Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Clinical response, drug survival and predictors thereof in 432 ankylosing spondylitis patients after switching tumour necrosis factor α inhibitor therapy: results from the Danish nationwide DANBIO registry

Objective To investigate frequencies and reasons for switching, treatment responses and drug survival in patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS) switching tumour-necrosis-factor-α inhibitor (TNFi) treatment in routine clinical care. Methods AS patients were identified in the Danish nationwide DANBIO registry. Disease activity, treatment responses (50% or 20 mm reduction in Bath AS Disease Activity Index (BASDAI)), duration and rates of drug survival and predictors thereof were studied in patients receiving ≥2 different biological drugs. Results Of 1436 AS patients starting TNFi treatment, 432 patients (30%) switched to a second and 137 (10%) to a third biological drug. Compared with non-switchers, switchers were more frequently women (33%/22%), had shorter disease duration (3 years/5 years) and higher BASDAI (62(52–76) mm/56(43–69) mm (median(interquartile-range))), Bath AS Functional Index (BASFI) (54(39–71) mm/47(31–65) mm) and visual-analogue-scale (VAS) global, pain and fatigue scores when they started the first TNFi (all p<0.01). Main reason for switching was lack of response (56%). During the first, second and third treatment BAS- and VAS scores had decreased after 6 months' treatment (all p<0.05). Median drug survivals were 3.1, 1.6 and 1.8 years respectively (p<0.001). After 2 years of treatment 52% of switchers and 63% of non-switchers had achieved response (number needed to treat 1.9 and 1.6, respectively, p=0.01). Drug survivals were similar regardless of the reason for switching. Male gender and low BASFI predicted drug survival of the second TNFi. Conclusions Nearly one-third of AS patients in clinical practice switched biological treatment. Response rates and drug survivals were lower among switchers, however, half of switchers achieved treatment response.
Comparison of stochastic modelling of the intakes of intentionally added flavouring substances with theoretical added maximum daily intakes (TAMDI) and maximized survey-derived daily intakes (MSDI)

Estimates of exposure to intentionally added flavouring substances based on two indirect methods, namely the theoretical added maximum daily intake (TAMDI) and maximized survey-derived daily intake (MSDI), were compared with exposure estimates based on a flavourings stochastic model (FSM). Twelve flavouring substances were chosen to reflect broadly the large number of flavouring substances currently used in Europe. Over 40000 flavour formulae used at known levels of incorporation in 31 different categories of food and beverages were examined to provide maximum concentrations, distributions of concentrations and an indication of the probability of encountering each substance in a flavoured food or beverage in any category. Food consumption data were based on the intakes of males, aged 16–24 years, according to the Dietary and Nutritional Survey of British Adults (1988). The percentage of flavoured brands within food groups was estimated using the Irish National Food Ingredient Database. For all 12 flavouring substances, the estimates of TAMDI were >97.5th percentile of the FSM, sometimes by >3 orders of magnitude. With the exception of 2,6-dimethyl pyrazine, the 97.5th percentile of the FSM was less than the MSDI estimate. The probability of the FSM estimates exceeding the TAMDI ranged from <0.0001 to 0.0037 for the 12 substances, while the probability of exceeding the MSDI estimates ranged from 0.0004 to 0.0753. The study supports the findings of a recent publication using detailed dietary analysis of US data that also indicated that the MSDI appeared, within the limits of the studies, to be a practical and conservative method for assessing exposure to intentionally added flavouring substances.
The Flynn effect and memory function

The Flynn effect refers to the steady increase in IQ that appears to date back at least to the inception of modern-day IQ tests. This study examined the possible Flynn effects on clinical memory tests involving the learning and recall of verbal and nonverbal material. Comparisons of the age-related norms on the list learning and design learning tasks from the Adult Memory and Information Processing Battery (AMIPB), published in 1985, and its successor, the BIRT (Brain Injury Rehabilitation Trust) Memory and Information Processing Battery (BMIPB) published in 2007, indicate that there is a significant Flynn effect on tests of memory function. This effect appears to be material specific with statistically significant improvements in all scores on tests involving the learning and recall of visual material in every age range evident over a 22-year period. Verbal memory abilities appear to be relatively stable with no significant differences between the scores in the majority of age ranges. The ramifications for the clinical interpretation of these tests are discussed.
EFFECT OF STOCK PRICE, DEBT TO EQUITY RATIO, RETURN ON ASSET, EARNING PER SHARE, PRICE EARNING RATIO AND FIRM SIZE ON INCOME SMOOTHING IN INDONESIA MANUFACTURING INDUSTRY

The study was conducted to observe the income smoothing on the manufacturing company listed on the Indonesian Stock Exchange. Income smoothing is capable to mislead investors in analyzing financial statements and mislead creditors in long-term loan decision making. The research object is manufacturing industry group, basic industry and chemical sector, cement sub-sector listed on BEI since 2005 2017. The research result exhibits that factors influencing the partial earnings are par value stock, debt to equity ratio, earnings per share and price earnings ratio. On the other hand, return on asset and firm size is not significant. All variables studied influences income smoothing.
Lip and Tongue Pressures Related to Dental Arch and Oral Cavity Size in Australian Aborigines

Although the oral cavity and dental arches of the Australian aborigine are large, studies of lingual and labial pressures indicate that the tongue is neither unusually large nor strong. The Australian aborigine's pharyngeal cavity is smaller in height and depth than that of the American; just the opposite is true for the oral cavity. To the extent that environmental factors are important at all, the resting pressure of the lips, not tongue pressure during swallowing, is probably the significant determinant of dental arch dimensions.
Chloroquine in Africa: critical assessment and recommendations for monitoring and evaluating chloroquine therapy efficacy in sub‐Saharan Africa

Chloroquine‐resistant malaria is a major public health threat in sub‐Saharan Africa. While a few countries have already replaced chloroquine as the first‐line therapy for uncomplicated malaria or are in the process of doing so, other countries are faced with the complicated task of assessing the current status of drug resistance, making national policy‐level decisions about whether to replace chloroquine or not, and initiating a monitoring system to track changes in the efficacy of malaria therapy. There is currently no standardized approach for collecting and interpreting data on therapy efficacy. There is also no agreement as to how much chloroquine resistance or treatment failure is acceptable and how much warrants a change in treatment policy. Using data collected in 10 sites in eastern and southern Africa between 1990 and 1996, we have assessed the therapeutic response to chloroquine and investigated predictors of clinical success or failure. Based on these experiences and analyses, a standardized protocol for in vivo studies of the efficacy of malaria therapy and for approaches to designing monitoring systems are proposed. The process of making policy‐level decisions based on data collected by these systems is also discussed.
A non‐intrusive method for the measurement of water vapour sorption by bacterial spores

Single particle levitation (SPL) is used to measure the sorption and desorption of water vapour from microparticles comprising of Bacillus spores. Water gain is determined from increases in the weight‐balancing levitation voltages. Spore water isotherms are compared to values previously reported using bulk gravimetric methods. Two salient differences are found between the SPL and bulk data: (1) greater osmotic swelling is observed in the SPL data; and (2) the SPL data exhibit open loop hysteresis while bulk data exhibit closed loop hysteresis.
[Survey of vitamin D status in 700 healthy adult males in Guiyang, China].

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the vitamin D status of healthy adult males living in Guiyang. METHODS A total of 700 healthy volunteers aged 20 - 79 years were selected randomly from a community in Guiyang by stratified sampling method. Questionnaires for living habits and fasting blood samples were collected in the morning from November 2009 to January 2010. The serum concentrations of 25-hydroxyvitamin D were measured by the DiaSorin radioimmunoassay kit. RESULTS The mean levels of serum 25(OH)D was (21 ± 10) µg/L. And the percentages of vitamin D deficiency (25(OH)D < 20 µg/L), insufficiency (20 µg/L ≤ 25(OH)D < 30 µg/L) and sufficiency (25(OH)D ≥ 30.0 µg/L) were 315(50.2%), 202 (32.2%) and 110(17.6%)respectively. The concentrations of serum 25(OH)D in young, middle-aged and old adults were (18 ± 10) µg/L, (24 ± 10) µg/L and (22 ± 8)µg/L respectively. The serum level of 25(OH)D was lower in the smokers than that in the non-smokers (20 µg/L vs 22 µg/L, P = 0.003). The serum concentrations of 25(OH)D were (24 ± 10) µg/L, (23 ± 10) µg/L, (22 ± 9) µg/L and (18 ± 9) µg/L in education level (≤ 6, 7 - 9, 10 - 12 and ≥ 10 years in school) respectively. Significant inverse correlations existed between the concentrations of serum 25(OH)D and the education levels (r = -0.138, P = 0.000). CONCLUSION The prevalence of hypovitaminosis D is common in healthy adult males in Guiyang, especially among the youth, smokers and higher educated groups.
External Shocks and the Law of Carbon Price Fluctuation—Based on the Framework of CWT and EEMD

This paper focused on researching the fluctuation of carbon trading price caused by the external shocks through analyzing the data of three-phase carbon spot price from Blue Next Environmental Exchange and the European Climate Exchange (ECX). The results are the following: 1) released important information and events will seriously affect the carbon price fluctuations; some important information are released that cause sharp fluctuations in a short period of time; the Sudden events lead to long-term, drastic fluctuations in carbon price and its influence over the impact of important information; 2) the impact of external events is always corresponding to the low-frequency component of time sequence; this is because the low-frequency component usually reflects the data signal amplitude which is severer, and the high-frequency component represents the data signal amplitude which is a smaller part; it has random fluctuations of the time sequence.
[Cytomegalovirus infection following lung transplantation].

The significance of cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection after lung transplantation was investigated in 20 patients (ten women and ten men; mean age 46 [21-67] years). Indications for transplantation were emphysema (n = 6), cystic fibrosis (n = 2), primary pulmonary hypertension (n = 2), pulmonary fibrosis (n = 5), obliterating bronchiolitis (n = 2), cystic lung (n = 2) and bronchiectasis (n = 1). Incidence, diagnostic parameters (serology, virus isolation and histology) and efficacy of prophylactic and therapeutic measures were recorded. 16 of the 20 patients developed a CMV infection, which in 12 was clinically significant. CMV pneumonia developed in two patients, proving fatal in one. The infection occurred a median of 47 (17-200) days after the transplantation. Administration of Ganciclovir (5 mg/kg twice daily intravenously) brought about remission of symptoms in all but one of the patients and improved the clinical parameters. --This experience demonstrates that regular monitoring of the patients for possible CMV infection and its early therapy can achieve a low death rate.
Accountability and financial statement presentation of early Western Australian banks, 1837–1880

This study uses legal origin theory to consider the influence of the British imperial government on financial statement presentation of early Western Australian banks. Accountability and patterns of financial presentation were explored through an examination of 192 quarterly returns and three annual returns for the Bank of Western Australia, Western Australian Bank and National Bank of Australia over the years 1837–1880. Findings from the study suggest the banks demonstrated a willingness to prepare forms of Western-narrow and Western-broad accounts. Early Western Australian banks consistently prepared timely financial statements to keep stakeholders informed of the banks’ quarterly returns. Despite the harsh economic conditions, Western Australian banks appeared to keep pace with the changing legal, political and fiscal accountability reforms carried out by the colonial government during this early settlement period of Western Australia.
EFFECTS OF CALCIUM CHANGES ON HYSTERESIS IN RESTITUTION OF ACTION POTENTIAL DURA TION

OF THESIS EFFECTS OF CALCIUM CHANGES ON HYSTERESIS IN RESTITUTION OF ACTION POTENTIAL DURATION Sudden cardiac death (SCD) is a leading cause of fatalities. Several methods have been developed to predict instability in myocytes which could lead to SCD. The focus of this study was on altering memory in myocytes, i.e. hysteresis in restitution of action potential duration (APD), by differing levels of calcium. Determination of alteration was implemented by using a diastolic interval (DI) control program that implements a sinusoidal change in DI. Plotting APD versus previous DI, i.e. restitution, produces a hysteresis loop. From these hysteresis loops, five parameters were used to determine measures of memory: area, thickness, overall tilt, max delay and min delay. Calcium levels were then altered with either verapamil or BAPTA-AM. Statistically significant effects were found for the verapamil study, but not for the BAPTA-AM study. Simulations were used to explain significant results. The verapamil findings support clinical studies that have shown verapamil to not have anti-arrhythmic effects. Theory predicts that a decrease in memory would decrease the stability of a system, and perhaps verapamil may not increase stability as hypothesized previously. The results of the BAPTA-AM study were inconclusive, and further investigation is needed before it can be determined that BAPTA-AM has no significant effect on memory.
Non-dialogue speech during preschool interactions

ABSTRACT Young children's skilfulness in conversational interaction is of great importance in understanding pragmatic aspects of language development. The purpose of this investigation was to describe the portion of preschool verbal interaction which could not be considered successful dialogue. Ten dyads of four-year-olds were videotaped during free play. Segments of talk were identified as dialogue or non-dialogue. Non-dialogue was coded when one child did not appear to direct his/her utterances to the other or when an attempted topic failed to capture the interest of the other child. Thirteen types of non-dialogue were identified. Results revealed that all dyads exhibited non-dialogue, but differences were noted in regard to amount and type. Dyads labelled as less co-operative displayed greater amounts of self-directed talk (monologue).
The search of a genetic basis for noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL)

Background and aim: Knowledge about the genetic factors responsible for noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) is still limited. This study investigated whether genetic factors are associated or not to susceptibility to NIHL. Subjects and methods: The family history and genotypes were studied for candidate genes in 107 individuals with NIHL, 44 with other causes of hearing impairment and 104 controls. Mutations frequently found among deaf individuals were investigated (35delG, 167delT in GJB2, Δ_rm;(GJB6- D13S1830), Δ_rm;(GJB6- D13S1854) in GJB6 and A1555G in MT-RNR1 genes); allelic and genotypic frequencies were also determined at the SNP rs877098 in DFNB1, of deletions of GSTM1 and GSTT1 and sequence variants in both MTRNR1 and MTTS1 genes, as well as mitochondrial haplogroups. Results: When those with NIHL were compared with the control group, a significant increase was detected in the number of relatives affected by hearing impairment, of the genotype corresponding to the presence of both GSTM1 and GSTT1 enzymes and of cases with mitochondrial haplogroup L1. Conclusion: The findings suggest effects of familial history of hearing loss, of GSTT1 and GSTM1 enzymes and of mitochondrial haplogroup L1 on the risk of NIHL. This study also described novel sequence variants of MTRNR1 and MTTS1 genes.
Fiscal Compact and Debt Consolidation Dynamics

We analyse the macroeconomic effects of a debt consolidation policy in the Euro Area mimicking the Fiscal Compact Rule (FCR). The rule requires the signatory states to target a debt-to-GDP ratio below 60%. Within the context of Dynamic Stochastic General Equilibrium models (DSGE), we augment a fully micro-founded New-Keynesian model with a parametric linear debt consolidation rule, and we analyse the effects on the main macroeconomic aggregates. To fully understand its implications on the economy, we study different debt consolidation scenarios, allowing the excess debt to be re-absorbed with different timings. We show that including a debt consolidation rule can exacerbate the effects of the shocks in the economy by imposing a constraint on the public debt process. Secondly, we note that the effect of loosening or tightening the rule in response to a shock is heterogeneous. Shocks hitting nominal variables (monetary policy shock) are not particularly sensitive. On the contrary, we prove that the same change has a more pronounced effect in case of shock hitting real variables (productivity and public spending shocks). Finally, we show that the macroeconomic framework worsens as a function of the rigidity of the debt consolidation rule. As a limiting case, we show that the effects on output, employment, real wages, inflation, and interest rates are sizable.
A Comprehensive Material Flow Account for Lao PDR to Inform Environmental and Sustainability Policy

Modern environmental and sustainability policy that acknowledges the linkages between socioeconomic processes and environmental pressures and impacts, and designs policies to decouple economic activity from environmental pressures and impacts, requires a sophisticated and comprehensive knowledge base. The concept of industrial metabolism provides a sound conceptual base, and material flow accounting—including primary material inputs and outflows of waste and emissions—provides a well‐accepted operationalization. Studies presenting a comprehensive material flow account for a national economy are rare, especially for developing countries. Countries such as Lao People's Democratic Republic (Lao PDR or Laos) face dual objectives of improving the material standard of living of their people while managing natural resources sustainably and mitigating adverse environmental impacts from growing resource throughput. Our research fills a knowledge gap, presents a comprehensive account of material inputs and outflows of waste and emissions for the Lao PDR national economy, and applies the accounting approach for a low‐income economy in Asia. We present a material balance for the years 2000 and 2015. For this research, we used data from Lao PDR national statistics and the accounting guidelines of the European Statistical Office (Eurostat), which pioneered the use of material flow data as part of its official statistical reporting. We demonstrate the feasibility of the accounting approach and discuss the robustness of results using uncertainty analysis conducted with statistical approaches commonly used in the field of industrial ecology, including Gauss's law of error propagation and Monte Carlo simulation. We find that the fast‐changing scale and composition of Lao PDR material flows, waste, and emissions presents challenges to the existing policy capacity and will require investment into governance of changed patterns of material use, waste disposal, and emissions. We consider the data analysis sufficiently robust to inform such a change in policy direction.
Maturity Driven Mispricing of Options

Abstract This paper documents that short-term options achieve significantly lower returns during months with 4 versus 5 weeks between expiration dates. The average return differential ranges from 16 to 29 basis points per week for delta-hedged portfolios, and from 101 to 187 basis points per week for straddles, over 1996–2017. Evidence based on earnings announcements and institutional holdings suggests that investor inattention to exact expiration date rather than underlying risk exposures or transaction costs can explain the mispricing. Market makers seem to adjust prices accordingly, and tend to over-trade mispriced options against less sophisticated investors.
Coproduction of participation policies in Turkey: The making of city councils

Abstract This paper uses the case of the city councils to study the introduction of new possibilities for citizen participation in Turkish policy-making. In Turkish political science literature, city councils are simply described either as a result of the coercive influence of international organizations, or a ‘civil society’ initiative included in the agenda by the political power. The paper demonstrates that these participatory mechanisms have been coproduced by a complex network of domestic state and non-state actors, yet are not fully controlled by any of the actors engaged in their making.
How Do Ownership Concentration and Family Control Affect R&D Investments? New Evidence from Taiwan

This study finds a nonlinear relationship between ownership concentration and RD the relationship becomes negative when ownership concentration is at a high level. However, the impact of ownership concentration on RD that is, family control moderates the relationship between ownership concentration and R&D investments. Overall, this study suggests that the ownership concentration's nonlinear impact on R&D investments differs between family‐controlled firms and nonfamily‐controlled firms.
Immunohistochemical Evaluation of CON6D/B5: A New CD30 Monoclonal Antibody

Immunohistochemical evaluation of CD30 expression is commonly performed in the assessment of hematopoietic disorders and germ cell tumors. A new monoclonal antibody, CON6D/B5, directed against the CD30 antigen has become commercially available for use in formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissue samples. The performance characteristics of CON6D/B5 were tested and compared with the well-characterized monoclonal CD30 antibody Ber-H2. Among the various neoplasms analyzed, there was complete concordance between the results of CON6D/B5 and Ber-H2 staining. Similar to Ber-H2, CON6D/B5 immunoreactivity was observed in all cases of classical Hodgkin lymphoma, anaplastic large cell lymphoma, and embryonal carcinoma, with no staining detectable in any of the other various tumors evaluated, including several neoplasms earlier reported as showing CD30 positivity by other investigators. The labeling intensity was much stronger with CON6D/B5 compared with Ber-H2, although no significant differences were observed with regard to the numbers of positively labeled cells in individual cases. The monoclonal antibody CON6D/B5 offers a suitable alternative to Ber-H2 for the immunohistochemical detection of CD30 expression.