Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Continuous Glucose Monitoring in Female NOD Mice Reveals Daily Rhythms and a Negative Correlation With Body Temperature

&NA; Previous studies with continuous glucose monitoring in mice have been limited to several days or weeks, with the mouse's physical attachment to the equipment affecting behavior and measurements. In the current study, we measured blood glucose and body temperature at 10‐second intervals for 12 weeks in a cohort of NOD/ShiLtJ female mice using wireless telemetry. This allowed us to obtain a high‐resolution profile of the circadian rhythm of these two parameters and the onset of hyperglycemic development in real time. The most striking observations were the elevated nocturnal concentrations of glucose into the diabetic range days before elevations in diurnal glucose (when glucose concentrations are historically measured) and the strong, negative correlation between elevated blood glucose concentrations and body temperature with a steady decline of the body temperature with diabetes development. Taken together, this technological advancement provides improved resolution in the study of the disease trajectory of diabetes in mouse models, including relevant translatability to the current technologies of continuous glucose monitoring now regularly used in patients.
The literature of demography; its characteristics and changes over time

Changes in the characteristics of the demographic literature between 1964 and 1984 are reviewed by means of a statistical comparison of the entries in Population Index for the subjects pertaining to population movements: fertility, (including fertil ity controls), mortality, nuptiality and migrations. The number of studies on interrelations between demography and economic or non-economic variables declined drastically. A similar de cline in historical demography (and possibly also in regional studies) may be due to changes in editonal policy. The share of mortality studies from developing countnes increased consider ably. The percentage of publications in English is increasing. There was a marked growth in the percentage of reports of various kinds, matched by a sharp drop in the number of books published. Tentative explanations for some of these seemingly surpnsing trends are offered; they involve the con traceptive revolution, the development of epidemiological re search, the improvement in the quality of vital data in develop ing countries, the nsing cost of book production, and the increasing use of the English language in foreign journals.
Transcutaneous oxygen measurements predict healing of leg wounds with hyperbaric therapy

Twenty‐six patients with chronic leg wounds had transcutaneous oxygen measurements taken from the peri‐wound area and a chest reference site before undergoing hyperbaric oxygen therapy in order to evaluate the utility of transcutaneous oxygen measurements in predicting the response of wounds to hyperbaric therapy. Wound scores and wound areas were determined before treatment and after 10 hyperbaric exposures. Patients whose wounds averaged a 5% or greater reduction in wound score per treatment were designated “responders. ” Nine patients' wounds exhibited at least a 5% reduction in wound score per treatment. There were no differences observed between responders and the 17 nonresponders in age, duration of the wound, initial wound area, initial wound score, or in wound or reference transcutaneous oxygen measurements. Responders required significantly fewer treatments to achieve wound closure than did nonresponders. Peri‐wound transcutaneous oxygen pressure when the patient was exposed to 2.4 atmospheres absolute correlated directly with the improvement in wound score per treatment (r = 0.64, p = 0.03). An inverse correlation was noted between surface peri‐wound transcutaneous oxygen pressure and improvement in wound score per treatment (r = −0.74, p = 0.006). Elevated peri‐wound transcutaneous oxygen measurements at 2.4 atmospheres absolute and reduced peri‐wound oxygen measurements at 1 atmosphere absolute were associated with a more rapid response to hyperbaric oxygen treatments in patients with chronic leg wounds. The use of these measurements should allow this expensive and time‐consuming therapy to be limited to those patients most likely to benefit.
Amicus Curiae and the Role of Information at the Supreme Court

Conventional wisdom holds that amicus briefs provide the Supreme Court with information that is not otherwise supplied by litigants and that the Court finds this information useful. While several studies explore the information that amici contribute to the Court in certain notable cases, judicial scholars have no systematic knowledge regarding the nature of information furnished by amici or the Court's use of it in its opinions. We argue that amici curiae briefs are important because they reduce informa tion problems at the Court by helping the justices anticipate the impact of their opinions. To test conventional wisdom, we examined all party briefs on the merits and amicus briefs filed in the 1992 term. We found that the conventional wisdom is largely inaccurate. First, amicus briefs often con tribute unique arguments, but they also commonly reiterate their party's brief. Second, the Court's majority opinions are not more likely to use ar guments from amicus briefs that offer new information. In fact, the Court is much less likely to adopt arguments from amicus briefs that exclusively add arguments not found in their party briefs, even after controlling for a variety of alternative explanations. The implication is that amici influence is not a function of the independent information they convey
Leadership behavior and performance: A case study of Takaful representatives in Malaysia

This study aims to examine leadership behavior among Takaful agents or representatives on the performance of Takaful industry in Malaysia. Current technological developments have changed the pattern of distribution and marketing system of Takaful products. Takaful operators still appoint an agent to attract and convince customers of Takaful products. An agent should have a strong self-confidence to be a representative, high communication skill (persuasiveness), understand what to do (initiating structure), comprehend customer needs, meet customer demands (consideration) and so forth. In this study, Takaful agents have been surveyed regarding their leadership behavior. Initiating structure, consideration, representation and persuasiveness were found to be positively related to the performance of Takaful industry in Malaysia. These findings may help all parties, which are related to Takaful industry, that is, regulators such as Bank Negara, agencies and agents himself can play the role in enhancing the performance among Takaful agents for Takaful industry in Malaysia. Key words: Takaful, agents, leadership behaviour and performance.
Two Models of Measurements and the Investment Accelerator

This paper describes two models of an agency that is collecting and reporting observations on a dynamical linear stochastic economy. The first is a "classical" model, with the agency reporting data that are the sum of a vector of "true" variables and a vector of measurement errors that are orthogonal to the true variables. The second is a model of an agency that uses an optimal filtering method to construct least-squares estimates of the true variables. These two models of the reporting agency imply different likelihood functions. A model of the investment accelerator is used as an example to illustrate the differing implications of the models.
Contracting Frame and Individual Behavior: Experimental Evidence

ABSTRACT: This paper reports the results of an experiment examining the effect of the framing of incentive contracts on individual behavior. We examine two budget‐based incentive contracts that, though economically equivalent, are framed differently. Previous research documents that individuals prefer bonus‐framed to penalty‐framed contracts (Luft 1994; Hannan et al. 2005). We explore whether these preferences affect effort expended on a task where increased effort results in increased performance. In addition, we test whether these preferences motivate effort differentially in the presence and absence of an effective financial incentive for performance. Consistent with prospect theory predictions, results indicate the penalty‐framed contract motivates higher task performance than the bonus‐framed contract for individuals whose performance falls within the bonus or penalty range (i.e., where financial incentives are effective in motivating performance). Performance did not differ according to contract fra.
The Effects of Time Budget Pressure and Intentionality on Audit Supervisors' Response to Audit Staff False Sign‐Off

Based on theory from the psychology literature and results from prior false sign‐off research, we develop hypotheses and then conduct an experiment to assess the reporting intentions of audit supervisors who discover that a staff member under their supervision has committed false sign‐off. The experiment manipulated the level of time budget pressure on the audit engagement and the staff member's intentionality. Results indicate that audit supervisors are more likely to report the false sign‐off when (1) the audit staff member was working under conditions of low time budget pressure versus high time budget pressure and (2) the staff member committed the false sign‐off intentionally versus unintentionally as a result of confusion over what was expected. The paper concludes with a discussion of its limitations, suggestions for future research, as well as implications for practice.
Immigration policy in South Africa: does it make economic sense?

Current levels of international labour migration are exceptional. Several thousand skilled South Africans leave the country each year. Historically, the country attracted more skilled workers than it lost, from Europe and, more recently, other African countries. But emigration is increasing and immigration is restricted by policy and a range of socio-economic factors. The trends in the ‘brain drain’ from South Africa and its causes and severity are relatively well understood and will be reviewed in this paper. However, the policy response has been slow and confused. The paper highlights some of the economic determinants and effects of South African emigration and immigration and reviews recent changes to South African migration legislation. It asks how South Africa can attract the right kind of skilled immigrants and what more can be done to stem the loss of professionals from the country.
OBSERVING VIOLATIONS OF TRANSITIVITY BY EXPERIMENTAL METHODS

The preference reversal phenomenon is usually interpreted as evidence of nontransitivity of preference, but has also been explained as the result of the difference between individuals' responses to choice and valuation problems; the devices used by experimenters to elicit valuations; and the "random lottery selection" incentive system. This paper reports an experiment designed so that none of these factors could generate systematic nontransitivities; yet systematic violations of transitivity were still found. The pattern of violation was analogous with that found in previous preference reversal experiments and is consistent with regret theory. Copyright 1991 by The Econometric Society.
The Politics of Coalition Formation and Democracy in Lesotho

Political parties' coalitions/alliances are almost a permanent feature of pluralist democracies. Although relatively new to the African continent, for they emerged during the third wave of democratisation in the early 1990s in a bid to oust from power different forms of despotic regimes, coalitions are becoming entrenched in Africa's political systems as weapons through which the political elite fights political battles. Lesotho's experience of the phenomenon began in the run-up to the 17 February 2007 snap elections and they are, it seems, more likely to endure. Drawing examples from other countries, which have a longer history of coalitions than Lesotho, this paper contributes to the current debate on the value of this phenomenon and its implications for Lesotho's nascent democracy. Although not a product of a democratic process themselves, for they have been formed by the political elite with no input from their parties' membership, Lesotho's coalitions have been a positive factor to the country's formal democracy rather than its antithesis. They have helped maintain the pre-elections political status quo, hence beneficial to those forming them both within the opposition ranks and the ruling party. Coalition formation in Lesotho, I argue, has been caused, to a large measure, by the office-seeking motives of the political elites and the Mixed Member Proportional (MMP) electoral system. Acknowledging that coalitions will become part of Lesotho's politics as is the case in other places as the paper will show, I conclude that Lesotho should establish ways and means of regulating them so that they work in ways that preserve rather than undermine the spirit of the hard-fought-for MMP system.
IPO First-Day Returns, Offer Price Revisions, Volatility, and Form S-1 Language

Form S-1 is the first SEC filing in the initial public offering (IPO) process. The tone of the S-1, in terms of its definitiveness in characterizing the firm’s business strategy and operations, should affect investors’ ability to value the IPO. We find that IPOs with high levels of uncertain text have higher first-day returns, absolute offer price revisions, and subsequent volatility. Our findings provide empirical evidence for the theoretical models of uncertainty, bookbuilding, and prospect theory.
Chronic Illness among Children in a Total Population

The prevalence of chronic illness of all 60800–15-year-old children in a defined geographical area in southern Sweden was studied. Information on the health status of the children was obtained from health and medical records, interviews with the district and school nurses and questionnaires to the parents. Chronic illness was defined as a disability interfering with normal life and/or demanding treatment for at least three months during the year 1981 and was revealed in 510 children corresponding to the period prevalence 84/1000 with 95% confidence interval (CI) 60–108/1000. Boys predominated. 131 children suffered from more than one disease. Chronic illness caused severe disability in 40 children, moderate in 113 and mild in 357 children. Atopic disorders were the leading cause of chronic illness (34/1000 with 95% CI 29–39/1000). Mental and nervous system disorders and congenital malformations were the most frequent causes of severe disability. Prevalence figures for the different diagnoses in relation to disability level, sex and age are presented.
The efficiency of Greek stock index futures market

Purpose - The paper's objectives are: to address the issue of cointegration (efficient market hypothesis) between Greek spot and futures markets over the period of the crisis, 1999-2001; to investigate the short-run and long-run efficiency of the FTSE/ASE-20 stock index futures contract and FTSE/ASE Mid 40 stock index futures contract traded on the Athens Derivatives Exchange (ADEX). Design/methodology/approach - This paper examines efficiency of the Greek stock index futures market from 1999 to 2001. A variety of econometric models are employed to test for cointegration between prices. The paper uses daily data from the Athens Stock Exchanges (ASEs) and the ADEX. A more detailed discussion on the causal relationship between spot and futures price in ADEX is obtained by using the impulse response functions of the vector error-correction model (to study the behaviour of series from real shocks). Findings - The results show that the Greek futures and spot prices form a stable long-run relationship. For both FTSE/ASE-20 and FTSE/ASE Mid 40, futures markets play a price discovery role, implying that futures prices contain useful information about spot prices. Futures markets are informationally more efficient than underlying stock markets in Greece. Practical implications - The results have important implications for both traders and speculators. The findings are strongly recommended to financial managers dealing with Greek stock index futures. Originality/value - The contribution of this paper is to provide evidence using data from the early stage of the ADEX (started its official operation on 27 August 1999). It also investigates whether the hypotheses exist after the dramatic rise of ASE stock prices.
Early patterning and blastodermal fate map of the head in the milkweed bug Oncopeltus fasciatus

The process of head development in insects utilizes a set of widely conserved genes, but this process and its evolution are not well understood. Recent data from Tribolium castaneum have provided a baseline for an understanding of insect head development. However, work on a wider range of insect species, including members of the hemimetabolous orders, is needed in order to draw general conclusions about the evolution of head differentiation and regionalization. We have cloned and studied the expression and function of a number of candidate genes for head development in the hemipteran Oncopeltus fasciatus. These include orthodenticle, empty spiracles, collier, cap ‘n’ collar, and crocodile. The expression patterns of these genes show a broad conservation relative to Tribolium, as well as differences from Drosophila indicating that Tribolium + Oncopeltus represent a more ancestral pattern. In addition, our data provide a blastodermal fate map for different head regions in later developmental stages and supply us with a “roadmap” for future studies on head development in this species.
Shared Resources and Competitive Advantage in Clustered Firms: The Missing Link

This study examines the mechanism by which shared resources act on clustered firms' strategic resources to impact firm performance. Results indicate that five different kinds of cluster-specific shared resources have significant and positive effects on strategic resources to various degrees. Results also show that four elements of strategic resources have significant and positive effects on competitive advantage of firms. The framework developed in this study thus suggests that internal strategic resources and capabilities of firms mediate the relationship between shared resources and competitive advantage of firms in clusters.
A Global View of Economic Growth

This paper integrates in a unified and tractable framework some of the key insights of the field of international trade and economic growth. It examines a sequence of theoretical models that share a common description of technology and preferences but differ on their assumptions about trade frictions. By comparing the predictions of these models against each other, it is possible to identify a variety of channels through which trade affects the evolution of world income and its geographical distribution. By comparing the predictions of these models against the data, it is also possible to construct coherent explanations of income differences and long-run trends in economic growth.
Studies based on the Danish Multiple Sclerosis Registry

Introduction: This paper reviews the most important articles using data from the Danish Multiple Sclerosis Registry (DMSR) published in the past 25 years. Research topics: These articles include: descriptive epidemiological studies, indicating that the female incidence of multiple sclerosis (MS) in Denmark has increased considerably; follow-up studies on social events, showing that patients at a high rate lose their working ability and their spouses/partners; mortality studies, demonstrating a considerable excess mortality; cause-of-death studies; comorbidity studies; and, most importantly, historical prospective studies identifying some risk factors (e.g. infectious mononucleosis) and refuting others (head trauma and a number of occupational exposures e.g. nurses, utility workers, people exposed to solvents). The most important results are briefly presented. Conclusion: The Danish MS register has proven to be a valuable tool for MS epidemiology and has provided knowledge that could not otherwise be achieved.
Surrogate Genetics and Metabolic Profiling for Characterization of Human Disease Alleles

Cystathionine-β-synthase (CBS) deficiency is a human genetic disease causing homocystinuria, thrombosis, mental retardation, and a suite of other devastating manifestations. Early detection coupled with dietary modification greatly reduces pathology, but the response to treatment differs with the allele of CBS. A better understanding of the relationship between allelic variants and protein function will improve both diagnosis and treatment. To this end, we tested the function of 84 CBS alleles previously sequenced from patients with homocystinuria by ortholog replacement in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Within this clinically associated set, 15% of variant alleles were indistinguishable from the predominant CBS allele in function, suggesting enzymatic activity was retained. An additional 37% of the alleles were partially functional or could be rescued by cofactor supplementation in the growth medium. This large class included alleles rescued by elevated levels of the cofactor vitamin B6, but also alleles rescued by elevated heme, a second CBS cofactor. Measurement of the metabolite levels in CBS-substituted yeast grown with different B6 levels using LC–MS revealed changes in metabolism that propagated beyond the substrate and product of CBS. Production of the critical antioxidant glutathione through the CBS pathway was greatly decreased when CBS function was restricted through genetic, cofactor, or substrate restriction, a metabolic consequence with implications for treatment.
Mapping UK pension benefits and the intended purchase of annuities in the aftermath of the 1990s stock market bubble

Many people rely upon personal and employer-sponsored pensions to supplement the basic state pension. As such, the soon-to-retire baby-boom generation will depend on the nature and number of their pension entitlements as well as the performance of global stock markets – a fact of life ignored when market prospects appear on an upwards trajectory but of considerable concern when markets decline. There are increasing concerns about the social and geographical stratification of pension entitlements. Just as importantly, it appears that individual risk attitudes and financial decisionmaking are associated with the social identity of respondents, including their age, gender, marital status and income. Here, we test whether access to supplementary pension benefits is related to socio-demographic status or region of residence or both. Having determined that social status is the crucial determinant of the number of pension entitlements held by respondents, we test whether the intended purchase of an annuity can be correlated with socio-demographic status or region of residence or both. Based upon a unique and large data base of 50–64-year-olds – people with an immediate and tangible interest in their pension prospects – it is shown that respondents’ region of residence is significant in explaining the variance in individual's pension-related risk management strategies. Implications are drawn for the map of UK pension benefits and for the existence of regional subcultures of financial decisionmaking.