Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Influence of physicians' attitudes on reporting adverse drug events: a case-control study.

BACKGROUND Voluntary physician reporting of adverse drug events (ADEs) in among their patients remains the single most important source of information on serious and rare ADEs. Yet, substantial under-reporting exists and the factors producing its causes are unclear. OBJECTIVES The objectives of the study are to: (1) identify the practitioner's demographic and professional characteristics associated with ADE reporting; and (2) identify knowledge, attitudes, and opinions associated with ADE reporting. DESIGN Case-control study. SUBJECTS Physicians within the National Health Service in Galicia (Northwestern Spain). The 194 case doctors are those who reported at least one ADE to the regional drug surveillance center between 1991 and their enrollment in the study. The 498 controls were randomly selected among the remaining physicians. All were interviewed using a mail questionnaire. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES We used logistic regression to determine the ADE reporting odds ratio. RESULTS The response rate was 63.7%. The probability of reporting ADEs increases with increasing volume of prescriptions and decreases with increasing patient load. The following attitudes are associated with a smaller probability of reporting: (1) belief that really serious adverse drug events are well documented by the time a drug is marketed; (2) belief that it is nearly impossible to determine if a drug is responsible for a particular adverse event; (3) only reporting an adverse drug reaction if one is sure that it is related to the use of a particular drug; and (4) belief that the one case an individual physician might see cannot contribute to medical knowledge. CONCLUSIONS Some physician attitudes regarding ADEs are associated with underreporting.
Outer membrane permeation of beta-lactam antibiotics in Escherichia coli, Proteus mirabilis, and Enterobacter cloacae

Mutant strains lacking outer membrane protein(s) were isolated from Escherichia coli, Proteus mirabilis, and Enterobacter cloacae. The outer membrane protein(s) of P. mirabilis and E. cloacae corresponding to E. coli porin were identified on the basis of their function, namely, their ability to allow the permeation of glucose as demonstrated by [14C]glucose uptake by intact cells. P. mirabilis has only one outer membrane pore protein (molecular weight, 40,000), but E. cloacae has at least two such proteins (molecular weights, 37,000 and 39,000 to 40,000). When the bacteria lost these proteins or porin, the outer membrane permeation of cefazolin was found to be greatly reduced in these three species. Such a change in the outer membrane permeation closely correlated with a significant decrease in the bacterial susceptibility to cephalosporins, including cefoxitin. These results suggested that the main pathway for cephalosporin permeation is the pore made up of these proteins. The 39,000- to 40,000-molecular-weight protein in E. cloacae was also assumed to play an important role in the outer membrane permeation of tetracycline and chloramphenicol. On the other hand, the permeation route of penicillins was obscure. The susceptibility to penicillins, except in some cases, was little influenced by the absence of the proteins. Ampicillin was found to pass through the outer membrane via the same route as the cephalosporins, but the possibility that ampicillin and other penicillins possess another unknown route for outer membrane permeation could not be ruled out.
The second edition of the EPAC expert survey on ethnonationalism in party competition – testing for validity and reliability

ABSTRACT This research note presents EPAC 2017, a dataset resulting from the second round of an expert survey on ethnonationalism in party competition. EPAC provides cross-sectional data on the positions of (ethno-) national and mainstream parties on an ethnonational (also often referred to as ‘territorial’ or ‘centre-periphery’) dimension, as well as other important dimensions of political competition. The 2017 edition covers 222 political parties in 22 multinational European countries. The research note presents the main survey items and performs a series of validity and reliability tests on the data. Results show that EPAC 2017 provides valid and reliable measures of party positions on an ethnonational dimension. A short analysis of party system changes in Spain and Bosnia and Herzegovina illustrates the opportunities of combining the 2011 and 2017 editions. The combined dataset allows studying the mobilization of the centre-periphery cleavage in party competition across Eastern and Western Europe and over time.
Teriparatide (Human Parathyroid Hormone (1–34)) Inhibits Osteogenic Vascular Calcification in Diabetic Low Density Lipoprotein Receptor-deficient Mice*

Cardiovascular calcification is a common consequence of diabetes. High fat diets induce diabetes and arterial calcification in male low density lipoprotein receptor (LDLR) –/– mice; calcification occurs via Msx2 signaling that promotes the osteogenic differentiation of arterial myofibroblasts. We studied regulation of arterial osteogenesis by human parathyroid hormone (PTH) (1–34) (also called teriparatide) in LDLR –/– mice fed diabetogenic diets for 4 weeks. LDLR –/– mice were treated with vehicle or 0.4 mg/kg of PTH(1–34) subcutaneously five times/week. Gene expression was determined from single aortas and hind limb RNA by fluorescence reverse transcription-PCR. Valve calcification was determined by histological staining of cardiac sections using image analysis to quantify valve leaflet mineralization. PTH(1–34) increased bone mineral content (by dual energy x-ray absorptiometry) in LDLR –/– mice, with induction of osseous osteopontin (OPN) expression and serum OPN levels (>150 nm); PTH(1–34) did not significantly change serum glucose, lipids, body weight, or fat mass. PTH(1–34) suppressed aortic OPN and Msx2 expression >50% and decreased cardiac valve calcification 80% (8.3 ± 1.5% versus 1.4 ± 0.5%; p < 0.001). Of the known circulating regulators of vascular calcification (OPN, osteoprotegerin, and leptin), PTH(1–34) regulated only serum OPN. We therefore studied actions of PTH(1–34) and OPN in vitro on cells induced to mineralize with Msx2. OPN (5–50 nm) reversed Msx2-induced mineralization. PTH(1–34) inhibited mineralization by 40% and down-regulated Msx2 in aortic myofibroblasts. PTH(1–34) inhibits vascular calcification and aortic osteogenic differentiation via direct actions and potentially via circulating OPN. PTH(1–34) exerts beneficial actions at early stages of macrovascular disease responses to diabetes and dyslipidemia.
Benzene‐induced micronuclei formation in mouse fetal liver blood, peripheral blood, and maternal bone marrow cells

The transplacental cytogenetic effects of benzene were studied by using the micronucleus test of polychromatic erythrocytes (PCE) found in both fetal liver and fetal peripheral blood, and were compared with PCE from maternal bone marrow. Timed‐pregnant mice received single intraperitoneal doses of benzene (0, 109, 219, 437, or 874 mg/kg bw) on the 14th day of gestation and were sacrificed 21 hr after injection. Benzene elicited a significant increase (P < 0.01) in the frequency of micronucleated polychromatic erythrocytes (MNPCE) in fetal liver blood cells (0.55 to 1.36%, control 0.18%) at doses of 219 to 874 mg/kg, and in fetal peripheral blood cells (0.49 to 0.58%, control 0.25%) and maternal bone marrow cells (0.53 to 0.70%, control 0.10%) at doses of 437 and 874 mg/kg. The data demonstrate that benzene is a moderate transplacental clastogenic agent, and that the mouse transplacental micronucleus test using fetal liver blood cells is a potentially more sensitive indicator of the genotoxicity of benzene than either fetal peripheral blood or maternal bone marrow cells.
Abnormal salience network in normal aging and in amnestic mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer's disease

The salience network (SN) serves to identify salient stimuli and to switch between the central executive network (CEN) and the default‐mode network (DMN), both of which are impaired in Alzheimer's disease (AD)/amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI). We hypothesized that both the structural and functional organization of the SN and functional interactions between the SN and CEN/DMN are altered in normal aging and in AD/aMCI. Gray matter volume (GMV) and resting‐state functional connectivity (FC) were analyzed from healthy younger (HYC) to older controls (HOC) and from HOC to aMCI and AD patients. All the SN components showed significant differences in the GMV, intranetwork FC, and internetwork FC between the HYC and HOC. Most of the SN components showed differences in the GMV between the HOC and AD and between the aMCI and AD. Compared with the HOC, AD patients exhibited significant differences in intra‐ and internetwork FCs of the SN, whereas aMCI patients demonstrated differences in internetwork FC of the SN. Most of the GMVs and internetwork FCs of the SN and part of the intranetwork FC of the SN were correlated with cognitive differences in older subjects. Our findings suggested that structural and functional impairments of the SN may occur as early as in normal aging and that functional disconnection between the SN and CEN/ DMN may also be associated with both normal aging and disease progression. Hum Brain Mapp 35:3446–3464, 2014. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Sistem Pemilu Proporsional Daftar Terbuka di Indonesia: Melahirkan Korupsi Politik?

Abstract This study examines an open proportional electoral system in Indonesia that cause political corrupt. The purpose of this study is to analyze an open proportional election system that generates corruption among members of Parliament and DPRD. This research uses qualitative research with descriptive approach. Sources of data used, namely the primary data based on laws and official documents related to the electoral system in Indonesia. Secondary data include literature that is relevant to research in the form of books, articles magazines, newspapers, or scientific journals, press releases, and previous research relating to open list election systems and political corruption. The findings of this study indicate that the application of an open proportional electoral system aims to produce representative who is accountable and close to the constituents. This electoral system has the potential to generate political corruption due to the expensive political costs of competing in the election. Keywords: open proportional election system, parliaments, political corruption Abstrak Penelitian ini mengkaji sistem pemilu proporsional terbuka di Indonesia yang melahirkan perilaku korupsi. Tujuan penelitian ini adalah menganalisa sistem pemilu proporsional terbuka yang melahirkan korupsi dikalangan anggota DPR dan DPRD. Penelitian ini menggunakan penelitian kualitatif dengan pendekatan dekriptif. Sumber data yang digunakan, yaitu data primer yang berdasarkan peraturan perundangan dan dokumen resmi yang terkait sistem pemilu di Indonesia. Sedangkan data sekunder meliputi literatur yang relevan dengan penelitian berupa buku, artikel dari majalah, surat kabar, atau jurnal ilmiah, siaran pers, serta penelitian yang terdahulu yang berkaitan dengan sistem pemilu daftar terbuka dan korupsi politik. Temuan penelitian ini menunjukkan bahwa penerapan sistem pemilu proporsional terbuka bertujuan agar menghasilkan wakil rakyat yang akuntabel dan dekat dengan konstituennya. Sistem pemilu ini berpotensi melahirkan korupsi politik karena biaya politik yang mahal selama berkompetisi dalam pemilu. Kata Kunci: sistem pemilihan umum, proporsional daftar terbuka, legislatif, korupsi politik
Severe Falciparum Malaria-Difference in Mortality among Male and Nonpregnant Females.

BACKGROUND There are many studies regarding the gender difference in severe falciparum malaria. But most of these studies indeed refer to pregnant females only. There are scanty and conflicting reports regarding the mortality trend in nonpregnant females. MATERIALS AND METHODS This is a case control study which is open, single centre, single blind, prospective and interventional study. SPSS 19 was used at the end of the study for all statistical analysis. Student's t-test was used for nominal variables and chi-squared test was used for categorical variables. RESULTS The mean pre hospitalization illness period is significantly lower in females. Incidence of convulsion is significantly higher in females. The mean haemoglobin concentration in females is significantly lower. The mortality in females is significantly higher. Females over 40 years have higher mortality than females less than 40 years and also males over 40 years. Shock in female was associated with significantly high mortality. CONCLUSION The mortality in females is significantly higher in males. The females had lower haemoglobin level and increased incidence of convulsion than their male counterparts. Shock in females has significantly higher mortality. So prompt treatment can save many lives. The increased mortality in females cannot be explained by relative inaccessibility of females to health care system as previously explained, because they have reached hospital earlier than males. Causes of shock and their association with increased mortality in females need further studies.
Essays in applied microeconomics

This thesis consists of three chapters that belong to the realm of Applied Microeconomics. The first two chapters are empirical projects that assess the role of time for human capital development of immigrants in the U.S. The third one is a theory project that studies how managerial career concerns and experimentation influence risk-taking behaviours. Chapter 1 studies how age at arrival in the U.S. affects the skill development of young immigrants in the U.S. Using the within family variation across siblings entered in the U.S. at different ages, I document a cognitive / non-cognitive tradeoff induced by age at arrival. As for cognitive skills, the effect of age at arrival is negative, in particular for the ability to learn English. The effect on cognitive skills is reflected in immigrants’ educational achievements. However, age at arrival plays a positive role for illicit behaviours. Children of immigrants arrived later tend to show less problematic behaviours than their siblings arrived earlier, also controlling for their English ability. Through an indirect accounting exercise, I estimate the negative effect of age at arrival on the labor market performance of immigrant adults. I conclude the paper showing that more educated parents anticipate the arrival of their children in the U.S. Chapter 2, co-authored with Leonardo Felli, Carola Frege and Yona Rubinstein, studies the intergenerational assimilation of immigrants in the U.S. In our study, we observe the outcomes of several immigrant generations. Moreover, we link immigrant mothers and their children, thus observing the outcomes of two immigrant generations belonging to the same cohort. Controlling for the selection into migration and return migration, we document that it takes two immigrant generations to exhaust the full potential of cognitive and educational assimilation, while it might take longer for other social outcomes, such as the attitude towards problematic behaviour and the likelihood of having children. Chapter 3, co-authored with Francesco Sannino, studies the effect of managerial career concerns and experimentation on risk-taking. We model an economy where managers create value through their ability to learn at an intermediate stage about the intrinsic profitability of a risky investment. Managers are heterogeneous in their ability to extract information from experiments, and care about their reputation. Their incentive to take on risk is distorted by career concerns, and can result in under or over risk-taking. When, following the experiment, better managers discard risky projects more often than bad ones we observe over risk-taking. Our result is in contrast with Holmstr¨om (1999) where managers’ ability affects the project’s success rate, and career concerns can only produce inefficiently low risk-taking. We show that the inefficiency is reduced in one extension of the model, where the market can also observe the outcome of similar projects. The novel implication is that markets more plagued by career concerns distortions are those where managers engage in more idiosyncratic activities.
Women's sexuality: from aging to social representations.

INTRODUCTION Studies designed in northern countries show that most women are still sexually active after the age of 50. Many factors other than hormones influence sexual life in and after middle age; they include social status, personal characteristics, physical and psychological conditions, relationship factors, and social representations of sexuality. AIM This study aims to analyze various components of sexuality, including its social representations, among women aged 45-55 years, as they reach menopause. METHODS Comparison of three groups: all postmenopausal women (277), postmenopausal women not currently using hormonal treatment (HT) (209), postmenopausal women currently using HT (68), with a reference group of premenopausal women (408). All were recruited in a national general population-based survey of sexual behaviors and interviewed by telephone. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Practices, sexual function, satisfaction, and representations and expectations concerning sexuality. RESULTS The women did not differ according to menopausal status for sexual activity, practices (wide range of practices beyond sexual intercourse), dysfunction, or satisfaction. They also attributed equal importance to sexuality. Nevertheless, although postmenopausal women not using HT did not report less sexual activity than premenopausal women, they were less likely to consider that a 3-month period without sex is a sign of difficulty in a relationship (30.3% vs. 47.7%; odds ratio: 0.35 [0.21-0.57], P=0.000). This difference was not observed between postmenopausal women using HT and premenopausal women. CONCLUSIONS Our results suggest that for middle-aged women who are at the onset of menopause, the biological/hormonal changes characterizing menopause do not negatively affect sexual life. Any negative reported effects on sexuality are more likely due to anticipation or negative representations of sexuality around menopause than to biological or hormonal effects. The effect of menopause at this point in women's lives may thus be more symbolic than biological, expressed as a form of anticipation of old age.
Interspecific hybridization and bioactive alkaloid variation increases diversity in endophytic Epichloë species of Bromus laevipes.

Studying geographic variation of microbial mutualists, especially variation in traits related to benefits they provide their host, is critical for understanding how these associations impact key ecological processes. In this study, we investigate the phylogenetic population structure of Epichloë species within Bromus laevipes, a native cool-season bunchgrass found predominantly in California. Phylogenetic classification supported inference of three distinct Epichloë taxa, of which one was nonhybrid and two were interspecific hybrids. Inheritance of mating-type idiomorphs revealed that at least one of the hybrid species arose from independent hybridization events. We further investigated the geographic variation of endophyte-encoded alkaloid genes, which is often associated with key benefits of natural enemy protection for the host. Marker diversity at the ergot alkaloid, loline, indole-diterpene, and peramine loci revealed four alkaloid genotypes across the three identified Epichloë species. Predicted chemotypes were tested using endophyte-infected plant material that represented each endophyte genotype, and 11 of the 13 predicted alkaloids were confirmed. This multifaceted approach combining phylogenetic, genotypic, and chemotypic analyses allowed us to reconstruct the diverse evolutionary histories of Epichloë species present within B. laevipes and highlight the complex and dynamic processes underlying these grass-endophyte symbioses.
How to Make Better Decisions? Lessons Learned from Behavioral Corporate Finance

This article reviews the literature in the field of Behavioral Corporate Finance. For reasons of simplicity, we distinguish between two approaches. The first approach focuses on the analysis of irrational behavior of managers in the context of efficient financial markets. Many empirical studies discover systematic irrational managerial behavior. The second approach regards rational manager decisions in the context of inefficient markets. The analysis focuses on situations where investors are systematically irrational taking rational and well-informed managers as given. Interestingly, Behavioral Corporate Finance is able to explain many empirical observations that cannot be explained by traditional Corporate Finance. In reality, both managers and investors act to some extent irrationally. Therefore, we make recommendations to both groups in order to improve their decision making. In contrast to other papers, we give specific recommendations for both managers and investors. With the help of these recommendations, managers and investors are able to improve decision-making to their mutual advantage.
Amelioration of cognitive impairments in APPswe/PS1dE9 mice is associated with metabolites alteration induced by total salvianolic acid

Purpose Total salvianolic acid (TSA) is extracted from salvia miltiorrhiza; however, to date, there has been limited characterization of its effects on metabolites in Alzheimer’s disease model-APPswe/PS1dE9 mice. The main objective of this study was to investigate the metabolic changes in 7-month-old APPswe/PS1dE9 mice treated with TSA, which protects against learning and memory impairment. Methods APPswe/PS1dE9 mice were treated with TSA (30 mg/kg·d and 60 mg/kg·d, i.p.) and saline (i.p.) daily from 3.5 months old for 14 weeks; saline-treated (i.p.) WT mice were included as the controls. The effects of TSA on learning and memory were assessed by a series of behavioral tests, including the NOR, MWM and step-through tasks. The FBG and plasma lipid levels were subsequently assessed using the GOPOD and enzymatic color methods, respectively. Finally, the concentrations of Aβ42, Aβ40 and metabolites in the hippocampus of the mice were detected via ELISA and GC-TOF-MS, respectively. Results At 7 months of age, the APPswe/PS1dE9 mice treated with TSA exhibited an improvement in the preference index (PI) one hour after the acquisition phase in the NOR and the preservation of spatial learning and memory in the MWM. Treatment with TSA substantially decreased the LDL-C level, and 60 mg/kg TSA decreased the CHOL level compared with the plasma level of the APPswe/PS1dE9 group. The Aβ42 and Aβ40 levels in the hippocampus were decreased in the TSA-treated group compared with the saline-treated APPswe/PS1dE9 group. The regulation of metabolic pathways relevant to TSA predominantly included carbohydrate metabolism, such as sorbitol, glucose-6-phosphate, sucrose-6-phosphate and galactose, vitamin metabolism involved in cholecalciferol and ascorbate in the hippocampus. Conclusions TSA induced a remarkable amelioration of learning and memory impairments in APPswe/PS1dE9 mice through the regulation of Aβ42, Aβ40, carbohydrate and vitamin metabolites in the hippocampus and LDL-C and CHOL in the plasma.