of postoperative infection, poor wound healing, and flare-up of RA was compared between the three groups. Postoperative infection occurred in 3.9%, 4.8%, and 3.9% in groups A, B, and C, respectively. Poor wound healing was experienced in 1.3%, 9.5%, and 7.8% in groups A, B, and C, respectively. At 4 weeks postoperatively, 3.9%, 14.3%, and 6.8% of flares were seen in groups A, B, and C, respectively. No significant difference was found in the patients with or without perioperative use of MTX. From these results, it is unlikely that continuation of intermittent low-dose MTX treatment increases the risk of postoperative complications in patients with RA. Continued treatment with MTX during perioperative period could suppress disease flares, especially in severe RA patients.
The effect of hummingbird flower mites on nectar availability of two sympatric Heliconia species in a Brazilian Atlantic forest.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS Hummingbird flower mites feed and reproduce in flowers of host plants pollinated by hummingbirds, and use the nostrils and bill of the hummingbird to move from plant to plant. These mites compete with the pollinator for the nectar produced by flowers. An investigation was made of the relationship between the pattern of nectar production and the effects of hummingbird flower mites in the flowers of two sympatric species of Heliconia (Heliconiaceae). METHODS Nectar production was sampled by carrying out two experiments: 2-hour intervals and accumulated nectar. Flowers with and without mites were used in both experiments. KEY RESULTS Exclusion of mites increased nectar production, especially in accumulated daily production (a maximum of 49 % more nectar). Both Heliconia species had the same pattern of nectar production: a high concentration in the morning, which was progressively reduced as the day passed. This pattern of nectar production coincides with the behaviour of the pollinator, which makes more frequent visits in the morning, as observed in a previous study. CONCLUSIONS The results suggest that the impact of mites on nectar availability of Heliconia is more important with regard to total volume of nectar produced irrespective of flower longevity. A high variation among individuals in nectar produced in the populations was also observed. Hummingbird flower mites strongly affect availability of nectar for hummingbirds.
Cost-effectiveness of Integrated Routine Offering of Prenatal HIV and Syphilis Screening in China

Background In China, recent rises in syphilis and HIV cases have increased the focus on preventing mother-to-child transmission of these infections. We assess the health and economic outcomes of different strategies of prenatal HIV and syphilis screening from the local health department’s perspective. Methods A Markov cohort decision analysis model was used to estimate the health and economic outcomes of pregnancy using disease prevalence and cost data from local sources and, if unavailable, from published literature. Adverse pregnancy outcomes included induced abortion, stillbirth, low birth weight, neonatal death, congenital syphilis in live-born infants, and perinatal HIV infection. We examined 4 screening strategies: no screening, screening for HIV only, for syphilis only, and for both HIV and syphilis. We estimated disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) for each health outcome using life expectancies and infections for mothers and newborns. Results For a simulated cohort of 10,000 pregnant women (0.07% prevalence for HIV and 0.25% for syphilis; 10% of HIV-positives were coinfected with syphilis), the estimated costs per DALY prevented were as follows: syphilis-only, $168; HIV-and-syphilis, $359; and HIV-only, $5636. The estimated incremental cost-effectiveness ratio if an existing HIV-only strategy added syphilis screening (i.e., move from the HIV-only strategy to the HIV-and-syphilis strategy) was $140 per additional DALY prevented. Conclusions Given the increasing prevalence of syphilis and HIV among pregnant women in China, prenatal HIV screening programs that also include syphilis screening are likely to be substantially more cost-effective than HIV screening alone and prevent many more adverse pregnancy outcomes.
Modelling prices and the reputation of individual named wines

ABSTRACT This article develops empirical models to assess the relation between the reputation of an individual named wine and its price. Unrestricted and polynomial distributed lag models are used to assess the impact of past expert quality ratings on the prices of Australian premium wines. Results point to the practical unimportance of current wine quality scores impacting prices and suggest that quality score lag effects up to six years may be important. The largest individual lagged impact of quality on price is estimated to occur at approximately two years, and prices are estimated to increase by more than 10% over six years for a one-point quality score increase. A procedure for identifying potential wine price bargains based on a comparison of price predictions from estimated wine reputation and current quality measures is illustrated. The implications of the findings for wine producers are also discussed.
The EU Ban on Uncovered Sovereign Credit Default Swaps: Assessing Impacts on Liquidity, Volatility, and Price Discovery

During the recent financial crisis, regulatory authorities banned short positions in various financial markets in attempts to moderate pressure from what were felt to be unfavorable, unwarranted, and largely speculative, price changes. Suppression of undesirable price moves was extended to the realm of sovereign debt in November 2012, when the European Union prohibited “naked” purchases of credit default swaps (CDSs) on sovereign bonds. Buying CDS protection is deemed to be naked if the buyer is not doing so to protect an existing long position in the underlying bonds. Academic theory, and empirical evidence from similar bans on short sales in other markets, suggests that such interference in a competitive financial market generally doesn’t work very well: Market participants find ways around the rule; liquidity is reduced in the constrained market; information flow is degraded and prices can become biased because investors with unfavorable beliefs are eliminated from the market; and volatility may increase. Using a “diff-in-diffs” strategy of contrasting the effect on CDS spreads in the 28 affected countries with those in the 56 unconstrained countries as this regulation went into effect, Silva, Vieira, and Vieira show that credit-spread volatility was reduced by the ban, but liquidity was hurt as bid–ask spreads widened and open interest declined. They also find that price informativeness was reduced, in particular by lengthening the time it took for negative information to enter CDS spreads.