Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Concurrent MPL515 and JAK2V617F mutations in myelofibrosis: chronology of clonal emergence and changes in mutant allele burden over time

MPLW515L/K and JAK2V617F can co‐exist in myelofibrosis with myeloid metaplasia (MMM). The chronology of clonal emergence was studied in three such cases using serially stored bone marrow. At diagnosis, a major MPL515 mutant clone was accompanied by a minor JAK2V617F clone in all three instances. At 25 time points over a period of 4–8 years, allele burden fluctuated but remained high for MPLW515L/K and low for JAK2V617F. We conclude that MPLW515L/K and JAK2V617F are both early events in MMM and allele burden, rather than the mere presence of these mutations, might be relevant to phenotypic variation in myeloproliferative disorders.
Dominantly Inherited Nonprogressive Cerebellar Hypoplasia Identified in Utero

Cerebellar hypoplasia is the hallmark of a heterogeneous group of disorders that are caused by genetic and metabolic disorders. Prenatal identification of cerebellar hypoplasia and accurate prediction of outcome are challenging. Autosomal dominant nonprogressive cerebellar ataxia is a rare disorder that typically presents with early hypotonia and delayed motor milestones followed by the onset of mild ataxia and occasionally cognitive impairment. We present a case of a mother and her female fetus. Fetal sonography and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) showed generalized cerebellar hypoplasia. The mother had mild learning difficulties and clinically showed minor features of cerebellar ataxia. Her MRI also demonstrated extreme cerebellar hypoplasia. The diagnosis of autosomal dominant nonprogressive cerebellar ataxia was suggested. This is the first report of prenatal diagnosis of autosomal dominant nonprogressive cerebellar ataxia. We recommend obtaining a family history, examining the parents, and when appropriate obtaining an MRI before counseling parents of a fetus with a brain malformation.
Corporate Governance and Employee Pensions

Date The final copy of this thesis has been examined by the signatories, and we find that both the content and the form meet acceptable presentation standards of scholarly work in the above mentioned discipline. Corporate Governance and Employee Pensions Thesis directed by Prof. Mattias Nilsson Using a large panel data set, this paper studies the relationship between corporate governance and defined benefit plan management in the United States. I show that poorly governed firms, proxied by log of median director ownership and five other governance variables, are more likely to sponsor defined benefits (DB) plans. Using a Heckman selection model I show that these poorly governed firms have more pension assets and more pension liabilities on aggregate and on a per employee basis, and they fund their defined benefit plans better. Poorly governed firms also tend to assume higher rates of return on their pension assets, as well as higher discount rates on their future pension obligations. Poorly governed firms are also more likely to sponsor DB plans that are funded better than the median plan. These firms tend to operate in union-intense industries and usually in more concentrated markets. Better governed firms, in turn, have more growth in their pension assets and liabilities as a result of path dependencies. I further examine CEO characteristics related to these firms and find that firms are more likely to sponsor defined benefit plans when their CEO salaries are higher and the CEO total compensation is higher. The data also shows that lower CEO ownership in the firm increases the likelihood of sponsoring a defined benefit pension plan, in line with previous literature (Pagano and Volpin (2005)) showing CEOs with lower ownership and rights on cash flows direct more cash towards employees. This evidence is in line with Bertrand and Mullainathan's (2003) Quiet Life argument, and shows that entrenched CEOs value non-pecuniary benefits as theorized by Jensen and Meckling (1976) and supported empirically by Cronqvist et al (2009). Dedication To my parents who encouraged me to achieve a degree they didn't have the opportunity to achieve. To my wife who supported me throughout this journey. To my children who I do this for day in and day out. To my family of doctors. To my friends. This is for you. v Acknowledgements I would like to express my deepest gratitude and appreciation to my advisor and committee chair Professor Mattias Nilsson. He …
Interventional bronchoscopy for the management of airway complications following lung transplantation.

Study objectives To assess the efficacy and complications of different interventional bronchoscopic techniques used to treat airway complications after lung transplantation. Design Retrospective study. Setting Heart-lung transplant unit of a university hospital. Patients From November 1986 to January 2000, interventional bronchoscopy was performed in 41 of 312 lung transplant recipients (13.1%) for tracheobronchial stenosis, bronchomalacia, granuloma formation, and dehiscence. Interventions Dilatation, stent placement, laser or forceps excision. Measurements and results Mean (± SE) improvement in FEV 1 in 26 patients undergoing dilatation for a stenotic or a combined lesion was 93 ± 334 mL or 8 ± 21%. In seven of these patients not proceeding to stent placement, mean improvement in FEV 1 was 361 ± 179 mL or 21 ± 9%. Patients needing stent placement after dilatation had a mean change in FEV 1 after dilatation of − 5 ± 325 mL or 3 ± 23%, and an improvement of 625 ± 480 mL or 52 ± 43% after stent insertion. Mean improvement in FEV 1 for patients treated with stent insertion for bronchomalacia was 673 ± 30 mL or 81 ± 24%. Complications of airway stents were migration (27%), mucous plugging (27%), granuloma formation (36%), stent fracture (3%), and formation of a false passage (6%). Mortality associated with interventional bronchoscopy was 2.4% (1 of 41 patients). For patients with airway complications successfully undergoing interventional bronchoscopy, the overall 1-year, 3-year, and 5-year survival rates were 79%, 45%, and 32%, respectively, vs 87%, 69%, and 56% for those without airway complications (p Conclusion Only a small number of patients with airway stenosis after lung transplantation will respond to bronchial dilatation alone. Patients with airway complications after lung transplantation have a higher mortality than patients without airway complications.
Burnout in direct care staff in intellectual disability services: a factor analytic study of the Maslach Burnout Inventory.

BACKGROUND There is gathering research interest in the well-being of staff working in services for people with intellectual disability (ID), including the assessment of burnout and its correlates. However, no previous studies have considered the applicability of the main three dimensions of burnout to staff in ID services. METHODS Data were analysed from two samples of staff (total n=184) who participated in research studies that included completion of the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI). RESULTS Nineteen of the MBI items loaded clearly onto factors closely resembling the three original subscales: emotional exhaustion, depersonalization and personal accomplishment. Internal consistency for the three MBI subscales was fair to good (range 0.68-0.87). CONCLUSIONS The original three MBI dimensions were found to be highly relevant to the present sample of staff. The analyses support the construct validity and reliability of the MBI for staff in ID services.
Screening for temperature tolerance of some Aspergillus spp . *

Three species of Aspergillus viz., A. fumigatus, A. nidulans and A. sparsus were isolated from different substrates at high temperature (45 C) and were subjected for thermotolerance screening. Fresh and dry weight, absorbance by extract/spore suspension, spore count and enzyme activity were the parameters used to evaluate fungal species under different temperatures regimes i.e. 25±2 C, 40±2 C, 50±2 C and 60±2 C. Maximum thermotolerance was observed in A. fumigatus then A. sparsus and A. nidulans.
Application of the Fluorescence Polarization Assay for Detection of Caprine Antibodies to Brucella melitensis in Areas of High Prevalence and Widespread Vaccination

ABSTRACT The screening Rose Bengal test (RBT), the buffered plate agglutination test (BPAT), and the confirmatory complement fixation test (CFT) are currently approved by the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) for diagnosis of goat brucellosis. However, RBT (at 3% or 8% cell concentration) is known to be affected by vaccinal antibodies. In the present study, Mexican and Canadian OIE tests were compared with the fluorescence polarization assay (FPA), alone or in combination, using indirect and competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays as classification variables for goat sera obtained from an area of high prevalence and widespread vaccination. The relative sensitivities and specificities were, respectively, 99.7% and 32.5% for RBT3, 92.8% and 68.8% for RBT8, 98.4% and 84.8% for Canadian CFT, 83.7% and 65.5% for Mexican CFT, and 78.1% and 89.3% for FPA. The use of FPA as the confirmatory test in combination with other tests significantly increased the final specificities of the screening tests alone; BPAT, RBT3, and RBT8 plus FPA resulted in final specificities of 90%, 91.2%, and 91.3%, respectively, whereas for the combinations RBT3 plus Mexican CFT, RBT8 plus Mexican CFT, and BPAT plus Canadian CFT, specificities were 65.5%, 63.2%, and 91.7%, respectively. We suggest that FPA may be routinely applied as an adaptable screening test for diagnosis of goat brucellosis and as a confirmatory test for screening test series. Some advantages of FPA are that its cutoff can be adjusted to improve its sensitivity or specificity, it is a low-cost and easy-to-perform test of choice when specificity is relevant or when an alternative confirmatory test is not available, and it is not affected by vaccination, thus reducing the number of misdiagnosed and killed goats.
Diversity Status of Beneficial Microflora in Saline Soils of Tamil Nadu and Pudhucherry in Southern India

Alleviating plant salt stress and remediating saline soils are of great economic interest. Beneficial microbes such as Arbuscular Mycorrhizal (AM) fungi, Plant Growth Promoting Rhizobacteria (PGPRs), etc. are associated with many plants including trees. These beneficial microbes can cope up with salinity and help the plants to survive in such soils. In this study, diversity status of beneficial microflora from the samples collected from different salt affected areas in Tamil Nadu and Pudhucherry, South India was investigated. Total of 51 PGPR isolates (Phosphate Solubilizing Bacteria-18; Azotobacter spp.-16 and Azospirillum spp.-17) and 25 different AM fungi were made. Screened efficient PGPR isolates for plant growth hormone (IAA) production and phosphate solubilization under in vitro. Highest amount of IAA was produced by Azospirillum lipoferum (74 μg/mL) and Azotobacter chroococcum (36 μg/mL). Phosphate solubilizing bacterial isolates showed a high rate of phosphate solubilization efficiency (SE) with Bacillus megaterium indicating a SE of 140% and Bacillus subtilis, a SE of 120%, making both the isolates as strong phosphate solubilizers.
Parties, Congress, and the Stock Market

Abstract Recent literature in both finance and political science has identified a series of systematic patterns in the way stock market responds to significant political events. The lack of a common theoretical core as well as the use of different empirical specifications in two literatures which hardly cross-reference each other has led to contradictory results. Several relevant questions arise: do stock markets really prefer Republicans or Democrats? Is divided government somehow better or worse for the stock market? We develop a theoretical framework to comprehend two under-theorized mechanisms through which political factors affect stock market performance: redistributive and regulatory policies. Two main predictions follow from the model: stock market performs better under Democratic Presidencies and under Divided Government. We then test them by looking at monthly changes in US stock market performance from the 1870s until today. We control for all relevant variables used in both previous literatures and subject the results to robustness checks. In addition, we complement our results with historical narratives of stock market regulation –from public policy scholars and economic historians-, which show the mechanisms of the theory in operation.
Dissemination of ESBL and Qnr determinants in Enterobacter cloacae in Algeria.

OBJECTIVES The aim of this study is to evaluate the prevalence and diversity of extended-spectrum beta-lactamases (ESBLs) in Enterobacter cloacae clinical isolates collected from Algerian hospitals and to verify the association with qnr genes. METHODS MICs were determined by Etest for isolates giving positive double-disc synergy tests, and all isolates were screened by PCR and sequenced, respectively, for bla(TEM), bla(CTX-M), bla(SHV) and bla(VEB) genes and for qnr genes (qnrA, qnrB, qnrS), using specific primers. RESULTS The prevalence of ESBLs was 25/141 (17.7%) with 11, 9, 4 and 1 isolates testing positive for genes encoding CTX-M-15, CTX-M-3, SHV-12 and VEB-1, respectively. Two SHV-12 producers and one CTX-M-15 producer expressed QnrS1, one isolate produced CTX-M-15 and QnrB1 and one SHV-12 producer co-expressed QnrS1 and QnrB4. qnrA was not detected in our collection, and qnr alleles were not detected in non-ESBL-producing isolates. CONCLUSIONS SHV-12, QnrS1, QnrB1 and QnrB4 were reported for the first time in Algeria. This study also described a co-expression of qnrS1 and qnrB4 by an SHV-12 producer isolate.
Safety of the Intranasal, Trivalent, Live Attenuated Influenza Vaccine (LAIV) in Children With Intermittent Wheezing in an Open-Label Field Trial

Background: Safety of the intranasal, trivalent, live attenuated influenza vaccine (LAIV) in children with asthma is unknown. A previous report showed an “asthma signal” in children aged 18–35 months. Methods: Healthy children aged 1.5–18 years with history of intermittent wheezing received single annual LAIV doses during a 4-year trial. Rates of medically-attended acute respiratory illnesses, including acute asthma exacerbation, during 0–14 and 0–42 days post-LAIV were compared with respective reference periods (before day 0 and after 14 or 42 days). To assess the risk of new-onset asthma, LAIV recipients without history of wheezing were analyzed. Results: During each of the 4 years, 454, 656, 656, and 430 children, respectively, with intermittent wheezing who received LAIV had no increased risk for medically-attended acute respiratory illnesses, including asthma exacerbation. First-dose LAIV recipients, including those aged 1.5–4 years, and those receiving 2–4 consecutive annual doses had no increased risk. Children with parents' report of intermittent wheezing and those with administrative database codes for asthma during 2 prior years had no increased risk. During the 4 years, 2952, 3092, 2953, and 2478 children without history of wheezing had no increased risk of new-onset asthma. Conclusions: LAIV administration in children aged 1.5–18 years with history of intermittent wheezing was safe, and was not associated with increased risk for medically-attended acute respiratory illnesses, including acute asthma exacerbation. This was true for the first and 2–4 consecutive annual doses. Parents' report of intermittent wheezing was reliable. First-dose LAIV was not associated with new-onset asthma in children without history of wheezing.
The Chipotle Paradox

Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc. Class A common stock has one vote per share and Class B common stock has 10 votes per share. In a pricing paradox, the Chipotle Class A shares with inferior voting rights have sold at a persistent price premium of as much as 20% more than superior Class B shares. This paradox cannot be simply explained. Both classes of shares are actively traded on the NYSE, widely held, and closely followed on Wall Street by sophisticated institutional investors. The company is also a national concern that offers easy-to-understand products. The Chipotle Paradox suggests that patterns in stocks prices sometimes persist that are inconsistent with the law of one price and contrary to the efficient market hypothesis. The Chipotle Paradox also gives support to Lamont and Thaler’s (2003a) contention that optimists can misprice faddish stocks when not enough rational investors are willing to meet excess demand by selling short.
Comparison of cefoperazone, cefotaxime, and moxalactam (LY127935) against aerobic gram-negative bacilli

This study compares the minimum inhibitory concentrations of cefoperazone, cefotaxime, and moxalactam (LY127935) for 446 aerobic gram-negative bacillary isolates and further compares the minimum inhibitory concentrations of LY127935 and these third-generation cephalosporins with those of thienamycin for Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Each antibiotic at low concentrations inhibited nearly all Enterobacteriaceae tested. Minimum inhibitory concentrations for P. aeruginosa were higher, but for a majority of strains they fell below achievable serum levels. Thienamycin and cefoperazone showed significantly greater antipseudomonal activity than did cefotaxime or LY127935. Cefoxitin-inducible resistance to LY127935 and the two cephalosporins was demonstrated among Enterobacter species but did not occur with thienamycin.
Do Restatements Break Bad Habits? Evidence of Earnings Quality in Restating Firms

The objective of this paper is to examine if firms improve their earnings quality following a restatement and thus shed light on the disciplining role of the restatement itself and of capital market forces.We compare the earnings quality of restating US firms with the quality of a matched control group. Using a wide portfolio of accounting quality metrics grouped by factor analysis, we predict and find that the quality of restating firms seems to be poorer than that of the control group, even several years before the restatement. Some of these differences remain after the restatement. Using a difference-in-difference research design we also find that the restating firms improve the quality of their financial statements, but surprisingly not significantly more than the control group. However, when partitioning the sample based on the stock market reaction to the restatement announcement, restating firms in fact improve significantly more than the control group. It thus appears that the restatement event itself does not prompt an improvement, but the punishment of the capital markets does.The study contributes to current literature on three dimensions: First, it extends our knowledge about the earnings quality of restating firms before the actual restatement. Second, it extends existing research on the consequences of restatements to the long-term impact on restating firms' earnings quality. Third, the broad measurement and factor analysis of earnings quality metrics provide new insights on how these metrics are related and how they develop before and after a restatement.
Determinants of Excess (Credit) Spreads: Evidence from the US Bond Market from 1919 to 2006

In this paper we analyze the credit spread on bonds rated Baa that exceeds the credit spread on bonds rated AAA (excess spread) in the US corporate bond market over the time period 1919-2006. We find several factors to be important determinants for the excess spread. The volatility in the stock market is found to be an important factor. For subsets of the sample period also inflation seems to be an important determinant. Yields on government bonds are both statistically and economically significant, but have the opposite sign of what is theoretically predicted.
Risk-seeking behaviours in growth strategies of SMEs: targeting unstable environments

In a business environment of greater growing uncertainty, SMEs are constraint have to find new markets to survive. Pushed to internationalise, they are traditionally seen as reactive entities engaging gradually on foreign markets to reduce risk and uncertainty. Analysing the role of risk in the internationalisation process, some authors found that firms were not completely risk averse, but ready rather willing to take risks until a certain level in order to maximise its their returns or to gain market power. Contrary to previous findings, it appears that conscious risk-taking strategies could be one of the key variable explaining that explains SMEs' success abroad. The aim of this paper is to analyse the importance of risk-seeking behaviours in SMEs' growth strategies and location choice. We found that some entrepreneurs are intentionally targeting high-risk markets to gain local legitimacy. If they may look like natural risk-takers to outsiders, our findings shown that entrepreneurs are not gamblers. Their privileged access to unique assets and assessment of information allows them to identify a wider range of alternatives and therefore to enter untapped or overlooked markets.
Corporate Cash Holdings and Financial Crisis: An Empirical Study of Chinese Companies

AbstractThis study investigates the determinants of cash holdings in the period 1999–2009 in China. The sample period covers the time of financial crisis. The focus in this study is on how firm characteristics, especially financial constraints and investment options, are associated with cash holdings. The findings show that: Compared to “normal” times, Chinese firms tend to increase their cash holdings during the financial crisis.In general, the firms with more financial constrains, and with more investment opportunities, tend to hold more cash.Further, the firms with lower leverage, less net working capital (NWC), and lower capital expenditures, are more likely to increase their cash holdings as well. Likewise, those firms tend to save more cash from cash flow.The evidence suggests that Chinese firms are precautious with their cash holdings.
Energy minimization and lifetime enhancement in Cognitive Radio Sensor Networks via relaying under interference constraints

This paper considers Cognitive Radio Sensor Networks (CRSN). The aim of this paper is twofold: First, we analyze the problem of total energy minimization in CRSN by choosing the best relay for each cognitive sensor node in the network. A node either sends its data packet directly to the Base Station (BS) or forwards to another node; and the latter, in turn, sends both packets to the BS. The proposed optimization problem is a multiple choice knapsack optimization problem that chooses the best path for each node targeting minimizing the total energy consumption in the network under interference constraints and with the aim of satisfying a specific Bit Error Rate (BER) for the CR system. The second aim of the paper targets increasing the lifetime in CRSN. This target is important in several applications as considering energy minimization only affects the network lifetime. Consequently, another knapsack optimization problem has been formulated and solved to choose the best scenario for each node, either by sending directly to the BS or by relaying via another node, with the aim of enhancing network lifetime under interference constraints and BER requirement for the CR system.