Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Prognostic value of ventricular arrhythmias and heart rate variability in patients with unstable angina

Objectives: To assess the prognostic value of ventricular arrhythmias (VA) and heart rate variability (HRV) in patients with unstable angina. Design: Multicentre prospective study. Setting: 17 cardiological centres in Italy. Patients: 543 consecutive patients with unstable angina and preserved left ventricular function (ejection fraction ⩾40%) enrolled in the SPAI (Stratificazione Prognostica dell’Angina Instabile) study. Methods: Patients underwent 24 h ECG Holter monitoring within 24 h of hospital admission. Tested variables were frequent ventricular extrasystoles (⩾10/h), complex (that is, frequent or repetitive) VA, and bottom quartile values of time-domain and frequency-domain HRV variables. Primary end points were in-hospital and six-month total and cardiac deaths. Results: Eight patients died in hospital (1.5%) and 32 (5.9%, 29 cardiac) during follow up. Both complex VA and frequent extrasystoles were strongly predictive of death in hospital and at follow up, even after adjustment for clinical (age, sex, cardiac risk factors and history of myocardial infarction) and laboratory (troponin I, C reactive protein and transient myocardial ischaemia on Holter monitoring) variables. At univariate analysis bottom quartile values of three HRV variables (standard deviation of RR intervals index, low-frequency amplitude and low to high frequency ratio) were associated with in-hospital death, and bottom quartile values of most HRV variables predicted six-month fatal events. At multivariate Cox survival analysis reduced low-frequency amplitude was consistently found to be independently associated with fatal end points. Conclusion: In patients with unstable angina with preserved myocardial function, both VA and HRV are independent predictors of in-hospital and medium-term mortality, suggesting that these factors should be taken into account in the risk stratification of these patients.
Translating Agroecology into Policy: The Case of France and the United Kingdom

The popularity of agroecology has grown over the last few years as an alternative paradigm for food systems. This public attention has meant agroecology is increasingly becoming institutionalised and integrated into food policy frameworks. While there is a significant body of literature discussing the origins and worldviews intrinsic to agroecology, hardly any academic publications focusing on analysing policies claiming to have an agroecological focus exist. This first policy study of its kind contributes to the scarce agroecological policy literature by interrogating what we argue is a ‘translation’ process, which starts with the vision of agroecology and analyses how the concept changes once it has been operationalised into a policy document or law. Evidence from two European agricultural policy contexts, namely France and the United Kingdom, is presented. The methodology followed focused on the analysis of the context, problem construction, conceptualisation of agroecology, operational principles, and policy instruments included in the policy documents. Three main themes emerged from the case studies: differences in framing agroecology in the public policy arena; common dependencies to existing configurations influencing translations of agroecology in public policies; and the need for democratic discussion on the hybridisation of agroecology itself, as well as on implied, but often veiled, political choices. This paper concludes that a selective and relational hybridisation of agroecology is emerging during its ‘translation’ into public policies.
Using discriminant function for prediction of subcellular location of prokaryotic proteins.

The discriminant function algorithm was introduced to predict the subcellular location of proteins in prokaryotic organisms from their amino-acid composition. The rate of correct prediction for the three possible subcellular locations of prokaryotic proteins studied by Reinhardt and Hubbard (Nucleic Acid Research, 1998, 26:2230-2236) was 90% by the self-consistency test, and 87% by the jackknife test. These rates are considerably higher than the results recently reported by them using the neural network method. Furthermore, the test procedure adopted here is also more rigorous. The core of the current algorithm is the covariance matrix, through which the collective interactions among different amino-acid components of a protein can be reflected. It is anticipated that, owing to the intimate correlation of the function of a protein with its subcellular location, the current algorithm will become a useful tool for the systematic analysis of genome data.
Market Imperfections, Macroeconomic Conditions, and Capital Structure Dynamics: A Cross-Country Study

ABSTRACT This article investigates how “systematic” adjustment costs proxied by market imperfections, and macroeconomic conditions affect capital structure dynamics in a cross-country setting. We document substantial variations in firms’ capital structure adjustments across countries and, particularly, over time. Consistent with adjustment costs impeding firms from rebalancing their capital structures, worse market imperfections are associated with slower speeds of adjustment (SOA) and larger leverage deviations. Intertemporally, capital structure adjustment is procyclical, with SOA increasing by 0.9 percentage point for a one-percentage-point increase in GDP growth rate. The procyclicality is attributable to good macroeconomic conditions mitigating market imperfections through channels of 1) facilitating free-ride restructuring and 2) uncertainty alleviation. Our investigation features a bootstrapping-based estimation method that addresses the mechanical mean reversion of leverage ratio.
Immunoexpression of Th17-related Cytokines in Oral Lichen Planus

A recently described lineage of lymphocytes, Th17 cells, has been associated with inflammatory and autoimmune diseases. The aim of this article was to assess the immunoexpression of cytokines related to this lineage, interleukin-17 (IL-17) and IL-23 and in reticular and erosive oral lichen planus (OLP). The sample included 41 cases of OLP (23 reticular and 18 erosive) and 10 cases of inflammatory fibrous hyperplasia (IFH). Lymphocytes exhibiting cytoplasmic immunostaining were counted. Epithelial immunostaining was also evaluated. There was no statistical differences in the number of IL-17+ and IL-23+ lymphocytes between the OLP (55.40 and 48.40, respectively) and IFH (39.30 and 44.40, respectively). A significantly higher number of IL-23+ lymphocytes was found in erosive OLP group (63.80) when compared with reticular (41.40) and IFH lesions (44.40) (P=0.019). Furthermore, epithelial immunopositivity for IL-17 and IL-23 was higher in OLP lesions than in IFH (P=0.012 and P=0.011, respectively). A significantly higher number of IL-23+ lymphocytes in erosive OLP and the strong epithelial immunopositivity for IL-23 and IL-17 in OLP group could suggest an important participation of TCD4+ Th17 response in this disorder.
Thrombin activates mitogen‐activated protein kinase in primary astrocyte cultures

Thrombin is known to evoke numerous inflammatory and proliferative responses in a wide variety of its target cells. Recent studies have demonstrated morphoregulatory and mitogenic effects of thrombin on astroglial cells (astrocytes). The present study deals with thrombin‐induced activation of mitogen‐activated protein (MAP) kinase in primary cultures of rat astrocytes. Treatment of serum‐starved astrocytes with thrombin resulted in a rapid activation of tyrosine (Tyr) phosphorylation of a set of proteins including a prominent one with a molecular mass of 42 kDa (p42). The identity of p42 with MAP kinase was confirmed by MAP kinase‐immunoreactivity of isolated [i.e., immunoprecipitated with anti‐phosphotyrosine (PY) antibodies] p42 and by increased myelin basic protein (MBP) kinase activity present in MAP kinase immunoprecipitates of thrombin‐treated cultures. Pertussis toxin (PTX) pretreatment failed to inhibit thrombin stimulation of p42 phosphorylation, indicating the lack of involvement of PTX sensitive G proteins in the mechanism of activation of MAP kinase by thrombin. Chronic exposure of cultures to phorbol 12‐myristate 13‐acetate to down‐regulate PKC resulted in an attenuation of thrombin‐induced p42 Tyr phosphorylation, although H‐7, a known PKC inhibitor, failed to block thrombin effect. However, staurosporine, a nonspecific protein kinase inhibitor, prevented the activation of p42 phosphorylation. It is concluded that thrombin induces MAP kinase activation in astrocytes by a mechanism involving a staurosporine‐sensitive pathway. © 1995 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Extratemporal White Matter Abnormalities in Mesial Temporal Lobe Epilepsy Demonstrated with Diffusion Tensor Imaging

Summary: Purpose: Recent studies have demonstrated bilateral white matter abnormalities in temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) patients with unilateral mesial temporal sclerosis (MTS). The purpose of this project was to determine whether abnormalities of water diffusion are seen in extratemporal white matter of patients with TLE and pathologically confirmed MTS and to determine whether these findings are associated with worse surgical outcome.
Once-daily Bupropion Associated With Improved Patient Adherence Compared With Twice-Daily Bupropion in Treatment of Depression

The main aim of this study was to examine the impact of dosing regimens on patients' persistence to bupropion. A nationally representative patient-level database comprising of pharmacy and medical claims was used to identify patients with depression (ICD-9-CM: 296.2, 296.3, 300.4, 311), who had initiated therapy with bupropion sustained release (b.i.d.; 2 doses/d) or extended release (q.d.; 1 dose/d) tablets from September 2003 to February 2004; had no previous antidepressant or benzodiazepine use; and had 9 months of follow-up. Persistence was measured using prescription claims, and calculated using the medication possession ratio [MPR; (total days supply; all filled prescriptions)/270 d]. Multivariate logistic regression compared the likelihood of achieving MPR ≥0.70 controlling for age, sex, and index date. A total of 3132 patients were included (b.i.d.: n = 2382; q.d.: n = 756). q.d. patients on average had a significantly higher MPR than b.i. d. patients [q.d. 0.52 (±0.35), b.i. d. 0.35 (±0.26)]; P < 0.001) and had a higher likelihood of achieving an MPR ≥0.70 (q.d. 35%, b.i.d. 12%, P < 0.0001). After controlling for differences in baseline characteristics, b.i. d. patients were only one-fourth as likely (odds ratio = 0.260, 95% confidence interval: 0.214-0.316) to achieve MPR >0.7. The use of the once-daily, extended release formulation of bupropion appeared to significantly improve patients' persistence to therapy for the treatment of depression.
ESL students in peer review: An action research study in a university English for Academic Purposes course

This paper presents the findings of an action research study undertaken in a first-year English for Academic Purposes (EAP) course at a New Zealand university. The project focused on ESL learners’ beliefs about peer review and involved learners providing feedback on a peer’s draft essay and receiving that peer’s feedback. Students noted this activity in an entry in their language learning diary, and that entry became the main source of data collected. The research aimed to explore learners’ beliefs about peer review: how they felt about giving and receiving feedback, having peers read their writing, and the usefulness of peer review. Despite peer review becoming a frequently-used activity in university ESL/EFL writing classes, it is often unpopular with ESL students. This study describes the benefits and challenges of firstyear students in providing and receiving feedback. It raises issues such as plagiarism and the effects of language proficiency levels on types of feedback. It discusses the value of conducting research from two perspectives: both the student reviewer and the writer receiving feedback. The analysis revealed that these Address for correspondence: Jane Hislop, Department of British and American Studies, Nagoya University of Foreign Studies, 57 Takenoyama, Iwasaki, Nisshin, Aichi, 470-0197, Japan; Email: Jane.hislop@outlook.com University of Sydney Papers in TESOL, 12, 9-44. ©2017 ISSN: 1834-4712 (Online) Jane Hislop & Elke Stracke 10 students held strong beliefs about peer review. It also indicated that training students to participate in such an activity can deliver a richer experience leading to positive beliefs about peer review.
Molecular basis of Bernard–Soulier syndrome in 27 patients from India

To cite this article: Sumitha E, Jayandharan GR, David S, Jacob RR, Sankari Devi G, Bargavi B, Shenbagapriya S, Nair SC, Abraham A, George B, Viswabandya A, Mathews V, Chandy M, Srivastava A. Molecular basis of Bernard–Soulier syndrome in 27 patients from India. J Thromb Haemost 2011; 9: 1590–8.
The impact of active labour market policies on the well-being of the unemployed

Asking whether social policies can alter the experience of unemployment, this article systematically evaluates whether participation in active labour market policies (ALMPs) influences the well-being of the unemployed. With consistently high unemployment rates in Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) countries, scholars have started to examine the impact of ALMP schemes on a variety of tangible economic outcomes, but place little focus on their sociological and psychological impacts. Using a novel panel survey, the IZA Evaluation Dataset, I employ a propensity score matching approach combined with difference-in-differences to address selection on both observables and unobservables. Consistent with my theoretical predictions, I find evidence that ALMP programmes that are most like regular employment, namely wage subsidies and subsidized self-employment, have the strongest impact on the well-being of the unemployed. Looking at regional and gender differences indicates interesting effect heterogeneity.
Functional Health Literacy Is Associated With Health Status and Health‐Related Knowledge in People Living With HIV‐AIDS

Background: Poor health literacy is a prevalent barrier to medical care and people with lower health literacy experience greater illness severity than people with higher health literacy. Health literacy may therefore be an important factor in the health and treatment of people living with HIV‐AIDS. Methods: A community‐recruited sample of 339 HIV‐infected men and women completed surveys and interviews that assessed functional health literacy, health status, AIDS‐related disease and treatment knowledge, and health care perceptions and experiences. Medical records were available for chart abstraction of health status for a subsample of participants. Results: About 1 of 4 people living with HIV‐AIDS demonstrated difficulty comprehending simple medical instructions and therefore lower health literacy. HIVinfected people with lower health literacy had lower CD4 cell counts, higher viral loads, were less likely to be taking antiretroviral medications, reported a greater number of hospitalizations, and reported poorer health than those with higher health literacy. In addition, after adjusting for years of formal education, lower health literacy was associated with poorer knowledge of one's HIV‐related health status, poorer AIDS‐related disease and treatment knowledge, and more negative health care perceptions and experiences. Conclusions: Health literacy is a significant factor in the health and treatment of persons living with HIV‐AIDS. Interventions are needed to improve medical care and the health status of people with lower health literacy that are living with HIV‐AIDS.
REVISITING THE MAINSTREAM: THE MEANING OF WORK FOR PEOPLE WITH ACQUIRED DISABILITIES

ABSTRACT Purpose: The study aimed to investigate the meanings attributed to work by people with acquired disabilities. Originality/value: The study unveils a new understanding of the meaning of work for people with acquired disabilities. Design/methodology/approach: There were conducted in-depth interviews with ten people with acquired disabilities and inserted in the labor market. Findings: The results of this analysis suggest that, for the interviewed group, the work shares its importance with other spheres of life, like the affective one and the family circle. Among the meanings discussed in the scholarly literature, such as pleasure in working and the work as a form of social interaction, there were also new specific meanings attributed by the group, related to the identity of the person with disability, like barriers overcoming, the combat against the stigma of incapacity and the positive impact generation. On the other hand, remuneration and career progression appear as a consequence of work, rather than a factor that brought meaning to their work activities. The findings of this study contributed to a better understanding of the different meanings attributed to work by people with an acquired disability. Among that, the results pointed to the existence of other meanings than the usually addressed in the scholarly literature of the theme, what reinforces the contribution of this article to the study of the meaning of work.
l‐citrulline prevents asymmetric dimethylarginine‐mediated reductions in nitric oxide and nitrosative stress in primary human airway epithelial cells

Asthma is associated with reduced systemic levels of l‐arginine and increased asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA). This imbalance leads to nitric oxide synthase (NOS) uncoupling with reduced nitric oxide (NO) formation and greater oxidative and nitrosative stress. Whether this imbalance also occurs in bronchial epitheliumof asthmatics is unknown.
Prevalence of depression among memory clinic patients as measured by the Cornell Scale of Depression in Dementia

Objectives: Depression in dementia is common, but the prevalence rates differ according to the populations studied and which diagnostic tools are being used. The aim of this study is to explore the prevalence of depression among patients referred to a memory clinic or an outpatient clinic as measured by the Cornell Scale of Depression in dementia (CSDD) and to investigate which factors are associated with depression. Method: The CSDD was completed for 1470 patients on their first visit to a memory clinic or an outpatient clinic. The prevalence of depression using three different cut-off points was calculated. Logistic regression and correlation analyses were performed. Results: Half of the patients had dementia. The mean CSDD was 6.7 (SD: 5.3) for the whole group, and 50.2% had a score above 5, whereas 37.5% had depression defined as a CSDD score above 7, and 14.1% had a score above 12. The mean scores were higher among those with dementia other than Alzheimer's disease, those with previous depression, and those with greater impairment in the activities of daily living (ADL). In the logistic regression analyses, younger age, ADL dysfunction, and previous depression were significantly associated with higher CSDD scores. Conclusion: We found that depressive symptoms are common among patients referred for a dementia assessment in specialist health care. The strongest factors associated with depressive symptoms were younger age, ADL impairment, and previous depression.
Short-channel modeling of bulk accumulation MOSFETs

Physically based short-channel effect (SCE) models are derived for bulk accumulation MOSFETs. Using the proposed models, threshold voltage rolloff, subthreshold swing, and subthreshold current can be accurately calculated; this enables physical insights into device scaling behavior, and prediction of scaling limits. The models enable optimization of accumulation MOSFETs, resulting in small SCE, and low process sensitivity. The models are equally applicable to inversion MOSFETs, and allow easy comparison between accumulation and inversion MOSFETs. Novel application areas of accumulation MOSFETs are identified where they perform better than inversion MOSFETs (better on-current and lower SCE for a given off-current). With mid-band metal gate, accumulation MOSFETs perform better than inversion MOSFETs in ultra low power applications. For poly gate CMOS, accumulation MOSFETs perform better than inversion MOSFETs in low standby power applications.
Lipophilic toxin profiles detected in farmed and benthic mussels populations from the most relevant production zones in Southern Chile

Lipophilic toxins associated with diarrhoeic toxins were found in Mytilus chilensis (Blue mussels) and Aulacomya ater (Ribbed mussels). These shellfish samples were collected from Chiloe Island, Southern Chile. The samples were tested by liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). After the analysis, four toxins were found: DTX-1, DTX-3, YTX and PTX. All toxins were identified by comparing their HPLC retention times with those of analytical standards and confirmed by LC-MS/MS. Dinophysistoxin-1 (DTX-1) and dinophysistoxin-3 (DTX-3) toxins were the major components within the mussel extracts. Nevertheless, the percentages of these toxins differed depending on the area they were collected from and/or the sampling date. The levels detected in Butacheuques Island for okadaic acid (OA) was 267 ± 3.5 µg OA eq kg−1 (p < 0.05) and for DTX-3 was 183.4 ± 7.5 µg kg−1 in ribbed mussels. Pectenotoxin (PTX) and yessotoxin (YTX) were the toxins detected in minor proportions in the toxic profile of the bivalves. The maximum concentration of YTX detected in ribbed mussels was 85.2 ± 2.8 µg kg−1 in Mechuque Island, whereas the PTX-2 level in ribbed mussels was 82.0 ± 2.4 µg kg−1 in Cailin Island. Analogues of YTX and PTX-2 were not detected in any of the analysed mussels, which did not support the supposed presence of isomers of toxins as a result of the enzymatic metabolism of bivalves. This study found evidence proving co-occurrence of lipophilic toxins – like PTX and YTX – with diarrhoeic toxin in samples collected in Southern Chile, which is, to date, the more complex mix of lipophilic toxins ever found in mussels samples from Southern Chile.