Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The Privatization of Education in Developing Countries : Evidence and Policy Implications

This working paper reviews key findings from empirical research on the effects of specific modes of privatization of the school provision, particularly in developing countries. The overall question is: can the common good of education be provided by the private sector in a more efficient or optimal way than by the state? The paper presents first a definition of privatization. It then elaborates on the multiple modes that privatization may take in the schools sector in relation to diverse policy goals and reviews findings from prior research on this isseu. Third, it discusses some methodological issues that commonly arise when reviewing international evidence. Finally, the paper presents a synthesis of findings and offers lessons learned particularly intended for policy-makers, planners, and administrators.
Childhood family structure and women’s adult overweight risk: A longitudinal study

Aim: The aim of this study was to investigate whether women’s adult overweight and obesity risk was associated with their childhood family structure, measured as their mothers’ marital status history, during the women’s first 18 years of life. Methods: Using linked register data, we analyzed 30,584 primiparous women born in Sweden in 1975 who were between 19–35 years of age when their height and pre-pregnancy weight was recorded. The outcomes were women’s overweight/obesity (body mass index (BMI) ≥ 25 kg/m2) and obesity (BMI ≥ 30 kg/m2) and the predictor was mothers’ marital status history, which was summarized using sequence analysis. We carried out nested logistic regression models adjusting for women’s age and maternal sociodemographic characteristics. Results: Mothers’ marital status history was summarized into six clusters: stable marriage, stable cohabitation, married then divorcing, cohabiting then separating, varied transitions, and not with father. In fully adjusted models and compared with women whose mothers belonged to the stable marriage cluster: (1) women whose mothers belonged to the other marital status clusters had higher odds of overweight/obesity (odds ratio (OR) ranging 1.15–1.19; p < 0.05); and (2) women whose mothers belonged to the stable cohabitation (OR = 1.31; 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.14–1.52), cohabiting then separating (OR = 1.23; 95% CI = 1.01–1.49), varied transitions (OR = 1.24; 95% CI = 1.11–1.39), and not with father (OR = 1.24; 95% CI = 1.00–1.54) clusters had higher odds of obesity. Conclusions: Women whose mothers were not in stable marriage relationships had higher odds of being overweight or obese in adulthood. The finding that even women raised in the context of stable cohabitation had higher odds of being overweight or obese is intriguing as these relationships are socially accepted in Sweden.
Importance of housekeeping gene selection for accurate reverse transcription‐quantitative polymerase chain reaction in a wound healing model

Studies in the field of wound healing have utilized a variety of different housekeeping genes for reverse transcription‐quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT‐qPCR) analysis. However, nearly all of these studies assume that the selected normalization gene is stably expressed throughout the course of the repair process. The purpose of our current investigation was to identify the most stable housekeeping genes for studying gene expression in mouse wound healing using RT‐qPCR. To identify which housekeeping genes are optimal for studying gene expression in wound healing, we examined all articles published in Wound Repair and Regeneration that cited RT‐qPCR during the period of January/February 2008 until July/August 2009. We determined that ACTβ, GAPDH, 18S, and β2M were the most frequently used housekeeping genes in human, mouse, and pig studies. We also investigated nine commonly used housekeeping genes that are not generally used in wound healing models: GUS, TBP, RPLP2, ATP5B, SDHA, UBC, CANX, CYC1, and YWHAZ. We observed that wounded and unwounded tissues have contrasting housekeeping gene expression stability. The results demonstrate that commonly used housekeeping genes must be validated as accurate normalizing genes for each individual experimental condition.
Vicarious Social Touch Biases Gazing at Faces and Facial Emotions

Research has suggested that interpersonal touch promotes social processing and other-concern, and that women may respond to it more sensitively than men. In this study, we asked whether this phenomenon would extend to third-party observers who experience touch vicariously. In an eye-tracking experiment, participants (N = 64, 32 men and 32 women) viewed prime and target images with the intention of remembering them. Primes comprised line drawings of dyadic interactions with and without touch. Targets comprised two faces shown side-by-side, with one being neutral and the other being happy or sad. Analysis of prime fixations revealed that faces in touch interactions attracted longer gazing than faces in no-touch interactions. In addition, touch enhanced gazing at the area of touch in women but not men. Analysis of target fixations revealed that touch priming increased looking at both faces immediately after target onset, and subsequently, at the emotional face in the pair. Sex differences in target processing were nonsignificant. Together, the present results imply that vicarious touch biases visual attention to faces and promotes emotion sensitivity. In addition, they suggest that, compared with men, women are more aware of tactile exchanges in their environment. As such, vicarious touch appears to share important qualities with actual physical touch.
Recurrent Guillain-Barré Syndrome Following Urinary Tract Infection by Escherichia coli

Recurrent Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) is a rare, immune-mediated disease of the peripheral nervous system. It has been reported to occur at intervals ranging from four months to 10 years; published case studies suggest that 1%–6% of patients who have had GBS will experience recurrent attacks. The most commonly identified infections coinciding with GBS are Campylobacter jejuni, Haemophilus influenzae, Mycoplasma pneumonia, and cytomegalovirus, while an antecedent infection with Escherichia coli is very uncommon. In this case report, we present a rare episode of recurrent GBS, which followed a urinary tract infection (UTI) by E. coli, and an accompanying literature review. A 75-year-old woman with a prior history of acute motor axonal neuropathy (AMAN), a subtype of GBS, presented with subsequent weakness of limbs and areflexia following 10 days of fever, frequency, and dysuria. Base on nerve conduction studies, cerebrospinal fluid analysis and other clinical investigation, we diagnosed the patient with recurrent GBS caused by E. coli. The patient recovered with mild subjective weakness following treatment of intravenous immunoglobulin with ceftriaxone. We suggest that E. coli causes UTI could be one of the diverse trigger factors involved in recurrent GBS.
High-risk behaviors while driving: A population-based study from Iran

ABSTRACT Objective: Traffic injuries are becoming one of the most important challenges of public health systems. Because these injuries are mostly preventable, the aim of this study is to evaluate the four main high-risk behaviors while driving. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted on a random sample from the population of Mashhad, Iran, in 2014. A checklist and a previously validated questionnaire for the transtheoretical stages of change model (TTM) were used for data collection. Statistical analyses were performed using SPSS 11.5 software with P <. 05 statistically significant. Results: Totally 431 individuals were included with a mean age of 30 ± 11.3 years. Forty-three percent (183) were male. The TTM model revealed that participants were mostly in pre-actional phases regarding not using a cell phone while driving (80%), fastening the driver's seat belt (66%), front seat belt (68%), and rear seat belt (85%) The penalty was a protective factor only for using cellphone (odd ratio [OR] = 0.82, 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.68–0.98). Lower education (OR = 0.12, 95% CI, 0.01–0.94) and male gender (OR = 0.35, 95% CI, 0.14–0.83) were indicative of lower rates of fastening the front and rear seat belts. Conclusion: The stages of change model among study participants is a proper reflection of the effectiveness of the current policies. More serious actions regarding these high-risk behaviors should be considered in legislation.
Profile of bleeding and ischaemic complications with bivalirudin and unfractionated heparin after percutaneous coronary intervention.

AIMS The aim of this study was to identify a subset of patients at high risk of bleeding or myocardial infarction from a percutaneous coronary intervention and to investigate whether such high-risk subsets derive preferential benefit from heparin or bivalirudin. METHODS AND RESULTS This study included 4570 patients with coronary artery disease enrolled in the Intracoronary Stenting and Antithrombotic Regimen: Rapid Early Action for Coronary Treatment trial and randomized to receive bivalirudin or heparin. Primary outcomes were in-hospital incidence of major bleeding and 30-day incidence of myocardial infarction. Major bleeding, myocardial infarction, and bleeding plus myocardial infarction occurred in 140, 204, and 34 patients, respectively. Older age, female sex, lower body weight, low cholesterol, multi-lesion intervention, complex lesions, and heparin therapy were independent correlates of increased risk of bleeding. Multi-lesion intervention, unstable angina, and lower body weight correlated independently with increased risks of myocardial infarction. Compared with heparin, bivalirudin was associated with a reduction in major bleeding (3.1 vs. 4.6%, P = 0.008), but mostly in low-risk patients. A reduction in the bleeding risk inversely correlated with an increase in the risk of myocardial infarction with bivalirudin (R = -0.61). CONCLUSION Bivalirudin and unfractionated heparin have a differential effect on risk of bleeding and myocardial infarction across various subsets of patients.
The Mononuclear Phagocyte System in Organ Transplantation

The mononuclear phagocyte system (MPS) comprises monocytes, macrophages and dendritic cells (DCs). Over the past few decades, classification of the cells of the MPS has generated considerable controversy. Recent studies into the origin, developmental requirements and function of MPS cells are beginning to solve this problem in an objective manner. Using high‐resolution genetic analyses and fate‐mapping studies, three main mononuclear phagocyte lineages have been defined, namely, macrophage populations established during embryogenesis, monocyte‐derived cells that develop during adult life and DCs. These subsets and their diverse subsets have specialized functions that are largely conserved between species, justifying the introduction of a new, universal scheme of nomenclature and providing the framework for therapeutic manipulation of immune responses in the clinic. In this review, we have commented on the implications of this novel MPS classification in solid organ transplantation.
The paradox of dysfunctional high-density lipoprotein

Purpose of review This review addresses how, in atherosclerosis or systemic inflammation, HDL can lose its usual atheroprotective characteristics and even paradoxically assume proinflammatory properties. Recent findings Specific chemical and structural changes within HDL particles can impede reverse cholesterol transport, enhance oxidation of LDL, and increase vascular inflammation. HDL may be viewed as a shuttle that can be either anti-inflammatory or proinflammatory, depending on its cargo of proteins, enzymes, and lipids. Some therapeutic approaches that reduce coronary risk, such as statins and therapeutic lifestyle changes, can favorably moderate the characteristics of proinflammatory HDL. In addition, apolipoprotein A-I mimetic peptides and other compounds that target functional aspects of HDL may offer novel approaches to reduction in cardiovascular risk. Summary Current data suggest that under some conditions HDL can become dysfunctional and even proinflammatory, but this characterization can change with resolution of systemic inflammation or use of certain treatments.
External effects of the war in Ukraine: the impact on the price of oil in the short-term

This paper analyses the short-term impact of the most relevant events of the war in the Ukraine on the price of oil. In order to determine the events to be studied, we propose a methodology based on a study of the news published in two reference newspapers in the markets: the Wall Street Journal and the Financial Times. From this selection, we use an event study model to detect the significance of the events. The main results obtained are: events that affected daily oil prices were scarce and occurred during very specific phases of the conflict; WTI price was more affected than Brent, even though the war took place in Europe; there is no noticeable lagged effect in the events, suggesting that the market assimilated the impact of relevant events very quickly.
Long-Term Mortality Rates in Acute De Novo Versus Acute-on-Chronic Heart Failure

Aim: The heart function assessment registry trial in Saudi Arabia (HEARTS) is a national multicenter project that compared de novo versus acute-on-chronic heart failure (ACHF). Methods and Results: This is a prospective registry in 18 hospitals in Saudi Arabia between October 2009 and December 2010. The study enrolled 2610 patients: 940 (36%) de novo and 1670 (64%) ACHF. Patients with ACHF were significantly older (62.2 vs 60 years), less likely to be males (64% vs 69%) or smokers (31.6% vs 36.7%), and more likely to have history of diabetes mellitus (65.7% vs 61.3%), hypertension (74% vs 65%), and severe left ventricular dysfunction (52% vs 40%). The ACHF group had a higher adjusted 3-year mortality rate (hazard ratio, 1.6; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.3-2.0; P < .001). Conclusion: Patients with ACHF had significantly higher long-term mortality rates than those with de novo acute heart failure (HF). Multidisciplinary HF disease management programs are highly needed for such high-risk populations.
The effects of fiscal consolidations on the composition of government spending

ABSTRACT In response to increasing debt paths, governments often implement fiscal consolidation programs. This paper studies the impact of these programs on the composition of government spending. System-GMM estimations performed on a sample of 53 developed and emerging countries over 1980–2011 reveal that fiscal consolidations significantly reduce the government investment-to-consumption ratio, i.e. a composition effect. Robust to a wide set of tests, including when using the narrative approach to identify fiscal consolidations, this significantly stronger contraction of government investment with respect to government consumption is at work particularly when debt is high and in the low phase of the economic cycle. Therefore, in such contexts, fiscal consolidations aimed at short-run stabilization may hurt the economy in the long-run through their detrimental effect on public investment, calling for a reflection upon how they could be re-designed to allow avoiding such undesirable consequences.
CNG and diesel urban buses in India: A life-cycle cost comparison

Abstract Delhi’s bus fleet is powered by compressed natural gas (CNG) to address poor air quality. CNG has also been implemented in buses in other Indian cities. We evaluate the life-cycle costs (LCCs) of the Standard (high-floor), low-floor, and low-floor air-conditioned CNG buses and their diesel counterparts in India. Given the importance of fuel economy and fuel price for fuel costs, we analyze the sensitivity of the LCCs to these factors. Also, to assess the effect of fuel prices if they were market driven, we evaluate the LCCs of low-floor air-conditioned CNG and diesel buses in India, but with US fuel prices. Our study aims to inform decision-making regarding the implementation of CNG buses, in concert with an assessment of their environmental and health benefits. The LCCs for CNG are higher than for diesel, but CNG negatively affects the LCC of Standard buses proportionately more than for the low-floor buses. The LCC is significantly higher for the low-floor air-conditioned, relative to that of the low-floor, and in particular the Standard, CNG buses. The significantly higher LCCs for the low-floor and low-floor air-conditioned buses, even for diesel, raises the questions of whether these buses are justified by increased patronage, and how they affect transit supply and affordability. The fuel price and fuel economy of CNG are critical for the competitiveness of CNG relative to diesel buses. This, along with the wide variation in CNG and diesel prices, demonstrates the need for careful fuel pricing policies when CNG is implemented in bus transit.
Do Style Momentum Strategies Produce Abnormal Returns: Evidence from Index Investing

In this study, we investigate the return enhancement ability of style momentum strategy: a strategy that switches between value and growth styles based on previous performance. We explore the variation in abnormal returns of long-only and long-short momentum strategies using various style based indexes (Russell value/growth indexes, Fama-French value/growth indexes, and MSCI value/growth indexes) where value and growth stocks are classified using different criteria. Our results show that the performance of style momentum does vary across different index families. We first find that in general the long-only strategies create significant positive abnormal returns whereas the long-short strategies do not. Second, for a fixed formation period, abnormal returns of the strategies tend to decrease when the length of holding periods increase. Third, abnormal returns are stronger and more significant when rotating within large cap value and growth indexes while abnormal returns are weaker and inconsistent when rotating within small cap value and growth indexes. Fourth, strategies based on rotating across all market cap levels do not generate consistently significant positive abnormal returns for Russell indexes or Fama-French indexes but they do for MSCI indexes. Fifth, individual stock momentum only explains a very small portion of the returns of style moment strategies
A broad-band MQW semiconductor optical amplifier with high saturation output power and low noise figure

A broad-band semiconductor optical amplifier (SOA) that achieves both a high chip saturation output power and a low chip noise figure (NF) was developed by using a thin multiquantum well with low internal loss. The SOA exhibited a high chip saturation output power of >+19.6 dBm and a low chip NF of <4.5 dB over a 3-dB gain bandwidth of 120 nm (1450-1570 nm). For the amplification of optical signals modulated at 40-Gb/s nonreturn-to-zero format, a penalty-free amplification was confirmed up to an average chip output power of +18.1 dBm.
Predictors of intensive care unit refusal in French intensive care units: A multiple-center study*

Objective:To identify factors associated with granting or refusing intensive care unit (ICU) admission, to analyze ICU characteristics and triage decisions, and to describe mortality in admitted and refused patients. Design:Observational, prospective, multiple-center study. Setting:Four university hospitals and seven primary-care hospitals in France. Interventions:None. Measurements and Main Results:Age, underlying diseases (McCabe score and Knaus class), dependency, hospital mortality, and ICU characteristics were recorded. The crude ICU refusal rate was 23.8% (137/574), with variations from 7.1% to 63.1%. The reasons for refusal were too well to benefit (76/137, 55.4%), too sick to benefit (51/137, 37.2%), unit too busy (9/137, 6.5%), and refusal by the family (1/137). In logistic regression analyses, two patient-related factors were associated with ICU refusal: dependency (odds ratio [OR], 14.20; 95% confidence interval [CI], 5.27–38.25; p < .0001) and metastatic cancer (OR, 5.82; 95% CI, 2.22–15.28). Other risk factors were organizational, namely, full unit (OR, 3.16; 95% CI, 1.88–5.31), center (OR, 3.81; 95% CI, 2.27–6.39), phone admission (OR, 0.23; 95% CI, 0.14–0.40), and daytime admission (OR, 0.52; 95% CI, 0.32–0.84). The Standardized Mortality Ratio was 1.41 (95% CI, 1.19–1.69) for immediately admitted patients, 1.75 (95% CI, 1.60–1.84) for refused patients, and 1.03 (95% CI, 0.28–1.75) for later-admitted patients. Conclusions:ICU refusal rates varied greatly across ICUs and were dependent on both patient and organizational factors. Efforts to define ethically optimal ICU admission policies might lead to greater homogeneity in refusal rates, although case-mix variations would be expected to leave an irreducible amount of variation across ICUs.
Migraine‐Like Accompanying Features in Patients With Cluster Headache. How Important Are They?

According to the International Classification of Headache Disorders diagnostic criteria, the differences between migraine and cluster headache (CH) are clear. In addition to headache attack duration and pain characteristics, the symptoms accompanying headache represent the key features in a differential diagnosis of these 2 primary headache disorders. Just a few studies of patients with CH exist examining the presence of nausea, vomiting, photophobia, phonophobia, and aura, the features commonly accompanying migraine headache.
Acceleration of Glutathione Efflux and Inhibition of γ-Glutamyltranspeptidase Sensitize Metastatic B16 Melanoma Cells to Endothelium-induced Cytotoxicity*

Highly metastatic B16 melanoma (B16M)-F10 cells, as compared with the low metastatic B16M-F1 line, have higher GSH content and preferentially overexpress BCL-2. In addition to its anti-apoptotic properties, BCL-2 inhibits efflux of GSH from B16M-F10 cells and thereby may facilitate metastatic cell resistance against endothelium-induced oxidative/nitrosative stress. Thus, we investigated in B16M-F10 cells which molecular mechanisms channel GSH release and whether their modulation may influence metastatic activity. GSH efflux was abolished in multidrug resistance protein 1 knock-out (MRP-/-1) B16M-F10 transfected with the Bcl-2 gene or in MRP-/-1 B16M-F10 cells incubated with l-methionine, which indicates that GSH release from B16M-F10 cells is channeled through MRP1 and a BCL-2-dependent system (likely related to an l-methionine-sensitive GSH carrier previously detected in hepatocytes). The BCL-2-dependent system was identified as the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator, since monoclonal antibodies against this ion channel or H-89 (a protein kinase A-selective inhibitor)-induced inhibition of cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator gene expression completely blocked the BCL-2-sensitive GSH release. By using a perifusion system that mimics in vivo conditions, we found that GSH depletion in metastatic cells can be achieved by using Bcl-2 antisense oligodeoxynucleotide- and verapamil (an MRP1 activator)-induced acceleration of GSH efflux, in combination with acivicin-induced inhibition of γ-glutamyltranspeptidase (which limits GSH synthesis by preventing cysteine generation from extracellular GSH). When applied under in vivo conditions, this strategy increased tumor cytotoxicity (up to ∼90%) during B16M-F10 cell adhesion to the hepatic sinusoidal endothelium.