Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Contribution of Genome-Wide Significant Single-Nucleotide Polymorphisms and Antiretroviral Therapy to Dyslipidemia in HIV-Infected Individuals: A Longitudinal Study

Background— HIV-infected individuals have an increased risk of myocardial infarction. Antiretroviral therapy (ART) is regarded as a major determinant of dyslipidemia in HIV-infected individuals. Previous genetic studies have been limited by the validity of the single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) interrogated and by cross-sectional design. Recent genome-wide association studies have reliably associated common SNPs to dyslipidemia in the general population. Methods and Results— We validated the contribution of 42 SNPs (33 identified in genome-wide association studies and 9 previously reported SNPs not included in genome-wide association study chips) and of longitudinally measured key nongenetic variables (ART, underlying conditions, sex, age, ethnicity, and HIV disease parameters) to dyslipidemia in 745 HIV-infected study participants (n=34 565 lipid measurements; median follow-up, 7.6 years). The relative impact of SNPs and ART to lipid variation in the study population and their cumulative influence on sustained dyslipidemia at the level of the individual were calculated. SNPs were associated with lipid changes consistent with genome-wide association study estimates. SNPs explained up to 7.6% (non–high-density lipoprotein cholesterol), 6.2% (high-density lipoprotein cholesterol), and 6.8% (triglycerides) of lipid variation; ART explained 3.9% (non–high-density lipoprotein cholesterol), 1.5% (high-density lipoprotein cholesterol), and 6.2% (triglycerides). An individual with the most dyslipidemic antiretroviral and genetic background had an ≈3- to 5-fold increased risk of sustained dyslipidemia compared with an individual with the least dyslipidemic therapy and genetic background. Conclusions— In the HIV-infected population treated with ART, the weight of the contribution of common SNPs and ART to dyslipidemia was similar. When selecting an ART regimen, genetic information should be considered in addition to the dyslipidemic effects of ART agents.
Consumers» Cognitions With Regard to Genetically Modified Foods. Results of a Qualitative Study in Four Countries

The objective of this research was to gain insight into consumers>> attitudes towards genetic modification in food production. With means-end chain theory as the theoretical basis, laddering interviews were conducted with 400 consumers in Denmark, Germany, the United Kingdom and Italy. Perceived risks and benefits of genetic modification in foods were investigated using beer and yoghurt as examples. German and Danish responses revealed more complex cognitive structures than did the results from the United Kingdom and Italy. In all four countries, however, applying genetic modification was associated with unnaturalness and low trustworthiness of the resulting products, independently of whether the genetically modified material was traceable in the product. Moral considerations were voiced as well, as were a number of other consequences that were perceived to conflict with both individual and social values.
Convincing people to go green: managing strategic action by minimising political talk

At a time when the US public is deeply divided over how to address climate change, I investigate the way environmentally conscious actors attempt to recruit people to change their lifestyles and become more environmentally responsible. I draw on data from 45 interviews and participant observation with voluntary simplifiers, religious environmentalists, and green homeowners. Aware of the public’s aversion to discussing contentious issues such as climate change, informants focus on changing practices while downplaying political ideas and engagements. This is part of a pragmatic lifestyle change strategy which unites several persuasive techniques that include tailoring appeals to particular audiences, making ‘I feel’ statements, being role models, highlighting financial rewards such as the ‘win–win’ proposition, and the rare environmental appeal. I discuss how informants manipulate the lack of public political talk to their advantage in order to reach a wider audience. In this case, avoiding politics is not only active but strategic.
The impact of information and communication technology on retail property in Malaysia

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine the impact of using information and communication technology (ICT) on retail property in Malaysia. It also examines what listed property companies perceive in terms of the implications of using ICT in the retail property sector in Malaysia. Design/methodology/approach – Data were collected from sample surveys completed by 79 property companies listed on the Bursa Malaysia (formerly known as the Kuala Lumpur Stock Exchange). An ICT retail impact matrix was then developed to assess the significance of ICT on retail property in Malaysia. Findings – The findings of the study revealed that ICT would have only a minor impact on retail property in Malaysia and that there would still be a need for the traditional means of conducting a retail property business. It also found that the listed property companies were ready to implement ICT applications and that the demand for retail property would still increase in Malaysia in the future. Research limitations/implicat.
Immunosuppressant combined with infliximab in Crohn's Disease: for 6 months, for 2 years, or forever?

T he recently published article by Oussalah et al reports a retrospective analysis of a single-center cohort of 48 patients with luminal Crohn’s disease (CD) treated by combined therapy with infliximab and azathioprine for at least 6 months and who then stopped azathioprine after a mean of 30.2 months of combined therapy. The primary aim of the study was to analyze predictive factors of infliximab failure after azathioprine withdrawal. Infliximab failure was defined either as a disease flare requiring shortening of the dosing interval or increasing the infliximab dose to 10 mg/ kg, or switching to adalimumab, as acute or delayed hypersensitivity reactions leading to infliximab discontinuation, or as CD-related surgery. The survival probabilities without infliximab failure were 85% (65%) at 12 months and 41% (618%) at both 24 and 32 months. Independent predictive factors of infliximab failures were combined therapy exposure <811 days, C-reactive protein (CRP) >5 mg/L, and platelet counts >298 10/L.
Respiratory distress syndrome in moderately late and late preterm infants and risk of cerebral palsy: a population-based cohort study

Objectives Infant respiratory distress syndrome (IRDS) is a known risk factor for intracerebral haemorrhage/intraventricular haemorrhage (ICH/IVH) and periventricular leucomalacia. These lesions are known to increase the risk of cerebral palsy (CP). Thus, we wanted to examine the long-term risk of CP following IRDS in moderately late and late preterm infants. Design Population-based cohort study. Setting All hospitals in Denmark. Participants We used nationwide medical registries to identify a cohort of all moderately and late preterm infants (defined as birth during 32–36 full gestational weeks) born in Denmark in 1997–2007 with and without hospital diagnosed IRDS. Main outcomes measures We followed study participants from birth until first diagnosis of CP, emigration, death or end of follow-up in 2014. We computed the cumulative incidence of CP before age 8 years and used Cox's regression analysis to compute HRs of IRDS, comparing children with IRDS to those without IRDS. HRs were adjusted for multiple covariates. Results We identified 39 420 moderately late and late preterm infants, of whom 2255 (5.7%) had IRDS. The cumulative incidence of CP was 1.9% in infants with IRDS and 0.5% in the comparison cohort. The adjusted HR of CP was 2.0 (95% CI 1.4 to 2.9). The adjusted HR of CP was 12 (95% CI 4.5 to 34) in children with IRDS accompanied by a diagnosis of ICH/IVH. After restriction to children without diagnoses of perinatal breathing disorders other than IRDS, congenital heart disease and viral or bacterial infections occurring within 4 days of birth, the overall adjusted HR was 2.1 (95% CI 1.4 to 3.1). Conclusions The risk of CP was increased in moderately late and late preterm infants with IRDS compared with infants without IRDS born during the same gestational weeks.
Periodontal and peri-implant microbiota in patients with healthy and inflamed periodontal and peri-implant tissues.

OBJECTIVE To compare the prevalence and levels of six bacterial pathogens within the subgingival/submucosal microbiota at teeth versus implants with various clinical conditions. MATERIAL AND METHODS Twenty-two Chinese were included. Four subgingival/submucosal sites were selected for microbiological sampling within each subject, that is, (1) healthy peri-implant tissues; (2) peri-implantitis [PPD ≥ 5 mm, presence of bleeding on probing (BOP) and confirmed radiographic bone loss]; (3) healthy gingiva; and (4) periodontitis (PPD ≥4 mm). Subgingival/submucosal plaque was sampled using paper points. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (q-PCR) was used to quantify six pathogens, including Porphyromonas gingivalis (P.g.), Treponema denticola (T.d.), Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans (A.a.), Fusobacterium nucleatum (F.n.), Prevotella intermedia (P.i.), and Staphylococcus aureus (S.a.). Counts were log10-transformed. RESULTS The most commonly detected species were S. a. and F. n. , while A. a. and. P. i. had the lowest detection frequency. The detection frequencies of diseased tooth or implant sites for each of the six target species were either equal to or higher than the respective frequencies at the corresponding healthy sites. There were no statistically significant differences for any of the species or clinical sites (P > 0.05, Cochran's Q test). No statistically significant differences in the bacterial loads were found among the four clinical sites; with the exception of F. nucleatum. This was more abundant in periodontitis sites (P = 0.023, Friedman's 2-way anova). Both periodontal and peri-implant sites, irrespective of their health status, were revealed to harbor S. aureus cells. The log10-transformed loads of S. aureus were approximately 3.5 within each of the clinical sites (P = 0.232). This was the highest of the six species analyzed. CONCLUSIONS Within the same subjects, putative periodontal pathogens were common to both periodontal and peri-implant sites irrespective of health status. The prevalence and levels of P. gingivalis and F. nucleatum were significantly associated with periodontitis, but not with peri-implantitis. A. actinomycetemcomitans was associated with both disease conditions, periodontitis and peri-implantitis, but not with either gingival or mucosal health.
Participatory integrated assessment of flood protection measures for climate adaptation in Dhaka

Dhaka is one of the largest megacities in the world and its population is growing rapidly. Due to its location on a deltaic plain, the city is extremely prone to detrimental flooding, and risks associated with this are expected to increase further in the coming years due to global climate change impacts as well as the high rate of urbanization the city is facing. The lowest-lying part of Dhaka, namely Dhaka East, is facing the most severe risk of flooding. Traditionally, excess water in this part of the city was efficiently stored in water ponds and gradually drained into rivers through connected canals. However, the alarming increase in Dhaka’s population is causing encroachment of these water retention areas because of land scarcity. The city’s natural drainage is not functioning well and the area is still not protected from flooding, which causes major threats to its inhabitants. This situation increases the urgency to adapt effectively to current flooding caused by climate variability and also to the impacts of future climate change. Although the government is planning several adaptive measures to protect the area from floods, a systematic framework to analyze and assess them is lacking. The objective of this paper is to develop an integrated framework for the assessment and prioritization of various (current and potential) adaptation measures aimed at protecting vulnerable areas from flooding. The study identifies, analyzes, assesses and prioritizes adaptive initiatives and measures to address flood risks in the eastern fringe area, and the adaptation assessment is conducted within the framework of multi-criteria analysis (MCA) methodology. MCA facilitates the participation of stakeholders and hence allows normative judgements, while incorporating technical expertise in the adaptation assessment. Based on the assessment, adaptive measures are prioritized to indicate which actions should be implemented first. Such a participatory integrated assessment of adaptation options is currently lacking in the decision-making process in the city of Dhaka and could greatly help reach informed and structured decisions in the development of adaptation strategies for flood protection.
Comparison of efficiency measures for Spanish first division football teams using data envelopment and stochastic frontier analyses

The aim of this study was to analyse the robustness of the efficiency ratios calculated by the original version of Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA), the modified version, as proposed by Andersen and Petersen (1993), and stochastic frontier analysis. The study was performed on the football teams that played in the Spanish football First Division between 1998 and 2010. The results show that consistency conditions are generally met between the two versions of the DEA, but the correlation between them and stochastic frontier analysis is less. The conclusions offer some possible interpretations of the discrepancies identified. This is what leads to recovery in the absence of stabilization policies.
Innovation in family and non-family businesses: a resource perspective

This article expands our understanding regarding the differences in innovative behaviour between family and non-family firms. To detect real rather than sample differences between independent family and non-family manufacturing companies in Spain, we use a matched sample methodology with data from the European Manufacturing Survey – a European cross-national survey launched in 11 countries and focused on the manufacturing sector. A Mann-Whitney U non-parametric test revealed that six out of seven measures were statistically significant between the two matched groups of companies. We found differences between family and non-family firms with regard to the role of human, social and marketing capital for innovation. These findings are of interest because some of them run contrary to conventional thinking that family firms are less innovative than non-family firms.
Stroke Patients Do Not Need to be Inactive in the First Two-Weeks after Stroke: Results from a Stroke Unit Focused on Early Rehabilitation

Background Although stroke unit care with early rehabilitation is recommended for most stroke patients, the content of the treatment given to acute stroke patients differs a lot. Aim The primary aim of this study was to describe the activity patterns of acute stroke patients managed in a stroke unit focused on early rehabilitation. Methods Patients admitted to the stroke unit at St. Olavs Hospital, Trondheim, with the diagnosis of stroke were asked to participate. Patients were eligible if they were less than 14 days post stroke and did not receive palliative care. Patients were observed every 10 mins from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm, and activity, location, and who helped them were recorded. Results A total of 117 patients (mean age 78·7 years; 56% male) were included. In total, patients spent 30·3% of time in bed, 46·4% of time in sitting out of bed, and 19·9% of time in higher motor activities such as transferring, standing, walking, or climbing stairs. Patients with mild, moderate, and severe stroke spent 79·5%, 59·2%, and 31·0% of observed time sitting out of bed or engaged in higher motor activities, respectively. Conclusion This study shows that it is possible for acute stroke patients to spend most of the active day out of bed and to engage in higher motor activities up to 20% of the time. It also shows that it is feasible for severely affected stroke patients to stay out of bed in the early phase after stroke.
Emission Rates and Comparative Chemical Composition from Selected In-Use Diesel and Gasoline-Fueled Vehicles

Abstract Emission samples for toxicity testing and detailed chemical characterization were collected from a variety of gasoline- and diesel-fueled in-use vehicles operated on the Unified Driving Cycle on a chassis dynamometer. Gasoline vehicles included normal particle mass (particulate matter [PM]) emitters (tested at 72 and 30°F), “black” and “white” smokers, and a new-technology vehicle (tested at 72 °F). Diesel vehicles included current-technology vehicles (tested at 72 and 30°F) and a high PM emitter. Total PM emission rates ranged from below 3 mg/mi up to more than 700 mg/mi for the white smoker gasoline vehicle. Emission rates of organic and elemental carbon (OC/EC), elements (metals and associated analytes), ions, and a variety of particulate and semi-volatile organic compounds (polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons [PAH], nitro-PAH, oxy-PAH, hopanes, and steranes) are reported for these vehicles. Speciated organic analysis also was conducted on the fuels and lube oils obtained from these vehicles after the emissions testing. The compositions of emissions were highly dependent on the fuel type (gasoline vs. diesel), the state of vehicle maintenance (low, average, or high emitters; white or black smokers), and ambient conditions (i.e., temperature) of the vehicles. Fuel and oil analyses from these vehicles showed that oil served as a repository for combustion byproducts (e.g., PAH), and oil-burning gasoline vehicles emitted PAH in higher concentrations than did other vehicles. These PAH emissions matched the PAH compositions observed in oil.
Estimating Potential Output as a Latent Variable

This article proposes a new method for estimating potential output in which potential real gross domestic product (GDP) is modeled as an unobserved stochastic trend, and deviations of GDP from potential affect inflation through an aggregate supply relationship. The output and inflation equations together form a bivariate unobserved-components model which is estimated via maximum likelihood through the use of the Kalman-filter algorithm. The procedure yields a measure of potential output and its standard error and an estimate of the quantitative response of inflation to real growth and the output gap.
Interleukin 11 Inhibits Human Trophoblast Invasion Indicating a Likely Role in the Decidual Restraint of Trophoblast Invasion During Placentation1

Abstract Successful pregnancy depends on the precise regulation of extravillous trophoblast (EVT) invasion into the uterine decidua, primarily by decidua-derived factors. In humans, during early pregnancy interleukin 11 (IL11) is maximally expressed in the decidua, with its receptor, IL11 receptor alpha (IL11RA), also identified on invasive EVTs in vivo. Although a role for IL11 in EVT migration has been established, whether it also plays a role in regulating EVT invasion is unknown. We investigated whether IL11 influences human EVT invasion and the signaling pathways and underlying mechanisms that may be involved, using the HTR-8/SVneo immortalized EVT cell line and primary EVTs as models for EVTs. Interleukin 11 (100 ng/ml) significantly inhibited invasion of EVT cells by 40% to 60% (P < 0.001). This effect was abolished by inhibitors of signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) but not of mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathways. Interleukin 11 (100 ng/ml) had no effect on matrix metallopeptidases 2 and 9 (MMP2 and MMP9), tissue inhibitors of MMP (TIMP1, TIMP2, and TIMP3), plasminogen activator urokinase (PLAU), plasminogen activator urokinase receptor (PLAUR), and serpin peptidase inhibitors 1 and 2 (SERPINE1 and SERPINE2) in EVT-conditioned media and/or cell lysates. Interleukin 11 (100 ng/ml) also did not regulate EVT cell adhesion or integrin expression. These data demonstrate that IL11 inhibits human EVT invasion via STAT3, indicating a likely role for IL11 in the decidual restraint of EVT invasion during normal pregnancy.
Entrepreneurship in emerging high-tech industries: ICT entrepreneurs between experts and kamikazes

This study addresses a paradox: stakeholders agree upon the strategic importance of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) entrepreneurship, but little research provides empirical results to understand the ICT sector/entrepreneur. Analysing 469 entrepreneurs, the following specificities of ICT entrepreneurship in France were revealed: subsector differences, regional disparities, underrepresentation of female entrepreneurs, high qualification as prerequirement, insufficient preparation activities, a low level of entrepreneurship training and a surprisingly high proportion of necessity entrepreneurship. At the subsector level, four groups of entrepreneurs were identified: experienced cadre, 'freshman', well-prepared 'provident' and 'kamikaze'. The 'expert' with industry experience contrasts with the inexperienced 'freshman'. The careful preparer ('provident') displays a more technical profile, little management experience but the highest level of preparation of all four types. The opposite is the kamikaze: lack of specific knowledge, low educational level and little preparation. Implications for stakeholders (entrepreneurship support, venture capital) are suggested to assess and adjust measures for each type of entrepreneur.
Spatio-Temporal Optimization of Seasonal Vaccination Using a Metapopulation Model of Influenza

Prophylactic interventions such as vaccine allocation are one of the most effective public health policy planning tools. The supply of vaccines is limited, and an importantproblem is when and how to allocate the available vaccination supply, referred to as the Vaccine Allocation Problem. The spread of epidemics is modeled by the SEIR process, which has a very complex dynamics, and depends on human contacts and mobility. This makes the design of efficient solutions tovaccine allocation problem to minimize the number of infections a very challenging problem. In particular, this requires good models for human mobility, and optimization tools for vaccine allocation.In this paper, we study the vaccine allocation problem in the context of seasonal Influenza spread inthe United States. We develop a novel national scale flu model that integrate both short andlong distance travel, which are known to be important determinants of the spread of Influenza. We also design a greedy algorithm for allocating the vaccine supply at a county level. Our results show significant improvement over the current baseline, whichinvolves allocating vaccines based on the state population.
Faculty Education, Assistance and Support Needed to Deliver Education via Distance

Faculty survey. Two-hundred seven faculty teaching academic courses and 30 administrators in two colleges in a mid-west university were surveyed to study the type of education, assistance, and support faculty feel they need to develop educational materials for distance delivery. Onefourth of these teaching faculty had taught via distance and another two-fifths (40%) expect to teach via distance within three to five years.