Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
EXPLAINING VARIATIONS IN THE COMMONALITY OF INFORMAL SECTOR COMPETITION ACROSS LATIN AMERICAN AND THE CARIBBEAN COUNTRIES

To advance understanding of the relationship between entrepreneurship and the informal sector, the aim of this paper is to evaluate and explain variations in the extent to which formal enterprises witness competition from unregistered or informal enterprises across Latin American and Caribbean countries. Reporting World Bank Enterprise Survey (WBES) data on 31 Latin American and Caribbean countries, this reveals that two-thirds (65.5 percent) of formal enterprises witness competition from informal sector enterprise. To explain the cross-country variations, four competing theories are evaluated, which variously view the prevalence of the informal sector to be determined by either: economic under-development (modernization theory); high taxes and state over-interference (neo-liberal theory); too little state intervention (political economy theory), or an asymmetry between the laws and regulations of formal institutions and the unwritten socially shared rules of informal institutions (institutional theory). A probit regression analysis confirms the modernization, political economy and institutional theories, but not the neo-liberal theory. Beyond economic under-development, therefore, it is too little state intervention and whether the laws and regulations developed by governments are in symmetry with the norms, values and beliefs of entrepreneurs. The paper concludes by discussing the theoretical and policy implications of these findings.
The Characteristics and Clinical Outcome of Drug-induced Liver Injury: A Single-center Experience

Background and Goals The aim of this cohort study was to determine the characteristics and clinical outcome of 170 patients with drug-induced liver injury (DILI) in a single center. Study Between January 2001 and June 2007, a total of 170 individuals who were diagnosed with DILI were retrospectively analyzed. The median follow-up period was 110.0 days. Results During the study period, a total of 5471 new patients were assessed for liver test abnormalities. Of those, 170 patients (3.1%) fulfilled the criteria of DILI. A total of 83 different drugs were considered to be related to the hepatotoxicity; a single drug was suspected in 57.6% of individuals. The median interval between the suspicious drug intake and DILI recognition was 15.0 days. Hepatocellular pattern was observed in 50.0% of patients with a mean alanine aminotransferase level of 952.2±907.0 U/L. The main causative group of drugs was antibiotics. Sixty-two patients required hospitalization; acute liver failure developed in 14 (8.2%), chronicity was observed in 19 (11.2%), and 7 died (4.1%). Overall, complete recovery occurred in 82% of patients. The presence of jaundice on admission and shorter interval period between drug intake and DILI recognition were identified as risk factors for the development of acute liver failure. Conclusions DILI is an important cause of liver test abnormalities in outpatient clinics, and antibiotics represent the most common drug group. Overall, complete recovery after the withdrawal of the suspicious drug occurred in the majority of patients, but DILI may progress to acute liver failure, chronicity, and death.
Prevalence and Risk Factors of Prolonged QTc Interval in HIV-Infected Patients: Results of the HIV-HEART Study

Abstract Background: Corrected QT (QTc) prolongation is predictive of cardiovascular mortality in both the general and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) populations. Objective: As part of the HIV-HEART study, we assessed the prevalence and risk factors of a prolonged QTc interval in patients with HIV infection. Methods: In this cross-sectional cohort study, 802 unselected HIV-infected patients were included. Data were analyzed by the use of gender-specific QTc categories (men abnormal at > 440 ms and women abnormal at >460 ms). Multiple variables related to infection and treatment were collected. Results were analyzed with a multivariable model. Results: The QTc interval was found to be prolonged in 154 patients (19.8%; 95% CI 17–23). The mean (±SD) QTc in men (n = 142) presenting with a prolonged QTc interval was 456 ± 16.3 ms (range 441–548 ms). The mean (±SD) QTc in women (n = 12) presenting with a prolonged QTc interval was 479 ± 9 ms (range 465–498 ms). In the multivariable model, female gender, diabetes mellitus, and arterial hypertension were associated with prolonged QTc. There were no parameters related to HIV independently associated with QT interval prolongation. In particular, no anti-HIV drug was associated with QTc prolongation. Conclusions: Our study demonstrated that in an HIV-infected population, QTc prolongation had a high prevalence of nearly 20% compared to the general population and was possibly influenced by common factors like gender, diabetes, and arterial hypertension.
Geflüchtete machen Fortschritte bei Sprache und Beschäftigung

Die Migration von Schutzsuchenden nach Deutschland steht nach wie vor im Mittelpunkt der gesellschaftlichen Debatten. Die zweite Welle einer Langsschnittbefragung von Gefluchteten zeigt, dass es deutliche Integrationsfortschritte gibt, obwohl die Gefluchteten beim Zuzug zum Teil ungunstige Voraussetzungen hinsichtlich Gesundheit und Bildungsniveau mitbringen. So haben sich ihre Deutschkenntnisse im Vergleich zum Vorjahr verbessert und ihre Beteiligung am Erwerbsleben sowie an Bildung und Ausbildung ist gestiegen.
Sign consumption and sign promotion in visitor attractions

PurposeDrawing upon Baudrillard’s concept of sign-value, this study aims to investigate consumer behavior and sign perception in visitor attractions.Design/methodology/approachBy adopting netnography, 133 customer-to-customer reviews sourced from TripAdvisor were analyzed regarding visitors’ online post-visit impressions.FindingsThe findings reveal that netnography contributes to a deeper understanding of sign consumption and sign promotion and examines how visitors attribute symbolic meanings to their experience in Titanic Belfast.Practical implicationsThe findings show that the co-creation and reevaluation of the visitor experience through consumers’ online reviews should be taken into account by both managers and marketers. Furthermore, advertising should avoid creating excessive expectations to visitors to decrease the possibility of negative disconfirmation, which can be easily and instantly spread online. Another implication concerns the winning awards of visitor attractions, hotels and restaurants of a destination which may be used as a basis of co-branding marketing campaigns to enhance destination brand image.Social implicationsThis study continues the debate on the commodification of the visitor experience and the commercialization of visitor attractions.Originality/valueThis paper provides better understanding of sign-value, sign consumption and sign promotion in the visitor attraction sector.
Spatio-temporal dynamics of malaria expansion under climate change in semi-arid areas of Ethiopia

ABSTRACT Malaria is a leading and severe disease in Ethiopia, particularly like the Tigray region. The main objectives of the study were to model the influence of climate change on malaria transmission in Tigray and identify environmental variables that contribute to malaria. Aiming these objectives, Kafta Humera, Raya Azebo and Laelay Adiabo districts were purposively selected based on their malaria prevalence. Two hundred and nine mosquito occurrence points were collected from the study area. Collected occurrence points, altitude and 19 bioclimatic variables were run in Maxent software. Malaria transmission was simulated for themiddle and end of the twenty-first century using two representative concentration pathways (RCP4.5 and RCP8.5) scenarios driving ensemble of three general circulation models. The results show that the area suitable for malaria transmission is simulated to increase by 93.8% (RCP4.5) and 113.9% (RCP8.5) by mid-century and by 161% (RCP4.5) and 149% (RCP8.5) by the end of the twenty-first century, when compared with the historical baseline. This indicates that the area suitable for malaria transmission is simulated to increase due to climate change over the region. Therefore, the study recommends well prevention and control of malaria to ensure the health of people.
Genetic typing of patients with inflammatory arthritis at presentation can be used to predict outcome.

OBJECTIVE To test the hypothesis that genetic characterization of patients at the time they present with inflammatory arthritis can predict subsequent destructive disease. METHODS We evaluated 177 patients with early arthritis. Patients were serologically tested for rheumatoid factor (RF) and were DNA oligotyped for the presence of conserved base sequences in the third hypervariable region (HVR3) of the DRB1 gene, previously shown to be associated with severe rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Homozygosity in the patient's genotype was confirmed using restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis. The main outcome measure was radiologic erosions at 1 year. RESULTS At presentation, 120 patients fulfilled the American College of Rheumatology 1987 criteria for RA, 64% of whom possessed the conserved base sequences, compared with 45% of 347 healthy controls (P < 0.001) and with 56% of 57 patients with other inflammatory arthritis (P not significant). Within the RA population, the frequency of Dw4/Dw14 compound heterozygotes was disproportionately increased. The presence of either HVR3 or RF had a relative risk of 13.49 for erosions, with a sensitivity of 95% (specificity 39%); the presence of both HVR3 and RF had a relative risk of 8.13, with a specificity of 88% (sensitivity 53%). All but 1 patient with the Dw4/Dw14 genotype developed erosions within 1 year. CONCLUSION Knowledge of a patient's HLA-DR type and RF status allows clinically useful prediction of erosive disease; patients possessing Dw4/Dw14 represent a particularly high-risk subgroup.
Human capital development and food security nexus: An empirical appraisal from districts of Punjab province

It is proven fact that human capital development plays a pivotal role in enhancing industrial and agricultural productivity and economic growth. Comprehensive research has been rendered by scientists to observe the relationships of human capital development (HCD) with multiple dimensions but none of the scientists explored, yet, connections between HCD and food security. This study is an endeavor to explore ranking of districts of Punjab province of Pakistan with respect to different indicators of HCD including overall literacy rate, farmers’ literacy rates and population per school. Moreover, relationships between food security and target variables are also quantified. Data are collected from Punjab Development Statistics (Government of Punjab 2009) and Food Insecurity report 2009 (SDPI, SDC and WFP 2009). Moreover, values of the target variables are arranged in descending order to explore the ranks of the districts in the province while bidirectional Pearson correlation analysis is rendered to know the direction of relationships between food insecure population (%) and overall and farmers’ literacy rates and population per school. Negative relationships are found between food insecure populations and rest of other indicators. Therefore, it is strongly recommended that policy maker must make necessary arrangements to augment literacy rates to secure food for the masses in the province.
Wage inequality in Bangladesh, 2000–2010: an unconditional quantile regression decomposition

ABSTRACT This paper reports on an investigation into changes in wage inequality in Bangladesh between 2000 and 2010, based on gender, marital status, education, job industry, job sector, location, etc. The 2000 and 2010 Labour Force Surveys conducted by the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS) provided the data used. Oaxaca–Blinder’s (1973) decomposition and regression of the (recentered) influence function (RIF) model of Firpo–Fortin–Lemieux (FFL)’s (2007) decomposition were used to identify the important factors that caused wage inequality in Bangladesh. Both methods showed that the coefficient effect is the main contributor to the overall increase in wage inequality.
Extracting separate responses to simultaneously presented continuous auditory stimuli: An auditory attention study.

Auditory Evoked Potentials (AEPs) have been used extensively in the study of auditory attention. Some weaknesses of standard AEP paradigms include (i) stimulation is discrete in nature and thus not very ecological and (ii) the inability to extract separate responses to more than one simultaneous stimulus. Thus the ecological investigation of auditory attention is limited. Alternative to discrete stimulation the auditory steady-state response (ASSR) is employed but this method reduces the evoked response to its fundamental frequency component at the expense of useful information on the timing of response transmission through the auditory system. A novel method, known as AESPA (Auditory Evoked Spread Spectrum Analysis), which overcomes these limitations has been previously established. Here we present data that show that separate AESPA responses to two simultaneously presented continuous stimuli can be elicited. We also show how this can be used to study auditory attention by investigating responses to attended and unattended stimuli.
Evaluating measures of family history of alcoholism: density versus dichotomy.

AIMS Studies have used myriad measures of family history of alcoholism (FH) making it difficult to compare them directly. Commonly used FH measures partition samples into the well known positive (FH+) and negative (FH-) dichotomy, although quantitative measures of density potentially provide more information. A standard FH measure would facilitate between-study comparisons. The purpose of this study is to evaluate a quantitative FH measure, called Family History Density (FHD), that has theoretical and practical advantages over currently used measures. DESIGN Logistic regression equations were estimated for FHD and six commonly used FH measures on alcohol dependence diagnosis, and two measures of alcoholism severity (i.e. withdrawal and tolerance). PARTICIPANTS Subjects recruited for studies (254 men and 97 women) completed a structured clinical assessment. MEASUREMENTS Alcoholism diagnosis and endorsement of tolerance or withdrawal symptoms were obtained using the alcohol module from the NIMH Diagnostic Interview Schedule III-R (DIS III-R). Family history of alcoholism was coded using the criteria from the Family Informant Schedule and Criteria (FISC). FINDINGS All FH measures were associated with alcohol dependence diagnosis, development of tolerance and experiencing withdrawal symptoms in men. In women, only FHD and Parent were significantly associated with all three outcomes. CONCLUSIONS FHD is a good candidate to be a standard FH measure because it is quantitative, based on familial relatedness and capable of accounting for significant variation in alcoholism diagnosis and two indices of alcoholism severity in men and in women.
Transcriptome and Functional Analysis of the Eukaryotic-Type Serine/Threonine Kinase PknB in Staphylococcus aureus

ABSTRACT The function of the Staphylococcus aureus eukaryotic-like serine/threonine protein kinase PknB was investigated by performing transcriptome analysis using DNA microarray technology and biochemical assays. The transcriptional profile revealed a strong regulatory impact of PknB on the expression of genes encoding proteins which are involved in purine and pyrimidine biosynthesis, cell wall metabolism, autolysis, and glutamine synthesis. Functional activity of overexpressed and purified PknB kinase was demonstrated using the myelin basic protein as a surrogate substrate. Phosphorylation occurred in a time-dependent manner with Mn2+ as a preferred cofactor. Furthermore, biochemical characterization revealed regulation of adenylosuccinate synthase (PurA) activity by phosphorylation. Phosphorylated PurA showed a 1.8-fold decrease in enzymatic activity compared to unphosphorylated PurA. Loss of PknB led to formation of larger cell clusters, and a pknB deletion strain showed 32-fold-higher sensitivity to the cell wall-active antibiotic tunicamycin. The results of this study strongly indicate that PknB has a role in regulation of purine biosynthesis, autolysis, and central metabolic processes in S. aureus.
Impact of the Exchange Rate and Price Volatility on FDI Inflows: Case of Morocco and Turkey

This paper aims to examine empirically the impact of price and real exchange rate volatility on Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) inﬂows. The sample used is based on the Mediterranean countries of Morocco and Turkey for the period 1990-2017. Empirical findings for Morocco revealing that in both short and long-terms, real exchange rate volatility is negative and highly significant. Price volatility depicts a positive effect, which means that greater volatility of inflation may cause greater marginal profitability of capital and hence increase investment. On the other hand, for Turkey, FDI inflows are found more elastic to domestic price fluctuations. The exchange rate volatility, instead, turned out to have a positive but insignificant effect. In addition, we found that the potential market size rate, institution quality, and infrastructure appear to be the key factors in attracting foreign capital in both countries. As for trade openness, a positive effect on FDI flows is only perceptible in Morocco. In addition, the series of structural reforms carried out by Turkish government have generated real benefits for foreign investors by creating the adequate environment. This has allowed Turkey to overcome the problems it was facing in attracting foreign investment during the period analysed.
Randomised controlled trial of the effectiveness of community group and home-based falls prevention exercise programmes on bone health in older people: the ProAct65+ bone study.

BACKGROUND exercise can reduce osteoporotic fracture risk by strengthening bone or reducing fall risk. Falls prevention exercise programmes can reduce fall incidence, and also include strengthening exercises suggested to load bone, but there is little information as to whether these programmes influence bone mineral density (BMD) and strength. OBJECTIVE to evaluate the skeletal effects of home (Otago Exercise Programme, OEP) and group (Falls Exercise Management, FaME) falls prevention exercise programmes relative to usual care in older people. METHODS men and women aged over 65 years were recruited through primary care. They were randomised by practice to OEP, FaME or usual care. BMD, bone mineral content (BMC) and structural properties were measured in Nottingham site participants before and after the 24-week intervention. RESULTS participants were 319 men and women, aged mean(SD) 72(5) years. Ninety-two percentage of participants completed the trial. The OEP group completed 58(43) min/week of home exercise, while the FaME group completed 39(16) and 30(24) min/week of group and home exercise, respectively. Femoral neck BMD changes did not differ between treatment arms: mean (95% CI) effect sizes in OEP and FaME relative to usual care arm were -0.003(-0.011,0.005) and -0.002(-0.010,0.005) g cm(-2), respectively; P = 0.44 and 0.53. There were no significant changes in BMD or BMC at other skeletal sites, or in structural parameters. CONCLUSIONS falls prevention exercise programmes did not influence BMD in older people. To increase bone strength, programmes may require exercise that exerts higher strains on bone or longer duration.
The development of inequality and poverty in Indonesia, 1932-1999

In this paper we estimate inequality in Indonesia between 1932 and 1999. There was an increase in inequality at the start of this period but then a sharp decline from the 1960s. A shift from domestic to export agriculture over the period up to the Great Depression accounts for the increase in inequality. During the 1930s, as the price of export crops declined, the income of rich farmers suffered a blow. Yet, this was counterbalanced by increasing gap between expenditure in the urban and rural sectors, causing an over-all rise in inequality. As for the second half of the century, we find that the employment shift towards manufacturing and services, combined with an increase in labour productivity in agriculture, accounts for the decline in inequality. These inequality trends had an effect on poverty as well, but prior to the 1940s the negative impact of the rise in inequality was offset by an increase in per capita GDP. Between 1950 and 1980 a decline in inequality, combined with increased per capita GDP rapidly raised a large portion of the population above the poverty line.
Essential and toxic metals in nine fish species for human consumption from two coastal lagoons in the Eastern Gulf of California

With the aim of knowing concentrations of Cd, Cu, Fe, Mn, Pb and Zn; percentage of daily mineral intake (PMI) for essential elements and percentage of weekly intake (PWI) of toxic metals in commercial fish from 2 coastal lagoons in the Eastern Gulf of California, analyses were carried out in 9 species. Highest values of Cd were detected in the liver of the sharks Sphyrna lewini and Carcharhinus leucas, Pb was mostly detected in the liver of S. lewini; Cu and Mn in the liver and gills of the mullet Mugil cephalus, respectively; Fe in the liver of the catfish Galeichthys peruvianus; and Zn in viscera of the catfish Cathorops fuerthii. From the point of view of public health and considering the edible portion, only in a few cases levels were above limits considered as safe for human consumption, such is the case of Cd in muscle of bull shark C. leucas (2.8 μ g g− 1) and catfish G. peruvianus (1.55 μ g g− 1), Pb in muscle of scalloped hammerhead S. lewini (5.2 μ g g− 1), Cu in muscle of scalloped hammerhead S. lewini (20.6 μ g g− 1) and Zn in muscle of Pacific herring Opisthonema libertate (53 μg g−1) and S. lewini (104 μ g g− 1).
Survival of rifampin-resistant mutants of Pseudomonas fluorescens and Pseudomonas putida in soil systems

The fate of spontaneous chromosomal rifampin-resistant (Rifr) mutants of Pseudomonas putida and Pseudomonas fluorescens in sterile and live organic soil from which they were isolated was studied. In sterile native-soil assays, a Rifr mutant of P. putida showed no decrease in competitive fitness when compared with the wild-type parent. However, mutants of P. fluorescens were of two general categories. Group 1 showed no difference from the wild type in terms of growth rate, competitive fitness, and membrane protein composition. Group 2 showed a slower growth rate in both minimal and enriched media and an altered membrane protein profile. These mutants also demonstrated decreased competitive fitness compared with the wild-type strain. In live soil, the Rifr P. putida strain persisted throughout the 38-day test period with a decay rate of 0.7 log10 CFU/g of soil per 10 days. A group 1 Rifr P. fluorescens mutant maintained its inoculated titer for 7 to 10 days and then decayed at a rate of 0.2 to 0.4 log10 CFU/g of soil per 10 days. A group 2 Rifr P. fluorescens mutant remained at its titer for 1 to 5 days before decaying at a two- to threefold-faster rate. These findings indicate that rifampin resistance may not be an innocuous mutation in some pseudomonads and that marked strains should be compared with wild-type parents before being used as monitors of parental strain survival. Colonization of sterile soil with either the wild-type or mutant strain precluded normal colonization of the second added strain. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)