Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Searching for Cost-Effectiveness Thresholds in NHS Scotland

This research examines the use of QALY thresholds in NHS Scotland in 2012-13 for health services that were 'at the margin', i.e. those for which investment or disinvestment was planned or occurred. The study was based on information from three sources - public information from the Scottish Parliament's examination of the NHS Boards' expenditure plans, interviews with the Finance Directors of Scotland's territorial NHS Boards, and a literature review. The NHS Board interviews revealed a considerable and varied list of health care services and technologies at the margin of NHS spending in one or more of the 14 NHS board areas in Scotland. The literature review discovered that the available cost-per-QALY evidence would be a poor guide to decision making. However, the interviews suggested that cost-per-QALY evidence is not generally taken into account in NHS Board expenditure decisions about marginal services. The apparent mismatch between the approaches of the NHS Boards and the SMC present important policy questions about whether and how these might be realigned. A revised version of this paper has been published in Health Policy and can be downloaded from - http://www.sciencedirect. com/science/article/pii/S0168851015001852 Please cite as - Karlsberg Schaffer, S. , Sussex, J., Devlin, N. and Walker, A. , 2015. Local health care expenditure plans and their opportunity costs. Health Policy, 119(9), pp.1237-1244.
Attitudes and motivation toward learning a second language in an Internet-based informal context: Perceptions of university ESL students

Motivation has been identified as a determining factor that influences L2 achievement. The Internet serves as an increasingly important language-learning tool yet its impact on L2 motivation has not been researched enough, particularly in informal contexts. This study investigates the motivational factors for English-as-a-Second language (ESL) learners focusing on an Internet-based informal context. The results indicate that students are moderately motivated to learn ESL in this informal context. They have positive attitudes toward the use of the Internet, which is recognized as an attitudinal foundation to support their motivation. These attitudes are significantly correlated with computer & Internet self-efficacy. One of the most significant reasons why students choose to be involved in the Internet-based situation is that it alleviates their communication apprehension. The findings provide information about the characteristics of the Internet that would facilitate L2 educators’ endeavor to integrate the Internet into their instruction and pedagogical practice.
Investment Efficiency and Product Market Competition

Does more competition lead to more information production and greater investment efficiency? This question is largely unexplored in the finance literature. This article provides both a model and a series of extensive empirical tests. The model features a 2-stage Bayesian game in differentiated products market competition. We find that competition causes firms to acquire less information and investments to become more inefficient relative to a first-best case with the same market structure. Empirically, the panel regression analysis provides strong support for the theory and shows that investment is more efficient in concentrated industries.
The Nominal Price Premium

Motivated by the evidence that investors tend to be overly optimistic about low-priced stocks, we examine how nominal price affects the cross section of stock returns. To circumvent the mechanical inverse relationship between price and expected return, we construct a novel way of examining the effect of nominal price on the cross section of stock returns. In the cross-section, a portfolio exploiting this strategy generates a value-weighted (equal-weighted) four-factor alpha of 85 (88) basis points per month, while raw price does not predict return robustly. Consistent with a mispricing-based explanation, the results are stronger for hard-to-arbitrage stocks and following high sentiment periods, and strategy returns are highly correlated with contemporaneous changes in sentiment. Using stock splits as an exogenous change in price level, we find that the post-split return dynamics mimic those predicted by our hypothesis. Evidence from earnings surprises and analyst price target forecasts confirms that beliefs are overly optimistic for low-priced stocks. Providing further evidence that the results reflect a belief-based rather than purely a preference-based channel, we find that the effect is distinct from other gambling related proxies that have been used in the past such as extreme returns, idiosyncratic volatility, and skewness.
Ethanol impairs activation of retinoic acid receptors in cerebellar granule cells in a rodent model of fetal alcohol spectrum disorders.

BACKGROUND Ethanol is the main addictive and neurotoxic constituent of alcohol. Ethanol exposure during embryonic development causes dysfunction of the central nervous system (CNS) and leads to fetal alcohol spectrum disorders. The cerebellum is one of the CNS regions that are particularly vulnerable to ethanol toxic effects. Retinoic acid (RA) is a physiologically active metabolite of vitamin A that is locally synthesized in the cerebellum. Studies have shown that RA is required for neuronal development, but it remains unknown if ethanol impairs RA signaling and thus induces neuronal malformations. In this study, we tested the hypothesis that ethanol impairs the expression and activation of RA receptors in cerebellum and in cerebellar granule cells. METHODS The cerebellum of ethanol unexposed and exposed pups was used to study the expression of retinoic acid receptors (RARs or RXRs) by immunohistochemistry and by Western blot analysis. We also studied the effect of ethanol on expression of RA receptors in the cerebellar granule cells. Activation of RA receptors (DNA-binding activities) in response to high-dose ethanol was determined by electrophoretic mobility shift and supershift assays. RESULTS Findings from these studies demonstrated that ethanol exposure reduced the expression of RARalpha/gamma while it increased the expression of RXRalpha/gamma in the cerebellum and in cerebellar granule neurons. Immuno-histological studies further strengthened the expression pattern of RA receptors in response to ethanol. The DNA-binding activity of RARs was reduced, while DNA-binding activity of RXRs was increased in response to ethanol exposure. CONCLUSION For the first time, our studies have demonstrated that high-dose ethanol affects the expression and activation of RA receptors, which could impair the signaling events and induce harmful effects on the survival and differentiation of cerebellar granule cells. Taken together, these findings could provide insight into the treatment options for brain defects caused by excessive ethanol exposure, such as in Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders.
The Measurement of Public Opinion about Public Policy: A Report on Some New Issue Question Formats*

The ability to measure mass attitudes on policy matters is intimately related to the format in which policy questions are presented to respondents. In this paper we examine a set of alternate question formats and contrast them with the seven-point format used in the more recent election studies of the Center for Political Studies (CPS) of the University of Michigan. The analysis is based on a sample of 280 respondents interviewed by the CPS in 1979. Our results indicate that some modifications of the traditional format seem warranted. Responses to the traditional format are difficult to interpret, produce an excessive number of responses in the middle category, and fail to allow for respondent ambiguity. Two of the new formats offer attractive alternatives: the "branching" format presents issue questions in a manner analogous to the traditional party identification question and seems to resolve at least partially the interpretation and middle-category problems; the "ambiguity" format duplicates the seven-point format but allows respondents to answer in ranges as well as at specific points on the issue scale.
Strategic Responses to Deregulation: An Institutional Theory Perspective

Firms adopt distinct strategic orientation in response to change in environment. Deregulation is a drastic change in firm’s environment. This paper attempts to explain strategic orientation exhibited by firms in response to deregulation from an institutional theory perspective. Integrating propositions have been developed to examine congruence of institutional theory concepts of coercive and mimetic isomorphism with stylized strategic orientation. Unique methodology of corroborating propositions with empirical findings from past studies was adopted. While partial support was found for propositions, the inferences drawn provide alternative explanations for results of empirical studies and for expanding the boundaries and scope of institutional theory.
Updating the Reserve Price in Common Value Auctions

We consider a common value auction model with bidder participation determined jointly by nature and by bidder optimization. In this framework, an increase in the reserve price as two effects: it deters marginal bidders and it deters bidders from becoming informed. We then derive a test statistic for establishing when it is optimal to raise the reserve price. This statistic is independent of the distribution of valuations. We then apply the analysis to U.S. offshore oil sales and find evidence that the reserve price is dramatically too low.
Instrumented evaluation of knee laxity: A comparison of five arthrometers

We performed a prospective study on 50 subjects with normal knees and 50 patients with chronic unilateral disruption of the anterior cruciate ligament. In a random ized testing sequence, both groups were examined with five arthrometers: the MEDmetric KT-1000, the Stryker Knee Laxity Tester, the Acufex Knee Signature System, the Dyonics Dynamic Cruciate Tester, and the Genucom Knee Analysis System. Each examination was performed according to protocol with the knee at 30° of flexion. The total anterior laxity measurements of the normal subjects using the Dyonics Dynamic Cruciate Tester and Acufex Knee Signature System were approxi mately half of the KT-1000, Stryker, and Genucom values. A comparison of the side-to-side measurements revealed no statistically significant difference in the values of the five arthrometers. However, the Genucom showed an unacceptably high number of normal sub jects with laxity values that suggested an anterior cru ciate ligament tear. Total anterior laxity measurements of the anterior cruciate ligament deficient knees were almost twice those of normal knees with each device except the Genucom. Comparison of the mean side-to-side differ ence in the patients with ACL deficiency demonstrated statistically significant differences in the values re corded with the five arthrometers. The side-to-side difference was greatest with the KT-1000 and least for the KSS. In the 89 N Lachman test, the KT-1000 and Stryker demonstrated the highest diagnostic accuracy. The maximumm manual test improved the accuracy of each device.
Current Clinical Applications of Ω-6 and Ω-3 Fatty Acids.

BACKGROUND Recent years have brought a resurgence of research interest in fatty acids, with studied fields running the gamut of human disease. This movement has run in parallel with an increased interest in using nutrition modalities as therapeutic measures, as opposed to their conventional role as energy sources. The aim of this manuscript is to provide a basic review of current clinical applications of ω-6 and ω-3 fatty acids, with a particular focus on the latter. METHODS A selective review of the voluminous literature, including randomized controlled trials, meta-analyses, population studies, and case reports, was used to compile data and identify trends in pertinent clinical applications of fatty acid therapy. CONCLUSIONS There are a myriad of disorders and maladies that seem to benefit from fatty acid supplementation, specifically ω-3 fatty acids. It has clearly been shown that ω-3 fatty acid supplementation provides a protective benefit in heart disease, and in particular sudden cardiac death. Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is another disease entity that has been proven to benefit from this nutrition intervention, with improvement in symptoms and diminished nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drug (NSAID) usage. In addition, many psychiatric disorders, particularly schizophrenia and major depressive disorder (MDD), have shown positive results when supplementation has been used as an adjunct to standard pharmacotherapy. The remainder of clinical applications for ω-3 fatty acids requires further investigation. Specifically, according to preliminary clinical evidence, parenteral administration of fatty acids warrants further study.
Aberrant miR-182 expression promotes melanoma metastasis by repressing FOXO3 and microphthalmia-associated transcription factor

The highly aggressive character of melanoma makes it an excellent model for probing the mechanisms underlying metastasis, which remains one of the most difficult challenges in treating cancer. We find that miR-182, member of a miRNA cluster in a chromosomal locus (7q31–34) frequently amplified in melanoma, is commonly up-regulated in human melanoma cell lines and tissue samples; this up-regulation correlates with gene copy number in a subset of melanoma cell lines. Moreover, miR-182 ectopic expression stimulates migration of melanoma cells in vitro and their metastatic potential in vivo, whereas miR-182 down-regulation impedes invasion and triggers apoptosis. We further show that miR-182 over-expression promotes migration and survival by directly repressing microphthalmia-associated transcription factor-M and FOXO3, whereas enhanced expression of either microphthalmia-associated transcription factor-M or FOXO3 blocks miR-182's proinvasive effects. In human tissues, expression of miR-182 increases with progression from primary to metastatic melanoma and inversely correlates with FOXO3 and microphthalmia-associated transcription factor levels. Our data provide a mechanism for invasion and survival in melanoma that could prove applicable to metastasis of other cancers and suggest that miRNA silencing may be a worthwhile therapeutic strategy.
Proteomic analysis of Glossina pallidipes salivary gland hypertrophy virus virions for immune intervention in tsetse fly colonies.

Many species of tsetse flies (Diptera: Glossinidae) can be infected by a virus that causes salivary gland hypertrophy (SGH). The genomes of viruses isolated from Glossina pallidipes (GpSGHV) and Musca domestica (MdSGHV) have recently been sequenced. Tsetse flies with SGH have reduced fecundity and fertility which cause a serious problem for mass rearing in the frame of sterile insect technique (SIT) programmes to control and eradicate tsetse populations in the wild. A potential intervention strategy to mitigate viral infections in fly colonies is neutralizing of the GpSGHV infection with specific antibodies against virion proteins. Two major GpSGHV virion proteins of about 130 and 50 kDa, respectively, were identified by Western analysis using a polyclonal rabbit antibody raised against whole GpSHGV virions. The proteome of GpSGHV, containing the antigens responsible for the immune-response, was investigated by liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry and 61 virion proteins were identified by comparison with the genome sequence. Specific antibodies were produced in rabbits against seven candidate proteins, including the ORF10/C-terminal fragment, ORF47 and ORF96 as well as proteins involved in peroral infectivity PIF-1 (ORF102), PIF-2 (ORF53), PIF-3 (ORF76) and P74 (ORF1). Antiserum against ORF10 specifically reacted to the 130 kDa protein in a Western blot analysis and to the envelope protein of GpSGHV, detected by using immunogold-electron microscopy. This result suggests that immune intervention of viral infections in colonies of G. pallidipes is a realistic option.
Are Changes in Food Consumption in the European Union Environmentally Friendly?

Food production and consumption have significant impacts on the environment. Changes in consumption patterns typically entail changes in related production systems. Consumers through their consumption behavior, market demand for food, and choices between animal and vegetal products indirectly influence the environment. The paper is aimed at assessing changes in food consumption in the European Union with regard to their environmental impact. The empirical analysis covering the period from 2004 to 2011 is based on the most recent FAO data on calorie supply per capita and its split between animal and vegetal products. The investigation uses econometric models for panel data. Results obtained reveal a significant increase in supply from animal products in “new” EU members and a significant decrease in “old” EU members. In both groups, there is no significant change in supply from vegetal products, although they are not homogenous with regard to the food supply.
Hypotonic Versus Isotonic Maintenance Intravenous Fluid Therapy in Hospitalized Children: A Systematic Review

A systematic review of studies comparing hypotonic versus isotonic intravenous maintenance fluids in hospitalized children was conducted to determine whether hypotonic solutions increase the risk of acute hyponatremia. Studies were identified from electronic databases and hand-searched reference lists. A total of 283 abstracts were reviewed, 55 full-text articles were retrieved, and 3 studies were included. All studies were observational and were overall inconclusive. All authors cautioned against the routine use of hypotonic maintenance fluids, but hypotonic fluid administration did not always explain the development of acute hyponatremia. Further evidence is required as to the appropriate maintenance solution for hospitalized children.
Electrical Stimulation of Substantia Nigra Pars Reticulata Is Anticonvulsant in Adult and Young Male Rats

Electrical stimulation of deep brain structures has been used for pain relief and treatment of refractory Parkinson's disease. Recently, stimulation of the subthalamic nucleus or anterior nuclei of the thalamus was introduced for the treatment of refractory epilepsy when other treatments failed. The substantia nigra pars reticulata (SNR) is another crucial site involved in the control of seizures. We studied the effects of continuous electrical stimulation of the SNR as a function of age in male rats. Adult [postnatal day (PN) 60] and young (PN 15) rats with electrodes symmetrically implanted in the SNR were used. The rats were stimulated with continuous constant current pulses (130 Hz) and simultaneously challenged with flurothyl to induce seizures. Control rats had the electrodes implanted but were not stimulated. High-frequency electrical stimulation of the SNR had anticonvulsant effects in both age groups. However, we identified age-specific features: In PN 60 rats, both unilateral and bilateral stimulation of the anterior region of the SNR produced anticonvulsant effects against clonic seizures, while stimulation of the posterior region of the SNR was ineffective. Stimulation of either SNR region had no effects on tonic-clonic seizures. In PN 15 rats, irrespective of the stimulation site within the SNR, bilateral stimulations of the SNR produced anticonvulsant effects against both clonic and tonic-clonic flurothyl-induced seizures, while unilateral stimulation was without effect. The data suggest that the SNR may be a candidate site for deep brain stimulation for the treatment of epilepsy.
Does slower growth imply lower interest rates

Over the past two years, both monetary and fiscal policy projections have been based on the view that declines in the long-run potential growth rate of the economy will in turn push down interest rates. In contrast, examination of private-sector professional forecasts and historical data provides little evidence of such a linkage. This suggests a greater risk that future interest rates may be higher than expected.
Teachers’ Classroom Practice to Develop Students English Writing Skills at Primary Level of Bangladesh

Abstract: Teachers’ classroom practice to develop student’s english writing skills at primary level of Bangladesh. Objectives: The present qualitative study investigates teachers’ classroom practice to develop primary level students English writing skills in Bangladesh, India. Methods: Five-government primary school and five teachers were chosen conveniently from each school in Dhaka. Randomly three English classes of each teacher were chosen to observe their teaching-learning practice. The study used a lesson observation protocol and interview protocols as an instrument of data collection. Qualitative data were analyzed thematically. Findings: The study explored that teachers’ current practice does not help students to develop their writing skill at all. Teachers used traditional teaching-learning methods emphasizing students’ rote learning and used Bangla as a medium of instruction. The study also found teachers’ challenges like large class size, extra workload, lack of teaching aids etc. in developing students writing skill at the elementary level. Conclusions: These findings can inform the teachers as well as o relevant stakeholders in making necessary changes in the present condition of English classroom practice at primary schools of Bangladesh. Keywords: Teacher classroom practice, english writing skills, primary students, Bangladesh. Abstrak: Praktik kelas guru untuk mengembangkan keterampilan Bahasa Inggris bagi siswa SD di Bangladesh. Tujuan: Penelitian kualitatif ini menyelidiki praktik kelas guru untuk mengembangkan keterampilan menulis Bahasa Inggris siswa sekolah dasar di Bangladesh, India. Metode: Lima sekolah dasar negeri, lima guru dipilih dari setiap sekolah di Dhaka dan tiga kelas bahasa Inggris dari masing-masing guru dipilih secara acak untuk mengamati praktik belajar-mengajar mereka. Penelitian ini menggunakan instrumen observasi pelajaran dan wawancara sebagai bahan untuk analisis kualitatif. Temuan: Guru menggunakan metode belajar-mengajar tradisional yang menekankan pembelajaran hafalan siswa dan menggunakan Bangla sebagai media pengajaran. Studi ini juga menemukan beberapa tantangan guru seperti ukuran kelas yang besar, beban kerja ekstra, kurangnya alat bantu mengajar dan sebagainya dalam mengembangkan keterampilan menulis siswa di tingkat dasar. Kesimpulan: Praktik mengajar guru saat ini tidak membantu siswa untuk mengembangkan keterampilan menulis mereka sama sekali. Diperlukan upaya bersama terutama para guru dan juga para pemangku kepentingan pendidikan dalam membuat perubahan kondisi belajar Bahasa Inggris saat ini di sekolah-sekolah dasar di Bangladesh. Kata kunci: Praktik kelas guru, keterampilan menulis Bahasa Inggris, siswa SD, Bangladesh. DOI: http://dx.doi. org/10.23960/jpp.v9. i1.201902